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Chat With MLBTR's Anthony Franco: 11/11/21
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Big John
3:20
What are the odds that Aaron Hicks gets moved?
Anthony Franco
3:21
Can't see that happening this year. No one's going to want to take on what remains on the deal coming off an injury-wrecked season
3:22
And more to the point, the alternatives in center aren't great. Maybe Reynolds, Cedric Mullins or Ketel Marte become available, but I don't think that's a slam dunk on any of them. (Same with Buxton).
And at that point, the only free agent center fielder available who's better than Hicks is Starling Marte, who'll be in really high demand
Kris Bryant
3:22
I am playing for the _____ in 2022?
Anthony Franco
3:22
I'm guessing the Mets
Doug
3:22
who Does Kimbrel get traded for?
Anthony Franco
3:23
Steve's been pushing the idea of a Kimbrel/Kevin Kiermaier swap since the initial reports about the Sox trying to trade him broke. He's sold me on that, I love it
Tony
3:23
Will the D-backs makes good signings for 2022?
Anthony Franco
3:24
I don't think they'll go big on anyone, but it sounds like they're going to try to get better, yeah. Broadly speaking, I still have a lot of faith in that front office to turn things around there
Maybe I've got blinders on because I actually thought the team was pretty good coming into 2021 and they turned out to be awful, but I still like the core they've got there
Ben
3:25
Would a’s trade Laureano now or wait until suspension is over? What kind of return would they get?
Anthony Franco
3:26
I kind of think they have to wait until the suspension's over, since it's not entirely clear to me whether the suspension's going to add an extra year of arbitration
Suspended players don't receive service time, and Laureano's suspension seemed like it might leave him short of qualifying for free agency after 2024 as originally scheduled by a day or two
3:27
We looked into this at the time and never got a confirmed answer one way or another, but if that's a possibility, then it's really hard to trade him right now
Didi
3:27
Gregorius to the Cubs for a song? Feels like a fit
Anthony Franco
3:28
The Cubs aren't going to want Gregorius, but if Philly attaches a prospect, maybe Chicago takes on some of the money
Broadly speaking, the Cubs should have the flexibility to take on that kind of "underwater contract to buy a prospect" deal, as the Giants did with Zack Mozart/Will Wilson a couple years ago
Mets
3:29
This needs to be put out here how stupid it would be to sign a player with a qo attached this offseason because of the fact that it would cost us the 14th overall pick this year.
Anthony Franco
3:30
I wouldn't rule it out entirely. If you're talking about Corey Seager to play third base (as an extreme example that's not actually happening), then you give up the draft pick
But yeah, I don't think the Mets should give up the 14th pick for a mid-tier qualified free agent like Raisel Iglesias. It's why I like the Bryant fit there a lot
Braves
3:31
Duvall Pache and ???? is opening day OF?
Anthony Franco
3:31
I expect they bring Rosario back
Chris Young
3:31
How much of my 100 Mil do I get to spend?
Anthony Franco
3:32
I don't think the Rangers actually spend $100M this winter, but I think they sign two big-ticket free agents and adding, say, $55M to the books in 2022 with the ability to spend more next offseason
Guardians of the Galaxies
3:32
Where is JRam playing in April?
Anthony Franco
3:33
I think they'll listen on Ramírez but ultimately hang on to him. If they shop him more aggressively than I expect, then the Jays, Giants and Yankees stand out as great fits
3:34
Mariners on paper too, but president Jerry Dipoto said this week there's no chance they're trading any of their top prospects this winter
J-Ram, needless to say, would require doing so
Bellinger
3:34
What's my trade value like rn?
Anthony Franco
3:35
Pretty slim. Bellinger's 2021 season was so incredibly bad that I can't see anyone giving up much of anything to add him at $16+ MM next season
On any other team, I think Bellinger's a strong non-tender candidate
3:36
But the Dodgers spend more than anyone else, and they're also willing to take risks on flawed but very talented players. So I ultimately expect him to just return to L.A.
Dan
3:36
Do you think the White Sox will prioritize a 2nd baseman over a starting pitcher this off-season
Anthony Franco
3:37
I expect them to add both but not spend a whole lot on either. I picked them as my landing spot for Jonathan Villar, maybe they just bring Leury García back, something like that
3:38
Not giving Rodón a QO isn't exactly a sign they're prepared to splurge this winter. (In their defense, their 2022 payroll is already well above where it was this past season)
ATL Fan
3:38
Someone said Verlander to Braves....could this realistically happen?
Anthony Franco
3:38
Well that was me, so I think so haha
3:39
Atlanta loves short-term, high-AAV deals for star players, which is what Verlander's looking at given his age. They're obviously contenders, so I'm sure he'd consider it
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