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Mark P
7:13
Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and staying safe and healthy.  Santa Claus brought some extra questions, so let's dig in....
Freddie Freeman
7:13
Am I actually interested in playing in Toronto?
Mark P
7:14
If Toronto is willing to meet his asking price, I don't see why not.  But the only real news we've heard about Freeman is that the Braves are his preferred choice, and it isn't known who (if any) team might be second on his list
Erik Neander
7:15
Hey Mark, Good evening! Is there any chance that once the lockout is done, we could Sign Nelson Cruz to a 1-2 Year deal worth about $10 million per year?
Mark P
7:16
(Neander = Rays president of baseball ops)

That type of deal isn't totally out of Tampa's price range, but I'd deem it unlikely.  I suspect the Rays saw Cruz as a rental piece for this year only, and they might be as wary about giving him two guaranteed years as the Twins were
what cheer
7:16
Any chance the Los Angeles Dodgers will try to trade Cody Bellinger now that the $17 million contract has been agreed upon? Would the Seattle Mariners have the payroll flexibility to take a chance on Bellinger as a lefthanded power hitter to fill the center field void?
Mark P
7:17
A Bellinger trade would be interesting, though L.A. wouldn't exactly be selling high.  As you rightly put it, the M's or any other team would be taking a chance on Bellinger considering his struggles last year and in 2020.  That said, the Dodgers can afford a $17MM hit better than most teams, and they might feel it's worth the risk just to see if Bellinger can get back on track
Mr. Flexible
7:18
When teams consider signing a free agent to a long-term contract, are they concerned about the impacts on the roster down the road? Seems like players like Hosmer, Heyward etc. can block promising young players.
Mark P
7:20
Teams absolutely consider this factor, and we've seen evidence of it this very winter (i.e. the Yankees avoiding the big shortstops since they love their prospects).  The trend in recent years has been to try and turn some prospects into multi-positional players early, in order to make him more versatile assets on the big league roster and to help avoid any future position-blockage issues
But really, a "blocked prospect" scenario is only a real problem if the veteran signing (like a Hosmer or a Heyward) underperforms.  And even in the case of a Heyward, he is a good enough defensive player to be moved around the outfield to make room.
Jason
7:21
Are we going to have any baseball updates anytime soon.   Winter deals help me get through the winter.
Mark P
7:21
Well, if you like NPB and KBO signings....
TJ
7:22
How does the the Padres going over the luxury tax impact their spending this off season? How restrictive is it if they don't sign QO players?
Mark P
7:24
Signing a QO player would cost the Padres two draft picks and $1MM in international pool money.  Not an insignificant penalty, yet maybe not something that a team in true "go for it" mode should really be concerned about, if they think a particular QO player is a difference-maker.
Uncle Steve cohen
7:24
i know that jeff McNeil is the most recent odd man out on the Mets roster but could Dom smith coming off the same down year pull in a mid rotation mlb arm?
Mark P
7:25
Probably not, Smith has the lesser trade value of the two since McNeil is so versatile.  If Smith is a 1B-only player, teams won't be too eager to give up a significant pitcher for him
D
7:26
Can teams take advantage by  signing players to minor league contract during lockout to outbid other teams, so they can be signed to a major contract once its over?
Mark P
7:26
The league wouldn't permit that kind of end-around
Samuel
7:26
Do you see a salary cap coming from the new CBA?
Mark P
7:27
No.  The players will never accept a true salary cap.  Part of the reason for the current labor issue, in fact, is that teams have increasingly approached the luxury tax threshold as a "cap"
Cards4Ever
7:28
Thanks for the chat.  How many teams do you believe could actually push close to the luxury tax, but don't?  As a Cardinal fan, it's annoying that they don't push their payroll with the cash cow they have.  They have talked the talk before about being able to push the cap, but never do.  They need a left handed bat and bullpen help.  I  want to believe Matz will be the 21 version, not the 20 version.
Mark P
7:30
All these teams are owned by billionaires who could push close to the luxury tax if they truly wanted to, in any given year.  For some teams, that would come with a significant drop in revenue, and some owners aren't willing to take that kind of hit.  (After all, spending big isn't a guarantee of a World Series.)
7:31
So I can understand why some teams in smaller markets aren't in range of the luxury tax.  What I don't like, however, is how some teams who aren't really in
"small markets" instead choose to hide behind that label as an excuse for not spending
Jose ramirez
7:31
Which team will I be playing for in ‘22? (And why is it the Blue Jays)
Mark P
7:32
It'll be the Guardians.  I really doubt Cleveland is going to move Ramirez since they want to contend again in 2022
Middleton
7:33
All this talk of luxury tax…am I going over it this year?
Mark P
7:33
I almost think the Phils will have to, unless Dave Dombrowski can swing some very creative trades.  That team has a lot of holes to fill.
north platte
7:34
Would the Los Angeles Dodgers be willing to pay part of David Price's salary in a trade in order to reduce payroll? Or do the Dodgers have no concerns about the competitive balance penalties?
Mark P
7:35
They have some level of concern, since Friedman actively maneuvered to get payroll under control over the last few years (in relative terms, of course, since "under control" just meant getting under the tax threshold).  The Dodgers has no concern over surpassing the tax threshold for one or two years, but I can see them throttling back after next year to avoid a three-time repeater tax.
7:36
Of course, the tax system could also be changed in the next CBA, so this could be a moot point
Concerned White Sox Fan
7:36
Realistically, who should the Sox target as a SP when the lockout ends? Not really any starters that seem like they are reliable upgrades, and Keuchel would need to improve substantially to make sense in a rotation that is supposed to contend next season
Mark P
7:38
The White Sox would seem like great fits for the Oakland/Cincy trade candidates.  If not a trade, maybe try to find a "new Rodon," in a pitcher who might be a tweak away from a breakout.
Obviously that's easier said that done, of course
Mike Trout
7:38
Will I be the greatest player to never win a world series? Oh and will I make it to the playoffs again? Has any other player of my caliber only played 3 playoff games their entire career?
Mark P
7:39
There are plenty of great players who literally never appeared in the postseason, back in the days when the World Series was the only playoff round.

As for best player to never win a WS.....Barry Bonds, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb immediately spring to mind
Thad
7:40
Could you rank the AL Central as you see it right now?
Mark P
7:41
White Sox, Guardians, Tigers as the clear top three, and I would put Cleveland ahead if they landed two more big bats.  The Tigers don't seem done with their winter shopping either, but the question for them might be whether or not their younger pitchers can take another step forward, or if Greene/Torkelson can contribute immediately
Royals are fourth, Twins are fifth.
Boomhauer
7:42
Thanks for the chat Mark! How much of a game changer would it be for the Cardinals if they signed Schwarber? Assuming the NL gets the DH.
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