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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 2/23/21
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Steve Adams
2:12
It's 2021 and Farhan Zaidi is still signing Scott Kazmir.
Let's get started!
2:13
(Not a jab at either, by the way -- just so rare to get go mention Kazzy these days)
Tyler
2:13
Any news on Cole Hamels?
Steve Adams
2:14
Other than him wanting to pitch in 2021, nope.
Train
2:14
Kazmir coming back, gotta love it lol
Steve Adams
2:14
Heck yeah. Braves signed Travis Snider today, too. No MLB invite on that one, though, and Snider's been kicking around AAA forever so it's a little less out of the blue.
PJ
2:14
How do you feel about the Mets off-season ?
Steve Adams
2:15
I think by and large, it was a solid offseason. Mets fans are disappointed because they set unrealistic expectations of signing two of Springer/Bauer/JTR/LeMahieu AND trading for Lindor.

They're a much better team now than in 2020, and a much deeper team, too.
Guest
2:15
Will Kazmir be physically ready for Opening Day?
Steve Adams
2:16
Was throwing 92-93 mph in a recent bullpen and is headed to Major League camp. Sure sounds like he's ready to pitch. Doesn't mean he'll be on the roster of course. Has to actually perform well in camp
Serge
2:16
Any reasonable way for the Dodgers to shed some salary and get under the luxury tax's highest tier this season?
Steve Adams
2:17
The Dodgers, of all teams, shouldn't care one iota about that.
Guest
2:17
What are the changes that we’ll finally see Mackenzie Gore pitch this season for the Padres? And do you only see this playing out if Lamet isn’t good to go? Replace Paddock in the rotation?
Steve Adams
2:19
He'll get called up at some point in '21, barring injury and regardless of whether Lamet has some kind of major injury. Teams are going to need tons of arms to get through this year.
Nicholas
2:19
Is Eloy Jimenez a legit MVP? He say he’s going to win one, one of these days?
Steve Adams
2:22
I doubt it. The poor defense will always weigh him down, and the low walk rate will weigh down his OBP drive down the overall defensive value. Granted, I'd have said the same thing about Jose Abreu this time last year, and I expect Eloy to be a better hitter than Abreu has generally been.

I don't think it's impossible, but I think he's more likely "just" a regular All-Star who gets some down-ballot MVP votes.
(I look forward to now being called an Eloy "hater" for thinking of him only as a near-perennial All-Star, ha)
Rich D
2:23
What does a Kris Bryant extension look like?
Steve Adams
2:23
I don't think one will happen. Cubs will be more focused on Rizzo and Baez; Bryant and Boras won't want to sign at a discount after a down year.
Tim
2:24
How much money do you think Tatis left on the table? I think he could have been a $40 mil player if he kept up this type of production
Steve Adams
2:26
Yeah, if he'd gotten to free agency at 26, I would imagine we're talking $400MM+ over a period of 10-13 years. He basically signed the Machado deal four years before hitting the market. I think the Padres got a pretty good deal, honestly.

On a related note: Holy cow did Acuna sell himself short. That's been apparent since the day he signed, but this really drives it home.
Justin Upton
2:26
Will I stay healthy this season? Can I hit 30hr 100rbi???
Steve Adams
2:29
If I could successfully predict whether a given player would stay healthy, I would be making seven or eight figures for some team's front office!

I'll say Upton's batted-ball profile last year was way better than his actual numbers. Still has near elite exit velocity, well above-average hard hit rate. A .378 expected wOBA when he makes contact is strong. I like him as a rebound candidate.

...If he can avoid the IL.
Tommy boy
2:30
who has a better shot at making the Yankee roster: Derek Dietrich or Jay Bruce?
Steve Adams
2:30
Dietrich can play more positions and might have more left in the bat at this point. Certainly walks more.
AJ
2:31
WHIP is becoming a dated stat. Why wouldn't they track a pitchers SLG (against) you'd at least be able to measure the quality of the hit vs WHIP?
Steve Adams
2:33
WHIP is a fantasy baseball stat. It's never been particularly good at predicting a pitcher's performance or telling us anything about how well he actually pitched. A bunt single and a home run shouldn't be weighted equally. There are tons of better stats -- you could look at a opponents' wOBA, xwOBA, wRC+, his K-BB% if you want something more basic.
Adam
2:33
Taijuan Walker's peripherals look pretty poor. Fluke season or does will his stuff continue to outperform them?
Steve Adams
2:35
Yeah, I don't think he's nearly as good as his 2020 ERA if he goes back out and doesn't tweak anything. But a new org will probably have a slightly different gameplan for him, maybe tweak his pitch selection. He'll be another year further removed from major injury, too, which could impact velocity, movement, etc.

The Mets aren't paying him to be anything more than a fourth starter, though, so even if he regressed the contract is more or less fine. He's making Jason Vargas/Tanner Roark money.
Porcello
2:36
Do I get a MLB contract?
Steve Adams
2:37
I think he should. He's way better than his awful ERA in 2020 made him appear, and he's among the game's most durable arms. Teams will need boring innings this year, and you can feel pretty good penciling Porcello in for 25+ starts -- not sure you can do that with many other free agents.
Steve's Cousin
2:37
Why did you join MLBTR?
Steve Adams
2:39
I saw a job posting here when I was a senior in college, like ... 13 years ago (sigh), and got hired to do a 4- or 5-hour block of work every Sunday. Was a fun way to make a little bit of money on the side as I job hunted. Then several years later there was a full-time opening when Ben Nicholson-Smith got hired by Sportsnet, and I wasn't happy with my actual 9-to-5 gig, so I talked to Tim about whether there'd be a fit for me to move into a full-time role. Thankfully, that worked out.
Matt W
2:39
Assuming Garrett Crochet were to start in the bigs this year, which high-powered reliever has a better season: Crochet or Devin Williams?
Steve Adams
2:40
Williams did it over a larger (still small) sample and didn't finish the year with a concerning arm injury. I love Crochet as well, but I'm going Williams.
Rangers29
2:40
Can Joey Gallo put together an MVP season? Best power hitter in the game.....
Steve Adams
2:41
And a very underrated defensive player, too. Still, even as voters lean more toward OBP and broader offensive contributions (wRC+, etc), I think a lot of them would have a hard time putting a .200 to .230 average atop their MVP list.
"MVP list"?!
Ballot
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