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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 6/19/18
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Meg Rowley
12:38
The Brewers are outperforming their Pythag record by one game and BaseRuns record by two. The Mariners are outperforming theirs by eight and seven respectively.
12:39
So feel worse about the Mariners I guess?
Bread Gardner
12:39
Paxton vs. Severino on Thursday. On a scale of 1962 Mets to 2016 Cubs, how hype should we be?
Meg Rowley
12:40
As hyped on a thursday night as one can be. Also I am realizing that we are going to have to talk a Denver bartender into putting this game on.
stever20
12:40
what did you think of the Nationals trade for herrera?  Felt like the Nats got him pretty light prospects wise.
Meg Rowley
12:40
I love it from their side. Herrera is great, but the thing I like best is the timing of it.
NYTT
12:40
The Braves have been consistently good throughout the year. Is the absence of highs and lows in their results so far a good sign for their longevity in competing this season or not really showing anything?
Meg Rowley
12:41
Going into the season, I was pretty high on the Braves position players and had very little confidence in their pitching. Their pitching has been much better than I thought it would be.
12:42
I think that anytime you have a team with balance it is good thing.
12:43
They're 11th in overall pitching value (11th for starters, 15th for relievers), and that offense is 4th.
Just a really solid team
Guest
12:44
Who from Braves/Brewers/Arizona falls short of a WC?
Meg Rowley
12:44
Increasingly think they all make it, even though I still expect the Dodgers to win the West.
Bread Gardner
12:44
But seriously, one of the Yankees or Red Sox, and possibly even the Astros will wind up in a one-game playoff. We can debate the merits of a one-game playoff—I'd say it's awful and terrible and stupid and we should seed playoff teams based on their actual records)—but can't we all agree that a three-game play-in series for the wild card would be way, way more fun, especially when powerhouse teams like that are involved?
Meg Rowley
12:45
First, as much as I love my beloved, beautiful Mariners, who are beautiful and beloved, the Astros are gonna win the West in all likelihood.
12:46
But to answer your question, I would be fine ditching divisions are just going by record to determine the playoff field. I think most years it isn't a big deal, but I get the argument.
12:47
But if you aren't going to do that, have a play in game. Have just one. It provides incentives to win the division, it still keeps more teams interested, and I think it adds a fun element to playoffs that are series-based.
It doesn't guarantee that the best team ends up in the World Series but then again, neither would a division-less field or a three-game play in.
Matt
12:47
As a Yankees fan who believes himself to be rational, and has an unhealthy level of fun watching/reading/living baseball, you clearly don't talk to enough Yankees fans to believe that on the whole, they "trust things" and "enjoy themselves."
Meg Rowley
12:49
No many of them thread a fascinating needle of seeming to be simultaneously aggrieved while believing they are the best and entitled to all the best stuff. That sounds like a dig, and I suppose it is, but you all are a fascinating, wild bunch.
Magician_531
12:49
I tried asking this at the end of Jay's chat, but I guess that there was not time for him to cover it. Do you think that we will see women playing in the major leagues anytime soon? Also, why aren't there women managers and coaches? That can't even be hidden behind a screen of "physical differences" (which do exist, but the waves caused by them have bigger effects than the differences themselves).
Meg Rowley
12:51
I think eventually yes on a player, but not soon. As for managers and coaches, I've addressed this in past chats I think, but I think it will happen, albeit slowly. Managers and coaches are typically ex-players, and women don't play baseball as much right now. But we have female position coaches in the NFL, so it seems inevitable.
Nick
12:51
Meg - you seem to have at least somewhat avoided losing your team fandom compared to other national/professional baseball writers - why is that? Do you see this continuing or is it just that you haven't been in the business of being a professional national writer for long enough yet?
Meg Rowley
12:51
I think much of it is time. I've only been full-time since January.
12:52
I have noticed that it has changed my fandom though. I'd like to think I was always reasonable and truthful about the Mariners, which a lot of the time wasn't hard--they've been bad! But it is especially important now.
12:53
When you have a team like this one, which is outperforming, it can put you in the position of being a bummer to fans, who just get to be happy and enthusiastic. I can say they are great fun and have banked a bunch of wins and are outperforming, but it is the last one that Mariners fans pick up on.
It has been interesting.
Nick
12:54
Are there any baseball websites, writers, or podcasts that you still make a point of reading/listening to often despite constantly producing and being surrounded by it?
Meg Rowley
12:54
I read every single thing Sam Miller writers. Patrick Dubuque also.
Todd
12:54
Sheryl Ring’s piece on Pride was awesome, right? Why are my Angels a bummer in that regard?
Meg Rowley
12:55
It was! And I think they will catch on. It is getting embarrassing. That kind of recognition means so much to the fanbase. Feeling welcome in your home park is just the best feeling.
My mom wears her Mariners pride t-shirt and hat every time we go.
Eric
12:56
If you had one at bat with your season on the line, and somehow you know that either your hitter gets a home run and you win or anything else you lose, who would you most want at bat (other than Trout)?
Meg Rowley
12:56
Has to hit a home run?
12:57
It is easy to say JD Martinez, and so I think I will.
Outta my way, Gyorkass
12:58
At what point does the elite prospect shine wear off of Lewis Brinson and he starts getting into bust territory? I know he's only had 300 or so PA's at the MLB level, but they've been shockingly bad.
Meg Rowley
12:58
I don't know if I would go with bust (like BUST) but I think we are there. It has been brutal.
Hank
12:58
I'm not saying Wade Davis is a bad pitcher, but I am saying that Adam Ottavino is a better pitcher than Davis. Should the Rockies use a "closer by committee" approach rather than relying solely on Davis?
Meg Rowley
12:58
They should try literally anything else.
Any other thing would be a good thing to do.
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