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Beetle Jones

9:18

David Wright, Miggy Cabrera, Pujols and a dozen other guys fooled me with so-so MILB stats and then became Keepers in Any League. What's the chance Delmonico or Hoskins follow that path?

Paul Swydan

9:19

Hoskins definitely could.

I'd be surprised if Delmonico did. But like you said, there's always going to be some surprises.

Jesse

9:19

Pujols has a wRC+ of 72 for the year, 54 in the 2nd half, and is currently the 2nd worst qualified player in MLB by WAR. He is also on pace for roughly 625 PA because the Angels won't rest him or move him out of the 3rd or 4th hole. How much value do you think the they are costing themselves by continuing to do this in the middle of a tight WC race?

Paul Swydan

9:20

A lot, but it speaks to his status in that clubhouse. Not sure I really see a way around it for them. If they had hitters who were clearly deserving of cleanup status besides Trout that'd be one thing, but there's not that nice, easy decision to make.

Travis

9:20

Before he retires, will Freddie Freeman win an MVP?

Paul Swydan

9:21

I'll say no.

Minty

9:21

If you had to pick a hitter and pitcher for next year, who ya got? Hoskins/C Taylor Rodon/Honeywell/new mechanics Glasnow?

Paul Swydan

9:21

I'll take Taylor on position flex and .... without looking at the stats, Rodon. Just on track record.

Doolittle's Beard

9:22

Hypothetically, if a team agrees to take on all of Verlander's contract, what kind of prospect package would it take?

Paul Swydan

9:22

Not much. A ball players. Guys with big ceilings and not much chance of reaching it.

Big Tuna

9:22

Who are your favorite streamer options for the latter part of this week?

Paul Swydan

9:22

Sorry my friend, I don't do streamers. You'll have to ask the RG folken about that.

Big Tuna

9:22

I have Cueto, Lester and Salazar all hurt for me and am trying to take a title. Are any droppable in a 12 team?

Paul Swydan

9:23

Lester might be. I feel your pain. I have Lester, Scherzer and Kershaw on the DL in our Ottoneu Staff league. Yesterday I traded for Arrieta and Davies to help fill the void.

Big Tuna

9:23

Best option to make up ground in steals: Zimmer, Span or Inciarte?

Paul Swydan

9:23

Probably Zimmer.

Zach

9:23

McCutchen as of today has been worth 44.4 fWAR for his career and will turn 31 after this season. If he can prove last year was a one off, how many more seasons at this level would he need to be a HOF player in your minds? (3.5 fWAR so far this season)

Paul Swydan

9:24

6 or 7 at least. I hope he gets there.

Big Tuna

9:24

If I need ratio help, should I play matchups with my RP, benching volatile closers (Holland, Diaz) for ratio guys when they're not likely to win and get saves?

Paul Swydan

9:25

At this time of year, it's tough to get ratio help through RPs because of the small samples, and if you're in a tight race for SVs and wins, benching volatile closers can be nerve wracking at the very least.

9:26

A better option might be to try to find RPs who qualify at SP like Ross Stripling or Brandon Morrow so that you can play all of the RPs at the same time, providing you don't have a lot of SPs going each day.

Chin Music

9:26

What is your take on a league Commissioner advising other teams on players to pick up? I'm in 1st by only a point and the Commish texted me that the 2nd team place could gain points by picking up two available closers. Two hours later, that owner (his friend) picked up exactly the two mentioned players. Commissioner is out of it. It's a $ league, too.

Paul Swydan

9:27

Shrug emoji. It's in everyone's interest to make the league fun whether they're in it or not. If you're a conscientious first-place owner, you probably had those potential moves mapped out anyway.

ResumeMan

9:27

What exactly happens in a rehab "simulated game"? Is it just the pitcher on the mound throwing to a series of batters? Does he have a whole set of fielders behind him and play it as if it were real? And what do they do after an inning ends? Do they sit around for about as long as the next half inning would be?

Paul Swydan

9:28

I believe the simulated part means that if the pitcher is scheduled to throw, say, 40 pitches in a simulated game that they just let him stand there and throw 40 pitches in game conditions, but without the normal rules of outs and innings and stuff. But I'm rusty on that definition, I could be very wrong there. Scouting types like Eric know that better than I do.

ChatzMcGee

9:29

Does anyone care about Joe Musgrove as a reliever (Eno might)? He's been pretty damn good 0.59ERA/1.63FIP/2.92xFIP, 25% K-BB%, 51.4% GB% and 9.1% IFFB%. It's only 15.1 IP, and I doubt he's Devenski 2.0, but he seems interesting.

Paul Swydan

9:29

It's definitely an interesting development, especially given the success they've had with Devenski.

ChatzMcGee

9:30

Bellinger and Wood to the DL on the same day, what's the panic level in LA?

Paul Swydan

9:30

Given how much LA has used the DL, I don't know what I would think if I was a Dodgers fan other than "I hope they're all ready for October."

Jart

9:30

The Dodgers seem like they're going to have to make some very difficult decisions about who's going to be on the playoff roster. They have such a deep roster it almost seems unfair.

Paul Swydan

9:30

That's the kind of problems you want to have. I think health will dictate some of it.

ChatzMcGee

9:31

Here's an article showing that the Braves have received the least contribution out of their rookies of any team in the majors since 2015:https://www.talkingchop.com/2017/8/21/16177468/atlanta-braves-rookie-y...... the very least. How worried should Braves fans be about this rebuild? That's a lot of fail.

Paul Swydan

9:32

It's definitely interesting, but it doesn't frighten me that much. I will say the strongest reaction I have is it makes me question the *timing* of their rebuild. IE, if they think they're ready to compete next season, I'd be a bit flummoxed by that. But overall, not a huge deal to me.

robbob

9:32

Would Acuna get a September call-up?

Paul Swydan

9:33

As a fan, I hope so. But I won't be surprised if he doesn't.

Dan

9:33

Is there a glossary on scouting terms? Or phrases?

Paul Swydan

9:34

Eric has pieces linked at the beginning of most of his articles that explain the 20/80 scouting scale and stuff like that, definitely.

Tony

9:34

Would you give up your third round pick next year for 1 year Chris Davis and 1 year Byron Buxton? Last year Davis was drafted in second round and Buxton was a fourth rounder. Some Third Round values last year: Kimbrel, Price, Jones, Piscotty, Thames.

Worried about Chris Davis and his future projections, seems like he is declining

Byron is heating u, but so was his September last year.

Worth?

Paul Swydan

9:35

If you're trying to win this year, it's a steep price but one that could be worth paying. If you're doing this as a future play, then no, definitely not.

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