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MLBTR Chat With Mark Polishuk
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Mark P
9:31
Hi gang, bit of a later start than this usual this Sunday, but better late than never!
Trip
9:32
What does it mean when a contract is selected? Is that just another way of saying "called up"?
Mark P
9:33
If you "select" a contract, you're officially adding a player to the 40-man roster as well as the 25-man roster.  A "call-up" is just a player who's already on the 40-man roster being added to the active roster
Ross Atkins
9:34
With Nate Pearson being promoted to AAA today, we are still waiting for at least May of next year before calling him up to the Majors right?
Mark P
9:35
(Atkins being the Jays' GM)

Service time jokes aside, the Jays have no reason not to be patient with Pearson.  He'll get a taste of Triple-A this year, and almost surely start 2020 in Triple-A as well.
Red sox
9:36
Betts and Workman for Waters, Anderson, and Wright? Who hangs up...and let’s imagine in this scenario that the Braves do well in the playoffs this year but juuust come up short.
Mark P
9:37
That would be a very bold all-in type of move for 2020 that I don't think the Braves need to make.  If they got some assurance that Betts would stay beyond next season, sure, but that's a big prospect haul to unload for one year of a player (even one as great as Betts)
Dodger dog
9:38
What's Ryu gonna do this off-season? Hard for Dodgers to just let him go, and he seems to really enjoy LA - but LAD has a ton of dudes for the rotation and teams will throw big $$$ at him. My guess is future NYY.
Mark P
9:40
As we've seen with Kershaw, Jensen, and Turner, the Dodgers are willing to pay up to retain key free agents they see as major assets going forward.  Ryu is an interesting case in that regard since you wonder if LAD is still totally sold on him as a long-term piece, given his injury history (though he has been mostly healthy this year).
That said, Ryu can't be offered another qualifying offer, so the Dodgers would lose him for nothing if he did leave.  If a re-signing doesn't happen, Yankees will surely have interest, as will any other team looking for a big pitching boost
Kira
9:42
Can take a moment to appreciate how good Juan Soto is. I think people sometimes forget that he's only 20 years old
Mark P
9:42
No doubt.  Nationals have a real gem on their hands
Giants
9:43
Will the players with longer contracts like Longoria and belt have played well enough this year for there to be a market for them in the off season?
Mark P
9:45
In those two cases, no.  Longoria has been good but nothing special, while Belt is actually on pace for his worst season (by wRC+ and fWAR) as a big leaguer
Sox fan
9:46
Any chance the Red Sox land Gerrit Cole this offseason? They could use another ace, especially with the Chris Sale news and injury concerns to Price and Eovaldi. If not, which free agent do they pursue?
Mark P
9:47
The Sox have $79MM owed to Sale, Price, and Eovaldi next season, and you want them to spend even MORE on starting pitching?!
Not that they won't pursue rotation help, but I'm not sure Boston has the stomach for another big pitching signing right now
Ben
9:48
What do the Nats do with Doolittle at this
9:49
What do the Nats do with Doolittle at the seasons end?
Mark P
9:50
Nats will almost certainly pick up their club option on him for next season, that seems like a virtual no-brainer.
He's had a few rough outings lately, but Doolittle has also been basically the only consistent arm in Washington's pen all season.  Bringing him back for $6.5MM in 2020 is a very reasonable price
Artie P
9:51
Yordan Alvarez is having one hell of a year and nobody talks much about him here WHY?
Mark P
9:52
I mean, what much is there more to say?  He's having one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory
Luke Voit
9:52
Ok so when I get back where does LeMahieu play? And when Stanton, Edwin and Hicks are back, what happens to Urshela, Lemahieu and I?
Mark P
9:53
This assumes that the Yankees will ever have everyone healthy at once, which never seems to be the case.
Rangers
9:54
Do you expect the Rangers to be big players in free agency this winter?
Mark P
9:55
A case can be made that the Rangers could/should go after the likes of Rendon or Cole, but I suspect we'll see Texas take a more modest approach.  After the success of the Lynn and Minor contracts, I'll bet the Rangers will go after another mid-tier veteran pitcher.
Josh B.
9:57
Do you think the Braves re-sign Josh Donaldson in the offseason? He’s been a great addition this year.
Mark P
10:00
My guess is that Atlanta tags him with a qualifying offer and recoups a draft pick for him, since the long-term plan is still Riley at third base.

HOWEVER, Riley looked pretty decent in left field this year, so if the Braves wanted to use him in the outfield again, re-signing Donaldson would be a very interesting move.  JD is entering his age-34 season so he wouldn't be expecting a very long-term deal.  Given his good relationship with AA, his desire to remain on a contender, and the fact that the qualifying offer will probably limit his market to some extent, I wonder if Donaldson would consider a high-AAV two-year deal to remain
This is just speculation on my part, however.  I'm sure Donaldson will look for at least three guaranteed years in the wake of his big season, so who knows
Knows Pickin
10:02
It seems like there are only three legitimate contenders for the World Series title(Houston, LA, Yankees). My team is in contention for a playoff berth, yet I feel theres really no hope. Can you make me feel better?
Mark P
10:02
Anything can happen in a short series.
Tiger town
10:03
Has Avila set the rebuild back with poor trade returns, or is the changing market changing how quickly a team can retool by trading players for prospects
Mark P
10:04
Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press recently wrote a great summarization of the current trade market...

"The Tigers’ trade efforts have been sabotaged recently by a near-industrywide shift in philosophy in regards to the value of prospects and team-controlled contracts, precisely when they went all-in on a rebuild. Suddenly, few teams — not even most contenders — are willing to give up high-ceiling (and cost-controlled in the long term) prospects for the short-term chance of an immediate playoff run"
10:06
Now, this came within a larger piece about the very topic you mentioned --- the Tigers' lack of return in trades.  But it bears noting that with more and more teams going into rebuild mode, the few real going-for-it contenders that remain have also altered their strategies in how they acquire and bid on talent.

Fenech's piece, btw...

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2019/08/04/detroit-tiger...
Mariners
10:06
I know he has a long was to go... but is Kyle seager on the right track?
Mark P
10:07
He's been red-hot over the last couple of weeks, which is certainly a sign of relief for M's fans given how he played last year.
Bullpen
10:08
Watching playoff contenders blow leads, are you surprised teams were not more aggressive acquiring better bullpen help?
Mark P
10:08
Not really, given how inconsistent relief pitching can be in general.
Wally the gren monster
10:09
Chances of devers winning the al mvp ?Also any chance of locking him up on long term contract 6/120?
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