Yep, I’ll never speak down on someone for making whatever money they can, they’ve earned whatever someone is willing to pay them. If that’s not with the Astros then I wish you well and you do badly against the Astros. Except Cole because that guy is a piece of shit.
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Can you imagine how awful the UCLA locker room must have been with Cole and Bauer strutting around?
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I hate the fake “I want to be an Astro for life” comments. Correa said it and Bregman said it. Both were offered fair deals but greed won out for both. I guess I have an unfair expectation for players after watching guys like Biggio, Bagwell and Altuve remain with Houston when they could have earned more money elsewhere.
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I felt like I was caught in the middle. A part of me (my heart) wanted Bregman back and wanted him to be an Astro for life, but another part of me (my brain) knew that wasn’t going to be the best move for the team long-term if it happened. As odd as it sounds, it was going to be a win-win, lose-lose deal for me no matter the outcome.
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Correa turned down what would turn out to be half of what he ended up getting. Maybe you think it was a “fair offer” but I would never expect someone to take half of their market value.
Bregman already took one extension at under market value with the Astros, is he supposed to do it again? We’ll see what he ends up getting but his offer was probably also a lot less than the market.
And Biggio was almost a Rockie before the Astros upped their offer. All of those 3 got paid market value, or very close to it, to stay, not accepting some team friendly deal. Altuve for one, got way more from the Astros than he would have gotten from another team as a free agent.
All this to say, you can be truthful in wanting to be an Astro for life and still not end up being one. It doesn’t have to be “greed” to expect to be paid what your peers are being paid.
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Altuve never tested free agency. He wanted to be an Astro and he agreed to a deal to remain an Astro. Boras is also his agent, just like he is Bregman’s. Do you think Boras wanted Altuve to test free agency? To say he got way more from Houston than another team would have offered is crazy. We don’t know that because he chose to stay in Houston as opposed to testing free agency. He is arguably the best second baseman in the game so I am sure he would have had plenty of teams calling him.
Biggio had plenty of opportunities to sign elsewhere and he didn’t. He even turned down a deal to his hometown Mets. He, Bagwell and Altuve were the definition of loyal.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.
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Wanting something and getting that something are 2 totally different things.
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Maybe another team gives 35-39 year old Altuve 5/125 or more, but I seriously doubt it. And if another team would have, it wouldn’t be by much. I love Altuve, I love that he will be an Astro for life, I also love that the team paid him his worth.
If the Astros wanted Bregman back, they could have signed him back. I don’t mind them not doing so. But the same thing here as with Correa, the team floats out a number that sounds big but is never going to get it done so that people like you will yell greed when it’s turned down.
But you’re right about one thing, we can agree to disagree
Want in one hand and shit in the other
Because that is exactly what it is. I personally don’t think Bregman is getting $200mm offers or he would have already signed with someone. Time will tell.
You’re hung up on the money, when it’s the years these guys want
I’d have given Bregman as many years as he wanted…10, 15, longer. Just not all at the same 8 figure price.
We’re gonna need a volunteer. I’d like to test your theory but I don’t want to shit in my hand.
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Diva
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I could not disagree more with this attitude because I never cared even one whit about what “my peers” were making elsewhere. I was happy where I was, paid well but not as much as other firms, and happiness meant more to me than chasing money.
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Often times good quality of life and happiness in one’s profession are without measure/monetary value.
Good on ya, Coach.
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“ Over time, teams learn if you’re running from leadership and talent, you’re running from the ultimate goal,” Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, told The Athletic on Monday night.
I have read this numerous times and not sure I understand it. Does the word “teams” indicate the players on the team learning that management is running from player leadership and the ultimate goal, a World Series championship?
I feel the same for myself. Happiness and other benefits that facilitate that happiness above money.
But I also don’t begrudge those who seek and value compensation over all else.
I wish Alex was content with a life changing offer even if it wasn’t as much as he sought. But wanting to be paid and/or committed to at the level of your peers is a perfectly valid feeling and understandable.
At least he was willing to stay if Crane had agreed to his price, and he wasn’t trying to set a new market, just be at the level of his comparables in his mind.
For Crane, I am torn. 14 different teams have handed out contracts of at least 10 years but he has a “no contracts over 6 years” philosophy? He feels long term payroll flexibility is better than keeping star players in an Astros uniform and getting stars in their primes ( who will demand those contracts). I get it, but as a fan it sucks, not to mention it only works when your farm is deep or you trade away players before FA for replacements.
Bregman has been my favorite player since 2017 when I noticed his daring throws home in the post season. And of course the WS game 5 walk off.
But its always been 90% about the name on the front of the jersey for me. Jose Cruz was my favorite once and there have been several since. There will be others.
I wish Alex all happiness and still hope he does well except when playing the Astros.
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+100. People are shocked that I still work for the government. The work is meaningful at massive scale and impactful to everyone in my circles, including y’all. I won’t be here forever, but I will be slow to move away from the most rewarding part of my career so far.
I totally get the “hometown discount” mentality and live it every day.
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Yeah, well you work for the government the same way James Bond does. Civil servant, my ass. You’re a national hero.
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