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Live Chat With Tim Dierkes
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Tim Dierkes
1:57
Welcome to our Monday chat!
ty
1:58
do you see cards getting involved at all w/ machado or harper?
Tim Dierkes
1:58
I do not, though I think Harper would be a great fit.
FaithlessValor
1:58
Which of the remaining bullpen options do you see as the best fits for Boston?
Tim Dierkes
1:59
The present group seems pretty right-handed.  Ollie Perez time?  Jake Diekman, Tony Sipp, and Justin Wilson could fit the bill.  Kimbrel aside, most top guys are off the board.
Josh
1:59
Do you really see the Pirates trading Starling Marte?
Tim Dierkes
2:02
The Pirates seem like a team that will listen to any proposal, which is a good way to operate.  But it's just really hard to see why they'd move their starting CF, with three yeras of below-market control, unless they were completely bowled over with an offer that would be stupid to refuse.  I also don't know why a team would make such an offer while A.J. Pollock is available for just money (and a lost draft pick).
Will
2:02
What do you think happens with Kimbrel? Is it down to the Red Sox, Phillies, and Braves?
Tim Dierkes
2:02
The Red Sox just don't seem like they want to pay up for Kimbrel.  If he comes down to three-year deal territory, Wade Davis money, then I think the market opens up and a good half-dozen teams should be involved.
Trenten Hansen
2:02
Tim Tim who do you see the Cubbies adding to the bullpen
Tim Dierkes
2:05
One of the aforementioned non-Justin Wilson lefties could be a fit, as Montgomery will be needed in the rotation at some point and then you're just left with Brian Duensing.  Hey, Andrew Miller would have been perfect!  But I imagine they would like to add any interesting RP, especially if he comes at one year and $3-5MM.  Like Shawn Kelley, Bud Norris, Ryan Madson, etc.  I don't think it's gonna knock your socks off.
That said, I should take a minute to identify possible RP trade candidates for the Cubs and any team.
2:07
Jose Leclerc, Will Smith, Tony Watson, Ken Giles, Ryan Tepera, Mychal Givens, and Shane Greene could be a good starting point.
Mr. Clean
2:07
Harper, where does he go?
Tim Dierkes
2:08
There's no reason at present to pick anyone other than the Phillies.  The White Sox seem more into Machado, but there's also a fair bit of misinformation on these two.
Mark
2:08
Does Sonny Gray really improve the Reds current rotation?
Tim Dierkes
2:10
He was very good away from Yankee Stadium last year.  Could be a two-win bump over a Tyler Mahle, not that GAB is an easy place to pitch itself.
Isabelle M
2:10
Any truth or realism to the Machado->Pirates rumor?
Tim Dierkes
2:13
I think the concept comes out of Joe Sheehan's Jan 3 newsletter - correct me if I'm wrong.  His point was that the Pirates are the type of team that should be going after Machado, but isn't.  They have the payroll space, they have the need, and they project at 80 wins at a time that the Cubs look more vulnerable than in years past.
2:14
I agree with Joe's points.  But I wouldn't call this a rumor, just an opinion about what a team should do.
Just a random guy
2:14
If you had a vote in the HOF ballot, what would your ballot look like?
Tim Dierkes
2:15
I would have to spend a ton of time assessing that, but I'd have a relatively easy time putting Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, and Curt Schilling on it.
2:17
I've grappled with the Bonds/Clemens question for years, like many baseball fans and writers.  I know that younger voters (I'm 36, I guess that makes me younger?) generally vote for Bonds and Clemens.  At this moment I think I would not.  I get that their peers cheated, but if we know for a fact that a guy's numbers are artificial, why put him in?  I am actually visiting the Hall for the first time with my eight-year-old this spring, and I'm pretty sure there will be plenty of stuff dedicated to the legacy of the two players.  So it's not as if we're pretending they don't exist (though the Cubs like to do that with Sammy).
Kilo
2:17
Do you think Machado will sign with the White sox?
Tim Dierkes
2:18
I would call the White Sox the current favorites for Machado, but I'd still only assign like a 20% chance of them signing him.  I generally believe the mystery team stuff in this case and I do think the market is wider than White Sox/Phillies here.
Chris
2:18
Hall of Fame results are revealed tomorrow! Who do you think will be inducted? Who will fall just short of 75%?
Tim Dierkes
2:19
Mo, Doc, Edgar, and Mussina get in.  Schilling, Clemens, Bonds, and Walker fall short.  Not exactly me getting out the crystal ball though.  http://www.bbhoftracker.com/
Back2Back
2:19
Harper to the Jays. I know its a long shot but they have the $$$$ and in 2020 they have the potential to have one of the best lineups
Tim Dierkes
2:21
The Jays would benefit greatly from Harper or Machado, and they could add either player and still come well below their payrolls of the last few years.
2:22
The problem is that they're playing for the second Wild Card for Day 1 - IF they add Harper/Machado plus some other stuff they'd need.  I wish teams were aggressive even for that playoff spot and I wish teams were always or mostly trying to win, but that is not the case in MLB today.
C. Golden 25
2:22
Chances of Gio going back to Oakland
Tim Dierkes
2:23
I'm not a huge Gio fan, but the A's rotation at present looks really sketchy.  It's possible Gio would be their best SP.  So yeah, they should take a shot at him or guys like him.
Farhan Zaidi
2:23
Who are the best sleeper options as FA to sign cheaply for a year to flip them at the deadline for prospects?
Tim Dierkes
2:26
Clay Buchholz, Jake Diekman, Greg Holland, Daniel Hudson, Ryan Madson, Logan Morrison, Mike Moustakas, Drew Pomeranz, Ervin Santana, and Justin Wilson.
You need a guy who could somehow have a big first half.
Mark
2:26
Does the deal for gray get done with reds ?
Tim Dierkes
2:26
Sure looks like it.  But I wonder if they're making this extension idea a condition of the trade, then if Gray says no, they offer lesser prospects.  So something like that could make it fall apart.
Kal
2:27
Changes the Red Sox can hold onto either Mookie or Benintendi long term? If so, which do you see as being more likely to Ben open to staying?
Tim Dierkes
2:29
Mookie seems like quite a long shot.  He's 26, one of the very best players in baseball, two years from free agency.  Guys like that usually go to free agency.  Benintendi is much more likely - he's four years from FA, hasn't really been paid yet, and has a major flaw in his game (hitting lefties) that presents some risk for both sides.
Mr Billy
2:29
Tim what's left for the Yanks to do for the offseason, I think their pitching staff is way under rated
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