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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 12/29/20
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Brad
2:24
Maybe I'm in the "Cub fan minority" here, but I'm actually okay with the return the Cubs got for Darvish.  I do realize that they're all a couple years away, but they're all solid, very projectable prospects, especially Preciado.   I would have loved to get Campusano back in the deal, but 4 of the Pad's top 15-ish prospects increases the odds of a couple of them panning out, no?
Steve Adams
2:28
The Cubs are a major market team with a larger revenue stream than nearly any team in baseball, and they actively got worse because their owner wants to cut payroll -- all at a time when the rest of the division is going backwards.

The logic "they got lots of prospects" ignores that none of them are especially highly regarded, none are near the Majors. Heck, only one of them has even played in a professional game.

This is a major market team that went to the playoffs last year and has already seen its payroll come down by $80MM or so over two years prior to the Darvish trade.
2:29
I try not to judge trades right away because they're so often dependent on outcomes that we won't know until years down the line. And there are usually so many more layers that go into why a player was traded. But sometimes the process is so flawed and the logic is so nonexistent that you can't help but judge it up front.

This trade looks worse than Cleveland dumping Corey Kluber last winter. It's embarrassing for the Cubs.
Steve Adams Lunch
2:29
Is Bauer out of the question for the Padres?
Steve Adams
2:30
Depends on how crazy ownership is willing to get with the payroll. I don't expect it, but most people probably didn't expect the Padres to spend to get Hosmer and Machado, either.
KEVIN
2:31
Does Arenado get traded to the Dodgers this offseason?
Steve Adams
2:32
Not sold on Arenado getting traded at all, and I doubt the Rockies would want to send him to their division nemesis.
JJ
2:32
Will the Giants do anything?
Steve Adams
2:33
I don't think they were planning on doing anything too major in the first place, but the past 48 hours have to be real discouraging for that front office. It's remarkable that they're in better shape than they were when Zaidi took over and yet still much further from contending for the division title because the Padres have just gotten so much better.
David Stearns
2:34
Are the brewers going to do anything this offseason?
Steve Adams
2:35
Sure, but waiting out the market for opportunistic one-year deals is nothing new for this front office. I wouldn't have expected them to have done much by now anyway, and the glacial pace of free agency only makes that more understandable.
The Happy Friar
2:35
Do you think the Padres are done adding starting pitching?  With Lamet’s health in question and Paddack far from certain to find his fastball again, don’t they still need depth, even after their two big acquisitions?
Steve Adams
2:36
Done with major additions probably, but sure some depth makes sense. They do have Lucchesi, Gore, Baez and some other options on hand, but some non-roster deals seem likely.
Craig
2:37
Can we expect the Orioles to be attached to anything exciting anytime soon?
Steve Adams
2:38
They're still multiple years away from contending in that division. I thought they'd have been a great landing spot for someone like Ha-Seong Kim but they were never linked to him too strongly. I don't think they're going to do much in terms of free agency or trade acquisitions for another year or two, no.
Brett T
2:39
Michael Brantley seems like a perfect fit in Chicago with the Sox.  Veteran presence/extra LHB/play a little OF and DH.  What am I missing?
Steve Adams
2:40
Nothing -- he's a fine fit there, I agree. Sox might not want to clog their DH spot in 2022 with Andrew Vaughn on the rise, but other than that Brantley is a good fit there.

If you're Brantley, though, why sign before the league makes up its mind on the universal DH? Adding it back into the mix would immensely help his market.
Pam
2:41
Would Rosario be expected to receive more than $12 mil per season on his new contract?
Steve Adams
2:41
Eddie?
He went unclaimed on waivers when he was projected for less than that in arbitration. He's not getting $12MM+.
Santa Claus
2:42
Now that I am finished for the year I can enjoy some sports.  Does Elvis Andrus or Odor have any trade value for the Rangers?  Who plays third?
Steve Adams
2:43
Zero trade value. I'd imagine Solak at 3B or someone who isn't currently in the organization.
Angels
2:44
Are Perry Minasian's options for starting pitching help fading fast?
Steve Adams
2:46
Bauer, Sugano, Odorizzi, Tanaka, Kluber, Paxton all still unsigned. Reds SPs, Musgrove still out there in trades. Might as well ask the Cubs about Kyle Hendricks now, too. Angels still have options even if a couple notable possibilities are off the board.
Ryan
2:46
If Wil Myers were put on waivers right now would he be claimed?
Steve Adams
2:46
No
Drew
2:46
What could the Royals get for Brad Keller in a trade?
Steve Adams
2:47
The Royals are trying to compete in 2021 and Keller is one of their best starters (if not their best, period). They wouldn't trade him.
Concerned White Sox Fan
2:47
Should both sides of Chicago be embarrassed by their teams actions this offseason?  The Cubs moves so far have been pretty egregious but the White Sox have hard capped themselves to barely raise payroll after their window is clearly open.  $16 million in new spending for 1 year on a contending team while the Indians are tearing down and the Twins aren't adding much. C'mon Hahn!
Steve Adams
2:49
The White Sox still have time to add, and part of the reason they haven't added is because they have so many affordable, high quality options at most positions.

And sure Cleveland is stepping back, but I still fully expect the Twins to spend another $30MM+ or so. You could argue that just means the Sox should spend even more aggressively in the 'pen, but nothing is stopping them from doing so. The relief market has been slow. I think more moves are on the horizon there, and I wouldn't call the roster moves the team has made embarrassing
Ben
2:51
Jt Realmuto is the best catcher is baseball, and realistically likely helps every team in baseball. I get that, but does it make sense for Toronto with the stable of depth they have behind the plate? To me an over pay for Springer, DJ or even Bauer makes more sense for there roster then 5-6 years for realmuto.
Steve Adams
2:53
I think teams will just look at the best values, period. If they feel [Realmuto + whoever they could get in a trade for Jansen/Kirk etc.] brings them more value at a lower annual price and/or over a shorter term than just signing Springer or LeMahieu, they'll make the move that adds more value as opposed to the one that is a cleaner "fit."
Alex
2:55
Am I the only one that thought the McCann signing was a better move for the Mets than Realmuto. Realmuto will get paid 20mm+ per year, and McCann is only getting paid 10mm per year. I don’t think Realmuto is 10mm+ per year better than McCann
Steve Adams
2:55
I think JTR is $10MM+ better than McCann, yes. But if the Mets use that money to sign Springer and didn't want to take the risk on any catcher at that price, that's totally defensible.
Disgruntled Cubs fan
2:56
Jed Hoyer is trying to act like Theo Epstein, he isn't even Juan Epstein right now. Why are they so intent on going on the cheap right now? We were told the TV network would bring in revenue, PBS does a better job bringing in cash.....
Steve Adams
2:56
I don't think Hoyer is the one who wants to continually slash payroll.
Richie Zisk
2:57
As a Pirate's fan, I like the Bell trade.  We get a SP who can be a #5 or #4 (with improvement) for a guy whose 2021 may be just as bad as his 2020.  Cherrington gambled that Bell is not getting much better and we also got a your P who may be very good with the new development, scouts, and coaches Ben has in place.  Pittsburgh fans tend to overrate the players they trade away.  Freddie Sanchez, Jack Wilson were thought of as Schmidt and Banks.
Steve Adams
2:58
I don't think the Bell trade was some sort of colossal blunder, but I think the return looks pretty light and that they'd conceivably have gotten more had he enjoyed a strong first half. But the Pirates have never spent, and I doubt owner Bob Nutting is too excited about spending much money on rebound candidates after revenue sharing was cut off in 2020.
some old guy
2:59
The Twins swim in  mediocrity.. 18 straight post season losses and they haven't learned you need better starting pitching in the post season as a general rule..
Steve Adams
2:59
Starting pitching isn't why they lost to the Astros in 2020.
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