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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 2/11/20
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Tyson
3:47
Can the Reds keep Senzel and start him? I don't see where he fits.
Steve Adams
3:47
I think he'll log a lot of time in center, with Shogo playing in the corners
MLB fan
3:48
What is your opinon on the proposed playoff format Steve?
Steve Adams
3:49
I don't like the notion of nearly half the league making the playoffs, and I'm skeptical that it would actually bring about some of its intended goals (increased competitive balance, decreasing tanking, etc.).
3:50
But, more playoff games on TV means more money for MLB, and I'm sure that's the true goal regardless of whatever Manfred will claim as the purpose.
Nick
3:51
Who is left for KB? Padres and Rangers?
Steve Adams
3:52
Rangers and Nationals make the most sense. I don't buy the Rockies/Arenado stuff at all -- at least not that it can plausibly happen. Maybe they've kicked around some ideas, but I don't see it.
3:53
And for what it's worth, Theo Epstein was at least somewhat downplaying the chances of trading Bryant at all during a press conference about 30 minutes ago. Not that he'd broadcast his intentions in earnest anyhow, of course.
AA
3:53
What would the harm be in shortening the regular season to 150 games?
Steve Adams
3:53
Less revenue for MLB and its owners
Yo
3:54
Are any players left now decent CFers?
Steve Adams
3:55
Kevin Pillar? Jarrod Dyson can still go get it, but his bat really went in the tank in '19 and he's 35 now.
Adam
3:55
We criticize the Betts trade for Boston now, but in 12 months if they had kept him and watched him walk in FA, we’d be asking why they didn’t take the opportunity to rebuild a weak money and cut costs from the Price deal wouldn’t we?
Steve Adams
3:56
I personally wouldn't be -- assuming they actually went for it and tried to compete in 2020, that is. They could've traded him at the deadline if they washed out and still gotten more than the comp pick.
Trader Phil
3:57
What are some high end starting pitching options that figure to be available in July?
Steve Adams
3:59
Jon Gray, Johnny Cueto, Chris Archer (I do like him as a rebound candidate)... I could see Mike Minor being out there again. Yu Darvish. Eduardo Rodriguez, perhaps. If all hell breaks loose in Cleveland and they're unexpectedly terrible, you'll hear Mike Clevinger's name a lot again.
Dave
4:00
Bryant for Kieboom straight up. Who says no?
Steve Adams
4:00
I'd do it if I were the Nats, but I imagine the Cubs are going to want multiple pieces even though Kieboom is a sensible starting point.
Al
4:00
The Orioles are worst then the Tigers right?
Steve Adams
4:02
The Orioles, as currently constructed, might have the worst roster I've ever seen. They'd be trotting out the ghost of Alex Cobb, Asher Wojciechowski, Wade LeBlanc and ... I guess Kohl Stewart(?) to start 80 percent of their games.
Mark Turner
4:03
Eliminated team with the most Ws drafts first, and so on.
Steve Adams
4:05
I'm sure I've mentioned this in here before, but I had someone with an agency once suggest to me basically that idea: best non-playoff team gets the top pick in the draft, and they go down the list that way -- worst team gets the 20th pick, then the playoff teams draft. Then starting in Round 2, it's worst record to best record.

I don't mind that plan, though any iteration is going to have its flaws
Rank
4:05
M's are way worse than the O's, I discussed this in the CarGo thread earlier today, do you agree?
Steve Adams
4:06
I think the Orioles are vastly worse than the Mariners.
Andy Freidman
4:06
Where are all my haters now?
Steve Adams
4:07
Probably still shouting about the lack of Dodgers' World Series wins. (For the record, I don't subscribe to that mentality and think Friedman has done quite well in L.A.)
Girardi's Shadow
4:08
Does my team have enough pitching to actually win the division?  I like my top 2, but what of Arrieta, Eflin and the #5?
Steve Adams
4:10
Eflin's a fine fourth starter. They don't really have much of a choice but to hope that Arrieta rebounds. I was a little surprised they didn't add another veteran rotation arm to round out the rotation and provide some stability. I do still like Nick Pivetta, though. (I'd also be curious to see him in a full-time relief role as well)
Arizona Dreamin’
4:10
Have the Diamondbacks done enough to compete for a wild card this year?
Steve Adams
4:10
I think they can be in that mix, yeah
Michael
4:11
Will Price force May out of the Dodgers rotation?
Steve Adams
4:11
The Dodgers will probably have 15 different guys start some games for them in 2020, just like they do every year. Dustin May will get some meaningful innings i.
in
Charlie Harper
4:12
Jesús Luzardo and Matt Chapman for  Ronald Acuna. Who says no?
Steve Adams
4:12
Ha, fun one. That Acuna deal is just way too valuable, even in spite of Chapman's value.
Tom Emanski
4:15
Are legitimately good veteran players the most undervalued assets in baseball?  Seems like people have gone so far all in on prospects and potential that people are now undervaluing actually good/great MLB players.        I would rather have 1 year of Betts or 2 years of Bryant/Lindor than 7 years of control over 2 prospects that end up being 2/3 war players.
Steve Adams
4:17
I think people have gone way overboard in valuing prospects, yeah -- as I referenced earlier in the Graterol/Maeda reply. I mean, sure there's a chance that Graterol eventually emerges as a No. 2 or even No.1  starter, but that's his ideal outcome -- a best-case scenario that, with any pitching prospect, maybe pans out at a 5-10% clip? At best? There's also a reasonable chance he's a high-end reliever or a useful mid-rotation guy -- the latter of which is exactly what they got with Maeda.

That's the same reason before that I said I'd take two years of Kris Bryant over the longer-term control of a Carter Kieboom.
4:18
In some instances, sure, the prospect value is too great. You're not going to get Gavin Lux and Dustin May for one year of Mookie Betts. But broadly speaking, I do think the obsession with prospects has gone overboard among fans (and some front offices)
4:20
That bleeds over into other trades as well. I regularly see people say the Pirates got nothing for Gerrit Cole, but five years of a useful midrotation arm (Joe Musgrove) isn't nothing
Cubs are finishing up a minors deal with Jason Kipnis, per ESPN Chicago
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