JotCast | Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 1/29/19

Steve Adams

3:08

Should we chat?

Yes plz. (56% | 650 votes)

Nope too busy playing Kingdom Hearts 3. (8.1% | 94 votes)

Nope don't wanna. (5.3% | 61 votes)

Why are you the way that you are? (30.7% | 356 votes)

Total Votes: 1,161

Bryce H

3:08

When will I announce my decision?

Steve Adams

3:10

Probably when he makes one. I mean, I get it. I'm tired of the thing dragging on, too, but the whole "ANNOUNCE MACHADO" and "ANNOUNCE HARPER" trope that people are now responding with to basically every baseball tweet on Twitter is far more tired.

He may not sign until after Spring Training opens. He may sign tomorrow. There's really no way to know because the reality is that Bryce Harper doesn't even know when he's going to sign.

Luke

3:10

His the Daniel Murphy signing all the Rox do this off-season?

Steve Adams

3:11

I don't think the Rockies are going to make much in the way of big splashes beyond that. Could see them picking up a reliever on the cheap, if someone they like is willing to take $2-3MM or something

Brandon

3:12

Harper has had 1 superstar season in 7 years. Why does this narrative that he is a generational talent keep getting pushed?

Steve Adams

3:14

He's 26 years old with 27 career WAR, just shy of 200 home runs. Over the past four seasons ha has a .410 OBP and a 150 OPS+.

I don't think the false narrative surrounding Harper is that he's a generational talent. The false narrative surrounding Harper is that he's "just not that good" -- particularly when people use 2018 defensive ratings to back it when it seems far likelier that he was hampered by the severe leg injury he suffered late in 2017 than that he simply forgot how to field at the age of 25.

Johnny

3:14

Where does Adam Jones go? One of the best guys in baseball. Would like to see things work out for him.

Steve Adams

3:14

Cleveland on the cheap in a couple of weeks?

YokoBono

3:15

Wait, are YOU playing Kingdom Hearts 3? Is that in your plans?

Steve Adams

3:15

I mean, I might take some days off work.

(Kidding -- kind of)

John H

3:15

Reds get Realmulto and then Kluber?

Steve Adams

3:16

That seems excessively greedy, haha, but if they were willing to part with Senzel in a Kluber package and something like India+Trammell in a JTR package, I guess it's technically possible.

I can't imagine them devastating the top of their farm to that degree, though.

Sean

3:16

Do you see either Harper or Machado signing 1 year contracts and becoming a free agent next year?

Steve Adams

3:16

I do not.

Dave

3:17

Is Martin Perez really in the Twins starting rotation? Or did they just tell him that so he would sign, and then they’ll put him in the bullpen. It seems like Gio and several other better SPs could have been had for similar money.

Steve Adams

3:18

Gio won't get similar money, but I don't think there's any real debate that, say, Drew Pomeranz is just plain better than Martin Perez. And he signed for less guaranteed money.

The Perez signing is obviously small scale, but it is one of the most baffling moves of the offseason. I don't see how he's an upgrade over any of the 6-7 in house options they already had for the fifth spot. If you're going to sign a starter, at least sign someone who is either a clear upgrade or, with the proper bounceback, could be deemed as such (e.g. Pomeranz)

Mark

3:18

Let's say Trout was a free agent this offseason. Do you think he would be in the same waiting game as Machado and Harper?

Steve Adams

3:19

If Trout were a free agent he would probably be seeking a half-billion dollar contract, so probably.

Realmuto

3:19

What team will I play on this year?

Steve Adams

3:19

Still guessing the Dodgers but let's do this, sure...

3:20

Where will J.T. Realmuto play in 2019?

Miami (6.6% | 137 votes)

L.A. (Dodgers) (19.2% | 398 votes)

San Diego (13.1% | 272 votes)

Cincinnati (34.6% | 717 votes)

Houston (7.9% | 163 votes)

MYSTERY TEAM 4EVER (18.5% | 384 votes)

Total Votes: 2,071

should've put Rays on there I suppose -- whoops! Sorry TB foiks (though I don't think they're going to get him)

estrada22

3:20

Reds are conteners right now?

Steve Adams

3:21

They're improved, but they need significant rebounds from both Gray and Roark, plus a big debut from Senzel. They've gone from "there's no chance this team can contend as constructed right now" to "Well, if a lot of things break their way..." which sounds snarky but is tough to do in a single offseason -- especially one where you don't really decimate the farm or spend all that much money

Jason

3:22

What is more likely; the Padres trade for Senzel or sign Machado?

Steve Adams

3:22

I guess sign Machado, but I wouldn't call either likely

Des Moines native

3:23

Is there any news on Jeremy Hellickson and is he at the point in his career where he signs one year deals?

Steve Adams

3:24

No real news on him, but yeah he's a one-year guy at this point. Can't rule out some kind of legitimate improvement that puts him back into multi-year deal territory -- shout out to Rich Hill and Scott Kazmir -- but I imagine he'll land somewhere on a one-year deal for like $3MM or take a minor league contract with a base salary north of $2MM and plenty of incentives.

Mike

3:24

Is it me or has this off season been pretty boring?

Steve Adams

3:25

It's not just this offseason -- it was last offseason, too. And it'll probably be each of the next three offseasons. Hooray for one-third of the league not even trying and hooray for the game's richest teams limbo-ing under the luxury tax line.

Nick

3:25

Chances that the Avisail Garcia/Ji Man Choi DH platoon outperforms Nelson Cruz in 2019?

Steve Adams

3:25

I will handily take Nelson Cruz on that front.

3:26

More productive in 2018

Nellie Cruz (85.6% | 936 votes)

The Rays' Choi/Avi Garcia pairing (14.4% | 158 votes)

Total Votes: 1,094

3:27

Obviously that dynamic in Tampa will chance... Nathaniel Lowe will get called up. Yandy Diaz is a factor, etc. But I'm feelin' poll-ish today apparently so yeeha.

Pohlads

3:28

How much longer can we get away with being cheap before our fans turn on us?

Steve Adams

3:29

(That's Jim Pohlad, current owner of the Twins)

3:32

I've never bought into the "Pohlad is cheap" narrative as much as others; they dropped a $130ish million dollar payroll to open last season, and the Twins spent $40MM+ from mid-January through Opening Day. Previously they spent a fair bit on Ervin, Hughes and Nolasco (woof), and they ponied up for Mauer. It's a known fact that their TV deal sucks, which hurts in today's game.

All of that said, the fact that you have Derek Falvey saying the Twins believe in their core in the same interview that Thad Levine says "We're eagerly awaiting the point when our window opens and we plan to be aggressive then" is flat-out doublespeak, and the Twins' reluctance to be more aggressive when the division is full of recent tankers and an Indians team that is stepping back seems ridiculous. If you believe in the core, then the time to act seems like right now -- before the White Sox suddenly have Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Dylan Cease, etc. all at the MLB level.

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