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Travis Sawchik
12:05
Howdy, folks
Let's get started ...
E_LBJ
12:05
Am I crazy to think that the DBacks have a good shot at winning the NL pennant?
Travis Sawchik
12:06
You're not! One of the game's better pitching staffs and JD Martinez and Paul Goldschmidt can carry teams
Ned Yost
12:06
2017 Astros are all time leaders in RE24 since World War 2. Just thought that was cool.
Travis Sawchik
12:07
Oh? That is pretty cool. Some great teams in this post season. Indians just posted best pitching staff WAR of all time
John
12:08
Which wild card team has the best chance of winning the World Series?
Travis Sawchik
12:08
Yankees, I think. Love that bullpen and Severino ... and they are second in baseball in run differential
Nelson
12:08
I havent watched a ton of regular season games this year, but I assume players getting tagged out after stealing second and getting off the base for a split second is happening about once per game as per last years playoffs?
Travis Sawchik
12:09
Probably the great unintended consequence of replay .... but it is what it is
Stevil
12:09
Hi Travis. Do you believe McCutchen should be moved in the offseason, or is the Pirates' outfield situation too dire for them to let him go immediately?
Travis Sawchik
12:10
With a 122 wRC+, McCutchen was by far the club's best offensive positional regular ...and at $14.5m he should provide surplus value in 2018
I think they have to hang on to him
Kyle
12:12
Your colleague TJ Zuppe at the Athletic speculated this morning re: the Indians rotation and game 1 starter. Do you think they go the conventional route and throw Kluber, or do they go with Bauer game 1 knowing that Kluber/Carrasco in games 2/3 would presumably require less bullpen innings and Kluber could go game 5 on regular rest?
Travis Sawchik
12:13
I wouldn't overthink this: throw your ace in Game 1
A best-of-five is a really short series, want to give yourself the best chance to be up 1-0 in a series
Prince S. Leia Fielder
12:13
Understanding that there is no definitive data one can use as a criteria, please rank the managers of each playoff team from best to worst
Travis Sawchik
12:13
ESPN Insider asked me to do this last month ... and it's a really difficult task
Impossible really
12:14
Francona has a great postseason track record, I love what Bud Black has done in Colorado with that young staff, Joe Maddon is really, really good. Hinch and Roberts, too
Super Utility
12:15
How many players are in MLB right now who could be effective starters but are in danger of being pigeon-holed as bench players? As a Cubs fan, Tommy La Stella comes to mind (may he be a pinch-hit hero this October). He’s got a great contact bat and solid zone control but no pop, no speed, and below average defense at 2B. It’s not clear that he either would or wouldn’t be an average-ish starter given the opportunity. How hard is it for guys in that sort of situation to get a shot? Would a team with a real need, say the Blue Jays, give an opportunity to a guy like La Stella? Would that only happen if he hit the waiver wires or got non-tendered?
Travis Sawchik
12:15
If you're not clearly an above-average player a lot of playing time depends on environment
Scherzer? I hardly know her
12:17
Best position player in baseball not named Mike Trout or Bryce Harper?
Travis Sawchik
12:19
At this very moment? (I'm not considering this from a trade value perspective). Probably Stanton or Votto for me ... but there are so many great players: Altuve, Judge, Ramirez, Lindor, Rendon, Blackmon, Bryant etc...  There's really three upper level tiers: Trout/Harper/The rest of the superstars
Big Joe Mufferaw
12:19
When is MLB going to get rid of this JOKE that is the 1 game playoff? Why not do a best of 3 with a double header? That way they save on time and still get there hook.
Travis Sawchik
I do know that that post intrigued at least on MLB GM
Mark
12:20
Stanton speaking with alot of uncertainty, very nervous Marlins fan right here. ( I know for baseball it makes sense)
Travis Sawchik
12:21
I'd be pretty nervous as a Marlins fan regarding this new leadership group
Dres
12:21
Which of the juggernauts (CLE, LAD, HOU, WAS) is most vulnerable in the DS? Corollary: Would it be a good thing if they all advanced—or would a "cinderella" team (Twins or D-Backs/Rockies) make for more drama?
Travis Sawchik
12:23
I think a Cinderella is always good up to a point, like through Sweet 16 in March, through Division Series play in baseball....but we want to see best-on-best at some point.... Since Scherzer left his last start due to injury, and we don't where Harper's timing is, I'd say the Nats are most vulnerable
Ruby
12:23
IIIII don't wanna work, I just wanna chat on Fangraphs all day
Travis Sawchik
12:23
Ruby, we depend on good folks like yourself
Pip
12:24
The Nationals the last four games or so chose to bat Harper 2nd, (Turner-Harper-Murphy-Rendon-Zimmerman) much to the delight of "sabermetric types" who argue that your best hitter should be 2nd to maximize at bats. While I agree in principal, I think with a healthy Adam Eaton, the best lineup becomes Eaton-Turner-Harper-Murphy-Rendon-Zimmerman. That lineup is designed to score runs. Would you put Eaton leadoff or would you send him back to the 6th-7th spot?
Travis Sawchik
12:24
It's not just about ABs, it's also about opportunities with men on base. No position bats more often with two outs and no runners on than the No. 3 spot in a lineup
Ben
12:24
Just how bad of a decision did Girardi make last Thursday by allowing the game to slip away without using his best relievers?
Travis Sawchik
12:25
Girardi has a chance to be really creative as a manager this October ... and I'm concerned he's going to play it pretty conventionally
Ruby
12:25
Lot of chatter last winter (here at least) about expansion to 32 teams, with eight 4-team divisions. Would an NFL-style playoff structure (4 division winners, 2 WCs, top 2 seeds get byes) be more fair than the current WC?
Travis Sawchik
12:26
I think we're headed to something like that and I think it will be more fair to the teams with the best records
Nelson
12:27
Aside from MJ and Tebow, do you know of any other athletes in the past 20 years to have played 2 professional sports (of the big 4 team sports)
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