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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 7/7/20
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John
4:31
Could renato Nunez be a legitimate dh for an NL team looking for one? Orioles could free up the dh slot, and he’s cheap for whoever trades for him
Steve Adams
4:33
Nunez hit 31 home runs in the juiced-ball year, doesn't walk much and has a below-average OBP. Even with the home-run total, his output rated basically league average based on context-neutral metrics like wRC+ and OPS+. I don't think an NL club is going to view him as much of an asset. Most clubs have a league-average bat they can plug into the lineup -- at least by playing matchups.
Stevil
4:35
Among the following topics, which is the least likely to be eliminated or Implemented in the next CBA? QO, NL DH, international draft, ability to trade draft picks, postseason TV revenue sharing & expansion, and minor-league salary increases/benefits...
Steve Adams
4:35
I doubt we'll get an international draft this time around. The universal DH seems almost like a fait accompli at this point.
Yankees Fan
4:37
Do you think Giancarlo Stanton secretly wishes he didn't force his way to the Yankees?
Steve Adams
4:38
He's on a stacked lineup that's going to contend year in, year out. His alternatives were the Giants, Marlins and Cardinals -- and only one of those teams is or has been a contender since the Stanton trade (St. Louis).
Nick
4:38
Does a guy not under team control advance in his contract if he opts out this season (assuming he’s not high risk). For example Jason Heyward is a free agent after 2023. If he chooses not to play, is he still an FA after 2023?
Steve Adams
4:39
Contracts are not pushed back, correct.
E$
4:40
Who is to say the ball won't be similarly juiced this year? Nunez is a .775 - .800 OPS guy on an NL Team, which may be intriguing as a bench bat or DH spot.
Steve Adams
4:41
The ball might be juiced this year, but then everyone else will also benefit from it. Nunez was a league-average hitter in 2020. Teams just aren't going to make a big push to trade for him. I mean, sure if the O's shopped him some clubs would have interest -- but the offers wouldn't be particularly impressive.
Ethan
4:42
What team's rotation is best suited for a 60 game season? Stretches of 18+ consecutive games for some teams will be brutal on starters.
Steve Adams
4:42
Dodgers are insanely deep, they're the first to come to mind for me.
Jerry
4:44
Who do you expect to be the next Royals break-out player/pitcher? Last year we had Soler and Dozier, Whit Merrifield before that... Do you see any of Nicky Lopez, Ryan O'Hearn, Ryan McBroom, Meibrys Viloria, Brett Phillips, etc doing the same?
Steve Adams
4:46
No one from that bunch excites me much, although I'd have said the same about Dozier pre-2019. I'd be more excited about the wave of young pitching on the cusp of the big leagues... Singer, Lynch, Kowar, Bubic -- that's where the next notable breakout will come from.
Jeff
4:47
What do you think of Arenado to Giants for Longoria and prospects?
Steve Adams
4:48
The Giants are rebuilding and Arenado could (would?) just opt out after 2021 to go sign with a contender.
Angelsguy
4:48
do The angels give pujols the full share of first base this year or is Maddon gonna look at guys like Thaiss and Walsh
Steve Adams
4:49
Thaiss and Walsh will get some looks. Why wouldn't they? At the very least you can DH Albert on days that Ohtani pitches and start one of them there. They'll get some at-bats.
Sox fan
4:49
Backup for Vazquez at catcher - Plawecki or Lucroy?
Steve Adams
4:50
Plawecki -- Lucroy is there as third catcher depth.
mike t
4:51
what's a best case scenario for kebryan Hayes this year?
Steve Adams
4:52
The Pirates wise up, stop playing Colin Moran at 3B, and just give Hayes a chance to be the everyday guy.
Guest
4:52
is arenado opting out after 1 year necessarily bad for the G's?
Steve Adams
4:52
It would be if they gave up prospects to get him, yeah.
Jeffro
4:53
Is any trade likely come trade deadline?  Seems with the uncertainty that a playoff series or world series would even happen, I'd think it would be unwise to pull the trigger.
Steve Adams
4:54
I think that'll make it tough to get much for rental players, yes. But if you're looking at a Matthew Boyd or Caleb Smith -- someone you can control for another 3+ years -- there's still reason to push for a deal.
Jeremy
4:55
Are opt out decisions final?
Steve Adams
4:56
Once someone opts out of the season, yes, that's final. Players who are uncertain now can opt out at any point down the road, though. There's no deadline there.
Joshua
4:56
Who says no......Nats trade Wil Crowe to the Pirates for Colin Moran.
Steve Adams
4:57
Nats. They'd be better off just playing Kieboom at 3B. Moran is not good there.
Rangers29
4:58
Bold prediction: Hiura will be regarded as the best 2nd basemen in the game but the end of 20'.
Steve Adams
5:00
Best-hitting maybe? But he rates poorly there by virtually any defensive metric. And even as impressive as his bat was in 2019, that .400 BABIP and 31% strikeout rate don't bode well for sustaining this output without some serious adjustments.

He was obviously a high-end prospect who has long been projected to mash, so I won't be surprised if he does make the necessary tweaks to become a sustainable force at the plate. But best 2B is a pretty sizable reach for me.
Robert
5:02
With no fans in stands do you think that perhaps younger players will feel less pressure and do better?
Steve Adams
5:05
I'm sure we'll see lots of stories trying to draw a correlation like that. "Pressure's off and Carter Kieboom is showing it!" or "Zack Britton just can't get his adrenaline going without the fans!"

As is usually the case, it'll be far more anecdotal. Correlation won't necessarily equal causation, but some will still try to state it as fact. That's not to say there won't be some semblance of truth in there, but there are a million factors to consider, and we have no way of really proving that type of theory to be anything more than narrative.
5:06
Ok, I have to wrap this up for the week. I'm on Twitter @Adams_Steve. I believe Connor chats tomorrow evening at 7 ET, so tune in for that one as well. (And yell at me next week if I have his day/timing incorrect,ha)

Enjoy the rest of your week!
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