Cole Hamels Contract Now Hinging on Special Bond of ‘Friendship’

When an agent and a general manager love each other very much, a contract extension is born.  In this case, it would be a Cole Hamels’ contract, one which would keep the Phillies the circus freak show of starting pitching for years to come.  So what is the status of the relationship between Ruben Amaro and Hamels’ agent, John Boggs?  Have they noticed each other from across the room?  Are they a prolonged, will-they-or-won’t-they romance?  Is their’s a deep affection, fighting to survive amidst an onslaught of workplace intrusions?!

"“Ruben and I have a very good relationship.”—John Boggs"

Friend-zoned.

Or… was it?

Boggs went on to describe that he and Amaro had met, spoken, and would do so again before he left the warm, sunny beaches of Clearwater for the equally warm, possibly sunnier beaches of San Diego.  Not only that, but the two had promised to call each other once Boggs left after the spring semester, or “preseason,” as it is commonely known.

He remains “optimistic” about the deal, which, if it heads in the right direction, could see Hamels getting a decent paycheck in the future, unlike the disgustingly paltry $15 million one-year deal he has for 2012.  Of course, should the Phillies hang onto Hamels for dear life, they could fail to afford Shane Victorino next season, though Shane has made his relationship with Philadelphia so brazenly amorous he’d probably take an enormous hometown discount as long as there was an RBI incentive that allowed him to hold sleepovers in the clubhouse.

So, in conclusion, nothing has happened, really.  There have been a few conversations, a few fleeting glances, and a few flirtatious come-hithers, but for the most part, we are still in the budding stages of this romance.