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MLBTR Chat with Steve Adams 4-12-16
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Steve Adams
2:05
Greetings! I'll start grabbing questions in a couple minutes. Feel free to start asking.
PATigersFan
2:06
what to make of 6-0 Orioles. No starter has gone more than 5 innings yet - gotta take a toll, doesn't it?
Steve Adams
2:08
Yeah, Baltimore's pitching still does nothing for me. The 6-0 start is nice, but it doesn't change my overall feelings about that team much. I don't think they're a playoff club without some kind of huge season from Kevin Gausman and a rebound from Tillman and Ubaldo. Gallardo was throwing 86 mph yesterday. Not good.
Apollo Creed
2:08
Who will lead baseball in home runs this season?
Steve Adams
2:08
Stanton will pretty much always get my vote/guess in that column.
It's me, randy
2:08
Jimenez went 7 innings in his start for the orioles
Steve Adams
2:09
Ah that is true, he did. He actually looked OK after a really rocky start (I watched that game). Doesn't change the response for me, though
Nate
2:09
How big of a deal is the Schwarber injury?
Steve Adams
2:10
It's a loss for the Cubs, don't get me wrong, but it's not like they're replacing him with Reed Johnson and hoping for the best. The Cubs have tons of depth, and I still love Jorge Soler's bat, so I think they'll be fine with him handling the bulk of the playing time. If he gets hurt, as he tends to do, they could also move Bryant to left and go with Baez and/or Zobrist at third. There's quite a bit of position depth for the Cubs. It's not like they lost Lester or Arrieta, which would be a much bigger blow.
Mike
2:11
Do you honestly see Fredi Gonzalez making it to the end of the year?
Steve Adams
2:12
Braves have stuck with him this long. The front office seems fine with Fredi. It's the fans that continually call for his head, as if it's his fault that the team is so miserable or something. I get about 30 questions on Fredi getting fired each chat, but the Braves clearly have no issue with him.
Jacob
2:12
Would it be beneficial for Buxton to get some more seasoning in the minors and keep Kepler up even though he projects as a corner outfielder?
Steve Adams
2:13
Kepler's a corner guy in the long run, but he can handle CF for the time being. If Buxton can't figure out a way to make contact in the Majors yet, yeah I think there's a case to be made to give him some time at AAA.
Chandler
2:13
Is Tyler White being groomed to be traded? Or is he the answer long term for the Astros ... there seems to be an incoming logjam of talent at nearly every position for them.
Steve Adams
2:14
He's being groomed to be part of their club for the next several years, I'd say. I don't know much about his glove at third base, but if he can fake it there and spend some time at first base and DH, too, then there's no need to trade him. Valbuena is a free agent after 2016 and Evan Gattis just isn't that good. I think there's room for both White and Reed.
Jimmy
2:15
Trevor Story, Tyler White, Jeremy Hazelbaker... who keeps up their hot start the longest?
Steve Adams
2:15
White and Story can both hit, albeit not like this. Hazelbaker is more smoke and mirrors than the other two. None will sustain their current pace, obviously.
Ryan
2:16
Best position-playing prospect not named Seager or Buxton?
Steve Adams
2:17
In the Majors right now? Nomar Mazara. Overall? Maybe Orlando Arcia, JP Crawford... someone who can stick at shortstop but also hit. Gotta like that.
Jon schoop
2:17
Could I be a top 10 2nd basemen this year?
Steve Adams
2:19
Seems reasonable enough to me. The glove is fine, he has more pop than most second basemen. Would be nice to see him cut down on the Ks to boost his average/OBP since he doesn't seem likely to walk much, but yeah that's feasible.
Brian d
2:19
Will Phil's pick groom's or somebody else
Steve Adams
2:20
The Phillies don't even know who the Phillies will pick No. 1 right now. Jason Groome is getting the love as the top pick right now, but there are nearly two months between now and the draft. Any number of factors could change their opinion, or they may simply disagree with the notion that he's the consensus No. 1 pick.
Brian
2:20
Will we see a Sandoval for Shields trade soon? Please say yes
Steve Adams
2:20
File this under questions I get every week as well. Answer remains the same: There is absolutely no reason for the Padres to do that.
Montana
2:21
Can Jered Weaver succeed with an 82-mph fastball?
Steve Adams
2:21
He didn't really have much success last year pitching at 83.5
jay
2:21
What's up with Tulo? Can't square up a baseball to save his life
Steve Adams
2:23
There are any number of good hitters that this statement could apply to right now. Tulo may be a bit more concerning because of the shoulder blade injury he had late last year, but generally speaking I wouldn't fret about virtually any hitter's performance over a 29-plate-appearance stretch. If he's still striking out in a third of his plate appearances in another four weeks or so, then sure, it's a bit more concerning.
Doug
2:23
Could the Red Sox stash Sandoval at Pawtucket like they are doing with Allen Craig?
Steve Adams
2:25
They'd just release him. Craig doesn't have the service time to be able to walk away from the remainder of his contract without forfeiting the guarantee. Panda does, so if he cleared waivers and they tried to outright him, he'd just reject the assignment and go sign somewhere else with the Red Sox still picking up the tab.
(Minus the pro-rated league minimum for any time Panda spends in the Majors, which would come out of his new team's pocket)
Theo Cherington
2:26
Who has more value : Betts or Bryant?
Steve Adams
2:26
I'd lean a little toward the guy who can play center field, though if you want to argue Bryant since he has the extra year of control, I won't put up a big fight. They're both stars for years to come.
Tom Servo
2:27
Are there any takers for Billy Butler and his contract? It seems Mevlin has already given up on him being useful.
Steve Adams
2:29
You'd need to find another AL team with room at 1B or DH and a similarly crappy contract... ~$20MM or so remaining on it. I'm not coming up with anyone that's all that great of a fit off the top of my head, honestly. Maybe if some team loses a DH/1B to an injury, but that's typically an easy enough spot to replace that you don't need to take on $20MM worth of bad salary.
Fezzik
2:29
How good can we expect Maxwell Smith to be? Does he make the Kimbrel trade worthwhile?
Steve Adams
2:32
Mallex Smith was in the Justin Upton trade, not the Craig Kimbrel trade. He could be a Ben Revere type of a regular, but there's also a chance he just ends up as a fourth outfielder. He's not a superstar or anything.

And for what it's worth, the money the Braves saved in the Kimbrel trade by shedding Upton makes that trade worth it in my book.
goe
2:32
will addy russell become a star?
Steve Adams
2:32
That'd be my expectation
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