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Mark P
1:38
It's time for the Weekend Chat!  Let's let a few questions build up in the queue and then start talking baseball...
Train
1:40
Brewers realistically win the World Series this year? What needs to happen in postseason for it then to will it all?
Mark P
1:42
As long as a team is in the bracket, they have a chance.  And Milwaukee's recipe is relying on their great bullpen to lock down close games, which they've done all season.  Between an ace bullpen and good (if not great) situational hitting, the Brewers might try to deploy something like a 2015 Royals strategy.

The Brewers have just quietly kept winning and kept being pretty consistent this whole year, so they're a little under the radar as WS contenders. But it wouldn't at all be a surprise if they kept it going through October
Tortured Rangers Fan
1:43
What the heck is going on with the Rangers? Is there any reason to think they'll pull themselves out of this spiral?
Mark P
1:44
It's got to be awful for Rangers fans right now, but there are still a few weeks of baseball to be played.  As hard as it is to fathom how Texas could go from looking so great in the first four months to rock-bottom in the last month, a turn-around is still possible if they can get even moderate work from the bullpen
Guest
1:46
any chance of an acuna extension, 6 years $250 mil
Mark P
1:48
Acuna is already under team control through 2028, so as aggressive as the Braves have been in extending their players, there's no real reason they need to move quickly on Acuna.  He'll only be 30 at the end of his current deal, but the Braves might want to get another year or two removed from that ACL tear before they look into a secondary extension.

Granted, it sure looks like he's all the way back right now.
Jays
1:48
How long before Davis Schneiders miraculous start to the season finally ends?
Mark P
1:49
As a Jays fan who always take a realistic and measured view of the team, things should start cooling down for Schneider once he finishes his World Series MVP speech
Dougy
1:50
The Yankees have a lot of holes in their lineup.  Given the lack of hitters in this FA class, do you think they’ll need to address these holes via trade?
Mark P
1:51
In theory some of the prospects will be able to fill some of those holes, as Peraza, Pereira, Dominguez, etc. should be in the mix for regular roles or at least part-time roles in 2024.  The Yankees' decision to stick with Volpe every day seems like a reaction to how they may have erred in not giving many of their past crop of prospects a steady look, and if they're already in "step back" mode, there isn't a ton of harm in letting the kids play
1:52
But, since the Yankees never truly step back, they'll definitely be looking to add some veteran help at at least one position.  Free agency might be the better bet, since New York is loath to move any of those prospects
Guest
1:53
Does Jason Heyward sign a multi-year deal this offseason?
Mark P
1:55
The fact that this is even a question is a nice victory for Heyward, and another sign of what a great comeback year it has been for him.

One guaranteed year with an option seems more realistic to me than two guaranteed years, but in a market thin on position player talent, it wouldn't be a shock.  LA tends to be proactive in extending the guys they want to keep, so I can see Heyward perhaps taking just a one-year/option year to remain with the Dodgers since by all accounts he's loving it there
Spaghetti Marinera
1:57
George Kirby publicly criticized his manager for forcing him to pitch while gassed (with predictable results). Do you foresee any fallout from this with either player or manager? And the M’s pitchers, almost to a man, ARE thoroughly gassed. (Bullpen days, to me, are managed surrender.) How does this bode for the M’s going forward, given that their bats sometimes don’t show up enough to cover weak pitching?
Mark P
1:57
Just minutes ago, Kirby apologized for his comments last night, and Servais will surely consider it all water under the bridge in the name of moving on
1:59
In terms of Seattle's pitching situation, it'll be interesting to see how they can cobble things together considering how many of these young arms are already at or over their innings limits.  The biggest help for the M's is the fact that the Rangers are still in freefall and that the Astros have their own share of problems
Tom
2:00
Do the Twins finally win a playoff game?
Mark P
2:00
Will the Twins win a playoff game (not necessarily a series, just one game) this postseason?
Yes (55.1% | 185 votes)
 
No (44.9% | 151 votes)
 
Total Votes: 336
Braves20
2:01
Shouldn't Zac Gallen be the front runner for the Cy Young Award?
Mark P
2:02
Strider, Wheeler, and Steele have something to say about that.

Actually, taking a look at the fWAR leaderboard, Wheeler actually has a notable edge. His 5.7 total leads all pitchers in baseball --- then it's Kevin Gausman at 4.9, then Strider and Gallen with 4.7 each
I was so impressed by this stat that I used the word "actually" twice in that sentence.  Grammar!
Needs for
2:03
Beads?
Mark P
2:03
Bees?!
Dodgerdandy
2:03
Any word on Dodger signings  or interest in Japanese pitchers either posted or free agents yet?
Mark P
2:05
The Dodgers are generally "in on everyone" to some level or another, though their well-known interest in Ohtani will make things particularly fascinating this winter.  Depending on how long Ohtani takes to make his decision, a lot of the market could be held up to some extent.  A team like LA wouldn't be in total limbo, but surely they'd like to get what might be a $500-$600MM deal squared away before pursuing any other huge offseason targets
White Sox Fan
2:06
What in the world are we doing? Reinsdorfs loyalty hasn't gotten us anywhere since 2005 plus I feel we cant develop players very well either
Mark P
2:08
Chris Getz might very well have a lot of fresh ideas about how to turn the White Sox around, so I'll withhold judgement until I see his strategy in action.

However, I can totally understand the frustration for South Side fans.  For a team that seems so set in its ways, promoting from within hardly seems like the answer to return the Sox to contending status.
Red sox
2:12
With thier resources and need along with presumed window opening is it fair to say the red sox have a real shot at all free agent pitching including ohtani?
Mark P
2:13
Ohtani seems like a reach, but sure, the Red Sox have the money to bid for anyone if they wish.

The x-factor might be who's making those front office decisions, since there is still some lingering David Stearns buzz in Boston.  Not nearly as loud as the buzz linking Stearns to the Mets (or even the Astros), but Red Sox ownership might be open to some kind of change from Chaim Bloom
ejoey
2:15
Does the tiger's pitcher Rodriguez leave for free agency
Mark P
2:16
Probably, unless he works out an extension with Detroit ahead of time.

E-Rod is an interesting case given that he is prioritizing staying on the east coast to be close to his family.  While there's no shortage of big spenders and pitching-needy teams out east, it does tend to cut his market in half if he did test free agency again.  For these reasons, it wouldn't be a shock if he re-upped with the Tigers on a new deal since he has said he likes pitching in the Motor City.
2:18
From the Tigers' end, does it make sense to extend Rodriguez?  Surely they've had this very scenario in mind from the moment they signed him in the first place, though this would represent Scott Harris' first big-ticket contract since taking over as the Tigers' front office head.  If the Tigers like the progress they've made in 2023 and think they're not far away from contending, a new deal might happen.

Remember, Rodriguez isn't eligible for another qualifying offer.  So if he leaves, the Tigers get nothing in return.
CHISOX FAN
2:19
Somebody told me there are football games being played this weekend. Is that true?
Mark P
2:19
Very true.  The Western Mustangs have a big road game with the Carleton Ravens tonight.
Guest
2:20
Should Ohtani just get the TJ surgery now so he could possibly pitch next post season?
Mark P
2:20
It behooves him to get the surgery sooner than later anyway, but trying to rush back in time for a hypothetical 2024 postseason seems like a mistake (especially since this is his second TJ surgery)
Larry Baer
2:22
Do you think the Giants front office will continue the philosophy of the platoon next year? I think it’s time for ownership to re-haul the front office and go with a more traditional philosophy of players who know they are going to be in there everyday.
Mark P
2:25
There's logic in the Giants' strategy, and the problem isn't necessarily that "heavy platooning doesn't work," since successful teams like the Rays or Dodgers do plenty of mixing and matching lineups.

But, the Giants do lack those 2-3 key everyday star types that you can build a more flexible lineup around.  Obviously a guy like Judge or Correa would've been such a cornerstone for them last offseason, but no dice.  It doesn't seem like Zaidi or Kapler are in any true danger of being fired, but stranger things have happened
Francona
2:25
With about 50 wins to go for 2,000, should I really retire at the end of this season?
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