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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat

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Steve Adams

2:39

If the Sox want to put Vaughn in LF and give Cespy a look at DH, I think that's sensible enough. I was telling a friend from Chicago last week I was surprised they didn't have more experienced depth options because they weren't built to withstand a serious injury in the OF. He sent me an angry text for jinxing Eloy this week.

T-Mobile

2:40

If I were Jerry Dipoto, I'd keep both Trammel and Kelenic on the big league team. They can both play all three OF positions so it won't be too hard to fit them in the lineup fairly frequently. Am I crazy??

Steve Adams

2:41

I don't think so. Haniger is going to need rest early. One of them can DH on days when France is spelling Seager at 3B or Moore at 2B or White at 1B. Depth is good.

I don't think they'll do that, to be clear, but I don't think it's crazy either.

Ice

2:41

looking ahead could the Angels be interested in Willy Adames with the Rays getting prospects and Rengifo?

Steve Adams

2:43

I don't know why it'd have to specifically be Rengifo -- the Rays were the ones who traded him to the Halos in the first place -- but could I see Anaheim having interest in Adames? Absolutely. There's no high-end SS prospect knocking down the door for the Halos. Iglesias is only there for 2021. The Rays have Wander Franco breathing down Adames' neck. And the Angels will want to spend more on pitching next winter than they will on position players.

Jorge78

2:44

I notice teams wait to put a player on the 60 day injury list until they need his roster spot even though the player is obviously seriously injured. Is there some practical or financial reason for waiting? Thanks Steve!

Steve Adams

2:46

There's just no real need to add someone else to the 40-man roster until the move is actually required. Your immediate needs could change at any time, so why not maintain the flexibility? If you just immediately put a reliever on the 40-man roster to replace someone who's injured, then a week later your left fielder pulls a hamstring that's going to sideline him for three weeks, you might wish you had that spot back to select an outfielder from Triple-A.

Guest

2:46

Could you see the jays and whitesox making a trade? OF for SP?

Steve Adams

2:48

Like, before Opening Day? I don't think so -- certainly not for notable names. Maybe if the Jays still had more outfield flotsam hanging out on the fringe of their roster, but they traded Fisher and McKinney to the Brewers.

Now, could the Sox send a marginal return to Milwaukee to grab Fisher or McKinney as another option at LF/DH? That I could see.

Joaquin

2:48

Saw your earlier Eloy question / answer. Along the same lines, how do you see this affecting the Sox's chance to catch the Twins this year?

Steve Adams

2:48

Lots of Eloy questions! Understandable.

2:50

I thought the Twins were better positioned to win the division simply because I feel they're a deeper club (beyond their starting nine) that is more equipped to deal with injuries. We're already seeing a light shined on that reality with regard to the Jimenez injury.

Losing Jimenez probably lops three to four wins off the White Sox' projected totals, depending on how they replace him. It's a significant blow. I already had the Twins ahead by a slight margin, and I'm more comfortable predicting them as division winners now.

Jung Bong Jovi

2:50

Trying to ignore my Atlanta bias, but do you like Sirotka or Sixto for fantasy baseball purposes? I'm leaning Sixto...

Ugh - Soroka - I just can't seem to forget the Blue Jays legend. Some Barves fan I am.

Steve Adams

2:52

Ha, I remember Mike Sirotka -- though with the ChiSox.

I'm with you Sixto. He'll be healthy to begin the year -- Soroka won't -- and I think the raw stuff is just a little better. No knock on Soroka, who is great himself, but I think he'll always be closer to average in terms of strikeout percentage, whereas even though Sixto was average-ish last year, he got way more swinging strikes and chases out of the zone than Soroka.

2:53

I think there's more K upside with Sixto, and while the Braves will give Soroka better chance for wins, that's such an arbitrary stat that I don't even bother trying to forecast wins when I prep for fantasy.

I just draft good pitchers and hope they stumble into wins

Joe J.

2:54

Are the Yankees going with Bruce or Tauchman?

Steve Adams

2:57

I think if they can get a decent reliever they feel they can drop right into the bullpen -- one with similar control to Tauchman and probably with options -- they'll make the move.

They could also just select Bruce's contract and carry them both to see what shakes out between now and Opening Day. Worst case scenario they just keep Bruce on the roster for the first week while they don't need to carry a fifth starter and then DFA him. Preserves the depth. Not ideal for Bruce, but if they're straightforward with him about it, he'd be a pro about it.

Marc

2:57

There may be an obvious answer here, but could you give me some clarification on how these arbitrators are deciding the option status on guys like Alzoley (sp?) this year? Seems like everyone was in the same boat last season, right?

Steve Adams

2:59

I don't know this for a fact, but I would imagine the cases were dependent on how many days the players spent at the alternate site and how that pro-rates over a 162-game/186-day season.

I don't think you can say they were all in the same boat. Erick Fedde spent the whole year in the Majors, so he unquestionably got his fifth "full" season last year. But for a guy like Alzolay, who was optioned back and forth, it could be argued that he only spent X days on the active roster (I don't know the number off the top of my head). Say it's 28 days in the big leagues, the basic pro-rating formula would be to multiply that by 2.77 ... that'd put him at 77 or 78 "days" on the active roster last year, which is shy of a full season.

3:00

(It's 2.77 because the season was 67 days rather than the called-for 186; 186/67 = 2.77)

Keith

3:00

If Gary Gaetti came out of retirement, would he be allowed to wear an no ear flap batting helmet?

Steve Adams

3:00

If Gary Gaetti comes out of retirement you let that man do whatever the hell he wants

3:01

I grew up in Minnesota in the mid to late 80s. ALL HAIL THE RAT. ALL HAIL DR. CRANK.

One of my childhood favorites. Gaetti rules.

NotUAgain66

3:01

Most surprising cut so far?

Steve Adams

3:01

I don't know if it was a total shock, but I did think Tony Watson would make the Phillies' roster.

Old_Chief

3:02

What's the likely return for Sean Newcomb? He seems excess in Atlanta and declared he sees himself as a starter.

Steve Adams

3:02

It won't be great but someone would take a chance on him. Could be just a prospect from someone's 15-30 range in their system -- could be a position player or bench candidate with some options left that the Braves could shuttle between Atlanta and Gwinnett this year.

bob

3:03

Who has impressed and maybe hinted at a break out this spring?

Steve Adams

3:04

I don't like to put too much stock in spring numbers, but when I see someone I'm already bullish on absolutely lighting it up, it's hard not to treat it as a bit of confirmation bias. Ty France is lookin' sharp.

Luke G.

3:04

What is happening with the A's and Rays' new stadium plans? Any word on either relocating to another city that they can extort more successfully?

Steve Adams

3:05

I don't think either is going to relocate anytime soon, and I don't think we're going to get expansion addressed until those two stadium situations are settled. Stu Sternberg is still clinging to the Montreal, dual-home-city scenario for his Rays.

Beane Ball

3:05

Why are the A’s bothering with Jed Lowrie? Hard to fathom they want a 36-year old with Bad knees playing in their Infield.

Steve Adams

3:06

They must love the character, the clubhouse presence, the makeup. He's hit a couple homers this spring but hasn't hit well on the whole. It seems like maybe he's picked it up after a slow start, but I generally agree ... it seems odd that he's a very strong candidate to be their regular at 2B. Especially after they just gave away Franklin Barreto and Jorge Mateo without ever giving them much of a chance.

3:07

Plus, the second base market is so flooded they could've gotten plenty of other more intriguing options on the cheap. Hell, Jedd Gyorko is *still* sitting out there. They probably could've thrown $1.5MM at him back in mid-February and gotten him signed.

Thrill Hill

3:07

A left over from the injury discussion a couple of weeks ago strangest injury of all has to be Glenallen Hill hurting himself sleepwalking from a dream of arachnophobia

Steve Adams

3:07

This is also a good one.

Lee Harvey Oddball

3:08

With Steve Cohen now in charge, will the Mets be more willing to eat contracts like Familia or Bettances if they don't produce?

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