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Front Office Chat: 7/28/23
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Anthony Franco
3:45
Hey everyone, hope you're all having a great week!
3:46
Probably have to duck out around 4:00 CST but we'll get going 15 minutes early. Lot of questions again, as expected
Final pre-deadline chat, let's do it
White Sox
3:46
Thoughts on White sox return for Giolito? How do you think it would compare to a Bellinger or Stroman return?
Anthony Franco
3:47
It's good, better than I think the Cubs would get for either Stroman or Bellinger (but worse than if the Cubs packaged those two together)
3:48
Quero looks like a potential everyday catcher who's maybe a year out. Ky Bush is more variable but could be a back-end starter. This is the kind of deal I thought they'd get considering Giolito's probably the best rental starter available
SteveM
3:48
Will the TWINS finally find a way to trade Kepler? Solano? Jovani?Miranda? Need I go on? Maybe even Sonny Gray?
Anthony Franco
3:50
Someone wrote last night -- believe it was Rosenthal but it might've been one of the beat people -- that the Twins' front office likes Kepler a lot, probably more than other teams do. I'd guess if they move one of the LHH outfielders, it's Larnach
3:51
Miranda would be a sell low. Solano's not going to have much value, might as well just keep him. I don't see why they'd trade Gray or Moran when they're leading the division, but no harm in considering offers I guess. I'd be more inclined to part with someone like Varland than one of the current rotation members
MCCray
3:51
Non-deadline Q: Is it time for the Tigers to trade some of their most cherished young pitching assets for an Arenado-type talent? Could they get that kind of return?
Anthony Franco
3:52
I don't think any of the Tigers' young pitchers are bringing back impact offense right now, no. Health concerns for Mize/Skubal. Olson and Manning are good, not great. Value's way down on Turnbull
3:53
Skubal has a shot to get back there -- was trending that way before the flexor surgery -- but it's not happening this summer
Angry A's Fan
3:53
Any chance the A's fire Dave Forst after the season? I realize Fisher is a terrible owner but Forst's trades have been abysmal and his FA signings have somehow been even worse! Most of the players/prospects acquired during the teardown have regressed and he spent half his (admittedly small) budget to sign 7 free agents that have produced -2.0 fWAR. Forst's decision making has throttled the rebuild.
Anthony Franco
3:54
I don't really see it. The A's have been loyal to the Beane/Forst front office for so long, and Forst didn't officially take over until last November
3:55
You're right that they've had a lot of misses recently. Ownership hasn't done them any favors, but most of the trades have turned out pretty poorly. (I actually liked most of them more than consensus at the time, full disclosure). They had a stretch late in the 2010s where their drafting at the top was disastrous
3:57
Wouldn't say they've done an exemplary job lately (obviously had a lot more success in the past), but it also doesn't feel like an opportune time to replace them. A lot of talented executives might not be super keen on jumping in with payroll this low and in the middle of a relocation/huge rebuild
hannah
3:57
with the cubs recent win streak, what are the odds stroman or bellinger still get moved?
Anthony Franco
3:58
Seems increasingly unlikely, guess I'd peg them at like 35% arbitrarily? Credit to the team for playing well when they needed to and giving the front office reason to add
3:59
I've been down on the Cubs for a while -- it's just never struck me as all that good a roster -- but they've played better than a .500 record would indicate and they're back in the race. I think they've done enough to avoid a sell-off, assuming they don't lose three in a row to St. Louis this weekend
Dave
3:59
What do you think Walker Buehler’s role will be upon his return to the Dodgers for the remainder of this year (if at all), and more specifically for next season?
Anthony Franco
3:59
Guessing short relief this fall at best and a return to the rotation in '24
4:00
That's typically how it goes for pitchers rehabbing from TJS that late in the season. Working short stints requires less ramp-up time, and the minor league seasons end a few weeks earlier than the big league one -- which can make it hard to find guys game action to build pitch counts on a rehab stint
The Big Guy
4:00
In your opinion, Will Carlos Rodón outperform Mitch Keller and Christian Javier over the ROS? The last two have disappointed lately. Thanks!
Anthony Franco
4:00
Yeah I'd take Rodón
4:01
I know it's been ugly so far but the stuff looks the same. Seems like he's just shaking off some rust
Dave
4:01
Better career trajectory… O. Cruz or E. De La Cruz and why?
Anthony Franco
4:03
This is a good question. I lean towards Elly. He's a few years younger and making contact a little more consistently than Oneil Cruz has thus far, but I can see the argument for either. They're pretty similar players
SteveM
4:03
How does Dallas Keuchel fit into Minnesota's plans?
Anthony Franco
4:04
I'd probably bring him up as a reliever once he opts out. Option Cole Sands or something and keep Keuchel around in low-leverage work in case a rotation injury pushes him into the starting five
SteveM
4:04
Who will San Diego trade and who will they be after?
Anthony Franco
4:05
I don't at all buy the idea that Soto's available. Snell, Hader and Lugo are tougher calls since they're impending free agents (or have a player option, in Lugo's case). I lean towards them dealing those guys but think I'm in the minority at MLBTR on that
4:06
Not sure position really matters in trade. Guessing they're just looking for upper level talent that could help reload for '24. Starting pitching would be a nice bonus with Snell and Lugo likely leaving
Jonathan India
4:07
Am I really going to get traded in the off-season? If so, where do you think I land?
Anthony Franco
4:09
I could see an offseason trade coming together, sure. Seems much more likely than a deadline one. Blue Jays, Mariners could look for second base help. Detroit would be an interesting fit if they get a little more aggressive in building the lineup out next winter
Snakes potential pitcher rentals
4:09
Would Josh Rojas or Dominic Fletcher have enough luster for the Dbacks to use as trade bait for a pitching rental?
Anthony Franco
4:10
I don't think those guys are getting Jordan Montgomery but the next tier down, sure. Carrasco or Hill, I could see Fletcher at least being part of a deal for Lorenzen
4:11
Rojas is a tougher one. Got hurt in Triple-A so he hasn't really had a chance to even get on track there. Would be due an arb salary similar to this year's $2.6MM if he's tendered a contract. Trending towards a non-tender, so he's more of an interesting buy-low flier (probably for a non-competitive team like Oakland or K.C.) than a meaningful part of a win-now trade, I think
Angels in the playoffs
4:12
I think the Angels pushing their chips in is a brilliant move.  It shows Ohtani AND the fans that they are a legit team now and in the future
Anthony Franco
4:13
Generally agree. I basically argued for them to trade Quero for a top rental starter in a Front Office post on the Angels a month ago. Got a little tougher once Trout went down and they were terrible going into the All-Star Break, but they played well enough coming out of it to go for it
4:15
Does it make Ohtani any more likely to stick around? I don't know; it can't hurt, at least. But I'm more so just a fan of it as the right play for the organization independent of the chances to re-sign Ohtani. Even had they traded him -- the prospect package would've been very good but I never expected a Soto level return -- they were going to be hard-pressed to compete in 2024-25 if he walked
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