I think the Astros will make a competitive offer with any other team out there for 5 years. Cole will have to decide if the 5 years is good enough or if he wants the additional security of a longer term deal. The poll should really be for: Cole vs Springer and x player worth around $10 million per.
Well, I do think the topic needs to reflect the depth behind the decision. Obviously signing Cole at 250ish million would have huge implication for future free agents. Signing the other 4 at around 60 million would save a lot of room for future deals. These are things to consider in the poll.
Here's another part of it: If you sign Cole and are NOT able to sign Maldonado and/or Chirinos, how would this affect the production of Verlander? Cole?
Those 4 combined won't even make as much as Cole next season, or even come close. Much less in future seasons. Unless it's for 40 million, 5 years is not a competitive offer, it's a courtesy offer.
Agreed on Cole. If we want to make a serious offer, fine. Otherwise, just tell the man thank you. As far as the comparison b/w Cole and the other 4--it is in no way to suggest the costs are equal.
Very likely. Only exception is if Crane decides he must have him in the after glow of a potential Astros championship. At this point I am mostly hoping that Crane is willing to let Luhnow to spend the money to bring in someone like Wheeler. Wheeler needs refinement but he has a 3.30 WHIP over the last 400 innings and in the second half of last year had an era of 2.80..... If there is anyone out there that is a free agent that could become a formidable #2 with some refinement, it is Wheeler.
Harris may be the top reliever on the market and probably commands > $10M. Joe Smith deserves at least his current $8M. Chirinos probably deserves a small raise ($7-8M). Maldonado isn't getting much though. I'd assume $25M for those 4 is a guarantee and $30M isn't out of the question. Though you'd expect Cole to get at least $30M AAV.
I want Cole but in reality I'm going to take all the other guys because they are actually attainable.
I wouldn't mind taking a free agent flyer on Michael Wacha. He started out his career in amazing fashion, only to become really inconsistent over the last few years. The stuff is there. A Brent Strom reclamation project candidate.
Yep... it is totally a Crane decision on Cole and from what I've heard it is unlikely at best. Crane trusts Luhnow and he isn't big on long term deals for pitchers.
Also remember, when Pujols was offered the large 10 year contract from the Angel's, Lunhow said can't match but good luck while Pujols was in his prime. Dude had just hit 3 homeruns in the WS and the Cards won in 2011. Pujols then signed with the Angel's the next year. He is not a long term high dollar GM.
YES!!!!! Would love him to replace Miley. My dream 2020 rotation: JV/Cole/Greinke/Wood/LMJ Give Whitley time to develop, keep James in the pen and slot Urquidy there in place of one of our departing bullpen arms. Unpopular opinion of mine: Urquidy would make a NASTY setup man, and would thrive better in such a role. Yes, he was outstanding in the WS, but during the RS he was inconsistent at times.
Luhnow was never the GM of the Cardinals. He had no say in Albert staying or going. That being said, the Cardinals had already signed Pujols to one big FA deal. The Angels contract was his second one. This is Cole's first big deal... so he's got every reason to optimize things.
He's going to be out for more than half of the season. Will cost $5M or so in arb, I'm expecting a non-tender, easy decision IMO. Someone will pick him up for 2 years to rehab and as a reclamation project, but I don't see that being us.
Urquidy's RS was way too short to deem inconsistent. Urquidy has enough quality pitches to be lengthened into a reliable starter. I see Urquidy as Miley's replacement. McCullers would replace Sanchez. If Cole signs elsewhere, we can certainly look at Miley/Morton type options. More likely to get a pitcher via trade, however, given our budget. Verlander Cole Greinke LMJ Urquidy
