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Anthony Franco

1:59

Hey everyone, happy Friday!

Don

2:00

Do you think the Braves will platoon Rosario with Soler when he comes up.

Anthony Franco

2:01

I think they'll treat it as more of a hot hand type of situation. If Soler's hitting anywhere near the level he has since he got to Atlanta, he'll be in the lineup. If he struggles again -- as he did for almost the entire season before the trade -- then they'll mix and match a little more.

2:02

But I don't think they feel the need to force Rosario into the lineup somewhere. He's had a bad year, which is why they could pick him up for basically nothing

Frank

2:02

A player, such as Greg Allen, is added to a roster to replace a player going onto the Covid list. When the Covid player returns, does Allen need to be sent down. This was part of a convoluted explanation of why Jonathan Davis was added to the Yankee roster, and Davis dropped. Does it make any sense.

Anthony Franco

2:03

They don't have to, no. Allen could've stayed on the 40-man if they wanted him to

2:04

The reason they demoted Allen instead of Davis is because Davis was a waiver claim from Toronto -- not an internal call-up like Allen was. So the Yankees could bump Allen from the 40-man without any risk of losing him, but DFA'ing Davis would've required putting him back on waivers

2:06

Allen was great in limited time with the Yankees but he signed a minor league deal because he never hit over a much larger sample in Cleveland. I think the front office values both guys more or less the same. In that case, demote the guy you know you can't lose to keep the depth.

2:07

Does it make sense? I don't love it, but it was put in place for this season because teams like the Marlins and Cardinals last year had to waive a whole swath of guys they called up after COVID outbreaks. That's not ideal either

Chuck

2:08

Is the injury situation in the Rays bullpen the result of overuse?

Anthony Franco

2:09

Not sure how we'd really ever find out. They use their bullpen a lot, and they've had a bunch of guys get hurt. I find it plausible those things could be related, sure, but I'm not convinced of that either since pitcher injuries around the league just keep skyrocketing.

Ted

2:09

What do you see the Tigers timeline being? Seems like they are quietly making good steps forward.

Anthony Franco

2:11

My opinion on this is actually contingent on the number of playoff teams next year. If it's 5 in the AL, I don't think they're especially likely to contend even if they add one of the top free agent shortstops.

2:12

They've legitimately played really well lately, but I'm still a little apprehensive about regression from guys like Baddoo, Haase and Schoop next year

But if MLB goes to seven playoff teams in each league, as they're reportedly hoping to do in the next CBA, then I'd take Detroit more seriously as a Wild Card contender in 2022, sure

2:13

To be clear, if it's 5 playoff teams, I think they'll be good by 2023

2:13

It seems like the Red are trending in the right direction, despite only minor moves at the deadline. Do they have what it take, especially with pitching, to catch the Padres in the WC. They have an easier schedule. Is 3.5 games fairly easy to make up with the time left? Can they catch the Brewers? These questions seem like they would have been ridiculous a month ago. Thanks.

Anthony Franco

2:15

Yeah, they're making things interesting. I'd be really surprised if Milwaukee doesn't win the division, but I buy the Reds as a real threat to the Padres now -- which I was skeptical on even just last week. Helps to never have Joey Votto making an out

Speaking of which...

Dan

2:15

What are your thoughts on Votto for MVP?

Anthony Franco

2:16

I'm not there yet. He's been awesome lately, but the average-ish play from early in the season matters. I'd be more inclined to go with Winker as Cincinnati's team MVP if the year ended today

2:17

More broadly, NL MVP is completely wide open and hands down the most interesting awards race for me. I'd go Wheeler personally (obviously subject to change depending on the last two months), but voters don't typically love giving pitchers real MVP support

Guest

2:17

Anthony - when you saw the news on the Kimbrel trade, did you give yourself a high five for getting it on the money from our deadline day chat? More seriously, do you think Kimbrel's future FA value will be hurt by having an 8th inning role and not racking up saves?

Anthony Franco

2:20

Ha yeah, between that and calling Berríos to Toronto for Martin-plus I was taking my victory laps in our deadline day G-chat. Gotta take my wins where I can get them, since I believe I finished last on staff in the FA predictions last winter?

To answer your actual question, I don't think Kimbrel's role matters

2:22

It'd absolutely hurt him if he were in arbitration, but most teams don't really care too much about save totals in free agency. And even if they were, I don't think anyone out there's wondering if Craig Kimbrel has the stomach for the ninth inning

Hits Like Rays

2:22

The expectation is that the Rays will trade Tyler Glasnow over the offseason to avoid paying his 2022 salary (~$6 million) while he recovers from Tommy John surgery. But the Rays have done it before: just this year with Yonny Chirinos and Jalen Beeks and in 2017 with Nate Eovoldi. Those players were paid less than Glasnow, but their ceiling was also much lower than a fully recovered Glasnow in 2023. What do you think?

Feury

2:22

Don't want to look too far ahead... but what's acquisition price going to be for Glasnow this offseason? I feel like he could be a sneaky addition for the Brewers... as long as the price isn't insane... but then he just adds to that rotation in 2023... which should still have Woodruff, Burnes and Peralta in it... with Glasnow especially at basically 2yrs ~$12mil total, that's possibly 4 Aces on the staff in 2023...

Anthony Franco

2:23

I'll answer the Glasnow questions together

2:24

I do think he gets moved. 'Hits' is right that the Rays haven't been averse to keeping TJ rehab guys before. But I think the Chirinos and Eovaldi situations are pretty easy to distinguish from Glansow's

2:26

Chirinos is making a little more than $1M this year. Glasnow will be making 6-7 times that in 2022. That's a big difference, especially for a team that cost-conscious

2:28

Eovaldi was a buy-low free agent signee as opposed to someone they already had on the roster. Not signing Eovaldi does nothing either way. Not trading Glasnow means passing up on other talent teams would offer for him (in addition to paying the salary)

2:29

That segues into Feury's question. He won't bring back a top 100 prospect. Not only do teams have to pay him for nothing next year, they can't be positive about his workload ceiling in 2023 and he's a FA thereafter

2:30

So I'd guess something like a cheap, solid reliever and an interesting low minors upside play

Longfoot

2:30

I went to the Yankees game in Kansas City on Wednesday. Very slow paced game for basically no reason - 3 hours, 45 minutes. Every batter walks around after every pitch. Pitching change after pitching change. Too many visits to the mound that last too long. MLB seems to be intent on making the game as unappealing as possible. One question I believe is legitimate: Why does MLB allow unlimited replay challenges? Why don't they have a rule like the NFL's, which says you only get a certain number unless your challenge is proven correct?

Anthony Franco

2:32

Yeah, I agree completely. There's no disincentive for challenging, so of course teams are going to do it on every "close" call. I'd give teams one challenge for the first nine innings. Get it right, you keep it. Get it wrong, it's gone

Now the other stuff you mentioned is a much bigger driver of the pace-of-play/aesthetic concerns a lot of people have about the game. They're a lot harder to legislate out, but the challenge thing feels like an easy fix

Conforto conundrum

2:33

I think the Mets need to let Conforto walk but should they offer a QO? Would he take it? Would another team give up a pick for him?

Anthony Franco

2:34

I'm hoping to do a full deep dive on Conforto for a FO piece at some point because his year's been so confusing. He wasn't hitting the ball hard all year, but he's shown signs of life lately and his plate discipline metrics are as good as ever

2:35

I still think he's a lock to receive the QO. I expect he'd reject it, but maybe he accepts in hopes of pulling off a Semien-type rebound. If he does, I'd be happy to have him back if I were the Mets

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