Choose any MLB starting pitcher to sign to a 5 year max contract

[WC. Moses]

Let's make the signing for your team looking ahead. Consider everything that might affect the player over the 5 years, age, health, etc.

If I were just taking the best pitcher of this generation I'd take Kershaw, so would you.
He might be showing signs of breaking down though. His innings have diminished the past 3 years and he's had several worrisome injuries.

Considering age, durability over the past 4 to 5 years, consistency and fit it comes down to either...

Cory Kluber - 32 years old, he's 20-7 with a 2.83 ERA this season, he's 96-55 with a 3.08 ERA over his career. He's been extremely durable and consistent over the past 5 years with low ERAs and over 200 innings each season.

Max Scherzer - 34, he checks all the same boxes as Kluber but he's 2 years older and has more consecutive seasons with 200 plus innings pitched.

My choice is Kluber. he shows no signs of wear and he'd be just 37 years old at the end of the contract.

Who you taking ?

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

If those are my only 2 choices, I also take Kluber, deciding factor being he pitches in the far superior league

Given my choice of anyone

De Grom
Snell

 

[WC. Moses]

If those are my only 2 choices, I also take Kluber, deciding factor being he pitches in the far superior league

Given my choice of anyone

De Grom
Snell

Both scare me off with their lack of a track record.
I've seen too many flash in the pan signings that burned teams.
I see why you'd take them though.

 

[Mistaken4193]

deGrom.

 

[navamind]

Bauer doesn't really have the track record, but he's still fairly young and he was flat out dominant. He's always had the stuff to be an ace and I expect him to be one of the best pitchers in the league over the next 5 years.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Bauer doesn't really have the track record, but he's still fairly young and he was flat out dominant. He's always had the stuff to be an ace and I expect him to be one of the best pitchers in the league over the next 5 years.

My thoughts on Snell

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

If those are my only 2 choices, I also take Kluber, deciding factor being he pitches in the far superior league

Given my choice of anyone

De Grom
Snell

I thought you wouldn't give a guy like deGrom a big contract at his age?

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

I thought you wouldn't give a guy like deGrom a big contract at his age?

I think I was talking 6-7 years, something I assume he would demand, especially after this season

5 max I think you could still get Ace years for the life of the deal

But that's now, he isn't free for 2 more years, that's where things get interesting

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

But that's now, he isn't free for 2 more years, that's where things get interesting

Ahhh, gotcha.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Ahhh, gotcha.

Wanna make out?

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Wanna make out?

aaaaaa, little bit, yeah

Which starbucks you at?

 

[The Derski]

I’d want to make sure Snell isn’t a one year wonder before I commit to him. Give me DeGrom.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

I’d want to make sure Snell isn’t a one year wonder before I commit to him. Give me DeGrom.

True, but to be fair, this is what he's been expected to be since being drafted

Some guys you just know are probably one year wonders cause they come out of nowhere

 

[Yo Tee]

Just trying to throw names out there noone has said yet, Justin Verlander, Aaron Nola and Kyle Freeland come to my mind. Same thing for me with Snell though, would want to make sure Freeland isn't a one-hit wonder because last season, he wasn't this good.

For me it'd be down to Kluber, deGrom and Verlander.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Just trying to throw names out there noone has said yet, Justin Verlander, Aaron Nola and Kyle Freeland come to my mind. Same thing for me with Snell though, would want to make sure Freeland isn't a one-hit wonder because last season, he wasn't this good.

For me it'd be down to Kluber, deGrom and Verlander.

Nola a real good one

 

[Yo Tee]

Nola a real good one

I just fear this year might be a fluke year. His first three were not this good.

 

[WC. Moses]

True, but to be fair, this is what he's been expected to be since being drafted

Some guys you just know are probably one year wonders cause they come out of nowhere

There's also a question of durability if a player hasn't shown they can hold up to 200 innings year after year. Scherzer and Kluber have 6 years and 5 years straight respectively, all with low ERAs.
That leaves judging how much they have left. Kluber is 2 years younger, he has fewer innings on his arm and he doesn't rely s much on power as Scherzer does.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

There's also a question of durability if a player hasn't shown they can hold up to 200 innings year after year. Scherzer and Kluber have 6 years and 5 years straight respectively, all with low ERAs.
That leaves judging how much they have left. Kluber is 2 years younger, he has fewer innings on his arm and he doesn't rely s much on power as Scherzer does.

Bothers me I can't even consider Severino

What a shitbag he became

 

[navamind]

I’d want to make sure Snell isn’t a one year wonder before I commit to him. Give me DeGrom.

Snell probably won't have another sub-2 ERA (and he probably won't be stranding 88.1% of his runners again), but he was a top prospect and put up excellent strikeout rates in the minors. His first 2 MLB seasons weren't great, but he was still able to put up strong strikeout rates. Now he's brought that strikeout rate up to an elite level (10.8) while bringing the walks down to a respectable 3.1.

Blake Snell Isn’t Fair Anymore | FanGraphs Baseball

he's been even better in the 2nd half:

12.2 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 1.11 ERA, 2.05 FIP, 2.27 xFIP, 0.74 WHIP

 

[nynasty]

Bothers me I can't even consider Severino

What a shitbag he became

Justus Sheffield bro!