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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 10/30/18
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buntcake
2:40
feels like the non-dodger teams in the nl west are going to have a tough 2-3 yr window of contention.  giants core is aging.  dbacks are losing some key pieces.  rockies don't know how to spend.  padres have interesting parts but feel like 2-3 years away.
Meg Rowley
2:40
I think this is largely right. Rockies and Padres are going to be the biggest issues for them, but the Padres are, as you noted, not there yet, and Rockies are just a weird team.
My Name Isn't Earl
2:40
Hi Meg! I love this point in the season when the free agent rumour mill really kicks in. Do you think Eric Hosmer's performance will deter teams from agreeing lengthy contacts this winter? (Harper and Machado aside)
Meg Rowley
2:41
I don't think the other 29 teams are under the impression that was a good deal that went badly.
I think they thought it was a bad deal at the time, and are probably looking at it like, yup we were right. I don't think it will factor.
Sharkarenado
2:42
I completely agree with you that the "not hustling" moniker is often a cover for disgusting racist opinion. And, I get that a player risking injury on a routine ground ball doesn't make sense. But, am I off-track for thinking that the World Series is a time that everyone should be running as hard as they can? I can't imagine that Justin Turner wouldn't have been criticized just as thoroughly as Machado was had he done the same, but maybe I'm engaging in wishful self-deception, there.
Meg Rowley
2:43
Eh, I don't know. When Machado laid down a bunt, he hustled. I don't think there were close plays he lost out on that would have gone differently had he legged it out.
Scuffy Mcgee
2:43
As a Dodgers fan I had to listen to John Smoltz bash them for 3 rounds. I'm starting to believe their collective approach at the plate is too flawed to win a championship. Is that just from listening to all the propaganda from cranky John?
Meg Rowley
2:44
The Dodgers had the highest offensive WAR of any team in the majors. They were tied with the Yankees for the best team wRC+ (111). They had the third highest wOBA.
I don't know if I'd call it propaganda, but Smoltz missed the mark on this one.
NotGraphs Revivalist
2:45
Any chance Houston goes after Harper? Do they have the payroll for him?
Meg Rowley
2:46
(whispers: every team has the payroll for Harper if they put their minds to it)
2:47
They don't strike me as the most likely landing place for him. At some point, they're going to have to do deals for Bregman and Correa, and they might need pitching more with some of their own FA hitting the market.
stever20
2:47
if Kershaw left, would a factor in where he went be not having to bat in the AL?
Meg Rowley
2:47
I can't imagine that would matter too much.
2:48
Though I do wish more guys would talk about their decision making in FA.
It's mostly about money and the chance to win a ring, but there are other factors.
Freduardo Freeman
2:48
Your take on John smoltz ability in the broadcast booth is way off in my opinion. Sure he comes from a different generation, but he is on point with everything he says. He is knowledgeable, credible, and self aware enough not to continually make it about himself with “Back in my day...” comments. I think your response to the earlier question hits the nail on the head when you mention being “sensitive”. That’s the problem with the world these days. Sensitivity.
Meg Rowley
2:50
He doesn't strike me as particularly self-aware and his approach to discuss analytics and modern game strategy isn't especially knowledgable. And what's more, his tone is one of disapproval for the game writ large. There is a place for fretting about the game's current state and future, but his insistence that his version of the game should be all of ours rankles.
And I'm not sure how you look at the state of the world and wish people were less sensitive to the concerns of others. We're already operating at a deficit.
NotGraphs Revivalist
2:51
Do you have a spreadsheet of which Chatters you like and which ones you don't like? Like, is there a Google Doc circulating the FG staff with copy and paste snippets you don't like under the column "Watch Out For ___" and snippets you like under the column "Post more comments from ___ to encourage future attendance?"
Meg Rowley
2:51
Nah, nothing that organized. Most of our readers are great, and ask good engaging questions.
2:52
Having made my point about recurring bits that don't work well, I'm endeavoring to not indulge the questions that are obnoxious.
FIP rules
2:52
Do you think we'll see pretty much the same postseason qualifiers in the AL again next season? I feel like the Red Sox, Yankees, Astros and Indians are so much better than the rest it's hard to see past them again.
Meg Rowley
2:53
There always the possibility that a team has a weird off year we don't see coming (Hello, 2015 and 2018 Nationals! Good to see you, 2015 Red Sox)
2:54
And sometimes a team surprises the other way, which could force one of those teams into a Wild Card slot. But yeah, I expect all of those teams to be back.
Especially Cleveland.
The Old Buccaneer
2:54
Will you be going to the Winter Meetings this year? Have you been before?
Meg Rowley
2:54
I am going. I think the majority of the full-time FanGraphs staff will be there.
2:55
Because we all live in different places, these big industry events are a good chance for us to all come together.
But no, I've never been.
I wasn't a full-time writer/editor in the past, and I've never had the ambition to work for a team, so there wasn't much point in me going.
RJDR8
2:55
I think weirdly not specifically memorable would aptly describe the playoffs this season
Meg Rowley
2:56
They were sort of down as a whole, huh? Couple of very good games but a bit bland.
Carson Cistulli's Moustache
2:56
Why shouldn't the Mariners give Bryce Harper a 15 year, bazillion dollar contract?
Meg Rowley
2:56
I guess if you were going to spend that much, I'd rather they throw it at pitching. They need pitching. Oh my god, have you seen this non-Paxton pitching they have? Yeesh.
2:57
But if they are going to spend big, why not both?
They won't do both.
They won't do either.
The 2019 Mariners: These are largely the same Mariners
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