Robert Murray’s latest report on Cody Bellinger and Bo Bichette + Yankees next move after Weathers add

00:00:05
Speaker 1: Cody Bellinger star had been a superstar. He's a star. What are you hearing about not just his market, but the Yankees' willingness to maybe change how they go at certain free agents.

00:00:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, as far as Bellinger goes, the Yankees to me, have been by far and away the best option for Bellinger. They know exactly what he is. He thrived in that laup. He loved playing in New York, and he's played in New York, Chicago and LA and he's thrived in all three cities. And you have him in your lineup along with Aaron Judge. That gives you a really strong foundation to build around and you. I mean, obviously if they signed Bellinger, they'd have to continue to do more. But Bellinger is the most important piece of their offseason. So if they can get him, that would be huge for them. I do think that will end up getting done at some point. We're not at that point quite yet. We've seen the reports about a five year offer for about one hundred and fifty five million that has not gotten done. Whether it's adding years or adding more money to that five year offer, I expect Bellinger to end up being back with the Yankees. It's just taking a lot longer that I think both sides would prefer. But also you can think of a different team possibly hopping in, or maybe you can see a team that misses out on Kyle Tucker going after a player like Bellinger, or you can even see a team like this is totally like speculative on Miami. But you look at the San Francisco Giants. You have their spring training complex very close to where he grew up here in Arizona. Gets them back in the West Coast. I mean, they obviously have another need for a bat, so I could see that being a fit. But I expect at the end of the day for him to be back in New York being in a Bronx.

00:01:55
Speaker 1: Two of my locks for the offseason were Alex Bregman to the Red Sox and Bellinger to the Yankees. If because you just said you feel like this is gonna happen for the Yankees, what if it doesn't, because we saw the Red Sox pivot to Ranger Suarez real quick. But what if the Yankees don't get Cody Bellinger, Obviously they're gonna stay on the surface.

00:02:17
Speaker 3: Ah.

00:02:17
Speaker 1: We love our team, we love our roster and fangrafts and everybody will say, yes, it's still a good team. Yeah, because they have Aaron Judge. Without Cody Bellinger, where's that pivot and where are a month from pitchers and catchers reporting.

00:02:32
Speaker 2: That would be a huge blow to their offseason. There's no if sands or butts about that. Bellinger is their top priority. They've made that incredibly clear all off season. So let's say he goes somewhere else. Do you look at the frager market where Bolbachett is out there? Do you look at the trade market and maybe try to get like a large now Bar type from the Cardinals or a Brendan Donovan or Nuko Horner. I mean, there's a bunch of different bats are out there. We've obviously seen katl Marte's name around, but Arizona's taken his name off of the market. But that is that, to me, would be a doomsday scenario here for the Yankees, because to me, there's no way of positively spinning that because you're supposed to be the Yankees, like the big, big bad Yankees, big market team, where you're supposed to be able to out spend anyone, and you could possibly lose the Juan Soto last offseason, and then you lose Cody Bellinger in a consecutive offseason. That would be a pr nightmare if you're the ownership group, if you're Brian Cashman, or anyone involved in that decision, in that decision, which is why I think it ultimately ends up happening. I just I think the fit for both sides is just so clear and so obvious that it just almost makes too much sense for it not to happen. But as you said, I felt the same way about Bregman and the Red Sox. I thought that was a matter of when, not if. And now he's having his introductory press conference in Chicago for the Cubs, So anything can happen for agency as a crapshoot, as they say, but that one I'll never call anything. Locke. I think that's a very game to play. But I feel good about that.

00:04:04
Speaker 4: Why why haven't the Yankees and Bellinger been able to figure this out? Like it's been a while now and we haven't. You know, we've heard little snippets back and forth. What's holding this up? Is it simply money? Is it years?

00:04:18
Speaker 3: Like? What have you been hearing? If anything?

00:04:21
Speaker 2: Yeah, at this point, it's years. And you can also say the case for money as well. He is getting offered five years from the Yankees and or you know, he's getting offered five years from the Yankees and he wants seven years. So that is obviously a gap and they have not been able to bridge that gap by any means here. And that's why I think you can end up maybe finding a solution where you put more money into a five year offer, maybe throw some incentives or whatever else they could possibly try to throw into incentivize him to take it. So I don't know if the Yankees will be willing to go to seven years, so I think it would have to be that route as of this point. That's that's my feel.

00:05:02
Speaker 3: Now let's go to Bowlbaschett.

00:05:03
Speaker 4: I mean, this guy is just waiting in the wings too for somebody to come scoop him up. I mean, a good ballplayer. I love everything about the kid man. I got to be honest with you. Came back, went to second base, wasn't afraid to go over there to play and be in a positioned to help his team win a World Series?

00:05:19
Speaker 3: What are you hearing about him?

00:05:20
Speaker 4: And like, let me ask you, this is this a guy like a backup plan for some teams. Are they waiting to hear how other guys go or is this or is this like a priority for some teams and if so, who Yeah.

00:05:32
Speaker 2: You can easily look at it as a priority here for the Philadelphia Phillies, where they had that meeting with him on Monday, and by all accounts I went very well. And as someone reminded me of the other day, like, when is the last time we've heard of a meeting not going well? I think the next one that we hear that doesn't go well would be the first. So, but it's clear that the Phillies are very interested in Bowl Baschett. And we even heard Jeff pass And say yesterday that people believe that the Phillies are going to be in a position where they can offer the most money. And I wouldn't not really, I wouldn't disagree with that whatsoever. But there's other teams that are going to be in the mix here as well. Let's say the Blue Jays don't get Kyle Tucker, do they go after bow Bashette and increase their pursuit there? To me, the other option here would be the Boston Red Sox they just lost out on Alex Bregman. And you look at Bashett, he's four years younger, he's incredibly productive. You sign him, you add some youth to that roster. You also add a huge option in the in the lot up there. Not necessarily a big power guy by any means, but he's a really freaking good player, and I think that's something that they should really strongly consider if you're the Red Sox, because you sign him, you make yourself better and you weaken a division rival in the Toronto Blue Jays. You can also look at some other options there for the Red Sox and in the infield there, maybe you can end up trading some of your outfield depth to end up improving the infield there. But Bishett, whether it's one of those three teams or if it's the Yankees, whether it's the Dodgers, his market is incredibly deep and I expect him to do very very well in free agency.

00:07:05
Speaker 1: Yere better than other second basements. And is he totally out as is he totally out as a shortstop for all these teams? Is there a chance there's a team, Because if there's a team, a season is a shortstop that value for teams, they plug it in their collusion calculator, it goes higher.

00:07:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, I definitely think there's a chance that he can be a shortstop next season. Do other teams possibly view him as a guy who could play a different position. Absolutely, Like he's got the positional flexibility where he can play a second base, and we watched him do that in the postseason in the World Series. And if it wasn't for the Dodgers's comeback, you're making the case with that clutch homer where he could possibly be the World Series MVP. He would have been one of the stronger candidates there for sure if the Blue Jays ended up winning it. But I mentioned on the last time I talked to him the show, and I'll say it again, I have not talked to a team who believes that Bolbashek cannot play shortstop. They all think he can. But he's also got the ability to play other positions, which I think is going to be in his favor this offseason.

00:08:13
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00:09:17
Speaker 1: One of the things we talk about with Tucker is, ooh, the injury. Have you heard anything come up about his injury? Boba Schett's injury at the end of the season. Yes, he came back and played in the World Series, which was awesome. He did great, he swung well, he ran like Todd yesterday, like Cement's shoes. There was nothing there. Is there any fear that that could hurt his value or is all the news you're hearing. Nope, he's one hundred percent and he'll be back to the same speed that he was before.

00:09:48
Speaker 2: I have not heard any concerns there whatsoever as far as bashek Goes or even a guy like Kyle Talker. And I know Tucker has an extensive, extensive injury history where he's missed some time and even fought through that finger injury last here where the fracture between two of his fingers. He played through it obviously did not have the same success, but I expect both to do just fine. I haven't heard any concerns about that at all this offseason, so I don't think it's on the teams's minds. But I mean maybe, but I have not heard that.

00:10:19
Speaker 5: Oh go ahead, crats. Actually I was gonna ask what you're gonna ask, and you're gonna ask it more fun than me, because who knows, maybe todd father will catch another stray as you ask a question.

00:10:27
Speaker 1: Todd wasn't even listening we used to call Todd old Cement's shoes Todd, and then he goes out and steals faces, just like Paul.

00:10:34
Speaker 3: I used to steal on you all day, bro.

00:10:37
Speaker 1: I actually looked it up before I said that, So, yeah, I just got to make sure.

00:10:42
Speaker 3: You don't lee high Valley I used to. I think I got two bags in one game.

00:10:48
Speaker 2: WHOA look at that? I mean, how do you how do you respond to that?

00:10:51
Speaker 1: That's that's just the life that I live. I'm a buffoon two oh nine hitter, Robert two nine hittery.

00:10:58
Speaker 2: My favorite player recovered though you got that honor on your cap there, I mean, that's me.

00:11:02
Speaker 3: What is that?

00:11:03
Speaker 4: That is the most heinous and awkward moment right now in sports history.

00:11:07
Speaker 3: He's not the best guy you've ever covered. That's ridiculous, he said, favorite.

00:11:12
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, no, I'm not kidding you. You should have seen he took a young Robert Murray under his wing, and he was incredible to me. I'll never forget it. He was incredible to me. That's that's my guy forever.

00:11:23
Speaker 4: He probably asked for money afterwards too, because of what he did for you.

00:11:30
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's funny.

00:11:31
Speaker 1: I like that friendship friendship, Dudes, I had no friends. My question is Nolan Aeronado trade to Arizona. We can sit here and say, oh, he's only getting paid five million dollars. Oh, you know he's getting six the next year. Cardinals are eating so much money they didn't get anything back. Why am I bored of this trade? Is it because I wanted it to happen last year, because I wanted Aeronaudo to be gone from from the Cardinals last year to have enough shot one more year, like closer to his prime. Or is it the fact that he could come out of the weeds and really come out and have some type of year that we don't expect once he goes to a different environment that isn't the Cardinals where he originally said I want to be traded to to play more playoff games, and he actually played more playoff games in Colorado than he did in his career in Saint Louis.

00:12:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's not the same player that he once was when he was with the Rockies and when he first ended up going over by the Cardinals, but he's still like you can make the case for the Hall of Fame for him in my eyes, and that to me should be exciting enough when it comes to the Diamondbacks here, and I give him credit for going out and making this move. And they didn't have to give up much turn. They gave up one prospect and you add that credibility to that lineup, and maybe you can convince a guy like Paul Goldschmid to come back to Arizona for a final ride or final rider two where he can end up having those two on the on the corners there once again in the same infield. So I like I applaud the Diamondbacks for doing it. And it's a shame that the Cardinals are doing like the sell off that they are, like, you can't expect them at this point to be very good now and just going forward for for quite some time. And it's a move that heim Bloom had had to make. It was clear that it was the decision that had to be made. But you look at that roster and you still look at the trade candidates that they have there as well. I mean Brendan, Brendan donov and Lars Newbar, Alec Burlison, all those guys are being asked about in trade talks and and they don't have to move any of them by any means. They can hold on to them and they can try to maintain their value, or they could try they could hold on to them and shop them at the deadline if they're not getting an offer. That's good enough for him right now. But still, you look at the youth on that team. It's going to be a lot of guys who are breaking into the big leagues or just just started in a big league So it might be rough here for a little bit for the Cardinals, but yeah, it's a move they had to make.

00:14:03
Speaker 5: Robert. My last one for you is connected to the Diamondbacks. Gino Suarez was a big story at one point last year for how many homers he was hitting.

00:14:12
Speaker 3: I know he.

00:14:12
Speaker 5: Finished a little slow and his postseason had a big moment, but he also had plenty of slowly moments in terms of the overall body of work. Right it wasn't his best work at the plate. So my point here is that when we spoke about the Red Sox yesterday and what else they need to do for the rest of the off season after the Ranger Suarez signing, AJ and I were kicking around, Okay, well, maybe they need a second or a third base, and that's been talked about for a while. We were going through third base market, we brought up Gino Suarez as one of the options, and it got slaughtered online. It wasn't even just slaughtering the Boston Fit. It was like him as a player. The amount of fans that replied, like, I don't want to touch that, he just strikes out, he's a poor defender.

00:14:52
Speaker 3: Whatever.

00:14:52
Speaker 5: I was like, are we talking about the same player?

00:14:55
Speaker 1: Now?

00:14:56
Speaker 5: He's not a superstar and the home run numbers look superstarish, but there are they're parts of this game that are missing. I would not call him a bad defender. I would also not call him like a complete waste of everything else, Like he's not this. Is he the fastest?

00:15:08
Speaker 2: No?

00:15:09
Speaker 5: Is he the slowest?

00:15:09
Speaker 2: No?

00:15:10
Speaker 3: Right?

00:15:10
Speaker 5: Does he bring you potentially fifty home runs to a lineup that I think could use that?

00:15:14
Speaker 3: Yes?

00:15:15
Speaker 5: So I just had a hard time kind of weighing what I was seeing and that fans basically would rather just stick with what they had versus add someone like Gino if he was the only option that they could figure out your.

00:15:26
Speaker 2: Thoughts, I'm stunned that they wouldn't want him. It's like you, I remember at the trade deadline, he was the most he was the hottest commodity. Every fan base wanted him, every team wanted him. There was teams bidding against one another forum. I'm stunned to hear that. Obviously it didn't go well with the Mariners this go around, but he's coming off of a season where fifty homers was was easily attainable. What I don't know necessarily the number that he ended up finishing with, but it was very close to that. So if you can end up adding him, and if you're not gonna end up having to pay what you do for like a Bushette or a Tucker or anything like that, so you want a value play, that's definitely a really good option there. But I would understand why the fan base would be frustrated if you don't go from like a or if you go from a Bragmant type, possibly thinking Bishett and then you go to a Suarez type, but still like, he's an incredibly talented player, adds a huge boost to that lineup, and you can think of all sorts of different teams like you could think, I mean, shoot, I mean I can think of a bunch of different teams could use a guy like Gino Suarez like the Pirates would make a lot of sense for him too. I haven't heard them connected to Suarez by any means, but they were on Okamoto and they obviously did not get him, So maybe that could be a pivot for him, pivot for them. Maybe that could be a pivot for a bunch of other teams. But don't I don't get the slander for Gino Suarez whatsoever. He's a great player.

00:16:48
Speaker 1: Forty nine home runs. I don't care if your turn. Forty nine home runs in a lineup is awesome. Last comment here you said about how well I treated you. I was reminded of something today. We met in twenty eighteen. You just followed me on Twitter today. This is unbelievable, Like, how could you have not followed me on Twitter? I have tremendous content out there and you just followed me today. You're welcome, and I'm not mad about it.

00:17:17
Speaker 2: Dang, you don't follow me though.

00:17:19
Speaker 1: Well, I'm because I was waiting until you actually followed me so we can follow each other.

00:17:26
Speaker 2: There we go. I'll love that.

00:17:27
Speaker 1: Well.

00:17:27
Speaker 2: I haven't gotten the following notification quite yet, so until I get that I'm mad at you.

00:17:33
Speaker 1: That's fair. I'm not mad.

00:17:36
Speaker 5: It's like, it's like the couple that everyone thought should always happen, but neither side wanted to make a move and ask someone out. This is that on Twitter to friends, lifelong friends that just won't press the follow button to acknowledge that they've been friends for a very long time. So I know Chris did something.

00:17:52
Speaker 3: I'm looking on Instagram. Now we don't follow each other on Instagram. That's weird.

00:17:57
Speaker 2: Oh well, sure, I'll follow all you boys on Instagram. Boy, Like, everyone's there we go. I got the following notification from Todd. I'll follow him back right now. There we go. This is the content that everyone craves, right right.

00:18:10
Speaker 5: Everyone's like, hey, I'll take twenty minutes of Robert. I want mostly talk about who's following who, although I guess we did start the conversation that way, just who's Kyle Tucker following? But anyway, Robert will let you get back to it. Hopefully it breaks today. Thanks for joining us, dude, always a blast.

00:18:26
Speaker 2: Hey, thank you guys. I appreciate you, and hopefully hopefully we can break some news today that'd be very fun.

00:18:31
Speaker 5: Thanks we'll be on the lookout, yes, fingers crossed. All right, we got Todd Father today who watches a lot of Yankees and works for you us. During the season, Chris Kershner and Brendan Coody from The Athletic wrote about the Yankees trade for Ryan Weathers but also what's next. So in the article they said they still need a horse. They didn't expand their major league prospect capital to acquire Weathers is and this wasn't a huge give up for them in their mind, and I would say with much of the industry also thinking, it's not like they gave up the blue chip recruit at the top. Some of those guys could end up being great players, but at least for now, their write ups are not superstar right ups. So an opposing scout in this article, actually you put it this way quote the Yankees didn't trade anyone they'll miss as usual, which is a discussion that we often have, and that's actually something that's crafty that is underrated. The Yankees are able to pump and promote their prospects. I think the Dodgers do a nice job of this too, but they know which ones they're supposed to be holding. On to so they do a nice job of that as well, or they just get stingy and deals and say, we're not going to give up the guys that we think are really special. So I'm sure they've gotten asked about Cam Schlitzler in the past and they were like, Hey, this guy's got high upside, he's not getting enough love, and we think he's going to be a big deal, so we keep them. But anyway, the other part of this article talked about the fact that they still have a pretty high intention of grabbing a starter that can be more of a workhorse in their rotation top Father. It sounds like they almost look at Weathers as a guy who has significant room for growth. Right He's someone who hasn't racked up a ton of innings. He's dealt with injuries. Weathers actually spoke today, i think during the show in his presser intro, saying here it is from your boy, Jack Curry. He was shocked when he learned the Yankees had acquire him. It's very early, but the Yankees spoke to him about the possibility of using the two seam fastball more to open up spots for his four seamer. He only uses sinker four percent of the time in twenty twenty five, and he had used it twelve and a half percent of the time in twenty twenty four. So you know that Yankees brass is already cranking, trying to figure out how to make this guy another success story for them in far as far as I wouldn't, you know, whatever you want to call it pitching development or pitching resurrection. So your thoughts on this move, but then also what's next. It sounds like they're still in play for a guy like Freddy Parlton.

00:20:58
Speaker 3: Yeah. I did like this move. I did.

00:21:00
Speaker 4: I you know, I thought it was a really good move. If he's anything like his father Weather's, uh, they're gonna love him. The guy was fun, loving dude. He was awesome. I played with him in the tail end of his career. But yeah, I think this was It was a good movie. It was calculated. Again, when you have prospects and you have guys that other teams think that they're high on, go ahead and trade them. They've seen teams in the last couple of years that don't do that, and then all of a sudden they lose, and all of a sudden, boom, they don't want the prospects to turn into suspects. So I do like this, they are going to need another guy. You know, with the injuries of Rodin, Freed, and Schmid, they're gonna be on you know, on the shelf in the beginning of the year. I don't think the Yankees are done. I do think with Weathers, they're gonna you know, maneuver some more pitches so he can be that much better. Another lefty. You always need more lefties. I love every second of that. Again, is this gonna blow you off the charts and be like, oh, the Yankees are World Series champs? No, but it's a dive in there to get somebody in there that can help out until these big dogs come in and they they can move him around to wherever they want to after that.

00:22:07
Speaker 1: The Yankees every off season, every off season in the last like four or five years, they've made it a concerted effort to say this is the guy we're going after, this is what we want. Rarely have they missed on or been out bid, as everyone's like, oh, the Yankees should never be out bid. They go after the guys that they want. Rodan Aaron Judge did sign back but he was a free agent. They wanted him, how wanted them, bang Re signed him, Carlos Rodan. What you think of him now is irrelevant. In that offseason when he came off of thrown for the Giants, that was the guy. That was the guy in the off season. Garret Cole Cashman said that was their white whale, got him Max Freed. Now, did they miss out on guys before then?

00:22:58
Speaker 3: Yes?

00:22:58
Speaker 1: Obviously, were they going on once yes? Did they get to a level where they weren't comfortable and the Mets were ultimately going to get him, no idea, but they go out and get the guy. So as quiet as this offseason has been for the Yankees, there has to be somebody out there. There has to be a guy out there who's going to be there starting pitching All Star representative besides Max Freed. I have no reason to believe Max Freed is not going to be back in the All Star Game. He's going to be back in the All Star Game again. But those first three months April, May and June can set you on a path to a successful season or a season where you are scratching and clawn just to make the playoffs. And I have a hard time believing that the lineup of the rotation they have right now is the rotation that they think can put them two games behind, three games ahead of the Blue Jays, the Red Sox, the Orioles in the American League East without that workhorse we're talking about right now, and I think I think they have to go get them. I don't think because they're not going to rush back Rodan, They're not going to rush back Cole. And you don't know what you're gonna get of you months and months and months of slitler. So there is there's concerted work that's needed. I think the Yankees know it, and Cashman always gets it done.

00:24:21
Speaker 3: Well.

00:24:21
Speaker 5: They lost the bid for Edward Cabrera, but there were already conversations. My guess is that these types of prospects were brought up. These names, right, were probably brought up in their discussions with the Marlins for Edward Cabrera, and the Yankees were definitely going after him. The Cubs ended up with him. It sounded like the Yankees weren't close in terms of what their final trade proposal was, right. They weren't throwing an Owen Casey level caliber player right A guy that has the upside to be a really legitimate outfielder, impact bat in a lineup, and who is ready right now to play every day. Right, So then you go, well, did you like these guys still looking for pitching? And you know this, Todd Father, We've been going over this a lot, even in the past twenty four hours at the Red Sox and people like the Red Sox have like ten starters. Now, great, you know what, that's called a contending pitching staff. That's what you need. That's a contending pitching staff because you need that to get through a marathon. You need to get that through the Al East, which should be the toughest division top to bottom in baseball this year, and then how often do you get to the playoffs and you're missing some guys. So if you've got ten really nice options, that's what you need these days, and the Yanks are trying to do the same thing.

00:25:38
Speaker 4: The more the merrier options they're key, especially nowadays with pitchers not throwing as many pitchers anymore and not going deep into games too. I mean, you need your relievers first and foremost, but if you have other starters out looking at Dodgers at all, the injuries they had and they still won the World Series. So opportunity arises, you're going to get your chance. Just hold on, things do happen and thinks shake up.

00:26:01
Speaker 3: For sure, you.

00:26:02
Speaker 1: Want to be the best twenty six guys at the end of the season when you make the playoffs. The Red Sox, yeah, they might have an issue, but the really the fact is if two of those extra five starters slot into the bullpen with their three high leverage guys, whoever it ends up being most likely Whitlock, White Shirt and Chappie. You know, now you're just formulating a team that has more depth and more ability to withstand the injuries, not if injuries, the injuries, because until a team figures out how to not have pitchers get injured, that's what's gonna happen. And if that is, the name of the game is depth, and not just depth, but quality depth. Sorry to all the Red Sox starting pitching prospects, you're going to be in the bushes until somebody's needed. So go down there, be red and you'll be the next one up.

00:27:02
Speaker 5: And now more than ever you're needed. Right, The Red Sox ended up calling up a ton of prospects that they didn't think they were going to need the Mets did that. Almost every team ends up doing that where they're like, oh, we didn't think we were going to call this guy up this year, and then all of a sudden, you're in a bind. Don't forget most guys don't say it like it is or say that they're pissed that they're now starting at the jump. But last year we had a veteran and Marcus Stroman who said ninety times I'm a starter, and five minutes later he was a starter. Anyway, right, eventually not but five minutes later he was a starter. It was what a week later, Luis Heal I think got hurt and then he was one of the five. So it happens very quickly. You're going to get an opportunity.