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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 10/17/18
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Meg Rowley
12:32
I love watching Machado play. I wish that he wasn't acting like a pill.
Warrior
12:32
Meg, am I crazy, or does the mainstream baseball media give Kershaw and the Dodgers more of a pass for their postseason failings than they have afforded traditional East Coast team like the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, etc in the past?  Watching broadcasts of Dodger games, you'd think this team has won three titles.
Meg Rowley
12:33
The dominant narrative about the best pitcher of the last 5-10 years is that he is bad in the postseason so I'm not sure I know what you mean.
Cody Bellinger
12:33
Is the Brewers bullpen dead?
Meg Rowley
12:33
No, they're just a little tired.
Vladdito
12:34
Hi Meg, I think it's shortsighted and frankly nasty the way teams strategically manipulating players salaries. As a Jays fan not getting to see Vladdy Jr this year was a real let down. But I don't see any team acting better unless it is forced upon them. I keep reading that arbitration uses tradition stats, but are there set guidelines agreed to with the player's union? And do you think if more 'modern' (sabr-friendly) stats were used in arbitration there would be fewer teams considering openers and/or bullpenning? Thanks!
Meg Rowley
12:35
The broad categories of stats allowable are defined in the CBA. For instance, there is language in the most recent CBA that says teams and players can use publicly available advanced stats (FanGraphs, BP, etc) but that teams can't use Statcast data.
But generally yes, I agree that absent a requirement, teams will keep acting this way.
12:36
Acknowledging that the agency is flawed and underfunded but we don't rely on Goldman Sachs to regulate itself. We have the SEC for that.
Warrior
12:36
Meg, is there any chance that the MLB punishment of the Astros offers specific redress to the Red Sox?  Transfer of draft picks or international signing pool money or anything like that?
Meg Rowley
12:37
I would imagine low. When the Yankees and Red Sox had their Apple watch nonsense last year, they paid fines.
Mad in CLE
12:38
Well.  At least we now know why HOU gave CLE the beating of a lifetime.  Much easier to hit when you know what's coming.  This seems to give credence to Bauer's pine tar claim no?
Meg Rowley
12:38
Bauer's pine tar claim is completely separate and the reports I saw said that sources with Cleveland acknowledged that the signs aren't why Cleveland lost.
James
12:39
Who makes the most sense for the Angels: Happ v Eovaldi? Donaldson v Machado? What is most likely to happen?
Meg Rowley
12:39
They need pitching, and I don't know that they are going to want to play in the Machado market.
Mad in CLE
12:39
Throwing at players is not dumb.  It enforces the rules of the game and discourages immature behavior.  Otherwise, we'd end up like the NBA or NFL with grown adults acting like 12 year olds.
Meg Rowley
12:39
Yes famously, once one player is thrown at intentionally, all conflict ceases and peace prevails.
Christian
12:40
Did the Brewers blow their shot last night now that Hader and presumably half the bullpen might be unavailable today?
Meg Rowley
12:40
It isn't great mind you, but the Dodgers were pretty depleted as well.
12:41
Granted, they're likely to get more innings from their starter, but everyone is going to be tired today.
Steve
12:41
Here's something that will help pace of play - don't let hitters step out of the box. Thoughts? These 4-hour 9-inning games are ridiculous.
Meg Rowley
12:41
I don't think hitters stepping out is why these games are 4 hours, but you are absolutely right that they are a huge part of general delay and we should talk about it more.
Ozzie Ozzie Albies Free
12:42
Since you’re a Seattlite, what’s your preferred method of coffee?
Meg Rowley
12:42
As long as it isn't sweet, I'm generally on board.
Iced coffee is good. Hot coffee is good. Coffee is good.
AngelusNovus
12:42
If a Red Sox - Dodgers World Series becomes a thing, I look forward to the Sale-Machado sideshow. Or really, the Red Sox vs Machado sideshow. As a long time Orioles fan, I can personally attest to the extent to which the Red Sox hate his guts. Reasonably so.
Meg Rowley
12:43
This kind of narrative is always the same, which means it is always exhausting.
Matt
12:43
Wise Mr Owley, do you think we're starting to see Hader wear down a little bit? Seemed like he was hittable yesterday even if he wasn't scored upon.
Meg Rowley
12:43
[extreme Jan from the Good Place voice] not a Mr.
12:44
He doesn't typically pitch back-to-back. I imagine he'll rest and look less hittable.
Derek
12:44
Has there been a notable postseason fight, or even "altercation"or whatever a step down from fight is, since '03 Sox-Yankees? Like, even the Chase Utley-Ruben Tejeda thing didn't really boil over in a big way if I remember correctly. Seems like it would be kind of insane if Machado's antics lead to something more.
Meg Rowley
12:45
There are few things in baseball I find more obviously stupid than postseason fights.
Ryan
12:45
do you think Alex Cora is more accepting of whatever cheating transgressions the Astros may or may not be committing, given that he was their bench coach last year and likely knows what might be going on?
Meg Rowley
12:45
No, though I am sure that Cora probably knows far better than we do how common this stuff actually is.
Sharkarenado
12:46
Which player's talent and joy in playing the game has been the most fun for you to watch this postseason? For me, it's been Mookie Betts
Meg Rowley
12:46
He has been a delight. Alex Bregman has been a delight.
Fjjdnanzk
12:47
Is it bad I’m actively rooting against Boston because I’m still extremely bitter about how they ran Terry Francona on his way out and smeared him terribly shortly afterward? Nothing makes me more ill than that ownership group
Meg Rowley
12:47
There are worse reasons to not like a team.
All teams are bad, but they are bad in different ways. Well, they all fail to pay their minor leaguers, but otherwise they are bad in different ways, and if one of those different ways resonates more with you than others, I think that is fine.
Glenn T
12:48
Are you planning to be in Tokyo for the opening games next March? And/or the all-star tour next month?
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