The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Tigers re-signing Jack Flaherty and reportedly still lurking on Alex Bregman (1:50)
- The Blue Jays signing Max Scherzer (16:35)
- The Rays signing Ha-Seong Kim (22:20)
- The Padres shifting Xander Bogaerts back to shortstop with Kim leaving (30:10)
- The Mariners re-signing Jorge Polanco and might be effectively done (36:10)
- The Reds acquire Taylor Rogers from the Giants and San Francisco might be effectively done (49:05)
Check out our past episodes!
- Ryan Pressly To The Cubs, Bregman’s Future, And Jurickson Profar – listen here
- Debating A Salary Cap, How To Improve Parity, More Dodgers Moves, And Anthony Santander – listen here
- The Jeff Hoffman Situation, Justin Verlander, And The Marlins’ Rotation – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Patience. A good quality among GM’s and PBO’s but something absent in most fan bases.
It’a almost time for Spring training if you can’t be impatient now then when?
recall there was a pre-Kim SS year in SD for Bogaert, and a post Kim in SD began last July when Bogaerts was moved back to SS later in the season and throughout the playoffs. Xander missed about a third of the season last year and was injuried most of 2023, so I’m looking forward to a what a healthy Bogaerts can do in 2025.
As for the comments in the podcast about Jake Cronenworth. Maybe Steve Adams should do a feature article explaining why Jake’s contract is so awful? $11 AAV seems like a nice deal for Pads for a 2-time AS who averages 2.8 WAR over last 5 seasons and can play all infield positions and is a great teammate.
Cronenworths contract is definitely ok value. The problem isn’t the contract it’s playing him at 1B. Theres a couple reasons why cronenworths contract is fine
1. When primarily playing 2B he’s posted 3-4 war. Had he played more 2B last year it’d be higher than 1.9
2. 11 mill a year in the going rate for a super utility guy that can play multiple positions on guys days off and in Jake’s case he can handle 3B SS 2B and 1B. If he moon lighted in LF a little he’d be more valuable.
You look at contracts of Kiki Hernandez, Marwin Gonzalez, Tommy Edman is on the high end, Chris Taylor is slightly above cronenworths aav, ben zobrist was paid 14 aav back in the day. Market for super utility guys has been about 10-15 mill for a long time.
I agree his value in WAR, and to the team, drops when he’s a 1B. He’s back at 2B with Kim out of the picture but who knows what will happen if and when Bogaerts is moved off SS again in the future (De Vries call up in 2026 or 2027?)
He’s still a super utility type player whose value is his glove not his bat. Hes you’re every day 2B by default and will do well there for a couple seasons but his value comes from being able to handle all infield spots adequately at worst.
As he ages though if he were able to move to the OF like LF it’d keep his contract from being dead weight as he ages and defense declines. He should never see 1B long term again.
Amazing 1B defense
Good 2B defense
Ok ss defense
Good/ok 3b defense probably
The Tigers have signed Torres and Cobb. Otherwise it’s the same team as last year.
?
Thrilled?
In Detroit, they don’t even bother to use smoke and mirrors….they don’t have to.
Should have hired the Superfife. It’s sad. Sadder than sad.
I’m sure Chris Illich’s heart is in the right place…..
You’re not actually paying attention—look at the significant difference between what Flaherty did and what Rodon did.
Darragh – a topic is demanding coverage.
Elias is experimenting with something weird, possibly unique. I can’t remember anyone else jumping up payroll by 60% by signing a bunch of okay FAs. 6 signings from meh to maybe avg with the best on O’Neill w his 1.5 war per for 3 yrs. Same strategy last deadline, 4 unspecial arms that now get 20% of payroll.
Big$ goes after top guys, he likes depth. Nice when nothing wasted on AAA guys but this seems to be a new approach altogether.