Bob Nightengale’s SPICY Hot Stove Notes + Breslow’s Red Sox plans

00:00:04
Speaker 1: USA Today Insider Bob and I and got covering the GM meetings right now, joining us on FT not just today but more regularly. Bob, we're excited about it. You know, we love having you on here, so I just wanted to tell the world you'll see more, Bob. Bob, it's great to have you. Do you enjoy these appearances? I hope you do, because you're going to see us more now.

00:00:23
Speaker 2: Love hanging up with you guys, love watching you guys. So yeah, it's a pleasure. Bob.

00:00:28
Speaker 3: I'm just happy we got you off the craps table to get you up here to do this interview. So thank you for taking a five minute break to come see us.

00:00:35
Speaker 2: I love craps I do. I know, I know. There you go.

00:00:41
Speaker 1: Well, Bob, we're excited. Yeah, we love doing these. So let's dive right in and let's pick some things out from your latest notes column. Let's start with the defending champce Los Angeles Dodgers. The storyline with them is always spending and they're out spending everyone. But I thought you took a different turn. That was interesting. News flash, there's actually a lot of money coming off the books for this team, right.

00:01:04
Speaker 2: Yeah, they got eighty seven million dollars coming off, you know, going back to Chris Taylor no longer there, Michael Conporto will be gone playing Kershall will be gone. So yeah, any seven million bucks come off the books. They need to get that bullpen right. Obviously, they're not going to pitch starters, you know, in relief like it did in the postseason. You can't do that in the regular season. But I think they got to go get a big time closer and kind of in the nonsense that happened last year. They got away with it, you know, last year. I don't think they get away with it this year.

00:01:35
Speaker 3: Edwin Diz Bob Dz to the Dodgers. Are we talking big like that or are we talking smaller? Hopefully Tanner Scott who go has a new butt coming back and some of these other guys trying in another year like is there? Are we talking go out and sign a big name again.

00:01:52
Speaker 2: I think that you'll get a big name. I think they'll be in the DS thing. You know, he can do it. I don't know if they bringing back Kelly Janssen. I think a cool story uh if he did come back. Uh, but they'd love to get some stud Uh tell you what, and if listen for class A gambling thing and they would be all in on him, getting him to LA, training for him. So that type of guy, and they he had a guy that they don't worry about. I think Dave Roberts has loses his mind having to pick and choose night after night.

00:02:22
Speaker 3: What about p Fairbanks he just got he just got DFA or non tender or whatever they did however you want to he.

00:02:29
Speaker 4: I mean, he's pretty good.

00:02:30
Speaker 3: He he likes pitching in warm weather because he gets the finger thing when it's too cold.

00:02:34
Speaker 4: And La is about the same every day. LA and San Diego, San Francisco.

00:02:38
Speaker 3: You know it's well, San Francisco not so much, but the other two are pretty good in Arizona's insight.

00:02:42
Speaker 4: That's a good division.

00:02:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a good call. I mean, Freeman loves his Tampa guys, and uh, I was in a relationship there and they got you know, Blake Snell from there, and they got donand vast Now from there. Why not? So that's a good call.

00:02:57
Speaker 5: The trade, the trade part of it, because you just said they got Tyler Glass now and everybody thinks all they signed him as a free agent, they traded for him and then they extended him. Are there any candidates for the Dodgers out there where it's like a team that needs maybe some money coming off their books, and the Dodgers are like, hey, we're willing to take that because you know, we see the value in it.

00:03:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, you started off, there's that one reliever out there, But uh, I think they'll be in on everybody. I don't you know, I don't see Kyle Tucker going there. He's from you know, Tampa area. I think he still stays you don't like to stay back east, but I think they'll make him. Honest. Yeah, they were never in on. Yeah, they're never going a focal owner one, so doo they but they wanted to make sure the Yankees and Mets had a fair pay, fair price or overpay to get the guy. I think the same thing with the you know, with him as well, where you'll they'll say, you know what, we need an outfielder. We got a hole here, but we don't need to spend three hundred and fifty four million from Kyle Tacker.

00:03:57
Speaker 3: Okay, Well, then my next question that leads you into my next question. You kind of brought up the Mets and then your call him, you said the Mets are one of the biggest disappointments and they're gonna have to spend again. But then you also mentioned the Orioles who did the bare minimum and free agency, right, So who's under more pressure the Mets to make the playoffs with the huge payroll or michae Elias to get it right with the new manager and everything else they have going on there.

00:04:20
Speaker 4: And also the window for the.

00:04:21
Speaker 3: Orioles kind of starting to shrink a little bit as these guys keep adding ears.

00:04:26
Speaker 2: Well, I think Elias is under more pressure just because I think his job is more on the line where I don't think, you know, David Stearns is going anywhere. But no, it's embarrassing to have that kind of payroll and not make the playoffs or even the Mets. The Orioles. You know, you're right, a Jay. I mean, you got to take advantage of those young guys. You're going to have them step up. So you know, they got to make a big move. They lost Corbyn Burns, they got to replace him with his star so I think that they got to go get one of the top pitchers, and hey, you know, the guy you know, new ownership, you gotta spend some money. He hasn't spending big money yet.

00:04:58
Speaker 4: All right.

00:04:59
Speaker 5: You talk about in your in your article, you talked about the lockout and how teams might be stashing money away for the lockout. You got a full season here. Are there any teams that are gonna say, you know what, if there is a lockout, we're gonna kind of be behind the eight ball a little bit because our young players are gonna get older. Are there any teams that are gonna say, screw the lockout, We're pushing all in for this next season because there could be a lockout and not just say ah, we're pulling back because we're fearful of the lockout.

00:05:30
Speaker 2: Yeah. I think they're all fearful. But I haven't heard any GM saying, hey, I got orders for my owner to say we're gonna scale back here. I think what's gonna be interesting in these free agent contracts is how they're structured. I think we're gonna see more contracts frontloaded. Hey, if there's only a half a season in twenty twenty seven or what have you make, you make that more money lost. The Diamondbacks can't kicking themselves. They backloaded massive bottom leaders contract so during the COVID season it only cost you know, bum under a couple million dollars and he still got all the money in the back end. I think we'll see more frontload of contracts because of the potential lockout.

00:06:10
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00:06:19
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00:07:04
Speaker 4: Square.

00:07:05
Speaker 1: See you in the neighborhood again. That's Square dot Com. Slash go slash foul to learn more. Bob, I want to get to the trademarket. Let's start here. You put Schooble in skins, know and no for getting traded skins. I get it. You don't think Trek Scoogle gets traded this offseason.

00:07:24
Speaker 2: I don't. I mean, you know, you push it to a limit there for the in the playoffs. I think the Tiger fans are going nuts. They're well below the luxury tacks, so you're not gonna get fair value. I mean, what are you going to get for Cherry Scooble, You know, nothing compared to what he's worth now July. You know they can listen say what you know what we got to move them. We'll still get a lot back in return. I just think that the fan pushback would be so intense. You just can't trade this guy. Just too valuable. Mat Me, it's the number one guy out there.

00:07:57
Speaker 1: Counterpoint, what if they're good next year, which they should be I mean, if you're a contending team, how can you trade one of the best starters in this sport?

00:08:07
Speaker 2: You can't. Yeah, I just think ride with it. You know, when it comes to worse, you get a uh, you know, a draft pick and return. But I think you gotta you'll go with it for him, and uh you see what the price is is someone gonna pay four hundred million and then it's up to you whether you want to match or not. I don't think he's gonna take a hometown discount. I think you like the stay needs right, but he's not gonna take less money to stand needs right.

00:08:30
Speaker 4: Bob, Why can't they sign him?

00:08:32
Speaker 3: Do we need do we need to raise mister Illich back up and get him to sign this guy? This guy needs to stay a Tiger. They have the money. You mentioned the that they're under the luxury tax. I mean, I know Glabor Torres is a free agent, but they have some young guys that are on their way, and they're on their way fast. Why can't they just I know Boris doesn't do it, but I'm talking about after the season. Wouldn't they You think they'd be the favorite to sign him back? And why not try to get something done now to give your fans hope.

00:08:58
Speaker 2: They shit, I don't know what to take now, take over four hundred million to do it, Lisa nine are young to do it now and probably take ten years at least four or fifty million. I don't see the Tigers doing that. But yeah, I mean agree aging. If you know mister Eliz was still alive, he would get it done. He would do whatever it takes. But you know the rest of the family with mster real edge isn't built the same way they saw have been on the luxury tacks or when Mike Elitch was alive. You know he was spending as much money as a Steinberg family and everybody else.

00:09:31
Speaker 1: Hey, Bob, you ruffled some feathers in San Diego when you threw out the name Fernando Tatist Junior for the Padres and the trade block. Can you explain what you wrote about.

00:09:43
Speaker 2: Well, they got so many backloaded contracts where you know they've lost money the last few years. When you talk to gms around the land, they say these guys are in big time trouble. You know they're losing money even though they're back in the place. So you can't trade any Machado. You can't raid Xander Bogarts. Tatisa's contract as big as it is, it's actually movable. I don't think the trail of this winner, but I think at some point you talk at GMS, at some point you're gonna have to move them. You're gonna have to get rid of one of these big contracts. You know, you're not moving darbish. You're not moving Musgrove or Machado or Bogarts. He's a guy that's actually still has value even with that big contract.

00:10:25
Speaker 4: Okay, interesting, that's the name we haven't heard until until now. So you know, everyone's talking Bragman, everyone's talking Tucker, everyone's talking but shet as free agents.

00:10:35
Speaker 3: But the guy that I'm interested in is ped Alonzo. Ped Alonso went through hell last year. Right to go back to a team you should have It shouldn't even have been close. Is he gonna end up back in New York again? And on a short term deal? Why will no team go out on a limbit sign pee Alonso to a long term deal? All this guy does is play one hundred and fifty plus games every year. Hit you forty homers driving a hundred bob like this is the guy. You would think he doesn't get in trouble. You would think this would be the guy that you just say, hey, we'll give you a five year twenty million or what I mean, just random numbers. But and go play first base for the next five years.

00:11:05
Speaker 4: And hit US two hundred homers.

00:11:08
Speaker 2: You would think so. But someone tells you that David Stearns just doesn't want him back. I mean his last press coverage into the season kept talking about runby bench and run Pa bench a million different times. And obviously, you know best at the best defensive first baseman I used to don't. I think they would rather plug in the holes different ways. And I think Stearns has got to talk to the owner, you know, Cohen, and say, you know what, let's get to use the money. We don't have to have he a Lonzo back. If they want him back, they would have made him go through all the hoops he did last year. I think I think he walks. I think they'd raight go somewhere else. I think Alonso would be a great fit in Boston.

00:11:46
Speaker 5: All right, Well, what about Kyle Schwarmer, Because Kyle Schwarmer was a great fit when he was in Boston. Is there any way the Phillies let him go.

00:11:54
Speaker 2: I don't see it. I don't you ever talked to Phillies just say forget what he does. You know on the field, but off the field he just means everything. I think he's the one most indispensable player in the will clubhouse. He's the clubhouse leader. Everything goes through him, that run things past him. I mean, you know, Bryce Harper is still a guy that I think Dave Debowski runs straight through with free agency. What do you think about this guy? But schwarbur is right there too. I just can't see no matter what kind of money he's going to get offered, that they'll let him want. I think just too valuable.

00:12:28
Speaker 5: Is it a case where he takes somebody else's offer and takes it back to the Phillies and the Phillies match it or exceed it, because that could get pricey for a d H with a team who has a lot of guys who are getting up there in age on extended contracts.

00:12:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they do do that. Remember the Yankees Is used that with Starnberg, and they would let those guys, they would try to lock them up, they let them hit free agency say Okay, what if you see out there, let us know it won't match it, or go above it. I think the same thing here, tell schwarb or go ahead and see what you get out there. I know they tried to sign him to extension last spring weren't even close, so I think they say, Okay, whatever you think your value is, go find out and come back to us. And I think he loves Philadelphia too. I just case a perfect fit where he ends up filling for the rest of his career.

00:13:20
Speaker 4: Bob. But everyone's saying Cincinnati because he's from Ohio. Come on, I mean, come on, Bob, we gotta.

00:13:24
Speaker 3: Keep up here, Bob. Everyone's saying Cincinnative though they'll never pay him, but they want him to go there so badly. Anyways, earlier before you came out, we were talking about the Rookie of the Year. Okay, and Drake Baldwin won and the Nashley Kurtz is no brainer. Drake Baldwin won, but they have Sean Murphy and then there's Drake Baldwin. If you were the GMF, you're Alex and Toopolos of the Braves. Do you try to trade one of those guys? Probably Murphy because he makes more money and if you don't. We were kind of going back and forth. Did they split time like eighty one eighty one and mixing some DH time?

00:13:55
Speaker 4: Because if you do it that way, no one's gonna really be happy. You see what I'm saying. So what do you think the Braves will do? What they're catching them?

00:14:02
Speaker 2: I think it makes more sense to trade Murphy. You're not going to trade Drake. Baldwin just means too much that franchise and h yeah, you can have Murphy, you know, being more DH. But I agree with you is that they need to develop this guy. I mean, this guy is unbelievable talent, and I you know, I think it's cool. I mean a you know, you guys are both catchers, but the fact yet but you know, we haven't had a black catcher twenty five years, but this guy to do this, I think it's great for the sport, great for Atlanta, and uh, I can see Murphy on the trade block. Uh, you know, if they want to go that route. But Baldwin's a guy for the future. And I think even both catchers stay, it's going to be Baldwin that gets more of the playing time. Than Murphy, Bob.

00:14:47
Speaker 1: I want to take us to something really relevant to where you are right now. Fran Rabaldez made the trip to the GM meetings and he's going to meet with teams. I think it's pretty obvious why that is the case. There could be some questions about his character, and it really is specifically linked to an incident a couple of months ago that I believe initially was denied. So what do you know? Have you seen him, have you walked by him? And what do you know about the conversations that might go on between Fromber and teams. I mean, that situation went hyper viral. Our guys were all over that, but they didn't really address it. I mean they definitely didn't admit it.

00:15:28
Speaker 2: No, I never admitted it. I think it's a smart move on the agent's part to have and meet with teams. I know, the guys who have had kind of character issues the issue the agents have done that. I think he's very smart in this thing. What happened there? What kind of guy are you? You don't have to admit a publicly, but why did you do that? Why did you turn your back when you're catch? You got to hit like that and I think it rubbed a lot of you know, teams wrong way, and I think an eighteen that would sign him has got to find out why did that happen? Is it going to happen again? You know they want to know about the character. So I remember going back to Carl Ever days and that type of things. Guy's a question of character. You want to get in fun of GMS to say, hey, here's my guy. You know you could ask me anything you want. So I think no team in baseball would touch Framber Bell Daz without addressing what happened that night.

00:16:22
Speaker 3: Hey, take it easy on Carl Everett, Okay, just because he didn't believe in dinosaurs or astronauts or hold up a bunch of different things. Bob, take care of my teammate on the two thousand and five World Series. I do with fight for you. I'll tell you that.

00:16:34
Speaker 4: So take it easy on Carl. You know he had a bad reputation, but that dude will fight for you. I'll tell you that.

00:16:38
Speaker 3: If you're on the team now, Bob, I want to know you have roots of Minnesota. That's where I first got to know you, was up in Minneapolis. What the heck's going on?

00:16:47
Speaker 4: With the Twins.

00:16:48
Speaker 3: Are they gonna trade Joe Ryan? Are they gonna sell the team? Are they gonna try and move Pablo Lopez? Like Twins fans all the time, and people mostly know him from the White Sox. But I still have friends of Minnesota and they're like, what is going on with Twins? So help me out, Bob, what is going on with the Twins.

00:17:04
Speaker 2: I don't think even their front office knows what's going to happen. They still don't have a budget. What's going to happen next year? Yeah, I mean they got the new ownership in there and say, Okay, we're gonna cut down debt, but hey, forget about the debt. We're gonna do for us right now. I think they have to spend money if you're going to sell tickets. I think people are so disgusted there that the all that family is still involved, that you know it's not going to get people go back in the stadium. I mean, I think Minnesota target Field is you know, right there behind you know PNC in Pittsburgh as far as the most beautiful ballpark, So I think they got to spend I think people are so discussed there that they haven't tried to improve that team. So when that release came out, like, oh, good news, we're keeping the team, we have more money coming in, and the fans say, oh, man, we're talking about good news. That's portable news.

00:17:54
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:17:54
Speaker 1: And also I flat out do not believe them, just like most fans don't believe them. They're still trying to sell the team. They're just going to wait until after the CBA and try and get a little more money. So this will be the ultimate test. If they have more money, they're going to spend a little bit to try and replenish what they shut away. We shall see, Bob. Great catching up with you. We're excited to have you on more frequently. So we'll talk to you again soon and have fun out there and do well tonight. Uh, not just coverage wise, but crafts wise, exactly.

00:18:24
Speaker 3: Hit those dice, hey, Bob, Well, well before you go, Bob real quick. So we have a person on the show that bets that don't pass line. You like fun, Bob, So I know you are not betting that don't pass line.

00:18:37
Speaker 4: You are you want? You're a man of the people.

00:18:40
Speaker 2: I hate those people I hate.

00:18:42
Speaker 4: Yes, thank you, Thank you, everybody does. Thank you.

00:18:46
Speaker 2: It just drives me nuts. You have to die. You look at the guy, you look at the eye. Those are the worst is That's the thing about crafts is everybody's room for the same thing. That's what makes it fun, a lot more fun.

00:18:59
Speaker 3: Though, unless you know Mark and he's not he's rooting against you. I always remember that, Bob when you're there.

00:19:04
Speaker 1: He loves the villain role.

00:19:05
Speaker 4: Yeah, loves the villain.

00:19:06
Speaker 1: Roll well, Bob, Thank you, enjoy it out there. We'll talk to you soon.

00:19:11
Speaker 2: Thank you, guys.

00:19:11
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00:19:33
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00:19:43
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00:20:31
Speaker 4: What do you got to ching pitching? Because they need pitching pitching?

00:20:34
Speaker 1: Okay? He said. The team will not pursue back of the rotation options, while hinting without explicitly saying, you might prefer acquiring a starter in free agency over trade, he said via The Athletic because of the depth that we've built up over the last couple of years. We feel pretty good about overall starting pitching and number three ish through ten ish on the depth chart. That's not to take away from guys who are certainly capable of doing more, but I don't think we're going to spend a ton of time trying to add a number four or five starter. If we're going to make a starting pitching edition, I think it should be somebody who can pitch at the front of a rotation and start a playoff game for us. I thought he worded that very well, because you have to say, hey, I'm looking for a top end starter, no offense to three through ten. You can elevate, but I'm also still going to look for somebody that can be that guy. I actually thought that was worded correctly.

00:21:20
Speaker 4: It was, but that means he also said they're going to have to spend.

00:21:24
Speaker 1: Yeah, and they've done it. I mean they traded for Garrett.

00:21:27
Speaker 4: Crochet traded for Garrett.

00:21:30
Speaker 1: Right, they're in on everyone. But wait, what happened when they got Kyrot? Crochet made the damn playoffs this year? Crochet was a top three starter in the ALE.

00:21:38
Speaker 4: Yeah, so who they going to go get in free agency? Who's the best pitcher out.

00:21:42
Speaker 1: There, is Framber the best.

00:21:48
Speaker 4: One, He's one of them. Dylan Ce's you.

00:21:55
Speaker 5: He's the best with the highest highest ceiling. I mean if the guys Obviously people argue like Michael King, Dylan Cease has started playoff games all that stuff. I mean, Framervadas has won. Did he win two World Series or just one? But I mean, like some of his some of his stats, some of Framber's stats. You know, he's he's right up there with with Zach Wheeler and quality starts with you know, over the last decade. I mean, this guy's probably the best. I have a hard time believing, though, after a team goes and gets Crochet in a trade, that they wouldn't be like that kind of worked out for us. We got the guy for one hundred and seventy million after we traded for him, when we extended him. I have a hard time believing they wouldn't they wouldn't touch the trade market. And the other part that he said, he was like, yeah, you know, we've built up We've built up a nice group of young He didn't build nothing up. That was the other regime. He should have said. We inherited a lot of nice depth in our organization.

00:22:59
Speaker 1: Right, that is very true. As far as the framber fit now framber in Boston. Now, I think he needs to be in a place with less heat. And I'm not talking about the weather, fan media, et cetera. Knowing the personality pretty well.

00:23:19
Speaker 4: I just we'll too. I mean, because their big thing is they got to find Starters's gone.

00:23:27
Speaker 1: They have starters, They have starters, but they need He wants one more big boy. That's all. He wants one more big boy. Right, we'll get him because they're gonna have I'm not looking at a depth chart, but Crochet, they're going to have Bao, They're gonna have totally, They're gonna have early Early, and a number of others. But and totally Early.

00:23:51
Speaker 4: Might take Dobbins is out for the year.

00:23:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's hurt.

00:24:00
Speaker 4: But Chris Sale, Oh wait, no Valdi? Maybe they signed a Valdi They worked out there once.

00:24:11
Speaker 1: Is he a free agent?

00:24:12
Speaker 4: I thought he was? No, maybe not, you know he's not. He signed, and I.

00:24:18
Speaker 1: Think they I think I think there are teams that really want to get Japanese talent in their organization and open up that pipeline because it has been so heavily dominated by the Dodgers right now. I think Michael King's an option ceases an option. I think there's a chance they bring back Giolito. I think Zach Gallen would pitch well there. I think Zach Gallen is the opposite. I think he needs to be in a big market. He he looks like New York starts. So put him in Boston. Merrill Kelly, I think could be a fit.

00:24:49
Speaker 4: There's not ones or two's he said he wants to one. Well, Kelly did great.

00:24:54
Speaker 5: Absolutely deserves a two year deal. Yeah, he's he's more of a three or four. Like if you're going into that in the postseason. I have a hard time believing, Like they see what starting pitching value is. Hopefully they use some of that three hundred and twenty six million they got off the books for getting rid of devors because the other part they need to clean up their defense. And I know people will say, well, if this person's healthy and then the whole year of this, like they need to clean their defense up. If you're a pitcher and you're going somewhere, you're gonna have to pay somebody because you have to get a ton of strikeouts because there is not a lot of pitchers who are like, oh yeah, I'm fine without my defense behind me, Like they need to clean up some of that defensive issues too.

00:25:40
Speaker 3: That leads to why his comments about Bregman were so interesting, because Bregman's a solid defender at third base, cleans up a lot of messes. And he's like, well, we know what he did, but I'm not going to talk about it. We also know what he could do. That's just that it's so GM speaker, Bragman should be back.

00:25:56
Speaker 4: You look great.

00:25:57
Speaker 3: And then when they say add power to the lineup, a full year room and Anthony will bring more power.

00:26:02
Speaker 4: You know, is Tristan Costs back?

00:26:03
Speaker 3: Is he is he back with the Red Sox again to try to, you know, do crazy stuff in the outfield with no shoes on and a modon in the middle of the summer when he's hurt.

00:26:11
Speaker 4: I don't know.

00:26:12
Speaker 1: I mean, Trevor's story had a nice bounty this year.

00:26:15
Speaker 4: But if you but if you lose Bragman, that's that's that's thump and leadership and defense. That's why he fits so perfect in Boston.

00:26:22
Speaker 1: He's number one priority.

00:26:23
Speaker 4: He has to be.

00:26:24
Speaker 1: But you just can't say we desperately need him back. It's just not how the game works, which is fine.

00:26:28
Speaker 4: He can't say that. Fans will probably respect you.

00:26:30
Speaker 5: Yeah, but that is their top is not gonna say that.

00:26:34
Speaker 1: One other name, by the way, pitching wise, that we I think forgot to mention who I think could pitch well there, Ranger Suarez. Yeah, he doesn't like media, doesn't give a crap like, he won't even pay attention. He'll just tell everyone now I don't want to talk, and he'll just pitch well. Seriously, Yeah, one or two though he's not a one, but I think I mean he could be a one.

00:26:51
Speaker 4: Sometimes the thing is a crochet.

00:26:53
Speaker 3: Do you want another lefty plus lefties in Boston they don't really want because it loads of line up with righties.

00:27:01
Speaker 4: Yeah, but I think I love.

00:27:04
Speaker 3: The biggest thing for me is they need a bullpen arm for this is for me, bullpen arm Besides Chapman had unbelievable. They need a bullpen army.

00:27:12
Speaker 1: Their bullpen's in good shade, and I think they need it.

00:27:14
Speaker 3: They need a veteran guy because bullpens goes like this as we all know. Okay, they need a veteran guy. I'm not saying a ninth inning guy. I'm saying, the set sixth state inning guy that can clean up some messes for him, and they need some right handed power. They gotta find right handed power somewhere in this lineup because they're all lefties. Other than Bregman, they were all but they're a historian. Bregman and the rest are all lefties. Duran, I bray you casses Myer thet Alonzo. He looked he fit real nice there.

00:27:47
Speaker 4: See.

00:27:47
Speaker 5: I like lefties in Boston. I like lefties who aren't afraid to throw inside. The best lefties have to throw inside. Max Freed does a great job of throwing inside, even if they stack it with righties. To me, there's some guys that that change up, that change up and heater in. Some guys do the cutter in really just exploits exploits right handed hitters in Boston because they see that they can pull the ball, and now you're just never going to be able to pull that cutter in, that heater in, and then it exposes you for the change up away. So I like lefties in Boston, and the numbers were lefties for lefties around the league this year. I think I think both those dudes are going to be very highly coveted.

00:28:31
Speaker 4: Ranger and Framber.

00:28:34
Speaker 1: We had a segment that I thought was really good where we talked about the Golden era for left handed pitching right now for a number of reasons that might boost value for guys like Ranger Suarez on the free agent market. And then lastly, he said with story he was aware of some of the errors. I'm aware of what some of the defensive metrics indicate. I also think that he brought a stabilizing presence to the infield. And my opinion is I think he was honest about wearing down at the end of the year, because.

00:29:02
Speaker 4: All of a sudden, you see this full season in a while and you.

00:29:05
Speaker 1: See this burst where the defense kind of crumples, and it wasn't the whole year. I'm gonna put that on body wearing out.

00:29:13
Speaker 4: Okay, he said it.

00:29:15
Speaker 5: I won't even conjecture he said it. He's like, yeah, kind of wearing down a little bit at the end of the season.

00:29:22
Speaker 1: I think we're gonna get him on soon so we can ask him about it. Story not Bresla, although Craig's invited, everyone's invited. We're on every day. Ken Rosenthal's off season notes column, his first of the off season is up on the Athletic Right Now, and also he gets into some of those topics in fair Territory. Two of the teams that he touches on Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins. We did five intriguing teams to watch in the offseason last fair Territory, so he picked up two other teams. He was selling me. He's like, whoever we say for the five, the other twenty five fan base, they're going to be like hey, And so I made sure to preface it when we started the segment. We're going to talk about every team this offseason at some point on foul and on fair. But Ken will also be on with us tomorrow, so you can ask him about some of those.

00:30:15
Speaker 4: He also in Las Vegas.

00:30:18
Speaker 1: I'll wait for somebody to reply. Is he you know he is Crat?

00:30:22
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean he's in the hotel room.

00:30:23
Speaker 5: I just saw. I mean the show today. Didn't you watch the show today? I did twice.

00:30:30
Speaker 1: Here's something you can ask him about. So he wrote in his notes column that the Rays did some digging before they didn't pick up the option for Fairbanks, and they said a few teams are willing to take on a salary that high for a reliever this early in the off season. The Orioles were the exception. They brought back Andrew Kittridge last Wednesday, knowing that they were going to pick up his nine million dollar option. Man tough time seeing that one. I'll take the over on Pete Fairbanks getting more than eleven million dollars guarantee, even on a one if it ends up being a one year, Really you think he's less than eleven.

00:31:07
Speaker 5: I just think he's gonna be a multi I just think he's gonna be a multi year deal. I think if it's a one year deal, probably twelve to thirteen. If it's a two, two or even who knows, three year deal. I don't know what teams think about his fingers going numb and cold, but.

00:31:25
Speaker 4: I think I have the beaf. My beef is.

00:31:29
Speaker 5: Ken said the Twins are possibly going for it, possibly still want to win. I'm like, what, Ken's the insider, but he said that, and I was like, what I wanted to comment when you got when we put that out there.

00:31:46
Speaker 1: Good news. You get to talk to Ken twice a week. I would love to see that.

00:31:49
Speaker 4: So you can ask the Twins are going for it.

00:31:51
Speaker 3: They just sold they treated ten guys at the trade deadline last year and said they're not going for it regress. So I mean, unless they're gonna go out and sign a bunch of dudes Ken. See, this is a good explanation. This is why Ken fair territory.

00:32:04
Speaker 4: You know you won't you have me as dork of the week, but it should be you sometimes.

00:32:11
Speaker 1: I got a little giggle out of this one. The race pr put out that they traded Cameron Meisner to the Royals in exchange for a player to be named later a cash considerations raised the roof those jokesters over there said chills when the player to be named later is Bobby wit June.

00:32:28
Speaker 3: But I do have a legitimate are the raised? Do they still have to pay Wander Franco? No, he's off the books.

00:32:34
Speaker 1: I don't. I mean he is on I think the restricted list, whatever it is, the list he's on. He's not getting paid right now. Okay, Now if he suddenly is free from whatever he's deal in jail, is he in.

00:32:47
Speaker 4: Jail or he's I think he's on like sentenced to jail time.

00:32:51
Speaker 1: I'm gonna be real with you. I don't know, stop paying attention because he didn't get.

00:32:54
Speaker 4: Sense but he got convicted.

00:32:56
Speaker 5: Right, No, he's still waiting because they're there's more things that came up about him.

00:33:02
Speaker 1: Oh yeah. To keep it somewhat simple, I don't think he's coming back to the country.

00:33:09
Speaker 4: No, he can't. They won't let him in the country.

00:33:11
Speaker 1: And if that's the case, then you're not eligible and he won't get paid.

00:33:15
Speaker 3: Okay, I just so because then they could get if they don't have him on the books, they can make that trade for Bobby with Junior.

00:33:22
Speaker 1: Right, it's actually a good comp money wise. What a ton of money off the books?

00:33:29
Speaker 4: Well, Bobby wit like three hundred some wonders, was like yeah, but I'm just saying.

00:33:36
Speaker 1: And Max is out in the two hundreds.

00:33:37
Speaker 4: I mean, it makes it much more feasible for this trade to actually happen. It's not happening.

00:33:43
Speaker 1: Let's bring up a tweet from Lumerloney, who does Red tax broadcasting former player, been on with us. He's talking specifically about Schoogle, who I could see the red talks trying to acquire. I'll just read it. He said. One thing to keep in mind in terms of Schooble wanting to hit free agency. He's going to be a free agent during the lockout. Who knows when it will be resolved. He would be on He could be on his couch in March or April twenty twenty seven without knowing where to report once camp starts. I'd want an extension through that. Bs. I actually strongly disagree with almost everything in there. Number one. If you remember back to the last lockout, which was not long ago, there was a little spree right before it. Corey Seger signed for a ton of money, sent me and signed for a ton of money. Schooble is not your average Joe free agent. If they are motivated to get a deal done, and he's coming off a year in twenty six like he has previously, he'll be fine and he can sign before the lockout. That's my take. The point is Trek Scoobl's not sitting there, and neither is Scott boris his rap going? You know what, aj We're we're two hundred and fifty million dollars apart between what we think he should get and what the Tigers think. Let's give in for the most part, because we're worried about the lockout. Screw that. They don't care about that.

00:35:01
Speaker 4: Because then after the lockout there actually might be more money available.

00:35:04
Speaker 1: Correct either way, And if he's motivated to get something done before. The way that kind of sweepstakes work is the player the superstar signs when they want to sign Boris has done this and others before too, where like you start to hear like, hey, SODA's going to make decision this weekend or whatever. Right, if Scooble is motivated to get something done before whatever the lockout date is nextary, I think December first, they'll get it done, that's my take. Or it might be after the winter meetings. I think they usually do it so that they can get that in there. So maybe it's like December tenth, I don't know whatever it is, or maybe it's before I don't know. Whatever it is, he can get it done, do you agree, Crats.

00:35:43
Speaker 4: Yeah you can.

00:35:43
Speaker 5: I mean you're not talking about every day run of the mill guy, like you're talking about a guy who would single handedly brought his team to the playoffs. So yeah, you can get it done in whatever whatever fashion. My guess eight years three ninety he.

00:36:00
Speaker 1: Gets wow, look at you putting a number out there already. I like it, and that would be the largest bridge in contract for a starting pitcher ever