JotCast | Live Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 8/1/17

Live Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 8/1/17

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M's Fan

4:05

Do I have a reason for hope?

Steve Adams

4:05

Only 2.5 games back in the Wild Card with an improved bullpen. I'd say so, yeah.

Klentak

4:06

I want to see Kingery and Hoskins next year, will Hernandez and Joseph be able to return actual value for me?

Steve Adams

4:07

I've continually taken the same stance on Joseph -- he's a 1B/DH only on the short side of the platoon that has average at best numbers against RHP. I don't think his skill set is all that tough to find.

4:08

Hernandez might get some, but the Phils will run into the same problem that others have in the past when marketing him -- there will probably be more 2Bs available than there will be teams looking for a 2B.

4:08

Cards disappointing for trade?

Steve Adams

4:09

I'm surprised they didn't do anything -- moving one of their lefties, at least, seemed a decent idea, an it'd have been interesting to see what someone would've given for Grichuk.

But as I said last week, I don't think the value of Lynn at all matched up with fans' expectations, and I'm sure the Cards simply decided they're better off keeping him in hopes of sneaking into a Wild Card spot than taking the marginal return he'd have commanded.

James

4:09

Any chance Yunel Escobar is traded?

Steve Adams

4:09

Yeah he strikes me as a possible August trade piece.

Adam

4:10

Do the Yankees have the best bullpen in baseball now?

Steve Adams

4:10

It's up there -- I'd be more inclined to say "yes" if Betances wasn't walking damn near a batter per inning.

rick hahn

4:10

If Nate Jones was healthy, am I figuring out assignments for Bautista, Callahan and Nogosek today?

Steve Adams

4:11

If Jones were healthy he'd have traded him for a hell of a lot more than that trio. Jones' contract is an incredible bargain. Reed was a rental.

Ray

4:11

I think if the Phillies aren't happy with their 1B options internally I'd go for Duda.. he'll hit 40 hrs there and be respectable on the field

Steve Adams

4:12

Rhys Hoskins is hitting .281/.384/.559 with 24 HR through 435 AAA plate appearances after hitting 38 HR in Double-A last season.

(In other words, they're not signing Duda or any other first baseman)

Hit a grand slam

4:13

I'm getting married next year. Do MLB parks allow wedding ceremonies on the field? Can't think of a better place!

Steve Adams

4:13

They do! (Well, some do. I know Target Field in Minneapolis does, for instance.) I also have to imagine it is exorbitantly expensive, ha, but it would be damn cool.

HashtagBeatLA

4:14

How likely are the Giants going to be able to move either Span or Pence in the off season?

Steve Adams

4:15

Pence doesn't strike me as likely at all -- $18.5MM in 2018, not hitting a lick, full no-trade clause -- but I could see them finding a taker for Span if they eat half his remaining money or something.

J Golden

4:15

Any big names you envision moving once they've cleared waivers?

Steve Adams

4:16

Cabrera, Bruce, Walker, Phillips ... there'll be quite a few. As I said before, I'll be turning out weekly August Trade Candidate lists.

YouKnow Something

4:16

I think the White Sox did a really good job of reading the market and getting the best returns they could. Any that surprised you? Any more future moves likely?

Steve Adams

4:17

I was surprised they got a decent prospect back for Melky (AJ Puckett). That's more than I thought he'd have returned, even with some of the salary offset. That's not to say Puckett is great or anything, but I was thinking he'd go mostly for organizational filler types, and he's not that.

Edinson Volquez out for the year, says Don Mattingly (via the Miami Herald). That one hurt their trade possibilities quite a bit.

Volquez was having a solid season and seemed, at least, like an August trade candidate.

4:18

Woof. JT Riddle also out for the year.

Tony Horton

4:18

Did the Tribe do enough at the July trade deadline?

Steve Adams

4:19

I would very much have liked to see them add some more rotation help. Between Clevinger's walks and workload, plus the general unpredictability of Bauer and a lack of confidence in Tomlin ... I think there was room to stabilize that group.

Abe

4:19

adrelton simmons, leagues most undervalued shortstop?

Steve Adams

4:20

Who undervalues Andrelton? He's not thrown around in the mix with Correa, Seager, etc. because he's not a perennial MVP candidate, but everyone has lauded him as the best defensive player on the planet for the past half-decade or so. I think his value is pretty widely recognized

A's fan

4:21

Let's say it's true. Which package would you prefer? Piscotty + Weaver or Flaherty + lottery prospect for Gray, or the package the A's got from the Yankees?

Steve Adams

4:23

Piscotty has been immensely underwhelming this year, and they're taking on a guaranteed $33MM there. He'll be getting quasi-expensive by the time they're looking to contend, and he's already 26.

The A's definitely got more upside with the accepted package and did so without taking on a fairly notable chunk of guaranteed cash.

Isaac's Dad

4:23

Who is opting out among Upton, Cueto, and Tanaka?

Steve Adams

4:25

I'll reserve judgment on Cueto until we see what's up with his forearm status. I do think Tanaka will opt out -- poor start notwithstanding. Upton's a coinflip for me. I see so many suggest there's "no way" he's opting out, and that's short-sighted. He's 30 years old, can't receive a QO, and has been an absolute monster at the plate since last July. He's currently guaranteed Hanley money moving forward, and we saw an older Cepsedes get $110MM just a year ago.

4:26

Plus, the Tigers are trying to pare back on the payroll, and he might just look and say, "If you guys aren't contending, I'm going to go somewhere they're trying to win." That's all speculative, but I think there's a much better case for Upton opting out than many give him credit for.

Brian

4:26

Tribe should have gotten Lance Lynn

Steve Adams

4:27

Would've been a reasonable add for them, yeah. They still could add a fifth SP type this month though.

A. Cabrera

4:27

Will I be a good influence on Rosario and will I be a Met on 9/1 ?

Steve Adams

4:28

I don't think he's a Met come September, no. I don't really have any reason to assume he'll be a bad influence.