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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 1/21/20
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Steve Adams
2:35
So ... it's been a mildly chaotic week since our last chat.Let's discuss!
Arenado
2:36
With how this is playing out publicly and my full no-trade. Will I be able to dictate where I go and leaving the Rockies with salary relief and a few prospects, a la Stanton?
Steve Adams
2:36
I don't get the sense that the Rox feel they *need* to trade him as the Marlins did with Stanton; and if Arenado is this frustrated with the organization, perhaps he won't be as selective as Stanton was.
Nolan A
2:37
Do i get traded to the Braves? Who goes to Colorado?
Steve Adams
2:38
I don't think Atlanta would take on the contract.They're already at record levels of payroll and just declined to pay up for Donaldson on a much cheaper annual rate. Sure, he's 34, but age wasn't the only factor there.
Buccos
2:38
Are we not even pretending to try anymore?
Steve Adams
2:38
Most teams at the onset of a rebuild don't.
Felix Hernandez
2:39
Do I have a chance to make the roster in Atlanta in any situation?
Steve Adams
2:39
Sure, if he throws well in spring. They have tons of pitching options there as it is, but that was true when they revitalized Anibal's career as well.
Lindor
2:39
So am I staying in Cleveland?  Is this old news?
Steve Adams
2:40
A trade of him has never seemed all that likely, as we've frequently mentioned when writing about the rumors surrounding him. He'll be traded at some point, but next winter or this summer (depending on how the first half plays out) seems likelier.
Rich D'Anna
2:41
Do the Twins have enough starting pitching to contend?
Steve Adams
2:41
They won 101 games in 2019, and their rotation isn't demonstrably worse than it was then.
pbjls
2:41
what would a contract for Andrew Cashner reunion with TX as a reliever look like
Steve Adams
2:42
I'd imagine Cashner's in minor league deal territory after his drop-off with the Red Sox. If he gets a guaranteed deal, it'd be incentive-laden with a low base.
Aaron
2:43
The Cubs only have Darvish and Hendricks in their starting rotation under guaranteed contracts for 2021. With the payroll "situation" and the complete lack of impact, near-MLB ready starting pitching, how worried should Cubs fans be for the future?
Steve Adams
2:45
I have to imagine that at that point, with Lester, Chatwood, Quintana and Descalso all off the books, plus some trades of currently expensive players (e.g. Bryant), ownership will be more willing to spend again.
Plus, if they do trade Bryant (or Contreras or someone else making decent coin), they'll likely be looking to add controllable arms in return.
JD
2:47
Rangers said to make one more big move this offseason, who’s most likely... Arenado, Bryant, Castellanos?
Steve Adams
2:47
All Castellanos costs them is money, and there aren't that many teams hotly pursuing Castellanos, it doesn't seem. Him, then Bryant and then Arenado if I'm ranking most to least likely
WhiteSoxFan33
2:47
Giolito, Keuchel, Gonzalez, Lopez, Cease, Kopech, Rodon. Who ends up in the pen if everyone is healthy?
Steve Adams
2:49
File that under "good problem to have."

But I don't think Reynaldo Lopez's future is as going to be as a starter. He'll be the first to move to the 'pen, and then you'll probably have Kopech and Rodon on innings limits, so there's no real need to drop anyone to a permanent relief role
Large Marge
2:49
Will Marte be moved before spring training begins? Thoughts on where?
Steve Adams
2:50
I'm pretty surprised there hasn't been more talk surrounding him, honestly. I think he's a good option for the Braves if they don't want to take on a larger salary like Bryant. D-backs still make sense to me as well. As do the Phillies, but they don't seem too intent on further splashes
Jorge Soler
2:51
Why don’t we hear my name in trade rumors? I’m signed for a little over $7M, have 1 arb year left before FA, and would certainlty help a team like the Braves.
Steve Adams
2:51
The Royals want to extend him rather than trade him.
Evan
2:51
Is Eddie Rosario of the Twins on the trade block?
Steve Adams
2:52
Not in the sense that they're actively shopping him around, but I'm sure they'd listen to offers. I don't think he'd bring back a great return, though, given his OBP struggles, his lack of plate discipline and declining defensive marks
TDog
2:53
What‘s your thoughts on Nick Madrigal?
Steve Adams
2:53
Anyone who strikes out in fewer than 5% of his plate appearances is my kind of goofy oddball. He'll be a fun player to watch once he debuts for the ChiSox
PATigersFan
2:53
Why the hold-up for the last two "big name" free agents?
Steve Adams
2:56
Assuming that's Ozuna and Castellanos ... Ozuna has been more good than great with the exception of a huge 2017 that looks like an outlier, and I'm sure he wanted to be compensated at a rate most clubs considered a non-starter in talks.

Castellanos' glove probably limits his market, and you can bet the early ask was high there as well.

More broadly speaking, teams just haven't paid as much for mid-range corner OFs in recent years. It's a relatively easy position to fill on the cheap. The superstar guys are still going to get paid, but we're going to see fewer and fewer of the $15MM+ annual salaries at 3, 4 and 5 years for guys who are limited to the OF corners.
2:57
All of this is why MLBTR's prediction for Ozuna was lower than any other list of predictions; it was hard to see who was going to jump into a bidding war on him and push the talks to 4-5 years.
Dark
2:57
What's your overall take on the Arenado situation? Does he have legs to stand on, or should he just take it for $30 million a year?
Steve Adams
2:57
I'd be irritated as well if the club promised, upon extending me, to continually work to put a good team on the field ...... then opened the offseason by having their owner say "We don't have any payroll space!"
Angel's fan
2:58
Does taijuan Walker make sense for a low risk high reward for us?
Steve Adams
2:58
He makes sense for just about any team in that sense.
Two "sense"s in one sentence! I'm on fire. You get the idea.
Felix Pie
2:59
It seems like the Cubs get a ton of flak for "only" winning one world series with the current core and it seems to be framed as a failure, but isn't it just hard to win multiple championships in a short window? Astros *ahem* only have one and the 90s braves wont the division for a decade and a half straight and only won one.
Steve Adams
3:00
Yeah. I think their core was just so alluring and they were so good in '16 that people just expected they'd more closely approach a repeat in the ensuing years.

There are also plenty of teams that have great cores and never win one. Winning a World Series is hard, and random stuff happens in playoff series all the time.
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