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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 7/10/18
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Meg Rowley
12:00
Good morning, and welcome to the chat!
Carson has some away from his computer business to attend to, so I'll just be going an hour so as to ensure that FanGraphs does not burn down in his absence. But for now? Chat!
Zonk
12:00
The contract is a sunk cost, but is Albert Pujols even worth a roster spot at this point into next season?  If the answer is no, how does this play out for the Angels and Albert?
Meg Rowley
12:01
He's a marginally better hitter than last year? Pujols has not been good, and the feel good milestones are pretty much behind him now, but also, he isn't the real reason the Angels aren't in a Wild Card spot.
12:02
Given how the org has dealt with big, bad contracts in the past, I'd be surprised if they cut him outright.
12:03
In my own life, I once faced a decision between making finance money and being happy and satisfied, and decided to make a lot less, but I also wasn't making Pujols' salary. I imagine a time will come when it isn't worth it for him anymore, but I wonder if that will be more a function of physical discomfort (he looks like running isn't fun for him) than pride.
Donnie
12:03
Whitley, Buehler and Flaherty for Nola in a dynasty league? Who wins?
Meg Rowley
12:04
You for getting to ask Justin a fantasy question and getting a real answer!
Q-Ball
12:04
Anthony Rizzo hasn't been good this year.  Just a slump, or are there underlying causes for concern?
Meg Rowley
12:05
I'd need to watch more (I'm realizing I probably am not watching the Cubs enough. Note to Meg: watch more Cubs) but from the numbers it looks like stuff isn't falling in for hits like it has in the past. He's getting shifted on more and doing less with it. Barring some weird injury thing, I'd expect he adjusts. He's a good hitter.
Slapshot
12:05
Out of the All Star weekend events - Futures Game, Home Run Derby, All Star Game - which one holds the most interest for you?
Meg Rowley
12:06
As my interests have shifted from those purely of a fan to those of someone who does baseball stuff to pay rent, I've enjoyed the Futures game more and more just because it makes me sound like less of a dope when asked about those players.
Last year's Derby was great.
Sadman
12:07
Hi meg!
We need more bathroom and sanitation articles at Fangraphs. It makes my heart glad to see you meet those needs.
Meg Rowley
12:07
My parents are just so proud.
Q-Ball
12:07
Early returns on Eric Hosmer are not very good....was that contract a mistake for the Padres?
Meg Rowley
12:07
I should say upfront that I don't get really fussed about bad teams that aren't really ready to contend spending money, even when it seems like too much for too little production.
12:08
But like, who cares? It doesn't stop me from buying snacks because it isn't my money and it gives fans something to be excited about. But it doesn't look like a great deal, no.
Raymond
12:08
The top 10 NL hitters by wRC+ with at least 200 PA are Muncy, Suarez, Aguilar, Freeman, Realmuto, Goldschmidt, Belt, Nimmo, Kemp, and Arenado. Throw in Cervelli at 12 and Markakis and 14 and that has to be one of the most surprising leaderboards in recent memory.
Meg Rowley
12:09
In a year when a lot of playoff stuff looks like it will be settled early, and largely involve the teams we thought, I am so genuinely grateful for the Nick Markakis and his Max Muncy and hell, Matt Kemp. Markakis and Kemp are surprising for a different reason than Muncy but what a cool thing.
Guest
12:10
Thoughts on NYYs interest in Machado?
Meg Rowley
12:10
It sounds like a good idea that could happen and that we will all regret. Like in Terminator when they were all like "Skynet sounds cool."
Zock Jr.
12:10
Meg! Fangraphs is starting to feel a little bit like the Golden State Warriors. You just keep adding great writers. It's getting to be a real Murderer's Row. You folks rock.
Meg Rowley
12:11
I am very fortunate to work with people who are both good at what they do and generally very nice, and who do serious analysis that allows me to write about paper cups.
Bort
12:11
There was a piece on the Athletic suggesting the Mariners should re-sign Nelson Cruz. That's crazy talk, right?
Meg Rowley
12:11
Ehhh is it?
12:13
Obviously, these things depend on the market but I don't think a 38-year-old DH is going to be outrageously expensive. The Mariners are in a weird spot. I truly think this is the big hurrah (though I've been saying that since 2015), but guys like Haniger and Gonzales and Diaz and Paxton taking steps forward makes me more confident they'll be a .500 team next year than I did at the beginning of this year.
12:14
Cruz is a good hitter who is extremely popular in the clubhouse. Wouldn't be terrible.
Pio
12:14
Last week, there were plenty of memes about how baseball is better than basketball because there aren't any super teams and now the Yankees might acquire Machado and presumably flip Andujar for a frontline starter. Whoops.
Meg Rowley
12:15
This is not a knock on your question, but few things are more boring to me than "please like my sport" twitter. All sports are good; all sports are awful. All sports have competitive cycles that have pros and cons.
Kyle A
12:15
It would be interesting to see a post done about deserving all-stars (based off best stats for that year) vs who was actually voted and the years in which it was most egregious. Side note: lets chat about hiking/wilderness. Which hikes are on your 2018 summer to-do list?
Meg Rowley
12:16
There are many, many such articles floating out there, with the caveat that it is hard to know specifics of the player vote.
I have seen much more of a conversation among players on that score than in years past however.
Pitchers are rightly very annoyed that Blake Snell didn't make it.
12:17
As for hikes, I would like very much to do more in the North Cascades. It is such a gem of a place, and I haven't taken full advantage of it.
Matt D
12:17
Thoughts on the unsigned 1st rounders?  Isn't it kind of penny wise and pound foolish for a team to let go of someone in that talent tier over a (relatively) few marginal dollars?  "Sorry we couldn't sign you, we needed that half a million dollars to pay the last guy in our bullpen."
Meg Rowley
12:17
Would that that money were going to players on the 25-man.
12:18
They do have some limitations on slot value, etc. but it was a bad year for this sort of thing. Have to hope it makes teams think more critically about it.
April
12:18
Why do teams play 3-4 game series in season? Why not 5-6 games? Would dramatically reduce travel, you'd get to see each pitcher in the starting 5, and you'd have "X Team Week" to promote to fans.
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