Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - Our Favorite Free Agent Signings | 597

Episode Date: February 1, 2023

Jake & Plouffe are going through their favorite nine-figure free agent signings and their favorite bargain signings!Get Blue Moon delivered by visiting https://get.bluemoonbeer.com/BASEBALL to see your delivery options.Timestamps:0:00 Plouffe's Richest Teammate?4:50 Our Favorite Signings5:55 Correa & Judge9:45 Trea Turner15:30 Dansby Swanson & Xander Bogaerts16:45 Jacob deGrom & Applauding the Rangers19:30 Carlos Correa Again25:30 Astros Signings Jose Abreu & Michael Brantley32:10 Nathan Eovaldi35:25 David Robertson41:15 Taking Listener Calls 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. Trevor, Bebs, we're going through the best signings, and we're going to find out what's your guys' favorite signings from this offseason. Let's go. Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball. Big Story Ellie, Trevor Flew, DVD on the ones and twos. John's last day of vacation. I actually, he's probably on the Big Bird back right now.

He'll be here. He don't know that. Be here tomorrow on the ground. Yeah, maybe he's stayed. Maybe he's about that island life now. I don't know. Crack a couple breakdowns on the beach, baby. Trev, out in Magnum Condom Studio.

Well, the show is genuinely presented by Seiki. Co-Talkin. Get yourself $20 off your order. Not an official sponsor, Trevor Plouffe, coming live from the Magnum Condom Studio. Not official. We're talking. We're talking. We're talking.

Wow, you know what? Every time I get to strap it up with you boys and talkball, I get excited. And you and I, Jake, were texting really late last night, especially for you on the East Coast and we're going over the episode. And we're saying, you know what? I'd like to open it up a little bit to the AMP people. They've been with us on talking baseball for like a month or so now, kind of getting used to that whole thing.

And sometimes you got to let the people speak. So I'm excited to hear the question. we get from them. But first, yeah, we're going to go over our favorite free agent signings, which I think, I don't think there's going to be any real surprises there, unless you got one. I feel like some of the things I'm going to talk about, you're like, oh, yeah, no, no kidding, bro.

But it's good to get into them and really give these guys and these teams praise because we don't always do that in the off season. Sometimes we're pointing fingers, this and that, but these teams that we're going to talk about deserve a little bit of praise. Yeah, and I, you know, obviously, as we wind down. It's February 1st, pitchers and catchers report,

about two weeks on the nose. Very exciting. Yeah, I just thought this would be a fun way to chop it up because I, talking to you already, I already learned one thing. And I kind of wanted to break it up into a big signing in a medium or a small or something like that because, you know, Aaron Judge, good signing.

I'm so happy he is back on my Yankees. I'll be honest with you. But I think if we compare that, you know, to some of the other signings, you know, Carlos Correa, I don't know, six years, 200 compared to those nine years of judge and a couple extra. I have no idea how that's going to age out for the big fellow. There's an argument either way. So I wanted to kind of break it up. The nine-figure contracts, nine-figure Ian Hap, you know, that'll be next off-season. There were nine guys that got over $100 million.

And by the way, quick reminder, I know normally it loses the public. But God, that's so much money. Oh my God. It's, I mean, any of these, any of these contracts we're talking with, Jeff Bing Neal, people were like, oh, he's shorted himself. This mother just got 50 mil. 50 mil. That's insane. Who is your, I got a fun game.

Who is like your richest teammate? It's probably Mauer. Yeah. It's funny because we used to get pay stubs, and some guys would get actual checks. Most guys would get direct deposit, but you'd still get the stub. And every two weeks, Joe would walk around,

he'd like, oops, and he'd like drop his stub on the floor when you're walking by. It was a lot every two weeks. Yeah. Seven figures. Seven figures every two weeks. Was he flashy at all? I know you've given us some Joe Maurer,

but I mean, it was... No. Yeah. Like, not at all. And you know what? It made me mad sometimes with Joe because I wanted him to be that person. And then sometimes just like, bro, are you really this humble and nice? And he is.

Yeah. He is. I mean, the whole family's great. And he just, yeah, I mean, he drove a Mercedes. But it wasn't like some flashy Mercedes, you know, like his brother owned a dealership. So he'd also drive cars from that. And, you know, it's just, he's the best, dude. Yeah.

He's the best. Well, little Joe Mower early. Treb, there were nine guys. Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, Carlos Rodone. Rodon? How do we not know that one? Rodon. The Yankees, at his press conference, we're giving a firm Rodone.

Now we're back to Congress. Oh, no. We thought we had one. Dansby Swanson, Jacob de Grom, Carlos Correa, Zander Bogart, Trey Turner, and Aaron Judge. Funny enough, the one that just misses, not just misses the list, but the closest to 100 spot was Masataka Yoshida, who I know, Trevor, we were just talking a little bit about some of the projections that are coming out for these guys, and sheesh, Yoshita, I think they projected

him with like a 388 on base. Wow. If he does that, good on you, kid. Let's see. But, Treve, of all the big boy content. The dust is settled. It's done. Correa signed. Judge got done.

To Croms lurking in there. Of all of those, which one is your favorite contract? I know everyone's on the edge of their seat right now. Who's he going to pick? But I want to talk first on Correa and Judge, because I really think those two are probably the most impactful. For the same reasons I talk about Correa and the twins, like if he wasn't with the twins, where would the twins be?

and a lot of people shared my sentiment when I went to Twinsfest with that. I feel the same way with Judge. If Judge signed somewhere else, I know the Yankees have a good team and they signed Rodon or Rodin, whatever. I'm calling them Rodon. I'm sorry.

We've got some prospects close there. But without Judge, the identity really isn't there for the Yankees. So I think both those teams, the Twins and the Yankees who are just so connected for some reason on our show, I think those are probably the two. biggest most impactful signings because without those two players on either of those teams,

respectively, they don't really have direction. And I don't know if you agree with me on the Yankees side. I know I'm right on the twin side. The Yankees part of it, there was symbolism is a word I haven't used since high school English, so I can't believe that's a tough word for you.

It's just something I would never say. And I don't think I'm using it right. But the Yankees, man, the New York Yankees, the Steinbner, like the, we're the Yankees. Like, we signed the best, like go through those 2000s. Like, oh, Jambi's the top free agent, well, we're going to sign him. Like, the Yankees, if they had let Judge walk, there was something franchise-wise that was like, oh, like, this was a changing of the guard. The guy just broke the home run record. That if he left for another team in free agency, the Yankees would be.

looked at differently. I think a lot of young fans already do, and it was kind of an early struggle with us when we were doing talking Yanks. But because a lot of young fans haven't, you know, if you're 20 years old, you haven't seen the Yankees just rack up titles. Like that's, you know, if you miss that 90s, there's been one title since then. So there is a lot of the kids that they don't view the Yankees through the same scope. and Judge had gone, you know, that just would have changed the franchise.

So I see what you're saying there. We've talked about Correa a little bit. I'll jump in and cut you off because I know you have a however coming. I still think Correa is the best signing of the six figures. Like, I know there's the injury risk, and we obviously don't know the medicals. The medicals that got turned down by two teams. But he ends up going back to the team he was with last year. not like it's a team taking a random flyer on him, just like hoping he stays healthy.

The twins were somewhat calculated here. They had them last year. And compared to these other contracts, it's six years, and it's $200 million, which, hey, Judge, Turner, Bogart's, DeGra. All of these guys have risk of injury, too. It's a physical sport. And your body can kind of give out at any time. So with all of that in the pot, and like you're saying,

the twins, the direction of this franchise could have been totally different. They kind of stayed the course, even got more aggressive. I think it's going to pay off for them this year, and I think it's already paid off with them for bringing in Correa, who's also younger than all those guys, too. Yeah, and they do. They love him. They know his character, and he walked in there and made an impression from day one,

and continues to now that he's back. Okay, so Judge Correa, those aren't going to be our answers. I'm going to give you mine. Unless you're going to step in again. Please. My favorite nine figure, free agent signing. I don't think it's going to come as a surprise to talking baseball fans. Because I have mentioned how much I love watching this guy play.

It's going to trade Turner and the Philadelphia Phillies. He ends up getting, I want to get this right here. 11 years, 300 M's, his average salary, I don't know how this happens or why they do it. 27, 27, 27, 27, 27. 27 M's. Average salary. He's going to be there until he's 40 years old.

The reason I like this for the Phillies so much is, you know, they put together a good roster last year. At the beginning of last year, we talked about, you know, they're going to be defensively challenged. Like they have some high end starting pitching, but we have some question marks in the bullpen and the depth of the rotation. let's see what this team can do. They're not going to play any defense whatsoever.

They're going to go bang the ball around. It didn't look that great in Philly all year long. Like we were wondering what was going on. Then Bryce Harper ends up getting hurt, and we basically put them to sleep last year. Then they have that run that they go on. They sneak into the playoffs, get it all the way to the World Series,

and end up losing to the Astros. That'd be all nice, but I think going into the following year, you could probably, if you're a Phillies fan, you could probably say, well, we kind of got lucky last year. Like the run we went on. I know we're going to have Bryce for the whole year this year.

But, you know, we, there's no sure thing that that's going to happen again for us. Like, we could easily fall back to, you know, in that tough division. Like, I could see the Phillies falling back and kind of having like a year where things don't all go as planned. or surprise runs like they went on without Harper. But then you add a guy like Trey Turner,

and it just sets you in motion, like it's World Series or bust. Like it really changes the mentality of that organization and all the players in there. Without a guy like Trey Turner, without a big signing like that, you're going into the year saying, we got a lot of work to do to get back there.

When you sign Trey Turner, you're like, holy shit, like, we expect to get back there now. It's a different mentality. and the things we all know what he brings to the game. You know, some of the defensive numbers aren't great on him, but watch the guy play. And even he said himself, like, if I wanted my defensive numbers to get better, they could get better. And I know that sounds flippant and like arrogant, but it's true because I have a guy I can set him up with.

Mark Simon, shout out Mark, that'll little change all of his defensive numbers with just a little bit of positioning. So I believe it, I believe in that. He is a quality defender, and then we know what he brings on the offensive side of the ball. He's over a 300 career hiter. He's going to hit lead off for them most likely. The guy is electric on the field. He is my favorite player in baseball to watch because he's just good at everything. You watch and play day in and day out.

You're going to see a ball player. If he's not doing it offensively, you're going to see some stuff on the base pass or defensively. He brings it every day, and he brings a different type of energy. I think that he 100% changed the mentality, even though they went to the World Series last year, everything is different when you sign a player like Trey Turner. So for that reason, he's my favorite large contract free agent signing of the offseason. I love it, Treve. I knew you liked Trey Turner.

I didn't fully know you were there, man. I, Trey Turner, the one thing I'll say, like you mentioned, he can do everything on a baseball field. He's one of the guys that when he, when he turns on a homer, I always let out a little,

ooh. Like, I forget Trey, like, you know, you know he swipes bags. You know he's going to hit a little, a lot of bit, actually, and play some defense. But when he turns on one, you're like, damn,

all right, Trey Turner. I'm trying to remember the series of events. He was the first big contract, right? Right? It was early. The first, like, big one. Because I remember that kind of starting the chain reaction a little bit. And that's where comparing him to Bogarts, you got, you know, similar contracts. They're same amount of years.

Bogarts is like $2 million less per year, a little less than that. So in the scope of everything, they're pretty similar. I would lean Tray Turner out of those two. I think his versatility over the years can play out a little more. And I just like him slightly more as a ball player than Bogey, who, you know, bogey might just shove that up my butt this year and the next couple years. And then Dan's be, you know, going back to the whole shortstop class,

the Cubbies took their chance, and I like that contract, but I'm also, they're paying him more per year than, than Bogarts. As I got there right, oh, no, excuse me, it's just a little less. So I don't know. On that scale, if you're talking about all this money that we're shelling out, I don't know. I think when we originally did kind of some of the shortstop pegging charts

of where this was going to sort out, I love that you love Turner. For me in this exercise, I'd still take Correa, especially where the numbers land and injuries and all of that. that. And then it's funny, like for some reason, I'm more comfortable with Dansby at 7 for 177 than bogey at 11 for 280. Maybe there's some rooted Yankees hate there. Maybe I just want Padres fans to come at my neck. But that's just how I feel about it. I think in these four, with these four short stops, I think there was, it's Carlos Corray and Trade Turner 1A, 1B,

bogey and then Danesby. I think those two at the top separate themselves. I know these, These are all excellent players. We're talking elite, elite players here. But when you get down to the nitty-gritty, man, I want the ball hit the Trey. I want Trey up at bat with a big situation up. You can say the same thing about Kare. I can say the same thing about all these guys.

But in my mind, man, Trey Turner is, I don't know. When I watch him play, I think he's the best of those four. I just said 1A, 1B, but I think he's tops for me. Can I ask a dumb question? Have we completely psyched ourselves out of de Grom? Like, I realize there's some injury risk. The last few years, you know, his, and over the last three seasons,

the most starts he's had is 15 in 2021. Obviously, the 2020 short-end season hurts him. He was there for the whole short-end season. But this is a guy who he's going to be 35 in the summer. It's 34 now to start the year. he got started pitching late, so the mileage on his arm might be different that when he's out on the mound,

and last year was kind of like a rehab regular season. Like, that's how they, you know, his 11 starts last year at only a 308. He was basically rehabbing at the big league level. I mean, there's a chance this could be a ridiculous contract for Texas. And I guess we've just done so much of the, like, I don't know pitchers they get hurt I don't know that I feel like we've all

psyched ourselves out on it I have not psyched myself out on Jacob deGron I don't know what you're talking about clearly that's not your answer so we can just wrap on de Grom a little bit I think what Texas did this offseason has been absolutely incredible you go back to last year and who they signed

you know they bring in simeon and seeger but they still need pitching and they went out and bought a whole rotation They brought in Ievaldi, they brought in Heaney, Oterizzi, and freaking Jacob de Grombe. I mean... Kept Perez too. And Martin Perez, they kept on the qualifying offer, right? That what it was?

That's incredible. Like, we need to applaud the Texas Rangers. Clip that if you want, because I don't think I've ever said that. We need to applaud the Texas Rangers, their fun office, for the things that they have done over the last two years. Everyone talks about the Mets and how quickly Uncle Steve has turned that franchise around and built a winner. The Texas Rangers haven't won yet. They haven't had, I mean, the Mets won 101 games last year. The Rangers did not. I think we're going to be seeing that from them this year. Not 100 games, but definitely a competitive team. And you don't usually see that turnaround as

quickly as they've done it. I haven't really thought about like the over under on the Rangers We haven't done their TPP yet. I mean, they're at worst a 500 T, in my opinion. I guess we'll have to find out when the TPP start rolling out. When's the first one go be? The first one releases February 16th, so two weeks from tomorrow. Okay. As we're recording this.

TPP season sneaking up. Trev, I want to start going to more of the value signings. And like you said, we've said some of these names, especially when they happened. Oh, you just check your chest? You're right. The shadow on me right now. I don't know if we want to call them value signings or just, you know,

like we said, any of the big guys, you're going to luff. Wait, did you give your guy? I kind of told you my answer was going to be Correa, and you kind of just threw it out like I couldn't use that. but the fact that he's the only guy that signed for less money than like what we thought he would sign for this offseason and he's the youngest of the crew and what it means to Minnesota like I'm taking it.

Okay, that's fine. I mean, I love that answer and I just, I mean, waxed poetically about him all last episode. I think you just want to hear me say it again. And the salaries on those like years seven to ten that vest are very reasonable. If he's still there and doing it. And kind of even if he's not, like those numbers,

are not going to be a problem. Can I tell you real quick? Tell us. I don't think he'll be included on my list of Hot Boys. I don't think he's on that level yet. Maybe in the Sugar Daddy portion of it, because I'd like to do that. Yeah.

But there was something going on with him when he walked in the room. I liked the way he dressed. Tall. He liked that. Like he had a nice style to him, a beautiful family. Like the guy's got it going on.

It's interesting when you get up close and personal with the guy. You know, I've only played against him. And we've wrapped together on the base pass before. But when you get a little face time one-on-one, things change. And you know what they say? You know, it's like when you might hate a guy when you're playing against him, he puts on your jersey, things completely change. I never hated Carlos Correa.

But seeing him in a twins uniform walking around target field makes you feel a different way about somebody. I think he's got a chance. We get him in his early 30s. Like 33 Carlos Correa. Like the money's really set in. You know, the outfits he starts heading like, you know, Edwin Encarnacion, Johnny Quedo. Like, I think the swag ticks up.

I think he's going to be a hot boy, rich daddy. The age well. Yeah, you know, and guys, we're just going to go in on Carlos Correa. But talk about like, you know, an image and trying to repair an image. You know, obviously he's caught up in the, the Astros thing and people were always associated him with that. But you go to Minnesota.

You know, Minnesota, everyone's, you know, the good old boys over there in Minnesota. They're all nice there. I think that's going to really help his image. And then people have seen him like on MLB Network. Yeah. And he's very articulate and he's smart. And even when we were, you know, sitting around in the clubhouse,

it was like me, him, Gallo, and farmer. And we're just talking ball. We're talking hitting and we're talking, you know, scouting reports and, and, you know, what we should be focusing on. And the guy is just, it's a ball player and he's very smart. And I'm going to stop there because I was going to make a comparison and I just don't want to go there.

But yeah, no, he's key, bro. Trev, I want to do a couple of the more valuable signings because, you know, there's a couple of these one, two-year guys that, you know, at that level, you're talking more fit and what it does for that franchise, you know, one, one year, two years. You got a hole, you plugged it, the value of the contract. A couple guys we've already mentioned, a guy that we've been mentioning on talking baseball, and we're going to mention a lot more this year, Blue Moon.

Go get yourself some Blue Moon. Talk about value. I mean, Blue Moon, you get, you get that Big Boy Beer Taste. Big Boy Beer Taste. That's not in their read. You'd be shocked to hear I made that up. But they can have that if they want it. But they can have that.

And it goes with baseball, man. I've told you I've been to the brewery out in Denver. If you'd go out there to see the rocks play some 500 ball this year, go swing by there. It's one of the best spots in town. The iconic orange slice. Iconics become one of my favorite words. And Blue Moon has that.

I think the story is like the guy that was originally slinging Blue Moon would, like, go around with oranges and, like, do like a demo, and that's kind of how we won. And now they're one of the biggest beers in the world. Blue Moon, they aren't just another beer. It's a whole different experience. A little, oh, my God, Trev. It's the summer, a little orange peel.

You're on the back patio. Uh, shoh-hasty mug. That mug is frosty, baby. And you guys, why don't you start your spring training? because that's going to be here soon. But right now you could order some Blue Moon to get through the winter feeling and get through to spring training.

Get.com slash baseball. Get dot bluemoonbeer.com slash baseball. Get it delivered. Stay at home. Listen to us. Play some show. Whatever you like to do. Celebrate responsibly.

Blue Moon Brewing Co. Golden Colorado Ale. You know what? Yeah. We need more fraud. I feel like frosty mugs had a run for a while, then everyone's like, nah, we're over the frosty mug. Bring the frosty mug back. I wonder if that was like a taffer thing. I wonder if there was like a bar in efficiency.

So now bars are doing that less or something because a frosty mug. A bar, I mean, you just put them in a freezer. Hey, it's not like. I agree. It's not rocket sign. We're on your side. All right. Trev, who are your frosty mug free agent signing?

I don't even want to call these guys mid because that's the opposite of what they are and I think I've kind of referenced these signings on talking baseball before or at least on my Twitter when these two guys signed I was like is the rest of the league paying attention

the Houston Astros seem to be able to just find their puzzle piece and a good guy Fayo who's in the chat right now on AMP I'm looking at him he's just saying all sorts of things I think Fahoe is a Bitcoin billionaire.

He won't admit it. He will not admit it, but I think he is. The Houston National signing Michael Brantley and Jose Abraeu are incredible. And Fayao has said, you know, when the team has only one piece to fill, it's easier to do that. You can focus on it, figure it out, and strike. And that's exactly what they've done. The Astros had a hole at first base. They needed to fill it.

They tried to get Mancini there last year. He's gone. Gurriel's... They're still thinking about signing him back, I guess. But they went out and got Jose Ibrahim. And what they gave him was three years, 58. So you're averaging 19 and a half a year. And go look at the baseball reference page, people.

This guy is a banger. And you just watch him put up good at bat after good at bat after good at bat. And that is what, when I think of the Houston Astros lineup, that's what I think about. These guys are hitters, ball players. They put up good at bats. Oh yeah, and Michael Brantley too. You get him back on a one-year deal, I believe. That was the one that was shocking to me.

But I could think reports came out and they said that he just wanted to be back there. So you kind of lose a little bit of leverage when you say that or you tell people that. I'm not exactly sure if that's how it went down. What was his deal? I had it up. I can't find him. Brantley was one for 13. One for 13.

Yeah. I know he's been bit with the injury bug a little bit, but he's another guy that's just an absolute pure hitter. And you want him around your clubhouse, you want him up at big situations. He's never off balance. In fact, both of those guys are really never off balance. And that to me, when you look around at the best hitters in the league, that's something that you'll notice they all have in common.

Very rarely are these guys flailing around the box. They have balance. They don't get fooled. They just see the pitches better and longer than everybody else. So getting these two guys back into a team. that really, you know, they didn't really have many deficiencies, if any at all,

but they filled the roster accordingly with these two guys, and they're the World Series favorites, right away. And they probably were without them, with the Brayu and Brantley, but you add those two guys in the mix, and they're firmly atop my rankings

as the best team in baseball right now. Yeah, man. Part of the reason I wanted to do this exercise was Brantley. And again, like you're saying, I know there's, it's rare, and that's why we normally take the conversation away from it. But, you know, Michael Branley has done a lot in this league. He's made $100 million. Whoops. How's your basement? You know, he's going to be 36 this year. You know, his free agency wasn't, it's unique. Like, you know, we talk about them every year, the veteran guys that hit free agency and, you know, end up controlling their own destiny more than a lot of players.

But Michael Brantley may not want to go play XYZ. Maybe he doesn't want to play in New York City. Maybe he doesn't want to play in Boston. Maybe he doesn't want to play in Toronto. Maybe he doesn't want to play in L.A. Maybe he's pretty comfortable in Houston. And if you can get them near the number, he was going to sign there. But my goodness, man, you know, Michael Brantley can have, as, as, you know, Michael Brantley can have, solid of a season hitting. Luis Aras just got traded for two years of Pablo Lopez or three? Two.

Two years of Pablo Lopez. Michael Brantley, you know, he played 64 games last year, and there is an injury factor. I get that. 2021. He hit 311, 362, 799. Like, that's Luisiraeis. And they just got him. One year, like, hey, if it works, we'll have him in the middle of our lineup.

and he'll be nasty. Abreu, I remember the only reason I was a slightly more hesitant on him, when the number first came out, I remember we were all a little shocked by the years. Everyone just kind of assumed two years. I mean, that being said, the guy doesn't really have any reason to doubt him. All he's done is hit and play well. He is 36.

Yeah, look at the games played for him. Right. He doesn't miss games either. Like, the guy plays. Right. Right. No, Brantley jumped off the board for me. I mean, that dude.

And like you're saying, him and Abraeu, like, those guys can, those guys could carry a team through the ALDS. And it wouldn't be shocking. You'd just be like, oh, yeah. No, those guys rake. And yeah. Abraeo has a career slug over five. His career OBP is 354.

I mean, the guy is, he's just a pure hitter. Yeah. Pure hitter, and you know, you know I love my Cuban ball players. Mm. I do know that. Who you got, Big Daddy? People point to Jose Abraeus homers, like, cutting in half last year, and I think Minutemade can help him get a couple of those back.

I, uh, you just, you don't bet against those guys. Um, I think there's one I want to hammer, and, and maybe this was sneaky tying it, because I know Jim's on this one. He's been saying it recently. But again, when I sorted the contracts, I did by total salary. So, you know, you really get an idea, like, you know, could Kodi Sanga be great? Like, he got a five-year contract at $75 million. Like, in my head, I was mentally comparing him to Rodon, Rodon.

We're not sure. You know, if Kodai Seng is the truth, his contract is going to come back. can look like one of the most valuables. But I have no idea what that guy's going to do. And that's where I'm going even a tier or two below that. With Nathan Evaldi, man, my God, again, I know John's mentioned it a couple times recently. Don't just look at ERA. I know sometimes I'm as guilty as anyone because this is where we end up talking in circles, right?

Because at the end of the day, ERA, Earn Runs Aloud, I very much appreciate that. pitching in Fenway Park is another world. It's a different habitat. There's a giant left field fence 200 feet out. It's Williamsport with a giant wall out in left field. My God, Williamsport. He, in a big game, he is dominant. He led, Trev, think about how much, and now I'll spin it the other way.

FIP. We have conversations about FIP and how much, you know, Some people love FIP. It's, you know, I think it is a good tool. He led. Fielding independent pitching. I held it. Hell yeah.

I didn't know if it was just field. He was your AL leader in 2021. 32 starts. He had the best FIP, which a lot of people use that as like, their strongest measuring of a pitcher. And they just got them, I think two for 17, or 17.

per excuse me like what I'm I'm starting to do a little Texas two step here between de Grom and if last year he built himself up and he is that dude which I have no doubt on the dude factor it's just hell Nathan Evaldi I think he might be

there's a chance I would rank him as like the best signing of this offseason wow go Rangers go I agree I'm on a I think, you know, you talked about Brantley and Abraeu leading you through a DS. Like, we've seen

Eovaldi do it and a plethora of roles, but obviously he's going to be a starter down there in Texas. Like, the guy can carry a team. He can be your stop right. Now, do you have another one or two in that rotation now? Sure, but Eovaldi to me is always, yeah, a little bit undervalued

as a pitcher. I know he's made some coin now racking up that those career earnings. But I'm with you there. I think that he can be very dominant for stretches. And I think that that's, and he's not exactly going to blow up either. So when you have kind of a higher floor and a high ceiling, that's kind of what you want in the middle of rotation.

And by the way, how about, he's got a little player, or a vesting option, 300 innings pitched over the next two seasons. So if he puts together two 25 start seasons, he might get close to that. That's interesting to watch. Basically, if he's healthy, they get the third year. 81 million in his bank account, by the way,

that's not including future salaries. So he's going to clips $100 million. So is he in half. Man. Hey, let me give you one. And this is another guy I've talked about on talking baseball before. I'm going to give credit to the Mets here and Uncle Stevie. My guy, David,

Robertson. Okay. I, like, another one of these guys who I just can't believe is signing just one-year deals. And maybe that's what he wants. You think about him and how old he is now. Okay, he's 37, he'll be 38 in the season, during the season next year. He's got a career 1156 whip, a 289 ERA. Last year, he had a 1162 whip and a 24 ERA. He put up 2.6 war in his age 37 season.

The guy is a baller. Go look at the reference page people. This guy, it just goes and gets the job done. And for them to get him on the one year, I think it's one year 11 or something like that. It is incredible. And this is another one of those signings. Like, was anybody else paying attention?

Or was he just like, dude, I'm going to the Mets because we got a shot here. I don't know which it is, but he's going to be one of these guys who, like, every offseason. Like, what? He's still doing it? Oh, look at those numbers. Oh, my gosh, we should have signed him. That's how I feel about David Robertson.

Yeah, there was a one reliever jumped out to me. And D. Rob's awesome, man. I mean, I've got too many Yankees' emotions with him, and I think he's, I think his stuff is still good, and I think he can trick you. Like, I think he's got all the veterans. moves. He's got the moxie. We saw it during some of those playoff games. Oh, you saw him in a towel in spring training too, didn't you?

Roped up. The body still has it, people. Man, this one was funky because I, and again, I think relievers are so tricky because I keep seeing Erod's $100 million and he was awesome this year and I hope he lives up to that contract, but it is also really tough as a reliever to do it. I remember when Raphael Montero's contract hit. Remember the Astros kind of didn't have a GM, and it was like, what's going on here? They only hired a guy this past weekend. Clicks out and cranes the GM, I guess, and we're, you know, normally that's kind of a scary thing in sports.

Raphael Montero, by the end of this playoffs, was as good of a reliever in baseball. Like, he was, he was unhittable. Like, the guy was, he looked like an alien on the mound. and he got three for 34 and a half, and I think we all kind of sat there and we're like, all right, that seems like a big number, and the Astros, they don't have a GM, so is that just the owner operating alone?

Like, what the hell is that? Remember, we heard there were Bagwell rumors? Like, he was, people were wondering if Jeff Bagwell was like shadow GMing the Astros. Rafael Monteros, three for 34 and a half, next to Kenley Janssen's 2 for 32 you get one year an extra year of Raphael Montero

for basically the same price I don't know I just thought it was funny to see those numbers on paper because I think relievers end up being a little bit of a crapshoot anyways but seeing them lined up like that I don't know it was an interesting perspective you ever seen Aladdin

yeah Jafar's got that staff and he hypnotizes people and they do what he wants them to do. Their eyes start to go on the spiral circle. It feels like the Astros do that to their players. Like, if you're going to sign back here, and we're going to be the best team in the American League,

and we're going to be in the ALCS, and everything is good, and it's Texas, so you have no state income tax. Please come play with us, boom. Everyone wants to sign there. I'm wearing their colors right now. Wow. Wow.

Look at this. Hold on. You guys didn't see this. Whoa. Oh, Trevor Plouf and the Yankees. ALCS matchup. Yeah. Might as well.

Usually works out for the Yanks. My twins will be there once they knock the Yanks out. Mm. Before we move on, I hate to do this. But Treb, do you know your numbers off David Robertson off top of your head? Yes, I do. Bebers are not good. It's like fucking 0 for 17 with like 15Ks.

Yes, I know. 0 for 9, 7Ks, two ground outs. He's fucking tough to hit. What do you want to say? He's good. That's stuff. The ball looks like it's going to skip off the ground, and it ends up at your kneecaps.

And then he bangs a freaking hammer at you, and it lands about five feet in front of the plate, and you swing at it. I guess I'm not mad. I'm disappointed. Looking at some life-size-alad, life-size Aladdin Jafar staffs kind of badass I don't need one

You might be needing one of those And by the way, you know Houston, their whole thing was kind of improving on the margins Bring in like a hypnotized guy When you're doing contracts I don't know Oh my gosh, they're like playing some like white noise And like from the speakers

And all of a sudden you just put your pen to the paper You don't even know what you're doing The spoon starts twirling in the teacup And you're just signing If I sign with the Houston Astros as, you know, part of their front office, you know I got hypnotized by Jafar. Okay. Because I have no plans on being in front office,

but if one day they just name me like the president of something, you'll know what happened. Okay. Got tricked. Well, let's try something else. We want to do, as Trev mentioned earlier, we're on AMP. We do the show live on AMP in the chat.

goes on there. Amp with Amazon, if you guys haven't downloaded the Amp, baseball today on there. And Treb, I know, you know, I like to be real with the people. I remember you were a little nervous for AMP and the people, but you love it.

Oh, yeah. I mean on it. With talking about some of the signings, I originally said, let's do best and worse signings, and then I realized, and BPD also pointed out, that that would be shitting on someone, which that's kind of not our game. So, I think we're going to open it up to the amp people.

You get like 30 seconds to get your question across. We've got to cut you off because of the technology. And we'll react to some, and we'll see how it goes. Hello. I'm going to make it super quick. These are four teams that were trending upwards, but suddenly have on the downtrend, I'm going to ask you to

rank them at least the most amount of trouble as a team. White Sox, Giants, Brewers, and Tigers, all supposed to be trending up, but seem to ask,

especially after this all of season, be trending down a little. So I was just hoping you could rank them as in concern levels for all four of them. Okay. I'll start this one off. I like the question, Faye,

always making us think our Bitcoin billionaire. I'm going to rank them like teams I think are like least amount of worry. I'm gonna go number one brewers. I know there are some areas to address. They did make some trades. They brought in Winker. They brought in Tora hoping for bounce back years from them.

They still have the elite pitching. So I think that they're going to just kind of be the brewers. And I hope they make more moves. I still think there's the window here. So I think they're doing all right. And then I would say the white socks. I know you graded their offseason as your worst, Jake. The athletic came out with an article ranking all the off seasons.

And you and I did well, according to them, because I think the Red Sox were like third to last. You had the last team. And then John completely missed on the Angels. Although he had his reasons. Hey, and maybe he's very much right. Yeah. So I will go Brewers, White Sox, because I still think there's a lot of talent on that roster. They did get rid of Tony the Russo, which was, it'll go down.

is one of the most glaring, obvious mistakes in that organization. Maybe their history. Like, that was just a bad, that just didn't work, okay? So I'll go to them because just the talents there on the roster still. Then after that, it was the Tigers and who? The Tigers, sorry, I haven't clicked away. White Sox. Giants, Brewers, Tigers.

Okay. I think that Giants made a bunch of good signings. also in the offseason. I know they missed out on Judge. They were after somebody else, too. Who were they after? Correa. That's right.

So two massive names they were after, didn't get those guys. But you can't fault an organization. If they went out and tried, that's all you can do, the player makes the decision. So I'll go Giants 3 and then 4, the Tigers.

I think this rebuild has just not worked out for them. And so many times we talk about these rebuilds and all these prospects and draft picks come up to save your team. Sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes it does work. The Astros did it. The Cubs did it. But there are times, man, and you can look across the league for more examples of this.

The guys that you think are going to be the saviors of your team just don't cut it at the big big level. I'm not saying that's the end for the Tigers, but there's some injuries there and some guys that have kind of underperformed looking for. a bounce back year for Spencer Torkelson, but I think they're probably at the bottom of the barrel there right now. Yeah, I have one flip-flop. I think I'm also Brewers the least. They had a fun, they had a fun little retool, man.

Like William Contreras and Jesse Winker, you know, they now have a top five, six in their lineup that, I feel like we don't normally say that with the Brew crew. So I'm interested to see how that develops. You know, you need Winker to bounce back. You need William Contreras to almost take another baby step up. But for a lot of the teams and their concerns, like compared to a lot of other teams around the league,

what they need to go right, that's not a big ask. Like, Jesse Winker can do that. William Contreras can easily do that. So, Burrers are my least concerned. And the division ties in too, right? Like, you know, St. Louis made, you know, they signed, Contreras themselves. And they're a good franchise.

They're going to be there. You know that. The Cubs are a wild card. I think the Pirates are going to be better, but what is that? And the Reds are bad. So, like, where the Brewers are standing, you're still feeling pretty good. They got a couple young guys who are going to play this year. And if, you know, if a Garrett Mitchell clicks or Eureas takes the jump,

they're going to be sitting fine. I would flip-flop the White Sox in San Francisco. I think San Francisco believes in their organization and what they're doing. You know, 500 for them last year ended up being like a very disappointing season, which sometimes when you look at that roster, it still doesn't add up, especially with the Dodgers and the Padres. I think they're going to be better than last year. We'll find out, I guess.

But I think they believe in what they're doing as an organization. and I still think this year will be a building block for what the San Francisco Giants are. And they're going to be positioned next free agency to make a big splash. They're probably going to be an Otani. I'm not saying he's going to go there. There's going to be a lot of teams. But, you know, they were willing to throw around $300 million contracts this offseason, which not a lot of teams in baseball can do that.

So if they can still build this year, whatever that means, they're going to be positioned great. for the next year. The White Sox scare me. You love their talent more than San Francisco, but I think Minnesota took a step up, and Cleveland Sneaky is going to take a step up with their young guys getting older.

They signed Josh Bell, which that had kind of been a hole in their lineup. You believe in what they are as an organization. And then Detroit, I mean, they are kind of in the abyss, man. Like they, uh, who, I hope they find something this year because right now they played their hand. Like we've already done their TPP, so I know we don't want to give away too, too much. But, you know, their next poker hand is Riley Green, it's Torkelson, it's some of the young guys around that.

Javi Pias, they gave a big boy contract to. You know, let's see. I hope there's something we're missing with the Tigers org, but right now it's a, scary. I'd agree. I think, you know, Riley Green going to be a guy. Torkelson, I think, will figure it out. He's got too much talent not to, but, you know, sometimes the

Biggie's punches you in the mouth, bro. You got to figure out a way to figure out the lead. Whoa, almost choked on something. But, you know, I think you could flip-flop Giants in White Sox. I'm fine with that. I think that the White Sox talent is too much for me to overlook. I'm looking at the Giants line

up right now. It's tough to envision a season where that lineup is going to do enough to put you in the postseason. It's a hodgepodge, isn't it? Let's do one more call. One more. One more call coming from Wynn.C

sending in, buddy. Crushin this episode. There we go. Hey guys, this is Wynn from Atlanta, longtime listener, first time caller. Just wanted to hear kind of what your thoughts are on the show hey sweet steaks for next year. The Dodgers have had a quiet offseason. Maybe they're saving up for that deal.

And then you've always got Steve Cohen trying to swoop in and spend another 500 million. So it's kind of wanted to hear your thoughts on potential landing spots. Thank you. Trev, your guy. I've said this before on the show. I'm going to do everything in my power to get the Shohei Otani scoop. like if there is I believe he becomes a free agent

I don't think there's going to be some extension with the angels I don't think that's going to happen I don't have any inside info on there that's just my gut feeling I think he wants to test free agency I think he wants to be whined and dined I think he wants to

pick somewhere that he thinks he's going to give him a chance to win a world series to play on that big freaking stage can you imagine man I gotta see show hay in the playoffs I got to with that being said

I think there are a couple of clear spots for him. I think the Dodgers are lining themselves up to go and get him. They were trying to get under the tax threshold. They're not going to be able to do that, according to many articles that I've read, but I don't think that's going to deter them from going after Otani. Clearly, he's a huge target. We just mentioned the Giants as being, you know,

they have money to spend, and they want to be a fixture in the Bay Area. I mean, there are some teams there, you know, like trying to get on the Golden State Warriors. I mean, they've been good for a long time. They have superstars. The Niners are consistently a good football team. And the Giants, you know, they've had their moments.

But I think that they want to shine like those other teams in those respective sports. I think Giants are there. It seems to me like the big markets are going to win out unless we see something like, I mean, I'm not saying the Padres. I don't think the Padres can do it, but who knows, I guess you can't count them out after what Siedler's been doing down there, but it seems to me like a big market is going to win out. So you can put both New York teams on that list. I think it would be iconic if he went to the Yankees, and I know people hate when I say that. But, I mean, something about Shohei and Pinchite's would be pretty fascinating.

If I had to give my guess and rank, I guess, the teams I thought he was going to go to, I think Dodgers are at the forefront. I think they really, really want him. and that's a I know every team really really wants show hey but I think that they understand not only what he can give on the field but what he means to their brand

as well if you're going to have show hay around for the next whatever it is eight to ten years you understand what that means for you and your organization so I think they're going to be at the forefront

but it wouldn't surprise me if like I said he just got whined and dined and we heard every team's in on him Because why not? Trev, when we get asked to do the movie of the Shohei Otani signing sweepstakes, maybe the most important guy in all of these rooms are going to be the team's CFO. Because when you start to put the numbers in the blender, okay, we're going to sell X many more tickets,

which means X many more hot dogs and X many more beers, sure. we're going to sell X many more jerseys we're going to become a huge market in Japan Otani is a guy over there man I remember we watched the what's the name of the documentary of the Japanese Koscian

We watched that And there was this And I mean if this is my point of reference Ridiculous But I think it was his old coacher You know he was kind of this ornery old Japanese baseball guy that like they were asking, they're like, you think Shoah will be good?

And he just laughed. He's like, show he's going to be so good. Like, this dude's different. If you're the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers, I think the financial equation, I think if you have the right CFO and you can crunch numbers going in, numbers going out,

I think for the big market teams, it's going to mean more to them to have an actual international super Superstar. I mentally I've been leaning Dodgers. I mean, didn't the Mets just offer Correa 3? And Uncle Steve doesn't give a shit? And Otani, like, I don't know.

In my head, it's Mets, Yankees, and Dodgers, and maybe that's as coastal bias as I'll get. People are going to hate that you just said. I'm going to give a team that's not, well, it is, and it's on the coast. Okay. Shit, it is on the coast, very much so on the coast. coast. I think the Seattle Mariners might be in play. He did meet with them before he signed his deal

with the Angels. Eichiro effect a little bit. The Eichero effect there. I think West Coast might be appealing to him, although I don't think it matters. I think he's going to go where he thinks a winner is. And look, Seattle, they're there. So I think that's, if you're asking me like for a dark horse or a wild card type team to come in and do it. I think the Mariners might throw their hat in the ring. And they're owned.

They used to be owned by Nintendo. They sold to a guy named John Stanton. I'm kind of reading up on this guy. He's like brilliant. Now I don't know like his background necessarily. He did go to Harvard. He like was on the board of Costco and Microsoft which I think is those are two pretty

big companies. He owns like a ton of money in Columbia sportswear. Like this guy's kind of like all over the place. He picks winners. Like, show he's a winner. I like it. I'm reading an article from covers.com,

which apparently is a sports betting website. They had Mets won, Dodgers 2, Cardinals 3, which I don't know. I mean, that's a superstar town, but I guess if we're trying to list options, that maybe don't jump out as those ones. And by the way, like, of recent free agencies,

it hasn't been as West Coast, East Coast, as I think we normally depict like it. Well, or the main players, like, Bryce Harper and Machado, right? Like, that was going to be Yankees, Dodgers, and it ended up being Phillies Padres. Like, I think we've seen a lot of big free agents recently. The board is more open.

Showhay's going to Showhay's going to break the bank That's going to be awesome This trade deadline's going to be awesome I don't want him on the Yankees I don't okay You just talked yourself out of it I'm out

You said iconic a second ago I mean it would be And especially with those pinstripes He's already so tall Like he would just look like a monster out there Babe Ruth Oatani Yeah He's so much better than Babe Ruth

It's not even funny Oh my gosh Well, hey, how about this? Have Shohay Otani, have Babe Ruth's diet for a month, and let me know how good Shohay is. If Shohay goes there, I want them to give him number three.

Maybe like two and a half, so he can be between Jeter and Ruth. What? Yeah, that's the show. All right. Thanks, everybody. Two and a half. Try it out.

Try it out