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CHISOX FAN
9:06
How long do we wait for Andrew Vaughn to look like a MLB hitter ?
Mark P
9:08
While the Sox aren't costing themselves anything by giving Vaughn at-bats, it seems like he might have already shown what "Peak Vaughn" will be --- at best an okay power option but far from a premium bat.
By this point I doubt the Sox consider him as any part of their next core, and a trade is possible if any team wants to take a flier on a change of scenery
Royals fan
9:12
is there a bat out there?
Mark P
9:12
"Yes" -- Bruce Wayne
Grover
9:12
Why didn’t the dodgers “in case” offer a qualifying offer to Buehler? It’s sure looking stupid now.
Mark P
9:14
Buehler would likely have accepted a QO, and the Dodgers apparently preferred to move onto other options on the open market. "Stupid" is a little harsh given that a) it's still early, b) Buehler has been good for Boston but not outstanding, and c) the Dodgers have been able to withstand pitching injuries for so long that I'll need to see them struggle before I believe it
Ronnie Woo Woo
9:15
Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez already has three homers in his first week in the bigs.  Are you jumping on the "Ramirez bandwagon" at this stage?
Mark P
9:15
Here's a fun stat Sarah Langs posted earlier today....

"Agustín Ramírez is the first player in at least the last 125 seasons to have three games with multiple extra-base hits within his first five career games"
9:16
Regression is inevitable, but Marlins fans deserve a break
Jim
9:16
Denzel Clarke is hitting in AAA and can actually play well defensively in centerfield. If the A's made JJ Bleday available at the deadline, what is a realistic return for him?
Mark P
9:18
I'm approaching this question as if the Athletics will be at least somewhat in contention by the deadline, since that's the more fun scenario.  If so, the A's are likelier to call up Clarke or add a low-cost glove-first defender who can be a late-inning sub for pretty much anyone in the A's outfield.
You Can Always Tell A Milford Man
9:19
With the Phillies famously havering around .500 since the London series last year, is this team overrated or underperforming?
Mark P
9:21
Under-performing.  There's too much talent for this team to not contend, plus don't forget that the Phillies have been slow starters more often than now, with 2024 being the outlier.
Jim
9:22
But what kind of return would the A's get for Bleday?
Mark P
9:23
He's controlled for the next four seasons, and his defensive value would rise considerably if he was a corner outfielder instead of being miscast in center field.  Bleday hit well last season but has gotten off to a slow start this year.

In short, I don't think it would be any kind of premium return.  It makes sense why teams might have interest in Bleday, but he doesn't strike me as an obvious trade chip for the A's.
Pedro4eva
9:24
What's on the playlist tonight? I have Inuit by Foxing on right now
Mark P
9:24
Ex-Factor, by Lauryn Hill
Back Pages
9:26
Who is up first (prob depends on injury) Mayer or Anthony? A million writers speculate trading Raphaela or Wilyer to make an opening. What's your thot on this good problem.
Mark P
9:27
If it wasn't for Rafaela's extension, the no-brainer move would be to just send him to Triple-A.  That might still be the move despite his contract, as Rafaela just isn't producing much at the plate and Anthony clearly doesn't have anything left to prove at Triple-A.
Mardy
9:28
What does the future hold for Jordan Hicks? Is the starter experiment over?
Mark P
9:29
I think he'll ultimately end up back in the bullpen before the season is out.  Hicks had a decent start today and his secondary numbers paint a much better picture of his performance than his inflated ERA, but I'm not sure if it's necessarily sustainable.
Pirate Parrot
9:31
Can Cutch do enough in the next season or two to get HOF votes when the time comes?
Mark P
9:32
Unless he inexplicably returns to 2012 form, no, McCutchen isn't getting into Cooperstown.

There is nothing wrong with this, by the way.  Cutch has had a fantastic career that anyone would be proud of, but it's not a HOF resume in my view.
Preller Jr
9:33
Padres scuffling with Merrill, Arraez and Cronenworth on IL and getting nothing offensively from Gurriel, both catchers and Heyward before he went on IL; when does Preller pull the plug on on the old guys?
Mark P
9:34
You kinda answered your own question there.  The Padres have so many guys on the IL that they'll likely wait for everyone to get healthy before considering bigger-picture roster moves.
No?
9:34
The Orioles lack of commitments to a single player beyond this season is astounding.
Mark P
9:36
Agreed. Even if the team wasn't going to spend big in free agency or something, you'd think locking up at least one of their building blocks to an extension would've happened by now.  

Granted, Henderson/Westburg being Boras clients is an obstacle here.  And frankly, extending Rutschman may no longer be the slam-dunk it once seemed given his rather extended slump, and Basallo's presence.
Dodger Fan
9:39
How much longer will we put up with Muncy at 3B? He was pretty terrible on offense last year, and this year is even worse. Plus his defense at 3B is atrocious.
Mark P
9:41
Muncy is one of the unluckier hitters in baseball so far, as he's making a ton of hard contact with nothing to show for it.  That said, while his xwOBA is far outpacing his wOBA, even his xwOBA is still only around league average, and he is striking out even more than before.

The underlying metrics are overall good enough that I wouldn't worry too much about Muncy just yet, but surely the Dodgers are keeping an eye.
TJ
9:42
With a newer stadium packed with spectators, why do the braves seem to piece a roster together? Don’t the tax payers of Cobb county deserve more for the money they’re having to pay towards the stadium through property taxes. Liberty media has fleeced Cobb taxpayers
Mark P
9:44
In fairness to the Braves, they've drastically increased spending in recent years, and their payroll is close to double what it was in 2019.  The team has also kept making the playoffs, and won a ring as recently as 2021.  While you can certainly take issue with how the 2025 season is playing out so far, it's hard to argue that the club hasn't provided fans with a lot of bang for their buck over the last seven years.
Hoyer
9:45
Do the Cubs need to make a move free number one or number two starter this year to make the World Series?
Mark P
9:45
I think Imanaga is that type of frontline guy, but adding another quality starter certainly seems like a borderline must.
Doghouse Riley
9:48
How rough is it to have a guy hit 4 HRs in a game and still lose? Thanks Mark.
Mark P
9:49
It happens about three times for every 19 guys who have a four-homer game, I'd reckon.

Makes for kind of a bittersweet achievement for Suarez, but that's still a heck of a career feat.  Always cool to join an exclusive club like that in baseball history.
Mets bullpen
9:52
Melted down today but has started the season extremely strong otherwise; whose breakouts are real vs small sample size? In particular Edwin Diaz feels like he should be reverting to good form soon and Max Kranick has been a sight to behold, but idk how much Stanek has left in the tank and the Brooks Raley signing confuses me a lot
Mark P
9:53
I think the metric I'm looking at is "David Stearns is really good at putting together pitching staffs," moreso than specific small-sample numbers from various pitchers.  By this point I have confidence that Stearns will just figure it out, whether that means picking up some other random guy who suddenly blossoms in the Mets pen, or moving on from a pitcher just before the bottom falls out.
Bobby Cox
9:53
Mark no hitten whitten didn't he hit 4
Mark P
9:54
That's HARD-Hitten Whiten, excuse me very much

The four-homer club is mostly players who had good to amazing careers, but it also has a few fun completely random inclusions (i.e. Scooter Gennett)
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