JotCast | Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat

Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 4/23/19

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

Meg Rowley

2:18

Worried about Sale. Feels weird to say. Nola in there, too.

Faithless Friar

2:19

Let's say the Mets miss the playoffs. What would it take for the Padres to land Michael Conforto in a trade? Need a lefty bat.

Meg Rowley

2:20

I think I got this question last week and I think my answer is the same that that scenario doesn't seem like their most likely one to a good bat.

Thomas

2:20

Most HRs rest of the year: Mariners, Dodgers, or Brewers?

Meg Rowley

2:20

Dodgers, Brewers, Mariners

Trent

2:20

The Mets are tied for the division lead despite a 5.45 ERA from their pitching staff (and a 5.42 ERA from their starters), but the rotation still figures to be a strength, especially with the good news on DeGrom. Are the Mets the favorite to win the NL East?

Meg Rowley

2:20

I like the Nationals and Phillies better.

Shick Nields

2:21

What is Zach Greinke this year? I scammed him from another team in fantasy but am not sure if I'll regret it.

Meg Rowley

2:21

A human person, a pitcher, a son, an enigma, a home run maching?

machine, even

jobin

2:22

If you sort by negative defensive runs so far this season, you find 2/3 of the Mariners OF at the top in Domingo Santana and Mallex Smith. Santana (-9.1 in 24 games) is on pace for ~-60, which would break the record of -44.8 by about 33%. It's no secret this is not a defensively gifted team, but how much of that number is real? And are these poor ratings exacerbated by playing right next to one another?

Meg Rowley

2:23

I would be very careful about early season defensive metrics, just very very careful, maybe don't touch them or sit in the same room with them but, it is not a good defensive team, oh no no no.

Jart

2:23

Do you ever wonder what happened to Mat Latos's cat, Cat Latos? I have been thinking about it for weeks!

Meg Rowley

2:23

Pretty sure that cat died? Oh man, I am sorry to be the one to tell you.

Peter

2:23

When did you start writing about baseball? Did you have another job at the time? Any tips for getting started?

Meg Rowley

2:25

I did. I worked a full-time non-profit job to pay the rent. I would write as much as your schedule allows. Just get all the reps you can. Anyone can write one or two good things. Full-time writers distinguish themselves in the grind of doing that regularly. And read as much as you possibly can. It's really almost as important as writing as much as you can.

2:29

I'd also offer, by way of encouragement in an industry that is not stable and has very few full-time gigs, and can just be very scary and awful this little story. Thanksgiving of 2017, I was depressed and discouraged, and doing terribly at my real job, but too busy with that to write as much as I wanted or thought I needed to to be an obvious full-time hire. I told myself that 2018 was my last season. On December 7, I got a text from Jeff Sullivan letting me know that David Appelman was going to reach out to me about a full-time job.

2:30

On December 12, I gave my old job my two weeks notice.

2:31

You should be clear eyed about how random and unfair and strange and lacking in stability this business can be. But your luck really can change that fast. I was ready to quit. Now I'm the managing editor of FanGraphs. I was very lucky and worked hard and networked, but it can work out sometimes.

Ozzie AH! BEES!

2:32

Hi meg, do you think the Yankees' injuries are related to a change in hitting philosophy that emphasizes dingers?

Meg Rowley

2:32

Not really

John

2:32

Thoughts on Yelich's crazy home/road splits?

Meg Rowley

2:33

He plays in a park that aligns very well with his strengths and that is great, but he also has these underlying strengths, which good for him.

2:35

sorry my internet was a bit funky there for a second

Hello, I am back.

Magic Kingdome

2:35

Is this the year the Rays should add some salary at the trade deadline and go for it?

Meg Rowley

2:38

So the funny thing is, the Rays should always add some salary because they spend so little, but I could see them waiting for a few more of their many many many prospects to spend, but also, they'll never spend a lot.

Theodore the Munificent

2:39

You mentioned on last week's EW podcast your predilection for hats. Is there a particular throwback or color scheme you'd love to see (could be Mariners or another team)?

Meg Rowley

2:39

I have an embarrassing number of Dbacks hats for someone who doesn't like in Arizona. Just a bushel of 'em.

Sdorf

2:41

Is Ian Desmond done?

Meg Rowley

2:41

yeesh, he's... been done?

Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe

2:41

Re: Seattle team names, Chinook is a group of indigenous people from the Pacific Northwest. Unless you want the mascot to be a tandem-rotor helicopter, aren't we trying to get away from using indigenous groups as team names?

Meg Rowley

2:42

Typically has been in reference to the type of salmon, but the point is well taken

2:42

Can you elaborate on almondmilk being bad for the environment? I'm legitimately curious.

Meg Rowley

2:43

Almonds take a lot of water to grow. California is famously without water much of the time, and almonds are grown there.

Lenny Faedo

2:43

Is it good and healthy to get excited about the Twins' chances?

Meg Rowley

2:44

Enjoying things, even temporarily, is almost always good so long as it doesn't hurt other people. It is good to like things. Love them even, even if they are fleeting.

Nick

2:44

Has Syndergaard just been incredibly unlucky? It seems that way just from the eye test of his games.

Meg Rowley

2:44

it is the hair.

Thumper

2:44

How much of a problem is it that almost all of the Mariners EXCEPT Dee Gordon are below average to very bad defenders?

Connecting…