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Mark P
6:01
The Weekend Chat is here!  Not to be confused with the Weekend Hat, which is a two-hour video session of me trying on different hats.  I keep pitching this idea but Tim keeps shooting it down....oh well, the fifty-fifth's time is the charm!

Let's get to your questions!
Rox
6:02
Was the Marte extension more of a "restructure" because he was already signed to a long term deal?
Mark P
6:03
It was a proper extension because it added extra years and more money onto Marte's pre-existing deal.  His previous deal would've run through 2028 if Arizona had picked up the club option year, but his new deal is guaranteed through 2031
Baron
6:04
Are you surprised by the Giants and Padres start to the season to keep pace with the Dodgers? Any chance all the wild card teams come from the West?
Mark P
6:05
I figured the D'Backs and Padres would make the playoffs anyway, so it would come to the Giants sneaking past the rest of the field as the sixth seed.  It's a tall order, but SF is off to a very nice start.
VL
6:05
Hello Mark, what legit righty bats could the Yankees get right now via trade? Teams are just throwing lefties at them. 🤯🤯
Mark P
6:06
Oh the irony of the Yankees suddenly looking for RHH after being so overloaded with righty bats for years.  I don't think they're going to make a move immediately, but some deadline time, finding a right-handed hitter is among the relatively easier types of pickups a team can make.
6:07
Plus, there's been some more optimism about Stanton coming back eventually, so that should help
Kevin Seitzer
6:07
If the Braves are nowhere near in contention at the break, what moves do your foresee?
Mark P
6:09
First of all, there's enough talent on this team that I find it hard to believe they'll keep struggling this badly.

However, if this is really a year from hell, then you'll see pending free agents like Ozuna or Iglesias moved.  Sale might be an interesting candidate since he's only controlled via club option, but it's more likely Atlanta keeps him since the Braves surely aren't blowing things up. It'll be a reload for 2026, not a teardown.
Jays fan
6:10
Why is baseball such a frustrating sport to watch?
Mark P
6:11
It is designed to break your heart, to quote former commissioner Bart Giamatti
Chief
6:12
Can the Royals continue to play an outfield of Renfroe (.160), Isbel(.200) and Melendez (.100), which is a virtual repeat of last year, and compete for a playoff berth? I'm very surprised they didn't address this problem in the offseason, but all they did was pick up Cahna after the Brewers put him on waivers.
Mark P
6:13
Canha is at least hitting great, but you're right.  KC's outfield was such a clear weakness that it needed more of an upgrade than India playing out of position a few times a week
Krampus
6:15
Brewers need starting pitchers quick. Any realistic options that are available that could slot in ASAP?
Mark P
6:16
Quintana should be ready relatively soon, but yeah, the pickings are pretty slim on guys who are built up enough to step in immediately and pitch starters' innings.  Scouring the market for multi-inning swingmen might be the likelier route if the Brewers need short-term help.
Miami
6:17
When do you think sandy gets traded and where to
Mark P
6:18
He'll likely be gone by the deadline.  Any number of teams make sense as trade fits, yet the Marlins will (rightly) demand a huge return, so it'd have to be a team with a pretty deep system and a willingness to move some younger talent.
AA
6:19
How can I hope to compete against the rest of the NL powers when the team did not make any upgrades? With Profar suspended, the Braves began the season poorer than the previous year. What are your thoughts on the lack of off-season moves hurting the Braves right now?
Mark P
6:20
The Braves were likely viewing 2024 as a year ruined by injuries, and the team would improve just by dint of being healthier.  So, Anthopoulos didn't feel the need to swing any blockbuster moves to address a roster that he viewed as largely complete.  

Obviously some salary limitations were at play here, and it doesn't help that the one big splash they did make in Profar has already backfired so badly.
Brendan
6:21
How long are Martinez and Rizzo safe? A 6 year “reboot” is way too long.
Mark P
6:22
They both signed new extensions late in the 2023 season, so neither is going anywhere.  I think the Nats are shaping up pretty well for the future, and despite their uninspiring start, can be a good team as soon as this year
Baseball fan
6:23
Will the Jays top 3 never hit a homer? Thoughts on the teams start?
Mark P
6:23
Santander is a traditional slow starter and Guerrero had a rough April last year, so this isn't all that shocking.
I have a PhD. Call me Doc.
6:24
What will be Trout’s legacy?
Mark P
6:26
He's going to sail into the HOF and be remembered as one of baseball's greats.  Injuries will kind of hurt his legacy, but that's a double-edged sword, since you'll have just as many people saying "if Trout hadn't gotten hurt, just think...."

Unfortunately, I doubt the Angels will make it back to the playoffs during the rest of his contract.  So Trout's legacy is going to be a modern Ernie Banks = a superb player whose lack of postseason resume adds an undeserved asterisk on his career
Ben
6:28
Would Kjerstad work as the headliner in an Alcantara trade? The O’s top prospects seem to be off-limits.
Mark P
6:29
Alcantara is under team control through 2027, so that kind of control and ability should have the Marlins asking that just about any prospect be "within limits."
Joe
6:30
I know the Reds are missing Hays and Steer is unable to play  in the field but Fraley is not doing it and having Lux and Espinal cover is not looking so good. CES looks like Rob Deer and Candelario is not playing up to par. I know it’s early but where can they get better? Waiting for Hays and Stephenson is just putting them behind. Would Mountcastle help? Dylan Beavers for Chase Petty? Anybody else? This is exhausting.
Seeing reds
6:30
Everything went south so quickly!
Tito
6:30
Time to panic in Cincinnati? Same problems that plagued the team last year continue to be an issue: poor fielding, running into outs on the basepaths, one run losses, lack of timely hitting.
Mark P
6:32
Would it surprise you to learn that the Reds still have a positive run differential?  Albeit by just one run, yet that stands out as a good sign in what has otherwise been a troubling start.

In general, no team should really be panicking a week and a half in.  The Reds don't play in that tough a division, and frankly, you can make a case that the Pirates and Brewers have much more pressing concerns than Cincy does.
John
6:32
More impressive: Ovechkin goals or Bonds’ homers?
Mark P
6:33
More impressive record?
Bonds all-time MLB homers (29.8% | 126 votes)
 
Ovechkin all-time NHL goals (70.2% | 297 votes)
 
Total Votes: 423
6:34
I feel like I know what the result will be here since this is a baseball chat, but I think I'd say Ovechkin.  It never felt out of the question that someone would break Aaron's record, yet all of Gretzky's records seemed virtually untouchable.
Jd
6:35
How much longer before the Sox realize they need to eat 75% of Yoshida’s contract?
Mark P
6:36
I would imagine Breslow has been looking into some kind of "bad contract swaps" with other team's undesirable salaries, just to get some kind of offset.  Perhaps landing a high-salaried pitcher might be a fit for Boston's needs, since once Yoshida is healthy, there simply doesn't appear to be a place for him to get any sort of regular at-bats.
AceGrim
6:37
It's once again become evident over the first 9 games that Brett Baty is not a big leaguer. He doesn't offer the kind of competitive at bats or defense we've seen so far from Acuna. Think once McNeil returns his days as a Met are numbered. Should they have moved him in the offseason when he had at least some value?
Mets
6:38
With McNeil out, the Mets are forced to carry Baty and Acuna. Acuna is clearly not ready and Baty looks like a AAAA guy. And you prefer not to have young guys on the bench. When McNeil is back, what’s the move?
Mark P
6:39
We don't know what kind of offers the Mets were getting for Baty, so it's hard to say they "should" have dealt him. My assumption is that Baty will be the one sent down since Acuna is a cleaner fit as a backup shortstop.
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