JotCast | Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat

Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat - 2/25/21

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Dan Szymborski

1:01

A bored me?

Marshall

1:02

Is there a way to search for the greatest all-time offensive, defensive, and baserunning seasons (e.g., in terms of WAR components)?

Dan Szymborski

1:02

Of course, silly bones!

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y...

Chip

1:03

How confident are you in ZIPS' projections for Giolito? Should I be drafting him in fantasy ahead of the second tier of Buehler, Kershaw, Scherzer, etc.?

Dan Szymborski

1:03

Not very, but I'm not very confident in any pitcher because, well, pitchers

PhilDiggety

1:03

Sean Kazmar Jr. played for the Padres in 2008, getting 46 plate apperances. He has played at the AAA level in EVERY SEASON SINCE THEN WITHOUT GETTING A CALLUP TO THE MAJORS. (Obviously he didn't play in AAA in 2020.) He got an invite to Spring Training this year with the Braves. This dude needs to play in the majors again!!!

Dan Szymborski

1:03

At least he got the health coverage!

1:04

At least he made the majors. I can't remember name off the top of my head, but there always some random AAAers that I project for a decade but never get a cup of coffee and then I forget that they never did

numba1

1:04

"also I hate numbers & never want to see one again", love your work Dan

Dan Szymborski

1:04

I think the piece is interesting, but I was damn glad to be done with it.

It was one of those things where I loved the idea, but I fell in love with the idea before considering just how much work it would be.

1:05

I have a tendency to do this.

Spending 30 hours on a piece is less than ideal.

That's like 15 Dan is Made About Something Stupid pieces.

Lorenzo

1:05

Who is your pre-season MVP, meaning "this team has no chance of the playoffs if ________________ goes down for the season". Someone besides Trout, and thanks.

Dan Szymborski

1:05

I do a most indispensable every year too!

1:06

You guys can't take away my yearly pieces in chats!

Those are easy topics!

Matt

1:06

When will the three year zips be available?

Dan Szymborski

1:06

I'm literally on the verge of giving David an update that contains them

David

1:07

Players should fight for more control over their careers in the next CBA. I'm all for teams taking advantage of the rules as they are currently written, so instead of complaining about manipulation, players should focus on changing the rules.

Dan Szymborski

1:07

I agree.

1:08

I think people framing it as morality go a little off-base sometimes. Teams don't give players x or 3 times x dollars because it's nice, but because they're incentivized to do it. The focus should be on designing a system in which teams are incentivized. I want to see investing in quality talent and winning games be incentivized so that the smart thing, the profitable thing, and the good-for-baseball thing are the same thing

I don't expect teams to act against their self-interest.

Jeff

1:09

What's your favorite alt titles for players? Products? Assets? Commodity?

Dan Szymborski

1:09

I do try to get away with those descriptions

LMNOP

1:09

Will you write an article reviewing your service time idea? I don't think I completely understand

Dan Szymborski

1:09

Probably, if the situation arises

I hate writing things that aren't connected with a direct story or a direct piece of news.

1:10

Writing dry things bore me and I'm not good at toughing out things that bore me.

Lucas

1:10

Been watching Bassmaster tourney, whens ZiPS coming out for them so I can improve my fantasy team?

LMNOP

1:10

You might be the only FG writer that doesn't view teams' time manipulation as "immoral". And I agree with you

Dan Szymborski

1:11

I can only speak for myself. I'm not the type who craps on people who think differently about something philosophically.

I *want* teams to be incentivized financially to put together good teams.

1:12

But when you have a system in which the Rays see *very* little change in revenue no matter what happens, they're going to heavily invest money to change what happens.

So much of baseball's revenues are not connected with anything to do with team quality.

1:13

I've gone on about this in twitter numerous times so I'll keep it short here

MLB *taxes* having high revenue and *subsidizes* having low revenue.

SO what we see is the natural consequence.

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