You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: Winter Meetings 2.0!
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
MoTork City
9:39
Any word on who the Tigers might be targeting for a RHH outside of Kim?
Tim Dierkes
9:41
No word, but I know how to speculate!  Perhaps Yandy Diaz, Christian Walker, Alec Bohm, and Taylor Ward would make sense.
Steve Adams
9:41
I don't think they're going to meet the (silly) prices for Bohm, but yeah any right-handed 3B or corner OF works there. In general, the Tigers aren't a team we've heard being discussed a ton around here, but maybe we just are talking to the wrong people, haha. I'm sure they're not just napping up in the suite.
Scott S
9:41
Thoughts on the Jays/Cleveland trade?
Steve Adams
9:42
I like it for Toronto! Tim thinks Andres Gimenez is bad, and he is wrong.
Tim Dierkes
9:43
I was surprised by how little of Gimenez's contract the Guardians wound up paying.  I don't love what's left on the contract for a guy who had a 90 wRC+ over the last two years, even with the elite glove, but Steve kinda talked me into it under the idea that he should be playing SS.  Gimenez playing shortstop, not Steve Adams.
Steve Adams
9:43
At the same time, it's kind of weird for them. I assume there's more help for the lineup coming. But if it's this and a bunch of other glove-first options, it's weird and underwhelming.

But minimal cost of acquisition (in my opinion) and Gimenez is a good player. Put him at shortstop.
Although I will play shortstop for the Jays if they want
At a fraction of the price for Gimenez or Bichette
Tim Dierkes
9:43
If the Jays have perhaps decided Bichette is not their long-term SS, I don't mind the move to make Gimenez that guy.  If it's all they do on position players, I'd understand the frustration, but I don't think they're done.
Steve Adams
9:43
Just putting that out there in case you guys are reading, Atkins and Shapiro.
Tim Dierkes
9:44
There is also the point that if the Jays find a way to get Gimenez to a 100-110 wRC+, and he plays SS, he could be like a 5+ WAR player.  He had a 6 season already.
Ethan
9:45
Spencer Horwitz the 1B for the Pirates now?
Steve Adams
9:45
Dang
We're seeing this right now as all of you are, ha
Tim Dierkes
9:46
We are always getting asked about the Pirates' 1B opening.  They certainly found a creative way to fill it.
Steve Adams
9:46
That's a nice little shuffle for the Pirates to get Luis Ortiz, I suppose. I don't really get why the Pirates have keyed in on Horwitz as their guy at 1B, but he's a cheap guy with some upper-minors production and lots of control. He gets on base. I don't love the player, personally, and I think there's real upside with Ortiz (especially now that he's in Cleveland, ha) but it makes more sense from the Guardians' perspective in that they're getting a controllable and hard-throwing live arm for the rotation while shedding significant money
9:47
Ha -- nice little shuffle for the GUARDIANS to get Ortiz.
Typing is hard.
AppSad
9:48
What's up with the app?  I'm having withdrawals without notifications.
Tim Dierkes
9:48
Our Android app has been having notification problems for a while now.  I have been trying to get that fixed but unfortunately I'm not there yet.
Boras
9:49
You guys are low on Alonso because of position but you’re high on Vlad jr despite the same. Do you really think teams will go bid crazy for Guerrero next winter?
Tim Dierkes
9:50
I feel that so much is contingent on Vlad's 2025 season.  If he mashes at a 140 wRC+ or better, then I think the bat just overshadows the defense and he does get $400MM.
Steve Adams
9:50
Vlad is going to be a free agent three years younger than Alonso and is demonstrably better hitter in every facet. It's not that Alonso is a 1B. It's that he doesn't walk a ton, strikes out a lot and generally is one-dimensional. Vlad's strikeout rate is half that of Alonso. He posted a 165 wRC+ to Alonso's 122 this year. Over the past four seasons it's 146 to 129 in favor of Vlad.

Alonso hits a lot of home runs. Vlad, at his best, is one of the most complete and well-rounded hitters in the sport.
9:51
A lot of Vlad's contract is going to come down to how he hits in 2025, though; I agree with Tim there
Tim Dierkes
9:51
I think if Alonso hit like Vlad does and was 27, he'd be in line for an awesome contract right now.
Walker Beuhler
9:51
Do I get more than 1 year now that we’ve seen pitching fly off the board?
Tim Dierkes
9:52
I think yes.  We were on the fence on one year vs two, and given inflated SP prices it would seem he has enough clout for two years with an opt-out.  I would not personally make that deal, but pretty sure someone will.
Steve Adams
9:52
Whatever deal he signs, he needs an opportunity to get back to the market next year
Phillies
9:52
Do you think the Phillies are limiting themselves to one year deals this offseason with an eye on resetting the luxury tax in 2026?
Tim Dierkes
9:54
Seems like they're already around $183-185MM for 2026 payroll before factoring in arb, or a new catcher, whatever else they might want to add.  I think the CBT threshold is $244MM and I have no expectation they'd be trying to get under it.
9:55
If you're talking about Romano I think the Phillies just like him.  I don't think they're allergic to multi-year deals.
Steve Adams
9:55
I don't think the Phils have any delusions of dipping under the tax while they have Harper, Nola, Wheeler and Turner on the books. But they can still be leaning into short-term deals to avoid adding another couple of $20MM+ price tags to that ledger in 2027, 2028, 2029 etc.
Ha-Seong
9:55
are you still confident Kim only gets a 1 year deal?
Tim Dierkes
9:56
Basically, see the Buehler answer.  We were never totally confident on straight one year for HSK, so sure, two with an opt-out is viable.  A lot depends on his injury status.
Steve Adams
9:56
In fairness, I was always pushing for two and an opt out! We don't always agree on these things. The final predictions are a group effort. I think he'll get multiple years and an early out.
Tim Dierkes
9:56
But the Guardians did do that type of contract for what might be a half-season of Bieber, and starting SS players remain rare.
Boras
9:57
146 to 129 seems like a much smaller gap than you guys predict in salary, especially considering defense as well
Tim Dierkes
9:57
I consider Vlad a clearly better hitter than Alonso, especially ceiling-wise.  But a lot of the gap is also the players' respective ages.
Jon Dutton
9:58
Does Brent Rooker seem like a huge extension risk to you guys?  Yes, Oakland has to spend money.  But does that mean they should spend it on a guy who looks like he will fall hard at some point.  His margin for error is very small with his high strikeout approach.
Connecting…