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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 3/21/18
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Meg Rowley
2:44
I don't think it will necessarily be after this year, but I could see a time when it just isn't worth the grind and resentment.
Remember prime Pujols though? Dang, that was cool.
Bort
2:45
One a scale of one to Zunino, how much do you love Dan Vogelbach?
Meg Rowley
2:45
That is a deeply personal question, how dare you?
2:46
Mike Zunino represented the human manifestation of a skill I find incredibly interesting (pitch framing) in a uniform I personally care about (Seattle's).
2:47
Dan Vogelbach isn't that.
Brook Jacobin
2:47
Do you think the minor league wage issue has much of a carryover effect to the actual, on-the-field product of major league baseball?
Meg Rowley
2:47
Yes, I do.
2:48
First, I think there are definitely players who are driven from the sport because it isn't financially tenable for them to continue.
2:50
And second, and this is a little squishier, but I would not be at all surprised to learn that the pay scale's impact on nutrition matters a lot, nor would it surprise me to learn some guys aren't playing their best ball because of the psychological burden of worrying about money.
Toast
2:51
Am I the only one that thinks this offseason might be better for baseball in the long run? That your very good but not great players will stop constantly changing franchises and be signing more discount deals through their free agent years.
Meg Rowley
2:52
I don't think very good but not great players changing franchises is bad for baseball. I do think it is a problem when the players take home so much less of league revenues than owners do.
2:53
If the result of this offseason is that we get money to guys earlier in their careers when they are adding the most value, then I think yes, long term it is a good thing. But this is a heck of a hard way to learn that lesson.
Bort
2:53
Related question: why don't you appreciate Dan Vogelbach's unique beauty?
Meg Rowley
2:53
One of my favorite things about baseball is the democracy of bodies you see in the game.
Brian CashGod
2:54
Meg, what are your thoughts on a baseball equivalent to the huge UMBC / UVA upset in college hoops the other night? Perhaps something like the worst AAA team knocking off the best MLB team in a 1 game (wild card?) playoff?
Meg Rowley
2:54
I don't think baseball can replicate quite that split in skill.
2:55
But it has a lot of smaller upsets all the time, especially in the playoffs.
Me Growley
2:55
Name a better children's show than fraggle rock
Meg Rowley
2:56
Mr. Rogers is responsible for about 55% of the person I am today.
I Mets Up
2:56
Will Conforto save us?
Meg Rowley
2:56
If he's healthy he'll sure try!
Slurve
2:57
Is there a rule you would ADD if you were Commissioner?
Meg Rowley
2:58
I'm not sure if there is one I would add (I'd have to think on that) though I would use my commissionership to bring an end to the worst rule in baseball: being able to reach on a dropped third strike
Me Growley
2:58
Is your name a clever disguise for the alter-ego that comes out when you haven't been fed tacos in too long?
Meg Rowley
2:59
Well you saw right through it, so apparently not as clever as I thought
CapnZippers
3:00
Michael Conforto hit 2 HR in his rehab start today. Pinch me, I must be dreaming.
Meg Rowley
3:00
See, I was right.
Points on the Bench
3:01
Do you think baseball is doing enough to bring women into the game? Fantasy/announcer/author/coach/umpire wise? Do you see any changes happening soon? Assuming the answer is, no, the baseball industry is not doing enough to bring women in the game, what do you suggest they do?
Meg Rowley
3:01
This answer varies depending on what part of the industry in particular we're talking about.
3:02
I think the general answer is that there is a lot left to do. I have been encouraged by some teams I know are making honest efforts to hire women in the front office. I think they recognize there are people out there who can help them win who aren't part of the conversation right now.
3:03
And I've also been encouraged that more and more places are realizing that diversity is something you don't achieve passively. You have to do the hard work of recruiting and scouting and finding new voices, people, and perspectives.
3:04
But there is a lot of work still to be done. When we can still count the number of full time scouts, analysts, writers, etc on two hands, we aren't where we need to be.
Tommy Wiseau
3:04
Kyle Schwarber has as many SB's this spring training (4) as he had in his entire major league career prior to this spring.  Over/Under 12 for him this season?
Meg Rowley
3:04
I'd take the under, but he certainly does look more spritely out there.
3:05
I'd imagine the place we see the improvement most is in better overall base running than in more stolen bases, if that makes sense.
3:06
Hold please, I am being pinged by one Carson Cistulli.
And, I'm back.
Fat Matt
3:07
Are you from Wisconsin originally or just were here for a bit?  If you're from here, I hope you're a Jordan Zimmermann fan
Meg Rowley
3:08
I spent two years there for graduate school, before joining one of the world's largest alumnae associations: the order of PhD dropouts.
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