JotCast | Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 10/29/24

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Ben Krett

4:35

Juan Soto, Juan Soto, Juan Soto! Now that I finally have your attention, who plays first for the Bucs next year?

Darragh McDonald

4:35

I've got a million questions about the Bucs and first base and the answer is obviously Carlos Santana.

Jim

4:35

MLB and FOX got the World Series they want with its two biggest teams and two biggest stars playing. But ratings are still less than 20M. What does it say about baseball's stature that it struggles against a Monday Night Football game?

Darragh McDonald

4:36

Football always beats baseball when you compare games one-to-one.

A football team only plays, what, 17 games a year? A baseball team plays 162.

People love to say "baseball is dying because more people watched this one football game than this one baseball game."

4:37

But there are still millions of people who want to spend their entire summers watching baseball, night in and night out. It's just a different product.

BhamBrave

4:37

If Morton resigns with the Braves, how much? $10M? $15M?

Make up your mind

4:38

Dodgers lose in the postseason: "proof that you can't buy a championship." Dodgers win in the postseason: "This is outrageous. Who allowed this????"

Darragh McDonald

4:38

Oops.

To the Morton thing, in that range, sure.

To the Dodgers thing: exactly. People are always mad.

Cute Lady

4:39

Presumably we have two expansion teams relatively soon, based on what Manfred has said. That would expand the number of players at the major level, many of whom would, by definition, be in the minors otherwise in a 30-team league. Do you think expanding the player pool would have a meaningful impact on the quality of the game, statistically or casually?

Darragh McDonald

4:39

It wouldn't be a huge difference, no. The player pool is usually 780 at any given time. (26 x 30)

4:40

You add a couple of other teams and it gets to 832.

Is the 832nd best player in the world a significant drop-off from the 780th? I don't think so.

4:41

In fact, I think it would be exciting since there are always players who could flourish with the right opportunity but never get it.

Maybe Erick Fedde's breakout could have happened in MLB instead of overseas if there were a couple of other teams, for instance.

Santo HOF

4:41

If the average home-plate umpire getting 92ish% of balls and strikes correct and the average number of pitches a game being around 250 that means 20 pitches were called incorrectly. 28% of games in 2024 were 1 run games. Why would anyone in their right mind accept the challenge system where a max of 3 pitches per team could be challenged in a game. The fans and players deserve better.

Darragh McDonald

4:42

It seems there's a large number of players and fans who like pitch framing as a skill/art.

And the challenge system is also fun to watch play out, so there's an entertainment factor as well.

Adell

4:42

Any rumors about me being traded?

Darragh McDonald

4:42

Traded to Japan.

Anthony Rendon

4:43

Top 3 worst contract in the history of sports?

Darragh McDonald

4:43

I doubt it.

I don't know much about non-baseball sports but he's definitely not the worst in baseball history.

Even just looking at recent years, the Strasburg deal was far worse.

Curious A's Fan

4:44

Loving the idea about $150MM payroll over the next couple of years. Let's say that was true, and they were willing to spend that kind of money. Obviously it would mean bringing in a lot of players, but you'd still have to convince them to play in AAA ballpark. If $150MM was actually on the table, how are you spending it / who are the biggest stars you can convince to sign?

Darragh McDonald

4:44

Pitching would be the obvious place to do it since their rotation is pretty weak.

4:45

If they actually want to spend some money, they could get guys like Pivetta, Boyd, Nick Martinez, etc.

It would probably depend on who is still available when the new year rolls around, since no player will have the A's as their first choice.

Jed

4:46

Who's the biggest FA I sign this winter?

Darragh McDonald

4:46

I could see them getting one of the bigger starting pitchers. Burnes, Snell, Fried, Flaherty.

Degrominator

4:46

What’s the expectation for Jacob deGrom next year? Still dominant as ever?

Darragh McDonald

4:46

I guess.

He's always been good when healthy enough to pitch.

4:47

But it's been quite a while now.

I would love to see it but hard to expect it at this point.

Pitching North of the Border

4:47

Jays going to run back Berios, Gausman, Bassitt, Francis and Yaril Rodriguez as the starting 5 with Jake Bloss first up and Manoah coming back around ASG, or are they going outside the organization for an arm?

Darragh McDonald

4:48

I could see them getting another starter and having Yariel as a long man/first up when an injury occurs.

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