You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
MLBTR Chat With Mark Polishuk
powered byJotCast
Mark P
8:06
Hi everyone, welcome to the Sunday night chat!  Let's take some questions....
Braves fan
8:08
What’s your take on the braves as of right now.
Mark P
8:08
One of the 5-7 best teams in baseball, and they have a decent shot at the World Series
Madison Bumgarner
8:08
Where will I be playing next year
Mark P
8:09
First of all, I'd say maybe a 33% chance he re-signs in San Francisco.  The Giants do want to stay competitive, and perhaps not dealing him at the deadline changed their perspective on him entirely.  That said, SF does tend to extend the guys (Posey, Belt, Crawford, etc.) they really want to keep, so my guess is still that Bumgarner ends up pitching elsewhere
8:10
As to where that'll be.....Angels, Phillies, Yankees, Cardinals, maybe the White Sox or Braves, or maybe the ever-popular mystery team
John
8:11
Tigers going after top available hitter with draft pick next year?
Mark P
8:11
They'll take the player they like best, regardless of whether that's a pitcher or a hitter.  Teams generally just go with "best player available" rather than zeroing in on specific positions in the draft
Jays Fan
8:12
With Bichette and Vladdy tearing it up it seems like Biggio is not really holding his own. Will he make it long term or is he a short term piece. Do the Jays have anything behind him?
Mark P
8:13
Biggio wasn't as highly-regarded a prospect as Bichette or Guerrero, but don't forget, Biggio is still only 24 and in his first Major League season.  It's way too early to be looking past him
Robert
8:14
Do you seeing the royals having a fire sale in the offseason?
Mark P
8:15
I don't, since the Royals have seemed reluctant to truly tear things down.  I think they hoped that they might even be borderline contenders if everything broke right this year, though that obviously wasn't the case.

They'll certainly look to move some bigger contracts or veterans if possible, but they're not going scorched-earth anytime soon
NatsNatsNatsWoooo
8:16
If the Nats get to, and win, the Wild Card game, do they have the horses to win at least one series in the playoffs?  If not, will it mean Mr Martinez is not the manager next year?
Mark P
8:16
I'd given up trying to figure out what the Nationals will do with their managers.  But if they win the WC game, that might (weirdly) represent enough playoff "success" for Martinez to keep his job, even if they were to lose out in the divisional series round (and thus not advance any further than usual)
Tribe fan
8:17
Has Kluber thrown his last pitch as a Cleveland Indian?
Mark P
8:17
I highly doubt it.  Even if he doesn't return this season, I suspect the Tribe will pick up his option for 2020 rather than just let him walk for nothing
Pirates fan
8:18
Neil Huntington seems to believe the Pirates can compete with the same roster they have now in 2020, as long as everyone performs at their peak. Although they've had moments we're they've looked very good... there's no way they don't make a couple additions, right?
Mark P
8:19
Some upgrades are definitely needed, you're correct.  I mean, if EVERYONE had a peak season at the same time, the 2020 Pirates would be in great shape, but you could say that about any team.
Selfish fan questions
8:19
With guys like swarzak, kuechel, O'Day, etc coming off the books do you see braves going for Cole, and at his full spending value
Mark P
8:21
I'd lean towards no, given how the Braves have traditionally spent their money in recent years.  Anthopoulos also didn't make big free agent splashes when he was Toronto's GM, at least not to the level it'll take to sign Cole.....Cole will get more than double what the Jays signed Russell Martin for, for example
Monster
8:21
Ryu at $100 / 5. Seems reasonable?
Mark P
8:22
Ryu has been really good when healthy, but he's also 33 next season, and he has a long injury history.  I think a lot of teams will balk at a five-year commitment
8:23
For Ryu, I could see teams seeking out some type of dual-option type of deal, somewhat like the one Arrieta got from the Phillies.
King Kelly
8:23
Odds the Strasburg opts out after 2019 and looks for a Sale-type 5/$145m deal?
Mark P
8:24
I'd be surprised.  Strasburg is another guy who has more than a few injuries on his record, plus he just turned 31 last month.  I'd guess he'll stay in his deal and keep the four years/$100MM he already has coming
Kevin
8:25
Do you think Vlad Jr will remain at third base?
Mark P
8:26
I'd guess he's the Blue Jays' regular first baseman within five years, tops
Stavid Dearns
8:26
Because you work for MLBTraderumors, have you found the single trade deadline to diminish the quality of stories this August?
Mark P
8:27
Well, I've had a lot of shifts this month, so that's already bought the quality of writing down.

*rim shot*

Content-wise, I feel there's actually been a fair amount to write about, as there have been several waiver claims/releases/minor league trades still filling things up transaction-wise
Palmer
8:28
With young MLB guys performing better than expected (Turnbill, Demeritte, Lugo and hopefully Castro), plus young pitching on the way, are the Tigers WC contenders in 2021?
Mark P
8:28
2021 might be pushing it, since none of that young pitching is actually here yet, or proven at the MLB level.
Meta Chatter
8:28
Thoughts on people using a player’s name and asking questions in the first person in chats?
Mark P
8:29
I don't mind it.  This comment also got me wondering if there was a player named "Meta Chatter"
Nick
8:30
What's wrong with Khris Davis?  Do you believe it's possible the A's may place him on waivers down the stretch?
Mark P
8:30
Davis has been fighting some injuries this season.  I highly doubt the A's try to cut him loose just months after signing him to an extension.
Prospect Games
8:31
Will we see more prospect for prospect swaps this winter between teams like the Padres with overcrowded 40 man rosters trading AA/AAA talent for prospects several years away from the 40 man threshold? Seems like this could be a growing trend with all teams starting to horde prospects
Mark P
8:32
I wouldn't be surprised.  More than a few teams are facing a 40-man crunch this winter.  You even saw teams like the Rays swing some trade deadline deals in advance of their crunch (since they couldn't make such trades so easily in August)
King Kelly
8:33
Is the early engagement between MLB and the MLBPA meaningful, or just a PR mirage?
Mark P
8:34
I'm hoping it's a sign that both sides feel something went awry with the last CBA, though from the owners/league perspective, that deal was so lopsided in their favor that I'm not certain what their incentive will be to strongly change it
G. Cole
8:35
where do I sign next season and expected contract? 7 yes 196mil?
Load More Messages
Connecting…