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Winter Meetings Day 1 Subscriber Chat!
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Scott Boras
4:49
Reports of my inability to get my blue chip players big contracts were greatly exaggerated.
Steve Adams
4:50
People love to say Boras has lost it at every chance its
it's convenient*
Tim Dierkes
4:51
Boras schadenfreude was prevalent last offseason, because a lot of baseball fans dislike him.  At this point he's been proven correct on Snell and Chapman (and turning down the Nats' offer to Soto), while perhaps missing on Bellinger and Monty depending on what their best offers were last winter.  But yeah, he remains very good at his job.
Steve Adams
4:51
I don't really get the Boras hate. Never have. He talks a lot, ok. It's usually entertaining.
4:52
The first time I was ever at one of these events, I was standing in the mob of people with their recorder held up as he held court -- which is nonsensical but adds to the level of absurdity he generally exudes -- and he likened the Mets to NASA but said they needed more astronauts, then said he represented a lot of astronauts.
That is next-level nonsense and I am here for the silliness of it, ha
There's something about a guy who takes himself super seriously and looks/acts the part but then just speaks in cartoonish lines like that, that just makes me appreciate the whole bit
Spread It Out
4:53
To be a good baseball team you need a good team.  Same in football.  In basketball two players can make you a contender.  Therefore I've always felt the most important player in sports is a do everything basketball star.  I'd argue a goaltender in hockey is next.  In baseball one great player doesn't make anywhere near as large an impact.  I get the bright, shiny player Cohen bought for himself, but without pitching and catching luck/randomness in short postseason series, I don't get signing a baseball player to a ridiculous deal.  I'd spread the money around
Tim Dierkes
4:54
I think you're saying you'd rather sign, say, two $25MM players than Soto.  I don't really know that I would.  You'd rather have the 7-8 WAR in one roster spot, and I'm actually not convinced there are two 3.5-4 WAR free agents who could be signed for less than $51MM.  Other than injury risk diversification I don't see much benefit in eschewing superstars to sign solid players instead.
I also don't think the Mets are done.
Steve Adams
4:55
Yeah, and continuity is valuable, both in terms of the on-field product and also in establishing a brand, recruiting other players, etc.

I think Soto is so unique and special that yeah, I'd be 100% in on him at all costs. In a year where like ... Cody Bellinger or someone is/was the top free agent, not so much.
Cody Bellinger
4:55
Assuming I’m traded this month, where will I end up? One pick from each of you!
Steve Adams
4:56
Ha, I just announced to Tim "I just put you on the spot' and published that question as he was deciding between two others ones.
Boring, but I think he's playing first base for the Yankees and stepping into some outfield time when others get hurt
Tim Dierkes
4:56
I kind of like the A's for Bellinger.  That'd be fun to me.  The Astros are an interesting one too.
Steve Adams
4:57
A's would be fun. David Forst should read my Mailbag I did a few weeks back where I told him to get Bellinger, haha
Or just hire me as an assistant GM. I'm not hard to find!
If you’re Cashman
4:57
You missed out on Soto. Do you go with something like one of Teoscar or Santander plus a Christian Walker, or Soend big on a Bregman or Alonso type?
Steve Adams
4:58
I don't think the price between Alonso and Santander is going to be as different as you think. Pete will get more, but I don't think he's getting $200MM or anything. I don't think he's getting 150, for that matter.
Tim Dierkes
4:58
This is a diverse list of possible free agents for the Yankees to pursue.  Everyone you named would require the forfeiture of two draft picks, which is no small consideration,  and signing two or three of them would really crush next year's draft class.
Steve Adams
4:58
Of the free agents you listed, Walker's the best buy to me -- but I get the reluctance to spend on a 34-year-old.
Tim Dierkes
4:59
I think if you're asking whether to do a Bregman $200MM deal or grab smaller name targets, I'd do the latter.  And I like Walker there as well.
Ryan Red-leg
4:59
Who gets Crochet and what will they have to give up?
Steve Adams
5:00
Tim returns the "on the spot favor"
Brutal
Tim Dierkes
5:01
I don't mean to cop out here, but there should be a good dozen teams that make sense on Crochet.  I have generally felt that the highest payrolls would be willing to give the best players because Crochet's salary will be so low.  Despite that, a team like the Orioles could make the deal pretty easily.
Steve Adams
5:02
I dislike being forced into this and think it's a more nuanced off-the-cuff pick than Bellinger! Ha. My general feeling is that Crochet's blend of excellence and affordability will make him so appealing to luxury-concerned teams that they'll be willing to pay more than, say, the Orioles. I know that's the popular pick, but I'll buck the trend and pick the Padres for CBT purposes, because Preller is probably itching to get a big deal done, and because ... reasons. Ha.
Tim Dierkes
5:03
Hey, we said the same thing!  First time MLBTR writers have ever done this
Steve Adams
5:03
I know they don't want to trade Ethan Salas or Leodalis De Vries, but they always have guys they "don't want to trade" and then lo and behold
Scotty doesn’t know
5:03
It feels like Alonso is going to be the big Boras client that holds out the longest to sign?  Who do you guys think is his last to sign?
Tim Dierkes
5:04
Alonso has to be the major free agent with the biggest gap between what his agent feels he should get, and how MLB teams perceive him.  But it only takes one.  I have said that Boras is not stupid, and not eager to repeat what happened last winter.  So it's not necessarily true that Alonso will sit there until March.
Steve Adams
5:04
Alonso feels likeliest just because I think they're going to want $200MM+ and teams are going to say "Hard no on that, but thanks."

We almost predicted 3/80 him in our top 50, basically predicting he gets Bellinger'ed, but we couldn't bring ourselves to make a pick so contingent on a very specific set of circumstances
Friedman
5:04
If LA signs Sasaki and then trades for Crochet, they could piggyback them and save the bullpen that will have to make up for a 6 man rotation using one spot the was usually a reliever. Will other teams fans riot if Andrew pulls this off?
Tim Dierkes
5:05
The six-man rotation thing is overblown, as most starters get more than four days rest these days.  I'd generally expect that if the Dodgers get Sasaki, they would not feel the need to give up top prospects for Crochet.  Especially with Kershaw likely to come back too.
Steve Adams
5:05
^This^
Tim Dierkes
5:06
I assume that fans will be really cranky about all major moves the Dodgers make basically indefinitely.
MoTork City
5:06
Tigers are showing interest in Goldy. Would be a good pick up to mentor Tork.
Tim Dierkes
5:06
I feel like Goldy would take most or a lot of Tork's playing time, and signing him would make a trade of Tork more likely.  I guess there's the DH to work with.
Steve Adams
5:08
I also just don't get the "he's a 1B so he's specifically a mentor to this 1B" ... sure there's some shared experiences and things there, but... any veteran can be a mentor to a young struggling player. As Tim said, I think signing Goldy would mean Tork gets less playing time in general
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