You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/25/24
powered byJotCast
Steve Adams
8:43
Good morning! I'll fire this up at 1pm CT, but feel free to submit questions in advance. Looking forward to another chat!
1:04
Greetings all! Sorry for the slight delay. Let's get underway!
John
1:05
Hi Steve when do you think Baz and G Williams will be up and thoughts on their rest of the season stats?
Steve Adams
1:06
Williams could be up sometime within the next week. Baz is more likely to be down the line a bit and more dependent on the health of the Rays' other starters. Long-term, I prefer Baz between the two, but Williams is easier to get behind this season given that he topped 140 innings last year and isn't coming off major surgery.
Power is overrated
1:06
Did something happen with the balls this year that MLB is not acknowledging given how much lower offensive numbers are so far this season?
Steve Adams
1:07
It's certainly fair to question given that MLB obviously juiced the ball in 2019 at least and inexplicably offers little insight into the construction/composition of the ball, which should just be standardized (and pre-tacked, like the KBO/NPB balls, in order to avoid the stupid sticky stuff nonsense)
I have nothing to concretely suggest the ball is deadened this year, but it sure seems possible that's the case
Guest
1:08
Reds trade Candelario at the Deadline for prospects?
Steve Adams
1:08
Half a season into a three-year deal when they're still in the Wild Card mix? Not happening. Even if they fall out of contention, I still wouldn't expect that.
Erick Fedde
1:08
I've seen many trade proposals regarding my name. Many White Sox fans says I'm worth a top 100. What do I realistically bring back in a retur
1:09
what do I bring back in return?
Steve Adams
1:09
I think it's fair to ask one 50-FV prospect back... basically a back-half top-100 guy or someone who's not far off that, yeah. Add in a secondary piece or two as well.
Brian
1:10
Do you expect Cleveland to trade for a starting pitcher?
Steve Adams
1:11
I expect them to be in the mix to do so, but there's going to be more demand than supply, and the Guardians tend to grow arms on trees, so if the asking prices are just too steep for their liking, I wouldn't be surprised to see them look elsewhere for upgrades and stick in-house with the rotation. As mentioned earlier, Gavin Williams should be back soon.

(A setback for him or another injury elsewhere on the staff could heighten the urgency to add a SP, of course)
IMPLOSION
1:11
With the cubs skid, If they do decide to sell this year. Who all do you see get traded Belli, Tallion, Happ? what kind of return?
Steve Adams
1:14
Bellinger -- and basically anyone who has an opt-out like him -- is an immensely difficult player to trade because player options and especially multi-year opt-outs are just pure downside for the acquiring club. If the player performs as you hope, he bolts and you only had him for a couple months. If he gets hurt or tanks, you're left with an extra year (two years, in Belli's case) of a player whose contract is effectively underwater.

I don't think Happ will be the type of player they move, as he's signed two more years and is a generally steady member of the lineup. Taillon, perhaps. They signed him for four years and probably didn't really WANT the fourth year. (No team really wants the final year of that multi-year free agent deal; you're paying for the upfront years.) But I don't think the return would be huge given the low K% and the considerable money left on the deal.
1:15
Cubs just don't have a ton of short-term assets to peddle, but if they could find a taker for any of the Smyly, Neris or Hendricks deals I'm sure they would. I guess Patrick Wisdom, but there's not much value there.
Mets
1:16
Reports are Mets may be looking to add a back end Reliever. Could you see them in on Mason Miller ?
Steve Adams
1:16
Every team that wants a back-end reliever is going to want to be in on Mason Miller
Ivory
1:17
Why WOULDN'T The Tigers trade SKUBAL??...given their current state of the team...if a team such as Braves or Orioles give them a premium package...imO it's malpractice if not...don't want to but they almost don't have a choice if the package presents itself
Steve Adams
1:18
Because he's one of the five or so best pitchers in the game right now and they want to compete sooner than later. Whether you think that's realistic, the Tigers clearly do. Even if they flop next year, they'd still get a king's ransom for him if they put him back on the market. You're opening yourself to some injury risk, sure, but Skubal is pitching like a bona fide ace and the Tigers aren't going to wave the white flag on 2025 already.
Ben
1:19
Who gets dealt from the WhiteSox?
Steve Adams
1:21
Fedde, Pham, Kopech, Brebbia and ... I'll say Crochet but not Robert (with Robert then being one of the top trade candidates of the offseason)
Waiting for an Angels rebuild
1:21
What is the Angels’ best chance to acquire at least one 55+ FV prospect via trade? It’s certain they’ll get one in the draft, but what’s the road to getting that impact prospect as they sell off?
Steve Adams
1:24
I don't know that they have a clear path to that. You're basically talking a top-40ish prospect in all of MLB when you push to 55. Taylor Ward+Carlos Estevez being packaged maybe? I still don't think that'd get them there. Losing Patrick Sandoval hurts, though again, I don't think he'd have gotten that return either.
OhJays
1:24
What kind of return for Kikuchi could we expect? Norby or Mayo?
Steve Adams
1:24
Not for a Kikuchi rental, no
Guest
1:24
Do the Orioles trade Jackson Holiday?
Steve Adams
1:24
Nope
Brian Woo
1:24
Time to just shut me down for the year?
Steve Adams
1:25
Because of a hamstring issue? Of course not. It's not like he's dealing with a UCL sprain and trying to pitch through it.
Walter
1:25
If the Bluejays sell, what are the chances of the Guardians trading for Bassitt or Gausman? What would be the cost ?
Steve Adams
1:26
I don't think Gausman or Bassitt would be fits with Cleveland just for salary purposes. They'd likely require the Jays to pay either pitcher down, which would only increase the prospect value they'd have to surrender. A starter making $21MM (Bassitt) to $22MM (Gausman) per year just doesn't feel feasible for the Guardians right now.
No DeJong
1:26
You left off DeJong.  Do you think he won’t get dealt?
Steve Adams
1:27
Ah yeah, can toss him in there too. I was going off the cuff.
Dale
1:27
Have you really looked at how well Taillon is pitching? Gotta believe teams like the Orioles, Dodgers, Braves, etc would be lining up for that as a #3 starter.
Steve Adams
1:30
He's pitching well, but an 18% strikeout rate and 8% HR/FB aren't going to draw huge interest. He's not missing bats close to an average level, and if the HR/FB regresses toward league-average/his career norm, the ERA will spike.  He's sitting on a 4.30 SIERA.

He's also 32 going on 33 with $34MM owed to him after this season. The Dodgers and Braves would both pay huge luxury tax on his salary, too. (110%, in LA's case)

He's getting good results but not doing so in a convincing fashion
Augh, back in one minute, sorry.
1:32
Sorry had to answer a phone call quick
O Fo Sho
1:32
Will the O's sign Burns this offseason? They realistically can sign him, Adley, Gunnar etc.. then trade the farm for other needs this offseason. Or should they just go all in now.
Load More Messages
Connecting…