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Mark P
6:26
Time to get answering some questions with the first weekend chat of 2023!
Guest
6:26
chances the rangers trade for bryan reynolds? what do you think a trade package would look like?
Mark P
6:29
The way Pittsburgh is prioritizing young pitching in any Reynolds package, they'd want at least one of Jack Leiter or Owen White.  Porter and Rocker would also be on the radar, but not as a headliner.  Maybe the Bucs open to a Porter as the top pitcher if, say, at least one of Jung or Evan Carter were also involved.

All in all, it depends on what the Pirates specifically like within the Rangers' system, and it helps Texas to some extent that they have a good deal of depth.  On the other hand, the Pirates also want such a haul for Reynolds that even the Rangers aren't going to just hand over 4-5 of their top minor leaguers, naturally.
O’sFan
6:29
Will the O’s bring in another pitcher like Wacha or make a trade with a team like the Marlins?
Mark P
6:30
A Lopez or Luzardo has a higher ceiling and more long-term potential than Wacha, so while trading with Miami comes at a higher cost than just paying Wacha in free agency, the O's do have a lot of good position player prospects on offer
Ryan Thibodeaux
6:31
Who gets in the Hall this year?
Mark P
6:31
Fred McGriff!  :)

Beyond that, I suspect it'll be Rolen or nobody from the writers' ballot
Mark
6:31
Where do you see Soto slotting in on the Phillies?
Mark P
6:32
Might not be a set slot, as the Phillies have enough guys with closing experience to shuffle them in and out, based on matchups.
Guest
6:32
Mark, what are the odds in your mind that the Mariners are done shopping for now?
Mark P
6:32
Approximately zero.
Steve Cohen
6:33
I read a fascinating article about Andrew Chafin and his preference for country living this past summer and being near his farm south of Cleveland. Does this mean he's unlikely to sign with say, the Mets, in the absence of a serious premium?
Mark P
6:34
with Cohen, we probably can't rule out him buying Central Park and giving it to Chafin as his new farm.
Tommyboy
6:35
How did scouts miss so badly on Nootbaar? He’s got all the tools to be an elite player
Mark P
6:36
That's the mystery of prospects....you never know which ones might break out, or which ones who seemingly have all the tools might falter.
Eric
6:37
Does the sale of the Angles occur before Ohtani hits free agency? If so, does the potential of Joe Lacob buying the team bode well for the Angels retaining Ohtani since Lacob has shown that money is no object in building a roster. He could become the "Uncle Steve" of the West Coast.
Mark P
6:38
It seems like the Angels will have the sale finalized well before the end of the season, barring something very unexpected.  

And while I can understand why LAA fans would be excited about Lacob, his strategy with the Warriors and his strategy with the Angels might differ greatly, just based on the differing financial factors that go into the two sports.
Bleeding Blue
6:40
As a fellow Jays fan what are your thoughts on the team going for it with the payroll tax. Seems like they are just on the cusp but could come in lower by trading away. Shapiro has said they have no problem going over and they still have needs like rotation depth and another outfielder for example.
Mark P
6:41
It's good to know that whatever the team's internal payroll limit might be, it doesn't automatically stop at the tax.  In theory, a team this close to contention should be willing to spend extra to get that missing piece or two (whether now or at the deadline)
Angels Front Office
6:42
Are we giving serious thought to Wacha?
Mark P
6:43
Nothing linking the two sides thus far.  The Angels have enough rotation options already that I'm not sure Wacha would be a big need for them, since he isn't necessarily a substantial upgrade over their current pitchers
Mucky
6:43
The Rays seems very slow this offseason. Even considering how to team works, this is kinda odd. When do you expect them to make a move? What kind of move do you see them doing?
Mark P
6:44
As always, I'm not too worried about the Rays figuring something out.  They have a lot of really interesting trade chips that can get them into the door for just about any trade talks, so there are lots of possibilities for Tampa to land the bat or two that they still need
Captain Insano
6:45
Since MLB messed up the game with universal DH, why not have 2 DH's? Maybe for pither and a weak hitting catcher or CF? Or maybe they could just drop DH and have a 7 man lineup?
Mark P
6:46
This is the first "I don't like the universal DH" message I've seen in months, or maybe even since the season started.  It felt like once fans got used to the DH on a regular basis, most complaints melted away.
Yessir
6:47
What are the chances Gavin Lux will be starting shortstop for the Dodgers?
Mark P
6:48
Quite high. Correa notwithstanding, the top shortstops are all gone in free agency, and trading for a SS might not be on the radar for a Dodgers team that might prefer to trade to address other needs.
Dodgers
6:48
I saw a projection that showed Betts, Trayce Thompson, and James Outman in the Dodgers starting OF. With Muncy starting at 2b, Vargas at 3B, Lux at SS, and JD Martinez at DH.......I think that projection is forgetting Chris Taylor. My bet is that Chris Taylor starts in LF and Outman and Thompson have an open competition for CF in Spring Training. Which, I might add, Outman will easily win. Thompson's track record shows that he was just on a bit of a hot streak last year. We can't depend on him to play every day. In fact, I doubt he'll even be on the roster by mid season. Thoughts?
Mark P
6:50
The luxury of Chris Taylor is that theoretically, he can play just about anywhere.  So rather than lock him into a set everyday role, Taylor can play "everyday" but just rotating to a lot of positions.  

That said, Taylor did mostly play in the outfield last year, with some 2B time.  And his versatility loses some steam if he can't get his bat back on track, which is the other sticking point in counting on him for a rebound.  It is indeed possible that Thompson regresses after his big 2022, but it isn't a guarantee that Taylor can pick up that slack
Frogbert
6:51
Who has the best shot at being the next pitcher to win twenty games ?
Mark P
6:51
Alcantara
Darren
6:52
Chances Cleveland upgrades it’s back end of the rotation? Get on the phone to Miami perhaps?
Mark P
6:52
The Guardians have so many internal pitching prospects that they'll likely just promote someone or give someone a larger role, should Civale or Plesac struggle
Sox Fan
6:52
Where do the Sox go from here after extending Devers? Do you forsee a trade?
Mark P
6:54
There seems to be at least a bit of smoke around a possible trade with the Marlins, whether it's one of the starting pitchers or one of Wendle/Rojas.  (Or, a trade where the Sox land a starter and an infielder all at once.)

Count me among those who doubt the Sox would move Casas.  It's perfectly understandable Miami would ask about him, and it's instructive as a look into the high price tag that the Marlins are putting on their pitchers
Mj
6:55
What other moves do you think the cubs should make this offseason to make them a more competitive team?
Mark P
6:56
Bullpen help, and I'm still not sold on their corner infield options
Guest
6:56
Life long Tigers fan here. I didn’t mind the return for Soto but many of my fellow fans did? Think Harris probably has some leash to play around and see what our assets are really worth. Agree or disagree?
Mark P
6:57
Tend to agree.  Maton and Vierling are interesting players, and they help raise Detroit's talent floor if nothing else.
Orioles
6:58
Do we make sense for Brandon Belt?
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