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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 5/25/18
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Steve Adams
2:44
I wouldn't call it an abundance until it's actually on the roster and performing well. Santana will get a rotation spot, obviously. I think May winds up in the 'pen. Gonsalves and Mejia (more so Gonsalves) are the first line of defense against an injury.
Cashman
2:44
Wade and McKinney for HAMELS?
Steve Adams
2:44
I don't think Hamels is teeming with surplus value on that contract, but that's not getting it done.
John
2:46
Whay do you make of the Chris Davis/Jim Palmer comments?
Steve Adams
2:49
It's weird to see someone in that role call a player out, but he's paid to be an analyst and a commentator -- not a cheerleader for the team. That said, my brief skimming of his comments left me with the interpretation that he was kind of calling Davis' work ethic and willingness to change (or lack thereof) into question, which is too far. I'm sure this is all killing Davis, and I firmly believe Showalter when he says as much, even if Crush doesn't wear it on his sleeve. (Can we still call him "Crush"?)

There's a way to criticize without crossing over into disrespect or borderline insulting.
2:50
Phone call one second sorry
2:51
Aaaaaaand back
Chad
2:51
Do you have a real job outside of MLBTR? I'd imagine your salary isn't enough to live on.
Steve Adams
2:52
By some stroke of luck, MLBTR is indeed my full-time job. I was in web advertising, web marketing, SEO, technical writing and some UI/UX stuff prior to doing this. I grew to hate it haha.
Kevin Cash
2:52
Wilson Ramos for Jo Adell and another prospect?
Steve Adams
2:52
Angels aren't giving up Adell for a rental catcher.
Uhhmmm
2:53
Broadcasters shouldn't be cheerleaders? Clearly you're not subjected to the Nationals feed.
Steve Adams
2:54
I listen to the Nats from time to time and did so earlier this week for Soto's debut! (Which was amazing)

Most broadcasters do give off the cheerleader vibe, I just said I don't feel like they should. They shouldn't be calling for guys' heads, either, but you can walk that line and present things in an unbiased manner that is largely rooted in reality and rationalism. Not sure there are many (any?) of those.
Dan
2:54
Could the Braves possibly get back Kevin Maitan if they offered the Angels Julio Teheran in a deal? I understand Teheran has lost a lot of value.
Steve Adams
2:56
They've both lost a lot of value, but the Braves are in it right now, and while Teheran isn't very good at this point, he can at least absorb innings for them at a reasonable rate. And they're hardly exploding with other established arms to take his place. There's tons of upside in the system, obviously, but that pitching staff has tons of uncertainty as well.
Medic Mike
2:57
Cubs, Nationals, Dodgers who turns it around and ends up in first by the all star break?
Steve Adams
2:57
I'd take the Nats of that bunch, though I think all three are better than they've played to date.
Still an O's fan
2:58
I know this really depends on a lot and may be an unanswerable, but assuming the O's trade Machado, Britton, Givens and maybe others, how long before they are competitive? I still like their young core of Mancini, Sisco, Gausman, etc.
Steve Adams
3:00
I don't assume they're going to be able to get anything for Britton right now. He was decent but not great when healthy last season, he's making $12MM, and we have no idea what he'll look like when he returns.

Machado isn't going to bring them a franchise-changing haul as a rental; he'll probably net them one really nice prospect/MLB-ready piece and another couple of mid-tier assets. Givens, they don't seem to have any inclination to trade, but I think they should.

Honestly, Gausman and Bundy are the types of guys they should be marketing. This club isn't going to be competitive for years and would be better off being entirely gutted.
Wrote about that at length earlier this month:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/05/the-orioles-need-a-complete-ove...
White sox gloom
3:01
White Sox make a big splash and offer harper or Machado a ton of money.   Is it out of the question?
Steve Adams
3:02
I don't think it's out of the question, though I don't think it's necessarily likely either. They have the funds to do so, but you're talking about a team that's never spent more on a single contract than Abreu's $68MM deal suddenly shelling out $350MM+ for one player.
Oh Brother, Where's Art Howe?
3:02
If a team offered up a significant package centered around a top prospect (say, top 50 MLB prospect) for Cole Hamels, might that get Texas to eat a portion of the option Hamels presumably requires to waive his NTC?
Steve Adams
3:03
I think that's too much to give up for Hamels, which means sure it might convince Texas to kick in some cash. But I don't think you're going to see them pay $15MM of his remaining contract or anything.
Could see them paying the $6MM they'd have owed for the buyout or something, maybe.
Jo
3:04
When Iglesias returns to the Reds, do you see teams jumping on him if he shows he is healthy? Is he worth Nick Gordon plus another player?
Steve Adams
3:05
I have to think he'll be more available than he was a year ago, especially since the Reds have some other relievers who are performing well. I wouldn't give up Gordon+ for him, no. Probably wouldn't even give up Gordon alone, though that's the type of player they'd certainly be asking for. I just don't love trading a huge haul for bullpen arms, personally.
PEDs stink
3:07
Why can't players who have PED violations see their contracts voided? Get them out of the game.
Steve Adams
3:09
I genuinely feel like that's opening Pandora's Box. Can you imagine the craziness that would ensue if Ellsbury suddenly tested positive but swore he didn't knowingly take anything? There'd be allegations of the team slipping him something to get out of the contract. And, honestly, I wouldn't put it past a team to do something along those lines at some point (not indicating Steinbrenner/Cashman/Yankees -- just a general statement)

We're talking tens and hundreds of millions of dollars on the line in these things. When that amount of money is on the line, people will go to awful extremes.

Players are always going to look for an edge and a way to cheat. They have for generations, whether it was filing down the ball, taking amphetamines in the 70s or PEDs now.
Emerson
3:10
aj reed for kelvin Herrera straight up...
Steve Adams
3:11
I'd be interested if I'm the Royals. That type of skill set -- 1B only -- is fairly easy to find, but Herrera is a rental piece, and Reed could step directly onto the MLB roster.

Not sure the Astros would be willing to part with that type of MLB-ready depth when they'll probably have a DH opening in the offseason.
That Girl
3:11
When a baseball team reports the attendance for a game, do they use the number of people who are in the stands or do they report the number if tickets that sold?
Steve Adams
3:12
Usually tickets sold, though someone reported that the Marlins are actually reporting in-park attendance figures, which I have to say I respect considering how awful they've bee.
been
Andrew
3:12
With Jesus Aguilar basically being the Brewers best hitter right now, what do they do with Thames when he returns? He was off to another powerful start, think he'd have good trade value?
Steve Adams
3:12
Thames is weeks away from a return, maybe months. The situation won't be the same by then, so there's no need to worry about it.
3:13
A month ago, Hanley Ramirez had a .400 OBP and a .900 OPS
Baseball Fan
3:13
Percentage chance Manny Machado ends up with the Cubs...
Steve Adams
3:14
They'll be in the mix.

Soap box moment: Columns that put "odds" or "percentages" on the chances of so and so being traded to / signing in a certain spot (especially this time of year) are absurd and more or less completely fabricated. We'd be much, much better off without them.
3:15
The truth is, even the Cubs don't know what their chances of landing Machado are, because as Epstein has stated publicly, there's been basically no talks to this point. Teams just aren't in that phase right now. Everything trade-wise is in its infancy. There are teams right now that'll be aggressively trying to get Machado in July that probably have no idea they'll be aggressively trying for him.
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