Cole's Asking Price: Too steep, or too stupid to pass up?

[tomsred]

If you listen long enough to the MLB analysts you realize that they would make a lousy organization.  They can bid up contracts with no competition faster than than anyone on earth.

[failos]

It is what it is. If you want 20+ wins you pay the $300M. Angels can afford it, other teams can't at the moment. 

[tdawg87]

I understand drawing a line. Obviously someone is going to have to, otherwise we'll be bidding into March.

But I guarantee most people here would have been psyched to get Cole at 7/250. I think the $300 million number has just broken people's minds. But over 9 years, it's the same damn amount. 9/315 is $35 million a year. 

It's stupid, stupid money. No one should be making that much to play a game. But it is what it is. Are we going to keep missing out on top free agents because the numbers are just too high? We unfortunately don't have the luxury of an endless supply of prospects to come up and make us competitive every year.

I kind of want to see the Angels in the playoffs again, and preferably while we still have the best player on Earth in his prime.

If we can't get Cole then so be it. But Eppler better have a plan in place to get some talent here, now. 

[Angel Oracle]

8 hours ago, the dude abides said:

It’s worth noting that his best two years were with HOU.

2015 also says hello.

[jordan]

Arte is getting up in age. I’m sure he’d like to use his money and see the investments sooner than later. Go big now!

[zenmaster]

No matter what happens this board is going to be divided. If we sign him we will spend too much. If we don't we should have spent whatever it takes. I'm torn now due to the years and numbers we are talking about.

[Erstad Grit]

5 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

I understand drawing a line. Obviously someone is going to have to, otherwise we'll be bidding into March.

But I guarantee most people here would have been psyched to get Cole at 7/250. I think the $300 million number has just broken people's minds. But over 9 years, it's the same damn amount. 9/315 is $35 million a year. 

It's stupid, stupid money. No one should be making that much to play a game. But it is what it is. Are we going to keep missing out on top free agents because the numbers are just too high? We unfortunately don't have the luxury of an endless supply of prospects to come up and make us competitive every year.

I kind of want to see the Angels in the playoffs again, and preferably while we still have the best player on Earth in his prime.

If we can't get Cole then so be it. But Eppler better have a plan in place to get some talent here, now. 

So where is that line friend? 10/350? 11/385? There has to be a point where angels say fold and we go plan B which would hopefully get is back into playoffs. I don't think madbum and Ryu is as bad as many here think.

[tdawg87]

Just now, Erstad Grit said:

So where is that line friend? 10/350? 11/385? There has to be a point where angels say fold and we go plan B which would hopefully get is back into playoffs. I don't think madbum and Ryu is as bad as many here think.

For me personally? I don't have a line. It's not my money.

For Arte? I have no idea. I'm sure it exists and if it reaches that point he'll tell Eppler to move on. 

[beatlesrule]

This is lame. If he wants to play in Socal, the Angels shouldn't have to also pay him the most money. 

[jordan]

3 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

This is lame. If he wants to play in Socal, the Angels shouldn't have to also pay him the most money. 

I can’t believe I couldn’t find a Scott Boras gif on giphy. 

[T.G.]

The price for elite players; especially elite pitching is always going to be too high.  I've said this before - this is the reality and the business of baseball today.  If you want to increase the chances of your team being in the post-season, this is the price you have to pay.  Gerrit Cole is a unique talent and one that doesn't become available every year. 

Mike Trout isn't getting any younger.  Arte Moreno isn't getting any younger.

It's time for the Angels to do everything they can to put the best possible team on the field.  The cost is "somewhat" irrelevant.  It's going on 18 years since the Angels won a World Series. 

Look at how much money that Nationals have tired up in Corbin, Scherzer and Strasburg.  They're willing to pay the price. 

Great pitching is the best recipe for success.  Cole is the best of the best right now.  He's not enough, but he's a start!

[Torridd]

Signing any of these guys is a risk. There's always a chance of injury and accidents around the corner. The Angels don't have many pitching options. Pujols is coming off the books soon and Arte can afford it. I think the team has been too mediocre for too long and that needs to change.

[Lhalo]

If you think Cole costs a lot of money just think how much cash has been lost by not making the playoffs the past 9 out of 10 years.

[T.G.]

3 minutes ago, Torridd said:

Signing any of these guys is a risk. There's always a chance of injury and accidents around the corner. The Angels don't have many pitching options. Pujols is coming off the books soon and Arte can afford it. I think the team has been too mediocre for too long and that needs to change.

Mediocre would have been an upgrade over last season.

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, Lhalo said:

If you think Cole costs a lot of money just think how much cash has been lost by not making the playoffs the past 9 out of 10 years.

bUt wE NEed mOrE tHaN CoLe

[zenmaster]

Those worried about the latter years of the contract need to remember if we can win now, then the team will be raking in the cash and be able to spend more potentially in the future, that came about from actually winning something.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

My sanity can’t take much more of this 

[Justin]

7 minutes ago, zenmaster said:

Those worried about the latter years of the contract need to remember if we can win now, then the team will be raking in the cash and be able to spend more potentially in the future, that came about from actually winning something.

This is true, but secondary to remembering that if we all live to be 100, the odds are strong that we will never again see a player as good as Mike Trout in an Angels uniform. We might be slightly disgusted at the amount it will take to sign Cole, but that's nothing compared to how disgusted we will be for decades knowing the Angels could have added a player of Gerrit Cole's ability to a team with Mike Trout, and failed to do so. 

[Taylor]

I see that @LooneyPlatoons made a cameo and voted. 

[T.G.]

1 minute ago, Taylor said:

I see that @LooneyPlatoons made a cameo and voted. 

[Mark68]

[Taylor]

2 minutes ago, Mark68 said:

I agree.

[Mark68]

16 hours ago, Taylor said:

 

Yeah, the one mediocre year he had (2017), he still would have been the best pitcher on our current staff. He still lead the league in starts and pitched over 200 innings. When was the last time an Angel pitcher hit the 200 IP mark? 2013?

[Mark68]

13 hours ago, Stradling said:

Also can we please stop thinking an Ace only helps you win games that he pitches?  An Ace saves your bullpen which keeps them fresh to help throughout the week.  It truly feels like this is something being overlooked.  

Plus, it improves the other guys in the rotation. You know how pitchers start a little friendly competition amongst themselves? One pitcher throws a 7-inning gem and the next guy tries to outdo him? It's not just the one game out of five that Cole would pitch. He has the potential to improve EVERYBODY on the staff.

[Taylor]

57 minutes ago, Mark68 said:

Yeah, the one mediocre year he had (2017), he still would have been the best pitcher on our current staff. He still lead the league in starts and pitched over 200 innings. When was the last time an Angel pitcher hit the 200 IP mark? 2013?

nUmBeR fOuR PiTcHeR