You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 3/21/23
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat
Steve Adams
1:38
He's been injured so much. I think if he has success in shorter stints -- one and two innings at a time -- in 2023, they'll be pretty tempted  to just leave him there.
Cardinals dude
1:39
We got too many position players to find ABs for everyone, and no top of the rotation guys to count on (I’d be thrilled if Flaherty proved me wrong). Seems it’s time to thin out the pile a bit and make a trade or two. And rotation of number three starters is a non starter come the playoffs. Agree?
Steve Adams
1:39
I agree, but I thought that's been true for much of the offseason and they haven't done it. The supply of top-end starting pitchers is just really thin. A move like that will be likelier this summer.
Brian A
1:40
I may have missed someone's commentary on this, but looking at the Corbin Carroll deal. It seams like he really secured a nice payday, and not much below what he might get on the open market. The $28m after his arbitration years may be below what he'd make if he turns into a top-tier player, but his salaries for pre-arb years and arb years are generous. Any thoughts?
Steve Adams
1:41
That's pretty much my stance on it. The D-backs paid a really big premium to get those extra two guaranteed years and club control over a third one with a pretty expensive club option. The $28MM per FA year won't feel as big six years from now as it does present-day, but the Carroll deal isn't the obvious bargain that some others with comparable service have agreed to. It says a lot about how much the D-backs believe in him, and there's a good bit more risk with this one than a lot of early-career extensions.
Ricky Bobby
1:42
Has Mark Derosa improved his chance of getting a future manger spot with the performance of USA in the WBC?
Steve Adams
1:42
He's already been a frequent candidate in the past. I think managing even a few games in a high-profile tournament and having success does help his cause to some extent, yeah.
Conforto BombsAway
1:43
Conforto hits 30 HRs this year. Over or under?
Steve Adams
1:43
I'm pretty bullish on Conforto but that's steep even for me. He has one 30-homer season in the past, he's moving to a more pitcher-friendly setting, and he's coming off shoulder surgery with zero plate appearances since 2021.
D best
1:44
who do you pick for braves 5th starter
Steve Adams
1:44
Who will be the Braves' fifth starter?
Jared Shuster (79.3% | 88 votes)
 
Dylan Dodd (20.7% | 23 votes)
 
Total Votes: 111
Frank
1:44
Am I one of the few who wants the "ghost runner" to disappear.  I feel it cheapens a victory.
Steve Adams
1:45
Nah. I hate the free runner in extra innings. If you want to lean on it beginning in the 12th or 13th inning or something to prevent true marathons, I can live with that, but I dislike starting right out of the gate in extras.
Adam J
1:46
Of these players, who is the most likely to have a breakout season for the Twins: Kirilloff, Larnach, Lee, Lewis, Julien, Martin, or Wallner?
Steve Adams
1:46
I still think Kirilloff will hit if he can ever get the wrist fully healthy.
BigHurt
1:48
If Colas is the opening day RF, is there still a spot on the bench for Gavin Sheets?
Steve Adams
1:50
Yeah I think Sheets is likely to make the roster regardless. Pretty much all of their other bench options are right-handed, excluding Leury Garcia (switch-hitter). Sheets is a nice LH power bat off the bench who can spend some time at DH, shuffle in against tough righties, etc.
RB
1:50
When does Tyler Soderstrom debut, and what position does he play?
Steve Adams
1:51
The A's seem to think he can catch. I don't think a lot of other teams do. His position probably depends on Shea Langeliers. If Langeliers is really struggling this year and Soderstrom is raking, they could send Shea down and give Soderstrom a look behind the plate.

If Langeliers takes the C job and runs with it, then it's easier for Oakland to break Soderstrom in as a 1B/DH and perhaps more occasional catcher.
Daniel
1:53
If some series of unfortunate events leads to the Dodgers being in an undesirable position in the standings come July, do they consider offloading some players to attempt a CBT (luxury tax) reset? If so, who?
Steve Adams
1:54
I don't expect that to happen, but in this hypothetical scenario, sure I can see them going that route. Peralta, JD Martinez, Daniel Hudson, Noah Syndergaard are all on one-year deals, and shedding the final 40% or so of each of those deals could get them close to a reset. Shelby Miller/Jimmy Nelson/Alex Reyes too, if healthy and pitching well.

They're not going to go out and shop Mookie, Freddie, etc. but jettisoning several short-term pieces could dip them back below the line.
Halo Mojo
1:55
Do you think Patrick Sandoval's performance in the WBC has changed the way people view the 2023 Angel rotation?
Steve Adams
1:55
I've been bullish on Sandoval and the rotation for quite some time:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/09/angels-pitchers-breakouts-reid-...

WBC probably got Sandoval some more exposure, though. But I like him quite a bit and think he's in for a good season in 2023. He and Detmers, in particular, intrigue me among Angels starters.
1:56
I mean, Shohei does too of course. But we all expect him to be great.
Re: that Braves poll, since some people have been asking, I was also in the majority and would vote Shuster.
Walker
1:57
Does Walker make the Cardinals opening day roster?
Steve Adams
1:57
I genuinely don't think the Cardinals have decided this, so we're all just guessing here, but I'll say yes.
Tim
1:58
If cardinals don’t go far in the playoffs which i am sure they won’t how long until mo and girsh get fired?
Steve Adams
1:58
President of baseball ops John Mozeliak just signed another extension like a month ago. He's not in any danger.
St. Paul Pitching Pipeline
2:00
Who do you expect to pitch the most innings for the Twins this year?  Anybody get to that 180-200 inning range?
Steve Adams
2:03
Pablo Lopez or Joe Ryan. Lopez probably likelier to get to 180-200. I wouldn't expect anyone to get to 200 just because I think even with longer leashes they'll still be pretty judicious with times through the order and injuries are inevitable. But if either Lopez or Ryan makes 32 starts, you're talking 5 2/3 innings per outing to get there, which doesn't seem completely impossible. And with 33 you only need a bit more than 5 1/3.

Just as a league-wide rule, I think we'll continue to see 200-inning starters dwindle for awhile.
BravesFan
2:04
Are 200 hits going in the same direction as 200 innings?
Steve Adams
2:05
In the sense that strikeouts are going to remain way higher than previous seasons because pitchers are just better now, yeah to some extent. But I think shift restrictions will help and we'll see a handful of guys per year.
2:06
Alright I've got to wrap up for the week. Thanks, as always, for chatting -- and sorry for all the questions I can't get to in these. I'm on Twitter @Adams_Steve if you're so inclined and always happy to take more questions there.

You can also consider signing up for our Trade Rumors Front Office subscription package, which (among other things) grants you access to a weekly subscriber-only chat, and your odds of getting a question answered in those is obviously much higher. Subscribers also get ad-free viewing, weekly email articles from Anthony and myself, exclusive fantasy baseball advice from Brad Johnson, autograph giveaways and more. It starts at $2.99/month, and you can read more or sign up here:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/membership?ref=chat-3-21-23

Have a great week, everyone!
Connecting…