Cole Hamels is open to returning to Cubs

chibears55

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Im sure he is...
Cubs willing to pay 20 mil for him plus an extension
 

anotheridiot

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Why is this news, will he say no after the cubs pick up his option? that is the whole point of a team option and the reason we gave up such a stud in Butler to get him.....
 

chibears55

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Why is this news, will he say no after the cubs pick up his option? that is the whole point of a team option and the reason we gave up such a stud in Butler to get him.....
This headline is actually wrong..

Hamels said he would consider accepting an extension from cubs if offered one
 

TC in Mississippi

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This headline is actually wrong..

Hamels said he would consider accepting an extension from cubs if offered one

The Cubs are probably willing to pick up the option and pay the $20 mil but he was a good fit here and ideally they'd like a lower AAV against the CBT. Makes perfect sense. The question is money though. You'd probably figure that Hamels would get 3 years at $39-$45 mil on the open market right now. Next year he'll be a year older and every season is a risk. If you're the Cubs I think you hope you could extend to 3/$39, drop the CBT hit to $12 mil AAV and have $8 mil more to spend on other players. Now Hamels could figure on taking the $20 mil this year, the Cubs are unlikely to not pick up the option, and hope to get 2/$30 next year for a total of $50 mil so the extension would effectively leave $10-$12 mil on the table but it would be a gamble. Hamels has made decent money though and every man's notion of what's enough is different.
 

beckdawg

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The Cubs are probably willing to pick up the option and pay the $20 mil but he was a good fit here and ideally they'd like a lower AAV against the CBT. Makes perfect sense. The question is money though. You'd probably figure that Hamels would get 3 years at $39-$45 mil on the open market right now. Next year he'll be a year older and every season is a risk. If you're the Cubs I think you hope you could extend to 3/$39, drop the CBT hit to $12 mil AAV and have $8 mil more to spend on other players. Now Hamels could figure on taking the $20 mil this year, the Cubs are unlikely to not pick up the option, and hope to get 2/$30 next year for a total of $50 mil so the extension would effectively leave $10-$12 mil on the table but it would be a gamble. Hamels has made decent money though and every man's notion of what's enough is different.

I'm not sure money is *that* big of a factor. He's apparently made $172 mil in his career already. At this point in his career what's the difference between say $40 and $45 mil to him? I mean sure all things being equal I'm sure you want the money but if it's the choice between say playing for a cubs team with a legit shot to win the world series or playing for....idk say Arizona does $5 mil really matter?

I'd imagine if the cubs are even remotely in the "fair" range that he'd come back with money not really being the biggest issue. Also, this front office has been good to it's aging players should Hamels be interested in a career after baseball.
 

TC in Mississippi

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I'm not sure money is *that* big of a factor. He's apparently made $172 mil in his career already. At this point in his career what's the difference between say $40 and $45 mil to him? I mean sure all things being equal I'm sure you want the money but if it's the choice between say playing for a cubs team with a legit shot to win the world series or playing for....idk say Arizona does $5 mil really matter?

I'd imagine if the cubs are even remotely in the "fair" range that he'd come back with money not really being the biggest issue. Also, this front office has been good to it's aging players should Hamels be interested in a career after baseball.

It may not be. I try to never assume that a player is willing to leave $1 on the table much less $5-$10 mil. It's not my place to judge them or their intent so I assume that every guy wants every last dollar. Oftentimes they don't, but that gets played out as the stories unfold.
 

beckdawg

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It may not be. I try to never assume that a player is willing to leave $1 on the table much less $5-$10 mil. It's not my place to judge them or their intent so I assume that every guy wants every last dollar. Oftentimes they don't, but that gets played out as the stories unfold.

I mean I get that. But given where Hamels is at in his career and given he said he'd like to return I doubt he's going to drive that hard of a bargain. Like I said if the cubs meet him some what half way I'd imagine they work something out.
 

TC in Mississippi

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I mean I get that. But given where Hamels is at in his career and given he said he'd like to return I doubt he's going to drive that hard of a bargain. Like I said if the cubs meet him some what half way I'd imagine they work something out.

I agree. It's in everybody's interest.
 

anotheridiot

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I agree. It's in everybody's interest.

If the cubs do not exercise the option year at 20 million, he is due a 6 million dollar buyout.

So technically, with these thoughts of a 12 AAV, does that number not go up 6 million? They are better off just giving him the 20 and then trying to resign him at 2-25.
 

beckdawg

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If the cubs do not exercise the option year at 20 million, he is due a 6 million dollar buyout.

So technically, with these thoughts of a 12 AAV, does that number not go up 6 million? They are better off just giving him the 20 and then trying to resign him at 2-25.

If they re-sign him the option never occurs because the 2/25 in this case would supercede the option year.
 

anotheridiot

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Rosenthal, apparently the guy that started all the Maddon bad blood, claims the cubs need to clear salary before exercising the option on Hamels.

If they are at 188 and tax is 206, how are people even considering they sign Machado or Harper?
 

fatbeard

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Rosenthal, apparently the guy that started all the Maddon bad blood, claims the cubs need to clear salary before exercising the option on Hamels.

If they are at 188 and tax is 206, how are people even considering they sign Machado or Harper?

They'll go above the tax.
 

CSF77

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If they re-sign him the option never occurs because the 2/25 in this case would supercede the option year.

One point is if they not offer and force Texas to pay out 6M against their 2019 payroll then resign Cole it creates a bad blood that impacts future deals. Both teams have done plenty of business and this really would sour it. That is why I believe that they are looking at 2019 vs a window here.
 

CSF77

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Nov. 2: ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets that other teams have gotten the sense that the Cubs’ payroll flexibility is considerably more limited this offseason than many might expect. The sense, per Olney, is that the team will have to “spend very carefully to affect upgrades for the 2019 season.”

That’d explain to an extent why the Cubs would prefer to shed additional salary before electing to retain Hamels. It’d be a departure from standard operating procedure for Epstein & Co., and from a broader perspective, it does raise some questions about the team’s ability to play for top-of-the-market free agents.

So I’m pretty sure that we can toss out the Harper/Manny rumors now. Not happening.
 

anotheridiot

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I wonder how much longer Hamels wants to play. I mean, that could be a reason they would not work out a multi year deal too, right? Maybe he simply does not want one.
 

fatbeard

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So I’m pretty sure that we can toss out the Harper/Manny rumors now. Not happening.

One tweet certainly settles the matter!

Nothing to see here, folks. See you next offseason!
 

CSF77

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I wonder how much longer Hamels wants to play. I mean, that could be a reason they would not work out a multi year deal too, right? Maybe he simply does not want one.

Outside of bad form on dealings with the Rangers. Say they ate the 6M and offered him a 3/36M. He wouldend up with 42M on that deal. Now if he sits on his 20M and gains value he could look at a 2/30M which is 50M. So he would be leaving 8K on the table.

That is a easily achievable pay out for him. So he is better off sticking to the 20M or 6M with strong F/A value going into the meetings. He could get a 3/45M realistically and be viewed as Rich Hill
 

beckdawg

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Jerry Crasnick

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The #Cubs are picking up Cole Hamels' $20 million option today, according to sources. In a related move, they're trading pitcher Drew Smiley to the #Rangers.
 

anotheridiot

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wow, what was Smyly gonna make 2 or 5 million? Maybe there is some truth to staying under 206.
 

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