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Front Office Chat: 3/17/23
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Anthony Franco
4:00
Hey everybody, hope you're all finishing up a good week!
Pitch Clock
4:00
The new pitch clock rules are popular now, but will they continue to be when a World Series game is decided by a pitcher/batter violating the rule
Anthony Franco
4:02
I think players will have adjusted to the clock enough by then that it won't be a factor, particularly late in a playoff game
Dave
4:02
How does L. Giolito look this spring and what are the chances that he returns his 2019-2021 level?
Anthony Franco
4:05
Yeah I don't see why he couldn't get back on track.The offspeed stuff is good, still has plus control. His velocity was down a little last year but not alarmingly so. Feels like his 2022 results were mostly a product of some bad ball in play luck
Dave
4:05
What kind of upside does Brady Singer have and does he possess the arsenal to take his game to another level, or did we see his best last season?
Anthony Franco
4:07
I don't see another level for Singer though, unless he develops a viable changeup pretty much out of nowhere. He's always been more of a two-pitch guy, and it's tough to ride that to carry that kind of profile successfully three times through a batting order
Good pitcher but more of a solid mid-rotation starter who attacks hitters and dominates righties than a burgeoning ace for me
Adam
4:07
Do you think it's an organizational philosophy for the Twins to have all starting pitchers in the same mold or is it more just those were the type available for what they would pay?
Anthony Franco
4:10
I don't think the guys they have now really fall into the same bucket. Sonny Gray's a sinker-curveball guy. Pablo López is a changeup specialist. Joe Ryan throws a ton of fastballs but is excellent at manipulating the movement and locations
I wouldn't say they have a "type" so much as they're not going too pay top-of-the-market prices for aces so the next best option is to collect a bunch of upper mid-rotation guys they can acquire in trade
Spencer Steer
4:10
Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Nowlvi Marte make me nervous makes me nervous.  Is there room for all three of us in 2024 starting lineup, along with Elly and Jonathan at middle infield spots, and Tyler Stephenson getting reps at 1B?
Anthony Franco
4:12
Yeah I think they'd make it work. Steer might be best served for a bat-first utility role anyways. If it gets to the point where De La Cruz and Marte seize the left side of the infield and Steer has to take 350-400 plate appearances in a Chris Taylor role, it's a good problem to have
4:13
Prospect hit rate isn't 100%, even for top-tier guys, so there's a good chance one of those players just isn't as good as the Reds expect right now and the situation sorts itself out organically
Bob T
4:13
Anthony, thanks for the chat, a Friday tradition.
What effect does Diaz’s injury have on future participation in the WBC? The fact that it was a freak injury, but a very costly one for the Mets, may deter teams from approving further participation.  
The celebration by PR brought back nightmares from when Kendrys Morales shattered his leg when he jumped on the plate after hitting a walk off Grand Slam destroying the Angels chances.
Anthony Franco
4:14
It's a good question. I'm really not sure whether it'll deter players from signing up in the future. A lot of the players involved seem to be having a blast but there are already guys who have opted out because of injury concerns
4:15
I don't think it'll ruin the event in the future by making it so that everybody opts out, but I'd guess the number of players who decide not to participate in future versions of the WBC because of what happened to Díaz is not zero
The Rangers fan
4:15
How’s the Rangers rotation looking with two weeks to go
Anthony Franco
4:16
Seems good so far. No indication that deGrom, Eovaldi, Gray, Heaney, Pérez won't be the season-opening group in some order
4:17
Odorizzi's injury thins it out a little bit but Dunning's probably a better sixth starter anyways. Unless Odo's out past the All-Star Break or something -- they haven't really provided a timetable -- I don't think it's a big deal
Chip
4:17
Why don't subscribers get an advanced notice for the NBA chats ?
Anthony Franco
4:17
I don't have anything to do with the NBA chats but I can ask Tim about it
Baseball fan
4:17
Hi Anthony. With several big name pitchers opting out of the WBC, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the ideal time to hold the tournament.
Anthony Franco
4:18
Yeah I think it's now. It's not perfect, but everything else I can come up with is worse
Doing it around the All-Star Break requires taking a multiple week gap in the middle of one of every four MLB seasons. I don't like that
4:19
Immediately after the postseason has the issue where players on non-playoff teams (pitchers especially) have just shut things down for like six weeks. They'd have to ramp up for a couple weeks, shut things back down for another month or so, then get prepared for the season. Feels like a recipe for a bunch of injuries
4:21
I also think this is the best time of year to drum up fan interest, at least in the United States. People haven't had professional baseball in the U.S. since October and there's an excitement on the heels of that kind of layoff. Doing it in November or December after a six-month season feels like it could be overkill for some people who just casually watch multiple sports
Tom Kelly's blues
4:21
What is Byron Buxton's over/under for games in CF?  75?
Anthony Franco
4:22
Yeah that feels about right. I'd have probably gone somewhere between 80 and 90
Hits Like Rays
4:22
If the Rays were to sign Curtis Mead to a major league guaranteed deal, does that mean they will need to trade Isaac Paredes since he is out of options?
Anthony Franco
4:23
Even if they sign Mead to an extension, they could still option him to Durham for three years
4:24
I don't think Paredes is the first guy out if they call up Mead anyways. Feels like Taylor Walls and/or Vidal Bruján would be more on the trade block, maybe Jonathan Aranda too
Big Bob
4:24
What, if anything, do you think the Dodgers will do before opening day? A trade? Start Outman in opening line up as Taylor and Thompson aren't hitting?
Anthony Franco
4:25
Yeah I think they'll give James Outman the first crack in center field, at least against right-handed pitching. Trayce Thompson can see some short-side platoon reps. Jason Heyward's almost certain to make the team in a depth capacity
4:26
Doesn't look like they're trading for an outfielder before Opening Day but it's an area they could have to address midseason
Dan-O
4:26
What are your expectations for Domingo German Hunter Brown - whom I can keep at $2 and $1, respectively? Thanks!
Anthony Franco
4:27
Germán feels like a low-4.00's ERA guy without a ton of strikeouts. Brown's more variable but I think he'll be better than that and should be in the rotation from day one
Trade
4:27
Could the Diamondbacks and Rangers line up on a trade of Big Leaguers that helps both clubs? Rangers get an outfielder (like Gurriel Jr. or Lewis) and Diamondbacks get a pitcher (like Dunning, Otto, or Howard).
Anthony Franco
4:29
Don't think Otto or Howard have much trade value at this point. The D-Backs have a handful of pitching prospects (Drey Jameson, Ryne Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt) they'd probably rather try than either of those guys
Dunning's solid but I think Texas could do better than Lewis or one year of Gurriel if they decided to move him
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