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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat With Anthony Franco
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Anthony Franco
2:47
Somewhere in between, I guess? I do think it'll be pretty spaced out over the next two weeks, but there's so much to be done that I can't see us going more than a day without something notable happening once the ball gets rolling
Kind of like the last week before the lockout, I guess
Player chats
2:47
Will the player chats still be a thing?
Anthony Franco
2:47
Always trying to arrange these
2:48
Player willingness varies person-to-person as you'd expect, but I don't think we're ever going to stop looking for guys who'd be happy to come on for an hour
Bob
2:48
Jose Ramirez to Toronto to Cleveland Jordan Groshans Lourdes Gurriel  Alex Manoah & Orelvis Martinez nd if accepted a 5 year 100 mm extension for Ramirez.
Anthony Franco
2:48
I don't think the Guardians would accept this and even if they did, the extension figure is too light
Guest
2:48
I've got to imagine with the end of the lockout, it's all hands on deck at your organization. Briefly, how are you handling it?
Anthony Franco
2:49
Goal is to have two people manning the site when possible, particularly from like noon to 8:00 pm
2:50
Kind of playing it by ear though. We'll obviously have at least one person on staff from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm as usual, and extra help/overnight coverage will just happen as needed
Joe
2:50
White Sox are looking for starting pitching (along with the rest of the league).  What would a package for one of the A's starters look like (say, Manea)?  Or is that reaching too far for the #30 team by minors talent?
Anthony Franco
2:52
I certainly think they could get a deal done for one year of Manaea, just depends whether they want to. Colton Montgomery's a justifiable ask there in my view. He'd be like the #7 prospect in a lot of systems, he's probably the White Sox's best
Do they want to do that? I don't know
Kevin J.
2:52
No rule 5 draft, so what happens to the guys the Rangers left off the list, do they stay the same people on next years list, or are they protected now. and Texas can choose differently next year.
Anthony Franco
2:52
They remain unprotected and will have to be added to the 40-man next winter or left exposed
But for this year, they remain in the current org without a roster spot
2:53
There'll be a bunch of guys who would've been Rule 5 eligible this year who'll just hit minor league free agency next winter instead
Rene S., Dyer, IN
2:53
Okay, so I imagine you can see where my thoughts are concerning Cubs ownership, but here goes anyway:  Does the Ricketts family have a plan for the future, i.e. do they intend to sell anytime soon, or will they keep the team and continue to tear it to shreds and return it to the doormat days?
Anthony Franco
2:53
I have no reason to believe they're selling any time soon, but I also don't think they're tearing to the studs
2:54
Feels like a two-year stepback and then they'll push payroll back up and make an earnest run at it again
Philly A's
2:54
Thrilled we are getting 162 full games this year!  With spring training days away, does that put pressure on the A's to make a deal before ST games?  Will the offers be a little less exciting because of a deadline?
Anthony Franco
2:54
It's an interesting question. I'm inclined to believe no, but I guess that depends on the A's motivations
2:55
If they truly feel they need to cut payroll to like $50MM by April 7, then yeah, I could see teams trying to wait them out a bit
But theoretically they just carry everybody into the season and say they're planning to contend. It's not like the roster's terrible
2:56
They're expected to take a step back because there were a million reports about ownership's desire to curtail spending. But if they kept payroll static and carried this team into the season, I think they'd be a Wild Card contender
A's Fan
2:57
It was MLBTR's article about Matt Olson that stated the Rangers "would need to confident in its ability to sign Olson to a contract extension before making a deal". How can they feel that way unless Oakland gives Texas permission to talk to Olson's people? And why would the A's allow Texas that right and not expect a better package in return?
Anthony Franco
2:57
I could see them allowing the Rangers to kick around numbers with Olson's reps, but I don't think we'll see a "Rangers have 48 hours to finalize an extension or those no trade" scenario
Lockout 2027
2:58
You've predicted the first major FA signing post-lockout.  What about the first significant player to be traded?
Anthony Franco
2:58
Feels like Olson somewhere
First base market is still stacked, seems like it's all waiting for the first domino (Freeman, Olson, etc.) and then it'll tumble very quickly thereafter
Arise, Sir Loin of Beef
2:59
What would Dominic Smith bring back to the Mets in a trade?
Anthony Franco
2:59
I'm lower on Smith than Tim or Steve. I think he'd bring back a couple lottery tickets but I doubt they'll get enough bite to make it worthwhile to move him
Three Cheese Zaidi
2:59
Who do you think will be the best person traded before the season starts?
Anthony Franco
3:00
Olson's the answer to this as well
Lockout 2027
3:00
Any thoughts on how arbitration will play out this year?  Will a larger percentage of contracts be agreed on without a hearing -- since teams will want to have cost certainty in building their rosters and players will want things wrapped up so it's not a distraction during the season?  Or will none of that make a difference?
Anthony Franco
3:00
Probably see a few more settlements than usual, yeah
3:01
But for the guys who linger, I expect they'll be paid at the team filing rate until their hearing
If they win, then they'll get their rate from that point forward plus be awarded backpay for the amount of the season that has already elapsed
Bochy's Ghost
3:01
One would think that with camps opening up in a few days, FAswould want to sign and get ready. Yet no one has signed a deal or made a trade. When do you think the delay will end begin the deal making?
Anthony Franco
3:01
Within the next two days
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