You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 3/31/17
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
Other Matt
10:26
Kinda of feel oddly optimistic about this Yankees team snagging a WC spot. Potentially very good offense, elite bullpen, and interesting rotation. Agree?
Jeff Sullivan
10:26
They are being very underrated by people who seem to write them off as a potential contender. They're more good than bad!
Keith Hernandez
10:29
Jeff - Why wouldn't the Mets try to bring Wheeler up later in the year so he could help during the playoff push/during the playoffs? Assuming he makes all his starts, they'll have to shut him down around July with the innings limit.
Jeff Sullivan
10:30
What's he going to do until then? What if the Mets need every win they can get right now? You don't want to assume too much. Just give Wheeler some regular rest from the outset
Eldridge Cleaver
10:30
Hey Jeff, great post on the Diamondbacks new pitching approach. I'm wondering if this potential trend could have a broader impact this year since there have been less 'low pitches' across the league in ST. Are teams anticipating a rise in the lower part of the strikezone and adapting somewhat preemptively? Any way to posit hitters or pitchers who this may help/hurt?
Jeff Sullivan
10:30
This is something I'll be watching for in April. Don't want to arrive at any conclusions yet. But I've heard from some players that they feel like the zone is definitely smaller.
10:31
I don't think anything will be dramatic and, remember, the zone has been dropping every year for seven or eight seasons. So nothing is flipping overnight. More like just returning to where things were a few years ago. There's no one who is only good because of the lower margin of the strike zone
Erik Guy
10:31
How much does Mike Trout playing on the West Coast hurt the MLB product? I have to think from a popularity, growth and overall economic standpoint, MLB would prefer to see him on the East Coast and broadcast on every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday night game. I know collusion is bad, but if it means more Trout, that's good right? This needs to happen.
Jeff Sullivan
10:32
Here's the good news: There are lots of really good baseball players. Mike Trout is only one of them
Go make the most of Manny Machado and Mookie Betts
And Giancarlo Stanton, just because
Erik
10:33
In terms of being able to project future performance, which position is worst? RP and C always seem fraught with peril when it comes to identifying players who will be good and then once they are good, they don't implode quickly.
Jeff Sullivan
10:33
I think relievers are hard, because their sample sizes are always small, and a reliever can get good or bad almost overnight
Like, last year, Edwin Diaz went from off the radar to one of the five or ten best relievers in the world. What!
RABBINICAL COLLEGE GUY
10:34
Can you anticipate the Braves having better pitching at home than on the road for this season?
Jeff Sullivan
10:34
Teams pretty much always pitch better at home than on the road
Query
10:34
What're your thoughts on the reported Yadi extension. The Cards are paying a lot for an aging, singles hitting, arm-weakening catcher, but only three years doesn't sound burdensome at all. Is it going to stunt Carson Kelly's development? Or does Kelly become trade bait?
Jeff Sullivan
10:35
The parallels to the late Jeter contract are appropriate, but I think Molina still has enough in there to mostly justify the cost. He seemingly remains at least an average hitter, and they'd argue his leadership and game management are second to none
10:36
Given that Carson Kelly is 22 years old, the transition here could and should be seamless
Ross
10:36
When we look back on the 2017 season who will be the M's biggest overachiever? Biggest disappointment?
Jeff Sullivan
10:37
I'll say Mitch Haniger and Hisashi Iwakuma, assuming Yovani Gallardo doesn't count
Relsh
10:37
Happy Baseball, Jeff. Do you have any Opening Day traditions/rituals you take part in?
Jeff Sullivan
10:38
Nope. I basically just wake up a little happier. I won't even be around for this Sunday's opening day. Monday will be fun
Jake
10:38
Thoughts on Zack Wheeler making the Mets rotation? What are reasonable expectations?
Jeff Sullivan
10:38
Whatever your expectations are right now, lower them
Brendon
10:39
There's been quite a bit written this year about how there's no real division races and the big 6 teams are all being picked to win. Although, if you looking at the projected playoff odds, then chances of 6 winning their division is only 14.3% (assuming each division probability is an independent event which is not a true assumption but should be close). What are you're thoughts that the fact that all 6 will win is highly unlikely?
Jeff Sullivan
10:39
I think the Red Sox seem most vulnerable, with Price hurting and Thornburg hurting. They're still good, and probably the best team in the East, but it's close now
Nate
10:40
3 AL West teams in the playoffs? What makes you think that's going to happen?
Jeff Sullivan
10:40
I think three AL West teams are good
Keeper? I hardly know her
10:41
What are your thoughts on pomeranz's injury? Beginning of the end of the season?
Jeff Sullivan
10:41
I'm not so concerned about him since he's still on track to make his scheduled first start. He's a risk, but I don't think right now he's a heightened risk
Oops I Borked it Again
10:42
Do you see Yandy Diaz sticking with the Indians beyond when Kipnis returns?
Jeff Sullivan
10:42
It's not hard to see. It'll be a matter of how they want to manage his playing time, because when Kipnis is back, there are going to be a bunch of regulars playing all the time
DTH
10:43
Much has been made recently of hitters increasing swing plane to try to hit more fly balls and improve slugging. Do you think pitchers will adjust and throw higher in the zone this season, or will it take another year or two for pitchers/catchers/managers to adjust?
Jeff Sullivan
10:43
I'm sure it's already starting. Just as there's been more talk about hitting the ball in the air, there's been more talk about high-rise fastballs in the upper half. Game plans can be customized for individual hitters, and I don't know why that would stop
Mike
10:44
New evidence shows that Mike Hauschild did not in fact IBB Dustin Garneau to get to a relief pitcher in a spring training game, but walked him on 3 balls because probably the umpire forgot what was happening. Will you apologize for besmirching the good name of Jeff Bannister?
Jeff Sullivan
10:44
There's definitely at least some kind of glitch. I'd need to see the evidence for myself
Mike
10:44
Is Greg Maddox the R.Kelly of baseball?
Jeff Sullivan
10:44
Greg Maddux is disgusting
So great, and disgusting
Connecting…