Effectively Wild Episode 2424: The Perfect Fits for Free Agents

Summary

Effectively Wild Episode 2424: The Perfect Fits for Free Agents
FanGraphs Baseball Podcast | Hosts: Ben Lindbergh & Meg Rowley | Date: January 9, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley dive deep into baseball’s shifting educational and professional landscape before launching into their main event: an engaging thought experiment naming the “perfect free agent fits” for six of the top players still on the market. Along the way, they touch on player-coach comebacks, timely trades, team philosophies, and what makes a move “fun” or “logical”—all in the trademark conversational, nerdy, and dryly witty Effectively Wild style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Academicization & Mainstreaming of Sabermetrics (00:46–14:28)

• Rice University’s Sports Analytics Job Posting triggers a nostalgic and philosophical discussion on how sabermetrics, once a nerdy subculture, is now an academic discipline.
  • Ben reflects on how "arcane" and outsider the field once felt, debating whether early formalization would have attracted or repelled him.

    “In a way, I almost feel like part of why I got into this stuff was that it was still sort of for outsiders a little bit.” [02:38, Ben]

  • Meg weighs if hyper-specific majors are wise, encouraging broader educational pursuits for versatility.

    “Mostly just like learning how to think and problem solve, because I think that's generally what college is the best at.” [05:05, Meg]

  • Discussion about how easy it is now to self-educate ("MOOC" nostalgia!) and the value of diverse reading in building analytical depth.
• Advice for young fans: Take classes that spark genuine interest and diversify academic exposure for stronger critical thinking skills.

2. Foreign Language Regrets & Baseball Careers (17:05–19:28)

• Spanish vs. French: Both hosts vent about their language study regrets, linking language skills directly to usefulness in baseball careers.
  • Meg: “If I could go back...I would have taken Spanish. That’s the one that I have the most active regret over.” [17:12]
  • Ben humbly admits to letting his near-fluency in Spanish slip away.

3. Players Unretiring as Coaches: A Rarity (19:28–26:08)

• Listener segment: Examples like Manny Mota and Jamie Quirk, who resumed playing after coaching, mostly in the 1980s.
  • Ben: “That’s premature. That’s like half of [Quirk's] career was after he unretired as a coach.” [23:22]
  • The 1980s as a wild time for such comebacks, with current examples being very rare.

4. Stranger Things Finale & The “Cycle of Discontent” (25:17–27:25)

• The hosts riff on TV fandom’s cycle of outrage and entitlement, paralleling it to sports discourse.
  • Ben: “I resent having to be this aware of people who are dissatisfied with things.” [26:38]
  • Philosophical conclusion: “It’s okay to let things end, even if they're not perfect in your mind.” [27:20, Ben]

5. Cubs-Marlins Edward Cabrera Trade Analysis (27:30–41:11)

• The Cubs acquire Edward Cabrera (starter) for prospects—both hosts detail strategic, on-field, and upside realities.
  • Meg: Praises "upside play" for the Cubs, noting their rotation is “a land of contrasts” with both potential and obvious risks. [29:50–32:22]
  • Ben: Points out Marlins’ sad pattern of always trading talent before it becomes expensive:

    “It’s just like you're stuck on a treadmill...you get guys, they get good, you trade them, you get some young, cheaper guy. But then you don't surround the young, cheap guys with any talent.” [37:49]

  • Both agree Marlins have pitching depth but wish for a long-term competitive strategy.

6. Free Agent Fits Thought Experiment – Main Event (44:13–94:41)

• Premise: With six of FanGraphs’ top ten free agents unsigned, the hosts play Baseball Gods, designating three teams per player:

  1. Where they’d help the most (maximize on-field value, playoff impact)
  2. Where the hosts personally want them to go (for fun, narrative, or entertainment)
  3. Where they actually predict the player will sign

• Players Discussed: Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Framber Valdez, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette, Ranger Suarez

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Free Agent Fit Highlights & Notable Quotes

1. Kyle Tucker

• Help the Most: Giants (Ben), Phillies (Meg), Royals (fun), Giants (double for Ben)
• Want to Sign: Giants and Royals root for excitement, balance, and sending stars to less glamorous markets

  "If you...just go get this guy, you'd be way better." [54:07, Ben]

• Will Sign: Blue Jays (Meg, with a side-eye at payroll narratives); Dodgers (Ben, sees them “lying in the grass”).

2. Alex Bregman

• All Categories (Ben): Red Sox.
• Meg: Red Sox or Diamondbacks, with a lingering side-eye at Bregman for 2017 antics.

  "I'm largely over any sort of lingering sign-stealing, whatever. I think Bregman is the one exception for me." [66:05, Meg]

3. Framber Valdez

• Help Most: Cleveland Guardians (Ben—dream fit); Cubs or Orioles (Meg and Ben); Giants as practical landing spot.

  “He’d look mighty nice at the top of that rotation compared to what they have.” [68:17, Ben]

• Want: Guardians (Ben), Cubs (Meg)
• Will: Giants (Ben), “not sure” (Meg)

4. Cody Bellinger

• Help Most: Yankees and/or Diamondbacks
• Want: Either NY team (easy logistics), D-backs for “coming home” narrative
• Will: Both think Yankees

5. Bo Bichette

• Help Most: Giants
• Want: Stays with Blue Jays—Ben sentimental about in-organization duos.

  “All else being equal, I often like a homegrown guy to stay.” [79:58, Ben]

• Will: Blue Jays (both), with side musings on roster balancing and hair

6. Ranger Suarez

• Help Most: Giants, Padres, Cubs, Orioles
• Want: Orioles (Ben), Brewers (Meg, whimsically)
• Will: Could return to Phillies, but Cubs/Orioles possible if they act
  • Meg: “He actually is like a pretty good fit for...the Cubs or Orioles if they have a moment where they feel like they have to face God and sign a starter.” [90:15]

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Other Notable Moments

• French Swear Words & Admissibility for Kids (40:46–41:13)
• Pirates & Reds Left Out: Hosts apologize for not slotting any big free agents to Cinderella teams like the Pirates/Guardians/Reds but bemoan the competitive realities.
• Tangents on Player Hair Care (and Eyebrows): A hallmark EW digression—crediting hair as a marketing tool and team “fit.”

  “You're signing a free agent, you’re having to think about how you market this guy...some of them are like Ayohenio, how do you do it with your hair?” [93:03, Meg]

• Musings on the Changing Patterns of Free Agency Meetings ("video meetings" vs. in-person, [83:15])
  • “I’ve heard about a bunch of video meetings this offseason...usually with free agents, it’s like the full court press.” [83:44, Ben]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:46–14:28: Academicization of Sabermetrics and educational advice for aspiring analysts
• 17:05–19:28: Language regrets and value in baseball
• 19:28–26:08: Coaches unretiring as players—Manny Mota, Jamie Quirk, Chris Chambliss
• 27:30–41:11: Cubs-Marlins Cabrera trade breakdown and Marlins’ perennial problems
• 44:13–94:41: Main free agent fits segment with deep dives and tangents per player

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Memorable Quotes

• Ben: “It’s just kind of wild...I don’t feel that old or like I’ve been out of school forever, but this is just commonplace now and it just, it would have blown my mind back then.” [16:00]
• Meg (on specific majors): “I worry about hyper-specific majors just because—who knows what the field of sports analytics is going to look like 10 years from now?” [09:14]
• On Bellinger to NY:
  Meg: “He should just be a Yankee.” [71:43] Ben: “I would take New York over the field when it comes to potential destinations for Bellinger.” [72:02]

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Conclusion

Ben and Meg’s free-agent fit thought experiment is the perfect blend of practical analysis and wishcasting, with just enough whimsy and deep baseball nerdery for diehard fans. Whether discussing the merits of Spanish class, pitching fits, or the importance of player hair, the hosts offer insight, laughs, and plenty for baseball fans to chew on—no matter if you’re reading from the stands or the statcast data.

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For further reading and official episode links, check the podcast post at FanGraphs or join the Effectively Wild Patreon and Discord for deeper community discussion.

Transcript

[A]

We're gonna crunch those stats. We're gonna talk about baseball, sticky stuff and torpedo bats. We'll talk about it all. If you want good takes on baseball and life, just tune in to Ben and his lovely co host, Ben and Meg. It's Effectively Wild.

[B]

Hello and welcome to episod 2424 of Effectively Wild, a Fan Graph Spaceball podcast brought to you by our Patreon supporters. I'm Meg Rowley of Fan Graphs and I am joined by Ben Limberger of the Ringer. Ben, how are you?

[A]

Quite well, and you?

[B]

I'm okay.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

I was thinking because of a post published on Your very site, FanGraphs. Not fam graphs, but fan graphs.

[C]

This was published this week and it was a job posting. And usually I skim over the job postings. They're usually for a team job or some data provider that works with teams. This one though was for a professor.

[A]

In the practice of sports analytics at Rice University.

[C]

Yes, and it says the Department of.

[A]

Sports Management at Rice University in Houston, Texas seeks applicants for a full time nine month professor in the practice position. To further expand the department's sports analytics.

[C]

Major, this non tenure track position has.

[A]

A start date of July 1, 2026. The primary focus of this position will be the field of sports analytics, both.

[C]

The performance side and the business side. It goes on to some stuff about the prerequisites or what they're looking for.

[A]

And then it talks a little bit about the program. And I was just thinking that this would have seemed so wild to me when we were in school.

[C]

Yeah, I did not attend Rice, but.

[A]

When we were attending college, this sort of thing was not really available, at least if it was, it was very rare.

[C]

I know that Andy Andres at Tufts started his Sabermetrics 101 course in 2004.

[A]

So I guess if I had gone to Tufts, as one of my best.

[C]

Friends did, then perhaps I would've taken the Cybermetrics 101 course. But there was nothing like this where I went to school and probably where you went to school and sports management or Sport management or sport analytics specifically, there's just not a lot like that out there. And I wonder how it would have.

[A]

Changed my trajectory if it had been.

[C]

Whether I would have taken a course like that or. Or whether it would have seemed so mainstream. In a way.

[A]

I almost feel like part of why I got into this stuff was that it was still sort of for outsiders a little bit.

[C]

You wanted to be edgy and cool maybe. Yeah. Or I don't know if that's why. But it was kind of a perk. Like I felt like I was, you know, in the. Know, in the minority.

[A]

And.

[C]

And there were sort of arcane secrets about baseball that I was learning and becoming aware of that most people weren't still. And so if I had just been able to take a class, maybe it would have just seemed so normalized that.

[A]

I wouldn't have been as intrigued by it.

[C]

I don't know. So I wonder about that. With kids coming up today and going.

[A]

To school, there's just such a wealth.

[C]

Of options to study this stuff in.

[A]

An academic setting, which just would have.

[C]

Seemed sort of inconceivable to me at the time. I remember taking a prob stats, you know, probability and statistics course mainly so that I could understand sabermetrics better and do sabermetrics better. But it wasn't as if the course related to baseball in any way.

[B]

Prob stats. You sound like such an insider. You know, I. I just got done with my prob stats class.

[A]

You know, I was not an insider.

[C]

When it came to prop stats. I don't think I did that well in that class. I'm pretty sure. I'm trying to remember.

[A]

I think that may have been a.

[C]

Class that I did not attend very often.

[A]

So, no, yeah, I had pretty good.

[C]

Attendance early in my undergraduate career, but then I got a lax later on, as people do, you know, and so.

[A]

I. I think I might have been.

[C]

Taking that even as a senior or something. And I'm pretty sure it was just a giant seminar, you know, in a gigantic lecture room. And I tried to structure my schedule to align with my weird day, night.

[A]

Schedule or lack thereof.

[C]

So if I could get late classes, I always did. And I think that may have been one that just unavoidably was like at the crack of dawn from my perspective or something. So pretty sure I sporadically attended that class and that when it came time to take a test or something, that may have taken a toll, but it was like, you know, at that point I was kind of over it, I guess, but I had pretty good attendance mostly. You know, I was a conscientious student for the most part.

[B]

Are you worried your mom's listening to the podcast right here?

[A]

No, I think this many years into.

[C]

Effectively wild, that possibility does not cross my mind that my mom might be.

[A]

Listening to this podcast.

[B]

I don't know how I feel about it as like a discrete academic discipline. I wonder. You know, I don't want to discourage anyone from applying for this position or pursuing it as a Major. I mostly think that, like, you should study things that are interesting to you in college and you want to try to strike some sort of balance between practical skill, but mostly just like learning how to think and problem solve, because I think that's generally what college is the best at. Inculcating in people, cultivating in people. But I wonder if you're not just better served to take classes in it, but major in something a bit broader like statistics or applied mathematics or something completely different. I'm the editor in chief of Fan Graphs and I was a political theorist. So what do you. And do I remember any of it, Ben? I mean, some of it, but not as much as I used to. I always had to go to class as a senior because I was. Was a social science major. And so I was in seminars with like three other people. So you kind of like had to be there, you know, because your absence would be noted. Yes or not.

[C]

I do remember one time I skipped a class for opening day just so I could watch baseball all day.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I did get called out on that by a teacher.

[A]

It's just I got singled out about how I had not been there. And I don't think I like.

[C]

It was not typical for me to miss. But for whatever reason, it did not escape the professor's notice that time.

[A]

So I. I felt like I was on the spot.

[C]

Maybe so. Maybe so. I forget who it was or what class it was or whether they connected it with opening day or not. But yeah.

[A]

So I don't know.

[C]

I think that it's good that the options out there, I guess I'm certainly encouraging of. Of younger people to get interested in the stuff that I'm also interested in. And if it's easier to study and.

[A]

Become expert in, then that's good.

[C]

I guess it's, you know, it's good for these things to be more accessible.

[B]

Sure.

[C]

Maybe it could be your gateway to something. I mean, maybe if you don't major in sports management or sport analytics, but maybe you take a class in it and then.

[A]

Yeah, because often I think that baseball can be helpful or sports just in general to get people interested in math.

[C]

Who might not be otherwise interested in math, but suddenly, hey, sports stats, this.

[A]

Can help me understand sports. And we can put it in terms of sports and therefore it's interesting to.

[C]

People who might not be interested in it in an abstract sense.

[B]

Right.

[C]

So yeah, maybe it could be the way that you find out that you.

[A]

Are kind of interested in this stuff.

[C]

And whether you continue down that track of working in sports or not, then maybe you can still apply those skills in some way. And realistically, I guess if I were in school now and my school was offering something like that, I probably would.

[A]

Take that class because sure, that's what I did in college. I definitely took classes that I was interested in.

[C]

Much more so than something that I thought could like pay off in a lucrative career down the line or something.

[A]

You know, I never had any illusions about, about that or about like, oh.

[C]

Yeah, I'm gonna make this, this degree work for me and I'm just gonna.

[B]

You know, English major.

[C]

I was, Yes, I was.

[A]

So that's, that's my credential when it comes to, you know, not maximizing my earning potential.

[B]

I'm not knocking it, to be clear. Yeah, I love English majors. I just was trying to map it. I couldn't quite remember.

[A]

Yeah, I was English major and history.

[C]

Minor and I took lots of classes that just piqued my interest. I took an astronomy class, I took a linguistics class. I took. Well, I took an American studies class.

[A]

That I think I've talked about before.

[C]

On the podcast that was about American history and baseball and an influence on me. So yeah, I think if you put that catnip in front of me that.

[A]

I could just take a sabermetrics class or something.

[C]

Yeah, I'm going to set a probstats. Yeah, right, exactly.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I think sports stats much more appealing than crab stats.

[C]

My attendance would be better if it tickles your fancy.

[B]

Great. And like here I am, political science major. I mean, you know, like who am I, who am I to talk about the applicability of a thing? I worry about hyper specific majors just because who knows what the field of sports analytics is going to look like 10 years from now. But also to your point, I think in know, broadly applicable and useful for any sort of data analysis. So I think it would probably be fine. Non tenured though.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And the other reason, I guess, why it might not make sense to use your, your valuable credits on that is that you can educate yourself in sabermetrics specifically quite well, quite easily just using online resources. There's just such a wealth of information out there. And even I think Andy's Tufts class, which then maybe moved to Boston University, but then it became a MOOC.

[A]

Do people still talk about MOOCs? Massive open online course. Yeah, you know, like MOOC top mookie with a C at the end. Yeah, like web based online.

[B]

Am I, am I betraying that I went to a Division 3, all women's college by not having ever heard that term before.

[A]

Well, I think MOOCs kind of came.

[C]

Along after our college careers as well and perhaps they have already peaked and declined, I don't know. But you know, you can take a course online, right? And sure there are sabermetrics courses that you can take seminars online or just informally. Just read fan graphs, read baseball prospectus. Just there's so many books and, and so many resources. If you want to learn to program.

[A]

Through baseball or sequel or R or whatever.

[C]

There are entire books, you know, learning.

[A]

Baseball through R and statistics through R.

[C]

So you can just get yourself a library informally and be self taught or sort of tutored by the collective consciousness of sabermetrics that has just put stuff out there for decades.

[A]

So that might be a reason to say, do you need to take a class in this? Or can you just avail yourself of the many resources that are out there? But I don't know.

[C]

I would be unable to resist the siren song of sabermetrics, I'm sure in that setting.

[B]

I mean, I think a class, a class for sure. Take a class, find a, find an interesting way to engage. Engage with a subject matter like statistics. Certainly I think that there's a, you know, like there's definitely value in having someone, if you're interested in sabermetrics as a field, having someone who has expertise and has gotten their arms around all of the literature that has come before I think is incredibly valuable because I, you know, I have this experience sometimes when I get pitched freelance pieces or maybe when I'm helping to review the work that is being pitched for presentation at Sabre because I sit on that committee. Although I've done bad jobs this year, been too busy to really do what I'm supposed to. Where a piece will be interesting, a research project will be interesting, but it's also clear that that person is maybe not steeped in the. That's come before. And so it doesn't end up making sense to sort of pass through because the question that they're interested in has maybe not been solved, but at least the way that they're going about trying to solve it has already been presented in other venues. So I think having someone who can kind of help to orient you in the literature and give you a sense of what has come before is immensely valuable. And also I just think, and I don't say this like in a devaluing it kind of way, but in just a way of acknowledging that pretty much anything you study in college has some value. I don't think you need to be so persnickety about the classes you take in college. I think you're gonna glean something from a reasonably well taught college course and that something might be particular subject matter, expertise or exposure. It might be as simple as learning, to your point, a method for approaching a problem or a way to think about something. So I think having a pretty diverse. And why, I mean, I'm a liberal arts college grad, so clearly I think that like a, a broad exposure to a lot of different subjects has merit.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Even if as you're approaching your 40th birthday, you're like, I don't remember what, what Seneca said specifically. I'd have to go look that up.

[C]

Again in there somewhere, hopefully.

[A]

Well, you know, it, it informs your thinking in some way.

[C]

Sure.

[B]

Yeah. And, yeah, and I think, you know, particularly in, in this moment where I think a big part of your homework, as it were, as a college student is just resisting the siren song of AI. If you can engage in a class that makes you think about stuff and is interesting to you and unlocks the subject matter in a way that you maybe didn't anticipate, that's worthwhile for sure.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

And this is coming from a couple.

[A]

Liberal arts people, but we always say it's helpful to have a wide grounding in various subjects.

[C]

And certainly as a writer and as a thinker, different disciplines just for making.

[A]

Analogies and being aware of history and.

[C]

What has happened before and not just the history of sabermetrics, but also just.

[A]

The history of the world, you know, and other inquiry. So, yeah, it is probably intimidating if.

[C]

You'Re just coming along now and starting in sabermetrics, because the, the corpus of baseball research is so vast that where do you even begin? Yeah. And the previous generation of people producing that work largely are now behind the team curtain.

[A]

They're all just working for teams now. And so maybe they're not mentoring the next generation of public analysts who then inevitably get snapped up to work for teams very quickly. So, yeah, maybe it's a lot to catch up on, but there are a.

[C]

Lot of books out there that kind of hold your hand and. Yeah, just primers, introductions to this or that, and lots of old books and research that still holds up. So, yes, I would say it's, it's helpful to have a broad base of knowledge, whatever you go into. But it's just so different. You know, just seeing that job listing.

[A]

On Fan Grass kind of hammered it home to me.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

In the 20 years or so that we've been out of school that it's just kind of become commoditized in a way. Just never would have occurred to me that I could take a course in something like this.

[B]

Right.

[C]

So now lots of schools just have.

[A]

Whole departments and disciplines and courses and people employed to teach this and.

[C]

And armies of people who want to do that and then enter the workforce. And then it's just increasingly competitive. And so how do you even stand out? So when people ask me for advice, I just, I always feel bad because I just. I don't.

[A]

It's a different world than it was then, really.

[C]

And I don't know how generalizable anything that I did in my career is really how widely applicable it is to any other person. Everyone always sort of finds their own way. So I, I might be able to offer some general tips, but certainly the environment has totally changed when it comes to the media or teams or.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Or the number of people out there who do this sort of stuff or want to do this stuff.

[A]

So there's more demand, but also more supply.

[C]

Anyway, it's just kind of wild, you.

[A]

Know, I don't feel that old or like I've been out of school for.

[C]

Forever, but this is just commonplace now and it just, it would have blown my mind back then.

[B]

You're. You're right. And this is part of what I mean in terms of like, it changing so fast that it can be hard to give constructive advice. Although I think if I could go back in time, Ben, and change one thing about my educational trajectory, I would have taken Spanish. I think that that would have been the one thing. I mean, there's other stuff that would have been nice, but like, that's the, that's the one that I have the most active regret over.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, as, as a person who works in media and it's certainly super useful if you're trying to get team side employment. So that's. I think that's the one that I feel confident in. Like, we'll take Spanish.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Don't say French. What. What use. Sacre bleu.

[A]

I feel even worse because I did take Spanish and I got very good in Spanish. I was near fluent.

[C]

I mean, I kind of conversational, certainly, and went on trips.

[A]

Well, it was great, but it's not great anymore because I didn't keep up with it.

[C]

I went on a trip to Ecuador with friends on sort of like a service trip, and we were there for.

[A]

Weeks and we could just get by and talk to people. And it wasn't perfect, but I felt pretty comfortable doing that and then I.

[C]

Just kind of lost it. I can still read it decently, but I, I wouldn't want to speak it.

[A]

Or wouldn't feel comfortable doing that now.

[C]

So I'm hoping that my daughter will study Spanish and then I can essentially retake it with her through her helping.

[A]

Her with her homework or something and.

[C]

Thereby familiarizing, refamiliarizing myself, refreshing my memory and, and hopefully it'll come back kind.

[A]

Of quickly, but that I feel even worse about because I put all that time and effort into getting good at it and then I still just let it slip away.

[C]

So that was silly anyway.

[B]

That is silly. Yeah. I was just like, you know, a dumb 12 year old and I was like, French is the thing to do.

[C]

And it's the lingua franca. Yeah. I guess that time has passed. Okay.

[A]

Still a lovely language.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Oh, a beautiful language. A beautiful language. But in terms of its use, to me, yeah, quite limited. And candidly, I think that, you know, if you live in the American Southwest, Spanish is useful even if you don't work in baseball. So there you go.

[A]

Okay. 2. Okay, quick follow ups or I guess on the same subject to last time.

[C]

We were talking about Daniel Volkback being a coach now and I threw out there that we don't often get get.

[A]

Coaches who unretire and become players again, that sometimes players will unretire, but typically once they commit to the coaching track, they usually stay there. But I, yeah, I asked the audience.

[C]

For examples of players who have unretired after becoming coaches and a couple people submitted some Terry Patreon supporter said, you.

[A]

Asked about examples of players becoming coaches then coming back as players. That happened in 1980 when the Dodgers.

[C]

Brought back pinch hitting king Manny Mota. I should have remembered that one because that was a pretty famous one. He played forever and had a couple seasons in his 40s where he was just kind of hanging around.

[A]

Terry writes he had retired after the 1979 season to become the team's hitting coach, but was activated on September 1. He got a clutch hit in the season ending series when the Dodgers swept Houston to force a Monday playoff against.

[C]

The Astros, which they lost. So in 1980, that was his age, 42 season. Wow. And yeah, he did play seven games and he batted.429. He went 3 for 7, which is not bad at all after that long a layoff and at that age. And Terry was kind enough to point.

[A]

Me to a clipping from the Los Angeles Times August 1980 says the Dodgers who had placed Pedro Guerrero but it calls him Pete Guerrero. 1980 on the 21 day disabled list not injured list activated their 42 year old hitting coach Manny Moto, the major league record holder with 147 pinch hits. Guerrero's left knee will be placed in a cast for two weeks and he'll need one additional week before he'll be ready. That will be with one week remaining in the season.

[C]

I feel excited and happy, mota said before the game. It's a great honor for me to come back.

[A]

There were rumors about it, but I just tried to think about my duties as hitting coach.

[C]

I tried to get the guys ready. I've been taking some hitting lately, but first I've been trying to help our hitters to take care of them first.

[A]

Moda's teammates were of course delighted for him.

[C]

Papa Rick Monday asked him before the game.

[A]

Papa makes me think of 11 in.

[C]

Stranger Things, which I have on the brain right now.

[A]

But also papa, you're probably pretty old.

[C]

If your teammate is calling you Papa.

[A]

Papa, what's this six decades you played in?

[C]

I guess that was a slight exaggeration.

[A]

But he did debut in 1962 in.

[C]

The Big leagues, of course.

[A]

He then came back one more time for the Dodgers in 1982.

[C]

Moda that is. And he played one game and had one at bat and one plate appearances. Did not get a hit. That was in his age 44 season and that was finally it for Manimota. But yes, he is kind of a legendary unretire example.

[A]

And Rick Monday, who is calling him.

[C]

Papa, that was his age 34 season. So that's how old Manimoto was.

[A]

Excellent example and listener.

[C]

Jake wrote in to say Jamie Quirk was a coach for the Cardinals early in 1984 before the White Sox signed him and he went on to play in MLB through the 1992 season. So he played for a long time after this happened. And he sends me a link to the Baseball Reference Bullpen page which says.

[A]

The 1984 season was a rather full year for Quirk. Before the season began, he was released by the Cardinals and named to their coaching staff. He was signed as a player by the White Sox in May and appeared in three games for the club before.

[C]

Being sold to Cleveland in September. He hit a homer in his only at bat with them and they released him after the season. But yeah, he had a fairly long afterlife as a player after having become a coach. So that's kind of interesting.

[A]

That's.

[C]

I mean that's premature. That's like half of his career was.

[A]

After he unretired as a coach. That's interesting. Also, Jake submits Chris Chambliss, who was activated for one game in 1988 when.

[C]

He was also the Yankees hitting coach and links to the saber bio.

[A]

On May 7, 1988, the Yankees placed first baseman Jose Cruz on the disabled list with a sore left knee and activated their hitting coach, 39 year old Chris Chambliss. Chambliss was stunned when manager Billy Martin informed him that he was being activated.

[C]

How about that? It's just.

[A]

I've been like kidding.

[C]

Hey, get in there.

[A]

You're on the roster. Suddenly Chris's last official at bat came in Arlington, Texas against the Rangers on.

[C]

May 8 in a pinch hitting role batting for shortstop Rafael Santana against Dale Mahorchik.

[A]

Chambliss was called out on strikes.

[C]

He was deactivated two days later. So that was a. A brief return to active roster status.

[A]

But all of these examples were in the 80s, so I don't know if that's. That means anything.

[C]

But no one has mentioned a more recent example, at least in the big league. So maybe this kind of thing. As I was saying, it seems to be pretty rare but not unheard of. There is precedent.

[B]

Don't you have to make room for them? How do you surprise activate someone you're like oh I gotta do. Don't you have to do like 40 mansion and gets. It's not like your bench coach sits on your first.

[C]

Yeah, I'm sure they had to make roster move too but yeah, that's it.

[A]

Like he wasn't training for it or anything. It's just surprise the light up.

[B]

Yeah man knees really. The, the. The friend of the semi retired baseball player. Right. Other people's faulty needs. You shouldn't have to put a cast on your knee. I mean I feel like casting joints shouldn't go together. Also I haven't watched the Stranger Things final season. I feel like people make it sound like I don't need to, you know. You know.

[C]

Yeah, I, I think it was fine. At least the finale. Many people are of the opinion that.

[A]

It was not fine.

[C]

Yeah, I think they're overreacting. But it is in fact over now.

[A]

Despite the people who became conspiracists and thought that there was going to be.

[C]

A secret extra episode that was going.

[A]

To resolve everything to their satisfaction that that didn't happen.

[B]

The fact that they felt like that was necessary though, maybe makes me think that I should focus on other things.

[C]

Yeah, well, I think they're wrong. I think it's okay.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

It wasn't amazing, but the show as a whole was. Was mostly not amazing.

[A]

I enjoyed it. I liked being back with the gang in Hawkins again. But the first batch of episodes this.

[C]

Season was strong, I thought. And then the second batch, not so much. And then the finale was fine.

[A]

But maybe I didn't have as high expectations as other people.

[C]

I don't know.

[A]

I just. I think we're trapped in this cycle.

[C]

Where when something is extremely popular as Stranger Things was and is, then we get caught up in this cycle of.

[A]

Coverage where most of the millions of people who watched it think it's fine.

[C]

Or like it or just don't really think much more about it at all. But then there is a very vocal.

[A]

Subset of disgruntled fans who make their feelings felt and tweet and post on Reddit, et cetera.

[C]

And then everyone starts to cover this conspiracy, and then everyone covers the coverage and it becomes this big thing. And I resent having to be this aware of people who are dissatisfied with things.

[A]

I think it's okay for things to just end.

[C]

But we've been through this cycle many a time. What was the petition to remake Game of Thrones Season 8? And I'm with you, didn't like that.

[A]

Either, but didn't expect it to be remade. Or Rise of Skywalker, the Star wars sequel trilogy, for that matter. It all traces back to.

[C]

To Mass Effect 3, when the fans got their way and BioWare actually updated the ending. I wrote about this years ago.

[A]

Anyway, that's a long.

[C]

Anyway, I'm just saying it's okay to.

[A]

Let things end, even if they're not.

[C]

Perfect in your mind.

[A]

That's it. We're not. We're not entitled to our personal perfect ending for things. It's okay.

[C]

Yeah. Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So another thing we talked about last time.

[C]

Well, two things, really.

[A]

We talked about the fact that the trade market had been pretty slow, and we talked about the fact that the.

[C]

Cubs had barely done anything this off season.

[A]

And two birds with one stone. We got a trade, and the Cubs made it. So we can talk about that a little bit.

[C]

That's.

[A]

That's something. That's some stove action. So the Cubs traded for Edward Cabrera.

[C]

Which required the consent of the Marwins, his previous employer.

[A]

And it's just your standard starter for a trio of prospects. Deal. Most notably, Owen Casey.

[C]

And the Cubs get a starter without.

[A]

Having to spend much money, which seems.

[C]

To be their preferred way to do.

[A]

Things to upgrade their roster. Trade for. People don't actually Sign someone who might be expensive. So what do you make of the move and of Cambrera and of how the Cubs seem to stack up?

[B]

I think it's fine.

[A]

Much like the finale of Stranger Things.

[B]

Well, I can't speak to that because as we've established, I haven't seen it yet and have been told that I don't need to, so. And I'm not like, oh, my God, the gap, the gap. How will I ever reconcile myself to.

[A]

A world where I don't know what.

[B]

Happens to these teenagers who all look 30 now? So I think it's fine. And part of that is that I like an upside play for starter, and I have been convinced that Owen Casey's just okay. If you think that Owen Casey is the top 100 prospect, then this maybe feels like an overpay to you because Cabrera has his issues, most notably a fastball that sometimes doesn't play very well and a spotty track record of health. But if you think that the Cubs have a plan to address the fastball, if you think that his secondary stuff is very strong, which, you know, I think there's a good argument to be made there, particularly as it pertains to his curveball. And you think that Owen Casey's like, more of a. Like a 45, which is what our prospect team thinks of him, then. Then it seems okay. And like, they have a. They had a surplus of that. Also, I think that the Marlins need to. Needed to bolster their outfield. So, hey, good job. They clearly like this kind of guy, they being the Merlins and this kind of guy being Owen Casey. I think that they think that he. That this. This profile is one that they want to be in the business of accumulating. So cool. Good for them. I think that if I were going to offer a constructive note to the Cubs, it would be that they are, in fact allowed to spend money and that they should try that, you know, if for no other reason than it is a more fungible resource than baseball players. But considering that they seem reluctant to do that, I'm glad that they went out and tried to get a guy to bolster that rotation because they sure needed one. I would argue that much like the Orioles, they might still need one. You know, like, take an Ocean's Eleven approach to building your rotation and go get one more, you know, go get one more. Now, I. I will acknowledge here that, like, just Justin Steele will be back at some point that season. So, you know, and he. He is quite good. And they have Matthew Boyd. They Have Kate Horton, they have Shota. Like, hopefully that goes better. If you think that he was still kind of dinged up and that they can kind of right the, the ship there, then this is an interesting group. I think there's, you know, it's like a real land of contrast kind of rotation because there's big upside here and also like very obvious downside for a lot of of these guys. Either injury or performance related or in some cases both. So. But I, when he's going right, think that Edward Cabrera is pretty good and you know, it seemed like he took a step forward last year in an appreciable way. So that's cool. And yeah, it just felt like two clubs that were dealing from positions that they thought they had some depth to, to trade from. Yeah, I think it's fine.

[A]

Yeah, it makes sense in that respect. The Cubs rotation projects to be 19th.

[C]

In war currently according to the Fangraph step charts, which is.

[A]

Yeah, it's not very good. It's not that there's an obvious hole exactly.

[C]

It's they go, you know, five or six deep with decent starters. It's just that they don't really have a top of the rotation guy.

[B]

Yeah, they don't have a dude. And I again, I like, I like some of these, these guys a lot. I, I just think that they need a dude. You know, maybe, maybe an exercise we're going to engage in later in this episode.

[C]

Yes, indeed. Yeah.

[A]

So if Steel comes back, that helps. Kate Horton.

[C]

I think probably a lot of Cubs fans think he's a dude. I don't think he's sure do the kind of dudes that he, his ERA showed last, last year.

[A]

But I think he's good. So all of these guys. Yeah, it's, it's like a rotation of sort of threes and fours and, and maybe.

[B]

And maybe a two depending. Maybe I feel about some of these guys. Right. Yeah.

[A]

But if, if Steel's healthy or, or.

[C]

Or if Cabrera can find another gear.

[A]

Or Horton can be anywhere close to where he was last year.

[C]

Yeah, it's.

[A]

But there's no.

[C]

Yeah, there's no like really scary guy as of now that you would say, oh, I don't want to face that guy in a short series or something. Exactly. So yeah, a dude would help and Cabrera could be that guy. I guess.

[A]

Just. It's interesting because Bauman in his blog noted that the Marlins sort of sold high on Cabera in a sense in.

[C]

That he's coming off a career year both in terms of innings Pitched and just overall value and, and per earning value and everything.

[A]

But also maybe the Cubs bought low as the Marlins are selling high. Because he could be better. This is the best that he has been, but he could be better because as you said, his fastball sucks or his fastballs suck. Like he just, he does not have that.

[C]

Actually if, if you go by the pitch value per 100 pitches. So rate basis, I just looked for.

[A]

Starting pitchers last year, at least 100 innings pitched. He had the fifth worst four seam fastball and the 15th worst sinker.

[C]

So either way, rocking a hard place. And yet he gets lots of whiffs on his curve and his slider. And Bauman raved about his changeup in his piece.

[B]

I should have mentioned the change up. I only mentioned the curveball, didn't I? Yeah.

[C]

Sort of a singular pitch.

[B]

It's goofy.

[C]

Yeah, it's, it's hard. It's, you know, almost fastball speed.

[A]

It's not very differentiated from his fastball.

[C]

Speed wise, but it's not like a splinter exactly.

[A]

Sometimes.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And so maybe he can fix his.

[C]

Fastball, but maybe he just doesn't need one.

[A]

Is that possible? I mean, maybe he becomes a cutter candidate or something. But like if he has three pitches that are effective and his change up.

[C]

Is like almost fastball speed.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Then maybe you just sort of shelf the, the fastballs or it just becomes kind of a show me pitch.

[B]

Yeah. Why do you throw it at all? It's like he threw kind of through it more than you'd expect to pitch that bad to get through. Yeah, Yeah. I, I think that there is, there's continued room for improvement. And, and as I said, like he had a, I thought like a, a real step forward kind of a year for himself last, last season. So I think that you're right. Like there's, there's a possibility that six months from now we're like, wow, they really, they really figured something out there and they clearly moved a guy who I think that they are not as high on as like the highest public side evaluators were. Right. Like you would assume that if they thought that Owen Casey was a dude, different kind of dude because he's a hitting dude, not a pitching dude, that he would have played a bigger role for them, even though they obviously have some crowding in the outfield, although they don't have a Kyle Tucker anymore.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I think the fact that they were willing to trade Casey, given the lack of a Tucker, kind of tells you what they think of Owen Casey.

[C]

You know, yeah, but I mean, Casey's kind of the winner here, I guess, because he has a clear path to playing time and he'll be an upgrade for the Morrowinds.

[B]

Miami.

[C]

Yeah. Right.

[A]

So I guess I get it from both perspectives, except that it just. It kind of depresses me that the Marlins are moving someone like this.

[C]

I understand it because they do have pitching depth.

[A]

They're kind of like the Pirates in.

[C]

A sense, in that they have a good amount of pitching, or at least that's the relative strength of their roster. And they just. They need offense. And so it does make sense to.

[A]

Trade from the pitching surplus to shore up the weakness, at least in a world where you're the Marlins and you just won't go get someone on the free agent market. Because, like, the Marlins, if you just looked at the history of all the.

[C]

Guys that they've traded over the years, it's sad because they have really developed a lot of talent, and yet inevitably, it ends up going elsewhere.

[A]

And it's not as if Cabrera is.

[C]

At the point where he's getting expensive.

[A]

He's under team control for, what, three more seasons?

[C]

And he's in line for like, 4.

[A]

Million in arbitration, less than 4 million in arbitration.

[C]

So even for the Marlins, he's very affordable. And it's not as if the Marlins are so far away from potentially being in contention. I mean, they were in quasi contention late last season. They were barely under.500 with the run.

[A]

Differential of a worse team, but still, they were kind of close. And so it's not as if they're.

[C]

So far away that you think they won't have a good Marlins team while Cabrera is under team control.

[A]

And so it's just. I get it because, okay, they're. They're strengthening a weakness, but it's just, if you're a Marlins fan after all.

[C]

These years and all these trades, it's just more of the same. It's just like you're stuck on a treadmill. You just. You get guys, yeah, they get good. You trade them, you get some young, cheaper guy. But then you don't surround the young.

[A]

Cheaper guys with any talent.

[C]

You don't spend any money, and then.

[A]

It'S time to trade the young, cheap guys again because they're suddenly not quite as young or as cheap. So, like, will they put together a good roster while Owen Casey's there, or will he just be the next guy.

[C]

That they ship out three years from now? So it's like, are they getting closer? Maybe.

[A]

I don't know.

[C]

It's a new regime there, new administration.

[A]

And new management, and they've brought in a lot of people and tons of turnover in the organization and everything.

[C]

So you hope this time is different, but yeah, on the surface it's just sort of same old Marlins. Like whenever a guy gets good and is not even remotely close to free agency, in Cabrera's case, well, well, time to move on.

[B]

I definitely get that. I mean, I think that. And you also have the additional. There's like a hurdle to trusting the process when like, you feel like you've been on a perpetual motion machine for years and then like the, the guy running the perpetual motion machine came from a different perpetual motion machine and you're like, I'd like to get off that perpetual motion machine, but maybe it'll be fine because maybe like you have an aptitude that you've shown for developing pitching and perhaps, you know, bolstering that with some offense is worthwhile. Although I just think he's fine. So then it's like, well, is it actually bolstering anything?

[C]

Yeah, right. And the other prospects that they acquired are. Are longer shots and further away and.

[B]

Yeah, they're definitely further away.

[C]

Way the Marwin, even without Cabrera, do have a better projected rotation than the Cubs. Now, that's banking on a good season.

[A]

From Alcantara, not a young season, but a decent season, and health from a.

[C]

Bunch of other guys who haven't consistently been healthy. And I guess if you think that the Marlins strength is pitcher development, then.

[A]

Well, maybe the fact that they couldn't.

[C]

Unlock Cabrera even more doesn't bode well.

[A]

For the Cubs transforming him. But. But you never know. Different organization, different messengers, change scenery, et cetera.

[C]

It could help, but he throws hard, he's got good secondaries, and I'm kind of optimistic. He lowered his arm angle. He has had just not only more.

[A]

Effectiveness with the breaking balls, but better control, which has been key. But there is the, the health.

[C]

Yeah, he.

[A]

He missed much of September, at least with a elbow strain.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And that had bothered him earlier in the season and also in 22, and.

[A]

Then he had shoulder issues in 23 and 24.

[C]

So, yeah, that's sort of scary as it is for most pitchers, but he does have a history of.

[A]

Of being unable to throw a lot of innings.

[B]

Yeah, it's. The downsides are obvious, but I think that there is real potential for positive variants, as we might say. Do you think that if I keep swearing in French that it's okay that. Does Shane have to bleep that.

[A]

Well, we do have some French listeners.

[C]

But I don't know if they care about the bleeping, but it's probably better for the kids. Unless the kids are.

[A]

Unless the kids are studying French the.

[C]

Way that you did. But perhaps they're less likely to be doing that these days. So maybe.

[A]

Yeah, but the Cubs, look, I think they're a decent team.

[C]

It's just that if they want to really go after the brewers and be.

[A]

The favorite in that division and position.

[C]

Themselves to make a deep run, you.

[A]

Certainly would like to see them spend.

[C]

Some money instead of restricting themselves largely to the trade market and relievers.

[B]

Right. It's just, you know, and, and maybe, you know, maybe a week from now we'll feel silly because they will have signed Kyle Tucker and they will have spent some cash, but it doesn't. Does seem like they constrain themselves in a way that is frankly bizarre given their market and resources. So.

[C]

Yes. Yeah, they're. They're like 50 million bucks under the first competitive balance tax threshold and ridiculous. No real reason for that to be the case.

[B]

Have some self respect.

[C]

Yeah, right.

[B]

Like, come on, come on.

[A]

And I guess, yeah, they could be.

[C]

Kind of exhibit A for. Well, with this playoff format, there's not as much incentive to go from being a 90 win team to a 95 win team or whatever. And you just want to get in and winning your division. Perhaps teams aren't placing as much importance on it.

[A]

So.

[B]

You know what their incentive is though? They lost to the brewers in the postseason, so I don't know, like, maybe you have, you have some incentive because what are you doing though? You know, like, what are you doing?

[A]

Yeah, bringing back Tucker, Signing one of the remaining top starters would be smart.

[C]

For the Cubs, but yeah, we'll get to that in just a sec.

[A]

The only other really notable transaction was Michael Lorenzen.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Who went to the Colorado Rockies.

[B]

Sure did.

[A]

Coloring. Is that anything?

[B]

We don't have to. We don't have to mush. There doesn't have to be all this mooshing of, you know.

[A]

Yeah. Portmanteau.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, I think it is wise to go to the Rockies if you want to be a starting pitcher as Lorenzen has been. I don't know whether he still harbors hopes of hitting and being a two way player or whether he's given up on that dream, but if he wants to do it, the Rockies, best case scenario, really, for whatever you want to.

[C]

Do on a baseball field, because they are the worst team. So it's not good. He can continue to be a starting pitcher in that rotation, I think, which would not have been a guarantee elsewhere.

[A]

So, yeah, you know, he's.

[C]

He's okay, right? Like, he's. He's gonna give you your 20 something starts, 25 starts, and be probably a bit below average.

[A]

But there's a little bit of value in that. So.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Especially if you're the Colorado Rockies.

[B]

So many home runs, my God.

[C]

Oh yeah, that could happen. But.

[A]

Okay, well, that's Lorenzen. So what we wanted to do today, we don't. Don't do this often, but this felt.

[C]

Like the time to do it since, as we noted last time, it's been.

[A]

A little slow for the top guys on the free agent market. And six of the top 10 fan graphs, free agents as ranked by Ben Clemens at the start of the off season are still out there.

[C]

And so we are going to do.

[A]

A little free agent fits exercise.

[C]

We are going to not play GM exactly, but play baseball gods and say where these guys might go or should.

[A]

Go or could go. And I figured that one entertaining way to do this would be to approach it from a few perspectives.

[C]

So we have these six top 10 guys remaining. Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman from Revaldez, Cody Bellinger, Boba Shette and Ranger Suarez. And I thought that we could each.

[A]

Answer where we think they would help the most. So in a sense, I guess where.

[C]

They would be the best fit, where they would make the biggest difference, where we want them to sign for whatever reason, and where we actually think they will sign. And I certainly do not profess any.

[A]

Soothsaying skill when it comes to free agent destinations.

[C]

And this is just purely reading tea leaves and reading rumors and nothing sourced or particularly insightful here and probably just kind of throwing darts at the board, a limited board composed of the teams that we expect to actually be in the bidding for this sextet of players.

[A]

So I guess we can start with Tucker.

[B]

Sure.

[C]

And we can talk about where we think he would help the most.

[A]

Where would Kyle Tucker be the biggest.

[C]

Boon to a team?

[A]

And. And by the way, I don't know how you approach this. However you approach it is fine. And I kind of approached it in.

[C]

Terms of like, not just how much these players would improve the roster, but also factored in the talent level of the team and its proximity to the playoffs.

[A]

Because we could just say they rocked the Rockies, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. They should all go to the Rockies.

[B]

They should go to the Rockies. It would be funny if they all got together and decided that they all. Yes, you know, a block with schools.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, right. Yeah. I mean, Mike Hampton, Denny Nagel, you know, follow in their footsteps.

[B]

It's a beautiful city. I, I'm a huge fan. I love, I love Denver.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, I factored in sort of, I guess almost like championship probability.

[C]

You know, I didn't do any math or anything, but just like, you know, teams who are kind of in the sweet spot, that crucial part of the win curve where it might make the difference between making the playoffs and not, or winning a div. And not.

[B]

Yeah, I, I took a similar sort of approach.

[A]

Great.

[C]

All right. Who you got for Kyle Tucker and where he would help?

[B]

So, so because we have where we want them to go and where they will go, I, I do feel like I can, I can get a little goofy in this answer. I mean, sure, and it's only goofy because they traded for a guy who seems like he's going to be their solution. But like the Phillies seem like the obvious answer to me for Kyle Tucker.

[A]

Now, I don't know you're going to.

[B]

Go to the Phillies, but you should be a Philly. The Phillies are contending team and at least in terms of the way that our depth charts stack up now, Now, I'll remind everyone that right now the fan graphs. Depth charts are the fan graphs, playing times, play by roster resource and just steamer. But I don't think that the answer is going to be that different when we fold in zips. The Phillies are third from the bottom. The only teams that they project better than. And granted there are, you know, some of these differences are. Are small fractions. You're talking in right field. Or the. Are the White Sox and the Rockies. So Philly. And maybe close behind them would be the San Francisco Giants as sort of like nominal contenders. The other two answers here that are kind of interesting are. Well, three answers really. The Royals, Tigers and Astros, who are all sitting in sort of the one and a half, 1.6 war range. But Philly, you know. Yeah, Philly.

[C]

Yes. It would make some sense certainly for him to go to Philly, but traded for dollars.

[B]

Garcia. So.

[C]

Yes. So that's.

[A]

That makes me think. Or they signed a doy or they signed a delicacy.

[C]

Yeah, he, he was non tendered, so.

[B]

That's right. He was not.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

So it seems unlikely that they would have done that if they really had an eye on Kyle Tucker.

[B]

But. But they should.

[C]

Yeah, it would certainly help.

[A]

Just like they're outfield as a whole. It's, it's a fairly weak unit and.

[C]

You know, center field has been kind of a, a hole or revolving door for them for a while and maybe they want to try Crawford there, their.

[A]

Prospect at that position.

[C]

You know, give dressing Crawford a shot maybe. But yeah, it's just been a lot of like, you know, let's try Max.

[A]

Kepler or let's, you know, Harrison Bader was a decent fit there, but it's.

[C]

Just lots of like glove guys, you know, Johan Rojas and then Nick Castellanos. Obviously they're ready to move on from him and then you know, just like Otto Kemp and Weston Wilson and just. Yeah, it was not a very productive outfield. It doesn't project to be a very productive outfield. So.

[A]

Makes sense.

[C]

But given all the moves they've made and their financial commitments and everything, I figured yeah, a little less realistic. But that's not what we're talking about in this category.

[A]

We're talking about.

[B]

We can be.

[C]

Feel free to be unrealistic here.

[B]

I will.

[C]

Yeah. And I had the Giants as, as my. Where they would help the most and.

[A]

I just think that. Well, they also project to have a fairly lousy outfield. A.

[C]

It's not a great outfield.

[A]

It's not a great offense in general even with a full season of Devers.

[C]

And yeah, he would, he would really help there.

[A]

I mean it's sort of self explanatory, I guess. It's just kind of a pretty perfect baseball fit.

[C]

And yeah, like who would he even be replacing there or supplanting on the Giants like Drew Gilbert?

[A]

I, I guess is, is. Is penciled in at that position. It's just.

[C]

Yeah, Kyle Tucker.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Be a big upgrade. Okay. And. And for the next category where we want them to sign.

[A]

I did repeat in some cases.

[C]

I had the same team in two or three categories sometimes. And, and I'll just say I, I had the Giants for Kyle Tucker.

[B]

Right.

[C]

I think it would be fun if Kyle Tucker went to the Giants because we just talked last time about how boring the Giants off season has been and also how they have struck out on some of their top targets in the free agent market and you know, they missed out on arson judge so they could go get another top free agent right fielder.

[A]

That'd be fun. And, and they've just been so stubbornly. 500 for years now that they've just.

[C]

Been kind of boring. And I know that Kyle Tucker is, is maybe not the most scintillating player in terms of just, you know, he's such an all around talent but not the best at one particular thing. And he doesn't stand out so much from a personality standpoint and everything. So I'm not suggesting that he's gonna be a big, you know, straw that stirs the drink kind of electric headliner or something who's suddenly gonna catapult the Giants into the headlines every day. But he's an excellent player and they really could use an excellent player like that. So Giants, where he would help and where I want him to help.

[B]

I want him to be a royal.

[C]

Okay, yeah, that's a good one too.

[B]

I want him to be a Kansas City royal again. I don't think he will be. And I don't mean like I do. I do feel like I am inviting the Royals to give up on the jack wagon, perhaps prematurely.

[C]

Far too soon to give up on jack.

[B]

But also they should do it because here's the thing about it, their outfield right now is Caglion. Isaac Collins, who you know, I like Isaac Collins. I voted, I gave Isaac Collins down ballot rookie of the year consideration, right? And Kyle Isbell. But like they are sort of a one to two man show from an offensive perspective. And that requires you to, to really buy the changes that Michael Garcia made. Now I like Garcia, so I'm their two man show. But you know what would be nice? They were like a three or four man show, right? It takes pressure off of everyone. It's like, hey, then, then Vinnie Pasquintino doesn't have to, he doesn't have to be. He's been like, we haven't penciled in third in the lineup right now. That feels high, you know, that feels just because. And I like Vinnie. This isn't a Vinnie knock. And here I am like betraying my fellow Italians. I'm doing hands while I'm talking. You know, there's a lot of gesturing going on here. But I, I think that if you, if you take the pressure off of some of the young guys, if you give yourself wiggle room in the event that Garcia regresses or Collins regresses or Cags can't take a step forward, you're just in a better spot, you know? And then it's like, then you got Michael Garcia and Bobby Wood Jr. And Kyle Tucker. My God, like that's a, A, that's a dominant kind of little group there, you know, I really like that. I really would. Now, I don't think they're gonna do it because they're the Kansas City rules and they're like, hey, we already spent our big money on Bobby Wood Jr. But but what better, what better way to. To make that money work for you than to bolster it with another super reliable bat? Now you're like, super reliable. Wasn't he hurt for Lord Stretch is like, shut up. Do it anyway. It's fine. It's very good.

[A]

Yep. I have a lot of teams like this, some AL Central teams in here.

[C]

Where perennially, it's like, you know, if.

[A]

You guys went and got this guy, you'd be way better.

[C]

Right.

[A]

You could, you could do that. You don't have to just try to fudge it somehow. You could just go get the top.

[C]

Now, you know, takes two to tango and everything. And maybe K. Tucker doesn't want to play for the royal substance.

[A]

This is all just pie in the sky.

[C]

We're all just, you know, we're, we're pulling strings, we're orchestrating things. They don't actually have to conform with what we want to happen, but just from an entertainment standpoint.

[A]

And, and yeah, reinforcing the idea that.

[C]

The best players can play for not just a small sample of teams and that anyone's in the running, counteract the idea that, you know, baseball's broken and a handful of teams can sign the top guys. So we would like to see them distributed a bit more democratically perhaps. Okay, so having said that, where do you think he will sign?

[B]

So I. I don't know. That's so boring of an answer. It's like, well, yeah, we don't know either, Meg. He doesn't know. He's not signed. He's not signed. So in the last couple of days, the teams that have been most frequently mentioned, Marlin's Owen Casey dress, Kyle Tucker comparison from the whole, sorry, I'm distracted by comparison.

[A]

He's not nearly as good as Kyle Tucker. That's a comparison.

[B]

Oh, this is the MLB Network guys. Okay, never mind, never mind. I can, I can just need to spend time being stressed about that. I think that the, like, the names that have been mentioned the most frequently in the little last little bit have been the Blue Jays, which we talked yesterday about how, like, in some respect, kind of a weird roster fit just given the fact that, you know, they have like, kind of an excess of outfielders, but also, like, it would be fine, you know, like, can't you move Addison Berger around? Like, you know, like, isn't it fine really?

[C]

You know, like Springer can.

[B]

Dh can't you just make Anthony Santander, like a really expensive bench bet? Like, yeah.

[C]

Also moves to left or. Yeah, like, if, if you get Kyle Tucker You.

[A]

You can make it.

[B]

You can't figure out where you play Kyle Tucker. Right. So Blue Jays have been mentioned also. I'm going to say a thing and then we should put a pin in the thought and we can return to it later. I am fascinated by the fact that we spent all of last off season hearing people talk about how the Dodgers are ruining baseball. And I have not seen that narrative when it comes to the Blue Jays. And that's funny, given, like, where they are sitting from a payroll perspective relative to the rest of baseball, just in a. Just in a luxury tax perspective. We'll come back to it. But it's. It's interesting, Ben. You know, it's interesting because, like, they're not.

[C]

No, they're not that far, but. Well, I don't know if you want to get into it now, but. But yeah, I think it has to do with the fact that they are fairly new to that top.

[A]

Top tier.

[B]

Sure. But it's.

[C]

Whereas the Dodgers have been sitting there for a while.

[B]

It's just funny, Ben. It's just a funny thing because they've been the most active team in free agency and they have added all of this payroll and they are not that far off of la. They're through the highest, like, tier. I'm just. I just find it interesting. I don't even really have a point about it. I'm not saying. I don't think it says anything necessarily. It's just interesting. It's just interesting to me.

[C]

I think the other big part of it is that if the Dodgers hadn't been so good for so long, then people wouldn't mind their spending pretty much.

[B]

I understand. I understand all the differences, but I just think it's funny. And part of me thinks that it is explained by people mentally discounting it because they think it's in Canadian dollars anyway.

[A]

So I do think that, Yeah, I think. Think the Blue Jays are like, kind.

[C]

Of underrated as a, a powerhouse right now. And I kind of made that case last time, too.

[A]

But it's, it's because, you know, they.

[C]

They've kind of vaulted into that territory newly and so it feels fresh. It's like, oh, we have a new entrance into the. The club of big spenders and they don't have the same track record of, of always being good. And they haven't won a World Series lately. So.

[A]

Although they get close.

[B]

Yeah, just funny. But it was so. So Blue Jays are in that conversation. Apparently the Mets are thinking about an opportunistic push for Tucker, which is Like a fascinating sort of little roster maneuver there. But again, surely, surely the Cubs should be in this conversation. I think he might end up a Blue Jay, man. Yeah, I think he might end up a Blue Jay.

[A]

I have chosen violence and assigned him to the Dodgers.

[B]

Okay, fine.

[A]

I know that the rumors haven't been quite as loud about Tucker to the Dodgers lately, but I. I think they're.

[C]

Lying in the grass. I think they're biding their time. I think they're waiting to see what his market is like, could they get.

[A]

Him on a shorter term high AAV deal? Or maybe not.

[C]

Maybe they're even willing to splurge on him, but just haven't been quite as vocal about it because they could use.

[A]

Him, you know, I mean, they're the Dodgers, obviously. They're very good as it is, but.

[C]

Just in terms of roster fit and positional needs.

[B]

But the roster fit is so weird because, like, what are you gonna. Where does Teo play then?

[C]

Yeah, well, I think either you move him to left or you and then.

[B]

You and you just make Pajes a benchmark.

[C]

Yeah, I guess. Or, you know, again, I mean, it would sort of stink to block Paisley this and maybe derail his development a bit, but it's Kyle Tucker, and I don't know that that stopped the Dodgers before.

[B]

You could be like, yeah, maybe he and Tommy are kind of a. Like a little center field platoon and.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Guys around.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Overall, the outfield picture for the Dodgers is not strong.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Relative to all the star power that they have elsewhere.

[C]

So I think he would fit there. And they certainly, when there's an elite guy on the markets, they make room, they go after him, even if it means just. And Tucker's not old, certainly by Dodger standards, he's not old. And so I think he kind of fits, you know, I mean, you'd like to see them, if you're a Dodgers.

[A]

Fan, break in some new blood and. And have, you know, younger guys just to stave off a decline.

[C]

But if you can just keep replacing people with, you know, Kyle Tucker aged elite free agents, that.

[A]

And it's not going to be that much of a concern as long as you're willing to foot the bill.

[C]

But yeah, like, their weakest projected positions other than second base, which could come into play in this conversation too, are left field and right field. Actually, those are their two weakest projected positions, left field and right field. And I have talked about Teoscar Hernandez's.

[A]

Defense, and I think the less of that they see, the better.

[C]

So yeah, it's not.

[A]

It's not quite as clean as it.

[C]

Would be to slot him into the Phillies roster, the Giants roster or something. That's another reason why I think it would be fun if the Giants got him to sort of stymie the Dodgers and say, hey, we can. We can get a guy, too, not just our arch nemesis. So. Yeah. But I. I would not be shocked if the Dodgers kind of, you know, waited quietly and then pounced on Kyle Tucker and touched off another round of. Baseball is broken.

[B]

If they. If they pounce on Kyle Tucker, though. I don't know. He's got breakable bones.

[C]

Yeah. Gently, gently. They can corral him.

[A]

I meant to say, by the way.

[C]

When we talked about Cabrera, because he was another guy who was connected to the Yankees repeatedly.

[B]

I know.

[C]

And we talked last time about the Yankees inactivity, and they were our. Our number one, like, team that should be feeling the heat needs to do something, and the Cubs were in that conversation, too. And so now the Cubs have stolen Cabrera from the Yankees. The Yankees have been connected to Freddy Peralta, and I guess maybe mackenzie Gore is still theoretically acquirable, but yet another guy who is removed from the market without the Yankees picking him up.

[A]

So.

[C]

Yeah, keep that in mind as we continue to forecast these fits. All right, Alex Bregman, where would he help the most, do you think?

[B]

So I had him as the most useful to the Red Sox and also the Seattle Mariners and also the Arizona Diamondback.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

I will just say the Red Sox.

[C]

Have swept all three categories for me, with Alex.

[B]

For Bregman.

[C]

Yes. I think it just. It makes a lot of sense, and.

[A]

He might still end up elsewhere, and there are other teams that are interested.

[C]

But it just seems logical to me. And.

[A]

And also from an entertainment standpoint, not bad either. So I'm just kind of all in.

[C]

On bringing Bregman back to the socks because.

[B]

Not a Marcelo guy. You don't believe in Marcelo? You think Marcelo's a fraud?

[C]

No, but.

[A]

A little more. I mean, yeah, it's true.

[C]

Like, you don't want to block him long term, and. And they already have kind of a complicated log jam with position players, and just how does everyone fit and a surplus at some positions?

[A]

So maybe it's a little awkward, but I don't know.

[C]

I just think right now it's their weakest projected position, third base, I guess, tied for their weakest with shortstop. So you have Story, you have Meyer. I. I just. I don't know. I think, like, he fits there. He Seemed to be a good fit there in terms of personality and clubhouse and ballpark. Right. Like, he was obviously said to be.

[A]

Like, perfect swing for Fenway and then.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Pretty much like it. It worked out the way that everyone expected it to.

[C]

When he was healthy, he had a, an offensive rebound, did pretty well, and also seemed to fit in personality standpoint, you know, just kind of seemed like a Boston Red Sox player.

[A]

And also with all the, the young guys they have, like, he seems very eager to embrace that kind of veteran mentor role and, and was like, you.

[C]

Know, talked up as kind of an extra hitting coach. Not the teams need any more hitting coaches because as we covered last time, they have so many, many, but so many too many. He did get credit for helping, you know, improve players and give helpful tips and everything. So as he moves into that phase.

[A]

Of his career, then, yeah, I think.

[C]

He'D be a good compliment to the young up and comers.

[A]

So.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And also like, that AL east race.

[C]

Is just shaping up to be quite compelling. And I know that probably people are sort of sick of the AL east.

[A]

Being a powerhouse every year and I know I am signing people and. But like watching the Red Sox and the Orioles and the Blue Jays and the Yankees, if they ever do anything, just like going toe to toe all year in the AL east, that has the makings of a great race, potentially. So. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

For all those reasons, I, I think.

[C]

It makes some sense for Bregman to.

[A]

Be back in Boston.

[B]

I think that he will probably end up either back in Boston or, Or in Arizona.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

The answer is is likely to be Boston. It seems like such an obvious fit, but also it seems like such an obvious fit. So why hasn't happened? You know what I mean? Like, the fact that it hasn't maybe is comment that it won't. But yeah, I think it's likely to be the Red Sock. He's going to be a Red Sock.

[C]

And is that your desire as well? Did you have a different team where.

[A]

You want him to sign?

[B]

Fine or I would be fine. I think that. I think Boston's a good fit for him in terms of my desire to not as a refer him in the ballpark locally. I'm largely over any sort of lingering sign, stealing, whatever. I think Bregman is the one exception for me. Like just mugging in the dugout after you hit a home run when you know a pitch is coming. Come on, man. Like, come. Come on, man. But that feels like a fit for me for Boston. So Alex Bregman to You know, that's how they'd say it.

[A]

Yeah. If it were at all realistic. I kind of just want him to.

[C]

Go back to the scene of the crime and just be an Astro.

[B]

To be an Astro.

[C]

Yeah. I don't think that's going to happen.

[B]

Most of the gang back together again.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It's just like cuz people still kind.

[C]

Of hold a grudge against the Astros, but they barely any Astros from the science dealing team still there. So like if you're going to boo.

[A]

The Astros might as well like have one of the perpetrators back there. That would make things more logical and efficient.

[C]

But yeah, not expecting that. Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

From before Valdez, where would he help?

[B]

I mean the. Everywhere. You know, there. There aren't very many rotations where another good starter would not be useful. My answers, my like honest answers for this were fourfold. San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, meaning the Cubs, not the White Sox and Baltimore were my sort of primary answers for this. Where it's like, what are we, what are we doing? What are we doing? Baltimore and Chicago. Come on.

[C]

Yeah, come on. My answer for where he would make.

[A]

The biggest impact and also where I.

[C]

Would want him to sign Cleveland. Again, this is not where I think he will sign.

[A]

This is just purely on paper where.

[B]

You'D like him to.

[C]

Yeah, I, I think the Guardians could really benefit from Valdez's services because their rotation, not so hot. They have the 26th best projected rotation.

[A]

Fan grass war wise. So he'd look mighty nice at the top of that rotation compared to what they have.

[C]

And you know, ground ball guy, good defense.

[A]

They had the fifth best infield defense according to Statcast last season.

[C]

So put him in front of those guys, maybe he plays up even more.

[A]

And you know, it's.

[C]

It's almost like off the radar. Like no one even really bothers even saying that the Guardians might sign from for Valdez. But year after year, I mean you could connect them to anyone. I mean Challenger Tucker, like that's why.

[A]

It'S frustrating to be a Guardians fan despite their success relative to a lot of other teams, is that if they.

[C]

Would just go get that one big.

[A]

Guy, you know, from outside and, and just solve a problem that way instead of just trying to patch holes and yeah, okay, they could keep churning out pitchers internally and, and they've done a good job of that.

[C]

But if they. You could just go sign a top free agent starter.

[B]

Right.

[C]

That would be a great compliment to their internal pitching development. And yeah, he just, he seems like he'd fit there and they could Certainly use him in, in the AL Central race and he could be a difference maker there. Just don't depend on your bullpen to.

[A]

Be otherworldly and you know, just sort of, you know, patch the wounds of, of the pitch fixing scandal and bring in a fresh face who could get people excited about that pitching staff.

[C]

So for all those reasons, I'd love to see that. Don't expect to.

[B]

Yeah, I think that that is maybe right. But I would like it, I think I would like him to be a Cub. I think I want him to be a Cub is my answer to this. Their infield defense wasn't bad last year and I think they have, they have some good infield defenders and they need another starter. You know like get, go get a.

[A]

Dude my, where he will sign. I said Giants because you know, I.

[C]

Said that he, they might be the.

[A]

Best landing spot for Kyle Tucker but.

[C]

I would be surprised if they sign him.

[A]

But I wouldn't be surprised if they.

[C]

Signed a Framber level free agent. They've certainly swum in those waters.

[A]

They have that kind of financial wherewithal.

[C]

And speaking of good defenses, you know you got, got Matt Chapman and Willie.

[A]

Adonis on the side there to field some grounders induced by Framber. Now they have kind of a history.

[C]

Of not really wanting to commit long term to pitchers and so I don't.

[A]

I don't know how likely it is but I guess the term that you'd have to commit to Framber may be.

[C]

A little bit shorter just because he's not young. He's. He's 32. So I guess it depends on, on how long a deal he is willing to accept. He just turned 32 in November. But yeah, still like you know, maybe he's not going to be holding out for a seven year deal or something.

[A]

So if you could get him for five or. Yeah, so I think that's realistic.

[C]

That could happen.

[B]

Swim swam swum.

[C]

Yes. Difficult to conjugate that one.

[B]

I don't know where he's gonna end up. Giants is fun. Like that's a good, that's a fun answer. He's not going to be a Cub and he probably won't be an Oriole either but he should be one. You know, he should be one of those two, you know, that's where that should go.

[A]

Well, how about another former Cub, Cody Bellinger?

[C]

Where would he just think he's going.

[B]

To be a Yankee? Don't you think he's just a Yankee?

[C]

Well that, that's a category that we will get To. But don't you think would help the.

[A]

Most there as well?

[B]

Yeah, he should just be a Yankee.

[C]

Yankee.

[A]

So in a sense, yes.

[C]

Because it would be funny.

[A]

He would help the Mets too, I.

[C]

Think, and it would be funny. I would take New York over the field when it comes to potential destinations for Bounder.

[A]

But the Yankees need him because they.

[C]

Need to do something and they need to keep up with their division rivals. They need to placate their fans. He obviously is coming off a strong season there. You know, lefty bat, lineup balance, all the rest of it.

[A]

It. I think there are probably teams that need him more in terms of just roster fit.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because I. The Yankees, like, you know, it would.

[C]

Be a little bit complicated to find room for Bellinger. I think they could do it and I think they should do it and it seems to be their priority to do it. So I, I do have Bellinger going to the Yankees. I think that's the most likely destination, but I have the Arizona Diamondbacks as the best fit.

[B]

You think he comes home?

[A]

No, but I think. I think that he would be a good come home.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

I mean, it would be super fun. They're not going to do that, but it would be super. I. I don't think. Yeah, no, it would be very fun.

[C]

Yeah. Looking at their projected WAR totals by position, their three weakest positions are first.

[A]

Base, left field and center field.

[C]

Those are all positions that Cody Bellinger.

[A]

Is capable of playing.

[C]

And dh, for that matter, he could do that too. So there's a need there, I guess, is what I'm saying.

[A]

Like, the Diamondbacks are a potential contender, hopeful contender, and I think they have a more acute need at more positions.

[C]

Than the Yankees do. Positions that Bellinger plays like the, The Yankees project better at all of those positions than the Diamondbacks do. So I think that he might help the Diamondbacks more.

[A]

And I guess I don't have a.

[C]

Strong preference in terms of where he goes or what I think would be most fun. I do kind of like the coming home aspect or. Yeah, even like a reunion with the.

[A]

Dodgers would be kind of fun. Not for most people.

[C]

They don't want to see the Dodgers gate better, but to see him go back to where he started. But, you know, I'd be happy to have him sign with the Yankees too. That'd be fine. And I think that's what will happen. It's just that, you know, the Yankees, it's. It's a little crowded assuming that people don't get hurt because they have Trent Grisham who took the qualifying offer and came back. And then you want to find out.

[A]

What you have in Jason Dominguez, presumably, and maybe even Spencer Jones.

[C]

And then you have Ben Rice.

[A]

And so like you can mix and.

[C]

Match and you can give guys days off and, and it's great to have.

[A]

Bellinger because he's flexible and he can play a number of positions competently.

[C]

So, so they would absolutely find places to play him as they did last year. But just saying, I think there are other teams that he might benefit even more.

[A]

I just don't think that they're as.

[C]

Likely to get him as the Yankees. Yeah, and that's one way in which the Yankees do have the most acute need. It's just like you're the Yankees, you gotta sign someone already. Like, you know, you can say the.

[B]

Same thing of the Mets. Like they need, yeah, they've signed, they've added relievers, but it's like, come on, what are we doing here? You know?

[C]

Yeah, they've been busier than Yankees, but.

[A]

And I, I don't hate what the.

[C]

Mets have done this off season, but it's, you know, there is a lot of, of fan fretting because of all the turnover and all the long tenured.

[A]

Players who have left and, and there.

[C]

Hasn'T been the big new addition. So. Yeah, absolutely. Either of them could use him and.

[A]

Then he wouldn't have to relocate.

[C]

So.

[A]

All right, that takes us to Bo Bichette.

[C]

Where do you think Bo Bichette would help the most?

[B]

Today's rumors focus on the Phillies.

[A]

Yes, I saw that and I.

[B]

Did you know that Alec Baum is gonna make $10 million next year? I don't know why I reacted to that service really. I was like, that feels wrong. He's not that good. It's not an anti labor take, it's an anti Alec Bohm take. Okay, everybody, don't nobody get it twice twisted. Don't get it.

[A]

They might be with you. They might be willing to move on.

[B]

Reportedly don't get it twisted. But that's not really pertinent to the Boba Shet of it all. I think that, well, you know, the Giants could use us.

[A]

I have the Giants for, for Boba Shet where you would help the most?

[B]

Here's where. And, and, and our listeners might be thinking, don't the Giants have Willie Adamus? And the answer to that is yes. But I don't think the Bobaette is a short star for very long. So I was thinking about this in terms of like, who needs help at second base.

[C]

Casey Schmidt.

[B]

Yeah, sorry, Casey.

[C]

The giants have the 28th highest projected war of any team currently.

[A]

The guardians are at 29.

[C]

But of course they have Travis Bana on the way, so you wouldn't want to block him long term, probably. So you're super dumb.

[B]

So. And he needs to play second base. He's pretty landlocked there. So I, I think the Giants have a real need. I mean, I think that my real answer to this question, and this is a, you know, need and fit sort of coming together. I think that if I'm the Red Sox, I would like to sign one of Boba Shet or Alex Bregman. You know, I think that they have a.

[A]

An.

[B]

They have an infield need. They have sort of a pressing infield need. And Trevor Story is just going to be around. So unless you're like, really committed to Christian Campbell long term and think he's ready to go, which you're looking at like Roman Gonzalez and Nick Soard and David Hamilton and like playing Rafael out of position again.

[C]

And they've been down that road.

[B]

Yeah. And that seems like a bad road. Don't go down that road. So the Red Sox seem like an answer here. You know, the Blue Jays are not. Not an answer. They have a need at second base, potentially. So I think that, you know, and I don't mean to disrespect Dominic Monahan, AKA Ernie Clement, who we. Who we have penciled in for the bulk of the playing time there, but, you know, there's. There's sort of room to maneuver here from their point of view. But Philly, what an interesting. Yeah, an interesting fit. You know, those Phillies, what an interesting fit. The Philadelphia Phillies, because they famously employ Bryson Stott there. So.

[C]

Indeed.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So I have Giant says where he would help the most, and then for both where I want him to sign and where I think he will sign.

[C]

I have Blue Jays for both. Yeah, I just, I kind of think he'll go back there, and I kind of want him to go back there.

[A]

Because I like the duo of Bichette.

[C]

And Vlad, having been together in that system for so long and come up together and experience success together, enjoy that.

[A]

Little bromance and want to keep that going. And it seemed like the Blue Jays.

[C]

Just really liked each other a lot. I mean, more than most teams, at least there was more coverage of just.

[A]

What a great clubhouse it was.

[C]

And, oh, they're a bunch of brothers.

[A]

And they all love each other and everything. So keep the love fest going. They just had A breakthrough season as.

[C]

A team and just bring Bichette back, you know, he wasn't able to be a 100% contributor to that playoff run. It'd be nice to.

[B]

Oh, it's hailing.

[C]

Oh, hailing. Wow. All sorts of weather you're experiencing during this episode.

[B]

This is like a real land. A contrast up here today. My goodness. It's only a little baby hail, but there's some hail. I see it. Sorry.

[A]

So I want Bichette to go back there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And, you know, we're kind of connecting to the. The Blue Jays, to a lot of players here as the rumor mill has been in general and as the Blue Jays have by signing lots of them. So, yeah, I don't know where their limit is.

[C]

I don't think they're going to get Tucker and Bichette, but if they could.

[A]

Get Bo and just pencil him in at second base long term, that makes a lot of sense to me and I think that would be fun, I guess. You know, it's like all else being equal.

[C]

I often like a homegrown guy to just stay.

[B]

Yeah. Return. You like a return.

[A]

Especially if it's like a fun team.

[C]

That'S easy to root for.

[A]

So.

[B]

Yeah, I, I think that if I were a Blue Jays fan, I would want them to pursue Tucker over Beau if I had to pick one, you know, if I were in the having to pick one sort of business, but guaranteed to get one.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I'd ra. Other Kyle Tucker just because I. And I know there's been injury stuff the last couple years, but I do, I do have some worry about how. How Beau will age, but it did get better, you know, like, the body really backed up on him, and then it seemed like it was better, so. So maybe I'm being too much of a. I would sign him if he'd agree to regrow the hair. Why did he cut it?

[C]

Oh, yeah, that's a good condition for sure. But, yeah, Samson situation.

[B]

Yeah, it would have been a Samson situation. And also just like, it was such a good flow.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Bring back the bow flow.

[B]

I don't know what it looked like up top, you know, so maybe he was getting good advice, actually, because sometimes, gentlemen, you gotta. You gotta have, you know, situation where receding and receding and receding.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Arching everybody backward.

[C]

Yeah, Yeah.

[A]

I, I kind of think that in the short term, though, they need a second base edition more so than a right field addition.

[B]

I mean, that's definitely true.

[C]

Yeah. Because we were talking about how it would be kind of complicated if they.

[A]

Got Tucker and they'd have to move.

[C]

This guy there and, and they could.

[A]

Do it and it'd be worthwhile because Kyle Tucker.

[C]

But just purely where's the greater need?

[A]

And you know, Ernie Clement is fun post season hero.

[C]

Would be a hell of a bench player, but as a starting second baseman.

[A]

You know, I don't know.

[C]

So Bo would, would look nice there and would really strengthen their bench and their depth. So. Yeah, I, I kind of hope that happens and sort of expect it to ultimately.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Our last free agent who was looking for a home ranger, Suarez, where would he help?

[B]

He should just go back to Philly, right? Well, I don't, I mean they, they have a, their rotation, even with the injury concerns attendant to it is, Is pretty stout.

[C]

So I can imagine that they, they have the greatest need for it.

[B]

Okay. So in the spirit of the exercise, which is what we're doing here, the Giants, I mean the Giants and the Padres are I think good answers here. And the Cubs and the Oracles, boring answers for need. You know what I would ask actually? Well, I'm saving this part of the answer cuz this was my, my. Where do I want him to go? I have an answer that might surprise you.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Might surprise you. Cuz I feel like I've been saying the same teams over and over again.

[A]

Well, yeah, that'll happen in an exercise like this. I mean, a.

[C]

There's a limited sample of teams that are really realistic destinations. And then also we're identifying. There are only so many teams that are kind of on the playoff bubble.

[A]

Who are in that sweet spot. And then there are only so many teams with needs at certain positions. And this is the second starting pitcher we've talked about. So everything we said about from Valdez.

[C]

Applies to Ranger Suarez in a sense also.

[B]

But I just got a push notification. Bo, rumors heating up. The Phillies are reportedly set to have a video conference.

[A]

I already read about that thanks to.

[C]

Matt Galba at the Athletic also.

[B]

But like a video conference, that to me suggests that it is not heating up. That I do feel.

[A]

Yeah, I feel like I've heard more about video meetings this off season for free agents.

[B]

Yeah, it's get him on a plane. I don't mean that like Bo, get on a plane.

[C]

I mean like, yeah, I've, I've heard.

[A]

About a bunch of video meetings this.

[C]

Off season and usually with free agents. It's, it's like the full court press. It's oh, we wined and dined and.

[B]

Yeah, where did all the ballpark tour at the facility.

[C]

Go right.

[A]

Like, yeah, there's been a bit of that.

[B]

But call me when he's at the facility.

[C]

I don't know if it's just that everyone is used to doing everything on Zoom now.

[A]

Even things that you don't have to do on Zoom because they don't require video.

[C]

It's just kind of the default to have video conferences.

[A]

But for a free agent or whether.

[C]

It'S because this free agent class is somewhat weaker and so maybe you reserve the like, full roll out the red carpet for the like, tippy top ultra.

[A]

Elite free agents and other guys. We could do a video call.

[B]

Bow.

[C]

Yeah, that's enough to.

[A]

I mean, I guess it's fine.

[C]

Like if, I mean, if you're Boba Shet, you've, You've played every. You've been around for a while. You don't probably need to see like, oh, here's what the clubhouse looks like.

[B]

Or here's what that the visiting clubhouse and the clubhouse are different. Get on a plane.

[C]

Yeah, sure.

[B]

Such good food in Philly. Just like, go take a meeting so that you can like eat out in that city.

[C]

As a homebody, I sympathize because if I were free, I mean, I'd probably be taking video meetings.

[B]

I gotta tell you, Ben, I. You're talking to a lady who is not going to the Seahawks divisional round game. I moved those tickets because I was like, get on a plane again. No, yeah, thank you.

[C]

I'm.

[A]

The thing is though, if I were doing a free agent tour, I could just interview from home because I'm going.

[C]

To be working from home.

[A]

Home.

[C]

But if you're Boba Shet, if you're a baseball player, you do not have that luxury or that option.

[B]

I mean, if you were like a free agent writer editor, you could just do it from home.

[C]

Well, yeah, I wouldn't have to go see your office if you have one, because I probably won't be in it and you might not have one, but if you're Boba Shet, then you're not.

[A]

Going to be working from home for your future employer. So you, you could maybe benefit from.

[C]

Going and seeing the place in person.

[A]

Yeah, but that is an interesting trend.

[C]

I wonder whether we'll see that catch on more and more.

[A]

Maybe it's just being environmentally friendly, you.

[C]

Know, just don't want to pollute the atmosphere.

[A]

I'll just stay here.

[B]

Well, yeah, I appreciate that part of it. That's like, hey, don't just. That's right. Don't just put them On a plane. To put them on a plane. But, like, you could. You could fly commercial and fly first class.

[C]

Sure.

[B]

And no one's going to recognize you. Bo, you cut your hair. Everyone's mental image of you is still from you having the hair. So just put on a. A neutral cap and a.

[A]

Don't wear a batting helmet. Yeah. Or a baseball cap.

[B]

Definitely don't wear a batting helmet. You're gonna attract a lot of attention to yourself.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Who are we talking about?

[A]

Oh, Rangers. Yeah. I assigned him to the Orioles because one of these pictures was gonna have.

[C]

To be, and I.

[A]

Again, it's kind of boring, but apologies.

[C]

If this is not.

[B]

Is that where you wanted to know.

[C]

You wanted to be an Oriole?

[A]

I have. This is another across the board Orioles.

[C]

And it doesn't really have to be Ranger instead of Framber or, you know, some other top pitcher. I mean, those are the top two remaining free agent pitchers, and that's what we're dealing with here. But could be either or.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So, like, they gotta get one of.

[A]

Them, you know, so unless they're gonna pull off a trade. So I think that he would help there a lot. And frankly, I would want them to get a top starter because I'm sick of talking about how the Orioles need to get a starter, and I'd love to retire that talking point. So just go get a starter so we can stop talking about that forever. And also because I think a lot of the players in the core of that team, very fun. And so I would like them not.

[C]

To be left high and dry because they did not acquire enough starting pitching. So, yeah, like, get Gunner to the playoffs and everything because you bolstered your starting rotation.

[A]

So for all those reasons and the.

[C]

Just AL east arms race, talent race that I mentioned earlier, which I'm kind of into. Yeah.

[A]

Orioles just, you know, go get one.

[C]

Of these guys and. And silence us so that we will not have to keep harping on your need for a starter and your failure to obtain one.

[B]

I want the brewers to sign Rangers horse.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah, that's fun.

[B]

I just think it would be fun.

[A]

Is that.

[C]

Are you assuming that they're going to.

[A]

Keep Freddie Peralta, too? Or is this like a Peralta replacement for some reason they're going to trade.

[B]

No ads. Yeah.

[A]

Keep Peralta, too. Yeah.

[B]

I think you say, chad Patrick, thank you for your service. You're going to be our long man.

[C]

Out of the pen.

[B]

Keep Peralta. Sign Ranger. I don't know why. I don't know Why I want it, but I do. It occurred to me as we were sitting here because once.

[A]

What the heart wants.

[B]

Can I. Can I confess to something? You were like Suarez, and I assumed you meant a Eugenio, so I didn't actually think through the pitching side of it. I was just like, you know, which.

[C]

Suarez it surely means, where do you want to go?

[B]

I didn't have a good answer. I was like, I don't know where to. I, I, I have so much affection for Eugenio Suarez, and it is completely disconnected from my current desire to see him on a team that I remotely worked with.

[C]

I know it's mostly about his hair care, so.

[B]

Oh, my God, the hair. Though I do want him to drop his hair care routine, you know, I really do. I. Ben, I re. It was amazing. You know, it's so dry here. It is so dry here. And then you go to Seattle and it's so glippy. Even in the summer, you're. There is just ambient humidity that you don't have. My hair while I was homeless. Insane. And so I just am. I'm in awe. It's gotta be. I mean, it has to be just like he, he struck the genetic jackpot, I think, because it's. I don't remember what his hair looked like in Cincy. There was the weird time where he looked like a, A black and white cookie. Like he had, like, he had like Cruella de Vil hair for a little while where it was like, like bleached on one side and not the other. And I was like, hey, honey, this isn't your best look. But I. You seem like such a. A delight of a person.

[C]

I feel bad that we haven't matched anyone with the Reds. We should be fantasy casting some red signings here because, you know, they're a.

[A]

Team that could benefit from a top region, too.

[B]

I mean, they could benefit from a good outfielder, that's for sure.

[C]

But yeah. Yeah. So throw them into this.

[B]

Maybe Noel V will just be good out there. It could. It could happen. It seems unlikely, but it could happen. It could. Could happen.

[A]

So you want Ranger to the Brewers?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And, and where do you think that he will go?

[B]

I think that he might just end up being a Philly again, candidly, on like, a shorter term deal. But he could be an Oriole. He. He actually is, like, a pretty good fit for, like, the Cubs or Orioles if they have, like a moment where they feel like they have to face God and sign a starter. Because I think that Ranger might be someone who can be signed for like a shorter term hire, AAV kind of situation. And so that might be appealing. I don't really know anything about Ranger Suarez, like as a person and so I don't know what his. Beyond the monetary parts of a contract, like, what are his priorities? Like, I don't know if he's a guy who has a strong preference to be on the east coast for some versus the west coast. If he's like enamored with a mid sized midwestern city. I don't know, you know, if he.

[A]

Would settle for a shorter term deal, then I guess that would make him appealing to plenty of teams. I mean, plenty of teams, the Giants, the Orioles, they'd be into that too.

[B]

Plenty of teams, you know, and so, but, but also we have to think about like, can he really. Is a team going to be interested in him in a short term capacity? Do you feel like you need to max him out a little bit more given that he has qualifying offer attached? Right? Like he's not going to be a guy who's going to do one of these like, you know, opt out every after every year kind of deals because no team's going to do do that with him, given the qualifying offer part of it. You know what I mean? So I just don't know. I don't know. But he's, you know, a. Part of why. Part of why I, I am intrigued by him with the brewers, which again, he's not going to be a Brewer. So I, I don't know why I'm like fixated on this because it's just like that's not going to happen. But there, there's something about the unknowable quality of Ranger Suarez, right? Like Ranger Suarez shouldn't be this good, you know, like, he doesn't throw hard and he doesn't really strike a lot of guys out. He doesn't give up on runs. You know, maybe he should be a Rocky. No, don't do that. I like watching Ranger storage pitch, so I would never wish such a thing on him. But like there's something about him going to a team with really banging pitching dev that I like the idea of because it's just like could there is there like a. He's already. You don't want to break it because he's already good. But there's like this ineffable sort of thing about him. So it's like, do you put him with another organ? Do they say like, hey, what if we did this? And then he like looks a different way but still really good. I don't know, I just. Okay, well, he's got great eyebrows. Ranger has great eye. He does what I'm allowed to say.

[C]

That they are, they are hair centric.

[A]

Discussion.

[B]

Well, you know, you're, you're, you're signing a free agent, you're having to think about how you market this guy. Like how do you introduce your new sign age to your fan base and get them excited about what he brings to your club for the year ahead. And sure, a lot of that's going to be about the baseball as well it should be, but they are people, Ben. You know, they're human beings and they are performing athletic feats in front of other human beings and some of them are like Ayohenio. How do you do it with your hair?

[A]

Yeah, you should go to the most challenging hair care environment. Environment just to continue to impress.

[B]

Where do you think Aohenio is going to end up? Maybe he will just be a Pirate.

[A]

Perhaps. I'd like to see the Pirates do something. Sign someone. I mean you can throw the Pirates into the mix of they should go get Kyle Tucker. I mean.

[B]

Well, yeah, I mean they should do that, but they won't. And you know what? Kyle Tucker's not going to go to Pittsburgh.

[A]

No, probably not.

[B]

RIP at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

[C]

Yeah, that's a bummer. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

I feel bad that we didn't throw.

[C]

The Pirates into the mix for anyone when we wanted to sign with them.

[A]

Just because I would like them to be a bit better balanced and to sure get Paul Skeens to the playoffs as a Pirate and should be nice.

[B]

So it would be nice. Oh my gosh. You willed. You willed it. No, not. They've. They've signed apparently. Kristoinski.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What? You weren't specific. You know you. If you are making requests of the.

[A]

Baseball gods, I want them to get a hitter.

[B]

Not Kinsky, but gotta be right.

[A]

Well, this was a fun thought experiment.

[C]

Was it so. I think so. I had fun.

[A]

Hopefully the listeners did too.

[C]

And we'll see whether any of this.

[A]

Comes true, whether any of our prognosticating.

[C]

Was prescient and we'll see whether any of this is out of date before I can post the podcast.

[A]

And yeah, so let us know if we forgot any perfect fits and then we will watch and wait to see if our free agent dreams come true. And that will do it for today. Thanks as always for listening.

[C]

You can make our Patreon dreams come true by going to patreon.com effectivelywild and.

[A]

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