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MLBTR Chat Transcript: Phillies, Cubs, Lindor, Donaldson, Athletics

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Nothing says Christmas morning like some hot stove baseball talk!  Click here to read the transcript of this morning’s chat, moderated by MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk

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    • Watch how the Detroit Tigers race to the last while blaming players and fans.

      • Watch while the Angels and White Sox shock the baseball world by locking up Wild Card berths and provide hope to two fanbases who haven’t seen any kind of postseason success in a decade.

        Fixed it for you.

        4

        • Can someone tell Boson to add a shot of eggnog into all that rum he’s drinking?

        • Hey, it could happen. White
          Sox are on the ascent but let’s see them finish above 500 for once and take it from there…..

        • Just trying to counteract the negativity. I know it’s not gonna happen, but wouldn’t it be great if it did?

      • The only person dumber than Al Avila is the person that hired him.
        Sell the Tigers, move them out of Detroit and start over.

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      • White Sox will win the division. Huge holes filled in free agencyband star players getting closer to their potential.

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  5. Happy Festivus. Is this the day for the “Airing of Grievances?”

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  7. lets reverse the whole Vizquel argument. instead of him not being worthy because Rolen and Jones dont get votes, they *should* be worthy because he *does* get votes.

      • this is why the committees are better. sure they sometimes elect guys like Baines, but they get a lot of the guys the media holds vendettas against

    • Omar was the 2nd best defensive SS I’ve seen in 60 years of watching, behind only Ozzie. He was a better hitter then Ozzie. One of the highest Baseball-IQ players I ever watched as well. Giant fans saw him in his late 30’s and he became a folk hero to them.

      Take the statistics and shove them. Omar saved pitchers and influenced games in ways that helped his team win. He wasn’t about padding any statistic other then the number of W’s his team accumulated. Consistent player. Was an anchor for his team in big games. A winner…….

      And very probably will not be voted into the Hall.

      2

  8. Billy Eppler is running out of candidates to round-up his starting pitcher’s line-up. Cole, Wheeler, Ryu and Bum are already gone… Detroit is probably ask a ton for Boyd. What ever happens I believe Price is NOT the right SP for the Angels…

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    • I’m hoping they trade for Chris Archer. Eppler can’t be dumb enough to start the season with this current rotation.

      • @doom. Have you even seen Archer pitch recently on the television? He’s not the pitcher he once was. He’s been pretty bad for the Pirates and I’d say his stock has dropped a lot the last 2 years. Sure his salary is low the next 2 years but he’s also pitching close to that level.

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      • And he is not dumb enough to trade for Chris Archer either. No one is that dumb or at least no one who is still employed as a GM. The last dumb GM who traded for Archer was soon fired and deservingly so.

        You see Archer stinks. Just check his numbers over the past several years. Sure once upon a time he was good. A long long time ago. He is just a “name” you have heard of nothing more. He stinks

    • Boyd stinks! After a lucky first half be still ended with a 4.56 ERA which is only slightly better than his 4.92 career ERA.

      Tigers outsmarted themselves asking for the moon at the trade deadline last year. Haha what a joke. They should have taken the best offer and dumped this loser on someone.

      Hey they still have Jules fooled though

      • Boyd had a baby daughter born at the end of July and then missed time for personal issues and a family matter. Something tells me more than baseball was on his mind. These are the kinds of scenarios to think about to perhaps pick up a guy who is actually 1st half Boyd and betting that the 2nd half distractions dont resurface. I personally would welcome Boyd to the Angel’s staff (much more so than Price).

        • So then he has family problems every year, because he hasn’t ever been good…

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        • Look at Boyds career track record then tell me why you or anyone would think his lucky first half is who he is when ever season but that half says he actually sucks

  9. again, why are the Cubs the only team “rolling in money?” Red Sox want to shed payroll as well and make plenty of money. the Cubs hatred fron absolutely EVERYONE boggles my mind.

    2

    • Fortunately I’m a Yankees fan and I never have to hear about how much money the Yankees have. SMH

      • any team that is paying both the Stanton and Cole contracts should justly be exempt from such criticisms.

    • Because they didn’t say they want to get below the luxury tax, they pled poverty (which is a laugh out loud joke) and NOBODY likes a liar.

      • well if they stopped having to pay for overages on the luxury tax…

        • My guess is that the Cubs and BoSox are waiting until the new CBA before add any significant $ over the limit. The rules might change and it could theoretically save them millions in unnecessary tax dollars if they do.

      • They did not plead poverty they said they want to get under the luxury tax so they are not liars.

        Of course the luxury tax is not a salary cap so screw them but they never said they are broke. They just want to pocket profits instead of rolling it back into the team as they had said they would do.

        So they are not liars. They are just conmen. Fraudsters.

  10. say, on the topic of the Hall, we should have a mock ballot here. would be fun to see who we ellect. maybe we could even spice it up by adding Pete Rose. (joking)

      • Everyone believes he didn’t because he didn’t we all know who was behind it.

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        • Who, sir, so you allege was behind it?!?! I submit to you that Billary’s got a stellar reputation! Minus a few legal hick-ups, and a suspected murder or three, they are rock-solid billionaires.

          1

  12. Good stuff Mark, but there is no way the White Sox need another starting pitcher. Right now the rotation is:
    Giolito
    Keuchel
    Lopez
    Cease
    Gonzalez

    And I believe that Kopech will start the season in the rotation in some way as well. Rodon will come back after All star break and need to pitch from somewhere (maybe long relief to start, but long term in the rotation). If Kopech and Cease both reach potential, then Lopez may eventually become a closer/reliever. Adding another starter to that mix adds more confusion than value in my opinion.

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    • Something is telling me that Kopech is going to be coming out of the bullpen. This is Kopech’s first full season after Tommy John surgery so he is on an innings restriction. Most importantly, Kopech has to develop a change up before joining the starting rotation. If Kopech cannot develop that change up he might take over as the closer once Colome is gone after the 2020 season.

      • Respectfully disagree. Kopech would need to fail multiple times of a couple years to be considered for a bullpen role. Yes, he may start there this year, but only to get ramped back into a starting role, by June or so. Innings will be limited but in no way does that mean he would be a reliever. He had figured it out before the injury and I have very little concern about him. Lopez and/or Cease would be bullpen candidates before Kopech IMO.

      • Cease has the same issue though. He throws two great pitches, and three others he has mo control on. He’s a better candidate for closer than Kopech.

        • No matter what, if those guys develop a third pitch, which I believe they will, those three are going to be scary good. (Kopech, Cease, and Giolito) Then you have proven starters like Rodon? I think people outside WSox territory underestimate that potential rotation.

          Good luck this year guys, they’ll be fun to watch with the talent they have.

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        • Yeah – that was my point. Cease has 2 great pitches but has yet to have the level of success Kopech had near the end of his AAA run when he harnessed his control. The big difference is that Kopech had figured out how to throw strikes where Cease still struggles a bit.
          Giolito has 4 pitches, but mostly got people out with four-seam and change-up last year. Starting pitchers can get away with 2 pitches if they can locate up and down with the fastball and can change speeds. Kopech’s slider was 84 and his fastball was 98 in 2018.
          In Kopech’s last 55 innings before the injury game he had allowed 5 walks in 55 innings and struck out 68 with an ERA under 2. If he can locate and get back to that with his arm, he’ll be a starting pitcher for 10+ years.

  14. The Red Sox, with Bloom as the GM, might be able to get Chris Archer back to where he was in Tampa Days. The kid knows how to pitch and he should be maturing. If Price stays he might be a good influence on Archer. The RS need a RHander.–it’s a good price.; JBJ to the Pirates in return??

    • Madmc: A few years back there is no way that trade would’ve happened. But now, I think the only thing that would adversely affect its potentiality is that the Red Sox are trimming payroll any way they can. I mean, they’re even considering trading away Betts (good for me as a Yankee fan if he ends up in NL). I don’t think they’d take a flyer on Archer at his price.

      But, it’s actually a plausible theory and if the Sox got under the LTT, both teams may actually go through with it, if a piece or two were added to the trade. Good idea.

  15. I’m hoping 4 a series matchup of CWSox & Cincy Reds, remake of 1919

  16. Any trade to Tampa for Contreras that gest back either Meadows or Franco is a done deal.

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  17. Mark P you implied in this chat Jackie Bradley can’t hit OR field??? Can’t hit agreed, field ???

    Do you have a clue. Do you watch baseball. The metrics don’t tell the story. They don’t tell about the balls he gets to that nobody else would get near and his heart going after them.

    Don’t embarrass yourself with foolish comments like that.
    He’s one of the best defensive CF in baseball.

    Defense isn’t why he hasn’t been moved…he just doesn’t hit.

    1

    • Bradley has made some outstanding plays in that gaping abyss in right center Fenway, near the bullpen. Hate when he’s playing out there because he takes away doubles, triples, home runs…… he can play some D

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  18. Merry Christmas to all. That other saying or term that is used is weak.

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    • Good call, Mr. Bream, good call. Thumbs up emoji for you, sir.

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  19. There is no way the A’s are trading Semien (other than a deadline deal if something goes horribly wrong this season). They’re trying to win now, not stockpile prospects.

  20. Don’t know if either will make the HOF, but Bobby Abreu and Dick Allen should be in there. Abreu did it all: Excellent BA and OBP, hit for power and stole bases.

    Allen? I know he’s turned off writers, but when you look at his numbers, he should be in there way ahead of a lot of others who are already inducted.

    Finally, I’d give a vote to Dale Murphy and Fred McGriff, as well.

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