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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 12/5/17
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Steve Adams
3:07
Greetings! Some actual signings and agreements have filtered in over the past week -- huzzah! This'll probably be my last chat for a couple weeks since I'll be in Orlando for the Winter Meetings next Tuesday, though perhaps depending on how things shake out, we can try to run a chat from there.
In the meantime, let's begin
Tyler
3:08
Do we have to wait much longer for the Stanton trade to be finalized? Giants fans are eager to know
Steve Adams
3:09
I mean, you have to wait as long as Stanton wants to take to make the decision. It's his right. This is what comes with a no-trade clause. There's no one who knows exactly when things will wrap up besides Stanton himself. He could wake up tomorrow and decide, "OK -- St. Louis/San Francisco sounds good to me," or he could spend another month thinking about things before saying no.

Everyone wants to know, but the reason there's basically no additional developments at this point is because it's all up to Stanton himself at this point.
3:10
We look at things from a baseball perspective and say "Make a decision already," but he's making one of the most crucial decisions of his life, and I don't blame him remotely for taking his time with it -- whether that means another week or another six months.
Blue Jays Fan
3:10
Does getting Diaz eliminate the Jays from the Nunez sort of swiss army knife MI sort? and they put their main focus on a SP and OF?
Steve Adams
3:11
I wouldn't say it eliminates them but I think it lessens their need to go spend what would be quite a bit more money on a player that's at least somewhat similar in nature. A fifth starter, a corner outfielder and some bullpen help (left-handed in particular) are probably all on the board now.
Will
3:12
Possible Gerrit Cole trade for Yankees after losing out on Ohtani?
Steve Adams
3:12
Kind of think they already made their big rotation trade with Gray, and if they're going to add to the rotation (which they probably should) it'll just be from the second tier of free agency or in a smaller-scale trade than Cole, who would probably cost them just as much as Gray did.
Ohhtaknee
3:12
Prediction of Ohtani’s landing spot?
Steve Adams
3:13
Everyone is just guessing. I can do the same if you like and say I'll guess Mariners! Because that is my guess.
Dunt
3:13
Does the Mikolas signing by the Cards signify that a move involving one of their young pitchers is on the horizon?
Steve Adams
3:15
Think it just signifies that they're cognizant of the fact that they lost a durable guy in Lynn and that most of the young arms come with tons of question marks. (For that matter, so does the oldest one, in Wainwright)

We've known they're willing to include some arms in a Stanton deal or any other trade for weeks. I don't think this changes much in that regard.
Brandon
3:16
If you were GM of the Nationals what would be your offseason plan?
Steve Adams
3:17
Build a time machine and undo that Wieters deal.

Failing that, build a time machine, go back to last week, and convince Welington Castillo to sign in DC.

Failing that, sign Alex Avila.

Basically they're shooting themselves in the foot if Wieters is the primary catcher in 2018.
SI
3:17
Why would MLB allow teams to dip into next years international pool money to sign players? Seems fishy to me.
Steve Adams
3:18
Because most teams spent their 2017-18 budgets with no knowledge that the Braves were going to lose a baker's dozen of prospects. It only applies to the former ATL guys, so it's a one-time thing that somewhat levels the playing field. If they'd limited it to 2017-18 funds, then the only teams with much of a chance to sign Maitan, et al would be the ones who'd been gearing up for an Ohtani pursuit and missed out.
Billy Eppler
3:19
Can I convince Otani to sign with me if I give him lifetime pass to Disney Land?
Steve Adams
3:19
Was probably the top slide in their presentation to him.
Rob
3:19
Do the Twins spend big on FA's. Or do they extend Sano, Buxton, Berrios and Rosario and then spend with what they deem left?
Steve Adams
3:20
It's not one or the other. Any extensions for a guy like Buxton or Sano are going to come with a meager salary in 2018 -- those guys probably won't start earning real money, even under an extension, until year three or four of the deal, since those are all would-be arb years.

They can do both. And I do think they'll spend more than we're accustomed to seeing out of Minnesota.
mark
3:21
why did the Yankees hire Boone?
Steve Adams
3:23
Frankly, I have no earthly idea why a team would hire someone without coaching or managerial experience to lead a win-now team in the largest media market in MLB. It is utterly mind-boggling to me, especially considering the fact that we've seen guys come in without any real coaching/managerial experience and bomb more often than not. The last guy with zero coaching/manager experience that was hired was Robin Ventura, was it not?
Mictau
3:24
Does the Maitan signing help the angels sign Ohtani by showing a commitment to the future?
Steve Adams
3:25
Reading way too much into that. I doubt Ohtani even knows who Kevin Maitan is, and it's not like they're adding the game's No. 1 prospect here or anything. Maitan's stock took a huge hit in '17
Brent
3:25
Who lasts longer in Baltimore- Duquette or Showalter?
Steve Adams
3:25
My pure guess? Showalter.
Bryan
3:26
Is this Bartolo Colon's last year?
Steve Adams
3:26
If he struggles, probably. If he has another decent season left in him, he feels to me like the kind of guy who'll just keep going. For now, it's about fulfilling his promise to his mother that he would pitch until he's 45 and about chasing down Marichal's record for most wins by a Dominican-born pitcher.
Marc Downs
3:27
IF the Mariners get Ohtani do they sign Darvish?
Steve Adams
3:27
I can't see Dipoto spending at that level unless he's forced to be ownership (see: Pujols, Albert).
ChiTown
3:29
Who is the Cubs closer in 2018?
Steve Adams
3:29
Addison Reed or Brandon Morrow get my vote.
Jack
3:29
Does Bryce Harper sign an extension with Nats and test the market?
Steve Adams
3:30
Doubt he signs an extension unless it breaks Stanton's record by a clear $100MM or so -- even then they might not want to. He's already set for life, financially, so at this point it's a record-setting deal (by a huge margin) or go to the open market. I'd bet on the latter scenario.
Logan Morrison
3:30
Do you have more faith in me than other breakout bats last year because I reworked my swing and did not fall off the second half?
Steve Adams
3:30
Morrison ran up a 130 wRC+ over his final 300ish PAs of the 2016 season as well. I'm buying him.
3:31
(Not necessarily as a 35-40 HR bat, mind you, but as a decidedly above-average 2.5 to 3.5 win kind of guy -- sure)
JH
3:32
Does Ichiro Suzuki sign with anyone or does he retire?
Steve Adams
3:32
I think he'll get a minor league deal somewhere
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