JotCast | Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 2/6/24

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

Steve Adams

1:28

There were never an abundance of them. The Rays listen on everyone. They wound up dropping their payroll considerably via other moves. Someone could still make an offer for Arozarena that pushes them to really consider it, but I don't think he ever necessarily felt likely to be moved. If the Rays move another bat right now, Harold Ramirez seems far more probable.

Sam and Dave

1:28

Las Vegas mayor states - "they should just go back to Oakland and work things out". Thoughts?

Steve Adams

1:28

I saw the brief clip of her comments but haven't been able to read the full context yet so not sure what to make of that one snippet.

Ryder

1:28

Ketchup on a steak ok?

Steve Adams

1:29

Never ever for me, but eat what you like.

Curse of Mike DiFelice

1:29

Gary Sanchez to Arizona? They need a backup C and the righthanded side of a dh platoon.

Steve Adams

1:31

Feel like Gary did enough last year to get a bigger role than that. I have to think at a certain point one of the FL teams would be fine with a one-year deal and a bunch of incentives. He arguably did enough to get a two-year deal, but that hasn't seemed to be in the cards thus far.

At this point, could wait a couple weeks to see if there's an early injury to a starting catcher somewhere as well.

1:31

Are the Twins still looking for another RH bat or is the Santana signing the end of their additions?

Steve Adams

1:32

They still don't have the RH outfield bat to serve as Buxton insurance in CF and to help take some corner ABs from Wallner/Kepler plus mix in at DH. They were looking for that piece even before trading Polanco and signing Santana, and their payroll is right back where it was prior to that sequence.

Mady Chapllinger

1:32

Chapman's two possible destinations are the Giants and Cubs, but the Cubs are more focused on Bellinger. There seems to a huge conflict of interest with Scott Boras pitting the two teams against each other for Chapman. If the Cubs sign Chapman, it basically eliminates them from Bellinger with no clear spot or leverage for Bellinger. Thoughts?

Steve Adams

1:35

I've lost count of the number of times I've thought the market for free agent X was basically confined to 1-2 teams and then seen a random entrant jump into the mix late. The Cubs and Giants are obvious fits for both Bellinger and Chapman -- probably the most obvious (though I'd also throw the Jays in on Chapman). But one spring injury, one trade to free up some money or create a need elsewhere ... things shake loose quickly.

One of the remaining Boras guys will probably take a "disappointing" contract, but even when that happens they usually end up back on the market a year later and get paid. I know fans love to root for Boras Corp to fail, but I don't really get the animosity and hatred. And more often than not, they end up cashing in

1:36

Even when Moustakas (random example) wound up having to settle for 6.5 after rejecting a QO, he went out and made 10 the next year and 4/64 the following offseason. Not the worst outcome. Kendrys Morales and Dallas Keuchel both wound up getting paid after going the short-term route under Boras one offseason as well.

midwest giants fan

1:37

joey bart, casey schmitt, and a pitching prospect for adames - who turns it down?

Steve Adams

1:38

Unless that pitching prospect is Kyle Harrison (or maybe Carson Whisenhunt I guess), that doesn't move the needle. Bart's trade value is negligible, and Schmitt's debut was ugly.

Mike Elias

1:39

Is Kimbrel and Burnes a good offseason?

Steve Adams

1:39

Have the Orioles done enough this offseason?

Yup! (53.8% | 301 votes)

Good start but need more. (40.3% | 225 votes)

Not even close. (5.9% | 33 votes)

Total Votes: 559

Alex Anthopoulos

1:40

Can I count with at least 130 innings of Chris Sale or should I prepare for less?

Steve Adams

1:41

Sale will be 35 in March and hasn't pitched 130 innings since 2019. If he gets there for you, great, but you have to consider that a bonus. I'd personally bank on fewer than 100 innings.

1:42

FWIW on the Orioles question, I think getting Burnes is great, but the I see no reason the O's should stop there.

Baseballjunkie

1:42

Giants have to add another starting pitcher right?

Steve Adams

1:42

I cannot fathom how they could go into the season with this group of arms and think "Yeah we're good here." That was true even before they traded Stripling. They should be working to add two more starters.

Mike Elias

1:43

Surprise, I signed Montgomery and traded Kremer + prospects for Devin Williams. Now John Means is my #5.

Steve Adams

1:45

I think you're underestimating Williams' trade value, but I suppose it depends on your definition of "prospects." If you're talking Mayo+, sure. If you're saying like ... Kyle Stowers and Justin Armbruster or something, no.

But to your broader point, that's kind of what I was alluding to before. Burnes is a great start but Baltimore's system is so deep and the core is so strong. Like ... they could very easily go get Dylan Cease without weakening their big league roster much. Or sign Montgomery if ownership allows, sure. There's just room for more.

1:46

What are the odds that Snell doesn't sign until the QO doesn't affect him anymore?

Steve Adams

1:46

I'd be stunned with him more so than with any of the other guys. And I don't think any of them will go that route.

Brew Crew Fan

1:47

Thoughts on the Junis signing? Seems like a potential under the radar signing.

Steve Adams

1:48

I like the price for them. I was the "low" guy on Junis when we were doing our Top 50 free agent list (Tim and Anthony were more bullish), but that was more because I didn't think he'd get two years than because I disliked the pitcher in particular. It's a nice move that I think will pay off more than a lot of people realize. And if not ... well, they didn't risk much to find out.

Lt Data

1:48

What is the trade value on Devin Williams? Is it basically the Hader-to-Padres package, or in that range?

Steve Adams

1:48

You're getting two full seasons of Williams at a lower financial price point than Hader had. He should command more in a trade than Hader did.

1:49

Do you think the Twins still might try to sign/trade for another SP? Or will any other moves just be for an OF bat?

Steve Adams

1:50

They're still exploring/open to that possibility, sure. Doesn't make it likely of course, but hard to believe a team would get DeSclafani at 34 years old coming off a down season and say "Ok, now we're set here." (Not intended as a knock on DeSclafani, to be clear, but he's hardly a surefire upgrade as it stands)

MarioSoto

1:51

What one additional move do the Reds need to make to be considered leader in their division?

Steve Adams

1:53

I'd have liked to see them condense some of the infield and/or SP depth they have into a more concrete upgrade in the rotation. I like the Montas play for them, but Nick Martinez doesn't do much for me there. He's probably an upgrade over some of the back-end guys they had in house, but not by a sizable margin. They felt like (or still feel like) the type of team that could really put together an interesting young players-for-young players swap to get one of the Marlins/Mariners SP.

I think a move like that's unlikely now -- but a clearer rotation upgrade alongside an upside play that I quite liked (Montas) would've made me feel more strongly about their division chances.

Guest

1:54

The Jays have 6 INF bench pieces and only 2 everyday players. What could possibly go wrong?

Steve Adams

1:54

Yeah their infield mix is wholly underwhelming. There's just no getting around that it's been a really disappointing and lackluster offseason from them so far.

Kerry Ligtenberg

1:55

Do you see the Braves re-signing Max Fried?

Steve Adams

1:55

I just feel like if it were going to happen, it'd have happened. They let Freddie and Dansby go because they couldn't line up, and it seems that's where Fried is headed too.

Hugh Sezno

1:56

Is the "he can be flipped for prospects" at the deadline a weak argument to sign someone? I say this as the Nats had to pay down Jeimer's salary last year (a guy who hit it big time) to merely get a lesser rated prospect(s). And this was the best possible outcome (see Dickerson for an actual bad outcome for the Nats). Thanks for the chat.

Steve Adams

1:58

I don't think so, especially not for a team in the Nationals' spot. There's something to be said for at least fielding a competent roster in the first half, and sure they had to pay some cash down to get the offer they liked from the Cubs, but that was pretty marginal cash and the amount they pay shouldn't matter anyhow.

You're probably never going to get a franchise-altering return for that type of deadline flip candidate, but good teams need good role players, and a lot of those guys can end up as future trade fodder themselves when the team is coming out of the rebuild.

1:59

When the only real downside is an already bad team that's spending well below its payroll ceiling "wastes" five or six million bucks on a veteran who ends up getting DFA'ed or released, the "risk" is pretty minimal.

Connecting…