Paul Swydan: HI Everybody!

Soooooooooooooooo….anything happen in the baseball world today?

My goodness. Today there was a veritable bonanza of baseball things. Let’s talk about them, shall we? Jeff Z and I will be here at 9 pm ET to talk all about it. Until then, I will put up some polls (polls at bottom of transcript), and you can pop some questions in the queue.

Also, don’t forget to buy The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2014, on sale now!

See you at 9!

Paul Swydan: Hi guys, sorry, I was on the phone. Let’s light this candle!

Comment From JonCor
In terms of all the moves, why today?

Paul Swydan: I wish I had a good answer for this. I have absolutely, positively, no idea.

Paul Swydan: Jeff will be along in a sec.

Comment From Pat
Considering their abundance of young arms, should the Mets consider trading low-upside, but steady Dillon Gee to fill their OF/SS hole?

Dan Szymborski: On your mark, get set, terrible.

Dan Szymborski: (How I feel about the last 18 hours of Tigers moves)

Comment From Bret
Which is the better signing: Dioner Navarro or AJ Pierzysnki?

Dan Szymborski: Dioner kebab.

Comment From Brock Holt!
Brock Holt!

Comment From Guest
The Orioles did something! The Orioles did something! The Orioles *falls asleep*

Jeff Sullivan: All right! Whew! This delay was caused by Willie Bloomquist

Jeff Sullivan: Although you could argue I’m still a day early since I’m usually going on Tuesday mornings. This is a one-time switch to correspond with the ZiPS roll-outs

Jeff Sullivan: So in the future, back to ordinary chat scheduling. For now, let’s do this

Comment From GSon
huray!!. only five minutes late…

Jeff Sullivan: Six

Comment From Not a Mariners Fan
Thoughts on Willie Bloomquist?

Dave Cameron: Opening up the queue a little early today because I’m not sure how many people are actually going to be around for the chat, given holiday travel. We might not go the whole hour, depending on the number of questions, but you have a better chance of getting your question answered this week compared to most.

Comment From hazel
Who’s on your HOF ballot?

Dave Cameron: Too many to name. I’d probably have ~15 guys on there.

Comment From Mo Speights
Do you think the Rays would consider trading Price to another AL East Team?

Dave Cameron: Sure, if the deal were so lopsided that they were both helping themselves and harming their division rival. I’d say that’s unlikely though.

Comment From Noah
After signing a bargain in Chris Young, what do you think the Mets will do next in free agency? Continue signing low cost low risk players are try to make a big splash?

Dan Szymborski: We…are…live…

Dan Szymborski: Can’t…type…words…any…faster…than…this.

Dan Szymborski: Must…run…whole…chat…this…way…or…maybe…not

Comment From Steve
Why didn’t the Angels just go after Peralta??? Seems stupid when they had to trade Bourjos for Freese

Dan Szymborski: When you can get a worse player for your main trading chip and one of your top prospects, YA GOTTA DO IT

Comment From GSon
most under rated signing of this hot stove so far.. David Murphy?

Eno Sarris: See you at the top of the hour

Eno Sarris: Lyrics of the day are from a song dedicated to the simulations being run on the Rangers and Tigers right now

And I know I can leave in the night
Just a moment in time, a moment in time
Don’t be scared of what you find
In the night

Comment From Trey
Please justify the Reds signing of Skip Schumaker with something other than he can play multiple positions (but not well)…and why two years?

Eno Sarris: I… I can’t. Well… it’s cheap! And he’s got a glove. I suppose it gives them leverage perhaps in negotiations: we HAVE a second baseman to backup Phillips, we don’t need a second baseman back. Or Skip is the backup plan to Billy Ham at second base…

Comment From Jacque
Thanks for the chat despite the busy day you got going on.

Eno Sarris: Oh man I want to write about three posts right now. Going to write YET ANOTHER post about THE TRADE.

Dave Cameron: I’m very excited to spend the next hour talking about David Murphy and Marlon Byrd. Early free agency is the best.

Dave Cameron: If you want to ask about players other than those two, you can do that as well.

Dave Cameron: I suppose.

Comment From JEB
That David Murphy signing is pretty good for Cleveland right? He’s a good off the bench player that will add depth to that lineup.

Dave Cameron: Pretty sure they’re not signing him to be a bench guy. Steamer projects him as a +2 WAR player, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be their regular right fielder against RHPs. He’s a perfectly suitable platoon OF, much like David DeJesus.

Comment From Danny
If Cano can’t get a big $/term deal, would it be in his best interest to take a 1 or 2 year deal for $25-$30M a year, and try again? Or just take as much money now as he can get?

Dan Szymborski: Ah, Ruben Amaro Jr. Making the moves that other NL East GMs would make for the Phillies.

Comment From Marc
#AnalyticsPlant strikes again!

Comment From hot corner
How similar/dissimilar are corner infielders Will Middlebrooks, Mark Trumbo and Mark Reynolds? Salaries aside, whom would you choose for 2014 production at the plate?

Dan Szymborski: Middlebrooks has the upside.

Comment From ar
ruiz deal has a limited no trade clause too

Comment From Killa
Which job would be harder, to get RA, Jr to adopt any sort of analytics or getting an orca to play baseball?

Eno Sarris: Here at noon! or nine am, if you live on the right coast.

Eno Sarris: Lyrics of the day from a band that sounds like an updated Beatles in a good way.

This time I’m just gonna take or I’m never gonna shake it,
I’ll just close my eyes and make so that all these little things don’t affect me now

Comment From Henry
Left coast, Eno. Left coast.

Eno Sarris: Right as in correct.

Comment From Sadwick
Guess I’m on the wrong coast…..

Eno Sarris: you and something like 85% of the population.

Dave Cameron: Its awards week, so we can talk about those if you’re interested in such things. Or we can talk trade rumors, or free agent pricing, or anything else that tickles your fancy and isn’t related to your fantasy team.

Dave Cameron: The queue is now open.

Dave Cameron: Just a quick note before we start; today’s chat might be a little truncated, since I’m doing Clubhouse Confidential this afternoon.

Dave Cameron: And tomorrow, actually. Tune in for Blink Watch 2013.

Comment From Matt
What do you see Veras getting on the open market after DET penny-pinched and declined his $3m option? Sox need a right-handed reliable righty reliever.

Dave Cameron: I think he’ll get about $3-$4 million on a two year deal.