You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
MLBTR Chat: 2/1/23
powered byJotCast
Anthony Franco
1:59
Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well!
Moving up a few hours from the usual time because of some shift changes today
Red Sox fan
1:59
do you imagine the Red Sox making one more medium to large size addition via trade? or are they down to depth signings now?
Anthony Franco
2:00
Yeah I think it's depth stuff at this point. Bloom keeps talking about a willingness to add up the middle and they obviously checked in at catcher, but I don't see an obvious marquee trade candidate at either spot before Opening Day
Dk
2:00
Alonso gets more money than Olson in an extension?
Anthony Franco
2:02
Yeah I think so. He's already got a slight advantage in arbitration salaries, more obvious power. Olson gets the defensive edge but Alonso's the more impactful hitter and I'd rather have that at first base
Reds Infielder
2:03
MLB.con’s Mark Sheldon said recently (after the Chad Pinder signing) that the Reds are still in search of a LHH infielder. Any names on the free agent/trade market that would fit?
Anthony Franco
2:03
Believe they answered your question like two minutes ago when they announced a Jason Vosler minor league contract
hiredgun23
2:03
Is the NL West still a two-horse race between SD and LA? And if so, does either attempt to acquire Ohtani at the trade deadline?
Anthony Franco
2:05
Yeah I wouldn't say Arizona and SF have zero chance -- I think the Giants have a better shot this year than I would've thought they did going into 2021, for example -- but I'd guess the odds of one of SD or L.A. winning the West is over 90%
2:06
I'm sure both those teams will try to pry Ohtani away at the deadline but it's possible the Angels are either still competitive by then or unwilling to deal Ohtani regardless because doing so would cost ownership money down the stretch
Henry Dorman
2:06
best player on the tigers?
Anthony Franco
2:07
Haha this is a tricky one actually. I think I'd say Báez given the defensive floor
Wes
2:07
Do you think Jesus Aguilar  makes it thru the entire 2023 season with Oakland?
Anthony Franco
2:08
I think if he's playing well enough to be at all interesting to contenders he'll be traded and if he's bad again, he'll get cut loose by July
So either way, no
Dana Brown
2:08
Do I get any of Tucker,Valdez, Javier signed long term before this season starts?
Anthony Franco
2:08
(Astros in case this isn't clear)
2:09
They're all logical targets for an extension. Tucker feels the least likely to me given he's already banked the huge draft bonus and is trending towards a free agent megadeal
2:11
Cristian Javier would be the one I'd guess is most viable. Signed for peanuts coming out of the DR, has the least established track record of the three players you mentioned. Seems like the guy who'd be most interested in locking in life-changing earnings
smithcdale
2:12
Why was Matt Wisler DFA'd by the Rays & will he sign with anyone else?
Anthony Franco
2:12
There'd definitely be a minor league deal out there for him. I'd be a little surprised if he got an MLB contract at this point
2:13
Just doesn't have the kind of power arsenal teams feel great about in high-leverage innings. His swing-and-miss rate dropped last season
2:14
I don't think he's a bad pitcher or anything -- would be perfectly happy with him as 7th or 8th on my bullpen pecking order -- but the Rays had a ton of relief depth and couldn't option him, so they went the DFA route
Les Gomez
2:14
Any shot the Mets go after Salvador Perez to DH?
Anthony Franco
2:14
Royals aren't trading Salvy
Owner Apologist
2:15
Playing devil’s advocate here. If owners are looking at their team as strictly a business entity, what incentivizes them to spend? Pirates/Reds likely aren’t going to attract any big names, so they’d have to settle for players in the Soler/Avisail Garcia territory or one year deals to flip. The Pirates and Reds understand where their franchise is at in terms of competing. Once they do build a core or Greene/Lodolo/Stephenson or Cruz/Reynolds/Hayes and don’t opt to spend any money, then you can get angry. I think it’s unfair to get angry at an owner who isn’t willing to spend when their team is losing 100 games and their farm system is bare. Winning 70 games instead of 60 won’t get you more revenue.
Anthony Franco
2:16
I'm not stridently against rebuilds in certain situations and think there are perfectly fine times to scale spending back with a future plan to push back up when the time's right. I have no issue with how the Rangers have played the last few years, for instance
2:18
I think the Reds, in particular, did exactly the thing you said is worth criticizing in 2021 though. They won 83 games, held a Wild Card spot in September and narrowly missed the playoffs. At season's end, they let Castellanos walk and blew everything up despite having players like India, Mahle, Castillo, Stephenson and Gray under club control for at least two more seasons
Tigers Fan
2:18
I'm curious, Luke Voit seems like a great fit for the Rays financially and no regular 1st sacker and I'd think he'd be an upgrade over Harold Ramirez??
Anthony Franco
2:19
He's just struck out so often the last two years. I think he's still a viable big leaguer but I don't know about TB specifically. A left-handed bat would be a better fit for them
Cardinals
2:20
Which of our promising young players (MLB and/or MiLB) gets traded for pitching? There’s nothing beyond 2023 and aren’t enough prospect(s) coming up soon that will keep us competitive every year. Who do we target? Gallen? Someone else?
Anthony Franco
2:21
Of the guys who have gotten to the MLB level, it feels like Alec Burleson and Matt Liberatore would be the ones most likely to move in this kind of consolidation trade. Nolan Gorman perhaps as well, don't think they're anxious to deal Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar or Dylan Carlson
2:22
As far as the prospects go, I'd be stunned if they traded Jordan Walker and think it's really unlikely either Tink Hence or Masyn Winn gets dealt
Got a few questions (from Cardinals fans and others) about which top-end starters could be available at the deadline. I don't mean to dodge that question but it really depends on how the first half plays out
2:23
Could Shane Bieber or a resurgent Lucas Giolito be out there if the Guardians/White Sox struggle? Probably. Ohtani's going to get a ton of attention, maybe another bad half-season gets the Rockies to seriously think about trading Germán Márquez. None of those teams are thinking like that right now, though
Tom Kelly's blues
2:24
Any thoughts that the Urshela deal was fostered by Correa (I know Urshela went before the resigning, but both sides were likey communicating before Correa returned) so Miranda, whom he admittedly took under his arm last year, could play third?
Anthony Franco
2:26
I don't believe Correa forced Urshela out the door if that's the implication. It's obviously all intertwined though. Minnesota wanted to get Miranda more run at third base while reallocating the $11MM arb projection for Urshela to keep more money in reserve to make a run at Correa
Anonymous
2:26
Volser signed with the Mariners, not Reds.
Anthony Franco
2:27
Had a deal with Seattle, got released a few days later. Just signed with Cincinnati instead
Load More Messages
Connecting…