JotCast | Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams 9/8/21

Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams 9/8/21

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Andrew

2:33

After the Giants pick up Buster's option for 2022, what kind of extension do you imagine them offering him to play out his career in SF?

Steve Adams

2:33

Molina got 3/60 for the same chunk of his career as Posey is coming up on.

Mr KLC

2:33

How bad do you think the tension is between Odorizzi and the Astros?

Steve Adams

2:34

He said all the right things this morning -- that he talked with Click, Dusty, Strom, etc. and everyone got everything out there.

I find it bizarre that Astros fans are just ragging on him and calling him a loser. Guy has a sub-3.00 ERA his past 7-8 times out and is at 3.74 if you wipe out the first couple starts of the season, which is pretty fair for a pitcher who missed a big chunk of Spring Training.

2:37

Do you want pitchers who react to getting pulled at 60-something pitches with "Sure sounds good" or "This is my ball dammit and I'm not coming out of this game"

Teammates probably want the ultra-competitive guys, and I'd assume a lot of fans would, too, but it seems like a lot of Houston fans soured on him early and made up their mind at that point. Obviously that doesn't apply to all 'Stros fans, but I've noticed a lot of negative comments on Odorizzi even as he's begun to pitch well.

Bryan

2:37

What is a reasonable Freeman extension look like?

Steve Adams

2:38

5/140?

LAD FAs To Be

2:38

While I really love Seager as a hitter and Bellinger's upside, it seems like resigning Taylor and Mad Max while extending Trea Turner seem like the more prudent moves. A big part of that is that Cory and Cody being clients of Boras, Your thoughts, Steve?

Steve Adams

2:38

Scherzer is also repped by Boras.

2:41

I don't really get the whole "I don't want to have to deal with Boras" mentality. He represents an enormous number of players, and a player's representation wouldn't have any bearing on who I hope the team does or doesn't sign long-term.

They don't need to decide on Turner or on Bellinger immediately. Keeping Taylor and Scherzer over Seager is perfectly defensible, especially if you can extend Turner, but it's not like Turner is going to take a discount because he's not a Boras client.

He's an established superstar who is a year from free agency. It's cost a quarter-billion plus to extend him. Maybe 300+.

2:43

Also, Turner is represented by CAA, which is one of the 4-5 largest agencies in the sport itself. The whole Boras thing always confuses me.

Scott

2:43

who is the front runner as the new GM of the Cubs in your opinion?

Steve Adams

2:44

I haven't thought much about it and don't have any sort of behind-the-scenes insight into that particular matter. Hoyer will still be running baseball operations regardless of who is tabbed to work as his No. 2.

Al Avila

2:44

With Jake Rogers having TJ and out all next season do I bring Dingler up to start 2021?

Steve Adams

2:46

Jake Rogers won't need to miss all of next season. The recovery time is shorter for position players, but he'll be out for a chunk of the year.

It shouldn't push the Tigers to bring up Dingler, though. They still have Eric Haase and Grayson Greiner on the 40-man, and they can sign a veteran if they wantt more depth.

Dingler is a nice prospect, but he hasn't even performed well in AA yet.

Robbie Ray

2:46

Am I a late bloomer or one year wonder?

Steve Adams

2:49

I don't think you can call Ray a one-year wonder when he was a highly effective pitcher from 2016-19 on the whole. The biggest question teams have to ask is whether he can sustain the immensely improved command he's shown in 2021, because if he can, then he's a borderline ace-caliber pitcher. It's much, much likelier that at least a few teams will be willing to pay him much more like a potential front-of-the-rotation arm than it is that everyone thinks this year is just a blip and he signs another one-year deal or some cheap two- or three-year pact.

Pirate Fan

2:49

Besides Reynolds and Hayes, will I see a whole new team playing in Pittsburgh next year?

Big Red

2:50

Will Nick C , Exercise his option from he Reds

Steve Adams

2:50

He'll opt out

TwinkiesRotation

2:50

if Ober and Ryan are 2022 rotation pieces, does it make sense to re-sign Pineda? Three options for 2022. Now, two FA's and 1 trade and there's a rotation

Steve Adams

2:53

Pineda has expressed a firm desire to stay. The Twins already re-signed him once before and clearly like him. I expect they'll try to work something out, yes. It shouldn't be overwhelmingly expensive, and Pineda when healthy is a perfectly fine third/fourth starter.

Owner Jim Pohlad has already said he has no intention of rebuilding, and while Minnesota has some promising arms on the horizon, there's a pretty obvious present-day need. Ryan is someone they'll get a look at a few times now, but you can't just pencil him in as an every-fifth-day option. Ditto Ober, even after a nice run in 2021. (He'll get the chance, but regression and injuries happen)

2:54

So, yes, They'll need to be active in free agency and on the trade market. They have depth in the outfield and behind the plate, which could position them as a nice trade partner for a team like the Marlins, who are deep in pitching but need some MLB-ready help at both C and OF. There will be other opportunities for them to explore, but that's one particularly sensible one to me

2:55

The Twins have plenty of payroll space and long-term flexibility to sign a notable free-agent starter this winter. I doubt they're going to shell out $150MM to sign Gausman, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they spent more this winter than they ever have on a free-agent pitcher (which is only $55MM -- Ervin Santana)

Marlins

2:56

Do they have the bleakest future? Rockies are ok, Tigers window is about to open, Orioles have the best hitting and pitching prospect, Nats are willing to spend money.

Steve Adams

2:58

The Marlins might have the best and deepest collection of young pitching in baseball. Jazz Chisholm looks good. Brian Anderson is underrated when healthy. They have some interesting outfield prospects on the cusp of the Majors. That ridiculous group of arms gives them plenty of trade capital to add to the core.

I don't think their outlook is bleak at all. I wrote at length for our Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers just two weeks ago, why I think the exact opposite, in fact.

Terps23

2:58

Do you really think Baez is going to sign somewhere for less then $20m a year avg?

Steve Adams

2:59

I think there are many teams that would not/do not view him as a $20MM/year player and there's a decent chance that his expectations are so far from being realized in free agency that he takes a short-term deal to try to rebuild his stock.

Nate

3:00

I think u skipped the Pirate question.

Steve Adams

3:00

!!!

3:01

My answer didn't send, apparently. What the heck?

3:03

No, I don't think it'll be a completely new team besides Bryan Reynolds and Ke'Bryan Hayes (although there's an outside chance Reynolds is moved, as teams will push hard for it).

Jacob Stallings, Bryse Wilson, David Bednar and several other relievers will return. It'd be hard to sell this low on Mitch Keller, though perhaps if he brings back another high-upside change of scenery candidate it's possible. Hoy Park will still be around. JT Brubaker. There will be tons of turnover, but it won't just be Hayes, Reynolds and a bunch of new faces, no

Yo Mama

3:03

Do you think the Sox resign Eddie Rodriguez or give up on him? What an enigma!

Steve Adams

3:05

Are people in the chat just asking me about email articles that went out to our subscribers recently? Ha. E-Rod is vastly better than his ERA looks, and he'd pitching lights-out prior to yesterday's rough outing. I'd put him on the short list of pitchers who'll be paid way more than most people are expecting this winter.

Preller

3:06

I just got an extension. So who gets the blame if the Pads miss the playoffs?

Steve Adams

3:07

Padres already fired the pitching coach. Could be more changes on the coaching staff, but at a certain point, some blame falls to the players, too, and some just to some rotten luck. There'll be more turnover on the roster this winter, with or without a postseason berth.

NL DH

3:08

Would you see division realignment as more of a possibility with the NL taking on the DH rule ?

Steve Adams

3:08

Seems like something that'd happen more if the league expanded, which I don't believe will occur anytime soon.

Crew

3:09

Does JBJ make the playoff roster if Cain and Tyrone Taylor are healthy?

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