smastroyin said:I think it's worth repeating the Hamels vesting option over and over and over again because people keep talking about the 4 year deal.
Here is the deal with Cole Hamels and 2019. He has a clause around being healthy at the end of 2018 (no shoulder or elbow injury) and pitching 400 IP between 2017 and 2018, and 200 IP in 2018.
If he fails to meet that:
You either buy out 2019 for $6 million
Or you take the team option for $20 million
If he meets that criteria:
His option vests and he gets $24 million.
So you have as possible outcomes:
4 years, $96 million (and if you aren't willing to pay him he is probably toast and has been)
5 years, $110 million (and you are risking that his injury is behind him)
5 years, $114 million
There is no such thing as a 4 year, $90 million "remaining" deal for Cole Hamels. And yet it keeps getting repeated.
Also, not that it's a big deal, but he does have a clause allowing him to pick 20 teams each year to which he can block trades.
Exactly. So if Hamels performs and holds up as well as he has to to earn that contract, and assuming Lester would take 6/144, then we're talking about one more year and $30m spread out over 6 years. Is that difference really worth letting Lester walk, trading for Hamels, and crossing your fingers that he can pitch in the AL East as well as Lester?