Hamels 2009 is definitely what comes to mind, but I would look at it another way. He ended up as a .500 pitcher who was no better or worse than Moyer or Blanton and the team still won 93 games and made enough moves to get to the World Series, where Hamels only made (and lost) 1 start (compared to two by Pedro and 1 by Blanton - the pivotal Game 4 where Lidge lost it on that Damon play). Obviously, if he's 2008 Hamels he and Lee might have won four games between them, but that ship had already sailed (and Phillies won Games 1 and 5 behind him in the NLCS).
Getting another Cliff Lee (or even another Pedro) is easier said than done but they were always going to have to get another pitcher regardless. A merely average Nola just puts a lot more pressure on Arrieta, and on the two of the three young guys to actually get locked in. Of course if he is hurt or looks more like Brett Myers in 2008 than Cole Hamels in 2009, you call Keuchel. (Also Gio's opt-out is Saturday but I'm sure they'd give Eickhoff a look before that.)
