[SPEAKER_00]: How's it going everybody?
[SPEAKER_00]: I am Robert Murray back here for another solo pod.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am without Adam Winder of once again because he's currently stranded in Florida.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was supposed to be flying back yesterday.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's currently still there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Should be getting back home hopefully tomorrow, which means we'll be back to normal here on the baseball and setters on Friday.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you're stuck with me once again.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have Cooper here, John on my lap, so he may make an appearance during the program.
[SPEAKER_00]: I guess I could always be a worse thing, but we're still need the appearance spring training.
[SPEAKER_00]: We have thoughts about extension candidates, some breakout candidates here during spring training, or at least the early part, we're in pressing teams and other scots around the league.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm also going to be answering some questions here from the Discord also in the chat here as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: soon the channel be picking up here at some point during the show but it is good to be back for a Wednesday edition of the baseball insiders happy hump to everybody.
[SPEAKER_00]: So without further ado, I think it's time to dive into some extension candidates because there's a load of them and it's extension season and this is something that I'm definitely keeping my eyes on throughout
[SPEAKER_00]: just the entire game at this point.
[SPEAKER_00]: And we saw Chris Sale get extended by the Atlanta Braves one year for 27 million with a club option for 20, 28, I believe.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a really smart move by Atlanta, gets ahead of the curve there, keeps him in place.
[SPEAKER_00]: And despite being a big leagueer now for what 12 seasons Chris Sale has never been a fridge, which is an extremely impressive feat.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not sure exactly how many times that's been done.
[SPEAKER_00]: But that was very smart by Atlanta to extend him, keep him in place, because he is the absolute front facing guy of that rotation.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, but there's going to be others here as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: And the first one that I think we should be keeping an eye on here would be Maybe a guy like Connor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, like I don't know if anything happening as of this point, but if He seems like a serious candidate to make the Major League roster throughout our opening day.
[SPEAKER_00]: And if that's indeed the case at being 19 years old, we've seen other teams try to to be aggressive and getting guys extended
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, who fit that kind of timeline.
[SPEAKER_00]: And if he doesn't extension, that would ultimately guarantee his opportunity there to make the Major League roster for opening days.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that'd be very smart of the pirates to go out and do that, whether it's at the start of opening day or just early on in the season.
[SPEAKER_00]: We saw the red socks do it last year with Roman Anthony, ended up doing so.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, what was it after he got called up, but it wasn't.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, too far after he ended getting called up, but it would save the pirates a whole lot of money by extending Griffin and I mean, should he looks the part of a future superstar we're going to be getting into that here.
[SPEAKER_00]: a little bit, but if I was the pirates, I would be calling up his agent and trying to get an extension done.
[SPEAKER_00]: So Connor Griffin, to me, immediately stands out there as a candidate to be extended by the pirates.
[SPEAKER_00]: The other one, or another one here, is Nick Kurtz of the A's.
[SPEAKER_00]: And the A's have already been aggressive on extension talks.
[SPEAKER_00]: They have extended Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson on seven
[SPEAKER_00]: And those are two very key pieces of that roster both now and going forward.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're young, they're emerging, and they really look the part of foundational pieces last season.
[SPEAKER_00]: But there was no player who impressed team officials or just anyone in baseball more than than Kurtz.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was incredible last year.
[SPEAKER_00]: broke out was the runaway fair for the American League rookie the year, and if everything goes to plan this year, I could see him be in the MVP conversation, even with Aaron Judge, even with Bobby Witt Jr.
[SPEAKER_00]: So to me, he stands out as a guy right away that shouldn't, they should at least try to extend him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He even managed your Mark Kotz, I said, on on fall territory that an extension is possible.
[SPEAKER_00]: He didn't necessarily say the likelihood by any means,
[SPEAKER_00]: is that probably unlikely.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it would be smart of Kurt's and his agents to wait it out and try to get the most value there that they possibly can because if they hope if they wait and don't do an extension now, considering his career trajectory right now, we're looking at a guy who could really make some noise here.
[SPEAKER_00]: and make, and possibly have one of the day as contracts and baseball history.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that'd be very smart, but days will be very smart to try.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jazz Chism with the Yankees.
[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, there's been plenty of discussions in rumors about his candidacy there for an extension.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think it probably is going to happen.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think the Yankees would like to keep him.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he likes being a Yankee,
[SPEAKER_00]: He still close their free agency now where I think it'll be smart for him to play out the season and then become a free agent and he would probably end up making bank and others been some different rumblings about numbers that he would want.
[SPEAKER_00]: But that being said, I don't see him signing an extension now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Can't really let anything out, but I think it's training more unlikely.
[SPEAKER_00]: the Yankees would be, I think they'd be pretty smart to tell these give it a chance there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Another one is Bryce Terang with Milwaukee Brewers.
[SPEAKER_00]: He really emerges a guy last year who could be a dependable guy for them and they really like what he provides.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's funny enough, I just got an MLB trader, Mr.
[SPEAKER_00]: Alert, that Griffin has open to extension talks to the pirate.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, there we go.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, how about that?
[SPEAKER_00]: We're getting it ahead of
[SPEAKER_00]: But terrain is exactly what the brewers have wanted in that infield.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is exactly what they ended up envisioning as it was coming up through their mildly system and he is a very important part of that infield there.
[SPEAKER_00]: So the Matt Arnold ended up telling some reporters there that they were very open to extension talks, not just terrain, but just with anybody to see exactly if they could get south on across the finish line.
[SPEAKER_00]: And if I was a brewers,
[SPEAKER_00]: He would be my top target, now that you have the other side, you have Jackson, Cheerio, signed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Turing is a terrific option for them, and I would absolutely be aggressive there in conversations if I was the brewers.
[SPEAKER_00]: so I think that's one to definitely watch both now and also going forward.
[SPEAKER_00]: And then finally, we have Hazelus Azaro with the Philadelphia Phillies.
[SPEAKER_00]: And David and Browsky, he went on the radio there in Philadelphia.
[SPEAKER_00]: I believe it was on WIP.
[SPEAKER_00]: It might be wrong on that, but anyways,
[SPEAKER_00]: He mentioned that he loves Lizardo, and that Lizardo is indicated a willingness to stay in Philadelphia long-term.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that, to me, makes all the sense on the world.
[SPEAKER_00]: My understanding, though, is that nothing is cooking at the moment.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't see anything being imminent there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever relating up between now and opening day, probably wouldn't.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that something that they should and probably will explore closer to opening day, but as of this point, nothing is cooking there, but this has always been the plan there in Philadelphia, as soon as they ended up training for Lizardo, it's signal the end of Ranger Swars as time and filly, and that Lizardo would be the guy that would ultimately take over for him.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it would make a lot of sense for Philly.
[SPEAKER_00]: They absolutely have money to spend as indicated by them being very close to signing both a shut before he ended up going to the mat and going to Queens.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think it would be smarter to use some of that money to retain those artisans and keep him in Philly now in a long term.
[SPEAKER_00]: As well, I'm sure I'll be thinking of some different extension candidates as
[SPEAKER_00]: We continue the pot here.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hello, Drew.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am in Scottsdale.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's that's good to have you on the show.
[SPEAKER_00]: I appreciate you as always.
[SPEAKER_00]: There is plenty of breakout candidates here and I'm going to start here with a player who I started the last topic with Connor Griffin.
[SPEAKER_00]: the pirates are blown away by Griffin.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's no secret there whatsoever.
[SPEAKER_00]: Every bit of Connor Griffin just oozes superstar.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you see him hit home runs and spring training, how far the ball travels.
[SPEAKER_00]: Everything about him as a player has really impressed the pirates and
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, okay, I thought that was something, but no, we're, we're chillin' there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, but everything like involved in the player, they absolutely love.
[SPEAKER_00]: And he's absolutely very serious candidate to make the Major League roster even at 19 years old.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, they think the world of him.
[SPEAKER_00]: And if what we were seeing and spring training is any indication and what we've seen so far has just come up through the minor leagues.
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, we're looking at a superstar here, like he could be
[SPEAKER_00]: like the the face of the national league before too long.
[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like that's probably not even an exaggeration.
[SPEAKER_00]: And if you're the pirates and you have Connor Griffin like headlining your offense and you have Paul schemes headlining your pitching staff.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if there's a core I would take.
[SPEAKER_00]: over at least a young core I would take over that like that's probably as good as it gets which puts further pressure on Bob Nunning and just that entire front office to try to maximize this window because this is an incredibly rare opportunity that the pirates have so um but yeah I could not be more aboard the pirate train at the moment again like I said the last show I hope that I'm right
[SPEAKER_00]: I would go, next one is going to be Roman Anthony with the Red Sox and again, like I'm going former top prospect here, so I'm not necessarily branching off by any means of the imagination, but he really impressed folks last year and they wanted to make sure when they ended calling him up that they didn't put too much pressure on them, they didn't want him to be the savior right away and it was important for them to have those veteran guys like an Alex Breggman or
[SPEAKER_00]: the time Raphael Devers before they traded him the San Francisco and some other veteran presences there, but this is the year where you don't have fragment, you don't have Devers and it's gonna be really important for him to step up and leave the offense.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their pitching staff should be tremendous as always.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think Roman Anthony this year based on what I've heard from other folks around the game and people with the organization.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think this is going to be the year where you just takes the lead by storm and we all see why he was a top prospect and baseball for so long.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I am incredibly optimistic there.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am then going to shift my gears to two Milwaukee brewers players.
[SPEAKER_00]: So this is kind of like a combined category here.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to go Jacob Miserowski and I'm going Kyle Harrison and Miserowski.
[SPEAKER_00]: we all saw the viral video of him with Brewer's or he was throwing the ball and I mean hit the the apple off the guy's head that was obviously like was edited whatever but still really cool video a good job at the Brewer's team who I really think if kind of taken the league by storm so good job by Brewer's social there but Miserowski really last year was an up and down row for him and there was a lot of struggles he made the all start team and it was kind
[SPEAKER_00]: And we were even wondering if he was going to make the postseason roster, they kept them and they he ended up pitching some very important innings for them and really emerges a guy who had some momentum going into the offseason.
[SPEAKER_00]: It seems like from talking to folks, he's kind of picked up where he left off.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm very excited to see where he can be at because I've been, if you watch his podcast and if you see my work on fancited.com,
[SPEAKER_00]: You know exactly how optimistic I am about Ms. Rosky.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's an awesome player.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's a guy who's got just a ton of potential And they're pitching development a second and non-thermal walkie.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm I think this this year that location and that
[SPEAKER_00]: Everything about that is going to become more consistent and that will ultimately take him to the next level and the same can be set for Kyle Harrison because he's got all the talent in the world, but he's really struggle with command and and low-killing his pitches and he's in a he's done some different things this year even during his warm ups and he's been more tedious with the smaller stuff and they're hoping that it can end up really advancing him and taking him.
[SPEAKER_00]: to the next level there.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am looking at a dog right now outside of Holy smokes that dog is adorable.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sorry, I got distracted by a dog.
[SPEAKER_00]: That happens here on the baseball and Saturdays, so I apologize for that.
[SPEAKER_00]: But Harrison was supposed to be the next version of Madison Bunger there in San Francisco.
[SPEAKER_00]: It did not work out.
[SPEAKER_00]: They traded in for Davers and moved that out of mid 10 times out of 10.
[SPEAKER_00]: And his stint was short there in Boston,
[SPEAKER_00]: And they've done it with prester, they've done it with, I mean, shoot so many other guys in the past and they've maximized their abilities.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm I'm just incredibly optimistic about what Harrison's future holds now and going forward.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know what his role is going to look like this year.
[SPEAKER_00]: whether it's going to be in the bulk panel or the rotation or if you just start the year in AAA, but some development and working on the fundamentals, I think is going to be very important for Arizona.
[SPEAKER_00]: I could not be more optimistic about the direction that he's heading in, because I think he's probably in the perfect place for him to maximize his abilities.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to go now, let's see.
[SPEAKER_00]: We can go, oh, here we go.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's go Shane Bosz with the Baltimore Orioles.
[SPEAKER_00]: He is, the Orals were very aggressive in trying to get a frontline starting pitcher this year.
[SPEAKER_00]: And they had plenty of conversations with free agents through trade, and they landed on Shane Bos.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's his pedigree coming up.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was supposed to be like this frontline guy.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hasn't really like put on that kind of ability quite yet where he's been like that definitive ace type.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think this is a really good environment for him and the Orioles won the acquired him.
[SPEAKER_00]: They looked at him and they were like, yep, he's absolutely a guy who can end up being a front-line starting pitcher and between getting him, getting Chris Bassett.
[SPEAKER_00]: and then upgrading the the other areas of the roster on offense specifically also adding Ryan Halsey to that bullpen.
[SPEAKER_00]: They feel like they're in a real strong spot year to take the next step in advance and maybe even make the postseason this year and possibly make them deep playoff run.
[SPEAKER_00]: So what happened when you get guys like Peter Lanzo and add some upside guys you're like Shane Bosso.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's a player who is still ascending.
[SPEAKER_00]: I know the Orioles would absolutely agree with that.
[SPEAKER_00]: I know Shane Baos would agree with that, and I think this is a time for them where I think they're going to be proven right, and this is going to look like a totally different Baltimore Orioles team.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm hopeful for that for their sake.
[SPEAKER_00]: Another guy too, and then we'll shift gears here to a Q&A that we had from the discord, because we had a bunch of questions there.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'll all answer that one there from Action VJ.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a good question.
[SPEAKER_00]: But Ryan Weathers is a player that the Yankees had targeted through the trademark of this off season.
[SPEAKER_00]: They obviously got in for the Miami Marlins.
[SPEAKER_00]: And they had extensive talks about Edward Cabrera, which I think that deal was actually close.
[SPEAKER_00]: I genuinely do believe that.
[SPEAKER_00]: And bar stool hubs, friend of the program, did indeed have the return there.
[SPEAKER_00]: another shout out there, I've done that before and I'll do it again because is reporting there was very good.
[SPEAKER_00]: But while there's there, should make a huge difference for the Yankees, they really like his ability.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a young guy.
[SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, I think he's going to like, especially with so many injuries in that rotation, he's going to make it a big difference early on, and I could see him being a mainstay of that roster now going forward and in everything like that.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I thought that was really smart move for them.
[SPEAKER_00]: After they for whatever reason didn't get the Cabrera deal done because now he's with the cubs.
[SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, I mean, it all it all worked out in the end.
[SPEAKER_00]: But first question I'll answer here, moving to a Q&A format is from Action VJ.
[SPEAKER_00]: Our players like Starling and Marta, Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Fam, Lucas Giulito, are they considering retirement?
[SPEAKER_00]: I can confidently say that Giulito is not considering retirement.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's had plenty of conversations with different teams.
[SPEAKER_00]: about trying to find a spot or he's had plenty of conversation with teams trying to get a deal done for for whatever reason he has not had that.
[SPEAKER_00]: As of this point, I don't know exactly like the hold up, but I firmly expect him to sign between now and opening day.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm honestly I'm stunned that he's not.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's such a talented guy where it just doesn't make sense of their they're not moving there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Tommy Fam.
[SPEAKER_00]: He is having conversations with other teams.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a case where it was similar to last year where he ended up waiting late in the offseason in Sam with the pirates.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I mean, shoot.
[SPEAKER_00]: We all know the story here with Jack Petersen.
[SPEAKER_00]: and what all happened there with him punching him over fantasy football and that tainted his image publicly.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I can speak to what the pirates have thought.
[SPEAKER_00]: I can speak to what other teams have thought about Tommy Fam.
[SPEAKER_00]: They think the world of the player there.
[SPEAKER_00]: They really like him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was instrumental in that clubhouse last season and really taught a bunch of the young pirates players, how to be big leaders.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't see him retiring.
[SPEAKER_00]: Same with McCutchen.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think if he doesn't return to the pirates, I think he wants to play this year and probably prove the pirates wrong for not going out and signing him or just treating him the way that he feels he's been treated.
[SPEAKER_00]: Because that's been kind of a PR mess overall.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't have a feel for Marta, but I gotta imagine he'll do one in the play.
[SPEAKER_00]: this year.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's go to some discord Q&A here and then we can add a answering that.
[SPEAKER_00]: I know there was one question about Lucas G. Lito.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like the clear team that made the most sense here for Julio to me was the Atlanta Braves.
[SPEAKER_00]: They have Spencer Schwellenbach injured.
[SPEAKER_00]: They have some other injuries there as well, and they just felt like a match made in heaven.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's no qualifying offer attached, so it doesn't mean that you're going to have to power with a draft pick to sign them.
[SPEAKER_00]: And yet it seems like they're not going to be involved there.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't necessarily get it.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's a missed opportunity there by Atlanta.
[SPEAKER_00]: an opportunity to hear for another team to get aggressive and add him on maybe a short-term contract here, which I got imagine that's going to be the case where that can allow him to touch for agency again next year.
[SPEAKER_00]: I always keep coming back to the podries.
[SPEAKER_00]: They've obviously sent some guys this off season.
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't necessarily have the most pressing in the entire world for another rotation guy, but
[SPEAKER_00]: They did it last year with Nick Pevato.
[SPEAKER_00]: They made it a very uniquely structured deal where it was super backloaded.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was like a one year salary for the first year.
[SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, I don't know.
[SPEAKER_00]: I just, I feel like that could be an agent, probably a thing.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know how much the boss and red socks love to go out and add more pitching and they was with them last year or so, maybe.
[SPEAKER_00]: But also another note is Peveta and Lucas Gileau, they're both represented by the same agent.
[SPEAKER_00]: So you never know.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that could always be a thing.
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's see.
[SPEAKER_00]: I wanna try to find one more question here and I'll sign off
[SPEAKER_00]: this, let's see.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, why are the rest of the fridge is taking forever?
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like, honestly, it's a great question.
[SPEAKER_00]: And like, there is one of them that's kind of surprising as Danny Koolham.
[SPEAKER_00]: Every team is always looking for left-hand or relievers.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's okay waiting.
[SPEAKER_00]: And like, actually, I know he's okay waiting.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's some different circumstances there where
[SPEAKER_00]: It's going to allow him to be patient, but he will absolutely find work before too long.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I would expect him to sign, I think he's a really strong candidate there.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's still staying active, he's still throwing, so that's good.
[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, it's taking some time, but I would fully expect most of these guys.
[SPEAKER_00]: If not all of them, the sign between now and open day.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I do want to appreciate everyone who tune in for another solo edition of the baseball insider.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's still very weird not having Adam here with me.
[SPEAKER_00]: I miss him dearly, but good news is.
[SPEAKER_00]: If everything goes according to plan, we'll be back here on Friday.
[SPEAKER_00]: So thank you everybody for tuning in.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you to my lovely producers, Sean Daley, who battled through, I mean, just hell and back to do this for me both now and also on Monday.
[SPEAKER_00]: So shout out to him, and we'll see everyone back here on Friday.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you everybody.