WEBVTT - Hammer Territory Holiday Mailbag 0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:24.160 Hello everyone, and welcome back to the hammid Territory Podcast. 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:27.560 This is episode three one three. My name is Brad Rowland, 0:00:27.960 --> 0:00:31.080 coming to you on a Sunday evening here in late December. 0:00:31.120 --> 0:00:34.000 It's the holidays in full force, and I'm joined as 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:37.519 I almost always am, b Scott Coleman Scott. It's a 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:40.800 I guess rare for us recently to have a quiet show, 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:42.880 but as we record this, it might be a quiet show. 0:00:42.920 --> 0:00:45.600 How are you hello, Brad? I am doing well and 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:49.000 early Happy holidays, Merry Christmas to you and everybody out there. 0:00:49.040 --> 0:00:52.839 And it's weird like they signed Hassan Kim basically a 0:00:52.880 --> 0:00:55.320 week ago, and there hasn't been a whole lot of moves, 0:00:55.320 --> 0:00:57.440 although there was one transaction that we're going to talk 0:00:57.440 --> 0:00:59.960 about for the Braves tonight. But the way this offsea 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:01.800 and it has gone so far, it's been tough to 0:01:01.800 --> 0:01:03.720 go more than a few days without some kind of 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:08.120 Braves activity. And we'll see. Usually there's a flurry of 0:01:08.160 --> 0:01:12.080 activity across Major League Baseball the couple of days before Christmas, 0:01:12.600 --> 0:01:14.920 but then usually it quiets down from about Christmas Eve 0:01:15.000 --> 0:01:17.560 until the day or two after New Year's Day. It's 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:20.119 not a guarantee, but it feels like we might see 0:01:20.160 --> 0:01:22.720 some real activity across the rest of the league and 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:24.040 maybe the Braves will be a part of that in 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:25.440 the next seventy two hours or so. 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:27.959 Yeah, there was a trade in baseball right before we 0:01:27.959 --> 0:01:29.600 started recording, and what didn't involve the Braves. But like, 0:01:29.640 --> 0:01:31.800 there's some stuff that's going to happen in the next 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:34.800 couple of days, almost certainly, and we are a little 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:37.400 bit spoiled right now. I was looking at our database 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:40.880 of previous episodes and in the last twelve days, we 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.480 have done five shows, or actually six shows in the 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:46.679 last twelve days, and I believe three of them were 0:01:46.680 --> 0:01:50.240 emergency podcasts. So we've had plenty to talk about. And 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:52.080 if you are new to the podcast number one, we 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:54.040 are Hammer Territory. We are part of the Foul Territory 0:01:54.080 --> 0:01:57.120 network of podcasts. We cover the Braves all year round. 0:01:57.560 --> 0:02:00.000 On this particular podcast, it is the two of us 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:03.600 Brad and Scott plus Steven Tolbert and Sean Coleman in 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:05.720 a regular rotation of the four of us. But if 0:02:05.760 --> 0:02:07.320 you missed it, the most recent show on the feed 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:08.880 was Shawn and Stephen talking about kind of the state 0:02:08.919 --> 0:02:11.679 of the Braves after that, aforementioned flurry of off seas 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:14.520 and activity that's been going on, and today we have 0:02:14.600 --> 0:02:17.360 a couple of items to discuss. You already mentioned the transaction. 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:19.920 We'll get to that in a second, but first on 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:22.240 the agenda is basically, we got some questions about this 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:25.120 and we'll just mailbag later on some direct mailbag, but 0:02:25.200 --> 0:02:27.799 like some remaining targets, like a lot of like, hey, 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:29.639 who do you guys want the Braves to sign now 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:32.000 or trade for now or whatever? We figured we might 0:02:32.040 --> 0:02:35.880 go kind of area by area. I know the boys 0:02:35.919 --> 0:02:37.720 talked about this on the most recent episode and you 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:40.440 and I tease this on our reaction to Hassan Kim 0:02:41.080 --> 0:02:44.360 being signed. It felt like then the Braves might be 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:49.600 done with, like the main offensive lineup stuff might be 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:52.320 not definitely are, but that seems like we should just 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:54.920 say that out loud, like perhaps they could add I 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:56.920 know that was a speculation that Steven and Seawan did 0:02:56.960 --> 0:02:58.840 as well, like maybe a right handed bat off the 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:01.560 bench kind of thing. Aside from that, Scott, like, I'm 0:03:01.600 --> 0:03:03.679 not saying they shouldn't sign Kyle Tucker. That'd be cool 0:03:03.680 --> 0:03:06.280 if they did, but uh, I think they might be 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:09.079 right hand battle only. At this point in time, I'm 0:03:09.080 --> 0:03:11.000 not sure what else they would do unless Alex just 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:13.000 changed his entire alexness overnight. 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:16.239 I would say, when you look at the offensive side 0:03:16.280 --> 0:03:18.480 of the Braves right now, and if you make a 0:03:18.480 --> 0:03:20.320 couple of assumptions with who is going to be on 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:25.400 the bench, there might be one bench spot left. If 0:03:25.480 --> 0:03:28.320 you assume Eli White is a lock for the team, 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:30.040 which I think he is. 0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:32.000 I think he's very likely to be on this I wouldn't. 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:33.079 I don't know if I go to lock, but I 0:03:33.080 --> 0:03:34.359 think he's very likely to be on the team. 0:03:34.480 --> 0:03:37.680 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Speed player can steal a base late 0:03:37.680 --> 0:03:39.840 in a game. Great pinch runner can run into a 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:42.880 home run as we saw last season. And then in 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:45.000 addition to Eli White, you can also have either Sean 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:47.880 Murphy or a backup catcher of some kind, assuming that 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:51.520 Murphy is healthy after his hip surgery. You have Mauricio 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:54.520 Dubon as your super utility guy, and you have Mike 0:03:54.560 --> 0:03:59.880 Kistremsky as we believe the primary DH fourth outfielder. Rotate 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:03.120 Jerks and Profar and Acunya and whoever else in the 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:06.280 lineup that leaves one spot. I could see the Braves 0:04:06.400 --> 0:04:09.320 just kind of punting it and going with a total 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:13.760 nothing burger as a twenty sixth man your Brett Wisely types. 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:16.279 Maybe Nacho Alvarez could be in that role, but a 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:19.480 player you're basically never going to rely on, or hopefully 0:04:19.480 --> 0:04:20.120 you don't have to. 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:21.039 Rely on a whole lot. 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:24.239 But they could go out and add a right handed 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:27.360 power bat of some kind of rotating at DH or 0:04:27.400 --> 0:04:30.280 again in the outfield, the infield, wherever it might be. 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:32.599 My hunch is they're just going to kind of roll 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:34.719 with somebody internal for that final spot. But it would 0:04:34.800 --> 0:04:38.279 not totally shock me if Marcello Zuna is sitting around 0:04:38.320 --> 0:04:39.920 and they want to bring him back for a few 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:43.760 million dollars for clubhouse vibes and maybe an upside bat. 0:04:44.080 --> 0:04:45.599 I mean, you can say, while the top of the 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:48.120 order looks pretty good right now, there are some very 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:50.960 legitimate questions about the bottom half of the lineup. 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:52.920 For sure. I mean we've said this before, but if 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:56.080 Marcel doesn't have a market and they could get him 0:04:56.080 --> 0:04:57.960 on a reasonable contract, and by that I mean the 0:04:58.480 --> 0:05:01.039 number of reasonable has come down after they've did the 0:05:01.080 --> 0:05:03.800 other stuff, Like at one point, like a ten million 0:05:03.839 --> 0:05:06.040 dollars one year deal from Marcelo Zuna seemed like something 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:08.560 that could happen to me. Now, I can't imagine them 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:11.200 paying ten million dollars for Marcelazuna. The role is too small. 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:12.839 But if he has no market at all, like if 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:15.480 it's five million dollars, like okay, I'm fine with that, 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:18.080 doesn't bother me at all. Besides something like that, I mean, 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:19.760 could there's some other name. I know there's been some 0:05:19.880 --> 0:05:23.800 Robert Refschneider kind of buzz between Diehard Braves fans. I 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:25.919 get it like there's a there is a potentially small 0:05:26.000 --> 0:05:28.200 role there. But we're starting with this just to say 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:31.360 they might be and I think almost trending towards probably 0:05:31.440 --> 0:05:34.840 are mostly done with the offensive side of things, which 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:37.880 makes the remaining targets more of a focus of pitching. 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:39.880 I wish you have more to say on the on 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:41.880 the bats, we could move on to the pitching side. 0:05:42.839 --> 0:05:44.880 Look the headline, especially when you and I talk, I 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:46.800 feel like, even more so than anybody else on the 0:05:46.800 --> 0:05:49.280 Braves Internet, as they started pitching, because we've banged the 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:51.400 drumps so many times about how they just need to start. 0:05:51.520 --> 0:05:54.360 They need to add somebody else I'm just going to 0:05:54.440 --> 0:05:57.480 list some names that are still available on the market 0:05:57.520 --> 0:06:00.320 as of Sunday, December twenty First, in free agents, keep 0:06:00.320 --> 0:06:02.240 in mind it could be a trade and those are 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:04.960 a lot harder to predict, but free agents are available. 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:10.480 Freber Valdez, Ragis Juarez, Zach Gallon, Tatsuya and my Chris Bassett, 0:06:10.520 --> 0:06:14.560 Tyler Malley, Lucas Giolido, Zach Lttel, and Nick Martinez are 0:06:14.560 --> 0:06:17.200 all guys who are supposed to get real money who 0:06:17.240 --> 0:06:20.600 are all still available. Out of that group, does anyone 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:23.360 excite you? And in fact, I'll let you answer this if 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:24.800 you want to now or we do it in a second. 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:28.039 We get a question from Fear of the Chop who says, 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:30.479 if the Braves sign is starting a pitcher, who do 0:06:30.560 --> 0:06:33.200 you predict it will be? 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:33.400 Now? 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:35.840 Predict and want our different things. Keep that in mind, 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:37.480 but I'll throw that all to you at once, and 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:38.480 I'll let you sit through it. 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:41.960 To answer the question. If I had to bet on 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:44.000 if the Braves are going to sign a free agent 0:06:44.040 --> 0:06:48.040 starting pitcher, who would it be today December twenty Second, 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:49.800 as most people are going to be listening to the show, 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:53.839 my guest would be Chris Bassett. I think he is 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:59.120 far more Alexanthopolis like than like a Franber Valdez or 0:06:59.279 --> 0:07:03.080 Rangers Wars or Zach Gallon because of the financial commitments 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:06.240 those guys are going to get. But Alex has spent 0:07:06.320 --> 0:07:10.200 money in the last six weeks and the Braves might 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:13.080 have more money to spend. So I think Chris Bassett 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:16.720 probably not going to be someone who you lose your 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:19.720 mind over the Braves signing, but a very capable fourth 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:22.600 starter in this rotation. He would absolutely make the Braves 0:07:22.600 --> 0:07:25.240 a better team. It would free up the possibility of 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:29.040 putting either Ronaldo Lopez or Grant Holmes if they are healthy, 0:07:29.160 --> 0:07:33.000 into your bullpen as a bullpen weapon. It just we've 0:07:33.000 --> 0:07:34.680 said it before, Well say one more time. I would 0:07:34.680 --> 0:07:36.760 really like to see the Braves at a starting pitcher 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:40.119 and someone who moves the needle like. I don't need 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:43.920 some of these bottom of the barrel starting pitching free 0:07:43.920 --> 0:07:46.400 agents to come in, Like, I just don't think that's 0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:49.840 necessarily worth it. But if you could get Chris Bassett 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:52.640 or better, then sign me up all day long, assuming 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:54.320 they have some money for them. 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:56.880 Yeah, that was my answer as well. We did not 0:07:56.880 --> 0:07:59.400 talk about the set of time, the thought surprise that 0:07:59.400 --> 0:08:01.400 would agree on thing we generally do a lot of 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:05.760 the time, probably too much for podcast purposes. My runner up, 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:08.440 you're you're thinking, I think you're gonna hate based on 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:10.480 what you just said. I think the other guy that 0:08:10.520 --> 0:08:14.320 would be kind of bravesy is Tyler Malley. And the 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:16.680 reason I say that is because Tyler Mallley has had 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:19.400 some injury stuff, but when he has pitched, he's been 0:08:19.480 --> 0:08:22.360 quite good, and Alex has not shied away from that 0:08:22.400 --> 0:08:25.560 in recent years. Even Chris Sale was a hey, when 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:27.240 he's pitched, he's been good kind of guy. And Tyler 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.120 Malley has the under the under the hood stuff that 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:31.920 Alex likes, like, hey, maybe better than your ra kind 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:34.520 of guy, kind of off the radar. I would have 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:36.920 picked Bassett to be, to be fair, but I think 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:39.160 Mally has that like kind of like I know he's 0:08:39.160 --> 0:08:41.760 boring in some ways, but he isn't as boring as 0:08:41.760 --> 0:08:45.280 you might think. I think his his stuff is pretty interesting. 0:08:45.600 --> 0:08:48.600 He's just had some health issues. So the upside there 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:50.480 is like he's he's had multiple seas where he's had 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:53.720 like a low three ZRA on some pretty decent volume 0:08:54.000 --> 0:08:55.800 when he's been able to stay healthy now can't stay healthy. 0:08:55.800 --> 0:08:58.640 I don't know, but through Alex's premise, and he keeps 0:08:58.640 --> 0:09:01.000 saying this, by the way, on local radio, so we're 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:03.480 not chronicling every appearance Alex makes, but every time he 0:09:03.520 --> 0:09:06.640 talks it seems like he's mentioning that we want a 0:09:06.679 --> 0:09:09.679 starter that can start a playoff game thing. And I'm 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:11.720 not saying, Tymy Malley is gonna be an awesome playoff starter, 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:14.360 but for me, that really means Alex is saying we 0:09:14.400 --> 0:09:18.200 want upside more than we want like the lower end 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:21.199 endings either type, and Bassett kind of is the lower 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:25.360 innings ending type, but he also is more established and older, 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.320 which is very Alex coded. I think Malley is like 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:31.440 the middle tier of like, hey, there's actually some upside here, 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:33.880 which is why I think that might be a possibility. 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:36.320 I'm not calling for that. I mean the other side 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.720 of this. I'll ask you first, who do you want 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:42.160 them to sign? Do you have a want to prefer 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:45.480 like again, want predicted different? Our predictions are Bassett and 0:09:45.480 --> 0:09:47.920 Malley if they sign somebody, do you have a guy 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:50.959 that you're you're yearning for beyond those guys, you. 0:09:50.920 --> 0:09:52.640 Know, I think it's funny. I'll answer that in just 0:09:52.679 --> 0:09:56.080 one moment. But I think the playoff starter qualification is 0:09:56.120 --> 0:09:59.880 funny because you can't tell me that it's the brave 0:10:00.160 --> 0:10:02.920 needed Chris Bassett, who's been really solid the last four 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:05.559 or five seasons, and said, Chris, you were going to 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:08.400 go through this lineup one time as our starter, go 0:10:08.640 --> 0:10:11.520 throw the shit out of the baseball for nine hitters 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:14.199 and get us through three. Right, I have to. 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:16.040 I have to bleep that now it's got that's unfortunate 0:10:16.080 --> 0:10:16.400 for us. 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:19.920 Come on, man, sorry, it's uh yeah, sorry, Santa, don't 0:10:19.920 --> 0:10:23.960 move me to the bad list three days before. But 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:28.280 let's talk about the top of the market. I love 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.880 the idea of Framber Valdez. The one thing with Framber 0:10:32.000 --> 0:10:34.280 other than the big contract he's probably going to get, 0:10:35.000 --> 0:10:40.000 is the now infamous intentional cross up pitch that he had. 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:43.200 If folks want to look it up, Basically, it sounds 0:10:43.240 --> 0:10:45.840 like Framber and the catcher in Houston had a disagreement 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:48.800 about what pitch to throw. Framber then gave up a 0:10:48.800 --> 0:10:50.600 home run on the very next pitch. I think it 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:53.240 was a grand Slam, And then it sure looked like 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.800 Framber intentionally crossed up his catcher and drilled him in 0:10:57.960 --> 0:11:01.439 the chess protector with a fastball, and it was awkward. 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:04.120 It was just it was a bad look to be blunt. 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:07.640 That being said, everybody has a bad moment, and I 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:11.000 would be fascinated to know if you surveyed one hundred 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:15.280 Houston Astros players who have played with Framber Valdez over 0:11:15.280 --> 0:11:17.800 the last couple of seasons, what they would say was it. 0:11:18.000 --> 0:11:19.880 I would like to think we don't get judged by 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:22.880 maybe the worst moment of our big league career. But 0:11:22.960 --> 0:11:25.520 if there's also other players and you can bet Alex 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:28.000 and Thopolis is gonna bet this would say, you know, 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:30.880 Framber maybe not the best dude, then I think you 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:33.520 could probably take him off the board entirely. But they 0:11:33.559 --> 0:11:35.880 might say I was just as surprised as you to 0:11:35.880 --> 0:11:37.640 see that happen. Framber has been a good guy in 0:11:37.679 --> 0:11:40.720 the clubhouse and his teammates like him, then I could 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:43.960 see it becoming at least somewhat possible if his market 0:11:43.960 --> 0:11:49.679 doesn't develop. Rangers warrez quickly. He's been a demon against 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:53.680 the Braves, but he just throws so soft and he's 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:56.960 not gonna suddenly start throwing harder into his thirties. I 0:11:57.080 --> 0:11:59.360 just don't see it. And also the Phillies haven't really 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:01.800 shown a prepent steed to bring him back, which is 0:12:01.840 --> 0:12:04.600 a little interesting to me. And then Zach Gallon had 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:06.480 such a down year. If he did not have the 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:09.360 qualifying offer attached to him, I think I'd be more interested. 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:12.640 But because you're taking a big risk on Gallon bouncing 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:15.480 back and you would lose the twenty sixth pick and 0:12:15.520 --> 0:12:17.720 you're probably gonna have to give up a pretty big contract, 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:20.360 I personally don't see it with Gallen, but maybe the 0:12:20.360 --> 0:12:21.320 Braves feel differently. 0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:25.559 I think Gallen is one of those there's always somebody 0:12:25.559 --> 0:12:27.199 in the front office to run a coaching staff or 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:29.240 both that like, you know, we could fix this guy 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:31.559 because he's the upside was so high, like this is 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:33.800 a top five, so young finisher multiple times, et cetera, 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:37.280 et cetera. I do think frambur is, Look, we're not 0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:39.640 we are not We always say this, We're not Kenrosenthal, 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:42.480 We're not our guy, Kenro's Thall or Robert Murray, who 0:12:42.559 --> 0:12:46.600 are both thought territory guys and great reporters. We hear things, 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:49.960 though there's some Framer bus. I'll just say that out loud. 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:51.800 I've heard some framer buss just a little. I'm not 0:12:51.840 --> 0:12:53.840 saying it's gonna happen, but it's not always, not like 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:55.920 some guys like I use I used Kalac Tucker as 0:12:55.960 --> 0:12:58.319 example earlier, there was a zero such as that was 0:12:58.320 --> 0:13:01.320 ever happening, right, and we kind of, yeah, that's not 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:04.760 what I've heard about famms. So, for whatever it's worth, 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:07.040 it's at least plausible to me, he'd be the guy 0:13:07.080 --> 0:13:10.960 to like, I'm with you. If Alex Alex is famous 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.640 Robert said's on our show recently, Alex's famous for due diligence. 0:13:15.360 --> 0:13:17.280 If he don't, if he makes five calls and four 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:19.000 of them are like, no, that's that's not a good 0:13:19.000 --> 0:13:22.160 guy crossed off the list. They do care a lot 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:24.880 about makeup in the in the Brads organization. Whether you 0:13:24.920 --> 0:13:26.400 agree with that or not, they do care about that 0:13:26.480 --> 0:13:29.280 quite a bit. But yeah, I'm with you. I'd like 0:13:29.280 --> 0:13:32.720 to see them aim high. I kind of will always 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:34.880 be believe that when I see it on a nine 0:13:34.880 --> 0:13:38.440 figure pitching contract until they do it. But uh, I 0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:40.400 think we're on the same page. Ame high would be 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:43.560 our preference if they don't there is some military that 0:13:43.559 --> 0:13:45.800 they could go with at some point. Hopefully I answers 0:13:45.800 --> 0:13:48.440 the question, and we do have more mailback questions coming. 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:50.880 And also we have some relievers to discuss in a second, 0:13:51.080 --> 0:13:55.360 but first they're work with our partners on today's show. Okay, Scott, 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:58.839 on the question of reliever targets, we talked about starters, 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:00.760 what's about potential rhand about off the page, et cetera. 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:03.480 It's funny to me, most of the relievers that I 0:14:03.480 --> 0:14:05.920 think are like pretty interesting targets are guys that have 0:14:05.960 --> 0:14:08.880 already been on the Braves, which is kind of Alex 0:14:08.920 --> 0:14:10.320 coded too. He likes to kind of go back to 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:14.080 the same will the biggest name who has not signed 0:14:14.520 --> 0:14:16.360 as a reliever that markets move fast, by the way, 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:18.840 the Braves were part of that. They signed Suarez an 0:14:18.880 --> 0:14:22.080 Iglesias already, but Pete Fairbanks is kind of the one 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:26.080 closer level guy who is not signed. It would surprise 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:27.920 me if the Braves did that because it's going to 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:29.800 cost some real money. But hey, Alex is never afraid 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:33.120 of signing a reliever. Thoughts on pew bearricks. 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:38.360 You know, at this point, I think getting a starter 0:14:38.520 --> 0:14:41.920 is a far more effective use of resources by a lot, Yes, 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:47.680 But if Alex has money to spend, like spend it, 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.720 you know, like go go give yourself a Super Bowl pen, 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:53.480 or add another hitter to your mix, or you know, 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:56.680 whatever you have to do, do it. Like what if 0:14:56.720 --> 0:14:58.600 you have the cash to spend, go spend it. I'd 0:14:58.640 --> 0:15:01.160 rather Alex spend it on reliever, even if this is 0:15:01.200 --> 0:15:05.800 the world's most expensive bullpen outside of the Dodgers, of course, 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:10.920 Like would it be conventional to have Pete Fairbanks, Robert 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:14.480 Suarez in Rycel Iglesias in the seventh, eighth, and ninth. No, 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:16.920 because those are all three bona fide closers the last 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:19.680 couple of years. But if you strike out, maybe Frambra 0:15:19.720 --> 0:15:22.160 Valdez doesn't check out, Maybe they don't want to commit 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:25.480 five years to Ranger Suarez, maybe they don't trust Zach 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:28.480 Gallon to bounce back. Like then then add something to 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:30.400 your bullpen. I mean, you feel good about a couple 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:32.360 of guys in that group, but there's a lot in 0:15:32.400 --> 0:15:34.560 the back end of the bullpen, which kind of terrifies 0:15:34.560 --> 0:15:36.920 me if I'm being honest. So yeah, I mean, I 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.120 think all things equal, I think the bullpen's in good 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:40.920 enough shape. I think they can figure it out. I 0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:46.000 think they can add enough non guaranteed roster invitees to 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.520 spring training to kind of bridge that gap. But if 0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:50.720 if nothing works out on the starter market, then by 0:15:50.720 --> 0:15:53.000 all means at at least one or two more arms 0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:53.920 to that bullpen mix. 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:59.160 I would not mind another five million dollar reliever like 0:15:59.480 --> 0:16:02.560 who was and believers are voltial. We always say that 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:05.120 it's true, but like if the Braves wanted to bring 0:16:05.200 --> 0:16:08.520 back Pierce Johnson for five million dollars at this point, 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:12.080 like I would still do that honestly. Or Tyler kin 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:14.040 Lean another guy who the Braves had last year in 0:16:14.040 --> 0:16:16.920 that similar range. Old friend Kirby Yates is on the 0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:20.280 super old side but has been good and could be 0:16:20.320 --> 0:16:22.120 available for a one year deal. Alex loves a one 0:16:22.200 --> 0:16:24.480 year deal. You mentioned here in our notes. I could 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:25.880 get the credit for this. Evan Phillips is the guy 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.000 who talks about once earlier this winter. I think it's 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:30.000 still coming back from TJ, but like it's a potentially 0:16:30.080 --> 0:16:33.720 interesting reliever. Alex coated price could be lower because back 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:35.840 mid season the old chip carry. I'll let you deliver 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:37.720 the line if you want to make a trade of 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:39.360 that making the trade, you know. 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:43.480 Partner, it is like making a trade without making a trade. Yeah, 0:16:43.640 --> 0:16:46.960 I mean, Evan Phillips is mildly interesting, was once a 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.600 very good closer with LA had Tommy John probably not 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:53.120 going to be ready until August or so next season, 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:54.960 but it would kind of be like a couple of 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.840 years ago when the Brave signed Kirby Yates, he was injured, 0:16:58.000 --> 0:17:00.720 someone rehabbing, and and then you know, it seems like 0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:03.080 the Braves are like a year or two early on Yates, 0:17:03.120 --> 0:17:05.760 which is a bummer, you know, never wrong, just early. 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:10.560 But yeah, I mean there's there's options out there. We'll 0:17:10.600 --> 0:17:13.600 talk about a minor league arm. They just added a 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:15.560 couple of days ago as well to the mix. And 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:17.840 you know, again, if we're under the assumption that the 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:20.600 Braves have maybe twenty five or so million dollars, and 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:22.880 that is a total assumption, but if they have twenty 0:17:22.960 --> 0:17:25.480 five million dollars left to spend this offseason, I would 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:27.920 sure hope they're able to add some kind of impact 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:29.840 of this group, whether it be in the starting rotation 0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:30.520 or the bullpen. 0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:33.600 We agree for sure. And that's kind of again like 0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:38.160 a purposeful overarching look at what's still available out there. 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:42.800 Set it once, we'll say it again. Trades are available. 0:17:42.920 --> 0:17:45.520 It's just really hard to project trades. But starting pitcher 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:48.120 market in particular, like it might be more effective in 0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:50.679 many ways for the the trade pers or especially if 0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:54.480 Alex wants the aforementioned guy who started a playoff game. 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:58.320 Well, and on that note, so a couple of days ago, 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:02.040 the Orioles and Rays did a pretty big trade for 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:02.960 Shane Baz. 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:03.560 Yep. 0:18:03.680 --> 0:18:06.359 Now, I don't expect our listeners to be super familiar 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:09.359 with Shane Baz's game, and Baz was a big time prospect. 0:18:09.760 --> 0:18:13.560 Throws has really good stuff, also has some injury risk. 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:18.160 The Orioles gave up basically three first round pick level 0:18:18.240 --> 0:18:22.000 talents in order to get three controllable years of Shane Bass. 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:23.920 I mean that was that's or high man. 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:24.840 It costs a lot. 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:26.960 I mean, I don't even know if the Braves can 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:28.800 necessarily swing that deal, but that would be like the 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:33.560 equivalent of giving up cam Keminetti Jr. Richie and the 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:35.240 twenty sixth pick in the UPEA. 0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:38.320 I mean certainly, yeah, think of whatever three of your 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:41.560 top five prospects if you're the Braves. Given word the 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:44.440 system is that's what that price was, and you did 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:48.639 mention it, but worth repeating. Bass has three years of control. 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:51.200 That's why it cost so much. Like the Braves, I 0:18:51.200 --> 0:18:53.439 feel like, have always been more in line with a 0:18:53.520 --> 0:18:55.840 pitcher trade. That's like for a guy with maybe one 0:18:55.960 --> 0:18:58.240 or two years left, so the price is a little 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:00.520