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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat

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Steve Adams

2:30

Teams just announced

2:31

Stove is HOT already.

Gore

2:31

Why wasn't Gore from SD brought up this year? They were in desperate for pitchers at the end of the year and they by-passed him multiple times. I have to assume there is an injury or something. Have you heard anything?

Steve Adams

2:33

If there were an injury the Padres would've made it known so that people would stop wondering where he was and stop calling for his promotion. I haven't spoken to anyone from San Diego about what was going on, though there's plenty of gossip-y stuff when you talk to anyone who works in the industry. Between that and what was written by Padres beat writers, it seems as though he just wasn't as sharp as they'd have liked to see. They brought Perdomo up and carried Tatis on Opening Day last year rather than play service time games, so I don't think they're trying to buy more control over Gore. Barring injury, I do expect him to be in the mix next year.

2:35

It's worthy remembering, too, that even the elite prospects just stall a little bit sometimes. Two years ago Forrest Whitley was the top pitching prospect on the planet, but he got hurt and had an awful 2019 season when on the mound. He's still well-regarded, but he's fallen down the ranks a bit. Not saying we'll see that with Gore, but these things aren't always linear and straightforward.

Mr Roctober

2:35

Which team or teams do you expect to make the splashiest moves this offseason -- whether FA signings or trades -- to improve their rosters?

Steve Adams

2:36

The Dodgers aren't an exciting answer, but I do think they'll be hard after Bauer.

Angels will be, too, and they have other holes so there's potential for a wide array of moves.

The Blue Jays are my favorite pick to surprise everyone with a hyper-aggressive winter, though.

Illini Bill

2:36

Since the White Sox are predominately right handed, I think it’s very important to get left handed hitter to play tight to replace Mazara. How much would Bradley or even Pederson need to sign?

Steve Adams

2:37

I don't think you prioritize handedness over quality. George Springer is a better hitter by miles. Go get the best player.

2:38

Springer is right-handed, but he's a better hitter vs RHP in his career than Bradley and a comparable hitter vs RHP to Pederson (while destroying Joc's output against LHP, obviously)

SteveM

2:38

Is Minnesota changing their philosophy and edging away from relying on the Bomba Squad as much. It was fun while it lasted. 307 will be topped someday but it will be NYY that does it. They are NOT my favorite team

Steve Adams

2:39

I don't know that there was ever a conscious decision to create the "Bomba Squad." Like... the Twins didn't know the ball would be juiced and that Mitch Garver would have the most random 30-homer season ever.

MrRBI

2:39

Can the Astro's resign or extend Justin V for 2 years at $40 million even though he is currently under contract for next year?. That way they could reduce 2021 from $33 million to $20 mil and get another year from him after the surgery. It would provide him a guaranteed contract after TJS and lower their 2021 payroll.

Steve Adams

2:40

That's a nice way to frame it for Houston, but Verlander would hear "Hey we want to extend your contract for another year and $7MM."

Tommy John surgery or not, I don't think Verlander is going to be jazzed about a one-year, $7MM extension.

Griffin

2:41

How much do you think Ha-Seong Kim will get? Who is a good player comp for him?

Steve Adams

2:42

It's a little bit of a shot in the dark on a player like this, because there's no real precedent for a player coming over from KBO or NPB at this age. He's basically a Top 100 prospect. I think he'll command 4 to 5 years and am comfortable on the years, but the dollars are tougher to gauge, particularly with all the revenue losses.

I'm at $35-45MM total, which would come with a posting fee ranging from $6.75MM to $8.5MM

Mariners fan

2:42

Jerry Dipoto's getting started early naturally. Do you see the Mariners in play for a top end SP this year (like Bauer), do they wait for 2021, or do they go that route at all given the pitching in their system (Gilbert, Hancock etc.)?

Steve Adams

2:45

The Mariners aren't going to sign Bauer -- he wants an immediate win-now club anyway -- and I don't know that I see them prioritizing a high-end SP in free agency. I think they could sign a quality mid-rotation arm at some point, but if they're getting a front-of-the-rotation arm, that will probably come in house.

I've got to take a quick phone call -- 2 minutes, sorry.

2:49

Ok, back.

Bauer landing spots

2:49

What would the Reds have to pony up to bring Bauer back? How much do you expect him to get and rank his potential landing spots, please.

Steve Adams

2:50

I don't think the Reds really have much of a chance.

2:51

You're talking $30MM+ per year pretty easily in my view -- much more on a one-year deal if he goes that route, although I don't think he will. If it's four years, you may very well be looking north of $35MM annually.

2:53

Dodgers are an easy fit even with all the SP options they have in house -- as the World Series is showing right now, they could obviously use another arm in their playoff rotation.

Angels make tons of sense, of course. Giants probably can't be ruled out.

Jays and Twins as dark horses given his desire for an analytical team in win-now mode, but I don't think either will pay the price to get him. I could see the Mets trying to throw their weight around, but that desire for a contender and a pretty strong focus on data and technology excludes them a bit.

I think he goes to one of the L.A. teams.

Joe

2:53

Give us a couple of SPs available for trade not named Lynn.

Steve Adams

2:56

Joe Musgrove, Jon Gray (could be non-tendered), Jose Urena (also a NT candidate), Matthew Boyd, Spencer Turnbull ... there aren't tons of major names available. Alex Cobb if the O's eat money. Steven Matz (another NT candidate)

Frank

2:56

Do you think the personal issues between Cole and Bauer will prevent Bauer from even looking at NY?

Steve Adams

2:57

Not nearly as much as the simpler issue that Hal Steinbrenner probably doesn't want to give a pitcher a $30MM+ annual contract in consecutive offseasons.

2:57

Where do you think Kris Bryant will end up? And what might the Cubs focus on in return?

Steve Adams

2:59

Dodgers are a good fit. Nationals are a fun one. D-backs could do it. Blue Jays could do this. I think the focus will be getting on some young pitching back, but it won't be some Nate Pearson style Top 100 elite prospect at this point -- more a big league guy with some experience who has yet to solidify himself. Could always be some lower level pieces added, but we're also talking about oe year at a pretty expensive rate for Bryant.

SteveM

3:00

The Marlins have been lurking in the weeds for a few years. They "broke through" in weird year and noone knows if they could have remained a contender for 162 games. That division can be "had" by any team. With the young players they have and the taste of the playoffs they've had we haven't seen the last of them. Marlins/Orioles WS. Can you even imagine that someday. Yeah me neither. LOL

Steve Adams

3:01

I guess any team can take the division in the sense that there's no clear BAD or rebuilding team in there, but the Braves are a pretty heavy favorite next year for me still. Other four clubs have the whole offseason to change that perception, but there's a gap right now in my mind.

Chris

3:01

Could the Brewers and A's match up on a trade that involves Matt Chapman and Josh Hader and maybe Orlando Arcia? A's get a new closer and a SS to hold it down until one of their 2 prospects are ready, and give Sheldon Nuese the 3B job. Brewers solidify the lineup and 3B spots moving Gyorko over to 1B. The fit seems to be there, just not sure what the deal would fully look like. Or is that strictly fantasy because those guys just wont be moved by their teams?

Steve Adams

3:03

I can see the Brewers moving Hader (unlikely though -- at least until next winter) or Arcia. I cannot see the A's moving Chapman.

It's also extraordinarily rare to see players of this caliber traded for each other. You have the Cespedes/Jon Lester blockbuster a few years back, but generally you're trading a star with waning control for a package of players you can keep around and control cheaply for 5+ years.

Keith

3:03

What cheap SS or 2B makes the most sense for the A's?

Steve Adams

3:04

If they make the QO to Semien I think he'll just accept. If you're looking for a cheap 2B there will be several. Cesar Hernandez comes to mind. Jonathan Schoop. The 2B market is flooded on a yearly basis at this point because the market really stopped paying 2B-only guys without a standout tool or, in Schoop's case, with some OBP issues.

3:05

That leads to tons of non-tenders and one-year deals, which just perennially creates more supply than demand.

3:06

Ok. I have to wrap up for the week. Thanks very much for chatting and supporting MLBTR, as always. We really appreciate it. We'll do another one of these next week, likely on Thursday.

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