You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 10/21/16
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Kevin
10:27
So the Cubs have a 3-2 NLCS lead going back home with two Cy Young candidate pitchers in tow. What could go wrong?
Jeff Sullivan
10:28
The planet could be irreversibly warming
chris
10:28
The Indians didn't run on Jays pitching as much as predicted (having second lowest OBP among LCS teams might cause that), but is it a good bet they use their baserunning skills more vs. Dodgers/Cubs?
Jeff Sullivan
10:29
There were times where the Indians ran aggressively in non-steal situations. Their baserunning skill isn't about stealing alone; only a handful of them routinely try to take second base. They will continue to try to push it in the World Series, provided they have actual baserunners. In the ALCS, they didn't have baserunners
Catoblepas
10:30
What's your general view of the rules? I ask because of the Javy Baez infield "fly" thing. I thought it was awesome, but isn't that what we should argue about, not whether it fits into the current form of the rulebook?
Jeff Sullivan
10:31
Two parts, right? 1) Was it an infield fly? 2) Should it have been? I think it was a really smart play, because for Baez there wasn't much downside to doing what he did. But in an identical future scenario, my own preference would be for the umpire to use his discretion and say that's a perfectly catchable baseball
Matt
10:32
If the Indians had a healthy Salazar/Carrasco and didn't have the Lucroy trade fall through, would they be favored in the WS over CHI/LAD?
Jeff Sullivan
10:32
I think they'd be at least even; it depends on what you want to make of the AL/NL talent difference.
Erik
10:33
Are coaches not telling players to steal often enough against Lester? Are they telling them to steal, but players aren't getting the jumps so are refusing to go? Are they being given the green light but always choosing to ignore it? Where does the blame lie here?
Jeff Sullivan
10:33
I really feel like it's on the players for not realizing how aggressive they can truly afford to be
No one wants to be the one guy Jon Lester actually throws out. It's a small sacrifice for knowledge
Mark Varley
10:34
Could the Jays acquire Blackmon? :^)
Jeff Sullivan
10:34
Yes
Justin
10:35
Not really the point of this chat, but as a Cubs fan, I've found the FS1 coverage to be very pointedly west-coast centric. In both rounds, the love shown the Dodgers and Giants comes off as very uneven. If other Cubs' fans are like me, FS1 really missed an opportunity this offseason to pick up some new markets.
Jeff Sullivan
10:35
Fan perspectives always fascinate me, to no end
Zonk
10:36
Lester threw 8 curveballs last night. All 100 other pitches were FB variations; 4-seam, cutter, sinker. Nothing off-speed at all! Unusual, huh?
Jeff Sullivan
10:36
According to Brooks Baseball, he did throw two changeups. Now, I don't know if that's true, but I do know the changeup is relatively rare for him. So it kind of makes sense
Erik
10:36
Are there reliable stats on secondary leads out there? I would love to see how bad the secondary leads off Lester are.
Jeff Sullivan
10:37
Statcast has that stuff but it isn't made publicly available often. I think the primary leads yesterday were basically the normal primary + secondary leads
J
10:37
If you had to guess each stat's impact on wOBA what would it be? Maybe something like 20% BB%, 20% K%, 25% BABIP and 35% ISO?
Jeff Sullivan
Travis
10:39
Cashman wants Foltynewicz and Inciarte for McCann. What would be a more realistic return for McCann?
Jeff Sullivan
10:39
Signed Foltynewicz and Inciarte jerseys
Me
10:39
Do you see the cubs winning 100 again next year?
Jeff Sullivan
10:39
No, but only because I basically never predict a team to win 100+. I do imagine I'll see the Cubs as one of the two or three best teams in baseball
Matt
10:40
What should be the strategy against Kershaw for the Cubs?
Jeff Sullivan
10:40
There is no strategy to have. Have the best at-bats you can have and hope to get lucky
Catoblepas
10:40
How much have the post-retirement public acts of Alex Rodriguez and Curt Schilling changed their respective odds of making the HoF?
Jeff Sullivan
10:42
I'm inclined to say very little. Schilling was underrated from his first time on the ballot and Rodriguez has that big giant steroid thing hanging over him. I think every voter has some altered opinions on these people as people, but at the end of the day, voters do take these ballots seriously and they focus almost exclusively on the numbers and the steroids
Magdal
10:42
Dear Jeff, do you hate the DH?
Jeff Sullivan
10:42
I grew up rooting for Edgar Martinez. I love the DH
Pennsy
10:43
Why are there no openly gay players in Major League Baseball?
Jeff Sullivan
10:43
Because there are tremendously few openly gay players in any sport anywhere
10:44
Give it 10-20 years. The times are changing and there's no going back
Crash
10:44
Do you get emotionally attached to your favorite team?
Jeff Sullivan
10:44
Not really. At this point I get more emotionally attached to players, or to storylines I like
Dan
10:45
I think stealing is overrated and outs are precious.
Jeff Sullivan
10:45
Stealing *is* overrated except when it's easy
Nate
10:47
There are three "closers" available in the FA market, but more than three teams that need one. Who is a trade candidate no one is talking about for those teams?
Jeff Sullivan
10:47
Tyler Thornburg?
Connecting…