2025 Winter Meetings Preview

Chuck and Anders give their thoughts on the upcoming winter meetings. Jorge Polanco is obviously task #1 for the Mariners but where do they turn if they can't get that done? What else is on the shopping list?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Stove.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
What a kind of name is that?

Speaker 3 (00:03):
Well, it's the best name for a sports podcast about
the Mariners offseason going right now. Welcome in. It's another
edition of Stove. My name is Chuck Powell, and yes
anders Hurst is here as well. As we skip Thanksgiving week.
Sorry about that. I was grateful for my time off
and I did not want to spend it trying to

(00:24):
hook up electronics with Andrews to do a podcast. But
we're back in time to do a Winter Meetings preview
as that's getting started next week, and so I'm pumped.
I mean, I realize it's a holiday season and it's
really hard to celebrate all three of these holidays in
a month, right, you know, Thanksgiving, Winter Meetings, Christmas. I

(00:47):
mean it gets really expensive. It gets really pricey.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yeah, especially when you need to go shopping for a
lot of those I know, I know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
And I feel bad for the people that are born
during the Winter Meetings because sometimes, you know, it gets upstate,
your birthday gets upstaged by all the baseball transactions, and
I feel bad for that person. Yeah, But nonetheless, happy
holidays to everyone. Winter Meetings are almost here.

Speaker 4 (01:11):
Yes, it's it's it tis the season, as they say. So, yeah,
it's weird because normally we do this pretty semi weekly,
and in the years past, there's always been some sort
of Mariner news to react to. But last week there
wasn't really much going on. They got the Nailor deal
done a few weeks ago, and I don't want to
say they took the week off because obviously that never

(01:33):
happens during the MLB off season, but there wasn't anything
that formulated in terms of stuff to react to, but
there was a lot that went on around the rest
of the league. Yeah, so it's there's still those you know,
things that we talked about in our first episode that
the Mariners need to get to and and I guess
first and foremost it's infield. Well, we'll talk about those

(01:55):
options today. We'll look around the rest of the league
kind of look at what other moves have been done,
what that means for the Mariners. But I think it
starts and ends with Jorge Polonco does Yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Yeah, I think that. I think that's the Mariner news
that were the next shoot to drop, if you will.
And I think it's been a fascinating off season so far.
I get that things happen slower in Major League Baseball's offseason.
And I have entertained and I'd thrown out there as
a reckless at breakfast on Chuck and Buck the notion

(02:26):
that segment that well, you that maybe Major League Baseball
should get with the Players Association and try to create
a timeline an urgency. I mean, NFL has their free
agency frenzy, and NBA has their free agency you know,
their launch where most things happen in the first three days.

(02:49):
Doesn't happen in the Major League Baseball offseason. I mean,
sometimes we have these moves that stretch all the way
into spring training, deep into spring training, thanks to Scott Boris,
and so maybe we should have an artific timeline that
we could look forward to a lot of crazy activity
in a short period of time. I think it works
for the National Football League, it works for the NBA,

(03:10):
even works to a degree to the NHL. They have
like a thousand trades before their trading deadline, and Major
League Baseball's trading deadline is amazing.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
It's awesome.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
I mean, and there for a while it got a
little bit slow, but the last three years have been unreal.
How many trades have been pulled off. I'd like to
see major League Baseball toy round with that idea. But
in the meantime, slow process, we're already ahead of the game.
As I've mentioned on both the podcasts that we've done

(03:39):
in the offseason, We've already had a better offseason than
we had last offseason, absolutely with Josh Naylor re signing.
And so this slow, drawn out process. You know, maybe
we get a trade next at the winter meetings, but
right now it just feels like the focus is, all right, Polanco,
what are we doing there? Is he coming back or not?

Speaker 4 (03:58):
Yeah, it just feels like and of course, in response
to what your reckless have breakfast proposition, leave it to
baseball to stretch something out more than any other sport,
like they do with their regular season one hundred and
sixty two games over a six month period. So it's
just it makes sense the way they do brand exactly
on brand. That's a good way to put it. But

(04:20):
in regards to Polonco, I just there's so many angles
you can take with this story, because it seems as
though both sides want to make this happen. The mayors
want Polanco back and Polonco wants to come back to Seattle.
I saw I don't know if you saw Adam June's
story this morning from the Seattle Times basically assessing the
midfield options, and Polonko was one of the obviously the

(04:42):
first name on that list. How do you feel about
him at second base pretty regularly? Do you want him
to be more of the DHU? And are you looking
at other options if it starts to get pricey, what's
your point in which you're starting to be like, all right,
let's look somewhere else, because I don't really want to
spend that much on someone who maybe is not that

(05:06):
great defensively at second base or is going.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
To be a DH for us for most of the year.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
Here's how I would. Okay, let's start with the position aspect.
To me, if you're bringing him back, he's your DH,
but don't put your glove away right because I don't
want you to just get into locked in DH mode.
I need you to work with Perry Hill. I need
you to be available for second You're going to be
my Cole Young insurance. But Cole Young's my second basement.

(05:33):
And I think we saw a solid rookie campaign from
a really young player this was not some twenty four
year old who's been through and he's twenty one years
old and he got called up. Yeah, okay.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
It was still a very highly touted prospect as well, and.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
He did have flashes. But they made the right decision
when they benched him. You're in a playoff race. He
wasn't performing well, he didn't make the playoff roster. All
of that was correct, All of that was accurate assessment.
Bought twenty one year old who hung in there and
showed some flashes, and I want him to be the
starting second baseman, So Polanco, I'm signing to be my DH.

(06:10):
I am signing him more to be my third baseman. Frankly,
I know how much he struggled there defensively, but he
also had a spring training in which he was dealing
with a knee injury and trying to learn a new
position at the exact same time. Okay, And so for me,
I don't know if he got the true fair shake.
He's not going to be a good defensive third baseman.
I don't care if he does get a true good shake,

(06:32):
but at least he might not be an atrocity over
there like he was to start this past season, but
I would put him at third over Ben Williamson before
I retard the progress of Cole Young at segond interesting. Okay,
so to me it's DH. Then I would say, maybe
we put you at third, and then the last thing

(06:52):
that I would do would be you're our starting second basement. However,
I would use him as you're our emergence second basement
if Cole doesn't take the step forward that we want
him to, which is why it's important you keep that
glove and you keep taking infield practice and you just
don't get into David Ortiz mode as the DH.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, I just yeah, that's a good point.

Speaker 4 (07:14):
And I think that he he's not great defensively at
second base, but he he'll he'll be fine. He'll be fine.
There he looked okay there towards the end.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
Of life, wound you, but he won't murder.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
Yeah, exactly. That's a good way to look at it.
It's the issue with him in the infield is that
if he's your third or fourth best in fielder, that's fine.
At that at some point last year he was probably
your first or second best in fielder in terms of defense,
which is tough when that's the case, you need a
good infield defense, especially how this pitching staff likes to

(07:50):
pitch to contact a lot of the time. So with
you know, George Kirby filling up the strike zone, all
that stuff that we've talked about a lot. JP's not
doesn't have the greatest range, doesn't have the greatest storm.
Having a really good, you know, second basement that can
cover some ground helps make up for that. And the
same thing could be said about third base as well.
So that's the only concern I have if you're going

(08:13):
to rely on him to be a regular infielder, which
you're saying you're not. You're you're a regular DH, which
I agree with. I think I like Ben Williamson as
a defensive third baseman absolutely. I think he actually made
JP better because he could cover more ground and get
those extra couple of feet that Jap couldn't to his

(08:35):
right to Ben Williamson's left, and.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
I want to see.

Speaker 4 (08:41):
I know he's very capped offensively, He's never going to
be a you know, twenty thirty home run guy, right,
It's just not who he is as profiles of a hitter.
But I still think there might be something to tap
into offensively where you're not just a six hundred ops guy,
which you know that that's a negative very much.

Speaker 3 (08:58):
Soy battles battle at the plate. Yeah, he's not a
swing and miss guy. Put the ball in play, dude. Yeah,
I mean right now people are talking about Brendan Donovan
pretty much. That's all he is, is a put a
ball in play kind of guy. And apparently we're supposed
to give up seventeen of our best prospects for this,

(09:19):
you know, beer billied turd so. But but I think
Ben Williamson can be a starting third basement as long
as you have the offense to compensate for him around.
So if you've got a Polanco who what what are?
He had twenty six home runs yeah this past year,
and you've got a good quality first basement, and you've

(09:40):
got a catcher that's hitting forty to fifty bombs and
a center fielder that still has forty homer potential. You
can live with a third baseman that only hits ten
home runs and plays goal glove caliber defense.

Speaker 4 (09:51):
Absolutely absolutely, And I think it's worth the trade off because,
like we said at the end of the last year,
the mid infield defense was a little bit concerning. I
think it reared its head more in the Detroit series
than it did in the Toronto series. But you want
to have some sort of confidence at least at a
couple spots in that infield defensively. But let's let's you

(10:13):
mentioned Brendan Donovan. Let's talk about that because his name
has been thrown around a lot, whether it's from Cardinals
fans trying to trade him for Mariner's top prospects, or
whether it's from Mariners fans viewing that as a Polanco alternative.
How would you feel about that he has two more
years of control. I believe yes, So that's I think
where a lot of the value comes from. And you

(10:34):
mentioned kind of his profile as a player, put it
in play guy, but definitely at a higher level than
Ben Williamson. At this point, well, I've already dropped a
beer Billy Turs reference to him, so obviously I don't
love the idea either Brendan Donovan, but I don't dislike
it if he was added to the team, I'm like, Okay,
that makes sense.

Speaker 3 (10:52):
I mean, he's second base, third base, he's going to battle.
He hits from the left side of the plate. But man,
there's I saw one. And this wasn't even from some
cardinal fan lunatic. This was from I think Anthony Kastrovins,
the guy that writes for MLB Network, suggesting a trade
for Las Montes and Jerangelo Saint Gee. I wouldn't trade

(11:16):
one of those guys for Brendan Donovan. Not one. I mean, yes,
I love the idea of having a thirty one year
old quality hitter that gives you a quality at matt
every single time up. But I'm not trading a guy
with forty to fifty homer potential for a guy with
no power, no speed, no defined position, just because he

(11:39):
puts the ball in play a little more frequently, and
it's not like he puts it together, puts it in
play a lot. I mean, a three point fifty three
on base is not exactly something to write home about.
So I don't know what the fascination with Brendan Donovan
is to me. It's like I'd add him, Yeah, absolutely,
but I'm not giving up much for him.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
No.

Speaker 3 (11:58):
No, I'm not mortgaging either top guides. No, no, not
even one of much less a package for them for him.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
And like I said, I think a lot of the
value quote unquote comes from that he has two more
years of club control. He's twenty eight. Uh he I
thought he was older than he's twenty eight. I'm looking
at his page right now. Okay, he's a left handed
hitter in his last three years seven to seventy five
ops seven fifty seven eighty seven ops. So good hitter,

(12:24):
god good like probably above average. I'll say you're above
average in his underlying metrics from last year at least
look pretty dang good. Doesn't strike out at all, kind
of honestly looks if you were to. I'm a baseball
savant savant if you look at I look at a
lot of those pages ball. I just love base baseball

(12:46):
savant exactly, exactly exactly. But if I'm looking at that
page and I don't see Brendan Donovan on the left side,
it reminds me a lot of Josh Naylor in terms
of his a lot of the kind of same aspects.
Maybe Naylor's a lot more little more on the bat,
speed side, all that kind of stuff. Definitely more power, yeah, yeah, absolutely,
But a guy that hits two eighty to two ninety,

(13:08):
uh and you know, three fifty three on bas is
an amazing You're not walking a lot. That's the kind
of value where that kind of drops off a little bit.
But you're not striking out either, uh for twenty two slogging,
four seventeen slugging, four twenty two slugging. So he's consistent,
he's super consistent. He plays uh very five point fifteen
played appearances, six fifty two played appearances three seventy one

(13:30):
and twenty two eighty three.

Speaker 2 (13:30):
I think get a little bit of an injury there.

Speaker 4 (13:32):
But what the thing that struck me most about what
you said there is a what you're giving up because
I like good player, but I'm not giving up any
of my top guys for that. But the second thing
is without a defined position, we have kind of one
of those guys. We don't have him now, but you
just went through that with Jorge Polonco. If this is
just a hohgee Polonco replacement, I I still would rather

(13:54):
have Orge. I think he gives you more upside in
terms of the power side of things.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
For sure. Absolutely Not only do I get the better player, yes,
the better hitter, but I also get somebody that I
don't have to give anything up for except money.

Speaker 4 (14:09):
And he's been here that I think we've seen that
with guys that have moved over here. Josh Naylor is
more the exception than the rule when it comes to
moving to Seattle and acclimating themselves to the ballpark, just
to a new area and everything. And we saw with
Jorge Planco's first year it's it's it's hard to do that.

(14:30):
Sometimes it's hard, especially with a guy that's been in
one place for his entire career. Now he's been here.
You could tell that second year he felt so much
more comfortable both physically and mentally. I feel like, and
it's a guy like we look at the eu Heno
Suarez trade from last year and you look at his
stats and it's like, you know, he didn't really help

(14:50):
us that much in that last couple of months a
year at a couple big moments for sure on the field,
but where he where you could tell the difference in
feeling inside that clubhouse with the guys when they did
when they did trade for Suarez, it was like, oh, Okay,
now we're in go time.

Speaker 2 (15:08):
Let's go.

Speaker 4 (15:08):
And that's the kind of like camaraderie that I want
to keep with this team. Yeah, and it's weird because
the last couple of years, I haven't wanted to say
run it back, but I almost want to say run
it back now because of what we're saying exactly, and
like that's how we were close. And I feel like
they they feel like they're just almost there's like couple
slight pieces away. You don't need to rechange the roster

(15:31):
like they did after twenty twenty three. I think this
is like a very close product and trading like trading,
but swapping out Jorge Polanco for someone like Brendan Donovan,
I feel like would put you in a step back.

Speaker 3 (15:43):
Well, there is a limit, and this is the other
part of the question that you asked me. Yeah, there
is a point where I get to it's like no, yeah,
that's too much. Yes, And to me, it's not necessarily
the salary. It's more of the years. Okay, you know,
you've had a really bad injury. History's two and you're

(16:03):
thirty two years old, and even with us, you had
one good year and you had one bad year, right,
you know, no getting around it, And so yeah, I'm
gonna I'm going to reward you because you're coming off
the good year and all the things that you talked
about that factors in, the intangibles factor in as long
as well as the statistics as well. But to me,

(16:27):
that's worth two years to a thirty two year old,
and I'm not going beyond two years for you. So
if you're getting a three year, fifteen million dollars per
year offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates, enjoy PI. Yeah, enjoy
the Steel City. Or you're you know, you're getting three
years forty two from the Milwaukee Brewers, really good organization,

(16:49):
Good luck to you. I'm not doing that, So I'd
go up to I'd go up to fourteen to fifty
million dollars per year, but I'm not going beyond two
years for Jore Polonko. So that if that brings this
back to the Brendan Donovan conversation, yeah, I'd consider that
as an alternative because remember I want Cole Young to
play second base, and I don't mind that Ben Williamson

(17:10):
place third, So I can introduce Brendan Donovan into that mix.
And the best way I can describe it is if
Brandon Donovan is walking down West Texas Highway and he's
got his bag over his shoulder and his baseball bat
sticking out of it. And you know, he's in his
baseball uniform with a t with tennis shoes on, and
he's walking down the road and I'm a Mariners and

(17:31):
I'm bringing up the team bus. Mike, is that brendanvan Donovan?

Speaker 2 (17:35):
Pick him up?

Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah, that's a great way to do. Yeah, let's get him. Yeah.
But if the bus driver said no, no, no, no, no no.

Speaker 2 (17:42):
You have to put one of your guys off.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
One of the guys has to go off the bus
in order to bring him on. Okay, now we have
to have a conversation. So if it's like, all right,
dom Canzone, I'd kick Dom Canzone off the bus to
bring Brandon Donovan onto the bus. I'm not kicking Las
Montes off the bus. I'm not kicking Gerenzelo Saint Jay
off the bus. I realize Harry Ford is somebody that

(18:06):
we could and probably should trade this offseason. I'm not
even training Harrity Ford for Brendan Donovan. To me, that's
not equal value. So yeah, I'd like to have him
on the team. And if we end up with him
on the team, I think he can contribute. I think
he can be an asset. But there is a limit
to how much I'm gonna give him as give for him,
and it's not a lot. It's just not a lot.

(18:27):
And I don't know why Cardinal fans seem to think
that he's the sun sets with him. I think it's
because they love beer belly guys with mullets. So true, Yeah, right,
beer belly guys with mullets. That seems to be everything
the Cardinals have put together as a play guy. But
that's where I'm at with Brendan Donovan.

Speaker 4 (18:47):
Yeah, I think that's a that's a definite fair and
I feel like that's where the Mariners stand to be honest,
I don't feel like they, especially with you know, how
tightly they've kept there at least their top guys, their
top prospects of the last couple of years, when they've
had chances to move some of them when they they
haven't taken that opportunity. I don't see them changing that

(19:08):
outlook for Brendan Donovan, is what I'm saying. So if
it ends up where Polanco ends up getting a deal
more than you know you feel like he's worth, would
you feel comfortable with the Cole Young Ben Williamson, whoever
at DH infield, or is that when you turn to
Aohenio Suarez.

Speaker 3 (19:27):
I would turn to it. There's a point where I
turned to aohen.

Speaker 4 (19:31):
Would you do Aohenyo before Brendan Donovan? Again, it just
depends on what it is sure.

Speaker 3 (19:37):
I mean. Would I take Brendan Donovan at two years
control five point seventy five million dollars a year this
year over two years thirty for Geno? Yes, okay, yes,
I would do that. I'll take the younger player, the
cheaper player.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
But even if you had to give up Sanger, No, okay.

Speaker 3 (19:54):
I'm not giving up Sanger for Donovan period.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (19:57):
So I'll go ahead and take Geno in that situation
and have myself a third baseman who can also DH
for me as well, and maybe even backup Josh at
first base. I can do that. I can live going
into this next season having re signed Naylor, having resigned Polonko,

(20:19):
and Ben Williamson's our third baseman and Cole Young's our
second baseman, and then I keep my starting rotation intact
because during the course of the year, if one of
those two falters, I have options certainly at second base,
and if I've got to fill the hole at third
I think that I have faith, complete faith. I don't

(20:41):
have a complete faith in this organization and everything, but
I have complete faith in them now about how they
want to be at the trading deadline, and I think
they've learned the errors of their ways from the past.
We've had three out of four seasons with a very
aggressive trading deadline. So if Ben Williamson ends up being
a hole in late June, We're going to get a
new third basement. I'm certain of it. And we have

(21:03):
a boltload of prospects to move to get the third
basement of our of our whims and.

Speaker 4 (21:09):
Desires, And there's even the thought that maybe Colt Emerson
comes up in place there, or maybe Cold Emerson.

Speaker 3 (21:14):
He's going to factor in at some point this year.
That's straight from the boss's mouth. Yes, Jerry Depoto to
our ears telling us, No, he's going to be up
at some point this year, and it probably will be
as a third baseman, and then next year he's going
to be our starting shortstop, which has to factor into
all these conversations about how we carve this thing out. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (21:33):
I know I asked you this in our first episode,
but I feel like there's been a I've had this
discussion with a lot of people because of course going
into the Mariners offseason, it's it's it was you know
Naylor first, great got that done? A great deal by
the way, like that absolute great deal Polanco en swiz, Like,

(21:54):
how does that figure in? Who would you rather have?
Who do you think is going to get more on
the open market? And I know you said that you
thought Suarez would in our first episode. Do you still
feel that way?

Speaker 3 (22:05):
I think I do because forty nine Homers speaks so loudly,
but maybe not, yeah, you know, maybe not, maybe only one.
I've said this so many times. Yeah, I'm sick of
hearing myself saying it. Baseball has felt genos Warez was
at the end of his rope. Yeah five years, Yeah, okay,
so maybe he's not gonna get any more than one
year ten million. If it's one year ten million, then

(22:27):
you can get all three of them, sign me up. Yeah,
yeah that now you can bring all three of them back,
and I'll definitely take that package on over Brendan Donovan,
over Brendan Donovan or yeah. And if it bring those
three back, we don't even have to do anything. No,
you don't this offseason, so, but but I don't know.
I kind of feel like he deserves like two years thirty. Yeah,

(22:48):
I think so too, you know, And and that's probably
where Jorge is going to be. I would think two
years thirty, maybe thirty two thirty three. I'd take Polonko.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
Over him at the same price line, at.

Speaker 3 (22:59):
That price line, but there certainly a moment where I'm
back in and the Genos war is.

Speaker 4 (23:04):
Yeah, especially if, like you said, Polanco gets three million,
three years forty five or something like that from Pittsburgh.
You're like, all right, Gino, we now need another infielder
two years thirty three million, like where I'd like come back.

Speaker 2 (23:19):
We'd love to have you.

Speaker 3 (23:20):
Much rather do one year fifteen, yeah, frankly, yeah, but
I'd do two years thirty for Gino for sure.

Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, yea yeah, and you'd still do that over what
they're saying for the trade package for Brendan Donovan.

Speaker 3 (23:31):
I won't do Brendan Donovan at all.

Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (23:33):
I mean, there's a there is a player that I
would give up for him, but his name's probably Dom
Canzone or Ryan Bliss. Ye. It's not one of our
top ten prospects. It just isn't. And they're talking about
us having to package two of them together.

Speaker 2 (23:49):
Yeah, what.

Speaker 3 (23:53):
I'll love to have a saxophone player in an eighties band.
Oh I love it.

Speaker 2 (23:58):
I love Chuck's like, what response there?

Speaker 3 (24:00):
That's great?

Speaker 4 (24:01):
All right, Well let's look at kind of the rest
of the you know, you mentioned the holiday of the
winter meetings here that fills up everyone's mind during December.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
It's just it's on the top exactly.

Speaker 3 (24:16):
There's nothing about Christmas this year that's important too.

Speaker 4 (24:19):
It is very important. So like for those of you
who are just winter meetings, go from the second that
Thanksgiving ends, don't forget that there's Christmas there as well.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
What's our shopping list? Let's let's walk into a store.

Speaker 4 (24:34):
If you know, you have to get some eggs, you know,
you need to get some milk, you got some you
gotta get some bread, cereal, wherever you're going, vegetables. What's
our shopping list? As we're walking into this winter meeting store,
I go give me.

Speaker 3 (24:47):
This shopping list, and and and the first thing is
does it just catch your eye?

Speaker 2 (24:51):
Okay?

Speaker 3 (24:51):
And then you have to figure out, okay, what's a cost.
That's how we do it. Right, it is to catch
your eye and then you're like, oh, that's not and
then you get a closer a little, and then you
flip over the price tag probably pretty oh that's not
so bad on sale, ye know, that sort of thing,
And then what do you want to walk out with?
Because that's really what the Winter Meetings are supposed to

(25:12):
be about. Yes, we're gonna have some free agent signings,
I'm sure next week. But you know, a few years ago,
before it became a kind of a dud of an event,
you always had numerous monster trades. That's what the Winter
meetings were for. It's a swap meet. All the general
managers are in the same hotel. They're dining together, they're
having you know, scotches together, smoking cigars together, and trades

(25:34):
come up. Whenever they can get in a quiet room alone,
trades come up. And that's what the Winter Meetings are
supposed to be about. We've thrown all of you brainiacs
into a hotel together, make some damn trades. Free agents
you can sign at anytime, right, yeah, And so so
that's that's what I want to kind of seek out
with this. These are all guys that we would trade

(25:54):
for These are not free agents. These are guys that
we maybe could trade.

Speaker 4 (25:58):
And let's be honest, I think that's deep realm the
Mariners are operating in in terms of how they're going
to add players. It's not going to be free agency.
It's Polanco and swaz and maybe like a couple small
things here and there, but there. If you're going to
add more to your team, it's going to come via trade.

Speaker 3 (26:14):
All right, Let's start with Byron Buxton. He has been
made available. He is admitted he will waive his no
trade clause, but only for a select few teams. I
know that Seattle might not initially be on that list,
but everybody in baseball knows what's going on here. They
know something specials brewing. There's no question about it. And

(26:34):
Byron Buxton, at age thirty one, coming off a thirty
five homer season, a really good year, his healthiest year
he has had in his entire career. One thirty six
ops plus, even went back out into the center field
realm and has defensive metrics and some categories that ranked
him as the number one defensive center fielder in the game.

(26:56):
Three years forty five million dollars left on his deal,
which is cake. That's easy, and yet you do have
to factor in. This is somebody that has struggled almost
every year. Even this year he struggled with stand in
the lineup because of injuries. So does he catch your eye?
Let's start there. You've walked into the store. Does Byron
Bucks didn't catch your eye?

Speaker 4 (27:16):
The one one real, the only thing that makes me hesitate.
I love Byron Buckston, one of my favorite players to
watch me. Oh my god.

Speaker 1 (27:26):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (27:26):
If he's willing to move off center field, he is, okay?
Then yes, I am absolutely like all over that. I
think they're mariners. They I don't see them, you know,
going for more outfield help. But if there's something available
like this where it like the contract is cake, like
you said.

Speaker 2 (27:47):
That's an easy, easy yes for me.

Speaker 4 (27:49):
It's a guy that has high upside both offensively and defensively. Yes,
he'll strike out a lot, but he'll he'll give you
the the juice with it as well.

Speaker 2 (28:00):
Well. I am all over this. So what does it cost?

Speaker 3 (28:03):
Yeah, well that's just it. Okay, So catches all right?
We now have the information. I think he would I
think he would play in right field for you. I
mean he's known as a great team guy. There's no
question about it. You know. I think there's an argument
to be made that he's the better center fielder than Julio,
and you could put him in center, and Julio's future
probably is going to be right field. That's six foot

(28:24):
four and you know, full of muscle, probably is But
it doesn't have to be right now, that's for sure.
And I don't know if I would mess with that either.
I would put Bust into one of the corners. And
so I love him. He's one of my favorite players
to watch. There might not be anybody in the sport
with better bat speed than Byron Buxton. And if last
year was any indication, there's a lot left in the

(28:46):
tank on this guy. But and here's the rub been reading.
It's going to take a package of players, and this
is where you would have to give up two of
your top prospects. I'm betting for three years of control
over one of the most talented players in the entire world,
and yet the injury history is something that will drive

(29:09):
the price down a little bit. So that's gonna be
the price now we are talking about that, Donovan, Now
do you trade a Montes and a Saint for Byron Buxton.

Speaker 4 (29:22):
I'd probably say no if you add Montese into that,
because I honestly, even with Colt Emerson, he's probably the
guy I'm most excited for in terms of the Mariners prospects,
just because I am enamored with a guy that's just
has that high of a ceiling with the bat. It's
been a long time since we've had that. No, No,

(29:44):
you don't. But if I can finangle something like, hey,
maybe I throw in Victor Robless injury history guy versus
injury history guy. Victor Robles is much younger, and then
I can throw in like a Sainte and maybe a
top twenty prospect or something like that. That gets me like,

(30:04):
really thinking about it. That way, you're getting something back
to put into your outfield.

Speaker 3 (30:09):
I don't think they would do that. There's nothing more
obvious in the sport right now than the Twins are rebuilding. Okay,
So I don't think they're interested in somebody with a
one year contract. I don't think they're really that interested
in competing next year. I think what they're interested in
is give me a couple of prospects. Now, I do
hear what you're saying and this is my approach to

(30:30):
Jerry just In general this offseason, and Justin, you've got
if you've got the opportunity to add a bat like this,
you do it. And I'm not worried about kan zone.
As a matter of fact, I would love to have
be without the canzone issue if I just had a
guy that I got to plug in every single day
and I knew he was an eight to fifty ops site, Yes,

(30:52):
who play gold Glove defense and steal thirty bases for
me this year. So to me, that's the no brainer. Yeah.
But I'm even for Buxton, even for something that I
like that much, you know, not getting Montes, No, And
I don't even think you're going to get one of
my top one hunderd prospect pictures. What I would entertain though,
is I have got a slew of middle infielders. Yeah, okay,
so I can move one of those, not Emerson, shut up, no,

(31:15):
and I will move Harry Ford. I would move Harry
Ford for Buckston if I'm moving from the depth of
my prospects where guys seem blocked by others. Now, I
will give you two, sweetheart, yep, top one hundred prospects
and I'll take Buckston and I'll roll the dice on

(31:38):
him staying healthy and our ability to keep guys healthy,
which I think the Mariners do a hell of a
job of. Yeah, and they're not flying into nets.

Speaker 2 (31:45):
I take that as well.

Speaker 4 (31:45):
I would hundred percent do that, even if it's like
a Johnny Frommelo Plus. Yeah, you know, fellon into cellistate
or something like that. You know, all right, you're walking
through the store.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
Oh my gosh, there's a Jaron Duran right over there.
Oh how about that Red Sox outfielder Jared Duran. He's
just staring your right in the eyes. Three thirty two
on base, four forty two slugs, seven seventy four ops,
twenty four steals, one of the fastest players in the league,
goal glove, defen capable outfielder had a four to seven

(32:16):
war in his age twenty nine year. Oh but there's
a warning label on there. He might not be right
in the head. No, so there's that issue as well.
And I don't mean to say that flippantly, but when
you're making these decisions, yeah, you need to know, like, yeah,
what am I getting? What's the entire package that I'm

(32:38):
getting with Jared Durant. So what do you think. I'm
you're right.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
How many years of control does he have left?

Speaker 3 (32:43):
He has three three and will make seven point seven
this year. Jeez, at least that's the projection.

Speaker 2 (32:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (32:52):
Uh, that three years changes my mind a little bit
because I would have been no. I thought it was
like one or two. I think Raindyer Roserain is a
better option for twenty twenty six. It's worth pointing out
the numbers. You said that that that's great. Uh, it's
he was two fifty six three thirty two on base

(33:12):
four forty two, slugging for a seven to seventy four ops.
That is down like fifty points from what he was
the previous two years.

Speaker 3 (33:18):
He had a phenomenal year, like an eight war season. Yes,
three seasons ago now.

Speaker 4 (33:24):
Seasons yeah, twenty twenty four and then twenty twenty three
very similar, Like he was a two eighty five to
two ninety five hitter, eight thirty to.

Speaker 3 (33:31):
Eight thirty oh ps. Like, oh, don't sleep on it.
He was very good. Even this year when all the
talk was Red Sox are trying to unload Jaron duran
It's like throughout all that he's still putting up numbers.

Speaker 4 (33:42):
Yeah, absolutely, So it's I'm definitely not a complete turn
off to this, but it would have to be like
not giving up much at all, and I know that
that's not gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (33:53):
Ye, I think you're right about that.

Speaker 4 (33:54):
So it's I'm gonna say probably steering clear of that
for me at this point.

Speaker 3 (34:00):
One hundred percent. Yeah, I mean there's a price point
where I'm going to go ahead and again roll the
dice on a little red flag in his profile. But
certainly if Duran Duran came cheap, like if I thought
I'm getting a steal a deal, I'll figure out where
to play him.

Speaker 2 (34:18):
Absolutely.

Speaker 3 (34:18):
I mean I'd like to have a leadoff hitter, like
a bonafide leadoff. I know you like Julio in the
one spot, but I'm tired. I'm tired of trying to
figure out who would be our number one hitter. I agree,
just have a leadoff hitter. He can play left field
for me, play gold Glove caliber probably by the end
of the year. But the stuff about his mental is legit,

(34:42):
and that's why they've been desperately trying to move on
from him. And so whoever takes that on is going
to take on the same sort of headaches that the
Red Sox have been dealing with. And it's sad. It's
sad that he has some of these issues, but they're
not made up by his own admission. He has talked

(35:02):
about taking his own life in the past, and so
serious issues that you would be taking on. And I
don't think that the door is closed on those serious issues.
As a matter of fact, I think they're ongoing. Yeah,
And it's I think you put it very well. It's
not something a joke about. We're obviously not, but it
is a factor that you have to consider when you're

(35:24):
making these types of moves. And just a couple other
points in terms of his on field stuff, well, well
even off field stuff like the Red Sox are competing
right now. They just traded for Sonny Gray, a guy
that's twenty nine that you just said has had three
really like very good years on the field, with three

(35:45):
more years of club control.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
Why would you be moving him?

Speaker 3 (35:49):
Why?

Speaker 4 (35:49):
And this is exactly why. Yeah, So that itself is
a big enough of a red flag for me. So
unless you're really getting, like you said, a steal of
a deal, I'm probably a no go on that one.

Speaker 3 (35:59):
All right, let's go back here in the corner. Look
what we got back here in the corner, past the
beanie babies and the oh, I don't know, don't look
toward the you know, the video games. Steer over here,
because there's a Stephen Kwan that is available from the
Guardians now. He just has two years remaining schedule to
make eight and a half Oh, I wasn't supposed to

(36:20):
tell you that. Oh, I can tell you this press. Yeah,
eight and a half million dollars for this upcoming year.
He's not coming off a very good season. I know
every single Mariner fan on Twitter seemed to say, good
Stephen corner. It's a failure. But he was not having
a good year for the Guardians last year. For somebody
with no power to have had just a three thirty

(36:42):
on base percentage, I need Stephen Kwan's on base percentage
to be four hundred if I'm going to give up
anything substantial for him. He's only a left fielder, which
is fine for us. We don't need a center fielder.
He's that leadoff hitter. He's the guy you can put
in the leadoff spot. But I don't know why he
couldn't get on base this past year, and that worries me.

(37:04):
And I'm not gonna move heaven and Earth to get this, dude.

Speaker 4 (37:07):
Yeah, he only had a two seventy two average, which
is weird. It's very weird, very weird for him because
you're normally he's three thirty yeah, three twenty. Yeah, he's
about three hundred like pretty regularly. So that's that was
a weird thing for me. Maybe there was a lot
of luck stuff involved. I was a little questioning when
you said that Jared Durand was gold glove caliber left field,

(37:29):
even if you did play really well, it's a lot
of it. He's left field with the Green Monster. It
takes a lot out of that. Stephen Kwan is a
legit gold clob well.

Speaker 3 (37:38):
Duran's a center fielder in Boston, right, he would be
a leftier for us. Okay, Kwan is a straight up left.

Speaker 4 (37:45):
Fielder, yes, yes, yes, yes, and he's won multiple gold
Gloves at left field. Stephen Kuan has and he's still
twenty eight, three years left, two years left.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
I'm probably probably a similar spot with Jared Duran on this,
but probably a little more interested because you know me,
I'm a I'm a three outcomes guy.

Speaker 2 (38:08):
I don't. I don't. You know, I'm not as enamored
with the he puts the ball in play as a
lot of other people are.

Speaker 4 (38:14):
But I think if it's an elite skill, not just
a guy hey he doesn't strike out, but an elite
contact skill like the Stephen Kwan's the right exactly, there
is still a place in the game for those types
of players.

Speaker 2 (38:28):
And I so I do think, yes, especially you do
need that leadoff hitter.

Speaker 4 (38:34):
He's excellent in that, and you're getting a really, really
good defensive left fielder, which again I think you could
definitely upgrade defensively in leftfield you were this year.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
So I'm yeah, I'm I'm intrigued. I'll put it that way.

Speaker 3 (38:47):
I think it gives texture to the lineup. Yes, I
think that he gives you an element that you don't
currently have. Correct on this and and I like that,
and so I like to put him at lead off.
But I am certainly using against the guardians in negotiation. Yeah,
seven four pis why did he hit two seventy two
this year? What's going on with that? I mean, what
are you getting? What are you trying to sell me?

(39:07):
You're trying to get one over on me. I'm playing
that game with him and trying to drive the price
down as low as I can if I get it
to the point where I like, I would really like
to have Stephen kuanbi Our starting left fielder and lead
all for us next year. I don't know, do we
got time for a couple more more? All right, let's
do Alec Boom. Alec Bohm, third baseman of Philadelphia, just

(39:29):
one year left on his deal, but he had just
a one and a half war season this year. He
only had eleven home runs. This is a six foot
five inch third baseman that was one of the top
what three picks in the draft a few years ago
and was supposed to hit booms and he has not
done that or he didn't do it this year. I mean,

(39:51):
this guy was in the home runner. You can see
a couple of years ago. You saw how easy it
was for him to at home runs. That was why
did he have such a crappy year? Power wise and
arbitration one year ten million dollars. So you're not, well,
we'll get to the price tag in a moment. Are
you just interested in walking by an Alec Bohm?

Speaker 2 (40:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (40:09):
I think this is another one of those if you're
walking by and it's on absolute clearance, this thing must go.

Speaker 3 (40:16):
This one's got to be clear Yeah. Yeah. And I'm like, yeah,
all right, Kwan and Durant on a sale, Yeah, this
one's got to be clearance. Yeah, I'm with you.

Speaker 4 (40:22):
But I'm looking at his stats. He had a two
eighty seven average. It looks like he's changing kind of
the way he's approaching things because twenty twenty three twenty
home runs, twenty twenty four fifteen home runs, twenty twenty
five eleven home runs, but twenty twenty three two seventy
four average, twenty twenty four to eighty average, twenty twenty
five to eighty seven average, So you're going down in

(40:44):
the power front, but you're going up in the conto.
Maybe he's just that's he's putting the ball in play
more like we're talking about a lot not a great
defensive third baseman, probably on the same levels that Juno
Suarez right now in terms of what he's going to
get you defensively. So that's not going to upgrade any
any way in that front. But he doesn't strike out,
only a sixteen percent strikeout rate, and a fourteen percent

(41:06):
with rate, which is in the ninety third percent ofl
So he's not going to strike out a bunch. Like
I said, put the ball in play. I'd be perked
up if it was on clearance. But I'm not giving
up much for him. If he's on clearance, I'm interested.
And he's also a candidate mid season. Yes, what were
we're talking about earlier? Like one year left up?

Speaker 3 (41:23):
They're gonna like doing this now now that it worked, Hey,
they're gonna want to do this again, and you might
be able to get him, and like you're not running
any risk. I think there is a personality issue here
as well. I don't think he's like a bad apple
or anything like that, but he sort of pouted, I
think when the Phillies were trying to correct him. And

(41:45):
so I think he's a really great clubhouse dude.

Speaker 2 (41:48):
Yeah, a lot of people like him.

Speaker 3 (41:49):
Yeah, but he just did not have a great affect,
as Mike Holman likes to say this year. And I
think he did spend the whole season poudy pantsing because
he wasn't feeling respected by the organization. So if if
I got him on a rental for one year, i'd
where he's playing for a contract. Yeah, I can use

(42:12):
that that personality for me and then not sign him
long term. Well, but he has to come on a
clearance sale.

Speaker 1 (42:20):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (42:20):
And there's even the possibility that if he gets out
of Philly and I know, like you know, there's a
lot of stuff when it plays for Philly sports teams,
Like there's a lot of fan stuff, pressure, all that
kind of stuff, maybe he finds it again. Maybe he
finds his third overall pick for him when he comes
here and he's twenty nine, that maybe that's something where again,
either you trade for him in the offseason or even

(42:40):
at the deadline and he comes and just kind of
lights it up a little bit.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Eight hundred plus ops guy.

Speaker 3 (42:46):
This thirty thirty five homer potential. He's eleven last year, Yeah,
thirty thirty five homer potential.

Speaker 4 (42:51):
Yeah, then you then you have a chance to sign
him long term on a steal because he wants to
be here. I don't know, I see something like that
happening with a guy that's a talented as he is.

Speaker 3 (43:01):
Yeah, I'm interested, Yeah, but it has to be, Uh,
it has to be for what I want to give.
All Right, one more and then we're done, right and
this is specifically for you. So I'm glad.

Speaker 2 (43:11):
Oh, I know where you're going.

Speaker 3 (43:13):
I don't think you do, okay.

Speaker 2 (43:15):
C j Abrams, Oh, I thought you're going to tell
Marte al right.

Speaker 3 (43:19):
Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams another attitude issue. They were
not happy with him this year. Apparently he is on
the trading block. This is a guy who's only twenty
five years old, and you have three years of control
over him. Two years ago a phenomenal year. This year,
for whatever reason, he slid back. Nineteen home runs though

(43:39):
thirty one steals, two fifty seven batting average. Of course,
you already have a shortstop at home, don't you.

Speaker 4 (43:47):
Yeah, yeah you do. Oh man, this is this is
a tough one because I believe in the talent of C.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
J Abrams.

Speaker 4 (43:55):
I do too, but his Yeah, he's not a great
offensive player. If you look at what he's I mean,
two fifty seven average, three fifteen on base is not great.
Four thirty three sluggings, seven forty eight. Ohps, if you're
doing that, and how many holm runs the it the
year before twenty twenty so or yeah, nineteen last year
twenty the year before eighteen year before. So he's a

(44:15):
twenty home run guy.

Speaker 3 (44:16):
I'm going to bring a name back up that you've
already mentioned. Okay, that dude is Katel Marte. You think so, Yeah,
move him to second base and he's much better. No,
I'm just saying he's a skinny yeah, son of a gun.
He's six foot tall, one hundred and nothing. Yeah, just
like Katel was when he was here.

Speaker 4 (44:35):
But Katell beefed up when he went to his own exactly,
and then he hit twenty five, thirty six, twenty eight
home runs.

Speaker 3 (44:42):
That's what I'm saying. The bat whip on this guy,
the bat speed on I mean, kateel Marte even when
he was here, he would unload on one every once
in a while and I'd be up and like anybody
else not appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (44:54):
Yeah, it was unbelievable, serious skyways like seventy five pounds
and he just went like upper zack and the right
upper portion of the bleachers right center field.

Speaker 3 (45:04):
I mean, I ball just smoke that. That's okay. The
kind of like whip and pop that he has, he's
gonna be that kind of hitter eventually now of knucklehead. Yeah,
So that's what you'd be trading for, and you do
already have a short stuff, so you would be announcing
to JP Crawford. Sorry, Bud, I know what we promised you,
but we've got a chance to upgrade this and there's

(45:26):
no room for you. And nobody's gonna trade for JP Crawford.

Speaker 4 (45:29):
And here, if I was getting, if he had all
of that, everything was the same, but he was an
elite defensive shortstop, I would be all in on that.

Speaker 2 (45:38):
I was not that and he's not.

Speaker 4 (45:39):
And that's the one thing where I'm like, it's just
not worth it. At that point, I realized you come
and would probably be a better player than JP Crawford
this year, and then you'd have it.

Speaker 3 (45:48):
Would be a better defender than JP, like right off
the bat, and then gets to work with Perry Hill
with his level of athleticism.

Speaker 4 (45:54):
But how much of letting go of JP is gonna
ruin that club? I don't think it would ruin it. Okay,
I still don't think they're going to do it.

Speaker 3 (46:04):
Yeah, I think they're committed to the plan of playing
this out with JP, a loyalty thing which we should
appreciate and respect.

Speaker 2 (46:11):
I agree.

Speaker 3 (46:12):
And then the idea would be Emerson up at some
point playing third, and then next year you give JP
as gold watch, thanks for your thanks for the memories,
and see it through to the end, and then we've
got a new shortstop next.

Speaker 4 (46:24):
And the one other thing about C. J. Abrams where
he would be massive upgrade. Last three years, forty seven,
thirty one thirty one stolen bases. That's your leadoff hitter.

Speaker 3 (46:35):
Oh, this guy like athletics fly, this guy's this guy
is got is very toolsy.

Speaker 2 (46:41):
Yes, toolsy. I like that word.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
And so I think it's certainly something that Jerry and
Justin should make a phone call. Yeah, I would too
if he's available and you got him under control for
three more years.

Speaker 4 (46:55):
Plus he's played second base too, So if you're in
desperation mode to find a second baseman, I know you
have cool young and stuff, but you know you don't
necessarily have to get rid of JP to bring this
guy in.

Speaker 3 (47:08):
So that's sure.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
I definitely would be, you know, asking about that. Hey,
you know you're looking to get rid of this guy.

Speaker 3 (47:15):
Hey, if you don't like him, maybe because you have prospects.
And that's the thing about this off season when you
have this depth prospect depth. I mean, you have to
be this off season, no matter what you're thinking about
payroll wise, no matter who you want to run back with,
when you have accumulated the prospect depth that they have
and they have so many shortstops that are blocked by

(47:36):
other shortstops slash second basement, and you've got a catcher
that right now has probably got his highest trade value
he's ever going to have, and he has nowhere to play.
I mean, this is the off season to see, Hey,
is there a is there a player out there with
two three years left on their contract that we can

(47:58):
float a Ford in an arroyo and get something potentially spectacular. Yeah,
for the next three years. C J. Abrams has his issues,
but the potential there is spectacular. Yes, and he's an
upgrade over JP for sure.

Speaker 4 (48:14):
Yes, the moment that he arrives in Porreba absolutely absolutely
so Yeah, I'm with you on that. I think this
is where for people who want can see the vision
of Harry Ford where he's going to back up cal
Rawley and then maybe cal Rawley in the next couple
of years transitions to a more DH heavy guy and
then a forger catcher.

Speaker 2 (48:34):
That's great but.

Speaker 3 (48:36):
Yeah, that's great, that's a wonderful theory.

Speaker 4 (48:38):
But you're basically you have this, as you said, a
guy in your system that is never going to have
as high of a trade value as he has right now.
It's very easy to get more back from what he's
going to give you in twenty twenty six, which is
a backup catcher. So there you have to be exploring that,

(48:58):
and I think that's a good way to put into
that perspective.

Speaker 3 (49:00):
Yeah, all right, So there you go, and we've done
some shop. Yeah, we're ready for the swap meet and
you know, I'll tell you what I mean. I'm I'm
looking forward to a very interesting week next week in
the Winter meetings because it's already to me been a
fascinating off season.

Speaker 4 (49:14):
Yeah, there's spent a lot of other moves, Like I know,
we didn't really have time to go through them today,
but the Sunny Gray trade to Boston was juicy. Maybe
we can check these out on our next week's episode.
Marcus Simeon trade out of Texas kind of intrigues me
a little bit too, goes to the National League and
then the Dylan ceased to Toronto.

Speaker 3 (49:35):
I don't know, I'm happy for that. I mean, I
think Dylan Seas is an incredible talent, but I also
know people that know him personally, and he's kind of
got a ten cent head. Toronto wants to spend thirty
million dollars on that. I'm actually all right, because I'd
rather you, if we're thinking about we got to possibly
get through Toronto and the playoffs next year, I'd rather

(49:55):
them have Dylan ceased than Kyle Tucker.

Speaker 2 (49:57):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 3 (50:00):
Hey, yeah, So I didn't mind that at all, But
it's just overall, I mean, from Josh Naylor re signing
so early, and we've already had a big thirty million
dollar a year's two hundred million dollar deal for a
free agent. This year we've had we've had a sunny
grade of Boston. You know, veteran for prospects, kind.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
Of used to play for New York. Now he's trash
talk of the Yankees. Did you see that?

Speaker 4 (50:27):
It didn't Oh yeah, first press conference is like, yeah,
it feels good to play for a team where you know,
you get to hate the Yankees. And he played for
them for two years.

Speaker 3 (50:34):
So and speaking of which, we've already had a Mets
stealing the Yankees closer and have also said, hey, this
doesn't mean that we don't want Edwin Diaz. So that's
an interesting move. We've had Ward for Grayson Rodriguez, Angels
for the Orioles. That's a fascinating move, one that I
wish Baltimore wouldn't. We might be regretting that here as

(50:57):
members of the American League West Seeger, give me Seeger
Simeon for Nemo Man. That's just an old school.

Speaker 2 (51:04):
Trade, right That's a one for one old school trade.

Speaker 3 (51:07):
That is a beauty right there. I didn't even know
we did that stuff anymore. I like to had to
consult my rule book. Yeah, I mean, like we started
the episode with, I realized the offseason moves slowly and
for right now we can't do anything about it. But
in terms of what we've gotten so far before we
even got to the winter meetings, that's a variety of

(51:29):
really fascinating moves right there. We've basically gotten one of
every kind. Yeah, we grabbed one from every bowl. The
re signed with his team, Yeah, the big free agent
that went somewhere else, the old school trade, the new
school trade. I mean rivalries starting between stealing team players
from teams that you hate. I mean, this has been

(51:49):
an awesome offseason so far, even though it does move slowly.

Speaker 4 (51:53):
And I know that the last couple of years have
had like two of the biggest dominoes of all time
in terms of offseason with US Juan Soto last year
and then Showani the year before, So it's like it
feels like this year there isn't that big of a
domino yet. I know Kyle Tucker is a really good player,
Kyle Schwarber, same thing, Pee Alonso, but it's not the
same level. So it's I think teams are more like,
all right, let's kind of get things doing. We don't

(52:14):
have to wait for that big thing to happen before
we start moving. So I think that's one of the
reasons why we started to see these kind of flutter
of moves early on.

Speaker 3 (52:21):
Let's keep it going. Let's keep it going, all right, Well,
enjoy the winter meetings out there. We'll do another episode
hopefully have a lot more things to discuss. I'm sure
we will. We appreciate you listening. We'll do it again
next week. This has been Stove, Anders Hearst, Chuck Palell,
thanks for listening. We'll talk to you next week,