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Front Office Chat: 10/18/24
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Anthony Franco
3:34
There's also just a selection bias in the types of players that teams are willing to put behind the plate. You need to be able to work well with pitchers, move laterally, throw, frame. It's not easy to find guys who can do all that stuff, so a lot of teams are willing to live with a complete lack of offense in a way they just never would at another position
If Austin Hedges played first base, he wouldn't have made it past Double-A but he's a 10-year big leaguer because of the glove
Bravesfan82
3:35
If you had to guess at one huge, blockbuster trade happening this offseason, who would that include. I know they don't happen every year, but it's always fun when one does.
Anthony Franco
3:36
Crochet's the best player who I consider more likely than not to move. Assuming you want something more out there, so maybe some kind of package deal involving Sonny Gray and either Arenado or Contreras?
3:37
The likelier outcome is that the Cards guys get traded individually, but if the Dodgers managed to orchestrate something to get Gray and Arenado in one swoop, would you be that surprised?
Hit Bull Win Steak
3:37
Hi Anthony, The Rays’ stadium situation is a potential nightmare. If the combination of insurance + MLB(?) + public money doesn’t justify repairing the Trop, will the team be homeless or not in Tampa for the next three years? The club is cash-poor anyway. How might a lengthy squatter situation affect their ability to compete?
Anthony Franco
3:39
Even the Rays can't answer this one yet. If they can get the Trop fixed within a couple months, my guess is they'd play in one of the spring complexes in Florida early in the season
3:40
I really have no idea what they'd do if they need to find somewhere else for three full seasons. Maybe ST facilities for 2025 and then a move to Durham for '26-'27?
Drew
3:40
I don't even know man.... I know I've been spoiled as a Cardinals fan for my whole life but, especially with the playoffs this year, it just feel like "what's the point?" if the Dodgers are gonna Dodger.  I get why all the other major leagues try so hard for parity now.
Anthony Franco
3:42
They've "only" got one World Series of the Friedman/Roberts era. It's certainly not a guarantee that they'll win it this season. The Chiefs have won three of the past five Super Bowls. The Warriors won four NBA titles between 2015 and '22
3:44
I get why you're sick of the Dodgers as a fan outside L.A., but MLB's playoff volatility is a hedge against high-payroll teams going on dynastic runs all the time. In that sense, playoff randomness is a feature, although I get the argument that it's a bug when an Arizona team that got outscored by 25 runs plays for the World Series in 2023
Lima time
3:44
Feels like Bregman is going to be the Tigers' plan A, B, and C this offseason. What other teams do you think they might be competing with to sign him, other than Houston?
Anthony Franco
3:46
Astros will give it a shot, though it probably requires a hometown discount. Yankees make a lot of sense if the front office doesn't care about the rivalry/sign-stealing stuff anymore. Nats and Angels could try to jump in there. Jays make some sense
3:47
Seattle should go after him but probably won't
Bob T
3:47
Anthony, how in the world does Arte Moreno think that the Angels can compete in 2025? He talks about signing free agents and making trades to bolster the roster. This is the completely wrong approach for a last place team. It was his impulsive signing of Rendon that has really impeded the overall progress of the franchise. I can’t imagine any free agents having interest in signing with such a poorly run franchise. Instead of spending 50+ million on player acquisitions he should take that money and spend it on scouting snd development.
I hope he is enjoying watching the greatest player in history playing for the team 30 miles to the north. He had several years to lock up a deal with Ohtani, but he never even approached the subject. I only hope he decides to explore a sale of the franchise again and this time follow through on Zit.
Anthony Franco
3:47
I have no idea really. Some owners are just fatally optimistic/shortsighted
3:48
I don't know if Moreno even truly believes they can turn things around or if he's just trying to sell that to drum up fan interest. In either case, not optimistic about how the offseason will go
3:50
Believing you'll make the 2023-24 Royals jump when like 98% of teams as bad as the '23 Royals do not instantly become playoff teams is not a plan
3:51
And even last year's Royals at least had an MVP-caliber talent on the verge of his prime (Witt) and a pitcher who had flashed ace potential in a tiny sample (Ragans). The Angels have neither of those things
818 Pitching Guru
3:51
Are the Giants your pick to sign Adames? If so, why? They seem like they will go for HSK, especially after Posey+Boras hammered out the Chapman extension and brought in Snell last year.
Anthony Franco
3:51
They're my Adames pick by default basically. HSK is totally plausible, just riskier coming off shoulder surgery
Craig Breslow
3:52
Who are my starting 5 going into next season? Does Lucas Giolito convince me to sign Max Fried? What would that deal look like? Who are other front end starts I should consider?
Anthony Franco
3:53
Any of the top starters make sense really. Haven’t seen ownership’s commitment recently enough for me to project Burnes or Snell there, but they’re the Red Sox so they certainly could do it. I’d be surprised if they don’t get someone at least as good as Flaherty to join Bello, Giolito, Houck and a couple players from the Criswell, Crawford, Fitts group.
Olereb
3:53
It seems as though all of my Braves people think the Braves should upgrade at SS. I think we should keep Arcia at SS and spend the money somewhere else. He is above average defensively and in 23 made the All Star Team, yes last year was below average defensively, but for what he is being paid, I think the smart thing to do is play him in 25 and if he is terrible offensively upgrade at the deadline. What say you?
Wandering Chief
3:53
What would it take for the Braves to get Nico Hoerner?
Anthony Franco
3:54
Certainly wouldn’t let Arcia stand in the way of upgrading at SS but the supply’s pretty limited, so it’s fair to say that you wouldn’t want to meet the ask on Adames and Arcia’s better than going with Kevin Newman or Jose Iglesias
3:56
Hoerner makes sense. Could probably play a solid shortstop. 2/23.5 left on the contract. I'm not convinced the Cubs move him -- still feel like they might value the profile more than other teams do -- but Tim and especially Darragh think this'll be the move to juggle their lineup
3:58
Skeptical the Braves would do Smith-Shawver or Waldrep but Alvarez could work as a headliner. Maybe Drake Baldwin if the Cubs aren't sold on Amaya or Ballesteros as long-term answers behind the plate
3:59
An upper minors prospect who's a borderline top 100 talent feels about right as a headliner
Black Pearl
3:59
Shelton survived this offseason. Does he walk the plank next year if the Bucs miss the playoffs? Also heard that Reynolds was taking ground balls at 1B before games at the end of the season. Any verifiable  rumblings on a position switch? Would love to see him at 1B and sign a LF like Tyler O’Neil
Anthony Franco
4:00
Reynolds was taking 1B reps pregame down the stretch. Shelton kind of downplayed the significance. I assume he’ll get some game action there but I don’t expect them to make him an everyday first baseman. Could still fit TON in there by playing one of them in right field and ending the BDLC experiment though
walterj23
4:00
Do you think there is any possibility the cubs trade Bellinger when he opts in for next year ?
Anthony Franco
4:01
Yes it'd be tricky but not impossible. If they pay down a third of the money, he could fit for someone like Seattle or SF
Rangers13
4:01
Two potential trade questions: Rangers need a couple of hitters that can do well against LHP, Phillies need an upgrade in the OF, would a trade of Garcia to Phillies for Castellanos and 10 million dollars make since for both sides? 2nd proposal what would St.Louis want for Romero and Helsley?
Kevin
4:01
should Texas put Leiter in the bullpen and Rocker in the rotation?
Anthony Franco
4:03
I'd rather hope for an Adolis rebound than take on the extra year on the Castellanos deal. Helsley + Romero would cost a ton. Helsley alone should get a top five prospect in the Texas system
I would 'pen Leiter, yes. Don't think the command is consistent enough to hold up as a starter. Rocker's a starter and probably a really good one
Duffy
4:03
For the last few years, there has been talk about how the current playoff format is a disadvantage to the best teams, with teams with byes failing to make it to the LCSs, due to those teams getting time off and with that messing up their rhythm and flow. This year, that theory was quashed. Do you think this is good teams learning how to handle the extra time off. or more that this year's best teams are that much better than the rest?

Also, how do you feel about the prospect of a NYY vs LAD World Series? It sure feels like we're headed towards that. Personally, I do love to see more of a David vs Goliath World Series, but the prospect of some of the best players on the planet playing each other? Seems to good to pass up.
Anthony Franco
4:06
I think the higher seeds losing was a small sample quirk that was too quickly explained by the idea that the byes were actually a disadvantage. Certainly didn't seem like teams actually believed that to be true -- even though some players and coaches complained about it -- because no one tried to tank the #2 seed so they could finish with a wild card or land in third in the league
4:07
I'd find any of the remaining possibilities for the Series fun. Yankees/Dodgers with a bunch of superstars is theater. So is Dodgers versus a Guardians team with a patchwork rotation and few household names beyond Jose Ramirez
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