Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the Hammer Territory podcast. My
Speaker 1: name is Jan Coleman. Hope where you are and wherever
Speaker 1: you are listening, you are having a great week. We
Speaker 1: are coming up. It is now July, and of course
Speaker 1: what that means when it comes to the baseball season
Speaker 1: is basically it's one of the you know a few
Speaker 1: times where it feels like Christmas wherever you are because
Speaker 1: the trade deadline is literally a month away and we
Speaker 1: have with us. Cannot thank him enough for being with us.
Speaker 1: One of the best when it comes to baseball, inside
Speaker 1: news and covering all things baseball. Robert Murray, a fan
Speaker 1: sided in Foul Territory. He was with us in the
Speaker 1: off season. Gracious enough to join us again, Robert. Pleasure
Speaker 1: to have you again, sir.
Speaker 2: No, it's good to be here with you.
Speaker 3: I gotta apologize to everybody last time while I was
Speaker 3: on the show, I got your hopes up for a picture.
Speaker 2: Did not have a mapping. Sean gave me flag for
Speaker 2: him before the show.
Speaker 3: I want to wear it because I never want to
Speaker 3: mislead you guys, so again I'm wearing it.
Speaker 2: But good to be here again with you boys.
Speaker 1: Absolutely nothing on you that's Hey, the purpose of that,
Speaker 1: the reason that that did not occur, just gives us
Speaker 1: more content to talk about now, and that's what we're
Speaker 1: going to dive into as we mix it up, engineered
Speaker 1: by fasten All. So of course, the quote unquote Flack
Speaker 1: was all in good fun, because Robert, you're one of
Speaker 1: the most trusted sources when it comes to keeping us
Speaker 1: at the general public Braves country in general, you know,
Speaker 1: up to date on what's going on, and so that's
Speaker 1: what we're going to get into. But first let's kind
Speaker 1: of get your assessment, you know, of where the Braves are.
Speaker 1: The race, of course, had a wonderful start to the
Speaker 1: season April and may came into June. They've kind of
Speaker 1: fallen flat, you know, over the past month. But what
Speaker 1: is clearly there is that their goal to contend for
Speaker 1: a World Series has not changed and the need for
Speaker 1: them to be active with not only maybe one major move,
Speaker 1: but multiple major moves at the trade deadline, it's become
Speaker 1: even more of a necessity. What are your general assessments
Speaker 1: of the Braves as we're month out from the trade deadline,
Speaker 1: as we kind of look and see what they potentially
Speaker 1: could do to improve this club.
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is a team that is tremendously talented overall.
Speaker 3: Obviously you have some high end stars who are also
Speaker 3: sideline at the same time too, but they've also had
Speaker 3: some really nice value editions in the offseason. Marisio Dubon
Speaker 3: exceeded expectations. Dona Smith has been a really nice ad there.
Speaker 3: But they started super strong and it's come back down
Speaker 3: to earths. They went on a big skid to end
Speaker 3: this past month and it's got a lot of people
Speaker 3: wondering exactly what does this outlook like for this team
Speaker 3: going forward? And I'm still optimistic about it. Like you
Speaker 3: have Ronald the Counya Junior probably coming back right after
Speaker 3: the All Star Game. You have Drake Baldwin who is
Speaker 3: probably like you got to imagine, he's going to get
Speaker 3: better as he gets as he's working through some kinks here.
Speaker 3: And you also, like the one question, the big question
Speaker 3: that I have here is what exactly do you have
Speaker 3: an Austin Riley at this point, because his struggles are
Speaker 3: well documented. They signed into that big two hundred plus
Speaker 3: million dollars contract. Can he get back to that prime
Speaker 3: form that he was in or what? But overall, I'm
Speaker 3: still optimistic about this team. I think anthoposs is going
Speaker 3: to be very aggressive at the deadline here, and it
Speaker 3: is going to be I think Atlanta's for sure one
Speaker 3: of the top teams to wash here because you look
Speaker 3: across baseball, obviously the Dodgers of the Dodgers, the Phillies
Speaker 3: are surging, the Brewers are still being the Brewers somehow.
Speaker 3: In the American League, you don't have any team that's
Speaker 3: necessarily running away with it. This is this championship is
Speaker 3: there for the taking, and I think these gms have
Speaker 3: to be super aggressive, and I expect Anthoppolos.
Speaker 1: To be one. So it kind of, you know, in
Speaker 1: honor of our segment here mixing it up. You're kind
Speaker 1: of getting the sense of what, you know what the
Speaker 1: very least, it just seems out of necessity and thoughtless
Speaker 1: is going to mix it up this year. You know,
Speaker 1: he's kind of being, you know, held back a bit
Speaker 1: on making those major moves in season like he did
Speaker 1: when he was in Toronto. But it certainly seems like
Speaker 1: many factors this year point two him going out making
Speaker 1: maybe not one, but even two highly significant moves.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I don't know, like if it'll end up
Speaker 3: being Enterrek school type because if he makes a big move,
Speaker 3: I would expect it tend to be in somebody who's controllable,
Speaker 3: And if you can get somebody who's controllable, I think
Speaker 3: that would be something that makes a whole lot of
Speaker 3: sense for Atlanta. But I do expect Anthopolis to be
Speaker 3: going through a bunch of different aisles here, whether it's
Speaker 3: the pitching side, whether it's the offense. I expect him
Speaker 3: to be very versatile with what he's trying to do
Speaker 3: here and if he has Like the thing though here
Speaker 3: with Anthopolis is he's not going to just make a
Speaker 3: move just to make a move. It has to make sense,
Speaker 3: and in previous years, it's been getting a Jock Peterson type,
Speaker 3: it's been getting some different guys of the deadline who
Speaker 3: aren't necessarily like the most flashy names, and it's really
Speaker 3: worked for him.
Speaker 2: So I give I trust Anthopolis here. I think this offseason.
Speaker 3: Reignited some of that fan base has trusted him because
Speaker 3: in previous years with them missing the postseason, that obviously
Speaker 3: frustrated a lot of people.
Speaker 2: But I think think he's the right got to get
Speaker 2: this thing done, and I'd.
Speaker 3: Expect him to make at least some bigger additions, But
Speaker 3: I don't know if it's going to necessarily be like
Speaker 3: that big splash byit it means.
Speaker 4: So let's talk about Scooble for a second, Robert, because
Speaker 4: that's the name. Obviously every Braves fan a lot, I mean,
Speaker 4: not just Brace fans, fans all over baseball. The first
Speaker 4: question I want to ask you is this, because will
Speaker 4: the Braves trade for three schoobl really doesn't matter unless
Speaker 4: the Detroit Tigers decide to move him. They're right on
Speaker 4: the edge. I think they're like six games back of
Speaker 4: the wild Card. Do you think Detroit is gonna sell?
Speaker 4: First of all, I guess the most important question, and
Speaker 4: if so, just what you've heard, what you know?
Speaker 2: What are the odds?
Speaker 4: Do you think the Braves would be one of the
Speaker 4: teams that you know could potentially make that deal.
Speaker 3: I think that the Tigers really want to compete, which
Speaker 3: is why schoobl trade is not imminent.
Speaker 2: They're going to try to hold this thing out as
Speaker 2: long as they can before they have to make that determination.
Speaker 3: And I think in the ideal world for that, they'd
Speaker 3: be in a position where they compete, where they have
Speaker 3: at least one more World Series run with School before
Speaker 3: it becomes a free agent and before it ends up
Speaker 3: leieving Detroit, because that would be stunned if he ends
Speaker 3: up returning there. But as far as the Braves go,
Speaker 3: I do think that there'll be one of the teams
Speaker 3: that checks in, that tries to potentially get something, or
Speaker 3: that tries to be like actually like firmly involved. But again,
Speaker 3: like as I said, I expect the Braves to try
Speaker 3: to if they I expect them to be involved, but
Speaker 3: I also expect them if they can add somebody who's controllable.
Speaker 3: I think that'd be something that would be really smart
Speaker 3: for them, just so they have some long term certainty,
Speaker 3: but also too, like if you have the chance of
Speaker 3: adding schoobl and the value is right, and yeah, I
Speaker 3: get used to frigient at the end of the year.
Speaker 2: That maximizes the World Series chances.
Speaker 3: Which is why I think the Dodgers, the Braves, the Rays,
Speaker 3: the Brewers, like all these different teams makes sense for
Speaker 3: School in the end.
Speaker 2: Do I think the Tigers sell. I think they should.
Speaker 3: I don't know if this is necessarily a World Series
Speaker 3: caliber team, which is like we saw the Angels really
Speaker 3: regret not trading Shoho Tani and they ended up missing on.
Speaker 2: In a Gally Junior Caman Arrow.
Speaker 3: I don't I don't expect the Tigers to get somebody
Speaker 3: like that return are a prospect of that caliber. But
Speaker 3: that being said, they should be getting a ton in return,
Speaker 3: and there's gonna be no shortage of teams.
Speaker 2: The need to be after school.
Speaker 1: Another positive narrative, Robert, than about the Braves. And I'm
Speaker 1: not sure as to what your extend is as far
Speaker 1: as covering the minor leagues and things like that, but
Speaker 1: the Braves seem to be one of the more notable
Speaker 1: emerging systems in baseball this year. And they also of
Speaker 1: course have a bit more you know, quality path to
Speaker 1: add to that as well in the draft. So it
Speaker 1: seems like that now more this year than in previous years.
Speaker 1: The Braves. Yeah, if they wind up going after schoobl
Speaker 1: and trying to match up with the Brewers or the Dodgers,
Speaker 1: okay that those systems may have a bit more. But
Speaker 1: the Braves, I think this year you could uh more
Speaker 1: confidently say they can pay the price for anybody that
Speaker 1: they want to get if they truly want to go
Speaker 1: after that guy. You can say that more this year
Speaker 1: than you have years in the past.
Speaker 2: No, totally, which is why I don't think anybody should
Speaker 2: be off. It's for the Braves.
Speaker 3: Whether it's a Redebt Meers or it's a Sonny Gray
Speaker 3: or Seth Lugo and Michael Waka or whoever else in
Speaker 3: the market, they can go out and get anybody who
Speaker 3: they really want to. But also, like we've seen the
Speaker 3: Braves like with that farm system, like it's definitely emerging here.
Speaker 3: But look at their history with calling up these prospects
Speaker 3: that have been in the minor leagues for them, been
Speaker 3: super successful, and then they ended up extending those guys
Speaker 3: to super like team friendly contracts at least for the
Speaker 3: most part. That's another element of this I think that
Speaker 3: we got to have in consideration too, is just the
Speaker 3: potential for I mean obviously high end play, but the
Speaker 3: ability to get them to team friendly contracts. I think
Speaker 3: that's something that would like I have in the back
Speaker 3: of my mind always when it comes to the Braves
Speaker 3: and their farm system here for sure, But like you
Speaker 3: all the pictures that I mentioned there, I expect the
Speaker 3: Braves to check in on a bunch of them. I'm
Speaker 3: sure I missed a couple when I went through that list,
Speaker 3: and we're gonna be hearing the Braves connected to so
Speaker 3: many different pictures, and.
Speaker 2: I would be again, I'm playing a day. Here's this
Speaker 2: game with what I'm about to say.
Speaker 3: But I would be surprised if we came out of
Speaker 3: the deadline on the Brazen I get at least one picture.
Speaker 3: I'd be really I'd be more surprised now than I
Speaker 3: was in the off season.
Speaker 1: We'd be surprised as well. But let's get a bit
Speaker 1: more into the potential pictures that could be on the Braves' radar.
Speaker 1: But before we do that, another word only excellent folks
Speaker 1: at fasten.
Speaker 4: All Fastenal Industrial Supplies Innovative Solutions want to learn more.
Speaker 4: Is it fastenal dot Com?
Speaker 5: People dehydration sucks, quints, electrolyte stick packs to the rescue.
Speaker 5: I order them, I use them all of the time.
Speaker 6: Somebody who may or may not have had some adult
Speaker 6: beverages in their life. The next day, you know what flavor?
Speaker 6: I like watermelon and.
Speaker 1: I don't like watermelon.
Speaker 6: I'll go raspberry and it helps me to get my
Speaker 6: citrus salt in. But if I do, it helps me
Speaker 6: to get back to normal, feeling good and ready to
Speaker 6: go the next.
Speaker 5: Day, yep, tough workout or dry mouth in the morning,
Speaker 5: whatever it is, this is going to help you out.
Speaker 5: Quint always has the best deals for you. You can
Speaker 5: go on their website and see a number of products
Speaker 5: we're talking about, not only a product that tastes great,
Speaker 5: but has zero sugar options that are also Stevia free.
Speaker 5: Give your body what it really needs to stay hydrated.
Speaker 5: Go to quins dot com slash foul for free shipping
Speaker 5: on your order in three sixty five day returns. That's
Speaker 5: QUI n ce dot com slash foul for free shipping
Speaker 5: and three sixty five day returns quins dot com slash foul.
Speaker 5: These statements have not been evaluated by the FEUD and
Speaker 5: Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure,
Speaker 5: or prevent any disease.
Speaker 1: So, Robert, you must have been reading my mind, you know,
Speaker 1: in that first segment when you mentioned the Sonny Grays
Speaker 1: as well as the Michael Wakas as well as the
Speaker 1: Seth logos, because those pictures that you mentioned probably are
Speaker 1: not on the same tier, you know as a tart
Speaker 1: school obviously, but they do have two factors that I
Speaker 1: think make them, you know, more likely targets for the Braves.
Speaker 1: I know Sonny Gray is I believe he has either
Speaker 1: a player option or some type of team option, maybe
Speaker 1: a mutual option for next year. But each of those
Speaker 1: pictures can be controlled next year. Waka and Seth Lugo
Speaker 1: for sure can be because of their contract. And let's
Speaker 1: be honest, for many years many around baseball probably have
Speaker 1: thought that Sonny Gray was a logical fit with the Braves,
Speaker 1: so if he came to us, he likely could sign
Speaker 1: an extension. I think that that is more of the
Speaker 1: tier that the Braves look at. Plus also you have
Speaker 1: to look at the Red Sox and the Royals being
Speaker 1: two of the teams right now that make the most
Speaker 1: sense to commit to be in sellers as soon as possible.
Speaker 3: No, totally, and obviously the Braves and the Red Sox
Speaker 3: have a history of working trades together where they did
Speaker 3: the Chris Saale deal.
Speaker 2: There's history there.
Speaker 3: But also like the fact that these guys are controllable,
Speaker 3: I think makes a ton of sense here. And Sonny
Speaker 3: and Gray's got the mutual option and those are always declined,
Speaker 3: so like you got to have that.
Speaker 2: In the back of your mind there.
Speaker 3: But I think if you look at the Royals, they
Speaker 3: would make a ton of sense as a potential trade
Speaker 3: partner here because Seth Lugo is still, in my eyes,
Speaker 3: one of the most underrated pitchers in ball. And last year,
Speaker 3: I remember there was a bunch of teams that were
Speaker 3: that were ready for him, Like there was a moment
Speaker 3: where I thought he was going to get traded. Then
Speaker 3: I was like, Okay, he's actually gonna get extended, and
Speaker 3: then it was traded, and then all of a sudden
Speaker 3: he signed the extension. Like it was super back and
Speaker 3: forth and the market was really big for him. And
Speaker 3: I think the Braves would make a ton of sense there.
Speaker 3: He is somebody who would be able to start a
Speaker 3: playoff game for them, and I think that's something that'd
Speaker 3: be important for Atlanta, but also so many other teams
Speaker 3: is they want a guy who they can depend on
Speaker 3: in those kind of games. So Lugo, he's obviously signed
Speaker 3: long term, He's got a relatively affordable contract. I remember
Speaker 3: last year there was like he obviously got a lot
Speaker 3: of money, but I talked to some other people who
Speaker 3: were like, Okay, yeah, still it's a lot, but it's
Speaker 3: it's affordable to take on for sure. And walk is
Speaker 3: still super underrated. He's not going to pitch deep into
Speaker 3: most games for you, but he's dependable, he's a veteran,
Speaker 3: he's controllable. I like it, So I think he would
Speaker 3: be that both of those guys would be a great fit.
Speaker 3: The Royals at this point do not want to sell,
Speaker 3: but I think they have to just wake up.
Speaker 2: And smell the coffee at some point, because this is.
Speaker 3: Just a team that that feels like they should sell
Speaker 3: and take it vant of what should be a seller's market.
Speaker 1: So of course that would maybe go ahead.
Speaker 2: No, you're fine.
Speaker 4: So on top of that, on top of the guys
Speaker 4: that we've talked about, there's a there's a team I
Speaker 4: want to ask about because this team operates in a
Speaker 4: weird fashion, at least to me. They did this big
Speaker 4: fire sale at the deadline last year and then kind
Speaker 4: of stopped. And that's the Minnesota Twins, because they, you know,
Speaker 4: they sold off so many pieces and basically went all
Speaker 4: the way to the end, except for like the last two,
Speaker 4: which have been Joe Ryan, Byron Buckston. Obviously, Pablo Lopez
Speaker 4: got hurt, so and I think that you know, the
Speaker 4: Twins are a little closer to the al is so
Speaker 4: jumbled it's really hard to determine whose buyers and sellers.
Speaker 4: But you know, I've heard both things. I've heard the
Speaker 4: Twins ownership really doesn't want to sell everybody, and then
Speaker 4: I've heard the front office wants to kind of complete
Speaker 4: the rebuilding and move Ryan and Buxton. Just in your opinion. Obviously,
Speaker 4: Ryan would make a lot of sense for the Braves.
Speaker 4: He's got under control for two years, it's a reasonable salary,
Speaker 4: it's kind of an Ndopoless type move. But do you
Speaker 4: think the Twins are actually gonna kind of finish the
Speaker 4: job on this rebuild and sell Buxton and Ryan or
Speaker 4: is this something the ownership just won't allow.
Speaker 3: I have a really hard time seeing Buston moved, and
Speaker 3: we've even seen their front office come out and say
Speaker 3: that they're not wanting to move him. So as of
Speaker 3: this point, unless something changes, I'm not factoring him into
Speaker 3: my trade deadline equation. But that being said, I've said
Speaker 3: it for years. I'm pretty sure I've said it even
Speaker 3: in the last time I was on the show. Buxton
Speaker 3: is such a great fit for an Atlanta You get
Speaker 3: him back home, like that just makes so much sense
Speaker 3: for all these sides. But it seems like he's going
Speaker 3: to be there to stay. But I totally agree with
Speaker 3: you on Joe Ryan, and I don't think there's a
Speaker 3: zero percent chance he's moved to this deadline. And I
Speaker 3: think they'd be really wise to listen on him to
Speaker 3: see exactly what's gonna end up being out there, because
Speaker 3: like I listed all these names before, and I missed
Speaker 3: Sandy al Contra, I missed Jose Soriano, like there's other
Speaker 3: names like this pitching market is going to be very deep,
Speaker 3: very extensive, but Joe Ryan is going to be one
Speaker 3: of the most intriguing guys. He's affordable, he's performed at
Speaker 3: a high level, and he's also too like that. I
Speaker 3: look at the Brewers as a similar pathway here because
Speaker 3: the Brewers when they had Josh Hater, Devin Williams, Corbyn
Speaker 3: Burns all for a year a year and a half
Speaker 3: left under contracts, they moved on from them and they
Speaker 3: got a good amount of value and that's how they
Speaker 3: ended up staying. In contention, I wonder if the Twins, Yeah,
Speaker 3: Freddy Prawle a good call, like I forgot about Freddy.
Speaker 2: P and like there's they can there are the.
Speaker 3: Twins can go in a similar fashion year with Joe Ryan,
Speaker 3: whos got a year and a half left on his contract,
Speaker 3: you can get a boatload for him. They could have
Speaker 3: gotten a boatload last year held onto him. But I
Speaker 3: think he's gonna get plenty of hits. I would not
Speaker 3: be surprised if he's moved, and I think he feels
Speaker 3: like a really really good fit.
Speaker 2: If, like if the Braves.
Speaker 3: Went out and got a big name at the deadline,
Speaker 3: I think Ryan makes as much sense as about anybody
Speaker 3: on the market.
Speaker 1: Yeah, A similar team to the Twins, who just recently
Speaker 1: had a change in leadership, of course, was the Angels,
Speaker 1: and that's more notable for the Braves than most teams
Speaker 1: because paraman Ias and Avi having you know his past,
Speaker 1: you know, relationship with the Braves. Of course, that's who
Speaker 1: the Braves traded with most frequently. Perrym and I is
Speaker 1: now former Cardinals GM John moselac In maybe as a
Speaker 1: temporary GM, who knows he could be long term. But
Speaker 1: names like Jose Siriano you mentioned, read Debt Meers, Joe Dale,
Speaker 1: each of those guys controllable I feel that they could,
Speaker 1: you know, make sense as being maybe even a package
Speaker 1: deal for Alex and Thompless. But each of those three
Speaker 1: could certainly make sense in a lot of ways for
Speaker 1: the Braves. Perryman Iasen's there, you would think the Braves
Speaker 1: had a pretty good connection, maybe more than most teams
Speaker 1: with the Angels. But John Mozelic now being there may
Speaker 1: actually make it more likely that the Angels move those guys.
Speaker 1: What's the potential likelihood that those guys are moved, and
Speaker 1: you know your thoughts on those guys making sense for
Speaker 1: the Braves.
Speaker 3: Yeah, my alarm bells like always go up with the Angels,
Speaker 3: especially here now that they they don't have Perry there,
Speaker 3: because in years past, they've been super hesitant to move
Speaker 3: on from those guys and they've held on to him
Speaker 3: and they've lost some of his guys and it's just
Speaker 3: been it's been unfortunate for them, especially a guy like
Speaker 3: show Hey, although I think that was more art moral
Speaker 3: than anybody, but this deadline, now that you have John Mozelac,
Speaker 3: he's got a history of making bigger moves, like he's
Speaker 3: not afraid of doing anything, and the fact that he
Speaker 3: ended up not talking to Arta moreno throughout this process,
Speaker 3: and he just talked to Molly Jolly there during during
Speaker 3: the interview process. I wonder, like, could he have like
Speaker 3: like autonomy? Over all this stuffhere is already gonna meddle.
Speaker 2: I don't know my.
Speaker 3: Guest has already tries to meddle, But I do think
Speaker 3: it ends up increasing the chances here where a Debtmers
Speaker 3: could be moved or Joe Adell type.
Speaker 2: Could be moved. And I think both of those guys
Speaker 2: would make a lot of sense here for.
Speaker 3: Atlanta, and you have I think the Braves could definitely
Speaker 3: use another bat, which is why, like I thought Adell
Speaker 3: made a lot of sense, I also thought of Taylor
Speaker 3: word type made a lot of sense for them, like both.
Speaker 2: Of those guys. But Debt Meers too, he is. I've
Speaker 2: said it.
Speaker 3: I just said it on a followed territory a few
Speaker 3: hours ago, and I'll say it again. If all the
Speaker 3: players have been asked about by other teams, Debt Mavers
Speaker 3: has been the guy I have been about them all.
Speaker 3: Mostly teams are so intrigued by him. They view him
Speaker 3: as a frontline guy. They view him as a guy
Speaker 3: who can be a difference maker in the postseason. He
Speaker 3: can be a guy that heads your rotation for a
Speaker 3: year in and year out. He's just a super intriguing candidate.
Speaker 3: If you try to package those guys together, I think
Speaker 3: that'd be super expensive. But getting at least one of
Speaker 3: them I think would be a major win for end
Speaker 3: Thopless or just really any team in baseball, because they're
Speaker 3: both Like all those guys, but especially Demurs, they're difference makers.
Speaker 1: A couple of other routes that end out. You know,
Speaker 1: of course we talk about controllable pitching that we would
Speaker 1: love for the Braves to go get, but a couple
Speaker 1: of routes that they could do if prices just seem
Speaker 1: to be a bit too risky for the controllable starters
Speaker 1: Casey miz Robbie Ray. Maybe another one of those lower
Speaker 1: till tier rental arms could make sense. And then of
Speaker 1: course the Nthoughtoless special going out to get another significant
Speaker 1: reliever that's controllable. Hello or this Chapman, Hello Daniel Lynch,
Speaker 1: other names such as that. I could see in Thoughtless
Speaker 1: kind of pulling his usual out of left field move
Speaker 1: that you're like, what is he doing? But then you're like, Okay,
Speaker 1: this actually does make sense to strengthen the team. It
Speaker 1: seems like that if he's going to make multiple significant
Speaker 1: moves a lower tier rental or getting another power reliever
Speaker 1: to clearly make the best back into the bullpen. Being
Speaker 1: in Atlanta, those are two other ways he could go
Speaker 1: to improve this pitching staff if prices make it to
Speaker 1: where that makes sense totally.
Speaker 3: And like, this reminds me of the Winter Meetings because
Speaker 3: they they obviously had Roise Ella Iglesias at that point,
Speaker 3: and I heard at the Winter Meetings that Robert Suarez
Speaker 3: was getting really close to siding and I was trying
Speaker 3: to figure out what team it was, and all of
Speaker 3: a sudden, the Bravest press release drops and you see
Speaker 3: that they signed Robert Suarez, And I'm like, you gotta
Speaker 3: be kidnamed, And it made so much sense, and I
Speaker 3: could see them doing it again for sure, like trying
Speaker 3: to stockpile that bullpen and adding a third dominant arm,
Speaker 3: and if it's a rold As Chapman type or if
Speaker 3: it's somebody else, like.
Speaker 2: The bullpen marketed, like obviously there's gonna be a bunch
Speaker 2: of teams looking for it.
Speaker 3: But the uncertainty there I who's all going to be available.
Speaker 3: Is something that I'm keeping an eye on here for sure.
Speaker 3: But I could see Anthopos doing that. I could see
Speaker 3: him trying to bolster that bullpen to have a Super
Speaker 3: bowlpen going into the going into the postseason. There's a
Speaker 3: bunch of different ways he can go about this. And
Speaker 3: the thing with him is he leaves no stone unturned.
Speaker 3: He will do something that he like. He's not afraid
Speaker 3: of doing what he thinks is right. And if he
Speaker 3: ends up stockpiling that bullpen, maybe adds another bat to
Speaker 3: that lineup as well. I mean, I wouldn't hate it
Speaker 3: one bit, but if you can get a Robbie Ray
Speaker 3: type to shoreline or to shore up your rotation, I
Speaker 3: think that that would make a lot of sense. But
Speaker 3: if I was, if I was n thoughtless, I would
Speaker 3: try to add an impact starter first, get an impact bat.
Speaker 3: And if you can't get that impact starter, then that's
Speaker 3: when you turn your attention to that bullpen piece. And
Speaker 3: if you can have that Super bowlpen, that's freaking awesome
Speaker 3: and I would support that no matter what, for sure.
Speaker 1: So we mentioned the impact starter. You know, that's been
Speaker 1: the conversation about the brakes for the past couple of years.
Speaker 1: This past month spotlight how much an impact bat is
Speaker 1: in need as well. More on that in just a
Speaker 1: moment after word from our partners.
Speaker 7: This episode is brought to you by fan Duel Baseball Fans.
Speaker 7: The MLB season is in full swing and fan Duel
Speaker 7: is giving you a chance to call your shot with
Speaker 7: Daily Dingers. Joining the action is easy. Just make your
Speaker 7: free pick on who's hitting a home run in their game,
Speaker 7: and if you're right, you'll get a profit boost to
Speaker 7: use on your next bet for a chance at extra winnings.
Speaker 7: It's just another reason why fan duel is the home
Speaker 7: of home runs. So are you ready to play your game?
Speaker 7: Head over to FanDuel dot com Slash podcast to get started.
Speaker 7: That's FanDuel dot com Slash podcast. To opt in for
Speaker 7: Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who's hitting
Speaker 7: a homer, playball and swing for the fences on fan Duel,
Speaker 7: an official partner of Major League Baseball. No purchase necessary,
Speaker 7: opt and required. Bonus issued as non withdrawable profit boost tokens.
Speaker 7: Restrictions apply, including any token expiration and max wager out.
Speaker 7: See terms at sportsbook dot FanDuel dot com. Gambling problem
Speaker 7: call or text one eight hundred gambler.
Speaker 1: So one other calling card Robert of Alexanthopolis is that
Speaker 1: you know, while he has not gone after the big
Speaker 1: name at the trade deadline, he has been someone who's
Speaker 1: been a master on the margins and been able to
Speaker 1: recreate an important part of the team at trade deadlines
Speaker 1: in the past. Twenty nineteen it was the bullpen, twenty
Speaker 1: twenty one, it was the outfield, and me and Stephen
Speaker 1: were talking about that last night. The fact that it
Speaker 1: seems like every year you can get a decent back
Speaker 1: pretty cheap because the circus is typically there. But it
Speaker 1: feels like this year, with the expanded playoffs, the American
Speaker 1: League not being as good overall as someone anticipated, there's
Speaker 1: just not a lot of sellers, so there may not
Speaker 1: be as big of a surplus, thus prices may be
Speaker 1: a bit higher. Is that kind of the general you know,
Speaker 1: a pulse that you're getting as far as the hitter
Speaker 1: market goes right now.
Speaker 2: Totally.
Speaker 3: That's exactly the feel that I have is there's so
Speaker 3: much uncertainty as to who's actually going to sell because
Speaker 3: so many teams are actually like feeling or feeling that
Speaker 3: they're in a spot where they can go out and
Speaker 3: contend it's got the hitting market just so uncertain at
Speaker 3: the moment, and like the Braves like they need to
Speaker 3: add at least one hitter. I mentioned Joe Adell, I
Speaker 3: mentioned Taylor Ward. With them and with Hussan Kim's struggles,
Speaker 3: I like part of me wonders and like this is
Speaker 3: I have not heard anything here. I want to clarify
Speaker 3: that I don't want to get any Braves fans hopes up.
Speaker 2: But I think a guy like c. J. Abrams makes
Speaker 2: a ton of sense for Atlanta.
Speaker 3: And like you can add him to the mix, I
Speaker 3: think that would be a big difference maker because, like
Speaker 3: you look at his ability. He's a great hitter, he
Speaker 3: is a super talented guy, He's controllable, He's a He
Speaker 3: would be an awesome fit. And do I think that
Speaker 3: the Nationals will move him. Probably not. But we could
Speaker 3: have said the same thing about Mackenzie Gore and Paul Taboni,
Speaker 3: who runs the Nationals' front office. He's got a model
Speaker 3: where he listens on everybody. It's how he got blown
Speaker 3: away with an offered by the Texas Rangers for Gore,
Speaker 3: Gavin Fiene And as soon as Gavin Feene was included
Speaker 3: in that. That's when talks really started to accelerate. Abrams
Speaker 3: is the guy that listened to on in the off season.
Speaker 3: The Giants showed pretty significant interest. There were other teams
Speaker 3: that were in, but the price is just too much
Speaker 3: for them. And could a team blow blow the Nationals
Speaker 3: away with an offer this deadline. I would not rule
Speaker 3: it out by any means. Again, I still expect that
Speaker 3: he's gonna be in Washington at the end of the year.
Speaker 3: But that being said, I do think he's a great
Speaker 3: fit for Atlanta, and I think Anthopolo should check in.
Speaker 1: So C. J. Abrams is a name that you know
Speaker 1: certainly could make sense. Just some other names Robert that
Speaker 1: you think could be connected because you know, I again
Speaker 1: I could put my thoughts out there. You know, you've
Speaker 1: got some pure, you know, platoon types, like you know
Speaker 1: on teams that are struggling, like a Matt Berlin of
Speaker 1: Detroit Orlaine Thomas. You know, Joebidale is a bit more
Speaker 1: not non platoon type, but those guys are out there.
Speaker 1: But you know, just some other names that are kind
Speaker 1: of on different tiers, the all around hitters on the
Speaker 1: adele level, but also some platoon just some names that
Speaker 1: you think would be worth tracking their teams over the
Speaker 1: next month that could make sense for Atlanta once these
Speaker 1: teams decide to sail. Yeah, I would.
Speaker 3: I think the names that you just mentioned make a
Speaker 3: lot of sense there. And I And here's one that
Speaker 3: I don't know if he's actually going to be available,
Speaker 3: I would highly doubt it. But we've seen the Brewers
Speaker 3: move guys in even this offseason again, Isaac Collins or
Speaker 3: Caleb Durban. We've seen Joy Ortiz really struggle with them.
Speaker 3: He's he's kind of had some some really good moments
Speaker 3: here recently. He's a super high level like or he's
Speaker 3: super highly talented guy. But I wonder if he could
Speaker 3: benefit from a change of scenery like That's one where
Speaker 3: I wonder.
Speaker 2: If a team could try to try to buy a
Speaker 2: low there.
Speaker 3: Here's one that I that I know has drawn interest
Speaker 3: in years past, especially this offseason. I could see him
Speaker 3: now because his defense is so good and his powers increases.
Speaker 2: Here is Jacob Young with the Nationals.
Speaker 7: Uh.
Speaker 2: He is one of the best defensive center fielders in ball.
Speaker 2: Really talented guy.
Speaker 3: I think any team that can get him would be
Speaker 3: a lot better for it. So I think both of
Speaker 3: those guys would make some sense, but again, like the
Speaker 3: market is just so uncertain at this point where I'm like,
Speaker 3: I don't want to give you a name, like or
Speaker 3: I don't want to like speculate all these names because
Speaker 3: there's so much uncertainty here, and like I would think
Speaker 3: teams teams now are the same questions that I do,
Speaker 3: Like they have no idea what's going to be available,
Speaker 3: But give it like another three, four, five weeks and
Speaker 3: then then we're going to be cooking and we'll have
Speaker 3: some more clarity there. But there's just so much uncertainty
Speaker 3: at this point.
Speaker 4: So I'm gonna ask you about a name, and I
Speaker 4: do not expect because I don't think anybody knows. But
Speaker 4: this this this name has been out there for a
Speaker 4: little bit because he plays for a team that has
Speaker 4: done salary dumps in the past, and the Braves actually
Speaker 4: just benefited from one of these, and that's Jeremy Pania,
Speaker 4: the shortstop for the Ash. The ass have been playing
Speaker 4: a lot better lately, so they might not sell at all.
Speaker 4: But I've I've just heard that, you know, the Astros
Speaker 4: don't always operate with the biggest buz they essentially salary
Speaker 4: dealt Resoo to bond into the Braves, which has been
Speaker 4: tremendous for them. There are a lot of Braves fans. Obviously,
Speaker 4: shortstop has been a thing for years now. There are
Speaker 4: a lot of Braves fans dreaming high on Jeremy Pania.
Speaker 4: This this was back more when the Astros were playing
Speaker 4: pretty bad. Do you think there's any world because short
Speaker 4: stops just so rarely become available, you think there's any
Speaker 4: world they would actually move to Jeremy Pania And obviously
Speaker 4: it does seem like he would at least hypothetically make
Speaker 4: sense for the Braves to at least check in.
Speaker 3: No, he makes a ton of sense, Like if you
Speaker 3: would have asked me that three or four weeks ago,
Speaker 3: out of been like, okay, there actually might be a
Speaker 3: chance here because they look like they were on the
Speaker 3: outside looking in and just didn't seem like a team
Speaker 3: that was gonna be in a position to compete. And
Speaker 3: then lo and behold, that division stinks. The entire American
Speaker 3: League stinks. And now it's even got me questioning whether
Speaker 3: Christian Walker or Parentis or any of these guys are
Speaker 3: gonna end up being moved. So, yeah, my guess is that,
Speaker 3: he stays, I would expect a bunch of teams. I
Speaker 3: think Atlanta should check in there just to see exactly
Speaker 3: what you can get. Like Anthoppos has a relationship with
Speaker 3: Dana Brown. They've done deals in the past. They like
Speaker 3: you know each other. So I think that makes a
Speaker 3: ton of sense there.
Speaker 2: But I thought you might be going in a different
Speaker 2: direction with that we have Now I want to know.
Speaker 4: Now, I want to know what direction you thought I
Speaker 4: was going in.
Speaker 1: I you're going to Josh.
Speaker 3: Oh, Josh lay Yeah, because like we talked before about
Speaker 3: the Braves possibly trying to build that Super Bowl pen,
Speaker 3: and we saw how the Astros in the in the offseason.
Speaker 3: H we're trying to shed salary. He's got a big salary,
Speaker 3: and I wondered maybe, but I don't know if he's
Speaker 3: getting to be a move. But I don't know if
Speaker 3: he'd necessarily be like that big salary guy that the
Speaker 3: Brave should go out and add.
Speaker 2: But I expect him to get some hits. But I
Speaker 2: think the paying of shot. But he makes a lot
Speaker 2: of sense. I do have one. I do have one.
Speaker 4: I just thought about this, actually, I want to get
Speaker 4: your opinion on this. So one theory that Braves fans
Speaker 4: have been running with for you know, a couple of
Speaker 4: months now is obviously the Jersim profar money allows them
Speaker 4: a level of spending at the deadline. Then a lot
Speaker 4: of teams don't have a lot of teams don't have
Speaker 4: just fifteen million dollars just sitting there to spend at
Speaker 4: the deadline that they weren't expecting to have. And then
Speaker 4: usually top Less keeps money to the side for this anyway,
Speaker 4: So you know, Brads fans have kind of dreaming in
Speaker 4: let's idea that they have more money to spend maybe
Speaker 4: than most teams, just you know, the way the profile
Speaker 4: money fell in their lap. I'm curious your opinion on that,
Speaker 4: if you think that would have any impact. Maybe there's
Speaker 4: a guy, you know, when you said hater is what
Speaker 4: made me think of it. Maybe there's a guy that
Speaker 4: makes big money that otherwise the Braids maybe couldn't afford.
Speaker 4: Maybe now they could that they have fifteen million dollars
Speaker 4: they really weren't expecting to have.
Speaker 3: No.
Speaker 2: I think that definitely is a factor here.
Speaker 3: I think that's a really good shot by a because
Speaker 3: that's something I had not consider on my end, and
Speaker 3: I remember like when as soon as the School stuff
Speaker 3: ended up coming out, I had a couple of different
Speaker 3: teams tell me it's very rare you have that kind
Speaker 3: of money just sitting around just where you can add
Speaker 3: that to your payroll and not have any effects there.
Speaker 2: Atlanta can add that.
Speaker 3: They can add basically anybody that they want to and
Speaker 3: really have the flexibility to go out and do so.
Speaker 3: So whether maybe that makes a guy like School more attainable,
Speaker 3: or maybe it makes one of those big targets more attainable,
Speaker 3: I'm not necessary really sure, but I think this based
Speaker 3: on their ability to compete this season and also the
Speaker 3: PROFI contract. In that entire situation, you have to imagine
Speaker 3: Anthopoless is gonna have as much flexibilities as he's had
Speaker 3: or at any deadline in recent years. So I think
Speaker 3: that it makes a lot of sense. I think they
Speaker 3: should go out and check in on everything. And if
Speaker 3: you if you're in Atlanta, if you're Anthopoless and you
Speaker 3: can add one of these impact players and you don't
Speaker 3: have to deplete your farm system to go out and
Speaker 3: do so, I say do it, especially if you have
Speaker 3: that flexibility.
Speaker 2: Again, great shot by you. That's something I had not
Speaker 2: really thought about on my end.
Speaker 4: Yeah, and especially with Sale being thirty seven, I do wonder, like,
Speaker 4: you know, how many more bites at the Apple do
Speaker 4: you have? With Sale being an ACE level pitcher, it
Speaker 4: does seem like there's a lot of stars aligning for
Speaker 4: Alex has more money than normal. They have a very
Speaker 4: very very clear need at starting pitcher. Like normally the
Speaker 4: scoopl stuff doesn't seem real to me because it's not
Speaker 4: really antopless move, but you've had everything together, it does
Speaker 4: start to feel maybe a little.
Speaker 1: More real than normal.
Speaker 3: No, and I'll tell you it's he's going to have
Speaker 3: a very very busy deadline. He's going to be in
Speaker 3: a position where he can consider almost anything and everything.
Speaker 3: And they're a team to watch. The Phillies are a
Speaker 3: team to watch. You got the Padres always a team
Speaker 3: to watch, the Dodgers.
Speaker 2: I mean, this is going to be right now.
Speaker 3: It's super unpredictable because we don't know who the sellers
Speaker 3: are going to be. But Atlanta's definitely one of the top.
Speaker 2: Teams to watch. And I kind of wait to see
Speaker 2: what he.
Speaker 3: Does because odds are we're probably gonna find out through
Speaker 3: the Braves Twitter account and that's always that's always fun,
Speaker 3: but also mayan as a news breaker or rather frustrating.
Speaker 2: So thank you, alex I Thopless.
Speaker 4: Yeah, thanks Alice.
Speaker 1: One other unique factor is we're here with Robert Murray.
Speaker 1: One last question, Robert. Another unique factor for this trade
Speaker 1: deadline that you could see an impact in every team
Speaker 1: that you don't usually have, you know, most seasons, is
Speaker 1: the looming you know, CBA negotiations. What is twenty twenty
Speaker 1: seven going to look like? You know, particularly you know
Speaker 1: for some of these rentals. Could it mean not the
Speaker 1: top rentals like a Schoogle, but for some of these
Speaker 1: other rental pitchers like a Maze or a Ray. If
Speaker 1: a team work to trade for them, could they be
Speaker 1: more open to extensions so that may make teams more
Speaker 1: willing to go after them as rentals or some of
Speaker 1: these controllable pieces. Could their prices be a little bit
Speaker 1: cheaper because you don't know how much you're going to
Speaker 1: get from them next year? Could they be open to extensions.
Speaker 1: How does the uncertainty of twenty twenty seven and beyond
Speaker 1: because of changes that will come in the years following,
Speaker 1: how much is that overall impacting what teams may or
Speaker 1: may not do it this year's trade deadline.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm still expecting these teams to be aggressive here
Speaker 3: for sure. But if you can add some of these
Speaker 3: guys who are controllable, I think that'd be super intriguing
Speaker 3: to these teams because the uncertainty and just the pure
Speaker 3: frenzy it's going to be in the offseason when that
Speaker 3: lockout eventually hits, and when that lockout eventually is over,
Speaker 3: were're going to be able to play baseball. Players are
Speaker 3: going to want to be able to be settled. Teams
Speaker 3: are going to want to know what the rosters are
Speaker 3: going to look like. And I remember the last time
Speaker 3: that this ended up happening with the lockout, it was
Speaker 3: the deadline was obviously crazy, but the off season is
Speaker 3: where we really felt it the most, especially before him,
Speaker 3: because these guys wanted to have that certainty. And if
Speaker 3: you can end up getting or you want to have
Speaker 3: that certainty through the lockout, I should say, and if
Speaker 3: you can get a guy that is maybe on an
Speaker 3: expiring contract, you have the first ability to sign him,
Speaker 3: and you have like an exclusive window before all these
Speaker 3: teams are able to negotiate with him.
Speaker 2: I wonder if that could end up being a factor
Speaker 2: here as well.
Speaker 3: That maybe allows teams to be more aggressive and adding
Speaker 3: these kind of expiring contract guys.
Speaker 2: I don't know if that does that make sense. I
Speaker 2: don't like I think it does, but I like.
Speaker 3: Again, like going back to school here, we've talked about
Speaker 3: him being expired.
Speaker 2: He is not going to be signing before for agency.
Speaker 2: His agent is Scott Boris.
Speaker 3: Like, there's no way Boris is gonna d up allowing
Speaker 3: him to miss free agency. It's going to be But
Speaker 3: the other guys, you wonder if that could end up
Speaker 3: being something that could be in play here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I remember in twenty one. I remember in twenty one,
Speaker 4: So twenty one was the last time we had the lockout,
Speaker 4: and I remember, like the day before the lockout, it
Speaker 4: was like December fifth, might have been at the Winter meetings.
Speaker 4: It was like it was like another trade deadline. We
Speaker 4: had like fifty different signings happen because everybody wanted some
Speaker 4: certainty before the lockout because no one knew when the
Speaker 4: lockout was gonna end. So I agree with you, I
Speaker 4: think there could be another round of that this offseason.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I remember that. That was one of the craziest
Speaker 3: times I've ever had Seger.
Speaker 4: I think Seger signed his big contract in that there
Speaker 4: was a whole bunch like that day that you know,
Speaker 4: signed massive deals just to get it done right before
Speaker 4: the lockouts started.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was wild.
Speaker 3: It was and I expected to happen again and it
Speaker 3: was a frenzy.
Speaker 2: And it's probably gonna have to be in that same.
Speaker 3: Way again because there was a lot of uncertainty at
Speaker 3: that point.
Speaker 2: This offseason, there's so much more uncertainty. Yeah, this is
Speaker 2: gonna be an ugly, up and down offseason.
Speaker 3: My best recommendation for for everybody who's watching this, don't
Speaker 3: ride the roller coaster because it's it's gonna be ugly.
Speaker 3: The reports are going to be even uglier. But that
Speaker 3: being said, it's like, I'm confident we're gonna have baseball.
Speaker 2: Are we gonna have full season?
Speaker 3: I don't know, but I'm confident we're going to have
Speaker 3: baseball in some way shape or for next year.
Speaker 1: So trivia question for both of y'all and the one
Speaker 1: who answers this gets the thumbs up, Remind me again
Speaker 1: the last time the last two times we've had lockout
Speaker 1: th threatening seasons nineteen ninety four, nineteen ninety five, and
Speaker 1: then twenty two. What's the other common thing between those
Speaker 1: two time frames.
Speaker 4: He talk about world series for the Braids.
Speaker 1: World Series for the Braids.
Speaker 4: Whenever that walks shame, shameless for your part, Maybe there
Speaker 4: we are.
Speaker 2: I mean, yeah, that's even further reason franthopis to go
Speaker 2: all in this.
Speaker 4: Yeah, the reason the stars the stars are aligning is
Speaker 4: what we're saying.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely this part of the show and Sanatanopolis I'm talking.
Speaker 4: Oh, he's definitely listening.
Speaker 1: I probably that's what he is listening right now. Robert
Speaker 1: cannot thank you enough, sir. There's a reason why we
Speaker 1: enjoy having you anytime we get the chance. It's absolute
Speaker 1: great content from you as a great source of hard
Speaker 1: work as well as an insight when it comes to baseball.
Speaker 1: Please let us know where we can find all your
Speaker 1: excellent We're both written podcasts, just everything because I know
Speaker 1: Braves Country across the board will be tuning in over
Speaker 1: the next month plus.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you can catch me on Twitter at by Robert Murray.
Speaker 3: You can catch me on fans Ada dot com, Fallow Territory,
Speaker 3: do my podcast The Baseball Insiders. I really appreciate you
Speaker 3: boys have me on the show. A huge fan of
Speaker 3: what you guys do. You're great people, do great work.
Speaker 3: So anybody who's watching this give them a five star review,
Speaker 3: do whatever, because they are incredible of their boy incredible
Speaker 3: of their jobs.
Speaker 2: Boys. I appreciate you big time. Thank you, appreciate you.
Speaker 1: Robert, Robert, we can't thank you. Please stick with us
Speaker 1: for just a second after the show. But of course
Speaker 1: you can find Steven Tolbert at b Underscore Outliers, Robert
Speaker 1: as he said at by Robert Murray on Twitter, slash x,
Speaker 1: myself Sean coming at stats sac and you can find
Speaker 1: hammer Territory across all forms of social media, Foul Territory
Speaker 1: across all forms of social media Fansided at fansided dot
Speaker 1: com for Robert Murray, Stephen Tolbert, and myself Sean Coleman.
Speaker 1: We'll talk to you again soon. Go brads here on
Speaker 1: the ammor Territory podcast.
Speaker 3: H