Front Office Chat: 9/18/26
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Anthony Franco
3:47
Then the top six picks are chosen through the lottery, but it's possible (if highly unlikely) that the team with the 15th-worst record wins the first pick. It's not reserved only to the six worst teams
3:49
The complicating factor that you're alluding to is that the CBA prevents teams from picking in the top six too many times in a row (more than twice for revenue sharing recipients, more than once for revenue sharing payers)
3:50
So Pittsburgh, San Francisco and the White Sox cannot pick in the top six (though Chicago's probably making the playoffs anyway)
3:51
They'll still be entered into the lottery, and if their ball is drawn with a top six pick, it's just discarded and redrawn until someone else who is eligible gets picked instead
Randy Arozarena
3:51
Where do you see me signing? I'll pass it along to Scott, my agent.
Anthony Franco
3:52
Sure I'll change this by the time we do the top 50 but right now, I'll take Philly
Sandy at 90
3:53
Last week I suggested a large increase in the CBT (to decrease large market team spending) and implementation of a salary to help reduce salary differences between large and small markets.  You said that these proposals are in favor of the owners.  I would think this would work.....unless the owners just want hard cap to increase franchise. If this is a case, we are in for a long long work stoppage, Your thoughts  Thanks
Anthony Franco
3:54
Oh I see. Think I misunderstood your question last week. Read it as you proposing an increase to the CBT threshold (the $244MM mark), which is a player-friendly measure. Seems like you actually meant an increase to the tax rate that teams that exceed the CBT need to pay
3:56
Which yeah, that's more of a middle ground proposal but it's also kind of what they tried in the last CBA (e.g. the introduction of the fourth "Cohen tax" tier) and it didn't really change the Dodgers' or Mets' behavior
3:57
Which MLB is using as a justification for the hard cap. There's some truth to it but the bigger appeal for the league is that a hard cap = more fixed costs and therefore higher franchise valuations
3:58
I tend to agree that the next CBA is going to ultimately land closer to the kind of marginal changes you're suggestion than the players caving on a cap, but there's no real incentive for MLB to move off the cap position this early
3:59
Once they agree to discuss the seriously negotiate on the framework you mention, they're not going to be able to put the more extreme cap back on the table in this round of negotiations
Jackie
3:59
Is this the year Milwaukee finally gets over the hump and wins the NLCS? Dodgers are kinda banged up at the moment.
Anthony Franco
3:59
I think so
4:00
Had the same concerns about the Dodger bullpen at this time last year as I do now and it didn't matter, but I do think this Milwaukee team is better than the '25 version
Chris for Cy
4:00
Is Alvarez the kind of dude another club might try as a corner OF/DH just to keep the bat around?
Anthony Franco
4:01
Assuming this is in reference to Francisco, not Yordan. Don't think he's athletic enough to play the outfield regularly. There are probably teams that think he's more of a DH/part-time catcher than a true #1 guy behind the plate, yeah
4:03
But I also think that if you're one of them, you're just not going to trade for the player. The low on-base is a lot more of an issue if you don't think he can catch, so you're probably getting outbid by a team that is willing to play him behind the plate
RoxTalks
4:03
They didn't trade him at the deadline, which is fine, but I think the Rockies should really consider moving Hunter Goodman this offseason right? Especially since they should be able to get something comparable to Rustchman given that Goodman is the better all around catcher. Agree or disagree?
Anthony Franco
4:05
Hmm, I think Adley's probably the better all-around catcher -- the defensive gap is huge. Not like you couldn't make that argument for Goodman though. It comes down to preference for the power vs. the receiving, game-calling/intangible stuff that Adley's great at
4:06
Agree that Goodman should've had more trade value with the extra years of contractual control but I'd be hesitant on using Adley as a comp for any future trade because it seems like Breslow just really loves the player and was out on an island with how much he's willing to give up
4:08
All that said, yeah the Rockies should at least have Goodman out there. Ok with them taking a similar approach to the deadline but he probably needs to move by the summer of '27 before they start losing some of the appeal because he's a little older and going to make a ton in arbitration
4:09
Ownership might not let it happen even if it's the right baseball decision though
M
4:09
What are the odds that the moment the mariners are eliminated, they end up winning every remaining game? Lol
Anthony Franco
4:09
100%
Expansion
4:10
Hear me out: Instead of a Western team, expand to Montreal and Nashville/Charlotte, then move the Diamondbacks to Salt Lake City since their home games are always more visiting team fans anyway and the whole state is going to die of heat stroke without water by 2030. Three new markets for the price of 2 new teams and only about 100,000 true Diamondbacks fans lost for the league. Western Divisions then become California (LA, Anaheim, SF and SD) and Mountain (SLC, Seattle, LV and Colorado). It seems a perfect compromise no?
Anthony Franco
4:10
Probably not a great scenario for your dying folks of Phoenix
Fred
4:10
Why are teams pushing an international draft ?  The current CBA already limits the amount they spend on international bonuses, so couldn't they save just as much or more money by negotiating over the bonus limit, rather than also having to take on union resistance to a draft?
Anthony Franco
4:11
Yeah they've kind of already won on the international side with the hard slotting. To some extent, I think they agree with you in the sense that they weren't willing to give up a ton to get it in 2022
4:12
They were willing to attach it to the elimination of penalties for signing qualified free agents
4:14
Which, sure, the union would prefer that. But that only affects like 8-10 players in an offseason -- and it's not really an impact on the market for the absolute elite free agents. Nor does it really achieve much for the league beyond giving teams a self-justification to price in a slight FA discount because they're also surrendering the pick
4:15
The international draft would have more fixed costs because you have hard-slotted bonuses now. Also gives teams leeway to reduce scouting expenses because instead of agreeing to verbal deals with kids who'd be seventh graders in the U.S., you don't really need to have a scouting presence until they're approaching draft eligibility
Playoffs
4:16
Any reason why the bracket doesn't reseed like in football? Seems weird to me that it is possible for the 2 seed to get the "better" matchup in the second round than the 1 seed.
Anthony Franco
4:18
Yeah it's stupid. Hopefully this year's American League when only one of the three best teams can make the ALCS leads them to change that
MrBill
4:18
Atlanta is just playing possum  and waiting for the post season to erupt offensively,right?
Anthony Franco
4:20
Not super worried. Olson's obviously great, they've got Acuña going. Who knows with Harris? Great player but feels like you're always going to have with the streakiness with his pitch selection issues
4:21
Not feeling great about Ozzie though
Sandy at 90
4:21
Chances Skubal signs a new contract between end of WS and Dec 1st?
Anthony Franco
4:22
Pretty high. He's the top priority for every big spender and it would make sense for his camp to get that in before the lockout in case there is a hard cap
Some Joy in Natsville?
4:22
Nats extend Cade Cavalli, buying out three arb years + 1 FA year at 4/$47M with a team option for $23M for 2031. They previously had a $4M option for 2027. Does this deal make sense to you for the player/team?
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