Carlos Correa to the Twins - 3 Years, $105 Million

Bottom line is Crane could have gone for a "One Last Dance" type year to go for that elusive 2nd WS for this core of Astros legends, but he was too cheap to do it. Giving Correa this same contract Minnesota did would have had no impact on future years. If Correa plays well, he's going to opt out anyway to demand $300 mil. Altuve is not getting younger and has already started to decline. Brantley is not getting younger. How long are you expecting Verlander to hold up. This team isn't young, this core had another 1-2 year run in it tops.

It was an easy decision to "let it ride" for one more year. The only downside here is if Correa got injured, well you know what you still have Jeremy Pena to keep the core competitive. As for keeping Yordan/Tucker, let's not act like Crane would have kept both of them anyway. Correa or no Correa being on the roster, Crane isn't paying for both. He'll balk at the amounts other teams are willing to give.

 

I don't agree

The Astros had kept among the top payrolls in the game for several years now.

Crane will spend to win

 

Also, not having Correa on the books this year allows an interesting Trade Deadline scenario

 

I don't like the "all-in" mentality when it comes to baseball. The MLB playoffs are so variable, especially hitting. The 1998 and 2019 Astros were historically good at both hitting and pitching but didn't win it all. I don't think the 2022 Mets are winning it all this year despite their spending.

I think the Astro front office wants to be the 1991-2005 Braves and have the players to make it happen. Yes, they only won one title but were in the playoffs every single year and the World Series in 5 of those years. That team was built around HOF starting pitching. Does the Valdez, Urquidy, Garcia, McCullers rotation have the same potential? Probably not, but its as close as you are going to get in this day and age. Mix in a Verlander today, maybe a Fried or Wheeler two years from now and you have a sustainable advantage that few teams have.

As far as position players go, the Astros are doing it correctly. Lock up your young cornerstones (Alvarez, Tucker; Pena and Lee in the future) to reasonable long-term contracts and continue to fill gaps with short term, older high level talent. This is the Astro version of "all-in." They want to be all-in on every avenue to win a title. If Correa at $35m limits your flexibility to improve your chances at a title in 2022, you move on.

 

LOL those dumb mother ****ers.

 

I sure as hell hope so.

 

You know. Back’s don’t just get better. At some point Correa is going to start having back issues. 6’4” slinging around at short? You imagine being hung with 5/160 and you only get 1 full season? Eesh. Did we dodge a bullet. Don’t think I would phrase it like that. But throwing a truck full of cash at him for 5 plus years would make me nervous. If he did break down. You don’t have the current 35 million to maybe get a stud starting pitcher at the trade deadline or pickup some disgruntled superstar that just wants to win. What if we didn’t halve the money in Cranes eyes in 2017 and no Verlander happens. How do the last few years look. If CC was a 155 game a year machine then this would be a much more bitter pill. But he is a porcelain doll. Even the 3/105. Part of me says come on. You match that. If he only plays 60 games in 22 and it is his back or something chronic. He is taking those 2 years and 70 mil then you are hosed in 23 and 24.
I am going to tell myself there was something in the medicals we didn’t like and move on.

 

They liked his back enough to offer 5/160.

I agree, backs are tricky. But he also never required surgery, developed a better training/weight-lifting regimen, and its been 2+ years since he missed time due to it.

On the flip-side, Bregman has missed more time due to hamstrings over the last 2 years, and has had a noticeable decline in his performance both offensively and defensively. They also paid JV $66 million to throw 6 innings, and then gave him an additional $50 million after TJ surgery.

Basically all players (especially pitchers) are going to be injury risks. Correa has the opportunity to continue to put up numbers, stay healthy, and get more than one $35million/year deal. Even if he ends up signing a series of 3-5 year deals with opt outs, he has a chance to make more money in aggregate than any of the 10 year proposals they were seeking... he just has to stay healthy and be prepared to move around a bunch.

 

Why did we lock up Bregman before CC?

 

Dude F C U K Correa move the F on!

 

because one cost 100m and the other cost 300m

 

We didn't really lock him up.... they bought out his arbitration years and got 2 more FA years. His contract is up in 2025 (the same time CC's contract is up).

Its basically a 2 year "FA" contract, but he also gets more aggregate money in the arbitration years and doesn't have to worry about dwindling contracts due to time missed (which he certainly has).

But as mentioned before, college draftees are more likely to accept these deals as his overall next "big" contract will never be one of the 10 year variety (even if he hadn't signed this extension).

Now he'll have made over $100 million before he becomes a FA at age 30, and can still get a good 5-6 year deal beyond that.

 

I don't wish Correa any ill will and especially no health issues.

I hope he stays healthy and has a very good career bouncing around with a few different teams over the next 6-8 years and makes a few all star teams. Then he signs with the Astros for his last 1 or 2 seasons as a bench veteran who makes a few memorable plays or hits to get another ring or two. Then wears an H on his cap in Cooperstown.

All the while the combination of Jeremy Pena's overall play and money saved makes it a win for the Astros and they win 2-8 more World Series without him.

Hey, a guy can dream can't he.

 

Correa always had the mindset that he wanted ( wants) to be an ALL TIME player.

He wants to be famous and remembered.

He wants the spotlight.

He wants to be the highest paid player ever.

He would have never gone for an extension less it met this goal.

They may have even tried.

 

correa is a traitor

 

Sounds like an ego run amuck.

 

So, every player who leaves their original teams via free agency are traitors?

 

You misspelled Watson.

 

correa left for less money

**** him