Yankees sign Gerrit Cole for 9 years, $324M (36M AAV)

[xposbrad]

I wonder how the Yankees front office will try to weasel their way out of paying Cole when he’s 37 and not producing.

 

The same way they'll unload Happ

[mtljaysfan]

Good deal for both parties. Yankees got one of the best pitchers who's just getting into his prime.

 

Guess now all depend on Cole's health.

 

If he can stay healthy for the next 5-6 years, and he brings with him whatever 'sauce' he was using with the Astros, he'll be worth every penny of his pay.

[saskjayfan]

The same way they'll unload Happ

 

who in their right mind is taking on Happ even if the Yankees eat 50 to 70% of the contract? Atkins better block Cashman's number, because he always gets talked into doing whatever Cashman wants.

[xposbrad]

who in their right mind is taking on Happ even if the Yankees eat 50 to 70% of the contract? Atkins better block Cashman's number, because he always gets talked into doing whatever Cashman wants.

 

I'll quote this when it ends up being us lol

[saskjayfan]

Damn.. How much WAR does he need to produce to be worth that?

 

Wrong question. How many world series will they win and what are they worth. The contract makes a lot more sense when you ask that one. Verlander just won the Cy Young at age 36. This deal for Cole makes zero sense for the Jays and almost every team in baseball. But for a handful of clubs like the Yankees it makes sense and they can absorb the salary and risk.

[BTS]

who in their right mind is taking on Happ even if the Yankees eat 50 to 70% of the contract? Atkins better block Cashman's number, because he always gets talked into doing whatever Cashman wants.

 

Like 25 teams would be in on Happ at 5M

[saskjayfan]

I'll quote this when it ends up being us lol

 

I saw the link to the Jays. Why in the world would you pay a 37 year old Jay Happ 2 years unless he comes with a top prospect. I'd rather see Patrick Murphy and TJ Zeuch getting opportunities than Happ.

[G-Snarls]

I wonder how the Yankees front office will try to weasel their way out of paying Cole when he’s 37 and not producing.

 

ARod - PEDs

Ellsbury - Medical treatments at outside facilities

Cole - Too many speeding tickets

[saskjayfan]

Like 25 teams would be in on Happ at 5M

 

Okay at 5 mil that's 71%, there are teams that will take on 2 for 10. For the Jays, when you're not competing I'd rather see young arms get chances.

[jaysblue]

Yankees could afford it financially. The Yankees window to win a World Series is now and over the next couple of seasons. They should have Cole's best years during that window. Cole doesn't cost them any top prospects, so win-win for them. They waited to blow a big load on one of the best pitchers in the game when he became available. Good on them.

[Spanky99]

Yankees could afford it financially. The Yankees window to win a World Series is now and over the next couple of seasons. They should have Cole's best years during that window. Cole doesn't cost them any top prospects, so win-win for them. They waited to blow a big load on one of the best pitchers in the game when he became available. Good on them.

 

Agreed, the luxury tax penalties they face are insane, though, lol. As you say they have lots of money and can afford it.

[G-Snarls]

Also it's a bit funny how many teams stopped paying for starting pitching for a few years and tried to bullpen their way through the playoffs with a mediocre starting rotation. The last couple of years that strategy has failed miserably and now teams are suddenly paying huge $ for starters again. This post season couldn't have been better to highlight the value of having 2 or 3 really good front end starters.

[saskjayfan]

Agreed, the luxury tax penalties they face are insane, though, lol. As you say they have lots of money and can afford it.

 

This was really a best case scenario. Cole to the Yankees was going to happen. The fact that the market got so aggressive and they had to pay the extra money is a good thing. Judge still has 3 years of arbitration, but he's finally going to get more expensive each of the next 3 years.

[Bobthe4th]

If there was time for the Yankees to flex, this was it. Keeping payroll down for a few years. Major need for a front end starter. A stud SP becoming a free agent at age 29.

 

It's funny how the Yankees have almost lulled everyone into thinking they won't spend big $ all over anymore. They will. In the right spots.

 

In what world did people think the Yankees wouldn’t spend? The last time they were making noise about cutting payroll they ended up trading for Stanton, haha.

[BTS]

Cole

Severino

Paxton

Tanaka

German

 

Chapman

Ottavino

Green

Kahnle

Britton

 

Maybe the best pitching staff in the last 20 years?

[Laika]

Also it's a bit funny how many teams stopped paying for starting pitching for a few years and tried to bullpen their way through the playoffs with a mediocre starting rotation. The last couple of years that strategy has failed miserably and now teams are suddenly paying huge $ for starters again. This post season couldn't have been better to highlight the value of having 2 or 3 really good front end starters.

 

Teams never stopped paying for elite starters. Darvish got paid, Corbin got paid, Tanaka got a huge extension. Arrieta got less than he wanted but had a lot of red flags and he still got a decent AAV. Price set a record in 2016. IIRC there were no elite starters in the 2017 market.

[Laika]

Cole

Severino

Paxton

Tanaka

German

 

Chapman

Ottavino

Green

Kahnle

Britton

 

Maybe the best pitching staff in the last 20 years?

 

Top to bottom possibly but teams have had better top ends of the rotation (2019 Nats!).

 

And I'll say no anyway because you can look at teams like the 2003 Yankees who got 23.7 fWAR from their rotation and then had a bullpen with Mariano Rivera closing games. Or the 2011 Phillies!

[G-Snarls]

Teams never stopped paying for elite starters. Darvish got paid, Corbin got paid, Tanaka got a huge extension. Arrieta got less than he wanted but had a lot of red flags and he still got a decent AAV. Price set a record in 2016. IIRC there were no elite starters in the 2017 market.

 

Yeah. Maybe it's just a reflection of more of the same that we've seen with position players. Elite guys like Machado and Trout get huge deals and the second and third tier guys get a fraction and much shorter deals. Elite SPs rarely become free agents anymore. Let alone two in one off season like this one.

[Rusty_Savage]

Okay at 5 mil that's 71%, there are teams that will take on 2 for 10. For the Jays, when you're not competing I'd rather see young arms get chances.

 

But there's going to be injuries. I'm all for signing 2 guys and letting Zeuch, Kay and Waguspeck start in AAA so when .att Shoemaker eventually gets injured we see one of them instead of an opener or Ryan Fierbend or whatever his name is.

 

If Happ sucks, they would probably just release him next off-season.

[Spanky99]

Cole

Severino

Paxton

Tanaka

German

 

Chapman

Ottavino

Green

Kahnle

Britton

 

Maybe the best pitching staff in the last 20 years?

 

We get front row seats to this juggernaut, has German been suspended yet? I can't recall.

[Grant77]

Cole

Severino

Paxton

Tanaka

German

 

Chapman

Ottavino

Green

Kahnle

Britton

 

Maybe the best pitching staff in the last 20 years?

I'm not convinced that it's better than the 2011 Phillies, at least in terms of the expectations.

[Orgfiller]

Top to bottom possibly but teams have had better top ends of the rotation (2019 Nats!).

 

And I'll say no anyway because you can look at teams like the 2003 Yankees who got 23.7 fWAR from their rotation and then had a bullpen with Mariano Rivera closing games. Or the 2011 Phillies!

 

There's also arguably the most lethal 1-2 punch of all-time in Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2001. In the postseason both of them pitched 40+ innings and had ERAs and FIPs under 2 in the prime of the steroid era.

[Dick_Pole]

Even though they are division rivals, the Jays and Yankees do make a good match. The Jays need pitching and can add payroll. The Yankees have excess pitching and need to shed payroll. But f*** Happ. I'll take Happ if the Yankees package Tanaka along with him. Neither are all that good anymore but still a step up from what the Jays have. Plus if they manage to sign one more decent SP the rotation doesn't look too bad. Jettison all the young "depth" pitchers to the pen.

 

It makes sense for the Yankees since Happ + Tanaka = Cole's salary. Tanaka is on an expiring contract so it's not like they are giving away a long term piece to a division rival. And with those two, the Jays might be able to compete in 2020, but are still outclassed by the Yankees.