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Front Office Chat: 1/3/25
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Anthony Franco
3:00
Hey everyone, hope you all had a good New Year! Looking forward to another of these, let's get going
Walterj23
3:00
What would it cost the Cubs to extend Kyle Tucker before he hits free agency ?
Anthony Franco
3:03
I'd guess it takes at least $425-450MM, probably with an opt-out or two in there, to make him think about it. 450 over 11 would allow him to beat $40MM annually and pay him through age-38
Angels fan
3:03
Will we get Alonzo and arenado
Anthony Franco
3:03
I don't really get the Alonso tie there. Moving Schanuel to LF doesn't make much sense to me
3:04
I think Arenado's a better fit. Seattle makes the most sense to me but the Angels could be easier to work with if they're just willing to take two-thirds of the money off the Cards' hands
Bohmmm
3:05
who could the Jays send to the Phillies for Bohm?
Anthony Franco
3:05
I don't expect Bohm to move. Philly was basically shopping him for an elite closer or a notable rotation upgrade. Then they got Luzardo instead
3:06
Maybe they'd still be open to dealing him for an impact reliever, but I don't think they'd get that (nor do the Jays have that to offer)
Dan S.
3:06
Assuming Dylan Cease has a typical year (let’s say 180 IP, 3.5-3.75 ERA), what kind of contract is he looking at next year? Will he reach $200M+ like Burnes and Fried?
Anthony Franco
3:08
Yeah I think he'd beat them. He'll be a year younger than Fried was and misses more bats. Not quite the same level of consistency but a typical platform year means he's coming off two straight really good seasons with a strikeout rate pushing 30%
Feels like they'd go out looking for Strasburg money. Not sure they'd get all the way to 245, but I'd take over Fried's 218
Bx. Bruce
3:09
Hi Anthony. Which pitcher do you like between Pfaadt and Harrison? What are your expectations for Ray and Weathers this coming season ?
Anthony Franco
3:10
I'd take Pfaadt over Harrison. Think Ray can be a solid 3/4 guy if he stays healthy. Need to see more than a half-season from Ryan Weathers before I consider him more than a back-of-the-rotation type
Sad fan
3:11
Wow the Padres have done nothing in the offseason and there’s talk of trading Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez. Also it looks like Profar may be gone and they loss Tanner Scott and Kyle Higashioka. With San Francisco and Arizona getting better could the Padres end up in 4th place?
Anthony Franco
3:11
I'd have them above the Giants still. Even if they do trade Cease, it'd be a deal that nets them cheaper rotation help
3:12
Agree they're below the Diamondbacks right now but they'll find a way to do something in the rotation to at least pull a little closer to AZ
Omario
3:12
If possible, 2 moves to improve the Angels to at least  be in the race?
Anthony Franco
3:14
I've been trying to kick around ways for the Angels to realistically get to Wild Card contention and I just can't see it. If you gave me two moves and like $35-40MM in payroll room, I'd trade for Arenado and sign Scherzer
Don't think that gets them there but it's a little better. Just think there's too many holes there to hang in it for 162 though
The GM
3:15
and the Angels would still be in last place.
Anthony Franco
3:15
Ha, I think they'd be above the A's in that case
Kristian Campbell
3:15
Do I start the year in Boston or in Worcester?
Anthony Franco
3:16
Admittedly a cop out to say it depends on what they do for the rest of the offseason, but right now, I think the path is there for him to take the second base job in Spring Training
3:18
Limited Triple-A experience but you also kind of know what you've got with David Hamilton, who's a nice utility player but shouldn't be a regular. If Campbell looks great in March, I'd be inclined to give him a shot. If he struggles for three weeks, you can send him to Worcester for an extended stretch there
Impatient Reds fan
3:19
Who would be your pick for a sneaky good outfield signing?  Someone that wouldn't cost more than 10 mil but will probably outperform their contract?  I'd say Austin Hays. Who would be your pick?
Anthony Franco
3:20
Yeah, I'd probably take Hays or Laureano out of the $5MM type rebound outfielders
The Real DJ
3:20
It seems inherebtly contradictory that the Astros traded Tucker and not Valdez.  What is the overall strategy that could explain that?
Anthony Franco
3:21
I don't know that it's part of a grand plan so much as they just liked the value that the Cubs were willing to give up for Tucker. They're trying to thread the needle of remaining competitive this year while starting to build the system so they don't fall off a cliff in 2027
3:22
Could be as simple as them not getting an offer  they felt would achieve that on Framber
Jose Uribe's Backhand
3:22
With the price of SP is there any positive value in Robbie Ray's 2 year, $50MM deal? And would it hold any appeal to Toronto for a return to his Cy Young location?
Anthony Franco
3:24
I think it's still like $15-20MM underwater. I'd have Ray in the Montas/Matt Boyd tier -- two years at roughly $30-35MM
3:25
Reasonable buy-low target for the Jays if the Giants are willing to kick in some money, but I don't see a ton of upside for SF in moving him. They haven't done anything to address a rotation that already lost Snell and they
Sorry
3:26
They haven't done anything to fix the rotation and they're running low on free agents to whom they could reallocate the Ray savings
Joseph G.
3:26
What's a realistic overpay for Alcantara (obviously paying the price for him at form, or otherwise they'd just wait). Would a top 20 prospect, plus two other top 100 types, and a compensation pick be a fair offer (ignoring FO preferential valuations)?
Anthony Franco
3:27
Yeah I think if Miami got three Top 100 prospects they'd jump on it immediately. Can't see anyone giving that up
David Dombrowski
3:27
Hamstrung by my own lucrative contracts? Wait a year?
Anthony Franco
3:28
Guess you could argue the Phils are hamstrung in the sense that they don't have a ton of flexibility, but they're returning almost every key piece of a team that won 95 games and just added Luzardo. There are worse places to be
Ben Cherrington
3:28
I see the Bosox with an emptiness at 2B.  I'll bet they wish they had Nick Yorke back!
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