Phils interested in Gio Gonzalez

December 7, 2011

The Phillies have a dominant rotation, obvious fact. But with a rotation of Halladay, Lee, and Hamels, and Worley, you would think that starting pitching would not be anything the Phillies would be looking to improve at the moment.

Well it turns out they are.

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Phillies are one of the dozen teams interested in acquiring lefty starter Gio Gonzalez from the Oakland A's.

Rosenthal reports that the Phillies want to have a back-up plan, just in case they are unable to sign Cole Hamels when he hits free agency after the 2012 season, or if they decide to shop Hamels at the trade deadline.

Gonzalez, 26, went 16-12, with a 3.12 ERA in 32 starts with A's in 2011. He is 38-32 with a 3.93 ERA in his four year career so far.

Hamels is one year older than Gonzalez, and had a slightly better 2011 (14-9, 2.79 ERA).

Even so, Gonzalez would be a another great starter to have in the rotation, and his acquistion (if it happens) would make the rotation even better than last year's, consisting of Halladay, Lee, Hamels, and Oswalt.

And if the Phillies cannot hold on to Hamles after the season, which I hope they can, Gonzalez would be more than capable of taking the third spot in the rotation.