One minute on each of the 30 MLB teams' off-season needs - Ep. 636

I think what does go well run down the list. You've timed it out. You've got more. think mostly what we're talking about is what do we think their offseason plans are. That's what the focus of this is. So use the notes that you've got on the teams to talk about what you think they're going to do. And we're going to spend a minute talking about the athletics was like, you when we look at their team, you know, between Jacob Wilson, Nick Kurtz, Brett Roker, Shane DeLanglier, Tyler Sturters, and we got a lot of good young hitters.

But it's going to be a nightmare trying to attract pitchers into that park. And that's what they really need to try and do this off season. Maybe we wouldn't have Luis Severino kick around anymore. Will they make any moves? I don't think so. I don't think so because that organization doesn't seem to be particularly inclined to spend money until they move into their park anyway. Boom. Done. That's athletics. We move on to the next one, angels.

Almost Cooperstown (01:01.294)
Do you want to try it?

Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry.

Almost Cooperstown (01:27.022)
Hot Stove is high in hot, let me start again. The Hot Stove season is in high gear. The general manager meetings are coming up. We're gonna start seeing some players moving around. We're gonna talk about all 30 teams giving one minute for each team to talk about what they need to do in this off season. It's not this week in baseball, but you're gonna like it. So we're gonna start with the athletics. And here we go.

So I think when you look at the athletics, it's a team with a lot of good young hitters. Yeah. Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz go one and two for the, you know, the American League Rookie of the Year. got Shea Langley, here's Tyler Strow to Soda Strum. You've got a lot of good young hitters and absolutely no good pitchers and no good pitchers want to go there. Yeah. Yeah. The one that you had.

Luis Severino isn't going to pitch there next year. He's a free agent. I think he wants nothing to do with going back to Sacramento. And you're going to have a and that's an organization that doesn't seem to be particularly inclined to spend a lot of money until they get into their new ballpark. And I think a lot of players will probably be just, know what? If I want to sign with them, I'll wait until they're in Vegas. Yeah, they did Mason Miller a favor by sending him off to San Diego. Right. I think, you relief pitching is maybe better than the starting pitching, which isn't saying very much. But I think they're going to be a team that's going to be able to score runs. They're probably not going to look to tinker with their lineup.

too much. think that are they going to be able to bring up some arms like Jamie Arnold? He's the big jump. Yeah, that's that's really all they're going to be able to do here. And we're off to the angels angels. Yes. So they got a new manager in Kurozuki.

who got a one year deal. Which is weird. Yeah. Well, it's already Moreno. And basically a one year deal means, you know, you better win now because you're not going to be here after next year. They're not going to win now. And they got some power in lineup. You got Mike Trout, who's Mike Trout, even if he didn't have a great year last year. Joe Adele had 37 homers. Taylor Ward had 36. You've got Nolan Chanuel. Right. And even Zach Neto, who a good year. And did. So, yeah, I got off to that unbelievable start. But much like.

Almost Cooperstown (03:22.956)
the same athletics. got you. You say Kochi, Jose Soriano and then a bunch of people you've never heard of. Right. Right. Kenley Jansen, if you remember, closed this year past season for the the Angels. He won't be there doing that as a free agent. can't imagine he wants to go back there as he's chasing a save record. So, you know, the Angels, you know, they hasn't been a young player to come up and sort of, you know, inject some life into that franchise. Exactly. And maybe they'll make a big offseason move, but that maybe not.

And now we're off to the Astros. think the Astros big offseason move is how out of love has that franchise fallen with Framber? He's their number one pitcher. He's a big number one pitcher that's going to be available on the market. But do they want him? think the catcher he tried to in the head. They might want to move on. And while it's maybe not this offseason where a lot of decisions need to be made, this is a team that, like some other teams, is getting older and older.

Altuve looks, know, Jordan Alvarez is a revelation when he plays, but can he get through a season unhurt? Yeah, but you you've got Yanni or Diaz at catcher who people don't know about is very good. Jeremy Pena had a great season. They got back Carlos Correa. Right. And what does that mean? He's still a good player and young Cam Smith, they expected a lot from him, didn't quite have as great a season as they thought. they still have.

the core there that with a couple of pitchers coming in and that might include Framber, you I still think they'll compete. Right, and I think it's just what are they gonna do if they lose pitchers, go for more pitchers, the Rangers. And we go off to the Rangers managed by new manager Skip Schumacher takes over the number one staff in baseball. Did he wait at his turn for this job? You know, because he was, he was.

turn down the mall. left the Marlins job. wouldn't take another job. And this is the job he wanted. So I think that's very interesting. I just think it's interesting because you look at this team and on paper, they have all the parts that should make them good. They had the best, as I just said, the best staff in baseball. They got Corey Seeger, who quietly put together a six war season despite only playing 102 right. Right. You've got Marcus Simeon. You've got a bunch of guys that should be good. Langford should.

Almost Cooperstown (05:23.694)
We're right. So we have to think about the fact that they missed the playoffs last year, despite being as good of pitching as they were, which tells you something was wrong. I'm going to be a fool and pick them again. You know, I think they are. Is that good? I don't think that's a team that's going to make a lot of moves. Their money is mostly tied up at this point. They might try and tinker. Maybe they need a glue guy or they need some guy in that locker room to shake something up. I don't think that's a team that's going to be terribly active on the market unless they go in. They need a closer. They need a closer. Right. That's something.

How about the Mariners? So they're looking to, you know, get back to the at least to the World Series and go one step further, obviously. You know, they still have the starters, right? They still got the guys and Logan Gilbert and Brian Moon, George Kirby and Castillo and Bryce Miller. That's I think if they if they if they I think it's going be interesting because what do you do with Suarez? He's a free agent.

He's going to be, you know, do you resign him if you're the Mariners? He was going to cost you a ton. It's going to cost you a lot. I don't love that player. I. Right. But but that's still a lot of that's still a lot of love from there, though. Right. Right. And then I think they're also a team that like a lot of other really good teams are going to be in the Edwin Diaz sweepstakes because there's a whole lot of teams that are going to look at Diaz. But didn't they trade in Robez to them? But I think they're going look at Diaz and Robert Suarez and go, yeah, we would like to add a top of the line closer. Right. Closer at the, you know, mean, Munoz is great. Shut.

down. was a moon. Yes, it's really good, though. Yeah, yeah. And basically, you know, the team is much the same as it was this past season. And as we move on to the A.L. Central, we move on to the Chicago White Sox, who's truly a team who offseason doesn't matter. Yeah, I mean, they're team that's seasons away from offseason's mattering in terms of moves that they would make in this 2026 offseason. Make a tangible difference towards their record this next baseball guy. Who's the manager of the White Sox?

It's Will Venable, right? So that's he got it through the whole season. He didn't get fired. So I guess he's going to be the manager again. And, you know, the rest of the team, you know, are a bunch of guys you haven't heard of. Davis, Martin, Sean Berg, Shane Smith are your starters. Shane Smith being the only guy that I kind of know a little bit there. I don't know what they're going to do when they basically have, you know, Luis Robert.

Almost Cooperstown (07:33.711)
And he's, he should be about 40 by now. He's only 27. He's only 27. You got Ben and Tendi, who might be 40. I don't know what to do if the White Sox You're hoping that a player or two that's young emerges this year so that you could figure out what to do with some offseason moves so that 20-27's offseason is much more impactful. And another team that, you know, has the same questions going into the season, other Minnesota Twins. you know what?

Good on the twins. They picked their direction. They pick a lane. They pick the lane. They decide are we competing or we were trading all our or we're trading. I think they're not done trading. You know, you've got Derek Shelton in there. You've got a new Pobo and Derek. I feel bad for Derek Shelton a little bit because he goes from the Pirates for a team that won't spend any money on players over to the twins who sold all their players because they don't want to spend any money on players. But at least your team has picked a direction and hopefully they're going to follow through on that. I could see them dealing.

either Joe Ryan or Pablo Lopez. think one of those guys is going to kind of look good in orange and blue. I think either one of those guys would be a great trade for the Mets. They've got some other young starters, but let's the bullpen. They after they traded during nobody was left in that bullpen. Unfortunately, Byron Buxton just he's never going to be on the field enough to be a top. He had about as good a season as he's all you can wow this year. Right. Right. Unfortunately for the twins, too much has to go right from him. And I just don't think whatever they do this offseason is going to make a big difference.

Unlike perhaps another team in their division here in the Kansas City Royals Which is a team that has not traditionally gone out and spent money? But Bobby with jr. And Mikhail Garcia combined for nearly 13 b war on the left side of your infield right? Right, so you have to look at that and they basically got nothing out of anybody else except Vinny Pasquentino They got to do something somewhere else. You got nothing out of India last year I guess the only saving grace was that it wasn't like Brady Singer was a revelation for the Reds last year either

Right, they brought up Jack Caglione, was supposed to be, Caglione was supposed to be their big stud, didn't really work out so great this year. Now he's young and you're gonna have to hope that he's one of those guys who's gonna propel the phone. Now pitching wise, they've got obviously Noah Cameron, who looked really good. They've got some really.

Almost Cooperstown (09:37.999)
good studly Cole Regans, Bubich. They're a team that you would hope that would go out and make a big splashy free agent offseason siding, but I just don't know who that would be or if they would ever be a type of team to do that. Yeah, yeah. Well, they're a little better shaped, you know, than I think going into the season that I think the Guardians are. But the Guardians have sort of the same problem. think that's sort of the running theme with the teams in the central here is that we don't expect them to go out and really spend any money. The Guardians sort of are who they are.

this point and I don't think they're going to do anything to drastically change that this offseason. guess Stephen Vogt's gonna go for three manager of the year awards. By the way I could take five minutes and talk about how. we can't. We can't do that I don't understand it but Stephen Kwan is a critical guy to stay in Cleveland if they I think they want to have the same vibe.

I hope they keep him because I think he belongs there. David Fry is going to come back. Daniel Schieman had a team and had a nice day. They are a team with only two starters that had a beat with the war over two. And you know exactly who those two players are. I think they're a team that's not going to do much of this offseason. Maybe next year, especially if they fall behind in the middle of the season or early on, they might look to get move on from Stephen Kwan and they might look to trade him because he's an asset they have and they need to do something because.

They're only going to be able to string this together for so feel bad for Jose Ramirez too, so. Now the one team I think in the Central that does need to have a big offseason is the Detroit Tigers. Yeah, I think they're a closer away in a lot of ways for me too, going, know, where is that end of game guy? Will Vest is a nice guy, but he's an eighth inning guy to me or a setup guy. You need another guy that's going to be lights out there. And I think that they lost a lot of, you know, momentum by not having a shut down closer.

There are line up that it's not any one guy in that line up that kills you but they had five regulars in that line up with over 2b war so you got a lot of guys that hit well and even then a bunch of other guys that were just kind of under it I think you have to worry because you got a year at a hobby bias kind of hard to expect but they're a team that I think in some ways unfortunately is incentivized to go out and spend money this year

Almost Cooperstown (11:36.463)
So that they have to go out when they go out and spend money next year on trying to re-sign Tarek Scoobble. Or not. Or not. think you want to show This is the year you go for it. Right. This is the year you go for. I agree. And Scoobble, go for it. Go for it, Tigers. Whereas a team that we know is not going to go for is the Tampa Bay Rays. But they're at least going to get to play in their own ballpark this year. That's going to be great. Their old ballpark where they build the new ballpark, which isn't going be ready for two years. Right. You know, they had guys that had a pretty good season. Junior K. Monero had an unbelievable year. 45 homers. Right.

Andy Diaz had a good season, Jonathan Aranda had a good season, they had a solid lineup. It was their pitching. Which usually is very good. Right. Will that bounce back? We were kind of surprised by their performance up until midseason, but they fell away. When it comes to the offseason.

Other than maybe looking to sign a bullpen arm to replace Pete Fairbanks, do you expect them to do anything? They're not a team that traditionally makes moves in the offseason like that. Your best pitcher was Drew Aspiuson, and I don't think you're as confident that he's going to be the same guy this year, next year, than he this year. the Tampa Bay Rays going out and trying to get Framber.

So, you know, I think that the Rays, you know, they need pitching, I don't think that they're going for it right now, like you said. So, you know, you need a couple of more stud starters that would help. think that team is they hit pretty well this year. Right. Now, as you go over to the Baltimore Orioles, they were a team that played much better over the last 100 games of the season, which is why the manager is not there anymore. Right. Well, he got fired. He got fired before that. got fired and Craig Alvarez, who I think was a bench coach or was on the staff, takes over and.

He's got only two starters that have a B war over 2.0 and that's Gunnar Henderson who actually had a pretty good year I didn't realize that and Ramon Larianno and I don't think I'd be counting on another year from Ramon Larianno. think they're a team that it's not the lineup that's the issue on that team it's the starting pitching. Now we expect some of that to come back just because so much of it got injured that season but they cheaped out you know Baltimore fans would say that that team cheaped out on starting pitching even though they did offer

Almost Cooperstown (13:34.884)
Corbin burns a big contract. They didn't sign anybody else. Are they going to make any moves? Is Grayson Rodriguez going to pitch for them? Finally, they going to make moves to try and sign anybody there is starting pitching in solid starting pitching? Maybe not number one, but will they do it? You don't know this head scratching team to me, just kind of like the Yankees were Aaron Boone, the manager.

managed to keep his job again. think the Yankees are team that's going to largely stand Pat this off season. Their biggest off season move is getting Garrett Cole back. I completely agree with that. They're a team that looks at it goes, you know what? But no Radon to start the season. That puts a little bit of But they've got Kam Schlittler now. Right, right. Max Fried worked out and they're going to think Max Fried, Garrett Cole, that's going to work for them. They might look to maybe try and grab a first baseman. Maybe they do turn it over.

to, you know, like Ben Rice. I Ben Rice should be the catcher, actually, and full-time catcher, because he can hit back there, and he's good defensively enough that I think that changes the diamond, because he's a hitter. But that's a team that I don't think it's this offseason that's going to be big for them. I think it's going to be their next year, the year after, Judge is 34, Garrett Cole is in. No, it's now for the Yankees. This is the year where they don't have the money to sign a lot of guys this So they lose Devon Williams and Luke Weaver, but they've still got.

David Bednar and Camila Devo who they pulled over at the trade. It needs help, but I don't think big help is coming. Now the Red Sox, boy, they're on the hunt. I like this team. Red Sox, think the best thing for the Red Sox is they're on the hunt, but the thing they're hunting, which is power for their lineup is available in spades this off season because they're probably, they're sitting there looking their chops going, okay, which one of these 40 home run guys do we want? Yeah. Do we want Suarez? Suarez, do we want Pete Alonso? Do we want?

There's another guy that's available to on the market. I feel like Schwerber would fit there. even then, then, like Murakami is going to be coming on the national league. you. Right. Right. But I think their team that is going to be signing a big name bat for that line up 100 percent, they might even still go out and try and sign a starting pitcher to pair. Yeah. Well, crochet with crochet at the top. got a nice year from Brian Bayo. G Alito had a year that I don't think you expected from him.

Almost Cooperstown (15:37.424)
Obviously, they're not going to have Bueller around this year and Tanner Howke is out for the year. So they need, know, they need another. They're to leader, especially because they're going to lose Bregman, though. They're going to need to sign a batter. And that, think, is going to be there. Yeah. Yeah. I think the first base is what is a good one. And then the American League champion Jays, I said that the Mariners made it to the World Series. They have a they have a big offseason in front of them, but it's relatively simple, provided things just sort of go according to plan in that.

You know, they only really have one thing to do, and that's re-sign Bo Bichette. But you kind of have to re-sign Bo Bichette, don't you? I don't know if they... It would have been done already, I think, if they were going do that. now he's up for grabs, and that's got to be worrying because you've got some pitchers, you know, no more Mad Max Scherzer, no more Chris Bassett. Unless he re-signs there, it's possible. are replaceable things, but Bo Bichette is not something... Bieber is back. You can't just replace Bo Bichette. Yeah, and I think he fits that team at second base because I think he managed to play shortstop there.

Right, defensively especially. And Clement at third, they got a nice and gladiator first. And I think we're going to talk about some teams later on that might be in the market for a guy like Bo Bichette. So, you know, I think the Blue Jays, you know, don't need too much, but they need to get make the right moves. Maybe a closer would help. How about that?

And as we go for a team that was on the high, we go to a team at the very bottom here as we move to the end. don't need a closer because they're not going to win many games. Largely for the Colorado Rockies. It doesn't matter what they do this offseason because literally they would have to just sign an entirely different team for it to make a difference. You know, a manager for the team hasn't been named yet because they offered it to 73 guys. They're just going to fans from the game to the stadium every time and just have them do it. You know, back in the early 60s, the Cubs had a coaches by committee thing. They had four guys managing the team. I'm not sure if that wouldn't be better for the college.

Right, they've got no lineup, they've got no starting pitching and nobody wants to come Did you know that the starting pitches, Freeland, Senzatella, Marquez and Chase Dollander were a combined 14 and 60. Their records, I mean, I know records don't mean much in pitching, but 14 and 60 between those guys, that's crazy bad. The best, I think if I was the Colorado Rockies, maybe what I would try and do is sign a bunch of.

Almost Cooperstown (17:43.716)
like solid issue, you players for team friendly contracts and hope you can flip them at the deadline for deals. They need so much help. Right. And I think the Giants who got to have a Buster Posey hired a college coach, Tony Vitello from Vanderbilt to come in and manage the team. It's a weird team. I don't know what they're going to like Buster, but.

Yeah, I think they need to they're be active in the market there their team that you know Are you gonna be able to convince devors to play first or third? What are you gonna do? But they're going to be active in that market They're gonna be looking to sign either a big-name hitter or a big-name pitcher I think that they are they want to compete and that they might not look at a team like the Dodgers is being somebody they can compete with they can't

But they might look at the second place in that division and say, well, we might be able to jump the Padres because the Padres have a crazy. I think it's too big. I don't know why they overachieved to do what they did last year. And I think it's a mess that's going to take more than a year to clean up when it comes to the San Francisco Giants. So and with a new manager there, you're trying to instill a new culture. So.

I don't know what they're gonna do. I think they're gonna make a big move though. And I think as we go over, a team that just has a ton to do this off season is the San Diego Pods. Another team with a new manager in Craig Stamman. But I think more so it's gonna be their GM that's gonna be busy, because there's so many guys that are gonna be free They don't have a lot of players. Right, they're gonna have to sign a bunch of Under contract. Like half their starting rotation, no Darvish, no Michael King, well likely no Michael King, no Dylan Cease. You're gonna have Nick Well those are free agents, you're right to say that. And maybe Joe Musgrove. know, Randy Vasquez had a good season for them,

You're going to have a bunch of guys that you're going to need to replace. You're going to need to replace Robert Suarez. to Luis Arias. Right. Right. You're going to have to do a lot on that team. And it's just there's a lot of moving parts. So that's a team that it's really hard to predict with where they're going to be. The core hitters, Cronemorth, Bogart, Machado, Jackson, Maryland, Tatis. Man, that's a good core. them to be active on the market early because it's a team that can't afford to fall behind on the market because if they lose out on the guys they want, they're stuck with a bunch of solid enough roster that you can't tank.

Almost Cooperstown (19:45.658)
but you're not good enough. don't think they're gonna tank. No, no, no, but you don't wanna miss out on your important players here. And the D-backs, who I generally like this team, because I like the way it's put together, particularly offensively. I love their one through four hitters. everything else, I less. Right, right, the one through four hitters are great, and although that requires them keeping Cattell Marte, and that's a...

Big down this guy has been a stud right right but all the doubt is trade rumors swirling first There was rumors and the players came out and defended him, but still they're not sure I just I don't know what that means

They need a first baseman. need a center fielder. They might need a second baseman. One of the unhelded guys in the team is Geraldo Perdomo, who had a 7.0 B war this year. Right. Don't even realize that. You know, what are you going to do with the starting rotation? Because we thought Zach Galen, Corbin Burns and Merrill Kelly was going to be great. They're all gone. They're all gone. Right. Right. And so they're going to basically run out Brandon Fatt, Edward Rodriguez and Ryan Nelson.

They need pitching. Right. Shelby Miller was their closer. They're a team that could be in the market for one of the closers because that could be a big difference having a big back end. And they don't have young guys that I know of in the organization coming right up there. Now, unlike the Dodgers, the Dodgers are a team that will probably the Dodgers could basically not make a move this offseason run it, run it back with the exact roster that they have. And people would be like, yeah, OK, that would probably be enough to win the World Series. But you know, they will make moves this off. They'll they'll spend money in places you like. Oh, man.

spend that much money on and get back and they will get that guy and they will get you know like like you know they can't bring in Kyle Schwab that's the only thing that doesn't make sense realistically though it doesn't really matter because what they're already the favorites all it's gonna change is oh they're gonna win 110 games out of a hundred and who knows how they're gonna do it this year this last year this year was is starting pitchers last year's relief pitchers

Almost Cooperstown (21:26.787)
They will figure it out and they will spend the money to make sure that they do. that is spoiled for riches in a lot of ways and they will continue to be spoiled for riches and all that could end up happening is that they replace their strengths with new strengths. It's unlikely that there's any way they get significantly weaker this off season short of bizarre, wacky off season injuries. You know, they're always worried about that. Right. And where we go from a team that was looking at their off season from his position of strength, we go to a team that is

the opposite really in the Pittsburgh Pirates because I don't know. History would say they are unlikely to do the sorts of things that would be really exciting for them this offseason because they are a team that if all of a sudden they went out and wowed us, they were like, OK, we're going to spend 100 million dollars this offseason. We're bringing Kyle Tucker and Pete Alonso for our lineup. All right. I might start getting there. I'm going to watch pirate baseball. I'm going to be excited about pirate baseball. Got Jared Jones coming back. You got Mitch Keller. You got Paul Skeens. That's a rotation.

and then a lineup you can be excited about, but the Pirates ownership has never done anything like instead their best player is O'Neill Cruz, and nothing against O'Neill Cruz. did lead the team and the league in stolen bases with Juan Soto at 38. Enho runs with 20. He led the team with 20 homers. They can't go into the season with him being the guy that they're going to basically build the entire team around. They're just a team that needs...

I would love to see them make bold moves, but I just can't see them doing that much like whereas a team that I don't want to see them make bold moves because they're just Directionless is the st. Louis Cardinals. Well, Ali Marmole, you know just amazes me because he keeps his job, but they're just a team. That's like they got some nice players Contreras Brendan Donovan Mason win

Victor Scott had a really good defensive season for them and Ivan Rivera too. is the St. Louis Cardinals identity? What are what is their strengths as a team? They're just sort of a collection of somewhat good baseball players. Yeah. And with the pitching staff that is older and more feeble. only thing. Yeah. The best thing about the worst thing about that pitching staff is that it's a year older this year. That's not good for them. mean, Andre Pallante, obviously Sonny Gray is pretty good, but he's your number one.

Almost Cooperstown (23:33.296)
Miles Mikulis, you know, he's got a great curve ball, but you know, that's about it. And Matthew Liberator, the lefty, is a good, they've got a bunch of guys. There are lot of players away from competing, so what are they gonna do? Are they going to make moves this off season, or are they gonna move in the opposite direction? Yeah, yeah, now the Reds, okay, the Reds turned it around, They made the playoffs, You're right to say that they kind of backed in a little bit there.

But they did it and and even though they lost to the Dodgers everybody lost to the Dodgers So it's not no embarrassment there. I'm Ellie Dilla Cruz is their best player And I think that's a problem. I think that their team that most of their players are coming back this year They're a team that could use a big arm at the back end of the bullpen. But again, are they the type of team?

They're not the type of team that would go out and go sign an Edwin Diaz or a Robert Suarez. I would be really interested in they do that because maybe all of a sudden then you're a team that can challenge the Brewers or the Cubs for a Division crown, but unless they make a move like that, which is not something they normally do,

They're unlikely to, and they're just going to sort of be back in the same position next year. They've got Spencer Steer and Matt McClain and TJ Friedle, all guys I like a lot as players to go with Ellie De La Cruz. And maybe they tinker with their bullpen and they're able to find some magic here. But the starters are good. You know, they still got Andrew Abbott, Martinez and Nick Lidolo and Hunter Green is the number one. Right. But whereas they're not good, I don't see the Reds doing much with their offseason. The Cubs are going to make moves. The Cubs are going to make moves. And that's not going to be Kyle Tucker. I don't think, although...

He fits there better than he does anywhere else. It's there well, but I think that's a team that's going to be moving both on the starting pitching and in the bullpen. That was a team that yes, obviously they are going to get Justin Steele back. But if you looked at that rotation and told me they're a Justin Steele pitching performance away from winning a World Series, I got a lot of questions. and then showed it in Managua is probably not going to be be signed there. I think.

Almost Cooperstown (25:25.817)
I say they're talking about trading. I think he's under contract. Right. He's a guy who gives up a lot of home runs in a ballpark that is conducively giving up home runs. Colin Ray isn't going to be there anymore. He's a free agent. So, you know, they're starting pitching is weaker than it was even though they're getting Justin Steele back. They're a team that I could see be big on the move. could make I could see them sign a bullpen arm and a position player. think they're going to, you know, really be a big offseason player. They're going to need to. Whereas a team that I could see being real quiet is the Brewers, because that's a team up and down.

They're basically their entire lineup is signed up of team friendly guys that they got from other teams that they don't need to pay be paying a ton of money and are locked up for a while. only problem they're going to have is there's no pitchers. They have any pitchers. Basically, Freddie Peralta is a free agent. Woodruff's a free agent. know, who's going to pitch? Quinn Priestert? Do you sign do you sign and trade Freddie Peralta? I think they need him to pitch for them. I think the problem is, is that, you know,

their best pitchers aren't necessarily going to be there next year. And they do it with mirrors and magic. we doubt they Mizorowski. He's going to be back. Yeah. Mizorowski, who I expect will be good. I don't think you want to make him your number one at this tender age. Starting in the All-Star game was kind of fun, but it didn't necessarily help his development because he was as good in the second half as he was in the first.

The first right, you got a good year out of Trevor McGill. So I don't think they'll be in the sweepstakes for a closer, but I just don't think they're going to be in the sweepstakes for anybody. That's not a team that makes a lot of offseason moves. They need much, much like another team here in the NL East in the Miami Marlins. Clayton McCullough, is he going to be able to compete for an NL East title? I don't know, because it's not like the Miami management is going to give him anything new to work with. Yeah, I mean, they know they've got Sandy Allen Contra. They've got Yuri Perez.

They've got Edward Cabrera. If they all stay there and if they wanted to compete, I would say that the Marlins should keep those guys, you know, but those guys are always going to be talking about about being available at the always looking down the road. And I think that they started believing that they actually might be a decent team this year. And the lineup is still there. team that would be real interesting if they would actually go out and make a bold move like signing Pete Alonso to go play first base. They're a team that even even a guy like you, you hand you a Suarez.

Almost Cooperstown (27:35.045)
just to give that line up some power. Josh Naylor there would be nice. Right. Right. At first. But they're not a team that typically spends money in the offseason. And I am very curious to see if they're able ever change. They got a nice young catch in the Gustin Ramirez. Hopefully he can help them go forward in a team that I think is going to be at a bit of a crossroads this offseason is the Washington Nationals. You were hoping to take a bit more of a step forward last year. The fact that you were as bad as you were had to be quite concerning.

because you went from being like, OK, we might be a pesky team on the rise to OK, wait, we're really bad. So what do you do if you're the Nationals? Do you sell on your prospects now? Do you hold on to them and hope that they have a bounce back year knowing that if they don't, you're really tanking their value? young guys in James Wood and C.J. Abrams are players to build, continue to build around, even though C.J. Abrams is a little, you know, they have a little problem with him personality wise sometimes. But they need to find some other guy besides those two. Garcia Jr. You know, looks like he can go forward. Jacob Young is I like.

I like some of the pieces they have line up wise. I'm worried that they're not gonna likely sign McKenzie Gore, re-sign him. Jake Irvin, as a pitcher I like, but if you look at his stats, you'd have say why do you like him so much? Because it's not that great. Mitchell Parker, looks talented. I don't know, I feel like they're still a year or two away from being competitive.

Well, now as we move away from the bottom of the NLEs to move on to the Mets here, this is a team that will be active in free agency this year. And I think in a big way, they've got a lot of questions. Will they resign Pete Alonso? Will they resign Edwin Diaz? Where will Brett Beatty ultimately settle playing at either second or third? I think there are questions about the Mets that will be answered this offseason. I think they'll be in the market for a starting pitcher and a position player.

I think they're either going to sign a first baseman or a center fielder and then allow their young guys to plug the hole in the other position. I don't think they're going to sign to. I think the David Stearns is talking about making the team better on defense for sure that they were. was a weakness last year. He wants to. I just don't know that the Mets are fixable in one offseason the way they're currently constituted. And I want to see my way through seeing without a young player emerging. I think it's tough, but I think they're like they could sign a Dylan Caesar of Valdez or Suarez.

Almost Cooperstown (29:47.313)
They might also be in the market to try and trade for a Tarek Scoobel. I think another team that's going to be very active is the Atlanta Braves. Who also have a new manager. Right. They've got a new manager. They're a team that's come out a terrible year to due to injuries last year. You know, they've got a lot of good young pitching and there's some guys that people don't even know about. If you look at Hurston Waldrip and his impressive starts that he had last year, he was really good. Same with AJ Smith-Schuyar. I think they're a team that

They're good. Their pitchers are good. They're they're going to come back with a vengeance this year. And I expect the Braves, you know, Austin Raleigh, come back and have a much better year. They have to decide whether they're to sign Ozzie Albies or not, which is a weird thing to be in their team that typically does not go out and make big name free agent signings. They typically prefer to work with team friendly extensions. But I think if there was an offseason to go big on a free agent, wouldn't Bo Bichette look really interesting over in Atlanta? thing. Yeah, they need a shortstop. And man, he yes, his defense isn't great. But you know what?

You don't need great defense when Chris Sale and Spencer Strider are striking out 10 plus guys a game. I just got to say that Sean Murphy's got to be the best backup catcher in baseball because you drew. Drake Baldwin was the rookie of year.

But I think ultimately there might be a team with no bigger offseason facing them than the Philadelphia Phillies. Well, that's because the Phillies are you want to talk about crossroads. Right. Right. This is it for these guys, including Bryce Harper. spend the money to get the band back together for one last run, knowing it might screw you for a couple of years after that. But you've got questions. Ranger Suarez, Kyle Schwab. Those are big names you might have to potentially go out and spend money on. Zach Wheeler's are covering from thoracic outlet surgery.

He might be ready to start next season, but that's a big might. And obviously you're bringing back Sanchez and Luzardo. But if all you have is Sanchez, Luzardo and Nolo to start the season, that's not nearly the same strength of rotation. I think they're a team that's going to be active in the free agent market because if they don't resign Schwarber, they're going to be resigning somebody. a Philly fan, but I guess if I was looking at it from their perspective, I would say they should try to get the band back together one more time and go out and pay Schwarber and.

Almost Cooperstown (31:50.992)
and if they need to soar, it's going to be a really exciting off season. There's going to be a lot of movement. think the first domino to fall is going to be which of the first power hitters moves is it is it Schwab or is it Alonzo? Is it Suarez? Is it Murakami shocking all of us? I think I know there's another 40 homerun guy on the market that I'm blanking on. I know there's four of them that are available. Where does Josh Naylor end up? Where does Framber end up? There's some big name starting pitchers.

And we're not even talking about some of the trades that are inevitably going to happen that are much harder to predict because you don't know what teams are thinking. So I can't wait to see what we're going to add. Yeah. And I think that, you know, because of the labor potential labor stop at the end of 26, I'm keeping an eye on is that impacting the way guys are?

are looking at contracts and all the agents, because they don't want to get sued, so no, no, no, no, it doesn't affect our thinking at all. We're not worried, we're not thinking about this one little bit. Both the teams and the agents are thinking, hmm, if my guy doesn't get paid and I'm handling him, I gotta find a way to get him as much as Right, you wanna lock in that contract before that happens, so I think it's gonna be a very, very, as we said, the hot stove, it is a hot. Yes, the next couple months are gonna be fun, fun, fun.