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Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 1/4/19
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Jeff Sullivan
9:32
Recent hire from the Rays, as a matter of fact
Mandy is 92% Fresh
9:32
Best case scenario for the Royals this year?
Jeff Sullivan
9:32
About 77 wins and third place
9:33
Well I guess the best-case scenario might also involve the Twins falling flat on their faces again. So about 77 wins and second place?
Syndergaardians of the Galaxy
9:33
Who comes in last this year in the NL Central?
Jeff Sullivan
9:33
Right now I think it's still the Reds, but they're creeping up on the Pirates. Pretty strong division being built
Eppler
9:34
Are the Angels done at this point? No touchdowns, not really any field goals, mostly a few first downs and then punts. Kinda depressing.
Jeff Sullivan
9:35
At the moment the Angels are projected for an opening-day payroll that's almost an exact match of where they were each of the previous three seasons
They already got La Stella to be their infield caddy behind Fletcher/Cozart
9:36
Their rotation is full, what with Harvey and Cahill being added. I'd expect some bargain-basement outfield and bullpen additions
9:37
Could use someone better than Hermosillo behind the starting three in the OF. And that bullpen is at least one arm short
John
9:38
If Jeter Downs is as good of a prospect as people have been making him out to be, why did the Reds trade him for three guys on expiring contracts in a year they probably won’t contend?
Jeff Sullivan
9:40
I didn't think that was a great move for the Reds, especially since they still don't have a center fielder. But Downs is far away and he's a non-elite player. Puig and Wood both have 2019 surplus value. And Kyle Farmer isn't nothing, as a guy with hardly any big-league service time
9:41
Farmer's been a pretty good hitter in Triple-A as a C/3B. Weird and appealing little skillset
Syndergaardians of the Galaxy
9:43
Don't most pitchers who bomb in the Bronx eventually straighten out in the Alleghenys? Why isn't Sonny Gray on the Pirates already?
Jeff Sullivan
9:43
The data point here seems to be...AJ Burnett?
9:44
Ivan Nova isn't much better, considering the league and ballpark switch
9:46
Anyway, the Pirates don't *not* make sense, but they also have a mostly full rotation, and the Yankees want a real trade return. Gray makes the most sense for a team in better playoff position, like the Brewers
Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe
9:46
Good morning Jeff. What is your favorite condiment?
Jeff Sullivan
9:46
A quality hot sauce. The rest are almost all wastes of my time, except for mustard
Syndergaardians of the Galaxy
9:47
If the Phillies get off to a slow start, does Gabe Kapler get fired?
Jeff Sullivan
9:47
Almost a 0% chance of that happening this year
9:48
The Phillies love Kapler. It's some of the fans and writers who don't
bb
9:48
Jeff, what do you hope to accomplish this year, either personally or professionally?
Jeff Sullivan
9:49
I hope to have a good first eight months of marriage, and I hope that my writing in December is better than my writing in January
9:50
I guess I should specify December 2019 and January 2019
Not December 2019 and January 2020
That would be the opposite of what I hope
Although it'll happen eventually! We all get worse and die
Frank
9:52
Would you rather have Urias/Tatis or Altuve/Correa for the next 6 years?
Jeff Sullivan
9:52
Altuve/Correa. Altuve's almost in his 30s, but Correa's nowhere close, and they're already proven stars. Urias and Tatis haven't proven anything and most great prospects turn into something less than great players
9:53
This is, of course, ignoring contracts
v2micca
9:53
If front offices adamantly decide they are done with 10 year contracts, what is Scott Boras's next move?
Jeff Sullivan
9:54
Go above the front offices, like he usually does
The smartest thing Scott Boras ever did was figure out you don't always have to try to negotiate with the usual negotiators
Jake
9:55
Which do you think is easier to improve? A hitter's launch angle or a fielder's zone rating (i.e., fielding and getting to balls)?
Jeff Sullivan
9:55
I think it's easier to adjust a hitter's launch angle, but remember that a higher launch angle isn't the point. Quality contact is the point. Lots of guys could hit more fly balls, but they would be worse for it
9:57
It's worth considering here that hitters peak a little later than defenders. Suggests that defensive improvements can be hard to come by, outside of exceptional cases like that of Marcus Semien
Syndergaardians of the Galaxy
9:57
I just noticed that every NL team name starts with a consonant but that 1/3rd of the AL team names start with a vowel. God, I wish that spring training would just start already.
Jeff Sullivan
9:57
There are advantages to having a slow-moving offseason market. Such as, a lot of significant stuff still has to happen in the coming six or so weeks
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