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Trade Rumors Front Office Chat

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Keith

2:47

Is Mark Canha the best leadoff man in baseball?

Steve Adams

2:49

Mark Canha is one of the single most underrated players in baseball. The guy just mashes, he can play first or anywhere in the outfield -- somehow playing a solid CF -- and he's even somehow in the 85th percentile among sprint speed.

2:50

I love Mark Canha, and I think he's going to be one of the best value buys on next year's free-agent market even though he's in his mid-30s. He's good at everything, and some team is going to get a damn good player who flies under the radar amid a star-studded free agent class

Ziggy

2:50

Been kinda a weird start to the season in the NL East, but do you have any early thoughts? Marlins actually look decent? Nats pitching's been rough, but should turn around, right?

Steve Adams

2:51

I have to wonder if Corbin is even healthy. His velo is the same as last year but down 2.5 mph from his awesome 2019 season, and his control is just all over the map. 7% walk rate and 63% first-pitch strike rate heading into 2021, and he's at 17.5% and 52.5% in those categories this year.

2:52

It's only a few starts, but when such a good pitcher suddenly looks THIS bad, I wonder about health.

2:53

Marlins are intriguing to me. Jazz Chisholm is tons of fun, they have lots of nice young arms. Assuming the Sixto injury proves minor, adding him and Trevor Rogers to a staff led by Alcantara and Lopez could be really nice. Brian Anderson is underrated, Garrett Cooper can hit.

I still think they're another year away, largely because their bumper crop of outfield prospects has mostly busted, but it's a nice core

Randall the Handle

2:54

Have I earned more playing when the OF injuries start to heal in Toronto and Hernandez and Speinger get gack

Steve Adams

2:54

Is that Grichuk's actual nickname? That can't be. Ha

2:55

I'm not changing my opinion on what Grichuk is based on 13 games. The uptick in walk rate is encouraging, but the sample is so small that it could be due more to pitchers just wildly missing the zone than an actual improvement in his approach. His swinging-strike rate is the same, his chase rate is still poor. His contact rate on pitches out of the zone is actually worse than it's been in recent years. (Granted, he's making more contact IN the zone)

2:56

Grichuk, to me, is what he is. He's a decent defender in the corners with some power who can only scrape a .300 OBP in a good season.

2:57

The extension was an overpay and a substantial misstep, and it likely keeps him in Toronto as an overpriced fourth OF. If Tellez continues to struggle, sure you could option him, move Teoscar to DH, and go Gurriel, Springer, Grichuk left to center.

Metsiac

2:57

What are the Mets' possible solutions to the Cano situation: Buy him out? DFA? Keep him since he's under contract for 2 more years? Or find a legal way to terminate his contract?

Steve Adams

2:59

There's no way to terminate the contract barring some abhorrent legal matter like Felipe Vazquez in Pittsburgh. (Even then, his contract wasn't terminated, he's just on the restricted list indefinitely and not being paid) There's also no "buyout" option.

They owe him what they owe him -- $20.25MM in 2022 and again in 2023. They'll keep him, probably try to move him this winter. I doubt they'll be successful, so the choice comes down to hoping to get some production out of him in 2022-23 or just DFA'ing him. They probably don't make that call until the end of Spring Training '22 at least.

Division winners

2:59

Thoughts on the current division leaders (BOS, KC, SEA, NYM, MIL, LAD)? Besides LAD, which of these teams do you think can stay there?

Steve Adams

3:02

I picked Angels-Twins-Rays in the AL and Dodgers-Brewers-Braves in the NL.

I think the Mets could easily hang on in the NL East. Royals aren't complete enough to win the AL Central, to me, and the Red Sox are too dependent on keeping too many injured/injury-prone veterans healthy. If they have a crazy fortunate year for health, sure the talent is there, but Sale/Eovaldi/E-Rod/Richards all have pronounced health risks.

I could actually squint and see the Mariners just because I don't think the AL West is that strong this year, and I really like some of their young players. I don't think it's likely, of course, but I like the Mariners more than most pundits, I'd wager.

@therealRangers29

3:02

I was high on Kyle Gibson going into the season, and it seems to be a rightful assumption 3 games in now. His first start was the 1/3 inning blow up against the Royals, but since then he has faced 2 good teams in the Jays and Rays, and both have been shut down very well by him. Any thoughts on Gibson after two weeks into the season?

Steve Adams

3:05

Gibson was underrated during his time with the Twins. When he had the velo bump and was leaning into his slider, he had serious breakout buzz. That's why he got the three years in Texas. His velocity is back to that level, he's throwing the slider at nearly a 25% clip. I'm optimistic. He's talented and is further distanced from some of those gastrointestinal issues that plagued him and caused him to drop like 25 pounds in an offseason.

Rob Manfred

3:05

Do I really need to be trying so hard to pump up run-scoring in baseball? It's not like this is the deadball era...

Steve Adams

3:08

I think we've just reached a point where fans hate Manfred and will immediately hate any initiative he puts into play even if it makes some sense. The vitriol over taking a look at what it's like the move the mound back a foot was practically absurd. I enjoyed the people claiming they haven't moved the mound in 100+ years, ha. Bob Gibson would like a word.

They want to make the game more exciting for younger fans, I get it. I don't like a lot of the proposed rules, but I also don't really care about most of them. Larger bases? Sure. Move the rubber a foot? I won't notice.

By and large, it's all still going to look like baseball.

That said, we can get rid of this Looney Toons ghost-runner-on-second crap in the extra innings anytime now. I loathe the extra-innings rule. It's gimmicky and fundamentally changes the game.

3:09

That's probably as close as I'll ever come to defending Manfred, ha.

Alfonse

3:09

What do you think of MLB's minor league test of adding a foot to the distance between home plate and the pitcher's mound, i.e. 61' 6''?

Steve Adams

3:10

Just to be further clear on this: I think it's totally sensible to try it out. There's no harm in seeing what it looks like. I love the current product, but I also wouldn't mind seeing some more balls in play and fewer strikeouts, so sure. Let's see if pitchers struggle, if injuries increase, if command goes out the window, if hitters are suddenly all mashing, etc.

Aaron Heilman

3:10

I have a tough time getting a read on David Peterson. Is he just a solid 5th or 6th starter, or can he be a #2 or #3 kind of guy?

Steve Adams

3:11

Fourth/fifth guy for me, at least with his current arsenal. That said, it seems we see a few guys experience velo boosts or adding a new pitch every year and suddenly they're a whole new pitcher.

This version of Peterson is a solid fourth starter though.

3:13

Alrighty, I've got to wrap this up for the week. Thank you again, as always, for subscribing and showing your support. It's both helpful and humbling. You guys rule. I'm on Twitter @Adams_Steve, and if my second Moderna shot next Thursday doesn't render me bedridden Friday, I will host another of these same time next week. If I'm knocked out of commission, Connor will step in, haha.

Have a great weekend everyone

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