JotCast | MLBTR Chat with Steve Adams 5-18-16

MLBTR Chat with Steve Adams 5-18-16

Prev Page View Full Chat

Steve Adams

3:56

I honestly don't know, but I'd applaud the Rockies if they just released him. I don't mind the idea of the Braves, Phillies, Reds, Brewers, etc. -- some rebuilding club -- trading for him/a huge part of his contract and just immediately releasing him as a means of getting the Rockies to send some meaningful prospects in the deal as well.

Sid

3:56

Do you see the braves open to trading Markakis? Vizcaino? Freeman?

Steve Adams

3:57

Markakis, sure. But Coppy has been adamant about not trading Freeman, and I believe he's been honest in that regard. Vizcaino, maybe if someone offers 3-4 prospects with one of them being a fairly well-regarded name (a slightly lesser version of the Giles deal), but he's controllable through 2019 and they're hoping to contend in 2017. No real need to get a deal done since he's not making any money anyhow.

Jim

3:58

Who are your early season World Series favourites 6 weeks into the season?

Steve Adams

3:58

I can't even make good World Series predictions on Oct. 1, let alone on May 18.

3:58

Who is tougher to trade, Matt Kemp or Melvin Upton Jr.? Who brings a bigger return?

Steve Adams

3:59

Kemp is tougher to trade just because he's owed so much more money. I don't think either of them brings much in the way of a return, but Melvin's quietly been playing really well and is only signed through 2017, so at this point he's not really the albatross he was a couple years back.

Trevor

4:00

When does the Brew Crew bring up Arcia? Or has Villar's plus play blocked him?

Steve Adams

4:01

Villar isn't blocking Arcia. If anything, they can just move Villar to second or third when Arcia is "ready" (aka after the risk of Super Two status has been evaded in 3-4 weeks -- he's probably ready, or close to it, now).

4:02

Could just bounce Villar all around the infield as well, if they want to keep him in the lineup. I doubt they're overly concerned with depriving Aaron Hill of at-bats.

BKR

4:02

Klentak said he would consider going to get a bat if the Phillies stay in it for a few more months. But should they go get someone from outside or just wait for their internal options (Altherr, Williams, Asche)?

Steve Adams

4:05

Altherr is out for the season, Asche hasn't done anything in the Majors in parts of three seasons, and putting that faith in Williams would be a total roll of the dice. I don't mind the idea of them getting a mildly interesting veteran, so long as the cost of acquisition isn't that great. If you want to go get De Aza (not a great example, being in the division) or Michael Saunders for a couple of months because your club is hanging around .500, that's fine by me. Take the chances to win when you have them.

Steve Adams

4:05

What do you think of this new QO format: 29 years and younger: 3/$45 mil, age 30-34: 2/$30 mil and 35 or older: 1/$15 mil… System needs revamping, management benefits the most from the current QO system since there’s no such thing as a bad one year deal

Steve Adams

4:07

Basing it on age is just a different kind of arbitrary. I'm all for revamping the system, but some kind of sliding scale where the price surrendered by the team increases for larger signings makes some sense to me. Sign a guy for 4+ years, it's a first ... 3 years, a 2nd ... 2 years, a 3rd... 4 years, a fourth -- there are so many variables at play, though, and everything is always going to have flaws to be exploited until they just sever FA and the draft entirely.

matty

4:08

AJ Reed, Jameson Taillon, Julio Urias, even Alex Bergman all look ready to make an instant impact at the big league level, will we start to see promotions in the next few weeks? or is it looking more like aug sept?

Steve Adams

4:10

Early/mid June is always a time for big promotions to be made -- it's when teams feel comfortable enough that the service time accrued through season's end will leave said prospects out of the top 22 percent in their service class (thus avoiding Super Two status/four trips through arb).

The Soviet Reunion

4:10

What's the likelihood of Joe Nathan contributing anything of significance to the Cubs?

Steve Adams

4:10

I wouldn't count on anything, really, but they're barely paying him (relatively speaking, of course) so I don't mind it. He's not even eating a roster spot for them at this point.

Adam

4:11

Dave Roberts has changed his lineup card by far the most of any manager (30+ different lineups). Good or bad approach

Steve Adams

4:13

I think each lineup should be tailored to the opposing starting pitcher -- not just handedness but in terms of what type of pitches the hitters are going to see, in some cases -- so it's fine with me. If you can get the locker room to buy into a frequently changing lineup card, tinker away. I might not take it to that extreme, but I'm sure they have tons of info going into those decisions.

Zorak

4:14

Easiest QO fix: players can accept it at any point in the offseason. Teams would think twice about giving it to marginal guys, and players don't have to blindly decide if they can get more or not.

Steve Adams

4:15

It still just mucks up free agency, though. "Well the Blue Jays would like to sign player X, but because Bautista and Encarnacion haven't officially signed, they need to wait..."

It's just a whole separate form of headache. Cut the cord between the draft and free agency.

4:15

I agree it's a good idea to tailor your lineup to matchup based on opposing pitcher but aren't MLB players creatures of habit? Don't they need a routine to get comfortable with their role on the team and in the lineup? Bochy sticks to that approach and he's won 3 WS in 6 years...

Steve Adams

4:16

There are far more managers that stick to that approach that haven't sniffed the World Series, or even the postseason.

You need the players to be on board though, yes, which is why I stressed before that I'm fine with it if the clubhouse is behind the plan. If not, it'll lead to some frustration I'm sure.

PATigersFan

4:17

Explain "cut the cord between the draft and free agency".. ?

Steve Adams

4:17

No draft compensation for free agent loss.

4:19

No qualifying offers, no Type A/B free agents. Free agents walk, and that's that.

Is the system really favoring small-market teams all that much? We're not seeing the A's, Rays, etc. pick up tons of comp picks anyway, since they can't even afford the risk of the QO in the first place unless it's a slam dunk superstar player.

If anything, it hurts them. The Rays would've signed Ian Desmond this winter, probably, if he hadn't had a QO attached to him.

Jake Arrieta

4:20

Steve brother, help me out. How is my contract situation going to shake out do you think?

Steve Adams

4:21

You'll hit free agency following the 2017 season and sign a contract that is exorbitantly risky for your new team. (See: Greinke, Zack)

Atys

4:21

Any chance the Astros could trade Bregman with Correa & Moran currently at the big league level?

Steve Adams

4:23

Can't imagine Moran is much of a roadblock for Bregman. His stick dipped rather quickly after the draft, and he was posting good-not-great numbers at AAA despite playing in the PCL

Jim Dandy

4:23

Jorge Soler for Carson Fulmer?

Steve Adams

4:23

Have to imagine Soler has torpedoed much of his trade stock by playing so, so poorly early this year.

4:24

Ok, I have to wrap this up. You can tell me how wrong I was with all of my answers on Twitter: @Adams_Steve, and Jeff will be chatting around the same time tomorrow! Thanks all. Have a good week!

Connecting…

Your current subscriptions

None

E-mail Address	Chat Owner	Status	Remove

Enter your email address to be notified when Steve Adams hosts a chat