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Dana Brown
8:35
The Astros have one of the worst farm systems and they're one of the worst teams. Could we see a major fire sale this summer (Hunter Brown, Yordan, Pena, Paredes)?
Mark P
8:37
As noted, no AL teams are really out of the race just yet.  Don't forget that the Astros were also hit hard by injuries last year but managed to stay in the wild card race until the very end.

If things stay bad and Houston's out of the running by the deadline, they'll make moves, but hardly a full-on fire sale.  Brown and Alvarez in particular aren't going anywhere.
8:38
It would be the usual assortment of impending free agents or players with limited control.  Paredes has a club option for 2027 so he could be a potential trade chip in this world.
Brian
8:40
With all the pitching (in the big leagues and prospects) that the Yankees currently have, will that make them not pursue Tarik Skubal in the off-season?
Mark P
8:41
"You can never have too much pitching"

And, you can especially never have too much elite pitching.  As much as the Yankees have been more cautious than usual in recent years about huge free agent splashes, one imagines they'll take a legit run at Skubal.
Ghost Buster
8:42
What do you make of Buster Olney's remark on the Baseball Tonight podcast last month (March 17) that a source told him Oakland could be a frontrunner for expansion?
Mark P
8:43
Oakland deserves another team, but I'd have to imagine several cities are ahead of them in terms of expansion candidates
Royals
8:43
We are off to a not so great start. Can we get back into the playoff race or is this team doomed?  Biggest weakness right now?
Mark P
8:45
The bullpen has been quite bad, but once again, KC's biggest issue is a lack of hitting.  Even more frustrating is the fact that Jensen and to some extent Caglianone have been productive, but now it's the cornerstones like Witt, Perez, and Pasquantino who are struggling.
Chris
8:46
Favorite Cure song?
Mark P
8:46
"Just Like Heaven" is on the shortlist of most perfect songs ever written
Brian
8:47
Are the Braves dumb for what they did with Martin Perez? Results are results, but every front office is severely K-brained. Would they have done that with Glavine back in the 90s if they had today's mindset?
Mark P
8:50
I think Atlanta took the calculated risk that other front offices would be too "K-brained," as you put it, to claim Perez and his contract off the waiver wire.

The Perez situation seems like a larger version of what the Braves have done with guys like Jesse Chavez, Luke Williams, and few other roster favorites in recent years --- DFA or outright them, with a tacit understanding that they'll be re-signed once the roster maneuvering is complete.
Blow it up
8:51
Houston
Mark P
8:53
In regards to this question and the earlier question about whether or not the Astros could make some management changes, it can't be ruled out.  Espada and Brown are both in the final years of their contracts, and there were even whispers last year that they were both on the hot seat.

Whether or not ownership makes such a move mid-season remains to be seen, but again, the Astros are being ruined by injuries right now.  One can certainly find fault with Brown's front office moves or Espada's managerial decisions, yet I'd argue that almost nobody can win with 14 players (including 10 pitchers) on the injured list
Unpopular Opinion
8:54
PCA is beyond atrocious against LHP. No matter how good he is on defense, he needs to sit against lefties.
Mark P
8:57
The Cubs find themselves in a bit of a Catch-22 with PCA, especially now that they're committed to him on a long-term extension.  He's not going to get better against left-handed pitchers if he doesn't face them, but his platoon splits are so glaring that the Cubs are costing themselves at-bats whenever Crow-Armstrong faces a lefty.

The other issue is that if PCA sits against lefties, there's no obvious other center field option to take his palce
Rafael Devers
8:57
Is there hope for me or am I headed for a negative WAR season?
Mark P
8:58
While this is a colder start than usual, Devers has a habit of not getting his bat going until later in the season. No reason to hit the panic button just yet
Lance Parish
9:00
Is Dillon Dingler becoming an elite catcher, hits, won a gold glove and owes the ABS challenges
Mark P
9:03
Dingler's .384 wOBA is still well below his .467 xwOBA.  If anything, he could be producing more than he already is, which is scary for opposing pitchers.  Dingler having a big breakout year would be great news for the Tigers
Mayor West
9:03
So what happens when the Reds start hitting?
Mark P
9:05
They never really started hitting last year and still made the playoffs.  So getting even halfway decent offense puts the team in good position, as long as the pitching holds up and gets healthy.
9:06
One has to wonder how much rope the Reds will continue to give McLain and Hayes in everyday roles.  Stewart's started to cut into McLain's time at second base, and while Hayes is a glove-first player, he can't literally the worst everyday hitter in baseball.
bill
9:06
Will the Braves balloon pop  sooner or later or keep them aloft?
Mark P
9:07
No reason to think Atlanta can't keep it going and return to playoff contention.  2025 may have just been a Murphy's Law (not Sean Murphy) type of season, and the ship has now been righted
Ray
9:08
Dana Brown traded for Shewmake because he drafted him in 2019 when with the Braves and he is from Texas ?  What other erason ?
Mark P
9:08
The other reason is that the Astros need all the depth they can get at this point
Brewers Fan
9:09
Should I be worried about this bullpen? Most have a track record to say they should get some leash but man there are few if any I trust in that pen right now.
Mark P
9:10
Megill has had some rough outings, so that's been the real glaring issue since late-game meltdowns always tend to magnify things. I'd still trust that the Brewers will figure things out, or Megill and company will get on track
Muni
9:11
Is 45 HR's this season out of the question?
Mark P
9:12
That's an optimistic number, but at this point, I can't argue the optimism given how he's been crushing the ball.

Trivia time for the group.....what is the single-season White Sox home run record, and who holds it?
Guest
9:12
Haven’t seen a Cardinals post yet, so I just wanted to give them some respect for a good start.
Mark P
9:14
They've done well to overcome some very shaky pitching, though I'd be surprised if they keep it up.  

Still, for what's year #1 of a proper rebuild, it's always a good sign that the team is still playing competitive baseball.
Jb
9:14
49 by Albert Belle
In 1998
Mark P
9:14
JB is correct!  Right now some of you are like
9:15
"oh yeah, Belle played for the White Sox"
Frank Thomas never got more than 43 in a Chicago uniform, btw.
B
9:18
Should the ChiSox be looking to trade Munetaka at the deadline if the numbers are good? Sell high, before he perhaps loses value if the strikeouts drag him down like Gallo?
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