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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 3/29/22
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Angry Dan Duquette
2:34
Can the Orioles afford Michael Conforto and is it a good idea for a one year deal?
Steve Adams
2:36
Of course they can. Their payroll is like $60MM-ish, and 23 of that is going to a retired Chris Davis.

If the Orioles offered Conforto a year and $20MM or something, I don't know how he turns it down right now. But, I doubt they will. The O's would have to give up their third-highest draft pick for signing Conforto, and since they named Mike Elias GM three years ago and started this interminable rebuild, they haven't spent more on any free agent than the $7MM they gave Jordan Lyles this winter.
cneitz23
2:36
I still don't get the KBryant deal...who were the Rockies bidding against?
Steve Adams
2:37
Tim Dierkes, Anthony Franco and I were texting in the aftermath of that deal and asking this same question. Genuinely curious whether there was anyone within even $30-40MM of their bid, but we can't know for certain now.
Ghost of Longoria
2:38
TB needs another innings eater, don’t they?
Steve Adams
2:38
I imagine when the Rays need innings, a pitcher will just materialize out of thin air and give them like 3 months of 3.39 ERA ball
Seems to be how it goes down there.
Dan
2:39
Would Cueto be a good sign in D.C.? They seriously need pitching and he is a spectacular fit.
Steve Adams
2:39
Yup. Very much so.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
2:39
Am I the face of the Miami Marlins beyond 2022? Or am I just going to get traded like many great Marlins before me?
Steve Adams
2:39
Might be Trevor Rogers, Sandy Alcantara, Max Meyer or any number of pitchers, but broadly speaking I expect Jazz to be among the core pieces and don't think he'll be traded in the near future.
MattTheOneAndOnly
2:40
The Astros will need to trade for more starting pitching at the trade deadline to compete for a World Series this year…yes or no? If yes, you thinking a guy like Luis Castillo from the Reds or more like a Johnny Means from Baltimore? If no, bullpen maybe?
Steve Adams
2:42
I actually quite like the Astros' pitching depth. McCullers setback hurts, but it doesn't sound like he's going to miss a massive portion of the season. Verlander, McCullers, Framber, Garcia, Urquidy, Javier, Odorizzi -- that's seven big-league caliber starters right there, plus depth options like Tyler Ivey, Brandon Bielak, Peter Solomon, Hunter Brown...
2:43
Not to mention Forrest Whitley, who's rehabbing TJ still.
2:44
It's better depth than a lot of teams who also harbor postseason aspirations.

I can see the 'pen eventually needing some love, but I like the back-end group of Pressly, Neris and Stanek quite a bit.
Adams Steve
2:44
It's so frustrating that the White Sox are going with two first baseman in RF when they can just sign Conforto.
Steve Adams
2:46
I genuinely do not understand why the Sox haven't either signed Conforto or made some kind of trade beyond Haseley. No, they're not deep in prospects, but there have been available options that could've been had without requiring an elite prospect package. The Rays are probably going to carry Kiermaier to begin the season, for instance, but I'm sure they wouldn't have minded shedding the money he's still owed since they have Margot, Josh Lowe, Arozarena, Meadows, Phillips, etc.
2:47
It's hard to believe they're not at ownership's limit when you look at the route they took at 2B/RF.
Phillies Phan
2:47
Should the Phillies look to extend Hoskins now since he is coming off of an injury shortened season? If he has a monster year he can get expensive.
Steve Adams
2:48
Extensions for Boras Corporation clients aren't common in the first place (though they're not unheard of), and I think it's particularly unlikely Hoskins takes one when he's coming off an injury.
One second, sorry
2:49
Back -- had to take a quick phone call
BlueJaysFan
2:50
Is the current "predicted" roster for 2022 better than the one that walked of the field in September 2021? IMO no but time will tell.
Steve Adams
2:53
I can see where you're coming from, with both Ray and Semien gone. I don't believe the gap between Gausman and Ray is enormous, and it's eminently possible to me that Gausman is more valuable in 2022 and beyond.

The 2021 season will probably go down as Semien's peak year, and he couldn't be expected to repeat that even if he'd re-signed. Also, even though they're losing those two, they'll get a full season of Berrios and Manoah, plus a hopefully healthier season from Springer and more contributions from Pearson. I'm bullish on a Chapman rebound, as well.

If you want to say it is not concretely better, I wouldn't fight you on that, but I think it has the potential to be a deeper and more talented group overall.
Dave Mc
2:54
I get Orioles not wanting to lose a draft pick for Conforto, but why not pick up Myers and whatever prospect the Padres will attach? O’s have the lowest payroll in baseball, right? Build the farm.
Steve Adams
2:56
I don't have a great answer. I think they should be doing things just like that. I can understand not wanting to take playing time from Hays, Mullins and Mountcastle, but Myers in a corner over Santander would be totally defensible if it netted a decent prospect from San Diego, and it'd give O's fans one more competent bat worth caring about for a bit. Plus, Myers is still a decent hitter -- could potentially get a decent showing out of him, flip him at the deadline and include cash to get another small bit of young talent.
Mark
2:57
Do you think the Ms trade for an SP or let the prospects take over the 5th spot?
Steve Adams
2:57
I lean more toward the young kids at this point, but they'll be open to midseason dealings earlier than most if it's not going well.
Vinnie Barbarino
2:57
If the Cubs are bad again this year, does the David Ross hotseat start to crank up? From the outside it seems like he's basically bulletproof, but maybe I'm wrong about that.
Steve Adams
2:57
They just extended him like a week ago.
Guest
2:58
Who has the next realistic shot at 500 home runs? Cruz is at 449 but I don't know if he can reach that. Stanton is at 347 which means it's definitely attainable, health permitting. Trout is at 310 but again, his health is always a concern. If Stanton does indeed reach 500 homers with a WAR around 60, do you see him as a HOF candidate?
Steve Adams
2:59
Agree that Cruz may not have time, but I'm not going to bet against the dude. Wouldn't not be crazy to me if he mashed for two more years and got there.

Stanton and Trout both seem likely enough to me, and yes to a 500-homer, 60-WAR Stanton going into the Hall.
Phillies
2:59
With the Haseley trade does that open the door for Conforto to the Phillies to play center? They only have 5 outfields on there 40 man with a spot open.
Steve Adams
3:00
I've wondered about this. It's not crazy to think they'd shrug and play Conforto or Bryce in CF and really just punt defense for offense. And they've already given up a pick to sign Castellanos, so the penalty for signing Conforto is lessened.
3:01
Twins strike me as an interesting fit for similar reasons -- diminished penalty. Sign Conforto, include a corner OF type like Larnach in a trade for pitching, play Kirilloff at 1B, Sano primarily at DH.
Pirates just optioned Oneil Cruz
3:02
That sucks.
3:03
Cruz has absolutely destroyed baseballs at every stop of his pro career, including brief AAA and MLB looks last year and so far in camp this year. Was hoping the fact that he got called up for a couple games late last year might open the door for him to break camp with the MLB club.
Padrefan
3:05
Is the Beatty the new padres left fielder
Steve Adams
3:05
He'll get some time there but he won't be the everyday guy, no
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