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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 9/17/19
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Meg Rowley
2:31
It's a very conservative group on the whole.
There's some shifting around on that score, but only some.
Pat's Bat
2:32
With all the knowledge you have about baseball it seems like you would enjoy fantasy.  Is it a lack of time or interest that keeps you playing?
Meg Rowley
2:33
Interest -- it's just not how I like to engage with the game. That's not to knock those for whom it is great fun. I am so glad you are having great fun! But it's not my favorite. I forget I have a team for long stretches. I thought I had been kicked out of my league last year (hi Thomas sorrrrryyyyyyyy) and was horrified to learn I hadn't been.
BarryBondsJuicedForOurSins
2:33
Sean Doolittle is a good guy, too
Meg Rowley
2:34
Indeed! That's the other risk with a question like that -- offering an arbitrarily small list naturally means leaving off a lot of good dudes.
And we need as many of those as we can get our hands on.
TomBruno23
2:35
What team takes 1st place in the NL Central this season, and why?
Meg Rowley
2:36
The Cards, despite the harder schedule, mostly because of the injuries to the Brewers and Cubs.
None of those teams is particularly amazing.
James Paxton
2:36
This October is going to be my national emergence, watch.
Guest
2:36
It's fun that Paxton is great again and we don't have to hear about another pitcher who "can't make it in NY"
Meg Rowley
2:39
When Paxton's stuff is all working he's an actively fun pitcher to watch. The idea of him shoving for all the world to see is pretty rad.
Bo
2:39
Which (reasonably) possible WS matchup would be the most fun, in your own opinion? Braves-Twins '91 rematch would have to be up there.
Meg Rowley
2:40
I'd still like to see the Yankees or Astros emerge from the AL because they're so fun to watch -- Dodgers/Braves is my NL preference. I think any combo thereof is good. I'm not big on historical rematches, honestly.
stever20
2:40
how lucky does Friedman feel today from the Dodgers re. Vazquez?
Meg Rowley
2:40
Will give him the benefit of the doubt that he's not thinking about this awful human thing in those terms.
Billy Beane
2:41
Hey Meg, would you mind elaborating on why ownership would not want to give up on divisions? I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm interested in your perspective. Thanks for nswering!
Meg Rowley
2:41
I think the rivalries are appealing to them from a ticket sale perspective as is the guaranteed series if they win is all.
Norm
2:42
All this Brewers winning is making me even more sad about the Yelich injury.
Meg Rowley
2:43
Yeah, it's a damn shame. Heck, I'm bummed we don't have a loan system to get more good players on bad teams into the fray.
Marc
2:44
How rough is it writing elegies at the end of the season? On the one hand, I can't imagine there's much to write about close to the end of the season, but on the other hand you guys are going to have to pump out one a day pretty soon
Meg Rowley
2:44
Dan's a machine -- we'll slow down a little with playoff stuff, but he does a very good job with it.
Guest
2:44
Do you play fantasy football?
Meg Rowley
2:44
Not anymore.
Dave
2:45
Which of the Cards/Cubs/Brewers/Nats do you think has the best chance to take down the Dodgers and Braves?
Meg Rowley
2:45
Nats, though I don't expect that they will.
Sunny
2:47
In your opinion, who has been the most valuable A this year - Chapman, Olson or Semien?
Meg Rowley
2:47
Semien, though I continue to delight every single day in Olson's batting stance yielding the sort of production that it does.
Stantons
2:48
Interesting discussion I had recently. Would you rather be someone like Mike Stanton, Just a Guy but many Ringsss and about 30m, or NotMike Stanton, AS games, HR derby, MVP, no rings, more than 300m, etc? Of course... he may yet get some rings, so maybe I should ask about someone like Votto, but the names are so similar.
Meg Rowley
2:49
I imagine he will get a chance at a ring or two, but Giancarlo. You have a life after baseball. $30 M is nice, but $300 M is nicer.
The rings impact your individual legacy obviously but I think the other stuff tends to matter more.
narvain
2:50
When you see media pumping up some players as good guys do you buy it?  I tend to think we don't know these people at all and shouldn't attempt to evaluate their morals.  Plus, I'm of the opinion beat reporters have a certain motivation to talk good about players they cover.
Meg Rowley
2:52
I don't think the beat writer issue is as pervasive as you do, but yes, it's an inherently tricky assessment. Heck, their own teammates and coaches are only getting one version of them. There are plenty of abusers who seem like great people at work and end up being monsters. It's always necessary, sadly, to leave room for unfortunate surprises, but there are players who, as far as we know, are good friends, partners, and community members. As long as we accept new information when some of them prove not to be, I think it is ok to appreciate the good ones.
Chat Mapman
2:52
Why do some former front office guys end up being base coaches (Tim Bogar, Ruben Amaro)? Has to be a weird change for them, no?
Meg Rowley
2:53
I imagine yes, but also, if that's the way you can stay in the game...
Concerned fan
2:53
Where do you put the Yankees' chances against the Astros in the AL playoffs?
Meg Rowley
2:54
I expect the Astros to come out of the AL. The Yankees are a good team, but not as good a team, and even with the starters being better and pieces coming back, and what sounds like some fun, tricky bullpen management, I think that Houston team is pretty smothering.
Stuafoo
2:55
Do you still avail yourself of any of the work over at Lookout Landing?
Meg Rowley
2:56
Yup -- try to read widely just anyhow, and especially as my focus has necessarily broadened, having a team site's perspective is interesting, particularly to get a sense of how fans perceive the current regime.
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