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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/24/25
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Steve Adams
1:32
They're both young superstars repped by Scott Boras. Gore is already only 2.5 years from free agency. I don't see either being extended, but the price on both is well into nine figures. Gore would probably be eyeing Crochet's $170MM extension and looking to top it. Wood is good, I don't even know. $200MM+? He's an absolute monster.
Phone call, one second
1:33
Ok
Pirate Maximus
1:33
What happened to candelario?  A low average slugger to dfa?  Age, injury or other?
Steve Adams
1:34
He was injured for a lot of his time in Cincinnati. I'm surprised he fell off so sharply, but it sounds like he played through a fair bit of pain, at least in year one. I liked the deal for them at the time. Well above-average hitter in three of the four seasons prior to signing, with the exception being a 2022 season wrecked by shoulder problems.
Cubbie
1:35
Would the Cubs consider making a move for Gore?   What would it cost prospect wise?
Steve Adams
1:39
Any team that needs pitching would love to. Cubs included. The cost would be obscene, though. Like Horton, Shaw and then some? You're talking 2.5 years of someone who increasingly looks like a genuine No. 1 starter and who has the prospect pedigree that's always suggested that outcome is in there.

You're not getting him without multiple 50-FV types and/or young big leaguers. Plus, the Nationals are going to want to contend sooner than later. They're four seasons into this rebuild. It would need to be a massive return. Gore has the second-highest K% of any qualified starter. Even if you include all qualified relievers, he's 18th in K% -- and he's doing it with a plus walk rate. He's up there with Skubal and Wheeler in terms of K-BB% and trailing only Skubal and Cease in swinging-strike rate.
Not Mark P
1:40
Quick and easy one. Geno back to Seattle. Maybe?
Steve Adams
1:40
"Maybe," sure. But as I said before re: Jeimer, lots of teams could use some 3B help. Yankees, Brewers, Tigers, etc. etc.
James Wood Money
1:41
I think I’m worth more like Vlad G money right?  500 million extension or more.
Steve Adams
1:42
Wouldn't be surprised if that's the sort of deal Boras was eyeing long-term. If you told me right now the price was over $300MM, I wouldn't even blink. James Wood is a superstar.
Ken
1:42
Do you see the A's regretting the Joe Boyle-Jeffrey Springs trade?
Steve Adams
1:43
There'll be all kinds of tentacles to it, namely because I think they'll trade Springs in the next 38 days and then we'll have to sit here saying, "Well the A's gave up Boyle, but then they got XYZ for Springs........."
1:44
Side note, if the Rays have managed to fix Joe Boyle's like ... 30 (??) grade command, I just throw my hands up and wonder what they can't do, pitching-wise.
(Besides, apparently, get good production out of Aaron Civale, which still seems weird)
Clint Eastwood
1:44
Do you think WAR is an overrated stat? Especially since it combines hitting, defense and baserunning equally. Being sub-par in one area can hide your skill in another when I’d honestly rather have a good hitter than a good defender.
Steve Adams
1:47
I don't think it needs to appeal to everyone. You're finishing your question with an opinion -- "I prefer good hitting to good defense" -- when WAR exists to try to function in place of such subjective measures. It boils things down to runs created (whether on offense, defense, baserunning), assigns run values and tries to empirically place a value on a player's entire skill set.

It's of course not flawless, but it's not intended to be used as a be-all, end-all measure of value. MVP voters aren't sitting down thinking, "Oh -- got to fill out my ballot ... let me just sort B-Ref or FanGraphs by WAR, and there we go, there's my list. Copy and submit!"
I think, like any stat, it's useful within its lane and also has fundamental aspects that it can never capture
Cory
1:47
How would you fix whatever mojo the Twins don't have right now?
Steve Adams
1:47
They still have that now 16-month-old rally sausage floating around somewhere?
Tj Friedl
1:48
Should it be me, EDC, or Abbott representing the reds in the ASG?
Steve Adams
1:48
Any of the three are defensible. Could be multiple. Elly should be there for sure.
Last Marlins Fan
1:48
Who's the better prospect? Heriberto Hernandez or Victor Mesa....
Steve Adams
1:49
Mesa, but I don't think either of them is a big league regular.
Ben Fried Rice
1:49
With Senga down, has the Mets pitching been exposed after being shockingly good to start?
Steve Adams
1:51
It's just being tested. They're more talented than they've been recently, but it takes a toll when you lose your ace, get some short starts from the other guys and then have to ask the bullpen to take on a bigger load. Leads to long mop-up stints for guys who shouldn't be in the game anymore but need to save the rest of the group. It gets and looks ugly in a hurry.

The Twins have had basically the exact same thing happen over in the AL. Lost two starters back-to-back, got some short starts from the remaining guys and it all snowballs quickly.

Both teams were among the best all-around staffs in baseball from mid-April through mid-June, and both are better than they've been during the recent slide.
I Miss Vin Scully
1:52
Is Alex Feeland the centerpiece of a trade next month or do you believe the Dodgers keep him?
Steve Adams
1:52
I think they'll be open to listening but aren't going to shop him or anything. Generally how the Dodgers are with their very top prospects. I haven't heard or read anything to suggest that they expressly won't part with Freeland. They did more or less take that stance with Rushing (although for the right player, pretty much anyone is available)
AJ Preller
1:53
Does having to watch James Wood go nuclear so soon after the Soto deal change my wheeling and dealing ways? Or am I still going for broke and sending our (now lacking) top prospects away for a short term fix?
Steve Adams
1:56
AJ Preller trades so much that he's bound to ship out a star. Hasn't stopped him before. Trea Turner immediately broke out in Washington after that trade and Preller shrugged and went right back to working the market.

It stings to see someone blossom into a star like that, but I believe it's also a genuine strength for a GM/president to be able to have the courage to trade those guys anyway. Some execs clearly get paralysis when it comes to trading top-tier talent and frequently watch those prospects slowly bleed value until they're devoid of real value.

Preller has traded away so many "he should be untouchable" types, and more of them have gone the way of Luis Urias than James Wood.

Plus, he indirectly has Cease and Michael King by way of trading Soto, and that'll only create further value both in terms of contending seasons in '24-'25 and potential draft picks if/when they reject QOs
Guest
1:56
thoughts on the Miguel Vargas trade now?
Steve Adams
1:57
I'm on record at the time -- and even into the offseason -- as saying people are too quick to dump on guys like Vargas, who exhaust their prospect/rookie status and don't immediately hit the ground running.
1:58
People were aghast that Fedde/Kopech didn't net a "top 100 prospect" and "only" got Vargas and two others, while ignoring that Vargas was less than a year from being like the No. 40 prospect in baseball and had never gotten a true everyday look in L.A.

I'm wrong about plenty of trades -- PLENTY -- but that was one where I thought the return was far better than a lot of people were giving it credit for.
Dean
1:58
What are the chances the Rays flip HSK if he has a few weeks to show his arm is back?  More or less likely than trading Brandon Lowe?
Steve Adams
1:59
Trading Lowe is way likelier. Kim has the opt-out on his contract that'll make it very difficult to move him. I won't go full broken record, but I say every week how opt-out guys are overwhelmingly difficult to trade.
I think Lowe has a very good chance to be moved.
ORIOLES SCOUTING CUBS PROSPECTS
2:00
That is the rumor going around.  Who might the CUBS want from Baltimore and why??  What would be a prospective package going back to the Orioles??
Steve Adams
2:01
Every team scouts every other team. I don't put tons of stock in "this team sent an extra scout to watch this team." There are probably 10 teams that would like to trade for one or more of Zach Eflin, Cedric Mullins, Ryan O'Hearn, Andrew Kittredge, etc. etc.

Orioles haven't made that call yet, but it behooves them to be as informed as possible if they get there.
Marlins
2:02
Houston wants a LHH, would Jesus Sanchez get Brice Matthews?
Steve Adams
2:02
No, I don't think Sanchez has that kind of value. I also think whichever LHH they get would be better off being able to play both infield and outfield.
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