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Mark P
6:16
It's Sunday night and time to chat! We'll launch things after the queue starts to fill up...
Anthony
6:17
Tucker and Imai for the Yanks?
Mark P
6:18
I'd be surprised to see New York spend to quite that level in bringing in two top-level guys.  Bellinger and Imai seem like a more reasonable duo, if the Yankees make two big purchases
Rhett lowder
6:19
Am I eligible for rookie of the year? I am under the innings limit but have over a year of service time on the 60 day IL.
Mark P
6:19
Lowder is no longer considered a rookie
AstroFAN
6:19
Could Tyler Mahle go to Houston?
Mark P
6:20
Seems like a reasonable fit.  Bringing in another guy with a recent injury history might not be entirely ideal for an Astros team that wants to cover innings, but Mahle on a one-year works with the budget
Chase
6:22
How can the Phillies be both prioritizing re-signing Schwarber  AND be far apart on years and money? He’s seen this organization wildly overpay Trea Turner and Aaron Nola. Why shouldn’t he get the same? Pay the man.
Mark P
6:23
Todd Zolecki's report from the other day didn't say anything about Schwarber and the Phillies being "far apart" in anything, necessarily.  He said that they're "not close to a deal,' which would relate to some kind of a gap in negotiations, or maybe just a timing issue.
6:24
Consider this scenario.....Dave Dombrowski says "Kyle, you know how much we want you back.  Take your time looking around the market, and all we ask is that you give us a chance to match any offer."
Jerry Dipoto
6:25
Could we re-sign Polanco and Geno? Which of the 2 is more likely
Mark P
6:25
Polanco seems a lot more likely, as a fit for what the Mariners want to achieve
Ms Fan
6:26
I read the MLBTR piece on internal infield options for the Mariners. Other than potentially reuniting with Suarez or Polanco, what realistic external options exist for the team?
Mark P
6:28
Interesting question, since haven't heard much of anything about Seattle's offseason targets apart from their own guys (i.e. Naylor and Polanco).  Obviously Dipoto and his staff haven't been idle in checking around for other options, but chances are Polanco is the top priority, and other infield adds won't be explored more deeply until Polanco is off the board
Jeremy
6:29
Could the orioles extend Dylan beavers or Trevor Rogers?
Mark P
6:30
Beavers is probably the likelier candidate for an extension, since Rogers is close enough to free agency that he'd probably want to check out the open market.  If he duplicates his 2025 numbers, he'll be in for a big payday next winter
Brewers Fan
6:30
Was very surprised that a Miz extension would even be mentioned, what do you think an extension like that would look like? Seems a little risky for the Brewers no?
Mark P
6:31
Locking up a young potential ace is a very logical tactic for a lower-payroll team.  If the Brewers feel as strongly about the Miz's future as they did Chourio, they could explore another long-term deal that extends the team's control over the hurler
fprex
6:32
What is the market for the Braves' Sean Murphy? I'd imagine SD would be interested and Texas should be as well. Could the Braves get Seager to waive his no-trade clause and work a deal around Murphy?
Mark P
6:33
Despite Murphy's recent numbers, he would get interest if Atlanta shopped him, just because the catching market is so thin.  But having Murphy as any kind of a centerpiece of a potential Seager trade is a real reach.
Redbeard
6:34
Pirates actually gonna spend money or all bluster?
Mark P
6:36
I'll believe it when I see it, but there has been enough smoke about the Pirates spending that I feel they'll do something out of character.  Not sign Schwarber anything, but they'll sign a position player to a fairly pricey (for them) multi-year contract.  Skenes has established himself as such a star that it seems like the Bucs really want to win something while he's still in the organization.
Getz
6:37
Does the same agent representing multiple players impact the timing of signings? Like does an agent prioritize the “big fish” first and slow play negotiations for the secondary free agents they represent that play the same position?
Mark P
6:40
It makes for a fascinating question, but I doubt any agent would really go on the record about how they operate in any given offseason.  No agent wants to even slightly give the impression that one client is more value than another.

Since each player is different, an agent has flexibility in how they deal with each situation, even in the bigger-picture context of an offseason where an agency has multiple clients.
Jorge Soler
6:40
Do the pirates make sense as a team considering they need to increase payroll?
Mark P
6:41
In theory, but I'd think (hope?) the Pirates would be aiming higher than an aging hitter coming off a subpar year
Guest
6:42
Why does mlb free agency take much longer for players than other major sports
Mark P
6:43
Other leagues have salary caps, and rigid caps in the case of the NFL and NHL.  With only a certain amount of flexibility, players and teams want to get everything done quickly in order to move onto other business, which is why the first day of free agency in other sports is just an avalanche of moves
Phils Phan
6:45
Would it make any sense for the Phillies to say goodbye to Schwarber and Realmuto and to trade Casty for a bag of beans but eat half his salary? This way they could get younger. Target younger free agents. I'm I crazy or is thus feasible?
Mark P
6:48
If Realmuto leaves, that's a big hole to fill at catcher.  It is highly unlikely the Phillies find someone willing to take a quarter (let alone half) of Castellanos' salary.  Schwarber is replaceable in the sense that you can get another big bat at another position and it opens up the DH spot, but that's a big loss to the clubhouse.

Your take that the Phillies should get younger isn't inaccurate, but sticking with known quantities is the safer move for a team that wants to win now.  Who knows, maybe Dombrowski will swing some clever trade for a catcher and Realmuto isn't brought back, but that's a less likely scenario.
Casey
6:48
What do you think of Buster Olney's report that the Giants won't spend on a top of the rotation arm and are really looking for value middle of the rotation guys? Giants seem to have money and a significant need for pitching.
Mark P
6:50
Robbie Ray is a free agent after next season, too.  So signing another pitcher to a longer-term deal to pair with Webb atop the post-Ray rotation seems sound.

But, even though Farhan Zaidi is gone, the Giants are sticking with their reluctance to give any kind of significantly lengthy deal to a pitcher.  Their logic isn't unsound, yet sometimes if you need a pitcher, you have to throw caution to the wind
Alex
6:50
Diamondbacks need at LEAST three starters right? Do we think they make a splash? Or go mid range?
Mark P
6:51
Mid-range.  They already made their big splash with the Burnes signing
JT
6:53
The rumor is that Miami is trying to take on more salary to gain more favor in revenue sharing. As a Red Sox fan, I would selfishly love them to take on the Yoshida deal and maybe add Florida’s own Triston Casas to sweeten the deal. What other contracts do you see as potential fits if they struggle to attract free agents or their own?
Mark P
6:55
Since the A's were in this same situation last winter, we can use them as something of a model for what Miami might do.

The A's signed Severino, gave Leclerc $10MM, and extended Rooker and Butler to significant long-term deals.  What they didn't do (and I don't think the Marlins will do) is become a way station for other teams' unwanted contracts.  

Your Red Sox hypothetical is also flawed on Boston's end, since I think the Sox would want a lot more in a Casas trade than to just use him as salary relief.
HOF Hater
6:56
If Donny Baseball gets into the Hall, it would open the door for so many players with goodish careers. Look at Josh Donaldson's numbers basically the same if not better then Mattingly. Would you support a Donaldson for the HOF push?
Mark P
6:58
Nope, nor would I vote for Mattingly if I had a spot on this year's veterans committee.  Mattingly had a fine career but his prime was so short that he doesn't reach my personal HOF threshold.

Hey wait, is it too late for me to be part of the veterans committee?  Who do I need to speak to at Cooperstown to make this happen?!
Blue Jays fan
6:59
Max Schrezer and Chris Bassitt both sounded like they wanted to come back to Toronto and try to win the World Series next year. Does the Cease signing close the door on this?
Mark P
7:01
Right now Toronto's rotation is Gausman, Cease, Bieber, Yesavage, and Berrios.  So technically there's no room, unless perhaps Berrios is dealt or if Bassitt or Scherzer is willing to transition into a relief/swingman role.  (Conceivably, Berrios might also take on such a role.)
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