You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Live Chat With Tim Dierkes
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Tim Dierkes
2:30
Pretty much nothing, except trade Gray.  This is one of the very best teams in baseball right now.
Usually most teams can always add and make their bullpen better, but the Yankees may be the rare exception.
Flan
2:30
Predictions on type of year Britton has ... back to sub 2 ERA?
Tim Dierkes
2:31
In doing our free agent predictions with Steve and Jeff, I think I was the low man on Britton.  He hasn't been elite since 2016.  So I think his ERA is over 3.
Guest
2:31
Zobrist in RF for the Braves next year make sense? What’s the cost?
Tim Dierkes
2:32
It does, if the Braves are fine with the type of defense you'd expect from a 38-year-old.  Sadly for Cubs fans, if someone took all 12 mil, I think the requirement in players would be a low bar.
Phil
2:32
If the Reds get Sonny Gray, have they done enough to be legitimate competitors in the Central in 2019?
Tim Dierkes
2:34
The numbers would say they're around a .500 team.  Any team that projects in that range can win, say, 6-7 extra games for a million different reasons and take the division (which looks fairly weak this year).  If I was them I wouldn't stop at Gray, but I'm comfortable calling them a contender.
Gary
2:34
Does mussina go in as an oriole or yankee
Tim Dierkes
2:35
I'd lean Oriole, and that's how I think of him primarily.  Also...I mailed Mussina this bad boy back in I'm assuming 1994, and he signed it and mailed it back to me.  https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Play-Baseball-Card-Mussina/dp/B00J6OMQ12
Hence, Oriole for life and fan for life.
James
2:35
More and more likely that Keuchel is back to the Astros at this point? They need starters, they know him best and he really doesn’t want to leave home
Tim Dierkes
2:36
Logically you make a good point, but I just feel like this is still setting up for a divorce.  Dude wants to go Hollywood.
Another random person
2:36
What would you suggest for changes to the next CBA if you were the head of the Players Union?
Tim Dierkes
2:38
I don't have specifics, and I hate to agree too much with Scott Boras, but the general idea would be to create disincentives for tanking and rewards for not tanking even if you miss the playoffs.  I think the sport is better off when most of the teams are truly trying to win.  Unfortunately we need to create rules to ensure that winning is paramount in the short-term.
Johnny Baseball
2:38
Dodgers are all smoke, no fire. It doesn't make any sense why they arent in on Harper. They seem to be trading away OFers and not gaining any why?
Tim Dierkes
2:40
I've certainly beat the drum for the Dodgers and Harper, and it could still happen.  Roster Resource projects a Pederson-Taylor-Verdugo outfield for them right now.  That entire group should cost them $9MM in 2019.  It's not very Dodgers-like.  But then, if it's Bellinger out there regularly instead, and Pederson projects as a 3 win guy, and they really like Verdugo, you could see why they are not acting desperate.
Victor
2:41
Will you ever consider selling this site?
Tim Dierkes
2:41
Never say never, but I don't see why I would.  I can't picture a better job for me and my family, so why mess with it?
Arenado
2:41
Chances of an extension before spring training?
Tim Dierkes
2:41
I'll say 5%.  Not unprecedented but quite unlikely.
Away Gray
2:42
Does Sonny agree to the extension?
Tim Dierkes
2:42
So hard to answer that without knowing the offer.  If it's at like $8MM a year and tacks on one or two years, maybe he prefers to bet on himself and also get out of hitters' ballparks.
CJ15
2:42
What’s the word on Dallas Keuchel? Where do you see him landing?
Tim Dierkes
2:44
All quite on the western front, with the Phillies and Reds seemingly the favorites.  If he comes down to a three-year deal at less than $60MM, then many contenders should get into the mix.
Marc Mero
2:44
"if we know for a fact that a guy's numbers are artificial, why put him in?" - strange way of framing it, baseball is a skill game and lots of terrible players juiced too, numbers arent "artificial", they still had to hit the ball and throw the ball
Tim Dierkes
2:47
It's very much a subjective thing.  But when I look at Bonds' 2000-04, having read Game of Shadows, I just don't see those as legitimate numbers.  There are some guys who got caught and some who didn't.  If you get pulled over for speeding, telling the cop "That guy was going faster!" doesn't get you out of it.  I think it's safe to say that many, many players in the Steroid Era never took steroids.  So the fact that Bonds took steroids when he was already on a HOF trajectory, or maybe took better ones or got the chemistry right, doesn't get hi off the hook for me.
However - I don't have a vote, and I don't think I ever will.  So my opinion on this does not have any special value or weight.
Logan
2:47
Are the Mets done or do you see them maybe making a play for Machado/Harper?
Tim Dierkes
2:48
I won't rule them out, because new GM Brodie Van Wagenen has proven to be aggressive and unpredictable (fun qualities in a GM).  The real question is whether you think the Wilpons feel like raising payroll quite a bit this winter to get it done, and most lean toward no on that.
Craig Kimbrel Contract
2:49
At this point, would it be wise for Craig Kimbrel to seek a "swellopt" type deal?
Tim Dierkes
2:50
2:53
Let's come up with a better term!  Let me know your ideas.  The concept here, which we've been seeing more of late, is that instead of just a pure opt-out for the player, the team gets a chance to retain the player with a multiyear option.  For example, after the first three seasons, Yusei Kikuchi can opt out, or the Mariners can give him a four-year, $66MM extension.
This evens the score a bit compared to the traditional opt-out.  I do think it makes plenty of sense for Craig Kimbrel or really any player who's seeking 3+ years and is not seeing the market going the way he hoped.
Buc'nutz
2:53
Bucs need a SS. Who's available and realistic?
Tim Dierkes
2:55
Freddy Galvis, Jose Iglesias, Addison Russell, Alcides Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria.
Not too exciting but I like Iglesias of the group.
Brian Cashman
2:55
Does Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, Jonathan Losaiga, Albert Abreu, and an 8 year for $ 264,000,000 extension get the deal completed with Colorado?
Tim Dierkes
2:56
No, I think the Rockies are trying to win in 2019 and not entertaining Arenado trades.
Kota
2:56
Any merit to Machado and the Marlins having mutual interest?
Connecting…