It's unclear if the Philadelphia Phillies are throwing in the towel on the 2012 MLB season - as of Sunday, they're 38-51 and 14 games out of first place in the competitive NL East - just as the forecast for the future of Cole Hamels is hazy. Philadelphia has been rumored to want to resign Hamels to an extension, but his name has also become popular on the trade market, especially for the Rangers, who will be on hand Sunday to scout Hamels:

#Dodgers, #Rangers among teams scouting #Phillies' Hamels today.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 15, 2012

Hamels and the Rangers have been tied together by trade rumors for a while now, with ESPN first reporting on Fridaythat the veteran pitcher could head to Texas if the Phils feel like a long term deal isn't in their future:

The Texas Rangers have been prominently mentioned as the favorites to trade for Hamels if the Phillies deal him. But other clubs have said privately that while they are interested, they're still biding their time, waiting for signals that the Phillies seriously intend to trade him and that the initial price tag, of four or five premium young players, has come down.

Rangers fans should check out Lone Star Ball and join the discussion.