JotCast | Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat - 2/20/26

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Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat - 2/20/26

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Dan Szymborski

2:08

Sorry, technical diffculties

Jeff

2:08

In your 2026 prospects article, you mentioned that Zips is aware of postseason performance. I agree with this approach. Can you share how you decided to include this data? It seems to me that many other projection systems do not include post season information.

Dan Szymborski

2:08

I just tested it and it was slightly helpful!

2:09

I mean it wasn't going to be a game-changer since it's not enough games

But isn't it weird that we don't "count" the most important games against the best quality opposition?

So, naturally, I tested for it

War2D2

2:09

Dan! Real live baseball is going to be broadcast today! Do you plan on watching anything? Any particular spring training position battles that have piqued your interest?

Dan Szymborski

2:10

Too early for brain to work! I've been finishing up a piece and am working on a mailbag question, so haven't even LOOKED at the schedule

mindaugas

2:10

Hey Dan! Didn't you once say that one of your close relatives was Lithuanian? I went to a concert at The Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania last night and the ambassador was kind enough to take a selfie with me, my brother and the piano player. My Lithuanian was poor but good enough to get by.

Dan Szymborski

2:11

No, I have two German grandparents, a Polish grandparent, and a Ukrainian grandparent. Oddly enough, the Ukrainian grandparent was of Sephardi descent, and got there FROM Spain

Mike Elias's Booger

2:11

How much does Westburg's injury impact Baltimore's ZiPS?

Dan Szymborski

2:11

Not by a ton, though it does affect their depth

ZiPS likes Blaze Alexander. Not enough to be a full replacement for Westburg, but to keep it from being too painful

Guest

2:11

Fist timer !!

Dan Szymborski

2:12

I won't make the 12-year-old joke

Dansby Swansong

2:12

Will Meyer replacing Clark have any significant impact on the CBA negotiations?

Dan Szymborski

2:12

PROBABLY not

My impression is that Meyer is a fighter (in a good way), but he was always going to be a highly influential fighter, I believe

At the end, it'll still come down to what the players are willing to do

Ooommppphhhh

2:13

Long term in mind, Is Max Clark or Kevin Mcgonigle considered to be superior prospect ? Is Clark built more on hype ? What are there major league comparables looks wise ?

Dan Szymborski

2:13

I'll say McGonigle since he hasn't conclusively shown he ISNT a shortstop

JC

2:13

We reject your tariffs Dan

ChuckNChino

2:13

Any thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling?

Dan Szymborski

2:13

Hey, I'm a free trade guy!

Haven't read the decision

2:15

My whole ethos is in favor of voluntary interactions between freely consenting parties

Westburg

2:15

First they came for our hamates, and I did nothing...

IRobot

2:15

Couldn't AI help you with your ZIPS stuff -- there has to be something you could offload to it, right?

Dan Szymborski

2:15

I really only use it to check code. If it could help with something, I'm not clever enough to know what it is

2:16

See, for me, AI isn't a work tool

2:17

it's a tool for two purposes: One, I like to simply test what it CAN do competently, out of sheer curiosity. And two, to make amusing stuff that I can't do on my own to amuse, well, myself

2:18

Like, I can write a tune and lyrics and play a piano, and even enough music theory that I can write a passable fugue, but I don't have a band, and my singing voice is about that of a walrus having its neck slashed by a serial killer

jd

2:18

Dan, I'm confused about the Off stat on the zips projections. Does it stand for total offensive stats combined vs. others?

Dan Szymborski

2:19

It's just offensive runs relative to overall average, calculated in the way FanGraphs does

A Boy Named Yu

2:19

Once Yu Darvish retires, do I have to change my screenname?

Dan Szymborski

2:19

I mean, if he doesn't have to change his name, I don't think you need to

robertobeers

2:19

Trying to come up with other hall-of-fame starters who made playoff appearances the previous year that would still be unsigned as spring training begins... what's up with Max?

Dan Szymborski

2:19

Problem is that he's not obviously good

A Boy Named Yu

2:19

Do you have any info concerning the delay in players obtaining visas to return for spring training? I.e. Ballesteros, Bethancourt?

Dan Szymborski

2:19

I do not

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