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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat
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Connor Byrne
1:59
Hey everyone. We'll get underway in a minute.
Clark
2:00
You're AA of Atlanta and we assume the DH is in play, what moves do you make to fill out your roster? ?
Connor Byrne
2:01
It's highly questionable whether the universal DH will stick around next year, but if it does and the Braves don't re-sign Ozuna, signing Brantley for a lot cheaper would make plenty of sense to me. He could divide his time between OF and DH.
James
2:01
Where do you expect the following free agents with closing experience to land and do you think all of them will slide right back into the closer role on their new teams: Liam Hendricks, Alex Colome, Trevor Rosenthal, Mark Melancon, Greg Holland, and Kirby Yates?
Connor Byrne
2:02
The Phillies need to get least one of them, as their bullpen was a train wreck last season. Hendriks should continue to close wherever he goes. It's a lot more up in the air in the other cases. It pretty much depends on where those guys sign.
Rick
2:03
Is there any chance MLB will keep some type of expanded active roster in place, at least initially, for the 2021 season? Unless a vaccine is widely in use by early April, it seems players, staff, and families will need to maintain precautions. And we'll have a few outbreaks.
Connor Byrne
2:03
If we're still in a similar situation by then, it would make sense.
Justin
2:04
How much do you think the recent news about MLB telling NL clubs to operate as if there will be no DH next year will affect salaries for DH only types this offseason?
Connor Byrne
2:05
It very well could for guys like Ozuna, Cruz, even Brantley, etc.. It's pretty ridiculous to me that there hasn't been an official answer on this yet. It's not fair to the players who are DH types. They need to know whether to shop their services around the entire league or basically just the AL.
Don
2:05
It seems the yankees are in a conundrum. If Gary sanchez Plays as poorly as this year in 2021That really hurts the team. How ever if he has a bounce back year and plays better defense, then they have to decide on a multi year deal. Do you think they should have just cut ties?
Connor Byrne
2:07
I wouldn't have non-tendered him in their shoes, unless they had something far bigger lined up (Realmuto or McCann signing or, say, a Contreras trade). GM Brian Cashman came out and defended Sanchez yesterday, basically saying he's still an extremely gifted player who has had a lot of success in the past. I think he called Sanchez an "amazing hitter." That's a stretch, probably, but I could see giving Sanchez another chance during a (hopefully) more normal season.
Jeremy
2:07
Where do you think McCann signs? and does it make sense for JT to wait for him to sign at this point?
Connor Byrne
2:08
Speaking of McCann, it seems the Mets are the front-runners. The Angels are also in there. I predicted at the start of the offseason McCann would go to the Phillies because I didn't think they'd spend on Realmuto, and they'll obviously need help at the position if he walks.
Rangers29
2:08
I love what the Rangers have done over the past week. Making the team stronger as a whole. Now we need to sign Walker, release Odor, then sign Kim and Marwin G, and we'll be good to go for 21'.
Connor Byrne
2:09
I was a big fan of what they got in return for Lynn, and was surprised Chicago was willing to give up Dunning for a rental. I'm less bullish on the Lowe trade, but at least they're trying something different at 1B instead of just running Guzman out there again.
2:10
And I agree they should finally just cut ties with Odor, money be damned. We at MLBTR do like them as a Kim landing spot.
Horace Fury
2:10
I listened to the stream of the Rule 5 draft.  The Triple AAA phase is frankly mysterious.  For instance, I heard at least two clubs identify their selected players as being from the victimized club's rookie team.  It doesn't seem possible that a player on a rookie team would meet a minimum requirement of years in th4e system.  (And if that player did meet a 4-year or 5-year minimum, why would another club want to select someone stuck in rookie ball that long?)  To ask the question simply:  What makes a minor league player vulnerable to being selected in the Triple AAA phase of the Rule 5 draft?
Connor Byrne
2:10
Baseball America gives a good explanation on it here: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/explaining-the-rule-5-draft/
2:11
I'll copy and paste it...
"There is also a minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Any player who is on the 38-player Triple-A roster is protected from being picked in the minor league Rule 5 draft.
There are no eligibility rules that have to be maintained in the minor league phase. The player is drafted, the player's old organization is paid $24,500 and immediately the player becomes a member of his new organization. Almost all of the players picked in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft are viewed as useful organizational players for their new team, but occasionally a player does find his way to the majors with his new organization. "
Joe
2:11
White Sox fans are pretty down after Rick followed up the (generally well received) Lynn trade with the Eaton signing - seeing that as a sign the FO is not really going all in this year.  Is that fair, or should the White Sox be seen as having given themselves a solid chance to succeed with just those two moves, plus a maintenance-level offseason otherwise (resigning Colome or signing Liam Hendriks, and a few other basic RP and depth IF/OF low level contracts)?
Connor Byrne
2:13
I'm not too big on the Eaton signing (would have liked to see Springer, Brantley or even a much lesser player like Pederson there), but it's a valid point that it sort of depends on how they allocate the rest of their money this offseason. You don't trade Dunning and Weems for one year of Lynn if you don't expect to seriously contend.
Chief
2:13
Are you surprised the White Sox and Royals have been the most active so far this off season?
Connor Byrne
2:14
More White Sox. No on that front - I figured they'd be aggressive. Yes to the Royals. I applaud them for giving an effort when so many others don't seem willing to do so. I really like the Carlos Santana signing. He seems like a prime bounce-back candidate.
Rangers29
2:14
Will Jose Urena be a bullpen arm for whatever team he signs with?
Connor Byrne
2:15
Depends on where he signs. If I'm a non-contending team with open rotation spots, he's someone I'd be interested in adding. You hope he rebounds over the first half of the season, and then you can flip him at the deadline for something.
mmddyyyy
2:16
Are any of the nl central teams really in a position to make big moves and seize the division?
Connor Byrne
2:17
I wrote the other day in a piece for you members that I'm disappointed in the Reds. Yes, they were likely to lose Bauer all along (and probably will), but I really don't like giving up Iglesias or Bradley. They don't look as if they'll be all that aggressive in trying to improve after a playoff season. That division could have been theirs for the taking, but fortunately for them, no one else there looks much better than mediocre. Cubs, Cards, Brewers, Pirates - there won't be a juggernaut in that group.
Jason
2:18
With the recent frugal acquisitions of the Angels is that making them more likely for a big splash with Bauer to a top tier catcher like Realmuto or McCann? Who would you pursue with the resources they likely have to work with?
Connor Byrne
2:19
They do seem to be in on McCann. A Bauer pursuit would make sense if they're willing to spend. Even someone like Tanaka could be a fit. I like what they've done so far in cornering the market on guys named Iglesias.
Gus
2:20
In all your years of doing this, do you recall any other years where basically no big names were signed after a week in December or that only about four or five players signed?
Connor Byrne
2:21
Not really off the top of my head. For instance, it was so much crazier last year than now in terms of quick FA movement. Guys like Cole, Rendon and Strasburg all came off the board for huge money around Winter Meetings time.
And there were plenty of other lesser (but still notable) signings then
Michael
2:21
Still don't get the Randall Grichuk signing. And he's arguably put up better numbers since the signing. Does he have a negative trade value presently?
Connor Byrne
2:23
I didn't like it very much either. Not sure I'd say "negative trade value," as he did have a nice 2020 at the plate. He's due around $19MM over the next two years. That isn't an exorbitant amount, but it's enough where he wouldn't bring back much in a deal. Wouldn't be surprising to see Toronto move on, though, considering they don't seem to trust him in center and already have Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel as corner types
*try to move on, I should say
Charles
2:24
Say the Yankees have only about 30 mil to add for this year. They need more lefty pitching.  Torres is a 2nd baseman and should play there, LeMahieu can play short.....but ....  Tanaka at 3/40-50 and DJLM at 4/68-80 to 5/85-100 VS  Tomoyuki Sugano at 4/40, Didi at 3/36, and either Paxton/Lester or another (non-J.A. Happ) lefty starter at 1/12 with a second year option or a lefty reliever like Brad Hand at 3/24?
Connor Byrne
2:25
LeMahieu has played four games at short in the majors and none since 2014. If the Yankees bring him back, they'll just keep Torres at short. Cashman said yesterday Torres is a better 2B, but he doesn't appear extremely eager to move him off SS unless he has to.
2:27
I don't expect Paxton to return next year, and I wouldn't trust Lester at this point. That Hand projection seems kind of rich after the whole league passed on him for 1/10, but he would be a good fit for the Yankees or anyone else.
Andy
2:27
Is there any reason at all to hope that the Cubs will try to be competitive on the free agent/trade market this Winter, or is it all about budget cuts?
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