JotCast | FanGraphs After Dark Chat

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

rich

9:13

would you drop either Ray or Bundy for Cotton?

Paul Swydan

9:13

No, not yet. If you have a caliber of pitcher worse than them, I'd drop that person for Cotton.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:14

I think all three have the same issue, innings. I think Cotton has the best chances of being shut down early

Sam

9:14

I just got offered Harper, Robbie Ray and Glasnow for my Maddy Bum, Edwin Diaz and JD Martinez. Its a 12 team Roto league and my other pitchers are Price, Maeda, Paxton, Teheran, Bundy, and Greinke. I almost want to pull the trigger, but my hitting isn't terrible and I feel like i'll miss Maddy. No idea what to do here. Who gets the better deal?

Paul Swydan

9:15

Leaning do it. Especially since we really don't know when JD Martinez will come back.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:16

I don't think I would do the trade. Ray and Glasnow are replaceable. Losing a top 20 bat, top 5 Starter, and top 5 closer for the ~5th best hitter

Paul Swydan

9:17

Hmm. Jeff makes good points. I am a little higher on Glasnow than I should be, also.

Matt

9:17

What level of fever dream would Noah Syndergaard look like as a closer? But seriously, and realistically, could he give Chapman a run for his money as most ridiculous pitch-for-pitch spectacle? What would the arsenal look like?

Paul Swydan

9:17

Yeah, he would. Hopefully we'll never find out.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:18

It would be amazing.

Zeff Jimmerman

9:18

What happened to Walker? He looked great this spring with a sparkling K/BB ratio but has been really mediocre in his first two starts. Also looks like maybe his velo is down.

Paul Swydan

9:19

This spring, everyone in a MLB camp was pitching against far worse competition than usual due to the WBC. So what he did in the spring was even more completely irrelevant than it would normally be.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:19

He pitches for the DBacks?

Paul Swydan

9:19

Also, what Jeff said.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:19

I would put no stock the ST numbers.

Zeff Jimmerman

9:19

Which of these slow starts are you worried about: Bautista, Story, Broxton Rendon,Votto

Paul Swydan

9:20

If you're making me pick, I guess Story or Broxton, because they has the least convincing track record. But not really any of them.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:20

One sec

Q-Ball

9:21

After 3 more Ks today, what do you do with Byron Buxton? AAA assignment to build confidence? What?

Paul Swydan

9:21

In the meantime, I'll tackle this one. The answer is you do nothing.

Maybe some extra BP or something, but a demotion solves nothing.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:22

I have a formula looking at relevant early season approach/distance stats and all look decent. None

Q-Ball

9:22

With all the veteran Cuban player busts, Gurriel potentially being the latest one, is it possible that scouts vastly overrated the level of competition in Serie Nacional? Is it possible that Cuban baseball actually kind of sucks?

Paul Swydan

9:24

I don't think the level of play is an issue. Eric Longenhagen wrote in the THT Annual we published in November about how the level of play is on the down slope. That is a known issue. I don't think we can fully comprehend what it means to finally escape that island, and what it takes to be a productive player afterward.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:24

I think there are/were good players but old Cubans were some of the few players teams could really drop some money on. And speaking of players low on my early season rate, Gurriel is almost dead last

Paul Swydan

9:24

I also think teams that signing the older Cuban players have rushed them, to their detriment.

Zonk

9:25

Early division leaders include: BAL, LAA, MIN, ARI. Which of those do you believe in? Which is a mirage?

Paul Swydan

9:25

I don't believe in any of them.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:25

Baltimore, that's it.

Billy Beane

9:25

Jharel Cotton throws:
A. A Changeup
B. A Screwball
C. A Magnificent Work of Art
D. A & C
E. B & C

Jeff Zimmerman

9:25

Paul Swydan

9:25

C. Just ask him what he calls it, and let's move on.

Jim Lonborg

9:26

Don't want to overreact to one start, but this Pomeranz outing seems like a big deal with Price still out indefinitely. Would be awfully nice not to be counting on Wright.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:26

If healthy, Pom can be a useful pitcher. The key is health

Paul Swydan

9:27

He pitched well in warm, summer-like conditions. He only needed 91 pitches to get into the 7th. That's all great. It's still just one start, and the O's did him a favor by starting two players who can't really hit that well in Gentry and Mancini.

5 Run Homer

9:28

Yandy made a dandy (heh) play today, so Cistulli might not be dumb

Paul Swydan

9:28

Carson is smarter than all of us. That he chooses to make cases for unheralded players is more of a function of always looking for something other than what's in our faces.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:29

Carson's not dump

Wally

9:29

Over or under : Joe Ross' true talent level is 3 WAR/yr?

Paul Swydan

9:29

I'll take the over because I'm an optimist, but you set the bar pretty perfectly there.

Connecting…