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Mark P
7:33
Scheduling changes prevented a Weekend Chat last week, but...we're back!  We also had to wait for Shohei Ohtani to sign, I guess.

Onto the questions!
Robert H
7:34
What do you think the Braves next move will be?
Mark P
7:35
A lot of tinkering around the edges of the roster thus far, but I do think Anthopoulos has a big move in him.  Probably a pitching-related trade, whether it's one of Burnes, Bieber, or Cease.

Or, knowing the Braves, a totally off-the-radar pickup that nobody saw coming
Kosei Tanaka
7:35
Will we know anything about that Dodger-Yankee Trade that happened earlier today?
Mark P
7:36
This curious pending trade really impacted this chat, btw.  I've spent the last few hours expecting news on this deal to break, and now that I've finally launched the chat, watch this....the details will filter out and I'll have to pause things to write up the post.

The travails of an MLBTR writer!
Guest
7:37
Over and under on the Reds trading India or at least some prospects for pitching?
Mark P
7:38
My guess is India is dealt.  Candelario's addition crowds that infield picture even more, and the Reds might feel he's a better candidate to be the stable veteran performer than India is in 2024 (not that India is a "veteran" per se....people tend to forget India only has three years in the Show)
Question for Mark
7:39
Who are the main players for hader at the moment?
Mark P
7:40
It's been pretty quiet on the Hader front, since only the Orioles have been directly rumored to have interest, but the Kimbrel deal now almost surely negates that.
7:41
If the Rangers' TV concerns are going to keep them from spending, that removes the biggest and most logical suitor from Hader's market.  I might not rule out teams like the Yankees or Blue Jays getting involved if they want to double down on relief pitching
Angels
7:41
As an Angels fan I'm sad where do we go from here I don't even wanna watch.
Mark P
7:42
It's rough times for Anaheim fans, can't blame you for being burned out on this team.  In theory, I could see the Angels maybe also exploring Hader in their efforts to try and reload after Ohtani's departure, but that's small consolation.
San
7:43
Here’s the burning question: Was the Ohtani contract an overpay?
Mark P
7:44
My take at this moment in time is yes, just because $700MM for even Ohtani is an absolutely wild amount of money.  That being said, he'll generate a big chunk of that money back into the Dodgers' pockets via merchandise, marketing opportunities, the Japanese market, etc.

So that alone reduces the price tag to some extent.  And, if Ohtani's presence means another title or two, I think a lot of Dodgers fans will be more than happy with the results
Reading from New Zealand
7:45
With the big signing of Ohtani do the dodger need even more pitching with running a 6 man rotation in coming years,
Mark P
7:47
In terms of future prospects, the Dodgers are actually set up pretty well for pitching depth with the Miller/Pepiot/Sheehan/Grove/Stone group.  So in theory, if they do adopt a six-man rotation, some level of depth is already there
Danny
7:47
Do the Red Sox make a splash and sign Blake Snell?
Mark P
7:48
The Red Sox are apparently not keen on giving up any draft picks, so a non-qualifying offer pitcher like Jordan Montgomery would probably be their preference over Snell.  But, either seems like a good target for Boston since they really need rotation help
Gavin lux
7:49
Will I stay with the Dodgers or get moved for burnes and or Adames
Mark P
7:50
Lux's trade value isn't all that high right now in the wake of his lost season, so he certainly won't be a centerpiece in such a trade.
If the Dodgers offered to include Lux as a secondary piece or something, that might attract a team.....or, maybe make the other team think "wait, have the Dodgers just given up on this guy?  What don't I know?"
Giants Fans Everywhere
7:51
How can we salvage this off-season. I know it's not realistic to think the Giants could have won over Ohtani but this sucks right now. We lose every single battle for a top free agent.
Mark P
7:52
If it's any consolation, two of the battles may have been unwinnable, if Judge always wanted to stay in New York and if Ohtani always intended to land with the Dodgers.  And in Correa's case, the Giants might consider that something of a dodged bullet.

But, signing Yamamoto or Bellinger, swinging an interesting trade or two...there are certainly lots of things the Giants can still do, it's only December 10th
Bob Saccomano
7:53
Any news on the Teoscar Hernandez market? Do you think his strikeout numbers will force him to settle for a 1 year deal?
Mark P
7:55
We were a lot more bullish on Hernandez's FA chances, projecting him for four years and $80MM in a market very thin on hitting.

I could see a middle ground between these two deals.  Perhaps a multi-year contract with a frontloaded salary for 2024, but with Hernandez having an opt-out after a year.  In theory, he'd bounce back this season and set himself up better for a proper multi-year pact
Max Fried
7:56
Where am I in 2025?
Mark P
7:56
Pitching for the Giants or Dodgers in his home state of California
Guest
7:57
Why are the Cubs being so slow this off-season despite wanting everyone?
Mark P
7:58
Ohtani.  They had to explore their options with him before really considering anyone else.
Waley
7:58
Who says no? Bo Bichette for Kevin Alcántara, Owen Caisse, and James Triantos. We know the Blue Jays don’t want to trade Bichette, but maybe this package is enough.
Mark P
7:59
It's not nearly enough.  Toronto isn't planning to rebuild.
Craig
7:59
What is the Mariners most likely next move?
Mark P
8:01
I have my doubts that Cleveland would move Naylor this offseason and not next, but he's actually available, he'd be a great fit for Seattle's needs.  If not Naylor specifically, trading one of Woo or Miller for a young hitter seems like a logical step
Alek Manoah
8:01
Any chance I get dealt to the Brewers for Burnes?  I could give them the upside to still compete this year while adding controllable years, while the Jays could get a surer thing for their last Guerrero/Niche the arb years.
Mark P
8:03
Manoah's 2023 was such a disaster that the Brewers wouldn't make this trade straight up.  But, as part of a multi-player deal for both sides, it does make some sense.

The Jays probably don't want to move Manoah for a player with just one year of control.  And, like the Lux example cited earlier, such willingness on the other team's part would probably cause a "hmmm, wait...." reaction.
Park M
8:03
What was going through your head Friday? Ohtani’s flying to Toronto, oh wait he’s still in California! Shohei’s signing with the Blue Jays.
Mark P
8:05
It was a pretty wild day of refreshing Twitter, let me tell you.  My favorite part was the "Yusei Kikuchi has booked a 50-person reservation at a high-end sushi restaurant" rumor, just because it's funny to imagine him personally doing this under his own name, rather than through his agent or something.
Johnny baseball
8:05
Do you think the Yankees hold onto Verdugo or flip him? Bet online has Bellinger to the Yankees as the most likely destination
Mark P
8:06
If Yamamoto goes elsewhere, I can see the Yankees making a bigger push for Bellinger, which necessitates a Verdugo flip.  

Or a Soto flip!...which seems somewhat less likely.
Jim D
8:07
It seems the Yankees always have highly coveted prospects to include in blockbuster trades but it also seems those prospects rarely achieve at a high level, not to mention very few (Judge an obvious exception) who they hold onto. Why the continued infatuation with acquiring prospects from the Bronx Bombers?
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