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John
9:00
On a big 0 for getting answered. I need Mark P to snap it, even if it’s a swinging bunt for a single. Do the Orioles ever plan on trading a guy like Mayo or Basallo? Or even Kjerstad? Are teams trying to fleece them since they have the capital? I don’t have the faith that they’ll make a game changing move in July
Mark P
9:02
The O's have been willing to trade some prospects, as we saw with the Burnes deal (a success) and the Rogers deal (a miss to date).  So it does feel like Baltimore has perhaps traded the youngsters they weren't as keen on as long-term pieces, and now the ones remaining are the players they project as the core.
9:03
I've written before about the difficulty in being a prospect-rich team, since any trade call you make will inevitably start with the other team aiming high on Mayo/Basallo/whoever before maybe later on getting around to more realistic negotiations.
Herb
9:03
Hey Mark, what’s on the playlist tonight?
Mark P
9:04
"Runaway," by the National
Bryan
9:04
This is the first offseason I ever remember signing bonuses being involved for baseball. Have those not previously been disclosed or are they fairly new to the sport?
Mark P
9:04
Signing bonuses have been around for ages
Henry Dodger
9:05
If the Cards did decide to trade one affordable year of Fedde, how much could they get in return. He had a very valuable season in 2024, though the projection systems are light on him going forward.
Mark P
9:06
They'd get something good since (as noted) everyone needs quality pitching.  Not a huge return or anything, but probably at least one decent prospect who's a borderline top-100 type.
Nolan
9:06
If the Astros do trade for me, that makes them the favorites in the West right?
Mark P
9:07
The Astros might be considered favorites already, but it's a tough call within a tricky division to evaluate.
Bobby Cox
9:08
I'm still worried about our rotation. We can't expect same yr out of Sale. Could use Anderson to have bounce back season. Do the Braves win Esst
Mark P
9:09
Speaking of Fedde, I'd feel better about the Braves' staff if he was the fourth starter ahead of Holmes/Anderson.  Even with the caveat that Strider should be back at some point this season, Atlanta feels a pitcher short
JeffyM
9:13
There’s been a lot of talk about Vladdy and Bo possibly being available at the deadline, but if the Jays sell in July what kind of return could they get for Gausman, Berrios and Bassitt, considering as you say “you can never have enough pitching”?
Mark P
9:14
Bassitt's a rental so not much, and Berrios could be a complicated trade fit since he can opt out of his contract after the 2026 season.  Gausman is under contract through 2026, so he might be the more straight-forward trade chip if he returns to his old form in the first half
Ghost of Jayson Werth
9:15
I feel like now that we can see the light at the end of our rebuild, the Nats fanbase is on the lookout for the next big free agent signing or trade that will do for the franchise what bringing in Jayson Werth did for us a decade ago.
Mark P
9:16
Jayson Werth had a really good career, but it's funny that his legacy is his name being forever cited for "Jayson Werth-type signings"
Juan Soto
9:16
This is an overpay by at least 200 million. Save this comment. I guarantee this contract will not work out.
Mark P
9:18
If Soto ends up delivering "only" $565MM worth of value, I'd argue that's still really good?

This is an open question to the chat, or to any commenters....at what point is this Soto contract "worth it"?  Nobody expects him to put up 15 years of superstar numbers, but if he continues to hit great over, say, a decade, or even 7-8 years?  And, if the Mets win a championship or two in that span, does it still make it all worthwhile?
Nothin’ but Nats
9:19
What’s going on with the stephen strasburg drama? It seems like everyone agrees he’ll never be able to pitch again, but why does it seem like there’s so much tension between him and the team?
Mark P
9:19
That situation all seemed settled last April
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/stephen-strasburg-officially-re...
Legit Question
9:19
When they challenge a called ball or strike, is the strike zone adjusted for batter size or is there always a set electronic strike zone that remains the same for all?
Mark P
9:20
I believe it's adjusted per player, to answer the "Judge or Altuve?" conundrum
Pine Tar Pete
9:21
Rockies extend Doyle or another prove it year is necessary?
Mark P
9:21
If I'm Colorado, I give it another year
FantasyYoda
9:22
I'm not in the markets to know, but how marketable is Soto compared to Ohtani?
Mark P
9:22
Soto is pretty marketable but nobody is in Ohtani's league
Jim
9:23
Do you like Heaney to the Pirates? And do they sign anyone else before the season starts?
Mark P
9:24
I liked this signing a lot.  Heaney is a solid pitcher that seems like a bargain at that price, especially since Pittsburgh only needs him at the back end of the rotation.

Plus, it at least opens the door to the possibility that the Pirates could still surprise us by trading one of their pitching prospects for a more proven hitter
9:25
Or, a young top-prospect type of hitter ready to reach the majors
Jesse
9:26
Is Ryan Helsley gettable from the Cardinals without an absurd offer? I don't understand why they're holding him.
Mark P
9:27
My best guess on the Cardinals' offseason is that they simply think the NL Central is winnable.  So they'll try to make a run with the current group, and then start pivoting to trades at midseason if things aren't working out.
9:28
Again, it's an odd pivot from where the Cards were seemingly going last fall.  But, I can't fault a team for feeling like it can contend and going for it rather than tearing it down.
Maybe put an asterisk besides "going for it," since it's not like St. Louis exactly did a lot to bolster the roster
9:29
I feel like nary a MLBTR chat goes by without one of us going on an exasperated rant about the Cardinals' offseason, haha.  It's just so unusual.
Justin Ishbia
9:30
Will I be the majority owner of the White Sox in the next 5 years?
Mark P
9:31
The statement released by the Sox pushes back against that idea, but then again, they're also not going to public with such a "succession plan" this relatively early in the process.  Ishbia did seem to have a fairly clear path to buying the Twins, however, so for the brothers to abandon that pursuit just to get a larger minority share of the White Sox seems like there's more happening behind the scenes.
Wesley
9:32
You’re the reason Arrested Development is popular.
Mark P
9:33
I would think the quality of the show was a bigger factor than my weekly "bees/beads" recitation.  This surely isn't my subtle attempt to get booked as a guest on SmartLess, nope, no way
Guest
9:34
who plays 3rd if Arrenado goes to H-town? Similar to the BoSox?
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