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

There was a really insightful article on the Athletic about relievers coming up with a lot of data and pretty much all agreed on Harris getting a strong 2-3 year deal with a higher pay than WILL SMITH lol. Just sayin. Harris was delegated as the top reliever coming into the market after this season.

 

Not sure if it's been brought up, but Joe Buck (with the sauces, of all ppl) said last night during the game that Bregman told him Cole was headed west of Nevada. Claiming most likely signing with the v Angels.

 

I still wonder what this was about. Some kind of bet as JV is jumping like a kid all excited and then Cole looks sad. This was right after the Bregman Slam.

 

Oh I definitely trust they'll find some good pitchers but let's not forget that Cole was the #1 pick in the draft and he had a few good yrs with the Pirates as well, JV was/has been one of the best pitchers in the game and Morton had excellent stuff the problem was he couldn't stay healthy. The 'Stros (specifically Strom) helped them take it up a notch.

 

JV won the bet and now gets to nail Cole's wife.
That's what I hear anyways.

 

I will side with the team that has a solidly entrenched GM and front office that know how to win.

 

After 2021? So wasting 2 prime years of 3 stars? They'll also still be paying Justin Upton. So much depends on the new CBA, and how prospects pan out for different teams and how players age.

 

what do you prioritize more than that? provided I am assuming the 5th spot will be urquidy's and 4th will be whitley or a low risk aquisition

 

Fan dream: Cole, Wheeler, Harris, Grandal
Likely outcome: Chirinos and 3 pitchers no one knows are good

 

They have no need for a “good hitting” catcher. Your post implied that their current catchers don’t hit. Chirinos had a very good OPS and Maldonado had a good OPS with Houston as well. Regardless, even if they don’t replicate their hitting next season, their defense and the way they handle the staff is their strong suit. Even if the don’t re-sign either of them, an offensive catcher is not a priority as every single other starter is a potential all star (providing Tucker carries his potential to the majors)

Getting their relief staff solidified seems to be the most important step and adding a proven starter is another.

 

What are the chances Luhnow goes after Zack Wheeler in the winter? He's still young (29), should be affordable relative to what Cole will command and his stuff the past couple of seasons look awfully like Cole's (here) . We'd have JV as #1 and then a back-to-back-Zack-Attack with Greinke and Wheeler.

 

I’m talking about post 2021.

 

Sure. But all sorts of stuff can change, in a hurry, and you can see the core of a really really good angels team with Trout, Ohtani and Cole once they are clear of the bad contracts they have.
I was just pushing back against the idea that Cole would be consigned to baseball purgatory for eternity.

 

Yep.

 

More than just a notch. In the case of Cole and Morton, they were completely different pitchers.

nobody expected they had that within them... otherwise pitchers like that never become available.

yes, we can’t presume this will always happen... but they’ve had far more instances of reinventing pitchers than having guys who got worse under their watch.

 

Sorry, I missed the 2021 part. Though, Astros have more depth at MLB level and minor league level. I'm not sure how the Angels improve their roster to make up difference in 2 years as it should get even bigger. Angels have no pitching depth in the minors (maybe have 2 guys ready by 2021 assuming no setbacks). No depth for positions in the minors. Trout, Ohtani, Cole, Upton, free agents, Adell, and Marsh aren't going to cut it.

 

Spends on what happens with the Astros. JV and Greinke could be some, springer and Correa and Brantley and LMJ could leave vi FA and the Astros could, even making some pretty shrewd moves, be a 92 win type team if Whitley and Tucker aren’t really good. Lots of **** can happen on baseball is all I was saying and 2 years is an eternity.
Or, out another way, this core is the best houston will ever see in our lifetime and it’s way more likely we get worse than better.
All that said we can get worse and still be really really good.

 

These two react differently cole suppresses his emotions obviously.

 

Cole will fill seats. Duh.

 

Lots can happen, but tough to win without club control players, depth. While Astros will be trying to fill holes, Angels gotta fill half a 40-man roster without many high level prospects. Angels need a lot of luck