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Mark P
8:21
It's time for the Weekend Chat, playoff edition!....though, you're allowed to ask about things beyond just the playoffs. Like bees, beads, music I'm listening to, and other pertinent baseball topics.

To the questions!
Tampa Bay
8:23
What us the returning timeliness for Baz, Rasmussen and Springs for next season?
Mark P
8:24
Baz should be good to go by the start of Spring Training, Rasmussen and Springs by around midseason.  The timeline on Rasmussen may be a little less clear since he had an elbow brace procedure rather than a Tommy John surgery, but midseason was the expected date.
Train
8:25
C Burnes for J Westburg and a pitcher prospect ? Who says no
Mark P
8:25
The O's aren't moving Westburg for one season of Burnes.
8:26
If they do deal from their surplus of young infield talent (which is by no means a guarantee), it'll be for a player with more long-term control
Cashman
8:26
If I offered $50m to Muami to take Stanton off our hands?
Mark P
8:27
The Marlins go "that's it?" and hang up the phone
Fan
8:27
Can the Rangers win the WS with their bullpen?
Mark P
8:28
Not impossible.  Look to the 2019 Nationals as a recent example of a World Series champ with a shaky bullpen.  

The Rangers' slump over the last several weeks wasn't just due to the bullpen, but also due to some of their hitters (inevitably) cooling off after being a run-scoring machine for most of the year.  If they get rolling again, watch out.
paul dewgong
8:29
idk if i believe that the cardinals will get Nola or Gray or any other player on a qualifying offer. when do you see teams drafting in the top 5 signing big free agents?
Mark P
8:31
Nola/Gray make a lot of sense to me as Cardinals targets, since they're either bottom of the top tier of free agent pitchers or at the very top of the second tier, depending on how you view the market.  St. Louis has shown that they're willing to spend in the past, if not to astronomical amounts.  So, Nola and Gray should be in their price range.
And, that's of course assuming the Cardinals don't change up their usual strategy this winter.  Now that they're coming off an actual bad season, they could very well be more aggressive and more open to spend bigger and make necessary upgrades
bmcferren
8:32
Marlins intersted in one of the Pirates catchers? Davis or Endy heading to Florida for Eury? What about shortstop Peguero for Eduardo Cabrera?
Mark P
8:33
Trading for a Pirates catcher, that's never backfired on the Marlins!

In all seriousness, I'm not sure Miami will be moving any of their big league arms now that Alcantara will miss the year.  That's already a big hit to the rotation.
Reds
8:34
Reds will have very little money on the books. Realistically who can they target as far as starting pitchers and RH outfielders?
Mark P
8:36
A reunion with Sonny Gray makes a lot of sense to me, as he can be the veteran cornerstone amidst their younger starters.  It would behoove the Reds to make a pretty notable signing like that since this is a team that might be ready to contend as early as next year.
Mitchell
8:37
Would any team take on Bieber and one of Cleveland’s many infield prospects for an outfield bat?
Mark P
8:38
In theory sure, though it's not a super-long list of teams who have enough quality outfield bats that one might be available as surplus.  I had some coming up with viable trade partners when writing the Guardians outlook the other day, since while lots of teams have spare outfielders, finding one that would be a true upgrade for Cleveland (let alone be worth someone like Bieber) is hard to find
8:39
I do like the idea of the Guards just making a straight-up one-for-one, Bieber-for-hitter type of deal.
Aoe3
8:39
Would Toronto and country wide exposure be the perfect fit for Ohtani?
Mark P
8:39
As a Jays fan, I like your thinking!
8:40
But, I'm reasonably sure that's not going to happen
Luc
8:40
Giants getting Ohtani and Yamamoto would easily change the future right?
Mark P
8:42
It would surely end the narrative of the Giants not being able to attract top-end talent, and reignite interest among SF fans.  

Now, the odds of one team getting both of those players at once is pretty high, even for a team with payroll space and lots of need.  Maybe it's more likely that the Giants get one of those two, but their second-biggest signing is a lesser (but still significant) name
Blue Jays Fan!
8:42
Will Atkins still be the GM
Mark P
8:43
I doubt the Jays will be making a move immediately.  For a team that prizes process and big-picture results so much, they can point to three playoff appearances in four seasons.

That being said, it also very much seems like some big changes have to be made with the roster, and behind the scenes in some manner.  It probably isn't wrong to describe 2024 as a make or break year for Atkins.
cpins
8:45
Doesn't there have to be a lot more to the Eppler transgression than IL manipulation? Wouldn't 20+ clubs be subject to sanctions on that one?
Mark P
8:47
This seems like the general consensus around the league.  My speculation was that maybe this like a second warning or something --- as in the league told the Mets to knock it off the first time, but they kept doing it, so the league was maybe forced to start a real investigation (and then leak the news they were doing so) as a public shaming?

Again, this is all speculation on my part.  But you're right, it's hard to imagine a normal "phantom IL" type of move would draw this much heat
Sox
8:47
Where do you think Verdugo ends up and what’s the haul
Mark P
8:49
Bieber isn't the match here because the Guardians would want more upside or control, but I can see the Sox also exploring for a one-for-one Verdugo for a pitcher trade.  Maybe an arm who's also coming off kind of a so-so year, and who also has just one year of arb control remaining.
Guest
8:49
What music are you listening to mark
Mark P
8:49
"Supersonic," by Oasis
Joshua
8:50
What would be a fair and realistic return for Lane Thomas going to Cleveland? Thanks.
Mark P
8:51
Thomas is one name that came to mind when thinking about Guardians outfielder trades.  I don't think Washington is too keen to move him since they see Thomas a building block, but since Thomas also has only two years of arb control left, that's not enough to entice the Guardians to move any of their biggest young pitchers
8:54
If the Nats are ready to move on from Luis Garcia, they could target one of the Guards' young infielders as their MI partner with Abrams.  That alone wouldn't net Thomas back, but there are some possibilities here where a trade might line up for both clubs
I usually don't spend five minutes on one question, but this one really got me thinking, haha
Drew
8:54
Do either Nola or Montgomery make sense to help shore up the Nats rotation and still be around to be part of the next contender in a couple of years?
Mark P
8:55
The biggest issue might be more that Nola and Montgomery want to win now, and won't want to spend a couple of prime years on a rebuilding team
Curious
8:56
Does the Wander Franco situation change the Rays' plans for Glasnow?
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