Altuve Peña / Hensley Alvarez Bregman Tucker Gurriel / Y. Diaz Brantley McCormick / Meyers Maldonado / Vázquez I want to see a ride or die player who has been through it all with the Astros for the last 7 years. Yuli hit .3 **#* 19 at age 37. Would not surprise me if he bounced back and hit .300/.350 w 13 HR 40 2B and rode off into the sunset with his 3rd ring. I want to see Uncle Mike hit 7th! in this lineup and play in the World Series. I want to see JV and the entire staff back (minus Montero & Smith). I would like to see Christian Vazquez tandem with Maldonado and become full time starter in '24, '25. I want to see Yainer Diaz in a back up 1B/DH/PH role and get enough AB to see if the kid can ***** mash. I want to see Meyers as 4th OF because we'll need 5 with Uncle Mike not out there much. Brantley 1/$12M Gurriel 1/$10M JV 2/$70M Vázquez 3/$24M
I think JV is #1 priority even above GM. Once both if those are sorted out the team will know what budget is left and only need 2 bats and a back up catcher. Trade Urquidy or Garcia for one of those instead of FA and the payroll is even better.
Just want to add that I'd like to see Hensley as super-utility INF and also in the mix at 1B. And that Urquidy will have trade value at the deadline.
So many people here simply don't understand JVs market and value. If the team moves on from him I will be disappointed but understand - just like Correa last year. But the idea that he will sign for under 35M per season (like I have seen multiple times) is crazy !! I will be shocked if he signs for less than 3 years - he wants that security and this season earned it for him. And his min AAV on 3 yrs will likely be $40M. Probably gets $45M. If he does agree to a 2 yr deal it will ONLY because the AAV was too much to pass up and he bets on himself to still get a $30+M AAV after 2024 season. $50M+ AAV is the only way he agrees to a deal less than 3 yrs.
Justin Verlander, who has earned roughly $300 million in salary over the course of his career, and who has a wife that earns $10 million per year, is interested in financial security? My friend, that's a ridiculous statement. Verlander wants to win and he wants time with his family. He wants to further build his legacy. Money is always important, but he is extremely secure financially. That's why I think he will only consider a handful of teams and this will keep a lid on his AAV. 3-years $100 million is around where he ends up.
Projections I have seen (Sorry in advance I didn't note the source for most when I wrote them down) JV: 3/$135 (Jim Bowden) 2/$80 2/$88 2/75 3/$130 (mlbtraderumors.com) Abreu: 2/$34(Jim Bowden) 3/$54 3/$75 2/$36 2/$40 (mlbtraderumors.com) Bell: 3/$39 ( Jim Bowden) 3/$42 3/$45 3/$51 3/40 4/$64 (mlbtraderumors.com) Brantley: 1/$10 2/$28 1/$16 1/$15 (mlbtraderumors.com) Conforto: 2/$34 w/ opt out (Jim Bowden) 1/$12 1/$14 1/$15 (mlbtraderumors.com) Benetendi: 5/$75 (Jim Bowden) 4/$54 (mlbtraderumors.com) Contreras: 4/$78 (Jim Bowden) 4/$84 (mlbtraderumors.com)
If you read my post that statement had nothing to do with money. I said we wants the security of a 3 year deal because he wants to keep pitching into his mid 40s and wants the opportunity to win 300 games. I did not reference money in that point.
I agree that he will only consider a few teams and that money is a secondary concern. That said he us a member of the union. He will respect that and try to get as much money and years as he can from one of those teams by using all teams in the negotiations. He may choose the Astros at a slight discount but he won't be low balled and isn't signing for pennies or even quarters on the dollar.
I’m suprised that Kate Upton only making 10-12M per year. I thought she would make a lot more as a supermodel. Either way, she’s about to inherit **** load of money from her family owned Whirlpool Corporation. 20 billions dollars worth. They’re not dying for money.
Urquidy: ARB 1 Estimate: $3,687,756 Garcia: pre-arb est. less than 1M. Trading one of our cheapest pieces to take on Verlander and another team's high prized expensive DH/1B/LF isn't going to help the payroll.
Extend JV, 3yrs/$36M annually Extend Brantley, 1yr/$13M with a mutual 2nd year option Astros get: 1B Christian Walker Diamondbacks get: RHP Jose Urquidy We use our pitching depth to trade for a position of need. Walker is a power hitter with solid contact, and he should do better without the shift. Also provides excellent defense at 1B. Feels like the perfect type of guy to bat behind Tucker. Add in a PTBNL or two if necessary. Urquidy reunites with Strom, and Arizona is looking for pitching. Spotrac estimates this is about a $3.8M increase in spending for us (based on arbitration estimates). Altuve 2B Pena SS Alvarez LF/DH Bregman 3B Tucker RF Walker 1B Brantley DH/LF Maldonado C McCormick CF Bench: Hensley, Meyers, Dubon, Lee Rotation: Verlander, Valdez, Javier, McCullers, Brown, Garcia Pen: Pressly, Abreu, Stanek, Neris, Martinez, Maton, Mushinski $233M Luxury Cap $168.3M Committed $52.8M New Spending $221.1M Total Commitments That would leave about $11.9M in breathing room for the trade deadline, or to use towards an extension.
Kiley McDaniel projected Verlander at 2 years, $72 million. If he would sign for that, I would feel much more comfortable bringing him back, and I think they'd have some money left over to add another piece or two. It's those contracts in the $42M-$45M a year range that make me uncomfortable. Granted, it's not my money, so I don't care how much he makes. But if they're going to spend, I'd like to see them use that money where it's most needed.
Sign Verlander and Contreras. Re-sign Maldonado 1 year, Gurriel or Brantley 1 year. Let A. Diaz, Montero, Smith, Mancini go. Try to extend Tucker, Valdez, Javier. Altuve 1b Pena SS Alvarez Lf, Dh Bregman 3b Tucker rf Contreras 1b, C, DH Brantley or Gurriel 1b, lf, dh Myers CF or Leon CF/IF McCormick OF Maldonado C Hensley, Util Diaz 1b, c, dh Verlander Valdez Javier McCullers Brown Garcia Urquidy Neris Stanek Presley Martinez Abreu 2 others
How close to 3 - $110M with Mutual options or conditional Player options for $35M with $10 buyouts for 2026 and 2027 get in you're opinion. That get's him to age 45 and a realistic shot at 300 wins with a little cushion. If he fades badly, he's still making 3 - $130 for 3 seasons with the buyouts.
I am not aware of many people of wealth who leave money on the table unless it's a cause they support. And even rarer in their profession.
Here's a list: Tom Brady (end of list) As fans we want our favorite team to have as much room as possible to sign as many star players as possible, but remember, it's a business, and professional athletes are trying to maximize their money. While to us it might sound selfish for mega millionaires to try to get as much money as possible, that's human nature, and I'm sure all of us would do the same if we were in that position.
That's true, but it does happen in select cases, and this would be one of those cases (family considerations, winning considerations). Taxes will help us too if the competition is New York or California teams. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Tim Duncan, Shaq, Steph Curry are all players who have not max'd out their earnings in order to try to pursue titles. Brady is a particularly good comparable because his (ex)wife is rich and he's up in age like Verlander will be. And in more normal circles, there are many people who earn less money to live in certain geographies as compared to moving to places like NY or Los Angeles. When lifestyle factors in prominently, as it does in the case of Verlander, then discounts are possible. This decision in front of Verlander impacts where he will live for half the year for the next 3 years. A unique circumstance compared to most people when evaluating business deals.
