We know you don't like Stras, but he has a better career WAR and ERA. Calling Cole "MUCH better" is ludicrous.
Leaving the overstatement aside, there's a kernel of a point there. Cole's numbers the last couple years are indeed significantly better than Strasburg's. No shame in that. But the real thing here is age and injury history. I think if you put the TJ and 2 years of age onto Cole's side, Strasburg gets more money.
But as it is, I think the gap is going to be way bigger than $20-30 million. Cole probably gets at least one extra year at ~5 million more AAV, so the gap is likely more like $75 million. That's mostly because someone is going to give Cole a stupidly large contract.
