Bill Conlin: King of the World: Jumping on a Cliff

WHEN I'M King of the World . . .

Ruben and his Merry Men will do some out-of-the-box thinking to help dig the Phillies' M*A*S*H Unit out of what could become a midseason grave . . . "Daily News Live" host Michael Barkann passed on the spin of a friend, name withheld, who definitely was thinking outside the box. "Why does no one talk about trading Cole Hamels in a Cliff Lee deal?" Why, indeed? The Roy Halladay-Cole Hamels duo was supposed to give Charlie Manuel a No. 1 and 1A at the top of his rotation. There is a reason for the ongoing wave of fan outrage at the Cliff Lee deal, which looks more and more pointless and arbitrary with each passing day. If the suits calling the shots had even rented Lee for 2010, Manuel would have had two No. 1s and a No. 1A. Nobody in baseball has that.

So, what about Halladay and Lee without Hamels (6-7, 4.05), who is having another pedestrian season and falling short of being a No. 2, let alone a 1A. Jamie Moyer (9-7, 4.13, age 47) trails Hamels in the Phils' gopher-ball derby, 19-15. Barkann's friend explains:

"Hamels would be perfect in Seattle. They would have 1 1/2 years to sign him long-term. He would be back on the West Coast with zero pressure . . . and he can go 17-12 every year for Seattle making $12 million a season." At that point, Barkann's friend flies into a Fantasy League froth of moves that brings back Cliff Lee and his off-the-charts numbers for Hamels and Low Class A teenage first-base phenom Jonathan Singleton. Then Ruben wraps up Jayson Werth "for 4 or 5 years at $13 million per season." Shane Victorino is traded in the winter and there is a flurry of moves and contracts aimed at tightening up the bullpen. And what about Lee's deal? "Lee will cost $18-20 million for 4 or 5 years." OK, stop the movie right there. Ruben Amaro was instructed to draw a line in the sand. No deals for a starting pitcher longer than 3 years. Lee was offered the same length and terms as those accepted by Halladay. Before Lee could make a counteroffer, he was a Seattle Mariner. And in shock.

There was an interesting observation at the end of all the proposed wheeling and dealing.