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Anthony Franco

2:30

Additional context...

2:31

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/mlb-reportedly-proposes-180mm-f...

2:32

The MLBPA's not going for that proposal, which MLB knew all along. It's early in negotiations, they're staking out the sides and starting with huge asks to try to bargain down towards a midpoint more agreeable to them, all that kind of stuff.

2:33

But the salary floor offer in that first proposal was attached with the cutting of the first luxury tax threshold by $30MM, which is just going to be a complete non-starter for the players. Most teams (basically everyone except the Dodgers) are limboing around the tax, at least off and on

2:34

So the PA wants to raise those numbers to encourage the biggest spenders to spend more without penalty. MLB getting the MLBPA to lower them -- especially by $30MM -- feels impossible

2:36

Personally, I'm kind of out on the salary floor anyways. I mentioned this in the post I just linked to, but I don't actually think it'll stop teams from conducting massive rebuilds. What's more likely to me is 'big-market team wants to duck under the tax, has a bad player making $25MM, trades him and a top prospect to a still-rebuilding team that spends exactly the amount of the salary floor'

Rizzo jr

2:36

Prospects for the Nats in 2022 and likely FA targets?

Anthony Franco

2:40

I think it's a transitional year. See what you have in Ruiz, Garcia and Kieboom. Maybe sign stopgaps at shortstop and in the outfield like José Iglesias and Joc Pederson

2:42

But I don't see them as at that plausible of contenders and don't think they'll play at the top of the free agent market. Doesn't need to be a full rebuild, but to contend next year they'd have to get peak seasons from Strasburg and Corbin, hit on a couple bounceback position players and rebuild the whole bullpen. Seems impossible to me

Will

2:42

Which are the various teams that might be bidding on Starling Marte this off-season? He has been massively good in Oakland … is it possible that he will start there? Or, in the American League?

Anthony Franco

2:43

I think half the teams in the league will be in on him. Basically anyone with any sort of uncertainty in the outfield (doesn't have to be center specifically, since you can always bump someone to a corner), a desire to contend next year, and some payroll space

2:44

Giants, Mariners, Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, Reds, Phillies all look realistic to me

2:45

I don't think he's likely to re-sign with Oakland though. They're facing some serious payroll questions with a huge arbitration class upcoming, so I don't think they'll be willing to go to $50MM+ for Marte

Bass Bawl

2:46

If the White Sox pick up the options on Kimbrel and Cesar Hernandez, with their existing contractual obligations and reasonable arb raises for Giolito and Adam Engel, even if they non-tender other arb-eligible guys and fill out the rest of the roster with pre-arb players, their 2020 OD payroll will be $163M+. Do you think that number means they will be quiet this off-season or will Jerry open up the checkbook even further during the "window of contention"?

Anthony Franco

2:47

I think the Kimbrel trade reflects ownership's willingness to push payroll to record-breaking heights. That's entirely speculative, to be clear, but I don't see the logic in trading for a reliever (even an elite one like Kimbrel) if acquiring him and exercising his option completely drains your offseason resources

2:48

I'd guess Hahn and Williams had Reinsdorf's word they'd still be able to augment in the rotation and maybe in the outfield as insurance in case Engel's not quite this good

2:49

It's already a really good roster, though. Not sure they need to do too much else

Grillin

2:49

Wings or Ribs?

Anthony Franco

2:49

Between those two, ribs

2:50

But I'm not a big fan of either. Burger, hot dog, grilled chicken over ribs if I had the choice

2:51

I don't eat wings, which makes me a terrible Buffalonian but so be it