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2017 Opening Day Live Blog Extravaganza
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Paul Swydan
1:56
Talked to Mike Petriello on the velocity question. He said Statcast measuring is the same this year as it was last year, and that the best way to think about it is that it measures velocity at whichever point in the pitch's path that it moves at its fastest. And that usually said point when it is moving its fastest is right out of the hand.
Aspergillus
1:57
Did you see SI's baseball issue? They called Hosmer "MVP caliber"
Paul Swydan
1:57
So that might be what Flemming was referencing. Perhaps he was referencing Statcast vs. PITCHf/x. I'm not sure, since I didn't hear the comment.
Dave Cameron
1:57
Hosmer is the easiest guy in baseball for old school writers/scouts to overrate.
Paul Swydan
1:57
He's the next Markakis!
Dave Cameron
1:57
He has gaudy numbers that don't matter and is bad at the things that have historically been undervalued.
Will
1:57
How quickly do you lose your fandom after becoming a writer covering baseball for a national audience?
Paul Swydan
1:58
I haven't lost my fandom. I still go to Fenway and sit in the bleachers 7-8 times a year, even though I can go in for free with my BBWAA card.
JTT
1:59
Hosmer isn't even traditionally good though. He doesn't hit for power or high average. I seriously don't understand this perception issue with him
Dave Cameron
1:59
RBIs, World Series title.
Paul Swydan
2:00
His performance in the WBC certainly didn't hurt either.
Nor did Leyland playing him over Goldschmidt, which I still don't understand, unless La Russa had asked his good friend Leyland not to play Goldschmidt...
Erik
2:01
Isn't part of the Hosmer thing that people think he's a good defender even if the metrics disagree? And defensive metrics are comparatively inaccurate for first basemen? At most that's worth like half a win, though, right?
Dave Cameron
2:01
That's part of it, but even if Hosmer was a plus defensive 1B, he's just objectively not a very good hitter.
If he was a terrific defensive 1B, okay, he's Wil Myers without steals. Whee!
matt
2:02
I don't see anyone grossly overreacting to 3 innings worth of baseball, what gives?
Paul Swydan
2:02
We did that before you got here.
Tyler
2:02
For a QB Tom Brady is not very good at throwing a baseball!
Erik
2:03
Are defensive metrics actually worse for first basemen? Do they have trouble assigning credit for being a good target and good at picking?
Paul Swydan
2:03
On the plus side, watching Brady have to bend down to the waist to hug Pedroia was pretty amusing.
Dave Cameron
2:03
Scoops are included in UZR/DRS, and don't matter nearly as much as people think.
Henry
2:03
Paul, being a Red Sox are you as all in on Benintendi as me? I believe he will become the face of this team over the next few years.
Dave Cameron
2:03
Positioning is probably a bigger deal at 1B than at other IF positions, so "worse" depends on if you're trying to measure value or talent.
Paul Swydan
2:04
I'm trying to stay calm about it. Also, he'll never be as big in my household as Xander Bogaerts, who is my son's favorite player.
Frostilicus
2:04
Are managers more inclined to limit pitch counts early in the season, or is the general consensus that their starters have been stretched out from spring training?
Paul Swydan
2:05
That's a good question. I don't think I've ever noticed one way or the other, but I would think the idea is that the starters are ready.
Casey
2:05
I'm about to become The Token Guy In The Chat Watching Brewers-Rockies.
Southpaw the fuzzy alligator
2:05
How much do scoops matter? What is the reasoning behind them not being significant?
Paul Swydan
2:05
I'll be checking in on it.
Dave Cameron
2:06
There's very little spread in talent in scoops. Most everyone is about the same at it.
Paul Swydan
2:06
Also, they happen a lot less often than you probably think they do.
YKnotDisco?!
2:07
Did you enjoy opening day more as a kid than you do as an adult working in the industry?
Dave Cameron
2:07
Pirates/Sox and Rockies/Brewers join the fray.
Probably sticking with Stras/Thor for now though.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a ball hard.
/breaking
Paul Swydan
2:08
No definitely not. I never got to attend Opening Day until I worked for the Rockies. Opening Day at Coors Field is one of the best experiences on planet Earth.
808
2:08
i applied to that boras corp. entry level position posted on instagraphs (thanks for sharing!) are there any other entry level positions for a recent graduate to look into as a way to break into the baseball industry? The only issue is that I am a Communications major...
Dave Cameron
2:08
Stanton hit it 111. Not quite Bumgarner-esque.
Paul Swydan
2:09
The majority of jobs open in the offseason, so unfortunately not.
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