JotCast | 2023-24 Top 50 Free Agents Live Chat With Tim Dierkes

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Peyton

9:53

Do you think Yamamoto has a chance with other teams besides the Mets

Tim Dierkes

9:53

Oh yes. I am sure you could come up with at least a dozen teams that make sense for Yamamoto. That's why we kept pushing the price up.

But When Tho?

9:53

Sorry if I missed this somewhere but any prediction on WHEN you think Ohtani might sign? Do you see it dragging out until like Feb or does he seem like the kind of dude that wants to know his new team by Christmas

Tim Dierkes

9:54

When he will sign or who the first big name off the board will be, those are common questions. I have zero insight or means of figuring that out. Ohtani is especially closed-lipped.

New GM

9:54

During my own FA predictions, I kept having to remind myself what the GM (or POBO) will do and not what I think they should do. And that can be difficult with a new guy in charge! Did you run into this in making your predictions?

Tim Dierkes

9:55

Yes, I'd say the most with Craig Breslow. On one hand, he seems to be an analytical type more so than a gunslinger. On the other, there's probably some level of ownership push to be an anti-Bloom. So does he just come in and sign Blake Snell? You or I could do that. But we have no history and can't really say.

Billy

9:55

Do you think the Ohtani contract will have some really creative language to address his pitching? Either incentives or bonuses for IP? Without that we're looking at half a billion for a DH. Will teams get any protection?

Tim Dierkes

9:56

I think Ohtani has the leverage to not have to do any of that. A disagree that we're looking at a DH - we feel he can play the corner OF well if he stops pitching, possibly even CF for a while. So if his elbow is just shot you might end up with someone close to Aaron Judge.

Team 2nd Place!

9:57

Which teams maybe don't show up on the Top 50 list very often just because they aren't the single most likely suitor for any given free agent but will still probably end up with a player or two from the list?

Tim Dierkes

9:59

I like this question because there are definitely teams like this that probably feel like we gave them short shrift. Cubs, DBacks, Mets, Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers, and White Sox probably weren't the favorite for us too often for the top names, yet some of those teams spending money on multiple top 50 guys makes sense to me.

David

9:59

Were you close to predicting anyone to Cleveland or feel they’ll operate in the trade market, especially for outfield help?

Tim Dierkes

10:01

I didn't give the Guardians much play due to their history. Josh Bell has been their only top 50 signing in the last five offseasons. If they matched their franchise high payroll, though, they'd have the ability to get involved with some pretty good FA.

Ryan

10:01

Is there enough smoke to consider the Red Sox a legitimate threat to sign Ohtani? I read that he has a close relationship with the head of New Balance which is based in Boston, oh and he signed a mega deal with the company to be the face of the brand.

Tim Dierkes

10:02

I don't put much stock in the New Balance thing, but I'd say they're a legit Ohtani threat, yes. The geography thing is such a mystery box. We're all assuming it looms large, and looking at his seven choices when he initially came over, but Ohtani never said that and we don't know it for a fact.

Sd4Life

10:02

Any info on Yamamoto preferences? Hoping my Padres are a surprise sleeper team

Tim Dierkes

10:03

If there's one thing I've learned about the Padres and AJ Preller, it's that they're a threat on literally any player. I think it's likely AJ is playing around with permutations where he fits Yamamoto into their budget, however reduced that may be.

YankeeDave

10:03

With there being such a dearth of middle infielders and Gleyber going into his last year before FA, will the Yankees trade Torres (and more?) to free up some cash to make a Bellinger-Hader boom in free agency?

Tim Dierkes

10:04

Can totally see a Gleyber trade but my vote is no because he is one of their rare success stories and a player who has been solid and can be penciled in. They have a lot of other holes to fill

Guest

10:04

If the Pirates got Ohtani, would that make them favorites to win the World Series?

Tim Dierkes

10:04

Feel bad not taking Pirates questions, but haven't gotten many. No it would not.

Sonny Gray to ATL

10:04

3 yrs and 60MM gets this done

Tim Dierkes

10:05

I think that's well light, unless Sonny just wants to be there.

Pillow Contract Winners

10:05

Your Flaherty answer got me wondering: who else do you have on the list for a multi-year offer who has some chance of taking a one year pillow deal?

Tim Dierkes

10:06

Teoscar comes to mind. I could say Matt Chapman, but I'm pretty sure he has the juice to make it a two-year with an opt-out.

Mania

10:06

You see the Marlins making a push for Tim Anderson?

Tim Dierkes

10:07

That was my pick but it's really just a guess. Not everyone will want to play him at SS but with Wendle/Berti they don't have much going on there.

Royals

10:08

I’m hoping your Lourdes Gurriel prediction comes true but the flaherty one not so much. If not him who could you see the royals targeting to add to the rotation. Maybe Lugo?

Tim Dierkes

10:09

The Royals have really light commitments so if they boost payroll back up toward prior highs they could be a sneaky bidder on some guys. Certainly Lugo and if they wanna get really sneaky, someone like Imanaga.

Norman Nounface

10:09

What Would you classify as “top of the rotation” pitcher? Jordan Montgomery up? Blake Snell up?

Tim Dierkes

10:09

I feel like the Game 1 type guys are probably just Yamamoto and Snell, not that you'd feel bad plugging in Monty or Nola there.

Jeff

10:09

The Nats are not ready to contend but definitely need a power bat. Any chance they make a Jayson Werth like signing or trade to build on for the hopeful contention in 2025?

Tim Dierkes

10:11

I think for players in their 20s (to be fair, Werth was 32) such a signing makes some sense for the Nats. The quality of the available FA does not always match up with a team's projected contention window, so if they love Yamamoto there is logic in getting in there now.

bmcferren

10:11

Anything to a Eduardo Rodriguez / Ben Cherington Boston connection? If the money is there, is Pittsburgh any less midwest than Detroit for ERod´s geographic preferences?

Tim Dierkes

10:12

Interesting idea. History says no: I don't think the Pirates have ever paid a FA more than Liriano's $13MM/year, and that was nine years ago, and outside of that they have not even paid a guy $9MM.

10:13

Outside of ownership not wanting to, is there a strong baseball reason to not pursue this? No, it makes enough sense.

Marlin Fan

10:13

Why doesn't anyone see the Marlins re-signing Soler? I heard they want him back and he was great for them

Tim Dierkes

10:13

I think it's reasonable enough.

Baseball fans smh

10:13

How annoying is it to put in countless hours of research into this list only to have many fans get mad at you for not crafting it to fit their personal hopes for their team?

Tim Dierkes

10:15

Haha. I generally have a roller coaster of emotions. Relief and pride to get it out there. Excitement/amusement to debate with people. Fear of people thinking something on there is really stupid. And then the final stage of FA list-making is acceptance. Hey, we tried really hard, we put 50 predictions out there on Nov 6, a bunch will be wrong, let the offseason begin.

Angels1961

10:15

Any chance halos get one of top starting FA pitchers?

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