High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: Is Middleton Wanting to "Be Stupid" With Money a Good Thing?

Episode Date: November 19, 2018

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are here asking if John Middleton's comments about wanting to "be a little stupid" with money is a good thing or not. Jack also throws Carlos Santana trades at James for his approval. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Talking about the Philadelphia Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes podcast. It is a Sunday morning, and Jack Fritz and I just said, screw it. We're just going to record High Hopes because why the hell not, right, Fritzy? Yeah, well, we literally have not stopped talking for the last, I think, well, we started recording the Facebook Go Birds pod thing at 10.05, and we're just going straight into that, into baseball, because honestly, no one cares about football.

Who cares about Eagle Saints today? All I've thought about for the last week is how are they going to trade Carlos Santana? I don't even think about anything else in sports right now other than the Phillies offseason because it is so important. I wake up every day. I try not to think about it too much because I don't want to be shook for the rest of the day because it's a very scary proposition about if they strike out on people. A lot could go wrong, Chad.

Definitely a lot could go wrong. But it's been a little quiet on the hot soap, except for John Middleton wanting to get stupid. Let's get stupid, Fritzy! That was the highlight of my offseason so far. Was it? Are you sure? Yeah. You don't like it?

I don't like it. Why not? Because I don't want him to be stupid. He's, come on. They're not going to actually be stupid. I don't want him to overpay for... Oh, I do. Just overpay.

Just get him. It's dumb. I don't want him getting too much into the, I'm going to pay for everyone. Oh, here's six years, $125 for Patrick Corbin. Right, I agree. Or Craig Kimbrell. And just start overpaying for Andrew Miller. Go get Andrew Miller with his knees and all that stuff.

There's a part of me where I'm very happy. I'm like, F yes, John Middleton. Go buy everyone. But there's a part of me where it's like i don't like owners getting too involved and i understand he wants to be steinbrenner the south but please for the love of god don't don't do the a-rod contract you're paying 100 million more than your next next competitor right you don't want him to give away money that he doesn't have to or set a precedent that doesn't need to be set. I agree with you. But at the same time, I am all for John Middleton wanting to spend money.

And that quote just says, hey, I'm not effing around. I'm coming into this free agent market, and I got money to spend, and I have no problem spending it. So I think it's a good thing, ultimately. I know what you're saying, and that you want to be tentative. You don't want to, like you said, the A-rog contract was was a piss poor contract it was not well it's not that it was a piss poor contract he's probably worth it but they paid 100 million more than they needed to for that reason i agree so you don't want them bidding against yourself especially

when you hear you know the market shaking out the way it seems to where basically everyone is i mean the quotes about, like, I'd be stunned if Bryce Harper wasn't a Philly. Bank on it! I mean, like, it is, it's getting to the point where the messaging to the fan base, and not necessarily from Middleton, but just from the media, it's getting to the point where before we all want, now it's like, you have to sign Bryce Harper. Like, this fan base is going to lose their minds if after getting told,

Bryce Harper's coming here, he doesn't sign him. And I think he's coming here, don't get me wrong. I believe all that. But they've kind of backed themselves into a corner from that perspective, at least with all this talk. And I think Boris is leaking this on purpose. I think he's leaking Bryce Harper to the Phillies bank on it because now Middleton has to get him.

He's forcing Middleton into a corner. If Middleton doesn't get him, then the high hopes pot is losing their minds. Yes. And he cannot lose the high hopes pot. Now, once you lose the high hopes pot, it's all over. It is over. You got nothing else. It's the most important pot.

It's really interesting how they keep on with this whole Phillies thing. Everyone in the media, every rival executive thinks that the Phillies... It's because John Middleton is desperate. And they come out, and I think it was Kylie McDaniel of Fangraphs was like, this was the owner everyone was talking about last offseason, about him being desperate. The word with John Middleton is that he's desperate, which is good. It's also terrifying.

I don't like the idea of desperation. It's not my cup of tea with an owner. I agree. Listen, I understand. I think Jeff Lurie has thrown off our scent with the whole owner's thing because Jeff Lurie got involved and the Eagles won the Super Bowl. That's traditionally not how it goes. I agree.

Steinbrenner would have blown up the Yankees if he wasn't in jail in the mid-'90s probably. Right? Am I wrong there? Very likely, yeah. If he would have traded Jeter, Mariano, and they don't have the core they have now. Sure. He would have traded Judge Severino and Gary Sanchez for Cole Hamels in 2012.

Probably. Probably. So the word desperation I don't love, but it's probably a good thing because they're going to pay $400 million for Bryce Harper. It feels like $400 million, doesn't it? It feels like $400 million. Yeah.

I'm okay with that, though. It's a good thing, ultimately. It's just, it's like the Jimmy Butler thing. Like, it's not a slam dunk. Obviously, he's an amazing player, but you're still paying him five years, $190 after this. Yeah. Which is mildly terrifying. We're going to pay Bryce Harper $400 million, but Desper desperation owner screams of, let's get Craig Kimbrell.

Let's go. Listen, James, tell me one time. Tell me one time that spending all your money in the offseason has worked out. Look at the Marlins a couple years ago. Well, no, the original Marlins is the only time it's worked. Right, but the Marlins a couple years ago with Heath Bell, Jose Reyes. The Darren Dalton, Bobby Bonilla, Jim Leland-led. I mean, but that's the example, right?

And that's a different time in baseball. It was 1997. I mean, it's a very different world. Six years? Yeah, it doesn't happen. The Padres, when they went in, they got Matt Kemp, they got Craig Kimbrell, they got all these guys. Didn't work. Didn't work.

Marlins got Jose Reyes, Heath Bell. Who else was a part of that? They just went all in on trying to build the Marlins up. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah, I do. At the trade deadline, they were all Toronto Blue Jays. Yeah. It's just something I don't love, just buying everyone and free agency.

I feel like it's a little bit of a different situation than those ones you just mentioned. I mean, both the Marlins and the Padres were coming from being atrocious franchises and trying to say, all right, well, we're going to turn it all around in one offseason. At least the Phillies have been gearing up for this offseason to be the offseason that they make a splash. And that has been their organizational structure prior to that. Like they have tried to be ready to spend money now, both from a financial perspective with the way the roster is constructed,

but also from a talent perspective and from a youth perspective and all that. So I get what you're saying. I'm not as worried about those type of comparable situations. And I don't think it's going to be like that, for the record. I don't think it's going to be as catastrophic as that because Bryce Harper is so good. And again, I have no problem overpaying for Bryce Harper. Nor should you. Again, he might be the best free agent in the history of baseball in terms of age accomplishment on the market.

Bonds? Except for Bonds. Yeah, Bonds is a good point. But Bonds was also older when he went on the market. Correct. But still. And also, you can't really compare. Like, Bonds, in hindsight, definitely was.

Like, there's no question because he ended up being the greatest player in the history of the sport afterwards. But at the moment, they were a free agent i don't know if bonds was a much better free agent than harper is considering accomplishments in age at the time they become a free agent if you know what i mean i wouldn't remember because i was probably not even thanks i was old i mean i was like i was a cognizant i was in double digit ages but wow i hate to see it um yeah so i i have no problem overpaying for Bryce Harper. If that's what Middleton's talking about, I am perfectly fine. That is not my problem.

You worry about the Kimbrels. You worry about giving Corbin $25 million, $30 million. The Millers. I get it. I would like Andrew Miller, but I'm not overpaying for Andrew Miller. I get it. So that's just for the record before anyone gets mad. And what I will say, though, is at least the Phillies have put themselves in a financial position

where they could afford to miss or to overpay a little bit. Oh, for sure. They have some real leeway from a financial perspective. But I do understand what you're saying. You want them to be fiscally intelligent about how they go about this stuff. Or like going and getting Keichel. I don't want Keichel. Yeah, I have no interest in that.

We're on the same page on that. 30-year-old that throws 88, eventually he's going to fall. I think he could age okay just because of the deception and the ability to make people miss without velocity, but I agree.

I'm not a huge Keichel guy. Right. It reeks of area. I'd rather they pay Gorman than they pay Keichel for what it's worth. I would rather they do that as well, but I would much prefer

Morton and Happ. We've discussed this. I love Charlie Morton. That's my guy. He's going to be a Philly. I like to they do that as well, but I would much prefer Morton and Happ. We've discussed this. I love Charlie Morton. That's my guy. He's going to be a Philly. I like to call him Charlie Morton. Charlie? Charlie.

Okay. I think he's going to be a Philly. I'm going to call him Charlie. Okay. Okay. How much longer on this podcast are you going to call him Charlie? Well, every time we talk, I'm saying from now forward, when he's a Philly, the high hopes, I will call him Charlie Morton.

You know what my favorite part about if they sign Charlie Morton is that someone who hasn't watched him since he's towards hamstring is going to be like, that guy, that guy, I've re-signed that guy. They brought back Morton? God, that guy was terrible here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I don't know why you did a Boston accent. I don't know.

I was kind of, it wasn't good. That guy was, I'm not good at accents, Jack. Catesville. I'm going to do Catesville. Catesville? Catesville. Yeah, he freaking Morton stinks. That Mort going to do Catesville. Catesville? Catesville. Yeah, you're freaking Morton and Stank. That Morton guy.

He ain't good. Right. So I think to be back to it, if I had my druthers, I think that works here. It does. Honestly, sometimes I just say big words because it sounds smart. It's not really a big word, but you used it correctly. It's an interesting word. You used it correctly.

Thank you. If I had my druthers. If I had my druthers, I would rather hat Morton on a two-year deal not both of them like one or the other hat morton on a two-year deal then i would paying keitel um corbin that's about it i got you i could use the druthers that's exactly how you'd use it i usually get them wrong i usually don't know how to use words that time used it right i'm pretty proud of you buddy um i agree with you on that. Look, the Harper front, you overpay him. I don't care. Machado, overpay him if you need him. But I think the idea of, and I think it's interesting that baby. So it is really interesting the kind of difference we had with those kind of quotes and how you felt about it. But I think ultimately that we both agree we don't want them to spend stupidly but spend a lot. Yeah, spend whatever it takes.

But, like, again, don't be done with it. Don't be done with it because it's just – I understand you have all the money in the world right now. I understand that. But eventually the money is going to be used up and I would rather it not be in bad contracts. Right, and I get that. But I do think that with Harper and Machado especially, like we've talked about, I think they are so unique with their age and whatnot that I would – Here's another thing is that I would rather it not be Middleton getting super involved and rather it be, hey, Matt, whatever it takes.

I don't want Middleton... Right, I got it. You don't want Middleton making the decisions. You want Middleton financially supporting the decisions. Right. I want Clemsac to make the smart decisions and Middleton to fund it. And again, if you're going to pay whatever it takes, then don't bitch about the luxury tax in a couple years.

Well, of course. Don't be the Dodgers. Don't be the, we can't make moves. Sorry, we made it under. We gotta stay under. Sorry. Like, none of that. I'm very with you on that. Do not complain about the luxury tax in a couple years. 100% agree. If you're gonna pay $700 million for two free agents, don't bitch about the luxury tax.

And shout out to baseball for making the luxury tax punitive enough that it is an actual thing. It's a salary cap. It is. It's a soft salary cap, and it's working, at least to a certain level. Are we sure it's a good thing, though? Is it good that the Yankees aren't spending?

Yeah. Is it good that the Dodgers aren't spending? Look, yeah. I think in this case— I hate parody. I don't want parody. I don't want parody. Why not?

I hate parody. No one actually wants parody. I disagree with that. I think there's parody I hate parody no one actually wants parody I disagree with that I think there's some fun in parody who wants to watch like a Rockies Brewers NLCS

like that's not fun it's fun it's different give me the Brewers no Yankees sucks all day I get what you're saying but they're gonna be good anyway the Yankees are paying

50% of the luxury tax is that good sure force them to pay they can afford it but then it's going to the I don't know I'm fine with it's going to the... I don't know. I'm fine with it.

I'm fine with it. I don't need to see the Yankees be the best team in baseball every single year. I don't. Well, they're not because they lost this year. Yeah, exactly. Screw them. To a team with an actual high payroll. Yeah, another one.

High payrolls versus high payrolls. Love it. That's baseball. Not if you're Bob Melvin. Not if you're Kevin Cash, Jack Fritz. But I want that to be my Phillies. Yeah. Well, we're heading there.

We are getting there. They are very close to being there. They're about to spend. All right. We're going to get to Carlos Santana's trades in a sec. But before we wrap up, just this Middleton spending dog. Where are you at right now in terms of your new guess on targets? You said the Hatmore thing.

What do you think, if you had to bet right now, free agents that the Phillies come away with right now, where are you at? Because I know this is a constantly changing process. The other day, Sideman laid out the Moustakas case, which I just got no interest in Moustakas. You're not a Moustakas guy. We've argued about this.

315 OBP career. I'm meh on Moustakas. I liked him in the spot last year, but... Yeah. If I had a read on free agents... I think they're getting Harper and Corbin. Really? You think they're getting Corbin? I do. That's what I'm feeling right now. I think he's going to be a Yankee. I hope...

Look, I'm with you. I would love to have Corbin here, but if the numbers get too high, I'm fine with them bailing out. But if I were betting right now, I think they're getting two big names as free agents. Outside trades, I think they're getting two big names as free agents. Outside trades, I think they're getting Harper and they're getting somebody else. That's the way it feels right now. I hope the other guy is not

Kimbrel. Harper and Machado. Let's roll. Let's roll! I think they have a lot of interest in Andrew Miller. I would not be surprised if they brought in Andrew Miller. Which I'm fine with. I've said it many times. I'm mostly fine with... I think he's obviously great. He's on the back end.

And I think that they want him so much because he will take the ball whenever he needs to take the ball. And Gabe needs a guy. Like, Saranthi did it in a pinch last year, but I don't think that's how they want to use Saranthi. I think they want to use him as a fireman, in a sense. And Andrew Miller is a guy that can pitch six, seven, eight. It doesn't matter.

I think they like the idea of that guy. The thing that stinks is that I'm not sure he's still that guy. He barely pitched last year. He was hurt a lot. He had a bunch of knee injuries. I like the idea of Andrew Miller more than Andrew Miller, the actual pitcher, now, and I worry that he's another broken-down guy they bring in.

That they're going to pay like he's not a broken guy. A guy who I'm starting to really, really like as a as a like, I think Franco's gone. There's Salisbury came out last week. Right after we did the podcast and you and I both had separate Mikel Franco to the Padres trade. Like it was literally like we post the podcast and an hour later, Salisbury had. Well, I think Franco could go to the Padres. It's like we just said that right and franco jim are you stealing our no no no no and supposedly supposedly uh franco knows he's getting traded to like that's why that was part of the salisbury thing was franco knows he's gone like he won't be here next year uh santana like

i'm not sure they're gonna trade him i know that the the Rosenthal thing is shopping the hell out of him. Whatever. I don't think you can go into next season expecting Carlos Santana, if he's still here. I don't think you can expect him to be your everyday third baseman. No question. No question about it. I think Franco's gone.

I'm signing Josh Donaldson to a one-year deal. Dude, I said that to you during the season last year. I was like, I love the idea of Donaldson or Beltre, one of those two guys, as a stopgap their basement for a couple years a year or two yeah i mean donaldson if you're josh johnson and you're heading into this market all this money is being spent why would you take it why would you take like a three-year 25 million dollar deal when you could just take a one-year prove it one year no it'd be more than that it'd be like one year 14 million or something like that i agree with you though no i think it's a really smart call that's what i would

do if i were john and then head into free agency next year and you're automatically top of the class with nolan arenado and anthony rendon and whatever so donaldson listen he had a bad year last year but if you watch josh donaldson with the indians you saw glimpses of him obviously i don't think he's me the same guy if he can bat 270 with 25 homers, it's kind of Franco-ish, but he'll get on base more. Even last year when he had a down year, he's still on base all the time. And the bat speed was starting to come around towards the end of his Indian stint, and the glove is still a glove.

He still has a good glove. He has a really good glove. He had dead arm at the beginning of last year. So I'm kind of throwing out the beginning of last year and looking at what he did with the Indians, and I would like it on a one-year deal. If you can get a stopgap, and the next year, if he plays great, signs you a cheap three-year

deal, or not cheap, but a good three-year deal, or has an okay year, moves on, whatever, then you move for Rendon or Arenado, I'm in on that idea. Yeah, I am too. Again, Donaldson... Or J.D. Davis is here. Yeah, well, obviously. there it is donald had to get it out in his 30s so you know i i think there is the chance that i guess he could try

and get a two or three year deal over a one-year deal if he has the opportunity but i'm i'm incredibly with you i love that idea i think i like taking a shot on talent for a year a guy who's proven it shown it and again he might be done he might be he might be done eventually guys fall off a cliff but he listen, no matter what, no matter what, Josh Donaldson, you know, is going to get on base, and you know the Phillies love that idea.

Yeah, and he's going to come in, he's going to play hard. And it's the same reason I like Adrian Beltre and Donaldson probably a little bit better at this point. Though Beltre was better last year, and even though he's 500 years old, he finds a way to keep producing

when he is on the field. I like the idea. Alright, Fritzy, lay him on me. Santana, it's time. One thing real quick on Donaldson. The computer is moving slow. It's on the computer, it's not on me. Please don't blame me. Yeah, it's your fault. Donaldson with Cleveland last year

in 14 games started batted 280 with a 400 OEP and three homers. Pretty good. I'd take that. I'd take that in a heartbeat. Yeah, no question. Alright, so I got a bunch of Santana trades for you. Lay them on me. First one I got is Carlos Santana and you pay

$5 million a year. So you're taking the contract down to around $20 million. Two years, $20 million. So $10 million a year? That's what it comes down to? No, he's only got $35 million left. I think he's getting $15. I think he's getting $15.

Whatever. It takes it to around two years, $22 million. That's fine. Got you. Okay. To the Yankees for Jonathan Loizaga. Loizaga. Johnny Lasagna.

Yeah. Good young starter. Johnny Lasagna. Yeah. Good young starter. I like him more than I like Eflin and Velasquez. Not more than Pavetta. I don't know. I would give you a meh on that one. I only saw Luizaga pitch twice. One time he looked really good.

The other time he looked really bad. So I don't really know enough about Luizaga to... I'll trust your opinion of the pitcher, but it seems like you're not getting rid of enough contract for the type of talent you're bringing in okay carlos santana and i don't think you're gonna have to pay any of the contract but you may have to pay like three million a year bring it down a little bit to the astros for francis martez so francis martez number one overall prospect for the astros before the 2016 season had a disappointing 2017 season is going to be out for all of this season all of 2019 with tommy john

surgery but if you look at the trade deadline last year they tried to offer up uh martez for avicel garcia so it seems like he's available um i get it it's the type of shot you take i'd do it if i didn't have to pay any of Santana's contract, I guess. But it does feel a little light for giving away a player of Santana's caliber. And they need him. You're not really getting much back. Especially now. You're not getting any help now.

If you're the Astros, you should probably get Carlos Santana. Because first off, he's the best first baseman on the market, free agency and trade-wise. But after Goldschmidt, if Goldschmidt actually gets traded. If he's really on the market. And that's what's so frustrating about any time you bring up Carlos Santana with these trade ideas, is that people think he's not worth anything. Listen, Carlos Santana was on base more than he struck out last year. He walked more than he struck out.

That's valuable in today's game. I understand he's going to pop 25 homers. And if you look after the first two months, he was very good for four months. You can't even argue it. I agree. So he's going to have value in the trade market. And if the Phillies pay down the contract, if I'm in a Carlos Santana trade and I'm evaluating what I can get for Carlos Santana,

I want the Phillies, my ideal scenario for the Phillies is to pay some of the contracts and get back a former great prospect. That's what I want them to do. So getting back a Francis Martez. Hey, Francis Martez and J.D. Davis. Any pay? I know everyone's risking for the J.D. Davis thing. I still want him here.

I don't care. I think he's a cheap upside. I get it. So then are you supplementing Santana with free agent signings? What are you doing to— Well, you're moving Hoskins back to first base. Well, obviously. But I'm saying you're signing Harper.

You're saying this isn't a case where you would have to sign a Donaldson or a Belger or do something like that. Or a Moustakis or whatever. Right. So your point is... Because I'm just trying to... Again, I'm not saying I want to trade Santana, but the fact that Rosenthal comes out and says they're shopping the hell out of him, it makes me start thinking about Santana deals.

Yes. I don't want to give him away. Okay. Well, that's my point. I don't either. And I feel like these are slightly light in terms of what – but again, I get it. There is upside to the idea of it. I just worry about – I worry about it impacting the team now for something where there isn't a lot of – this team is trying to win.

Like this is not a team that should be trading away assets. And again, I get the fit part of it. trying to win like this is not a team that is should be trading away assets that and again i get the fit part of it and if you're signing someone else but like that's my one worry is i don't want to trade away players who can help me win now for uh who knows what's going to happen in three years type of player right now right okay santana santana i see one of those trades that i'm a hundred percent in on we'll get to ahead. Okay. Jack just wrote a bunch out on a piece of paper. I'm going to like one. I don't know about the other.

The third isn't finished. Santana and Vince Velasquez for John Gray. Yes. Yes. A million times yes. Can we do it right now? Is it Dan O'Dowd? Is it Dan O'Dowd?

Get Dan O'Dowd on the phone, and if it's not the general manager anymore, then get him in touch with whoever is the general manager. Yes. Can I get... Is that an emphatic enough yes? I love it. And here's the... John Gray's the exact type of guy to go get in this type of deal.

Here's the case for John Gray. Bad year last year. Maybe he's getting hurt by Coors Field. They need a first... No question about it. They need a first baseman. Ian Desmond's not the guy. Santana can, especially since they're still trying to win.

Santana with 35 home runs, of course. Right. They have Arenado for one more year. They're going to try to resign. They have Blackman. They have LeMay. He's going to be gone. So Brennan Rodgers is probably going to come up.

And they have young pitchers now. They got other guys. I know. Kyle Freeland's good. Herman Marquez is terrific. Yeah, he's great. He's nasty. He's a legitimately good. Herman Marquez is terrific. Yeah, he's great. Like, he's nasty. He's a legitimately good pitcher.

John Gray is not the guy. Like, John Gray is so talented. And it just, I feel like Coors has gotten to him a little bit. He struggles with control at times. But, I mean, I will always take a bet on that type of talent. And I love that trade. I love, love, love, love, love that trade. And I think worst case scenario with John Gray is he can fill an Archie Bradley kind of talent. And I love that trade. I love, love, love, love, love that trade. And I think worst case scenario with John Gray is he can fill an Archie Bradley kind

of type. Yeah. Worst case. Oh, he could absolutely be a fireman type guy in the pen. For sure. Agreed. Okay. It's my favorite one yet.

Thank you. I was proud of that one. Honestly. It's a really good one. That was workshopped with the help of, I think, Giglio, Angelina, and Seidman. That's good work. I sent all my Santana trades out. Look at you.

You just got a little group of baseball guys. I get so bored. Dude, I cannot understate how bored I get here on Fridays, on Thursdays and Mondays, because I just press buttons. So I just do Santana trades the whole time, and this is what I came up with. I don't know how this trade works, to be honest with you, but it's the one that i want to do the most i love how many santana you are something else but keep going don't care i know i love you um i think the i think our audience appreciates this is the one that i want to happen the most i'm just wondering if how many santana trades are because i do have to go do an

event in the near future and i don't even matter we're talking about santana trades. All right. What's next? Anyway, Santana. And I will, I'll pay, I'll, I will pay $5 million this contract. I don't care. Whatever it takes. Santana for Clint Frazier.

Um, all right. So I loved Clint Frazier in Cleveland. I thought he was a, I mean, he's got such a quick bat and I'm a sucker for quick. Yeah, me too.

Um, he hasn't done a lot since. Well, he's got concussions issues. I worry about that. You need more, don't you? You're just saying straight up, you take the contract, we'll take Clint Frazier? So you think the Yankees say no to this? Or you think the Phillies say no to this?

I think the Phillies say no to this. Really? I don't know. It depends where Frazier's at. The last I heard was the concussion things. He hasn't done anything in a while. I worry about Clint Frazier. Look, Clint Frazier from three years ago?

Well, you're not getting him for Carlos Santana. Yes, exactly. The Yankees say no to that. It's like you're not getting Jimmy Butler for Dario Sarge and Robert Covington. I agree. Is it kind of upside play that you have? Yeah. I'd consider it. I need to know more about where Frazier's at. I like Clint Frazier more than most. I just feel, again,

it gets back to the, i want to help my team now do the yankees my question is do the yankees need them no well if you're the yankees right do you really trust luke voight for 162 i mean i don't definitely don't trust craig bird no but i mean for you think frazier's gonna be a first bas baseman? No, no. I'm talking about... I'm trying to analyze a Yankees fit for Santana. Oh, I got you. Yeah, he makes sense there. Sort of. A lot of Yankees fans don't feel that way.

Well, here's the thing with Boyce. The first trade I laid out for you... I mean, the problem is they've got to give Boyce a shot, right? Yes, 100%. I mean, what that dude did... I mean, how do you just say, eh, it was just a hot run? And it probably was.

But, like, I mean, you've got to give him a chance. I mean, Yankees fans would probably riot if they didn't. I mean, he's probably all their favorite player these days. Right. And Santana can obviously DH if you need him to. Yeah. And the first trade I did lay out for you was from a Yankees blog. So it seems like there may be some interest there.

Oh, that's interesting. Get a Loaizaga trade. Huh. I mean, I don't. Give me Frazier and Loaizaga. I'll do it. Okay. I don't think they would do that. I don't think so. I would love to find a way to get Clint Frazier here Loaizaga. I'll do it. Okay. I don't think they would do that.

I don't think so either. I would love to find a way to get Clint Frazier here. This is what I'm talking about. I want upside trades. And that's fair. I get it. Santana for Byron Buxton. Yeah, I'd probably do that.

The Twins need him. Maurer just got... Maurer just retired. Joe Maurer, Hall of Famer? Probably. It's one of those things where he probably is. He never – it's tough because I like to feel like when I watch a player play his whole career that I watch him and go like, oh, that dude is a Hall of Famer.

And I felt like that with Maurer at times but not – it's just like the last – the second half of his career was so such a bummer with the concussions and the injuries and the he's the numbers say he's probably a hall of famer so i'll say yes okay byron buxton taking a shot on that upside yeah he's no matter what he's this is a guy who was legit the number one prospect in all of baseball for multiple years. Byron Buxton, from a pure skills perspective, is everything you want. Yep. Another concussions guy and can't put on the field, injuries,

all that type of stuff. It's just no consistency. And we're not sure he's good. Yeah, but Byron Buxton, that type of upside, that type of talent, and defensively he's already a – I mean, and defensively, he's already a— I mean, worst-case scenario, he's a great defensive replacement for you, but obviously it's not what you're looking for. But I think Byron Buxton, the type of guy I would probably take that shot on.

There's so much upside there. Yeah, and worst-case scenario is that he's an elite defensive player. Yeah, that's what I just said. Yeah, worst-case scenario, he's an elite defensive player. Like a Jackie Bradley Jr. level. Yeah, like one of the best center fielders in baseball type of defensive player. And I guess this will be the last one. The last one that kind of intrigues me, because they seem like a fit for Carlos Santana, is the White Sox.

And originally I laid out the case for Santana for Yomankata, but I don't think they would do it. There's no chance they would do it. Are we sure Yomankata's good? No, but... Strikes out all the time. Yeah, but he also could be a 30-30 guy tomorrow if he puts together. Okay, so no. I like Yon Mankata.

So do I. I just don't think they would. I get it. I don't think they would either. I don't think they would. Yeah. Santana for Lucas Giolito. Oh, wow.

I mean, I'd do it. Yeah, I think Lucas Giolito might stink. He might. But he had stretches last year. He looks like the kind of guy, if someone can get the right pitching coach or the right guy to get through him. Chris Young? The Chris Young. Oh, we didn't talk about that.

Yeah, we should talk about that. Okay, so that was the last trade. I would do it. I don't know if I would do it. It's a close one. I'm nervous about Giolito, too, but Flash is there, and there's upside. I probably wouldn't do it. I think I'm lying, but I'd think about it.

Okay. Real quick before we get out of here. We peeped a lot of praise on Rick Kranitz this year. Yes, we did. And this was a bit of a surprise. Rick Kranitz. Ow! Yes.

And it's Chris Young. And, I mean, the takeaway that we both had was like, oh, I guess it was just Chris Young all the time who did everything and was the guy they didn't want to lose. But what's your kind of feel on this? I would say that Chris Young was definitely the guy they didn't want to lose because, I your kind of feel on this i would say that chris young was definitely the guy they didn't want to lose because um i mean he was getting offers to be a pitching coach on other teams and the phillies said we'd rather have you than rick krentz so they chose chris young they went what they're what they continue to do at every single level is take away guys with experience and replace them with guys who are

younger innovative and can can can talk analytics with young players, which I think that's mostly fine. I still want some experience somewhere. Me too. To have a whole organization that doesn't really play Major League Baseball and is only relying on the numbers and that kind of stuff, mildly terrifying. Obviously, I love the numbers, all that stuff. And I love, listen, I always choose young and innovative over old and cranky.

Me too. But I like the job that Krantz did last year. Also, fire Pat Neshek into the sun. Again, comes out and says, like, we're going to really miss Rick Krantz. I can't stand Pat Neshek. Pat Neshek for J.D. Davis. Do it tomorrow. Get Pat Neshek.

Pat Neshek for, I don't know. I absolutely hate Pat Neshek. He doesn't know like i absolutely hate pat neshek he doesn't take the ball when how about that i got it i got a good one pat neshek and uh tom mccarthy for steve berthium who says no i like it point being i don't need a player back like i'm i'm done if pat neshek gives you something i can't stand this guy okay so um i will always take young and innovative over older but i do wish they had a guy with more experience on the coaching staff and maybe chris young's good job i mean he was with the astros they're bringing in a lot of astros guys which i will always take i'm fine with that i'll take whatever smart guys smart

organizations you can get uh i'm glad they didn't just let him go to the braves i feel the same way and the braves were one of those teams that was interested in him. And that makes it even more of a reason that you feel like you needed to keep him. But I agree with you. It seems like, if nothing else, I do feel like Rick Kranitz kind of got done dirty a little bit here. It seems like he had a nice season. And maybe Young was the reason behind all that. I don't think he was. I think it was both.

I think Kranitz was a part of it. That's my point. And I feel bad for the guy. So hopefully he lands on his feet somewhere. But either way, I'm with you on the young, smart people of it all. I think that's probably the right way to go. Fritz, any final thoughts before we get out of here? Yes.

Fangraphs came out and wrote an article this week about Nick Pavetta and how he's a secret ace. And I am continually all in on Nick Pavetta. Jack Fritz's Fangraphs burner account. There's something beautiful about the Nick Giancarlo Pavetta. If they move him this offseason, I will be absolutely heartbroken. If I have to choose one of Aaron Altair or Nick Pavetta, I will choose Nick Pavetta. It's a big moment for me. It's a big moment for everybody right here.

I love the guy. I love him. Wow. He may be a mental midget. I don't even know how to react to this. it's a big moment for me there's a big moment for everybody right here i love him wow he may be a mental midget i don't even know how to react to this this is like uh breaking news here well what's so tough about pivetta is that he reminds me a lot of a young fritz and we both we both pitch with slightly less talented well some say um he's we both compete out there on the mound but we also have are very close to blowing up at every single moment. I like it.

Yeah. Also, write and review the podcast. I was just about to say that. Write and review the podcast. Do it for Jack. Maybe we can figure out another time to hear the guy sing, attempt to sing. Yeah, well, as long as my throat is not sore and the dogs aren't barking. Excuses.

Great stuff. All right. My final thought is go get Bryce Harper. I'm just going to make that my final thought until it happens. Go get Bryce Harper. We're three weeks away from the Winter Games. We're getting close. It's going to be awesome.

Fritz and I will be here through it all. And, of course, ready. The emergency pod line is just always open. It's just waiting to be opened. For Fritz, I'm Seltzer. We'll talk to you guys soon. All-Star Closer, Kenley Jansen. We have a question. What's the best podcast of all time?

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