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Mark P
7:23
Welcome, weekend chatters!  We'll open the floor just as soon as a few questions enter the queue....
A's at home
7:25
A's just can't get it done at home. What needs to be done to turn it around? They are still in it and still lots of season left to play.
Mark P
7:27
Today's loss drops the A's to 11-17 at home, with a much more respectable road record of 17-14.  Pitching at that ballpark just seems to be taking more of a toll on the Athletics' pitchers than it does opponents, and it doesn't help that the A's have gotten even thinner in the rotation department due to the injury bug
7:28
The more interesting stat is maybe the fact that the A's are only middle-of-the-pack when it comes to home offense.  Kurtz, Langeliers, and (of all people) Cortes can only do so much to prop up an overall disappointing offense
7:30
In what has become this chat's catchphrase of the last month, "they're still in it because the AL as a whole is so weak."  If guys like Soderstrom start hitting and the A's pitching becomes even half-decent (not even good), a run at a wild card berth or even the AL West crown isn't out of the question.  But in general, the A's seemed like a team that was still at least a year away, and that might well end up being the case
Hunter
7:31
Murakami gets injured and White Sox pull up Jacob Gonzalez. He was hitting .300 with 18 bombs and 58 rbis in almost 50 games. What’s your current thoughts on the white sox right now
Big Hurt
7:31
Are the White Sox legit playoff contenders?
Mark P
7:32
Gonzalez's 2026 output is so far beyond his previous numbers that it seems like an outlier, but then again, breakouts happen.  It doesn't seem likely that Gonzalez will do much to make up the Murakami-sized hole in Chicago's lineup, and losing him for at least a month is a tough break for both the team and for casual fans as a fun story.
7:33
Still too early to say if the Sox can sustain this all the way through September, but it helps that the Royals and Tigers are both flailing right now.  I don't think second place in the AL Central is even out of the question since I don't trust Minnesota.
Jack
7:34
What do the Pirates do with Carme M? Leave him on the restricted list list or trade him?
Mr. Mlodzinski
7:34
Think I’ll be on the move?
Mark P
7:35
While Mlodzinski isn't happy with his current situation, I don't think this is an Eric Lauer situation where there are hard feelings "and" the pitcher isn't performing.  I'm sure a few teams have checked in with the Bucs on trade offers, but if you're Pittsburgh, Mlodzinski is a valuable depth arm.
Snow the Informer
7:36
If a MLB contract clause states X amount of time on the IL for an "arm injury" voids the opt out, does that include a shoulder injury?  Or what if he goes on the IL for a shoulder injury then stays on it because of a lat issue, does that void the opt out? Asking for a friend.
Mark P
7:38
Ha, a friend named Craig?  
That's an interesting question, and I'm sure the actual contract has more official language covering the specifics.
Rangers Fan
7:39
Can Josh Jung keep this up? He’s hitting at an all-star level over the last month.
Mark P
7:41
His advanced metrics hint that some regression is coming, but maybe not much.  Jung is making a lot of hard contact and he has drastically reduced his strikeouts, which is a nice recipe for sustained success.

Interestingly, Jung seems to be the one batter who has figured out Globe Life Field.  He's crushing the ball at home to the tune of a 1.000 OPS, as opposed to around a .700 OPS on the road.
Dustin
7:42
What do the Mariners do with their starters? They have 6 up and 2 ready in Sloan and Anderson? I know they shouldn’t trade pitching, but, they have so many. Sell
sell high on Hancock?
Mark P
7:44
Obligatory "you can never have too much pitching" quote

With the M's in pure win-now mode, a major deadline trade can't be ruled out.  But that's still two months away, and that's plenty of time for another injury or two to emerge.  Pitching surpluses have a way of solving themselves once someone inevitably gets hurt.
Yo Yo Mlb
7:46
Under the current CBA, a team can only option a player up to 5 times a season, without exposing him to waivers. Might two teams agree to swap relievers midseason, just to reset with a fresh set of 5 options?
Mark P
7:47
A player has only five options per year no matter how many teams he plays for
Awards
7:47
Should MLB announce season awards during the playoffs like the NBA does? I feel like people lose attention by the time they announce them after everything is over.
Mark P
7:48
I think the NBA has just the opposite problem, where the awards are buried in the headlines under everything going on in the playoffs.
Bucky McBimm
7:49
More likely to get traded, Alvarez or Trout?
Mark P
7:50
I guess Alvarez, just because the Angels aren't at all moving Trout.
Barry
7:50
With Detroit having nearly the worst record in the league. Are we know in the Skubal MORE likely to be traded side
Mark P
7:51
After another dismal week, it's looking increasingly likely that the Tigers won't be able to dig themselves out of this hole.  Still plenty of time before the deadline, of course, but right now it certainly more likely than not that Skubal will be moved, assuming he's healthy
Padres
7:51
Is it possible that the new ownership shows Preller the door after this season?
Mark P
7:53
Preller just signed a new extension back in February, so the new owners would be eating some money if they wanted to make a move.  Not out of the question, of course, since some owners want their own hires in charge regardless of the incumbents' past track record.
But, Preller has a pretty good argument to keep his job, given how well the Padres have performed on his watch
Rays Erik Neander
7:54
How active should I be to before the trade deadline?
Mark P
7:55
The Rays look like legit World Series contenders, so on paper, I'd suggest they should be aggressive in adding a power bat or two, plus some help to what has been a pretty middling bullpen by Tampa standards
7:56
fwiw, the Rays are pretty much always "active" at every deadline, even if that means also trading some higher salaries in a split buyer/seller approach.  It'll be interesting to see how their new owner may alter this approach, or if a payroll spike may be available for a title push
JeffyM
7:57
Can the Jays trade Hoffman to Baltimore for that 12 year old kid with an apparent rocket arm?
Mark P
7:57
If that kid is named Rowngartner....
Nick
7:58
Gotta love what the new coaching staff is doing in DC, right?  Butera is doing miracles
Mark P
7:59
This Nationals/White Sox World Series is going to be epic!

Seriously, Washington's pitching is so poor that I don't see this lasting for the Nats.  That still doesn't erase your point that the front office/dugout changes have really turned things in a positive direction.
Mike
8:02
Why don't the reds send mclain and friedl to the minors?
Mark P
8:02
That question may have to be put on hold if Elly is going to the IL
FJF
8:03
Considering how many pitching issues the A's always seem to have, do you think Emerson will get fired soon?
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