Signing(s): Justin Verlander re-signs with the Astros (1 year, $25 million)
- Thread starter MMC
- Start date
MMC
Global Moderator
According to MLBTR, the 2023 player option is for $ 25m as well. That is quite some commitment to a pitcher who could barely pitch during the last two years, but Verlander has been quite some pitcher before. The Astros preferred to take the risk on the guy they know and like; I can understand it.
Gruß
BSHH
Gruß
BSHH
punk_o_holic
Registered User
Glad to have him back but not sure I like the player option. If he sucks, he opts in. If he's good, he opts out and ask for more money or term. Or signs with another team no compensation draft pick. Interesting to see how he does. Off for 2 seasons, coming back from tjs, getting up their in age, no sticky stuff, and no more Strom. Hopefully he's back to cy young form. Also funny how someone said he felt he owed Crane and he's loyal but if he owed Crane, accept the qualifying offer of $18 after you collected 60 million or so the last 2 years for 1 start
Quid Pro Clowe
Registered User
Why on earth would Verlander owe Crane anything? Crane was unwilling to take on Verlander's full salary when trading for him and insisted on Verlander waiving a vesting option he agreed upon with the Tigers (eventually the Astros had to pay more for his services as if the option had vested). Verlander clearly outperformed his contract, before he got hurt because he threw so many pitches for Crane's Astros - who did not grant Verlander free agency afterwards, but made him a QO.
Crane was willing to pay market value for other Astros. Why shouldn't Verlander ask to be treated in a similar way?
Verlander seems to be under a different impression. He probably thinks he got two rings already - one from the Astros and one from the former Miss Kate Upton...
Gruß,
BSHH
Quid Pro Clowe
Registered User
Astros have 0 legit World Series wins, so he has 0.
I can buy a replica of the Braves ring this year and it will be just as meaningful as any from the 2017 Astros.
I can buy a replica of the Braves ring this year and it will be just as meaningful as any from the 2017 Astros.
punk_o_holic
Registered User
Sorry I went back to find the tweet and I misread it. It wasn't owing Crane but more about being loyal to Crane and the Astros.
Last edited:
guinness
Not Ingrid for now
"It's just a piece of metal."
MLB is why I don't care if they shut down again, bring on blernsball at this rate.
I like baseball, it's not hockey, but still hate how the league didn't punish the Astros. And I like JV and Hinch as player, manager, but hate how they also never spoke up, and a couple years later, almost like nothing happened.
Quid Pro Clowe
Registered User
When I initially saw your post I was like “uh oh” recalling that you were a Tigers fan.
The fact you differentiate the player and recent actions is rather impressive. And the truth is none of us as fans really want to feel this way about a team or the sport. Manfred not dropping a hammer on Houston made sure that was going to happen, though.
guinness
Not Ingrid for now
JV ultimately came across as sanctimonious in my eyes. Sure, likely peer pressure, being a new guy in the room, but he's a veteran all-star, an award winner, and had been to the WS twice before. Still like him as a player, but now to only a point. If integrity, gamesmanship get tossed out the window...fudge it. I realize that players do/have/will take "breaks", but I feel that the Astros did dirty. It's not just a guy or two taking steroids, but many had to be all in on their sign stealing.
Which is a shame, as I think on paper, the talent was there to win legitimately.
But worst of all to me, was that the league did nothing afterwards, other than to give some scapegoats gardening leave, and told other teams not to police themselves the following season by beaning them.
Booo.
Guys like Bregman already had a punchable face, the smugness...just read the commissioner's report..ugh.
Voight
#winning
What I hated most was Verlander was always one of those "protect the integrity of the game" guys and would always be the first to speak (Tweet) when someone got caught with PEDs or something along those lines. Then "Mr. Integrity" turns a blind eye to blatant cheating in the name of ring chasing and all of a sudden is quiet about playing by the rules.
It was super ironic and I enjoyed him putting his foot in his mouth (never really liked him to begin with)
Voight
#winning
Not so sure a 39 year old is going to get more than 25 million in free agency next year. Unless he has a repeat of 2019.
If Verlander can repeat his 2019 performance, he will likely seek a longer deal instead of opting in for a second year of $ 25m. This might become a costly deal for the Astros, but I still see it as a decent chance of getting a true ace and the edge in any given playoff series. There are few other teams who should make such a wager, but it does make some sense for Houston.
Gruß,
BSHH
