November 30, 2025 • 36 mins
The Hot Stove is officially on high heat, and this episode dives straight into the early chaos of the MLB offseason. We start with the move that set front offices buzzing: star closer Ryan Helsley heading to the Baltimore Orioles. We break down why this deal does more than just upgrade Baltimore’s bullpen, how it helps define the going rate for elite, high-leverage relievers, and what it might mean for every contender still hunting for late-inning help. From there, we shift into full rumor-season mode. We sort through the growing pile of reports linking some of the game’s biggest bats—Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker, and Cody Bellinger—to classic heavyweight destinations like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Are these real possibilities or just leverage plays? We talk fit, price, and which teams are desperate enough to gamble big on a power upgrade. But the biggest drama may not be in the trade market at all—it might be inside the New York Mets’ own clubhouse. We unpack the reported tension between Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil, how long that rift has been simmering, and why so many insiders now see a trade as the only clean way out. Is this the beginning of a bigger cultural reset in Queens, or just another chapter in Mets chaos? We also zoom out to look at other key clubs sitting at a crossroads. The Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox emerge in the chatter as teams that could reshape their cores, with names like Nick Castellanos and Luis Robert Jr. being floated in speculative deals. We discuss which scenarios actually make baseball sense, which feel like wishful thinking, and how much risk these front offices can stomach. Throughout the episode, we connect the dots between all these storylines: the financial bets teams are making, the roster evaluations driving these rumors, and how one early signing or one fractured relationship can ripple across the entire league. If you love tracking the offseason like it’s its own sport—following every leak, quote, and mystery “unnamed source”—this is your guide to the first wave of negotiations, noise, and real movement. By the end, you’ll know which rumors feel legit, which teams are quietly plotting something big, and why this first burst of activity might be the thing that ultimately decides who’s really contending when Opening Day arrives.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Baseball Podcast. We are deep into
the end of November, and if the smell of pumpkin
spice is fading, it is definitely being replaced by the
metallic scent of burning cash.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
That's a good way to put it.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Because the hot stove season is officially raging. I mean,
the winter meetings might be just around the corner, but frankly,
the pace of news we've already gotten, it feels like
we just skip the warm up entirely.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It's true, it's really true. Historically you kind of wait,
you know, for the holidays to get closer, for the
big bombs to drop. But this year has been different totally.
We've already seen some really dramatic shifts in team payrolls,
some foundational roster moves that are really reshaping the competitive landscape.
If you're trying to catch up on what matters, this
is the place to be.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
That is exactly our mission today. We're going to cut
through all the noise, ignore those little whispers, and focus
strictly on the biggest confirmed transactions, will analyze the juiciest
rumors that have you know, realtrategic implications, and.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
We'll get into some of the surprising clubhouse drama that
might just force even bigger moves in the next few weeks.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, And we have to start with the deals that
are actually done, because three major moves immediately set the
tone for the spending and well the volatility of this
whole off season.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Okay, lay them out for us.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
First, the Toronto Blue Jays, they made an absolute franchise
defining commitment to their rotation. They signed Dylan.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Ceese, the top guy available, a top.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Trade target, to a massive seven year, two hundred and
ten million dollar contract. I mean that move alone solidifies
the Al East as a pitching powerhouse division.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I think solidifize as an understatement, and you could feel
the ripple effect immediately right The rival Boston Red Sox
felt that pressure instantly. They made a crucial move of
their own to bolster their rotation, though they went the
trade route. They acquired the veteran right hander Sonny Gray
from the Cardinals, so boom two immediate high end pitching
russiansanging the balance of power in just one division.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
And then came the move that reminds us that no
player doesn't matter how popular or how productive you are,
nobody is safe. The Shocker The Shocker, the Mets and
the Rangers executing a pure one for one swap of
former All stars. Marcus Semon is heading to.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
The Mets and Brandon Nimo is moving to the Rangers.
It is a jaw dropping exchange. It addresses wildly different
needs for both clubs, but critical needs, and that right
there is where the fun starts. Okay, let's unpack this
core theme then, trading anchors for opportunity. We focus so
much on chasing new superstars, but sometimes the most strategically
(02:41):
brilliant moves are while just cleaning up your own past mistakes.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
And we have a perfect case study in failed investments
starting out in Anaheim. Of course, this is a painful story,
but it's an important one. It really highlights the difference
between organizations that spend strategically, you know, think of the
Dodgers and those that have historically been let's just say,
financially reckless.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
The Angels under Arte Moreno exactly.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, The official news is that the Angels are in
talks to buy out the final guaranteed year of Anthony
Rendon's contract. The full expectation is that he will just retire.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
The scale of failure on this deal is it's almost
unbelievable when you look at the numbers. This was a
two hundred and forty five million dollar investment.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Two hundred and forty five million.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
And what they got for it was a slash line
of just point two four to two point three four
eight point three sixty nine over the entire term. I mean,
those are basically replacement level numbers for nearly a quarter
of a billion dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
And here's the figure that truly truly defines the blunder.
Over the seven year term of that contract, Rendon appeared
in only two hundred and fifty seven out of a
possible one thousand, one hundred and thirty four Angels games. Wow,
that is just twenty three percent attendance from your highest
paid player. It's been cited internally as this single biggest
reason the Angels struggled to build a contending roster around
(03:57):
Mike trout Let alone can vis shoe Aotani to.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Stay, and Rendon is just the final most expensive nail
in a long dark history of owner Arte Moreno's bad,
big money decisions. You can look back at the contracts
for Albert Poohols and Josh Hamilton total albatross deals, huge
deals that just hamstrung the franchise for years, even the
Justin Upton deal. When you make that many bad foundational investments,
(04:22):
you simply cannot compete with smart organizations. It doesn't matter
what size your market is.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So what here is huge rendons buy out even if
they have to eat, say thirty five million this year
gives the Angels their greatest immediate financial flexibility in years.
They are removing a massive chunk of dead money from
any future commitments.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
But flexibility is just potential energy. Right where does that
money actually go? Are they truly dangerous now? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Absolutely? This immediately positions them as a potentially dangerous sleeper
selling free agency. They're suddenly able to compete on the
top tier for specific talents.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
So who are they looking at?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, we know they need a top end starter was
seize off the board. Names like Ranger Suarez or maybe
even tatsu Yemi are suddenly realistic targets for a team
that can now offer competitive five or six year deals.
The need for pitching is desperate, and for the first
time in a while, they could finally answer it with
spending that.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Makes a ton of sense. I mean, they have to
show Trout and the fans they're finally serious about winning.
But while they're aiming high, they're also making some smart
minor moves focusing on depth, and that's usually the sign
of a truly disciplined front office. Right.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
They brought back the switch hitting outfielder Gasavo Campero on
a minor league deal. He's a utility depth piece, but
his technical metrics are outstanding. He grades out in the
ninety first percentile for base running in the eighty six
percentile for arm strength.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Okay, unpack that for us. What does ninety first percentile
base running actually mean in terms of tangible value in
a game?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
It means he turns singles into doubles effortlessly. He forces
the defense to play faster, to play wider in a
tight ladening game. Having a pinch runner who you know
can take that extra base as absolute gold in the arm.
The arm strength eighty six percentile means he can play
all three outfield positions and fire the ball accurately from
the corner, holding runners on the base pats. He's the
(06:13):
ideal insurance policy against their injury prone outfield, and he's
a necessary depth piece that gives their manager Kurt Suzuki
a ton of flexibility late in games.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
That context is crucial. Okay, Now, let's shift across the
country to the Mets, who are dealing with a totally
different kind of cleanup. This one is about managing star
egos and recovering from pass regrets under the Steve Cohen era.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yeah, the clubhouse friction reports are very concerning. We know
that superstars Jon Soto and Francisco Lindor reportedly lacked chemistry
last season.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And it wasn't just a rumor.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
No, this boiled over into a very public verbal confrontation
over a defensive laps during a huge game against the
Phillies back in June. When your two biggest offensive anchors
are not aligned, it creates a real organizational rift.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And while money solves a lot of problems, it definitely
doesn't solve chemistry. Looking back at that ten worst Mets
free agent signings list during Cohen's tenure, it really underscores
how quickly you can waste resources.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
The Eduardo Escobar contract really stands out as a prime
example of an expensive miss. It cost them ten million
in twenty twenty two, and then half of nine point
five million in twenty twenty three, he just ended his
Mets tenure with minimal value.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I remember that his signing was only slightly salvaged by
one single incredible month.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
That September twenty twenty two finish where he was the
NL Player of the Month was a beastly surge that
allowed the Mets to temporarily stay afloat. But before that
his line was just ugly. He was batting point two
point eight point twenty six y nine point three eight three.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
So even that fantastic finish couldn't really mask the underlying
long term disappointment, and they traded him away. It just
shows how one spectacular month can only briefly mask an
overall underperformance, which brings.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Us right back to the Nimo and Semi in exchange.
You mentioned this was about optimizing the roster, but let's
push back on the strategic rational a little bit. Nimol
was a massive on base. Doesn't this move fundamentally trade
reliable production for an aging offense, risky defensive upgrade.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
That is a fair challenge and it really cuts to
the heart of what the Mets are trying to build.
Nimo's on base skill is a career point three eighty
five obp are elite, but the Mets have plenty of
offense with Sodo, Lindor and Pete Alonso likely coming.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Back, so they're betting on run creation from other guys.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Exactly what they needed desperately. It was defensive stability in
the middle infield, especially given that reported friction between Sodo
and Lindor, so this is.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
A culture and positioning play. The Mets are getting elite
defense in Marcus Semion, a two time Gold Glove winner
who ranks third in outs above average OA among second
basements since.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Twenty twenty three, and just for everyone listening, OAA is
the metric that tells you how many plays a fielder
makes that an average fielder would not. Being third best
shows he is consistently elite.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
So Semon stabilizes second base and that allows Lindor to
worry less about coverage and just focus on being a
great shortstop. It's an investment in team defense, and they
hope internal harmony. They think that will mitigate the offensive
question mark, and.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That question mark is significant. Semin's ops plus declined from
one hundred and twenty six in twenty twenty three down
to a below average ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Last season, he is thirty five, and that drop off
is definitely concerning. However, he is arguing, and the Mets
are clearly buying this argument, that he found his form
over the final seventy one.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Games last season, right before the injury.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Before a season ending foot injury, he slashed a very
respectable point two seven, zero point three three, eight point
four sixty four. If he maintains that level of production,
the Mets probably win this trade.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
And what about the leadership Voidnimo was universally respected.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Semin is a veteran. You know, he's played over sixteen
hundred career games. He doesn't need to be the de
facto captain with Lindor and Sodo there, but he's expected
to be a positive, stable presence.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
He spoke about that, didn't he about feeling that void.
He emphasized his desire to create a brotherhood and focused
on his work ethic. He sees his role as providing
consistent accountability and stability, something that might have been missing
during all that reported friction.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
The Mets are betting that defensive stability at second base,
coupled with this high character veteran presence, is more critical
to their championship hopes right now than Neimo's on base prowess.
It's a really aggressive, calculated risk.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Before we leave the Mets, we should probably touch on
the David Peterson situation because his season long inconsistency kind
of mirrors the volatility of the entire organization.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Peterson, the left handed starter, had an incredibly inconsistent twenty
twenty five. I mean, he was an All Star and
a Gold Glove final in.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Which is surface success that masks extreme volatility. His RA
in the first half was a fantastic three point zero six,
but he absolutely imploded in the second half, posting a
six point three to four ERA.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
And a brutal nine point seven to two ERA in September.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
It's just a total c.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So what caused that extreme drop off? I mean, that's
not normal fatigue, that's just a major mechanical issue, or
maybe he was tipping pitches.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Analysis points to two factors, one mechanical fatiguing in his delivery,
which led to inconsistent release points and allowed hitters to
tie them up better. But more critically, there were reports
he was tipping his change up in that second half,
so hitters were just sitting on his fastball, and when
he tried to execute his secondary pitches, they got hit hard.
He's entering his final season before free agency, and given
(11:28):
the Mets are focused on cost control, he's a definite
trade candidate for teams looking for a reclamation project with control,
maybe like the Pirates or the Rockies.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay, let's shift our gaze from contracts and internal dynamics
to the arms race dominating the hot stove pitching year
after year, it remains the most expensive and demanded asset
in the game.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Starting in Baltimore, the Orioles are fortifying their late innings
with some serious force. They signed closer Ryan Helsley to
a deal worth up to twenty eight million over two years,
and crucially, it includes a year one opt out.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
That is a hefty price tag for a reliever, even
one of Helsley's caliber. He's a former nlsa's leader. But
he's also coming off that quote disastrous stint with the
Mets after they acquired him at the deadline last season.
So what's the risk reward calculation here for Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Well, the risk is obvious if he struggles. They've committed
significant funds to a very volatile position. But The reward
is that when he's right, you know, in his old
cardinal form, he is one of the top closers in
the game with a career two point nine.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
To six er, and that opt out is the key piece.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
The opt out is critical. If he returns to e
lit form, he can hit the market again next winter,
guaranteeing the Orioles get one year of elite service or
they keep him at a high but manageable rate for
two years. This is their second big bullpen edition this month,
following the reacquisition of Andrew Kittridge, so it shows they
are very serious about building a late game fortress to
(12:55):
complement their young rotation.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Now, let's look at the trade market for elite talent,
starting with this bizarre catching conundrum down in Atlanta surrounding
Sean Murphy.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, Murphy is definitely available, and his trade availability stem
from two conflicting factors. First, he's recovering from right hif
laboral tear surgery that he suffered in September. He struggled
really severely down the stretch, raising some major health questions.
And the second factor, second and maybe more importantly, is
the rise of the reigning and l Rookie of the
Year Drake Baldwin right.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Baldwin's emergence as a left handed offensive force at catcher
completely reduces the organizational need for Murphy, who was still
under control for three more years. At forty five million dollars,
that's a large salary commitment for a catcher recovering from
a serious hip injury.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
So trading Murphy frees up that salary, and given the
scarcity of good catchers, could net Atlanta a top tier
young starting pitcher or a key middle of the order bat.
Atlanta is operating from a position of strength here, converting
an injured, expensive surplus asset into flexible resources. This is
how smart organizations stay ahead of the curve.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Meanwhile, the small market dilemma is hitting Milwaukee hard. There
are these persistent rumors that owner Mark Adinassio may be
ordering a painful payroll offloading. If this mandate is true,
they might have to trade their ace starter, Freddy Peralta.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
This would be a potential league wide seismic event. Peralta
was an All Star, he finished fifth in the nl
CY Young voting, and he's on an unbelievably affordable deal
with an eight million dollar option He is exactly the
type of player a small market team needs to.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Keep, but moving him would met them an astronomical return
in prospects, yet it would severely damage their twenty twenty
six hopes. So why would add Nausio force this now?
When the Brewers were the best team in the NL
Central last season.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
It's the constant, painful cycle of small market baseball. They
realize Paralta's value will never be higher, and if the
mandate is to cut long term payroll, moving him now
prevents them from facing an even more expensive contract decision
two years down the line. It's painful asset management, but
it's designed to maximize the return before the cost becomes unmanageable.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
And to make matters even worse, they have internal risk
management issues. Extension talks with their young fireballer jaicob Missiowski
have reportedly stalled without any real momentum.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Miziurowski is a very high risk, high reward proposition. He
burst onto the scene with huge velocity, but sort of
lost steam late, finishing five to three with a four
point three six ERA. The risk of extending him now
is twofold. He's unproven over a full major league season.
And his extreme hard throwing nature raises significant injury.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Flags, So the Brewers are caught.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
They're caught between wanting to secure a potential future ace
and being terrified of committing big money to a highly
volatile arm. It's a tough spot.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Now, Let's move to the West coast, where the Giants
are navigating the Japanese pitching market. President Buster Posey stated
publicly that the Giants have the means and the drive
to spend aggressively, but their actions seem to contradict that.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
They really do. ESPN reported a strong indication that the
Giants are not making a serious push for the star
Japanese pitcher Hatsuya Imai.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
And the premier free agent pitcher coming out of Japan
since Yamamoto right, a three time NPB All Star, expected
to command a contract upwards of one hundred and fifty
million at least, but.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
The Giants instead are reportedly focusing on modestly priced arms.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So why the hesitation? If you publicly declare you're ready
to spend, why pass on a guy like Emai?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
It suggests they either don't believe Imai is worth that premium,
perhaps due to a perceived lack of command relative to
the asking price, or they believe the money is better
spent addressing multiple roster holes with bi.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Low candidates, and their recent moves support that theory.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Their confirmablepen edition definitely supports this theory. They took a
chance on former Guardians lefty Sam Henches, who was non
tendered due to shoulder issues that cost him the entire
twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Henjes had a fantastic two point three to two ERA
back in twenty twenty two before the injury, so that's
a massive discount if he can return to form. It's
a classic low cost, high reward strategy. You target place
recovering from serious issues and you just hope you strike.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Gold cheaply exactly, And if the Giants are not competing
for AMAI, that leaves the top remaining domestic free agent
starter Ranger Suarez as the big prize for the rest
of the market. The feel has narrowed dramatically with Sea
signing in Toronto and Gray getting traded to Boston.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Suarez is now the undisputed top arm available. Let's break
down the three most realistic landing spots for mister Rager.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Number one has to be the Baltimore Orioles. Yeah, they
are aggressively looking for a top tier starter to pair
with their young core. They have the money to spend,
and they're not deterred by the qualifying offer that's attached
to Suarez. He's a ground ball specialist, which is perfect
for the deep dimensions of Cambin yards.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Okay, spot number two second.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
The Chicago Cubs. Cub's president Jed Hoyer has prioritized pitching stability.
Sores would secure their rotation long term, especially given that
three of their projected starters outside of Justin Steele are
already over the age of thirty four. He would provide
that necessary veterans stability opposite Steel. Finally, and finally, the
San Francisco Giants, despite passing on Emi, If Posey really
(18:05):
wants a number two starter behind Logan Webb, Suarez is
a perfect logical fit. His experience in the NL and
his elite ground ball ability make him an ideal pitcher
for the unique dynamics of Oracle Park, which really rewards sinkerballers.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
That fit is often overlooked, isn't it. Park factors matter
hugely in these decisions. His profile is just tailor made
for San Francisco, it really is. We should also mention
some international depth. Former Rangers right hander Kohei Arihara is
seeking an MLB return after struggling with the shoulder aneurysm
during his previous stateside stint.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Arijara's story is one of resilience. He returned to NPB
and posted three highly productive seasons, including back to back
one hundred and seventy five plus innings campaigns with eras
around two point three.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
To five, so that shows he's well past the health
issue completely.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Durability and command stability are highly prized, especially for your
fourth and fifth rotation spot, and his recent success gives
him genuine momentum for an affordable MLB return.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
And on the domestic depth side, the Detroit Tigers made
a quote shrewd move by re signing right hander Tanner
Rainey to a minor league contract after non tendering him.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
But is that really shrewd or is it just risky?
I mean, they saved themselves and estimated one point six
million in arbitration salary, which is good for the budget,
but they exposed a useful high upside arm to the
market completely unnecessarily.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
So another team could have just scooped him up.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
If another team had claimed him, they would have lost
him completely. They were gambling that his recovery from injury
made him unappealing to other teams. It paid off for them,
but it was still a gamble designed solely to minimize
their financial obligation.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
All right, let's transition to the offensive side of the
hot stove. If pitching drives value, bats drive excitement, and
no team is showing a more aggressive appetite for hitters
right now than the Boston Red Sox.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
No, They've already secured Sunny Gray for the rotation, and
now reports indicate they're aiming to acquire not one, but
two high end bats. And this is critical because they're
prioritizing right handed hitters to balance their extremely lefty heavy lineup.
Their offense just lacked balance and power last year.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Their target list is truly star studded. I mean, you've
got Alex Bregman, which would be a reunion after his
outstanding postseason run with them last year.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
DH and outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who is coming off an
almost unbelievable fifty six homer season.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
First baseman Pete Alonzo and veteran catcher j t Real.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Muto Alonso is a particularly intriguing fit because of Fenway
Park's short left field wall and his powerstroke is just
tailor made for that stadium. However, acquiring him might necessitate
trading their incumbent first baseman Kristin Kassas, who's coming back
from major knee injury. So that's a huge decision for
Boston's future core.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
And beyond the domestic free agents, they are serious players internationally.
They're showing major interest in Japanese star Kazuma O Komodo.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
He's a right handed slugger who hit fifteen homers in
seventy seven MPB games last season, and he has one
hundred and thirteen over the last four years. He's arguably
the second best international bat available.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
And we have to talk about the complimentary targets rate.
If they swing and miss on that top tier, they
need reliable depth.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
That's where a player like first baseman Ryan O'Hearn comes in.
He is projected for a relatively short term deal, maybe
two years for under forty million. He offers a solid
point two seven to seven average andero point seven eight
eight ohops over the last three years, making him an
excellent high floor stop gap if they can't land Alonzo.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Speaking of Schwarber and the high end bats, let's look
at the Phillies and they're pending decision on the fifty
six homer Man. He is currently not close to a
deal with Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
The debate among Phillies fans and analysts is heated. Schwarber
will command a minimum of four years, potentially pushing him
into his late thirties, and despite the power, his age
and his defensive limitations, which are a major concern, are
causing many to favor pivoting to younger, more versatile stars
like Cody Bellinger or Katel Marte.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
So if Schwarber leaves, the suitors are already lined up Boston,
the Mets, the Orioles in Cincinnati, which is his hometown,
giving them a bit of a geographical advantage.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
It really sounds like the Phillies' front office is leaning
toward prioritizing defensive flexibility and avoiding an overpaid, long term
deal that just clogs up their dh BOT for years.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
They are also exploring bringing back former players for cost
effective help, which is always a smart strategy.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Left Hander Hoby Milner is a huge value add there
he's evolved into an elite ground ball pitcher, and he
corrected his formally high walk rate. He boasts a ground
ball rate over fifty percent in each of the last
three seasons.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
What does that ground ball rate really mean? Strategically for
the Phillies At.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Citizens Bank Park, which is a notorious hitters park, getting
ground balls is essential to limit home runs. Milner forces
contact down, minimizing the damage of the deep flyball, and
he's projected to cost just over four million dollars. That
is an enormous amount of reliable value for that price
tag in a hitter's environment.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
They're also looking at outfielder Austin Hayes, hoping he can
rebound after a disappointing twenty twenty four stint post trade,
and rady Sir Anthony Domingez, who found his game again
with the Blue Jays after a tough twenty twenty four
with Philly.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, he posted a three point zero ERA at a
one point one four whip in Toronto. Familiarity often breeds consistency,
especially for relievers.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Moving north, we arrive at the biggest roster headache in baseball,
the Yankees outfield and infield logjam.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
They need to sort out prospects Jessin Demingez and Spencer Jones.
If they go out and acquire a top player like
Bellinger or Tucker, it is almost guaranteed that one of
these high pedigree prospects will be traded.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Okay, so let's break down the kids. Jones is a
lefty slugger who mashed thirty five home runs across Double
A and Triple A in twenty twenty four and twenty
twenty five. Do Mingez, the switch hitter. He struggled significantly
from the right side in his first full MLB season,
batting just point two zero four against lefty.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
That platoon split for Domingez is concerning. If they bring
in a star, they need to clear a room, and
this raises the specter of cutting John Carlo Stanton.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Oh Man, he has still owed thirty five million dollars
over the next two years. He is eating that money
seems unthinkable, but some view cutting Stanton as a necessary
evil to clear the DH and outfield space for Jones
and Domingez. What is the financial reality of that decision.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
The Yankees would have to eat a significant portion of
that salary, maybe fifteen to twenty million dollars just to
make Stanton a cheap acquisition for another team. They have
the financial resources, and the overriding goal is clearing the
DH spot for better production and versatility while simultaneously making
space for their young players.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Stanton just isn't equipped for everyday DH at bats anymore.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Not at all, and his injury history only complicates the issue.
It's a drastic move, but it's one born of desperation
to utilize.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Their farm system, and the infield situation is just as messy.
There is a serious, uncomfortable shortstop competition brewing for Anthony Volpi.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Volpi's job is absolutely threatened. His defensive decline, which was
exacerbated by a partially torn labram, has caused major concern,
and his offensive struggles a brutal point two one two
point two seven to two point three nine to one
slash line haven't helped his case.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Can you explain how partially torn labrum specifically impairs a
shortstop's ability? It's not just about pain, is it?
Speaker 2 (25:22):
No? Not at all. A partially torn labram in the
throwing shoulder drastically reduces throwing velocity and accuracy, especially on
throws that require a lot of torque like throwing from
the hole at shortstop. It impacts the strength and stability
of the shoulder, forcing the player to compensate, which leads
to errant throws and hesitancy.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
So Volpean needs to prove he can play defense at
an elite level or he's looking at surgery.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
That's right, and the team brought in Jose Cabiro from
Tampa Bay, who is now the quote default starter for
twenty twenty six. Cabierra provides strong on base skills and
dependable defense that instantly stabilize the infield. This forces Volpi
into a pure competition for his role, and twenty twenty
six may truly be his last chance to cement himself
at shortstop before the Yankees look elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
And the Yankees are looking elsewhere, reportedly inquiring about dback
second basement and outfielder Cattel Marte. He's arguably the best
second basement in MLB over the last three years.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
The fit is perfect and the contract structure is key.
Marte is on an affordable contract through twenty thirty one,
which is what makes him so valuable in the current market,
acquiring six years of elite production for his remaining salary
is a total steal compared to what free agents are commanding.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
So what would the Dbacks even want in return?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Arizona is targeting controllable MLB ready starting pitching, which the
Yankees have in their farm system with guys like Cam
Schlitler and Will Warren. It would take at least two
of those high ceiling pitchers plus a top position player
prospect to even start the conversation for Marte.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Finally, following that Semion trade, the Rangers are now looking
externally for second base help as well. They're eyeing the
Cardinals Brendan Donovan.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Jovan is a quality left handed bat who is under
team control and versatile enough to play third base and
left field. He's slash point two eighty seven point three
five to three point four to two two last season.
He's a much cheaper trade acquisition than Marte, providing a solid,
high floor option. If the Rangers can't land a star.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
And we have to touch on the White Sox GM
Chris Getz is looking to balance his right handed in
field with left handed bats, and he's named prospect Sam
Antonacci as a potential solution.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Antonaci is a fascinating player. He just crushed the Arizona
Fall League slashing point three seven eight point five zero
five point five four to one. He demonstrates impressive contact
skills and elite plate discipline, even though he hasn't played
above double A. He's an intriguing in house solution that
can save the White Sox from spending big money on
a platoon.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Partner, and the Marlins, whose first base production ranked twenty
seventh in the league with a terrible point sixty six
to three ops, are also looking internally. Infielder Connor Norby
might see time at first base in twenty twenty six
due to his defensive short cummings at third and second base.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
That move makes a lot of sense. Norby posted negative
defensive runs saved at third base in twenty twenty five.
Moving him across the bimen as a way to keep
his bat in the lineup while mitigating his glove risk,
provided he can regain the power he showed earlier in
his minor league career.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
One final bat notoe Mariners target Jorge Palanko. The Mariners
are desperate for a reunion after acquiring him at the deadline,
but the thirty two year old switch hitter is smartly
playing out the market, and.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
The Red Sox are lurking attracted to his versatility, and
they have the capital to throw around. They could potentially
spoil Seattle's reunion dreams.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
All right, let's shift into the deep cuts some of
the developmental stories and historical anecdotes that really give baseball
its texture and its flavor beyond just the transaction wire.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
And we're going to start with a deeply human story
of recovery and resilience.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
This one is just chilling. We have an update on
the Ray's top prospect, Xavier Isaac and outfielder and first baseman.
He was limited to just forty one Double A games
last season due to what was thought to be elbow
and wrist issues.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
But that wasn't it, not at all.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
He recently revealed that he underwent life saving brain surgery
on July third, twenty twenty five, after a routine brain
scan for dehydration shockingly revealed a serious condition.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Wow, life saving brain surgery. That is absolutely terrifying, and
it instantly puts every single struggle on the field into
sharp perspective. The fact that he's fully recovered and expected
to be ready for spring training is nothing short of miraculous.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
It truly is inspiring as he moves forward, The key
evaluation point remains his ability to make consistent contact. He
has massive power, but his contact rate was a question
mark even before this traumatic health event. The emotional and
physical challenge of returning to high level baseball after brain
surgery that will be his biggest hurdle.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
His story just reminds us of the high stakes personal
challenges these athletes face, and then you have the reality
of the business decisions. Rangers reliever Kayla Boushley, who pitched
forty games for Texas last season, just signed a one
million dollar deal with the KT Whiz in Korea.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Choosing financial certainty over the grind of Triple A ball
makes perfect sense for a player who didn't achieve significant
long term major league success.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Oh absolutely, that one million dollar deal comfortably exceeds what
he would make on minor league deals or the MLB minimum,
And Booshley brings two things that KBO teams highly value,
durability and starting experience.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Right he logged over one hundred and seventy five innings
in consecutive minor league.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Seasons, exactly KBO teams prioritize predictable strike throwing and health
over the high velocity, high strikeout totals that MLB clubs chase.
It's a completely different valuation system, and he's smart to
capitalize on it.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
On the prospect front, the White Sox hold the second
overall pick in the Rule five draft and they are
eyeing former Marlin's sixth overall pick, Jacob Barry.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Barry and an infielder or an outfielder is a very
high upside target. He showed significant improvement in twenty twenty
five in Triple A, hitting point twenty six y' one
with a point three four eight OBP and twenty seven
stolen basis.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
But the Rule five draft is tricky, isn't it. He
has to remain on the active roster all season.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
He does, which is a big commitment, But his drafts pedigree,
his positional versatility, and his recent performance make him a
hard player to pass up for a rebuilding team like
the White Sox.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
All right, let's move to the culture corner, celebrating the
unsung heroes and the quirky details of the game. Blue
Jay's utility player Ernie Clement had a massive breakout year,
hitting point two seven seven with twenty two defensive runs saved.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Clement's defensive versatility alone makes him invaluable, but he took
his legend to a whole other level. In October, he
set an MLB record with thirty postseason.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Hits, thirty besting Randy Arizarina's previous mark of twenty nine.
He was truly phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
He was celebrated in his hometown Monroe County, New York,
where he was given the key to the county and
November twenty ninth was proclaimed Ernie Clement Day.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
He just embodies that utility player hero, the guy who
does everything well, who gives you elite defense at six
different spots, and then shows up with a massive bat
when it matters most. That's why his hometown loves him.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And then we have the Giants Gold Glove catcher Patrick
Bailey and his truly legendary headwear. He's coming off two
straight Gold Glove wins and it had some truly iconic
offensive highlights in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
The headbands are incredible, especially the patriotic ones. His Washington
crossing the Delaware headband is iconic. Can you believe he
was wearing that for both his inside the park walk
off home run and his walk off Grand Slam against
the Dodgers in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
It's his power gear, it has to be. He also
famously wears one depicting a diced up snake, a direct
nod to Ben Franklin's Joiner Die flag from the Revolutionary era.
It's clear Bailey channels that historical patriotic energy. He's backing
it up with his play, providing two years of elite
defense and delivering huge moments when the Giants need the most.
(32:49):
That is definitely the most compelling headwear strategy in baseball.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
And finally, a genuinely quirky story involving baseball history and
the Vatican. This involves a White Sox fan, Pope Leo
the fourteenth, on his.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
First foreign trip, flying from Rome to Turkey. A CBS
reporter gifted the Pope a bat once owned by Hall
of Famer Nelly Fox. It's just this wonderful intersection of
global religion and Chicago baseball history.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
The Pope was reportedly delighted, and he asked the reporter,
how did you get this through security? The detail here
is fantastic. Fox's nineteen fifty five team record of consecutive
games with multiple hits was set the year the Pope
was born, so it.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Adds this neat layer of personal historical context to the gift.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Exactly the Pope's fandom is well documented, and this bat
just connects the history of the game directly to the
current era.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
So we've covered a tremendous amount of ground today tracking
the biggest offseason decisions. The Angels finally bought out the
Rendun contract, freeing up significant funds to become a sudden
player for top tier pitching like Ranger Suarez.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
The Mets traded away the stability Brandon Nemo for the
specific elite defensive profile of Marcus Semon, hoping to solidify
their shaky clubhouse foundation.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
The pitch market remains intense, highlighted by Hellsley signing that
high risk, high reward deal in Baltimore and the trade
mandate hanging over Freddie Peralta in Milwaukee forcing a really
tough small market dilemma.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
And on offense, the Red Sox are being incredibly aggressive,
targeting multiple star hitters Bregman, Alonzo Schwarber to balance out
their lineup.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
And we can't forget the Yankees. They are struggling to
clear a severe log jam in their outfield, raising the
specter of that painful decision to cut Stanton while simultaneously
forcing a high stakes competition for Volpi at shortstop due
to his injury and performance issues.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
This all brings us to our final provocative thought, and
it circles right back to that pressure cooker in the
Bronx and their greatest player, Aaron Judge.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Judge has now secured his third al MVP. He is
clearly a Hall of Famer, but he still lacks the
ultimate prize, the World Series title. He plays for a
team that is defined by the pressure to win every single.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Season, and after their elimination, he admitted they failed and
needed to, in his words, clean a couple things up
to get back there.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
That sentiment, that feeling of responsibility, it really echoes the
experience of former Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez, who also won
multiple MVPs, but was famously consumed by postseason pressure. Ay
Rod later confessed that he felt he had to carry
the Yankees and that immense pressure just crushed his performance.
A year after year, a.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Rod said the only year he finally managed to relax
and truly enjoy. The World Series was two thousand and nine,
the year the Yankees actually won the championship. It was
the release of that decade long burden.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Now, Judge's quiet, humility and legendary dedication mean he will
never publicly admit to that same internal pressure. But given
the Yankees haven't won the World Series since two thousand
and nine, despite his monumental accomplishments in his multi year commitment,
the question.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Remains, can Judge truly relax and lead the Yankees to
victory until that championship pressure which the entire organization and
bodies is finally released. That pursuit of the ultimate prize
is what defines every transaction, every rumor, and every high
stakes that being made in the hot stove right now.
Welcome back to the Baseball Podcast. We are deep into
the end of November, and if the smell of pumpkin
spice is fading, it is definitely being replaced by the
metallic scent of burning cash.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
That's a good way to put it.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Because the hot stove season is officially raging. I mean,
the winter meetings might be just around the corner, but frankly,
the pace of news we've already gotten, it feels like
we just skip the warm up entirely.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It's true, it's really true. Historically you kind of wait,
you know, for the holidays to get closer, for the
big bombs to drop. But this year has been different totally.
We've already seen some really dramatic shifts in team payrolls,
some foundational roster moves that are really reshaping the competitive landscape.
If you're trying to catch up on what matters, this
is the place to be.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
That is exactly our mission today. We're going to cut
through all the noise, ignore those little whispers, and focus
strictly on the biggest confirmed transactions, will analyze the juiciest
rumors that have you know, realtrategic implications, and.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
We'll get into some of the surprising clubhouse drama that
might just force even bigger moves in the next few weeks.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, And we have to start with the deals that
are actually done, because three major moves immediately set the
tone for the spending and well the volatility of this
whole off season.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Okay, lay them out for us.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
First, the Toronto Blue Jays, they made an absolute franchise
defining commitment to their rotation. They signed Dylan.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Ceese, the top guy available, a top.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Trade target, to a massive seven year, two hundred and
ten million dollar contract. I mean that move alone solidifies
the Al East as a pitching powerhouse division.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I think solidifize as an understatement, and you could feel
the ripple effect immediately right The rival Boston Red Sox
felt that pressure instantly. They made a crucial move of
their own to bolster their rotation, though they went the
trade route. They acquired the veteran right hander Sonny Gray
from the Cardinals, so boom two immediate high end pitching
russiansanging the balance of power in just one division.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
And then came the move that reminds us that no
player doesn't matter how popular or how productive you are,
nobody is safe. The Shocker The Shocker, the Mets and
the Rangers executing a pure one for one swap of
former All stars. Marcus Semon is heading to.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
The Mets and Brandon Nimo is moving to the Rangers.
It is a jaw dropping exchange. It addresses wildly different
needs for both clubs, but critical needs, and that right
there is where the fun starts. Okay, let's unpack this
core theme then, trading anchors for opportunity. We focus so
much on chasing new superstars, but sometimes the most strategically
(02:41):
brilliant moves are while just cleaning up your own past mistakes.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
And we have a perfect case study in failed investments
starting out in Anaheim. Of course, this is a painful story,
but it's an important one. It really highlights the difference
between organizations that spend strategically, you know, think of the
Dodgers and those that have historically been let's just say,
financially reckless.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
The Angels under Arte Moreno exactly.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, The official news is that the Angels are in
talks to buy out the final guaranteed year of Anthony
Rendon's contract. The full expectation is that he will just retire.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
The scale of failure on this deal is it's almost
unbelievable when you look at the numbers. This was a
two hundred and forty five million dollar investment.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Two hundred and forty five million.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
And what they got for it was a slash line
of just point two four to two point three four
eight point three sixty nine over the entire term. I mean,
those are basically replacement level numbers for nearly a quarter
of a billion dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
And here's the figure that truly truly defines the blunder.
Over the seven year term of that contract, Rendon appeared
in only two hundred and fifty seven out of a
possible one thousand, one hundred and thirty four Angels games. Wow,
that is just twenty three percent attendance from your highest
paid player. It's been cited internally as this single biggest
reason the Angels struggled to build a contending roster around
(03:57):
Mike trout Let alone can vis shoe Aotani to.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Stay, and Rendon is just the final most expensive nail
in a long dark history of owner Arte Moreno's bad,
big money decisions. You can look back at the contracts
for Albert Poohols and Josh Hamilton total albatross deals, huge
deals that just hamstrung the franchise for years, even the
Justin Upton deal. When you make that many bad foundational investments,
(04:22):
you simply cannot compete with smart organizations. It doesn't matter
what size your market is.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So what here is huge rendons buy out even if
they have to eat, say thirty five million this year
gives the Angels their greatest immediate financial flexibility in years.
They are removing a massive chunk of dead money from
any future commitments.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
But flexibility is just potential energy. Right where does that
money actually go? Are they truly dangerous now? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Absolutely? This immediately positions them as a potentially dangerous sleeper
selling free agency. They're suddenly able to compete on the
top tier for specific talents.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
So who are they looking at?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, we know they need a top end starter was
seize off the board. Names like Ranger Suarez or maybe
even tatsu Yemi are suddenly realistic targets for a team
that can now offer competitive five or six year deals.
The need for pitching is desperate, and for the first
time in a while, they could finally answer it with
spending that.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Makes a ton of sense. I mean, they have to
show Trout and the fans they're finally serious about winning.
But while they're aiming high, they're also making some smart
minor moves focusing on depth, and that's usually the sign
of a truly disciplined front office. Right.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
They brought back the switch hitting outfielder Gasavo Campero on
a minor league deal. He's a utility depth piece, but
his technical metrics are outstanding. He grades out in the
ninety first percentile for base running in the eighty six
percentile for arm strength.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Okay, unpack that for us. What does ninety first percentile
base running actually mean in terms of tangible value in
a game?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
It means he turns singles into doubles effortlessly. He forces
the defense to play faster, to play wider in a
tight ladening game. Having a pinch runner who you know
can take that extra base as absolute gold in the arm.
The arm strength eighty six percentile means he can play
all three outfield positions and fire the ball accurately from
the corner, holding runners on the base pats. He's the
(06:13):
ideal insurance policy against their injury prone outfield, and he's
a necessary depth piece that gives their manager Kurt Suzuki
a ton of flexibility late in games.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
That context is crucial. Okay, Now, let's shift across the
country to the Mets, who are dealing with a totally
different kind of cleanup. This one is about managing star
egos and recovering from pass regrets under the Steve Cohen era.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yeah, the clubhouse friction reports are very concerning. We know
that superstars Jon Soto and Francisco Lindor reportedly lacked chemistry
last season.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And it wasn't just a rumor.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
No, this boiled over into a very public verbal confrontation
over a defensive laps during a huge game against the
Phillies back in June. When your two biggest offensive anchors
are not aligned, it creates a real organizational rift.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And while money solves a lot of problems, it definitely
doesn't solve chemistry. Looking back at that ten worst Mets
free agent signings list during Cohen's tenure, it really underscores
how quickly you can waste resources.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
The Eduardo Escobar contract really stands out as a prime
example of an expensive miss. It cost them ten million
in twenty twenty two, and then half of nine point
five million in twenty twenty three, he just ended his
Mets tenure with minimal value.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I remember that his signing was only slightly salvaged by
one single incredible month.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
That September twenty twenty two finish where he was the
NL Player of the Month was a beastly surge that
allowed the Mets to temporarily stay afloat. But before that
his line was just ugly. He was batting point two
point eight point twenty six y nine point three eight three.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
So even that fantastic finish couldn't really mask the underlying
long term disappointment, and they traded him away. It just
shows how one spectacular month can only briefly mask an
overall underperformance, which brings.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Us right back to the Nimo and Semi in exchange.
You mentioned this was about optimizing the roster, but let's
push back on the strategic rational a little bit. Nimol
was a massive on base. Doesn't this move fundamentally trade
reliable production for an aging offense, risky defensive upgrade.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
That is a fair challenge and it really cuts to
the heart of what the Mets are trying to build.
Nimo's on base skill is a career point three eighty
five obp are elite, but the Mets have plenty of
offense with Sodo, Lindor and Pete Alonso likely coming.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Back, so they're betting on run creation from other guys.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Exactly what they needed desperately. It was defensive stability in
the middle infield, especially given that reported friction between Sodo
and Lindor, so this is.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
A culture and positioning play. The Mets are getting elite
defense in Marcus Semion, a two time Gold Glove winner
who ranks third in outs above average OA among second
basements since.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Twenty twenty three, and just for everyone listening, OAA is
the metric that tells you how many plays a fielder
makes that an average fielder would not. Being third best
shows he is consistently elite.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
So Semon stabilizes second base and that allows Lindor to
worry less about coverage and just focus on being a
great shortstop. It's an investment in team defense, and they
hope internal harmony. They think that will mitigate the offensive
question mark, and.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That question mark is significant. Semin's ops plus declined from
one hundred and twenty six in twenty twenty three down
to a below average ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Last season, he is thirty five, and that drop off
is definitely concerning. However, he is arguing, and the Mets
are clearly buying this argument, that he found his form
over the final seventy one.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Games last season, right before the injury.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Before a season ending foot injury, he slashed a very
respectable point two seven, zero point three three, eight point
four sixty four. If he maintains that level of production,
the Mets probably win this trade.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
And what about the leadership Voidnimo was universally respected.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Semin is a veteran. You know, he's played over sixteen
hundred career games. He doesn't need to be the de
facto captain with Lindor and Sodo there, but he's expected
to be a positive, stable presence.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
He spoke about that, didn't he about feeling that void.
He emphasized his desire to create a brotherhood and focused
on his work ethic. He sees his role as providing
consistent accountability and stability, something that might have been missing
during all that reported friction.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
The Mets are betting that defensive stability at second base,
coupled with this high character veteran presence, is more critical
to their championship hopes right now than Neimo's on base prowess.
It's a really aggressive, calculated risk.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Before we leave the Mets, we should probably touch on
the David Peterson situation because his season long inconsistency kind
of mirrors the volatility of the entire organization.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Peterson, the left handed starter, had an incredibly inconsistent twenty
twenty five. I mean, he was an All Star and
a Gold Glove final in.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Which is surface success that masks extreme volatility. His RA
in the first half was a fantastic three point zero six,
but he absolutely imploded in the second half, posting a
six point three to four ERA.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
And a brutal nine point seven to two ERA in September.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
It's just a total c.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So what caused that extreme drop off? I mean, that's
not normal fatigue, that's just a major mechanical issue, or
maybe he was tipping pitches.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Analysis points to two factors, one mechanical fatiguing in his delivery,
which led to inconsistent release points and allowed hitters to
tie them up better. But more critically, there were reports
he was tipping his change up in that second half,
so hitters were just sitting on his fastball, and when
he tried to execute his secondary pitches, they got hit hard.
He's entering his final season before free agency, and given
(11:28):
the Mets are focused on cost control, he's a definite
trade candidate for teams looking for a reclamation project with control,
maybe like the Pirates or the Rockies.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay, let's shift our gaze from contracts and internal dynamics
to the arms race dominating the hot stove pitching year
after year, it remains the most expensive and demanded asset
in the game.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Starting in Baltimore, the Orioles are fortifying their late innings
with some serious force. They signed closer Ryan Helsley to
a deal worth up to twenty eight million over two years,
and crucially, it includes a year one opt out.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
That is a hefty price tag for a reliever, even
one of Helsley's caliber. He's a former nlsa's leader. But
he's also coming off that quote disastrous stint with the
Mets after they acquired him at the deadline last season.
So what's the risk reward calculation here for Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Well, the risk is obvious if he struggles. They've committed
significant funds to a very volatile position. But The reward
is that when he's right, you know, in his old
cardinal form, he is one of the top closers in
the game with a career two point nine.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
To six er, and that opt out is the key piece.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
The opt out is critical. If he returns to e
lit form, he can hit the market again next winter,
guaranteeing the Orioles get one year of elite service or
they keep him at a high but manageable rate for
two years. This is their second big bullpen edition this month,
following the reacquisition of Andrew Kittridge, so it shows they
are very serious about building a late game fortress to
(12:55):
complement their young rotation.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Now, let's look at the trade market for elite talent,
starting with this bizarre catching conundrum down in Atlanta surrounding
Sean Murphy.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, Murphy is definitely available, and his trade availability stem
from two conflicting factors. First, he's recovering from right hif
laboral tear surgery that he suffered in September. He struggled
really severely down the stretch, raising some major health questions.
And the second factor, second and maybe more importantly, is
the rise of the reigning and l Rookie of the
Year Drake Baldwin right.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Baldwin's emergence as a left handed offensive force at catcher
completely reduces the organizational need for Murphy, who was still
under control for three more years. At forty five million dollars,
that's a large salary commitment for a catcher recovering from
a serious hip injury.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
So trading Murphy frees up that salary, and given the
scarcity of good catchers, could net Atlanta a top tier
young starting pitcher or a key middle of the order bat.
Atlanta is operating from a position of strength here, converting
an injured, expensive surplus asset into flexible resources. This is
how smart organizations stay ahead of the curve.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Meanwhile, the small market dilemma is hitting Milwaukee hard. There
are these persistent rumors that owner Mark Adinassio may be
ordering a painful payroll offloading. If this mandate is true,
they might have to trade their ace starter, Freddy Peralta.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
This would be a potential league wide seismic event. Peralta
was an All Star, he finished fifth in the nl
CY Young voting, and he's on an unbelievably affordable deal
with an eight million dollar option He is exactly the
type of player a small market team needs to.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Keep, but moving him would met them an astronomical return
in prospects, yet it would severely damage their twenty twenty
six hopes. So why would add Nausio force this now?
When the Brewers were the best team in the NL
Central last season.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
It's the constant, painful cycle of small market baseball. They
realize Paralta's value will never be higher, and if the
mandate is to cut long term payroll, moving him now
prevents them from facing an even more expensive contract decision
two years down the line. It's painful asset management, but
it's designed to maximize the return before the cost becomes unmanageable.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
And to make matters even worse, they have internal risk
management issues. Extension talks with their young fireballer jaicob Missiowski
have reportedly stalled without any real momentum.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Miziurowski is a very high risk, high reward proposition. He
burst onto the scene with huge velocity, but sort of
lost steam late, finishing five to three with a four
point three six ERA. The risk of extending him now
is twofold. He's unproven over a full major league season.
And his extreme hard throwing nature raises significant injury.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Flags, So the Brewers are caught.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
They're caught between wanting to secure a potential future ace
and being terrified of committing big money to a highly
volatile arm. It's a tough spot.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Now, Let's move to the West coast, where the Giants
are navigating the Japanese pitching market. President Buster Posey stated
publicly that the Giants have the means and the drive
to spend aggressively, but their actions seem to contradict that.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
They really do. ESPN reported a strong indication that the
Giants are not making a serious push for the star
Japanese pitcher Hatsuya Imai.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
And the premier free agent pitcher coming out of Japan
since Yamamoto right, a three time NPB All Star, expected
to command a contract upwards of one hundred and fifty
million at least, but.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
The Giants instead are reportedly focusing on modestly priced arms.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So why the hesitation? If you publicly declare you're ready
to spend, why pass on a guy like Emai?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
It suggests they either don't believe Imai is worth that premium,
perhaps due to a perceived lack of command relative to
the asking price, or they believe the money is better
spent addressing multiple roster holes with bi.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Low candidates, and their recent moves support that theory.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Their confirmablepen edition definitely supports this theory. They took a
chance on former Guardians lefty Sam Henches, who was non
tendered due to shoulder issues that cost him the entire
twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Henjes had a fantastic two point three to two ERA
back in twenty twenty two before the injury, so that's
a massive discount if he can return to form. It's
a classic low cost, high reward strategy. You target place
recovering from serious issues and you just hope you strike.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Gold cheaply exactly, And if the Giants are not competing
for AMAI, that leaves the top remaining domestic free agent
starter Ranger Suarez as the big prize for the rest
of the market. The feel has narrowed dramatically with Sea
signing in Toronto and Gray getting traded to Boston.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Suarez is now the undisputed top arm available. Let's break
down the three most realistic landing spots for mister Rager.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Number one has to be the Baltimore Orioles. Yeah, they
are aggressively looking for a top tier starter to pair
with their young core. They have the money to spend,
and they're not deterred by the qualifying offer that's attached
to Suarez. He's a ground ball specialist, which is perfect
for the deep dimensions of Cambin yards.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Okay, spot number two second.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
The Chicago Cubs. Cub's president Jed Hoyer has prioritized pitching stability.
Sores would secure their rotation long term, especially given that
three of their projected starters outside of Justin Steele are
already over the age of thirty four. He would provide
that necessary veterans stability opposite Steel. Finally, and finally, the
San Francisco Giants, despite passing on Emi, If Posey really
(18:05):
wants a number two starter behind Logan Webb, Suarez is
a perfect logical fit. His experience in the NL and
his elite ground ball ability make him an ideal pitcher
for the unique dynamics of Oracle Park, which really rewards sinkerballers.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
That fit is often overlooked, isn't it. Park factors matter
hugely in these decisions. His profile is just tailor made
for San Francisco, it really is. We should also mention
some international depth. Former Rangers right hander Kohei Arihara is
seeking an MLB return after struggling with the shoulder aneurysm
during his previous stateside stint.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Arijara's story is one of resilience. He returned to NPB
and posted three highly productive seasons, including back to back
one hundred and seventy five plus innings campaigns with eras
around two point three.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
To five, so that shows he's well past the health
issue completely.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Durability and command stability are highly prized, especially for your
fourth and fifth rotation spot, and his recent success gives
him genuine momentum for an affordable MLB return.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
And on the domestic depth side, the Detroit Tigers made
a quote shrewd move by re signing right hander Tanner
Rainey to a minor league contract after non tendering him.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
But is that really shrewd or is it just risky?
I mean, they saved themselves and estimated one point six
million in arbitration salary, which is good for the budget,
but they exposed a useful high upside arm to the
market completely unnecessarily.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
So another team could have just scooped him up.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
If another team had claimed him, they would have lost
him completely. They were gambling that his recovery from injury
made him unappealing to other teams. It paid off for them,
but it was still a gamble designed solely to minimize
their financial obligation.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
All right, let's transition to the offensive side of the
hot stove. If pitching drives value, bats drive excitement, and
no team is showing a more aggressive appetite for hitters
right now than the Boston Red Sox.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
No, They've already secured Sunny Gray for the rotation, and
now reports indicate they're aiming to acquire not one, but
two high end bats. And this is critical because they're
prioritizing right handed hitters to balance their extremely lefty heavy lineup.
Their offense just lacked balance and power last year.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Their target list is truly star studded. I mean, you've
got Alex Bregman, which would be a reunion after his
outstanding postseason run with them last year.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
DH and outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who is coming off an
almost unbelievable fifty six homer season.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
First baseman Pete Alonzo and veteran catcher j t Real.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Muto Alonso is a particularly intriguing fit because of Fenway
Park's short left field wall and his powerstroke is just
tailor made for that stadium. However, acquiring him might necessitate
trading their incumbent first baseman Kristin Kassas, who's coming back
from major knee injury. So that's a huge decision for
Boston's future core.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
And beyond the domestic free agents, they are serious players internationally.
They're showing major interest in Japanese star Kazuma O Komodo.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
He's a right handed slugger who hit fifteen homers in
seventy seven MPB games last season, and he has one
hundred and thirteen over the last four years. He's arguably
the second best international bat available.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
And we have to talk about the complimentary targets rate.
If they swing and miss on that top tier, they
need reliable depth.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
That's where a player like first baseman Ryan O'Hearn comes in.
He is projected for a relatively short term deal, maybe
two years for under forty million. He offers a solid
point two seven to seven average andero point seven eight
eight ohops over the last three years, making him an
excellent high floor stop gap if they can't land Alonzo.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Speaking of Schwarber and the high end bats, let's look
at the Phillies and they're pending decision on the fifty
six homer Man. He is currently not close to a
deal with Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
The debate among Phillies fans and analysts is heated. Schwarber
will command a minimum of four years, potentially pushing him
into his late thirties, and despite the power, his age
and his defensive limitations, which are a major concern, are
causing many to favor pivoting to younger, more versatile stars
like Cody Bellinger or Katel Marte.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
So if Schwarber leaves, the suitors are already lined up Boston,
the Mets, the Orioles in Cincinnati, which is his hometown,
giving them a bit of a geographical advantage.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
It really sounds like the Phillies' front office is leaning
toward prioritizing defensive flexibility and avoiding an overpaid, long term
deal that just clogs up their dh BOT for years.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
They are also exploring bringing back former players for cost
effective help, which is always a smart strategy.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Left Hander Hoby Milner is a huge value add there
he's evolved into an elite ground ball pitcher, and he
corrected his formally high walk rate. He boasts a ground
ball rate over fifty percent in each of the last
three seasons.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
What does that ground ball rate really mean? Strategically for
the Phillies At.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Citizens Bank Park, which is a notorious hitters park, getting
ground balls is essential to limit home runs. Milner forces
contact down, minimizing the damage of the deep flyball, and
he's projected to cost just over four million dollars. That
is an enormous amount of reliable value for that price
tag in a hitter's environment.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
They're also looking at outfielder Austin Hayes, hoping he can
rebound after a disappointing twenty twenty four stint post trade,
and rady Sir Anthony Domingez, who found his game again
with the Blue Jays after a tough twenty twenty four
with Philly.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, he posted a three point zero ERA at a
one point one four whip in Toronto. Familiarity often breeds consistency,
especially for relievers.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Moving north, we arrive at the biggest roster headache in baseball,
the Yankees outfield and infield logjam.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
They need to sort out prospects Jessin Demingez and Spencer Jones.
If they go out and acquire a top player like
Bellinger or Tucker, it is almost guaranteed that one of
these high pedigree prospects will be traded.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Okay, so let's break down the kids. Jones is a
lefty slugger who mashed thirty five home runs across Double
A and Triple A in twenty twenty four and twenty
twenty five. Do Mingez, the switch hitter. He struggled significantly
from the right side in his first full MLB season,
batting just point two zero four against lefty.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
That platoon split for Domingez is concerning. If they bring
in a star, they need to clear a room, and
this raises the specter of cutting John Carlo Stanton.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Oh Man, he has still owed thirty five million dollars
over the next two years. He is eating that money
seems unthinkable, but some view cutting Stanton as a necessary
evil to clear the DH and outfield space for Jones
and Domingez. What is the financial reality of that decision.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
The Yankees would have to eat a significant portion of
that salary, maybe fifteen to twenty million dollars just to
make Stanton a cheap acquisition for another team. They have
the financial resources, and the overriding goal is clearing the
DH spot for better production and versatility while simultaneously making
space for their young players.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Stanton just isn't equipped for everyday DH at bats anymore.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Not at all, and his injury history only complicates the issue.
It's a drastic move, but it's one born of desperation
to utilize.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Their farm system, and the infield situation is just as messy.
There is a serious, uncomfortable shortstop competition brewing for Anthony Volpi.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Volpi's job is absolutely threatened. His defensive decline, which was
exacerbated by a partially torn labram, has caused major concern,
and his offensive struggles a brutal point two one two
point two seven to two point three nine to one
slash line haven't helped his case.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Can you explain how partially torn labrum specifically impairs a
shortstop's ability? It's not just about pain, is it?
Speaker 2 (25:22):
No? Not at all. A partially torn labram in the
throwing shoulder drastically reduces throwing velocity and accuracy, especially on
throws that require a lot of torque like throwing from
the hole at shortstop. It impacts the strength and stability
of the shoulder, forcing the player to compensate, which leads
to errant throws and hesitancy.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
So Volpean needs to prove he can play defense at
an elite level or he's looking at surgery.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
That's right, and the team brought in Jose Cabiro from
Tampa Bay, who is now the quote default starter for
twenty twenty six. Cabierra provides strong on base skills and
dependable defense that instantly stabilize the infield. This forces Volpi
into a pure competition for his role, and twenty twenty
six may truly be his last chance to cement himself
at shortstop before the Yankees look elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
And the Yankees are looking elsewhere, reportedly inquiring about dback
second basement and outfielder Cattel Marte. He's arguably the best
second basement in MLB over the last three years.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
The fit is perfect and the contract structure is key.
Marte is on an affordable contract through twenty thirty one,
which is what makes him so valuable in the current market,
acquiring six years of elite production for his remaining salary
is a total steal compared to what free agents are commanding.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
So what would the Dbacks even want in return?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Arizona is targeting controllable MLB ready starting pitching, which the
Yankees have in their farm system with guys like Cam
Schlitler and Will Warren. It would take at least two
of those high ceiling pitchers plus a top position player
prospect to even start the conversation for Marte.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Finally, following that Semion trade, the Rangers are now looking
externally for second base help as well. They're eyeing the
Cardinals Brendan Donovan.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Jovan is a quality left handed bat who is under
team control and versatile enough to play third base and
left field. He's slash point two eighty seven point three
five to three point four to two two last season.
He's a much cheaper trade acquisition than Marte, providing a solid,
high floor option. If the Rangers can't land a star.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
And we have to touch on the White Sox GM
Chris Getz is looking to balance his right handed in
field with left handed bats, and he's named prospect Sam
Antonacci as a potential solution.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Antonaci is a fascinating player. He just crushed the Arizona
Fall League slashing point three seven eight point five zero
five point five four to one. He demonstrates impressive contact
skills and elite plate discipline, even though he hasn't played
above double A. He's an intriguing in house solution that
can save the White Sox from spending big money on
a platoon.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Partner, and the Marlins, whose first base production ranked twenty
seventh in the league with a terrible point sixty six
to three ops, are also looking internally. Infielder Connor Norby
might see time at first base in twenty twenty six
due to his defensive short cummings at third and second base.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
That move makes a lot of sense. Norby posted negative
defensive runs saved at third base in twenty twenty five.
Moving him across the bimen as a way to keep
his bat in the lineup while mitigating his glove risk,
provided he can regain the power he showed earlier in
his minor league career.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
One final bat notoe Mariners target Jorge Palanko. The Mariners
are desperate for a reunion after acquiring him at the deadline,
but the thirty two year old switch hitter is smartly
playing out the market, and.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
The Red Sox are lurking attracted to his versatility, and
they have the capital to throw around. They could potentially
spoil Seattle's reunion dreams.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
All right, let's shift into the deep cuts some of
the developmental stories and historical anecdotes that really give baseball
its texture and its flavor beyond just the transaction wire.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
And we're going to start with a deeply human story
of recovery and resilience.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
This one is just chilling. We have an update on
the Ray's top prospect, Xavier Isaac and outfielder and first baseman.
He was limited to just forty one Double A games
last season due to what was thought to be elbow
and wrist issues.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
But that wasn't it, not at all.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
He recently revealed that he underwent life saving brain surgery
on July third, twenty twenty five, after a routine brain
scan for dehydration shockingly revealed a serious condition.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Wow, life saving brain surgery. That is absolutely terrifying, and
it instantly puts every single struggle on the field into
sharp perspective. The fact that he's fully recovered and expected
to be ready for spring training is nothing short of miraculous.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
It truly is inspiring as he moves forward, The key
evaluation point remains his ability to make consistent contact. He
has massive power, but his contact rate was a question
mark even before this traumatic health event. The emotional and
physical challenge of returning to high level baseball after brain
surgery that will be his biggest hurdle.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
His story just reminds us of the high stakes personal
challenges these athletes face, and then you have the reality
of the business decisions. Rangers reliever Kayla Boushley, who pitched
forty games for Texas last season, just signed a one
million dollar deal with the KT Whiz in Korea.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Choosing financial certainty over the grind of Triple A ball
makes perfect sense for a player who didn't achieve significant
long term major league success.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Oh absolutely, that one million dollar deal comfortably exceeds what
he would make on minor league deals or the MLB minimum,
And Booshley brings two things that KBO teams highly value,
durability and starting experience.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Right he logged over one hundred and seventy five innings
in consecutive minor league.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Seasons, exactly KBO teams prioritize predictable strike throwing and health
over the high velocity, high strikeout totals that MLB clubs chase.
It's a completely different valuation system, and he's smart to
capitalize on it.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
On the prospect front, the White Sox hold the second
overall pick in the Rule five draft and they are
eyeing former Marlin's sixth overall pick, Jacob Barry.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Barry and an infielder or an outfielder is a very
high upside target. He showed significant improvement in twenty twenty
five in Triple A, hitting point twenty six y' one
with a point three four eight OBP and twenty seven
stolen basis.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
But the Rule five draft is tricky, isn't it. He
has to remain on the active roster all season.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
He does, which is a big commitment, But his drafts pedigree,
his positional versatility, and his recent performance make him a
hard player to pass up for a rebuilding team like
the White Sox.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
All right, let's move to the culture corner, celebrating the
unsung heroes and the quirky details of the game. Blue
Jay's utility player Ernie Clement had a massive breakout year,
hitting point two seven seven with twenty two defensive runs saved.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Clement's defensive versatility alone makes him invaluable, but he took
his legend to a whole other level. In October, he
set an MLB record with thirty postseason.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Hits, thirty besting Randy Arizarina's previous mark of twenty nine.
He was truly phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
He was celebrated in his hometown Monroe County, New York,
where he was given the key to the county and
November twenty ninth was proclaimed Ernie Clement Day.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
He just embodies that utility player hero, the guy who
does everything well, who gives you elite defense at six
different spots, and then shows up with a massive bat
when it matters most. That's why his hometown loves him.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And then we have the Giants Gold Glove catcher Patrick
Bailey and his truly legendary headwear. He's coming off two
straight Gold Glove wins and it had some truly iconic
offensive highlights in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
The headbands are incredible, especially the patriotic ones. His Washington
crossing the Delaware headband is iconic. Can you believe he
was wearing that for both his inside the park walk
off home run and his walk off Grand Slam against
the Dodgers in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
It's his power gear, it has to be. He also
famously wears one depicting a diced up snake, a direct
nod to Ben Franklin's Joiner Die flag from the Revolutionary era.
It's clear Bailey channels that historical patriotic energy. He's backing
it up with his play, providing two years of elite
defense and delivering huge moments when the Giants need the most.
(32:49):
That is definitely the most compelling headwear strategy in baseball.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
And finally, a genuinely quirky story involving baseball history and
the Vatican. This involves a White Sox fan, Pope Leo
the fourteenth, on his.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
First foreign trip, flying from Rome to Turkey. A CBS
reporter gifted the Pope a bat once owned by Hall
of Famer Nelly Fox. It's just this wonderful intersection of
global religion and Chicago baseball history.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
The Pope was reportedly delighted, and he asked the reporter,
how did you get this through security? The detail here
is fantastic. Fox's nineteen fifty five team record of consecutive
games with multiple hits was set the year the Pope
was born, so it.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Adds this neat layer of personal historical context to the gift.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Exactly the Pope's fandom is well documented, and this bat
just connects the history of the game directly to the
current era.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
So we've covered a tremendous amount of ground today tracking
the biggest offseason decisions. The Angels finally bought out the
Rendun contract, freeing up significant funds to become a sudden
player for top tier pitching like Ranger Suarez.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
The Mets traded away the stability Brandon Nemo for the
specific elite defensive profile of Marcus Semon, hoping to solidify
their shaky clubhouse foundation.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
The pitch market remains intense, highlighted by Hellsley signing that
high risk, high reward deal in Baltimore and the trade
mandate hanging over Freddie Peralta in Milwaukee forcing a really
tough small market dilemma.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
And on offense, the Red Sox are being incredibly aggressive,
targeting multiple star hitters Bregman, Alonzo Schwarber to balance out
their lineup.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
And we can't forget the Yankees. They are struggling to
clear a severe log jam in their outfield, raising the
specter of that painful decision to cut Stanton while simultaneously
forcing a high stakes competition for Volpi at shortstop due
to his injury and performance issues.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
This all brings us to our final provocative thought, and
it circles right back to that pressure cooker in the
Bronx and their greatest player, Aaron Judge.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Judge has now secured his third al MVP. He is
clearly a Hall of Famer, but he still lacks the
ultimate prize, the World Series title. He plays for a
team that is defined by the pressure to win every single.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Season, and after their elimination, he admitted they failed and
needed to, in his words, clean a couple things up
to get back there.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
That sentiment, that feeling of responsibility, it really echoes the
experience of former Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez, who also won
multiple MVPs, but was famously consumed by postseason pressure. Ay
Rod later confessed that he felt he had to carry
the Yankees and that immense pressure just crushed his performance.
A year after year, a.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Rod said the only year he finally managed to relax
and truly enjoy. The World Series was two thousand and nine,
the year the Yankees actually won the championship. It was
the release of that decade long burden.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Now, Judge's quiet, humility and legendary dedication mean he will
never publicly admit to that same internal pressure. But given
the Yankees haven't won the World Series since two thousand
and nine, despite his monumental accomplishments in his multi year commitment,
the question.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Remains, can Judge truly relax and lead the Yankees to
victory until that championship pressure which the entire organization and
bodies is finally released. That pursuit of the ultimate prize
is what defines every transaction, every rumor, and every high
stakes that being made in the hot stove right now.
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