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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 9/24/19
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tom
4:18
Is there any chance Cleveland signs Lindor long term?
Steve Adams
4:19
I can't see them possibly paying what he'd command. He'd probably be asking $300MM+ on an extension at this point. There's a reason the team's owner simply said "enjoy him" last winter when asked about extending Lindor.
Padres458
4:20
What does Wheelers contract look like?
Steve Adams
4:21
I think he has a case to top Eovaldi's 4/68. He's about nine months older as a free agent than Eovaldi was, which matters, but Wheeler has similarly overpowering raw stuff and is coming off consecutive 29-start seasons. He'll top 190 innings this year after topping 180 in '18.
AA of GA
4:22
Why am I not hearing more support for Alex Bregman for MVP?
Steve Adams
4:22
Because Mike Trout is impossibly good. But Bregman's pushing him at this point, and if it doesn't go to Trout then I think he'll be the one to get it.
Danimal
4:23
There's absolutely no basis to say that any Player X would earn more than $30 million in a single year in free agency.  That's a preposterous claim and the largest one-year deal has been for how much - ever - regardless of who it was?  This past season wasn't it Donaldson at $23 million?  No team is forking over $50+ million for one year of one player.  That would be a fourth of the richest teams payroll and closer to a third of every other team (half for some).. You and others like to make these unsupported claims and it's just not rooted in reality or even smart guesswork
Steve Adams
4:24
The Dodgers offered Bryce Harper more than $40MM annually on a four-year deal last winter.
The largest one-year deal ever is suppressed by the fact that no free agent actually goes into free agency trying to max out on one-year deals. (Trevor Bauer will change that)
4:27
Donaldson got 1/23 as a 33-year-old coming off an injury-destroyed season. You don't think a 28-year-old Mookie Betts would blow that out of the water if he decided "I'm a year-to-year guy"? He'd obliterate AAV records. I've spoken to agents, team execs and others about what someone of that caliber would be "worth" for one year.

Fans are so deeply rooted in contractual norms, but the rate at which players are paid hasn't risen proportionately with team revenues. I wish someone like Betts would go ahead and do it, because I think fans would be genuinely stunned at what teams would deem a player to be worth when the immediate upside is 8-10 WAR and there's zero long-term risk.
Gerritt Cole
4:27
Astros Pony up and sign him and surpass the luxury Tax threshold till core must be dissolved?
Steve Adams
4:27
I don't think they'll bid the most money on him, no
4:29
Oh, and re: Bauer -- he won't reach those theoretical Betts heights because he's a pitcher and inherently more laden with risk. (He's also not doing himself any favors with how he's pitched of late)

It'd take a position player to really shatter those records.
Roger clemens
4:30
I got, what, $35 million prorated over a partial season after I turned 40, ten years ago. I may have some facts slightly off, but should be directionally close
Steve Adams
4:30
Clemens' deal was a prorated $28MM back in 2007 -- which is a crazy number to think about for more than a decade ago.
Dark
4:31
How much do you think Starlin Castro's next contract is worth, ans where might he sign? Also, do you think he could eventually make the Hall of Fame?
Steve Adams
4:32
His option will be bought out and he'll sign a one-year deal worth less than $8MM this winter. Even with his recent home run binge, he has a sub-.300 OBP, and he's not exactly an elite defender.
4:33
(And no, to Cooperstow)
Trevor Bauer
4:33
Did i make a mistake not signing a long term contract a few years ago?
Steve Adams
4:34
He has $30MM in the bank, will earn another $15MM+ in 2020 and will at the very least have one or two gaudy paydays on one-year deals. I think he'll be fine.
Felix Hernandez
4:34
Do you think I could get 2/10 from a non-contending team or do you think I will just get a minor-league contract?
Steve Adams
4:34
I can't fathom a team committing multiple years to Felix this winter.
Whosyourdaddy
4:35
Does Nick Markakis make the hall of fame or is he the next Michael Young?
Steve Adams
4:35
Good, solid player throughout his career but I don't think he's a Hall of Famer
Stros 4 life!
4:36
Re: Astros signing cole, could they trade Reddick and another player or two to free up money to be able to sign him and come in under the luxury cap?
Steve Adams
4:37
They could keep Reddick, sign Cole, and still be under the luxury tax. It's not a luxury issue -- it's just that the Astros excel at finding quality arms without having to dole out the types of six- and seven-year commitments those arms command in an open-market setting.
Christian Villanueva
4:37
Do you think I could get back into the MLB on a minor-league contract?
Steve Adams
4:38
Sure someone would sign him to a minor league deal. But he flopped in Japan this season and isn't much more than a platoon option who can mash lefties.
Bleed Green & Gold
4:38
Any way the A's leave Khrush Davis off the playoff roster? He's been more Lhimp than Khrush and against elite pitching it will be worse. If so, who do you see possibly taking his spot?
Steve Adams
4:38
Not unless he's deemed physically unable to play. But yeah, injuries have really dampened his production
Buddy
4:39
Does MLB tinker with the ball for next year?
Steve Adams
4:39
There's no way they don't make some alterations after watching this year's record HR totals with the current superball
BB Fan
4:40
In an earlier post -Martinez, per Boras, is “one of the top 5 offensive players in the game … and that is the vision of J.D. Martinez that I believe all teams have.” Really? Is JD Martinez seen as one of the top five offensive players in the game?????
Steve Adams
4:40
The only qualified hitters with a better wRC+ than JDM over the past three seasons are Mike Trout and Aaron Judge.
6 or 7 yrs?
4:41
Arent they moving largely away from that towards 3 yr or less for pitchers anyway?
Steve Adams
4:42
To an extent, but the truly elite will still get paid -- particularly when they're still on the right side of 30. Patrick Corbin got 6/140 last season as a 29-year-old free agent, and he doesn't have Cole's pedigree or two-year FA platform.
Friar Tom
4:42
To take the next step what do my Padres need to do in the off season?
Steve Adams
4:43
Improve the pitching, then build a time machine and go back to undo the Hosmer contract.
Cardinals
4:43
Since we traded 4 players for Ozuna don't you think we should at least make an offer? If so what's years and $$ amount?
Steve Adams
4:44
They traded those four for two years of Ozuna. They'll make a qualifying offer and maybe try to keep him at a reasonable rate, but when they have Fowler under contract (and more or less immovable) plus Bader, Carlson, O'Neill and others all as in-house options, they don't really need to be the top bidder on Ozuna.
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