JotCast | MLBTR Live Chat with Steve Adams -- 3/7/17

MLBTR Live Chat with Steve Adams -- 3/7/17

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

Mets

3:46

Who makes a bigger impact on the game this year, Cespedes or Noah?

Steve Adams

3:47

Even excluding their contracts, I think Thor is the more valuable of the two.

Hawkeroo

3:47

Don't the White Sox need to get more position players in their rebuild? Relying on too many young pitchers seems like the "right size, wrong shape." Mercy!

Steve Adams

3:48

They've just been emphasizing getting the best talent possible. And they did add Moncada and Basabe, both of whom could be in the Majors in the near future. Plus they have a strong draft coming up to add to the rebuild, and plenty of trade chips left.

I don't think there's virtually any room for criticism for the start of Hahn's rebuilding effort. Taking a lesser position player over a more talented pitcher just to fill a perceived need wouldn't be good strategy.

Matt

3:49

What's the most surprising free agent that is unsigned?

Steve Adams

3:49

Angel Pagan, to me. I'm a little surprised no one's snatched up Fister or Lewis, but maybe each is holding out for a big league deal.

Totally Chipper Jones

3:50

Who is your #1 fantasy baseball pick?

Steve Adams

3:50

Trout, as it has been for the past 4-5 years

Henry

3:50

Jean Segura was good during 2013, then 2014-2015 were down and 2016 was great. I think his off years had plenty to do with his son's death and that he'll be good going forward. Do you have any thoughts on this ?

Steve Adams

3:53

I think his son's tragic death unquestionably weighed on him when it happened, but he's always been a guy whose success has been largely contingent on his BABIP. Last year was the first season that he demonstrated above-average power, but I'll be curious to see how much of that carries into Safeco Field.

Generally speaking, I think he's going to regress in 2017

Justino

3:53

I get that Mike Trout is insanely valuable. Let's assume he will average 10 WAR over the next 5 seasons. Would a team be better off overall with 4 - 4 WAR players? And if so, how about 3 - 4 WAR players?

Steve Adams

3:55

It depends on how risk-averse the team is. On the one hand, there's enormous value in having one roster spot produce that type of value. You can fill in with merely average regulars and have a pretty strong outfit. But, at the same time, if all of your eggs are in the Trout basket and he blows out his knee one season, you're not left with much.

There's an argument for diversifying the risk over a number of assets, for sure. I'd take the more boom-or-bust approach and have the one hyper-productive player, myself, but I can see the argument for the other approach

BrewCrewFan

3:55

Are either Keon Broxton or Domingo Santana ready to make a Villar-like leap this year after strong second halves?

Steve Adams

3:56

I like Broxton more overall than Santana. Santana is a genuine monster against lefties but hasn't done a ton against right-handed pitching to this point in his career. And Broxton gets a big edge in defensive/baserunning value.

Mr. Red

3:56

Who on the Reds this year helps to ease the pain of a brutal season?

Steve Adams

3:57

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Lorenzen/Iglesias experiment works out. If they can each successfully throw 100+ innings out of the 'pen and generally perform well in a multi-inning/high-leverage relief role, I think that'll be good for Reds fans and for the game.

Full season of Jose Peraza and Billy Hamilton going wild on the basepaths could be fun to watch, too.

Rick Hahn

3:57

Barring a trade with the Nationals, think the White Sox will sign someone else to play catcher or just roll with Soto/Narvaez?

Steve Adams

3:57

Seems like Soto's the guy

Dooduh

3:58

Are you concerned about the Mets pen at all?

Steve Adams

3:59

Not really. Post-Familia suspension they'll have a pretty nice group with him, Reed, Salas, Blevins, Robles, Lugo (assuming Gsellman in the rotation).

Totally Chipper Jones

3:59

What out of market stadium do you really want to visit?

Steve Adams

3:59

I've still never been to PNC, so I'd love to go check that view out.

Baltimore Chop

4:00

If the Orioles are out of it at the trade deadline, do they shop Britton and Machado? They could go from one of the worse to one of the best farm systems and still get some young MLB ready players to possibly compete next season.

Steve Adams

4:02

I think they *should*, but actually seeing Duquette following through on that is difficult to imagine. I'd say it's much likelier that he shops Britton... the fan backlash from a Machado trade would be overwhelming.

But I do agree -- they could see an unbelievably quick turnaround and potentially scarcely even have to go through a "rebuild" phase just by moving that pair. Plus, they have plenty of other potentially appealing pieces that would fetch lesser returns (Castillo, Brach, Kim, Smith, etc.)

Can also definitely see TIllman being shopped if they're not in contention.

Jon Sepio

4:03

Colby Lewis should get a MLB deal. Right?

Steve Adams

4:03

I'd have guessed so early in the offseason, but I think it's minors at this point. He did bomb pretty hard after returning from the DL last year, and his peripheral stats weren't exactly encouraging at the end of the day

bojack

4:04

do you think the robertson + cash for severino is a fair swap?

Steve Adams

4:04

I do like that framework, yeah

Grumpster Fire

4:04

Better HOF chances, Kinsler or Utley?

Steve Adams

4:06

Utley. He was genuinely one of the best players in the league for a stretch of about five to seven years. Kinsler's been really good for a long time, but his peak isn't as impressive. If he can have another 4-5 really good seasons, though, he could get into the conversation as well. (Of course that's a lot to ask of a 34-year-old)

Leo

4:07

Severino for Robertson??? Severino dominated in the bullpen so why pay roberston's salary for a job Severino can do?

Steve Adams

4:07

He was talking about Pedro Severino -- the young Nationals catcher

Who retires

4:07

Who gets phased out this year of this list? Ryan Howard, Kelly Johnson, Angel Pagan, Coco Crisp, Tim Lincecum

Steve Adams

4:08

I guess Howard would be the likeliest, then probably Crisp? Johnson's versatility is appealing, Pagan was really good last year and has had interest (while holding out for an MLB deal)... some team will probably roll the dice on Lincecum each year until he just hangs it up.

Adam

4:08

Jumbo Diaz will land somewhere at the MLB level, right?

Steve Adams

4:09

He's out of options and is going to miss the next couple of weeks to play in the WBC. Plus he's 33 and didn't have a great 2016 season. I'm assuming he clears waivers and returns to the Reds org

Twins Fan

4:10

Any news on Morneau? Think anyone will offer him a big league job?

Steve Adams

4:10

I'd imagine at this point he'd have to take a minor league deal

Chris F

4:11

Too early to say that Simmons deal for Newcomb+ didn't pan out the way they expected? Same for Kimbrel, considering what Padres got for him?

Connecting…