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Mark P
7:07
It's the final Weekend Chat of 2024!  I could write a stylized version of Auld Lang Syne that has a lot of beads and bees in the lyrics, but maybe next year.  Let's focus on baseball questions for now....
Dave
7:08
Do you think the royals will acquire a bat? Thanks for the response!
Mark P
7:09
The corner OF situation still needs a lot of work, in my view, so it seems likely that they'll still bring in at least one more hitter
Bernie Brewer
7:10
What does the left side of the infield look like for Milwaukee?
Mark P
7:12
Ortiz at shortstop, and Durbin/Dunn as a third base platoon.  Milwaukee could potentially get a veteran to help out, as well.  Further moves might hinge on whether or not they're able to move Rhys Hoskins, which seems doubtful, but losing Hoskins from the infield (and some of his contract from the ledger) creates more flexibility for bigger acquisitions
Runningwithnailclippers
7:13
With the state of the Reds outfield (not being very good), is there any chance they bite the bullet and go for Robert Jr? If they are not going to pay for a prime time outfielder, is that there best chance?
Mark P
7:15
With the Reds already coming off an injury-riddled season, adding Robert just brings more risk to the table.  That said, the upside is also clearly there, and it's possible the White Sox might be open to selling Robert at, say, 90 cents on the dollar rather than their full asking price.  Even a reduced ask is a still a lot, of course, and it depends on how aggressive the Reds want to be
Allen
7:15
Surprised we haven’t heard anything about Verdugo going anywhere? He’s not great but he’s not completely useless. Any chatter?
Mark P
7:16
No public buzz yet.  It'll probably take the rest of the upper level of available outfielders (i.e. Santander, Profar, etc.) to go before teams start turning towards Verdugo
Charkip
7:16
Could Baltimore and Seattle swing a trade to address both of their issues? Something like Luis Castillo to the O's for a return that includes Ryan Mountcastle?
Mark P
7:17
The M's would want way more than just Mountcastle as the centerpiece of such a trade package, but a deal would seemingly work on paper given the Orioles' plethora of infield prospects.
Guest
7:18
With the Dbacks signing Corbin Burnes, what do you think the next move is for the Dbacks? Trade a starting pitcher for bullpen and/or a bat?
Mark P
7:18
Very likely.  They're almost surely trading someone from the rotation, most likely Montgomery if they can get a match or semi-match on money.
Mike Rizzo
7:20
Am I signing any more free agents this winter?
Mark P
7:21
Not necessarily big names or big money-deals, but sure, Washington will bring in some more talent
JeffP
7:21
Looking like Tigers are favorites for Bregman based on reports from local beat writer?
Mark P
7:22
Not sure "favorites" is the right word.  Evan Petzold has been pretty clear that there's a gap between what Bregman wants and what the Tigers are willing to pay, plus several other teams are still in the hunt.

Detroit makes a lot of sense as a fit for Bregman, but this was true at the start of the offseason as well.
Spuds
7:23
Do free agents not want to come to Toronto anymore? Is it the uncertainty over Vladdy and Bo's futures or do the Jays have a bad reputation for some reason?
Mark P
7:24
I don't think there's any sense what the Jays treat players badly or that Toronto isn't a good place to play.  But the fact is, if you're a free agent who has options and the money is comparable elsewhere, you're naturally going to lean towards joining a contender rather than join a last-place Jays team with an uncertain future
Big Al
7:26
What do the Dodgers have left to do? Nolan coming to LA?
Mark P
7:27
Arenado doesn't seem like a fit, nor does it seem like the Dodgers would feel compelled to make that move.  I could see them adding more relief help, and obviously they're big contenders to sign Roki Sasaki
Dodgers have already crossed off a lot of items on their offseason shopping list, plus naturally their roster was already pretty loaded
TxDude
7:28
Teams seem to be overvaluing their prospects or younger players a bit much these days. Why is that? I miss the days when a team had a chance to acquire premium veteran talent they took it and didn’t worry about said young player potentially becoming a superstar. Flags fly forever, right?
Mark P
7:29
Finances play a role, since a controllable star prospect is such huge surplus value to a roster.  But for this particular offseason, as several executives have pointed out, there is a somewhat limited market for offering prospects.  Due to the expanded playoffs, a lot of teams feel like they can contend in 2025, and there aren't many clubs in pure rebuild mode
Jack Lazorko.
7:30
Does Bobby Grich belong in the HOF?  He's in the top 100 WAR of all time...
Mark P
7:30
Absolutely
Jays Fan
7:31
Does no one want the Jays money, or are we simply being used as leverage and not actually in on these FA? Either way, should i abandon baseball and live at the bottom of the sea?
Mark P
7:32
There will be no accusations
Just friendly crustaceans under the seaaaaaaa

Also, wouldn't it be living at the bottom of Lake Ontario, in this context?

Anyway, actual answer....as noted earlier, the Jays probably aren't many players' top choice right now.  A free agent will listen to what they offer since why not, but if a more clear-cut contender can at least come close on money, the Blue Jays don't have much leverage
Guest
7:33
What plans do the Padres have if unable to land ‪Roki Sasaki‬?
Mark P
7:34
This seems counter-intuitive as a pivot to missing out on a pitcher, but I think King or Cease will be dealt.  Probably Cease, since (as a Boras client) he's probably less likely to sign an extension.

Moving a frontline pitcher can help the Padres add roster depth, and perhaps free up some payroll space.
Levi L
7:35
Will the mariners acquire Hyeseong Kim?
Mark P
7:36
His posting window is up on January 3, and there hasn't been much public buzz about his market.  So it's hard to say if Kim might land in Seattle, even though he's certainly a fit on paper
Matthew I.
7:37
None of us saw Corbin Burnes going to the Diamondbacks. I think Giants fans are somewhat stunned by this, including me. If you're Buster Posey, what do you? Do you aim for one of the other top starting pitchers on the free agent or trade market (Flaherty, Sasaki, Castillo) OR do you go for a mid-tier starting pitcher (like a Scherzer or a Verlander) and make a big offensive acquisition (like Alonso)? What do you see the Giants doing and how quickly do you think it will happen?
Mark P
7:38
Obviously landing Sasaki would help a lot, but pivoting to Castillo or Flaherty would be a nice fit with or without getting Sasaki.  Adding Flaherty just costs money and might be easier than working out a deal with the Mariners.
I don't hate the idea of signing Alonso, but there's risk of bringing a power-centric player to that ballpark.
QO
7:38
When does the punishment for QO drop off?
Mark P
7:39
After the draft.  Back when the draft was in early June, there were a couple of instances of QO free agents signing afterwards, but it's hard to imagine a player will now sit out the entire first half of a season
Houzer
7:40
If Skubal won’t accept an extension (in the 35M per arena), should the Tigers just deal him now?
Mark P
7:40
Probably not, because having arguably the best pitcher in the sport on your roster is a huge plus.
7:41
If the Tigers do consider trading Skubal, it could conceivably happen next winter.  But for now, they're contending and trying to make at least one more run while he's still in Motown
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