You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Front Office Chat - November 7th, 2025
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Darragh McDonald
1:44
Also, there aren't many better options. Bichette is the only free agent shortstop who is clearly better than HSK. He's not a good defender and Atlanta probably isn't going to pay him anyway.
Trade market, maybe CJ Abrams is available? But he's not a good defender either and his bat is inconsistent. It's also tough since Washington and Atlanta are in the same division.
So, if not HSK, what else would they do there?
Alex Anthopoulus
1:44
The Braves seem to be in a crossroads this offseason. They have a more than good core of players still in their prime, but also they have some concerns in their pitching, SS and depth in position players. What can they do to be consider again a World Series contender?
Al
1:45
What was with the Braves letting fairly cheap relievers go? They traded for one of them at the deadline.
Pat
1:45
Why would the Braves non tender two relievers that they could use?
Alex Anthopoulus
1:45
After resetting the CBT do the Braves go all in this offseason?
What can be considered a successful offseason for the Braves, so they can be again a World Series contender?
Darragh McDonald
1:45
Not sure if all these AA questions are the same guy or not, but since I'm on Atlanta, let's bang these out.
1:46
With Pierce Johnson, I was a bit surprised at first, but I understand it a bit more after realizing he finished the year terribly.
8.31 ERA in September. That's a small sample but he's about to turn 35 years old.
1:47
I kinda get that they didn't want to commit a few million to him right now. Keep the powder dry. Maybe you circle back to him later in the offseason if he's still out there.
1:48
Kinley was more surprising since they acquired him at the deadline when they weren't contending. It seemed clearly designed to upgrade 2026 in advance. Then he shoved after the trade. I don't get it.
Padre Jonathan
1:48
Seriously, MLB is going to do something about the Dodgers right? MLB approved the payroll manipulation when they wouldn't for any other team. When MLB received complaints from multiple execs about the shady Japanese signings, they responded "Well, Dodgers are just a well run team." The television deal provides a comedy of riches, that they have to spend, that will always prop them up as the best financed team in baseball." It's no longer about luck and "anything can happen in baseball." It really is ruining the sport.
Hits Like Rays
1:48
Are you ready to admit that the Dodgers bought another championship?  $2 billion in contracts doesn't lie....
Darragh McDonald
1:50
Not sure what shadiness you're referring to.
But on the payroll stuff, yes, the Dodgers have a massive advantage. I couldn't deny that.
1:51
I do think baseball does have a parity problem at the moment.
It's not a 100% correlation between spending and winning. Some teams spend money and lose. Other teams don't spend money and win.
1:52
The Brewers just won the most games. Teams like the Guardians and Rays have also found ways to compete with little money. The Angels have spent a lot of money with nothing to show for it.
1:53
But for the top-spending clubs, it is just easier to have sustained success. The Dodgers have made the playoffs 13 or 14 years in a row or whatever it is. The Yankees haven't had a losing season since the early '90s or something crazy.
1:56
MLB owners will tell you a salary cap is the solution. I think it would have to be an incredibly restrictive one to actually do anything. The Dodgers had a payroll near $400MM this year. Five teams were under $100MM. You would have to cap it at probably $150MM or something to actually impact the competition in a meaningful way. The players wouldn't agree to that.
1:57
And that's the main thing. MLB can't solve this on its own. It has to be collective bargained. If they actually cared about parity, they could work some things out with the MLBPA. They could have more competitive balance draft picks, revenue sharing, etc. The players would be on board with that kind of stuff more than a salary cap. But the owners want a salary cap because it will lead to greater profits, so they will keep telling you that's the only solution.
1:59
As to "ruining", I don't see it. I get that it sucks that the team with the best payroll and all the stars just won the title two years in a row. I think I just clearly stated that I think it's a real problem. But as I also mentioned earlier, ratings and attendance and everything are up. Baseball is more popular now than it's been in a long time.
$tupid Money
1:59
It is more embarrassing that the Dodgers have spent #$2,741,600,000 on payroll in the last ten years, which would have exceeded $3 billion if Covid salaries weren't prorated, and they only won TWICE (plus Covid year). That much money and only 3 rings? I could have rolled out of bed and done a better job than Andrew Friedman. They aren't ruining anything
Larry
1:59
Marlins Pirates A's Twins etc are the real problem. Heck even the Cubs not spending what they should
Spending & Winning
1:59
True that spending doesn't guarantee winning, but when you have a limitless budget and no repercussions to your spending it makes it a lot easier to just buy out of your mistakes. If there was a salary cap, the Dodgers wouldn't be able to sign another big money free agent, when one of their previous signings doesn't live up to expectations or is injured.
$tupid Money
1:59
The Yankees are even more embarrassing than the Dodgers. All that money on players and they haven't even one once while I've had a driver's license. They want to pay Stanton and Tanner Scott (among many many others; Devin Williams, Michael Conforto, et al)? Who cares, other than an annoyance that someone so godawful at their job gets millions of dollars to suck?
Larry
1:59
Baseball is peaking. Not broken
Darragh McDonald
1:59
Lots of good thoughts on this.
Mr Red Leg
2:00
Who are the best bargain bin free agent releivers?
Darragh McDonald
2:01
Well, there are plenty of bounceback candidates.
Helsley, Devin Williams, Hendriks, Kopech, Hunter Harvey, Romano, Yates.
2:02
Phil Maton is always good but never gets paid.
Gavin Cordes
2:02
who accepts the Qualifying offer?
Darragh McDonald
2:02
I think Gleyber, maybe Shota as well.
Fairbanks
2:03
Am I hurt? Cutting me makes very little sense.
Alex Anthopoulus
2:03
They were all my questions, but you really didn't address any of them joy
Darragh McDonald
2:03
Haha, whoops!
Fairbanks first.
Connecting…