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MLBTR Chat With Mark Polishuk
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Mark P
8:53
Should the Pirates rebuild, or try to contend?
Rebuild (74.2% | 478 votes)
 
Retool (25.8% | 166 votes)
 
Total Votes: 644
Ryan
8:54
Is it really about the money with the Redsox desire to get under the luxury tax threshold or is more about the draft?
Mark P
8:55
I'd guess it's the money, since a ten-slot draft drop isn't that big a deal when you're already picking at the very end of the first round.
Ben
8:56
Should I be more worried about the possibility of Stras leaving the Nats than Rendon?
Mark P
8:57
I think there's a decent chance both stay, though Stras seems likelier to remain in D.C. than Rendon.
Carl
8:57
Why do you think fans tend to side with ownership when it comes to player contracts or the state of free agency?
Mark P
9:00
With players, fans can see evidence of a lack of production right in front of their eyes.  i.e. "why is this making $20MM a year and he's only hitting .200?"  And, a lot of fans feel even the best players are still overpaid, just by dint of the flawed logic that these guys are "playing a kid's game" and should be grateful for any kind of high salary.

Keep in mind that there's also a lot more public information about player salaries than there is about team revenues.  If the latter info was more readily available, there would be a lot more fan outcry over how much these teams are actually pulling in annually while not spending on payroll, their own stadiums, etc.
QUEUEBD
9:01
do you think the Giants will be in play for Cole/Straus?
Mark P
9:02
Likely not, since my guess is they're still at least another year or two away from real spending given that they have so many tough contracts still on the books
Just Saiyan
9:02
Weird trade idea, but would Cozart and two 10-20 ranked prospect be enough for the Angels to get back Samardzija and take on his salary?
Mark P
9:03
Cozart's trade value is next to nil right now, so I doubt the Giants have any interest at all
Guest
9:03
Is Ben Cherington the answer in Pittsburgh?
Mark P
9:04
Cherington would be a good hire for the Pirates.  He has shown he's very good at building a farm system, and the impression is that many of "his" biggest mistakes with the Red Sox (hiring Bobby Valentine, the Sandoval/Hanley contracts) were foisted upon him by ownership.
TheKingRoyal
9:05
So i hear the Royals are a professional baseball team.  If this is true when is their next window to be competitive?
Mark P
9:06
*checks Baseball Reference*

You're right, they are a pro team!

I'd guess the Royals have two seasons of rebuilding ahead of them, though that timeline could change if some of the younger guys emerge ahead of schedule.
Chris
9:06
Doesn’t  Betances make sense for just about any club in hopes of a bounce back, just to flip at deadline to a contender?
Mark P
9:06
Absolutely
Mets23ny23
9:07
Mets are not dumb enough to trade Jeff McNeill are they?
Mark P
9:08
I doubt it.  Joel Sherman reported the other day that the Rays had interest in McNeil in the offseason, but after his big 2019, I'd imagine the Mets will hang onto him unless they get an absurd offer
Ross
9:08
Where would you rank the A’s rotation? Manaea, Montas, Fiers, Puk, and Luzardo with depth like Bassitt, Blackburn, Cotton, Gossett, Holmes, Kaprielian, Jefferies looks really good to me.
Mark P
9:09
There's the obvious caveat that so many of these guys are still unproven at the MLB level, and coming off significant injuries.  But you're right, there's a ton of potential there.  It wouldn't shock me if the A's have one of the sport's better rotation as early as this season
Phils payroll
9:10
Good idea to keep Bruce on at 14 mil when the OF is pretty set? Seems like a lot of cash for a bench plater and he could get more starts on, say, the Indians again if phils kick in some salary? Thoughts?
Mark P
9:11
The Mariners are covering almost all of Bruce's $14MM salary, so he's a nice price for the Phils at less than $2MM in actual owed salary
First and 10
9:12
Who is the first top 50 free agent to sign?  Ripple effects this early?
Mark P
9:14
I feel like Wainwright/STL and Gardner/NYY are both very likely re-signings.  Among the higher-level guys, Jose Abreu seems very likely to end up with the White Sox again, maybe even to the point of just accepting the QO for now and then working on a longer extension later.

Among the upper-tier guys....it wouldn't shock me if Strasburg and the Nationals came to a relatively quick agreement on a new contract.
G
9:14
Speaking of CBA - outside of the QO going away, don't you think the MLBPA should make the biggest push to reduce MLB service time from 6 to 4 years?
Mark P
9:15
MLBPA would happily keep the QO system in place if they could get their players to free agency two years quicker
TheChiGuy
9:15
Heyward for Cano? Passable CF for 2B guy.... who says no? $72 for $96 Heyward several years younger...
Mark P
9:16
The Mets would do it, since Heyward fills a need for them in center field.  But if you're the Cubs, there's no point
Chris Archer
9:17
Should I be ready to hear my name in winter rumors?
Wrigley Towns
9:17
Chris Archer for sale at this point?  Reunion maybe?
Mark P
9:18
Archer on the Cubs now, after all those trade rumors in past years, would be kind of funny.

It'll depend on the direction Pittsburgh's new front office takes, though Archer has somewhat limited trade value given his rough recent performance.  Maybe he has enough upside that another team feels he can fix him, however
Feels "they" can fix him, that is
Bill
9:18
Who would be an ideal player for the reds to trade for?
Mark P
9:19
Mike Trout, but I don't think he's available.
9:20
More seriously, I'd be looking hard at middle infield options if I was the Reds.  Villar from the Orioles, maybe Merrifield from KC if they're willing to pay the Royals' big price, perhaps one of Tampa's various multi-position guys if they're still looking to create 40-man roster space.....lots of candidates out there
Boris
9:21
Is Brett Gardner pretty much a lock for the Yankees, despite having enough outfielders?
Mark P
9:21
I'd be very surprised if Gardner wasn't back in the Bronx.
Buster Posey
9:21
Am I pretty much done?  Or could I be a DH in AL?
Mark P
9:23
John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle made a good point in this profile of Posey (Get your free agent predictions in before Monday's deadline!
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/enter-the-mlbtr-free-agent-pred... … pic.twitter.com/MfrzgGuRUD), noting that the catcher made a surprising quick return from hip surgery, and it perhaps impacted his play in 2019
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