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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 1/19/21
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Steve Adams
2:03
Greetings all
Kluber/LeMahieu to the Bronx, Musgrove (somehow) to San Diego -- it finally sort of looks like an offseason.
Padres Fan
2:03
Do you see the universal DH returning
Steve Adams
2:04
I think it eventually will, and I don't think anyone should be remotely surprised if/when the Padres then make a huge push for Nelson Cruz, whom A.J. Preller knows well from their time in Texas. It'd be a sensible finishing to piece to an increasingly ridiculous roster -- one with only short-term risk.
Bibster
2:04
are the jays going to sign springer
Steve Adams
2:04
At this point I find them the likeliest team to sign him, yes.
Cleveland Fan
2:05
Would trading Bieber make sense? We could get a lot back in return for him and we have the development system to replace him
Steve Adams
2:06
I don't see the point of trading him with four years of control left, even if Cleveland isn't likely to compete this year. They should try to extend him in Spring Training -- buy out his three arb years and get control of a free-agent year or two if possible. Even if they don't work out a deal, Bieber is so good and will be so affordable that his trade value won't go down demonstrably if they wait a year.
2:07
And really, while I think Cleveland is a distant third in the division right now, I suppose we shouldn't be shocked if a team that can run out Bieber, Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac and Triston McKenzie remains competitive despite gutting its roster.
Not that McKenzie or Plesac is a sure thing, but it's probably best to just give every young Cleveland pitcher the benefit of the doubt  at this point, ha.
JD
2:08
Does the Jared Porter news change anything in the front office for the Mets in relation to signing players/making trades?
Steve Adams
2:08
I'm sure that will vary on a player-to-player basis.
Cashman
2:08
Cashman, I need 1 more starter, Taillon or Hendricks?
Steve Adams
2:09
The Yankees are about $3MM under the luxury barrier.
Unless they do something like trade Ottavino, I don't see how they can bring in a starter of too much note.
Seth
2:09
How likely is is that the Phillies will sign JT?
Steve Adams
2:10
Feels a lot likelier now than it did earlier in the winter before the Mets had inked McCann and before other clubs had spent their money elsewhere.
Royal
2:10
Do you see Kansas City making any more moves this off-season?
Steve Adams
2:11
Moore has said several times he wouldn't mind adding a left-handed-hitting option who can play third base and play some outfield. And I'd never rule out a cheap bullpen signing for just about any team.
oddball
2:11
I'm a little surprised by the trade for Musgrove. They already have Lamet, Darvish, and Snell. They could have Gore or Morejon and will have Clevinger back next year. I know the saying about never having too much pitching, but couldn't some of their prospect capital be better utilized filling other holes?
Steve Adams
2:13
Preller has already said they'll consider a six-man rotation, and even if they don't, the Padres seem to be acting with recognition that virtually every pitcher is going to need some extra rest this year after such a small 2020 workload. Teams are going to be judicious with innings totals even for established starters, and possessing high-quality depth should be more important in 2021 than ever before as a result.

Not saying I wasn't surprised by the move -- I was surprised, and in fact audibly laughed when I got an alert from our Trade Rumors mobile app saying Musgrove was going to SD -- but looking at it now, I think it's a sensible move.
A good move, too.
King James
2:14
Why is Andrew Friedman playing hardball with Turner?
Steve Adams
2:14
I don't know that choosing not to just hand a player a four-year contract that'll run through his age-39 season is "playing hardball."
Scott
2:15
who do you see the white Sox sign next?
Steve Adams
2:16
I wouldn't be sure they add anyone else major. GM Rick Hahn was just on MLB Network Radio a couple hours ago talking about how he's content if this is the group he has come Opening Day. I could see another reliever. Maybe a backup catcher.
Hahn did suggest he's always open to upgrading his pitching, so maybe they'll remain open to higher-profile trades to add one more big name to the rotation, but I imagine the bulk of the heavy  lifting is probably done on the South Side.
Ben Franklin
2:17
If Toronto is the presumptive destination for George Springer, what impact position player do you anticipate the Mets will acquire?  I think the Mets are still about $20 million under the luxury barrier.
Steve Adams
2:17
They already acquired Lindor!
I'd imagine they'll also add a reliever, be it Brad Hand or another quality late-inning option.
Matt
2:17
After drafting or signing a player, how long does that player have to be with the team before he can be traded?
Steve Adams
2:18
After the Trea Turner player-to-be-named-later debacle, where everyone in the world knew Turner was the PTBNL in that trade and he spent six months as a lame duck in the Padres org anyway, Major League Baseball changed the rules so that players can't be traded until after the World Series in the year they're selected. That includes being included prior to that as a PTBNL.
DL
2:19
Would a Merrifield for Nimmo trade be an option?
Steve Adams
2:21
The Royals, plainly stated, are not going to trade Whit Merrifield. They refused at a time when they were rebuilding, and they're now trying to field a more competitive club. If we were making a list of the game's Top 100 trade candidates, I doubt I'd include Merrifield. I just cannot see it happening.
Dirk Diggler
2:21
Do the Sox ever convince Pedroia to retire? He's caused an issue on the 40 man a few times.
Steve Adams
2:23
He also gave them over a decade of bargain production where he was making a fraction of his market value. I don't understand the mentality that he owes it to the Red Sox to give up some of that contract or something.

Perhaps they'll agree to some kind of buyout, but he's not really causing a 40-man issue right now. They can just put him on the 60-day IL next month when camp opens.
Atkins
2:23
If I sign Springer, what do I do with grichuk?
Steve Adams
2:23
The Jays should be trying to move Grichuk with or without Springer. They can do better and that contract was confusing the moment Grichuk signed it.
Sunny La Jolla
2:24
Can you explain what constitutes a "Super 2" player?
Steve Adams
2:25
A player with between two and three years of Major League service who ranks in the top 22 percent of that class in terms of overall service time. The cutoff has generally somewhere around two years and 130 days (written as 2.130). 172 days of service is a full year.
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