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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat With Anthony Franco
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GBS42
3:32
Should the Cardinals sign a DH (or DH-ish) player like Cruz or Schwarber, roll with Nootbaar and eventually Gorman and Yepez as part-time DHs, or somewhere in the middle - sign a mid-level offensive and defensive player (Rosario)?
Anthony Franco
3:33
I guess the latter, although I don't know about Rosario specifically. A bat-first infielder -- they've got interest in Moran, Brad Miller would've made sense -- feels like striking the right balance to me
Yankees SS
3:33
The Yankees seemed like a good fit as a trade partner with Texas to get a stop gap at SS. Now that Jung is hurt, it is hard to envision the Rangers trading IKF. Who do you see as the remaining SS targets on the Yankees radar?
Anthony Franco
3:33
Despite all the reports to the contrary, I can't bring myself to rule the Yankees out on Correa/Story until those guys sign elsewhere
3:34
But if we take them at their word that they're hunting for stopgaps, then maybe it's just a Nick Ahmed or Kevin Newman type
Padres
3:34
What do you envision it will take for the Padres to get beat the Dodgers in the NL West in 2022?
Anthony Franco
3:34
Better rotation health, maybe a bit of luck in the bullpen. Upgrading at one of first base or in left field -- where Roster Resource currently projects them to go with Hosmer and Mazara, respectively -- feels like a must too
Jeremy
3:35
Jansen and Chapman and the Jays are the best team in the AL?
Anthony Franco
3:36
I'd still like the Astros a little bit more. More confidence in the rotation depth, but it'd be close
Old_Chief
3:36
Freeman to Houston makes a ton of sense. Would they jump in on him?
Anthony Franco
3:36
I don't think so. With Gurriel/Álvarez at first base and DH this year, there's not a great near-term fit unless they start rearranging the rest of the roster
Bruce
3:37
It would appear based on labor law that since players did not strike and have valid contracts, that even if games are cancelled, players still get full salary.  What am I missing?  Owners are stupid but not this stupid, right?
Anthony Franco
3:38
I'd need to do a lot more research on the NLRB to give a truly informed answer on this -- really regretting going through law school without taking a single labor class, ha -- but my understanding is that a lockout would indeed freeze the players' salaries
3:39
It prevents them from being permanently replaced (which would be an option if it were a strike) but doesn't entitle them to their salaries
3:40
At the very least, both the union and league have labor attorneys who are aware of the various provisions and case law on this issue. Perhaps the union would eventually file some sort of grievance, but it wouldn't be as simple as "this is a lockout, not a strike. Therefore they have to pay full salaries"
3:41
The union has been setting aside portions of players' dues as a "war chest" in preparation for the possibility of lost salaries during a lockout
Slow Bro
3:42
Thanks for the book recommendation, The Only Rule is It Has to Work. Just finished it and really enjoyed it. Let me know if you have any more suggestions
Anthony Franco
3:45
Glad you liked it! Lindbergh's other book (co-written with Travis Sawchik), The MVP Machine, is a more technical look at player development but was also really good
3:46
Not as funny or enjoyable a story as The Only Rule, but I think very instructive as to how the game has continued to evolve over the past few seasons (and kind of ties back to what I was talking about earlier w/r/t to developing cheap replacements rather than spending on mid-tier free agents)
3:47
Alright, this has been fun but I do have to run and get some stuff up on the site
Appreciate all the questions, always impressed by the thought you put into these
3:48
I'm on Twitter @affranco10 as I'm guessing most of you know by now
You can reach me there during the week, and we'll talk again next Friday
Have a good weekend!
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