Troll Daddy

I believe in the end he’ll sign with the Angels ... I just hope his agent doesn’t drag it out until March and keep everyone on pins and needles. 

Strange ... I was always on the assumption that the majority here felt the manager has little impact on wins and losses 🤔 

Strange ... I was always on the assumption that the majority here felt the manager has little impact on wins and losses 🤔 

I know what Fletcher said about teams being much more analytical with regards to free agents, but with the Yankees and Dodgers most likely in on Cole I can't see him going for less than $35 million a year.  Unless he voluntarily takes less to be witha team.

Entering the offseason, assuming they decline Calhoun's option and DFA Bour, Garcia, and Tropeano (instead of offering arbitration), we'll probably be right around 140mil in terms of payroll/CBT.  So - we likely have around 50-60mil of payroll/AAV that we can add.
1.  Sign Cole to a 7/225 deal (~32mil AAV).   We'll have one of the best pitchers in baseball and the local boy returns home.
2.  Sign Ryu to a 3/60 deal (20mil AAV).  They'll try to sign Wheeler, but given the commitment they just gave Cole, they'll opt to sign Ryu instead.  Ryu also won't cost them a pick, and we know how much Eppler hates giving up picks.
3.  Sign Grandal to a 3/48 deal (16mil AAV).  We have no catching talent anywhere.  Grandal is a LH power presence too, which is something we need.
4.  Trade Simba for a mid-rotation SP prospect (and others?) (saves 8mil AAV, 15 mil salary, which enables us to pull off the other three moves).  This will be an unpopular move, but it saves payroll space.  I also don't think they'll re-sign him as a FA, so at least this way, they can get something in exchange for him.
Rotation:  Cole, Ryu, Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, with Sandoval, Barria, Suarez all as immediate depth.  "SP" prospect that we acquire for Simba will be part of the depth options.
Lineup:  3B LaStella, CF Trout, Ohtani DH, Grandal C, Upton LF, Goodwin RF, Fletcher SS, Thaiss/Pujols 1B, Rengifo 2B

Arte should match every offer for Cole + 5%, must sign Cole.
Would you be content if the Angels ended up signing Wheeler, Ordorizzi and Grandal instead of Cole? NO!
Would you be content if the Angels ended up signing Wheeler, Ordorizzi, Hamels and a catcher like Maldonado?
NO!
Cole, Wheeler, and Grandal would be acceptable to me..
Strasburg, and Cole would be acceptable to me.

Maddon mentioned him twice.

Cole 4yrs/$60M

I will join him if the President is impeached

Cole 4yrs/$60M

Cole 4yrs/$60M

Cole 4yrs/$60M

Why you would bring up Skaggs is beyond me. There was really no reason for him to be at the stadium ...  he bowed out respectively imo. 

https://clutchpoints.com/astros-rumors-gerrit-cole-could-be-pricing-himself-out-houston-range/amp/

The Yankees just retired Sabathia and Tanaka only has one year remaining on his contract. The Yankees most certainly will be involved. 

The Yankees won’t be involved unless the Red Sox get involved. Cole has been nothing short of brilliant the last couple of seasons. He’s going to cash in big but it won’t be driven by the Yankees. They’ll inquire but they won’t make a written offer. Cole has also been the beneficiary of great run support (6th best in baseball for starting pitchers) which makes his job a lot less stressful. 😉

You got to luv new yorkers
 

Chapman was in shock ... he just stood there and smiled as Altuve rounded the bases

for all epic bat flips and epic walk offs we've seen as baseball fans, does anyone else agree that Altuve  crushing a ball, casually tossing the bat, slapping the 1b coaches had and jogging around the bases like he's done it at thousand times represent one of  the best walk offs you've ever seen?  
I can watch that clip over and over.  I love baseball and walking off like that reminds me of why.  

No it means the Astros are going to let someone else overpay him.