JotCast | Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 11/7/17

Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 11/7/17

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Steve Adams

3:27

Valbuena to 3B, Cron non-tendered, traded or used on the short side of a platoon because he just isn't very good. Alonso can hit RHP, balances out the lineup, and gets on base -- a stated priority for Eppler this winter.

I would strongly reject the notion that they don't need a 1B. CJ Cron is a replacement-level player.

3:28

And, as I said, there are going to be about 5-7 starting caliber 2Bs available in trades this winter. They don't need to sign one in free agency, and they can add both Alonso and a 2B while easily staying under the luxury tax.

DeGrom

3:29

What does a trade of me look like? What kind of package can be expected?

Steve Adams

3:30

I don't think there's any realistic chance that the Mets move him this winter, so I wouldn't recommend spending too much time dwelling on it. The Mets added AJ Ramos this past summer as a means of doing advance shopping for '18. I'd be shocked to see them trade their most reliable starter.

Yasmany

3:30

Would D-Backs need to get rid of Tomas before making serious offer to JD?

Steve Adams

3:31

The D-backs' payroll doesn't allow them to make a serious offer for JDM unless ownership improves a massive increase. If they could somehow dump ALL of the Tomas money, sure that'd make it plausible, but that isn't happening.

Marc Downs

3:31

why won't Yonder just stay in Seattle? There seems a mutual interest.

Steve Adams

3:31

He very well could. As we stated in making our predictions -- there are dozens of plausible scenarios. Believe we even mentioned that Yonder could just stay there.

SaoMagnifico

3:32

If the Nats go cheap and don't add any relievers this winter, how does their bullpen look for '18?

Steve Adams

3:33

They still have Madson and Doolittle at the back end with a hopefully healthier Koda Glover and Enny Romero. I wouldn't feel great about it if they just snagged a couple of low-upside stopgaps, but they have the makings of a passable top half of the 'pen in house.

3:34

I think they'll add at least one notable reliever, though

OL' PERFESSER

3:35

JDM to the NYY you heard it here!!!!!

Steve Adams

3:35

Yankees aren't going to sign anyone anywhere near that caliber unless Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner are lying through their teeth when they say they're getting under the luxury tax.

Casey

3:35

Who is hurt most this off season with a qualifying offer?

Steve Adams

3:37

Cobb, Lynn or Santana. The market for 1B/DH hasn't been great anyway, though Santana is better than a lot of the one-dimensional guys that were free agents last winter.

Lynn just wasn't as good as his ERA suggested, and the QO doesn't do him tons of favors. Cobb's durability (or lack thereof) is already risk on a multi-year deal without factoring in draft compensation.

All that said, I think all 9 should and will reject.

And I'm on board with all of them getting at least $40MM or so. Much more in most cases.

chill davis

3:38

I think hosmer is one of the more overrated players in the bigs. please tell me why maybe I'm wrong, and why maybe I'm right...

Steve Adams

3:39

I agree with the general notion that he has not lived up to his prospect status. That said, he was really good in 2015 and he was elite in 2017 after a slow 3-4 weeks to open the season. If he's just kind of figuring things out a bit later in his career, he could very well be a superstar moving forward.

I'm curious to see how he does in a new organization... I cannot fathom why he hits so many damn ground-balls (50-55% of his balls in play). Put the ball in the air more and let's see what happens.

Cardinals OF's

3:40

How many of us get traded this offseason

Steve Adams

3:40

Grichuk seems as good as gone. I could see Piscotty going, too. I expect they'll trade at least two outfielders, though could be any combination of those two, Sierra, Martinez, Pham, etc.

As always, it depends on what they're targeting in those trades (and in other dealings)

3:41

Generally speaking, the Cards have a lot of assets by which other teams will be intrigued. They should listen to a variety of scenarios rather than say "We need to trade an OF for a closer" or something that level of myopic

Addison Reed

3:43

Will I get closer money or settle for less? What role will I have in 2018?

Steve Adams

3:44

We pegged him at 4/36, and I feel that's a realistic expectation. He'll have offers to close and to set up -- I don't get the sense that Reed is hell-bent on pitching the ninth inning, but if his top offer is from a team looking for a closer, then that's where he'll go obviously.

Beisbol

3:45

Any chance Julio Teheran gets traded? Other than being at Suntrust, he was good, almost great.

Steve Adams

3:47

Teheran's home/road splits were more indicative of poor luck and small sample size than anything else. His K/BB numbers, batted-ball profile, etc. were all fairly similar when pitching at SunTrust and on the road.

I don't think anyone is mistaking him for a "great" starter. He's a durable mid-rotation arm with a bit of upside. He could be traded though, yeah.

Byron Buxton

3:48

Can I hit .275?

Steve Adams

3:50

Sure. Probably better. He batted .274/.333/.452 in his final 460 PAs this year after a terrible start.

But let's all agree to stop evaluating players based solely (or even partially, really) on batting average. Everyone together now? Hooray!

AlAvila

3:50

Should I sign Curtis Granderson to end his career back where it all started?

Steve Adams

3:51

Why not target someone with more upside than a 37-year-old Granderson? Grab someone who can have more value at the deadline; if you're signing a left-handed-hitting corner OF to a one-year deal, throw money at CarGo.

Jose abreu

3:54

Is it all smoke about me sticking around the white Sox as a mentor? Seems like a team wanting to avoid a long term commitment might prefer that option

Steve Adams

3:54

(Sorry for the delay there -- phone call)

3:55

I don't think it's all smoke and mirrors. They genuinely do seem to want to retain Abreu. But, I don't think they're going to make any Braves-esque proclamations that Abreu cannot and will not be traded. He'd be one of the 3-5 top bats available this winter, and if someone pays up accordingly, he can be moved.

steve

3:56

More likely to get an extension Dallas Keuchel or Charlie Morton?

Steve Adams

3:56

Neither? Keuchel is a year from free agency, and Morton has said he might just retire when this contract is up.

Buddy

3:56

Lance Lynn to the Cubs...what say you?

Steve Adams

3:57

Seems perfectly plausible, fills an obvious need, easily in their price range. That, of course, is true of several teams in connection to Lynn though.

Bryan

3:57

Hey Steve should the Orioles trade Manny Machado now while his value is high and the Orioles pitching is horable there

Steve Adams

3:58

I think the O's should trade Machado, Jones, Britton, Brach and all of their short-term pieces this winter. They will not do that, however.

Theo

3:58

Rumors of Heyward to SF for Shark and Melancon ....who says no ?

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