Mark Berman: Astros offering Carlos Correa a 5 year/160 million dollar contract

Unlike with the other God-forsaken sports franchises in this city, when the Astros feel confident and tell me to calm my laffy taffy ass down, I've learned not to argue.

 

Got a feeling, ***** going down today.

 

He's not leaving that much on the table as it would be an uneven amount of years. If he signed 6/$200 then he has 4 years to make up that $100 mil (and 6 years from now could get 2 years contracts worth $25 each if somewhat healthy).

 

I don't know how they can be so confident in general..... but basically the attitude conveyed to me was that no matter what, everything will be fine. There was no panic (contrasted with when Verlander was hurt) and they came across as confident in the upcoming season.

My issue is that if they don't sign Correa, that they are missing out on all the free agents they could have targeted (Freeman/Bryant) and all the trade options (Olson/Gray)...... but they didn't really seem concerned.

I have learned to give them the benefit of the doubt. If he tells me not to worry, then I am not going to worry.

 

I have not ever had anything close to that amount of money. Carlos at a very early age is many financial brackets ahead of me. What I can say is that I have at different points had a lot of money as measured by most people. What I personally have learned is that there is for me personally, and with some people I know, a diminishing utility after awhile. If you can get more without any sacrifice you take it - but at a certain point you want quality of life.

Does that mean that is what Carlos is thinking? I have no idea. The Astros and Carlos are very very quiet on actual negotiations and a lot of this is being handled by the owner and his son, and not even the baseball people. So I don't know how far off the Astros are from Carlos as far as dollars are concerned.

So why would Carlos not just sign an extension earlier? Well he wants to have his cake and eat it too. He probably makes more going into free agency and getting the Astros to up their offer and seeing how the market plays out. It is also possible that there were a few places Carlos would be willing to leave the Astros for.

What I can say is Carlos has discussed the importance of legacy in a city as being important, and he seems to have mellowed some from when he was drafted and was discussing going immediately to the highest bidder and being the face of baseball. He is married now, he has ties here, he has won here and his ambitions may be different than what he "thought" they were supposed to be at 18.

I would say there was no chance he would come back to the Astros, other than someone that would know, said they are not worried about the team and said to relax---- as an organization the Astros have earned that right to our confidence.

 

In Crane we trust. He hasn't let us down yet. Even when we lost the best GM in baseball, we somehow got someone almost as good. Our level of succuss over the last 8 years is unprecedented for a Houston Sports franchise. We are going to be "IN IT" for a decade or more when it finally comes to an end. That's Spurs, Patriots, Yankees level of success. The best part is we are still in a the middle of it. If Pena, Lee, and one of our pitchers pan out, we can even extend it.

 

It really has been an amazing run, even going back to '15 when Correa and McCullers first came up to the big league club. Wish that they can add another title to cement their legacy.

 

What meaningful thing can that extra money buy? He and his grandkids will be able to afford everything they could ever want. At that point the money if just for showing off.

Can't personally relate to absurd amounts like that, but if I worked at a place where I was happy and respected and they offered me a 70K promotion, while another company offered me the same job with a dubious working environment where I would have to reprove myself all over again and relocate for 80K..it wouldn't be a hard choice for me.

Most money automatically equals best option is a mindset I simply will never be able to wrap my head around. Money is always gonna be a factor, but unless it's a major lifestyle altering amount (or has a track to being so), I will always choose the place I want to be.

 

He won't lack for money no matter where he signs. I'm with you, I would stay with the Astros...6 years or 10 years. But I'm not Correa.

 

It is starting to feel as if Correa is out of places to go. I think the Astros made their new offer, or perhaps two of them in the form of a one year and another for five or six years. Neither appetizing enough to immediately seal a deal. Boras is shopping for more but we have heard nothing, and perhaps that is because their is nothing to hear. Boras has held clients out of the market till well into the season more than once. Could this be that?

 

Did I miss Story signing? I don't think Correa is the only FA option just yet. I just don't see paying $10M more than Lindor for one season. We were at $32M AAV so a move to 35 or 36 to make Carlos the highest paid SS seems reasonable for a one year deal. But Scherzer Money is approaching insanity.

 

Can this just be over already if he is going to sign make it happen if not let's move on.

 

I think that Correa needs to stay in Houston to solidify his baseball legacy. If he were to leave, the expectations are going to force him to play outside his comfort zone, which is his MVP form.

Other team aren’t going to be as understanding about what makes Correa special.

Maybe he takes a 6 year deal worth 200-210 million, with an option to get out of the deal after 4 years, and that gets it done.

But I feel more comfortable of thinking about Correa in the Astros future, than I felt last week.

 

What can $30M buy? How about a fully endowed school for underprivileged children in Puerto Rico for starters?

 

You're entirely missing the point of long term contracts. Correa's value is highest next season, and likely diminishes every year after. Every player's desire for long-term security is to hedge against the possibility of injury or age diminishing his future production. And teams like the Astros value him highly for next season but don't want to run the future risks. Lindor's contract takes into account that the contract will be a discount early and a liability of some sort on the back end. Correa at $45m for one season is probably FMV. Correa at that value for seven years would be a massive overpay.

 

Or a shopping spree for the wife.

 

I get the point. But $45M is too much, even with your points.

 

Correa may not value that sort of philanthropy at the cost of possibly never making the playoffs for the rest of his career. I don't see how that would be an irrational decision.

 

It's not your money. Why would you care? There aren't any better players they are missing out on, at this point, by signing him for one year. Season is about to start and free agency is nearly over.

 

6yrs/240m w/PO after 3 yrs