JotCast | Jay Jaffe FanGraphs Chat

Jay Jaffe FanGraphs Chat - 4/26/18

Prev Page View Full Chat

Jay Jaffe

1:26

The Cardinals have a great organization, but it also took them until he was 29 to give him 200 PA in a season.

Scott

1:26

It looks like you jinxed Joey Votto. He's starting to hit again

Jay Jaffe

1:26

He can join Gary Sanchez and Paul Goldschmidt in the line of players to thank me for inspiring them to return to greatness.

Brian CashGod

1:27

Follow up question - please tell me there is an annual Fangraphs softball game?!

Jay Jaffe

1:28

I'm still pretty new here, so I have no idea what kind of stuff goes on annually here. Maybe when we have our staff trip in June such a thing will transpire. I'll let you know

Justin

1:28

Why are so many people trying to prove Didi isn't good? We know he's not THIS good. He's so fun! Let him be fun.

Jay Jaffe

1:28

just as sharks will die if they don't keep swimming, haterz aren't allowed to take a moment off from hatin'

Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe

1:29

The commissioner is concerned about the pace of play and times of games. With guys going deeper into counts, should there be a limit to foul balls before being awarded a strikeout?

Jay Jaffe

1:29

No.

Mark

1:30

Have the Blue Jays turned the AL East into a 3 horse race?

Jay Jaffe

1:31

it feels more like a two-way race for 2nd behind the Red Sox, but they're in it.

1:31

Seeing any concerts this Summer?

Jay Jaffe

1:33

I did just see Patti Smith do a short set that featured a cameo by Bruce Springsteen (it was for the premiere of her Horses concert film at the Tribeca Film Festival) but for the first time in awhile I don't have tickets to any upcoming shows. I'm sure that will change soon. Just heard about My Bloody Valentine at Hammerstein Ballroom, which in my experience is a terrible place for acoustics, so I'm leaning PASS on that one, but I gotta get out and see some rock now and again or I'll go mad.

Dexy's Midnight Fowlers

1:33

It must be April if Asdrubal Cabrera is leading the NL in BA. Expecting significant regression there?

Jay Jaffe

1:33

That question pretty much answers itself, no?

Dexy's Midnight Fowlers

1:34

Dexter Fowler has been a disappointment so far-- great patience as usual but not hitting the ball as well as last year. Do you expect him to pick it up or is this the beginning of a decline?

Jay Jaffe

1:35

He started slowly last year, too. I wouldn't panic just yet.

Dan

1:35

Hey Jay! What are your thoughts on rodon when he eventually comes back? Does he ever live up to the hype?

Jay Jaffe

1:38

I hope he fights Godzilla again, that would be epic.

<checks earpiece>

Oh, Carlos Rodon, not Rodan. I don't expect him to be an ace, but I certainly think he can be a useful mid-rotation guy if healthy

jimcanuck

1:38

Bundy and Snell both hit MLB in 2016. After two seasons, looks like they are breaking out into the frontline starters they were projected to be. Is this the typical timeline for a breakout?

Jay Jaffe

1:39

It doesn't seem atypical, even when you account for Bundy making his MLB debut back in 2012, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.

skyric

1:39

I have thoroughly enjoyed your Hall of Fame articles and arguments that I have come across. You have taught me a lot. What is your take on why Jim Edmonds fell off the ballot his first try? Should he get in? I'd also be interested in your views on Ted Simmons and Larry Walker.

Jay Jaffe

1:42

Thank you! As noted in connection with that Mauer piece linked above, Edmonds falling short of 2,000 hits was an easy cue that he would fall short of election one way or another. The overcrowded ballot did him no favors, nor did the proximity of better candidates such as Kenny Lofton and Andruw Jones, who haven't gotten much love from voters either and both have stronger cases according to JAWS (Andruw's another Rule of 2,000 guy, I'm afraid).

I've got whole chapters on Simmons, Walker and Andruw in The Cooperstown Casebook— which I hope you'll buy if you haven't already — but the short answer is that I'm in favor of all three being elected.

kevinthecomic

1:42

Multi Player question: Carlos Santana, Neil Walker and Zach Cozart -- 2018 performance to date due to small sample size or beginning of the decline phase of their careers?

Jay Jaffe

1:44

SSS is the more likely explanation, not just for these guys but for everybody doing everything. I do wonder a bit more about Walker given his relatively recent back woes, but I'm also a guy who's generally on his bandwagon.

Desperate, confused Marlins fan

1:46

Is Harper always going to leave something to be desired or can he have a 5-7 year peak that we look back and say wow he was reaallly good?

Jay Jaffe

1:47

His problems have generally been health-related; he's really, really good, and right now he looks like it's 2015 again.

Alex

1:48

Ozzie Albies is leading the majors in XBH and has more XBH than singles. Could you please help me tamper my excitement/expectations

Jay Jaffe

1:48

I could help you temper them but the league might crack down upon me for tampering with them.

Benny Agbayani

1:49

Go see Hop Along at Brooklyn Steel next month

Jay Jaffe

1:49

Never heard of 'em, but that's not saying much given how hard it is for me to take up new music given my allotted time for same. i did just see Ty Segall at Brooklyn Steel a couple weeks ago. That was outstanding.

Mark

1:50

Votto grand slam!

Jay Jaffe

1:50

There, I fixed it.

Zach

1:51

What’s the biggest issue with HOF voting right now?

Jay Jaffe

1:54

1. That Minnie Miñoso and Dick Allen aren't in.

2. That Bobby Grich and Lou Whitaker can't get on a small committee ballot.

3. The 10-man ballot rule is still a problem, one that will clear up somewhat in the next few years whether or not Bonds and Clemens (whose ongoing presence is part of the problem, as they're taking up a ton of votes but not getting to 75% yet) are cleared.

Louis

1:55

You think Altuve is on his way to HoF?

Jay Jaffe

1:57

I *hope* so, and collecting 200+ hits a year is a good way to make tracks towards Cooperstown. But my head tells me to temper my expectations given the extent to which second basemen tend to arrive and peak earlier than other positions

1:57

Who will ultimately prevail in the NL East and why won't it be the Mets?

Jay Jaffe

1:59

I still think the Nationals wind up atop the division. The Mets are going to need some lineup upgrades; Adrian Gonzalez already looks kaput, the Asdrubal hot streak isn't going to last forever, and they're probably gonna need a catcher, too

2:00

OK folks, at the risk of overstaying my welcome, that's it for this week's chat. Thanks for stopping by!

Connecting…

Your current subscriptions

None

E-mail Address	Chat Owner	Status	Remove

Enter your email address to be notified when Jay Jaffe hosts a chat