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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 4/2/24
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Steve Adams
8:18
Real, actual baseball is upon us! Let's chat. I'll be here at 1pm CT to kick things off, but as always, feel free to submit questions ahead of time.
1:01
Greetings all -- let's get going
Cards hopeful
1:02
HELP.  Talk me off the ledge.  Many on chat boards are negative about this Cards team and I confess to sharing that assessment.  Pitching looks thin and the  stars look old.  Are we in for another last place finish?
Steve Adams
1:02
I don't think a last-place finish is any kind of foregone conclusion, and there's enough talent on  the roster in a tight division that they could turn things around and win it. But I didn't like what they did with the rotation this offseason, and I didn't pick the Cards to make the playoffs.
John
1:03
Hi Steve by the AS break, who will be Detroit 's 4th and 5th starters; Olson, Mize, Manning?
Steve Adams
1:04
Of the three, I think Olson and Mize are better than Manning. But who's in the rotation at that point depends on quite a bit more than just pure talent. Pitchers get hurt all the time. There's a chance all three of Mize, Manning and Olson are starting games come July, depending on the health of the rest of the staff.
PNW Padre
1:04
Seriously what’s the hold up with the Padres bringing in Brandon Belt or Tommy Pham? They can’t be serious rolling out Tyler Wade as their 3B or DH option while Manny heals up.
Steve Adams
1:05
I'm as confused as to why they haven't as anyone. Either makes good sense. Pham would've been a better add than Profar, but the Padres love Jurickson. It's strange to me, too.
Travis
1:06
How long do we wait until we know who or if anyone claimed Joey Bart
Steve Adams
1:07
Max length for a DFA window is seven days. Outright waivers are a 48-hour process, so he has to be traded or placed on waivers by the fifth day of that seven-day window.
Cards
1:07
Which rule 5 pick in your opinion has the best shot at sticking around the whole year?
Steve Adams
1:08
Mitch Spence (A's), Anthony Molina (Rockies) and Shane Drohan (White Sox) are on teams that have no viable path to contending and can easily afford to more or less punt the roster spot to keep a Rule 5 guy.

Drohan had shoulder surgery, so the Sox can carry him on the 60-day IL, too. Depending on when he returns, his Rule 5 designation might roll over into 2025, though.
M Smith
1:09
Any potential movement for Reds bullpen or too early to be reactive to their early woes?
Steve Adams
1:13
I think you can say "it's early" in the sense that an ERA over 5.00 isn't necessarily where they're going to end up, but I also don't love the bullpen in general. Giving Emilio Pagan $16MM and an opt-out was one of the most headscratching moves of the entire offseason, particularly since it came from the Reds. Pagan is one of the most homer-prone relievers ever (not hyperbole), and plugging him into the GABP launching pad was perplexing. Plus, with the opt-out, they're basically betting $16MM that he has a good 2024. I liked a lot of what the Reds did this winter (Jeimer, Montas, Suter, Wilson) -- but that one really confused me.
Josh A
1:13
Skenes, Keller, Jones-nice punch for the pirates. Reason to be excited for the future, no?
Steve Adams
1:15
Definitely. I went with Jones for my NL Rookie of the Year pick in our staff predictions. Didn't make me feel too bad about that in his first start.
Nick
1:15
Can you make any sense of this Esteury Ruiz demotion?
Steve Adams
1:18
I was surprised by it a bit, but not as much as A's fans seem to be. He hit poorly last year and poorly in spring. He's basically platooning right now -- the A's started JJ Bleday in CF against a righty on Opening Day -- and I saw the great Jason Martinez of RosterResource point out that they have a long stretch without a lefty opponent on the horizon.

I know the steals are fun, but Ruiz doesn't get on base anywhere near enough to take advantage of his speed and stolen base acumen. Maybe he'll come around yet, but right now, he just hasn't been a very good player overall -- 67 steals in 2023 notwithstanding.
Rich Hill
1:19
Did everyone forget that I plan on pitching the second half of the season? I'm from Boston and have pitched there before so they seem obvious but where else might be a fit?
Steve Adams
1:21
Anywhere that has a bunch of injuries pop up. I don't think the context of many rosters makes a huge difference right now since Hill has openly spoken about waiting until the summer to sign. We'll see who needs pitching help and has pitching injuries then
Newman
1:21
Over or under on A's losing 120 games this szn? That defense is looking rough.
Steve Adams
1:21
They didn't lose 120 last year and I like this year's roster more. They're not good, of course, but I don't think they're THAT bad
Orange, Blue,Red Birds
1:22
The Orioles will need help in the bullpen this year.  Will they trade from their MLB depth (Santander, Mullins, Hays, Urias, Mateo) or from their MiLB depth (Mayo, Norby, Stowers, Kjerstaad) or from a mixture of both?
Steve Adams
1:23
They can address the bullpen via the trade market without needing to deal from the MLB roster or the top ranks of the farm. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Mateo or Urias were flipped for a reliever
Minny
1:24
Is Arte Moreno planning to sell in the next few years?
Steve Adams
1:24
He said in mid-February that he's no longer looking to sell the team:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/moreno-no-plans-to-sell-angels-...
Guest
1:25
DOES FOSCUE PLAY EVERY DAY AT 3B FOR THE INJURED JUNG?
Steve Adams
1:25
I'd be surprised if the Rangers were willing to take that kind of defensive hit.
Tyler T
1:25
When Lodollo comes back, assuming health who gets the boot? Martinez could go back to the bullpen or do you send Abbott back to AAA to get regular work?
Steve Adams
1:26
Can probably bounce Martinez between the bullpen and rotation, though they're paying him a lot for that swingman role. Abbott was their best SP last year though, I wouldn't want to option him out
TheColoradoKid
1:27
Do you think Nolan Jones is just having a feeling of it being the beginning of the season, or has he declined that quickly?
Steve Adams
1:28
It's five games. I don't know this for a fact, but I'd wager that if you went through his game log last year, you'd find at least one -- if not multiple -- stretch where he was also 2-for-20 with a bunch of K's.

I think Jones is a huge regression candidate, with last year's .400 BABIP and 30% strikeout rate, but the walks and power should allow him to be an above-average player (just not to the same level as in 2023)
Marte
1:29
Teoscar Hernandez is off to a hot start. Was this a good signing for the Dodgers?
Steve Adams
1:29
It was a good signing regardless of how he's played the first few games of the season.
AZSteve
1:30
I know it’s only been a couple games but do you think Scott Harris regrets passing on Wyatt Langford for Max Clark who is at least 2 years away from the Tigers?
Steve Adams
1:31
If the Tigers wanted the more immediately available player I'm sure they'd have gone Langford. He was a polished college hitter, everyone knew he'd be in the big leagues sooner than Clark. I don't think his strong start and quick ascension is keeping Harris up at night. Clark is still very well regarded.
Joe
1:32
Will Trevor Baur get another chance at the majors? If so, who would be interested?
Steve Adams
1:32
He's been openly broadcasting for months that he'll sign for league minimum, and no one's signed him.
Eric
1:34
So the Montgomery deal story broke before opening  day, but it was official after opening day. Will Montgomery be eligible for  a QO after the season if he doesn't trigger the player option?
Steve Adams
1:34
He's ineligible for a QO. Contract wasn't official until after the season started, and he opened the year in the minors
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