JotCast | MLBTR Chat with Steve Adams 3-15-16

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Steve Adams

3:14

Hello again! Feel free to start asking questions -- I'll get started officially in a couple minutes

BravesFan

3:15

do you see any Braves prospects making the 25 man roster

Steve Adams

3:17

Not any of their top guys -- Newcomb, Blair, Swanson, Albies, Smith, etc. There's no incentive for the Braves to start their service clocks early like that by bringing them north on Opening Day. If you just mean at some point in 2016, then yeah, I think Blair will be in the rotation eventually and Smith in the OF.

White Sox Rob

3:17

Do you see the White Sox making a move after the LaRoche news? With $13M in savings, they could go after Bruce/CarGo thru trade. i'd rather them take a flier on a guy like Morneau for cheap and if he doesn't pan out you still have $$ at the deadline. Thoughts?

Steve Adams

3:18

They don't necessarily need to go after a replacement at all. LaRoche was kind of a dead roster spot for them. They could shift Melky or Avi to a primarily DH role (they probably don't quite want to do that with Avi yet, if possible) and be better off for it, defensively. Might also need the DH slot early while Eaton returns to full strength from shoulder surgery.

Morneau makes sense for them, sure, but I think Justin makes sense for a number of clubs. If you're the Sox and you can get him for $3-4MM though, which seems perfectly reasonable, I don't see why not.

Ricky Nolasco

3:19

What do the Twins plan to do with me? I don't want to be in the bullpen and I believe I deserve a shot in the rotation, but they likely won't give it to me.

Steve Adams

3:21

I don't really know that he "deserves" the rotation spot over Tommy Milone or Trevor May. I know he doesn't want to go to the bullpen, but if they put him there, he'll go there. That's probably the most likely outcome, and while he can make a big deal about it, he'll ultimately pitch where they tell him to pitch. Not that the Twins need more outfielders, but the money owed to him and Melvin Upton is fairly similar, if the Padres want to cover the difference and give the Twins a veteran fourth OF. Just speculating there, of course.

Aaron

3:21

Would Bryan Holaday be a trade target for Houston?

Steve Adams

3:21

Yeah I think Holaday's a natural target for the Astros or Mets. He's probably better than a number of teams' backup catcher.

3:22

(Not a knock on Plawecki there, by the way, just referencing Adam Rubin's recent report that the Mets want Plawecki playing every day at AAA and don't want Monell as the MLB backup)

Friar Faithful

3:22

Based on Manuel Margot's recent success in spring training, do you think he can make an impact as soon as next year or 2018?

Steve Adams

3:23

I wouldn't base anything off a player's spring success, especially not two weeks in.

That said, Margot hit well enough in 60-ish games at Double-A last season. He could probably factor into the Padres' MLB plans this season if he performs at Double-A/Triple-A. Certainly by 2017, yes.

Depth Charge

3:24

Was surprised Mets waived Tejada today... seems early in camp for that... was there a money deadline coming up or something?

Steve Adams

3:25

Yeah. Mets can cut him for 30 days' salary if they do so with more than 15 days of camp remaining ($491K). That jumps to 45 days of pay if they do so with 15 or fewer days of camp left -- about $737K.

Koh

3:26

Degrom to miss first week of season due to the birth of his daughter. Why don't players just take care of their business in session so that they give birth off season? It's so stupid.

Steve Adams

3:26

This is among the most absurd comments I've ever seen in a chat. Log off.

Chris

3:27

Why such a long process for MLB to clear Yulieski Gurriel as a free agent? When do you anticipate him being able to sign?

Steve Adams

3:28

It's not just Yulieski -- MLB takes a long time declaring virtually every Cuban player a free agent. If anything, it might be fast-tracked a but in Yulieski's case because he's an MLB-ready bat in his prime. Sometime this summer is probably a realistic expectation, but I wouldn't be all that surprised if he doesn't play in MLB this year or is only around late in the season.

Aaron

3:29

Do you see any team claiming Ruben Tejada?

Steve Adams

3:29

I'd just let him clear and sign him to a minor league deal with a lower base, personally. If you really want him, can guarantee the roster spot and $1MM or something, but I probably wouldn't claim him at $3MM.

Stearns

3:30

Does Will Smith have as much value as Giles? Could he be moved before Opening Day?

Steve Adams

3:31

I don't think he does. He has four remaining years of control to Giles' five, and his control has been shakier than that of Giles in the Majors. He could still bring in quite a bit, though. At this point, I'd expect him to open the year on the roster... probably as Milwaukee's closer.

Shower Thoughts

3:32

Does Marlon Byrd seem like a low cost option (and less injury prone on at that) than Morneau in Chicago? His power could be welcome on the North Side.

Steve Adams

3:32

I'd rather take the guy that produces on the larger side of the platoon, especially with Garcia already being a right-handed bat. Morneau's a better call than Byrd, for me.

Timmy

3:32

What is the latest time line for Tim L to pitch in front of the teams?

Steve Adams

3:33

Late March now. Keeps getting pushed back and back.

Wayward

3:33

Do the Pirates ultimately keep Morse? No sure he has any trade value but there are better options for the Bucs if they want a right handed bench bat, or 4th OF, after Kang is activated.

Steve Adams

3:35

I can see him getting cut, yeah, especially with Freese in the fold as a 1B platoon option. However, I still think there's room for Freese to have a greater role. If Mercer hits like he does last year, I'd slide Kang to SS, put Freese at 3B and then use Morse as that LH platoon bat. We'll see how Jordy is playing and how healthy the rest of the infield is when Kang is ready.

Adam

3:35

Rays have a glut of decent-good outfielders and 1B/DH types. Assuming they all play well in the spring and don't get injured, how do you see the Rays clearing the logjam? Mikie Mahtook is too good to store in the minors while Pearce, Souza, and LoMo waddle around the outfield.

Steve Adams

3:37

Souza should be fine in the outfield -- not necessarily an elite defender, but at least average or slightly above out there. The most obvious move for the Rays is to just dump Loney, either by eating most of his salary and sending him to whoever will have him, or just straight releasing him. It's a big hit for them to take, given their payroll, but he doesn't fit well on that roster anymore.

baseball gods

3:37

Does waiving Tejada make it less likely Mets trade De Aza?

Steve Adams

3:38

I wouldn't think so -- saves them some money, sure, but De Aza is still a 5th OF making $5.75MM. And, unlike Tejada, his deal is fully guaranteed.

Brandon

3:38

Do you see Mac Williamson forcing the Giants hand to make him the starting left fielder at some point this year? Duffy forced his way into the lineup last year with McGehee being terrible, same thing isn't hard to imagine with Pagan.

Steve Adams

3:39

More likely that it happens due to a Pagan or Span injury than due to one of the two being genuinely terrible. I can see some combo of Williamson and Parker ending up with fairly regular OF time though, yeah.

Trouty

3:39

Do you think the Angels will upgrade over gentry choi and nava?

Steve Adams

3:41

If they were going to, wouldn't they have done so by now? Plus, not that this is remotely predictive, but Nava and Gentry are both raking in Spring Training. If they were comfortable enough with them in LF a few weeks ago, I don't see why a couple weeks of them taking good ABs would further change the Halos' thinking.

Matt E

3:41

How concerned should the Angels be about Weaver's velocity dip?

Steve Adams

3:42

It's not all that new; his velo was down in the 83-85 range last year, so this is just a continuation. I'd be really concerned. At this point, I don't think you count on Weaver for much of anything in 2016. While Spring stats are largely useless, non-statistical factors like a guy barely being able to crack 80 mph with his heater are worth getting concerned over.

Seth

3:42

Is Trevor Story a lock to start at SS for Colorado?

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