You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Live Chat With Tim Dierkes
powered byJotCast
Tim Dierkes
1:53
Good afternoon!  I'm back from a weekend trip to Cooperstown with my son, and I'm ready to chat some baseball.
Ian happ
1:54
Thoughts on my demotion?
Tim Dierkes
1:56
I was surprised.  It's clearly an attempt to send Happ a message, get him angry in a good way and make him re-earn his spot in the team's outfield.  I have no idea if it will work.  I'm not sure it's "fair" compared to, say, Kyle Schwarber, who got a lot of rope before being demoted in 2017.  Happ has some serious flaws but also was an above average hitter in both of his seasons.
Fantasy Man
1:56
Biggest breakout pitcher candidates?
Tim Dierkes
1:57
Pablo Lopez, Chris Paddack, and Joe Musgrove are three that are popping up on a lot of my fantasy teams this year.
Luhnow
1:57
Think Gerrit Cole can be had for 150 million or less?
Tim Dierkes
1:59
My inclination is no - I see him more in that Stephen Strasburg contract range.  The combo of Scott Boras and Sale/Verlander/Mikolas being off the market point me that way.  On the other hand, guys are getting reluctant to battle through free agency and try for top dollar.
Faith and Hope
1:59
How, How, How do the Pirates have that high of a chance?  Seriously?
Tim Dierkes
2:01
I mean, there's clear talent on the roster even if they didn't add any during the offseason.  Look at their rotation and it's actually really interesting and has a chance to be quite good.
Chris
2:01
What is your favorite part of the hof?
Tim Dierkes
2:03
For me it was the really old-timey stuff, baseballs, uniforms, catcher's masks from the 1800s, Babe Ruth's uniform, a ticket to the 1919 WS, stuff like that.  I found that fascinating.  It's kind of neat to see, like, a base from the 2016 WS or someone's cleats from a no-hitter last year, but that doesn't carry the same weight to me.
3 days!!!!!!
2:03
MY NAME SAYS IT ALL
Gerrit Cole
2:03
There's no way I sign an extension. My agent is going to make sure that I remain, at this point, one of the only marque free agent starters next offseason.  I hope he gets it right...
Tim Dierkes
2:04
I agree, I do not expect Cole to sign, and I think the commitment to Verlander makes it less likely.  Never say never, but he certainly seems like a guy headed to the market.
Deb
2:04
Giants just seem to be trying to fill a square peg in a round hole.
Tim Dierkes
2:05
They are one of the teams that have kind of just decided to tread water in 2019.  Like, "Welp, we're a 73 win team, and we're fine with that."
Jeff in Canada
2:05
Most memorable/meaningful takeaway from your Cooperstown experience?
Tim Dierkes
2:06
Not to get all sappy on you, but my son is eight (one of four kids) so just getting that quality one-on-one time with him, watching him open packs of baseball cards and look at the plaques, that will stick with me more than anything about the town itself.  Which by the way was a lot more remote than I realized, and also completely dead and had weather than was no better than Chicago!
TiredOf88
2:06
Do you think the Dodgers are having second thoughts on going in stronger with Bryce Harper, now that Arenado and Trout are off the market? Maybe they really are thinking of staying under the cap for the short term?
Tim Dierkes
2:07
No, they're a pretty cold and calculating group and they set their limits and terms under which they'd want Bryce and fully understood it was a long shot.  I don't think they set those limits with some kind of contingency or plan regarding Arenado or Trout.
Dallas Keuchel
2:07
I think I will either be on the Astros, Braves, Phillies or Dodgers this season, but I'm not sure which one. What say you?
Tim Dierkes
2:09
I guess I'll take the Braves.  There's not much out there to push me in a direction.
Joe Musgrove
2:09
I'm a breakout SP candidate? I'm a decent reliever at best.
Tim Dierkes
2:10
Whether Musgrove can hold up physically for 175 innings, I have no idea.  But if he does, I think he's a 3 WAR pitcher, ERA under 4.
Peter
2:10
I’d argue the Dbacks don’t belong in the “faith and hope” category... they do a small chance of making the postseason, but the Dodgers and Rockies will almost assuredly be better than them, and it’s more likely that one or two of the NL Central or East teams, such as the Phils, Braves, Brewers, Cards, etc. will finish ahead of them. Not to mention that they traded away the face of their franchise, fans don’t have too much to work with here.
Tim Dierkes
2:12
Yeah, I think that's a valid argument and some subjectivity was required on that.  But any team that has the talent for a 77 win season can certainly win, say, 85.  They're trying a little bit, just with serious financial constraints.
Boots Day
2:12
Happ, an above average hitter? He struck out all spring and was hitting.135. He deserves the demotion.
Tim Dierkes
2:13
He was 14% better than league average as a rookie, 6% better as a sophomore.  But it's at least somewhat reasonable for the Cubs to want more than a slightly above average hitter with no position, for their recent first round pick.  So they're trying to give him a push, give him more ABs from the left side.
Dave_Guatemala
2:13
Hello from Guatemala and thanks for the chats. Do you think the Cubs trade Ian Happ for pitching help?? Also do you see the Royals signing Keuchel or Kimbrell to a 1 year deal??
Tim Dierkes
2:15
A summer trade of Happ is possible, but I don't think they demoted him because they want to trade him.  The Royals would seem an odd fit for Kimbrel/Keuchel...usually when you're looking for guys to flip during the summer, they come with lower salaries than I expect those two to  have.
Goldy-X
2:15
How does Goldschmidt's extension effect the club option on Matt Carpenter?
Tim Dierkes
2:16
It's a one-year, $16.5MM net price.  Barring catastrophe, I think the Cards have to pick it up.  Maybe you don't love him at 3B, but it's still worth picking up.
Scott Boras
2:16
Am I making a mistaking having my guys wait till free agency or should I change my game plan and go for the extensions?
Tim Dierkes
2:17
I think it's still true that free agency is more lucrative than extensions.  Boras works for the players though...if they want to sacrifice some earning power and take the best deal they can before FA, he'll do it.
Paul Householder
2:18
Let's say everyone stays healthy and makes every scheduled start, who is the Reds #1 starter coming out of the All-Star break?
Tim Dierkes
2:19
It's hard to even pretend that with Wood starting the season on the injured list, but I'd take Luis Castillo regardless.
Doug
2:19
Thoughts on Almora as a full time CF? His glove looks great there and his bat if the power comes as he has shown in prior years can be at least avg or slightly above? His splits actually look much better against lefties overall.
Tim Dierkes
2:20
The thing is most pitchers are right-handed, and Almora still can't hit those.  It's a chicken or the egg thing, because he won't learn if you don't give him reps, but you don't want to give him reps because he can't hit them.  Bottom line, I think he's fine as a regular.
Richard
2:21
The Braves could use Kimbrel, but giving up a second round pick seems to be the barrier to his signing. Would it make any sense to sign him to a one or two year deal and give up the pick and associated $1.1 million in pool dollars?
Tim Dierkes
2:22
Of course...the Braves are in a four-team division dogfight where every win counts, and Kimbrel is a good reliever.  The draft pick might help your 2024 club.  So yeah, they should look at it.
Load More Messages
Connecting…