JotCast | Trade Rumors Front Office Chat

Trade Rumors Front Office Chat

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Connor Byrne

1:59

Hey everyone. Welcome to this week's chat. We'll get started in a few.

Ron's son

2:03

I'm trying to keep the faith with the Cubs, but for the life of me, I don't know how they've stayed in contention with Bryant, Baez, Rizzo and Schwarber all hitting at around a .200 clip. Yes, Darvish and Hendricks are solid and I know the bullpen has started coming around (which I never thought was possible). Happ, Kipnis and Heyward are having good seasons, but doesn't it still kinda feel like smoke and mirrors without the big 4?

Connor Byrne

2:05

I guess the flip side of the argument is that Bryant, Baez, Rizzo and Schwarber can't stay down forever. If those guys start regressing to their career means in the next few weeks, look out. But I get the concern. Looking at Bryant's Statcast page, for instance, it's pretty shocking to see a .291 xwOBA from someone who's typically excellent.

2:06

If nothing else, at least the Cubs can get excited about a potential Heyward resurgence. This is his best offensive season ever so far, which is kind of hard to believe.

Braves20

2:07

How can a case be made for Tatis as MVP given the numbers of Soto, Turner and Freeman? Skilled position yes, but....

Connor Byrne

2:09

He has offered elite-level production for a contender at a premium position, as you said. Your argument does make sense when considering Tatis' current slump, though, as well as the success of the players you mentioned. I said in the free chat yesterday that Tatis was still MVP, but then I wrote the MVP power rankings and flip-flopped. I'm giving it to Freeman right now. He's on a tear when the Braves need it most. I love Soto, but the only problem with him is he has far fewer plate appearances than a lot of the other MVP types

Farhan Z.

2:10

I am definitely not exercising Buster Posey's 2022 team option @$22M. What kind of deal would be available to him in 2022?

Connor Byrne

2:12

I'd have an easier time answering this if Posey had an option for 2021, not 2022. You're right that the Giants figure to decline it next year, but it's hard to say how much value Posey will find on his next deal without seeing how he'll perform in 2021 and without knowing how the Giants will distribute playing time at catcher.

2:13

Yadi Molina got 3/60 a few years ago as an even older player coming off a strong season. I doubt Posey will do that well, but he could land a nice multiyear deal with a bounce-back effort

John

2:14

What are the chances for next year, if MLB keeps 8 team playoff's per league that the division winners plus next best record (4th place) get a first round bye and the other four teams have a three game playoff? It would seem that would incentivize teams to try and win their division and not to "just get in the playoff's"?

Connor Byrne

2:16

I definitely don't think this is a bad idea in theory - it's right to make division titles matter as much as possible. However, my concern is top seeds might get "cold" if they have to sit around for a relatively extended period of time without playing.

Joe

2:16

How likely is it that JA Happ's option vests?

Connor Byrne

2:18

No chance. He needs 10 starts or 62 innings. He has seven starts (with only two more scheduled) and 36 innings.

Guest

2:18

Will Mitch Haniger be back in 2021? What kind of production can we expect from him?

Connor Byrne

2:20

Yes, as far as I know. Production-wise, here's a boring answer, but I'll guess something between 2017-18 (130ish wRC+) and 2019 (106) if he's healthy.

KTR

2:21

With Jon Lester possibly making his last start at Wrigley what is his place in team history and how is he viewed nationally in your opinion?

Connor Byrne

2:22

One of the best FA signings in Cubs history and someone who has always been immensely respected around the game. He's won three titles with allegedly cursed franchises, and his career production has been outstanding

not a Hall of Famer, but Hall of Very Good

RMR

2:23

How "for real" is Corbin Burnes? Obviously he's pitching a little over his head right now, but is he turning into a legit TOR arm?

Connor Byrne

2:24

I'm a believer. I've got him No. 5 in the Cy Young race. Granted, he's not a perennial sub-2.00 ERA guy (who is?). He's had a very weird, extreme career in terms of HRs with a 38 percent rate on fly balls last year and a 2.7 percent this season. There has to be a realistic medium there.

Rob

2:25

Following up on the Cubs "big 4" struggles. It seems unlikely they will be able to trade Bryant for much this offseason with his dismal performance. With the Cubs crying poor, does that mean another year of status quo, trying to win with largely the same team? Big holes opening up in the rotation...

Connor Byrne

2:26

A lot of teams might be crying poor in the wake of a pandemic-shortened season. Either way, now won't be the time to sell Bryant. I'd probably just keep him from the Cubs' POV, hope to contend again next season and either try to re-sign him or just qualify him. Worst-case, if they're disappointing around the deadline, they could shop Bryant

2:28

and the Cubs' rotation isn't hopeless going forward. Sure, Lester, Chatwood and Quintana are due to become free agents, but they haven't gotten all that much from them anyway. It's mostly been Darvish, Hendricks and Mills carrying things.

Joe

2:28

At what point does elevated BABIP become a skill and not luck for Tim Anderson? Think he's really got a solid chance at MVP this year if Bieber loses the "not a pitcher award" votes?

Connor Byrne

2:30

Nobody can keep up a .435 BABIP over an extended period, but my skepticism about Anderson is basically gone for the most part. I think he's a legitimately great hitter, and it helps that he's an extremely fast runner. Walks up, strikeouts down, hard-hit rate way up. He's an elite player at his position and, in my opinion, the MVP among AL position players (that could change by next week because there's plenty of competition)

bazbal

2:31

With the emergence of Devin Williams, the likely escalation of Josh Hader's salary, and the Brewers' many holes at both the major and minor league levels, shouldn't the Brewers trade Hader during the off-season? If they do, what could they expect in return?

Connor Byrne

2:33

I think it's too strong to say they should trade him, but they'll continue to listen to offers, as they've been doing since last offseason. The asking price will remain enormous (maybe something like two top 100 prospects as headliners).

Steve

2:33

Dj LeMahieu is an even more realistic mvp candidate this year and last year, but doesn’t seem to be in the conversation as much. Is it a possibility? He’s near the top of the war leaderboards and is hitting the bejesus out of the ball, with typically solid defense to support it.

Connor Byrne

2:33

Anderson's the only position player I have ahead of him as of now

Bieber's my pick, for what it's worth

Joe

2:33

Does the emergence of Dane Dunning and the at least good-enough-ence of Dylan Ceasing mean the White Sox no longer look for real starting pitching this offseason, and instead concentrate on a bat?

Connor Byrne

2:35

They don't need to splurge in the rotation with Giolito, Keuchel, Dunning, Cease and maybe Rodon in the mix. That said, it wouldn't hurt to at least kick the tires on someone like Trevor Bauer, whom they could try for on a short-term deal (if Bauer sticks to his word about wanting a one-year contract). That would be an unbelievable rotation.

Chip

2:36

Rays, like always, have tons of potential stars in the minors. Is this offseason the time to trade high on Adames or B. Lowe with Franco and Brujan in the wings?

Connor Byrne

2:37

Don't think so. Adames and Lowe have been two of their MVPs and they're not going to get expensive

for a while, that is

Guest

2:39

MASN wrote today that the Orioles are holding onto Chris Davis in case a shortened season next year allows them to pay less on his contract. What do you think?

Connor Byrne

2:40

I think Davis should have been let go long ago and that it's pretty much indefensible to keep him around going forward. He's a bad player and has been for years. It's not going to get better. The O's need to recognize a sunk cost already.

Joe

2:40

"maybe Rodon" oh, you really know how to make Sox fans hurt, don't you Connor... but seriously, there's zero chance they tender him a contract this year isn't there? (Admittedly, I didn't understand the 2020 tender, but...)

Connor Byrne

2:41

I like Rodon, and for around $4.5MM next season, I could definitely see keeping him in the mix. He'd probably be the White Sox No. 5 starter at the beginning of the season. They could do a lot worse if he's healthy (big if, of course)

T-Mobile

2:42

Did the Mariners rush White to the majors too early? Would he hit better over the long run if he had been able to spend a year at AAA? (Not that that would have been possible this year.)

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Kirt Bennett

2:58

Which team or teams have surprised you the most in 2020?

Kirt Bennett

3:10

Why doesn't MLB crack down on the bullpens running in to a confrontation? There is no need for them to run 300 feet to potentially escalate something.

Griffin

6:58

Who do you see being the most over and underpaid this offseason?

RMR

7:18

Fun to be a White Sox fan right now given how well 2020 has gone so far, but still have a couple of dead spots on the roster that need to be addressed this offseason (RF, rotation, maybe high-leverage relief). Do you think Reinsdorf is going to green light the kind of financial outlay they should probably be making to really kick this thing into full-on top contender (i.e. spending on elite names like Springer, Bauer, etc.)? Or will he (and other owners) going to use the "losses" from 2020 as an excuse to be more frugal?

RMR

7:19

Moncada's struggles this year as simple as COVID? He hasn't really looked healthy for a while. Or is something else going on? The bat speed just doesn't seem to be there.

Bernie brewer

7:19

can the brewers sneak back in? Do they trade hader in the off-season to get some bats?

RMR

7:21

What shape do you see Cronenworth's production taking as he settles into a full-time role over the next year or two? Obviously a high AVG and OBP looks likely, but what kind of pop and speed can we expect? I feel like there's a star in there somewhere, but he might just end up being a really good player with a kind of boring overall stat line.

RMR

7:22

Can Hiura figure out how to make contact again? He's really struggling with the whiffs.

KTR

7:22

Is the union going to be able to fight anything with cumulative vesting options? It's not the players fault they weren't able to meet those numbers and extrapolated out over 162 they would. Seems like grievance to me.

RMR

7:23

What's up with Ramon Laureano? Is this just small sample size randomness? His plate discipline is much improved, but the BABIP and pop are kind of MIA.

RMR

7:24

Thoughts on Kluber as a FA this offseason (assuming Texas doesn't bring him back)? Too many injuries to be considered anything other than an expensive one-year lottery ticket? Or is he going to be severely undervalued in terms of the contract he ends up getting?

RMR

7:26

Do you think the Rays go back to a more traditional usage pattern with Snell next season? I'm assuming the slow ramp up was more just a function of the weird season, right?

Steve

7:28

Complete turnaround for Clint Frazier’s defensive metrics this year, and the eye test is supporting it thus far. Obviously a small sample, but do you believe Frazier could truly be a plus defender going forward?

Bochy's Ghost

7:37

Connor Menez was one of the most impressive pitchers out of the Giants bullpen until he was moved to the alternate site. But that was some time ago. Is he injured? Are they going to limit his pitches so much that he doesn't return this year. What do you hear?

LaStella and Lamb

7:38

Have saved the A’s season? Expound.

Steve

7:39

What do you make of Deivi Garcia’s remarkably low walk rate in his short majors stint this season after ostensibly having command issues in the minors last year?

Steve

7:42

Does the owner of the Yankees’ voodoo dolls start breaking limbs and twisting more ankles before the season comes to a close?

Bill

7:44

Think Cease will ever make the jump to an elite SP? Stuff is there, command/control not so much

Sleeper WS Picks

7:46

Who are your picks for reaching the World Series?

Kumar Rocker

7:54

While he is likely the 1st Pick in the next Amateur Draft, can he remain a Starting pitcher? I see only 2 pitches and a maximum effort delivery in video clips.

Frazier

7:55

Concussions suck. Does Gardner retire and now he's a pretty solid LF option? What do you see as his stat line in a full season playing every day and not concussed?

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