JotCast | FanGraphs AL Wild Card Chat

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Jon Becker

8:33

Hamstring could still be bothering him just enough, though Boone of course denied that

Dan Szymborski

8:33

I didn't make a new list for this year! But I could!

Jeremy Tice

8:33

Gerrit Cold

Jimmie Foxxalorian

8:33

A Coled Night in Fenway

Jon Becker

8:35

Not the result he wanted but a great cut there from Torres, was doing so much rolling over on pitches like that this year

Morbo

8:35

Got up to throw some sourdough in the oven missed the pitch and hr but I heard it. But I had a 550° cast iron in my hand so I couldn't do anything about it

Guest

8:35

I can't wait to hear the narrative about Cole being bad in WC games...

Greg Allen

8:35

So anyone on this chat not watching the statcast broadcast and enduring the A-roid injection?

Belli Flop

8:36

I'm in a larger group setting so I must endure Rodriguez

Kevin Goldstein

8:36

Find new friends.

8:37

I gotta say once again, I really don't hate either team. Have friends in both front offices, but I do find Brett Gardner especially grating.

Camden

8:38

Any thoughts on how the Red Sox lineup? Hernandez batting 2nd for the Sox an "optimal" move?

Kevin Goldstein

8:38

Dan and Jon might disagree, but I really don't think lineups matter all that much in terms of optimizing. I'm a big fan of hitting players where they are comfortable.

Dan Szymborski

8:38

It's hard doing this and still rooting for and against things the same way I did, say, when I was 18.

Phil

8:38

I'm listening to the Boston radio broadcast (no ESPN, sigh) and they keep complaining about the home plate ump--are they right?

Kevin Goldstein

8:38

He's missed some on both sides.

Dan Szymborski

8:38

Totally agree with Kevin.

8:39

The difference between the best possible lineup and an average one is a few runs per year. So might as well keep players comfortable.

Jon Becker

8:39

I think generally it's pretty overblown, yeah, unless you're talking about a month-long stretch or the difference between 2nd and 8th or something. One spot in one game just doesn't matter

Dan Szymborski

8:39

If, say, putting a player in leadoff makes a player feel like they have to alter a successful approach, then maybe putting him in leadoff isn't a good idea, even if an optimization algorithm suggests it is

Kevin Goldstein

8:39

George Springer is the perfect example. Feels like a 4-5 hitter, but wants to and loves hitting leadoff.

Dan Szymborski

8:39

Now, there are limits.

8:40

You don't want to put Alcides Escobar leadoff if possible.

Bunk

8:40

I find it weird that my usual dislike of the Yankees is basically zero right now. Huge fan of Judge and the Yankees not winning a World Series recently is really throwing me off.

Kevin Goldstein

8:40

You're just maturing, Bunk. That's all.

Dan Szymborski

8:40

Who plays is just so much more important than what order they play.

Jason

8:40

I’m guessing comfort > moving players around in lineup for optimization. This isn’t sim baseball.

Kevin Goldstein

8:40

I say it all the time, these are human beings, not strat-o-matic cards.

Jon Becker

8:41

Yep. Like Dan said, there are limits, but in a Springer situation, where he's always been on great teams and you're splitting hairs deciding how to order the first 4-5 spots, just hit guys where they're comfortable

Guest

8:41

You don't want Alcides Escobar. FTFY

Kevin Goldstein

8:41

Bah, it's only $1m, and gets you some depth insurance. He turns back into a pumpkin and you let him go at little cost. Move makes total sense to me.

ksoze0720

8:41

the eovaldi grunts make me feel like a watching a top tier tennis player serve

Kevin Goldstein

8:41

Robbie Ray and Zack Greinke say hello.

Joey Caltrain

8:42

Kevin, you can't just say you find Brett Gardner grating and then not explain why! Now we're all curious!

Kevin Goldstein

8:42

Just the constant case of the ass. I'm sure it's important to him and I'm being childish.

King Cole

8:42

some real bad at bats by the bottom of the order yankee hitters.

Jon Becker

8:43

The Yankees structured their lineup today around defense, I'm sure Sánchez and Odor (although he finished his season terribly) are both very much in play. Doesn't help that Urshela isn't moving well either.

RyGuy

8:44

As a Jay fan, Gardner has been killing us for years, hate all his antics, but what a career

Kevin Goldstein

8:44

It's kinda remarkable, I remember him coming out of the draft as a 20 power, 80 run water bug. Transformed himself.

Jon Becker

8:45

Only Yankee hitter to be on the active roster all season (along with Luetge and Chad Green), and that kind of stability is incredibly valuable even if the performance isn't up to his standard.

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