52 Comments

MLBTR projected arbitration salaries:

Dennis Santana (4.126): $1.8MM

David Bednar (4.076): $6.6MM

Ben Heller (3.165): $1MM

Connor Joe (3.136): $3.2MM

Johan Oviedo (3.079): $1.5MM

Bryan De La Cruz (3.056): $4MM

Joey Bart (3.020): $1.8MM

Colin Holderman (2.144): $1.4MM

Bailey Falter (2.138): $2.8MM

Only an idiot would tie up $7.2M in Connor Joe and BDLC. Sounds like a job for Ben Cherington!

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I think Joe is out. They'll keep BDLC but try to agree to a lower deal knowing that they can cut him later if he goes to arb. The most interesting case is Bednar, but I'm guessing that he'll agree to a team-friendly deal with a low base and incentives based on appearances.

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Joe is 32 now and would need to improve next year to be useful. That’s an incredibly bad bet, although I suppose you could argue he was misused this year, which he was.

I wouldn’t take BDLC for $1.99, but Ben always has to justify his many many failures.

They’re not getting rid of Bednar. They’re convinced this year was a fluke. An incentive-laden deal seems like a good idea.

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Guessing they saw enough out of Cook to make Joe superfluous. I really don't see a scenario where they tender BDLC

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They can't be seriously considering tendering Joe and BDLC an offer, could they?

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This is the team that gave 200 plate appearances to Edward Olivares and Josh VanMeter.

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all these arb increases and extension bumps means there is zero budget for additions this winter

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Bednar, Joe and De La Cruz are all dead weight.

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Bednar will be non-tendered. They should offer him a contract to back next year though... somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 million. I would try to get a club option, or even two, for $6 and $8. If Bednar can get more in free agency, more power to him, but they should make an effort to retain him... just not for 6.6 million.

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I'm looking for a team to fake root for during the playoffs only and I can't find one.

I tried with the Mets because my brother is a fan, but I just can't root for a New York team.

I'd be rooting for the Cleveland Spiders right now if they actually named the team the Spiders, but that's not going to happen now.

Zero on Dodgers buying a series or Padres, due to their annoying fans thinking that Merrill has a shot at the ROY.

Phillies and from Philadelphia, so nope.

I still can't get behind the Brewers due to hating them so long when they had Roidn Braun and Cecil Fielder's son.

Nope on Astros for obvious reasons. They don't deserve a WS win for at least the next 50 years.

Do I even have to explain the Braves to Pirates fans?

That leaves Royals, Tigers and Orioles. I love Camden Yards and the Orioles winning would probably make the Yankees fans sad, so that might be it, especially with the Royals having a recent WS title. Anyone able to sell me on the Tigers?

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I could just pick my team by matchup. Mets, Tigers, Orioles this round, while hoping both Braves and Padres lose

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All thinking people like the Royals. First of all, the barbecue in Kansas City is, by far, the best. Second, Bobby Witt, Jr., along with Paul Skenes, are the most exciting young players in baseball right now. Third, the Royals player development system still uses, in part, the system designed by Syd Thrift, and every real Pirates fan is a fan of Syd Thrift. Fourth, current owner John Sherman is famous for this quote, "I think in this business, if you’re in a small market, you have to be willing to lose money at certain times to be competitive... ." Compare to Nutting.

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Good reasons, but they have a recent title, so I have to go with either Orioles or Tigers. Leaning Orioles due to my Yankees hate, but I'm open to Tigers for a good reason

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Go with the Tigers - they are the Pirates with a good Manager!

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I just wanted to pop in to observe that the Royals beat the Orioles 1-0 today. You can all resume your normal activities... once you all acknowledge the great wonder of Royals baseball.

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Mets and brewers back and forth and back and forth

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Just a reminder that the Royals got Cole Ragans for Aroldis Chapman at the deadline LAST YEAR

Now he’s the best pitcher on a playoff team.

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TWO reliever>starter conversions leading the opening of the 2024 wild card round with Ragans and Michael King going for the Pads.

Open your minds, baseball people!

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Cough. Carlson Reed. Cough. Cough.

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Ragans is just nasty. Had noticed his numbers all year, but really liked watching him today.

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As bad as the Beeks and BDLC trades played out, I think not trading Chapman with the returns teams were getting for relievers was the biggest deadline failure for BC. Obviously have no clue what kind of offers were made if any, and a small part of me would have seen trading our best reliever at the time as the proverbial throwing the towel in on the wildcard race, but felt like a missed opportunity at the time, and obviously more so with hindsight.

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"BC's biggest failure" -- Where to start . . . . .

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I think the rarer thing is BCs first nonfailure.

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will be saying something similar about Oviedo next year at this time

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Houston making it interesting.

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What an end, wow!

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They sure dont quit

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This Skubal guy is good.

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9th round selection of the Detroit Tigers the same year as they took Casey Mize 1.1

god I love baseball.

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Filthy change-ups reign supreme. Also touching a hundo from left side

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seems good!

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*insert Larry David "eh" gif*

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makes me think we need a dominant left handed pitcher

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So mad Jared didn't stay healthy and shove all season. Had a Skubal Cy Young and JJ ROY parlay bet. Should've done Skenes

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I managed to get almost all division winners wrong in a parlay bet. If I did get them wrong, I think I should have gotten my dough back.

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Oh nice!

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Lets Geaux, Tigers!

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Framber seems flustered out there, can smell a quick hook brewing

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Trey sweeney is a tall drink of water, another towering SS

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Lets go tigres!

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Probably not going to ruin anybody's day, but John Dreker pointed out to me that Ryder Ryan and Billy McKinney are now FAs.

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wentz makes it through the offseason and stays on the 40 man roster?

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i am guessing the organization is now 'Beer'less also as would't he be a free agent.

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Oct 1Edited

Eventually. Some guys can opt for FA at the end of the regular season, I think based on ML service time or something. Or maybe whether they were outrighted during the season. Most have to wait until early Nov.

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sources say BC will save face with Shelton by naming him as hitting coach and hiring a new manager

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Can it be as crazy as last year when the two WS teams were 5th and 6th seeds? If that happens again, we'll be watching the Tigers and Mets in the WS with the Tigers winning it all.

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I wish the folks who do the NFL anonymous poll of players that rates a variety of team functions (i.e., medical staff, training staff, locker rooms, nutrition, etc.) would do the same for all MLB teams. I’d love to see how the Pirates rank against the others, especially those that routinely compete for playoff spots.

Maybe a poor grade would help inform the FO that more needs to be done. Every year the Guardians are in the playoffs just irritates the hell out of me.

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Prepared to be 100% wrong.

WC: DET, BAL, NYM, SD

DIV: CLE, NYY, PHI, SD

LCS: NYY, PHI

WS: PHI

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The mets winning their series after covering 18 innings yesterday then traveling would be super impressive

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Definitely hope I'm wrong about that one.

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Mine are:

WC: DET BAL MIL SD

DIV: DET BAL MIL LA

LCS: DET MIL

WS: DET

If you like money, you should bet the opposite of this and treat yourself to something nice with the winnings.

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Detroit seems like that team that probably isn’t the best but is just got hot at the right time that could make some noise here.

Also wish KC and Baltimore didn’t have to face each other

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