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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 12/22/20
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Steve Adams
2:30
If they don't re-sign Cruz, I think they'll add a notable OF/DH (e.g. Brantley), and I expect them to add one quality starter and probably a couple of relievers on one-year deals.
Taijuan Walker
2:31
What do you have against me?
Steve Adams
2:34
I have nothing against Walker -- I just think there are several better pitchers out there. I'd rather sign any of Odorizzi, Tanaka, Sugano or Kluber, to name a few (again, dependent on price).

Walker has pitched 67 1/3 innings over the past three seasons, had multiple major surgeries, and had some real good fortune to post that 2.70 ERA in a small sample. I don't think he's maintaining his .240 BABIP and 79% strand rate. He doesn't have great control or miss bats at an elite rate. The spin and movement on his pitches isn't near the top of the league.

He's not a bad pitcher or anything, but I think people are still dreaming on him because he was a Top 10 prospect like 7 years ago and is still 28. I just don't put tons of stock in him being an elite prospect a long time ago.
Drew
2:34
Who do you see Profar landing with and what time of money?
Steve Adams
2:35
Jurickson Profar is the position player equivalent of Taijuan Walker to me. If someone gives him two guaranteed years, that's more than I'd have gone.

Royals have been pretty aggressive with the guys they deem to be targets, and he checks the boxes GM Dayton Moore recently put out there, so I'll pick them. (Probably for more money than I think he's worth)
AA
2:36
If striking early is truly my thing then wouldn’t it have made sense to strike early on Ozuna? Regardless of DH, I signed him last year not knowing if we would have one.
Steve Adams
2:37
Sure, but the Braves signed him in late January/early February only after it was clear he wasn't going to get the big contract he wanted.

I wouldn't say striking early is Anthopoulos' most signature trait as GM in Atlanta -- I would say it's avoiding long-term, high-AAV commitments and showing a clear preference for short-term deals.

I've never thought the Braves would re-sign Ozuna and still don't think they will, for that reason.
Artie Moreno
2:38
Why not sign Joc Peterson for a year to give Addel more time
Steve Adams
2:38
I'd imagine Joc wants more than a one-year deal, for starters.
NatsFanBoy
2:38
Moderator isnt putting my chats out
Steve Adams
2:39
I'm the one not putting your questions through, but it's not personal. There are 1711 people asking them right now. Apologies that this was the one I saw, ha.
Blue jays
2:39
Do you think the jays have a shot at stealing LeMahieu from the yanks and if so how much do they have to pay
Steve Adams
2:40
Sure but they might just have to go the extra year over whatever the Yankees' final offer is. If New York is at 4/80, I'd imagine the Jays need to go 5/100 or at least like 90-95 over five.
(Those are hypothetical numbers -- just using them as an example)
Jason
2:40
How long will the Cubs rebuild take before they are serious contenders again?
Steve Adams
2:42
They're contenders right now. I don't know that I really see Hoyer embarking on a full tear-down the moment he gets the top job. They'll shuffle the deck and turn over their major stars, but the majority of their core is expensive and up for free agency in a year. They're sort of passed the point where a full-scale, traditional tear-down is viable anyhow. Bryant, Baez, etc. don't have tons of trade value right now (Baez has some, but I doubt the Cubs would move him).
Thad Levine
2:43
story and cash for polanco. Who says no?
Steve Adams
2:44
I've wondered about a Trevor Story/Jorge Polanco framework myself, but I don't think the Twins would love giving up the long-term contract. And as much as I think the Rockies should trade Story -- should've traded him and Gray awhile ago -- I just don't know if I can see Dick Monfort and Jeff Bridich pulling the trigger.
jrmomo1000
2:44
Any chance Roserio goes back to the twins if they dont sign Cruz
Steve Adams
2:45
I think they'd look to sign a more complete hitter and he'd probably prefer to go somewhere else after being told "Eh we don't like you at $10MM or so."

But if Eddie is sitting there late in the offseason and willing to take like a year at $7-8MM after Cruz has signed elsewhere, I'm sure the Twins would look at it.
Brewers just claimed INF/OF Tim Lopes from the Mariners
Farhan
2:46
You mentioned earlier no one would take on Moustakas. However, if I take his contract on do you think i can pry Castillo from Reds for a lesser package maybe centered around Heilot Ramos? Previous regime was dumb to trade him for Casey McGehee SMDH
Steve Adams
2:47
I've seen lots of questions about taking Moose or Castellanos or something in order to get Castillo. I don't think the Reds would do that.
P. Dough Boy
2:47
How did you become involved with MLBTR and do you have any advice for those aspiring for careers in baseball? Thanks!
Steve Adams
2:50
I applied for a part-time, Sunday afternoon spot when I was graduating college back in 2008 and was lucky enough to impress Tim with a writing sample and some answers to various questions regarding roster rules, arbitration etc. etc. I started full-time in 2013 when Ben Nicholson-Smith was hired by Sportsnet in Canada.

Write anywhere and everywhere you can. Eat, sleep and breathe baseball. Apply for posts even if you don't think you have a realistic chance, as you never know if you might impress someone. Come up with angles and ways that you can add value to a web site or even a team or agency. Create a practice, reach out, pitch them on it. Don't be afraid to be rejected.
Arte
2:51
Odorizzi 3/39
Steve Adams
2:51
I think that's what we predicted for him on our Top 50. I'd have been comfortable going a little higher, but yeah, I think a multi-year deal in that $12-14MM range, two or three years, seems plausible.
Cheddah Dawg
2:51
What is the best ballpark cuisine you’ve ever had?
Steve Adams
2:52
Citi Field used to have an awesome pastrami dog with spicy mustard. Garlic fries in San Francisco are awesome. Target Field in Minneapolis has tons of good food options; I don't know that a goat burger from Andrew Zimmern's place there is exactly "classic" ballpark food, but it was sure tasty.
JR
2:53
Prediction contest leaderboard going up anytime soon?
Steve Adams
2:53
Yep. Developer had some delays but it's in its final stages. Sorry about the holdup on that.
Samuel
2:54
I had a dream that Bauer signed with the Texas Rangers, but was immediately shipped to the San Francisco Giants. Assuming he doesn’t get traded (lol), are the Giants a viable option for him?
Steve Adams
2:56
Ha, sign-and-trades like that aren't allowed in MLB, but I kind of wish they were.

I think the Giants are viable for Bauer, yes. They have ample spending capacity, play in his home state (not that that's always worth much, and he's from the L.A. area not the Bay Area), and have a growing data focus and the payroll capacity to eventually spend on a winner every year. I think they'd check plenty of boxes for him.
MLB nation
2:57
Are the days of 8+ year contracts a thing of the past, after 2020?
Steve Adams
2:57
I suppose it depends on the outcome of next winter's collective bargaining talks, but outside of some radical contract limitations (to which the MLBPA would never agree), I don't think they'll ever go away. There aren't many of them in the first place, though.
Bret
2:57
Cubs should get good pitcher and players
Steve Adams
2:57
JED!
Hire this man as GM!
Brad Hand’s Hand
2:58
Are the Padres still looking to deal Myers after his “bounce back” 70 games?
Steve Adams
2:58
They could replace him with a better player at less than $20MM annually, so I'm sure they'd love to unload that contract, yes. Particularly since they're trying to upgrade the rotation again now that Clevinger is out for 2021.
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