JotCast | Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 11/16/18

Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 11/16/18

Jeff Sullivan

9:03

Hello friends

Welcome to Friday baseball chat

Matt

9:04

Bartolo Colon is objectively better than Nathan Eovaldi change my mind

Jeff Sullivan

9:04

I neither want to nor have to

AJ Preller

9:04

Have you figured out how I can get Syndergaard yet?

Jeff Sullivan

9:05

Well, you have the most valuable farm system in baseball

That would be a good place to start

As discussed earlier, the biggest issue here is that the Padres have outfielders and the Mets don't need outfielders, but you can still find a fit here. Involve another team. Maybe the Cleveland team!

TooDamnTall

9:06

Sad to hear that Carson is leaving, he's a gem.

Jeff Sullivan

9:07

It's a testament to David Appelman that every single person who has wound up leaving FanGraphs has agonized over the decision, even despite the wonderful opportunities ahead. This is a hard place to leave, even when a freakin baseball team is throwing its resources at you

9:08

Personally, I'll miss Carson at the FanGraphs get-togethers. It's a rare sort of internet writer whose presence is more enjoyable in the flesh

9:09

Would the Giants trade posey? Would he be a good option for Nats? Catcher in 2019 then eventual transition to 1B post ryan zimmerman

Jeff Sullivan

9:11

You can't rule out any move, especially any move by a front office under a brand-new decision maker, but Posey has full no-trade protection, and he just *feels* like one of those guys who's going to stick around. Worth a phone call or two, but if I were the Nationals, I wouldn't expend too much effort if the Giants are reluctant

I don't know why I said phone call when I meant text message

They're always text messages

9:12

Seems to me the Giants will make a Bumgarner decision before they ever make a Posey decision

Jack

9:13

The Blue Jays should try to trade for James Paxton, right? They obviously need starting pitching, and while Vlad is clearly untouchable, they still have enough in their farm system to make a deal. The Jays may not look like they’re in a position where it makes sense to trade a big package of prospects for a guy with two years of control left, but given the giant maple leaf tattoo on his arm, I’m assuming Paxton is a proud Canadian who would be open to signing an extension with Canada’s only MLB team. Acquiring not only an ace but a Canadian ace is one way they could bring some excitement back to the fan base after they suffered the biggest attendance drop of any team this year. Are they really just going to sit around and watch the Yankees trade for him and let the rest of the division continue to pull further and further away from them?

Jeff Sullivan

9:13

You've touched on part of the problem -- if you're the Jays, you can be reasonably happy with your core talent, but you're looking up at the Yankees and Red Sox, *plus* the Rays are entering a competitive window. It's already a really tough division

9:14

Which doesn't mean a Paxton trade wouldn't make sense. Paxton probably would be open to signing an extension. But other teams are probably more incentivized to make the move, meaning other teams would probably leave the Blue Jays outbid

9:15

Toronto's not in a position to willingly overpay here

Stuafoo

9:15

If we start with Paxton for Gray, who comes back to the Ms to make this even?

Jeff Sullivan

9:16

Bare minimum, Sheffield and Frazier. And Frazier right now is a complete unknown, with low trade value

9:16

Who is the biggest name to get traded this offseason? Realmuto? Kluber? other?

Jeff Sullivan

9:16

Realmuto is probably going to be the best player traded, but I don't know if he's the "biggest name"

9:17

James Paxton

potentially Paul Goldschmidt

Don't think Corey Kluber gets traded, but I could see Carlos Carrasco on the move

Ross

9:17

Who wins 100+ games again next year: Red Sox, Yankees, neither or both

Jeff Sullivan

9:17

Yankees

Safety Stegosaurus

9:18

Jeff Mathis two year deal wooooo

Jeff Sullivan

9:18

I don't think there's anything to say about Mathis' bat that hasn't been said, but the Rangers have needed pitching help very, very badly. This will indirectly provide it

9:19

It's a bad pitching staff, and a relatively inexperienced pitching staff. I'm open to the idea that Jeff Mathis might improve the rate and the height of their collective development

tfw

9:19

What would you think of something like Chris Taylor for Francisco Cervelli, Richard Rodriguez, Max Moroff, and Lolo Sanchez? The Dodgers probably don't _need_ Taylor, and Cervelli fills in at catcher until Smith/Keibert are ready, Rodriguez is a great reliever add, Moroff has similar MiLB numbers to Muncy, and Lolo is a solid young outfield prospect that they seem a bit light on.

Jeff Sullivan

9:20

Max Moroff is on the Indians now

9:21

Let's sub in Erik Gonzalez, I guess

9:22

Don't think the Pirates would be interested. They want to be competitive in 2019 and they can't keep getting rid of years of team control, like they did in the Archer move. That's not how a team like that should operate

Russell

9:22

Any plans to go to Tokyo or London for the MLB games?

Jeff Sullivan

9:22

No!

Remy LeBeau

9:23

What would it take for the Mariners to pry Austin Hedges away from the Padres?

Jeff Sullivan

9:23

Here's the problem: look at the Mariners