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2021 Opening Day Chat
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AvatarJay Jaffe
1:00
Good afternoon, folks! Welcome to the 2021 baseball season and this, our Opening Day marathon chat.
Kevin Goldstein
1:01
Hi everyone, Jay is starting with the Yankees/Jays, while I'm sticking to my Midwest roots with Indians/Tigers in the SNOW.
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:01
I'll be joined here by Kevin Goldstein and David Laurila for the first leg of today's action, and other colleagues will take the ball as the day (and night) continues.
JT in Town
1:01
For Kev - obviously everyone's going to ask you about your time with the Astros from now until forever, so here goes - what's the funniest/quirkiest thing you can remember from past Opening Days during your time with the team? Any kind of  superstitions or just general oddness? And I'll hang up and listen.
Kevin Goldstein
1:02
I wish I had a good one, but I only think I did one Opening Day in Houston. I was a player evaluator and I didn't live in Houston. I remember spending Opening Days watching college and high school games and I remember spending Opening Day night watching a amazing low-budget MLB whip around like show in my hotel in the Dominican. I wish I could get that channel here.
Kiermaier's Piercing Green Eyes
1:02
Oh boy, every team will play today!
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:03
Hey, all. Happy Opening Day.
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:03
Alas, a potentially historic occasion with all 30 teams playing on the same Opening Day for the first time has been waylaid by rain/weather in Boston and a COIVD-19 situation in Washington.
1:04
Only once in the post-1960 expansion era have all of the teams launched on the same day, and that was back in 1968, alas due to the MLK assassination. More on that history in my dispatch today. https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/more-than-you-wanted-to-know-about-ope...
George
1:04
I've waited so long for the Nats. This sucks. Covid sucks.
Kevin Goldstein
1:04
The addition of the travel variable has me worried that WAS/NYM is the first, but hardly the last of COVID hiccups.
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:04
Our ZiPS and Steamer projections confirm this. COVID really does suck
asnbrv
1:05
Does anyone working for fangraphs still have a hardcore fandom of their teams? I know almost all people that makes baseball as a job becomes more fan of a game and not anymore for a team, but anyones day depend on how good their team does still?
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:05
I think the answer is yes for many, although mine has wand a a bit.
Chaise
1:06
Not a question - just want to say thanks for the continued excellence. The content (specifically the prospect content for me) is unrivaled and you all deserve praise every single day.

Happy Opening Day!
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:06
I've written a lot about growing up a Dodgers fan and then taking to the Yankees once I moved to New York City, but I don't feel the same way about either team than I did before becoming a full-time writer. In some ways it gets easier each year as the players linked to my fan days dwindle
Kevin Goldstein
1:07
I feel very neutral. I don't root for teams. I love the game and love players. Don't hate any team, really.
Guest
1:08
The weather looks nasty in Detroit on the broadcast.
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:08
Kevin Goldtein in EXTREMELY NEUTRAL
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:08
I bought a pack of Topps cards to open on Opening Day. Won't bore people with every one, but will note any guys who play for teams in today's early games.
Kevin Goldstein
1:08
Us Midwesterners are hearty.
Whoa Bacon
1:09
Jack Morris & Kirk Gibson in the Tigers booth.  This is...not gonna be SABR-friendly, is it?
Kevin Goldstein
1:09
It's not, but don't let it get to you. If you are a FanGraphs level of baseball fan, always remind yourself that the broadcast is not being designed for you. It's for the more casual fan. It's fine.
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:10
Just opened my Topps back and got a Yankees team card. That bodes well for them, right?
dbfirstman
1:10
Good afternoon gentlemen!  Happy Opening Day 2021! I still think they should have shortened the season to 154 or 144 games, but still started them on 4/1 ..... plenty of off days for testing/contact-tracing and rescheduling of games.  Thoughts?
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:13
I wouldn't mind the season being shortened  to 154 but that's a matter for collective bargaining, and there are a ton of moving parts involved.
AvatarJay Jaffe
1:11
First pitch in the Bronx is a ball from Gerrit Cole to Marcus Semien, followed by a routine grounder to shortstop. We're underway!
Kevin Goldstein
1:11
I don't hate the idea, but owners are billionaires and like making money and they're not going to cut into their gates unless they get expanded playoffs.
feddy
1:11
David how do u get so much inside access to
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:12
I write for FanGraphs. That's pretty much it.
feddy
1:12
David how do u get so much inside access to the players and coaches? ur articles are fantastic and give great insight into the mindset of someone in professional baseball
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:12
Thx.
Kevin Goldstein
1:13
Appreciate Matthew Boyd going without sleeves in 30 degree weather.
JJD
1:13
Hello from Germany! Woke up and watched Field of Dreams to kick off Opening Day. Any Opening Day rituals to share? Enjoy the day!
Kevin Goldstein
1:14
Isn't it technically Opening Night for you?
AvatarDavid Laurila
1:13 
Schöne Grüße
Julius
1:14
I'm tired of hearing about service time. Give me hope for a future without it. What is the best case for 1) All pro baseball players, and 2) the realistic version we're likely to see passed.
Kevin Goldstein
1:15
  1. Start the service clock when they sign
  2. Create a system where any player who exceeds rookie eligibility begins the following year with 1.000 service time.
Cesar Hernandez with the first hit of the year?
5 Run Homer
1:16
Lol 31° in Detroit, gross
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