Front Office Chat: 8/7/26
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Anthony Franco
3:35
Probably should've made a bigger push for Taylor Ward though. I share your concern that they just might not score enough in October when you're only facing good pitching and need to be able to hit a solo HR or two because it's so hard to string together hits
stevendavis14@gmail.com
3:36
Sh the Mariners sign Randy and Ward to insure right hand batters got 27
Anthony Franco
3:36
Would be on board with trying to extend Randy. I'd wait on Ward
3:38
You've basically locked in your outfield and committed to Donovan at 3B if you sign them both now. The offense is already not playing well enough and this would basically lock the entire lineup in for 2027 before even seeing what might come available in the offseason
RoyalBlue
3:38
Is November going to be the wildest off season month ever with lockout looming?
Anthony Franco
3:39
Unfortunately this free agent class sucks so probably not. A lot of mid-level guys in there where I feel like teams will be content to wait post-lockout and see if they can squeeze them by pitting them against one another when there's like a three-week window until the regular season starts
The Knuder
3:40
If Salas makes it to the bigs next year, do the Padres keep three catchers on their roster (Salas, Campusano, Fermin)? Freddy has had a rough year, but he got hit with baseballs a lot and has hit better in the past month. The Pads gave up two starting pitchers to get him (even though they both Tommy John'd). Do the Padres roll with three catchers and DH Campusano on days he doesn't catch?
Anthony Franco
3:40
Yeah I could see this. I'm sure they'll hear teams out on Campusano and Fermin but neither's going to have huge value and it's not like they invest a lot in their backup position players anyway
3:42
Fermin has always been a #2 C for me (disliked that trade for them even though it's busted for KC) but does seem like the ideal veteran backup -- good defender, high-end makeup/work ethic -- for breaking in a top catching prospect
BTNJ
3:42
How many games do you watch in given week, roughly
Anthony Franco
3:43
I rarely watch full games. Usually will bounce between whichever ones are close, have playoff implications, pitchers I want to see, etc.
3:45
Something's on as a background watch most nights but I work the evening shifts on weekdays (when most of the games are obviously) so I'm usually reading through news and writing as opposed to hanging on every pitch of the game I have on
Arise, Sir Loin of Beef
3:46
How many of the players the Mets picked up at the deadline will help them, and how many of them are just organizational fodder?
Mets Man
3:46
Besides Jefferson Rojas which prospect that the mets got back interests you the most?
Anthony Franco
3:49
Yeah Rojas is the big get and most of the others are org types/depth. Most intrigued by Stafura I guess because the Mets must really love him to pay Weaver down as far as they did to get just him
3:50
Moderately intrigued by Cole Mathis but most of the non-Holmes returns felt underwhelming
M
3:50
What trade do you think got the most shocking return? Either much higher than you expected, or much less than you thought?
Anthony Franco
3:50
Has to be Adley
3:51
I love the player but Boston giving up Eyanson, Azocar and Witherspoon (plus a fine backup in Narvaez) for a year and a half of Adley while he was injured was really surprising
3:52
Excluding the Connelly Early for Curtis Mead one because it happened a couple weeks ago. That was a stunner (and now they're both hurt)
Sharky
3:52
A lot of Yankees fans disappointed by the deadline. Do you take it as an indication that management isn’t convinced Judge either isn't coming back this season or he’s coming back so late it’s unlikely for him to get his timing back for October?
Anthony Franco
3:53
I didn't like it either but I didn't read it as a reflection on Judge's health. I truly don't think they know whether the fracture will heal quickly enough to get him back
3:55
The entire lineup aside from Rice has been awful for two months and they just tried to grab the best bats they could find. I'm just not a big believer in the two they did acquire (though at least with García it's unlikely they gave up anyone who'll bite them too badly)
And can't believe they couldn't find a way to make something happen with the Reds to get Tyler Stephenson and are really just rolling with Wells/Sánchez
Ross Atkins
3:55
Did I have the most schizophrenic trade deadline day in recent memory?  Clear buyers and clear sellers at the same time?  How did I do overall?
Anthony Franco
3:56
Executed it well. I'm pretty bullish on Nimmala but Soriano was also the controllable starter I'd have most aggressively targeted so I just thought that was a win-win
3:58
If the Angels hadn't moved anyone this summer, Jays would've been a clear fit for Soriano in November so why not get it done now?
Playoffs this year very unlikely but I'm not convinced they're even worse than they were a week ago
C Breslow
3:59
Now that I gave up most of the top farm hands we had for Rutchman do I start the process to negotiate an extension or wait to see if he actually helps the Sox? Is it even possible his agents would accept an extension?
Anthony Franco
4:00
Feels like an offseason thing. He should have plenty of money in the bank but I agree that they don't give up that much talent if you're not interested in keeping this guy long term
MoTork City
4:00
Are people overvaluing what the Tigers got from Skubal and Mize? Outside of Hope, they got 2 High A starters, which I guess could be argued as good for our lack of depth, but those guys wouldn’t hit the bigs for 2-3 years if at all and 2 older scrubs. Like if we had gotten a slightly older Double A pitcher in the 23-25 range I would be more inclined to believe that they didn’t get fleeced.
Anthony Franco
4:01
Ha well calling River Ryan a scrub is dramatically underselling him. He feels like the key to the whole thing
4:02
I have no idea if he can stay healthy but there's a reason that scouts and analysts both agree that he'd be an above-average starter in MLB right now if he were healthy. The stuff is ridiculous
4:04
I don't care about the age at all. He's been hurt and teams care more about present form for pitchers. Durability itself and potential for an innings limit in '27 is much more a concern
RoxTalks
4:04
Moniak extension just more of the same of the ridiculousness from the Rox? Why wasn’t McCarthy dealt? The Moniak deal really has the same vibe as the Bard extension to me.
Anthony Franco
4:05
Yeah that had a "same as the old boss" feel to it
4:06
He wasn't an especially appealing trade candidate (heavy platoon, bad defense, lot more productive at home) so I can buy that he's more valuable to them than he would've been to another team
4:07
But also don't see the urgency to extend him for the same reasons. Probably could've done this same deal next deadline if he's still hitting
Jotcast
4:07
Assuming that the lock does not prevent a full season from being played next year, will the Cardinals aim for the playoffs in 2027? If so, what moves should they make this winter to put the team in that position? How far off are they from challenging the Brewers for the NLC?
Anthony Franco
4:08
Should be trying to win in '27. You're starting to shrink the control windows on Walker, Herrera, Burleson and Winn if not
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