Mark P<\/p>\n
After just one Weekend Chat session in all of July, consider this a bonus entry as a follow-up to yesterday\u2019s chat.<\/p>\n
Jason<\/p>\n
Are the brewers for real???<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve been \u201cfor real\u201d for the better part of the decade.\u00a0\u00a0Whether this is the Brewers team that breaks through to make some serious noise in October remains to be seen, but is is remarkable how this team keeps reinventing itself and remaining competitive.<\/p>\n
Guest<\/p>\n
While many teams went shopping for a dress to the party at the high end stores, the Royals found some gems at thrift store pricing.<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I also liked a lot of KC\u2019s moves. It might be too little too late, but they addressed some needs in a pretty low-cost manner.<\/p>\n
John<\/p>\n
Is resigning Cedric Mullins a real possibility for the Orioles?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
If I\u2019m the Orioles at this point, I go with the youth movement.\u00a0\u00a0No more timeshares, no more splitting at-bats with veterans\u2026.let the kids play and see what they can do with everyday at-bats.
\nIf you are adding a veteran, aim higher than Mullins for a real difference-maker in the regular lineup<\/p>\n
Greg<\/p>\n
Can the Mariners win world series?<\/p>\n
Safeco Field Redux<\/p>\n
So: How good are the M\u2019s? Legitimate World Series contender?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Absolutely.\u00a0\u00a0Seattle might be the best overall team in baseball right now, give or take the Brewers.\u00a0\u00a0So many other contenders have a clear weakness or two, but not the M\u2019s (on paper)<\/p>\n
AA<\/p>\n
Which is more likely a Acuna extension or signing Bo?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Acuna\u2019s current deal keeps him under team control through 2028, as the Braves have club options (worth $17MM each) for both 2027-28.\u00a0\u00a0Call me crazy, but I think the Braves will be picking those up. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
As such, the team doesn\u2019t really need to prioritize an extension this offseason.\u00a0\u00a0Obviously the Braves have been as proactive as anyone in locking players up, but there isn\u2019t any immediate urgency with Acuna.\u00a0\u00a0Plus, Atlanta might want to wait until Acuna has a fully healthy season before considering a second extension.<\/p>\n
So I guess by default, this makes Bichette slightly more likely, even if Anthopoulos traditionally doesn\u2019t aim for those kind of pricey free agent deals.<\/p>\n
White Sox Fan<\/p>\n
How many years away are we from competing? Cam we compete every year instead of every so often?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t loved everything the Sox have done in their rebuild, but they\u2019ve gotten a decent amount of young talent in the fold.\u00a0\u00a0The AL Central\u2019s inconsistency could help the White Sox contend perhaps slightly sooner than expected, but I wouldn\u2019t expect much from the next 2-3 seasons.<\/p>\n
Judge<\/p>\n
Is my future at first like Harper?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Judge\u2019s solid defense is the most underrated part of his game.\u00a0\u00a0He is a plus right fielder, and while he didn\u2019t do much defensively in center field last year, the fact that he could do it regularly was alone impressive (and helpful to New York\u2019s overall lineup construction).
\nBarring injury concerns, I think the Yankees are fine with Judge in right field for the foreseeable future.\u00a0\u00a0Especially if they\u2019re keeping 1B earmarked for Ben Rice.<\/p>\n
Nancy\u2019s Friend Sluggo<\/p>\n
Do you think if a miracle occurred and the Pirates offered Paul Skenes a market value contract that he would sign with them despite their annual second-division status?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Only Skenes knows the answer to this for sure.\u00a0\u00a0He\u2019s made a solid amount of money in his career already via signing bonus and endorsements, so he could choose to bet on himself if he has doubts about Pittsburgh\u2019s ability to compete.<\/p>\n
However, betting on yourself and turning down a $200MM (or probably more) extension offer are two different things.\u00a0\u00a0If the Pirates actually did go all in on making Skenes their guy and offering him a mega-deal, I would lean towards him taking it, just to lock in some generational wealth for himself.<\/p>\n
Jack<\/p>\n
Theres an issue with the Orioles about bringing up Beavers and Basallo. Some fans believe the Orioles are holding them back to preserve their rookie status. Question I have is about the 45 day rule. Does time spent on the roster in September count?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Yep, all time spent on the MLB roster counts.<\/p>\n
Josh<\/p>\n
What are your early impressions of Luke Keaschall?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
He is apparently (checks notes) the greatest player in baseball history
\nIn all seriousness, he\u2019s been a fun story for the Twins and a real shot in the arm for a fanbase that was understandably miserable on this team after the deadline.\u00a0\u00a0You can\u2019t help but wonder how different 2025 might\u2019ve been for Minnesota if Keaschall hadn\u2019t gotten hurt.<\/p>\n
Kwan<\/p>\n
Any chance I get traded in the offseason? Maybe a hometown reunion with the Giants?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Based on past precedent, I\u2019d expect the Guardians to move Kwan during the 2027-28 season, when he is a year away from free agency.<\/p>\n
Mrs Stowers<\/p>\n
Have you or your fellow MLBTR Marlins haters changed your opinion about the team yet?\u00a0\u00a0Better than you thought, right?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
None of us are Marlins haters.\u00a0\u00a0We (and the rest of the baseball world) thought they weren\u2019t going to be any good this year, but they\u2019ve been proving a lot of people wrong over the last couple of months.\u00a0\u00a0There\u2019s now some hope for a full rebound as early as 2026, depending on how the offseason develops or if the front office feels the roster is ready to contend.<\/p>\n
Chef J<\/p>\n
Over easy eggs or scrambled eggs? Who ya got Mark?!<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Scrambled eggs all day every day<\/p>\n
Gavin\u2019s mom<\/p>\n
Gavin Williams was soooo close to that no-no<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I looked this up in the wake of Williams\u2019 near-miss. 2005 was the last MLB season without at least one no-hitter, so we\u2019re overdue for a pitcher (or pitchers, in combined fashion) to have a day of days.
\nTough break for Williams, but if you\u2019re going to lose a no-hitter, giving up a homer to Juan Soto is a pretty respectable way to lose it<\/p>\n
RP<\/p>\n
What kind of contract does Devin Williams get given he was the best closer in baseball for years and has been terrible this year?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I expect Williams to pursue one-year contracts, with the idea that he\u2019ll rebound in 2026 and line himself up for a bigger multi-year deal during the 26-27 offseason.<\/p>\n
For something like a one-year, $10MM deal, lots of teams will be willing to sign Williams.\u00a0\u00a0He has major change of scenery potential, and most of his peripheral numbers (save for his barrel rate) are still quite good<\/p>\n
flags<\/p>\n
if the twins aren\u2019t sold before the offseason do you see them slashing more payroll with trades of lopez, ryan, ober, jeffers, etc?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Lopez is the only one that would actually represent big cash savings, since the others are still pretty inexpensive as arb-eligible players.\u00a0\u00a0Ryan in particular is a big bargain, earning only $3MM in 2025 and controlled for two more years.<\/p>\n
With this in mind, Lopez may be the likeliest of the group to be dealt, with Jeffers next just because he\u2019s only controlled through 2026.\u00a0\u00a0But even with Jeffers, he could be retained just because Vazquez is also a free agent this year and is certainly not being re-signed.<\/p>\n
Yankees Hot Take<\/p>\n
Volpe\u2019s future is at second base due to his lack of arm strength and Lombard knocking on the door, right?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
A move to 2B could indeed stop Volpe\u2019s downward slide defensively.\u00a0\u00a0But, if he continues to scuffle at the plate, he\u2019ll need to be a premium defender (wherever he plays) to retain his spot in the everyday lineup.<\/p>\n
M. Betts<\/p>\n
Will I be back in the OF next season?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Betts has been very good defensively at shortstop, so I\u2019d guess he stays put.\u00a0\u00a0Whether or not his lack of hitting is directly tied to the position change is unclear.\u00a0\u00a0Betts and the Dodgers probably want to run it back and see what happens in a year when Betts isn\u2019t waylaid by a brutal illness during the spring.<\/p>\n
Zach<\/p>\n
Will this be the season that costs Aaron Boone his job?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Boone\u2019s next contract extension hasn\u2019t actually kicked in yet, as it was signed in February and covers the 2026-27 seasons.<\/p>\n
If the Yankees fully collapsed and missed the playoffs entirely, that might be enough to force ownership to make some kind of major move like a managerial change.\u00a0\u00a0For as much loyalty as Boone has received, it might be that a culture change is needed in the clubhouse<\/p>\n
Steve<\/p>\n
Can you explain how trades that involve a \u201cplayer to be named later\u201d work? It there a timeline in which MLB requires the trades like that to be finalized? Could a team theoretically finalize a trade like that during the season but after the trade deadline or does it have to be finalized in the offseason? I\u2019d love to hear about any known behind the scene stories of these trades.<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Usually a team provides the other club with a list of a few players to choose from as the PTBNL.\u00a0\u00a0I believe the other team has to decide on its choice within six months of the trade.\u00a0\u00a0This timeframe allows for players drafted that year to be eligible, since clubs cannot trade a player until at least six months after their draft date.<\/p>\n
NY Mess<\/p>\n
Stearns and Mendoza both seem really good at their jobs, but this team is pretty bad. Do these guys keep their jobs or is a shakeup coming in the offseason? There could be several hard years in front of this team given payroll, age, and lack of quality.<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
It always felt like the Mets\u2019 halfway approach to their pitching staff would catch up to them, but the biggest question mark has been the surprising lack of offense.\u00a0\u00a0Lindor hasn\u2019t looked right for a couple of months and may be playing hurt, Vientos\u2019 production fell off sharply, and overall the lineup just hasn\u2019t been the sum of its parts.
\nI don\u2019t think either Stearns or Mendoza are going anywhere, but a change in hitting coaches seems very plausible.<\/p>\n
Jeff<\/p>\n
Why don\u2019t we see more (or any) teams using openers? It seems like it worked wonders for teams like the Tigers and Rays in recent years. Does the data show otherwise?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Deploying an opener\/bulk pitcher for a regular turn in the rotation makes things harder on a pitching staff\u2019s depth.\u00a0\u00a0Over a short period or even a couple of months it can work fine, or even work wonders.\u00a0\u00a0Over a full season, however, it has some drawbacks.<\/p>\n
JeffyM<\/p>\n
Where do you think Barger eventually ends up?\u00a0\u00a0Is he a 3B or a RF long term?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I\u2019d install him at third base since that\u2019s a tougher position to fill. There\u2019s no harm in toggling Barger between both 3B and RF as circumstances dictate, for now.<\/p>\n
NL playoffs<\/p>\n
Which teams do you have making the postseason?\u00a0\u00a0Any surprise team that could sneak in?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Even with the Mets in freefall and the Cubs being shaky recently, the Reds are the only team that is in decent position right now to break into the playoff picture.\u00a0\u00a0Cincinnati is the only non-playoff NL team with a winning record, since the Giants and Cardinals are both exactly .500<\/p>\n
The way the Mets look right now, I\u2019m hard-pressed to think much of their chances down the stretch.\u00a0\u00a0Meanwhile, the Reds get Hunter Greene back this week.<\/p>\n
Colson Montgomery<\/p>\n
Colson make a run at top 3 rookie of the year with the way he is playing?\u00a0\u00a0Who wins the award?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Kurtz is walking away with the AL ROY.\u00a0\u00a0Jacob Wilson will still get plenty of votes despite his injury, plus you\u2019ve got Roman Anthony surging and Noah Cameron continuing to pitch well.\u00a0\u00a0Montgomery is probably out of luck.<\/p>\n
Verlander<\/p>\n
Do I have anything left or is the inability of my teammates to put runs on the board. Today was a bad day for the lack of offense.<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
The Giants\u2019 lack of run support has certainly been an issue, but Verlander hasn\u2019t helped himself with some shaky performances.\u00a0\u00a0I dove into his under-the-hood numbers a bit during that post earlier tonight, and they\u2019re not particularly impressive.<\/p>\n
Whether or not he has anything left in the tank remains to be seen, as there\u2019s probably some change of scenery potential there as well heading into 2026.\u00a0\u00a0Verlander is such a name and has such a history of defying time in the past that some team will definitely be willing to give him another one-year deal.<\/p>\n
Marky Mark<\/p>\n
Whats on the Sunday Night Chat Playlist,?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Nick<\/p>\n
Who will land the biggest free agent deal this coming off-season?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Tucker, by a comfortable margin<\/p>\n
Grimace<\/p>\n
Would my appearance rejuvenate the Mets or expose the transient limitations of my powers?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I feel like this is a stand-up comedy bit from the 80\u2019s, but\u2026..why is that character called \u201cGrimace,\u201d anyway?\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s a pretty weird name for a friendly mascot, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
Nolan A<\/p>\n
I should\u2019ve moved on. And you told me to stay\u2026. Ugh<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Arenado probably wasn\u2019t checking in on the Weekend Chat when weighing his decisions about accepting a trade or not.<\/p>\n
In all likelihood, Arenado probably has some regrets about not just accepting that trade to Houston.\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s a real sliding doors moment that would\u2019ve completely changed 2025 for both organizations.<\/p>\n
Josh Naylor<\/p>\n
Do you think the Mariners have a legitimate chance to sign Naylor before he hits free agency? What will it take?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a more viable option than Suarez to get re-signed, and if the M\u2019s are willing to stretch the budget, I can see it happening.<\/p>\n
Naylor turned 28 last June, he\u2019s posted four above-average offensive years in a row, and he is on pace to break Rickey Henderson\u2019s steals record.\u00a0\u00a0The downside is that Naylor is a 1B-only player, his numbers have been more solid than elite, and he might want extra in order to stay in a pitcher-friendly environment like Seattle.<\/p>\n
Dealer<\/p>\n
If Cubs\/SD end tied for WC seeds 4\/5who gets home field since season seres went 3-3<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
The next tiebreaker is inter-division record.<\/p>\n
Rafael<\/p>\n
Thoughts on the Phillies since Duran arrival have there chances gotten better to be a favorite to win the World Series<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Duran was one of my favourite deadline pickups for any team, and he\u2019s a huge help to Philly\u2019s chances.<\/p>\n
Jet2Holiday<\/p>\n
youre the GM of the Braves..do you hire from within or look outside the organization? If so who?
\nAre the Braves hiring their next manager from within or outside<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I think there\u2019s a non-zero chance it\u2019ll be John Gibbons, based on Anthopoulos\u2019 long history with him.\u00a0\u00a0But, who knows, any number of internal candidates could be on the radar, or other candidates on other teams could emerge<\/p>\n
Friars<\/p>\n
Was trading for all these starting pitchers necessary? (Including Miller) I get that we may have King and cease leave in free agency but it seems like a little much considering musgrove is coming back next year<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
All together now\u2026..you can never have too much pitching!
\nThere\u2019s also no guarantee that Musgrove returns as a frontline pitcher after his long layoff.<\/p>\n
Chris<\/p>\n
Is it crazy to think the Yanks offer Grisham a QO to see if he can do it again?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Grisham\u2019s not getting a QO, even if he has started hitting again.<\/p>\n
Bobby Cox<\/p>\n
Do you see the Braves trading Murphy since Drake will be ROY?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Nothin but Nats<\/p>\n
Nathaniel Lowe\u2026 DFA candidate? Huge disappointment for the nats<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
He\u2019s certainly looking like a non-tender after the year, so an early DFA just to see if another team will eat some of his contract is very possible<\/p>\n
Dalton Rushing<\/p>\n
I\u2019m gonna end up being a 3rd string jobber if I can\u2019t learn to hit in the show, correct?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Sure.\u00a0\u00a0But I\u2019ll need to see (way) more than 100 PA in the majors before making a call on Rushing<\/p>\n
Carrie Halas<\/p>\n
Way way back when they started the Mcdonald land ads he was the heavy and his full name was evil grimace<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
This is the kind of delightful tidbit that I love finding in these chats.<\/p>\n
Tim<\/p>\n
odds of cards signing Helsley in the offseason<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Most players say they like playing for their old club, but Helsley was so particular about it that I think there\u2019s a decent chance of a reunion.\u00a0\u00a0Only Helsley or his agents know if Helsley\u2019s interest extends to the point of perhaps being willing to give the Cardinals a minor hometown discount, but we\u2019ll see how his market plays out<\/p>\n
Chris A<\/p>\n
Do you think there is a deal in place for the sale of the Twins? It would make sense to wait for the offseason to announce it. I am super worried without a new owner, the Twins will go into full rebuild<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
There hasn\u2019t much new news on the ownership front, but who knows what\u2019s happening behind the scenes.\u00a0\u00a0It could be that the Twins\u2019 deadline moves were made just as a harbinger for a sale being announced sooner rather than later.\u00a0\u00a0Or, perhaps the league wants to get the Rays\u2019 sale finalized first before moving onto the Twins.<\/p>\n
Tim<\/p>\n
Which player of all time do you wish you could see play in person?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Babe Ruth is the obvious answer.\u00a0\u00a0Plus all of the great Negro League legends that most fans even of that era didn\u2019t get a chance to see play.<\/p>\n
Guest<\/p>\n
I think Drake Baldwin is not a lock for ROY at all, Isaac Collins has had a lot to say about that the last two months. Nearly all stats favor Collins.<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Forgot to put this as an addendum to that previous post, but you\u2019re right, I think Collins will win NL ROY.\u00a0\u00a0He\u2019s gotten himself in line for an everyday role with a Brewers team that is conquering baseball.<\/p>\n
Desertdan<\/p>\n
Is PCA\u2019s post ASG slump a normal second half regression, or something worse?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
His strikeout and walk rates were both really rough even when he was crushing the ball in the first half, so some regression was inevitable.<\/p>\n
Chris A<\/p>\n
Wasn\u2019t the bad guy the hamburgler?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
Yes, I just looked this up on Wikipedia.\u00a0\u00a0As I understand it, Grimace seemed to be more of a main villain before his face turn, whereas the Hamburglar was more of a lower-level nuisance.\u00a0\u00a0That probably made it easier to keep the Hambluglar (tm Vic Michaelis) a bad guy, since obviously McDonald\u2019s can\u2019t endorse the concept of stealing their food.<\/p>\n
Cleveland<\/p>\n
Your take on Bazzana? He was the 1.1, but so far seems like the weakest guy taken of the top picks.<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
The Guardians just promoted him to Triple-A today, which makes sense since he\u2019s been ripping up minor league pitching.<\/p>\n
Obviously it is way WAY too early to pass judgement on anyone from the 2024 draft.\u00a0\u00a0If Kurtz wasn\u2019t breaking out so early and skewing the curve for everyone, Bazzana\u2019s numbers (as a \u201cnormal\u201d prospect) would look great.<\/p>\n
Check your tiebreaker answer<\/p>\n
Mark, second tiebreaker after head to head is NOT inter-division record\u2014it is INTRA division record..<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
You\u2019re correct, that was a typo on my part<\/p>\n
Rockies<\/p>\n
Do we have a pathway to success in the future, or do we need to pick up more prospects?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think the Rockies will get truly on track unless they modernize their operation and bring in a bunch of new front office voices from outside the organization.<\/p>\n
Galcian<\/p>\n
Do the Cardinals sign any one this Winter or do they stand pact?<\/p>\n
Mark P<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mark P After just one Weekend Chat session in all of July, consider this a bonus entry as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":58014,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[49,48,462,82],"class_list":["post-60650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-mlb","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}