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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat
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Connor Byrne
1:55
Hey everyone. We'll get started in a few.
A’s fan
1:57
Can a healthy A.J. Puk give the A’s what Garrett Crochet is providing for the White Sox in Game 3 ?
Connor Byrne
1:58
Now neither is healthy, which is unfortunate (hopefully Crochet will be fine for next season). Anyway, though, had Puk been available, he likely would have been quite valuable. He was excellent out of the A's bullpen late last year.
SteveM
1:59
The Donaldson deal looks like a bust.
Connor Byrne
2:00
Not sure I'd go that far, but it was always a risk to go 4/92 for an aging player with recent health issues. That said, Donaldson still had a good year at the plate. I know his average was bad and his power was down, but he still go at a 37 percent clip and put up a 129 wRC+/131 OPS+
got on at a 37 percent clip*
Keith
2:01
If the 4 rounds of playoffs becomes permanent; do you believe the LDS and LCS will be shorten to 3 and 5 games respectively?  A shorter series is more likely to go the distance.
Connor Byrne
2:01
I could see that happening in a four-round scenario, as it doesn't behoove baseball to drag into November
or deeper into November than usual
Yanks vs Rays is the real ALCS
2:02
Isn’t this really the ALCS?  Does it matter who Wins the A’s versus Astros series?  Both of those teams seemed to under-manned to get past either the Yankees or Devil Rays.
Connor Byrne
2:02
I'm not sleeping on the A's, who are terrific. For now, I'll be very surprised if they lose to the Astros.
Moneyball Lives!!!
2:04
A’s harkened back to their Roots yesterday with taking all of those Walks.  Really made White Sox bullpen throw Strikes.
Connor Byrne
2:04
Speaking of the A's ... yeah, they had nine walks! Matt Foster, who averaged about 2 per nine for the White Sox all year (he had a great rookie season, by the way) had 2 in less than an inning yesterday
Kevin G
2:06
Given my age & strong 2020 performance, could I get a 4 year, $80M deal?  what could my friend Drew Smyly expect ?
Connor Byrne
2:07
Kevin G = Kevin Gausman. I think that's too rich, especially with the game's economic landscape being so uncertain right now. But I could see Gausman around 3/40 or so. His next deal (and the other big free agents') is something we at MLBTR will begin debating next week.
SteveM
2:08
How much to keep Nelson Cruz in Minnesota?
Connor Byrne
2:08
Another one we'll be talking about. I think he
let me try that again...
2:09
I think he'll end up with a similar yearly value as his last deal, which maxed out at 2/26 after the Twins exercised the option. Maybe Cruz will be able to get a guaranteed second season and a few more million this time (2/30?), but his age is a real limiting factor.
SF Giants
2:11
Lots of Anger directed at Home Plate Umpire Rob Drake for that Final Strike Call against Austin Slater, that was really a Ball.  But fans fail to acknowledge the team choked their final 3 games at home.
Connor Byrne
2:12
It was a bad call, but you're right - the Giants can't blame anyone but themselves for failing to win any of their last three. And it's not as if the Drake call killed a rally. It was two outs with nobody on.
2:13
I do give the Giants credit for having a lot better year than most expected, though
Tone down the HR Celebrations
2:15
Not a big fan of the ridiculous Bat Flips by Tatis and Machado nor the fake Selfie stance by Ozuna yesterday.  It’s excessive and back in my day, pitchers like Nolan Ryan would put a Fastball in your Rib cage in your next At Bat.  Pontificate.
Connor Byrne
2:15
I don't have a problem with the celebrations. It sounds hackneyed at this point, but if you don't want someone to celebrate at your expense, do a better job against them.
Griffin
2:17
Could you see the Yankees and Happ could agree on a one year deal/settlement like the Mets did with Cespedes to avoid Happ taking this to court?
Connor Byrne
2:20
He'll be reasonably priced enough on his next deal that he should be an acceptable back-end starter to have on hand. That said, I don't think he'll be back with the Yankees in light of the vesting option situation. I also don't think he'd win a grievance, though. Happ was pitching very poorly when he publicly complained, so he didn't really have a leg to stand on at the time. I don't blame the Yankees in this situation (well, I guess I sort of do because the Happ signing seemed iffy to me in the first place)
now watch Happ win World Series MVP or something
Randy
2:20
Given yet another post season failure, what changes do you see the Twins making for next year?  Who goes?  Rosario?  Kepler?  Buxton?  Sano?  Or?
Connor Byrne
2:23
I find it very hard to believe they'd trade Kepler, who's a bargain for the foreseeable future. Sano's also on a pretty team-friendly deal, and they'd be selling low on him after a mediocre season in which he struck out around 44 percent of the time. I don't see Buxton going anywhere, which leaves Rosario - who has one year of arb control left - as the most likely trade candidate to me.
2:25
As a whole, though, I don't think they need to make that many changes. Find a way to keep Cruz and May, make a decision on Rich Hill, maybe try to buy low on Odorizzi. The Twins and their fans should be frustrated, but that's still a really good team.
Bluejays4life
2:26
Which free agent SP do you see the jays targeting this off season? They still need a true CF as well.
Connor Byrne
2:28
Depends on how much they want to spend (shopping at the top of the market for Ryu worked out well, at least so far). Obviously Bauer's the top dog, but there will be some other intriguing arms out there for more affordable prices. Gausman, Stroman, Smyly, Paxton, T. Walker, DeSclafani, etc.
2:29
There's less of a selection for center fielders. There's Springer and way below him JBJ
Twins fans
2:30
The Astros should have been Forced to beat the Twins 3 times while the Twins only had to beat them two times to advance.  Same story with the Brewers.  There is just not enough Home Field advantage for the Top Seeds without Fans in Attendance.
Connor Byrne
2:32
I understand your gripe, but I'm OK with it how it is. I don't like the seeding, though. For instance, why shouldn't the top seed left play the worst seed left? Even though Rays-Yankees should be a great series, Tampa should be playing Houston and NY should be against Oakland, in my opinion.
That's going to have to do it for me. Gotta get ready to handle the site. Thanks, everyone! Enjoy the games tonight and this weekend.
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