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

No one will blame Crane for letting Cole Walk if he gets a 300 million contract. However, it would be nice for Crane to pay the LT for 2 years to keep a dynasty team together.

 

Just say Cole is offered $$38 million a year by the Mets vs $34 million for the Astros (say over 7 years). How much does winning mean to him?

 

How much does he save in income tax if he stays?

 

My total guess is that in that situation he’s an Astro. But Houston may not be his preferred destination. I suspect if the Angels, Padres, or Dodgers make him a competitive offer that is where he will end up. But I do think Houston is his preferred destination other than the west coast.

 

I wonder if Houston wins it this year, he'll settle for the 1 title and look for the most money(plus preferred destination).

It's going to suck if they lose him but a world series win will make it hurt a little less.

 

$40 million dollar a year is not doable for the Astros.

 

Something tells me he's preferring to stay in the AL.

Some pitchers like to hit... some pitchers want nothing to do with hitting or running the bases.

 

Its not "doable" for anybody, Yankees included.

They'd have to shed some current salary... which they probably do by releasing or moving Chapman.

 

We could package off Correa, Yuli, and Reddick for prospects and to shed salary and sign Cole. Alvarez moves up from DH to 1B, Tucker to RF, and Diaz to SS.

 

With Yuli and Reddick, you’re only shedding salary for the 2020 season. Alvarez needs work to become a first baseman. Yuli is one of the best in the league.

 

Just show Crane this and he'll be like Luxury Tax? Sounds cool let's try that.

 

As much as i would like to see him stay. The amount of money it would take to keep him would most likely be better used in other areas.

 

I would try trading our big contract players who are regressing and not giving us value for what we are paying just to keep cole. Guys like Reddic.
I know this is crazy but I would even consider trading altuve for prospects and using that salary to help sign cole.

 

Such as? Paying him is almost as good as buying 20% of your games as wins

 

Where do you come up with 20%? His 20 wins this season, were a bit more than 12%. He’d have to win 32 games to account for 20%.

 

Cole's family literally did an interview with Julia from the seats they've had in Angel Ballpark since Gerrit was a kid. That's the team he grew up with, going to games, getting autographs, talking to players. He'd probably love to play there. The Angels win the nostalgia wars no contest.

However, do they have enough money to pay him a stupid amount? They might get a bit of a nostalgia discount but not too much. Considering they lost 90 games this year with the "best player in baseball," maybe they should consider spreading money around a little more. Then again, they have no pitching, so jumping on the hometown boy that's arguably the best pitcher in the majors might be enticing for them. I mean, I don't think it would make them a contender, but maybe it seeds the idea of other good players coming to them. Or maybe it stretches their pocketbook so thin, it completely destroys them. I don't know. I don't relish the Astros having to face off against him in the same division, but they can always beat up on other pitchers.

Thing is, if I'm Cole, and I'm not totally desperately in love with the idea of getting back to California, why leave this team now? Stay a couple more years, win another championship or two, get a Cy Young or two, THEN go to Cali in your early 30s, and keep pitching at a top level for top salary for years to come. Give us a small discount to be part of a dynasty you'll never see again. Then go pitch another 6-7 years on the West Coast for a team the Astros of that era will still beat. Everyone's happy.

 

The Angels are a really good offensive team plagued by injuries/misfortune and a lack of top end pitching. With Ohtani fully healthy they are a playoff team and with Cole they are a contender. An outfield of Adell, Trout, and Upton or Calhoun is very good. Fletcher, Simmons, and one of Cozart, La Stella, or Thaiss is a good infield. Ohtani is one of the best DHs in the league. They need a cheap veteran 1B and C.

If they add Cole, their rotation would be Cole, Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, and Sandoval. Bedrosian, Ramirez, Robles, and Buttrey is a fine start to their bullpen.

 

Trading Reddick only clears salary for the 2020 season.

 

If the goal is to SAVE money...... why would you trade a cost-controlled SS who, even with injuries, is providing surplus value? They're paying Correa $5MM for roughly $21-24MM in value.

THEY ARE NOT TRADING CARLOS CORREA NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU DISLIKE HIS FINANCE'S YOUTUBE PAGE.

If the Astros REALLY want to shed payroll to afford Cole, the prime candidates are Reddick (you'll have to staple a good prospect to him), Gurriel, Osuna and.... Greinke.

 

So you think having a $35-$40MM/yr Gerrit Cole buys you 32 wins? the Astros went 27-8 in his starts this year. Comparatively, the Astros went 22-11 in $4.5MM/yr Wade Miley's starts.