Carlos Correa & Astros

The Astros are using their heads in not locking up a lot of money for 10 years on a player who has an injury history that makes him sound like a risk. Correa is basically saying the Astros are right when he won’t bet on himself with a shorter contract. He wants “long term security” (as if $160 million in 6 years will leave you on skid row) because he doesn’t know how good or healthy he will be after 6 years.

Should he still be playing at a top level in 6 years, he could command a much higher rate just due to the fact that the price keeps going up each year for top talent. If he isn’t willing to bet on himself, why should he expect the Astros to?

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I like what the Astros are doing here. But I also don’t blame the guy for going to a team that will pay him the amount and years that he wants. If a company offered to triple your current salary, I’m sure you would take it.

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Yeah, get what you can when you can and all that. But, when one guy wants the team to limit what it can do to keep the whole team up to snuff because he wants all the money, it just rubs me wrong.

Look at Brady, he took less so NE and TB could get better players around him and it paid in the long run. If CC is the on a lesser team because his salary limits their ability to get or keep other good players, what has it accomplished. The Astros need to rearm its pitching staff and it will cost money. We saw in the World Series that the old adage good pitching beats good hitting still holds true.

Correa is a great shortstop and an above average - not great, just above average - hitter. The Astros can get good shortstops that may even be better hitters, but good pitchers are hard to come by and are at a premium.

Correa was in the top 10% of hitters this year, 34% above the league avg hitter to be exact. Not sure if you consider that great, very good, or above average. On top of that he was the #1 fielder of all positions in terms of defensive runs saved. Combine the 2 together and that is a very, very special player.
That being said, the Astros have to decide whether spending that much money for CC makes sense vs spending it on multiple lesser players. One thing I do know is that 5 yrs for $160M is not anywhere near what other teams will offer him.

Which is why the Astros won’t pay him that and team like the Yankees or Mets etc. will. They can pay that money. I actually think the Astros could afford it too, they just are smarter in how they spend their money. But the bottom line is, a player has to look out for himself and his family. What if Carlos gets hurt next season? What if he has a career ending injury? (Hopefully not). This is his first shot at free agency and if teams are willing to throw the bank at him, he shouldn’t turn it down to be loyal to the organization. That same organization and fans would probably move on from him if he got hurt. Rosters change and players move to other teams every season. Teams trade players or cut them if they aren’t performing. That’s why a player has to look out for himself. I can understand a player like Brady taking less money when he has been in the game for so long and already made his money and won his rings. Correa is getting his first opportunity at free agency and has earned his right to make the best of it.

If Correa doesn’t sign w the Astros, look for Trevor Story to be the next SS for Stros in 2022. He’s from the Dallas area n supposedly wants to go to Team that is already established Winner n not building or not in a rebuild.

Bobby Bonilla says sign him to a 15 year contract.

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Astros are being smart here (so far). For a guy who makes his living in large part by being speedy, 10 years is way to long a contract. We seem in agreement here. A small miracle.

Verlander - sign him to two years. We don’t know if he’ll ever be great again, but not against taking a chance short-term. And get another two starters.

Trevor Story would be an ideal pickup.

Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts; I’ll win a pennant every year.

— Sparky Anderson

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Can’t blame him for taking a long term deal for the big $. Can’t blame Astros for telling him they aren’t going to pay him close to $40M in his mid to late 30s. Let the Yankees, Mets, Angels, Dodgers of the world do that it’s a strategic long term advantage for Astros to let other teams pay that massive premium at the end of contacts. (Think Pujols for years on Angels)

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He is going to either the Yankees or Angels, maybe the Rangers are desperate enough.

I don’t see the Tigers outbidding the Astros.

He had a .279 batting average last year and was 4th in hitting for the Astros (of starters) by the referenced list. I rank that above average, but not great.

OPS is a better measure of a player’s productivity.

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+26 bombs and 92 RBIs… And he’s proven he’s clutch in October.

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This could conceivably be the biggest contract in history. The odds are it will come in a bit short but this is going to be gargantuan.

I’ve stated publicly that I don’t favor mortgaging the entire franchise to sign him to a 10 year deal. He’s great but I hope for a retool on the pitching staff, a retool on minors pitching, and possibly bolster catcher and sign Verlander.

I think Verlander will sign with another team.