JotCast | Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat

Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 5/29/18

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GERB

1:03

Heard anything on Danny Salazar's health? Trying him in the bullpen might be just what Cleveland needs

Meg Rowley

1:04

You know, I haven't but if he's healthy it isn't a terrible idea. Also just get to the postseason and sort out your not great starters into bullpen roles and maybe it is fine?

Arlos Orrea

1:04

What's up with Correa?

Meg Rowley

1:06

You know, I think some of this is just getting BABIP'ed a bit. He doesn't look hurt or anythng. He's not striking out a bunch more, or walking that much less. The ISO being down isn't awesome but I imagine this is just one of those weird little stretches where he looks sorta mortal and then it won't matter.

CamdenWarehouse

1:07

I'd rather an ump who sings while ejecting players

Meg Rowley

1:07

Now we're talking.

Doctor Parrot

1:07

Thoughts on early withdrawal from a 401k? Obviously I don't want to do it but shit happens

Meg Rowley

1:08

Uhhh you should consult a financial adviser but there is a reason early withdrawals are heavily penalized. Also, I think if it is for medical stuff you can get the penalties waived? Also, I hope things improve soon.

Keith Hernandez

1:08

Ohtani is hitting and pitching well, but given how careful he is being managed to accommodate both, wouldn't he be more valuable just pitching?

Meg Rowley

1:09

I expect that he would be managed carefully regardless. And he's pretty dang valuable now.

ThatsNotMyMonster

1:09

Would you like to see two WC teams make the WS? Angels-Brewers? Mariners-Mets? Fun, I guess, but also blargh.

Meg Rowley

1:10

I want to see good, fun baseball. Lot of different ways for that to happen.

Ozuna's Alarm Clock

1:10

Has Nimmo shown he should be an everyday player? His OBP in this day and age of swing hard, swing harder, swing hardest is fantastic.

Meg Rowley

1:12

It's a baseball aesthetic that I personally enjoy a lot. As for whether he has shown himself to be an everyday guy, I think so. I will admit to not watching every Mets game, so I'm not sure how the defense looks, but the bat is good.

Ginny

1:12

Through 54 games, Mike Trout is on the brink of 5.0 bRef WAR (fangraphs has him at a comparatively low 4.4). It seems like a lot of the gains over last year's pre-injury pace are in his defense. Has he made sustainable gains there?

Meg Rowley

1:14

I always get nervous about answering definitively about defense gains because the numbers can shift so much year to year and need a big sample to really mean anything.

But also it is Mike Trout so, maybe just yes?

The Old Buccaneer

1:14

We knew Marcel Ozuna probably wasn’t as good as his numbers from last year but, holy carp, how do you reconcile the difference to this year?

Meg Rowley

1:16

He's hitting the ball hard more but also putting the ball on the ground more, walking less and not hitting for power.

1:17

I need to look more carefully at the approach, but it also just seems like he isn't in a great place.

John

1:17

Given his poor plate discipline, is Baez's production sustainable?

Meg Rowley

1:18

I am not swayed personally. I admit I might need to update my understanding of him at some point, but am not feeling the need to do so at this point.

Babe Lincoln

1:19

The volatility of defensive metrics is almost certainly due to a combination of 2 factors: (1) defensive metrics aren't very good yet; (2) defensive performance is itself very volatile. How would you apportion credit/blame here?

Meg Rowley

1:20

Hmmm let me put it another way. I think defensive metrics are the place where we will see the greatest improvement in precision in the coming years. I do think a defense itself is also volatile. So it's a tricky combo.

A Boy Named YU

1:20

Are the Cardinals the biggest zero fun team in the league? I can't remember the last time I saw anyone in their uniform smile. Even Fowler (aka Mr. Smiles) always seems to have a frown these days.

Meg Rowley

1:20

We all have days when we are sad.

Also, the Marlins and Reds exist?

Babe Lincoln

1:20

How was your personal baseball/softball career?

Meg Rowley

1:21

Nonexistent. I wasn't allowed to play little league (I'm just old enough when that wasn't reliably a thing) and softball wasn't baseball, so I didn't want to play it.

Which isn't a dig at softball, which is a great sport.

1:22

So I played several years of basketball, very poorly.

roadrider

1:22

Does the DH have to hit only for the pitcher? Couldn't Ohtani pitch and bat in the same game while the DH is used for someone else say to get a platoon advantage?

Meg Rowley

1:23

No, the rule requires it be for the starting pitcher.

And then any subsequent pitchers.

1:24

From 5.11 Designated Hitter Rule: A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher, if any, must be selected prior to the game and must be included in the lineup cards presented to the Umpire-in-Chief.

CamdenWarehouse

1:24

little league wasn't reliably a thing? Was that just in your area?

Meg Rowley

1:24

Little League for girls wasn't reliably a thing

A Boy Named YU

1:24

Andrelton Simmons to the HOF? Better hitter than Ozzie and many others, better fielder than basically every SS.

Meg Rowley

1:26

Sorry was looking something up