JotCast | Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat

Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat - 8/6/18

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Dan Szymborski

2:11

Sorry, technical difficulties!

Power was briefly out.

2:11

Is Johan Camargo the Braves' long-term solution for 3B? Or should he be a super utility player?

Dan Szymborski

2:14

I think the team still sees Austin Riley as the long-term option. Honestly, if Camargo can at least credibly play SS, which he has in limited time, he may be more valuable as a super-utility if the team is creative.

Mike from Tempe

2:15

You buying Dereck Rodriguez?

Dan Szymborski

2:16

I'm not at that point yet, but he's interesting. He's probably going to allow more homers

But he's looking like a credible rotation option at least

kevinthecomic

2:16

Brandon Crawford: Apr - Jun = BEASTMODE; July = COMMODE! Why?

Dan Szymborski

2:16

I wouldn't get too excited.

Matt

2:16

This is now the second time that something injury related has come to light that explains some sort of Boone-folly (Robinson starting in RF over Stanton 2 games in a row). To what extent is it better that Boone does what he needs to do, and takes the fall as a perceived idiot, rather than be open about some tightness in Stanton's hip and possibly opening pandora's box?

Dan Szymborski

2:18

That comes down to managerial style. It's not necessarily Boone's job to be truthful to the publi really

And on some level, it's his job to protect his players.

2:18

Hi Dan. Nick Ahmed is pretty good now. He had a horrible May but the rest of his season has been quite better than expected. Surprised?

Dan Szymborski

2:18

By the power, certainly. And I think that power's for real. He already has more barrels this year than 2015-2017 combined

2:19

His velocity numbers are all up, he's hitting more flyballs'

Though you can't just exclude May, in that whole "except for that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" sense.

2:19

If the Nationals wait to put Harper on waivers until they fall out of the race, any chance at a deal? Would anyone bother claiming him?

Dan Szymborski

2:20

Oh, he'd definitely be claimed.

This isn't a take my Harper. Please! scenario

2:21

And I think a deal *could* be worked out

but we've got some pretty big ifs

Dbo

2:21

Is Shepard's Pie technically a pie if you have a top and bottom of mashed potatoes

Dan Szymborski

2:21

I'll say yes, I feel a pie has more form flexibility than a sandwich

kevinthecomic

2:23

Carlos Santana: Cause of career low BABIP this year? Bad luck or the SHIFT?

Dan Szymborski

2:24

Shift certainly hasn't helped - he has a .210 BABIP against the shift. He's at .243 for his career.

2:25

(Sorry, had to check it as I don't have every split for every player ever memorized, despite the portion of my brain reserved for baseball!)

Tito Landrum, III

2:26

Who is the NL MVP? Hot take here is that Matt Carpenter should be in a tier by himself, or at least solely with Arenado. Between leading the NL in WAR, a mediocre supporting cast, and positional flexibility, Carpenter should be at the top of the list.

Dan Szymborski

2:28

It's really close, it's amazing what Carpenter has done since the start of the year

You don't have a lot of MVP candidates below the mendoza line in LATE MAY

2:29

Arenado's certainly there though.

Not sure who I'd vote for if the season ended today.

2:30

I may have to decide, depending on who in the Cincy BBWAA chapter gets which vote - I've had ROY and CY but not MVP yet.

Dbo

2:30

What are the odds the MLB decides to expand and gives Baltimore their first Major League Baseball team?

Dan Szymborski

2:30

oof

Adam

2:30

The answer to this is probably obviously no or everyone could project it but, is there a way to figure out how someone who hasn’t shown game power in the minors might gain it in the majors? Josh Bell had very good raw power but game power was a 45 and for some reason this year it never showed. Ozzie Albies was thought to have very little power and now he’s crushing the ball. Anything that can be looked at to figure out if someone will make those gains? Thanks.

Dan Szymborski

2:30

Unfortunately, it's never really that cut and dry

2:31

Sometimes you see a guy who hits a lot of doubles or hits the ball hard but to the ground too much or just looks a like a dude who should be hitting homers

CamdenWarehouse

2:31

I'm starting to think that using pitch count alone as the measure of fatigue is counterproductive since there are a lot of things in play for how much gas a pitcher has. Simplifying into just the one number has dumbed our analysis. Is this something you've given any thought to?

Dan Szymborski

2:31

There was a saberseminar presentation on increased DLs after complete games

I think the problem is that pitch counts are HELPFUL, but the error ranges are huge so people put too much faith into then

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