Front Office Chat: 10/9/26
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Anthony Franco
5:01
Good evening, hope all is well!
5:02
Sorry about the different start time, trying to get numbers down for the free agents on the Top 50
Let's get rolling
Jordan
5:02
Is Chris Bassitt's Toronto contract a decent comp for what Tyler Mahle might look for?
Anthony Franco
5:03
$63M is ambitious for two good months -- we're not that far removed from him getting traded for Anthony Molina when he was making $10MM -- but I imagine they'll go out looking for a three-year deal not too far below this
5:04
I'm skeptical it'll be there but he's got more support from the other MLBTR staff (especially Darragh) based on the finish with the heavier splitter usage
BrewCrewzing
5:05
Will the world series participants impact the CBA?  (I think 4 out of the 5 left would be considered small market?)
Optimistic Giants Fan
5:05
While I doubt it will actually change much about the negotiations privately, if the Dodgers win the WS, do you think the league will use their threepeat as public marketing to push for a salary cap with fans?
Boom!
5:05
4 of the 5 teams remaining are small market teams (and then there’s the Dodgers). Do you see this as some kind of seismic shift where youth movements and developing good farm systems is now more important than spending in free agency?
Anthony Franco
5:06
I don't think it ultimately matters much in negotiations. Talking point, sure. If the Dodgers win, it's a public point of emphasis for MLB. If anyone else wins, the PA will use it to argue that payroll doesn't equal playoff success
5:07
It's all kind of disingenuous messaging. Both sides recognize that making sweeping conclusions off 3-5 game samples is silly and recognize the truth is somewhere in the middle
5:08
Boom!'s question is a little bit different and I think there's some truth to what you're suggesting but I wouldn't say seismic shift
5:09
More so the continuation of what most teams have realized that FA spending beyond the superstars tends to be pretty inefficient so if you're not going to play for the top handful of players available, you really need to be good at player development rather than trying to fix everything in the middle tiers of free agency
5:10
But that's more a hope than a strategy. Everyone would love to develop a World Series core internally. Most teams don't and need to supplement with mid-tier free agents who have a lower success rate on average
Morgan
5:10
Which guy will have return to MVP form in 2027, Julio Rodriguez or Ronald Acuna Jr?
Anthony Franco
5:11
I think they'll both be fine but Julio's younger and doesn't have the history of lower half injuries that Acuña does, so I've got a little more faith in Rodriguez to recapture an MVP ceiling
Bob
5:11
How do the white Sox move forward from leading the AL in runs?  Major investment in FA pitchers or Trades or development from within.
Anthony Franco
5:13
Not trying to give you a cop out answer but it's probably all three. Books are open enough that they can make a run at a playoff-caliber FA (e.g. Trevor Rogers or Freddy Peralta) while leveraging the middle infield talent in the farm system to see what controllable starters come available on the trade front
5:14
There's a little less internally coming up the system but they should stretch Grant Taylor out at some point (hopefully Hagen Smith can step into the multi-inning relief weapon role) and have more development time with Noah Schultz
Coping Braves fan
5:14
what moves do you think Braves make in the offseason from a roster standpoint?
Guest
5:15
Do you see the Braves moving some of their core players this offseason?
MrBill
5:15
The Atlanta offense dwindled noticeably after the all star break and collapsed  in the playoffs while their supposed weakness,starting pitching ,held up all season.Besides a new hitting coach  what do they need to do?
Anthony Franco
5:16
Tough spot because a lot of the guys they'd want to move are on not great deals (Profar, Murphy, Riley) and they don't have anyone knocking the door down
5:18
I assume they'll be motivated to bring Dubón back. Could deal Albies and pay down some of the Murphy deal and sign a better part-time catcher/DH (e.g Tyler Stephenson)
5:19
But a other of the offense is kind of locked in and they're just going to need better out of Ronald, Riley, etc.
Alan53
5:19
Why are people calling the White Sox a "small market team." They might spend like one, but they are the CHICAGO White Sox.
Anthony Franco
5:20
Fair point. Low payroll obviously, clearly not small market
Bring back the Expos
5:20
Do you think the playoff proposal that will be on the table is better than the current format? It seems like ever since the Wild card round was introduced, it’s just never been done right…
Commander McBragg
5:20
What do you think of the MLB Owners proposal to cut the number of games each season from 162 to 154?
Anthony Franco
5:20
Yeah I loved everything in MLB's scheduling proposal
5:21
Again, they're all completely useless at this point because they're not within the same economic framework. Every league proposal is conditional on cap/floor, every union one is not
They're just talking past one another
5:22
But I'd be fully on board with dropping to 154, expanded Division Series, and letting teams pick opponents. At the very least, I hate that the current format doesn't reseed
Cowboy Up!
5:22
What do the Red Sox actually have to do to take that next step? Is that biggest thing just Anthony staying on the field, and players like Rafaela, Tolle, and Abreu moving closer to superstardom? Or is there a move or move(s) they can make that will really move the needle?
Anthony Franco
5:24
Yeah I think they're pretty close. Didn't look like it in that series, obviously, but they're taking one of the better rosters into the offseason -- health from Anthony and Mead, likely Franklin Arias debut in '27
Hopefully healthy season from Crochet
5:25
Starting pitching is in pretty good shape even if they lose Gray. Move on from Duran to open more LF playing time for Anthony and look for one more bat to build it out
5:26
Any of Arozarena, Suzuki, Lowe, Marte trade (with Mead moving mostly DH/utility infield) make sense
Dave Dombrowski
5:26
If my boss authorizes "stupid money" will I be able to successfully outbid the Dodgers and other teams for Teruaki Sato?
Anthony Franco
5:27
I have no idea if he has any geographic preferences but I don't see why the Phillies wouldn't be involved there. Opening at 3B and the Dodgers still don't really make sense for the same reasons they didn't pursue Murakami
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