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Front Office Chat: 2/28/25
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Anthony Franco
3:00
Hey all, hope you're well!
3:01
Going to keep this one right around an hour, let's get rolling
Youkilyptus
3:02
How’s this for a solution to the Red Sox’s infield problems: Bregman plays shortstop.
Anthony Franco
3:03
You could convince me he's a better shortstop than Story but even in that case, I assume Boston would want Story playing second rather than benching him
I'd just put Bregman at second and bounce Campbell around for a year
Big Al
3:03
The Dodgers finish first but who finishes second? Is the better team Arizona or San Diego?
Anthony Franco
3:04
I'll take Arizona but it's super close, wouldn't argue if you went the other way
David
3:04
Hi there.  Thanks for your site and podcast, as a Metsfan this has been an enjoyable offseason.  My question is, if there were one possible move my team could make between now and the beginning of the season, what would it be?
Anthony Franco
3:06
I think we've hit the point where there's probably no big pre-Opening Day move. Feel like a trade for a top-of-the-rotation starter is still the push  they need, but I don't see any of those guys as strong trade candidates this spring. Mets should be in on Cease, King, Gallen, Framber, etc. at the deadline if their current teams fall out of contention
Pads Fan
3:06
There's been much talk about Suarez's availability to clear salary for a bat. What are the chances of off-loading Matsui ($5.5 mil) or Peralta ($4.125 mil) to make room for a JD Martinez, Verdugo or Yashida (with Bos paying most of this year's salary and some of the next two)?
Anthony Franco
3:07
Not seeing the appeal for Boston in paying Yoshida down that far just to dump him for no return. He's not worth the contract but he's not a terrible player
3:10
I'd prefer JDM over Verdugo for San Diego, agree they're probably in the Peralta/Matsui salary range at this point. Neither of those is a good contract -- especially with the weird opt-outs involved -- but Matsui's solid. I think there are teams that would take him at $5.25MM this year if San Diego kicked in some kind of conditional cash for future seasons if he doesn't opt out
3:11
Doubt the Padres want to do that after one season of a five-year deal but they could probably make it work if they wanted to
Bob
3:11
If you were running the Phillies, would you try to sign JT? As long in the tooth as he may be, good catching is awfully hard to find.  If so, what terms?
Anthony Franco
3:14
Probably not on an extension. If he has another strong season, could try to bring him back in free agency. He's been a hell of a player but committing a year in advance for the age-35+ seasons on a catcher who has taken the kind of workload he has could go downhill really quickly
3:17
If he's willing to take like 2/25 just to stay, then sure, lock it in. But if he's looking for three years and/or $20MM+ annually (which seems likely based on what he's making now), I'd hold off
Sam
3:17
Hey Anthony, what are your projected AL Central standings by the end of the 2025 season?
Anthony Franco
3:18
My off the cuff order is Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, Kansas City, Chicago but I'll probably change that before Opening Day. Top four could really go in any order
thebeatlesshow
3:18
Hey, Anthony and thanks.  How many more Cy Youngs does Blake Snell need to win to get into the Hall...same thing with Luis Arraez.  How many more batting titles will he need to get in?
Anthony Franco
3:20
I don't think there's any chance on Arraez. Batting average is just way too devalued for that kind of support on a guy who's worth like 2-3 WAR annually. If he wins like 12 batting titles, maybe that changes, but he's nowhere close right now
3:22
Third Cy Young on Snell would get him some support -- most guys who have three get in -- but I think it'd take a fourth or a deGrom-like stretch of dominance in his mid-30s for him to feel like a lock given the innings concerns
Hotlanta
3:22
I know spring training stats worthless buuut Drake Baldwin hitting quite well and Sean Murphy finally figured out how to get on base,HBP
Anthony Franco
3:23
Haha yeah, put zero stock in these. Baldwin's interesting though
Alan
3:23
Chances Joe Kelly gets a minor league deal? If healthy I think he's still a good veteran to have around.
Anthony Franco
3:25
NRI feels right coming off the season he had. He's probably held out for a big league deal so far because I'm sure he's gotten a bunch of hits on minor league offers
Brandon Belt
3:25
Is there any news on me at all or do I look to be done playing for the time being
Anthony Franco
3:25
Haven't seen anything to suggest he's coming back
3:26
Market never developed the way he felt he deserved (probably rightfully so given the year he had in '23) and he'd be limited to minor league offers after sitting out a year now
Steve
3:26
Do you feel that the Mariners could make a significant trade using there strong, minor leg players I think they need a strong, second baseman or third baseman
Anthony Franco
3:27
Maybe at the deadline. They tried to leverage the farm system for hitting talent all offseason and didn't find anything to their liking. With 27 teams feeling like they have a shot to compete, it's tough to pull off a prospects for impact talent trade
3:28
It'll become clearer by the deadline that at least another 5-8 teams have little to no chance of making the playoffs, so there'll be more trade movement then
Angels fan
3:28
are going into the season with  Adell and Moniak or is there another move coming
Paul
3:28
Do you see the Angels making another move with starting pitchers or will they stay put
Anthony Franco
3:30
Might as well stick with Adell/Moniak at this point. That's really underwhelming though. Probably need to hope that Rengifo takes to CF well so they can get something out of that position once Christian Moore takes second base
3:31
Rotation? Sure, I suppose they could throw $6MM at Kyle Gibson or something. They've got a lot of younger guys they're going to need to get looks at some point though. Makes it really weird that they jumped to add Kyle Hendricks at the first possible second
Pinch Hitter
3:32
How likely is it that the next CBA will include, or at least agree upon, an international draft?
Anthony Franco
3:32
I would guess it will but I also figured the PA would cave on that in 2022, so take that with a grain of salt haha
Gerrit Cole
3:33
Are people writing Cole off too soon this year? I understand that he wasn't himself after injury last year and that he's getting older, but he was constantly a top 5 arm for half a decade. He's had a full regular off season to get his slider back, can he still be the guy he was pre-injury?
Anthony Franco
3:35
I don't think we're talking best pitcher in baseball anymore -- velocity and whiffs started to trend slightly down in '23 -- but in the top 10, sure. Still think he's a true ace
Robert from SC
3:35
Could Spencer Schwellenbach finish in the top 10 in Cy Young voting this season?
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