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Chat With MLBTR's Steve Adams: 8/6/19
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Steve Adams
3:17
The deadline has come and gone! It was pretty boring. Until it wasn't... for like 30 minutes. 2019 front offices, everyone. Let's discuss that, the plethora of upcoming waiver activity, the looming offseason and whatever else our hearts desire
Gausman
3:18
Waivers?!
Steve Adams
3:19
It's not that surprising to me that the Braves put him through waivers. I'm actually going to be writing something stemming from that in the next day or so. Basically, there's no real reason for most teams not to pass any non-tender candidate through outright waivers and see if they can save some cash. Atlanta clearly didn't consider him part of the 2020 picture, and they couldn't trust him in 2019 as they push for a division title... why not see if someone will save you a couple bucks?
3:20
I'm a little surprised the Reds claimed him, but it's not exactly a huge amount of money to take a shot on a guy who has a pretty good track record.
Theo
3:20
Will I go sign Lucroy or another catcher??
Steve Adams
3:20
I'd imagine the Cubs add a catcher, yeah. Lucroy makes sense; not exactly options aplenty at the moment.
Twingo
3:21
What does the Twins rotation look like next year?
Steve Adams
3:22
Jose Berrios, probably Martin Perez ($7MM club option) and a whole bunch of free agency/trade pickups. I'd imagine that both Brusdar Graterol and Jordan Balazovic are viewed as possible midseason additions from the farm -- both are consensus top 100 guys at this point, and both are in the upper minors -- but they'll probably have to force the issue rather than simply being handed a spot.
3:23
Can see them re-signing one of Odorizzi or Gibson
JD
3:24
Will Joe Panik get DFA'd?
Steve Adams
3:25
He kind of falls under that Gausman category I just referenced. He looks like an obvious non-tender candidate -- might as well run him through waivers and see if someone will claim what's left of his 2019 salary.
Ed
3:26
What is outright release waivers? And what is the difference between that and regular waivers? Is that just a fancy way of saying you're just released after no one else volunteered to pick up the tab?
Steve Adams
3:26
Outright waivers and release waivers are different things.
3:28
When you put a player through outright waivers, you're removing him from the 40-man roster (often via a DFA first) and making him (and his contract) available to all 29 other clubs. If he clears, the team then sends him outright to a minor league affiliate of its choosing. A player who has previously been outrighted or who has 3+ years of MLB service can reject that assignment in favor of free agency. If you have less than 3 years and no prior outrights, you don't have that right and simply report to the affiliate you're told.
Unconditional release waivers are the same process -- removed from 40-man, made available to all 29 other teams if they'll take the contract -- but once you clear, you're a free agent.
AA
3:29
What do I do with Donaldson? Extend him and let riley play LF? Hard to do that with Pache and Waters primed to man the outfield with Acuna for years to come. Maybe try to trade Riley for a TOR starter? Thoughts?
Steve Adams
3:32
He's an easy qualifying offer candidate. Make him the QO and take it from there. Having Riley around means they don't need to vastly overpay, but Riley's enormous contact issues have become more apparent now that his BABIP has fallen back to earth.

I doubt the Braves are surprised by his (Riley's) regression. If it's something we can predict in MLBTR chats, it's definitely something they were prepared for.

I doubt Riley alone gets that type of pitcher, but pair him up with some higher-end pieces from the farm and maybe they can bring in a high-end arm.
Sean
3:33
If you clear release waivers does the releasing team pay full salary? And is it offset by free agent signing?
Steve Adams
3:33
Former team is on the hook for the remainder of the contract, minus the prorated league minimum for any time spent in the big league with another team. (New team pays that prorated league min.)
Anons
3:34
Does most of pitchers not like to pitch for Yankees? It seems like most of top pitchers has no trade clause to NYY when they sign new contracts.
Steve Adams
3:34
Yankees are contenders virtually every year and always tied to top-end pitching. A no-trade clause is leverage for the player; they can ask for extra money as incentive to waive the clause, ask that a club option be exercised in advance, etc. It's more about leverage than about not wanting to pitch in New York in most cases.
3:36
For someone like Zack Greinke, he probably genuinely didn't want to pitch in New York, but more often than not it's just a leverage ploy.

Leverage is what prompted Madison Bumgarner to update his NTC to include eight teams he expected to be contenders this past offseason, for instance.
Rob R
3:37
IF the Cubs do claim Lucroy, are they responsible for all of his guaranteed $3.35MM this year?
Steve Adams
3:37
If they claim him off release waivers they'd owe him the remainder of that salary -- about $1.068MM.
3:39
The Adalberto Mejia era is over in St. Louis. Cards just DFA'ed him and selected Junior Fernandez. Cardinals fans, what's your favorite Mejia memory?
Walt
3:39
Do Angels pick up Calhoun's $14 million 2020 option? Or give Adell a shot first? If I were gm I would pick it up. And if Adell is ready next yr, trade him. Thoughts?
Steve Adams
3:44
It's kind of a borderline call.

I don't know that Calhoun's getting $13MM annually in free agency and don't think the risk is all that large if they buy him out. He might get a lesser salary on a two-year deal or something, but 32-year-old corner OFs aren't in high demand on the open market. At least for Calhoun, he gets a lot of value from OBP and walks.

I can see them picking it up, but if they give Adell a September call-up, his play late in the year could well influence the decision. I don't think Calhoun at $14MM is going to be an in-demand trade chip.
Yanks Fan
3:44
Do you think the Yankees will make serious offers for Cole, Bumgarner, Ryu this offseason?  Or are they going to focus more on extending the baby bombers.
Steve Adams
3:45
I'll be surprised if they're not aggressive pursuers of all the top pitchers -- Cole in particular.
Trade loophole
3:45
What would stop a team sending a player (obviously w/options remaining) to AAA and then trading said player to a contender?
Steve Adams
3:45
You can't trade players on a 40-man roster.
3:46
Nor can you trade a player who was outrighted off the 40-man roster this season.
Waivers
3:46
Is saving the league minimum on an expensive contract rather than just hoping for a turnaround a good financial investment?
Steve Adams
3:47
I don't think it makes any sense for the Mariners to outright Dee Gordon, who is signed for next season.

The Braves putting Kevin Gausman on outright waivers made plenty of sense, and they're saving $2.8MM because of it.

If the player is a pending free agent or an arb-eligible guy you're likely to non-tender -- might as well see if there are takers.
Rick Hahn
3:47
Say we DFA Castillo. It’d be smart for me to sign Lucroy, right? He could potentially bounce back and be a good trade chip, right?
Steve Adams
3:48
He's a free agent in two months, so no.
Mike
3:48
How do options work for guys like Panik?  He technically has options, but he can't be optioned?  I know I'm missing something.
Steve Adams
3:49
Yeah he technically has all three minor league option years remaining. But, once you reach five years of MLB service time, you can only be optioned to the minors if you give your consent.
Waiver Pitchers..
3:50
Jake McGee
Steve Adams
3:52
He's signed through 2020 though, and the remaining money on his deal would mean he'll clear, so I doubt they'd do it. Better to just keep him and try to move him this winter in a deal that saves some cash.

I know he's sitting on a nice ERA, but the rest of profile doesn't look as strong
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