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

I don't think we really try to - because we know we won't be in the mix in the end.

 

Turns out this dynasty type run is kinda awesome.

Pay him, trade Correa or Altuve if need be for prospects and salary relief.

 

We know he's not young... but him having one of the best seasons of his career should meet the definition of a "prime" year.

 

This hot take needs to die.

Correa isn't going to be really costly for another 2 years and this front office isn't "dumping" players during contending years.

 

This year Cole is due a big raise. And the Astros are going to do the right thing and let him walk, but offer him a qualifying offer, and yield a #1 draft pick in the process.

Next year, Gurriel, Springer, Brantley, and Reddick become FA. And besides Springer, I doubt the Astros make qualifying offers to the other guys. But Springer is the guy they have to try and keep.....

But let’s enjoy this year and next because there is going to be a significant talent drop upcoming.

 

So by that turn of events, who are they going to be spending money on in 2 years?

 

People to be named later as well as people under contract.

 

Well, he already let go of everybody currently under contract who will be a free agent either this year or next year.

I agree that they're going to have money to spend... which is why I'm not so pessimistic that there is no possible way they offer big deals to`some of their current players that will be hitting FA soon.

 

The Angels will hand Boras a blank check and tell him to write in the number he wants. They CANNOT waste anymore of Trout's career, everyone knows it.

 

Problem with this is you'll have no money to get anybody else to pitch...that has been their problem for the past few years was decent starters. Ohtani should stick to one thing pitching or in the field. If you can get him to pitch, that's probably a good 1-2 there.

 

Why haven't they made Cole an offer yet?
In spring training when contracts are handed out, Cole wasn't 18-5 with a 2.61 ERA and 300 strike outs in 200 Innings pitched.
That will make you move on an offer. Astros will make one. Will it be enough?

Astros might have offered him 5 years 25 million per during spring training.
Cole took and chance and it has paid off. Cole will make Verlander/set the mark Money now instead of Degrom Money.

Correa won't be resigned long term, Greinke might get traded....but Astros will make an offer for Cole, especially if we win the WS. Cole is way too good not to throw a hat into the ring. If Angels offer 8 years 44 million per, you tip your hat.

 

It's the game plan but Greinke is also insurance if we don't resign Cole.

Look...the Astros want this to be a legendary moment in the history of the franchise. A team that is thought upon as one of the greatest in MLB history.

If the Astros win the WS...look for them to make a very serious offer for Cole.

 

I know Springer has bet on himself, so he’s probably not going to give the biggest hometown discount. But I still want them to match a competitive contract to him.

Gurriel and Brantley will be in mid to late 30’s so it would be wether you offer a 2,3,or 4 year deal, based on next years production. Gurriel seem very durable, Brantley’s been often injured in the past.

I am hoping they sign Springer to a 5 year deal in the 25-30 million per year range. So a contract of 5 years between $125 to $150. But let’s face it, with his current production, he may command a contract very north of that figure, I can see a team offering 7-8 years with yearly averages of 33 million for a total contract of 230-265 million.

For Gurriel probably a 3 year deal in the $45 to $60 million range. Because by trading Beer, it thinned out the Quality depth at LF, 1B, and DH. So unless a prospect really emerges, they have to ink Gurriel

For Brantley I’d say a 3 year deal in the $45 million range.

But Baseball business and financial perspectives have changed and Massive contracts aren’t being handed out Luke Halloween candy. So the Astros may be able to keep a decent core of the group.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/ranking-top-2018-19-free-agents-c294514102

As a point of reference, here are the contracts that FA pitchers got last offseason. Patrick Corbin is the only pitcher in Coles neighborhood and he only got < $24 million per. The 6-7 year contract at $35+ million might not be there for Cole.

 

So at best they become a 85 win team? I'm sure you're essentially right in that they're going to offer him a ton of money. But I have to wonder that if the Astros offer is in the neighborhood...say within 10-15%, I wonder if he'd decide to stay.

 

We just need to dump Reddick's contract somewhere. Wonder how much we'll have to eat

 

I think if they ate 1/2 of it ($6.5m), he could be moved.

 

Most likely they would attach prospects of a young controllable player to get another team to eat the whole salary.

It all comes down to how badly the Astros need that $13,000,000.

The Astros could move Reddick, deal someone like Marisnick if they want to save a few million dollars as well.

The issue is that the Astros would likely need to come up with a $200,000,000 deal to keep Cole because he is possibly the best pitcher in baseball and only 29 years old.

 

I can’t remember if you have addressed this before but could they decide to just drop extension talks with Correa and put that toward cole? Would that even be enough?

 

It would have to be a Scherzer-like structured deal. Difficult, but not impossible.

I also don't think he's "possibly" the best pitcher in baseball... he is.