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

I get that, but then why not use the extra $$$ to bolster the bullpen or get an offensive upgrade in CF?

We haven't done a damn thing to improve, and even if Pena is an all-star, it's still likely a downgrade this year.

 

Look at the Angels MVP's. No pressure to perform so you just go out there every night for yourself.

 

Gets to bat at the top of the lineup every game. Chooses to play nearly every game without the greater good of the team in mind. May get more AB’s overall/game if he faces weaker pitching overall or his team doesn’t play a lot of lop-sided games that may have him taken out earlier.

He’s likely to lead the Twins in the bulk of the cumulative stats next year… things that get spread around more on stacked/balanced lineups.

 

Let’s see what Peña does before jumping ship…

 

It's never pleasant to lose someone like Carlos when he's on. But you can't go the route of LAA and spend it all on 5 or 6 players. So you have to address cost as well as benefit. We have an owner who will spend near the cap or even go over for the right player. Verlander/Cole/Greinke prove that. But you are still optimizing team value and team cost.

Even the best player in the world can cost too much. Some players cost too much if they aren't paid at all because they bring no benefit.

I'm much happier with this owner than many of the others, the worst being Ford Credit.

 

Hurt? Yes. But we will move on.

We don't usually think of the minors when going for championships, but we have some real talent that needs an opportunity. Not the level of 8 years ago, but we need the next Bregman, the next Tucker or perhaps the next Pena to show what they can do. Not many force their way on like Alvarez.

I'm looking forward to Verlander back and the development of the young pitchers. I'm looking forward to a healthy Bregman and a breakout season from one of the young CFers.

I'm not looking forward to the never ending struggle to watch Astros games on free live streams or listening on free radio streams to protect a dying commercial network distribution system. I would struggle to pay for baseball if I wasn't subject to the blackouts and PC commentary.

 

https://theathletic.com/3197186/202...s-correa-scott-boras-was-looking-beyond-2022/

In conducting his due diligence for free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa, agent Scott Boras contacted perhaps half the major-league clubs. One of them was particularly intriguing, if not for 2022, then perhaps in 2023 if Correa opts out of his new deal with the Minnesota Twins.

That team was the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves.

The conversations between Boras and the Braves never advanced to an offer, sources said. But at one point the agent floated to the Braves the same terms Correa received from the Twins, pending a physical — three years, $105.3 million, with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons.

The Braves, under general manager Alex Anthopoulos, do not grant opt-outs or no-trade clauses. They have won four straight division titles with Dansby Swanson as their shortstop. And they were focused on adding a reliever before the Correa sweepstakes reached a dramatic conclusion early Saturday morning, discussing a trade with the White Sox for Craig Kimbrel, then agreeing with Kenley Jansen on a one-year, $16 million free-agent contract late Friday night.

Next offseason, however, might be a different story. Swanson is eligible for free agency, and is represented by the same agency that represents Freeman, Excel Sports Management. The tension that surfaced between Excel and the Braves during the Freddie Freeman negotiations will not necessarily carry over to the Swanson talks. But at the very least, the Braves face uncertainty at shortstop, and Correa — who at 27 is nine months younger than Swanson and a superior player — might be among the available options.

The Twins’ agreement with Correa was especially stunning because many in the industry perceived his previous club, the Houston Astros, to be the front-runner to sign him. But the Astros, according to sources, did not make Correa a new offer in the past week.

Astros owner Jim Crane told Mark Berman of Houston’s Fox 26 last Sunday that the team had reached out to Boras and were “in discussions” on Correa. On Tuesday, I reported on Twitter, citing sources, that the Astros planned to give Correa an updated proposal. But as it turned out, the Astros did not budge from their last reported offer in early November — five years, $160 million.

The Braves’ exact level of interest in Correa, meanwhile, is subject to interpretation. Anthopoulos, like most GMs, operates on multiple fronts. He explored re-signing Jorge Soler before the outfielder/DH agreed Saturday night with the Marlins on a three-year, $36 million contract. Perhaps Anthopoulos would have mounted a stronger pursuit of Correa if he had struck out on both Kimbrel and Jansen. But even then, the cost might have been prohibitive.

Anthopoulos has engaged in a flurry of activity since the end of the owners’ lockout, most prominently with his trade for first baseman Matt Olson to replace Freeman, then immediate signing of Olson to an eight-year, $168 million extension. The addition of Jansen increased the team’s projected Opening Day payroll to $170.4 million, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, which would be approximately $20 million above the record level they were at in 2020 before salaries were prorated for the shortened season.

Correa’s $35.1 million average annual value is a record for an infielder. Signing him would have required the Braves to trade Swanson, perhaps to the Astros, who plan to begin the post-Correa era with rookie Jeremy Peña at shortstop.

MLB Trade Rumors projects Swanson to earn $10.1 million in arbitration. The net add of approximately $25 million at shortstop — presuming the Braves would have cleared Swanson’s entire salary — almost certainly would have precluded them from signing Jansen, and still left them approximately $9 million above their current number.

In the end, the equation did not add up for the Braves, at least not for this season. But Boras, in canvassing clubs about Correa, was not thinking only about 2022. His intention was to negotiate a one-year opt-out, enabling Correa to become a free agent again entering his age 28 season.

If Correa is healthy, any number of teams will want him. And one of those teams might be the Braves.

 

When the Astros stop making it to the World Series, I’ll start to look a little more closely to what Crane has or has not done.

Everyone hates to lose players that were a part of the success of the franchise, leaders, good in the community and so on…

Still, the Astros keep winning. So, Crane has my trust and respect.

 

So if boras canvassed half the league, would he have offered the same deal to Crane? Or did Carlos feel too disrespected to even let boras offer it to him?

 

A pathetic moment for Jim Crane. He was content taking a large step back during a historic title window.


Screw him

 

You don’t give players 1 year opt outs, nor NTC. You see how it bit the Texans in the ass.

 

I'm sorry. Just to be clear, you don't think a guy who started Eagle Global Logistics from scratch and owns many successful business can't close a deal? Did he not just close a deal to keep Verlander?

I realize the disappointment everyone is feeling. But the Astros made a fair deal that is to the benefit of both the player and the team. I'm not going to blame them for not wanting opt outs every season. There's a massive difference between where Correa is and Verlander, in terms of making those kind of offers. Hopefully Pena pans out and can hit at this level...at least to the point of not being a blackhole in the lineup. If not, I'm confident in Diaz covering the position until they figure out a more permanent solution. On the other hand, I don't blame Correa for not taking the 5-yr deal. It would leave him in his 30's and possibly stunting his ability to earn. He hired Scott Boras for a reason. Asking players to take less is just silly and not based in reality, especially in a system where it takes at least 6 years (not including time in the minors) to hit free agency and get the ability to control your own future.

In the end, I'm always a fan of the name on the front of the jersey first. He left. So be it.

 

Ugh, what is the massive difference you’re referring to regarding Correa and Verlander? Correa is a better player than Verlander at this point on their careers. It’s highly unlikely Verlander puts up as much value as Correa this season.

Also, Diaz can’t play SS worth a ****. If Peña sucks the Astros will be stuck with a hole at SS until they sign or trade for a new player.

 

he’s done worse
https://www.philliedelphia.com/phil...fire-them-oh-and-michael-bourn-is-traded.html

 

Crane/Astros apparently did not return any calls and did not change their offer.

If it was truly that Correa/Boras had some master planned agenda to escape Houston, even if Houston was matching or giving a better short term offer, we would have heard something by now from the Astros.

 

I will miss Correa.

Just like I missed Bob Watson, Bill Doran, Daryl Kile, Hunter Pence and so many more.

Some left because they wanted some left eventhough they didn't want to.

I was a fan of them and loved watching them, reading about them, and talking about them.

But there was always new players to replace them.

I was sad when Glenn Davis was traded. Then I started watching a young guy named Jeff Bagwell.

I am excited to follow Jeremy Pena. He may never be as good as Carlos has been the past 7 years. Or he could be. But he is an Astro.

 

There is only so much money to go around.

A MLB team is a puzzle.

No team can be made up of 10+ above average starters past arbitration without having to make choices.

Either let some go and replace them with younger cheaper players or lose the ability to contend.

The Astros could have afforded Carlos this year maybe next but then Pena would either need yo be traded or rot on the vine.

Letting Carlos walk extends the window even if the team could take a step back in the shortterm

Now get those extensions done and develop those next stars

 

I’m surprised that the original 5/160 offer was the only offer made. I do hope Click and or Crane address the fans as to why we didn’t offer a first year opt out or restructure the deal similar to MIN. It’s pretty clear CC wanted to be in HOU and also wants to get a fair shot at the FA market, and this year was obvs wonky with the lockout. The fact that we never adjusted the terms of the deal tells me there wasn’t any negotiating going on…and it seems like the Stros were very well over Correa with *no* intention of bringing him back. That is the frustrating thing…and I really hope Click or Crane address the elephant in the room here. We all understood George leaving…he got his bag…Correa‘s deal is obviously way more palatable to match. And I am NOT buying the “we didn’t want to go through this next year”, that sounds like bs…our window is now, no fan is going to care if he leaves next year for a monster contract vs this year for a doable one. Click/Crane really want us to believe we forewent an additional year of CC so we could start the clock on Peña sooner. Just doesn’t make sense. Please give us some modicum of an explanation. It’s gotta be the medical I suppose. Ugh /rant

 

If you want an opt out, just sign a one year deal. The clubs are just giving away free insurance against injury and poor performance with an opt out.

 

A 1 year deal is quite different than an opt out. Correa is guaranteed 105 million. With a 1 year contract, he'd only be guaranteed 35 million.