I would like to think every player on the Astros was as pi$$ed as Cole after the loss last night (although I think there was more moping than anger and frustration). That's competitive spirit, would take a whole team of players like that everyday of the week over a bunch Boy Scouts.

Charlie Conway said:

---

I wonder if he's upset the Astros didn't try and extend him

---

I thought there was talk at spring training last year but it quickly moved to him wanting to experience free agency

I've heard...maybe on here...that he's a players' union rep so he feels like he needs to get the big contract for everybody. He even alluded to it with Papi and Frank and ARod on the postgame after the yankee series.

txag614 said:

---

dshedd41 said:

---

---

He lost a fan in me. Scum move.

---

Yep. I'm off the Cole train too after seeing how he handled this.

Cromagnum said:

---

txag614 said:

---

dshedd41 said:

---

---

He lost a fan in me. Scum move.

---

Yep. I'm off the Cole train too after seeing how he handled this.

---

He handled it like the competitor he is.

He was 8 outs away from a World Series win that he may never see again. It's heart breaking as a competitor and a fan.

The best pitcher in baseball was available and we didn't even try. If he blows it, at least we put in our best. Now we'll only ever wonder what if.

Breaking news: players are human!

Most of them probably don't like having the press in the locker room under normal circumstances, let alone right after losing the world freaking series. Pitching in game 7 of the WS is something you dreamed about since you were a kid, and he was actually in the bullpen.

Lots of emotions going on after a game like that and knowing it was his last as an Astro.

But hey - we now know he didn't put the Boras hat on for the press avail since he wasn't expecting to do one, so people can stop *****ing about that already.

Being competitive or being a five year old in a grown mans body? Please tell me you saw him look at the Astros logo when he walked up.

willie wonka said:

---

I've heard...maybe on here...that he's a players' union rep so he feels like he needs to get the big contract for everybody. He even alluded to it with Papi and Frank and ARod on the postgame after the yankee series.

---

He wants to be in Southern California and he's going to be able to get the max there, so stop pretending you're doing it for the players. There's nothing altruistic about getting paid 35M a year. Conversely, no shame in going to get the most money to live where you want to live.

Bottom line if he really wanted to be in Houston, he'd find a way. I'm sure we'd find a way to pay him 25M a year. Yeah it would be crazy for him to give up that much money to stay but when you're already making 25 million a year what are you doing with that extra 10 anyway? That's more than you could ever spend & I don't see Cole as the type that giving it all to humanitarian aid like a Tim Tebow.

Marvin said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

He wasn't an a-hole to the organization, just the press. I think his comments are misinterpreted.

It's probably one of the worst moments of his entire life, he didn't want to talk. Period.

---

Ok, I'd buy it, but use that defense instead of the "I'm not an employee" and "I'll represent myself" trash that the threw out. Why bring that up if he was just being rude to the press? He was an a-hole. Maybe it's not him overall, but in that situation there's zero doubt in my mind.

Moving on...

---

He's a smart guy. I suspect there are media obligations for the players by MLB. He was trying to say they don't apply to me since I am technically unemployed now.

Exactly

The whole betterment of the players is just a BS cop out so he doesn't have to say 'I'm getting mine'. If you say it's for the players then it's not a money grab.

Looking forward to the Greinke bobble head doll where he is being taken out by Hinch.

Cromagnum said:

---

Bad take is bad. We have NEVER used him as a reliever let alone under short rest on top of things. He could have stunk up the joint for all we know.

---

I don't feel like arguing about this but in game 7 of the World Series, if you're gonna go down, you go down with your best. We had a hall of fame pitcher on the mound pitching the game of his life and the best pitcher in baseball available in the bullpen. The grave mistake Hinch made was giving Washington the opportunity to comeback without going through Greinke or Cole.

Plenty of starting pitchers have had success out of the bullpen in elimination games on short rest. Cole is among the most durable arms in the league. And the "he could have stunk up the joint" argument applies to Harris and Osuna too.

Cole said what he said to clarify to the media that they were not talking to someone currently employed by the Astros and his answers were his own views, not to be mistaken for the opinions of a club he was no longer on.

Kind of like paid programming.

That doesn't mean they can't strike a deal later. Just that at tat moment he was speaking on his own terms.

astros4545 said:

---

TexasRebel said:

---

Cole said what he said to clarify to the media that they were not talking to someone currently employed by the Astros and his answers were his own views, not to be mistaken for the opinions of a club he was no longer on.

Kind of like paid programming.

That doesn't mean they can't strike a deal later. Just that at tat moment he was speaking on his own terms.

---

He was a pissy child in that moment

That is the only interpretation

---

Yep. I don't care what he has to clarify. And I know we are all emotional in the moment you lose a Game 7, but body language and actions show nothing different. The Boras cap was the icing on the cake.

Also, whoever pointed out Julia "noping" out there as soon as he was throwing the minor fit... that was really telling. She's a pseudo Astros employee, so I can't blame her for trying to not be a part of that.

I know this may upset some people on here but this is a great reminder to uplift your spirits

Deluxe said:

---

Cromagnum said:

---

Bad take is bad. We have NEVER used him as a reliever let alone under short rest on top of things. He could have stunk up the joint for all we know.

---

I don't feel like arguing about this but in game 7 of the World Series, if you're gonna go down, you go down with your best. We had a hall of fame pitcher on the mound pitching the game of his life and the best pitcher in baseball available in the bullpen. The grave mistake Hinch made was giving Washington the opportunity to comeback without going through Greinke or Cole.

Plenty of starting pitchers have had success out of the bullpen in elimination games on short rest. Cole is among the most durable arms in the league. And the "he could have stunk up the joint" argument applies to Harris and Osuna too.

---

I'm on the side of the fence that said to keep Greinke in until you cant anymore.

I didn't post at the time because I don't post too much in real time, but I wanted Greinke pulled before he faced Rendon/Soto for the 3rd time no matter how much he was dominating or not.

Just the way I was thinking.

I would agree with that if they were getting good swings on him, but they weren't.

irish pete ag06 said:

---

I didn't post at the time because I don't post too much in real time, but I wanted Greinke pulled before he faced Rendon/Soto for the 3rd time no matter how much he was dominating or not.

Just the way I was thinking.

---

As good as he was doing, I wanted him to face them. Even after the first mistake pitch and HR, I just wanted to basically give Soto nothing to hit and walk him if you walk him (we got screwed a little here), but then let Greinke face the non-elite hitters after and get out of it.

IDK who you wanted to come in to face Rendon & Soto, but Soto has destroyed Cole this WS. I wanted Cole in, but not right then.