Cubs acquiring Edward Cabrera from Marlins, Bo & Bregman update, Cardinals holdup w/Donovan trade talks

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Speaker 1: Wednesday at We're excited for it. Happy New Year to celebrate.

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna so get up, crats. I've got two days.

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Speaker 3: Left, the only one, if you got with you.

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Speaker 2: Right, that's true, only one.

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Speaker 1: I might say it on Friday and just yell it out there and hope that like your ear, Like, what are you talking about?

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Speaker 3: Right?

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Speaker 2: So I have two days you said Fridays tomorrow.

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Speaker 1: Oh so right, maybe I'll skip it and then Friday, I'm going to shout it amongst everyone that can hear.

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Speaker 3: So why don't you just wait till like June New Year?

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Speaker 2: Well, no, I'm playing by your rules. You told me, I know.

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Speaker 3: But like, if you don't want to play by the rules, and you can say it in June, we have this argument the year and I'm tired of you not listening to the rules. Scott.

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Speaker 1: You always say that I follow the rules better than everyone, so I'm trying.

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Speaker 3: To follow you follow producer ladies.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't follow most rules. That's why I'm here. Anyway.

00:00:58
Speaker 1: We do have some what breaking news at the top of the show, so I do want to jump to that pretty quickly. It's going to make some of our cubs fans that consume the show.

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Speaker 2: Every day, feel a little bit better. So let's get to that.

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Speaker 3: Let's rut.

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Speaker 1: We've got multiple insiders reporting on how the Cubs are close to acquiring Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins. Michael Sarami, who covers the Cubs, was first on the scene. Ken says source confirming that it is close. Edward Cabrera is one of the better starters stuff wise, available on the trade market. We had seen the report the other day that the Yankees were hot on the Marlins to try and get Cabrera. But it looks like the Cubs are going to end up on top. They've got plenty of prospect capital, too, time to use it.

00:01:49
Speaker 3: Yeah, if you think this puts you over the top, I still think they need bat somewhere.

00:01:53
Speaker 2: Sure, but they needed another they did.

00:01:56
Speaker 3: Their starting rotation is pretty solid right now. No, I just justin Steele comes back, when he comes back, when he comes back, Matthew Boyd, Yeah, it's good. And uh Horton, Kate Horton, that's five pretty good ones.

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Speaker 2: They needed this though.

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Speaker 3: Okay, who's five does he take?

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Speaker 2: Well? Steele's not starting right now. I mean he's not back.

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Speaker 1: Until what halfway through the year. If not more right now, I think it's pretty easy. It's Boyd Orton, Immenaga, Edward Cabrera, Jameison, ty On, Colin Race, Wingman.

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Speaker 3: Okay, or they're going to a six man rotation like everybody else that has a Japanese starter, and maybe they feel like that's part of Imanaga's You know, hey, if we can, if we can move him to a six man rotation, maybe we can eliminate some of those home runs. But I don't care where he slots in a rotation. He slots in one of those playoffs starts. I get it. If Justin Steele is Justin Steele come playoffs, yeah, I mean, and he's he's going to pitch over Edward Cabrera. But right now, last offseason, last postseason, he's starting one of those playoff games, which I'm pretty sure they had an opener for one of the playoff games, but multiple, yeah, multiple they had to use on short rest in the in the DF.

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Speaker 1: Dude, they had to use Boyd on short rest. And then I'll pull up in the next few seconds who their.

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Speaker 3: Starters were for the Well, they were scared to use Showda. They didn't want to use showdo They didn't want to use Colin Ray although he pitched really well for him. I mean, they were like, we don't want to It's like they don't want to pitch those guys. But my question is for with Edward Cabrera, how many times he's pitched over one hundred innings in his career?

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Speaker 2: Once?

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Speaker 3: Once? That was last year. One time he's thrown over one hundred innings in his career.

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Speaker 2: The Dodgers would love him one hundred.

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Speaker 3: He threw one hundred and thirty seven innings last year. Before that, his career high was ninety nine. So he's strown over one hundred innings one time.

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Speaker 2: He's a kid.

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Speaker 3: He's a kid. He's twenty eight years old. He ain't a kid.

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Speaker 2: I'm not defending this.

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Speaker 3: This is why I mean for the Cubs, listen, this move makes sense because they need this move and they can. I mean, we'll find out who the pieces are they're giving up. But to me, he's not a he's not an ace to me, right, So he's not a front of the rotation.

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Speaker 2: He's count of layoff starter.

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Speaker 3: Okay, they got to get there and if their offense right now, unless things without Tucker and Pa doesn't become the PCA of the first half and he's the PCA of the second half that next year. I mean, they got some holes in that. Are we count on Carson Kelly to have the career year he had last year? I don't know. I mean I just think, look, I like this trade for the Cubs, but I think somewhere along the line they need some offense.

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Speaker 2: I think this was the top need. I agree.

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Speaker 1: I mean, it sounds like they're in the running for Obashett, Alex Bragman, maybe someone else.

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Speaker 3: That I love. How that's been the cubs number one need. How are they confused? I'll tell you how. I'm confused because they have.

00:05:07
Speaker 2: Doing this for Mike Mike.

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Speaker 3: G because you're celebrated. It's a good pickup. It is a good pickup.

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Speaker 2: Do you know who started?

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Speaker 3: They needed another starting pitcher, especially if you're only starting pitchers that make your starts are Matthew Boyd Who's you know? Maybe maybe he's had a history of not making all his starts in his career. In and August spent some time on I l this was a this was a definite need. Even though the other day I said they also need somebody to replace Tucker, which is tough to replace, and I think so they I agree with AJ that they need a piece in the position player realm. I'm not sure exactly where, but they need a bat. They need a bat As an offense that was good last year with Kyle Tucker, they were really good at some points. But I think this pick, this this edition is great because I don't think they need him to throw thirty two innings, because he hasn't so far in his career. I mean thirty two thirty two starts, not thirty two innings.

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Speaker 1: Do you know who started Game five, the last game of the season for the Cubs in the NLDS.

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Speaker 3: Well, it wasn't Sure. Well what killed him was Horton getting hurt at the end. Sure Kate Horton. If they would have had him, it completely changes everything.

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Speaker 2: Uh, he's joining us on today.

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Speaker 3: It wasn't SHOWEDO because it was scheduled to be showed and they didn't start.

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Speaker 2: Drew Pomerantz was the starter for a.

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Speaker 3: Game like it was supposed to be SHOWO, but they didn't start them.

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Speaker 1: Your season on the line, and he's coming on. It has nothing to do with Drew we love you, Drew. He's coming on excited for you. We're going to talk to you later. It's just that it's cool to have a big time starter who can give you length going the game.

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Speaker 2: That decides your season. And that's why.

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Speaker 3: But this is what teams have done forever now and I know, but they don't care, like, oh, we'll match up, well, we'll use an opener because it matches up in the first inning better, and just letting our starter go out there because the starter's gonna be on three innings because every manager now goes I can't got my starter goes through the lineup twice because God forbidd he's pitching.

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Speaker 1: Well, had that go in the World Series, we had teams that could throw starters up there, you know, a great world That's why they met up and that's why it was a great World Series. So the point here is next time the Cubs get to a do or die playoff game, they will have options and not have to go bullpen game. They can use their Drew palmerant later in the game and leverage versus having to use him to start the game. So I think that's the big point here. Cad hort In sophomore season coming off injury, Edward Cabrera has not been durable, but stuff wise, he will start a playoff game for you if he looks like he.

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Speaker 2: Did in twenty twenty five.

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Speaker 1: Justin Steele hopefully comes back and feels good, we'll see. I mean the trust factor for Amanaga. He's certainly being paid this coming season like he should start playoff games for the Cubs. But are you getting the twenty four edition? Are you getting the twenty five edition? This makes things much more interesting for them rotation and it makes them much more competitive in the division. Right, do you feel as if the Cubs have more of a shot to take down the Brewers in the division.

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Speaker 3: Yes, okay, And it wasn't all it wasn't all durability with Edward Cabrera. Some of it was. You remember, it wasn't last year. I think it was a year before where they started to manipulate a little bit of time in the big leagues with some of their pitchers like Uri Perez. They they were like, well, we don't want to get too many innings. But then they sent him down a Triple A and he was pitching in Triple A. They were doing that with Cabrera Meyer Uri Perez. So some of it wasn't just durability. Some of it was he had a five R. He was right at a five VR. So this is a guy. Yes, he's twenty eight years old, twenty seven years old last year, he's still making adjustments in the big leagues. I think I think that's maybe the cub We don't know who they're giving back, but I think the Cubs are hoping this past year was what he is and not what he was the previous years. Well. I think it's also a case of that Marlin's trying to sell high.

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Speaker 2: That's very true.

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Speaker 3: I mean the Marlins were trying to sell high after his best year by far. They're like, hey, we can get some stuff, and we all know Peter Bendix and keeping nobody and they want to no payroll. So he's like, hey, we can get some prospects that might turn into something. We'll do this and save some money along the way.

00:09:32
Speaker 1: Sometimes guys make adjustments and they stick. Sometimes guys make adjustments in the league adjusts back. I mean, Edward Cabrera has been a touted prospect and young player, and this was when it really came together for him and yes, a career high one hundred and thirty seven and two thirds innings. But the command was much better this year and he did make a lot of changes like I'm going through the changes, dropped his armslot, Di's just slider for his curve ball. I mentioned how the command got better, the power change got better for him to best of be in his career on it. The downside is twice on the aisle this year. He had a blister and then a sprained right elbow, and from twenty twenty one to twenty twenty four he spent he had seven trips on the injured list, three times with his shoulder in pinchment. So it's not the perfect player. But if you see the top here on the stat cast page in terms of results, he was getting results this year obviously. Yeah, he ranks pretty well in v low, chase percentage, fifth percentage, strikeout percentage, even walk percentage which was big for him. So not the perfect player, but postseason starter.

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Speaker 2: So this is big for the Cubs and it doesn't cost much.

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Speaker 1: So if the Cubs are trying to actually do some damage and take those alligator arms and try and get some money out, like they're still Okay, because Eduard Cabrera is projected to make three point seven milli in arbitration for twenty twenty six. It's gonna cost three four million bucks this year. He's got three years a number three starter.

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Speaker 3: He's got three years of control left, and.

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Speaker 2: He's got three years of control. That's why he was highly coveted.

00:11:10
Speaker 1: Yeah by teams like the Cubs, the Yankees, and many others.

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Speaker 3: Yeahs again, good job by the Marlins. We don't know what they've got back, but this was a cell high and.

00:11:20
Speaker 1: The Marlins feel like they have enough starting pitching depth. If you're a Marlins fan, you're obviously like, when does it end?

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Speaker 3: Never?

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Speaker 2: This guy had years never, when does it end?

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Speaker 3: Never? Just look north? Just look north. This is when this is that. I mean, I have a hard time believing Peter Bendex isn't gonna run it exactly like the Rays you get in that four years of service range, which Cabrera is just a little bit under that. We're gonna start fishing. We're gonna start throwing you out in the water. See what kind of bait you know, See what kind of fish we can snag with with what you're doing. And this is a perfect example, kind of kind of sped up as his window to be traded, especially since al Contra didn't get didn't have a season and didn't get traded. He's like, all right, well it's time to trade somebody we have you know, we have value here. So it's just just look at the race. Look north to the race. That's how they're gonna run it.

00:12:15
Speaker 1: Yeah, and for Sandy, he's likely going to head into the season pitching for the Marlins and then get traded at the deadline.

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Speaker 2: No, we said that this past year.

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Speaker 3: He has one more year.

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Speaker 2: I think I gotta look.

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Speaker 3: I thought of it too.

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Speaker 1: The problem with Sandy, I think he might have an option on that second one. So he's making seventeen million. He just made seventeen million twenty five, seventeen million twenty six, a twenty one million dollar club option for twenty twenty seven.

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Speaker 2: That's not a guarantee.

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Speaker 1: We need to see him pitch well for a full year and it's likely, right, it's Sandy Alk, So two years.

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Speaker 3: He takes the ball. He just had Tommy Johns. So they usually say four to five years after you have your first one whatever, So that's two more years it'll be his third year back. If he takes the ball every time, he every fit.

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Speaker 2: But that's why they are You tell.

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Speaker 3: Me that Sandy al Contra two years from now, I mean, depending on when I was with the CBA, it won't be worth twenty one million taking making No he should, so I can't imagine that not being picked up.

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Speaker 2: So it's two years close to forty mil.

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Speaker 3: That's nothing though, for a quality, quality starting pitcher.

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Speaker 1: But he's not going to get traded to the deadline because his value is being has to.

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Speaker 3: Be built back up because he was great then he got hurt. He wasn't great early, but at the second half he was pretty good. Last year he kind of was back to the old standing. So the key is just if he gets off to a good start, the Marlins would be like Peter Bendix to be cingling man, I can't wait to trade this guy.

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Speaker 2: It's gonna be great.

00:13:41
Speaker 1: I'm gonna get so many press, so many press plus value what they got bled. Myrlands are about to get a revamp to their lineup, maybe depending on who's in there, probably young position players. Some of the MLB teams have turned into nothing more than an extended farm system for the winning teams. Well, some what accurate, That's kind of always been the case, though somewhat accurate. Well, that's what pisses people off though, They're like, why is that always the case?

00:14:07
Speaker 3: Well, because teams almost want to spend money.

00:14:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, if they lose Casey and Balisterais needs more time, I hope the Cubs find a bat with the money.

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Speaker 2: They say it from Edward.

00:14:17
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, ballisterios. Here's the thing about ballis sterios. You supposed to hit. He's not going to catch, because they've already said he's just basically a DH at like twenty two, for sure, he.

00:14:27
Speaker 2: Can't pretty much. They've not even as a backup catch.

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Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, he's a backup catcher like Wilson Contrero's. I mean they didn't want him to catch, clearly last year.

00:14:37
Speaker 2: Dude can hit. He can hit, but full time DH at twenty two is tough.

00:14:41
Speaker 3: Ask.

00:14:42
Speaker 2: I think that they're going to try and develop him more as a catcher.

00:14:48
Speaker 3: No, here's here's the issue. If your bat is ahead of you as a backup catcher at twenty two years old, they want you to hit. They're going to get two to three years of value out of your back before you take enough. If if the defense is suspect behind a dish, you have to improve that somehow. You ain't improving that riding the pine. Believe me, there's that's why older guys, failed starters become backups. It's not it's not a case where they have it's not a case where they have that stud starter and then they're like, oh, you're gonna get you know, you're just gonna You're just gonna fill in here now, like by Steros to me, by a steros. If if the Marlins won them appreciate you. Good player needs to be in the big leages because he can hit, because he doesn't need to be in triple at hitting, but catching isn't there yet. It's just not there yet. He's got to be around differently. And this is the ai AI overview. Okay, boys to spell Ballasteros is considered a very good prospect, primarily for his advanced hitting ability, but his long term defensive role as a catcher is a major question mark, potentially shifting him to first base or designated hit or due to well below average speed and defense. He's a top Cubs prospect with a strong bat, excellent plate discipline and power, but conditioning and defense are key concerns.

00:16:16
Speaker 2: Okay, cool, thank you ai improved.

00:16:19
Speaker 3: You can improve, you can't.

00:16:23
Speaker 2: But he might not be I mean a I don't know if he's.

00:16:27
Speaker 3: They also have Maya yeah, and they have Carson Kelly, right, so they already have two guys that they're going to use to catch.

00:16:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, and nobody that I know of coming through the pipe besides ballisteris right.

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Speaker 3: Now, no Ballistaias is going to be their DH most of the time or play first. He's not catching him. I mean he might catch a game here and there. And to me, I think I think they get tons of value of with Saya at the DH roll and somebody upgrading his defense. That's to me. Suzuki's kept making kept making strides since he's been in the big leagues coming over from Japan. Second half he cratered. I get it, But I thought he should have been an All Star last year. And I think I think their lineup needs an upgrade, and I think it's easiest to upgrade at say his position and Moveseya to DH Okay.

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Speaker 1: I'm going to make a prediction on who's involved. Most people are going to see this and by the time they watch this, maybe we'll know who's involved. But Kevin al Contra, Jackson Wiggins, two of their top ten prospects, at least one of them, I think will be in here.

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Speaker 2: Just throwing that out there.

00:17:35
Speaker 3: Okay, I think it's I think it's interesting because we heard the Yankees tied to Cabrera, and to me, if the Yankees had picked him up, they still would have needed to do more. I think with the Cubs and what AJ was saying, you know they got five guys. I think with the Cubs, this is this is it, and so I think it's one of those moves that's like different. If the Yankees pick them up, they still got to make another move because of they're big three that are going to be out at the beginning of the year. To me, the Cubs, hey, you know what, we're done. I think they're done in their pitching department. And you've got to be happy if you're a Cub fan starting pitching locked in, You've got six guys that can start games for you. You spend a lot of money on your bullpen. Now just a little bit to the lineup.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, they did.

00:18:25
Speaker 1: Mayton, Hunter, Harvey, Caleb thielbar Holby Milner. They remodeled the bullpen pretty well. And yes, last piece of the puzzle here is figuring out where they can upgrade the offense.

00:18:37
Speaker 2: So we'll see TBD. Let's move on to other free agents hit it? Where will Bo go?

00:18:59
Speaker 1: Ken Rosenthal Will Salmon posted an article this morning what We're Hearing around MLB that included the Cubs in the mix for Alex Bregman and Bobashett.

00:19:09
Speaker 2: They also spoke about.

00:19:10
Speaker 1: How one of those players can move Matt Shaw to a utility role, or Matt Shaw can move to second base, and they trade Nico Horner, who is scheduled to make twelve million dollars this year, and then be a free agent.

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Speaker 2: Where will bo go? Oh? This is a key point in Toronto.

00:19:32
Speaker 3: Is a key point in Toronto.

00:19:34
Speaker 1: Ken said this, yes, and he wrote it again in this article. It seems like the attention for the Blue Jays has shifted to Kyle Tucker and away from Bobashett.

00:19:44
Speaker 3: Do Toronto? So does he fit the Cubs? He doesn't fit the Cubs for me, Bo, No, Because you have Danzby, have Matt Shaw, you have Bush. At first, you have Nico Horner.

00:19:54
Speaker 2: Well, there's two places he can fit.

00:19:56
Speaker 1: Number One, he can fit at second if they trade Nico, although, why are you trading equals?

00:20:01
Speaker 3: So I'm saying he was one of their best players last year at the end.

00:20:03
Speaker 2: Okay.

00:20:03
Speaker 1: Number Two, he can fit at third base. And then they have Shaw as a utility and they say, screw your development.

00:20:11
Speaker 2: I don't ratting the Pine kids.

00:20:13
Speaker 3: We're doing that. He doesn't fit for me in Chicago?

00:20:15
Speaker 2: Okay, So then where does he fit?

00:20:17
Speaker 3: I don't know. That's my biggest that's one of the biggest.

00:20:19
Speaker 1: Second base Yeah, bragmant to the Diamondbacks, bow to the Red Sox at second base?

00:20:25
Speaker 3: Who plays third for the Red Sox Marcela Meyer? Yes, yeah, okay, we why not do Bregman, who we know is a known commodity there and Meyer at second.

00:20:32
Speaker 1: They made an aggressive offer, and Jen McCaffrey, who writes for The Athletic, also confirm this, like they feel like they've got a really nice offer on the table for Alex Bregman, and they're like, do you like us?

00:20:43
Speaker 2: Do you want to dance? What's happening?

00:20:45
Speaker 3: I don't know. That's the question. Does both fit and maybe in Detroit definitely fits.

00:20:50
Speaker 2: But is Detroit spending like that?

00:20:52
Speaker 3: I don't know. That's this is one of the This is one of the major questions for me, is as we keep getting this is always what happens with these friends, you always are like, oh, right, where does he fit? Where's the fit? Where's it now? Breakman? Last year there was obvious places, Chicago, Detroit, Boston. He picked Boston, right, But when I look at Bo, can you start breaking if he's not going to be a shortstop? Okay, here here's the one. The big problem with Bo and Bo is an unbelievable hitter. He's been a great player, but his shortstop value has not very good because people don't value his defense. True or false.

00:21:25
Speaker 1: We talked about this, I think on the show that you weren't on, sure true or false? He has looked at as a second baseman by most of baseball.

00:21:33
Speaker 3: Right, Okay, you know who doesn't get paid a ton of money? Second basement second base.

00:21:36
Speaker 1: We actually did a math exercise on this that the league is probably saying you're worth five plus mil less.

00:21:42
Speaker 3: Per year by being a second base of being a second baseman exactly. So he's but he's still going after like he's going to be a shortstop. Teams pay shortstops. Correa Swanson, right, guys that can play the shortstop position.

00:21:55
Speaker 2: Well.

00:21:55
Speaker 3: Would have been a really nice fit for him was Atlanta, but they went out and got Kim right right, so they covered themselves there. That would have been They.

00:22:02
Speaker 2: Might not have looked at him as a shortstop, and they need.

00:22:04
Speaker 3: That's the thing. But his agency is saying, I'm a short stop. I need to get paid like a short stop. The teams are going, well, you're gonna play second for us. We're going to pay you like a second basement. That's where the Where does he fit and where will bo go? Is interesting because what is he?

00:22:24
Speaker 1: I mean, he's twenty seven, he'll be twenty eight by spring training range. But he'll get a longer term deal and maybe get a little less average annual value then I.

00:22:33
Speaker 3: Mean, if you start running through the teams, okay, run through a lot of the teams. Though the teams you would think would pay for him, Yankees, well.

00:22:46
Speaker 1: They clearly don't buy him as a shortstop anyway. And their vulpy ryder die that's been their thing for a long time.

00:22:52
Speaker 3: Red Sox Trevor story is a shortstop.

00:22:56
Speaker 1: Well and also just going back to the Yankees. Right now they have Jazz Chishom. They could Jazz and then sign Bow if they really like him. But again, are you getting better? No, you're just covering yourself the future. This is where is going to be a free agent.

00:23:09
Speaker 3: This is where you need because we always hear about the mystery teams like in Washington Nationals. This is where you needed like Tom Learner to be like, oh, man, I really love Boba. Shit, Paul Tavoni, go sign him. Oh wait, No, we're not doing that anymore because we're now a low market, small market team, right Orioles and they have Jackson Holiday and out of the Ruschmon, they're not signing him.

00:23:30
Speaker 1: I don't think Bo's doing anything until Bregman makes his decision, because after.

00:23:34
Speaker 3: That then it opens up some clearer paths.

00:23:36
Speaker 1: It could if Bregman doesn't go out Boris no, oh okay, because I was like, man, do you think Boris is in there going on? Did you hear what Boris said at the press conference for Okamoto when they asked why free agency has been so slow. He basically said it was Ross Atkins' fault, and there actually is it wasn't just a joke. I mean it was, but in my mind, it's like, wait, the Blue Jays have been talking to Kyle Tuck.

00:24:00
Speaker 2: Everyone's waiting for that.

00:24:01
Speaker 1: Once that slots in, bow's gone, right, and it starts to lay things out a little bit more.

00:24:06
Speaker 2: No.

00:24:07
Speaker 3: Yeah, but if the team really wants Kyle Tucker or Boba shit, they just gonna make him a big offer and he's gone. I mean, okay, I mean that's we'll look at like we use the player. The Mets. They have a second basement, they have a short stop, they're out, they just traded for Simmy, and they have Lindor. He's not going there, right, Okay, So then you start looking at the team. Phillies, No, Phillies maybe, but they're not gonna spend that they need j T back.

00:24:31
Speaker 2: Philly could make that move.

00:24:33
Speaker 3: They could, but they're gonna have to clear some money. They're gonna have trade boonm They're gonna have probably trade Brison Stott, and then they got to find a third base mh.

00:24:43
Speaker 2: He doesn't he's got a good arm.

00:24:45
Speaker 3: He doesn't profile arm. He doesn't profile, does he crafts? He doesn't profile as a third baseman. I don't know. That's tough to say. I have a hard time believing you're gonna pay money that he wants and say sticky out a corner. I don't. I don't think that's to me. I don't. I don't think that's happening Stott's. Stotts solidified himself as a really good second baseman, up and down offense, mostly down recently, but now not bow to the Royals. Here's here's my here's my sleeper team for you. The Angels. Some reason, the Angels always come up with some money and they're like, I take a player. He seems like a cool player. I remember his dad played Angels. If you want a sleeper team, he needs somebody. He needs somebody with the Cubs. He needs somebody to say Cubs could be interested Diamonds. I don't think the Cubs are at all interested.

00:25:46
Speaker 2: The Diamondbacks are that team for Bregman.

00:25:48
Speaker 3: But they got a trade to tell Marty first, No, they don't.

00:25:52
Speaker 2: They could have both.

00:25:55
Speaker 3: When are we gonna When are we gonna stop? I then bobas she can go to the Diamondbacks. Correct, if we can play this all day? What did Mike Tomlins say you know, I don't know, so line I was using. You guys get mad at me. If my aunt had she'd be mine. But yeah, exactly. My thing is. My thing is that Diamondbacks can't can't just be just because they signed Corbyn Burns because he lives there and had twins. Not every player that lives in Arizona is possibly going to the Diamondbacks, like just to win, like Bregman wants to go to a place like Boston where he has a chance to win. Listen, no offense to the Diamondbacks. They're not exactly in that division.

00:26:42
Speaker 2: They were in the World Series a few years ago.

00:26:43
Speaker 3: Okaya, similar roster right now, similar roster.

00:26:48
Speaker 2: No, what's the difference.

00:26:53
Speaker 3: They had an ace and Zach Gallona's not back. Mary. They're taking flyers on starf darting pitchers, and their bullpen was good. They're all coming back from injuries and they're hoping that they do as well as they did before. To me, if you want to go to the Diamondbacks, if he goes to Diamondbacks, I'm like, yeah, awesome, I'm taking the over all year on the Diamondbacks because there's gonna be a lot of runs scored. They have a lot of really electric players. They keep Marte, they have Corbyn, Carroll, Perdomo took a giant leap forward last year. Awesome, you got to keep some runs off the board, is true. I love that.

00:27:39
Speaker 1: To a team that's going to give him three years in an opt out after one, I would love him in New York. He pitches different in New York from local against the Yankees or the Mets, he looks different.

00:27:53
Speaker 2: I agree. I don't usually care about the local.

00:27:56
Speaker 1: Story, but his numbers are so much better when he's pitching against the Mets and the Yanks's that it would just be fun from a fan perspective. But anyway, so that's the latest with those two. I also want to tie in another part of Ken's column. Oh, actually, I guess we're going to do it in a different segment, the luxury tax kind of situation. So let me get to let me get to Brendan Donovan here and how the second basement mark second base market fills out. Right, So you guys talked about Cotel Marte. It sounds like the Diamondbacks are going to make a decision one way or another. But in the notes column with Ken and Will Salmon. They spoke about how it's been difficult for the Cardinals to pull off a trade to send out Brendan Donovan, not because he's a bad player.

00:28:40
Speaker 2: He's a very good player, but.

00:28:43
Speaker 1: It seems as if the Cardinals are asking for a star return and most teams are like, he's solid, he's good. Stop asking for star return two years of Donovan. What also holds it up is that gms are frightened that they're going to acquire two years of a player that's really one and change if there's a lockout. And you can say that for almost anybody that's on multiple years. But he did put that in the article, the second of which, the second season of which is threatened by a lockout. In the article, they mentioned the Royals among the teams interested, and if the Cardinals prefer premium young bats, the Mariners are perhaps the best fit. And we've heard the Mariners link to Donovan for a while, linked to Marte and to Donovan to see if they can acquire one of those second basemen, which.

00:29:30
Speaker 2: Would be a huge upgrade for Seattle.

00:29:33
Speaker 1: I know they've got some young guys they want to make room for, but man, if the Mariners bring in Brendan Donovan or Coutell Marte. I know Ktel is another level offensively, but either one would be I think huge for their offense.

00:29:52
Speaker 3: Do it? Okay? I agree, But Brendan Donovan. If they're looking to trade Brendan Donovan and they're like, hey, we want this, like teams that are gonna go that are gonna go for him, are not going to have him hitting in the meat of their order. He's gonna be an awesome complimentary piece if he goes to the Mariners. How much you trading for a guy that's gonna hit fifth or sixth in your lineup? I wasn't listening. I was too busy reading a chest. Ask it again. I'm sorry, how n hit fifth or sixth in your lineup? It's nothing against Brendan Donovan. It's more than you're not adding a ton an. He's a good player, but he's not. He's not a needle mover player because if he was, the Cardinals wouldn't be one to trade him exactly, and he would be a guy to be locked up. He would be a guy. Hey, you know what, you just had your first All Star season? Is his best year? Value wise? Was his rookie year. His rookie year, he came out just banging. He's been consistent. So what is a two? There is a bidding more than somebody finally hits the yes button on could tell Marte because then the other teams like, dang, we really needed that upgrade. Okay, Brendan Donovan's gonna upgrade a lot of teams at second base. But I think if could tell Marte had gone off the market and he was he was that guy and he saw what that value is, then you could have been like, okay, two years of Brendan Donovan and the whole Like if if people are fearful of the lockout season not trading, you know, trading a guy or anything, either everybody would be trading everybody or nobody would trade. I don't. I don't think that's a because that's not just a Brennan Donovan thing. That's not hurting his value.

00:31:50
Speaker 2: Great, we have front offices that overthink everything.

00:31:53
Speaker 3: So that's what's gonna happen.

00:31:56
Speaker 4: What if we trade for him and we only get the one year of value or one and a half years of value, God cares they care.

00:32:08
Speaker 3: That's a reason you're you're coming you're coming up with a reason to not trade for a guy. My thing is you got to look at each team. How does he upgrade that team? What are the Mariners? What are the Mariners doing? I know they love their I know they love their young prospect that's probably gonna play second base. What are the Mariners need to eliminate that they do all the time? Strikeout? Brenn and Donovan would be like a breath of fresh air in that lineup. He puts together great at bats, he gets he gets on base. So to me, maybe the Mariners do slot him in earlier in the lineup and so the value is more for them, and I think it puts them over the top as far as you know a team that their pitching stays healthy. They've shown what they did last year. But to me, other teams like you have to slot him in somewhere. Could you play second base for the Dodgers? Is Tommy Edmond gonna go back out to the outfield? I don't know there's value there. He would be. He would be an upgrade for a lot of teams, but it's a matter of what you want to give for him.

00:33:12
Speaker 2: Teams are really tough with trades. Both sides.

00:33:14
Speaker 3: Yeah, because they won too much value. Yeah, it doesn't.

00:33:17
Speaker 1: It feel just so painful to try and get trades done like it used to be.

00:33:21
Speaker 2: A guy is on the trade block and there is.

00:33:23
Speaker 3: The overvalue prospects. I think they overvalue.

00:33:26
Speaker 2: I think everybody overvalues everything.

00:33:27
Speaker 1: Well, you're right, they probably the prospect side is whatever because you have these.

00:33:31
Speaker 3: Formulas that say so and so prospect is worth nine billion dollars and he'll play three games in the big leagues and they're like, oh, we messed up on how I should.

00:33:39
Speaker 2: Have traded that guy.

00:33:41
Speaker 1: This is this is actually the simple reason playing off what you're saying. If you just talk to someone and say, don't say a single number, what's the reason. They'll go, we're frightened we're going to trade that one guy away. We're frightening that we're going to trade Pete crow Armstrong for Hobby Bias.

00:33:57
Speaker 3: No, you're afraid you're going to trade Fernando Cat's for James.

00:33:59
Speaker 2: Shield either one.

00:34:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, And they go, look how much surplus value we're getting out of p crow Armstrong for his first few years where he's making seven hundred k in this past season, he was probably worth thirty mil or whatever. Right, they're frightened of giving that person away.

00:34:16
Speaker 2: That's what it is. That's why the trade market gets really, really tricky.

00:34:20
Speaker 3: Does he improve the team? That's what you have to ask.

00:34:23
Speaker 2: Does he improve he makes them much better?

00:34:25
Speaker 3: Yes, I promise whoever they're getting rid of does not improve your team this year. If you're the Mariners, cal Raley's getting a year older, all your pitchers are getting more expensive in arbitration, it's okay to say our window is this next two years. You're not like you're not going to fall off a cliff those next two years, Like there's other things you can do. Does he improve your team enough to say the Mariners are playing against the Dodgers in the World Series instead of the Blue Jays.

00:34:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, because the Mariners, I mean what they're they're deciding games. Sometimes you're watching them and you're like, damn, can anybody get on base? Brendan Donovan Ken For me, I actually am more against you guys on this argument.

00:35:06
Speaker 2: Is he a superstar?

00:35:08
Speaker 3: No?

00:35:08
Speaker 2: Is he an All Star? I think he's an All Star caliber player. I do.

00:35:14
Speaker 1: All Star utility player for me, because it's not just second base. He can play second base best, but he can also around. For you, I think he's an All Star player, and if teams are trying to play tough with the Cardinals, then they're like, Okay, screw you, we'll keep them for now.

00:35:31
Speaker 2: That's me. I'm on the high side on Donovan. I'm a big fan, Okay.

00:35:36
Speaker 3: I think he's a good player. Yeah, yeah, I think he can be. I think you could be a high side on Donovan. Really like him like I think AJ and I do. But personally, I'm gonna say myself, I don't think he's an All Star player. If he's not on the if he's not on the Cardinals last year, is he an All Star? Does he? Does he make the All Star team?

00:35:52
Speaker 2: For me, he's an All Star caliber player. That's that's me. We disagree on that one.

00:35:56
Speaker 1: You guys, I think I have him like one not blow what I do, right, If Superstar eight to ten, I've got him at seven, where you know all Star ranges six to seven or something, and you guys might have him at five.

00:36:06
Speaker 2: Whatever.

00:36:07
Speaker 1: I'm just making numbers up, you know what I mean? One notch below is what you guys have them at.

00:36:11
Speaker 3: Listen. He's a good player.

00:36:12
Speaker 2: Yeah, so pay up if you want them. That's that's the goal here.

00:36:17
Speaker 3: There's not much, but teams are gonna they always they look for their weaknesses, right, but the Mariners aren't signing.

00:36:23
Speaker 2: They're not paying for but they won't know they're not paying for.

00:36:27
Speaker 3: Boba schet it nicely.

00:36:28
Speaker 2: You would fit great.

00:36:28
Speaker 1: But because they're not spending that kind of money, this is the perfect spot either co tell Marte for like five years one hundred or two years of Brendan Donald.

00:36:36
Speaker 3: I think like the Pirates are spending money signed Boba sheet, trade for kateel Marte.

00:36:42
Speaker 4: Mm hmm.

00:36:45
Speaker 1: I would love to see them trade for well, now they have Brandon Brandon Lau at second base, just you can bounce.

00:36:52
Speaker 2: We talked about tell Marte for the Pirates as a fit.

00:37:08
Speaker 1: Hey may Day is coming up in a few minutes on the FT Network, Welcome Back Trevor may his first show of twenty twenty six. Topics include terrible contracts that we forgot about.

00:37:21
Speaker 2: I love those kinds of topics. Terrible contracts that we forgot about.

00:37:25
Speaker 1: There's a theme as Anthony Rendon just was bought out, so we'll go into some other contracts. There's ones we remember I mean Steven Strasburg some of the recent ones, but there's ones to go back on Chris Davis.

00:37:41
Speaker 2: I don't know how far back he's going to go.

00:37:44
Speaker 1: Most of the real big ones have to be in the two thousands where the money is just enormous.

00:37:48
Speaker 2: You know. It's not like you're going.

00:37:50
Speaker 1: To be like, oh, remember in nineteen eighty five when this guy made three million dollars, ah, he was only worth one and a half, Like you got to get the the big money one.

00:37:59
Speaker 3: People remember Strasburg.

00:38:03
Speaker 2: Yes, Chris Bryant, so far, so far.

00:38:07
Speaker 1: Sure's there's more time left for him to show up, So anyway, check that out. And then also he's going to do a deep dive into the change to the minor league data.

00:38:16
Speaker 3: That is.

00:38:19
Speaker 1: A sensitive topic with most people. At this point. We already covered it, so check out. It does a lot of things, and you should look up who is likely going to be in charge of that whole process. There's a company making a bid and there's some family connections there.

00:38:38
Speaker 2: Let's just put it that way. Should I stop crat as distract me?

00:38:43
Speaker 3: So there's three minutes left of the show. Don't get people mad.

00:38:47
Speaker 2: It's not even a conspiracy theory.

00:38:49
Speaker 1: But to go to whatever, So go to Enostyrus, go back to his retweets from like Christmas and check out what he put up there and have some fun with that.

00:38:59
Speaker 3: Yeah, Rob Manford's family is about to cash in on a anyway. I had to wear my Padres, my Padres spring training hat because me and Drew I couldn't find my Sam Fran hat. Me and Drew played together in spring training. I got him. I got him off on the right foot his only All Star year. I said, Drew, you know what you need to do. You need to throw your curveball and I'll catch it and no one else will hit it. And then he made the All Star team. So I'm pretty much pitcher whisper.

00:39:29
Speaker 1: I made a lot of money too. Drew signed that big contract with San Diego.

00:39:33
Speaker 3: Yeah, uh like dinner.

00:39:37
Speaker 2: I didn't even know that that. You guys were friends like.

00:39:40
Speaker 3: That, But it wasn't me. I had another I had another story about Drew. We both had alopecia issues the same day, same time. But that's that's a little more, a little more behind the scenes.

00:39:54
Speaker 2: How does that is that just a coincidence?

00:39:56
Speaker 1: It's not like I don't know much about but wow, so you guys are alopecia buddies.

00:40:02
Speaker 3: Yeah, and then he was an All Star and I floundered. H