This just smells a little too much like desperation by Boras. He is trying to get his client signed before this off season is over and his value goes into the crapper. Putting out false reports of interest is a tool often used by underhanded agents. The Astros have several Boras clients on their roster and they could harm themselves by refuting this story even if it is a total fabrication. If it was anything but rumor and innuendo it probably would have been done on Friday. Hope for the best but hold on to your virtue till there is real news.
I'm sure they were willing to pull the trigger but it was the Padres who decided to hold. But speaking of this. Yes, if you sign Snell now, you lose a pick and international money but it saves you from trading prospects for a pitcher at the deadline(as long as everyone is healthy and performing). Also with Burnes and Cease already traded, not many potential SP available and I'm sure there will be many teams looking for a starter at the deadline potentially increasing the price.
So…..coal……not necessarily red hot and definitely note white hot……hot enough to salvage and carry to your next camp to start a fire…….but also subject to simmer out entirely
This is categorically untrue. By all accounts the Astros did everything they could to get them and the Padres simply decided to pull them off the market.
When has Crane wanted someone badly and not eventually getting him. Yes, we didn't get Verlander initially both times, but we got him when we needed him. If Crane pulls this off, he is GM of the year.
There's certainly a component of this whenever these stories get tweeted... mainly because the Astros don't ever leak stuff to this level especially when they're close. That being said, this is also exactly the sort of scenario Crane and the Astros have been very pro-active. Elite players that are available at a semi-discount (in this case, Snell isn't going to get a long term deal)... and one that only a contender can truly afford when its a short-term possibly even only 1 year type deal. Crane has had zero problem paying said salary/year rate for JV, Cole, Greinke (or ok'ing trades to make those short term relationships happen). They still need more starting pitching depth as well... with the hope that they'll have too many when Garcia/LMJ start to look ready to return (more optimistic on the former being a real contributor this year).
Signed FAs Ohtani, ( top Japanese import FA pitcher) Yoshinabu Yamamoto, Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, and James Paxton, Resigned Joe Kelly, Daniel Hudson, Clayton Kershaw, Jason Heyward, Kiki Hernandez Got Blake Treinan, Gavin Lux, and Walker Buehler off of 60 day IL. Buehler and Kershaw will be on IL until well into the season
Jim Crane has some weird spending habits. Can nickle and dime on supporting parts, but when he decides he wants something he makes it rain. He seems to value star players in baseball the way one would value the disproportionate impact star players in basketball have. Zero complaints about an owner that will spend, Snell would obviously make us better.
Considering a closer to very much be a "supporting part", I'd say him splurging on Hader was certainly a change of where he's traditionally funneled the large contracts to go towards (thus far mainly just been starting pitching and homegrown position players). He also authorized big deals for Montero and Abreu... also supporting parts (at least bigger than what most fans here would have offered them). At this point, it does seem like he's willing to go year to year whenever they have a chance to contend... but will still be reluctant to get locked in to 8-10 year deals.
All other teams: If a team does not receive revenue sharing and did not exceed the CBT salary threshold in the previous season, it will lose its second-highest selection in the following year's Draft, as well as $500,000 from its international bonus pool for the upcoming signing period. If one of these teams signs two such players, it will also forfeit its third-highest pick and an additional $500,000.
