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Mark P
9:17
"Mark, did you go back to concessions and spend even more money on more popcorn?"

.....no comment
O’s Fan
9:18
Lots of MASN and local newspaper excitement regarding Taylor Ward’s 40 walks and high on base percentage so far. Which is great and all, but the o’s signed him for his home run power, as well, and he’s hit 1 so far this year. He walked twice and struck out looking twice today. He almost looks like he doesn’t want to swing. Am i being too cynical? Or is Ward’s high walk rate actually not as productive as the o’s need him to be with the bat?
Mark P
9:21
Ward's .262/.426/.376 is one of the more unusual slash lines you'll ever see, and his walk rate is more than double his career average.

I find it hard to get too upset over a player with a 138 wRC+, which would also be a career high for Ward.  He's going his job by getting on base and not making outs, and the much bigger issue is the several other Orioles hitters who aren't producing at all
Austin Hedges
9:23
What about me? I'm the team leader for the Guardians and want to spend the rest of my career there.
Mark P
9:24
fwiw, Hedges is having the best offensive season of his career, though it would be a shock if he keeps hitting anywhere close to this.

In the bigger picture, the Guardians might think they can keep Hedges for lower-cost deals or even a minor league pact, rather than $4MM per year.  Or, having Bailey as an even better defensive catcher who is under team control is maybe Cleveland's preferred option, as it allows them to keep up their standard of elite catcher defense
Patchogue
9:25
When does Olson take a day off? 4-5 years from now maybe?
Mark P
9:27
Olson's consecutive games streak is now the 10th-longest in baseball history.  In yet another example of how unbelievable Cal Ripken's streak was, Olson is still over 1800 games away from Ripken's record.
Giants
9:27
Will Posey be fired from the PBO job considering he's a franchise legend and partial stake owner of the Giants? Also, when will someone from the coaching staff be let go after this disastrous start? Rarely any of them have actual pro ball experience
Mark P
9:29
I suspect if it comes to that, Posey might resign rather than be "fired," just so everyone can save face.  I don't expect this to happen in 2026, by the way, as I suspect Posey will be given more time to right the ship.

How the Giants may respond to the coaching staff is an interesting question.  Vitello was signed to a big contract, so a managerial change probably isn't in the cards unless the season goes completely in the tank.  Bringing in new coaches may be one response, even if some fans may feel it's a half-measure.
9:30
Again, however, one wonders if it's really the coaches' fault that so many proven MLB hitters are suddenly in a collective slump.  Especially in this era when many players have their own personal swing gurus, rather than listening solely to what their coaches are saying
Evening mark
9:31
Appreciate the response, I was more interested in what the cost might be for the reds to get a real closer.
Mark P
9:33
Given the cost of acquiring closers at the deadline, the Reds' move might be to pick up a high-leverage arm, if not necessarily a "closer."  If Pagan isn't the answer, maybe Santillan or Ashcraft gets the job for saves, or the Reds deploy a committee based on situations
Hello
9:33
Does Volpe get moved at the trade deadline?
Mark P
9:34
Can't be ruled out.  Volpe would certainly draw interest as a change of scenery candidate, and would be an interesting trade chip for the Yankees to include as part of a package for someone that can help them win now
Ludwig’s Safety Squeeze
9:35
Is Walt Weiss a better hands on manager than Snitker or is it just that the players this year are outperforming last year’s roster?
Mark P
9:36
While the 2026 Braves have certainly had their share of injuries, they're still much healthier than the 2025 club.  This year's team also has Albies, Harris, and the wild card that is Dominic Smith all hitting like mad.
the chase is on
9:37
how do you see delauter doing the rest of the year? can he keep up more walks than ks? was the power surge in march a fluke or indicative that he can hit for power and average as a stud?
Mark P
9:38
The advanced metrics are all very positive for DeLauter, except for the admittedly important departments of hard-contact rate and barrel rate.  He doesn't need to be a superstar in 2026, as the Guardians would be more than happy if he's just a solid regular in his first real exposure to big league pitching
Kevin Cash
9:39
Why aren't more outlets taking my team seriously
Mark P
9:39
If anything, flying under the radar seems to traditionally help the Rays.
Alek Thomas
9:41
Why has nobody taken a chance on me yet?
Mark P
9:41
I suspect several teams have been in touch with the D'Backs with trade offers, so the Snakes are now gauging their options
9:42
I'd be surprised if Thomas leaves on just a straight waiver claim, as you'd think the D'Backs would be able to get some kind of player return
Mike
9:42
Opinion on ryan waldschmidt of arizona
Mark P
9:43
He is destined to be one of the top two players named --ldschmidt in Diamondbacks history
Zach
9:44
Is Josh Jung for real or is it just early and will he level out?
Mark P
9:45
Jung's metrics are pretty good, but a .352 BABIP pretty much guarantees some regression.  

Still, he's banked those hits already, and been arguably the Rangers' MVP for helping keep the team afloat while most of the lineup has been struggling
Ideally, as Jung inevitably cools off, one or two more of the Texas hitters will start heating up
9:46
We're two hours into the chat, so it's time to wrap things up. Thanks so much for all the questions!
9:47
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