Jose Altuve nearing 5-year, $150-million extension

Things are changing. Though, it looks like money is going away from low to mid-level position players to bullpen pitchers and elite players (i.e. $/WAR has not been linear this off-season).

 

Altuve made this happen. Boras advice would be don't sign wait till free-agency. Bryce Harper.....

 

You need to learn to use tense in your posts, then.

 

Maybe. But that's not what you said. Your post insinuated that no deal had been done and that Boras wouldn't allow him to do it.

If you think that Scott Boras didn't have a hand in this at all, then you don't understand how the agent/player/team relationships work. Boras is ultimately a service provider to Altuve. Boras can give advice but both him and Jose had to agree that this was the appropriate way to go. Altuve wouldn't have hired Boras if he thought that he wouldn't help him get what he wants.

 

I wouldn't think it would be given a single 3 war guy is worth more than two 1.5 war guys.

 

Yep, pretty much this.

The no-trade clause is a staple of Boras demands. As are the total years... as the way they're paying this out, it is a 7 year deal, even though Altuve was going to be tied to the Astros for 2 of them.

And I wouldn't scoff at the no-trade as an insignificant thing. Had Altuve not signed now, and was committed to testing the market in 2 years... and lets just say that a year from now, the Astros are in a very different place in regards to pitching needs, and organizational needs, and Altuve is digging his heels in about becoming a free agent and/or showing little desire to commit here long term... he very well could have been shopped around at that point.

 

I'm just glad they got it done for the number of years they did. I was scared of a 10/$250MM contract that would have effectively taken him to 40. a $26MM flat fee for ages 30-35 is fair and to be quite honest, perfect.

 

And when it comes to actually being in those years, he'll still be considered possibly the best value in baseball.

 

Me, when I heard the news...

 

I predict there will be a statue outside the stadium when his career is over....in front of our stadium in Houston. This guy is only going to get better.

 

There was never any real danger of that happening, even if he waited until free agency. Teams have wised up and aren't gonna pay guys 4 or 5 years after their prime ends.

Still, if he would have waited I'm almost positive he would have gotten a 7 year deal from somebody. At least one team would have been willing to take on an extra risk year or 2. Altuve decided on the security of the huge payday instead of playing 2 more risky years, the same choice I would have made personally, but not a typical choice of Boras clients in the past.

 

Maybe they could put him in between where Biggio and Bags are in a shift formation. Gotta be careful of those left handed pull hitters. LOL.

 

They'll need to do a 2nd one and it will be Altuve flipping to Correa.

 

I say leave the shift on cause eventually Correa could be at 3rd. We can just put him there in our Legendary statue infield.

 

Justin Verlander is the gift that keeps on giving:

The Astros clubhouse is filled with young homegrown players. Most are a few years away from living Altuve's situation, and few could empathize with the uncertainty that accompanies negotiations or provide informed perspective.

When discussions with the club began in earnest, Altuve turned to Justin Verlander - the one who would.

"He knows, man," Altuve said Wednesday. "He's been in that situation, and he knows a lot, believe me. He's a veteran in the game, and he knows everything. He knows pitching, he knows inside the game, outside the game, so we talked. It was very helpful for me what he did."

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...Justin-Verlander-offered-insight-12774971.php

 

Damn Verlander... I literally LOVE you.

 

Verlander is well on his way to being the Astros version of Clyde Drexler (minus the hometown ties).... a guy who was an all-time great for somebody else, but traded here... won a title... and seems to be fitting in like he's been here for a decade.

 

I do look forward to the day that every single article written about Altuve does not feel the need to mention his height. Pretty sure everybody knows he's ****ing short.

Huh, that's a great comp. Hadn't thought about that and I can't think of another guy than Clyde.

 

Yep. It's interesting to compare Verlander and the way he's been received to guys from our previous run, say Jeff Kent, or Roger Clemens, or Andy Pettite. I think Verlander has been more warmly received than those other guys, probably the championship has the most to do with it. But Clemens and Kent are kinda just...assholes? And Verlander seems like a great guy.