JotCast | Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat

Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat - 5/23/24

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Dan Szymborski

1:03

No, but I type everything too quickly in chat so I can answer more questions

Insert Witty Name Here

1:03

So there’s a new lady in the Szym life? That explains your more cheery tone.

Dan Szymborski

1:03

No. Am I more cheery?

davealden53

1:03

I'm in Cincinnati for two weeks. I've had goetta and Skyline Chili

Dan Szymborski

1:03

I'm sorry your trip hasn't gone well

Epstein's Mother

1:04

Re: Analytics sucking the fun out of the game, as a data scientist, it has always seemed to me to come down to asking people to optimize the wrong thing. Like, obviously each team is trying to optimize defensive posistioning to maximize the fraction of time a ball put into play is turned into an out, and have each plate appearance put the mostemphasis on increasing run value. But in a closed-sum game, the total number of wins will stay the same, but the enjoyability of what is fundamentally entertainment changes in a way that is not being accounted for at all. So people fretting that they don't like the game as much is, to me, totally valid, and something the sport should try to change. And they are, which is good!

Dan Szymborski

1:04

I think MLB, if they think it's a problem, needs to be even more aggressive

1:05

big bases? how about *80* feet to first base

and I'd love to see them test out all kinds of stuff in indie leagues, even stuff that's absolutely idiotic, just to see what happens. because a failure might give them an idea for another thing that might work

1:06

what IF the playing field should have a wider arc?

what IF a batter doesn't have to reach first base with two outs on a grounder for the runner on third to score?

what IF it was four strikes and you're out?

1:07

I don't know if any of these are good. But someone should at least TRY

(In fact, I dont' think any of these are good, except maybe the first thing)

the change in base distance\

Guest

1:07

what if it was a cheesecake with some flavor of drizzle in the shape of tacos al pastor on top

Dan Szymborski

1:07

It's not tacos al pastor then

1:08

If I eat a chocolate truffle in the shape of a poop, I'm not eating poop

Cat Latos

1:08

Cat friends cat friends how do they do

Dan Szymborski

1:08

They're being really damn lazy today

Constantine started off chat asking me for dinner (which doesn't come until 4) but he got tired and dozed off from the effort

SpicyBoi

1:08

Re: analytics and fun. I do think MLB has an enjoyability problem. League average OPS is under .700 right now. The offensive run environment is super depressed. I think we should go back to juiced baseballs and spider tack. 2018-2019 was a really fun time for the league imo

Guest

1:08

My wife found a recipe for pickle cheesecake in an old recipe book. It was ... interesting.

Guest

1:09

I forgot about Mat Latos! also I'm a couple months older than him but he's been out of the league 7 years

Dan Szymborski

1:09

didn't you ever see the Cat Latos picture?