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Front Office Chat: 3/3/23
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john
4:26
Does the pitch clock appear to benefit the hitters or the pitchers so far?
Anthony Franco
4:27
Just from the anecdotal clips I've seen floating around Twitter, it looks like it's been a little more disruptive to hitters than pitchers
4:29
Wandy Peralta struck out Tucupita Marcano in an at-bat that lasted about 20 seconds over three pitches, which felt in part because Marcano was having a hard time not being able to step out of the box and reset
I'm confident guys will adjust to it pretty quickly and it'll just fade into the background while moving the game along
Dano
4:29
With Lux out and Rojas in, and all of the other offseason changes, do the Dodgers really have to be concerned about their offense at this point?
Anthony Franco
4:30
It's worse than it has been in the past few years but most other teams would love to have Mookie, Freeman, Muncy, Will Smith and J.D. Martinez as their top five
4:31
Miguel Vargas looks like he could hit the ground running
I don't think they'll lead the majors in runs like they did last year, but it's still a top five lineup
Astros
4:32
What are the Astros SP options after Brown. The team seems shallow there and after their starting nine hitters, even if they were healthy. RP is solid. Seattle has better than a punchers's chance to take the division? .
Anthony Franco
4:33
Yeah it's thin beyond the top five with McCullers hurt. J.P. France looks like the #6 option right now. Forrest Whitley's still around but not someone they can rely upon. Bryan García's an ok but unexciting non-roster invitee
4:34
I expect they'll bring in a Dylan Bundy type on a minor league deal at some point to just build out the depth a little further
Still consider them a pretty strong favorite in the AL West though. The bullpen's elite, front five in the rotation is really good, strong lineup 1-8 and they've proven they can live without much offense from catcher
4:36
They're maybe a little more vulnerable to injury than they've been in years past, which is a natural development considering their farm system has thinned out by the sign-stealing sanctions and generally late picks in the draft. But there's still a ton of high-end talent there, more than any other team in the division
Mike Dragotta
4:36
Do you think the marlins will be contenders?
Anthony Franco
4:37
No. I actually kind of like the roster on paper but it's hard for me to see a clear path to anything better than fourth in that division. If they were in either Central division, I'd buy them as more of a dark-horse playoff team
4:38
They don't have the lineup depth that Atlanta, Philly and the Mets do. Need big rebounds from Soler and García, Jazz to take well to center field immediately, maybe a breakout from one of Bryan De La Cruz or Jesús Sánchez. Just not enough certainty on offense for me
Clark
4:39
Dylan Dodd as a potential starter for the Braves in 2023?
Anthony Franco
4:39
Sure, seems like he could get a look as a strike-throwing option at the back end if injuries necessitate
Will is Westport
4:40
Are the Royals planning on using Michael Massey as their starting 2B?  DO you think that he will be a net positive or negative … IRL and/or in fantasy?
Anthony Franco
4:41
Yeah I think he's the starter. I like him as a roughly everyday second baseman. He's got a little more pull-side juice than you'd probably expect just based on the slight build. Solid defensive second baseman, fine if unexceptional contact skills
4:42
Feels like a guy who's more appealing in real life than he is for fantasy purposes though. Doesn't really have a standout tool, feels like a guy who could go .250/.315/.390 with 10-15 homers and a handful of steals
PaulK
4:43
With the rule changes, how much special training/practise, if any, did umpired get?
Anthony Franco
4:43
This is a good question. I don't know how they simulated this stuff for umpires
4:44
The shift limitations and pitch clock seem fairly straightforward with regards to enforcement, but stuff their desire to crack down on illegal pitching motions? I'm not sure. Does feel they had to do more than send them a memo though
Oodles of O's
4:44
Do you expect the O's to move some of their prospect-blocking, maybe-not-longterm regulars (like Mateo or Hays) this season? If so, when? And still for prospects?
Anthony Franco
4:45
I'm still holding out hope for Hays to break through and cement himself alongside the younger core. He's a fine player but it still feels like there's a little more in there
4:46
Mateo seems more expendable to me. I could see him moving at some point if Jordan Westburg's forcing a call-up. Don't think it'd be strictly for prospects though. More like a controllable reliever or upper minors starting pitcher who could help out this season or next
john
4:46
Was Toronto's defense very poor last year?  Or had they perhaps tired of Teoscar and Lourdes?
Anthony Franco
4:48
Public metrics mostly liked their team defense, but they finished 20th in turning batted balls into outs overall. I don't think they a disastrous defensive group but certainly one that could upgrade, particularly at the corner outfield spots
4:49
Getting more athletic out there definitely seemed like a priority. Guessing part of the reason was a desire to not have to rely on George Springer up the middle, which could be a little more physically taxing
4:50
By and large, though, I don't think they went into the offseason saying they had to move Teoscar and Gurriel so much as both guys were down to their final year before free agency and they weren't the type of profile the Jays wanted to extend. So when the opportunity came to move both in deals that netted them immediate help in other areas (bullpen with Erik Swanson/outfield defense with Daulton Varsho), they jumped
Yankees
4:50
I like the rational with Bader and Trivino up the middle defensively.  Besides injuries pitching is solid.   It’s the void of offense at most of the other positions that makes me not excited for their season.  The Yankees will basically need Peraza to amaze right off the bat, torres to go back to juiced call times and Cabrera to be a lot more than I ever think he will be or the resurgence of hicks. Donaldson is done in my opinion.  IKF will probably be our opening day short stop much to my chagrin.  Give me hope… tell me I’m wrong.
Anthony Franco
4:52
I'd take Peraza over IKF as the Opening Day shortstop but I think there's a lot of merit to your criticism here. It was a good offensive team last year but that's in large part because Judge had an all-time season they can't possibly expect him to replicate. They mostly ran it back offensively and are putting a lot of stock on Peraza, eventually Volpe, and (to a little lesser extent) Oswaldo Cabrera to hit right out of the gate
4:54
I do think Rizzo's going to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the shift limitation and have a huge year. Bader made some strides from a bat-to-ball perspective last season but was hurt and didn't hit for power until the playoffs. If he's healthy (bug caveat considering his history), a full season from him is a pretty big outfield upgrade
Rodon Right On
4:54
Which teams have strong shot of being top 5 Offences and top 5 Pitching/ Defences in their league?  Does anyone get to 110 wins?
Anthony Franco
4:56
I think the Dodgers will finish top five in both. Houston and the Mets could, Atlanta has a shot. San Diego's a top five offense but more of a top ten pitching staff for me. Dodgers probably the only ones I'd project to though
I'll take the under on 110 wins for everyone
Ryan
4:56
I know this is a stretch. Does the Mookie Betts wanting to play second base gain legs going forward? Could it be a trade situation? I think Seattle might give him a chance. haha
Anthony Franco
4:57
Ha, I think it could have legs in the Dodgers giving Mookie some second base playing time. That leading to a trade is indeed quite a stretch
John B
4:57
Blake Sabol has looked great in camp. In theory if the Giants like him but don't have a spot for him on the roster they could work a trade with the Pirates rather than giving him back per rule 5. Have you heard of this happening before?  What level of prospect do you think it would take?
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