JotCast | Travis Sawchik FanGraphs Chat

Travis Sawchik FanGraphs Chat

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Travis Sawchik

12:26

The good news is those should be some of the easier positions to upgrade via trade

Earl Weaver's tears

12:26

What course should the Orioles organization take? According to Camden Depot, there's a fight between three parties (Duquette, Showalter and B. Anderson) for control.

Travis Sawchik

12:27

It's well past time to break it up and sell off pieces. They need to do well in trades this summer, obviously

Rollie's Mustache

12:28

Caught your last two podcasts with Carson - great stuff as always. Are there any strong correlations between spin rate and other pitch metrics? ie. higher RPM = lower contact rate, higher chase rate, lower xwOBA, etc.

Travis Sawchik

12:28

Higher rpm on four seamers has a strong relationship with greater swing and miss, lower spin should generate more ground balls

Do The Chop

12:28

Ozzie Albies or Javy Baez?

Travis Sawchik

12:28

Ozzie

Ghest

12:29

What is the deal with Michael Conforto? Is it the Mets? Is it his shoulder? Lines of blow with Harvey?

Travis Sawchik

12:29

He missed a lot of time. The walk rate is there. The raw power is there, I believe. I think he'll be fine and continue his climb to status as one of the better young bats in the game

Ben

12:30

Do you think Ohtani will be a pitcher, designated hitter, or neither at the all-star game this year?

Travis Sawchik

12:30

How about Home Run Derby participant and pitcher

John

12:31

Why doesn't FanGraphs display xWOBA for hitters and xWOBA against for pitchers? It seems to me like the best stat out there right now.

Travis Sawchik

12:31

That's a Baseball Savant, Statcast-based metric

12:31

Not nearly as fun as a Machado-Dansby-Ozzie-Freeman infield. Just saying.

Travis Sawchik

12:31

Braves could be players in the offseason for Machado

NL East gonna be fun

Bork

12:32

Will Ohtani be able to pitch to himself at the Home Run Derby?

Travis Sawchik

12:32

That would be something

stever20

12:32

do you think the Nats using the Bullpen Carts in Arizona will start something?

Travis Sawchik

12:32

I'm all for more bullpen carts

PalestineGomez

12:33

Will we ever see a day where a rolling pitch count is used to manage a staff? Like a pitcher gets X amount of pitches a week and then they are used whenever. I know pitchers would hate this but I'm talking about "in the future". Just like the shift in the NBA, flexibility and versatility seems like one of the most important traits for a pitcher (a la Hader). Obviously, stuff matters most but I would want my best pitchers in the best spots

Travis Sawchik

12:33

I think we will continue to see pitching roles blur and workload more closely monitored

Meow

12:35

Why isn't bat speed a metric people use? Seems more predictive than exit velocity, since a slump can cause a decrease in the latter, but not the former.

Travis Sawchik

12:35

I believe swing speed is inferred ... I don't believe an actual bat-speed measure is available

Do The Chop

12:35

Do you see the Braves being major players on Harper or Machado this offseason?

Travis Sawchik

12:36

Possibly. Phillies, too. And Nats. Interesting bidding WAR shaping up in NL East

RetireHurdle

12:37

What are your thoughts on 4 Pirates ending up on the swing changers list from Sullivan? Evidence of a larger change in philosophy from Branson or coincidence?

Travis Sawchik

12:37

Pretty interesting. Dickerson's transformation is remarkable. He was the game's No. 1 high fastball chaser and he's made remarkable contact gains. Maybe the Pirates are up to something

Wes

12:38

Zebra mussels are horrible and taking over lakes all over Texas. I share your pain.

Travis Sawchik

12:38

Really? Interesting ... and thats probably not a great development

12:39

Are pitchers able to have any influence over launch angle against? Or does launch angle data help pitchers understand how/where to pitch to certain hitters?

Travis Sawchik

12:39

Launch angle is higher against elevated pitches, so yes

Waka

12:39

I thought I recalled in the early 2000s ESPN had a swing speed radar on their broadcasts. Maybe it was something else but I vaguely remember something close.

Travis Sawchik

12:40

Yeah, I remember that, too. There are ways to measure it in lab settings, and I assume game conditions, but I don't think there's anything publicly available

Babe Lincoln

12:40

Mets are really stuck in between (both in the short-term and in the long-term), huh? Not good enough to contend now, no real avenue to improve, and not anywhere near a rebuild. Some more years on the mediocrity treadmill?

Travis Sawchik

12:41

Mets are in a tough spot, for sure

TKDC

12:41

What do you think of this draft strategy? For hitters, focus on contact ability, look for guys who make great contact but maybe hit too many grounders, and then just try to teach them to lift the ball.

Travis Sawchik

12:41

I like it. That would be one way to find/add some value

Anon

12:43

Aaron Judge is playing as well or better than last year. This should be a bigger story.

Travis Sawchik

12:43

I think people are aware of his general greatness but maybe not that he is slightly above his 2017 level which is pretty amazing

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