You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/6/23
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Steve Adams
1:29
I just don't see Ezequiel Duran maintaining this output unless he continues to refine his approach. To his credit, he's done that some; after walking once in his first 100 PAs he's walked six times in 51 PA since. But it's still a perilously low OBP floor that's predicated on maintaining a sky-high average on balls in play -- the type that very few players are able to do over the long run.

I think he has a role with them moving forward, but it's more of a part-time super-sub role for me unless he can cut back on his massive swinging-strike and chase rates. He's in the fourth percentile of MLB hitters in laying off pitches off the plate. That's not great.
Blaze
1:29
Does Ramon Laureano have any trade value?
Steve Adams
1:31
He does, it's probably just not what everyone would've expected a few years ago. He's not walking much, his strikeouts are up, the power and speed are down. I'm sure some teams would still like to buy low on the ceiling, knowing that at worse he's a decent fourth outfielder, but I can't see him drawing a premium return unless he gets back to his 2018-21 form in real short order.
Wasted $27
1:32
When is Seattle going to put us all out of our misery and cut Kolten?
Steve Adams
1:33
At this point I have to imagine it's sooner than later; it's "only" 128 PAs, but part of the reason it's "only" that number is that he's been so bad they've given his playing time to Jose Caballero, who has flat out run with it. It's just not a good use of a roster spot, and there's no real hope of getting anything of value in a trade. Makes sense to just move on sooner than later.
Charlie O
1:33
With the surge from Diaz do you think Manzardo has become expendable for trade conversations?
Steve Adams
1:35
I don't think the Rays (or many teams) look at things like "We have this guy performing well at this position, so this minor leaguer is now expendable." Perhaps with catchers who have little utility elsewhere, you see a bit more of that. But Yandy can play either infield corner and DH. Manzardo can give them a needed LH bat at 1B/DH. And the Rays generally play platoon matchups more than most clubs.

I don't think they're entirely closed off to trades involving Manzardo, if only because the Rays are rarely ever closed off to anything. But I also don't subscribe to the theory that since Diaz is hitting so well, they'll be out there shopping Manzardo to other teams.
Emo
1:36
Will Drew Pomeranz have any market this offseason to at least sign a prove it minor league deal assuming he can finally put his injury troubles past him for the time being or is he just done?
Steve Adams
1:37
Of course he'll have at least minor league appeal if he's open to that type of contract. Trevor Rosenthal, Ken Giles, etc. -- the list of formerly high-end relievers with health troubles who keep finding such deals isn't short. Pomeranz is super talented, and some team will take what amounts to a no-risk flier on him at the very least.
Jackson Chourio
1:38
Odds I get called up this year?
Steve Adams
1:39
Slim. He's 19 and holding his own in Double-A against much older competition, but he's not shredding opposing pitchers or anything. Chourio won't even turn 20 until next March. I wouldn't bank on seeing him this year.
Jackson Holliday
1:39
When will my first MLB game be? I’m obliterating minor league pitching.
Steve Adams
1:40
Similar answer. Holliday's obliterating minor league pitching ... but he's a 19-year-old obliterating Class-A and High-A. I could see a 2024 promotion if he just keeps ripping through the minors, but not this year.
BBFAN
1:40
Chances the reds trade either Alexis Diaz or Jonathan India with their influx of Infielders and potential for a Edwin Diaz like hall for Alexis?
Steve Adams
1:42
I know everyone loves to jump on the "Alexis' brother pitches in New York so the Mets should trade for him" speculation that somewhat inexplicably arose after Edwin's WBC injury, but there's no real reason to trade Diaz's remaining 4.5 years of club control. Sure, if someone makes them a comical offer, but when was the last time any club paid that kind of price for a reliever at the deadline? In general, trades of players with 4+ years of club control beyond the current season are exceedingly rare.

India isn't in a much different spot with 3+ years of service left, and it already seems like they're pretty uninterested in dealing him:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/06/reds-disinclined-to-trade-jonat...
Who says no?
1:43
Rengifo and Davidson for Barlow and Garrett.
Steve Adams
1:43
Kansas City
Matt McClain
1:43
Will I be playing 2B soon?
Steve Adams
1:44
Think you'll just see McLain/EDLC on the left side of the infield, Steer in a 1B/3B/DH role, India at 2B.

Once healthy, Senzel back in the OF, into a utility role, or traded elsewhere all make some sense.
Balti-more rotation help
1:44
If the O's are still in the race a month from now, do you see them going after a GREAT 3 month rental starter or a good starter with a few years of control seeing as how their (hopefully) playoff window is just opening, or both? And who would be the candidates in each of those camps?
Steve Adams
1:49
Someone with multiple years of club control makes far more sense, given where they're at. They're just coming out of this rebuild cycle, and to trade significant long-term value for a short-term rental runs counter to their yearslong efforts. Unfortunately for the O's (and for most teams seeking SP help), it just doesn't seem like it's going to be a great market for starters.

Everyone talks about Dylan Cease, but the odds of that seem beyond slim. Shane Bieber, perhaps, but he's pitching like a fourth/fifth starter right now and the AL Central is weak. Maybe some veterans like Drew Smyly or Trevor Williams will be out there affordably (in terms of prospects), but neither is a huge difference maker. It's going to be tough for SP-needy teams, and we'll probably see some unexpected names pop up on the market.
Phillies Fan
1:50
What does Darick Hall's impact look like when he comes back?
Steve Adams
1:51
All-or-nothing damage from the left side against RHP -- similar to 2022
David Ross
1:51
How much of the Cubs' poor performance can be placed on my shoulders?
Steve Adams
1:52
He didn't build that bullpen, decide "Yes, signing Eric Hosmer as our starting 1B is a good decision," sign Tucker Barnhart or trade Zach McKinstry for nothing.
1:53
In any organization, the blame is wide-reaching, and there are probably some things Ross could do better, but the Cubs' roster wasn't exactly a juggernaut heading into the yeear.
Corbin Burnes
1:53
where do u see me pitching in august ?
Steve Adams
1:53
With the Brewers
Melchez
1:53
Does anyone miss the pitchers batting?  It was blasphemy when it was suggested.
Steve Adams
1:55
I'm sure some people do. I grew up watching AL baseball primarily though, so I was plenty ready to stop watching pitchers flail away. When the best counterargument for why pitchers should hit is, "But this guy hit .172/.232/.292!" (MadBum's career line), it's not a hard sell for me.
Do you miss pitchers hitting?
Yes. Bring back old NL rules. (30.8% | 107 votes)
 
Nope. Universal DH all day. (69.2% | 240 votes)
 
Total Votes: 347
Steve Adams
1:56
What is wrong with Sandy? He has not been the same pitcher this year. What can be done to fix him?
Steve Adams
1:59
His strikeouts are down, walks are up, grounders are down. Everything's a bit worse across the board. Alcantara was never an elite bat-misser, and I can't help but think the Marlins' decision to just say "screw defense" so they can get more singles (Arraez, Segura) is having plenty of adverse effects on not only Alcantara but several of their pitchers.

Miguel Rojas is one of the best defensive SS in baseball when healthy, and the Marlins traded him for no immediate help. He quickly got hurt in LA, yes, but we can't know that'd have happened in Miami. Nearly their entire defense is comprised of guys playing out of position. The team BABIP is up 10 points for last year, which isn't huge but isn't completely meaningless -- and the infield in particular has seen defensive downgrades at shortstop and the hot corner.
2:00
I'm still buying an Alcantara turnaround to some extent, but as good as Arraez's start has been, I thought the Marlins' offseason slate of moves was downright perplexing and that it was a square-peg/round-hole situation for them to begin with.
Jamie
2:00
Would gunnar,Stowers,and DL Hall be enough to get Bieber for the Orioles from Cleveland?
Steve Adams
2:01
There is no way the Orioles would give that up for Bieber
2:03
I understand Bieber's name value, but he's working with a career-low fastball velo right now. His K% is down eight percentage points from last year to a career-worst 16.9%, and he's walking 1.5x times as many guys as he did in 2022. This isn't the same mid-90s, 80-grade command ace who won the AL Cy Young Award in the shortened 2020 season.

If you just looked at the numbers, the salary ($10MM) and club control (arb-eligible only through 2024), Bieber wouldn't even look appealing. The main thing that's intriguing about him is his track record, but his velo's down 3 mph from its peak, he's not missing bats, and he's not limiting walks.
2:05
I'm not saying he's utterly devoid of trade value, but I also don't see how his trade value could even be as high as, say, Jose Berrios' was a couple summers ago when the Twins got a pair of 50-FV, reasonably near-MLB-ready prospects for him (Austin Martin, Simeon Woods Richardson). Peak Bieber is obviously better than peak Berrios ever was, but peak Bieber is nowhere to be seen right now.

This feels a lot like Madison Bumgarner, where his name brand kept people thinking of him as an ace even as his results and especially his peripherals continued to decline.
Alex
2:06
Why is it that MLB TR is the only source I can find that says Bartolo Colon isn’t actually retiring?
Steve Adams
2:07
As we noted over the weekend, his representatives directly refuted that report.
Connecting…