Over the weekend, Bucs ace Gerrit Cole made it known that he was unhappy about having his salary renewed for $541K. As it turns out, the Pirates haven’t talked to him about a more significant raise, either. The Pirates have not approached Cole about a multi-year extension, either in this year or in previous years, sources tell Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Andrew McCutchen Wants To Spend Rest Of His Career With Pirates]
Cole, 25, turned in his best season yet for the Pirates in 2015. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft posted a 2.60 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 across 32 starts, earning his first All-Star nod and some votes for the NL Cy Young Award. Despite cementing himself as one of the game’s brightest young arms over the last three years, the team has not come to Cole to discuss a new, long-term pact that would buy out his arb years or add team control past the 2019 season.
The Pirates have, in recent years, been amongst the game’s most aggressive teams in pursuing early-career extensions. One has to wonder if the Pirates have been warded off by agent Scott Boras when it comes to discussing a new deal with their top pitcher, but it’s not as though Boras has never done a deal involving free agent years. As MLBTR’s Extension Tracker shows, Boras has negotiated deals involving free agent years with notable clients including Jered Weaver, Elvis Andrus, Carlos Gomez, Carlos Gonzalez, Carlos Pena, and Ryan Madson.
From the outside, one would imagine that Cole and outfielder Gregory Polanco represent the Pirates’ top extension priorities. In the past, the Pirates have had extension talks with Polanco and the two sides were reportedly close on reaching a deal. Even though those discussions seem to have been tabled, it’s evident that Pittsburgh is still in the business of working out multi-year extensions with its young talent. To date, however, that group does not include Cole.
Good to know the “entitled” generation label does not exclude sports stars.
Maybe, but PIT better not be hoping for a discount or any favors when free agency comes calling. I can understand serving your time, but c’mon, $7000 max increase for players less than 3 years? Less than 2% increase in pay for finishing 4th in Cy Young and 18th in MVP voting…?
I understand and agree. But the kid is going to get a huge contract. I know injuries can happen and derail, but he is not the first professional to have to pay his dues.
Sure, but he can pay his dues and get more than a 2% pay increase for exceptional performance – I mean, even a fast food chain would do more than 2%. If PIT doesn’t want to re-sign him in the future, then by all means, don’t break your organizational rules, but in a sport where pitching is so expensive, I’d think that PIT would want to build a bridge now, make an exception now and throw an additional few thousand dollars as a peace-offering for later. That could mean of a savings of millions of dollars later, if Cole wants to re-up with PIT.
No I don’t think a fast food chain would do better than 2%. I am a professional and all I get is a crappy 2% raise.
You are delusional if you think that throwing a few thousand dollars at Cole now will cause him to give the Pirates a home town discount in the future. There’s no way the Pirates are going to sign him long term.
The 7000 raise cap is a lie that either Cole or Boras put it the media. Cole himself got about a twenty grand raise last year
It’s not the 7,000 raise that they don’t allow, it’s the total amount. They maxed him out this year.
Cole didnt negotiate the CBA and he perfectly in his rights to point out that his compensation is nowhere near inline with his production. Aside from the fact (As it always happens) that Pittsburgh will cry poor and stir up a media frenzy around their need for a “hometown discount” all while negotiating shrewdly when they had an oppurtunity to show good faith as well.
Also, not sure if youre a baby boomer, x’er or whatever the 60s kids call themselves, but you left the world worse off than you got it.
Bkbkbk, who might you be directing that last comment to? Confused when you call our three separate generations and blame them for the state of affairs?
“Give that man his money…..” – Rounders
Zach, Think you might have included in this article that Weaver and Pena both asked Boras to negotiate LT deals to stay with Anaheim and TB at what would be considered home town discounts also at the time. They both liked the teams and wished to stay.
You could include Varitek in a way the 1st time he became a FA technically he signed so fast.. He only negotiated with Boston and supposedly informed Boras he wanted to return to Boston.
how can so many guys have visa issues , they’ve been playing in NA for years sometimes more than a decade? What changed since Oct ?
There are three ways a visa problem can delay a player. A player who files late or has information on a current filing that differs in some way from a previous filing can cause an indefinite shutdown in processing. A team can file its own paperwork regarding a player in need of a visa in a less-than-timely manner (or even neglect to file it at all), causing even more headaches. Finally, all this paperwork goes to the federal government which moves on it with all the speed and dedication one associates with the United States government, meaning it’s amazing anyone gets into the country for Spring Training at all.
Should have been a Yankee
Nah, they would have traded him before he ever got real good in the Majors. The Yanks never draft and develop much. The trade for or sign FA to fill the roster.
The yankees never draft and develop much.. Are you being for real??? LOL
Top 4 of the rotation came from other teams right now. Yankees usually do not keep young guys in the top spots of the rotation. They sign them as FA or trade for them. Nothing wrong with that. The have the resources to do it. Pirates and several other teams do not. Not a knock on the Yanks, Just that they can go that route.
What are the other pitchers getting with similar service time that were drafted under the newest CBA like Cole was? I know older guys under the old DBA are paid higher quicker but the younger guys not so much. He got 8 million as a signing bonus. Highest ever bonus by the Pirates at the time. Not thinking Mr. Cole will stick around after he becomes a FA. in 4 years. Not many top end pitchers do stick with their original teams. Saw many articles showing how many pitchers in the last 10 years who signed mega deals never came close to living up to the money signed for. Either injuries or age caught up to them sooner than later. If Cole can get a huge deal elsewhere and wants it, more power to him. Will a team like the Pirates do that and hamstring themselves with dead money if things go south? Not likely. That is why they still continue to draft and acquire young pitching. With limited cable money available in the market here, they can not compete with Either NY team, Chicago teams, Philly, LA teams, etc that can come up with mega local TV deals on top of the national money. They could have given him a 1 million more this year and that would not alter his decision he will make in 3-4 years.
All over MLB network, they’ve observed how so many vets are unsigned these days and what a shock it is. Harold Reynolds even compares it to the days of owner collusion. But the players did this to themselves…they don’t seem to give two shits about the young players, and all negotiations seem geared toward empowering vets, and increasing FA money. The vets have priced themselves out of the market, and now they’re starting to see the effects….
If the Pirates came to Boras right now, and said , we will pay 3 million this year, 5 million in 2017, and 10 million in 2018, would Boras and Cole take that?
Absolutely not!.
I am a Pirate fan , and like Cole’s demeanor on the mound, but c’mon Dude!,
You had 8 million guaranteed to you, before you ever threw 1 major league pitch.
He is going to be a FA , no matter what the Pirate’s offer him( which i am sure would not be close to his asking price).
He wants more $$$, have a better season than last season.
Just play baseball, and worry about childish crap in the offseason.