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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams 3/11/20
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Steve Adams
4:38
Bottom line, though: you can't just expect the entire team to repeat its 2019 numbers while expecting Andujar, Cole, etc. to replicate their own peak performances.
Annoyed Mets fan
4:38
When did this June 15th thing become a thing
Steve Adams
4:39
That's been a rule for as long as I can remember. It's why sign-and-trades aren't a thing in baseball.
Stubby
4:39
Does the two way player rule need to  be tweaked?  It handicaps Lorenzen.
Steve Adams
4:40
It handicaps relievers and pitchers for NL clubs in general, yes. I think they need to be tweaked. Lorenzen has every right to be annoyed; as Rosenthal noted in that story... he started a game in CF last September, came in to pitch 2 shutout innings of relief, then went back to CF and knocked in the game-winning run in the 8th or 9th inning.
4:41
"And I'm not a two-way player?!"

You are, Michael. Hopefully the league acknowledges as much.
Mariner fan
4:41
What do you think the ETA for Julio Rodrigues is
Steve Adams
4:42
He's 19 and has only played 17 games at Class-A Advanced. I'd say 2021 at the earliest.*

(* = Juan Soto has taught me to never fully discount a bonkers talented 19-year-old and his chances at skyrocketing through the minors ... but he's the exception not the rule)
Scuba Steve
4:44
out of the guys at MLBTR, you answer questions BY FAR the SLOWEST out of them all. It's not even close.
Steve Adams
4:45
I type longer answers than Connor, Jeff and Mark as well. Shrug. I mean, I hope you continue to participate, but I'm not going to apologize for typing lengthier answers. We all have different styles.
Phil
4:45
Closer for Marlins will be.....
Steve Adams
4:46
Brandon Kintzler was signed for that role
Eleanor Frisby
4:46
What is the problem with the Yankees and conditioning? Are some of these "superstars" simply taking a snooze like Stanton (who I think is terrified to play in NY), or does that medical staff need to be held accountable?
Steve Adams
4:47
I can guarantee you, Stanton isn't making up injuries to avoid playing in New York. But if I knew the answer to why all of their players were hurt so often, I'd be cashing a six- or seven-figure salary from the Yankees rather than hosting this chat for all of you, haha
Pedey
4:47
Seriously, the Red Sox have ZERO chance at resigning Mookie Betts, correct?
Steve Adams
4:47
Mookie's made it clear that he wants to test the market and get the biggest contract possible. If the Red Sox offer it, he'll go back there.
Jack flaherty
4:47
I think Yasiel Puig should sign with  us
Steve Adams
4:49
If that were going to happen, it'd have happened by now. And I think Dylan Carlson would produce more value than Puig in a full season anyhow. Puig is tons of fun, but he's been closer to average regular than to star since that monster 2014 season.
Angels
4:50
David Fletcher is so underrated. I believe he played to a 3.8 WAR last year. Is he appreciated beyond LA?
Steve Adams
4:50
I love David Fletcher. He probably doesn't get much credit outside of Anaheim, and he might not ever because he doesn't have loud, gaudy tools and instead derives value from high-end glove work and elite contact skills. But he's a real nice player.
Jay
4:51
Do the A's make a trade before opening day?
Steve Adams
4:51
I could see them moving one of their out-of-options infielders, yeah. Won't be a major-scale move or anything, but there's a definite chance of flipping Mateo or Kemp or something.
Trader Joe's
4:52
We should expect several minor deals between now and March 26, right?
Steve Adams
4:52
There'll be a handful of smaller-scale swaps in the final days of spring, yes. We're also not far from the point at which a lot of veterans with spring opt-outs in their minor league deals will trigger those clauses and return to free agency
Buddy
4:53
I'm sure David Fletcher is a nice guy and all, but he "slugged" .384 last year. Is he a useful player? Yes. But let's not go crazy.
Steve Adams
4:55
And this is why players like him are underappreciated. Fletcher played above-average defense at four positions, walked in 8.5% of his plate appearances against just 9.8% strikeouts ... hits for average, gets on base, great with the glove. He's not a superstar, no, but he's a very nice player.
Nathan For You
4:55
Does Nate Pearson make the opening day rotation?
Steve Adams
4:56
Nope. I assume he'll be up this summer.

Nathan For You is perhaps the most underrated show I've ever seen. I cackle uncontrollably even when I watch it alone. I've literally cried laughing watching that on my own. Amazing.
Mike Clevinger
4:57
Licking my chops to get healthy and get traded to a team that will contend this year. Unlikely will be able to do that in the AL Central with the Twinkies and Chi-Sox there
Steve Adams
4:57
Doubt Clevinger is traded even if the Indians are out of contention. He's controlled through 2022.
4:59
(Sorry, had to answer a phone call -- one minute)
5:00
Ok
The truth
5:00
Why are no comments allowed on certain articles ?
Steve Adams
5:04
Because the internet in 2020 is quick to devolve into a cesspool of insults and abhorrent, vitriolic garbage that a lot of people don't want to read. Politics, in particular, bring that out.We get loads of complaints from readers in such cases and generally try to keep our comment sections baseball-related. Policing that isn't worth the effort, and a vocal portion of our readers don't want to see the comments devolve into that in the first place.

It's not realistic to filter out the constant insults users throw at one another, but we do our best to curb it when others flag it, and ideally we'd like things to be as civil and respectful as possible. It's a losing fight in general, but we try to manage things and prevent clear avenues for that sort of thing.
Sotafan
5:05
Nice writeup on the Twins the other day!  I find it comical that so many are down on the rotation this year.  It will be interesting to see how it all sorts out come July.
Steve Adams
5:06
I can understand being down on the rotation; it'll be a middle-of-the-pack group again most likely, and among contenders, they're fairly light in that department. I expect them to pursue high-end pitching in July
Tom
5:06
The tigers look like a 74 win team right?
Steve Adams
5:06
That seems extremely optimistic
Gigantes 2021?
5:07
Farhan showed willingness to spend (Harper) and utilizes under the radar moves as well. Any big names you believe he'll tackle next offseason? Betts...?
Steve Adams
5:08
At that point I think it's more ownership's willingness to spend than Zaidi's. Sure, I can see them looking into Betts next winter, but it'll depend to an extent on how their younger players progress in 2020. And they might be a long shot if Betts is looking at similar offers, as they won't be selling a product that's been winning recently.
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