Ah, I’d completely misread the report and that makes a lot more sense.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sonny Gray, Cardinals<br><br>$10M - 2024<br>$25M - 2025<br>$35M - 2026<br><br>Club option 2027 for $30M or $5M buyout (payable $1M on 1/15/27; 1/15/28; 1/15/29; 1/15/30; 1/15/31)<br><br>If option exercised by Club, Player may opt out for $5M (payable $1M on 1/15/27; 1/15/28; 1/15/29; 1/15/30; 1/15/31).</p>&mdash; Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1730071415653609577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wouldn't it have been much easier to say "Mutual Option for $30 million w/ a $5 million buyout" Jon?

Am I missing something here?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Breaking: Top CF prospect Jackson Chourio, 19, and the Brewers are expected to complete today the richest contract ever for a player who has yet to reach the big leagues. The deal is expected to be for 8 guaranteed years snd close to $80M and include two team options.</p>&mdash; Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1730217176978616799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That's how Scotty B wrote it for him to say

May they be blessed with the same success the Phillies had with Kingery.

What's crazy to me is that the Brewers all but said the quiet part out loud when these discussions were being had.

All the reporting was essentially "Hey, if Chourio signs the deal, the Brewers may bring him North. If not, they're going to play service time games with him..."

I guess running that sort of thing through 'media sources' could protect them a little, but shouldn't the MLBPA be furious about it? It's just really strange to see things that overt.

Here's what's odd to me - look at the deal that Julio Rodriguez signed a single year down the road. Guy got a $200 million contract because he had a hot start to his career. There's a LOT of money to be made by just waiting a little bit.

Then again, $80 million guaranteed is life-altering. Especially if there's an okay sum of that up front (even as much as $2-3 million). I can certainly understand him saying "Hey, I'll still hit free agency in my 20s even if the options are picked up; if I'm great, I'll make more than I can ever spend on that contract and if I suck, I'm still rich..."

I'd be curious what the option years are. If those are $20+ million, it's a pretty defensible decision by Chourio.

No doubt. You hear a lot of talk about what it would take the O's to extend Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutchsman. $200 million is the starting point. It would have been a Corbin Carroll type contract ($111 million) for Gunnar at this time last year.

Before Chourio, the five to sign long-term without any MLB service time were Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez of the White Sox, Mariners' Evan White, Phillies' Scott Kingery and Astros' Jon Singleton. Only two of them have worked out but only the Sox duo had the type of prospect pedigree of Chourio.

Chourio has some of the most explosive bat speed I have ever seen. He's totally tooled up. But I thought the same thing about Victor Robles. Robles is why I can't blame Chourio for hedging.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cardinals Still Showing Interest In Dylan Cease <a href="https://t.co/Ef9Up5zOMl">https://t.co/Ef9Up5zOMl</a> <a href="https://t.co/eE2J7UWKKU">pic.twitter.com/eE2J7UWKKU</a></p>&mdash; MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1730269758027714728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He'll probably end up a Brave.

Some tard on Royals Twitter posted this trade. Figured you guys would get a good chuckle.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No but I would trade Salvador Perez for him. Garcia needs to be moved for another high upside long term controlled Bat like Jordan Walker in Stl…</p>&mdash; Matt Vernon (@Ryon_Reyne) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryon_Reyne/status/1730284414574231798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Garcia for Cabrera isn't even a move the Marlins would make and that's not enough for that dude...

Isnt it going to take something like Gorman/Donovan to land him?

Probably wouldn't take Gorman, may well take Donovan.

Either would be asinine.

He's a pending free agent with shitty command. I'm not giving up that much cost controlled offensive talent for that. Not when he has exactly 1 year in a 5 year career where he's been a truly good pitcher.

He is not a pending FA. He only has 4 years of service time. He has 2 years left.