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Mark P
9:04
A bit of a later start than usual for the Weekend Chat, but never late than never?  Let's get rolling....
Just curious
9:07
Are the Phillies in on Skubal
Mark P
9:08
I'd be surprised if they weren't.  The question is if Philly has enough to win a bidding war, given the Phillies' thin farm system.
Logan Webb
9:09
Would you trade me? What kind of a return would I bring back to SF?
Mark P
9:10
Webb would bring back a huge trade return, but he's also just about the last of the SF cornerstone types I'd move.  If the Giants dealt Webb, that's a "blow it all up" trade, rather than just some kind of reload for 2027 or a strategic salary dump.
9:11
It's difficult, since the way the Giants are presently constructed, I'm not sure they can contend again over the rest of Webb's contract (which runs through 2028).
Jason
9:11
What do you see Brewers doing at the deadline?
Mark P
9:12
Third base help, bullpen help, and maybe a starting pitching.  Milwaukee has plenty of rotation candidates if everyone is healthy, but getting an innings-eater type would provide a nice security blanket.
B-Wild
9:13
What teams talking about buying do you think should be sellers?
Mark P
9:14
Probably because I just finished writing a post about Mike Elias' media conference, but the Orioles seem like they'll likely be selling rather than buying.  Obviously it's the AL and almost everyone is basically "still in the race," but the O's need to have a lot of things turned around in short order for me to think they've got a legit chance to be a wild card team
Mercer
9:14
do you think Randy Arozerana is getting traded at the trade deadline
Mark P
9:15
Not a chance.  Seattle wants to add a RHH, not subtract such a bat from their lineup
Johnny L
9:16
Assuming Murakami is healthy, would you prefer Rice over him by a wide margin or are they close?
Mark P
9:17
If you're talking big picture, I prefer Rice because he's arb-controlled through 2030 and Murakami is a free agent after 2027.  In terms of pure ability, I think I'll still lean towards Rice just because I've seen a bit more of what he can do
Put Me In Coach
9:17
Who's better, the Cubs or the White Sox?
Mark P
9:17
Which team do you think is better?

Cubs (48.9% | 305 votes)
 
White Sox (51.1% | 319 votes)
 

Total Votes: 624
MAYS
9:21
All Star voting has become a joke.  It’s NL real All Stars vs hapless Blue Jays.  How do we fix this?
Mark P
9:22
My guess is that at least a few of the Jays players will sit out the ASG for rest purposes.  But there's really not much the league can do to prevent such lopsided vote totals, and after all these decades, head-scratching All-Star votes are part of the experience
Tim
9:23
The angels have been a mess for years. Only constant is moreno. Time for him to let baseball people make the decisions? Or sell?
Mark P
9:24
In theory, Moreno would realize he's the main problem and finally let Mozeliak (or whoever the next GM is) have free reign on baseball operations.  

In theory.
Jays
9:25
What has happened to Vlads power & do we use Nimmala to upgrade the rotation? He could headline for Skubal?
Mark P
9:27
In April, Guerrero wasn't hitting for power but was still getting hits and getting on base.  But, Guerrero has been one of the worst hitters in baseball for almost two months now, and it's hard to fathom.  He just isn't getting the ball in the air whatsoever, and my armchair observation is that he's making the problem worse by really pressing at the plate.

As for a Nimmala trade, it's getting to the point where the Jays shouldn't be thinking about buying at the deadline at all (and certainly not to that blockbuster level)
Curious George
9:27
Do the Jays become deadline sellers?
Smalls
9:27
Why can't the Jays win?
JeffyM
9:27
The Blue Jays have lost 6 in a row, but are still in the wild card hunt.  Should they load up and shop Pinango, Valenzuela, McAdoo, Keys etc.  Or retool for next year and trade off Varsho, Gausman, Springer etc?
Tim
9:27
jays are in big trouble. In deference to scherzers phenomenal career, he's done . Bieber hasn't shown anything. Guerrero hasn't produced. What do they do?
Mark P
9:29
As these comments and others suggest, not a great stretch of baseball here in Toronto.

Again, the weak AL has kept the Blue Jays still in the playoff race.  At this point, however, it looks like they're playing for a wild card at best since New York and Tampa seemingly have the top two AL East spots locked up.  So their buying may be limited at the deadline, despite their all-in approach
9:30
And yeah, selling at the deadline can't be ruled out.  Should that occur, the impending free agents like Varsho/Springer/Bieber/Gausman may all be on the block.  The position players probably moreso than the starters, maybe just be dint of the fact that the Jays need some measure of arms just to finish out the schedule (and Gausman is someone the Jays probably would like to re-sign).
Frank is Someone Else
9:31
Does Milwaukee do a little bit of selling?
Mark P
9:32
Can't be ruled out, but certainly not to any great extent. The Brewers are hungry to get over the top and finally win a pennant.
Re: Nats
9:33
Is $36M over 3 years fair for a Foster Griffin extension?
Mark P
9:34
The advanced metrics suggest that Griffin has been a little lucky this year, but 3/$36MM would still count as a sweetheart extension.  Griffin has lined himself up for a significantly larger payday in free agency this winter.
Gaurds
9:36
Can we survive without Jose until August? Been playing w fire lately
Mark P
9:36
All the Guardians have to do is stay over .500 and they'll stay in great shape in this weak AL
Tom
9:37
Would the Brewers ever trade Jesus Made in a potential Skubal trade?
Mark P
9:38
No way Milwaukee trades such an elite prospect for a rental player, even Skubal
ChrisW
9:39
What do you think the Padres do? They are sort of an enigma in my view right now
Mark P
9:41
Barring a complete and total collapse in July, the Padres will be buyers with the obvious need of LF, 1B/DH, probably 2B, and the rotation
9:42
Now, that's a lot of boxes to be checked for a team that will be playing for a wild card at best.  But the Padres are in no position to go into sell mode now, and who knows what kind of wild plans Preller might be cooking up
Stephen
9:43
How quickly do you think the Mets can retool after the upcoming sell off with such a lackluster free agency class the next few years?
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