The Yankees are reportedly working on a record-setting seven-year, $245MM contract offer to free-agent right-hander Gerrit Cole, according to Bob Klapisch of the New York Times. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand report (Twitter links) that while the team has not yet officially extended the offer, they aren’t far off from doing so.
If signed, the contract would establish a new benchmark for free-agent pitchers, both in terms of overall value and average annual value; Cole’s $245MM over seven years—a $35MM AAV—would surpass David Price’s record $217MM deal with the Red Sox, as well as Zack Greinke’s $34.4MM AAV from the Diamondbacks.
With Cole and representative Scott Boras requesting yesterday that interested teams submit initial offers, the Cole saga is far from over, and there’s a chance that the Yankees’ bid will be one-upped by another suitor, particularly the Dodgers or Angels, who have been named the other favorites to land Cole. If those teams opt to go to an eighth or ninth year, the contract value could exceed $280MM or even $300MM, an unprecedented figure for pitchers. Either way, with the bidding war now underway, one thing’s for sure: if the initial offer is already a record deal, Cole and Boras are certainly sitting pretty.
And though the contract offer is merely that—an offer—the sheer magnitude of the opening bid is indicative of the Yankees’ commitment to go into the spring with this offseason’s crown jewel. With reports suggesting that ownership has authorized a steadfast pursuit of Cole and that the team has halted other business as it focuses entirely on the 29-year-old, there seems to be a heightened sense of urgency surrounding the Yankees’ courtship of Cole, a Steinbrenner trademark that has been absent for several years.
That said, they won’t be without their share of competition. The aforementioned financial powerhouses in Los Angeles—though their interest hasn’t received the same attention as that of New York—no doubt have an appetite for Cole. After seven consecutive division titles that have yet to produce a World Series banner, the Dodgers’ urgency may well rival that of the Yankees. And while record-breaking contracts are decidedly not a hallmark of the Andrew Friedman-run Dodgers, it bears mentioning that their payroll commitments are expected to thin out considerably by 2021 and 2022, affording increased flexibility to take on an obligation of monumental proportions.
The Angels, for their part, haven’t played October baseball since 2014 and have long been rumored a destination for Cole given his SoCal roots. They boast the sport’s finest player in Mike Trout, who is under contract for the next decade-plus and has played just three playoff games through his age-27 season. The last several years of Angels baseball have been defined by a notorious lack of production (and health) in the starting rotation, a department in which forward progress may already be in order for 2020, what with the acquisition of Dylan Bundy and the potential return of Shohei Ohtani, not to mention the addition of reputable pitching coach Mickey Callaway. General manager Billy Eppler, entering the final year of his contract, has limited time to produce a genuine improvement in the win-loss department, and adding Cole may be the perfect splash to improve the franchise’s fortunes.
Does that include telling him he has to shave no matter what?
That’s a given. I believe he’s already said he’ll do it.
Of course he said he’d shave. He wants the Yankees to remain in play. Why would the team present a record deal as an opening offer unless they use it as a sign this now offer which will not be kept on the table for others to beat? This smells more like propaganda from the Boras camp.
Facial hair has been proven time and time again to be basically a non factor. If Jonny Damon can be clean cut most guys can
If it’s a non-factor what does it matter? Who cares.
You are probably right- But it also weeds out quite a few teams. So not sure Boras wants this offer out in the open that quickly.
You’re right Bozo….smh
Guess we’ll see whether SB can manipulate the Yanks better than they can manipulate him.
Well, except for a fundamentally sociopathic ownership that views it as a sign of its dominance. (I assume we’ve dispensed with the notion that clean shaven means a clean conscience.)
Boras negotiated Damon’s contract too, if I recall correctly.
We’ve also – it seems on this list, anyway – discarded the human-dignity-based notion that arbitrary & capricious jumps-through-hoops are offensive things for an employer to foist upon an employee, no matter how much money’s being spent on salary.
Reminds me of a cynical joke my gramps used to tell:
Pat: Would you “roast my taters” for a million dollars?
Cris: Of course!
Pat: How about for $5?
Cris: Pshaw. What kind of person do you think I am?!
Pat: We already know what kind of person you are – now we’re just haggling over price.
Good luck now
It is going to take a minimum of 8 years and 280 or 300 million for Cole now that Stras got 7 yr 245
Ridiculous
Why ridiculous?
Based on history and any logical performance metric, it is certainly subject to ridicule.
So many if not all of these long term big money deals are anchors long before they’re finished. See Albert Pujols for details. Giving 30 mil to an aging stiff has crippled the Angels.
Giving 30 mil to an aging stiff has crippled the Angels.
—————————————————-
The difference is that Pujols was on his way to becoming an aging stiff even before the Angets signed.him. He still figured to have 1-2 good years, but followed by 8 bad years. With Cole, you should expect at least 4+ good years.
It’s ridiculous because its not a league wide rule, its petty, its stupid, and worst of all, the Yankees won in the 70s without it.
I mean to be fair it resulted in a new pretty decently compensated tv contract. So there’s that. That really why Moreno went over DiPoto’s head.
@Dunn
The fact they all to shave and be clean cut. It’s baseball, not the military
Really? I seem to remember The Halos handing Trout $300M. I could be mistaken
Good point. But military makes one shave partly to instill discipline. Yankees are doing the same. Moreover, they are embodying the tenets of team identity. Team v. Individualism – analogous to not having names on their backs – “The symbol on the front is more important than the name on the back”
Some may not agree, but they do have 27 championships.
They won with it in the 70’s. Steinbrenner initiates the rule in 73/74. You can have mustaches just no beards or goatees. Hair can be a little long but groomed. Just that in the 70’s a lot of players had big hair so that’s why it looked worse then it does now.
some jails force inmates to shave but when the criminals come out they are still criminals.
There are multiple reasons for jails doing so. I didn’t say shaving rehabilitated criminals, I merely pointed out the military and the Yankees employ shaving as one method to install discipline.
Your logic is flawed –
Interesting thought, Mick. I had not linked the shaving requirement to the lack of names on the back—both to instill discipline with the team first. Thanks for the insight.
Cole has had one supreme year. One. Price, Grienke, Kershaw, Scherzer, and Verlander were perennial CY candidate when they got paid. If this offer is true, then someone will be giving the largest pitching contract in history to a guy who won’t get into the hall.
“The difference is that Pujols was on his way to becoming an aging stiff even before the Angets signed.him. He still figured to have 1-2 good years, but followed by 8 bad years. With Cole, you should expect at least 4+ good years.”
So 2014 where he came in 17th for AL MVP was a bad year?
So 2015 (the year he was an all star) was a bad year?
Pfft
I do hate to pull out the baseball program to identify the “numbered” Yankee coming out of the bullpen, the dugout, etc.
@Ejemp If he’s only had one supreme season, then which two seasons out of 2015, 2018, and 2019 are you saying weren’t great seasons? He’s won a Cy Young and finished 2nd and 5th in the last 5 years. His K/9 is greater than 10, he’s made 32 or more starts in 4 of the last 5 years, and is in the right side of 30 still.
Well said.
4+ years for the pitcher he is now. Then he will evolve into a beast of a veteran…this guy is very bright, he will one up the likes of Mussina, Sabathia, and Tanaka over his career.
He is good but has never won a Cy Young
Let me guess, you’re about 17 years old and have never had a job in your life?
If they’re out of jail, they’d be former criminals. The rest of your point is also silly.
the rate of former criminals coming back to jail in u.s. is one of the highest in the world because there is hardly any rehabilitation. once a criminal, you are more likely a criminal for very long time if not for life.
+TheMick
Couldnt agree more that the shaving rule helps establish discipline and helps promote a team first attitude. Its the whole reason they, along with military and police forces, wear uniforms. To signal theyre part of a team.
Surprised these people that complain that the Yankees are not allowing people to grow a beard, claiming that its dumb and they shouldnt be required to shave, dont also complain about how every team makes their players wear uniforms, show up to practice and games, and every other little things teams make players do.
Moreno went over DiPoto’s head? Uh, he is the boss, so it’s more like Jerry bowed down to his wishes.
With a pitcher you just cant expect a consistent 4 years of dominance. There’s going to be a clunker in any 4-year stretch–and then there’s three or even 4 more years where you are paying the guy like an ace but you are lucky if he is pitching at all.
To his credit, he’s played in the 2 of the absolute worst places to get Cy Young votes: in Pittsburgh & behind Verlander.
Apart from those now he stands a chance, especially playing in the bright lights in the Bronx and having ESPN document your every pitch with undying fervor.
@Strike Four
If Chewbacca could throw 97 mph with a wicked offspeed pitch my guess is the Yanks would give him a pass.
Sometimes unity helps. Some clubs in various sports have dress codes when traveling together. Nothing wrong with it. If it’s not you, don’t sign.
You said it better than me Mick. Thank you.
Vizionaire- not sure of the logic here, as jail provides a chance to reform and get better – so I guess Cole could leave the Yankees a Cy Young candidate as well as a lock for HOF?
Vizionaire – it is called recidivism – and has no bearing in this conversation.
But maybe 4 not great years? Maybe 140 million wasted allocated dollars? No thanks. Draft better.
Interesting Mick. recall having a beard at times in the USN and many others as well, whether or not the Navy still adheres to that policy for ranks E-4 and up? no idea, tho wouldn’t doubt if in these newer days of gender equality.. Where only 1 can grow a beard.. that policy has been rescinded on some wacky grounds.
You would rather they look like slobs: dreads, colored hair, foot long beards?
I’ll take the clean cut look. Then again, I am retired USAF.
He still figured to have 1-2 good years, but followed by 8 bad years.
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So 2014 where he came in 17th for AL MVP was a bad year?
So 2015 (the year he was an all star) was a bad year?
—————————————————————
Okay, I said 1-2 good years. He had an fWAR of 3.3 in his 1st year, and 2.7 in his 3rd year. In his other 6 years, he combined for 0.3, with his apex at 1.7.
In retrospect, maybe bad was the wrong. Maybe I should’ve used the word ‘terrible’.
I’d rather watch baby yoda throw 97 and he is clean shaven
You don’t need to use an apostrophe with decades.
This whole myth that somehow the Yankees are “more disciplined” than other MLB teams is laughable and based upon ZERO hard evidence.
Thanks for insulting everyone’s intelligence with the number of championships the Yankees have. Remind me again how many they won without going through anything remotely like today’s postseason… Nah, I’ll remind you. They won 18 when they just had to have the best record among 8 teams and another 2 (the first two years of the first expansion) before their were divisions in the AL. Their record from 1921-1968 is FAR more impressive than their record from 1969-Today.
When you commit a felony it does follow you for the rest of your life. Employers don’t even ask anymore if you been convicted of any crimes they ask if you been arrested which automatically assumes guilt. Then there is the fact that employers who actually pay a decent wage don’t hire felons. So you have people like a few of my friends who sell drugs to pay child support or they end up in jail anyway. In America you spend your whole life paying for one mistake it’s like once you get caught or suspected even just once you’re screwed for life and really have no choice but to be about that life now
Pay more attention and learn each player’s number. That’s what most Yankee fans do, Coal tender.
Requiring guys who play with little balls for a living to shave in a country where grown men walk around in advertising tees & little-boy hats is so far beyond logic it’s absurd.
Thought he & JV were going to split this year – their #s were soooo close.
The Angels gave Trout $430M
He’s only 29. He still has a lot of good years left.
Wrong. It’s called tradition.
Wrong, it’s called being control freaks.
I consider it more of an antiquated power dynamic which has no place in today’s game.
He doesn’t like it, sign somewhere else. You don’t like to wear red. Don’t work at Target.
hlflew
“Wrong, it’s called being control freaks.”
Pffft. It’s called branding. The Yankees are kinda like the Brooks Brothers of baseball. They want to reak professionalism, and they do. It’s all just branding.
If a player doesn’t want to shave or cut their hair, they can play somewhere else. Few have a problem with it. Look at Damon, he was the quintessential hair freak. He had no problem going clean. None.
Yep, that’s dead on RunDMC.
That’s dumb
dynamite drop in monty
“I consider it more of an antiquated power dynamic which has no place in today’s game.”
It’s branding, pure and simple. They have a certain image, a Brooks Brother type image for success and professionalism. It’s not hard to understand for most people. It’s branding. It’s got nothing to do with what you said, and it certainly continues to be relevant in today’s game. And any adult player has no problem with it whatsoever. See Johnny Damon for example. Keuchel, for example, said he would shave. Once in a blue moon you hear of a player who’s unwilling to follow suit. But the norm is the players who want to earn good money and have a strong shot at the postseason every year do it without batting an eye.
Good point on branding.
I guess they’re supposed to blend in all as Yankees, not stand out as individuals trying to get themselves attention?
ManRam had an issue when he was on the Doyers
No it’s called being professional and not looking like a homeless person or caveman when your a pro athlete.
A lot of companies have dress codes? Not sure how it’s being control freaks
Seems to be a common theme with the types of people who are against it…
Is call respect, 70’s reds had to be clean cut
No It’s called STUPIDITY!
It is very possible for something to be “branding”, as well as stupid. Are they within their rights to do it? Absolutely. Is it still stupid? 100%.
If your lucky enough to have a full thick head of hair I say flaunt it. Now if a club has a policy where you have to have ‘ a chrome dome’ I’m all for that.
Kind of like Hooters. Or maybe like the airline stewardesses of the 1950’s. Or certain southern establishments of the early 1960’s. You had to have a certain “look” to get served, otherwise, there are other places you can eat and shop.
I think that’s what they are going for.
The yankees always look angry and a bit lifeless because they have no personality.
So hair and/or a beard, in your opinion, makes someone look homeless? Ok then…
This comment is a huge reason people hate it. Judging people based on looks. Your comment reeks of elitism. Its an antiquated take. Having long hair or a beard doesnt make you a caveman or a homeless person.
Also, these are not CEOs or business people. They are people playing a childs game. Lighten up
Yeah Brett Gardner teams of professionalism. The way he shouts out the dugout at the refs & bangs on the ceiling of the dugout with bats.
Or how bout the professionalism of Paul O’Neill the way he would professionally beat down water coolers.
Or maybe the child predators like Luis Polonia, Chad Curtis & Mel Hall. Very professional.
I wish my team could be that professional because they have to shave.
Uh, @natsgm, I beg to differ. They are, in fact, business people, which is why they negotiate such high-value contracts and do things like….. oh I don’t know, shave for extra money to play with a winning franchise!
@steelerbravesnation, you are correct. Those are individual examples of players lacking professionalism. However I don’t see your correlation to the general policy of shaving. He didn’t aver that shaving makes them perfect.
Refs… GTFO!
The Yankees are already a brand. The Bronx Bombers, that iconic logo on hat. You don’t even have to be a yankee fan to wear that hat. It’s everywhere
I guess you didn’t get the memo about Brooks Bros. They filed Chapter 11 and are closing most of their retail stores, including their Flagship store on Fifth Ave.
Brooks Brothers filed for Chapter 11 and is closing most of their retail stores, including the Flagship store on Fifth Ave.
You obviously don’t watch their games lol
Wouldn’t you shave for 245 million plus
I agree with @Cam. It’s the Yankees brand. I am also one who feels that all people have the right to express who they are, regardless of how others may perceive hair length or facial hair existence. The Yankees brand can “require” whatever they want, as that is their on- field product . All of that said, even as someone who feels players should express themselves to their own hearts’ desires, Justin Turner’s beard and Derek Rodriguez’s hair freak me out!
Steve Martin commenter,
Well Exxxxccccuuuuuuusssssse Meeeee
What’s the BFD about shaving and cutting your hair. It’s not just branding. It’s a way to avoid too much individualism.
The idiots on here complaining are Yankee haters. Don’t offer a competitive contract-complain. Offer a competitive contract-complain about team rules.
There’s nothing new, except for hoping
That they finally convert to metsdom.
How the Angels manage their clubhouse is STUPIDITY—that is unless Halo you think it’s ok to look the other way when a player is screaming for attention.
Hello. Anyone home between your ears?
Never in my life have I seen so many people piss & moan over facial hair that’s not on their face.
Who cares if the Yankees want people to be clean-shaven or not. You’re not a Yankee, it literally doesn’t affect you one microbit.
That’s the same rule that Mrs. Melchez enforces. Have you Figured out how to score like Gardy, Melch? She posted your pic on FB where you were wearing a muscle shirt w Bretts’ photo. Only you don’t have any upper body muscles.
I see you are a braves fan, thank you for that 1996 choke job in the world series that started a yankee dynasty.
LOL
you forgot John wetteland
In 1996, Streinbrenner’s Yankees overtook Ted Turner’s Braves as biggest spenders in all MLB. Coincidence, or playing up to their sticker price?
Fun fact: starting in 1996, NYY had the highest-payroll every year until 2014 except in 1998 (BAL…).
@steelerbravenation
You’re confusing the showing of emotion with being unprofessional. Two totally different things. They’re banging on OBJECTS not people. I doubt any parent flinched when they took their kids to a game and a player showed anger over a call. It’s sports. If Gardner beat the hell out of Xerox machine as an employee inside of an office setting then yeah, maybe you would have a point.
Now if a player was hurling expletives or really vulgar language then you might have a point.. While I doubt he was yelling “I love you’s” I’ve heard nothing to make me thing he was getting carried away with his words.
They are not business people. They wear jerseys to work and play a game. Why would i want to watch a bunch of “businessmen” play baseball?
Let’s get real. I think we’d all buy a lifetime supply of Shick razors if we were about to sign a $245K contact.
Dear Mr. Steinbrenner,
While your children consistently arrive at school exceptionally clean and well groomed, they do show frequent behavioral issues. They tend to get angry, yell at authority figures and willfully destroy school property. Whenever we attempt to punish them, they respond by saying that “Dad doesn’t care if I do it!” Is this true?
Being clean shaven, well groomed with a beautiful suit but a spoiled child attitude says more Kim Jong UN than it does Brooks Brothers.
@hiflew over the cuckoo’s nest. The only control freak I see is in your mirror.
It’s grown men tossing around a wee ball for a living. Get some perspective.
“reak”?
You must mean they *hire* business people to negotiate those contracts. Credit where due – while the grand majority of players are indeed Nobel-level geniuses, two or three would starve by the side of the road without baseball.
Don’t think he has to worry about pleasing the brain surgeons at Target or any other place real people are forced to work for a millionth of his salary.
And if you can’t see the siliness in forcing men to shave in order to chase a wee wittle ball around the grass, you either have no perspective or are a Yankee booster.
If someone wanted to pay me millions to work for them or even a high 6 figure income. The requirement is got to get dressed up and shave, I would say no problem.
+Bozo
Do you also think its silliness forcing grown men to wear a uniform too? What about forcing them to show up to practice?
Just because a team wants to instill more uniform-ism (for both appearance and player performance [see: team first v player first attitudes]) than other teams doesnt make it silly. If it was really as big of a problem as you seem to make it out to be, no one would sign the dotted line.
This will not be enough. I’m betting he ends up with 275
Yes you are!
And short hair too, right? I guess 35M per year should help get over it.
I can see the Yanks dumping that rule in the future!
Nope.
Does that crystal ball also show you NYY with one of the lowest budgets in the league? No? If they continue to pay premium they can dictate how they want. Simple as that. Some players like David Price take exception to it, and chose differently (fortunately for NYY). NYY wants to uphold an image for one of the most profitable and popular brands in the world – something almost every other MLB team doesn’t have to consider.
Nope.
@slider32 not in our lifetime. How did the conversation go from signing Cole to who needs a haircut?
People love to argue stupid points?
Obviously?
$245 million will make people do a lot of things, including… Shave their face.
But it’s not like it is $245 million vs. $0. Obviously you would be correct then. It’s probably $245 million vs. maybe $220 million. If I am going to make $220 million already, I might forgo that extra $25 million if I like my beard. It’s not like the difference is really that much. The more money you have the less significant $25 million becomes.
If someone is going to get that bent out of shape over something as insignificant as shaving, I wouldn’t want him on my team anyway. How’s he going to react when he’s faced with something truly challenging?
I just don’t think it’s that big a deal to give up say 25 million but then again, I’m not Gerrit Cole.
Yeah right
hlflew
You’d have to be an idiot to give up $25MM for a beard. 99%+ of players would gladly shave for $25MM.
I can prove it to you. Give me $220 million, then offer me $25 million more to shave my beard. I guarantee you I will tell you no thank you after the first check clears.
You don’t have to be an idiot. I’m not an idiot. I’m just not living my life based solely on accumulating more money than I could ever possibly hope to spend.
Once you get $200 million, do you really need to accumulate more?
If some team is going to get that bent out of shape over something as insignificant as shaving, I wouldn’t want that to be my team anyway.
BTW, I think Cole has proven he can handle the challenge of baseball with a beard.
You would have to be an idiot to reject $25MM for a beard. So I guess you are an idiot. Even at $200MM $25MM is meaningful. Players take deals for $25MM more every darn day of the week. They do it for a lot less than $25MM You are an idiot, and Cole will definitely shave for the right moeny. He has already said he would. Because he’s not an idiot.
And won’t don’t you get about branding. It’s like wearing a suit on Wall St. What, would you reject a career on Wall St. over having to wear a suit. You’d be an idiot…unlike Damon or Keuchel or….
@Mo4ever of course he’s going to say I’ll shave my beard! He needs every team possibly to drive up the bidding especially the Yankees!! So with that said if Angels offer the exact contract or even a little less and the dude has a beard most of the time yep the dude if most definitely going to the Angles!
If he forgets to shave one day, yankees use it to cancel the remainder of his contract. Just ask ellsbury.
Boras makes less if you sign for less what hat was he wearing after WS
You’d have to be an idiot to give up $25MM for a beard. 99%+ of players would gladly shave for $25MM.
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Not really. I work in a place where we have casual dress. I wouldn’t move to a place requiring a suit and tie in exchange for a 10% raise.
If it really becomes less significant, why do most FAs go to the organization that pays the most money? And, that’s what Cole infers he will do.
Mo4ever my guess is you’re one of those guys whose beard looks like my ball bag when I dont weedwack it for a month. So I get you taking that extra 25 mil. I wouldnt cut my hair for an extra 25 mil on top of 200 mil
Crazyjaney
“I wouldnt cut my hair for an extra 25 mil on top of 200 mil”
That’s because you’re an idiot who doesn’t understand the value of money. Even if you don’t want the $25MM you could fund a half dozen homeless shelters for that. Is that worth your dang beard?
JoeBrady
If that 10% is $25MM you’d be an idiot not to go and wear a suit. A certifiable idiot. You obviously don’t understand the value of money. Even if you don’t want the $25MM you could fund a half dozen homeless shelters. Is that worth your stupid casual dress???
You make $250M?
At 200 million, it literally accumulates millions per/yr. on its own. It would only take ~4-5 years of 2.5-3% interest to make the ~25 million past up.
Signing with the Yankees for $245 million is about the same as $220 million from any other team when you consider the tax burden in NY city and NY state.
Agreed. Whiny millennials cry about an employer having any kind of rule.
Professional grown ups would have no problem with it.
Fine but if you make that argument you have to acknowledge the offset that comes from local endorsements. He does better overall with 245MM in NYC than in Anaheim
Really depends on what you want to do with it. What if you want to help as many people as you possibly can? More money means you can help more people – people who wouldn’t have nearly the ease of access to the same amounts of money.
Also, most humans are a bit greedy, even if they’re decent people. More money is good.
To each their own. If I’m about to make Cole money and was asked to shave everyday for an extra $25M over the next 8 years, I’d do it in a hearbeat. I’m never going to spend all the money and will probably start a charity foundation for kids and toss that extra pocket change into it. People have said that it wouldn’t be worth Bill Gates’ time to pick up $100 bills scattered across the ground because he can make more money doing something else. He was asked this question in an interview and personally stated that he would in fact pick up the bills because he’s cognitive of what a single $100 bill can do for an underpriviledged person.
That’s pretty silly, and also completely false.
But also funny, if you were joking. 🙂
Wall St. is a bad analogy because most people don’t want to work on Wall St. Stop acting like everything is all about money. And even if it were, money goes much further most places outside of New York. And even if it were all about winning rather than money, the Yankees are not the gold standard in the 21st Century.
You’re discounting him having mass exposure in a major market and the corporate sponsorship opportunities that comes along with it. It’s not a given but Cole is very consumer marketable.
NY might be second to LA when it comes to media and mass exposure. But for baseball NY might still be #1. Hard to say. And he already knows LA. Still, I could see him going either way. I’d say the Yankees have the advantage because they have so much experience going after big name free agents.
He could only go either way if he gets an offer from the Dodgers that at least equals what he’s being offered by the Yankees. Which won’t happen.
Or he could still go to the Angels or a few other teams.
Professional grown ups have a problem giving up money in taxes like Cole would in NY.
$245 million in Anaheim is $15 million more than in NYC. MLB players get very little in terms of endorsements. Cole had exactly zero last season. $500K is a big amount for MLB players. Not making up $15 million at even $1 million per year.
Corporate sponsorships account for very little for baseball players. $500k per year is big money in sponsorships.
Fun Tip:
When calling someone “an idiot,” fix your own typos before posting.
Mr Moenybags.
@ hiflew: For an extra 25 million you wouldn’t shave your beard? This is the second comment you made that most people would call you a liar or a fool. With a nickname like hiflew I will vote for the second.
I’d actually be quite willing to shave my face clean and smooth for $245 million! Not a problem!
Wow, can you tell you are a hater…lmao
I haven’t been clean shaven in a couple years but I would gladly shave for $245 million. It’s an outdated policy that should be changed but it’s not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things
It’s a matter of image, of branding. Like wearing a suit on Wall Street. In fact, I believe the Yankees wear suits when they travel.
Every WS firm requires a certain level of dress; every baseball team does not.
There goes your logic, right over that short RF fence & out of play.
There’s nothing outdated about it.
I haven’t been clean shaven in a couple years but I would gladly shave for $245 million.
————————————-
Would you do so for a 10% raise?
Heck plenty of guys do it just for their wives.
Would you do it for no raise? Playing in NYC with the highest tax burden of any area in the nation is not getting him a raise over $220 million from another team.
forbes.com/pictures/mlj45emjkj/no-50-new-york/#24f…
Hiflew does it for his husband Bozo. I was wondering how they kept coming up with the same answers.
“Husband”?
What are you, five years old?
Can’t think of too many people older than that who’d have such a juvenile temper tantrum just because not everyone agreed with them.
I’ll shave anything you want for $245 million.
A rabid grizzly bear?
Make it 246 🙂
I wouldn’t shave for the extra money. You’ve already established generational wealth. No different than a player taking a hometown discount.
If you value losing a couple extra million playing where you are already happy and comfortable, thats one thing. But if you value your beard over $20MM, you should probably reconsider your priorities/get a grip on life.
Why is everyone so caught up on the guy shaving. It’s not like it’s a secret he doesn’t know….. he grew up watching the Yankees, and probably dreaming of playing for them as a kid. He will shave and get a haircut – in the whole scheme of business, shaving is not really a big deal. You do realize your hair will grow back when your contract expires and you stop shaving, right?
It’s the only excuse they have in their minds so he do sign with the Yanks.
Just because the Yankees are bidding doesn’t mean they will have the winning bid. Of course he says he’d shave that makes the Yankees drive the bidding up. There are several team that can and will be happy to match or better their offers.
Dumbest team rule there ever was considering goose gosage kept his beard as a Yankee.
Imagine Rollie Fingers being told if he were to ever have played for the Yankees.
I’ll shave for $35 million a year.
No SP is worth this kind of money, unless his name is Bob Gibson or Warren Spahn.
You’re probably right. Gerrit Cole is worth a big contract, but 7+ years for a pitcher is likely going to come with some big regrets. He isn’t Jacob deGrom or Clayton Kershaw of a few years ago. But he is damn good.
Cy Young was pretty good. If he were to pitch in this era he would’ve been forced into a early retirement. The way he pitched back then pitching double headers by himself
The Dodgers will have to overpay after Kershaw has been shelled the last several years. 9 or 10 year deal coming if Dodgers want him bad. 320m plus.
Yeet!
God damn
With all the money he has to throw around, Cashman has not shown that he is a very good GM.
Incorrect
Are you joking? A decade since a World Series appearance, nevermind a championship, and that’s acceptable to you?
what’s unacceptable is the Astros cheating to keep the Yankees out of the WS two of the last three years.
@ Joesays…What proof do you have on that?
At this point in time, we don’t know all of the facts but you very well could be right. You know what else is “unacceptable”? The many steroid users who were cheating their way to World Series appearances and championships as members of the Yankees over the past 30 years, keeping other teams out…
todd.. there is video evidence of them cheating against Danny Farquar. If they need to cheat against him during the regular season, only a complete fool would think they weren’t cheating in the playoffs.
bobby.. the battle cry of the indefensible position.
“Somebody did something wrong years ago.”
So, if there is video evidence why did the batter not get a hit against Farquhar? In fact, if there is evidence why did the Astros hit worse at home than on the road?
How did the Astros cheat after live video feeds were removed from every stadium entirely after the 2017 season when the Yankees were also accused of cheating and the Red Sox were caught with a smart watch in the dugout.
You are not trying to claim that the Astros were the only ones doing it in the 2017 season.
Seem more to me like the gamesmanship that has been going on forever.
lol
wow
Klapisch is never right remember the German stuff?
That’s a nice offer. I don’t think he’ll except it though
*accept
WAY TOO MUCH, No SP is worth that and seven yrs besides a joke
Mad Max, Verlander, and Kershaw have been worth far more than they got paid even if they didn’t pitch anymore. So far Greinke has been worth his deal. Sabathia was worth his deal. Tanaka has been worth his deal so far. Lester has been worth his so far. What says that Cole won’t be worth whatever he gets paid?
Angels gonna offer 350 10 years. Just watch
Oh and they still won’t make the playoffs lel
They won’t even finish 3rd
I hope not
If they do than they can have him cause only a idiot Gm would make that offer.
Albert Pujols says hello
Yap – say 350 – 250 for 10 years – 100 deferred at age 40 for 20 years
That get it done
Any team that makes that contract deserves all the bad things that are sure to come along with the incompetence that allowed that offer.
Thus proving they’re the losers that they have demonstrated to be.
I hope not that would be plan stupid however if they offered the same as the Yanks Cole would go with the Angels
LOL I know Moreno can be a spender when he get’s the urge, but if he does that then he truly is an idiot. That’s way too much for a pitcher.
Oh, and has anyone looked at the Angels roster? At the quality of their guys (or rather, the lack thereof)? Even if they got Cole the Angels wouldn’t be playoff caliber. If the man truly wants to win he goes to the Yankees or the Dodgers
Not a fan of the Yankees, but if he accepts that and is gone at the age of 36, barring catastrophic injury, there’s seemingly no risk for the Yanks here. He should be a top dominate arm at least the next 5 at worst. Should be worth it the entire length of the contract
Phillies should offer nine years.
Middleton would be blowing smoke rings in year nine with a smirk. Cole’s arm is magic.
Yeah baby
Lmao can’t wait to see him implode in the Bronx
Says the salty cheating Astros fan.
Oh, my apologies. I didn’t know that.
@steves22… where is your proof?
@todd76
If you don’t think the Astros were cheating, you need to have your head examined. Proof? There have been multiple employees that have come out (on the record mind you) and talked about how they did it, as well as former players. The fact that we haven’t heard much lately about the investigation that MLB has been conducting, most likely means that the more they look into this, the more they are uncovering. The penalties are going to be severe…
Agreed. I’m wondering what’s worse, The Mets hiring Carlos Beltran or the Yanks putting in the first public offer for Cole?
Where you at NY?
What will you do if he doesn’t? Eat your hat online? I’m waiting.
Easy to drop a comment like that with nothing on the line.
It’s amazing how one anti-Yankees camp swears they will not get him because he needs to go to the Angels, presumably because they think he’s an ace. Conversely, the same conversation illustrates how people consider the Yankees stupid for spending the money on him, presumably because of his inevitable implosion. It’s truly amazing how many people are laser-focused in trying to tear the Yanks down, even though their reasons are contradictory. May even be an illness.
wait…how is this guy not an ace.. enlighten me
He is an ace…. I was referring to the anti-Yankee authors on this site predicting if he signs with the Yankees, he will get injured or somehow regress in his pitching. The Angel’s fans that believe he will sign with them presumably believe he’s an ace also. You should re-read the post.
I think he will be a Yankees #1 SP, but then again, only Cole knows where he is going and for what ancillary reasons.
This is obviously the Yankees letting the market know he is a priority and to prepare to pay excessively for his services. Very similar to Mo’s interpretation of their offer.
Illness LOL!!
What will you do if when signs elsewhere?
Watch him be good on another team and hope the Yanks sign a good SP at some point so they don’t keep falling short with a solid team. Why do you ask? It’s not emotional and we don’t predict he’s signing anywhere, but current indicators reflect Yankees are front runners. It is still very early, however. I think the Yankees fans have clearly been the most logical whereas the trolls opine with no substantive content.
Yeah, he won’t implode, nerd.
Won’t have to his arm will get him with the knife
Some players are afraid to pitch in new york… at least that’s what these clowns said about greinke. How did he do against the yankees in new york?
Actually, it was, by his own admission, a severe social anxiety disorder. Not that he’s afraid of the ballpark, rather persistent exposure to the NY media in conjunction with pressure from the fan base for peak performance is why he is not a good fit for NY. Essentially, it amplifies his condition, again, by his own admission.
I love how the Yankees really work to have a consistently relevant team. They are so great for the game of baseball. Every team should strive to have the class and good will of the Yankees franchise.
Oriole, I agree. It’s the brilliance of Cashman, n too bad there’s only one of him. Yes I’m a diehard Redsox fan but I admire brilliance.
I didn’t know opening the checkbook equaled brilliance???
It’s consistently putting out a quality product that creates that checkbook so yes, it is brilliance.
27 championships and the largest fan base = brilliance. Your dumb to think the Yankees aren’t a brilliant franchise
brilliance!! your a brown noser aren’t you? light in the loafers to I bet!! SMDH!!
Coastal Carolina Champs
“light in the loafers”??!!
This is 2019, loser.
LMAO!!!
Yeah but that’s what money gets you. I dont think money is the end all be all like some do, theres more to winning a championship than spending money. however money keeps you relevant, that’s what money does get you, constant relevance.
It’s not like the yankees are spending significantly more than, say, the Cubs or the Giants or the Red Sox. Yet they are consistently excellent. Give credit where it’s due.
Really where’s the WS rings if their that great in the last ten years
If excellence is measured by WS wins, then the Yankee’s MLB high $2.4 billion spent on payroll the past decade have not resulted in excellence.
Kleppy.. Maybe pro sports isn’t your thing. How about college sports?
What Kleppy said is absolutely true.
You lost me at good will
You mean he had you at class?
Made me lol
Class is at least more believable than good will. They certainly try to play up a certain classiness but I really don’t see how someone could think they have good will
They have goodwill because they try to deliver for their fans every singles year. Most teams do not.
hlflew
You have to be a certified hater not to see the class or goodwill. They reek class in the same way Wall St. reeks class. The goodwill comes from striving to deliver for the fans year in and year out. Yup, a certified hater, and haters have no credibility because they are blind with bias.
Idk about that goodwill, they strive to “deliver to fans” because that is most profitable and helps with their job security. I highly doubt that anyone at any level of management or ownership is doing it out of the goodness of their hearts because they feel beholden to fans
Class. Like all the steroid users the Yankees have employed? Or signing Chapman after he was suspended for domestic violence? I fail to find the class they have supposedly exhibited.
Honks and homers with names of players as their username on here have no credibility since they are blind with bias.
@Koamalu
There were so many players, spread across the entire league, that used steroids during what is now referred to as the steroid era in baseball. MLB had a huge part in that situation getting to the levels that it got. Don’t single out the Yankees for having steroid users, when EVERY team had them as well. As for Chapman, they investigated the incident and it was found he didn’t physically abuse his girlfriend, rather he got suspended for going into his garage and firing multiple shots into the garage wall. Innocent until proven guilty, that’s how these things work… and after conducting the investigation the legal authorities didn’t press domestic violence charges because they acknowledged there wasn’t a conviction to be had, due to lack of evidence and conflicting reports, but MLB suspended him for 30 games because of the use of the gun in the garage…
Yes, other teams had steroid users. Teams that are classy would cut or trade a convicted steroid user. Several other teams did. The Yankees didn’t.
Chapman illegally fired a gun. That is much worse than simple domestic violence. You do know that walls do not stop bullets, right?
How many cases of wealthy people and domestic violence do you see prosecuted? None would be the correct answer. Ever. Not even when there is video evidence or bullet holes.
The Yankees are not an example of class, they are just the same as every other team in baseball as you just said.
@Koamalu
Teams back then were not just cutting productive players because of steroids, nor were they all trading said players either. It was part of the culture of baseball for that 15-20ish year stretch (late 80s to mid/late 200s I believe).
Walls do actually stop some bullets, not all of them, but they do. And depending on the bullet used and type of wall, said wall could potentially stop all of them. Did they see the bullet holes in the garage? Yes, they obviously saw the bullet holes. He cooperated with the investigation and at the end of it, the authorities did not press charges on abuse because there wasn’t any evidence of that. MLB suspended him for 30 games because of the gun, not because he physically assaulted his girlfriend… which he didn’t do. I am not defending him, I’m just stating what the results of the investigation were.
We need that ace and I recently heard 140 mill coming off books in next year or two so front load it with a 35mil cap hit per year for 7 years and we have an Ace for at least the next 3-5 years.
Still have to pay Stanton’s contract, doll out dollars to Sanchez, Judge and Torres
You are correct. The Yankees payroll drops significantly in 21 and 22; right around the time to extend all their key young players
It was suggested here on MLTBR that the Yankee’s record offer would be $218MM. It was suggested that the Yankee’s aren’t really all in on Cole, that they would fail to do this deal for that reason. I said they would offer $240MM at least. I said whether they pursue Cole above $250MM was a question. I personally would prefer they pass if the Angels offer, say, $275MM. We’ll see. But at least Hal/Cashman have shown they are serious.
Wow that was quick. But we know he still won’t sign for another month. I think that offer could be AROUND what they end up on.
Good number. Luke Voit has already said that he would gladly give up his uniform number.
Yankee haters and pretenders who bad mouth the team step aside. Your humble pie is about to be served.
“Yankee haters and pretenders who bad mouth the team step aside. Your humble pie is about to be served.”
That has to be corniest thing I’ve read on here in a long time.
You guys are making me to want to puke. Didnt know there were so many yankee homers.
Pretenders? I don’t even know what you’d be referring to. Pretend haters? Pretend Yankees? That’s the silliest thing I’ve heard in a long time.
that is not going to get it done, Angels will counter that 7-8 years 250-270 max. I don’t see the yankees going over 250 million for him. If he wants to get lit up in the al east pitching in small parks, instead of living in sunny california with pitchers parks, His choice. But Arte Moreno , open up the wallet and sign this guy.
I don’t think he’s had any problem in the AL East or anywhere else for that matter. He went undefeated for the better part of six months last year.
He’s better off signing with the angels, they have not had an ace to his caliber in a long time, this is the time for Arte Moreno to open his wallet and sign this guy.
Why would he sign there; they still won’t be good enough. He said his top priority is a team that has a chance to win every year
He wants to be on a playoff team. It’s going to be the Dodgers or the Yankees. Stop deluding yourself
The Yankees have not had an ace of his caliber in a long time either and Hal and Cash have been uttering some strong talk about getting it done. I don’t know if they mean to ride it all the way, but it sounds like it. And they have as much to spend as anyone. Also, they are pretty much guaranteed to be postseason bound, and Cole is a type A competitor. I think that will be a factor that is at least as important as the SoCal location is for the Angels. We shall see…
the angels will do whatever it takes, Angels need Cole more then the yankees do , the yankees can go sign Bumgarner and somebody else.
You keep repeating how much the Angels need Cole as if that matters. The only thing that matters is how much the owners are willing to spend. And you’re wrong. The Yankees are postseason bound every year. They need a #1 as badly as anyone to get them over the hump to the WS. The Angels chances of even getting to the postseason, even with Cole, are basically nil. So why do they need him, exactly? Hmmm?
@angelsfan4life412 so, he is better off signing with LAA because they haven’t had a good pitcher in years? You consistently make this type of argument but, I just do not follow your logic on it. If the Angels need him the most out of all the teams bidding, then those teams should just recognize such and move on to other players? Why – to be nice? I can’t imagine a sports organization saying, “this guy clearly makes our team better and we can afford him, but, it just so happens another team needs him more, let’s let him go there.”
Trout, a healthy ohtani, a full season of Simmonds, bundy as the 5, a step forward form Heaney and Canning and about 30m more to spend. People are underestimating the Angels because of how rocked their roster has been by tragedy (death and injury.
I don’t think it’s that the Angels are being underestimated, most people are just recognizing that they need about 3/5 of a rotation in order to compete this year and going forward. You mention that tragedy has rocked their roster, this is a sad but logical reason why people see the Angels as a step below teams such as the Yankees, Astro’s, Dodgers, etc. Heck, look at how successful the A’s and Twins have been. The reality is, even with all that money, they need all the dominos to fall to truly match up on paper. That’s not underestimating, that’s the reality – at least in my opinion.
Cole pitched exactly one game in an AL East park in 2019. He would be pitching 20+ in AL East ballparks if he signs with the Yankees.
A big if. All another team would have to offer him is $230 million to make it a better deal than $245 million under the tax burden of NY state and NY city. You can be sure that Boras understands and will fill his client in on all the tax implications of wherever he signs.
You keep saying this, but it really depends on which team. New York State has a top marginal tax rate of 8.82%. New York City’s is 3.876%. Combined this is 12.7%. California’s top marginal rate is 13.3%, ergo he will have a very comparable, if not higher tax burden were he to sign with the Angels. It’s not like Anaheim is in the Midwest or something.
Read the link I posted before from Forbes. Then read this one.
worldpopulationreview.com/states/tax-burden-by-sta…
NY state tax burden is absolutely the highest. That doesn’t include the city taxes in NYC.
I do tend to forget that people making minimum wage only look at the top tax rate and not what is paid by people in the highest tax bracket on average. In California you would pay more at your level of income than the 2.1% I paid this year with earning in the highest tax bracket and you can be sure that a guy making $35 million will have Tax Lawyers and CPAs that will do better than mine do.
You don’t think a team’s initial offer is going to get it done?? Thank you for your groundbreaking insights Madame Cleo
As an Angels fan, I really hope we don’t go above 250 million. If that’s what it takes, then I’d rather allocate that money to a Strausburg signing, or Ryu-Roark or Bumgarner-Roark tandem.
Angels would be better off getting two pitchers for that price. Would be better for team.
I do, they make 630 million a year, they will be the top bidder for Cole!
Some team will offer 8 years for $260 million. Phillies, Dodgers a mystery team who doesn’t need to cut payroll.
Brialliant! Offer him one more year for a significant pay cut per year. I’m sure Cole will jump at that.
why does that matter when regardless its not a given he is earning that extra $10 million the year after his first deal expires?
280 is the ceiling!
Dodgers and Angels, should put seven years and $250 million on the table.
They can offer him the chance to play at home and in the case of the Dodgers offer the same annual chance at winning a World Series.
My exact thought was the Dodgers should come in at 7/252 as a final offer and move on if he doesn’t take it.
Angels offer 7 years 260-270 the max, and he will be back home where he belongs.
You must be delusional if you think that’s where he’s gonna sign because he belongs there.. if It comes Down to angels and Yankees he’ll choose the Yankees just so he can get paid more and play the Astros in the playoffs, he knows he won’t win a thing in LA
The Dodgers can only make a final offer if they’ve made an opening offer, which they haven’t. Cole was always going to be too rich for their blood anyway, this just corks it.
It would be a miracle if the Dodgers offered anything over 3 years let alone 7
3 and half years per team. 71.4mil aav lol
That ain’t gonna get it done
Why are the yanks trying to lowball him?
Because of Stanton’s contract , handcuffing them from offering him the most money.
Stanton’s contract has absolutely no bearing on this deal.
It’s so cute that you think Stanton’s contract is stopping them from offering him more lolololololololololol
i don’t see Cashman going over 250 million. As being an angels fan, they need him the most, they have not had an ace in a really long time, and it pains me to see that , they need to offer cole the world and bring him in angels red, Arte moreno will do whatever it takes to outbid the evil yankee empire.
The Stanton contract was pressure from Jeter on the NYY when they didn’t need him but they helped Jeter, who I’m not a fan of!
“they helped Jeter, who I’m not a fan of!”
We know. And the rest of your comment is gibberish. No doubt at the time the deal was done you said Jeter was doing a sweetheart deal for the Yankees, because that’s the conspiracy theory all RS fans were shopping at the time. And now you claim it’s the opposite. Surprise, surprise! There was no conspiracy, either way. One side wanted to dump a massive contract, the other side wanted an MVP. Period. How it works out remains to be seen.
Agreed Mo.
People forget that at least one other deal in principle was deep sized by Stanton under his no-trade clause. I can’t remember who it was with off hand.
If anything, Jeter should’ve let Stanton sit on a non-contender for a year, then said, “you still want yankees only? Cause they know it and aren’t giving value, so, you’ll be staying with us. Or, do you want to go to a contender.”
Cutting payroll was more important to MIA than return, so, you got what you got. Stanton publicly saying he would only waive his clause for NY screwed the return.
@AtlSoxFan
The Marlins were looking to shed as much of his contract as they could, so they made a deal with whatever team offered them that (and that Stanton would waive his no trade clause for). The Dodgers asked for the Marlins to take on $60mil of his remaining deal, as well as some bigger yet expiring contracts. The Yankees asked for the Marlins to take on $30mil of his contract and sent an above average player in Starlin Castro and a couple prospects. If the Dodgers’ offer was similar to the Yankees, they would’ve traded him to LA.. and we would all not listen to the stupid narrative that Jeter helped his former team blah blah blah…
Doing a quick number crunch, Stanton’s luxury tax hit per year is $25M (without considering what the Marlins pay). If you think this one contract is “handcuffing” them, it’s not based on reason. Look 1 year ahead and the Yankees have Tanaka, Paxton, LeMahieu, Ellsbury, possibly Happ coming off the books which opens up at least $60M between just the first 4 names and jumps above $80M if Happ’s option does not vest. Regardless of Happ, much money is coming off the payroll. Clearly they will have to replace some of these names by spending money, nonetheless, saying that Stanton’s deal is handcuffing them, is borderline absurd.
How is a new record considered low balling?
It’s not, either that was very good sarcasm or equally laughable ignorance.
@brownbomber
They aren’t lowballing him, or even trying to lowball him. $35mil/yr for 7 years is NOT a lowball offer, it is an INITIAL offer. It’s an initial offer that says we recognize your talent level and are offering you the largest contract ever offered to a FA starting pitcher… as a starting offer…
Still 30 mil short
AA hit it for 8/275 and let’s go already.
I hope you are joking.
I don’t think he is and I don’t think he’s wrong.
Wow wow wow
He’s exactly what the Yankees need… Now. However, in 3-5 years we’ll see if he’s still producing enough to carry that salary, let alone year 6 and 7. These mega deals RARELY workout in the long run.
If they win a ring our 2 in the life of that deal, doesn’t matter what he looks like at the end. Cc got them a ring and 3 top 5 Cy young finishes. They’d repeat that deal over and over again
Red Sox got a ring out of David Price but I bet they Still wish they didn’t have 3 years 90+ million owed to him right now.
A ring is worth more than $100 million in revenue to a team. $124 million last year.
These top tier players/ agents make them pay though. If teams want to get the best years out of these guys, they gotta take a risk on their older years.
I think it’s going to take 8/275 to get it done but I could be wrong. 7/245 sounds about right but with all the competition for starting pitching and considering its Boras, that’s (7/245) probably the starting point.
Would love to see the Phils enter the bidding and offer that 8/275
Angels top this i think, but a heck of a first offer. Love that this leaked
Angels will top that espically Arte Moreno being a billionaire , I say 7-8 years 250-270 the max will get it done, and he doesn’t have to shave, and keep his beach house in newport beach.
You could be correct. Unfortunately the NNY can offer the playoffs and a shot at the WS. That’s something the Angels can not offer… the scoreboard and standings do not lie.
Shaving is a non-factor. Money is. Postseason is.
@angelsfan4life412
“Angels will top that especially Arte Moreno being a billionaire”…
What does that have anything to do with it?!?! Hal Steinbrenner is also a billionaire, as well as the majority of owners in professional sports hahahaha, so what is your point? You keep regurgitating the same couple of lines over and over.
That’s what Boras does. Even if it didn’t really happen.
Of course they do. And the Yankees are anticipating that.
7 245 is enough to get a shave and haircut 35 million a year wow.
Is that all?
$245MM is a perfectly respectable opening offer. I think it’s $15MM-$25MM shy of what will ultimately get the deal done in this market, But it’s a good start. I personally hope the Yanks pass if it gets much above $250MM, but the way Hal and Cash have been talking, they may well chase it to the end.
He’s not gonna get more than 300 million. But if you’re gonna offer 245 million, whats holding you back from offering 300 million if you really want the guy? 8 years 300 million outs the contract at 37.5 million annually. With Ellsbury’s contract soon to be off the books, I think that’s more than feasible for the Yanks for a true No 1 Ace.
except the angels need this ace the most over the evil empire. Yankees can go settle for Ryu & MadBum or Keuchel.
Just because the Angels need it the most, as you say, does not mean they get him. Hal/Cash have the means to get it done and they have a winning club. Yanks need a #1, not Ryu, MadBum or Keuchel. Because the Yanks are going to the postseason, where you need a #1.
You keep saying the Angel’s need him more; while that may be true, it doesn’t mean that he’ll choose to sign with them. NY has the pedigree, are relevant every year, and offer a more realistic chance to win a ring every year. Even if the Angel’s did offer more money, it’s not just the money for guys with elite talent.
Yep I agree Angles will go 7- $260!
No way; the Angels have no chance to win
Actually they would , they add Cole & another pitcher with a healthy ohtani and another pitcher, they would be a winning team. Right manager finally.
Angels would still miss the playoffs
I would be shocked if he doesn’t accept that offer. I also wouldn’t be shocked if LAA comes in and offers something like 8 years and 275 million. They need this guy to have any shot of being a contender. Unless they aim to sign Strasburg and maybe a guy like Ryu to pair with Othani at the top of that rotation.
90% of that will go to taxes !
1000%!!!
Pffft!!!
It would be hard for the Angels to top this offer, especially when you factor in the difference in taxes from California to New York. If this is legit it sounds like Cole will indeed be a Yankee
Angels will have to offer 7 years 260-275 ,million. I don’t see Cashman going over 250 for him.
Cashman has the approval from Hal to go all in for Cole. If he doesn’t sign with the Yankees it won’t be because of money
I was shocked to see that Minnesota has a higher income tax than NY. Can’t these guys live in NJ and pay that rate though (making it even better over California)?
They pay taxes based on where each individual game is played I believe. They would pay NY taxes for games played in NY, California taxes for games played in California, etc.
No, because where you reside has nothing to do with where you pay income tax. Your income tax rate is based on the tax rate in the state in which you earned income.
Now, because all sports teams play half their season on the road, it’s a bit different because they need to claim income tax in multiple states at different rates, and also pay NYS and NYC income tax because they were/are residents of the city/state when they earned that income, so they get taxed twice regardless of where they play or live.
The other thing about living in NJ is that you have to pay a commuter tax to work in NYC, and vice versa, so they’d effectively be paying triple taxes because they would also need to pay NJ state income tax based on their NJ residency. It’s cheaper to live here and pay taxes in two states instead of three.
If he’s really worried about taxes the Angels would only need to add about $1-2 million a year to compensate. The tax difference isn’t that much.
East Coast BS!
Look at the Yankees fans get all pumped up and starting to talk crap. It’s so cute and when Cole signs elsewhere, the Yankees fans will turn once again lol
It’s cute that you think he’s going to take more money to lose in LA for the next decade. The Dodgers are the only LA team with a Chinaman’s chance of winning the World Series and they need to dump payroll before they can offer Cole close to $300 million.
There is absolutely no way he takes more to play for the Angels. He got a taste of meaningful baseball with Houston, he’s not gonna sign with a team that will still lose 80 games every year. Cole and Trout don’t make the Angels the best team in their own division.
Did I say he would sign with the Angels? I realize you are a Yankees fan, but you can’t be that dumb.
It’s incredibly stupid to think teams will be bad for that long. Especially when they have the best player to ever play the game who might have a superstar prospect joins him in the outfield in the near future.
where did you read that Dodgers need to dump payroll first before going after a top FA?
Will you eat your hat online if he does sign with the Yankees? Since you’re so sure, why not stand behind your certainty? Hmmm?
For the right amount of money, any team has the potential to sign Cole. What the Yankees offered, is not even close to what Boras Corp and Cole would take. Cole did state after the season was over, “now it’s time to go back home”. That is almost relevant that he would be interested in signing to his home state of California. Maybe his LA,CA roots has him going there. Angels aren’t the only CA or LA team. San Diego could be a wild horse team with plenty of talent to have Cole think about it.
Cole also said that rumors that he was biased toward going to SoCal were false. What he does want is to be on a team that is perennially postseason bound. That and money matter more. Guaranteed.
I can see him going to a California team and there are a few who are playoff worthy or on the verge of competing for a playoff birth. Outside of Oakland, California teams have pockets to afford Cole. Again, I think Padres are the wild card team. They aren’t getting noticed because Dodgers are favored to win the division once again. Padres have the talent offensively and defensively, but lack pitching. Cole can improve their need for a ace. If Padres Add another veteran SP (along side Cole) and some middle relief for the pen, Dodgers will have competition for the division with D-Backs in the mix. I think Padres could get a #2 or 3 pitcher through a trade (and they have the farm system to do it) after signing Cole. Maybe Padres call around time teams on the verge of a rebuild like Cubs, Indians, Giants, and a few others for a SP. it maybe a gamble for the Padres, but call up Pittsburgh Pirates for Chris Archer. Have Pirates send money in the deal and they one of the Padres less regarded prospect over losing their top prospects. I think Padres 13th-18th organizational prospect and the Pirates sending money, would do both organizations a favor. Unless Padres go for a blockbuster trade that would include Marte and Archer. That could put the Padres over the top and give these MLB analysts guys something to talk about when picking a NL West division champ next season (with Cole signing).
San Diego has a better shot to sign Strasburg because he’s actually from SD. Cole wants to pitch in meaningful games down the stretch, which means Yankees or Dodgers.
You gonna come up with another line besides the old “eat your hat” zinger? Maybe something from this century?
Will you leave the board forever if he doesn’t? Not just change your ID, leave. Since you are so sure he will, why not stand behind your certainty?
The irony here is precious
They have one title in the last 2 decades, they’re a joke even with Cole.
If Cole doen’t sign with the Yanks, the Yankee fans will do what they did when Corbin chose the World Series Champion Nationals… they will say they paid way too much. They will say wasn’t worth that. They will say Corbin isn’t really all that good.
We will have to hear… 27 … 27… man, that’s getting old.
@Melchez
Your hatred/bias towards the Yankees is hilarious.. you just never stop. Both the Yankees and the Phillies valued Corbin, but both said they wouldn’t go past 5 years. The Nationals came in and offered a 6th year, so he went there. It worked out for the Nationals already, because he played his part in helping that organization win their 1st title, and kudos to him and the Nats for doing so. But Corbin and Cole are NOT comparable pitchers, so comparing the 2 makes no sense here.
The truth is too much for you to take 27?
@Koamalu
What truth? That Melchez is a troll? That Corbin and Cole aren’t the same caliber pitchers? Which truth are you talking about?
I never said Corbin wasn’t good, I just said the Yankees and Phillies valued him for a 5 year contract but not longer, and apparently basically the same aav that the Nationals signed him for. So they all placed the same yearly $ value on him, but not that extra year. The Yankees also probably figured Happ would cost far less in total $ and years, and considering how good he pitched for them after they traded for him, it seemed like a decent plan at the time (resigning Happ instead of going the extra year for Corbin). Looking back on the seasons they both had, maybe they would’ve changed their mind and gone harder after Corbin and not resigned Happ… or maybe they still wouldn’t have because they had traded for Paxton very early in the offseason, and they probably saw Paxton as the same caliber/type pitcher as Corbin, but again for less $.
remember haircuts are expensive in manhattan
Not on that salary, they aren’t.
But taxes and living costs are. More than anywhere else.
That should be the 1st and only offer they make because that is a great offer and they will only be bidding against themselves ….
Yeah I’m sure the dodgers and angels are just going to sit back and not even attempt to top our offer lol
the Angels will surely top that.
Of course. And the Yankees expect them to.
Gotta give it to the Yankees. Moving in on the right investment. As a Red Sox fan, Yankees with Gerrit Cole scares me. I don’t think their pitching has been quite on par with a WS winner for a few years.
“I don’t think their pitching has been quite on par with a WS winner for a few years.”
You’re right. It hasn’t.
It’s hilarious that people think Cole is going to the Angels because he’s from California. Why would he want to go from the World Series to third place? Houston without Cole is still better than the Angels with him even if it takes 20 wins away from the Astros.
Cole will not make LAA a contender and there is a compelling argument to make that they won’t even be better than Oakland as currently constructed, Cole or not. The Dodgers are the biggest threat to the Yankees and the only LA team with a real shot at outbidding us, but they can’t keep throwing around $300 million dollar contracts like they’re candy, either.
7/245 gets it done if he wants to be a Yankee.
Personally I think this offer is an opening salvo. I think it goes to $260MM at least and I hope the Yankees don’t go much higher.
I don’t necessarily disagree with the first two parts of your comment, but as I said, if he *wants* to be a Yankee the $35MM AAV gets it done. That said, if it goes to $260 over 7, there’s no reason not to make that offer. He’s one of the top three pitchers in the game right now and is exactly what the Yankees were missing the last three years.
A rotation of Cole-Severino-Paxton-Tanaka-German/insert name here in the event German is suspended indefinitely is instantly the best rotation in the AL and makes a strong case for best in baseball, and with that bullpen even if Betances walks, the Yankees are all but guaranteed at least a trip to the World Series next year and probably the next 5 years.
All but a guarantee for the next 5 World Series eh? And y’all wonder why we loathe NYY fans
Yeah I can’t see how German is suspended indefinitely. He slapped his wife. That’s a horrible thing but keep it in perspective. He didn’t strangle her or shoot her or stab her… After all the cases of domestic violence we have had I wonder how it is that some people are assuming he’ll be out of baseball. On what basis? We have precedent, for one thing…
“dynamite drop in monty”
“And y’all wonder why we loathe NYY fans”
Who’s we? Did you say this when Boston got Price for a whopping $217MM? Or Sale for $155MM? Or when Boston jumped to a record payroll of $246MM? Because it sure looked like Boston had the postseason locked up for 5 years then. Where was your loathing then? Biased BS is what you have. Biased BS.
He had a two sentence comment and you ignored one of the sentences. Come on dude.
JDGoat
False. I responded to the 5 year thing as well.
Pot meet kettle. I responded to two sentences. You reacted to one, without even responding. Biased BS.
German is another example of Yankee class?
Dodgers have the best payroll situation of all three teams involved. They’re $48M away from the luxury tax with Kershaw and Jansen expiring in ’21, while the Yankees are already over and Stanton still on the books
Why did Wheeler go to the Phillies even though he was offered more money by the White Sox? What’s hilarious is people know what Cole will or wont do?
As far as the Angels being a contender without Cole, You don’t know too much about the Angels.
macstruts
Wheeler went to the Phillies because they’re a contender and they have family in the area.
Cole has said that claims he is biased toward SoCal are false. We can only take him at his word. Since the Yanks are perennial postseason contenders and Cole is a type A competitor, it seems like the Yanks have an edge. And no, I don’t think the beard is a factor.
Cole said he was not interested in signing only “west of Nevada” because only an idiot would limit his market to 3 teams. The Mariners, Padres and A’s are not in on Cole, so that would limit his market to the Dodgers, Giants and Angels.
He never said he did not have a bias towards signing in California. He has said that his dream as a child was to play for the Angels. Never heard him say that about the Yankees.
Boras is going to work to get Cole the most money and $245 million playing for the Yankees and in the AL East is about the same as $230 million playing for the Angels. I know you don’t understand tax burden for people that make 7 figures, but you can be sure Boras does. It matters.
If the Angels come back with an equal amount of money as the Yankees offered, then the Angels will sign Cole.
It’s hilarious we just watched Wheeler decide where to sign because his wife decided it for him.
It’s not hilarious, its real life and you apparently cant remember back 3 days ago.
The Phillies will offer stupid money 11/ 330 million. Cole and Harper can retire together !!! It’s not the Harper it’s the Carper!!!
Drinks are on Cole
But only light beer. And 15 dollar bottle whiskey
Thought Price’s deal was the ultimate foolishness.
Cashman and the Yanks have zero’d in Cole, they will not be outbid for him.
Bidding war between Phillies, Dodgers and Yankees. 10yr/ 350 million dollar deal with 7 years guaranteed and 3 opt out years.
If it goes that high the winner will be the loser!
Rangers should match the offer and point out to Cole that he would get more money out of the contract if he didn’t have to pay taxes in Texas. The Yankees would have to up their offer and I’d like to see them end up paying him $40mil per year at least.
He’s damn good, but not next level to win WS. New York will swallow him up!!
I had jobs that I needed to shave everyday.
I now make more money & I can shave once a week or none.
NYC or Cali?
Better overall weather or the 4 seasons with Winter being a negative.
Traffic & Housing costs are not that much different.
Tradition?
So you like living in the past?
Baseball nowadays with better parity tradition really does not mean as much.
What does any of this mean
I don’t know where Cole will sign but it’s laughable that people don’t think the Angels will contend if they sign him. Let’s say the Angels also sign Castro.
On July 16th the Angels were four games over 500. So the Angels add, Upton, Simmons, LaStella, Castro, Cole, Canning, Heaney, Bundy, Adell and Ohtani and some people think that’s not gong to help the team enough to contend.
That just tells me that people don’t know anything about the Angels.
Mac, it’s called east coast bias and the fact that most EC fans are asleep by the time Trout takes his first at bat. They have no idea what west coast baseball is like and how luring the OC scene is for playing and raising a family. Trout understood it and Gerrit very well may as well…
The Angels are not going to contend perennially for the postseason with or without Cole. Period. And no, Castro does not move the needle.
Best player in baseball. Best SS in baseball. Best pitcher in baseball. Great supporting crew. Signing Cole and Castro as well as seeing Ohtani, Upton, LaStella, and Heaney come back will make the Angels a contender.
Angels….please please dont go down this road again ! go get Keuchel, Ryu(or Bum) and get a dang catcher . better off then suffering thru the end of this contract . they are more then one ace away sorry, but 2 more solid 2/3 pitchers can make then better . please
The Angels have to make every effort to sign Cole. They can’t let this opportunity pass them by.
But it doesn’t matter what they do, Cole will decide where he wants to pitch. And few people have a good idea where that will be.
Other than Price, name one long term deal for a pitcher that didn’t work out.
Cole needs to want to he a Yankee. There will be higher offers. How much money does anyone need ? Better to be a Yankee.
I don’t think he would want to be a yankee, Cold weather vs sunny weather in cali all day, plus it’s his hometown. He already stuck it to the yankees once by going back to college instead of signing with them when he got drafted by them. Maybe he does it again, Go get him Angels!!
@angelsfan4life412
He stuck it to them by going back to college instead of signing with them? Man… you’re out of your mind. First of all, he didn’t stick it to them, and he didn’t go back to college. He was heading to college when he got drafted out of high school, but everyone was told he wouldn’t sign because he was definitely going to college. This is why he fell to the end of the 1st round, and the Yankees took a flier on him. He went to college, like he told everyone he was going to, and then got drafted 1st overall when he entered the draft after 3 years of college. Man, just stop…
No way Dodgers fork out the money, even though itll be awesome if they do
so much vitrol and so much optimism at the same time. how about we all agree on these two things:
1. as much as the Yankees winning isnt exciting for a non-Yankees fan, you have to give them props for always being relevant
2. Cole isnt proven ti be healthy for the entire length of the deal, and a Price result isnt impossible
The Yankees have not been relevant in this decade. The Giants have been relevant. The Red Sox have been relevant. The Rangers, Dodgers, Cardinals, and Royals have been relevant. Even the Mets have been relevant.
No one is proven to be healthy until they do it. You can’t prove it in advance.
Of the top 10 pitching contracts of all time, can you name any other than Price that didn’t work out?
@Koamalu
How can you say the Yankees haven’t been relevant in this decade? They have the most wins in MLB over the past decade… Obviously no World Series title in the past 10 years, but the Dodgers haven’t won in 30 years and somehow you said they were relevant? C’mon man.
And how can you also say the Price contract hasn’t worked out? He was an integral part in that championship the Sox won last year. That alone is worth a good majority of his contract.
Twitter sources 8 years for 300 million. Deal probably announced Monday for Cole no matter who he goes to.
A lot of things people will do for $245 – 300 million. Shaving would be a no brained. I’d shave for $1 … In fact, I shave cause my wife tells me to and rewards me in bed… sooo
I’d only be okay with Gerrit Cole not shaving if they go back and digitally restore Randy Johnson’s mustache
Spotrac already has the Yankees’ 2020 payroll at $199 million! How it is possible for the Yankees to give Cole a contract at $35 million a year when they have other issues to address while going over the threshold! I think this offer is a lie!
spotrac.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/payroll/
The threshold is only 1 of 3 tiers… It is not a hard cap. This offer could be a fabrication, but not based on the reasoning you provided.
The media is very biased when it comes to teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers! I remember stories from last year how Harper was going to the Cubs since he was good friends with Bryant to naming his dog Wrigley. I think the teams with the space to building a team for a few years rather than one year shot have a better chance obtaining Cole. The Yankees have Stanton’s ridiculous contract to having to start paying Judge, Sanchez and Torres in the next few years while addressing other needs.
It’s the natural order of things. There is simply more writers and media outlets in those markets due to population size. Again, no one has mandated Cashman not to exceed the second level of the tax threshold. Ownership only prefers not to. Stanton’s contract is ridiculous but his playing career is far from being over. He was out with injuries for a season and some folks want to label him a bust.
I think the yankees can offer whatever they want , and what if Cole doesn’t want to be a yankee? Angels offer him 7-8 years 250-270 , plus they add another pitcher and make the playoffs. They have the talent , they just need health from the rotation, they have the right manager right now, picked up a good pitching coach, pair Cole with Ohtani , thats a great 1-2 punch.
Following your same logic, what if… he does not want to be an Angel?
What if he wants to be a Dodger?
The Angels have a lot of holes. They are not a couple players away. They should rebuild. If Trout wants to go to the playoffs, he should have signed with a better team. If Cole wants to play for a wining team, he should sign with the Yankees.
Angels would be a winning team if they added a pitcher like Cole , and then sign another pitcher to pair with him & Ohtani , If they can sign Cole & Ryu or Keuchel then thats a solid 3. Plus they have Jo Adell waiting in the wings, Maddon at manager , Callaway as the pitching coach , Pair the best player with the best pitcher , that is a playoff team.
“Angels would be a winning team if they acquired good baseball players”
The way this comes across is, “if the angels sign cole, and then another 2/5 of the rotation, they will be a good team.” If the rumor that Cole wants to pitch for a winning team is true, a lot more dominos have to fall in the Angels favor to make them a team the caliber of the Dodgers or the Yankees.
Cole wants money imo, It’s always about the money. If angels offer 7-8 years 250-270 in that range, he will take it imo.
@angelsfan4life412
Yes, Cole wants money. They ALL want money, thats obvious… but it’s not always just about the money. He has also said, publicly I might add, that he wants to go to a team that perennially has a chance of winning.. and that he doesn’t hold a West Coast bias like a lot of media channels have been reporting. Can the Angels offer the chance to go to the playoffs basically every year over the life of his contract? Realistically, no they can’t. They are more than Cole away from being a legit postseason contender.
Angels will be a 3rd place team even with Cole
Cole, Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, Bundy is a good rotation. One that can get us to the playoffs if healthy. We need depth, but once we sign Cole or Strasburg we do not have a need in the top 4 of our rotation.
Ryu is off the table in Anaheim. We need starters that are healthy and can take the ball every 5th day. Keuchel is also of the table because he is a 5 ip/start pitcher.. If Billy goes after a 2nd starter in FA, it would be a workhorse like Bumgarner.
With Adell coming up by June at the latest, we have very few holes outside of Ace and catcher.
Goodwin, Trout, Upton, Fletch, Simmons, LaStella, Pujols, Ohtani. That is a bunch of very talented players. Pujols is past his prime, but he still hits 20+ HR with an OPS in the mid 700s.
An Ace and catcher and some backup pieces and the Angels are a contending team.
What holes? We need a starting catcher and an Ace. A healthy Simmons, LaStella, and Upton fills 3 of the holes we had last season.
Fletcher was great at 3B so that is not a hole anymore. If would be nice to get a RF, but it’s not hard replacing a 2 WAR guy and Adell will be up early in the season if not opening day.
$245 million? Good opening offer. Cole and Boras know the Yankees are serious, but it’s going to take more to get him to sign.
My guess is the numbers end up being 8 years and $288 million.
That’s what I think , but I don’t think Cashman will go over 250 for him, the angles will
Pass. First pitch in Spring Training he will blow his elbow out and I will LOL at the howling Yankee fans.
Will you eat your hat if he doesn’t? Cheap predictions are meaningless. They’re throwaways. Put some skin in it if you want to shoot your mouth off or just keep it zipped. Nobody cares about lame predictions.
Eat a cookie or something
Eat my arse. You can eat a hat with him if Artie doesn’t plunk down $350MM, m’kay? I’m tired of this brash loud-mouth and his braggarty smart-arse remarks and predictions.
You’re so mad
And there’s no excuse here for you.
That’s to much money for a pitcher. Especially since they pitch a half a game once every 5 days. Spread that money for every day players.
Way too long for a pitcher. 4-5 year max
Yup. Cole is great right now. No doubt. But 3 years from now? 4? 5? Maybe 2? There’s no telling. Huge risk.
Then teams wouldn’t sign anyone. Cc and Tanaka have been fine. And CC came with the weight risk