Astros fans (including myself) used to do this pre-2015 in regards to the 1998 team.... "If MLB hadn't inexplicably given off days between games 1-2 AND 2-3, Kevin Brown would never have been able to pitch 2 out of the first 3 games... yada yada yada..." Much better being on this side of the "what ifs".
Of course. I’m just giving a Yankee fan sh*t. Mine is if CP3 doesn’t pull his hammy in 2018, rockets win it all. but come on lol this is their “if” “Mariners would’ve won the ALDS in 4 and we’d beat them in 6 and steamroll the phillies in the World series (i’m coping)” Much better on this side though no doubt.
Agreed. I think some Yankees fans are still hanging on to that first half of 2022... where they had an amazing hot stretch and the national media jumped all over it (desperately) with projections how they were on track to be the best team ever, etc. etc. Then the Astros just flat-out embarrassed them in the head to head that year.... and swept the playoffs... and that end result set most Yankees fans straight as to how severely the Astros dominated them throughout this entire run and how they'd need a major change to catch up. Even with last off-seasons signings, most knowledgeable Yankee fans had already written off the 2023 season as they knew there would be no chance they'd beat the Astros in any sort of meaningful H-2-H matchup (of course they probably weren't saying "last place!", but there they went). And now... its just a long climb uphill for them. They can't change the Orioles or the Rays young lineups/rotations. They can't expect to be better than the Blue Jays (who are also facing their time of put up or shut up). They may take solace that the Red Sox have resigned to be fiscally responsible (i.e. - cheap) in the midst of leadership turnover.... but they also know they need too many things to fall into place to have a reason for optimism going into this year. So, reminisce about 2022 it is!
I am all for hating on / laughing at the Yankees. But I'm not sure a lineup that added Juan Soto and will have a healthy Judge all year can be counted out. And a rotation headed by the unanimous AL Cy Young. I think they make the playoffs again this year, probably as a Wild Card.
Nobody is leaving them for dead... but would you bet on them right now to win that division and/or finish ahead of the Orioles and the Rays (and Jays)? Cole has been amazing basically his entire Yankees tenure... and he's made one ALCS start (a loss) in that tenure. They need more pitching... top to bottom. They know it too. They could sign Snell and he'd be amazing for them while he's healthy. I also don't know why Judge is going to magically be healthy the entire year, but we also know that just Judge and Soto won't be enough for 162.
I just meant that they only had him for 106 games last year, and it's likely they get more from him this season. 148 and 157 the two years before that. There's no guarantee anyone stays healthy, of course.
“Chapman will get $20 million in 2024 from the Giants, $18 million in 2025 and $16 million in 2026. He can opt out after 2024 and 2025.”
Probably good news for the Astros, as it likely makes him a free agent again next season and adds a potential option if Bregman bolts and Dezenzo isn’t ready.
I'm sorry to beat a dead horse, but if one side can opt out, then both sides should be able to opt out. Then you might as well just have a 1 year contract. Maybe have both sides have to pay to opt out at a level which hurts if you have to have a multi year contract. ie $9M to opt out of 2025 and $8M to opt out of 2026.
I absolutely believe it should be allowed, but the owners shouldn't be that STUPID to do it. There is no balance. Owners risk is $54M for ONE season. Poor performance or injury and the owner is trapped. good performance and the player is GONE. My point is not allowing it, but doing it. There are plenty of stupid things which shouldn't be done, but should be allowed. You are allowed to be STUPID.
Of course it is highly tilted towards the player. But plenty of 3-year deals go south with or without an injury, and plenty of players outperform and are GONE after 1-year deals. Neither situation is unprecedented or a disaster, and if it is that structure or a 10-year deal, I would prefer the opt-outs. Most likely case is the Giants get one year of performance far in excess of $20M value. Of course it would be better for the team to have a straight 3-year or one with mutual opt-outs, but Chapman and other top players aren’t signing those, so it is a theoretical debate.
They are only demanding those deals because owners have been stupid enough to offer them in the first place. It's time to put the Jeanie back in the bottle.
Teams also don't want to be locked into 6-10 year deals for players on the wrong side of 30. 3 year deals are ideal for both player and team. There's also the possibility that the Giants really do want him to have a great season and opt out, as their subsequent actions will be pending whether or not they're contenders. There' also the option that he may just have his career average season, enjoys where he's at, not looking to move to a 3rd team in 4 years, and just stands pat even if he could get slightly more/year on the open market.
