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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat With Anthony Franco
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What a Relief
5:42
I think Kimbrel is somehow underrated right now.  He had a couple of off years when he didn't get a regular spring training and only signed in June in 2019 and then had all the weirdness in 2020.  He was lights out for most of 2021, before the trade to the White Sox, and after two shortened seasons, it's not surprising that fatigue would set in by the end of 2021 (and he wasn't that bad with the Sox outside of 2 terrible outings against the Cubs).  And event through those bad stretches, he's struck out batters at an elite 14.86 K/9 rate with an ERA- of 83 and a FIP- of 88 from 2019-2021.  He is still a very good closer (or at least has the potential to be one).
Anthony Franco
5:44
The counterargument would be that he's had basically four good months in the last three years. I think you're right that Kimbrel's still good (definitely has the potential to be), but it's a high-volatility skillset at this point
Bill
5:44
If the Twins are out of playoff contention at the deadline, what kind of deal would it take for SF or NYY to acquire Correa and the remaining 1/3 of $35.1m he would still be owed for 2022? Do the GMs speak to Boras first to get”assurance” Correa will opt out?
Follow up question as to Correa trade:  if he is having a good season through 7/31/22, is the $11.7 m he is owed for Aug. and Sept. worth it to get an upgrade at SS for those two months ?
Anthony Franco
5:45
Neither Correa nor Boras can say with certainty on July 31 that he's going to opt out. If he's performing up to his typical standards, he'd be trending that way, but he could get hurt in the final couple months to change the trajectory
5:46
As for what it would take, I truly have no idea. We've never seen a player like that on that sort of deal traded before
5:47
My guess, though, is that the Twins wouldn't actually bring back a whole lot. If they're out of contention and he's trending towards opting out, it's not like they'd have a whole lot of leverage. I think you'd be looking at a 45 FV type of prospect, someone like Alexander Canario (whom the Giants traded for Bryant last summer)
Ragbrai
5:47
Any changes to the ball this year? Mid season change, a few new ones slipped in here or there?
Anthony Franco
5:48
No idea. Manfred suggested the pre-tacked ball could be a thing last November and then hasn't mentioned it since
Bill
5:48
What would it take for Cashman to acquire Contreras from the Cubs, given Contreras’ contract situation?
Anthony Franco
5:49
I think it's a 45 FV type for one year of Contreras. I'm still a little surprised they haven't just swapped him for Luis Gil yet
Joe
5:49
Now that the White Sox finally have their outfielder, which of the baby Sox are going back to the minors to start the season?  My math has two of [Collins, Sheets, Vaughn, Burger, Haseley] have to go...
Anthony Franco
5:50
Haseley and Collins are already down. Vaughn might start the year on the IL anyways
Bill
5:51
Would Austin Wells to Cubs, even up for Contreras, suffice?
Anthony Franco
5:51
Probably depends on if the Cubs think Wells can catch, but I think it's a reasonable ask from the Yankees perspective
Bruce
5:51
You stated on Wednesday chat that Phillies would be better off with Brett Gardner in CF rather than Vierling and I remain confused.  If this was 2018 maybe, but Gardner hasn't been a good hitter or fielder for years and is at best replacement level.  What am I missing?
Anthony Franco
5:53
Gardner played a bunch of center field last season and still rated ok out there. It's less than I'd be wild about having Gardner as an everyday center fielder -- although I think he's better than you do -- so much as having no faith in Vierling, Moniak or Odúbel
sgrossman
5:53
Pretend you are Mike Rizzo, a proud man who hates losing, and you are working for the Lerners who feel the same way but perhaps not as intensely (after all, its their money). Future spending cannot be allocated to 3 or 4 star players (notably Soto and a #1 pitcher) unless at least some of the spots on the field are held down by inexpensive, controllable players. So this year has to be about proving who can stick and whether the team gets any long-term value from Strasburg and Corbin. What is you strategy going forward and when do you execute it?
Anthony Franco
5:54
Yeah they're in a tough spot. I thought they made a ton of sense as a Glasnow landing spot coming into the offseason. Still do, but it doesn't seem like he's getting traded
As far as this year goes, I'd trade Bell and Cruz midseason and just give as many at-bats as possible to Keibert Ruiz, Carter Kieboom (whenever he's healthy again), Lane Thomas, Víctor Robles
5:55
Use 2022 as an evaluation year for those guys and then determine next offseason where you have to add again
No salary floor
5:55
Isn’t there anything that can be done to put pressure on the bottom teams to spend more money. The disparity is so crazy
Anthony Franco
5:57
Ideally, there'd be more oversight on the way revenue sharing recipients use that money. But teams like the A's and Pirates are never going to go for that. As far as things that might help and could realistically be on the table, how about awarding draft choices to revenue sharing teams that make the playoffs?
Pirates
5:57
Why did we option Cruz??
Anthony Franco
5:58
Push the service window back, in my opinion. I think they'd argue he has very little experience at Triple-A, but I don't know how you make the case he's not at least better than Kevin Newman right now
But they're going to be terrible either way, and they know it. So it's not at all surprising they'd squeeze the extra year of control out
Bill
5:58
After Barnes flames out for BoSox, who gets the 9th inning call?
Anthony Franco
5:58
Whitlock probably just starts at the closer
Pumpkin
5:58
Is this your full time job?
Anthony Franco
5:59
Yeah. Steve and I work full-time. Mark, Darragh, TC, Sean and James are all part-time
Pumpkin
6:01
Do you play MLB the show?
Anthony Franco
6:01
I have in the past. They got rid of the ability to play a 29-game season a couple years ago and I haven't since then
6:02
I only really play franchise mode on sports video games. Playing 162 games is out of the question for time reasons, but I hate the idea of only playing like an eighth of the season while simulating the rest. It makes my games almost meaningless
Philly A's
6:02
Hey Anthony,   thank you for your write up on the A's and their upcoming potential.  It was quite calming for an old A's fan.   Would the A's be gambling on keeping Montas until the trade deadline for a desperate team?
Anthony Franco
6:04
There's definitely some risk to it. It's not out of the question he underperforms or gets injured in the next couple months. I'm sure the Tigers wish they'd traded Matt Boyd three years ago, for example
6:06
But it's also hard to say they should trade him right now without knowing what they've been offered. Like I wrote yesterday, I don't think they need to trade Montas (or even Manaea yet, although he'll go at some point). If the offer's aren't great right now, totally defensible to hold him
carl1cramer@gmail.com
6:07
Thanks, Anthony.  Red Sox need a right-handed right fielder.  Who is liable to be DFA'ed before Opening Day that might be of interest?
Anthony Franco
6:08
Not anyone that's going to be an obvious solution. The Pirates DFA Jared Oliva yesterday, for example. Could roll the dice on him but it's not like you'd feel great about RF then
I'm sure the A's would love to find a taker for some of the Piscotty money. Maybe toss a couple million bucks their way and see if he can get back on track?
What a Relief
6:09
Now that the White Sox have lost Kimbrel and Crochet, they could stand to add another RP, especially a LHP since Bummer looks to be the only lefty that's a lock for their bullpen.  Who can they target at this time?
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