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Front Office Chat: 1/19/24
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John B
2:26
What do you think of Zaidi's proposal for a FA deadline for multi-year contracts?
Anthony Franco
2:27
Players union would never go for it. They'll consider it too much of a squeeze on the players' market freedom, fear that teams wait out all the mid-tier guys until right up against the deadline
2:28
I do think it'd make the offseason more entertaining for most fans. Deadlines spur action, but that's obviously not the MLBPA's concern
Frank
2:28
Will the Diamond Sports situation make it necessary to utilize more than 1 streaming service to view out of market games?
Anthony Franco
2:28
No, MLB's going to keep the bulk of the out-of-market streaming on MLB.tv
2:29
They'll probably continuing selling isolated games to Apple, Amazon, etc. like the NFL has done and as MLB did with the Sunday morning one last year
But I think that'd have been the case regardless of whether Diamond collapsed because it's just an easy source of revenue for the league
Bob
2:29
lol why did the cardinals sign carpenter?
Anthony Franco
2:31
Doesn't cost them anything and they can cut bait quickly if he doesn't hit. He's obviously familiar with the front office and Marmol
Moderately surprised he got an MLB deal, and I admittedly chuckled when I saw the headline, but I don't mind it. As long as they're willing to move on quickly if he's not producing in his first 50-60 PA's, go for it
Hader
2:31
Realistically, Is anyone going to give him Diaz money?
Anthony Franco
2:32
I thought this was very likely at the beginning of the offseason. That it hasn't happened yet reduces my confidence in it, but I'd still take him to beat Díaz
Bruce
2:33
Regarding Langford, is there any way Rangers can bring him up late enough to get the extra year before free agency but early enough to get the extra pick if he wins ROY? Or is that exactly what the new rules make impossible?
Anthony Franco
2:34
Nope, the new rule closes that for anyone who meets the top prospect criteria (which Langford obviously will). It works in the opposite direction, in fact
If they wait until after he wouldn't get a full year of service based on games played, they won't get the bonus pick if he wins ROY and he'd still gain the extra year of service. This happened with the Orioles and Rutschman a couple years ago
Jorge78
2:35
Do you read the comments occasionally out of boredom, curiosity, or is it a monitoring thing?
Anthony Franco
2:36
A little bit of all three. I've tried to scale back on reading the comments generally because they're not always particularly nice and it doesn't make my day any better, but I'll dip back in there on certain posts
2:37
And there are times when a reader will point out an error or raise a legitimate question about something in the post that I can clarify in the write-up, so those are helpful (particularly on the posts that will get more attention)
Robob
2:37
Is it reasonable for Alonso to expect record breaking money.  MLB Network ranked him behind Goldy, Olson, and Freeman.  Not sure that means anything but how would a power only, shaky defensive 1B out-earn those guys
Anthony Franco
2:39
I don't think he's getting Pujols or Miguel Cabrera money, certainly wouldn't expect him to threaten the all-time contract record
2:40
He'll beat Olson's $168MM -- that was probably a bit of a discount, free agency instead of an extension -- and should clear $200MM. I'd take the under on $250MM, although I don't doubt that Boras will start out aiming for over 300
Padre Jonathan
2:40
It is beyond comprehension the hole that MLB has put the Padres into. This will have lingering financial complications for years to come. I want to see MLB put Dodgers in a hole that they have to sell Betts or Freeman next year. Could you just imagine ... and yes, lets not pretend that this isn't entirely MLB's obligation to make the Padres whole considering they shoved the pen into SD's hands with the Diamond contract. But ... onto player acquisitions. The Padres do have a little money still to spend AND they have a top 5 farm system. Is their inaction and 5 missing players a sign that SD might in fact be doing a one year tank? In the years we've all known Preller, this inaction is out of sorts. And it can't just be waiting on money.
Anthony Franco
2:41
I don't think they're going into the season content with a one-year retool. I'm not sure the front office could even afford that at this point
2:44
It's uncharacteristic for Preller to have an offseason this quiet but he can't be super comfortable if the team finishes fourth in the NL West this year or something. They've still got multiple areas to address (starter, at least one outfielder, probably a bench bat or two) and limited financial space, probably just waiting to pounce on players whose markets fall through in February
Trades
2:44
How late into the off-season do you think we’ll see trades of players who have seemingly been on the block (or at least their teams were willing to listen) most of the winter? Players like India, Polanco, Farmer, Adames,  Burnes, Cease, Cabrera, etc.
Anthony Franco
2:45
I still expect some movement on one of the Twins guys (probably Farmer) but the longer it goes, the less likely it is we see the players you mentioned moved
2:46
The rationale for trading most of those players (not Cease or the Marlins starters) is that you're clearing up some payroll capacity for other needs in free agency. If you wait for all the free agents to sign, it defeats the purpose
Bruce
2:46
Any signs of a market developing for Domingo German  or if he is even in a position to return to mlb at the beginning of this season?
Anthony Franco
2:46
Haven't seen anything on his status
BudT707
2:46
With the addition of Hicks what do you think of including the Giants closer Doval in a trade package for a SP (eg Cease) or a SS like Kim in San Diego.
Anthony Franco
2:48
Doval's not going to move the needle much on Cease. A rebuilding team doesn't need to trade for a closer. I wouldn't give him up for one year of Kim if I were SF
2:49
I don't think Hicks makes it more likely Doval gets traded generally. They're going to give Hicks a shot to start and even if he can't, there's nothing wrong with having two really good back-end relievers to shorten games
Renee
2:49
Any thoughts on what the D-backs will do with the DH position?
Anthony Franco
2:49
Outside acquisition. Justin Turner, Brandon Belt, someone like that
Anthony F
2:50
Mr. Franco, who will the Jays be trading away from the infield? They have way to many players!
Anthony Franco
2:50
I was surprised they tendered Espinal a contract at all. Could still see him being moved for a marginal return to someone like the Giants or Marlins
MC
2:51
Do you think the Astros will end up signing Hader, and if yes what do you think happens to Pressly
Bob G
2:51
Thank you for coming on, if you were Dana Brown would you sign Josh Hader?
Anthony Franco
2:52
I'd like it more if they did a high-AAV deal over say, three years, than going five or six to set the overall contract record. I don't know if Hader would be willing to take that or if Jim Crane's even content putting that on the table
2:53
He's a good finishing touch to a win-now roster, so I get it, but they've got a decent chunk of future money committed and ostensibly still want to sign some of their players to extensions
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