JotCast | MLBTR Live Chat

MLBTR Live Chat

Jeffrey Todd

1:59

Got the chat up early! Banner day.

I'll let the room fill and we'll get moving in a few minutes.

Prich

2:04

Who gets desperate first; teams or the 'Big 3' SPs left?

Jeffrey Todd

2:05

Remember that Cobb reportedly had 3/42 on the table earlier. So ... may well be there are still multiple sizable offers out there for these guys. Now, there could be some degree of gamesmanship to avoid being the team that overpays or the player who loses leverage after the other two sign. But ... really hard to tell how/when this thing will resolve.

Padre fan

2:06

What is the update on Hunter Renfroe rumors?

Jeffrey Todd

2:07

There really aren't any. Honestly they don't have much leverage given the presence of other generally similar players on the plausible trade market and the fact that the market for power bats has just dropped off.

DiPoto

2:07

Please tell me why I won’t sign Cobb or Lynn? 3/39-42 doesn’t seem like too much

Jeffrey Todd

2:08

One thing to keep in mind is that SEA already has like 120 mil on the books for next year. So even if you think they ought to have room to spend for '18, there has to be some concern about how much you're going to drive up the future obligations.

Opening Day

2:09

What are the odds one of the remaining top 15-20 guys signs after Opening Day? When was the last time something like that happened?

Jeffrey Todd

2:09

Drew and Morales signed mid-season after rejecting qualifying offers. Ervin Santana was bailed out on a one-year deal after the Braves had a pitching injury.

Bregman vs Correa

2:10

Do you see Bregman taking the SS spot from Correa some time in the near future?

Jeffrey Todd

2:11

If it's a matter of just switching the two, they could just tweak their positioning to account for any realistic differences in defensive quality. Correa is still young, so even if he'll never be all that rangy, he probably won't just turn down drastically. Guess my assumption at this point is it won't happen unless there's a fairly glaring need.

Steve from DC

2:11

Where does Jake Arrieta wind up?

Jeffrey Todd

2:12

I'll guess the Nats but the field is still a better bet. It's just ... we haven't really heard of any clear developments pushing him in one way or another. Really has been very quiet so far.

2:13

That makes it all the more plausible to think Boras is quietly working things out with the Lerners while hoping for another big offer to come in.

Half Street

2:13

OK, OK. I am only a couple more reported rumors from wanting Arrieta to join the Nats. Should I want something else more?

Jeffrey Todd

2:14

As for that side of the equation ... I mean, the Nats aren't going to do better unless they are willing to give up significant prospect capital. If anything, you could argue for them just waiting for the trade deadline and focusing instead on trying to land JT Realmuto or get a bargain on Lucroy.

Pigster

2:14

Do the Tommy Hunter and Pat Neshek Contracts look like overpays at this point?

Jeffrey Todd

2:15

Remainder of the relief market was pretty danged robust. There were a few seeming bargains -- Addison Reed chief among them -- but those two contracts don't look like massive reaches in context. Phils obviously don't mind paying a bit more for the guys they want on shorter terms.

Angels for the W

2:16

What would be considered a "successful" season for G Richards, and what should we reasonably expect?

Jeffrey Todd

2:17

Honestly if he can make like 24 starts and be even worthy of a back-end rotation spot, it has to be seen as a success. All indications are he rehabbed through an injury that typically would've resulted in TJ. It's hard to ask for more than that ... of course it's fair to hope for more and he's obviously talented enough.

What to expect? Nobody has any idea. He's sort of a test case and a sample of one.

Robot Umps

2:18

There is no law that prevents MLB owners from wanting to make a profit. Why are folks surprised that owners want to control costs?

Jeffrey Todd

2:18

Spoken like a league PR spokesman. Which, hey, they are entitled to state it in their terms. But ... there are other ways to frame the issue, you know?

2:19

Of course the league side generally wishes to keep more of the money in their pockets than give it to the players.

2:20

But ... to take your approach ...

Why is anyone surprised that a player -- who is far less rich than an owner -- wants a fair share of the money that is earned only because people want to see their amazing talent? Especially in a sport where they bust their cans for most of the year and are away from their families on the road for huge stretches?

2:21

This is why we have collective bargaining and such. It's all posturing between the two sides at this point. It'd be silly to think the players are just getting railroaded -- they did agree to the new CBA -- but equally ridiculous to just shrug and think owners ought to be able to do whatever they want.

Astros Fan

2:21

Do you see astros making any more moves? Especially after Yuli got hurt, or will they give davis/white a chance?

Jeffrey Todd

2:23

Yuli is just not a monster at first base -- he had a nice year but even then was hardly a standout at the position. You have guys like Lucas Duda signing for peanuts. But they already knew that and didn't try to replace him. I think HOU also values the flexibility from he and Marwin -- what if one of their star infielders had a significant injury?

2:24

Now, you expect a few weeks' absence and reduced power upon his return. That's a minor ding for this club. They get a look at alternatives in the meantime and can assume there'll be cheap bats to be had at the trade deadline if it isn't looking great. Really no reason to go get a replacement unless there's just a great opportunity and they were thinking of bumping him out anyway.

More interesting, perhaps, would be seeing some added benefit to signing Lucroy and utilizing McCann at first base more, I guess. Even then this injury doesn't move the needle all that much, surely.

Jason

2:25

What's the Profar situation looking like right now? Will he be traded by opening day, if so to who? If not traded is he stuck with just a bench job or is he the starting LF?

Jeffrey Todd

2:25

Rangers are obviously happy with having a weird offseason that is going to make them really interesting to watch. So, it's anybody's guess at this point but I guess he's staying put and all the playing time will be sorted as the season unfolds.

Johan

2:26

Do you think that a healthy Blue Jays Team can compete this year?

Jeffrey Todd

2:27

There's enough talent that if you make a few assumptions of health/performance, then yeah, sure. Guys like Sanchez, Tulo, Pearce, Martin ... it's just that they clearly need to land the right side of the coin flip in multiple scenarios. From an expectations perspective, you have to guess lower for Toronto than the Red Sox and Yankees.

Moose Fan.

2:28

Any clue where Moose ends up? Any doubt that it will be for under the $50M figure at this point?

Jeffrey Todd

2:29

Definitely taking the under on money. CWS, ATL, DET ... really hard to guess.

DaRange

2:29

What is the contract level that you see the Twins moving on one of the remaining top starters?

Jeffrey Todd

2:30

If the FO is to be taken at its word, maybe it'll require a true bargain.