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If you're in charge, do you let Gerrit Cole walk or pay him?

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Marteen, Sep 18, 2019.

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Do you let Gerrit Cole walk or pay him?

Poll closed Sep 30, 2019.
  1. Pay the man.

    91.9%
  2. Let him walk.

    8.1%
  1. CinematicFusion

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    Cole was amazing last night.
    Boras:
    [​IMG]
     
    Nick likes this.
  2. the shark

    the shark Member

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    I know it's not my $$ to pay Cole or any of these guys, but at the end of the day these owners are filthy rich and the teams they own are just toys to them. Most of them made their wealth owning other businesses. Yes some of them may make a lot of their wealth off the team they own but that's not the norm.

    Most of the American public (and around the world) had no idea who Jim Crane and his partners were before they bought the Astros. No matter how successful their other businesses are they're not featured on ESPN or prime time TV or on the cover of countless magazines nor on Twitter and Instagram and being talked about by millions of people on a daily basis.

    It's EXTREMELY hard to put together a winning team on a yearly basis let alone a team that has an incredible nucleus that can legitimately contend for a World Series. The 'Stros have that nucleus and the window is right now and more than likely over the next two to four years if they're smart. They have a chance to be a team for the ages.

    They have a chance to be looked at like the Mustache gang of the early 70's (A's), the Big Red Machine (Reds), and the Yankees of the late 90's early '00's. Could go further back but these are teams over the past Fifty years who will be remembered 50-100 yrs from now because of how incredible they were. Not saying the 'Stros are there yet but the opportunity is there and in order to do it you have to pony up the $ to try and keep Cole here.

    If Cole wants to go home to CA and be closer to family than there's nothing they can do no matter how much $ they throw at him. With Altuve, Bregman, JV, Correa, Greinke and Alvarez signed for the next two yrs (some further out) and with Brantley and Springer here at least next year they have an incredible opportunity to do some historic stuff. Not just be a champion but considered to go down as one of the best teams EVER!!!

    In order to win a freakin World Series you HAVE to have elite pitching. They do NOT grow on trees and they're extremely hard to get. Teams realize this and thus why they hold on to them. Look at the Twins right now. They have a damn good lineup but they're not going anywhere with that rotation (it's a damn good rotation but they're not winning a WS with it).

    When Crane is in his later years looking back on his life (along with the other minority owners of the 'Stros) do you think they're going to be sitting there counting their $$??? The regrets in life aren't the things you did but rather the things you did NOT do. Paying Cole and getting into the luxury tax for a few years in order to have an attempt to do some historic things is something that if he doesn't do will be one of the his biggest regrets in his life (in my humble opinion).

    When Crane decides to sell the team (if and when this happens) he and his partners are guaranteed to come out ahead in their investment of purchasing the team. However is this REALY the reason they bought the team? For an investment? Or did they do it because they love the game and it's another area that they can compete (outside of the business arena)? Crane himself was a pitcher and played in college so he obviously loves the game and played a big role in why he purchased the team in the first place.

    Again NONE of this is happening if Cole has his mind made up and he wants to go home and be with family in L.A.

    If he's open to truly stay here you do what you have to do to keep him here.

    Why have this unbelievable core the next two yrs (with JV and Greinke) and then a damn good core after that with Altuve and Bregman signed along with Alvarez and hopefully Springer and they don't have the elite pitching that's good enough to win a WS? Counting on guys like Whitley and others in the farm system and hoping to acquire guys like JV and Cole through trades is a HUGE gamble. Again they don't grow on trees and most of these guys don't pan out (Hamels, Quintana, Samardzija, Stroman, Arrieta, etc etc).

    When you have an opportunity to make HISTORY you do what you have to do to TRY to make it happen!!

    Just my opinion.
     
  3. steveng125

    steveng125 Member

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    I don’t see how we let cole go, especially if win another championship this year. Maybe clear up cap space by getting rid of Carlos?
     
  4. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    Carlos doesn't make much money. With the way Cole is pitching he is going to get paid.
     
  5. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    The astros probably had a better rotation last year with Verlander, Cole, Dallas, and charlie, but they still lost.
     
  6. steveng125

    steveng125 Member

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    If the astros do pay him the money, astros May move up to my favorite franchise. I mean that would show us all it’s about winning and they are doing it for the fans.
     
  7. Hank McDowell

    Hank McDowell Member

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    He’s going to be one of the highest paid players in baseball. I’d love to have him back, but I don’t see it happening.
     
  8. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    Both Cole and Verlander are better this year which is why they are going to win the Cy Young. Dallas sucked ass and Charlie was worn down which is why we didn't offer him a contract. This year's rotation is a lot better regardless of who pitches game 4.
     
    #448 rockbox, Oct 6, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2019
    BigM likes this.
  9. Jay713

    Jay713 Member

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    Cole is going to get at least a $200 million deal. He's the modern day Randy Johnson and the most dominant pitcher in all of baseball. Astros can't afford him after this year. Sucks to face reality, but he will walk. Enjoy him while you can and hopefully he can win a ring with us.
     
  10. mkahanek

    mkahanek Member

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    I don’t see how we keep him. But the truth is, and Luhnow know it, we don’t win that game without Coles brilliant performance. You won’t get that out of Greinke or McCullers next year. Hell next years Cole might not even be this good.
     
  11. Dream34

    Dream34 Contributing Member

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    I am not an expert with baseball salary cap implications and the luxury tax. However, if the Astros were considering trading for Bryce Harper last year and assuming that trade happens I take that to mean they would have tried to resign him to the monster contract he received this season. With that said, what is the downside of offering the monster $250 million dollar contract to Cole? What are the problems if it puts the Astros in the luxury tax for a season or two? Again, I just want to be better educated if they are in the luxury tax what that means. I see the Red Sox are in a bad situation in that they are saying it does not look good for them being able to sign Betts or JD Martinez. Are the Red Sox in the luxury tax bracket?

    I am just thinking the Astros have the most dominant (Randy Johnson esque) pitcher in his prime. Why let him go even if means making him the highest paid pitcher? Of course if Coles heart is set on being in Cali I understand that aspect. But why would the Astros not make him the highest paid pitcher? He is a stud and he is this generations Randy Johnson/Nolan Ryan. Just pay him. How does paying him hurt the long term outlook?

    Appreciate the feedback.
     
    ac in austin likes this.
  12. the shark

    the shark Member

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    What part of "opportunity" did you not understand?

    So the past=the future?
     
  13. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    Harper would have only been a rental, and Bregman and Altuve get big raises next year. Astros have had a very cheap team that keeps meriting significant pay raises to club control players. Likely payroll for 2020 likely about $45-50M more than last season if Astros don't make moves (Astros need to a catchers, and pitchers). Very different situation.

    If Cole was willing to sign for 2 years at same annual salary as he would for 7 years, Astros would do it in a heartbeat. Downside is Red Sox. Red Sox won a World Series (lucky Astros were hurt), but they have signed Sale, Price,and Eovaldi to contracts 3 years or longer, and signed an expensive aging DH instead of locking up their version of Bregman.
     
  14. solid

    solid Contributing Member

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    I don't see how you let the best pitcher in baseball walk. I am sure the Astros will do everything possible to keep him, especially if they win out.
     
    KelvinCato13 and dmoneybangbang like this.
  15. YOLO

    YOLO Member

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    considering he should be the highest paid pitcher in the league, that's how. that matters a ton here. the logic of cole leaving money on the table is just pure wishful thinking
     
  16. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    It is free agency. How do the Yankees not sign him? How do the Angels not sign? Those teams aren't already paying for three MVP winners and 2 Cy Young winners, and are in larger markets while not having numerous 2-time World Series Champions.

    Edit: How many former MVPs and Cy Young winners does Crane have to pay for before fans go, "Crane, you've done great and don't need to drop a quarter of a billion dollars?"
     
    #456 Joe Joe, Oct 6, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2019
    BigM likes this.
  17. clutch citizen

    clutch citizen Contributing Member

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    I think if the Astros win the WS, Cole gets the bag. If not, there is no bag
     
  18. YOLO

    YOLO Member

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    hes getting his biggest bag no matter if the stros win a WS or not
     
    H-Town Info likes this.
  19. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    Crane doesn’t have unlimited money. So eventually spending more and more would cause bankruptcy. But before that, if you pay an inordinate amount to a player, and he doesn’t live up to the contract, it prevents you from replacing him or adding to the team because there’s no more money.

    The luxury tax doesn’t have much non-monetary impact the first year. It just makes those contracts that much more expensive. After a certain threshold and after consecutive seasons, the tax gets more severe and starts to impact draft status, which reduces the team’s ability to develop talent internally.

    The Red Sox are in the tax and have declared they want to get under the threshold.

    It’s all about value. You let him go because there might be more value elsewhere for the same money. For $250M, you can probably sign all 4 of Dallas Keuchel, Yasmani Grandal, Dellin Betances, and Jake Odorizzi. Houston might not make Cole the highest paid pitcher because either they simply don’t have the money, or they think there is a better way to spend that money.

    Paying him can hurt the long term outlook because that money can then not be used elsewhere (extending Correa/Springer, acquiring other players).
     
    #459 Snake Diggit, Oct 6, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2019
  20. clutch citizen

    clutch citizen Contributing Member

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    I meant from here. I think Crane would open up the book more with the extra financial boost a title brings.
     

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