JotCast | FanGraphs After Dark Chat

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Jeff Zimmerman

9:45

How about throwing the ball off the plate some.

Paul Swydan

9:45

He is indeed. 5 homers in 3 games. I'll allow it.

Yeah. 90 mph two seamers that come right down the middle are not much of a challenge for most hitters.

9:46

Choose one player to throw back in an OBP keeper league.. Rizzo $47, Altuve $41, Segura $1, Bryant $25, Pederson $10, Blackmon $15, Stroman $1, Edwin Diaz $10, Betances $1, DeGrom $15. M. Fulmer $10. I can only keep 10.

Paul Swydan

9:46

Blackmon or Diaz. Or, if you really need the cap space, I guess Rizzo.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:46

Diaz

Paul Swydan

9:46

Gotta hang on to Altuve.

bananastand

9:46

Do you think that teams should be more open to prospect for prospect swaps? Teams could trade off a position of strength towards a position of weakness, especially in the case of prospects who are near the big leagues. Also teams could accelerate their timelines by trading guys farther away for a lesser but more immediate impact player without it being a short term play.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:47

I thought some teams would trade hitters (Cubs) for some pitching/MLB prospects.

Paul Swydan

9:48

They probably should be, but when you draft/sign a player and bring him up through your system for 3-5 years, it's pretty crushing to see that player traded. You accept it if it's for a star player, but I think front offices would be more hesitant to make these prospect for prospect trades simply due to human nature. Which, frankly, is understandable.

Minty

9:48

Has Javier Baez actually improved, or was he just hot for awhile and is now evening out?

Paul Swydan

9:50

I think overall his process has improved. The K% is way down, his ISO is up, and he is putting up the same wRC+ he did last year but with a BABIP more than 70 points lower.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:50

I see his value all over the place since he relies on power and has strikeout issues.

Apple Pie

9:50

Thoughts on David Phelps this year?

Jeff Zimmerman

9:51

I think we will likely be a #4 to #5 for a while

Paul Swydan

9:51

Leaning career year, but he has cemented himself in the rotation for another year at least.

NOT Carson Cistulli

9:51

If Carson Cistulli was the GM for a Major League team, over/under 5.5 championships for said team?

Paul Swydan

9:52

Under. He'd probably only win 4.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:52

Who cares, think of the Q&A at Saber Seminar.

Paul Swydan

9:53

Or just the daily media sessions. They'd be epic.

Or, I guess a GM doesn't talk daily. But still.

Apple Pie

9:53

Will Saber Seminar ever be in another city besides boston?

Jeff Zimmerman

9:53

Can't miss TV

Paul Swydan

9:53

I sincerely doubt it.

9:54

Not sure why you'd want it to be in another city. It's already in the best city in the country!

Kevin

9:54

Why is catcher so thin? Something systematic, or a function of the thin margins of elite talent at the position?

Paul Swydan

9:54

I think these things go in cycles, 1, but 2, it's also the hardest position, so it stands to reason that it would be the hardest to find talent for.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:55

I think teams are quickly to move players off C. I think Harper would still be a catcher 20-30 years ago.

Moose

9:55

What will be the team with the longest playoff drought from today on?

Paul Swydan

9:56

Angels. Perhaps the Twins. Jury is out on them until they hire a good GM. Hopefully they can manage that this time around.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:56

Rays ... no money in a tough Division

Paul Swydan

9:56

Braves are in the mix, as are, as Jeff said, the Rays.

9:57

I really have no idea what the Rays' plan is. Both this year and last year their goal seemed to be to get to 75 wins.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:57

Angels at least have money

Paul Swydan

9:57

True.

Apple Pie

9:57

Can you guys do a thumb war, and the loser has to write an article about an exciting Angels prospect?

Paul Swydan

9:57

No, because Jeff is stronger than me and I don't want to write about any Angels prospects.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:57

Who did they draft first

9:58

Sadly one of favorite scouts works for the Angels

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