You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Craig Edwards FanGraphs Chat--4/4/19
powered byJotCast
Craig Edwards
2:01
Let's get things rolling. First, I'm doing some crowdsourcing on the contract extensions, so if you wouldn't mind taking this brief survey, it would be appreciated. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2019-contract-extension-crowdsourcing/
scuffy mcgee
2:01
Has Yoan Moncada made some real changes?
Craig Edwards
2:03
I'm optimistic about Moncada. It's good to remember that he wasn't putting up 30% k-rates because he was a free-swinger. He was putting them up because he was so patient, which is probably better if you are looking to improve. In the early going he's been more aggressive in the strike zone which means he is attacking more hittable pitches so that he can unleash the power he already has. Things are looking up.
BenZ
2:03
What is your favorite wacky short sample size stat so far? Mine are Madison Bumgarner currently leading the Giants in position-player WAR and Nick Burdi having a 16.20 ERA despite a -1.27 FIP.
Craig Edwards
2:03
Not sure about favorite, but Trevor Rosenthal's infinity ERA is up there.
scuffy mcgee
2:04
What has been the biggest surprise for you both good and bad thus far?
Craig Edwards
2:06
The Cubs are the answer to both questions. Absent that, Moncada and Carlos Rodon pitching well, Kolten Wong's bat have all been good. Yankees offense/health is disappointing but probably won't last.
Bring Back Jeff
2:06
Thanks so much for the chat, Craig! Talk about Sale’s velocity for a minute. My fellow Sox fans and I are running around with our hair on fire. But the team seems calm (as does Jay in his chat!). Is 88mph really part of the plan?
Craig Edwards
2:08
The real question if this is a choice, is how often they are going to run the subpar Sale out there compared to the Sale that we've grown accustomed to. I think the short spring and not going full out are good reasons for the lack of velocity, but how many games do you do that for? It should be a close division and a game or two could matter. If they had any starting depth this would be less of an issue.
Anonymous
2:09
Were everything else unchanged, would the game of baseball change more with flat bats or cube-balls?
Craig Edwards
2:09
replacing the balls with cubes.
Lava
2:10
I once made a bet that Kolten Wong would never clear the following triple slash line: .300/.360/.440 across 400+ PA's in a single season. I won't say what I bet, but I have a lot riding on this. He's off to a really good start this year; am I in trouble? Was Mike Matheny holding him back?
Craig Edwards
2:13
I think it is fair to think Matheny held him back some given his playing time early on when Wong was developing. As to the bet, I think the average is going to be the most difficult bar, though I should note that if Wong combined his BABIP from 2017 with his walks and power numbers from last year, he would basically meet that mark. You probably shouldn't make these kind of bets with a lot riding on them. Hope that advice serves you well.
thecul
2:14
Why do you think the players are so apprehensive of the new CBA and are extending before it comes into effect?
Craig Edwards
2:15
I'm not sure a lot of these extensions are about apprehension and it could just be owners have a lot of money so they are offering enough to get players to stick around. Most of the extensions have been for fairly large amounts.
Monsignor Martinez
2:16
Is it just me, or do the Indians look like they're going to be really bad this year?
Craig Edwards
2:18
Cleveland has a stars and scrubs team and they need their stars to play like it. They are currently down one of their stars. They need Lindor back, but assuming no major injuries and the pitching goes as planned, the team should still be good enough to win the division.
Pat G
2:19
What are we making of Soto's K rate. I know so much of 20 PA is noise, but swinging strike rate over 20%, and 9 Ks in 16 AB is startling for someone who has been heralded as a plate discipline prodigy.
Craig Edwards
2:19
We aren't making anything of it. Way too early.
Monsignor Martinez
2:20
How does Rosenthal's 0.0 IP translate to a 63.00 ERA on Fangraphs?
Craig Edwards
2:21
Not sure, but 999 ERA- is pretty nutty.
jobin
2:21
On the site, is there a set point in the season where if you click on a team from the standings heading, it will take you to 2019 stats rather than 2018? Or is it just an oversight that should go into effect soon?
Craig Edwards
2:22
Guessing that will change soon though if you go from the team dropdown, it already goes to 2019 stats.
Joe
2:22
Julio Urias stuff looks even better in his return from injury, should we consider him a budding ace along the lines of Walker Buehler?
Craig Edwards
2:23
Probably want to be patient given the layoff and injuries, but it isn't like he didn't have that potential before. Just a concern regarding how long he can keep going.
mike sixel
2:23
CLE OF looks as bad as we thought.....how close is MN to them, do you think? Thanks
Craig Edwards
2:25
I think Cleveland is still ahead by a bit, and we don't want to make too much of the early season, but in a close race, the two games the Twins have early help get things closer. I think there is still a disparity but one major injury to one of about half a dozen Cleveland players would make the division a tossup.
chet
2:25
houston offense appears to be struggling. Why not give tyler white more steady ABs?
Craig Edwards
2:27
Too soon. If you completely change your playing time strategy one week into the season, it means that you are admitting that your strategy was a bad one from the start. Most starters should get about six weeks or so before we see too many changes unless there's something obviously wrong.
Josh
2:27
I really enjoyed your article about Acuna's new contract.
Craig Edwards
2:27
Thanks. It's right here for others who want to read it. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/ronald-acuna-jr-s-new-contract-is-staggeri...
BenZ
2:28
If first base and third base switched places, would that be a benefit for either right-handed hitters or left-handed hitters?
Craig Edwards
2:29
Huge benefit to left-handed hitters. How many lefty-throwing third baseman do you know? A whole bunch of guys who couldn't play third now can and a bunch of right-handed hitting third basemen would have to move positions.
Greg
2:29
How do you think the closer situation is STL plays out with Hicks, Miller, Reyes and C-Mart?
Craig Edwards
2:30
I think Hicks has the job for now and seems fairly likely to keep it, though if Martinez does wind up in the bullpen, the ninth inning would seem pretty likely for him.
BK
2:30
Are the Rays going to win the AL East?
Craig Edwards
2:31
Probably not. The Yankees and Red Sox are both really good so that automatically stacks the odds against them.
Matt
2:31
Double-no-hitter alert in Queens
Craig Edwards
2:32
That would be something, though we certainly have the matchup today that might make that possible.
Sir Nerdlington
2:32
Ricketts family buys into Sam Zell's financial shenanigans, fails to set aside World Series windfall to buy the final 5% of the Cubs due in Jan 2019, claims poverty to the extent they can barely sign AAAA relievers, sees the bullpen implode in the first five games.  How many more meltdowns until they realize they need to invest in the team?  #kimbrel
Load More Messages
Connecting…