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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 12/21/21
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Steve Adams
1:46
Greetings all! Hope the holiday season is treating everyone well. Let's discuss uh, the... continued absence... of baseball? And I guess all the stuff that could happen post-lockout.
Hoyer
1:46
Can I count on Schwindel, Ortega or Wisdom to actually compete for an everyday job and play at an all-star level for a whole season?
Steve Adams
1:47
They can play any of them everyday in 2022 if the want, but I'd bet strongly against that netting an All-Star bid for any of the trio. I do think Schwindel will at least get a pretty legitimate look.
Chaim Bloom
1:48
Who are my best options left to fill out my bullpen and am I likely to Exceed the luxury tax
Steve Adams
1:51
Sorry about that -- phone call. Back now!
1:52
Holy cow, and that was followed by a brief internet outage. We're back up and running, I think ... apologies on the longest delay ever to a simple question.
1:53
Some of my favorite relievers on the market -- Jimmy Nelson, Collin McHugh -- probably won't break the bank (Nelson in particular), so I think it's possible for the Sox to upgrade their 'pen meaningfully without needing to exceed the tax. They didn't show an inclination to cross the threshold in 2021, but they've obviously done it before.
1:54
We don't know what the luxury tax will be, but they're about $6MM from the prior threshold, so it's quite possible they'll still be in the danger zone when a new CBA is hammered out. Increases, as with the last CBA, will be gradual.
1:55
Though it'd behoove the players to push for larger-scale increments, of course.
Lew Ford
1:55
Are the Twins going to compete in 2022?
Steve Adams
1:56
If you'd asked me at the beginning of the offseason, I'd have said I expected them to sign one notable starter, one mid-rotation option and perhaps trade for one, which would be enough for me to buy them as contenders given the strength and upside of their lineup.

Missing out on every free-agent starter of note, seemingly due to a lack of interest in even taking the risk, has me wondering how seriously they'll push for 2022 upgrades even after the lockout ends. They'll add some arms, but I'm skeptical they'll be notable enough to make this team a bona fide 2022 threat.
1:57
And with the Royals and Tigers improving, the White Sox looking to have some staying power ... I think the lack of aggression for 2022 is a misstep. Twins fans are well within their rights to be disappointed by how inactive the club was prior to the lockout.
KB
1:57
Rumors of a possible Cubs reunion. Any chance?
Steve Adams
1:58
There's no real rumors that I've seen. Robert Murray said last week something like "you can never fully rule it out," because sure -- maybe Bryant's market crumbles and he takes a soft landing in Chicago with an eye toward a quick return to market.

I don't think Bryant is going to have to take a short-term deal, though, and I don't think there's any real chance the Cubs go five, six years to bring him back. The ship has pretty much sailed.
Me
1:59
I know that a competitive balance pick can only be traded during the season, but can a team include it in a trade in the off season and label it as a player to be named later?
Steve Adams
2:01
The Braves and D-backs sidestepped the "in-season" rule once when Atlanta acquired Trevor Cahill from the D-backs in what amounted to a salary dump by swapping a Comp Balance pick for a low level minor leaguer right after the season started. The two deals were separately announced but were directly linked.
2:02
That low-level minor leaguer wound up being current Tigers outfielder Victor Reyes, btw
Angels 1961
2:02
Upton and Rengifo for David Price who says no?
Steve Adams
2:03
Dodgers. I don't think Rengifo moves the needle much for them, and Price has more value than Upton -- plus the Dodgers are thinner in pitching depth than in outfield options.
Mr Jay
2:03
What do you think of the Blue Jays trading for Jorge Polanco as a Marcus Semien replacement? .. Twins don't seem to be competing in 2022 and with Luis Arraez, Austin Martin, Nick Gordon, etc. on the roster ... Would Gunnar Hoglund and Orelvis Martinez get it done?
Steve Adams
2:05
Minnesota has Polanco for another four years at a total of $35MM (with the final two seasons being club options). They may not be active in adding to the 2022 club, but both owner Jim Pohlad and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey have stated, on record, they're not rebuilding. Trading Polanco is a pure rebuilding move and I don't think they'll do it.
Just Jerry
2:05
Any idea why the Mariners don't seem to be in on Correa? Last real chance at an FA superstar if they really are all-in.
Steve Adams
2:06
Generally speaking, I think most front offices are just pretty averse to the notion of decade-long deals (perhaps even 11 years in Correa's case). I agree he obviously makes them better, but there are other avenues to improve the club without taking on a $300MM+ risk. Dipoto isn't far removed from probably feeling lucky to dump the remaining portion of the franchise's last decade-long deal.
(Cano)
Perry Minasian
2:08
Did I over promise on the pitching or am I not done yet?
Steve Adams
2:08
I don't think the Angels are necessarily done adding arms.
renalrickets
2:09
How likely is it Sean Manaea is dealt before opening day? What do you expect the cost to be? Is Ronnie Mauricio enough to get it done for the Mets?
Steve Adams
2:10
I'm expecting several trades from the A's, and as their most expensive player who'll be a free agent after 2022, Manaea is likelier to me than Bassitt or Montas. (I might lean Olson as the most likely)

I feel like for a one-year rental, Mauricio is probably more than the Mets would want to give up and more than the A's can reasonably be expected to receive.
Rangers29
2:11
After the Semien/Seager splurge, can the Rangers really entice Kershaw, and if not maybe someone like Rodon? No point in adding like this is if you’re going to ignore your staff….
Steve Adams
2:12
All they need to do to entice anyone is write a big enough check. Seager and Semien themselves are proof of that. They'll add at least one more arm to that rotation.
David
2:12
Thoughts on David Blitzer?
Steve Adams
2:14
My thoughts are that he seems quite wealthy if he's a partial owner of three North American sports franchises and some European soccer/football clubs as well. I don't know much about him beyond that, but I totally get why Cleveland fans are excited about the possibility of an ownership change. I doubt Blitzer is going to tell fans "Enjoy him" (implying "for now") when asked about a possible extension for the face of the franchise.
Tiger Fan
2:15
Might the Yankees or Mets eschew some talented SP with injury risk (Carrasco, Taillon, etc.) for some more stability? Or will they just eat the risk as they have in years past and hope it goes better?
Steve Adams
2:16
Neither pitcher costs all that much, especially by NY standards. I think they'll continue adding depth around them, as they should, but the upside on both is pretty substantial. I don't envision either team selling low on those pitchers.
checking all boxes
2:16
Conforto at 4*60 makes too much sense for the White Sox for it not to happen. Of course if he makes too much dollars, it might be a problem. Who is their opening day right-fielder?
Steve Adams
2:17
Conforto at 4/60 makes sense for a lot of teams, but I doubt Conforto thinks that makes sense. With a normal season, he'd have been $125-150MM. If the best he's seeing is 4/60, I have to think he'll either go the one-year route or do something like the Castellanos deal (4/64 but with multiple opt-outs baked in so he can re-enter the market when he bounces back)
And I do think he'll bounce back.
2:18
He ended the season nicely, the batted-ball profile was strong throughout the year even though the bottom-line results weren't there. He's a much, much better player than he was in 2021 and I expect we'll see a better version of him again as soon as 2022.
Santa’s Shopping: KC
2:18
Do the royals have a notable hole in the 26 man? What is on GM picollo’s Christmas list?
Steve Adams
2:19
Bullpen help.

Also, while J.J. Picollo was nominally promoted to general manager, it's still Dayton Moore (president of baseball operations) who's making the final call on these things.
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