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Mark P
7:31
I enjoyed the first movie, and I think I saw the sequel but don't remember a thing about it.  (A look at IMDB reveals that Sally Field was in the movie....sure, why not.)

So, I'll pick the first one.
Pirates future
7:31
What is Ben's plan and how long until they win a division?
Mark P
7:33
For now, it seems like the plan was to evaluate the in-house talent in 2020 in order to see what they really had (with the implication being that the previous front office and coaching staff wasn't getting the most out of the players).

From there, if the feeling was that the cupboard was bare, I'd suspect the Pirates would have embarked on a rebuild.  So under normal circumstances, I'd say it might not be until 2024-25 until they contend again.....or heck, they might make the playoffs this year, given the vagaries of a short schedule.
Just some guy
7:35
How awesome is opening day going to be?
Mark P
7:35
For all of the debate and concern that will naturally go into restarting the season.....I admit, I'm going to be awfully excited if we get a baseball season this year
Zaidi
7:37
I'm in the middle of a massive rebuild, I'm 3-5 years away from a legit contender if all goes well and because of Covid-19 I just lost a year of development for my farm system. Do I need to just man up and DFA high dollar low production players like Crawford and Longoria and fill those spots via minor league options, trades or even free agency?
Mark P
7:41
(Farhan Zaidi = Giants president of baseball ops)

The Giants might prefer having some veteran experience and continuity on hand going into all the uncertainty of next year's free agent market, rather than just totally cleaning house
Cubbie Blue
7:41
Would you take the next 3 years of Rizzo or Goldschmidt?
Mark P
7:41
I'd go with Rizzo.  Goldschmidt's 2019 season was already a concern for me.
7:42
Related: a bunch more words about Paul Goldschmidt!

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/05/how-worried-should-the-cardinal...
John
7:43
Mark, Arent you a billionaire like all these owners? I heard someplace that you are.
Mark P
7:44
Nope.  Sadly, I squandered my fortune by investing in jack o'lanterns, then didn't sell my stock until after Halloween
Guest
7:45
I keep hearing that the Owner's should just play the players what they want since "the owners are all billionaires". Why does this matter? Why do you and others think the Owners should just give their money away, only because they are rich? Shouldn't a good business person run a business for profit, or in the instance, to minimize loss?
Mark P
7:47
Sure, but when those same business people insist on still making a profit while passing the (financial) losses and the health risks (of playing baseball during a pandemic) onto the players, you can understand why the MLBPA has objections
Cubbie Blue
7:47
In these chats, do you get a disproportionate number of questions about one particular team? Also, how do you choose which questions to answer?
Mark P
7:49
I try to answer questions that haven't been asked in previous chats, though sometimes there are enough evergreen topics that I can revisit one once in a while.  (Plus, I assume that not everyone visits every chat every week, so a question might be new to them.)
No real edge towards one particular team or another, except when there's one big trade/signing/newsworthy event that people want to specifically discuss
Tim
7:49
Bobby grich HOF?
Mark P
7:49
I'd put Bobby Grich in the HOF, sure.  Let's hope a future veterans' committee feels the same way.
Matt Damon
7:51
Am i the best actor in history?
Mark P
7:51
No, but you might be the best actor in the Oceans' 11
Cubs
7:52
What kinda package would it take to get Jonathan Gray or Matt Boyd?
Mark P
7:53
For the Cubs, they're still in their (self-imposed) tight payroll situation, and likely don't want to give up the prospects necessary to get either pitcher.
7:54
For teams in general, Gray is controlled through 2021 and Boyd through 2022, so Detroit is probably asking for a comparable trade return even though Gray has done more than Boyd at the big league level.
Tony/CGN
7:54
Gotta give you props for the Simpsons jack o lantern reference
Mark P
7:55
Yes, a reference, that's the ticket.....certainly not a real-life financial debacle on my part.....yes....
Mr Bean
7:55
Think Theo signs a new contract with the Cubs?
Mark P
7:57
This is purely speculation on my part, but right now, I'd lean toward saying no.  Epstein has talked in the past about not wanting to stay in a single place for too long, and he'll always be a hero in Chicago for bringing the Cubs that one title.  He could head to another team in search of another challenge.
WhiteSoxFan33
7:57
Will there be an All-Star break/game? Or will they be All-Stars in name only? When would the teams be announced?
Mark P
7:58
There was some talk a while back about the All-Star Game being the "season opener" of sorts, as kind of a big welcome back event for baseball as a whole.  But I haven't heard anything about that in recent weeks.
Sir Nerdlington
7:59
Cleveland Theo's final quest?
Mark P
8:00
While breaking the next-longest "curse" would be an incredible third act, there isn't any indication that Antonetti/Chernoff are in any danger of losing their jobs any time soon.
mike
8:00
will yanks take calls on andjuar from nl teams looking for a dh?
Mark P
8:01
I'm sure they'd listen, but the Yankees would want a lot back in return, even after Andujar missed a season.
8:02
Besides, if you're the Yankees, you probably want as much depth as possible on hand, so trading Andujar (or any proven MLBer) might not be optimal
Phillies Phan
8:02
If the season doesn't happen, when would they allow extension talks to resume? And when would players become free agents?
Mark P
8:03
If a decision is made that a 2020 season won't happen, I'd imagine the transactions freeze (and thus the freeze on extension talks) would be lifted almost immediately so teams could start preparing for 2021
JD
8:03
Is minor league baseball as we know it on its way out? I can envision a scenario where the teams move most of the development to the Spring Training complexes. This will cut down on travel expenses and overhead, and allow for centralized coaching and medical staff.
Mark P
8:05
While some centralization will take place, you'll still need a proper minor league system.  Players still need that in-game competitive environment, and to get used to the grind of a season....you can't replicate that within a glorified Spring Training camp
Tommy J
8:06
Are teams who paid buyouts rather than picking up options on the hook for all of it or will the buyouts be prorated?
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