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Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 2/16/18
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Scoko
10:09
Am I missing something here by the positive spin of recent Vargas signing?  Vargas basically missed all of 2015 and 2016 with injury.  He was horrendous 2nd half of 2017.  He is 35.  I can swallow 1 yr 8M, but 2 at 16M seems optimistic.
Jeff Sullivan
10:10
He made the All-Star team. Full stop. The Mets get to say they signed an All-Star. In reality, Vargas had one strong month, and it was his first
Q-Ball
10:10
It seems like a bunch of fringe FA are signing minor-league deals to get into camp, and cheap signs like Vargas, Garcia, Cashner are coming off the board.  Will we be left with just "expensive", and "possibly toast" FA left soon?
Jeff Sullivan
10:10
You mean Boras clients
PTBNL
10:11
What are the odds Hanley hits the PA threshold for his 2019 vesting option? Feel like the Sox wouldn't want it to vest especially with the nunez signing and potential JDM signing.
Jeff Sullivan
10:12
They'll almost certainly find a way to not let Hanley get there. That is, unless he's totally mashing, but if they do sign J.D. Martinez or some other bat, that'll be the control right there
THe law
10:13
Hi Jeff, happy Friday. what happens to the Yankees if Sanchez goes down for a while? Romine is really really bad and the drop down to him from Gary may be the biggest in baseball
Jeff Sullivan
10:13
What do the Angels do if Trout goes down for a while?
What do the Astros do if Altuve goes down for a while?
The Yankees could use a better backup catcher, but as team needs go, that's not a horrible one to have near the top of the list
Sean R
10:14
Is it easy to say the Mariners should steer into the skid and spend this offseason given the lack of prospects in the fold?
Jeff Sullivan
10:15
They could use another starting pitcher. They don't seem to be willing to spend for one. Ownership has probably imposed some kind of budget ceiling
Guest
10:15
Now that the A's have an fairly set infield, and at least a couple of outfield pieces, do you see them being a surprise team in the free agent pitching market to bolster an anemic rotation?
Jeff Sullivan
10:15
Since their projected payroll is down about $23 million, yeah, I think they could be lurking
Sharp
10:16
Can the rest of the Yankees roster hit enough home runs to carry Judge, Sanchez, and Stanton's total and break the single season record?
Jeff Sullivan
10:16
I'll write about this when we actually get ZiPS information included
Last time I checked, which was a few weeks ago, Steamer thinks the Yankees will end up second in home runs, behind the Orioles(!)
But I'd like to get ZiPS as well before I publish anything
Anthony
10:17
Are you optimistic about Michael Brantley? All of the skills seem intact despite the injuries
Jeff Sullivan
10:17
I think his peak is long gone. I still think he's capable of starting most days
Lou Sassole
10:17
How do you think Cashner will fare in a division full of hitters' parks without the ability to get strikeouts in bunches?
Jeff Sullivan
10:18
The amazing thing is he's still probably an improvement over who the Orioles were *going* to use
Hunky Dory
10:18
What could happen to derail the Nats’ season and open a door to a Mets NLE title?
Jeff Sullivan
10:18
Mets stay mostly healthy, one or two core Nationals get hurt
That simple
10:19
If that's simple
Eric
10:19
What team that people view as an around .500 team or better do you see most likely ending up deep in the cellar. My bet, is the Rangers. And for me I see "around .500" meaning 82 wins +/- 4 games
Jeff Sullivan
10:19
I agree on the Rangers. I see more downside than upside there and I like the other rosters in the division
Matt
10:20
In this era of platoons becoming more prevalent, would it potentially confer an advantage for a team facing another team that utilizes one or more platoons to announce a starting pitcher, then pull that starter after one pitch and replace him with another pitcher who throws with the opposite hand? It would probably require a swing man or someone who is prepared to start being in the bullpen, but seems like it could work in some situations.
Jeff Sullivan
10:21
I don't think any team wants to set that precedent. The advantage would be so very small, and the opponent would get pissed off and look for reasons to do something similar to you down the line
To say nothing of how hard it would be to "hide" a second pitcher warming up at the same time as the first one
Now, if it's late September and you've got a must-win game coming up, whatever, go nuts. It's all in the spirit of competition. But a lot of people would see this less as a stroke of genius, and more as something bush league
Lester is More
10:22
Do the Cubs stick with Lester as Opening Day starter?
Jeff Sullivan
10:22
I cannot imagine caring
They have four very good starters. It'll probably be Lester but it's irrelevant
Tito
10:23
Jeff, love your writing style for its informal, spoken nature.  Do you have writers who were influential in developing this style?  Are you the Faulkner of Fangraphs?
Jeff Sullivan
10:23
I have no formal writing background so I know of no other way to write
10:24
Sometimes it works out and sometimes I'm deeply jealous of Carson's vocabulary
Fan of a Super-Team
10:24
Enjoyed your article on failed super teams. Which of this year's anticipated Super-Teams do you think is most vulnerable to underwhelming expectations?
Jeff Sullivan
10:24
I don't think it would take anything too unreasonable to kind of derail the Indians pitching staff
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