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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams 5/24/22
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Steve Adams
2:05
Greetings all
Jake
2:06
How long can the Nationals let Dee Strange-Gordon and others play SS with Luis Garcia raking at AAA?
Steve Adams
2:08
I don't understand the Nationals' newfound insistence on signing random journeymen and playing them over their young players. They've stopped/started Carter Kieboom over and over in the Majors. They haven't given Luis Garcia much of a look. It was painfully obvious that the team was going to be bad this year... I don't see any reason not to be giving Garcia every opportunity to play in the big leagues.
2:09
Obviously the Kieboom injury derailed any chance to get a look at him this year, but based on how they're handling Garcia, I wonder whether they'd have just given a huge chunk of playing time to Franco over Kieboom anyway
Cal
2:09
Any idea when we could see Riley Greene join the major league club?
Steve Adams
2:10
Greene broke his foot in Spring Training and still hasn't even played a minor league game
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/04/tigers-riley-greene-to-miss-ope...
2:11
AJ Hinch said last week that he's nearing a return to baseball activities, but he's going to need to build up to game readiness and then get some rust out for a few weeks in the minors, I'd imagine.
So... July? Late June? Just speculative there, but I wouldn't think any sooner than that, really.
Ian Happ
2:11
How much value do I have?
Steve Adams
2:15
Happ's walks are up and the strikeouts are down, but his power is also down. I don't think anyone's buying him as a true .400 OBP guy, and his .341 average on balls in play seems ripe for regression -- particularly since it's not accompanied by any appreciable changes in his batted-ball profile. If anything, I'd say it's a bad sign that his ground-ball rate has increased to the extent it has.

Happ isn't really a great defender, and he's probably closer to a slightly above-average hitter than the plus offensive presence he's been this year. He's controlled through 2023 only.

I don't think the trade value is all that high. OF-needy teams will have some interest, sure, but he's not going to bring back a heavy prospect haul unless he can sustain this K/BB improvement while also rediscovering some of the missing power.
Don
2:16
With the season he’s having, what could Wilson Contreras realistically bring back in a trade?
Steve Adams
2:17
I don't think Contreras is bringing back that much more than any of the rentals they traded at last year's deadline. If the Cubs get a solid prospect and another lower-level or lower-tier piece, that seems fair. If you're expecting to see a contender give you one of their top-five prospects and then some ... you'll probably be disappointed.
Ever Hopeful MN Fan
2:18
Are the Twins the real deal or does the rest of the AL Central just kind of bite?  Or is it a little from Column A and some from Column B?  I like the team enthusiasm I've been seeing lately.
Steve Adams
2:19
Some of both. Joe Ryan and Josh Winder are good. Sonny Gray is good. The pitching staff in general was probably a little underrated coming into the year. I think they'll still need to make some additions at the deadline.

The lineup is solid, and if they eventually carve out a more prominent role for Royce Lewis and/or Alex Kirilloff (who's been mashing at Triple-A since coming back from his wrist injury), it'll be that much deeper.

That said, they've gotten to beat up on some pretty bad Royals and Tigers clubs so far, which would help any team's record.
Patrick
2:21
What are your expectations for Roansy Contreras now that he's in the rotation?
Steve Adams
2:22
Solid middle-of-the-rotation type of guy. I hope Pirates fans don't come out expecting that he's a ready-made ace, and there'll probably be some shaky games early on if he doesn't improve his command (he walked almost 14% of hitters in AAA).
Perry Minasian
2:22
Do I have the resources to trade for Tarik Skubal?  Jose Suarez and Brandon March too much/not enough?
Steve Adams
2:24
You're talking four and a half years of Skubal, who is the one Tigers pitching prospect who's thus far delivered on the hype surrounding him. Tigers aren't moving him, period, and I don't think that offer makes much headway even if the Tigers were to listen on him.
2:25
I like Brandon Marsh, but 4.5 years of Skubal, with how he's thrown, would carry comically high trade value.
Alex Reyes
2:26
Do I ever pitch in the MLB again?
Steve Adams
2:27
I feel bad for the guy. Hopefully, but no one has any way of knowing what his future holds right now. It's not like he's having a third Tommy John surgery or something, so I don't see any reason to assume this shoulder thing is a career-ender, but it's tough to project a lengthy career when that many major surgeries start to mount up.
ThadBosley
2:28
The Brewers recently DFAed Alex Bettinger and Dylan File from their 40 man roster while both were in the minors which left them with only 37 guys on the 40 man roster.  What is the point or benefit in doing that?
Steve Adams
2:30
They add some additional 40-man roster flexibility and they removed both from the roster while retaining their rights by waiving them at a time when they felt they had a chance of going unclaimed.
Walker, Texas Ranger
2:31
Have the Rangers really taken the next step? Four games under .500 is an improvement over the last few years. Seems like they may be ready for the next step. Let's call up some of the MiLB studs like Winn.
Steve Adams
2:31
Winn has a 5.94 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 23 walks in 36 1/3 Triple-A innings.
2:34
I don't know about the Rangers turning the corner as a whole. Martin Perez isn't going to go the whole season without giving up a homer. Matt Moore isn't going to maintain this pace with his walk rate through the roof. The lineup is still rough in several places, with Semien struggling hugely. Adolis Garcia has a .258 OBP.

It's an improved team, but I don't think they're on the cusp of some huge breakout or a surprise postseason berth, no.
Blake Snell
2:35
Am I fantasy relevant? Am I better than Luis Castillo?
Steve Adams
2:35
I have both on multiple fantasy rosters. Snell down the stretch in 2021 was one of the five best pitchers in baseball, and it coincided with him overhauling his pitch selection. I'm giving him several starts before I even consider moving on.
Castillo's velo has improved every start so far.
Guest
2:36
J.P. Feyereisan. Closer in waiting or just another valuable arm in Rays stable?
Steve Adams
2:36
I doubt the Rays will be using a dedicated closer anytime soon. JPF will get some saves here and there, though, and if you're asking for fantasy purposes, the ratios should still be valuable. Good pitcher. Whether I'd hold him or look elsewhere depends on the scoring and structure of the league.
2:38
Need to step away for a couple minutes and deal  with something at the house here -- apologies. Back shortly.
2:40
Sorry -- we have a 5-month old and chaos tends to happen from time to time, haha.
Pujols
2:40
Do I get to 700 home runs this year?
Steve Adams
2:41
I don't see it. Pujols is really only productive against lefties and I don't think he'll see enough of them to get 17 more long balls.
Would be fun though!
Vince
2:42
Care to take a wild guess at Aaron Judge's next contract?
Steve Adams
2:43
It'll depend on whether he can remain healthy and how much of this pace he can sustain. Obviously it's not realistic to expect him to keep THIS up, but if he can maintain even 60-70% of what he's done, that's like a 160 wRC+ for the remainder of the season and probably 50+ homers. He's going to beat seven years in free agency and probably be paid at a level commensurate with the highest-paid stars in the game. Something like $280-300MM over eight years?
Mr. Hoyer
2:44
Is there any reason not to cut Heyward and give the younger players a chance to play?
Steve Adams
2:45
I guess just holding out hope that someone takes on part of the deal in a bad contract dump and they're thusly spared some money? If Brennen Davis weren't struggling in AAA right now, you have to think they'd at least consider making the switch.
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