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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 4/16/19
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Taking A Step Back
4:09
Is the MLBPA just getting absolutely abused by these owners or what?
The players won in arbitration two years in a row for the first time since 1989-1990. The free agent market sucks. The owners say "sign this for security and guaranteed money" and you end up with a Nola/Albies contract. So, there was one singular realm of baseball business where the players were winning, and the owners have found a way to skip over it altogether. Seems like the MLBPA is totally powerless right now.
Steve Adams
4:12
I can't really disagree with anything you put forth there. Ownership created a sense of fear around what used to be the light at the end of the tunnel for players (non-superstar division), and did so with such great effect that they've made it easier than ever to convince players to sign below-market extensions -- thus circumventing the possibility of even moving the arbitration market forward to meaningful extents. The top-end guys (Mookie) will still get theirs, but it's hard to see how even high-quality starters will move the needle forward with all the extensions.

Dontrelle Willis still has the highest Arb1 salary ever for a non-Cy-Young-winning starting pitcher. Nola and Severino both could've broken that this season, but they took extensions. Owners had to collectively rejoice at that.
4:13
German Marquez might've been in position to break that precedent next winter but... extension.
Billy Eppler
4:14
Think I should try to snag Cole and Bauer next offseason to form a nice trio to go along with Ohtani?
Steve Adams
4:14
Generally speaking, I think banking on your team signing ONE top-tier free agent is foolish. Expecting that they'll sign two specific stars teeters on lunacy.
Shock
4:14
MLBTR guys blaming the owners, not the MLBPA or players in general.
Steve Adams
4:15
Word-for-word before "Ultimately, Albies signed the deal"
I also agreed with the previous commenter that the MLBPA has largely failed in allowing the owners to cultivate this climate. But, hey, you keep on seeing what you want to see.
Shock
4:16
People siding with ownership for no real reason
Steve Adams
4:16
Ha
A lot of people seem to think players are greedy and fault them for it but are totally fine with owners being greedy. I don't get it, but oh well. As I said -- see what you want to see.
Roland
4:17
Would the Rockies making a move on Swihart make sense? What would they have to give up?
Steve Adams
4:17
Won't have to give up much, and their catching situation cannot possibly get worse.
Albies
4:18
Do you think he was at least partially influenced by the recent bad contract decisions of Ian Desmond and Jonathan Villar when they turned down extensions?
Steve Adams
4:19
Ian Desmond turned down $107.5MM, with significant deferrals. He then made $17MM in his final two years of arbitration, $8MM in his first FA year and $70MM for his next five.

He shouldn't be a cautionary tale against turning down an extension; he should be proof that more often than not, you'll still come out just fine.
Vince
4:19
Excited for more commenters blasting you for having a different view of the Albies extension?
Steve Adams
4:19
I've ignored most of them, but the volume I'm receiving is legitimately astounding.
Billy Eppler
4:20
They are both UCLA guys it could happen.
Steve Adams
4:20
This is re: Cole and Bauer.

They're both UCLA guys, but it's also well known that they don't particularly like one another.
Bravos
4:21
Minority view here, but I liked the All Star game meaning something with providing home field advantage. It made it feel like a real game instead of, not. Thoughts?
Steve Adams
4:21
I found the notion of an exhibition game, where starting lineup was determined by fans and wherein managers scramble to try to get as many players into the game as possible, having a tangible impact on the outcome of the World Series to be farcical. I couldn't be happier that they did away with it. Let's vote!
4:22
All-Star Game...
Should determine home field advantage in the World Series! It's exciting! (20.7% | 51 votes)
 
It's an exhibition! Tying it to the World Series was crazypants. (79.3% | 195 votes)
 
Total Votes: 246
GoT
4:23
Who ya got?
Steve Adams
4:24
I think one of the dragons is totally going to sit on the iron throne. And squash it.
Deep-Fried Beer
4:24
Does the ability to rake affect Bum's value in free agency? Would he get more $$ in the NL vs AL?
Steve Adams
4:25
He's a career .185/.229/.319 hitter (.218/.260/.408 since 2014).
I mean, he's a better hitter than most pitchers, sure.
4:26
But the whole narrative that Madison Bumgarner is a good hitter is so confusing to me.
Exacto
4:27
What website do you use to pull filtered statistics that quickly, bbref?
Steve Adams
4:27
That was from B-Ref, yeah.
Yonny Chirinos
4:28
How many starts will I make this season?
Steve Adams
4:28
I think he's talented enough to alter their desire to use openers for two spots in the rotation. I'll say he makes more than 20 (actual) starts.
MikeOnTheSpot
4:29
Is Yandy Diaz for real?
Steve Adams
4:29
I think the Rays found a pretty nice value with Yandy; I'm buying him.
Adrian Gonzales
4:29
Will someone give me a chance? I still want to play
Steve Adams
4:30
I doubt it. There are lots of late-30s veterans who still want to play, but not many teams willing to dedicate a roster spot to that type of guy.
4:32
Ok, I have to wrap this up for the week. Thanks all for chatting -- I'm on Twitter @Adams_Steve for more questions or more amusingly aggressive insults stemming from a baseball contract. (Never change, Internet!)

Jeff chats Thursday. Mark on Sunday. Tim next Monday. Me again Tuesday! Take care and have a great week.
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