Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams and Anthony Franco all join Darragh McDonald to discuss the site's annual Top 50 Free Agents list. Topics include how the threat of a lockout will affect free-agent contracts, if there's a team that will be willing to give Kyle Tucker a massive deal, the factors that could drive up Bo Bichette's price, how difficult it is to predict what Dylan Cease will sign for, what to make of Japanese stars Munetaka Murakami and Tatsuya Imai, if this will be the year that Cody Bellinger and Pete Alonso get huge deals, how the guys nailed the terms of Josh Naylor's contract, the best comps for Zac Gallen and Michael King, if teams will be able to overlook Devin Williams having poor ERA last year, if Robert Suarez can get a three-year deal going into his age-35 season, and the players with tough qualifying offer decisions.
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1:59:12
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1:59:12
Surprising Option Decisions, Qualifying Offers, And Paul DePodesta
Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz getting indicted due to their involvement in a gambling scandal, Shane Bieber's surprising decision to pick up his player option with Toronto, Jack Flaherty choosing to stay in Detroit for another year, the Rays declining the option on Pete Fairbanks, Trevor Story deciding to not to opt out of his deal with the Red Sox, Gleyber Torres and Shota Imanaga getting offered qualifying offers, guys like Lucas Giolito and Devin Williams who didn't receive one, and the Rockies hiring Paul DePodesta as their new president of baseball operations despite him working most recently as an NFL executive.
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1:11:59
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1:11:59
Offseason Preview Megapod: Top Trade Candidates
Steve Adams and Anthony Franco join Darragh McDonald to preview the offseason with a discussion of the site's list of top trade candidates. First they give some final World Series thoughts, discuss the Cubs declining Shota Imanaga's option, and Ha-Seong Kim becoming a free agent.Trade-related topics include whether the Cardinals will try to move Brendan Donovan to help them rebuild, if Mackenzie Gore is a shoo-in to get traded, CJ Abrams' value, the direction the Twins will go in following their deadline fire sale, if the Pirates will trade pitching to acquire hitting help, how the Rays could move some guys who are set to make a significant salary, speculation that the Brewers will trade Freddy Peralta, the potential for the Marlins to trade Sandy Alcantara or Edward Cabrera, what the A's will do as they start to come out of their rebuild, and if the Reds and Angels could line up on a trade of Brady Singer for Taylor Ward.
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1:52:36
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1:52:36
Bo Bichette's Health, Kazuma Okamoto, And Dylan Cease's Market
Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss how much Bo Bichette's return in the World Series will impact his free agency, what MLB teams could offer Kazuma Okamoto when he gets posted this offseason, how strong the market will be for Dylan Cease, and the new managers hired by the Orioles and Angels.Listener question topics include what an extension for Addison Barger would look like, if veterans on minor league deals are eligible to be picked in the Rule 5 Draft, and whether Jarren Duran will get traded.
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58:46
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58:46
The Phillies' Outfield, Tarik Skubal, And Hiring College Coaches
Anthony Franco joins Darragh McDonald to discuss how writing for MLBTR affects your fandom, if the Dodgers can be stopped, reports that the Phillies will move on from Nick Castellanos and what they could do in the outfield, which teams would be interested if Tarik Skubal were on the trade block, the record-breaking money he could get when he hits free agency, the Giants potentially hiring Tennessee's Tony Vitello as their new manager, the challenges a college coach would face if managing a major-league team, and the Brewers' deciding whether to keep Freddy Peralta or trade him. Listener question topics include what the Astros' priorities should be this offseason, how the Brewers could add some power to their lineup, whether health problems could lead Kyle Tucker's contract to work out as poorly for the team as Kris Bryant's has, and if the Padres should go after J.T. Realmuto.
With an eye always focused on the hot stove, the MLBTR podcast gives analysis of transactions, roster moves and, of course, rumors from around the league. Host Darragh McDonald is joined each week by a fellow MLBTR writer to break it all down.