You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
August Fagerstrom FanGraphs Chat -- 11/1/16
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
august fagerstrom
12:15
It's both. The game planning has been excellent by the Indians staff and battery, but it's still up to that battery to execute the game plan
All parties have done their jobs
Dubslow
12:15
Where can we find playoff stats here on FG?
august fagerstrom
12:15
on baseball reference
v2micca
12:15
You completely scooped TheRinger with your article on Javier Baez. I'
august fagerstrom
12:16
Ben messaged me like a half hour before his piece went up with a sad face
That happens often, and it goes both ways
Erik
12:16
Is the idea that teams will noticeably start to copy the world series winner in little ways (like collecting dominant relievers after the Royals' victory) a real thing, or just a world series storyline?
august fagerstrom
12:17
I think it's inevitable that it happens to some degree
That being said, teams aren't suddenly going to start giving half their relief innings to two guys
Q-Ball
12:18
How do you teach a batter like Baez plate discipline? I realize you won't turn him into Ben Zobrist, but just a little might go a long way.
august fagerstrom
12:19
There's probably little things you could do in his swing/load that make it less likely he overcommits too early, but then you run the risk of screwing with part of what makes his swing good, when it's good. More than anything it's just repetitions, whether in the cage or with a machine or in the game, tracking pitches and developing recognition
It's fully possible it never gets there
Q-Ball
12:19
Lester is quick to home plate...is that underrated?
august fagerstrom
12:19
By people who pay attention to that? No, that's the single most important part of controlling the running game. By the public? Yes, definitely.
Books
12:20
If Chapman only threw fastballs right down the middle how good would he still be?
august fagerstrom
12:21
depends what you mean by only
if it was literally only fastballs perfectly middle-middle and the batter knew it was coming, I don't think he'd be very good, but he might (?) still be a serviceable option
12:22
if by only you mean his only goal was to throw fastballs middle-middle and never threw a slider or never attempted to paint the black or elevate or go out of the zone, he would still be fantastic, and I wrote about him sort of doing this with New York earlier this year http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/aroldis-chapmans-got-a-new-style/
Nelson
12:22
I know you say you are not a fan of any team anymore, but theres not some tiny part of you pulling for the indians on an emotional level (not just because you know itll make other people happy)
august fagerstrom
12:23
Honestly, no. It was weird, being in the auxiliary press box at Wrigley, we were outside "in the stands" and going in I really thought being in the middle of the crazy atmosphere would get my fan-blood pumping a little bit and would trigger some emotional investment from within. It never came
Dubslow
12:23
IOW, help us cubs fans rationalize that next year is still the year
august fagerstrom
12:24
just read the names on the roster
Slew
12:24
Should Francona try to preserve one of Miller/Allen for tomorrow, or go all out and burn 'em tonight?
august fagerstrom
12:24
Preserving the usage of his best players is not a thing Terry Francona has done a single time this postseason
no chance that stops when a win clinches the World Series
Slew
12:24
Unless Lindor has a big hit tonight in the win, then he's MVP.
august fagerstrom
12:24
Right. Lindor is the runner-up to Kluber
Big game from Lindor tonight could do it, but Kluber is the frontrunner right now
Q-Ball
12:25
Ross isn't good enough to be a backup? He was 7th in WAR this year among all NL catchers, despite playing part time. He was quantifiably better than several starters.
august fagerstrom
12:26
He also had more WAR this year than in the previous three seasons combined. Single-year results =/= true-talent level. Ross is not a league-average hitter
Web
12:26
Does Tomlin scare the Cubs hitters tonight or are they salivating for what he did to them a couple games ago?
august fagerstrom
12:27
At this stage in the game, I honestly don't think any hitter is "scared" of another pitcher, nor would they ever feel so confident they would be salivating. I think the Cubs understand that Josh Tomlin is a good enough pitcher to get them out, to end their season, yet at the same time are fully confident in their abilities to beat him
CamdenWarehouse
12:27
Do teams advance scout umpires?
august fagerstrom
12:27
Yes
Q-Ball
12:27
I waved to you in Wrigley on Saturday. Why didn't you wave back?
august fagerstrom
12:27
didn't see you!
12:28
If I see a person waving to me, and I know it's to me and not the person behind me, I will reciprocate the wave!
Rocky Rizzo
12:28
Whats up with my defensive stats? Looks like I have great numbers as far as DRS and UZR are concerned, but the overall Def value on here is negative.
august fagerstrom
12:29
You play first base, where the bar is set extremely low because almost anyone can play the position, so it's very difficult for you to ascertain positive defensive value
Connecting…