JotCast | FanGraphs After Dark Chat

Paul Swydan

5:03

What is tonight's best matchup?

TOR (Sanchez) vs. BAL (Gallardo) (48.5% | 47 votes)

MIA (Esch) vs. NYM (Colon) (9.3% | 9 votes)

PIT (Vogelsong) vs. CHC (Hammel) (24.7% | 24 votes)

NYY (Cessa) vs. KC (Kennedy) (17.5% | 17 votes)

Total Votes: 97

9:02

Hi everybody!

Jamie Sayer

9:02

Is it safe to say 1st half Jake Lamb was a tad lucky while 2nd half Jake Lamb is a tad unlucky?

Paul Swydan

9:03

I think it's more safe to say the latter part. I think Lamb is pretty good, and his first half BABIP wasn't so high.

9:04

The ISO was high though. Yeah I guess it would be safe to say what you said.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:04

Some, also his plate discipline has gotten worse.

Nathan

9:04

Alot has been said about an assortment of Brewers the last couple weeks. I think we should talk about another. Tyler Thornburg has looked dominant. How do you guys feel about him?

Paul Swydan

9:05

Like him. Cameron covered him awhile back. I was surprised he wasn't traded at the 7/31 deadline.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:05

He is a good pitcher before the Brewers traded off their other closers and is still a good one.

Mike

9:06

I heard tebow has 65-80 grade power, But he only hit 2 doubles and no bombs in his tryout. Why should I believe in power based on bp? Evan ichiro hit bombs in bp.

Paul Swydan

9:06

You don't need to believe it all. It's a free country, Mike!

Believe it AT all

Jeff Zimmerman

9:07

But his Contact% was All-Star quality (looking for link)....

James

9:07

What's your take on Corey Seager's defense? He's a Gold Glover by UZR standards but is league average in DRS.

Paul Swydan

9:07

I think it's probably closer to what DRS says. Either way, it'll play.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:08

Tebow: https://twitter.com/OGTedBerg/status/770952457262362624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I think he is average at SS ... I could be wrong

Dat Dude

9:08

Todd Frazier: 33 HRs, 96 wRC+...lol wut

Paul Swydan

9:09

It's happened before - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/dante-bichettes-unbelievable-1999-season/

Jeff Zimmerman

9:09

Chicks dig the long ball

Dominik

9:09

How big of a disadvantage is coors for the rockies to build a winner? Not talking about road hangover but pitching. Opponent has the disadvantage too but with 81 games I guess that ends up in a lot more pitches thrown and thus fatigue for the Rockies pitchers. Basically they would need another roster spot.

Paul Swydan

9:10

I think the only disadvantage is that it is harder to attract free-agent pitchers to Colorado. Other than that, I don't see it as a disadvantage - I see it as **different.** Different is OK.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:10

and pitchers don't want to go to Coors, so the staff will really be used to the max

Josh

9:11

Ruling out the second half of the Dodgers/Rockies doubleheader on the poll?

Paul Swydan

9:11

It was on the cusp, but it's August 31st, I think we can limit to above-.500 teams at this point.

Kyle Hendricks

9:11

I'm the only pitcher that hasn't given up more than 4 ER in a single start all season, and even that's only happened twice. 20 of my 25 starts were 2 ER or less. How is there even a debate about the CY this year?

Paul Swydan

9:12

Because there's still a month left to the season, and because we like to debate things.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:12

and strikeouts are kewl

Jim Lonborg

9:13

How does Silver Slugger work? Is Leon a candidate, or is there a (formal or informal) PA minimum?

Jeff Zimmerman

9:13

I don't know for sure how they are awarded

Paul Swydan

9:13

Someone on Twitter sent me a link that said there is a 400 PA minimum, so it's unlikely that Leon gets there.

John Olerud

9:14

So, last week I asked whether to start Duffy @ BOS. Paul, I understood your inclination to go for it (I don't think Jeff had joined the chat yet), but I opted not to, and I'm glad I did. I also opted not to start Smyly @BOS today, which admittedly was much less of difficult decision, but still... Anyways, I'm not trying to enjoy some "I told you so" moment here, but I was just wondering whether you think we've reach a point within this season where (figuratively speaking) an @BOS start and an @COL are in the "same ballpark"?

Paul Swydan

9:15

Yep, that was a bad call by me. Sorry. I don't, though. I watched the Sox struggle to score 3 runs last night. The offense has struggled for the last month. Or, at least, it hasn't been as automatic.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:15

I usually play in deep enough leagues where sitting Smyly or Duffy would mean starting Chase Anderson.

Rob

9:16

I have a competitive squad in a 14 team mixed. About six weeks ago, somebody inexplicably dumped Jedd Gyorko so I picked him up but haven't had the stones to put him in the lineup. Would you start him over any of Kipnis (2B), Bogaerts (SS), Longoria (3B) or Hosmer (CI)? It's a H2H format (unfortunately).

Paul Swydan

9:16

Xander had been struggling, so you probably could play him there. But this is one of those good problems for sure. That's a good squad you have.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:16

I don't think so, but at least someone isn't using him against you

VampWeekAtBern

9:17

How often, if ever, would it make sense for a team to deploy five infielders with two Billy Hamiltons in the outfield? I could imagine it sometimes working when pitching against pitchers or groundball hitters.

Paul Swydan

9:18

I wouldn't play that alignment unless you were in a do or die situation, or unless you had a guy with a 60% + GB% on the mound, and those pitchers don't exactly grow on trees.

Jeff Zimmerman

9:18

Not very often, but I think a tea may do it to really mess with a hitter.

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