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About the minors
8:45
Will the minor league affiliations be extended or will this year count? For example, Fresno and the nats had a two year deal. Is it done or with zero games played, will they still have a year?
Mark P
8:45
Good question.  Since a number of minor league teams could be contracted or go out of business by 2021, this could be a moot point in some cases
Barney
8:47
Do you think that having teams only playing teams in their geographic divisions brings back a little bit of the mystery of the old days?  As in, if you make the playoffs, you very likely have not seen your playoff opponents this year.
Mark P
8:48
It'll be weird to have to wait until the playoffs to see something like, for example, White Sox/Yankees or Cardinals/Braves, or other common matchups that have been staples of every baseball season for over a century.
Ready4Baseball
8:49
Do you think Arenado stays a Rockie at this point? Teams may be reluctant to spend which means he may not have teams pursuing him in trades or in free agency if he were to opt out.
Mark P
8:51
Arenado can't opt out until after the 2021 season, so things might be slightly more "normal" by then for him to make his personal decision about his future.

But between the pandemic and the threat of a future strike/lockout, Arenado's decision has become awfully complicated.  If he outright demanded a trade, I think the Rockies would have to figure something out, though you're right --- he's not an easy player to move given the money involved.
Farnsy
8:51
Are there going to be games in ST 2.0 or just drills/intersquad scrimmages?
Mark P
8:51
A few games were going to be scheduled, though everything is still very tentative due to pandemic concerns.
N
8:52
Bees?
Mark P
8:52
Beads?!
csquiet
8:53
Sox will be back in on Mookie I bet. They already had him valued at 300MM and now the market will be depressed.
Mark P
8:54
Mookie re-signing in Boston would be kind of a hilarious ending to that whole saga, though it can't be ruled out.

Two caveats to your theory, however.  That $300MM valuation came before the pandemic, and it also came before Chaim Bloom was brought on to run the front office.  While Bloom obviously has a lot more money to work with in Boston than he did in Tampa, it also isn't his style to commit so much of the payroll to a single player.
Braves
8:55
Do free agents after this year try to lock up a long term deal or wait until after the new CBA?  Do teams want to lock in players with uncertainty of the new CBA?
Mark P
8:55
I think free agency is going to be such a minefield for non-elite players this winter and a lot of them would love to get any sort of multi-year security.
Tribe Rocks
8:56
Does the shortened season hurt the chances we trade Lindor, or do you think the Indians lock him up long term?
Mark P
8:57
Zero chance at a long-term deal, I'd guess.
Ultimately I think Lindor will be dealt, though it depends on how the Tribe wants to approach things.  They might see how they fare in the shortened season since they were looking at 2020 as a win-now year anyway.  And trading Lindor could be trickier this winter given the free agent glut.
Free Agency
8:58
Think we'll see more qualifying offers accepted this offseason than in years past? I just feel like most teams will be hesitant to dish out large contracts this winter
Mark P
8:58
For this very reason, I'm doubtful we'll see many qualifying offers even extended.  Guys like Betts or Realmuto will get one, but that might be about it.
Ivan B
9:00
Would the Red Sox trade for a starter?
Mark P
9:00
If they're in the hunt by the trade deadline, sure
Hello
9:01
Do you think some teams are gonna put younger prospects on the 60 man roster just for the sake of using them in trades?
Mark P
9:02
That's a possibility, but I think a lot of teams will see the taxi squad as the most ideal way to give some of their best prospects something close to a "normal" season.  Teams don't want these players to miss an entire year of development, after all.
Go Cubs
9:02
Thought about David Ross as Manager for the Cubs?
Mark P
9:04
He seems universally respected, so that's a good start and perhaps an answer to the built-in awkwardness that can come from a guy managing players he so recently played alongside.  That said, Ross was seen as a de facto coach during his playing days anyway, so maybe it won't be much of an adjustment.

As to how Ross will handle in-game tactics and strategic calls, the jury is still out
CataCita
9:06
Ballpark nachos or hotdogs?
Mark P
9:06
Varies from ballpark to ballpark, but in general I'd say hot dogs
Ethan
9:06
Are the players having camp at there own stadiums or will they be at there spring training complex
Mark P
9:07
I believe most teams are planning for their own stadiums, especially given the COVID-19 statistics coming out of Florida and Arizona right now
Mr T
9:08
Thankful MLB doesn’t have a draft lottery!
Mark P
9:09
As a Leafs fan, I'm delighted that my team still somehow has a crack at the #1 overall pick.  Since I'm pretty/definitely sure they're not winning the Stanley Cup, getting knocked out in the first round and then winning the draft would be a great consolation prize
By Marianna
9:10
Any chance my Athletics go nuts and sign a star for once like Mookie Betts?
Mark P
9:10
The A's won't be making moves like that until they finally move into their new ballpark (and maybe not even then)
Gamer Nerd
9:12
What are some of your favorite video games?
Mark P
9:13
I'm not really a video game guy, so my picks are all old-school NES and Super NES games ---- Tetris, Super Mario World, Super Mario 3, Donkey Kong Country, etc.
Friar Brigade
9:14
Any optimism my Pads can get a big bat this offseason, despite the revenue loss? Any possible targets?
Mark P
9:14
They have the prospect depth to make any offer for any number of big bats, though it's just a question of whether the Padres want to offer up such young talent
Mariner
9:15
Why hasn’t the union filed a greviance?  Seems to me if they don’t file a greviance they would have been better off to take the owners last offer.
Mark P
9:16
I'd imagine the MLBPA wants to make sure every detail is ready before filing what is sure to be a major grievance
Andy W
9:17
How many wins for the Padres
Mark P
9:18
How many wins for the Padres in the 60-game schedule?

40+ (2.3% | 6 votes)
 
35-40 (9.8% | 25 votes)
 
30-35 (36.3% | 93 votes)
 
Exactly 30 (13.7% | 35 votes)
 
25-30 (29.3% | 75 votes)
 
Less than 25 (8.6% | 22 votes)
 

Total Votes: 256
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