You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
MLBTR Chat With Mark Polishuk
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Michael
10:07
What do the giants do in the offseason with bumgarner?  Resign him?  Or issue a QO and hope he signs elsewhere and recoup the draft pick.
Mark P
10:08
He'll definitely be issued the QO, and I think the Giants will make an honest effort to re-sign him.  What isn't yet clear is it team ownership wants to bring him back full stop (since he's such a big figure in team history) or if they and the front office have a price that they aren't willing to exceed
tad2b13
10:09
Can the Giants trade Belt? MLB had him as one of the unluckiest hitters this season. Seems to me, if SF ate a little bit of salary, that he could do well away from Oracle, and really help some other team. Thanks Mark.
Mark P
10:12
Belt is owed $16MM in each of the next two seasons, he turns 32 in April, he's been declining at the plate over the last three years now, he's a 0.0 fWAR player this season, AND he has a ten-team no-trade clause.

I'm just not sure there's much of a market here, even if the Giants did eat some money.  He's "unlucky" by way of BABIP and Statcast metrics, though those don't reflect how he's not a hard player to defend via infield shifts.
Snake Plissken
10:13
Do the Cards win the central?
Mark P
10:14
I tend to think yes, but they still play the Cubs seven more times, including the last series of the year.  Wouldn't it be cool if it came down to those final three games?
Greg
10:17
The Reds acquired Bauer with apparent interest in retaining him for a run at contention in 2020, but do his struggles in Cincinnati affect their plans for him?
Mark P
10:18
You mean, would they flip him in the offseason?  Unless there's something going on behind the scenes, I highly doubt it.  Bauer's struggles are a concern, no doubt, though the Reds are hoping he'll adjust after a full offseason of preparation
Mike Elias
10:18
Assuming I nail a few drafts and trades, how do I make sure to bring all my guys up at around the same time so I don't waste years of service time running out of my window of future contention?
Mark P
10:20
(This would be Mike Elias, the Orioles' GM)

At this early stage in the rebuild, this isn't a concern.  The O's are solely focused on getting the prospects in the first place before worrying about timing callups and gauging contention windows.  In theory, a team with a healthy enough minor league system never has to really close its window, since the young talent is always coming
Mo Vaughn
10:21
Does Stanton actually make the Yankees better? I doubt he’s actually going to be ready enough for the playoffs, but I feel like Tauchman/Maybin/Frazier should be okay.
Mark P
10:22
Imagine asking this question six months ago.  While it's unclear if Stanton is going to be ready and will have the rust shaken off....it's still Giancarlo Stanton.  I feel like you have to roll the dice.
FF
10:23
Most surprising team to end up missing the playoffs this season?
Mark P
10:23
I think the Red Sox are our answer to this question
Phllies 64
10:24
Will Maikel Franco be with the Phillies next year? Do you think he will be non-tendered?
Mark P
10:24
No, and probably.  There was some speculation that the Padres had interest in Franco last winter, but I'm not sure why they'd trade for him when Philly is apt to just non-tender him anyways
Adam W
10:25
Do they Jays have a legitimate shot in signing any real good free agent pitchers this off season?
Mark P
10:26
Sure, if they're willing to spend.  But I don't think those kinds of expenditures are coming since the team seems at least one season (maybe two, more realistically) away from being actual contenders.  Like I said earlier, the Jays have more questions than just their rotation, and adding even two excellent starters won't solve things
Irate Nate
10:27
Would E. Suarez garner MVP votes if cindy was still in the race for at least a WC spot?
Mark P
10:28
In theory yes, but Suarez is also only 49th amongst all MLB hitters in fWAR.  His big home run total is making his (still very good) season seem better than it is
Chief
10:29
Blueprint for the Cubs offseason? A significant shakeup of the roster seems necessary but they seem to be exclusively comprised of guys with no trade value and guys who are so valuable that it's hard to see how you could trade them and get better (ie Bryant, Baez, Rizzo, Contreras)
last call
10:29
Has Theo given Maddon a roster of blame? no leadoff man, closer signed in July, and oh yeah, Theo traded LaMathieu for DJ Stewart within 60 days it getting the Cub gig in 2011. More valuable today, Joe or Theo?
Jimmy
10:29
Does Theo start another rebuild after 2019 ends?
Mark P
10:29
So many Cubs question!  First of all, "Roster Of Blame" is a great name for a fantasy team
10:32
Theo Epstein hinted bigger moves could come last winter and then not much happened, so while you'd think something would have to give this time around, it's not necessarily a guarantee.

I could see the Cubs pursuing trades of other younger, perhaps-underachieving types of players in sort of "change of scenery" deals involving their own guys like Almora, Happ, etc.  I don't think you'll see any of the big names moved unless they really didn't feel they could re-sign Kris Bryant, for instance.
Vince Coleman
10:34
Do/did you enjoy the 80s speed game or today's power game more?
Mark P
10:35
I missed a good chunk of the 80's baseball scene due to a) not being born yet, and b) being a little kid.  

So while I'm perhaps I'm not the best judge, I'm generally in favor of a halfway point between the two extremes.
A’s Wild Card Starter will be?
10:36
seems there is no clear cut option.  Tampa probably rolls out Charlie Morton, no?
Mark P
10:36
Given how Manaea has been pitching, I wonder if Oakland might just roll with him
Silver
10:37
Any chance the ESPYs create a "Worst Timed Winning Streak" award specifically for the Giants?
Mark P
10:40
I'm finding it hard to fault a team for deciding to go for it when they were legitimately in contention
Mr. Baseball
10:40
What are your predictions for the AL and NL wild card? What about the World Series?
Mark P
10:41
A's, Rays, Nationals, D'Backs take the wild cards.

My WS pick is the Yankees over the Dodgers
Angel Fan
10:41
Your ‘best guess’ WHEN Adell will be in our RF..Thanks
Mark P
10:41
May or June of 2020
g
10:42
No, it would not be great if the NL Central came down to the last 3 games.  Go Cards!
Mark P
10:42
It'd be exciting for me, who has no horse in the race.  Go chaos!
g
10:42
Does Dellin Betances resign with the Yankees, or assume a closer role elsewhere?
Mark P
10:43
My guess is elsewhere, though perhaps not necessarily as a closer.  I wonder if some of the bad blood between Betances and the Yankees' front office from a few offseasons ago is still lingering
mike
10:44
do you see  turnover by redsox and mangment how do you see getting fired or even traded
Connecting…