JotCast | MLBTR Chat with Steve Adams 4-6-16

MLBTR Chat with Steve Adams 4-6-16

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Ray

2:56

Will the MLB ever expand to 32 teams?

Steve Adams

2:57

Manfred has already said it's a point of emphasis for him that he wants to explore. I'd imagine that during his tenure we end up with a couple of new teams, yeah.

Artie

2:58

How long beofre Mike Clevinger steps in for Tomlin/Anderson ?

Steve Adams

2:58

I'd imagine Bauer gets back in the mix before Clevinger.

Brittany

2:59

Funniest walk-up song you've ever heard a player have?

Steve Adams

3:00

Nick Punto coming up to "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins always amused me in Minnesota. Also loved going to Kauffman and hearing Alex Gordon walk up to Stone Cold Steve Austin's theme a few years ago.

Paul D

3:00

With nearly a 5 fWar for Duffy last year and around a 3.5 for Panik in an injury shortened season. Could this year's giants infield (including catcher) rack up a 25 War season?

Steve Adams

3:02

You're not really factoring in any sort of regression for Duffy, Crawford or Panik in that projection, which is almost certainly a mistake. That's not to say they won't be average or better players, but penciling in Matt Duffy as a superstar based largely on defensive metrics and BABIP is dicey.

Zach

3:02

Do see Bruce or Lucroy being traded in April?

Steve Adams

3:03

Doubt it on Bruce... could see Lucroy, possibly (still unlikely) because Stearns seems more aggressive than most GMs and one big thing teams will want to see out of him is health. Still, summer seems more likely.

Brian

3:04

No way Groome doesn't go #1 right? The college pitchers haven't impressed, and Klentak wants pitching

Steve Adams

3:05

Groome is in the mix, but there's so much of the season left to be played, and it doesn't take much for players to change their stock. Hell, Groome could just have his elbow flare up or see his velocity dip or any number of factors in the next two months and radically alter his own stock. I saw Jon Heyman's tweet last night with a GM saying Groome "has" to go No. 1, and I found that quote to be ridiculous with so much time between now and the draft.

Sam

3:06

Though not very expensive, is Kim still one of the biggest FA bust so far? Do you think he will ever be a decent MLB player?

Steve Adams

3:06

It's $7MM and the Orioles have played one game.

Opie

3:06

What movie did they play on your flight back?

Steve Adams

3:07

My girlfriend and I watched the Revenant on her laptop. Enjoyed it, but I liked Spotlight better.

Brian

3:08

what happened to 2014 Jeff Smardzija? Dude is a WHIP killer now

Steve Adams

3:09

White Sox altered his pitch selection and fielded one of the worst defenses in baseball behind him last season. Repeating 2014 was probably a stretch anyway, but I think Shark will be markedly better in San Francisco, even with a fairly ugly first start today.

Wayne

3:09

Do you see swanson or albies in Atlanta this year?

Steve Adams

3:12

I wouldn't bank on either being up; 2017 seems like a more plausible expectation. Neither is on the 40-man and neither needs to be added this winter to protect him from the Rule 5, so I don't think a Sept. callup is a foregone conclusion or anything.

3:12

If Max Kepler thrives in AAA, do you see the Twins trading him with the logjam they have in the outfield?

Steve Adams

3:14

If they're contending in July and looking for some kind of upgrade, sure, but he's also probably first in line in the event of an injury, and given that he can play all three outfield spots and even first base if needed, there are ways to get him into the lineup. Plus, they could rotate him around for a year, move Sano back to third and trade Plouffe. Or, rotate him around in 2017, put him in a corner OF spot in 2018 if Plouffe walks and Sano goes back to third. I wouldn't be 100% sold on Rosario as an everyday option with his complete lack of plate discipline just yet, either. A lot to like there, but he needs to refine his approach substantially.

Cash-man

3:16

If he is willing on a one year deal, is Loney a logical option for me to bring in to fill the role Greg Bird would have filled this year?

Steve Adams

3:18

He'll take a one-year deal when he's released for sure. He's making $8MM this year from the Rays already and will get that money no matter what. Any team that signs him only needs to give him a roster spot and the pro-rated league minimum. (Tampa is on the hook for the rest of that 8 million.)

Loney doesn't make tons of sense for the Yankees unless he's strictly a bench piece. Bird wasn't going to start the year in the Majors, and they already have a full bench that doesn't need to add a 1B only to the mix.

Sean

3:19

What are Trea Turner's biggest tools and when do you see him cracking the big leagues?

Steve Adams

3:20

Speed is his best tool, seemingly followed by his glove/arm/hit tool. He'll probably never hit for tons of power but he won't need to if he can stick at short and play it competently with an average or better hit tool. I can see him coming up this summer and getting a shot at the regular job at SS.

Guest

3:20

Is mlbtr related to hoop, and pro football?

Steve Adams

3:21

Yep. MLBTR, Hoops Rumors and Pro Football Rumors are all us.

Aaron

3:21

Could you fill in the Blank: "When I'm asked to evaluate a trade proposal in one of these chats, ____% of the time it's obvious what team the inquirer supports."

Steve Adams

3:22

90 to 95? Most of the trade proposals I get are so ridiculous that it's better to just not run them. It's often difficult to distinguish between a legitimate question and someone just trolling or having fun.

Phil

3:23

While teams cant trade draft picks, can they swap draft bonus pool money for international signing money? Could they trade international slot for ptbnl and then that player be a pick in this years draft?

Steve Adams

3:25

I think it's silly that clubs can't trade draft picks and think it'll eventually be addressed in the CBA.

Yes, they can trade international bonus slots, but those slots come with very marginal trade value. When they're traded, it's typically for organizational players with low ceilings that aren't likely to make an impact at the big league level.

There's no way to circumvent the process like that; players in this year's draft can't be included as PTBNLs in future trades. They can be traded once the World Series ends, but they can't be PTBNLs in previously agreed upon trades. The Trea Turner debacle was the straw that broke the camel's back on that long exploited loophole and prompted the change in rules.

Sam

3:25

Who hangs up on a Trevor Bauer for Christian Walker (Or Trey Mancini) trade?

Steve Adams

3:25

No way I give up Bauer for either.

(Or even both)

Joe W

3:25

Which of the current Mets SP would you want to lock up long term if you were Sandy?

Steve Adams

3:26

I'd have the most urgency with deGrom since he's closer to arbitration than Syndergaard. Harvey probably just isn't happening since he's a Boras guy (one that has already hit arbitration, at that).

De Aza

3:26

could I play centerfield for the D-backs until Pollock returns?

Steve Adams

3:27

I guess, but I wouldn't really want De Aza in CF for more than a month or so, and Pollock could miss the whole year.

Nate

3:27

Do you subscribe to MLB.tv?

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