Offseason baseball Thread

Media market determines potential revenue. Do I really have to explain that to you?

Even during their three-year run of playoff appearances, the Pirates cut payroll in the offseason. They have a penny-pinching owner in a sport where potential revenue and willingness to spend are major factors in who wins and loses. The trade of Cole just reinforces that reality.

The Astros were bad, so they tore it all down. Now they are building it back up and they have the potential revenue to afford long-term spending in a way the Pirates can't (unless they want to lose money every year, which the Nutting family will never do.)

 

Ace? The guy whose career 3.50 ERA in the NL has declined the past three seasons, including a 4.26 and 31 bombs last season? I mean, I guess.

I'm not saying Cole is a bum, but the Pirates may have done well to get as much as they did for him when they did. At age 27, if you think he's the next Jake Arrieta, it was a terrible decision. But with two years of team control left, the Pirates at least convinced the Astros that's who they are getting (and I don't think that's who Cole is going to be).

 

He was their ace. Those numbers in 2017 are part of why it was a terrible idea to trade him now. He's coming off the worst season of his career, which lowered his value. With free agency two years away, there was time to let him rebuild some value. This is a former No. 1 overall pick who had a 2.60 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 202 strikeouts in 2015. I think you're underestimating Cole's upside here.

He also has better career numbers than Arrieta and the gap gets a lot larger if you compare his numbers heading into his age 27 season to Arrieta's at the same point of his career.

 

Fangraphs projects the Astros to gain one win and the Pirates to remain .500 after this trade.

 

Bully for them, but that is a projection. I doubt we will see if they are right about the Pirates or not because I don't think the Pittsburgh fire sale is over yet.

 

Hall of Fame umpire Doug Harvey passes away

 

God is dead. RIP.

 

let the fire sale continue

 

Everyone take cover.....

 

Oh thank Christ. The Giants finally did something

 

That came out of left field. Well, the left field of center.

Cutch as a Giant? That'll look weird.