The Official Gerrit Cole (Please sign with the Angels) Thread

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Yes, you bring up a good point. We need to secure the border from unwanted people entering the state.

Political post, someone is about to lose their shit.  

[Jay]

57 minutes ago, eligrba said:

Sounds like the Angels were never really in the running. 

Well, that much we agree on.

[Angelsjunky]

4 hours ago, Jay said:

 

Yeah the Wheeler thing was a gut-punch.

It's like, "here we go again" with the Angels missing the boat.

 

I hear you, although for me it wasn't really just Wheeler. It was missing out on Wheeler, Grandal and Odorizzi, and the rumors of the Yankees being all-in.

Edited December 6, 2019 by Angelsjunky

[ScottT]

14 hours ago, HaloCory22 said:

FWIW, money will not be equal even if we out bid NY. That CA tax will take a serious bite out of any deal we offer. 
 

Location is all about preference too. 

A lot of people exaggerate the tax angle.  Players have to pay state taxes based on how many games the team plays in each state.  It's not like he would pay CA state tax on his entire salary.  He will for more than half of it.   Home games plus, games in Oakland in LA.   They can do other things to limit exposure.... with the signing bonus, I know.... though that may not apply to Cole if he claims CA residency.

[mmc]

Good, stay away.

[eaterfan]

5 minutes ago, ScottT said:

A lot of people exaggerate the tax angle.  Players have to pay state taxes based on how many games the team plays in each state.  It's not like he would pay CA state tax on his entire salary.  He will for more than half of it.   Home games plus, games in Oakland in LA.   They can do other things to limit exposure.... with the signing bonus, I know.... though that may not apply to Cole if he claims CA residency.

Also, New York isn't Texas or Florida.

[Bronson]

God I really don’t want to lose Cole to the Yankees. 

[Taylor]

The Angels have been bad boys this year and should get Cole in their stocking.

[T.G.]

I really want to believe Boras and Cole are using the Yankees to drive up the price.  Whether that's true or not, I have no frickin' idea.  So much of what we've read, seen, and heard has lead us to believe he wants to play on the west coast and we've even come to believe that he specifically wants to play for his hometown team.  Most of us are at that point of "do whatever it takes" to sign him and anything short of that will be a total disappointment.  It's just not a fun place to be right now.  Someone is going to over pay for him.  The numbers are likely to be crazy.  This is baseball today.

Remember the days when Gene Autry was signing guys like Reggie Jackson?  No one blinked at the money.  It wasn't even a thought in any fans' mind.  Times have changed.  We've become more aware of the impact large contracts have on our team's ability to compete, long term.  Can Arte afford to overpay Cole?  Absolutely.  Will he?  We can only hope.  History has taught us that Arte isn't necessarily the most patient guy.  We believe he eventually gets to that "take it or leave it" point when dealing with mega contracts.  Is he at that point yet?  We don't know.  All of the "not knowing' is the hard part for us fans.  Everything is totally out of our control.

On the positive side, we know the Angels have an owner who is willing to spend.  We're not the Kansas City Royals or the Pittsburgh Pirates.  We are lucky to even be in this position.  The Angels have Trout locked up.  The stadium situation seems to be heading in the right direction. They won the Ohtani derby.  The Farm System is better than it has been in years and one player in particular - Jo Adell, has sparked visions of greatness in the eyes of a lot of fans. 

I think that losing out on Cole would be devastating from a fan's point of view.  Even with all the good things that have happened of late - it would feel like a punch in the gut to lose out on this kind of talent and this point in time to many of us.

I believe Arte will do everything possible to sign him.  I hope that's enough.  I don't know if it will be.  Nothing is guaranteed.

My gut says Cole will come to Anaheim.  I'm biased. I'm hopeful. I"m a homer. I haven't given much thought to plan B.  I really don't want to.

 

[Second Base]

The geography thing can play for our against you. It's different for every player. Trout actually likes the distance Orange County offers him from home for six months out of the year. Yeah, he grew up a Phillies fan and a Derek Jeter fan, but the Angels were there team that drafted him, signed him, promoted him aggressively to the majors at 19, signed him to an extension, making him a millionaire, were aggressive on the market to surround him with talent and went out of their way to respect his need for privacy. Any player that reaches Trout's status can be pulled a thousand different ways from media requests, endorsements, etc... And the Angels kept the camera out of his face as much as possible. There's just a degree of loyalty that is big with Trout. And in the off-season, he goes hunting in Montana and fishing in Florida, and owns 60+ acres nearby his parents, so here's home with them a lot. It's the best of both worlds.... For him.

CJ Wilson was the opposite. He liked the limelight, he grew up in the area, loved all the action of Southern California, and was settling down with his wife, who, as a model, needed to be in LA a lot. So it made perfect sense for him.

Gerrit Cole.....I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine. He grew up an Angels fan, his wife enjoys the So-Cal lifestyle, and is particularly closer with his family, which still lives in the area, which plays in the Angels favor. He went to college at UCLA. However, you know the stunt with wearing the Boras Corp hat after the World Series sent a message too all of baseball, informing them that money will be the biggest draw him. But when you do become famous as he has, being close to home, you get a lot of family friends and distant relatives that come out of the woodworks asking for a handout, which makes everyone uncomfortable. So it's really up to him. 

My guess....Cole likes So Cal and as long as the money is close, he's going to choose the Angels. But if the Yankees come in and blow everyone out of water with their offer, he will go to New York. Personally, I think the Yankees interest is a media ploy. They would love to add him, but already being over the luxury tax, Gerrit Cole would cost them nearly 50 million a year because of the penalties alone, particularly one they hit that 50% penalty mark, which they would hit if they signed him. But if you're Scott Boras, you've gotta drum up interest any way you can, otherwise it really would just be the Angels, then everyone else. And the Dodgers, it's never been their way to spend that big on free agent pitching. They make wise short term investments, bring in more proven foreign entities, or develop pitching internally. So I doubt they're going to be a big player. 

And in regards to Stephen Strasburg, many in the industry already believe that Rendon isn't returning, which frees up money for Strasburg from the Nats. Boras and the Lerner's have an understanding though. Stephen will explore the market, see what kind of money is out there and how other organizations would accommodate him, but ultimately the expectation is that DC will be given a chance to match any offer, which they will. So the Angels meet with him, and as Bill Shakin said, when teams meet at this point of the off-season, it isn't a preliminary thing any more. It's serious and there are figures being exchanged. So the Angels likely have made a bid for Strasburg. 

Personally, I know this flies against all common sense, but I think the Angels are in on both Strasburg and Cole. I think there's a possibility that they will get both of them, and a likelihood they get Cole.

[totdprods]

Looking at everything broadly....

• I think the Angels and Cole are progressing, and they'll ultimately sign him...it might even come within the next few days.
  • The Yankees met and made their pitch, will make a serious offer, but do feel he's preferring LA. 
  • NY media puts out a piece to drive up fan interest and paint the Yankees as trying hard/favorites to maintain fan interest and defend FO
    • This could also be Boras trying to get the Angels to up their offer, or make at least an initial offer.
  • Virtual radio silence in regards to the Angels/Cole, aside from an odd unverified Twitter comment or two from 'connections'
• I think Strasburg is progressing with the Nationals...
  • Hence, their pivot to Rendon.
    • This also ties in with the recent Nationals FO quote about only affording one - they know something's developing
  • Wheeler's signing with Philly lessened their need for Cole/Strasburg, maybe dropping them as a suitor for Strasburg/Cole
  • Fletcher already mentioned his OCR piece about Strasburg/Angels wasn't Boras-initiated, but it still serves his purposes, regardless of where it originated...
  • Also could explain San Diego's recent actions to improve elsewhere...they know Strasburg returning is looking more likely, or the price is too high, and are moving on other needs.

[totdprods]

I've ALWAYS heard Heyman was simply a mouthpiece for Boras - but this winter, I've tried to treat every single tweet he's dropped regarding a Boras client under that filter and it's made things much more entertaining. 

That tweet feels so much like Boras trying to gin up pressure/dollars/more teams for all three of those FAs.

[Claude]

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

The Media "ESPN" is sure pushing the Yankees on the Cole campaign. I really hope they end up butt hurt very soon. This waiting on Cole's decision is kinda painful. If we can't sign him I really don't like our chances over the next few years. Coming in second is like kissing your sister.

[Jeff Fletcher]

10 hours ago, yk9001 said:

Can you guys explain again why you have been so sure (up to now) that Cole was going to sign here?

I don’t think anyone should have ever been “sure” he would sign with the Angels. 
 

My belief was that the Angels were the favorites, but even then that doesn’t mean it’s likely. There are probably 7-8 teams that could afford him and would want him. So being the favorite may still only mean a 30 percent chance. 
 

As of this minute, I say it’s 40 percent Angels, 40 percent Yankees, 20 percent Dodgers.

[Bronson]

23 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

The Media "ESPN" is sure pushing the Yankees on the Cole campaign. I really hope they end up butt hurt very soon. This waiting on Cole's decision is kinda painful. If we can't sign him I really don't like our chances over the next few years. Coming in second is like kissing your sister.

Yeah it’s incredibly annoying. God I hate the Yankees.

[Jay]

geez let's see who can make the wordiest post. 

[Bronson]

God reading the Yankees forum is pure cancer... especially about Cole. Basically saying if he wants to play for a winner to come play for them and he should go to the Angels if he wants to sit an watch October everyone year like a Trout does. 
 

Probably the worst fans in the history of all sports.

[tdawg87]

17 minutes ago, Bronson said:

God reading the Yankees forum is pure cancer... especially about Cole. Basically saying if he wants to play for a winner to come play for them and he should go to the Angels if he wants to sit an watch October everyone year like a Trout does. 
 

Probably the worst fans in the history of all sports.

If the Angels sign Cole that's all we're gonna read all year long. 

And honestly, they have to win to shut people up.

[rottiesworld]

Yes that is funny what have the Yankees won?They have not won anything for a long time. 
They are a bunch of fucken idiots who think they just won it. I hope they keep losing.

[Pancake Bear]

Yankee fans are easily the most entitled in baseball. Maybe in all sports. They think they deserve everything because they’re the bloody Yankees. Players will line up to play for them because they’re the Yankees and any who don’t are cowards who don’t care about winning. No fans I hate more. Absolute worst. 

[UndertheHalo]

Well, the Angels must cease sucking shit and make them shut the fu*ck up by defeating them in FA and on the field.  The Angels did it in the early 2000’s and hopefully they’ll do it again soon. 
 

It’s been a brutal 10 years or so for the Angels.  

[Lou]

27 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Well, the Angels must cease sucking shit and make them shut the fu*ck up by defeating them in FA and on the field.  The Angels did it in the early 2000’s and hopefully they’ll do it again soon. 
 

It’s been a brutal 10 years or so for the Angels.  

this has nothing to do with Yankees fans feeling entitled

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Bronson said:

God reading the Yankees forum is pure cancer..

bless you 

[Bronson]

7 minutes ago, Lou said:

bless you 

Thanks it was tough but morbid curiosity took over and I had to see what they were saying over this whole Angels Yankees bidding war.

 

Wish I never went. It just put me in a bad mood.