The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The trade sending Jorge Polanco from the Twins to the Mariners (1:10)
- The Brewers sign Rhys Hoskins (8:25)
- The Diamondbacks sign Joc Pederson while the Blue Jays sign Justin Turner (12:05)
- The Tigers sign prospect Colt Keith to an extension (20:30)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Is Cody Bellinger unsigned because of his asking price? Will the Cubs sign him or do they not want to block their outfield prospect? (27:35)
- Should the Mariners sign Blake Snell? Will they? Can they? (31:40)
Check out our past episodes!
- The Broadcasting Landscape, Josh Hader and the Relief Market – listen here
- The Cubs’ Activity, Marcus Stroman And Jordan Hicks – listen here
- Teoscar Hernández Signs With L.A. And The Move-Making Mariners and Rays – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
The M’s need to quit fooling around with these shuffle-the-deck, half as* Rojas/Urias filler type moves and go acquire the premium bat(Luis Robert) they’ve always lacked. After unloading some major salary in the Robbie Ray/Eugenia Suarez trades, there’s no reason they couldn’t pay the price to acquire Luis Robert and still stay well under last years payroll number. As it now stands, they’ll be paying an extremely fragile Mitch Haniger about the same salary Luis Roberts makes.
Not gonna happen
They should be in the Robert/Cease discussion.
Sign Bellinger.
The Mariners can easily afford to sign Bellinger. They own their own TV network. The owners group there is disgustingly lazy. You make the TV money by signing the best free agents and keeping your prospects.
But the hedge against Bellingers bat falling apart (94 wRC+ over the past 3 yrs) is he is a plus CF. So a team can live with the struggles/health or whatever if they get + CF.
And for those who think he’s back because of last year… look at the numbers. He missed a month with injury. Was mediocre 100 wRC+ til that point then a couple weeks after the injury he got hot and had an incredible 43 games stretch which the inderlying numbers suggest a lot of luck – then he kind dissappeared again down the stretch with a 100 wRC+ So he’s had one great 43 game stretch in the past 3 yrs as a guy in his mid 20s. I think if everything goes well he’s a 120 wRC+ bat but it hasn’t gone right the 2 3/4 yrs. That’s why no one has even made an offer – the Dodgers released him without a QO.
I don’t expect Bellinger to get a 9 year deal for $200 million. It’s going to be some kind of high AAV with opt-outs like three or four years. The Mariners can afford that in every way. They cannot afford to trade for any impact player without doing serious damage to their farm which will destroy any possibility of a multiple year postseason run.
I don’t know where you came up with your stats but they are not correct.
Bellingers first month was fantastic, then he ran into the wall making a fantastic catch, had a poor 23 games and the rest of the season he was outstanding and post well above a 100 wRC+.
Bellinger is not just a CF, he is an outfielder with a Gold Glove in right. He also plays great first base.
Bellinger wasn’t “released” without a QO, he was non-tendered.
Also, all these people talking about “underlying metrics” and “advanced stats” are making themselves sound foolish.
No, they can’t afford Cody Bellinger. The Mariners have been having to cut payroll just to purchase the network. Between the sale, operational costs, and the money they now have to pay other teams in other sports via TV contracts, Seattle will be lucky if they can afford Clay Bellinger
4yrs of Robert would be an insane return expectation to give up for any club. Next offseason with 3yrs is possible if he stays healthy enough to make the return just ‘extremely high’.
They /should/ gut the farm system for them but they won’t. The Times’ beat writer has reported that none of their young stars (Kirby, Gilbert, Raleigh) are going to sign an extension to stay, so if they are going to do anything, they /should/ do it now.
Pie in the sky. There’s no hint of something like this going on.
Yes, gut the farm system for a player who has yet to play a full season. He also plays CF so you lose value with Jrod there already. Even if Mariners can’t sign Kirby etc., you flip them with 2 ish years left and keep drafting developing. Think Ray’s with s better payroll. Only dumb teams gut the farm for one player
Screw Bally Sports for trying to get out of their full obligations before Amazon brings them out of bamkruptcy. That’s trying to have the best of both worlds. Hopefully, the contract renegotiations are voided once a judge approves Amazon’s takeover.
Hard to see one year recovery of bat netting Bellinger massive long term contract. Team that pays that could be buying major salary drag unless it is low base with performance bonuses.
Four prospects for Jorge Polanco? The Mariners need a mental health evaluation. When did Justin Hollander become the Mariners general manager?
I like the Polanco trade as a Twins fan, but wish we would have gotten the impact starter we really need…