JotCast | AL Wild Card Live Chat

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Sheryl Ring

7:59

Interesting!

Cam

7:59

How incredible is it that the A's are even here? Losing an entire starting rotation but finding a way to get here is quite phenomenal. And anecdotally, if this opener experiment works, it lays some foundations for broader thinking by the masses..

Sheryl Ring

8:00

I have my own skepticism about the opener. Remember, the Rays had a Cy Young contender anchoring their rotation, so it's not like they did away with starters entirely. That said, I could see the opener replacing teams' 4/5 starters.

HankLloydWright

8:00

Are you here by yourself, Sheryl? A playoff chat seems like a lot to handle for one writer alone!

Sheryl Ring

8:01

Dan and Sean will be along shortly

Besides, I can be a one-woman wrecking crew when necessary.

HankLloydWright

8:01

(not complaining!)

Sheryl Ring

8:01

Why thank you!

Guy Smiley

8:02

The advantage of the Opener strategy that I haven't heard anyone talking about is that one of your better relievers faces the top of the opponent's order the first time around. This means that the erstwhile starter who follows him doesn't run into the third-time-through-the-order penalty until the bottom of the order the third time through, which can extend his outing since its the bottom of the order and therefore not as tough as the top.

Sheryl Ring

8:02

That is, as I understand it, the *entire point* of the opener,

EonADS

8:02

I'm glad Sheryl is here. We don't get enough of her perspective on games, and I feel like she has a lot to offer.

Sheryl Ring

8:02

I am entirely open to praise.

Stephen

8:02

Why isn't TBS/TNT doing a Statcast broadcast like ESPN last night, that was awesome.

Sheryl Ring

8:03

I personally would love to see a broadcast with Statcast and Jessica Mendoza. YMMV

Erik

8:03

Do you see multi-inning bullpen ace becoming a more prominent role?

Sheryl Ring

8:03

Everything in baseball is cyclical. Multi-inning bullpen aces used to be the norm until Tony LaRussa came along and specialization began in earnest.

Tucker

8:04

Swap Jessica for Eduardo and that's an A+++++ broadcast

I know it takes her off the flagship station, but wow would that be good

Devil Ray Jay Johnson

8:04

Are any lawsuits challenging baseball's antitrust exemption actively pending?

Dan Szymborski

8:04

Baseball time!

Hi Sheryl!

Sheryl Ring

8:04

Re: Devil Ray. Nathaniel talked about that some this year. None with any chance of winning.

Hi Dan!

Dan Szymborski

8:04

I see you're keeping the chat intelligent before I ruin it all!

Sheryl Ring

8:04

I am doing a *fair imitation* of intelligence

Cam

8:04

Sheryl, am I right to feel that the draft is just a horrible, horrible system? I live in New Zealand, where our major sports don't have drafts at all - players are free to sign where they please. The mere concept of restriction of trade of an adult like the draft imposes on so many sports, must surely be breaking some form of law? It genuinely aggravates me that something like the draft, is so ingrained into fans that they don't even realize how bad it is.

CamdenWarehouse

8:05

Is this your first chat, Sheryl? If so, welcome!

Sheryl Ring

8:05

The draft is awful. It's also collectively bargained.

Camden: Nope. I did one back on Opening Day. But I will accept your welcome anyway.

Dan Szymborski

8:05

I'm not a huge fan of system in which Party A and Party B decide to exploit Party C together.

Dan

8:06

Are we buying Luke Voit at this point? (Not as a 1.000 OPS guy, but maybe an .850 OPS guy?)

CamdenWarehouse

8:06

Cat update, Dan? Dog update, Sheryl?

Sheryl Ring

8:06

Chihuahuas are awesome. And she paws the air at every base hit.

Stephen

8:07

If there wasn't a draft and everyone is a UFA right out of school when they want to be, how would you handle the Revenue disparity between the Yankees and actual small market teams? More revenue sharing or just limit the pool of money that can be spent like they do with the international kids?

Dan Szymborski

8:07

Galileo's started on prednisone today for his IBD as it's been causing him to lose weight.

Sheryl Ring

8:08

The team worth the least is the Rays, and they're still worth almost a billion. Every team can afford players.

Dan Szymborski

8:08

Cassiopeia still has her cold, I brought her back to the vet as her throat was still sore so she got a shot of prednisone.

Don't know where Mercutio is at this moment, but I'm sure he's doing something dumb.

CamdenWarehouse

8:08

Dan, I'm sorry your stay at FanGraphs will be so short, but good luck as the GM for the Orioles.

Dan Szymborski

8:08

lol, yeah right!

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