BREAKING: Gerrit Cole leaving Astros to sign with Yankees

[EasyAce]

By Chandler Rome
https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Gerrit-Cole-leaving-Astros-to-sign-with-Yankees-14897701.php

SAN DIEGO — The Gerrit Cole sweepstakes is over.

Cole is in agreement with the New York Yankees on a nine-year, $324 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal said Tuesday.

The contract is the largest ever given to a pitcher in both total money and average annual value, shattering the record Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg’s seven-year, $245 million deal set Monday . . .

[Applewood]

Well, I'd say it's well deserved.  Hopefully, Cole will stay healthy. 

[catfish1957]

By Chandler Rome
https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Gerrit-Cole-leaving-Astros-to-sign-with-Yankees-14897701.php

Nine years is a risky investment at that cost ($40M AAV)  Don't forget....  this is for a 30 YO pitcher.

[Jazzhead]

Wow.  Strasburg shouldn't have been so quick to sign with the Nats.   

[GrouchoTex]

@EasyAce

Latest rumor I've heard this morning is the Astros sending Josh Reddick and Carlos Correa to the Reds for Luis Castillo.
This would make s sense, as a replacement for Gerrit Cole.
No one wants to see Correa go, but they are in tight spot money-wise.
They are in a spot where they will have to give contract extensions soon to either Correa or Springer, but probably cannot do both.

I'm not too worried about facing Gerrit Cole with the Yankees.
After all, we have the trash can/whistling thing going for us.
(Just kidding)
 

[andy58-in-nh]

By Chandler Rome
https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Gerrit-Cole-leaving-Astros-to-sign-with-Yankees-14897701.php

I believe the Yankees' payroll now officially exceeds the Gross Domestic Product of at least 3 Central American nations, and most of Africa.

[GrouchoTex]

I believe the Yankees' payroll now officially exceeds the Gross Domestic Product of at least 3 Central American nations, and most of Africa.

I read today that it cost more than Angel Stadium and the land around it, and that is some expensive real estate.

[EasyAce]

Nine years is a risky investment at that cost ($40M AAV)  Don't forget....  this is for a 30 YO pitcher.

@catfish1957
A 30-year-old pitcher who's in a lot better shape than the last big pitching signing the Yankees made, the now-retired CC Sabathia. About whom you could say he looked to be in excellent shape---when compared to Bartolo Colon.

 

[EasyAce]

Wow.  Strasburg shouldn't have been so quick to sign with the Nats.

@Jazzhead
On another thread you'll find my thoughts about Strasburg and his deal. In thumbnail: he wanted to stay a Nat, and gets to.

When the Cole signing news broke last night, Met fans blew up Twitter saying that even more so Jacob deGrom shouldn't have been so quick to extend with the Mets. But he, too, wanted to stay a Met and got it done. Now he looks like the biggest bargain of a back-to-back Cy Young Award winner in the game. Andujar's Law!

[EasyAce]

I read today that it cost more than Angel Stadium and the land around it, and that is some expensive real estate.

@GrouchoTex
Everybody relax. The Yankees will earn it back in annual terms at least as swiftly as the Phillies earned back Bryce Harper's 2019 salary. Fans love to spend on something almost as much as going to the ballpark and eating and drinking there---on bric-a-brac, chatzkes, and jerseys. Don't be shocked at how many Gerrit Cole Yankee jerseys fly off the racks between now and Opening Day. Likewise a spike in sales of Strasburg jerseys in Washington and elsewhere among Nat fans.

[GrouchoTex]

@GrouchoTex
Everybody relax. The Yankees will earn it back in annual terms at least as swiftly as the Phillies earned back Bryce Harper's 2019 salary. Fans love to spend on something almost as much as going to the ballpark and eating and drinking there---on bric-a-brac, chatzkes, and jerseys. Don't be shocked at how many Gerrit Cole Yankee jerseys fly off the racks between now and Opening Day. Likewise a spike in sales of Strasburg jerseys in Washington and elsewhere among Nat fans.

@EasyAce,

I AM RELAXED!!! CAN'T YOU TELL!!!
 

Seriously, all the ticket prices and beer and go up every year to compensate for this, that is a given.
I am not too worried that the Yankees organization is going to crumble and fall into the sea (eventually, Jimi Hendrix) due to this, although a can't say for 100% certainty that I would mind that.
( I have to hate the Yankees, right? I think that is a law if you do not live in New York).


There is one trend I haven't been a fan of in recent years:

When the Yankees or Red Sox come to Minute Maid Park to play, the box office prices per ticket increase.
I haven't seen them drop when the Orioles or Royals, or another sub .500 teams come to town.

[EasyAce]

@EasyAce,

I AM RELAXED!!! CAN'T YOU TELL!!!
 

Oh, yeah, you're about as relaxed as a barracuda told dinner will be delayed a few minutes. 

Seriously, all the ticket prices and beer and go up every year to compensate for this, that is a given.

You don't need me to tell you the owners jack prices up whenever they bloody well please and for reasons having not as much as people think to do with major signings or drafts.

I am not too worried that the Yankees organization is going to crumble and fall into the sea (eventually, Jimi Hendrix) due to this, although a can't say for 100% certainty that I would mind that.

Keep in mind, too, that without its Goliaths baseball's Davids would have no giants to slay.

( I have to hate the Yankees, right? I think that is a law if you do not live in New York).

(I have to tell you a little secret: I'm a native New Yorker. Specifically, native to the Bronx. And I've been a Met fan since the day they were born, which ought to tell you something about perseverance of the soul and the stomach alike. Such law isn't restricted to those living away from New York and, indeed, I haven't lived in or near New York since 1994, prior to which I lived as much in other places as in or near New York.)

There is one trend I haven't been a fan of in recent years:

When the Yankees or Red Sox come to Minute Maid Park to play, the box office prices per ticket increase.
I haven't seen them drop when the Orioles or Royals, or another sub .500 teams come to town.

This is true in several ballparks, but ponder if you will that at least the Astros do not discriminate according to the opposition, even if you could argue plausibly that they should pay their fans to come see them play the tankers.