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Front Office Chat: 9/30/22
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Anthony Franco
3:23
He's now had IL stints in each of the last three years. I think this is just part of the package
3:24
Still a valuable pitcher. 120-140 innings of upper mid-rotation production is better than you'd get from most guys, but I don't think you can expect him to be an innings-eater or anything
Bo knows
3:24
I was one of the team owners who over-paid an arm and a leg at this year's draft for Bo Bichette. Is he doomed to be just another slightly above average outfielder, or will he grow into someone special?
Anthony Franco
3:25
Kind of disagree with your premise, I guess. I think he's already special
3:26
25 homers annually with .285+ AVG and a .340-ish OBP while playing middle infield (not sure why you're moving him to the outfield but I think he'd be fine at second base if stretched at shortstop) is already a really good player
Closers
3:26
Will Andrés Muñoz and Jhoan Duran ever turn out to be real closers, or are they doomed to be the dreaded "high-leverage" relievers who get holds, but not saves?
Anthony Franco
3:27
Probably the latter. They're essentially too good to pigeon-hole into the ninth inning, especially Durán. Occasional saves here or there, but it's just more valuable for the Mariners and Twins to use those guys in a tied game in the 7th a lot of times
Boomer Scott
3:27
What's your read on Matt Wallner? He was supposed to be a low BA, high HR hitter, but he's done really well since his promotion. Will he do well the second time around the league? Will he be a regular or just a platoon or bench player?
Anthony Franco
3:28
Not going to keep hitting .256 with a 43.8% strikeout rate. That's basically impossible
3:29
I've liked Wallner since his college days, but he's always been a low-average slugger. That's what he'll be in the majors. I do think there's enough power and patience to be an everyday player even in a corner, but he's not going to make enough contact to be a star
Giantsphan
3:29
Hey Anthony,  thank you for the chat!  With talk coming out of the Giants front office about their aggressive approach to The FA market this winter, I am curious what players around the league think of Farhan, Kapler and Co.  In other words, even if the Giants offer Judge and say Turner (or another FA SS) huge and attractive deals, do you think players are drawn to, neutral or repelled by the Giants “way” of operating their ballclub??  Thx!!
Anthony Franco
3:29
I think the vast majority of guys would be happy to go to SF. It's not like they're going to platoon Aaron Judge or Trea Turner
3:31
The Giants are more aggressive than most playing matchups, but that's more of a concern for the players on the margins of the roster. Big-ticket free agents will be fine if SF tops the market, and there are added bonuses of the team probably being pretty good and playing in a good-weather city with a fantastic park
Chuck D
3:31
Should the Mets QO Taijuan Walker?  It's an overpay but they will be desperate for pitching next season
Anthony Franco
3:31
I would not but I've always been lower on him than most. I think they probably will
3:32
As you said, a bunch of impending FA starters raise some uncertainty. He's been durable and generally solid for two years for them, and the Mets spend oodles of money
3:33
That he can't get swings and misses concerns me, but he's made it work long enough that a QO isn't a disastrous decision, just not one I'd make
JL
3:33
Do the O's move Mullins this offseason?
Anthony Franco
3:33
No I don't see why they'd do that now. The rebuild's over, they're going to start pushing the chips in a little more
Dave Mc
3:33
What do you think the Orioles do this winter in terms of trades/FA signings?
Anthony Franco
3:33
Speaking of which...
3:35
Adding to the middle of the rotation has to be the priority. Can't expect Austin Voth and Spenser Watkins to be ok rotation pieces again. Don't expect that to be deGrom or Rodón, but they make sense for a Syndergaard type
Mike trout
3:35
Do Michael wacha or eovaldi make sense for us
Anthony Franco
3:36
I think the Angels will have bigger fish to fry than the starting rotation. Maybe Wacha's market doesn't develop and he's cheap enough they nab him on like a two-year deal, but the bigger concerns are the infield, bullpen and left field
3:37
Doubt there's enough in the budget for all of what they'd like to do, so I wouldn't pick them to land sign a free agent starter to a significant deal
Brian
3:37
For players who are currently on the 60-day IL and will miss most of next year due to injury but are still locks to be with their team, when do they need to be moved from the 60-day back onto the 40-man this off-season? And when can they be moved from the 40-man back to the 60-day next spring? Thanks!
Anthony Franco
3:37
Have to go back on the 40-man shortly after the World Series, within five days of its conclusion I believe
3:38
Can go back on the 60-day once Spring Training starts and the need for a 40-man spot opens up
Lefty
3:38
Assuming Rizzo opts out, what would his price tag be. Would 2/40 get it done? Would Giants be a good fit?
Anthony Franco
3:38
Sure Giants make a lot of sense. 2/40 seems about right as well
Dave roberts
3:38
are we just unlucky with injuries to our pitching staff or is there another reason like the training staff
Anthony Franco
3:39
I think some of it is a calculated gamble by the team to sign the Danny Duffy's and Tommy Kahnle's of the world. They spend on superstars obviously, but an underrated way they leverage their financial superiority is by taking shots on talented players with injury concerns
3:40
Some of those, naturally, will bust. But the payoff if that guy stays healthy and performs to their potential is immense
You can argue they even did this with Buehler. Not via free agency obviously, but by using a first-rounder on a pitcher they knew was going to undergo Tommy John surgery
3:41
The rest of it I mostly chalk up to pitchers get hurt, it's just part of the job description
Paul
3:41
If and when judge hits number 62 do you consider him the record holder
Anthony Franco
3:42
I hate the steroid debate generally, but no, I consider Bonds the record holder. He hit 73, it happened
If you want to assign him a mental asterisk, I think that's totally defensible. If you don't think he should be in the Hall of Fame, totally fair. But I don't think he should be actively stricken from the record book or anything like that
eddmac
3:42
Hi.do u think that its going to be harder to judge free agents because of the new rules stopping shifts?i dont remember the guy but he was a .290 before the shifts now he is around .250 thks.
Anthony Franco
3:43
It's a new challenge for teams to evaluate but it's not like they're flying completely blind. They know which players get shifted the most, which guys tend to pull the ball on the ground more than others
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