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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 5/29/18
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Steve Adams
3:12
Hope the long weekend was a good one for everyone! Let's get things underway
Erich
3:12
Juan Soto doesn’t look afraid of MLB pitching! Is he here to stay?
Steve Adams
3:14
He looks quite good thus far, yeah, although anyone can do so in a sample of 29 plate appearances. Not downplaying his accomplishments to date, but we haven't seen enough to definitively say he's ready for a full-time look.

He'll stay until Eaton comes back, at the very least, and if he's still raking at that point, then there's no real way they can take him out of the lineup. If you're asking for a prediction: I think he stays up.
Yankees
3:15
Can Greg Bird stay healthy and hit this year??
Steve Adams
3:16
We have no real reason to expect that he can stay healthy for the remainder of the year right now. I think he'll hit for power as long as he's healthy, though he'll probably strike out a fair amount as well. Durability is a bigger question for me than productivity though.
Kevin Cash
3:16
Would Wilson Ramos bring a top-100 prospect to our team in return?
Steve Adams
3:19
I doubt it. He's not exactly cheap, he's not far removed from major knee surgery, and a lot of his success right now is tied to some good fortune on balls in play. I think Ramos has the ability to be among the best-hitting backstops in the league, but I don't see him as a massive trade chip -- at least in terms of what he'll return.
3:20
Then again if you'd told me eight years ago that the Twins would trade him for Matt Capps, I'd have called you insane. Just takes one team to make a silly offer. (Man, that Ramos/Capps swap was lopsided)
tbird
3:20
Is Hanley Ramirez a possibility for bravos 3b?
Steve Adams
3:20
I'd say I doubt anyone plays him at 3B, but they did just put Bautista there, so guess I can't say it's impossible. Doesn't seem likely, though.
Dan Duquette
3:20
What's the best way forward?  Full rebuild, or soft rebuild?
Steve Adams
3:21
Burn it down, Dan.

Though it sounds more and more like Duquette has lost influence in Baltimore. I don't expect that he'll be retained beyond 2018. So... burn it down, Brady Anderson.
Indians Fan
3:22
What would the Orioles require in a deal for Adam Jones and Brad Brach?  They both become free agents this winter
Steve Adams
3:24
I don't think Jones is going to bring much of a haul with a sub-.300 OBP. He also has 10-and-5 rights, so he can veto any trade. I wouldn't say it's a guarantee he's dealt, though if the front office starts shipping off everyone else around him, he might just decide he wants to jump ship to a contender, as well.

Brach's control issues this season have to have teams a bit wary of adding him, too. I don't think you're looking at anything out of Cleveland's top five prospects or so for either Jones or Brach.
Marty
3:25
Hi when are the reds going to give up on homer
Steve Adams
3:27
I think we're at the point where you wonder if they'll cut bait soon. Just a year and a half left on the deal, and he's not showing that he has any real hope of turning things around. Twins cut bait on Hughes, who's at the same juncture of his contract. Generally speaking it seems like teams are less willing to cut the cord on a guy who has more than 2 full guaranteed years left ... I'd say Bailey's definitely on thin ice
Curious
3:27
If Moose keeps up a similar pace, will he finally get paid this offseason?
Steve Adams
3:28
He'll get paid more than he did last winter, of course, now that the pick is gone. And if his defense is really more average than poor, as defensive metrics suggest, then perhaps clubs will give him the benefit of the doubt that he can sustain that for a few years now that he's further removed from knee surgery.

I still think we're looking at three years for him, tops --- something in the $39-45MM range perhaps -- but yeah he'll do much better this time around.
Paul Molitor
3:29
Sure would like for the Twins to have the Ramos/Capps trade back!  What do we do with our backstop situation?
Steve Adams
3:30
Probably give Garver an honest look for another 3-4 weeks at least before making any significant move. I do think Ramos is a fit there, or if they're closer to the division lead in July they could be a serious suitor for a bigger upgrade like Realmuto.
Moose Trax
3:31
Any chance the Royals extend/sign Moose long term and rebuild around him instead of trading him?
Steve Adams
3:31
I don't think so -- seems like they viewed Hosmer as an exception and wanted him and him alone in that role. I feel like he'll be playing elsewhere in 2019 and beyond.
Probably later this summer, too.
Elon's Musk
3:32
Chances Kershaw opts out?
Steve Adams
3:32
100% as long as he finishes the season healthy.
Lee
3:33
What are the chances the Indians sell at the deadline?
Steve Adams
3:33
There's only one other team even trying in that division. I can't imagine them selling.
Luke
3:33
Do you see the Mariners going after Scooter? Or a starting pitcher? Or even both?
Steve Adams
3:36
Gennett seems like a fit there, but I guess they might worry about having too crowded a roster with Span, Cano and Dee all around as well once everyone's back.

Rotation is probably a bigger need for them anyhow, though their poor farm obviously handcuffs them a bit. Wonder if they could just call up a team with some poor contracts in the rotation (Royals?) and pay down a portion of that deal to get an innings eater for the back end. Would be more appealing if Hammel or IPK were pitching well right now, but that kind of idea seems plausible to me.
Jays fan
3:37
Are the Jays buyers or sellers this year?  They could get a haul for Donaldson, Stroman, Sanchez
Steve Adams
3:39
I would bet that Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro don't even have an answer to that question at this point. Nor should they. It's early to be making true evaluations for most clubs, unless you entered the season in a spot like the Padres, Marlins, etc.

I don't know that they'd get a haul for that group though. Depends on the health of Donaldson and Stroman. And I doubt they move Sanchez regardless, given the remaining control. Happ would bring some talent back, and maybe some of the relievers would fetch a quasi-interesting name.
Bob
3:40
Is there any team that has a realistic chance to sign both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado?
Steve Adams
3:40
You could argue that a club like the Phillies or White Sox technically has the money to do it, but I can't see it happening.
Joe
3:41
Can the Mariners win the AL West.
Steve Adams
3:41
I still see the Astros running away with it. Rest of the division is playing for a Wild Card spot as far as I'm concerned.
Pope
3:42
Is the shift now accepted dogma and will MLB eventually rebel with new rules?
Steve Adams
3:45
Defensive shifts aren't going anywhere. If anything, they'll become more extreme in the future. Why would anyone rule against them? The only reason the traditional "positions" came to be were because early teams placed defenders evenly around the diamond in anticipation of the likeliest spots a ball could be hit.

And we've seen more "traditional" defensive shifting for decades. Playing the corners in during a bunt situation, a no-doubles defense in the outfield late in games, etc. Ted Williams got shifted on 70 years ago.
Boe Juck
3:45
On a scale of 1-10, how likely are the Mets to trade DeGrom, assuming they can get a huge haul back?
Steve Adams
3:46
They *can* get a huge haul back, but I don't really consider it likely at all and, right now, would probably say a 1 or 2 on that scale.
Mark Shapiro
3:46
Think there would be any takers for Russ Martin?
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