You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
MLBTR Live Chat
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Mark P
9:08
If there isn't a season, the best-case scenario is that it serves as a wakeup call to the league and MLBPA that they need to get their houses in order, and the two sides spend the next several months figuring out the new CBA early.  

Then a new agreement is reached, a plan is worked out about how to safely conduct Spring Training and hold games in 2021, and we get a full-on "Baseball Is Back" push, with no fear of a lockout or strike.
Anyway, that's the best-case scenario.  But, I'm a little more pessimistic than that.
Stat Nerd
9:09
Will .400 BA season or 56 hit streak ever be achieved again?
Mark P
9:09
I highly doubt it
Juan Manuel Santos
9:12
Is Pete Rose a hof?
Mark P
9:12
No
Bill
9:12
As someone who lived working the entire minor league baseball schedule last year for work, travel and all, I can tell you wholeheartedly that starting extras with a runner on second is great. Yes, there’s an integrity of the game argument, but when extras barely ever surpass two additional innings and you’re not sitting there for 15-18 innings, you learn to love it.
Mark P
9:14
As someone who has worked a few marathon ballgames over the years, I definitely sympathize.  That said, each team has maybe two or three games per year that run 15-18 innings? And the automatic runner rule proposal doesn't really impact pace of play that much since even the normal nine-inning game can take forever.
Here's where I make my obligatory "just call it a tie after 12 innings" pitch!
Zack
9:15
I wonder if a bunch of guys on expiring deals on contenders don't just sign one-year deals for 2021 to re-establish their value (ex: Paxton/NYY)
Mark P
9:16
This is a definite possibility.  Sort of unofficial qualifying offers that aren't really qualifying offers.

Paxton might not be the best example, since he might not want to forego his best shot at a long-term deal.  But if such a deal isn't out there, he can take a fallback
Dark
9:16
ive wondered this a few times, and wanted your thoughs on this. Jose Abreu has been pretty good year in and year out since he debuted back in 2014. How many more years of this caliber fo you think he will need to be a HoF contender?
Mark P
9:17
Abreu is a very good player but not a HOFer in my books.
Tim
9:18
If no season or a shortened season takes place in 2020 would the Tigers end up with the #1 pick again or how would they figure out draft position?
Mark P
9:20
There have been a few ideas floated about this, but if there's no season, the most logical answer would be to just redo this year's draft order.  A total lottery would be fun, however, and spark some extra interest in the 2021 draft.

If there is a season, the most logical solution again is just to use the standings (even over 60 games or whatever) as next year's draft order.  Another idea I've seen out there is combining both the 2019 and 2020 records to determine the 2021 draft order.  So teams like Detroit and Baltimore are still likely to get top picks, but there's at least some chances at shifting up and down the order
JoJo
9:20
If Pete Rose is not a HOF why is Barry Bonds?
Mark P
9:21
Bonds didn't break any PED rules since none existed for much of his career (and he never failed a test when they were implemented).

Rose broke the biggest and clearest rule that baseball has.
Os Fan
9:22
Thanks for taking the time to host the chat, Mark.  As a big Trey Mancini fan, I’m kinda hoping for no baseball this year so he doesn’t miss any games.
Mark P
9:23
Roch Kubatko had an update on Mancini in his notes post the other day: https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2020/06/leftovers-for-breakf...

Great to hear that Trey is seemingly making good progress.  We're all rooting for him.
Lunar verLander
9:24
I'm all for a total lottery for the 2021 draft just for the 1-in-30 chance of them announcing "and the first pick will go to the Astr...wait..."
Mark P
9:24
The Astros lost their first pick in the 2021 draft, so no worries about that scenario!
Spring training
9:24
Why do we need spring training?  Everyone is in the same boat. Surely these guys are still throwing/hitting in the cage. They've gotta get that audience as soon as possible.  Start on the 4th.  Why can't a win just be a win?
Mark P
9:26
Working out on your own is far different than working out in a controlled environment around other MLB players.  Without a training camp, you'll see a lot of not just poor play, but a lot of injuries once the regular season began
Derek
9:27
Who won the trade: Chris Sale
Mark P
9:28
Technically, it's a win-win so far.  The White Sox have to be pleased with how it turned out, since Moncada is already breaking out as a big young star.  And Sale helped Boston win a World Series, so that trade worked on their end too.

Now, signing Sale to an extension AFTER that World Series may end up being the real mistake.
Billy Eppler
9:29
I should trade Adell for a frontline starter prospect like Pearson or Luzardo. Right?
Mark P
9:30
Well, Angels GM Billy Eppler, unless you know something about Adell that we don't know, I'd say it's wiser to just hold onto the star prospect you have instead of rolling the dice on another team's star prospect
9:31
Incidentally, for all of the "Angels should trade Adell for ____" messages I've gotten in these chats over the years, I can't wait until he's in the majors and we'll suddenly see a lot of "wow, thank goodness we didn't trade Adell!"
DC Fan
9:32
If there is a 30-man roster, do the Nats carry Welington Castillo so they can use Gomes in a variety of ways?
Mark P
9:32
I think a lot of teams might carry a third catcher for added flexibility
60 game season
9:34
Chances a player goes 60 for 60 crushing DiMaggio?  Trout can do it!?!
Mark P
9:35
I mean, there's not a chance it would happen.

But if it did, that's the kind of one-in-a-million thing it would take to get fans more excited about this season (and baseball as a whole) again
Best Rookie
9:35
Is there a prospect you are super stoked about?
Mark P
9:35
As a Blue Jays fan, I'm very eager to see Nate Pearson in action
Paw Paw
9:38
Tired of people complaining about how long the games are.When I spend my money I want to be there all day long.
Mark P
9:39
In fairness, the person who wrote the earlier question implied they were a ballpark employee, so it's a different perspective for them.  If you're a fan only attending a few games per year, being there for a 17-inning marathon and sticking it out is a unique experience.  If you're an employee and you have to be back at the stadium the next day (and on just a few hours' sleep), it's not nearly as fun.
Tyler
9:39
Better Father’s Day home run, Jr hitting 500th homer run with sr 50 feet away watching or John McDonald’s tear jerker after his father passed away
Mark P
9:40
I'm biased about this as a Jays fan, but McDonald's home run was such an incredible, emotional moment.  Joe Posnanski had a great retrospective piece about Johnny Mac's homer in The Athletic today, for those who subscribe.
Rusney Castillo
9:41
Any chance I get to play in the majors this year?
Mark P
9:41
Nope.  Putting Castillo back on the 40-man means his salary against counts against Boston's luxury tax.
Connecting…