Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

Anthony Franco

• Good afternoon, hope you're all well! Looking forward to another of these
• Busy week for us with offseason prep so I'm going to keep this one at an hour. Let's get going

Bo nose

• I sure hope Bichette's addition to the Jays' roster is not a sentimental move nor one anticipating contributions defensively. Ordinarily a plus bat, the area where, arguably, the Blue Jays are strongest as a team right now, he has been feeble against L.A. over the past two years. That's only six games but, combined with the lay-off, is his best usage more likely to be as a super-sub PH than in any starting defender capacity? I think the noise about using him at 2nd is just that, noise.

Duffy Scliff

• Does Toronto realistically have a shot in this series? Does the fact that LAD hasn’t played in awhile hurt them?

Anthony Franco

• Dodgers are favorites but it's like 55-45, they've definitely got a shot. L.A.'s bullpen still feels like a weakness and the Jays should put up a much better fight against the rotation than Milwaukee did
• We'll see on Bo. Obviously if he can move at all, then playing him at second would be ideal. Use Clement at third with Barger in RF and IKF as a defensive sub late in games. If he's so hobbled that he can't field a ground-ball, well he's at least a better pinch-hitting option than Loperfido would've been

Hopeful Halo

• What do you think the angels chances are to land a top starter like Valdez?

Anthony Franco

• Would be out of character for Moreno and they've got so many other needs that I don't think using most of the budget on one top starter would be the wisest choice anyway
• I could see them more in on Gallen or a boring innings eater like Littell. They'll need to spend something on a center fielder and a third baseman and should at least bring Kenley back to solidify the back of the bullpen

Japanese Players

• Who do you think gets the highest contract for Japanese pitchers coming over this year? Imai seems to be the one getting most of the conversation now. I do wonder if he might be getting a little to hyped now? It does seem sometimes we get hyped for a player and they struggle coming over.

Anthony Franco

• Yeah it'll be Imai. He's a bit of split camp guy but I'd be surprised if he signs for less than $130M
• I think the recent track record for the top NPB starters is pretty good actually. Yamamoto's phenomenal. Tanaka worked out really well, Imanaga was excellent value at 4/53. Jury's still out on Sasaki but for even if he's only a late-inning reliever, that's well worth what the Dodgers paid with the hard capped bonuses

Rangers13

• How much do you expect Okamoto to cost?

Anthony Franco

• We all landed at three years and between $33-45MM but there's a really wide error bar on the predictions for players (especially hitters) coming over from foreign leagues
• Seems like he's at least equally interesting as Jeimer Candelario or Jurickson Profar were though

Ding a ling

• Has Dillon Dingler really changed his hit tool? Both FanGraphs and MLB gave him a 30 as a prospect, but this past season, he hit for a respectable average. Who's the real Dillon Dingler?

Anthony Franco

• Yeah definitely think he's better than a 30 hit tool. Big step forward in his in-zone contact rate, fewer chases. Hits the ball hard enough to post decent results on balls in play, even if he's probably not turning in a .345 BABIP every year
• Feels like a 50 hitter with average pop who plays really strong defense behind the plate. Good player

Mike Yastrzemski

• Please find me a home?

Anthony Franco

• I fully expect the Royals to bring him back on a one-year deal for $10-12M. He hit well there and it's obviously an ongoing need
• If they go elsewhere, Philly, Pittsburgh or Cleveland would work. Wouldn't pick the Giants to do it after they traded him but it's not like Luis Matos/Drew Gilbert seized the RF job. If they focus most of their resources on the rotation and Yaz is out for $8M in February, I don't see why they wouldn't be willing to circle back

Arthur Dent

• Any chance the Guardians will entertain offers in Steven Kwan? If so, what would Cleveland be looking for in return?
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