Is this the last we will see of Carlos Correa?

Long terms deals are *designed* to turn into bad contracts. Springer gets $150MM/6 years - he's being underpaid the first several years in exchange for being overpaid the last several. So of course, when you get to the backend of the contract, it's going to look terrible. But you were never going to get Springer for $25MM for the first several years - you're getting a huge discount there and paying the price later.

Springer is getting $25MM/yr for his age 32-37 seasons. Lindor, who's worse than Correa but much healthier (same career OPS, same career WAR despite Lindor playing 170+ more games) just got $34MM/yr for his age 28-37 seasons. There was no way Correa was taking $25MM for his age 27-31 seasons. I can't believe Click (or anyone else) actually thought he'd sign for anything like that.

 

I can't believe a player with a history of back problems coming off a season with a .709 OPS thought he'd get a 10 year contract from a smart FO.

 

I haven't seen anyone say that Carlos was holding out for a 10 year offer. I don't think you can look at 2020 stats as a basis for anything, given the small sample size and just the general craziness of the 2020 season. I think the best option for both sides would have been for a smaller number of years at a bigger per-year salary. Wonder if he would have taken 3 years at Lindor's AAV of $34m/yr.

 

He was offered 6 years and he didn't think that was a long term deal....it's pretty clear he was wanting 10 and the Astros said no. He said he's looking for a long term big contract but his performance and injury history do not justify that.

Back problems don't magically disappear with age and his last 3 seasons he has a .787 OPS, Lindor had an .845 OPS over that time span.

 

You're taking a pretty big leap between not thinking 6 years is long term, and declaring that the demand was 10 years. What about 7, 8, or 9 years? You're also making assumptions about whether his refusal of a 6 year deal was based solely on the length of the contract. Surely, the low $20m/yr attached to it was part of that calculus. (The Astros realized it was low AAV too, which is why the offered $25/yr in the final offer). There's certainly a dollar figure that he would have taken as part of a six year contract.

 

5 year 125 is solid. That isn’t a weak offer by the Astros considering Correa has only played over 140 games in a season once

 

He s replaceable.. just like George Springer. I’m sure he will be missed if he leaves.

 

Springer got more than that - he's only played over 140 games in a season once, is not as good a player, and they are paying him at 32-37 years old instead of 27-31 years old.

There is no player anywhere of Correa's level/age that's signing for 5/$125. It's not remotely solid in any way.

Again, Lindor got almost *triple* that despite being not as good a player - just healthier.

 

Its not a weak offer. And its not a bad decision by Correa to reject it.

He feels his back is absolutely not an issue anymore and the rest of the injuries he's had aren't chronic/degenerative. Thus minus a fluke injury, he should be able to play almost every game. He's not going to be on an innings restriction, or load management. He's not going to DH here/there to rest his body. He's a full time player and wants to be paid as so.

So yeah, the only thing he has to do is... you know... actually play full time. If he puts a complete season together, he'll get paid for it.

 

Everybody's technically replaceable. LMJ was replaceable. Brantley was replaceable. However the team is trying to win now with some key stars that have prime years for the next 3-5 years (Bregman, Altuve, Alvarez), thus it makes sense to spend more money on this core and retain those replaceable players (that are still better than the alternative)

Correa is 4 years younger than Springer and plays a position where above average hitting is at a premium. A lot of money also comes off the books starting next year. The Astros can afford more... but they likely share the same long term concerns that everybody here does.

 

I didn't like some of the body language I saw from Correa last night TBH. It does seem like it's business from his end and I don't blame him. He will have to get over this, winning should help that.

If he doesn't, maybe it's time we start to evaluate trade offers if he truly isn't happy. Trade him to an NL team (NOT TO AN AL TEAM), get some top prospects, use the money next offseason to bring back Verlander/Greinke, sign a top end closer, stop gap SS with 20-40 million left over.

 

Correa is gone unless he gets hurt. He may even be gone if he does. Paying the guy 30m/year would be insane. I think the Astros will spend the money on multiple positions. Pena looks like an absolute stud. I hope he balls out, lasts all year and we win the WS. Then let him walk and win it again with the awesome core we will still have plus all the additions we can make when the rest come off the books. This team is already built to compete for championships the next 3-5 years even without Correa.

 

It's hilarious when fans think they understand players based on body language. We had a whole year of this in 2019 about how Kyle Tucker sucked and didn't care enough because he didn't show any emotion.

 

The trade market for MLB stars on expiring contracts is really low. Look at the Lindor, Arenado, and Betts deals. You're not getting top prospects back. Better to keep the guy and compete this season, regardless of whether he's going to be retained next year.

 

Astros won’t spend big on Carlos Correa or another shortstop
They did give Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman big extensions, but Altuve’s only lasts until he’s 34 years old, and Bregman’s expires when he’s 30. They gave big money to Justin Verlander, but only for two years (and he’s making only one start total in those two years). The recent extension for Lance McCullers takes him through his age-32 season.

Paying top dollar for Correa until he’s in his late 30s just isn’t something this franchise is going to do.

https://climbingtalshill.com/2021/04/02/astros-wont-spend-big-carlos-correa-another-shortstop/

 

Hilarious. Tucker isn't Correa and I was reading Correa.

 

While I think he probably stays for the rest of the year, gut says they deal him. I'm probably wrong though

 

As much as I love him as a player and even though it ain't my money, I'm with the FO on this.

 

Put a camera on anyone for 3-4 hours and take a small snippet and you can read anything you want into their body language. The fact that you think you can read into a player's mind based on 1-2 minutes of what you see on TV during a 3 hour game is laughably stupid. Sorry, there's no nicer way to put it.

 

Hilarious. I've never talked about Kyle Tucker's body language. Laughably stupid. Sorry, there's no nicer way to put it.