Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - Cody Bellinger FINALLY Signs with the Cubs! | 787

Episode Date: February 26, 2024

Use code TALKIN for $20 off your first SeatGeek order. https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TALKINFor a real, smart hair experience, simply walk into Supercuts, or visit https://supercuts.com to find the salon nearest you.Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred gambler or in West Virginia visit W W W dot one eight hundred gambler dot net. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (four six seven three six nine). In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling call eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (in Kansas). Twenty one plus age varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. One No Sweat Bet per new customer. Issued as one Bonus Bet based on amount of initial losing bet. Bonus bets expire one hundred sixty eight hours after issuance. See D K N G dot com slash promos for Deposit, wagering, and eligibility restrictions, terms, and responsible gaming resources.+++++Timestamps:0:00 JD Martinez Turned Down a Giants Offer2:25 Bellinger & Boras Re-Sign with the Cubs20:00 What Does This Mean for the Rest of the Free Agents35:50 Mitch Keller Signs Extension with the Pirates36:40 Brandon Woodruff Re-Signs with Milwaukee, Liam Hendriks signs with Boston Red Sox43:40 Tim Anderson to the Marlins & Gio Urshela to the Tigers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to talking baseball. The Cubs and Cody pair up and a bunch of other little moves as well as spring training rolls on. And we're having beers on the burn. Hello and welcome to talking baseball. Thank you very much for joining us today. My name is Jimmy. I'm here with Jake and producer BBD. Trevor Plouf.

Not with us. Where is he? He's sick. I think he's skiing. Skiing. Yes. I think he's skiing. I think he's skiing.

Spring training. It's supposed to be in the sun having drinks. Jake, how are you? James Davis could still be in the sun having drinks scheme, but it just be cold. Grinders only today. Wow. No bonus babies here.

And hey, one of the Boris four drops. So excited to talk about that as kind of the one that seemed to be the most penciled in. and then it was me and BPD were laughing before this gym. They're still keeping the Boris 4 going. They elevated J.D. Yeah. Into the Boris 4.

Michael Kay called him the Boris 5 on the game. No way. And I was like, wait, what? Who is they including? And then I had to Google it. Yeah. I mean, J.D. got called up and I respect that. And we actually did get some news out of him, which I was interested in.

He did turn down a Giants offer, which I was questioned with the whole. whole Solair thing. So I don't know, man. It was kind of a nice weekend. I know like spring training games were on, listened to some radio and watched a little bit of ball. And, yeah, you just start daydreaming about everything, along with our TPPs. Thank you everyone who's tuning into those. Episode a day, every day until open day. Yeah, I'm excited to talk the Bellinger contract through with you. I kind of wanted to talk through with Trev, but he's out because I'm very kind of, torn on this these contracts right um and it's very it's interesting how we got here so he signs

bellinger signs a a three-year deal for 80 million dollars the first year 30 million dollars the second year 30 million dollars that's 60 total now the third year 20 million dollars now if you look at it just like that and obviously there's more to go that's way less than they thought they were going they were asked for upwards of 200 million for a long-term deal. And the way the market shook out, San Francisco got Lee from Korea, Soto goes to the Yankees in a trade.

Bellinger's kind of the last one left. No one wants that price point. So they pivot to what they did with Correa when he went to the twins was, okay, shorter term deal, higher money per year, and Bellinger can opt out after both years. So at any point, if he thinks he's played well enough,

that he will get similar annual money, annual average dollars, like $30 million a year, but they'll spread it out over five years. So the total will be more. He can do that. If not, he stays with the Cubs and they pay him $30 million again in year two and then $20 million again in year three. And it's interesting.

It's kind of like a loss for Boris. in a way because he wants the big old deals. But this is like the new way they're doing it. So I guess your thoughts when you heard the structure in terms, do you like it? I just saw Dan Rourke go check out Blitzball Battle 4. I do like it. I do like it. I like it.

And, you know, sometimes I wonder like if this is just lazy, but I like it for every side. Oh, okay, I'm the exact opposite. So I'm excited. But I'm not like coming out of hot. Right. I could be swayed pretty easily. I'm trying to figure out where I stand here. I guess here's what I like.

From the start, Cody Bellinger was going to have a unique free agency. Like, what can you truly pencil in? He had some years that were really tough. They think they were injury related. He had his shoulder injury. Hopefully he's just straight out of the woods with that, and he's going to be the Cody Bellinger we saw last year.

But if you're a team, you're naturally a little skeptical, right? Like, I think that's fair. that I was wondering if we were going to get here with the contracts because what this has turned into for me, and maybe this is a little too much of my watching guts brain kicking in, but basically Cody Bellinger has three years to have a good season, and then he can opt out again. So he, in my...

Two years, really. Well, three, because he gets that third year of the contract, that's still $20 million. So if he hits on that third year, year, he would hit free agency, I think, still at 31, 32. So basically, Cody is given himself three years to have a good season. And I would bet in those three years he's going to do that. And he's going to opt out and leave again.

And if you're the Chicago Cubs, your whole thing is you didn't want to risk giving him $200 million. And then the back half of that contract could get ugly quick. So in my head, I'm viewing it as Cody Bellinger got him. himself basically a $50 million insurance policy for the next two years. And if he clicks in one of these three seasons, he's going to hit free agency and get another bag. So I don't know. In a way, I think we're looking for free agency, free agent contracts to become a little more rewarding. Like one of the overlooming things on baseball for a little

bit is like, hey, if you give out one of those big contracts, it's going to hurt you. Like, look at pool holes, like McGee Cabs, these legends of the games that kind of be became kind of these old thick shells of themselves. Like, I think this gives Belly a chance. Like, if he goes and he has the same year he had last year, he hits free agency, and I think he'll get the $200 million. So I think Belly would have liked that contract now. But I think everything considered, it makes sense to me.

It makes sense. I just think it's kind of a bummer. If I'm a Cubs fan, you're very excited for this year. but okay he plays really well was gone so he's $30 million for one year hopefully you win the world series you go to a championship series like it's really you win the division whatever you value

out of like that but then he's going to be gone he's going to be seeking the open market if he doesn't play anywhere near it well now you're paying $30 million to do it again and you're just hoping for a bounce back because that's there's only three guys making more per year in the league and

now you're going to be paying him that guaranteed year too if he regresses to 2021 or whatever, Bellinger. Now you're paying way more than you should for that Bellinger. So either of your Cubs fan, okay, this year's going to be awesome, but then he's going to leave us or we're going to be on the bill for lesser value than what he gets. And I do think if he has like a bad year, bad year, good year, like you're saying,

I don't think he's going to get a big year there. I think he needs to do it now. Like he needs to have a big season right now. And then he goes, because last year was supposed to be the pillow contract. It didn't really work out. out. And now next year he's going up against Soto. So he's going to have a long, you know, process waiting that out and then seeing what he gets and then getting his. So you got even more like kind of competition on the market coming next year than you had this year. So I still think

his best chance is to play really well this year, put back to back. Then you can go get the 200 mil. Someone will give him that. But as a Cubs, like I hope he is really good this year. Or he's just like marginally right perfectly placed at value and he doesn't opt out but I think he's going to if he's anywhere near a positive player I just there's so many there's so many contracts that have been given out recently that are longer term but kind of sensible that I'm like this is awesome this is a win for the team this is a win for the player this is a win for a fan base where me is like I don't know man you did your pillow contract you you should be getting more no one wants to give you more.

Like, I would have rather him take like five years to get to a bigger total and be there with the Cubs. But instead, it's, it's, it's just weird. I think we're going to see a lot of these. Yeah. And I don't know if I like them. I think I like them for like the, like a fringe, like the lesser money. But when we go into a player that's now earning the top five outfielder in the league,

um, average salary, it's like mercenary. weird opt-out baseball, which I don't really like. I like staying with the team. I want the players to get paid, but I like being with the team for a while. The fan angle, sure. Sure. Like, Belly could be gone after this year, and you're going to, if he has a great year, you're going to wish you gave him the six year 200, but they weren't willing to do that.

So, yeah, if you look at the Aavis level, that's more than fair, but I think total value contract-wise, I think Belly's 72nd in baseball, and that's behind. You know, I mean, Yoshida, some, who was the other, who's the Giants outfielder, Junghu Lee? But he can take those, I'm guessing he could have taken way lesser A-A-V and would have gotten more years. Right. Like, well, we don't know.

Those would have been offered to him. We don't know. I'm guessing. But you'd think. What's Yoshidas? A reasonable assumption. Yoshita was five years, 90. So, yeah, I mean, if, if your belly,

you played at, you know, a top 10 MVP level last year. You've had seasons previous to this that you have that you wanted to get paid that way because of the injury risk in missing years. I don't know. He still, because he's 28. The season will be his age 28. 28, 29, 30 season.

So I don't know. I think in the next two seasons, you're right. If he has two duds and then a good third year. It can't be like the last two L.A. He's going to have to sign another contract probably like this. Yeah. But in the next two years, like I even think about Castellanos, like Castiano's first year in Philly wasn't good,

and then he bounced back. Like, I don't know, baseball comes and goes a little bit. And the other thing Belly has gone for him, as long as he's out there, he's going to play high-level defense. So he'll be able to rack up some war and spin things that way. I agree this season, next season, if he's good, as long as... The other can't be like a disaster.

Like if he doesn't opt out after year one, it can't be a disaster. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It has to be. But then, yes. But that third one, if you have two duds and then that, you're going to, you're just going to do. Well, that would be five of his last six years were bad. Yes. So the fact he's getting 90 million.

So, yeah, I hear what you're saying. I do think from the fan perspective of baseball, this can be bad if we're heading that way. But I do think this is, this is a pretty unique one, man. I mean, the 21 and 22 were really bad seasons. And then last year it came together. So we've understood the hesitancy from a front office perspective. And I understand Cody wanted to get paid like one of the best players in baseball because he was last year.

Silver Slugger can play all over the field, lefty bat. The like other, you know, the Cubs fan perspective on it, It's not like this is a team Not to throw anybody under the bus, but like the Royals or a team that never spends. It's like, yeah, it's a good year. This year, he hops out and there's no chance to keep it. Like, the Cubs are a team that could very reasonably do the 5150

after this or something if this year goes. I don't think they would. I don't know. I think they would have done it. I think they would have done it. I don't think it's not bad, but there's just a leave though. Like auto-free agency, yes. Cubs might say.

still be involved. Like, they're a team that spends. Yeah. Well, I think they would have spent on him if they want. I think they probably,

sure, are, there's a bigger market coming in the next couple years that everyone's saving up for, which hurts Bellinger's case here. But I, I,

there's a chance it's awesome. And I'm not, I don't hate it, but I just, like, it's awesome for Belly? I'm thinking from the fans' perspective. Okay.

For Belly, this is good. You get your money and you get to prove it. But I'm, yeah, I'm thinking about a Cubs fan. You're, like, okay, we got our dude.

All right. We're just going to have to do this saga again next year if he's really good. Right. And that stinks. Or if he's like a dud, we're paying the AV he's going to get from us on like, okay, now you have to prove it again. Like a pillow contract is a crazy high. And that's where I get weirded out.

Yeah. I guess that's, if things do go awry with this contract, whether it's injury or performance or whatever, I think Cubs fans are, then they just say we're happy it wasn't a six-year deal. Like, I think that's their spin. Like, that's from the Cubs accounts I was following. They were, you know, the fact that this contract in total doesn't hit 100 mil is kind of wild for the year that they just watched Cody Bellinger have. Yeah. But it's also, and another reason why teams are like balking is because the expected numbers don't match up with their results, which who cares? Sometimes that's true. And other times it hasn't been true. But that's what's funny with

him with Snell? Like, you're, I don't know, a lot of the metrics that normal things, normal players go off of, these guys don't have normal, and that's where their free agencies are weird. So that's where, and I know this starts to segue into those other guys a little bit, but if Belly runs it back and does the same thing next year,

four plus war, an 881 OPS can play, you know, the outfield, he's stealing bases, he can play first base. If he runs that back again, he's going to get that that big deal. If not, you can either be the Cubs and chalk it up to one year, and hopefully he bounces back. I don't know. I do think this is kind of the future, and I do like your angle of this might not be great for the fan,

but, you know, I've always been a players guy. That hitting free agency right is so hard. Like, in a way, Cody Bellinger hit free agency. right. He had a massive year, but the two years before that were so bad that he didn't hit free agency, right? That if he does it again next year, he's going to get that 175, 200 million contract. And if not, you know, he's locked up a good chunk of money. So I like the baseball side of it. I think the fan side is more than fair. And it's the second time Boris has now done one of these because he, Correa has switched to Boris in the middle of that free agency, right?

and then he did the twins deal in this manner. Right. And we all wondered if there was some weirdness there because we didn't know if Boris was going to get like that full contract. Yeah. But it is because Boris always wants long term tons of money. And the Dodgers forever would never work with Boris. And they, it's flipped.

It's weird because now the Dodgers giving out these long-ass contracts, tons of money, just deferring it. And Boris is now done two of these where three, two years ago, the Dodgers were giving out the two-year $60 million contracts and would not sign a Boris guy. So it's interesting. And then, yeah, now do the other Boris III turn to him? Boris for him.

He got called up. Turn to him and say, that is like great PR by Boris. Oh. No, still got four. Yeah. There's actually still four here. Do they turn and Snell or Monty say, hey, well, I'll do that? or is he like go float this or does it happen?

That's what I'm interested in. And I'm also interested in super cuts. Go get yourself a super cut. How about that? That's pretty basic. Supercuts, they've got an ongoing training program with their stylets so you get delivered.

The perfect fade or whatever the latest trend is. Reps matter. No replacement for hard work. And super cuts is proof of that. 23 million haircuts in 2023. Average review, 4.88 out of five stars. That's for haircutting. You know, people can be tough about that.

Why don't you head to supercuts.com today or walk right in for a real smart haircut. Like I said, I used to, when I was traveling, just pop into a supercuts. Get that fresh cut, whatever city you're in. You're ready to go. Go visit their website, supercuts.com. Click the link in the description.

Go check out the supercut experience. I'm super interested for the Boris 4. Cubs-wise, their TPP. We haven't recorded that. So if you're looking for more deep dives into that with belly and what that means for them, we'll have that coming up. I think the other thing, just closing the full loop on belly, like I think he also wanted to be in Chicago.

You know, I think that mattered. Like he probably did get other five, six-year offers from other teams, but I do think he liked being a part of the Cubs and seeing his career resurgence there. I think there's a comfort level with that. Yeah, but I think if anyone was offering him... If anyone was offering that contract, he'd have taken it. Well, and that's...

For usual, would love to know the, behind the... What actually got offered to him. They should make it mandatory that you tell everyone 15 years later. just make Angels fans a lot more sad. Angels are going to get Monty or Snell. Someone's going to crack soon. Do you think this contract is going to affect the year Boris four? I don't know.

No. Pitching is so much more volatile. I feel like if 30 starts, coming off a good year. I don't know because I kind of am not into these contracts. So I would just try to maximize your years in the league. You know what I mean? When you're pitcher and you get to 35.

Right. Some guys got a fucking scrap by taking one year deals, you know. You got to be like really, and these guys are both really good. But if they sign a two year deal and both two seasons are duds, they're like fighting for their next contract. Right. They're not like going to get a cushy. secondary one.

I don't know if I'm articulating what I'm trying to say. Yeah. Like with Belly, I think he could play good in that third year and still get money and be around and get a deal. But I'm not sure with Snell and Monty. Snell has two Syungs, but if they're like,

if the Velo goes, if whatever goes in two years of this contract, like they're not guaranteed. Especially Monty, who just fucking earned it. Like, erasic outlet syndrome, like that changes your career and then it's fucking look at the timing of woodruff's um at Tommy John that just cost him so much fucking money and I'm jumping ahead so with pitchers or shoulder or shoulder yeah he's a shoulder with pitchers I would say get your long term most money

and if it's not what you thought it was going to be it's still going to be so much money I think I think belly is a pretty unique example for Snell, I could see something similar happening, but you need more of an insurance policy on the back end. Like whether that's even, you know, if it's that type of contract, but years five, six, and seven are 15 mil. Which again, the price for a Cy Young free agent pitcher at age 30, I think you need to build in a little more insurance policy than Belly did.

because pitching, it kind of like, what you're saying, it can just end. Like, belly, pretty much whatever happens to belly, he could still go track down some fly balls and put some swings on it and do something on the field.

If a pitcher, when it kind of ends, it kind of ends that I could see Snell doing this. Snell, like you said, and that's where it's, I guess this is where I'm kind of happy and it's aligning with where I've been, is that he's a two-time Sye Young winner who just won the Sai Young winner,

who just won the Sai Young and hit free agency and timed it perfect. But pretty much the only reason, like, you know, the year before this, 128 innings, which I know isn't super big, but also in today's baseball, it's not awful. He had a 3-38. He's got a career 3-2 that he just won his second Cy Young, but he walks people, and people are skeptical of that. that if I'm Snell, I would a thousand percent, wherever I'm going, have the first year opt out at this point. Because if I run back the same season, I hit free agency and I say, dude, this is what I do.

I have a career three, two. I'm back-to-back seasons with ERAs in the two or whatever it is. If I'm Snell and I do that, then I have done everything to earn. The big boy, no negotiating, you have to give me $200 million, no questions asked. And I think he would get that if he ran back a similar season to last year. But you need more of an insurance policy. Yeah, and if they do that with Snell,

Boris is going to ask for $40 million, year one. Which? Which I think teams aren't interested. Like Jack Curry for the Yankees just reported, the Yankees are not interested in a short-term deal. Well, and I guess that's where you could still that insurance money on the back end. You could take a little out of the first years. It's just crazy because it's like, okay, we'll give you one year 40 million.

And if it turns out you're not worth that, don't worry, we're stuck with you for another four years for 35 million. That's where I don't understand why teams would really want to do these unless they really think that the guy's not going to leave. It's the risk on the back end. That's what it's always been with the big contrast. But the front end needs to be more than a year for a pitcher, especially if it's $40 million. Because he's going to want to say it's like the highest A.A.V. Yeah.

Like one year salary. Yeah. It's like, I've been trying to think the last few days about, like, is there a rule of like how front-loaded you can front-loaded a deal? Dodgers blow up all the rules. Because I think there's, like, not. But, like, like, a thing about Yankees and Snell stuff. I was like, they do like a 40, 40, 20, 20, 2020.

I think there's some AVAV rules. Because like it bounces out. The Yankees would have to pay all the tax. So, but even though some of the other big spenders, like I think teams don't want to do that with a pitcher. How about this? I think for Matt Chapman, he should be interested in that kind of deal. Because again, Matt Chapman, similar boat.

Like the defense you know is going to be there. Have we heard a thing about him as often? I think there's been mariners rumors. I think there's mariners and giants like actual rules. Giants are attached to everyone. Right. Giants are, their managers,

Bob Melvin and Farhan, I believe, drafted Chapman, or at least was very involved in the A's during Matt Chapman's years. A lot of connections there. There's a lot of at least like guys Matt Chapman knows there that like him. I mean,

the Blue Jays are, I know the Blue Jays came out and said they're done. Are they really done? Like, it's tough to say, what's a negotiating thing at this point? IKFs, they're starting third baseman, they have to be talking with Chapman still. You'd like to think.

I'd like to think a phone call could happen. I think, and that's where I guess the other fan side and not Cub fan, like you were saying with Belly, the baseball fan side of me, I'm excited for that contract format, because if you're a team, you should be in on Matt Chapman now. Because if he's willing to do a contract like that, again, the fear is that Matt Chapman can't hit. And so if you're that team that brings in Matt Chapman, and let's say it's very similar to Belly's deal, probably less, if we're being honest,

like belly balled out last year. You know, it's kind of like, we're both saying the same thing, but it's how you're viewing it. Like, hey, if Matt Chapman balls out, yeah, you wish that guy was going to be wearing your uniform in the next five years, but you weren't willing to risk that. If Matt Chapman kind of does Matt Chapman things, then he's still got a chance to be there for two, three years.

that it's tough for me to picture a team. If you only have to think about some of the big contracts we've seen. Well, actually, I like this for Chapman. I like it when the AIV on the first year is less. Like, it's not crazy. Like, I don't think his would be insane. I don't think, I don't think it would be. I don't think it would be 30.

If it was 25, 25, 15, like just 5 million less. I guess that's my thing. I think we're in the same ballpark. Yeah. You know. Yeah, I don't know. Freddie Freeman got 27 average. Like, it's,

some of the infielders are less. And Chapman's hasn't been hitting as well the last couple years. But it's not going to be spread out. That's the whole thing. Well, I'm comparing it to Belly. Right. Like, I think Belly's upside is higher. Depending on position value and all that.

But he is a, he can play center field. Like, so, yeah. I think if a team does it with Matt Chapman, And it's going to be less by, I don't know. No idea. It's also, like, same B-War last year, Belly and Chapman. It's also in defense. Like, their base, just highly valued.

This, like, structure, like, qualifying offer and, like, losing draft pick stuff. Like, for the Cubs, they're not at risk of that, but I wonder for a team, like, is a signing team, like, well, we need at least, like, two years of you to make, having lost or moved back that draft pick, whatever the rule is now, like, to make that worth it. I don't know. Yeah, the qualifying offer is not attached. You know, I like this. It makes sense on the Cubs,

and there's no risk qualifying offer draft pick-wise for them. I like this when the team has the double option, like the Yankees did with Garrett Cole. And that's what I was saying on talking to Yanks a bunch. Maybe that's what it's missing for me, is where the Cubs can say, like this is how I like these deals.

And it's just a missing element, but the Yankees have done this before players. So it would be like, If Bellinger got the same deal, three years, $80 million, $30, $30, $30, $20. And then they say, okay, Bellinger, you can opt out. But if you opt out after year one, we are opting in for 35 year two and 30 year three. And then he's just guaranteed to get a raise. It's basically like, boom, get a raise.

But if they, if he thinks he can get more, more than that would now be 35 and 30. That would be 75 for two years. If he thinks he can go get 65, 65, yeah, dumb. If he thinks he can go get more money over more years, maybe but less value, whatever, if he wants a different shape, then he would have to negotiate different things on the other end. But anyway, double tap out. So you do get a race.

Okay, great. Your pillow deal worked. Guess what? We want first rights. So we're going to opt into this. You have to negotiate the numbers. I don't think I did good double. Yeah, I guess, like tacking on.

I guess wouldn't it that stink for belly? Because instead of him being able to opt out and get the 200 million contract, he's in for two for 65? You would do more years. It'd probably be like. That's what they did with Cole. They added another year. It'd probably be like you make it,

Cubs can opt in for like $4 and $120 or something, like $30 million a year. I think you have to push it in this contract. In this negotiation, you have to push it to something. Maybe the Cubs were like, we know you're worth it, but we can't afford that. Like, you can get it done. And if, like, and if they did do the double push,

then you'd be happy with it. Yeah, I think, I think the Cubs are looking at it more business like that, hey, if belly balls out for them this year, like, you know, there's these like fake war money calculators. If Belly does what he did last year, he's probably worth $40 million. So they made, they made $10 million on that, not how it actually works.

But if he goes to free agency again, they're like, well, we had really good value out of one year of Cody Bellinger. Like, you know, if belly balls out this year and he hits free agency, they signed him to a one year $30 million contract, and they think that's a win. Yeah, I don't...

I don't know how one-year deals are ever a win for the team unless they go to the playoffs, sell a fuck ton of jerseys, more tickets for one year. Like, but I don't know. that comes with one year. Right. But I genuinely don't know.

Again, in my head, it doesn't make sense unless you go get a superstar, a superstar. Maybe Belly is that? And I don't know. I don't know. At least on their end, they also had him once, like,

it'll be two total years as a governor. That isn't like actual math. Yeah. I think it's perfect if he finishes the year at like, I mean, what's it going to take for him to not opt out? And if he, like, repeated. Hell yeah.

If he, like, repeated the, they need a higher batting average to be, like, happy with it for the cubs. But the 2020 OPS landing point. Yeah, that would be my ask is make this a conversation again. Is Cody going to opt out? That's from the baseball perspective. Because, yeah, I mean, he doesn't have a lot of comparable seasons that would be on the line.

He's pretty much, I bawled out and I would do free agency again or like, oh my God, I'm coming back. Yeah. Give us a borderline seat. Give us your, okay, what if he plays to his career averages next year?

258, 335 and 829 OPS, a 120 OPS plus. He'll opt out. I think so, too. I think that'd be worth the option. Can I give you? Because the other thing here is like, if you're willing to do this contract, you could probably get the same thing again, right?

Probably more teams in on this, no traffic attached you anymore. You could do three for 80 again with the opt-outs. And at one point you're just in. Yeah. I think so. It's just a hassle. I think, you know, it's why Bryce Harper, when he was doing his deal, he told Boris, I want one team.

I want no. grades. I want nothing. I want no hassle. I want to spend the rest of my career with this. Now he was good enough and long enough and awesome enough to do that. But it was still cool to hear a player be like, I don't want any hassle. I want to be there and I want to be there. Yeah, I guess that would have been interesting if Belly's contract came out and it was like eight for 150. That's what I'm, that's what I was saying at the beginning, comparing him to your sheet and that like, I would have loved, and that's why I'm saying Snell and Monty should go do. Go get the most years for the most money you can and have a fucking career.

Like, yeah, I agree, I agree with Monty for that. I think the other free agents have, like, Monty's peaked. I definitely,

Monty's the best one for that. Snell should be getting more and can maximize. I do it, but if you belly did this, if it was on the table, I would have been like, I don't know, man,

do you want to just like, right. Not to worry about this anymore. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I wonder if that was even floated Because I do think, I do think from the front office perspective, they would rather pay the big number up front

than worry about years 5, 6, 7, 8 of Cody Bellinger making 15 mil a year or whatever it is. Cody thinks he can cash in a little more if he has a good year in a couple years. So, hmm. Oh, snow, do this with the Yankees And then Red Sox will counter at Monty And then Matt Chapman

I don't know, man Saw a video of him in the cage this weekend So Okay He's putting in the work Yeah He should be They got to sign soon

But they won't They're going to wait for more And they're going to wait for injuries They're going to wait till every pitcher has gone through Like a start on each team Yeah At this point. Yeah.

This point, see how this week goes before you get like nervous. You can't start the year on time if you're the pitch or Chapman, I guess. Yeah. Cole hasn't thrown yet. Call hasn't thrown yet. You know, maybe he's working on something. Maybe he's beat up. They'll sign you.

Boris's little weasel. Draft Kings. Make sure you guys are getting in on the action. The NBA is rolling right now. And draft Kings is offering you a no sweat. bet up to $1,000 back in a bonus bet. When you download the Drafking Sportsbook app now, use code talking. New customers can get a no sweat bet, up to $1,000 if your first bet loses.

Wow. Only on Draft King Sportsbook with Code Talking. The Crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800 Gambler. In West Virginia, visit www. 1-800 gambler.net. In New York, call 8778-8-8-8-N-Y or text-Hope-N-N-Y.

In Connecticut, help is available for Problem Gambling. and call 888-8-9-7-77 or visit ccpg.org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boothill Casino Resort, 21-plus, ages varied by jurisdiction, void in Ontario, one no-swept bet per new customer, issued as one bonus bet based on amount of initial losing bet. Bonus bets expire, 168 hours after issuance. See dkng.com slash promos for deposit wagering,

eligibility, restrictions, terms, and responsible gaming resources, Jim. Wow. Jimbo, Jim Buck, 2. Where do you want to spin to next? Let's see. We have some pitching updates. Do I want to go there? Mitch Keller extension, I think is snaps.

We met him. He's nice. Largest contract for a pitcher in Pirates history. We were doing one of Jolly's videos the other day, a strikeout video in Mitch Keller's season last year is an oddly high. Oddly high in Pittsburgh Pirates history. so good for him. Go Rats Go, I think you were saying.

Third straight year, the Pirates have extended a member of their core for at least 70 millions. It's kind of nice. You like that. I do like that. Spending some money, keeping them around. And they got skeins and other people coming, so they're looking to build. Skeens on the scenes is what you've been saying.

I heard that. I haven't said it yet. You mentioned Brandon Woodruff before. He re-signs with Milwaukee, Algonquin for the good place. And we've got some contract funky. here, which is kind of fun, but like he said, it also, the timing for Brandon Woodruff was really tough.

Yeah, I mean, go look at his stats. The dude's been nothing but good when he's pitching, and he made 12 million year in arbitration last year, and this coming season would have been his walk year, like one more year. So if he's healthy and repeats

everything he's done, he's looking at big time money, I think. Am I wrong there? Oh, no. He would have been Yeah, I mean, we just talked a lot about how free agency can get a little weird. But yeah, no, Brandon Woodruff's been really good and he would deserve a contract. Whatever Monty's getting, Woodruff would have got more. Yeah.

Yeah. Even last year, I would not have guessed he pitched this much. And it was 67 innings, pitch 11 starts to 2,28. Like, he was an awesome limited action last year, less limited than I thought. Yeah. So arbitration said he was going to get around 15 million. this year and the brewers were like well you're hurt so we'll just nondender you and then he became a free agent and then that sucks the timing on that is awful so people thought other teams

were going to pick him up he stays with the brewers he's going to get 2.5 million this year to rehab and 5 million in 2025 to do kind of the second half of rehab and get back into the big so that's seven and a half million over the next two years to get back into shape. And then there's a 20 million, a mutual option for 2026 with a $10 million buyout. So he's guaranteed 10 million. If he's like, I want to go get free agency or no, he would opt in for 20. Either of them can opt out of that one more at 20. And he would get 10.

And he gets 10 if I. of them say no if he says no or so it's it's 17 million for the next two years with the buyout because one of them says no he's a free agent he's going to earn in 2026 uh whatever his new deal is and that 10 million would be so 17 million to have a full rehab year and then a half like rehab get back to pitching year um yeah again you'd have to be this one kind of falls under the you wonder what else was out there He'd have to be bad to not to take that up to take the 20 mil. The mutual options kind of exist just to get declined.

For both sides to land on that 20 mil. Is that an Aavie avoidance? Like it was that is that bookkeeping? Because now that 10 mil instead of putting that on. I think it goes backwards eventually, but like in real time you don't have to do it. Back, I thought they changed it. But the Yankees used to do this all time with like Brett Gardner

where he would get a signing bonus. And then he would get a buyout number. And that would get his overall price way higher. I think it's because I think it's like your buyout number has to be, it's like has to be at least half of what your salary the year before is. In this case, it's double. So he's well over. And then it's like for AAV purposes,

it counts as a guaranteed season. So I think then it does spread out. Yeah. Something weird. Yeah, that buyout is there. That's the verbiage of the rule. It's just to put 10 more guaranteed million dollars down. Who?

Woodruff have a good 20-25. Yeah. All that free agency timing stuff we just talked about. That sucks. If he doesn't, like he's at an amazing career and he'll, he might not get a proper free agency. Liam Hendrick goes to the Red Sox, two years, $10 million deal there.

The front office listened. Yeah. We need help. Go get him. And it's very similarly structured. Two million base salary. He got, did he get a sign? He was texting me a little bit when he was hurt.

Maybe I should text back. He's a Red Sock now. Couple Aussie boys. It was cricket chatter. Yeah, two mill this year in salary, six mil, 2025. When he'll pitch the full year, and then there's a 12 million mutual option, which again, those exist.

generally to just be declined by somebody. And he gets a $2 million buyout on that. Speaking of, I met Frankie Schwendell this weekend. Wow, Frank the Tank. Yeah. And I, big time to me, he said I had to go back because I was at the bar. Claire was crying. I was getting her into the stroller,

trying to get her calm down to take her on a walk. But I wasn't leaving, but I think that group thought I was leaving. So they were coming to say hi before I left. and then I was fighting, wrestling a crying baby and like, yeah,

I'm Frankie Schoendell. And I was like, in my head I went, the player? Frankie Schwendell. Like the player, aren't you in spring training? Did he,

is he not playing anymore? And I was like, oh, it was about, like pretty quickly. Yeah, pretty quickly and I left. And then I came back in

because I got, clearly, but I went up to him. Like, sorry, man, took me a second. Maybe. I was doing a lot.

I didn't expect you here. But I, yeah, he's from New Jersey. And then you look at him and you're like, oh yeah, of course, you're big a league player. You got the chain on, the black shirt, the chain.

Like hair, hair looked good. Like you look like a version of Treve. Right. I was like, oh, yeah. It was cool. Same challenge, kid. Family, big New Jersey family. Yeah.

It was like, uh, at, when I went to a Yanks, Cubs game, you know, two, three years ago or whatever, there was a whole Schwindell section that was, they're the group of people wearing Schwindell jerseys. So you could, you could guess that that was family. Yeah. Yeah. Jersey. Easy commute for them.

Shwinning. You like that Sox pen? Yeah. Yeah, I do. That was a sigh of like, yeah, but like, are they going to start? Kenley and Chris Martin back there is pretty cool. No, the pen is really good. Yeah.

And whichever one of Whitlock or Halk that ends up back there. Yeah. Yeah, one of the comments on the TPP film that released yesterday. He was like, no, we feel really good about our pen. So I think the Red Sox and the fans are aligned on, it's worth checking out the upside on one of those two being a starter. So sure. They are into it.

They're deep into their careers. At this point. Yeah, right? Got in like, what, three, four years out of one. I think the other, Geo signed with the Tigers, Giorchella. Um, they've just got a whole bunch of, the end of their roster is just going full kind of Swiss Army knife.

Like, Gio, Zach McKinstree, Matt Veerling, like all of those guys on a given day can play anywhere. Go Detroit Go, we're always saying on this show. Um, and then the other kind of flashy one, Tim Anderson to your, your fish. Yeah, which was funny because it made sense because they're, you know, a ball and play team, contact team. was, is that the most contact up the middle of any team?

If Anderson, if it's a rise Anderson shortstop second base. Yeah. Is he going to be the starter? I mean, they didn't have any shortstop, but I don't, I don't fully know what the plan is. That was my guess. But again, it's not like, it's five mil. I think Fangrass has him as the starter right now.

I don't know if there's like a kid who they're going to give it shot and he's like insurance. Well, we know they have John Bernie. Oh, always. And he can be util. I think the other thing that's going to allow them to be flexible is like a rise at second base isn't goaded, as the kids say. I think you were going to say that.

I think it can give them some options if they want to put him at DH or if they want... Rise at DH? Yeah. Rise has done some DH first base in his career. Like rotate him and Bell in the D. right now it has Avicel Garcia as their DH and he's struggled the past couple years. So I think it gives them-

A rise is a D.H is tough. He's got to learn how to field. Let's do that next. Okay. Luis. Where do you want him to learn how to feel? Don't care. Okay.

I mean, let's just do it because I like his abilities a ton. I love it. I think you need it in a lineup. It needs to come with a glove with it. Okay. You can't have a powerless DH. I can make it work if I get the power elsewhere. But they're not.

Well, they're the Marlins. I know. It's not ideal. It's not ideal. He d. In his final year with the twins, he d. 38 times arise.

Once last year. I mean, a couple batting title champs atop the lineup. I'll say that. I'll say this. But Anderson has had struggles that shorts up as well. Yeah.

People were saying he had to move off short and he was one of the worst hitters in baseball last year. Hopefully that's in his rear view. I can, I'll accept some, the white socks were just the worst ever and wash that off. My nice thing I want to say to the Marlins is, and this is my critique of the Rockies,

the Marlins are trying something. Like, hey, if a rise in Anderson click up top, Bell, Burger Chisholm run into a couple. You know what, they're trying? They're trying something. You know what they're trying? They're trying money. They're trying money ball.

Did you say it's like reverse money ball? Well, Moneyball was all about finding a statistic. Debtball. It was finding a statistic. Finding a hole. That no other teams don't value. And then it's actually good and you can value it. At the time period, it was on base percentage.

A lot of people think Moneyball was just about on base percentage, but it was no, it was because it was undervalued by every other team. What's a stat that is undervalued across baseball right now? Batting average. And the Marlins can get guys that have the highest batting average. And they can even win arbitration cases against batting title leaders. That's how undervalued this stat is. So they can go get guys that are really good at this statistic for cheap.

Hey, I'm rooting for it. It's basically, you know. Give me a rise and Tim Anderson both hitting 3.30 come the end of April. Screw it. Ball and play. Come play ball and play. Tim Anderson. Tough for agency timing for Tim.

But he gets the one-year five-mill. I didn't think he was going to get like a guaranteed contract. So good on him. Yeah. I mean, last year was... It's as tough as the season can get. I know. But the four before that are so good.

Right. They do hold... They do carry... They got to carry some weight. They got to carry some weight. I do think, for him, it's also a bad combination of, like, he was a... The nerds always thought he was a... was going to fall off because he's not an exit vlo guy and that stuff thought he was overperforming

and i think he's uh like the 22 numbers on the whole are fine but i think there was yeah the second half was hurting bad i mean it's like in almost two years since we saw him be good who on the white stocks had a good second half because that team i think was basically like i'm talking about 22 seasons ago oh so the second half of that season second half of that season second half of that season was bad, so we're, like, approaching two years since you were good. So he made the All-Star team in the first half. Come on, Elo, I have had a big second half. And my second half of...

Second half of 2022. I don't think he played. He didn't play a whole lot, and it was bad. He dragged some numbers down. 22 games. I think he had to be playing hurt, I would guess. I assume so. And then it was...

2023 was the worst year he's capable of. So coming off and in... Vives stunk. Robert, how was your second half? Gotta have it. June, July, August was 40 games, OPS, and the Vives. Robert had a worse second half than first half. I mean...

How could you not? How could you not? Yeah. White Sox has a team, and then we'll get out of here because I got to let you know. Half. I'm going to control find half. First or second half? White Sox has a team last year.

First half, 686.0. OPS. Second half, 661. I'm going to click second half, so you had a good one. Is that a good one? Elvis Andrews. Great second half. 305 batting average, 473 slug. Where to go? That's second half Elvis Andrews, man.

Yon Mankata had a great second half. Okay. Good second half. I think it's a good second half. And Andrew Vaughn, pretty good second half. You want the on base to be better But why are you going to walk? He gets shit done He's at least a guy they'd like to be part of the group

Long term Yeah Everyone tweeted Trev Good luck getting down the hill, buddy There's a really good second half from Andrews It's Elvis Andrews's deal, man I don't just nobody

I mean Take Elvis Andrews Too madden If you're throwing 5 mil around, throw it Elvis andgers way. Jake sucks. All over here, all over there. Or maybe he's only got certain teams and lost to go to him. Just played for some bad ones.

Elvis Andrew's career earnings. Tons. That's the one big team, right? Who, up 37. Wow.