I don't care.
I don't care about Hal's budget.
I don't care about his payroll tax burden or his debt burden.
I don't care about the last half of the contract that's going to kill the team starting in about 2024. I know it will. I don't care.
I don't care that he might not be as effective in Yankee Stadium as in Minute Maid Park, that he might not be as effective because the Astros' team defense is better than the Yankees' team defense.
I don't care that his innings and age are starting to pile up and he becomes more likely to suffer a serious arm injury with each season that goes by. I understand all of this.
And I really, really, really don't care that 'they don't need Cole because they already have Paxton, Severino, Tanaka, Montgomery and Happ, and oh, boy, King is on the way, and Garcia is on the way and we have five guys in A-ball that throw 99'. That dog won't hunt.
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If they want to win a title with this group, they need one elite starter that can give them 200-220 innings a season. They can't win with this 5-8 elite relievers thing. It doesn't work. The team is just starting to age. Its window will close faster than they think.
The need to get Cole to anchor the rotation. They need him to throw at the other team's aces. They need him to take heat off of Tanaka, Severino and Paxton. They need to get him to weaken the Astros.
The Astros aren't going anywhere. The Dodgers aren't going anywhere. The Rays are closing fast. There are other teams with great farm systems that are closing fast. If they want to win a title...sign Gerrit Cole. It might not be enough. It might not be sufficient, but it is necessary.
No excuses. No, oh he wants too much money. No, oh we were so close but the Angels wanted him more. No, oh we were willing to go 6 years, but not 7.
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Sign Gerrit Cole. That is all.