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MLBTR Chat With Mark Polishuk
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Mark P
8:31
Happy Sunday, everyone!  Let's dive into some questions as we head into the All-Star break
Mike
8:33
Any chance the white Sox see Madrigal or Robert this season?
Mark P
8:34
Both have hit very well at Double-A, and Robert was only just promoted to Triple-A.  With service time a bigger consideration than ever, I'm not sure if the Sox would start either prospect's clock already with a late-season callup, but it certainly isn't out of the question
MN Twins
8:35
The twins need to make a few moves and fast because here comes Cleveland right????
Mark P
8:35
Looks that way.  You figured the Tribe would turn it around at some point, and now the AL Central is looking like a legit race.
8:36
The Twins have been pretty open about monitoring the pitching markets (both bullpen and rotation), so that seems like the most obvious course of action for them to make a notable move
Les Gomez
8:37
Edwin Diaz for Michael Chavis make sense for both teams?
Mark P
8:37
No sense at all for the Red Sox.  A blue chipper of a young position player prospect is a lot more valuable than a closer, especially one who's struggling as much as Diaz
Chris
8:38
Is Bumgarner being thrown around as a smokescreen to drive prices for others down or is there a real trade market for him?  I seem to be missing why ppl feel like he’d be worth trading for.
Mark P
8:39
The 2014 World Series still looms large in everyone's mind.  Bumgarner isn't a clearcut #1 ace anymore, though any rotation in the game would be improved by his addition
Jeff
8:39
Do the Giants get more for Madbum or Will Smith?
Mark P
8:40
Ooh, this seems ripe for a poll question!
The Giants will get more back in a trade for...
Will Smith (62.2% | 637 votes)
 
Madison Bumgarner (37.8% | 387 votes)
 
Total Votes: 1,024
Emily
8:41
Hi Mark! Do you think (Red Sox) Christian Vazquez’s power outbreak is sustainable?
Mark P
8:43
Vazquez's isolated power (ISO) for this season is almost twice his career total prior to 2019, so I'd say on some level yes, he isn't going to keep this up.

But I also don't see a total regression.  Vazquez's fly-ball rate isn't much changed from his career norms, but he is making much more hard contact.
Jay
8:44
Will the Cubs make a trade at the trade deadline Mark P
Mark P
8:45
I read this originally as "will the Cubs make a trade at the deadline for Mark P," and I was like, probably not.  I'm not sure my 54mph fastball would help their bullpen much.
8:46
I think the Cubs will indeed do something.  It'll take creativity from the front office given their narrow payroll margins for error, but I can at least see one or two small moves being made.  A reliever here, a bench guy there.
Craig
8:46
Is Marcus Stroman the most likely high level starting pitcher to be traded prior to deadline?
Mark P
8:47
No doubt about it.  I wouldn't even be shocked to see him traded before the end of the All-Star break, though that's just speculation on my part
Josh Donaldson
8:47
Barring injury, do I receive a QO?
Mark P
8:49
I doubt it.  If you're Donaldson, turning 34 in December and coming off a good but not great season (assuming he keeps up his current numbers), you have to be worried about not finding a big contract in free agency.  I think he'd strongly consider accepting a QO to remain with a contending team for $18MM or so, and that's something I don't think the Braves want since they have 3B earmarked for Riley
The funky bunch
8:50
Who is your favorite current player named Mark?
Mark P
8:51
Did you know Mookie Betts' real name is Markus?  While I can't begrudge anyone for adopting the nickname "Mookie," I'm disappointed that we Marks missed out on another superstar athlete to share the name.
Paul Goldschmidt
8:52
Is STL making the playoffs this year?
Mark P
8:53
Never say never in the NL Central.  One or two hot weeks can put a team on top of that division.

Bigger-picture, however, the Cardinals haven't gotten out of first gear all season.  They need some of their struggling veterans (Goldschmidt included) to turn it on in the second half
Cubs
8:54
Do we get David Peralta and Will Smith by the deadline?
Mark P
8:55
Well, Peralta is hurt, I'm not sure if he would be a good buy right now.

The Cubs would have to outbid a lot of other teams to land Smith, and I'm not sure if they have the prospect capital to make it happen
Padre Mike
8:56
Are the Padres legit this season or simply playing with my heart
Mark P
8:58
They're an okay team that potentially has a wild card shot because of a lot of parity in the National League.
8:59
They're another team that seems to require a pitching addition, though this has been the case for months without the front office pulling the lever on anything major
Mets optimist
8:59
I’m all for Mets trading anyone that doesnt sound like Alonso or McNeil. Do you trust Brodie to be able to make good deals considering this past offseason?
Mark P
9:00
This assumes that the Wilpon family will sign off on a rebuild, which I doubt.

As to whether BVW is the general manager to be overseeing such a process....I mean, the track record hasn't been good, let's be honest.  But he went into this year trying to make big swings, so perhaps things could be different if he was overseeing a rebuild.
Jeff
9:01
How is it that Fernando Tatis is not an all-star?
Mark P
9:01
He did miss over a month on the IL, which was enough of a reason to leave him off a team given how many other good players were vying for spots
9:02
Given what we've seen so far from Tatis, however, this might be the last ASG he misses for the next decade
S.
9:04
Who’s traded first - Cashner or Mancini?
Mark P
9:04
Cashner would be my pick.  Mancini has enough team control remaining that the O's aren't really in a big rush to move him
YouBettsBelieve
9:06
Biggest reason for Betts' babip and subsequent average drop?
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