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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 8/15/23
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Chris
1:30
What one MLB rule bothers you the most and how would you change it?
Steve Adams
1:30
Still hate the free runner in extras
If you want to avoid marathon games that badly, fine. Start the free runner in the 12th.
Aidan
1:31
Does Eduoard Julien have a case for ROTY
Steve Adams
1:31
He's a ways behind just because he hasn't had as much MLB time as the front-runners. On a rate basis, sure, and with a big finish he could find himself in the mix yeah.
Rudy's Funhouse
1:31
Is Logan Webb the most underrated pitcher in baseball?
Steve Adams
1:31
He's up there
Guest
1:32
The free runner is awesome. Hate extra inning games, so I want them over quickly. Admit it, you're wrong about this.
Steve Adams
1:32
Caught me. I'm super wrong. Sorry all.
DP
1:32
Do you think the Rockies will stick with Brendan Rodgers through ros?  What do you see for him?
Steve Adams
1:34
Of course they will, as they should. He's had like 40 PAs coming back from shoulder surgery. It's understandable if he's not exactly setting the world on fire. Even if he finishes the year at this pace, they'll still tender him a contract. The glove at second base and obvious potential for a well above-average bat with multiple years of club control remaining will be well worth the $3.5MM or whatever he'd earn in that scenario.
John C
1:35
Royce Lewis is about to return to the Twins. How do they make room on the roster? DFA Kyle Farmer?
Steve Adams
1:35
They put Willi Castro on the IL and activated Royce about an hour ago
Mild oblique strain for Castro
Coldbeer
1:36
Need some clarification please!!! I keep seeing  articles/tweets about players being optioned to the minors that have already been sent down this season.  Aren't they optioned the first time (using up 1 option) and just sent down without using any more options after that? IE 1 option per season. Thanks!!
Steve Adams
1:39
Players generally get three minor league option years. (Sometimes they can be granted a fourth, in the event of substantial missed time due to injury)

A 40-man player being optioned for 20 or more days, at any point (including coming out of spring training), burns an option year.

They can be optioned multiple times over the course of a season -- every time they're sent down, they're being optioned -- but it only burns one option year.

The new CBA capped how many times a player can be optioned within one option year, at five.
De Witt
1:39
Gorman for Gilbert?
Steve Adams
1:39
Not if you're the Mariners
Alex Verdugo
1:40
What are the odds I get traded this winter to open an OF spot for Cedanne Rafaela in Boston next year?
Steve Adams
1:41
Even independent of Rafaela, I think there's a chance Verdugo's moved. They discussed it at the deadline. He'll only have one year of team control left. It's a thin free-agent market for bats, which might increase some interest in potential trade targets, etc.
Ben
1:42
Byron Buxton's contract feels like an albatross. Am I wrong on that?
Steve Adams
1:43
I don't really think so. He was well worth it last year even in an injury shortened year. I think the Twins have handled him really strangely this year, but it's one year of the deal. a $15MM-ish AAV isn't all that cumbersome even for a mid-market team like the Twins, and as long as his knee is healthy enough to be back in CF again next year, it's a fine deal.
1:45
I find it odd that they've done this DH dance with him, though. If that was done rather than having him miss several months to just get the surgically repaired knee back to full strength, it seems like a misstep now, as he's struggled at the plate and provided nothing in the field.

If there's concern about him EVER being able to play the outfield again -- which they have not indicated -- then the contract would be far worse, sure
1:46
Right now, it just looks like they should've let him get to 100%, even if it meant sitting on the IL until July. That's total hindsight commentary though. Early in the year I thought the plan seemed fine, though I was expecting he'd be back out in center field at some point this summer.
Bryan
1:46
I know how it works if another team signs a released guy who had years left on his contract, but let's say Cubs for whatever reason re-sign Mancini for the minimum this offseason. Do they only owe him the original contract or are they on hook for that and the league minimum?
Steve Adams
1:47
Don't think I've ever seen that, haha, but they'd just be on the hook for the original salary (as they are right now anyway). If another team signed him for the minimum, the money paid by that team is subtracted from what the Cubs owe.
rocco rox
1:48
Mancini should go back to Baltimore
Steve Adams
1:51
At the expense of who? He batted .234/.299/.336 in 263 PAs with the Cubs and is now batting .210/.282/.348 in 449 PA since leaving the O's.

If you're saying a return to Baltimore would fix him somehow, perhaps, but if you're Baltimore, who are you booting from the roster to take that chance? And, if you're wrong, it's tough to sell the fans on "Sorry we cut him a second time"
Bobby Boy
1:52
If Acuna was a FA how much could he net?
Steve Adams
1:54
The largest FA contract ever, probably. He's having an MVP-caliber year as a 25-year-old. He'd clear $400MM most likely.

To be clear, he wouldn't have been in line for free agency yet even without that extension. He'll finish the year at five-plus years of service. Sans extension, he'd have been a free agent after the 2024 season.
Rick
1:54
Is Royce Lewis the long-term 3B for the Twins IF he can stay healthy?
Steve Adams
1:54
He's the long-term ... something. Could be 3B. Could be 2B, with Brooks Lee at second. We'll see how it plays out. Lots of moving parts there.
fan
1:55
What is the go to food at the ball park?  Hotdog?  Popcorn?  Sun flower seeds?  Ice Cream?
Steve Adams
1:55
If it's a park I've been to before, I'm pretty basic and will usually just do a hot dog. Maybe a pretzel and cheese. New parks I like to try some of the items that are unique to that stadium/city.
Peter
1:56
How do the Brewers sort out the upcoming outfield logjam?  There's just not room for Yelich, Chourio, Frelick, Wiemer, and Mitchell.  Who gets traded from that group?
Steve Adams
1:59
You're assuming all of those younger options are going to pan out as everyday guys. Even with the resurgence, I doubt they'd be able to move Yelich. No chance they're trading Chourio right now.

So it comes down to the other three as a potential "odd man out," but I'm not really convinced that'll be the case anyway. Injuries happen, some of them might wind up needing to platoon. I'm not convinced Mitchell will even be a clear cut big leaguer; he's fanned in 40% in his young career.
2:00
Generally speaking, I don't know that the logjam will end up actually being a logjam. These things often sort out organically.
WestCoastMetsFan
2:01
You should have told the guest he/she is wrong. Free runner smacks of beer league softball and should have no part of a MLB game.
Steve Adams
2:01
There's no "wrong" -- it's an opinion.
If someone likes the free runner, good for them. I'm glad they enjoy it. I don't, though.
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