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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 10/1/24
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Steve Adams
12:40
It wasn't a good one! But he also only had 252 PAs. Whenever I think back to "worst season in history," I cannot help but recall this (now very old) FanGraphs post on Neifi Perez:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-worst-season-in-recent-history/
12:41
Perez hit .236/.260/.303 in a full season of ABs playing dismal defense at shortstop. That offensive output came at the tail end of the steroid era, so it's far worse than it even looks today: a 39 wRC+ (61% worse than league-average).

Three full wins below replacement! Amazing stuff.
Jordan
12:42
The more you stick behind a paywall the less attractive coming to this site is. All this news can be had elsewhere.
Steve Adams
12:42
The only things behind our paywall are original analysis, opinions, etc. from our writing team and some proprietary databases and tools that we create ourselves.
12:43
So... if you don't want to read our opinions, don't subscribe. That's fine. If you don't want to use our contract tracker, agency database and forthcoming GM database, don't subscribe. But none of those items "can be had elsewhere" since they're all original to us.
CardinalRed
12:44
Can you trade with multiple teams for International Bonus Pool funds? I thought I read the max was $250k per transaction but could not find a transaction limit. Cards need to build up for a possible Sasaki signing, if he posts.
Steve Adams
12:46
International money can be traded in $250K increments, not in a $250K max per transaction. Teams can acquire up to 60% of their initially allotted pool. The Cards have the second-smallest pool in 2025, at $5.646MM. They could acquire up to $3.387MM in additional pool space.
No guarantee Sasaki is posted this winter, though.
Mike
12:46
I'm sure Detroit will take Montgomery for Baez.
Steve Adams
12:46
I'm sure they would too!
I doubt the D-backs are that desperate to clear his one-year deal from the books though
Blue Jays
12:47
Would Joc Pederson (3/40) and Tyler O'Neil (4/65), be enough thump behind Vladdy?
Steve Adams
12:47
Feels like a major overpay for Pederson and a year too many for TON, to me.
Skoobs
12:47
I am seeing a lot about people think Clase should be the Cy Young winner. Skubal is going to get it right?
Steve Adams
12:48
The only place I see people clamoring for Clase to get the Cy is in these chats, honestly. He's had a great year -- but Skubal has him trounced. I can see one or two rogue voters loving the shiny smaller-workload ERA and giving Clase a first-place vote, but I'd be shocked if Skubal didn't get, say, 27 of the 30 first-place votes.
Josh
12:49
Do you expect the Cubs to be actuve this off season and possibly sign a top tier free agent?
Steve Adams
12:51
I could see them getting more aggressive for one of the big starting pitchers, but I don't envision the Cubs being major players in the Soto market or anything. Pete Alonso could fit there, too.
Doug
12:52
Montgomery bad contract swap: to the Mariners for Haniger. Haniger might have some value as a DH if AZ loses Walker and Pederson, and saves some money. Montgomery steps into the rotation and opens up a potential trade of a SP to improve the lineup for Seattle
Steve Adams
12:52
The Mariners have a deep farm system and Dipoto has already alluded using that rather than dealing from the big league roster. The Haniger/Monty swap seems counterproductive.
12:53
Plus Haniger is $7MM cheaper
Fred
12:53
Think the Yankees might decline to extend Soto a QO out of respect like the Dodgers did with Kershaw? Their #1 goal this offseason seems to getting him signed, if they do sign him they don't get a draft pick no matter what and Soto will probably have an opt-out in his contract so not QOing him now means they retain the right to do so when and if he opts out.
Steve Adams
12:55
No, I think they'll QO him 100%. The QO isn't going to impact Soto's market whatsoever. It absolutely would've impacted a 34-year-old Kershaw's market, particularly when he was limiting his potential landing spots. Plus, the Dodgers' relationship with Kershaw dated back nearly 15 years.

Soto will get a QO. He'll reject it. And he won't hold it against the Yankees or anything.
Weekend at Bernies
12:55
I’ve seen people say that both Goldschmidt and Christian Walker are good fits for Milwaukee. But no way they go for it considering Rhys Hoskins is unlikely to opt out right?
Steve Adams
12:55
Yeah, if Hoskins surprisingly opted out or they found some trade partner, maybe, but I don't see Goldy or Walker fitting there so long as Rhys is around.
Dan'l
12:56
So, instead of investing in player development, the Cards invested in... Lynn and Gibson? Their messaging is strange, considering how they invested in the major league team, and that it's fairly inexcusable nowadays to *not* invest in player development. What was your take?
Steve Adams
12:57
I think the implication was they have an annual budget of XYZ for baseball operations -- major league roster, player development, etc. all included. Their inability to develop players forced them into signing an entire rotation in free agency, which in turn undercut their budget for further investing in development. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy that wouldn't be rectified until they took a step back, which they're now begrudgingly doing.
Walter
12:58
Does Shane Bieber get a Brandon Woodruff type contract coming of TJ surgery?
Steve Adams
1:00
I like him better for a straight one-year deal, since two years would cover his age-30 and age-31 seasons, preventing him from hitting the market until his age-32 season. That's not going to be ideal for him. Woodruff's two-year term stemmed from the fact that he wasn't likely to pitch this season at all. Bieber should be back early next summer if his rehab goes to plan.
Could always split the baby and do two years with an opt-out, I suppose. But I think his camp will make it a priority to be able to get back to market next offseason.
Chaddyfresh
1:01
Does Posey give Giants a better chance at signing bigger name players?
Steve Adams
1:03
In the sense that a notable reason the Giants didn't sign big-name players was because Farhan Zaidi seemed averse to long-term deals and tended to prioritize maintaining payroll agility -- yes.

In the sense that free agents will say "Wow Buster Posey is their president? I've got to go here!" -- I don't really think so. It comes down to the strength of offers.
Walleye Wade
1:03
Twins trade Vasquez for Monty !!????
Steve Adams
1:03
Montgomery earns more than 2x Vazquez's salary, and the Twins aren't going to jump back up to a $150-160MM payroll anytime soon, it seems.
Kurt the Hurt
1:04
Should Tigers try to lock up contacts on Tarik Skubal Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter
Steve Adams
1:04
Of course they should try, especially on the former two. But Skubal is a Boras guy who's about to win a Cy Young and is only two years from free agency, so I'd be surprised if he did it.
Cards
1:05
What happens to Gorman and Walker? Are they the next Carlson?
Steve Adams
1:05
Gorman feels more likely to be traded than Walker
1:08
Time for me to wrap this one up. I'm on X @Adams_Steve if you have more questions.

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Thanks everyone, and enjoy the playoff games!!
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