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MLBTR Chat: 4/19/23
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Anthony Franco
6:29
We use Imagn, which is an image provider service from USA Today. Aside from the custom MLBTR graphics for certain posts, all our images are pulled from there
Guest
6:29
What is up with Jake McCarthy?   He played so well last year and is currently 0 for his last 14.   Not in the lineup again today.  Will we eventually see the 2022 version?
Anthony Franco
6:30
He's just not hitting the ball with any authority right now. He's obviously better than this, although he's always felt more like a good fourth outfielder than an above-average regular to me
6:31
He hit .349 on balls in play last year with middling batted ball metrics. That was going to come down a bit, although his current .190 BABIP is an overcorrection
Tatis
6:31
Padres’ fans looking ahead tomorrow’s Tatis’ return as a turning point of the season. He hasn’t played a MLB game since end of 2021. Is this the most pressure Tatis has faced in his young career? How do you see losing 1+ year of baseball affecting his development as a player?
Anthony Franco
6:33
Fascinating storyline. Obviously I can't speak to how much pressure Tatis is feeling but he's at the most uncertain point in his MLB career thus far, I agree
6:34
Would be reasonable to expect some growing pains after the year off, but he obliterated Triple-A pitching on his rehab stint
Buff
6:34
With a contract that goes through '24 with a player opt out after this year, is Jorge Soler likely to be playing for the Marlins next year?
Anthony Franco
6:35
Could still go either way depending on his performance obviously, but as of now, I'd lean towards him opting out
6:36
$9MM base salary next year. Probably boosts in to between 10 and 11 based on playing time. If he keeps up anything like his current power production, he'd beat that
Matt
6:36
Why does a sac fly not count towards batting average but an RBI groundout does? Aren’t they the same thing but one is hit in the air and the other on the ground?
Anthony Franco
6:37
I have never understood this. Feels logically inconsistent, yeah
Isolating a sac bunt from batting average makes sense to me, considering the hitter is quite intentionally making the out. I'd count a sacrifice fly as an out for batting average though
Spirited
6:37
Would you rather have Adley or Julio Rodriguez to start your franchise?
Anthony Franco
6:38
Can't go wrong with either, of course, but I'd take Adley
Spirited
6:39
How does the AL East finish up?
Anthony Franco
6:39
Rays
Blue Jays
Yankees
Orioles
Red Sox
Reggie
6:39
Do you think Juan Soto actually made a huge mistake not taking the Nats extension? And will the Padres even consider one?
Anthony Franco
6:41
I'm still not at that point. The SD tenure has been underwhelming but the career track record is so good that I expect him to find it before too long
6:42
I thought $440MM was a perfectly reasonable offer from the Nationals' perspective, but I'd still take the over on his next contract
Stormy
6:42
Not a question so much as a request.  More than a few years ago I think I remember MLBTR doing a mock draft as if there were expansion teams.  It would be interesting if you did it again.  Ooohh and you guys should either take unanswered questions from chats or a seperate mail bag and just answer some at your leisure if/when you have time.
Dodger’s Nation
6:43
Hey would you guys ever have any interest in revisiting the mock expansion draft you did during COVID? I think it would be really cool to see how the teams have ended up!
Anthony Franco
6:43
I don't know if these are the same person under a different name or if two people randomly thought of that old expansion draft today
6:45
But regardless, I can check with Tim if he wants to do something like that again. Enough time has passed that the results would look a lot different but it was a pretty big time commitment. Harder to pull something like that off while baseball's ongoing than it was during the COVID shutdown
From the Cheap Seats
6:45
Do teams get a supplemental draft pick for having a prospect on their Opening Day roster?
Anthony Franco
6:46
Not just for carrying them, no. There's a very limited number of players who qualify -- basically have to be a top 100 guy on two of three lists at MLB Pipeline, Baseball America and ESPN -- and have to hit different awards criteria to earn the bonus pick
Julio Rodríguez was the only one who did it last year
Dan P
6:46
It is way way early, but if the Astros are still wobbling along 6 weeks from now - what can they do to improve?
Anthony Franco
6:49
Depends what the issues are a couple months from now. Catcher looks like it could be a question again. They might find themselves in more demand for a back-end reliever than they have in the past
6:50
For the most part, though, I think they're just waiting out Altuve and Brantley and hoping for internal improvements. They started slowly last year too and it obviously didn't end up mattering
I'll be curious to see how they approach first base if José Abreu still isn't squaring the ball up in July. That could get tricky
Yoshida
6:51
Yes, it’s early but some of these signs (lack of power, overwhelming ground ball rate) are really troubling, no?
Anthony Franco
6:52
Masataka Yoshida's inability to get the ball off the ground isn't ideal but I'm not super worried yet. The strike zone discipline looks real. Still need to give him time to acclimate against big league pitching
giants fan
6:52
What's up with the Giants, the bullpen has been rough, starting pitching isn't bad but Webby hasn't looked great, and the offense is pits. Small sample and all, but any short term hope in the horizon?
Anthony Franco
6:54
They just keep losing winnable games. Feels like Webb's starts have been mostly fine until he gives up an ill-timed homer, the bullpen/late-game defense has blown a couple
6:55
My opinion on the team is the same as it was a couple weeks ago -- feels like a borderline Wild Card club on paper -- but they've already put themselves in a hole by blowing a few games they should've closed out
Chico Escuela
6:56
As a Mets fan, I worry they're gonna need more starting pitcher so what pitchers will be available later, or even now?
Anthony Franco
6:57
Nobody meaningful is out there now. Lucas Giolito is the big one I think could become available midseason. Some chance the Phillies fall out far enough to entertain Aaron Nola trades, I suppose, but we're nowhere near that point and can't see them lining up with the Mets on that regardless
Gruber_mullet
6:58
Is Matt Chapman's hot start at the plate for real? He looks like he is well on his way to a 200M+ contract.
Anthony Franco
6:59
He's not the best hitter in baseball. Certainly an encouraging start though. Highest contact rate of his career so far, hitting missiles virtually every time he swings. Obviously locked in right now
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