2015 LDS Live Game Blog Extravaganza

11:52

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody! Jeff and David will be with you post-haste. See above the chat window for the day’s schedule. I’ll see you tonight on the night shift!

12:24

David G Temple: Hey Everybody. If I know Jeff, and I like to think I do, he’ll be late. But we’ll get rolling around 12:30 ET

12:25

David G Temple: TOR

12:30

Comment From Phil
I’mma go with Cole Hamels here. It’s baseball. OF COURSE Toronto will go down 0-2 to a team nobody expected to be in the playoffs.

12:31

Comment From Bork
To be fair no one expected Toronto to be in playoffs pre-trade deadline either. Even after the deadline they had their work cut out for them. They were what, 8 games back of the Yankees?

12:32

David G Temple: Organ should play every anthem at every game.

12:33

Comment From Kris
Blue Jays were hovering around 30-40% playoff odds before the trade deadline i believe

12:35

Sean Dolinar: Hey guys + David/Jeff, I’ll be in and out of the chat throughout the day.

12:35

David G Temple: Oh, hello.

12:36

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friends!

12:36

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friend!

12:36

David G Temple: Sully!

12:36

Jeff Sullivan: Fun fact: lots of people talk about the Blue Jays’ hitting prowess against lefties. They also led baseball in hitting against righties

12:37

Jeff Sullivan: But now I’m fully aboard the Sam Dyson bandwagon. choo chooooooooooooo

12:37

Jeff Sullivan: David, your keys to the game please

12:37

Comment From Sgt. Pepper
I see Fangaphs brought out the A team for the most important game

12:37

David G Temple: They sure did.

12:38

David G Temple: My keys to the game: Ab, C#, and F minor.

12:38

Jeff Sullivan: Just like all of my dreams, this morning finds me being talked at by Michael Keaton

12:39

David G Temple: Honestly, it’s gotta be Stroman. Great story so far, but this is a very important game. DOES HE HAVE THE GUTS?!

12:39

Jeff Sullivan: I hope he has all of his guts!

12:39

Jeff Sullivan: Although he’s missing a little bit in his knees

12:40

Comment From ShinyThing
Question: is it impossible to get MLB.tv playoff games with Comcast?

12:40

David G Temple: I would try the Fox Sports Go app.

12:40

Jeff Sullivan: So we’re at 64/36 picking the Jays today. Probably a lot like yesterday!

12:41

Comment From Phillies113
Which will Texas miss more: Beltres bat or his glove?

12:41

Jeff Sullivan: bat

12:41

Jeff Sullivan: I hope this reply technique doesn’t mess with the transcript software

12:42

Comment From ShinyThing
I have a sinking feeling that the Rangers will win even though I picked Blue Jays

12:42

Jeff Sullivan: and still people will come to FanGraphs and think of us as experts!

12:43

Comment From MSW
Who at MLB keeps thinking it’s a good idea to have playoff games during the day on weekdays? Don’t they realize people have jobs? It’s not like playoff baseball is the best showcase of the game or anything, no reason to make it easier for fans to tune in.

12:43

Jeff Sullivan: I’ll be honest with you, I love these stacked days, but then I’m the rare person who does this as a job so what I think doesn’t and shouldn’t really matter to anybody

12:43

Jeff Sullivan: Close-up of Banister spitting in the dugout

12:44

David G Temple: I think some of it is so that the MLB playoffs don’t take as long as the NBA playoffs. Or the NHL for that matter.

12:44

Jeff Sullivan: Dugout floors must be the most disgusting place in the world

12:44

Comment From Nelson
Probably covered yesterday, but Arrieta hit the 2 pirates on purpose, right?

12:44

Sean Dolinar: There’s no reason to think that. Pitchers usually don’t intentionally hit batters when they are winning a Postseason game/pitching a shutout. Watson, however, intentionally hit Arrieta.

12:45

Jeff Sullivan: Another thing: MLB has been doing this day-time thing in the playoffs for a while. MLB also knows where its revenue is. If this were a real problem for them, this wouldn’t be the system

12:46

Jeff Sullivan: Didn’t know DeShields has some semblance of opposite-field power

12:46

Jeff Sullivan: God damn was he ever a smart pick

12:46

David G Temple: If Colby Rasmus didn’t work out, Astros fans would be rioting over DeSheilds. Rule 5 pick.

12:46

David G Temple: 0

12:48

Comment From MSW
Who has better hair: Kershaw-Greinke or deGrom-Syndergaard?

12:49

Jeff Sullivan: I think there’s a difference between long hair and good hair

12:49

Comment From Toronto Fan
The atmosphere…

12:49

Jeff Sullivan: Helps to have a roof, but I love the crowd. Almost like it’s better for the atmosphere for a team to have been not good for 20 years

12:49

Jeff Sullivan: Two batters and a Rangers lead. Why not!

12:50

Jeff Sullivan: Stroman already at 14 pitches without an out in the first

12:50

Comment From Grant
Dyson was a fairly rare mistake by Alex Anth. He called him up, a bit of desperation, referred to him as having one of the best arms in the organization. Pitched like 2 games, was sent down, and later DFA’d. Really didn’t need to put him on the 40 man in that situation. Like to have that one back.

12:50

Jeff Sullivan: but Mark DeRosa worked out so well

12:51

Comment From ShinyThing
The Rangers always seem to defy expectations

12:51

Jeff Sullivan: Especially last year in the opposite direction

12:52

Comment From The Hamburglar
DeShields isn’t good, right?

12:52

Jeff Sullivan: he’s okay and will get better

12:52

David G Temple: Wowza.

12:52

Jeff Sullivan: Good god

12:52

Jeff Sullivan: So Temple is a good 20 – 30 seconds ahead of me!

12:53

David G Temple: I have regular, adult television.

12:53

Jeff Sullivan: Like an adult

12:53

David G Temple: Yes.

12:53

Jeff Sullivan: Stroman has given up some hits and two premier Jays defenders have made mistakes. You could even say three premier defenders!

12:54

Comment From Art Vandelay
I feel like GB% should be a stat that can be easily introduced into the mainstream, but I never see it on broadcasts.

12:54

Comment From Kris
ESPN gamecast or MLB Gameday? which is preferred for those without TV

12:54

David G Temple: Gameday does a pretty good job. Pretty up to date, too.

12:54

Jeff Sullivan: They do at least talk about it sometimes. But yeah you’d think it would be simple

12:55

Comment From The Hamburglar
If Stroman hadn’t come back so strong, would the Jays still be the favorites in the AL?

12:55

Jeff Sullivan: I think so. Who’s better?

12:55

Comment From Kris
jeff was that gif of the guy on his ipad that you tweeted out actually shown on the broadcast? Just the guy standing there?

12:55

Jeff Sullivan: twice!

12:56

Jeff Sullivan: That entire at-bat by Andrus was attempts for him to get himself out

12:56

David G Temple: That was so weird! Why did that guy waste his money?

12:56

Jeff Sullivan: What was he doing!

12:56

Comment From Seth @ TechGraphs
Hi boss.

12:56

David G Temple: Oh, hello.

12:57

Sean Dolinar: The 3 Unassisted DP.

12:57

Jeff Sullivan: What in the god damn hell was that about

12:57

Jeff Sullivan: What a huge play that was

12:57

Comment From Phil
What just happened?

12:57

David G Temple: Still trying to figure that out.

12:57

Jeff Sullivan: Didn’t help that Hamilton didn’t exactly run down the line

12:58

Jeff Sullivan: Stroman had 24 pitches with one out and runners on second and third. Now he has 25 pitches and the inning is over

12:59

Comment From zkello
Now that is a situation where diving into first makes sense

12:59

Jeff Sullivan: the Rangers should probably discourage Josh Hamilton from ever trying to do anything physically taxing

12:59

Comment From Jenstrom
What happened to the clickety-clack sounds when a comment is posted? Someone didn’t like that or something?

12:59

Jeff Sullivan: it’s absolutely terrible

12:59

Comment From Ricks
How often does a first baseman tag out a runner who was on third?!… and can you even look that up?

12:59

Jeff Sullivan: not easily. that’s a project for Retrosheet experts

1:00	David G Temple: I could find that out if you gave me an hour.

1:00	David G Temple: But mostly I don’t want to right now.

1:00	David G Temple: Actually, I don’t even know if retrosheet would tell you.

1:01	Comment From Chef Jim For those of us “watching” on gameday from work…what happened?

1:01	Jeff Sullivan: Grounder to first. Colabello watched Fielder at third as he slowly inched toward first, and then when Colabello finally stepped on first for the out, Moreland had taken third behind Fielder, so Fielder was trapped and Colabello ran him down

1:02	David G Temple: Yeah, Jeff!

1:02	Comment From mark colabello didn’t touch 1st. he tagged hamilton.

1:02	Jeff Sullivan: The win expectancy play log on FanGraphs hasn’t updated with the double play because I think it’s confused

1:02	Jeff Sullivan: Oh right

1:02	David G Temple: I meant to comment below. Anyway home run!

1:02	Jeff Sullivan: You’re gonna ruin all the drama for me!

1:03	David G Temple: Oh, sorry.

1:03	Jeff Sullivan: No, it’s fine. It’s like I get to know the future

1:03	David G Temple: Get real TV. It’s a tax writeoff for you!

1:04	Jeff Sullivan: Off the bat Donaldson’s homer looked like a lineout to CF

1:04	Jeff Sullivan: So the win-expectancy swing of the Rangers’ double play to end the first was 10%. Pretty big for something that early

1:04	Jeff Sullivan: Josh Donaldson has a lot going on in his hair

1:05	David G Temple: Jays and Rangers may have the two worst “thinks every fly ball is a HR” crowds.

1:05	David G Temple: Though perhaps the Jays fans have been conditioned to think that.

1:05	Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, I was gonna say

1:06	Jeff Sullivan: After one, 2-1 Texas. Could be a lot worse than that

1:06	Comment From Nelson Every Jays fan is John Sterling

1:06	David G Temple: That’s just mean.

1:06	Jeff Sullivan: Hamels this year, Phillies: .645 OPS against Hamels this year, Rangers: .705

1:07	Comment From The Hamburglar I really hate AL playoff baseball. Such mediocrity

1:07	Jeff Sullivan: I bet the Blue Jays are the best team in baseball

1:08	Comment From Phillies113 Don’t you have friends with TVs who you can leech off of for just this situation? That’s presumably what friends are for

1:08	Jeff Sullivan: friends have jobs. also I wouldn’t want to chat at a friend’s house

1:08	Comment From mtsw “Cord cutters” only talk about two things: 1) how smart they are for canceling cable 2) how they wish watching stuff without cable wasn’t so annoying.

1:08	Jeff Sullivan: we also talk about no longer seeing so many Viagra commercials

1:09	Jeff Sullivan: Stinky is my new favorite nickname

1:09	Comment From Sgt. Pepper It must be really hard to go without Viagra commercials

1:09	Jeff Sullivan: actually it’s not hard at all

1:10	Jeff Sullivan: Four-pitch walk to Odor, three pitches borderline strikes

1:10	David G Temple: Mark it – 1:09 PM ET. The first genitalia joke has been made.

1:10	David G Temple:

1:11	David G Temple: Nice play, Stinky.

1:11	Comment From Bork If you didn’t see Viagra commercials then how do you know if your unit works.

1:11	Jeff Sullivan: watching Stroman’s pitches

1:11	Jeff Sullivan: That was brilliant baserunning

1:12	Jeff Sullivan: Or maybe that’s just fundamentals, who knows, but that was awesome

1:13	Comment From MSW I cut the cord (when I was broke) and came back (when I started making more money). I may not love constant draftkings and cialis ads, but I hope I’m never broke again…

1:13	Jeff Sullivan: Cable is like a hundred dollars a month. Or more! It’s the worst

1:13	Comment From Art Vandelay Why did Colabello double clutch that throw? It sure looked like he saw him rounding second

1:13	Jeff Sullivan: Nowhere to throw the ball

1:14	Comment From mtsw “Was the tag held during the 1/50th a second he was off the base?” is the “did the football move 1mm as he hit the ground?” of baseball plays. Absurd to call a guy out on this garbage.

1:14	Jeff Sullivan: rule’s a rule though, right? where do you draw the line?

1:14	Comment From Bork Gameday watcher. Is the challenge legit?

1:14	Jeff Sullivan: close, but call upheld

1:15	Jeff Sullivan: That entire run was scored by the margin of one hair

1:15	David G Temple: Dang. That was a good throw, too.

1:15	Jeff Sullivan: Odor draws borderline walk, safe by a borderline call at third, safe by a borderline call at home

1:16	Comment From wot Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a Texas-St. Louis World Series rematch this year?

1:16	David G Temple: No. That would be the worst, actually.

1:16	Jeff Sullivan: That would be the worst!

1:17	Comment From sooo wtf happened at first there

1:17	Jeff Sullivan: isn’t this supposed to be new turf

1:17	Comment From Bork Yankees/Cardinals or Yankees/Dodgers wouldn’t be the worst?

1:17	David G Temple: Probably Miami/San Diego would be the worst.

1:18	Jeff Sullivan: Fernandez/Stanton in the playoffs? No, I’ll take that

1:18	Jeff Sullivan: I wouldn’t have minded this year’s Yankees. And I like this year’s Dodgers.

1:18	David G Temple: Dang it, good point.

1:19	Comment From Hi Erix Cubs/Miami would be the best for Back to the Future II truthers

1:19	David G Temple: Oh man, I just re-watched that movie this week. It does NOT hold up.

1:19	Comment From zmiko Why are there two win expectancy lines, ~8% apart?

1:19	Jeff Sullivan: one is raw average win expectancy, and the other factors in the team matchup with home-field advantage built in

1:20	Comment From Art Vandelay Miami/Padres would also be really weird because they’re both in the NL.

1:20	David G Temple: I know. These are called jokes.

1:20	Comment From Art Vandelay On effectively wild they were talking about one replay where the basemen’s glove lace touched the runner and called him out. I’m not sure if they were serious or not.

1:20	Jeff Sullivan: With replay review, you have to define where the lines are, because they have to exist. Where does the glove “end”? It’s not an easy thing to resolve

1:21	Jeff Sullivan: Mistake by the Beltre replacement!

1:21	Comment From ShinyThing Since I can’t watch and make fun of MLB network announcers, how are they doing?

1:21	David G Temple: I’m always soft on announcers. At least those who aren’t Harold Reynolds. But I like Kaat.

1:21	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t know if we can just blame the turf though

1:22	David G Temple: I made a comment that just disappeared.

1:22	Matthew Kory: let’s blame inanimate objects!

1:22	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe your existence is flickering

1:22	Comment From Brent Henry This game is going to be a classic. Book it.

1:22	Jeff Sullivan: rooting for a brawl

1:22	David G Temple: That’s what I get for crapping on BTTF 2.

1:23	Comment From Toronto Fan Colabello MVP

1:23	Comment From Ricks Colabello, the chosen one of the god of BABIP

1:23	David G Temple: Bob Costas having some trouble counting.

1:24	Jeff Sullivan: Donaldson: 154 wRC+ Encarnacion: 150 Bautista: 147 Colabello: 142

1:24	Jeff Sullivan: And we’re tied!

1:24	David G Temple: Haha, Jeff is in the past.

1:24	Jeff Sullivan: No we’re not!

1:24	Matthew Kory: I like the way Choo watched that one go over his head. Great defense!

1:25	Jeff Sullivan: Hamels just threw a couple pretty bad pitches

1:25	Comment From DB To be fair to Bob, I think most people assume someone will score from second on a ball of the wall

1:25	David G Temple: Truth.

1:25	David G Temple: Matthew Kory is here now.

1:25	David G Temple: Have I been fired?

1:26	Jeff Sullivan: How many of us are there right now

1:26	Matthew Kory: firing you isn’t my department

1:26	Comment From Bork Do people actually get fired from Fangraphs?

1:26	Jeff Sullivan: yes!

1:26	David G Temple: I’m not sure any of us are really here, man.

1:26	Jeff Sullivan: and NOW we’re tied

1:27	Matthew Kory: Isn’t coming home with that ball the right call? Keep the lead at all costs?

1:27	Jeff Sullivan: I’m not quick enough with the win expectancy

1:28	Comment From lloyd mcgillicutty are all comments posted, or is there edited happening?

1:28	Sean Dolinar: We select what we can respond to.

1:29	Jeff Sullivan: Now I’m going to try to be. Give me a minute

1:29	Comment From Rick so far best game of the post season?

1:29	Matthew Kory: through two innings, it’s sure been exciting. lots of errors, and the pitching hasn’t been particularly great so depends what you want in a game

1:30	Sean Dolinar: And I think there are 4 FG staffers in the chat right now. Surprisingly no one shares the same first name.

1:31	Comment From matt As a 20 something year old jays fan that has no playoff rooting experience… this game is going to be the death of me!

1:31	Matthew Kory: the playoffs are painful. the whole experience is better when your team doesn’t make it. but if your team wins though

1:31	Matthew Kory: I only respond to people named Matt

1:32	Jeff Sullivan: So I did some math!

1:33	Jeff Sullivan: With Alberto going for the double play, the Jays’ win expectancy wound up at 51%. Had Alberto gone for the one out at home, the Jays’ win expectancy would’ve been 48% (assuming the out)

1:33	Comment From Chef Jim Without doing any math…the Jays are the best offense in baseball. Fewer outs to get means fewer opportunities to score means take the sure double play. No?

1:33	Sean Dolinar: Early in the game, you usually take outs over runs.

1:33	Jeff Sullivan: So it actually would’ve been arguably smarter to go for the out at home to keep the lead for Texas

1:34	Jeff Sullivan: But then, it wouldn’t have been a force, and if there had been a rundown…

1:34	Jeff Sullivan: It was probably a coin-flip play

1:34	David G Temple: That’s what I was thinking.

1:34	David G Temple: About the rundown, I mean.

1:35	Jeff Sullivan: In conclusion, it was fine

1:36	Comment From Nicholas Please tell me where I find this win expectancy chart you are referring to

1:36	Jeff Sullivan: ftp://ftp.baseballgraphs.com/wpa/

1:36	Comment From Sgt. Pepper You guys are mad about DraftKings ads but I have to see Canadian election ads

1:36	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t see any ads at all!

1:37	Comment From Brent Henry Thoughts on the Lloyd McClendon firing?

1:37	Jeff Sullivan: predictable

1:38	Comment From Nick Hey guys, just got home to watch the game. Was hearing Rick Sutcliffe whining about a small zone basically my whole drive home. Has it been bad?

1:38	Jeff Sullivan: http://www.brooksbaseball.n…

1:38	Comment From Tim Predictions/suggestions for M’s manager?

1:38	Jeff Sullivan: sounds like it’ll be Tim Bogar

1:40	Comment From Chef Jim Leash for Stroman/Hamels?

1:40	Jeff Sullivan: They’ll get the benefit of the doubt, but both teams like their bullpens. Day off tomorrow. 100 – 110 pitches

1:40	Sean Dolinar: I’ve never been a fan of how broadcasters make advance metrics sound mystical and mysterious.

1:40	Jeff Sullivan: Ken Rosenthal talking about win probability added on national television

1:40	David G Temple: Two announcers just basically saying that they are too dumb to understand advanced metrics.

1:41	David G Temple: I don’t know the WAR or WPA formulas by heart, either. But I understand what they represent. And I trust that they’ve gone through enough peer review to be valid.

1:42	Jeff Sullivan: There’s something about society today where it’s broadly accepted to admit mathematical ignorance

1:42	Jeff Sullivan: Like it’s a feature, instead of a bug

1:42	David G Temple: I don’t need to know the physics behind how the Earth revolves around the Sun to trust that it does.

1:42	Matthew Kory: I think the announcers think it gives them credibility to talk down to analytics like that. (sorry to disappear, my computer crashed)

1:43	Matthew Kory: wait, the Earth does what??

1:43	David G Temple: It’s the “aw, shucks” approach, I suppose.

1:43	Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, they’re not hurting anyone. We’re all going to keep watching. But it’s not a thing to celebrate, being dumb at math. math is important!

1:43	Jeff Sullivan: We know from Twitter and his columns that Rosenthal isn’t some anti-stat neanderthal

1:44	David G Temple: I kind of see former players doing it, as they do bring an alternate perspective. But pure broadcasters doing it is embarrassing.

1:44	Matthew Kory: being dumb in general is celebrated in places far more important than sports, but I suppose that puts us on a course we don’t want to be on

1:44	David G Temple: I’m done ranting now.

1:44	Comment From abcdefg Math is really important!

1:45	Comment From Designated Bitter Pretending you’re dumb plays well with American viewing audiences, historically

1:45	Jeff Sullivan: and non-historically

1:45	Matthew Kory: I read that as “Matt is really important”

1:45	Comment From Richard Legitimate reason to gripe about the strike zone if you are a Toronto fan? Stroman getting squeezed and Hamels isn’t?

1:45	Jeff Sullivan: zone’s fine

1:45	David G Temple: I know most of you aren’t watching TV, but I hate this GEICO commercial so much.

1:46	Comment From Designated Bitter That can’t be right. “Most” aren’t watching on TV?

1:46	David G Temple: I figured most were watching via .TV or some sort of Gameday thing.

1:46	Comment From abcdefg Mostly for Jeff, since he’s the one I read the most often, but others feel free to chime in…do you talk the way you write, or is your “writer’s voice” significantly different?

1:46	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t really know how to answer this because I don’t often talk about baseball out loud. But I don’t think I change the way I try to communicate when I write; everything is kind of a first draft

1:46	Comment From Druidiful Which GEICO commercial is playing?

1:46	David G Temple: The stupid effing golf one.

1:47	Sean Dolinar: The analytics revolution in baseball goes way beyond WAR and WPA and ‘formulas’. Teams are collecting data and measuring players in much more detail than what’s available publicly. Much of that wouldn’t be looked down upon because of ‘math’.

1:47	Comment From Art Vandelay Josh Hamilton has gone full Southern gentleman with his facial hair.

1:47	Jeff Sullivan: and with his sprinting speed

1:48	Comment From Tim I had to google who Tim Bogar is. Any thoughts on him?

1:48	Jeff Sullivan: not even a single one

1:48	Matthew Kory: but Sean, math is hard! ha ha?

1:48	David G Temple: Every day, around this time, the old lady across the street comes out in her bathrobe and starts calling for someone named JJ

1:48	David G Temple: I have yet to see JJ show up.

1:48	Jeff Sullivan: Once more, here’s the day’s strike zone: http://www.brooksbaseball.n…

1:49	Jeff Sullivan: Nothing real egregious

1:49	Matthew Kory: Bogar was Boston’s third base coach for a few years. They called him “send ’em in” Bogar which A) tells you something and B) tells you nothing

1:49	Jeff Sullivan: John Gibbons towering over Ken Rosenthal like a Seattle high-rise over the Up house

1:50	Matthew Kory: Rosenthal: John’s Nipples, can you tell me about Stroman’s start?

1:50	Comment From Will Im an Astros fan. If we beat the Royals, I should be rooting for Toronto or Texas? (Silver Boot Rivalry aside)

1:50	Jeff Sullivan: Texas. easier to get through

1:51	Jeff Sullivan: Stroman has really started to turn it on with that inside sinker against lefties

1:52	Comment From Comins+and+Goins I don’t know what Jim Kaat was doing from 1984 until he was hired by the MLB Network (not looking it up), but he gives off a real cleaned-up-hobo vibe.

1:52	David G Temple: He always came off as and old prospector to me

1:53	David G Temple: But that could be because I’m rewatching Deadwood for like the 15th time.

1:53	Comment From Minty Did the Jays “fix” EE’s swing like they did Bautista’s, or is it just coincidence?

1:53	Jeff Sullivan: He was already talented and powerful. He didn’t need the Bautista overhaul; just needed some polishing

1:53	Comment From woodman Is there any sinker in the game of baseball better than Stroman’s right now? Among starting pitchers?

1:53	David G Temple: This is a good question.

1:53	Comment From senpaisanto does baseball predate the action in deadwood?

1:53	David G Temple: Yes.

1:54	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know if there’s a better starting sinker than Stroman’s. If there is, it’s not by very much

1:54	Jeff Sullivan: I’ll say again it compares well to Roy Halladay’s sinker

1:55	Comment From MSW Was just gonna ask, based on gameday it looks like Stroman has found his stuff. How does he look on the broadcast?

1:55	Jeff Sullivan: The easy narrative is he’s gotten over his early jitters. Could be total bullshit but the timeline works

1:57	Jeff Sullivan: I think my dog is bored with baseball.

1:59	Comment From Section329 David does your wife still do Roller Derby?

1:59	David G Temple: Yes.

2:00

Comment From pumpsie green
Do you know, or do you know where I could find out, specific player contract aav for the “luxury tax”? I’m thinking about Ryan Braun’s contract – if it’s 5/105 starting next year it’s easy, but if it’s 13/150 for an aav of $11.5 million, then I would think it becomes a more appealing contract to that special subset of teams that pay the tax.

2:00	Jeff Sullivan: After three minutes of research, I believe the newer CBA decided to treat such contracts as separate. So the second is independent of the first. Used to be, the timing mattered, but I don’t think it does anymore

2:01	Comment From Brent Henry Give me a break, Arrieta’s sinker?

2:01	Jeff Sullivan: I’m sorry, are you offended?

2:02	Comment From Comins+and+Goins I’ve only seen a little Deadwood, but I’ll bet Kaat’s character didn’t live very long.

2:02	Matthew Kory: he wanted to get a hit! but I agree, I’d have taken a strike

2:02	David G Temple: Great, we broke Matthew Kory.

2:02	Matthew Kory: and now I’ve responded to the wrong comment. arg

2:03	Comment From Brent Henry This strike zone is nothing if not inconsistent.

2:03	Matthew Kory: this is the one I was trying to respond to!

2:03	Matthew Kory: nope nope that wasn’t it either. oh good gosh

2:04	Matthew Kory: see? being dumb about something (in this case chatting) is wonderful!

2:04	Comment From maglajz I just don’t understand, why FS1 and MLBNetwork don’t have strikezone graphic…

2:04	Sean Dolinar: Different graphic packages or technology on their production trucks. The only broadcast I’ve been impressed with is ESPN. IMO, you’re better off with Gameday.

2:04	Comment From Kris baseball twitter is pretty annoying after an announcer goes on an anti-saber rant. aren’t we all used to it by now?

2:04	Jeff Sullivan: the internet in general thrives on any provocation

2:05	Comment From Bork FG needs a new Matthew it looks like.

2:05	Matthew Kory: am I responding to the right comment here? Let’s see!

2:06	Comment From woodman Arrieta might throw a good hard two-seamer, doesn’t dip anywhere near Stroman’s.

2:06	Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, I think of Stroman as having a true sinker and Arrieta having more of an awesome two-seamer. I know that’s splitting hairs

2:07	Comment From Jason Jeff, to your point about the strike zone, the point is not the egregious calls. Its the borderline ones, when the ump is not consistent. And if you look at all the strikes out of the zone in Brooks, they are all against Toronto

2:07	Jeff Sullivan: There’s no such thing as borderline consistency. Umpires can’t have borders defined that perfectly, so because they’re humans there has to be some area where calls are 50/50

2:07	Jeff Sullivan: sweet shit Tulo

2:08	David G Temple: Remember, the umpires cant’ see those yellow strikezone boxes that we can.

2:08	Matthew Kory: justify your existence, Tulo

2:08	Comment From Raith just want to say – you guys have made the viewing experience of this game about 100x better, you guys are the best

2:09	Jeff Sullivan: Let’s see if this works…

2:09	Jeff Sullivan:

2:09	Jeff Sullivan: Splendid!

2:11	Comment From Will If the Blue Jays could go back to the trade deadline, do you think they would or wouldnt trade for Tulo again?

2:11	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t think they’d undo anything they did

2:11	Matthew Kory: that was what they call a hellovaplay

2:12	Comment From Phillies113 Jeff, can you please do this for every moment of the game going forward? Thanks in advance

2:12	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder if I can live-gif

2:12	Comment From woodman slightly off-topic, but is Chris Young the pitcher ever going to be respected for his contact management?

2:12	Jeff Sullivan: he has a job, right?

2:13	Matthew Kory: Pillar with a weak double. or, as they also call that, a double

2:13	Comment From pumpsie green After 22 years, I forgot how intense playoff ball is when you’re engaged in it. I’m already thinking Toronto has yet to lead in this series, but it’s just the middle of the second game. Every pitch counts now!

2:13	Jeff Sullivan: It’s so different. It’s a wonderful reminder for fans of bad teams that baseball is awesome when it matters

2:14	Jeff Sullivan: I like that bunt by Goins against the lefty

2:14	Comment From Michael Nice to sell Beltre getting some “HoF” chat by Costas and Co.

2:14	Jeff Sullivan: see, they’re not totally anti-stat

2:15	Comment From Chef Jim Kevin Pillar = underrated. Kevin Pillar = 2016 AJ Pollock?

2:15	Jeff Sullivan: Pillar just slugged .399 and Pollock just slugged .498

2:16	Comment From Chef Jim I HATE BUNTS. FREE OUTS.

2:16	Matthew Kory: it’s at least debatable b/c it brings up Revere with one out, not the ideal guy to drive in a run on a sac fly

2:16	Jeff Sullivan: And the Jays are in front!

2:16	Jeff Sullivan: Dog update.

2:17	Comment From hoytt How much can a hitter actually place those off the end of the bat hits like Pillar’s?

2:17	Jeff Sullivan: they’re typically accidents after swings at bad pitches

2:17	Matthew Kory: Uh, David, that’s a couch

2:18	Comment From maglajz Pillar as a good major league starter is already more than 99% Blue Jays fans predicted for him, let’s not be greedy

2:18	Comment From dang That dog rules. Golden doodle? Can this be baseball and dog chat?

2:18	David G Temple: We think so? He was a rescue. I’m not bragging, I’m just saying that’s why we don’t know.

2:18	Comment From Nat Has anyone studied the effect on slugging average of weak doubles down the line versus hard doubles to the gap? Does it all come out in the wash? Do some players have inflated SLG because they bloop doubles over the heads of corner infielders?

2:18	Jeff Sullivan: yeah, it’ll make some difference. same as triples instead of doubles, or hustle-doubles instead of singles. not easy to isolate but with some players you get an artificial SLG boost

2:19	Comment From TH should hamels still be in?

2:19	Matthew Kory: if I say yes he’ll give up more runs, but I think he’s better than anyone else the Rangers would put in so yeah [ducks]

2:19	Jeff Sullivan: Wouldn’t be shocked if Hamels got another inning

2:20	David G Temple: Hachi Machi that went a long way.

2:20	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe not another inning

2:20	Jeff Sullivan: Granted that pitch was almost impossible to hit fair

2:21	Matthew Kory: if that goes past the pole foul but comes all the way around the world and lands fair in the left field stands is it a homer?

2:23	Comment From Chef Jim Compare 2013 Pollock (.269/.322/.409/ 98 wRC+) to 2015 Pillar. Pretty similar lines, at the same age. Pillar has growth room.

2:23	Jeff Sullivan: Pollock more of a hard-contact sort; Pillar less disciplined. not saying improvement isn’t possible, but Pollock is a super high bar

2:23	Comment From Michael In terms of mid-career turnarounds, Bautista or Zobrist the bigger surprise?

2:23	Jeff Sullivan: Bautista was bad for 1500 plate appearances. Zobrist was bad for 300

2:24	Comment From j6takish Almost every out bautista has made this series has been a popup

2:24	David G Temple: Bautista’s career IFFB% has hovered right around 15%. This seems like a lot.

2:24	Jeff Sullivan: He has a style and he sure as shit sticks with it

2:25	David G Temple: He also just hits a lot of fly balls in general.

2:25	Comment From ben a guy with no TV, a guy with a rescue dog…. where is the vegan?

2:25	Jeff Sullivan: Kory is a vegetarian!

2:26	Matthew Kory: this is true! I do not eat meat!

2:27	Comment From Toronto Fan Spin Rate on the Teevee

2:27	Jeff Sullivan: and the craziest thing is we just accept it now

2:28	Comment From Guest Jeff, can you GIF that Stroman strikeout of Choo?

2:28	Jeff Sullivan: Choo lined out?

2:28	Jeff Sullivan: Might have to follow this chat with a little front-page Stroman post. We’ll see

2:29	Comment From Raith since I can’t watch the game on tv, how does Stroman look now compared to the first two innings? obviously his results are promising

2:29	Jeff Sullivan: My sense is he’s sharper but my sense often leads me astray. He’s been much more economical

2:29	Comment From Bork There should be a daily Stroman post. He’s so entertaining and loveable!

2:29	Jeff Sullivan: This is my argument

2:29	Matthew Kory: I have to step away for a bit. six year olds are demanding I play Uno with them

2:30	Jeff Sullivan: That totally could’ve been a strike

2:30	Comment From senpaisanto Kory got six different women preggers simultaneously?

2:30	Jeff Sullivan: hextuplets

2:31	Comment From ZachA Any Rangers fans in the house?

2:31	Jeff Sullivan: if so, they’re quiet

2:32	Jeff Sullivan: Love Stroman’s emotion on the mound

2:32	David G Temple: Stroman in slow motion is pleasing.

2:32	Jeff Sullivan: Hitters don’t seem to mind. Pitchers are such sissies

2:33	Jeff Sullivan: Hamilton now hitless in 27 consecutive postseason at-bats!

2:33	Comment From ZachA And you’d think the Canadians would be distracted by the start of the hockey season.

2:33	Jeff Sullivan: Leafs fans know who butters their bread

2:34	David G Temple: Ottawa is your team, right Jeff?

2:35	David G Temple: Last year, I met some Ottowans at a curling tournament. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever come across.

2:35	Comment From woodman if both were free agents, would you give the bigger contract to Price or to Stroman?

2:35	Jeff Sullivan: Price by AAV, Stroman by length of commitment

2:36	Comment From Michael Do you believe MLB is returning to Montreal anytime soon? And will it be expansion, or relocation (*coughTampacough*)?

2:36	Sean Dolinar: I can’t see a team moving to Montreal anytime soon.

2:38	Comment From Michael Watching Stroman pitch… did the Astros leave a lot of wins on the table moving similarly small statured Billy Wagner to the pen? (Or am I just getting greedy.)

2:38	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t remember their reasons for moving him. His minor-league numbers as a starter were strong, albeit with some control issues

2:39	Comment From Jon Dowd Hamilton has to be the most prolific swinger-over-the-top-of-curveballs in history, doesn’t he?

2:39	Jeff Sullivan: it’s how I’ll remember him

2:40	Comment From Bork As someone living an hour out of Ottawa…the Sens bandwagon is the worst pro sport.

2:40	Jeff Sullivan: didn’t even know one existed

2:40	Comment From Designated Bitter Baseball looks like a game that is very hard to play for everyone involved

2:40	Comment From Ricks How real is Price’s playoff futility? Will it drop his payoff this off season?

2:40	Jeff Sullivan: He’ll still get paid big money, but a strong start or two would earn him a few extra million

2:41	Comment From Richard Think Colabello can have a similar season next year?

2:41	Jeff Sullivan: useful, yes, but not this useful

2:41	David G Temple: Does anyone else think it’s funny that we can say “erection” in commercials, yet if someone said something like “labia” everyone would lose their shit?

2:42	David G Temple: Or is this not the proper place for such discussions?

2:42	Comment From ZachA What are the odds for the rest of the series, depending on what happens today? Rangers win, TEX has ~80% odds? Jays win, TOR has ~55% odds?

2:42	Jeff Sullivan: I’d say that’s about exactly right

2:43	Comment From Jon Dowd do we think Cole Hamels erred in not accepting trade to Astros?

2:43	Jeff Sullivan: No. He didn’t want to be there

2:44	Jeff Sullivan: Stroman had 25 pitches in the first inning. 57 in 5 since

2:44	Jeff Sullivan: Rouglas is an even better name than Rougned

2:44	David G Temple: I wonder how Kory’s Uno game is going.

2:44	Comment From ShinyThing I bet he is crushing

2:45	Jeff Sullivan: I know his kids. It’ll be a while

2:45	Comment From Bork On that note about Colabello, think he has any trade value? Controllable til 2020

2:45	Jeff Sullivan: not much more than Danny Valencia

2:45	Comment From Phillies113 Well, that’s kind of a catch 22 isn’t it? Montreal won’t build a stadium unless MLB guarantees a team, while MLB won’t guarantee a team without a new stadium

2:45	Sean Dolinar: Any Canadians, please chime in on this. The feeling I got from visiting Montreal, is that the city/Quebec won’t shell out money like US cities do. They just paid off Olympic Stadium.

2:46	David G Temple: Duke is an expensive place to get a sociology degree

2:46	Jeff Sullivan: That must sting like all hell on the turf

2:46	Jeff Sullivan: Neat little seven-pitch inning. Stroman should probably be done, though

2:47	Comment From Bork Canadian here. Quebec is a mess, economically and politically. They have tons of infrastructure to fix before even thinking of building a stadium.

2:48	Comment From Michael In a vacuum, if you could have any pitcher in the ALDS/ALCS going forward (excluding Kershaw because, duh), would who take? And does the answer change based on (likely) contract/AAV?

2:48	Jeff Sullivan: Probably Arrieta or Sale

2:48	Comment From Guest2 RE: Montreal. I think its doubtful anyone there will shell out cash for a MLB stadium. Lots of money/effort already there to bring a NHL team back to Quebec City.

2:48	David G Temple: And they didn’t even get that yet.

2:50	Comment From Jon Dowd if Cole were a robot sans human feelings, though, he would have been better off getting in with the Astros earlier on the bell curve of success

2:50	Jeff Sullivan: Can’t really say a guy made the wrong decision by going somewhere he preferred. It’s his life

2:50	David G Temple: Slamming Coltrane reference from Costas

2:50	Comment From maglajz Does not seem right to sit Stroman now, but Cecil against those lefties coming next…

2:50	Jeff Sullivan: Three times through the order. It’s probably time; the bullpen is good

2:50	Comment From j6takish If 25% of the people who claimed to be expos fans actually went to the games they’d probably still have a team

2:51	Comment From Sgt. Pepper Quebec should also probably fix its “persecuting religious minorities” problem before it thinks about building a stadium.

2:51	Comment From Jon Dowd points for acknowledging infrastructure as a legitimate policy concern.

2:51	Comment From Bork The only way it would get done is if the city of Montreal stepped in and the province didn’t touch the project. Or if it was privately paid for. Location would be a mess too. Only real spot is where Olympic Stadium currently is.

2:52	Comment From ZachA honestly not a bad outing for Hamels. Lefties usually get molested by this TOR team. 6 IP, 2 ER, 0 BB. I think Rangers’ fans will take it

2:52	Jeff Sullivan: He’s been all right. Can’t ask for a lot more

2:52	Comment From Blueyays Another Canadian: Quebec City just built a beautiful new arena to attract an NHL team, which will come within two years, so perhaps Montreal could look at how well that goes to decide whether or not to build a stadium.

2:52	Sean Dolinar: To pivot a little bit…Toronto isn’t even building a new stadium, but just renovating SkyDome to have grass, etc. (Actually, I’m assuming ROGERS is paying for renovations.)

2:53	Comment From mark should hamels really still be in this game?

2:53	Jeff Sullivan: he’s got Pillar/Goins/Revere next so it doesn’t really matter

2:54	Comment From matt Might be thinking ahead a bit, but doesn’t it make sense to go to Cecil for Choo through Hamilton in the order? Even if they pinch hit Napoli, he’s the only one that scares you.

2:54	Jeff Sullivan: maybe let Stroman get DeShields first

2:54	Jeff Sullivan: Costas talking about the times-through-order penalty

2:55	Jeff Sullivan: Kaat being annoying about it

2:56	Comment From mark pulling stroman now when he’s dealing and only at 89 pitches is a tough call. everything about stro’s career says he’s likely the kind of ace that doesn’t get pulled in this situation.

2:56	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t even know what that means

2:58	David G Temple: I’m back/my browser is being less dumb

3:00	Comment From Bodrod the Bearded “He said he pitches with a chip on his shoulder. But what he really pitched with today…was heart.” ew

3:00	David G Temple: yes, ew

3:01	Comment From Bork SkyDome’s actually not that bad of a stadium to be fair and can get by with a little love and renovations. Olympic Stadium is literally falling apart and has been since the Expos moved.

3:01	Sean Dolinar: Well…anything is better than a stadium that is a huge cavern of glued together concrete. Not to say Olympic Stadium isn’t interesting; it’s a product of it’s time. I like SkyDome. But it’s not like the in vogue retro parks that were built 1992 on.

3:02	Comment From Chef Jim Someone said that?

3:02	David G Temple: Yes, Costas.

3:02	Comment From Bork A lot of building projects, including Olympic Stadium, in Montreal (and Quebec) were given out (via corruption) to shady construction companies in the 70s and were built based as cheaply as possible. This has led to tons of problems that the province is dealing with now.

3:04	Jeff Sullivan: Like Temple, I also had browser problems and have now returned on a different one

3:05	Jeff Sullivan: The fourth game today is going to be a chatting nightmare

3:05	Jeff Sullivan: Also I remember a few years ago when I was hanging around Olympic Stadium it was open but there was signs everywhere to look out for falling rocks

3:05	David G Temple: Full disclosure: I’m turning to the HOU game at 2:30 if this game goes over.

3:06	David G Temple: 2:30 my time.

3:06	Comment From Bork Think of Montreal as Olympic Stadium without the signs for falling rocks. Just the falling rocks

3:06	Jeff Sullivan: Which means we’ll have Craig Edwards in here before long

3:06	David G Temple: Great, that effing guy

3:06	Jeff Sullivan: Big pitch by Cecil, who has quietly been unbelievable

3:07	David G Temple: I love pitchers that look like they may faceplant on any given pitch.

3:07

Comment From Bandwagon the Size of Toronto
I live in Toronto and want to say one thing: Blue Jays “fans” are the most insufferable example of bandwagon fans I can ever remember. I say this only because I constantly hear about how great the crowds are here. As a Yankees fan living in Toronto, the crowds have been shit for the past two decades, and it’s hard to hear about how amazing they are.

3:07	Jeff Sullivan: Every single city bandwagons. Every single fan base bandwagons. It’s not something unique to any place. People everywhere will annoy you if you let them.

3:08	Jeff Sullivan: Annnnnnnnnnnnd we’re tied

3:08	Comment From The Hamburglar You just know the Rangers are going to bloop that run in

3:08	Jeff Sullivan: That sort of counts

3:09	Comment From Michael Who watches first inning of any game when they can watch ninth inning of this game?

3:09	Jeff Sullivan: legit question

3:10	Comment From The Hamburglar What a dumb, dumb, soooo dumb decision to keep Cecil in

3:10	Jeff Sullivan: Cecil allowed a .241 wOBA to lefties and a .245 wOBA to righties

3:11	Jeff Sullivan: what the hell

3:11	Jeff Sullivan: not sure what Napoli was doing

3:11	Jeff Sullivan: Cecil lower-body injury. That’s not good news at all

3:12	Comment From joey Jeff, Napoli’s splits are also a factor. Napoli is not good against RHP

3:12	Jeff Sullivan: yes, but Cecil is outstanding against everyone. shit happens

3:13	Comment From Blueyays Cecil had a 34.9% K-BB% against lefties and a 21.4 against righties. I don’t think the 70 points lower BABIP against righties was a skill. With an off-day tomorrow, should’ve gone to the pen’s infinite supply of good righties.

3:13	Jeff Sullivan: Not saying a perfect decision was made, but a defensible decision was made. Gibbons didn’t allow the single

3:14	David G Temple: Now Sam Dyson really DOES look like an old prospector

3:15	Comment From joey Mike Napoli: .403 wOBA vs LHP ….271 vs RHP.

3:15	Jeff Sullivan: not representative of his true split

3:15	Comment From Sgt. Pepper Lower body injury? This isn’t hockey Jeff

3:15	Jeff Sullivan: then why is there a goal horn?

3:16	Jeff Sullivan: Love Sam Dyson

3:16	Jeff Sullivan: If Cecil is injured for a few days, Napoli’s out was probably worth it for his team!

3:17	David G Temple: SPEED DON’T SLUMP

3:17	Comment From joey Defensible? Sure. I think the worse move was letting Stroman pitch to Deshields. Fourth time through the order I’d rather have Cecil face him

3:17	Jeff Sullivan: Or one of the bullpen righties

3:17	Jeff Sullivan: That’s what 80% of all hits against Sam Dyson look like

3:18	Comment From TH at what time is it okay for me to start drinking

3:18	Jeff Sullivan: any time if you’re not at work!

3:18	David G Temple: Is Donaldson wearing Mardi Gras beads?

3:18	Comment From The Hamburglar Try stealing Revere?

3:18	Jeff Sullivan: if the timing works out, for sure

3:19	Jeff Sullivan: Mannnnn, that sinker

3:19	Jeff Sullivan: 98, on the fists

3:20	Comment From Angus That bat split in half length-wise. Crazy.

3:20	David G Temple: Like even the part where his hands were. Nuts.

3:20	Jeff Sullivan: Steal! Huge steal.

3:20	Jeff Sullivan: Can’t believe we’re watching a playoff game that Chris Gimenez started

3:21	Comment From Luke Are you really more likely to hit a single than a home run?

3:21	Jeff Sullivan: yes?

3:21	Comment From Bork Is Revere pretty much an older, better, Gose?

3:21	Jeff Sullivan: Gose strikes out all the time

3:22	Jeff Sullivan: Dyson’s changeup is 90 miles per hour and it moves like his sinker

3:23	Jeff Sullivan: I like that the outfield scoreboard is showing Bautista’s splits to Dyson whenever he looks back at the runner

3:24	Comment From The Hamburglar How long do the Rangers use Dyson? Just one inning?

3:24	Jeff Sullivan: might give him Tulo and Colabello too if it comes to that

3:24	Comment From Michael Why does it seem like EVERYONE has at least a pair of insanely dominant relief pitcher nowadays?

3:24	David G Temple: Because teams know to look for them now rather than letting them toil in the minors as crappy starters?

3:24	David G Temple: THIS IS A GUESS

3:25	Jeff Sullivan: Dyson throwing his intentional balls 83-84 miles per hour, making Mark Buehrle very sad

3:26	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder if Dyson throws sinkers for his intentional balls

3:26	Jeff Sullivan: Will look later

3:26	Jeff Sullivan: What a great play by Odor

3:27	Jeff Sullivan: What a typical Sam Dyson inning

3:27	Comment From The Hamburglar Tulo has not been a good Blue Jay offensively

3:27	Jeff Sullivan: legitimate concern going forward. he’s on the decline

3:27	Jeff Sullivan: So the other game is about to start which won’t make this super confusing at all

3:28	David G Temple: Maybe there will be another rain delay?

3:28	David G Temple: I’m on the clock, I don’t mind chatting Astros/Royals

3:28	Jeff Sullivan: I feel bad for Swydan, staying up super late to chat with this window having like 11 hours of history in it

3:28	Comment From Designated Bitter well, this game has the 50% chance of a walk-off, so I’m stiking here

3:28	David G Temple: Also a good point.

3:29	Comment From Danny Or more realistically, just like Matt Holliday he’s initially struggling getting out of Coors. Dude’s also hurt.

3:29	Jeff Sullivan: Injuries probably aren’t going to go away and he was worse than usual even at Coors

3:30	Comment From Minty Jeff, how long do you give Tulo next year before you definitively say decline and not just an off year? I believe you, just curious.

3:30	Jeff Sullivan: ASB. I still think he’s really good, just worse

3:30	Comment From Tanika You feel bad for Swydan? he gets to chat Kershaw vs. DeGrom?!

3:30	Jeff Sullivan: I’d rather watch Kershaw/deGrom without chatting!

3:31	Comment From mark tulo had a bad start to the year but really turned it on midseason prior to the trade.

3:31	Jeff Sullivan: you don’t just get to ignore bad starts though

3:31	Comment From Blueyays That’s how much you appreciate us, Jeff? Bah!

3:31	Jeff Sullivan: chatting is fun but it’s also distracting me from the TV half the time. with Kershaw/deGrom, I want my eyes glued

3:32	Comment From Ed What % of average fans had even heard of Sam Dyson before yesterday? 1-2%?

3:32	Jeff Sullivan: less

3:32	Comment From Alex Why is Josh Hamilton getting ABs?

3:32	Jeff Sullivan: might get fewer in the next game

3:33	Comment From mark bad start came after major offseason surgery though.

3:33	Jeff Sullivan: Let’s simplify and put it this way: Tulowitzki is just about 31 years old. He is almost certainly declining

3:33	Jeff Sullivan: Rookie inexperience just gave Roberto Osuna a nine-pitch 1-2-3

3:34	Jeff Sullivan: Yes

3:34	Jeff Sullivan: flash poll!

3:35	Comment From TR Re: Sam Dyson, every Blue Jay fan. “Best arm in the organization”.

3:35	Comment From Toronto Fan I voted with my heart

3:35	Comment From Ed Does Osuna come back out for the 10th after such a short outing?

3:35	Jeff Sullivan: Gimenez/Alberto/DeShields. might as well

3:35	Jeff Sullivan: right now the voting is split just about 50/50!

3:36	Comment From Designated Bitter I voted with my finger

3:37	Jeff Sullivan: Little surprised they didn’t leave Dyson in

3:38	Comment From Michael HEY A ROYALS QUESTION: How worrisome is the Cueto slump: a) in short term, b) in longer term?

3:38	Jeff Sullivan: moderately worrisome in the short-term. there is no longer-term

3:38	Jeff Sullivan: Craig Edwards has now arrived to make this chat confusing!

3:38	Comment From Aunt Jessie Is DiPoto’s first move to trade Trumbo? I mean… he DID already trade him away once. ;-p

3:38	Jeff Sullivan: firing McClendon

3:39	Sean Dolinar: There are now 5 FanGraph’ers in the chat.

3:39	Comment From Dan who is Sometimes the Man How many non FanGraph’ers?

3:39	Jeff Sullivan: fewer than 300 actually. these weekday matinees…

3:41	Jeff Sullivan: Diekman with the Phillies: 61% strikes Diekman with the Rangers: 64%

3:41	Jeff Sullivan: but fewer whiffs and first-pitch strikes…

3:41	Comment From Art Vandelay Prince Fielder looks like the Weeknd

3:41	Comment From Designated Bitter FanGraphites

3:41	Sean Dolinar: Denizens of FanGraphs!

3:42	Comment From Nick Does Diekman have deception to go with his 99? These guys are wayyyy behind.

3:42	Jeff Sullivan: hard to tell. he’s tall and might briefly hide the ball behind his head but the delivery doesn’t look exceptional

3:43	Comment From LioneeR Did Diekman change much after coming from the Phillies? Or can a lot of his improvement be attributed to getting out of a losing atmosphere/poor clubhouse situation?

3:43	Jeff Sullivan: more fastballs, fewer breaking balls, similar to Dyson

3:43	Jeff Sullivan: and we have extra innings

3:44	Craig Edwards: I am here and ready to chat. Royals-Astros update: in a commercial break.

3:44	Comment From xx jesus since when does Diekman hit 100

3:44	Jeff Sullivan: hello, playoff adrenaline!

3:44	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Just curious, in a given at bat, whose platoon split is more predictive, hitter or pitcher?

3:44	Jeff Sullivan: if I recall it’s actually about 50/50 but let me check

3:47	Jeff Sullivan: This is taking too long. assume it’s roughly 50/50

3:47	Comment From MSW Anybody want to read my short story about FangRap HS, the high school for vampire emcees?

3:47	Comment From Norrin Radd Why were Lewis/Holland even warming up?

3:47	Jeff Sullivan: throw days?

3:48	Comment From Alex Diekman actually hit 102 this year, according to Brooks Baseball, but they also use 55ft. for the pitcher release point.

3:48	Comment From The+Dude For the World Series, can EVERYONE at Fangraphs live blog?

3:48	Jeff Sullivan: good god

3:48	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina I really hope Beltre isn’t done for the year. I’m still a bit bummed the Red Sox let him go after 2010.

3:48	Craig Edwards: same, except for the Red Sox part. I think any franchise that has had him should feel lucky he was there, even briefly.

3:48	Jeff Sullivan: Ever so casually, Osuna out here for a second inning…

3:49	Comment From Toronto Fan Impressive play

3:49	Comment From Rick Cecil apparently in crutches

3:49	Jeff Sullivan: Very bad news

3:49	Comment From maglajz Any chance Osuna comes to pitch again?

3:49	Jeff Sullivan: not going to go to a third

3:50	Jeff Sullivan: Yes

3:51	Craig Edwards: Cueto with the “rocking chair” early on. Probably could have gotten called strike 3 on 0-2 to Springer. Ended up with a walk. This is the game everyone is watching, right?

3:52	Comment From Robinson Chorizo Which 2 fangraphers would be most likely to get into an argument on a chat?

3:52	Jeff Sullivan: we’re all exceptionally nice

3:53	Jeff Sullivan: according to Ken Rosenthal, Adrian Beltre is taking practice swings right now

3:53	Craig Edwards: Playoff hero Colby Rasmus.

3:53	Comment From Fish “left calf tightness” for Cecil

3:54	Comment From Dan If the Jays don’t win it in the 10th, I’m rather concerned about their bullpen holding against Choo/Fielder/etc. Loup is the only lefty remaining and he doesn’t inspire confidence…

3:54	Jeff Sullivan: and the Rangers still have Kela and Tolleson

3:54	Comment From The+Dude I don’t care about results. Every pitcher should be required to throw as entertainingly as Johnny Cueto.

3:54	Craig Edwards: but what makes it entertaining is that it is unique.

3:55	Comment From Michael Am I supposed to dislike Costas as a playoff announcer? Mercy, he’s miles better than what Fox trots out.

3:55	Jeff Sullivan: I think people dislike him for other reasons

3:55	Jeff Sullivan: Diekman all over the edges in this at-bat

3:55	Craig Edwards: I agree with Pierzynski. WIth 2 outs, even with Alex Gordon in left field, you should try to get the run in with Rasmus running.

3:56	Jeff Sullivan: Revere just kept going after that inside pitch and he kept doing nothing with it

3:56	Comment From Michael Other reasons?

3:56	Jeff Sullivan: perceived smugness. people will think what they think

3:56	Comment From Tyrone Biggums Too much groupthink when it comes to announcers. If you like a guy, you like him.

3:56	Comment From Bob Loblaw For the record, as a Rangers fan I do not like the idea of Diekman pitching to Donaldson.

3:56	Comment From The Hamburglar I have 0 faith in the Jays to win this now

3:57	Comment From The+Dude I’m watching the game, Craig! (I don’t have access to MLB Network. sob)

3:57	Craig Edwards: Glad to have you aboard. It’s okay to cry.

3:57	Comment From Fish We need it to rain in KC again. Just until the Toronto game is over. Otherwise, this is gonna get REAL confusing

3:57	Sean Dolinar: That was clutch yesterday, because I was still at work until 9PM EDT.

3:57	Jeff Sullivan: Annnnnnnd we go to the 11th

3:58	Comment From Robinson Chorizo Of course Fish wants it to rain

3:58	Comment From Robinson Chorizo Rangers

3:59	Comment From Fish I’m saltwater, though 🙁

4:00	Jeff Sullivan: voting currently split 50/50…

4:00	Comment From j6takish the 2nd wildcard is really messing with America’s love of underdogs. Royals are old news already

4:00	Comment From G Start a different thread for astros/kc?

4:00	Jeff Sullivan: can’t really…do that, I’m afraid

4:00	Jeff Sullivan: Rangers/Blue Jays

4:01	Comment From Tyrone Biggums Is Rasmus hair sweaty, greasy, or wet?

4:01	Craig Edwards: yes

4:02	Jeff Sullivan: Three-quarters of people say they’re watching Rangers/Jays

4:02	Jeff Sullivan: Mark Lowe trying that inside sinker against Choo but Stroman’s was better

4:02	Jeff Sullivan: That one worked

4:03	Comment From Comins and Goins Do you think Rasmus’ dad wants him to cut/wash it?

4:03	Craig Edwards: Only if Tony LaRussa want him to leave it as is.

4:04	Jeff Sullivan: Lowe with the backdoor slider, then the inside slider for a whiff

4:04	Comment From TH i never thought about the needing a passport when traded to the blue jays issue

4:04	Jeff Sullivan: Jim Kaat getting thrown off by Martin’s framing

4:05	Jeff Sullivan: Venable running for Fielder; Fielder is finished

4:06	Comment From Michael Do you think umpires are starting to resent catchers with the reputation of being “great framers”?

4:06	Jeff Sullivan: on the contrary, I think they like the catchers who give them the best views

4:06	Jeff Sullivan: Adrian Beltre in the dugout holding a bat

4:08	Comment From TR Jeff, what does the strike zoone look like? Martin is not happy.

4:08	Jeff Sullivan: it’s been a little tight http://www.brooksbaseball.n…

4:08	Comment From Bob Loblaw Jeff – are you sure he’s holding a bat because he might hit, or is he just trying to protect himself in case the Rangers win and Andrus goes for a headrub?

4:08	Craig Edwards: Royals fans chanting get a hair cut, but between Rasmus and the fans, he is one of the only ones that can wear a jersey and hat to work.

4:09	Jeff Sullivan: Consecutive walks for Lowe

4:09	Jeff Sullivan: fittingly enough, now a visit from Walker

4:09	David G Temple: Good joke!

4:10	Comment From Designated Bitter Batflip on a full count Walk. I fully endorse this as a thing

4:10	Comment From Brick Mark Lowe. As a Rangers fan, the schadenfreude is SO real.

4:10	David G Temple: How has there not been fisticuffs between baserunner and second baseman by now?

4:11	David G Temple: There probably has, I just don’t remember it.

4:11	Comment From Ron Wasn’t there a famous one with Pete Rose many years ago?

4:11	David G Temple: Probably…

4:12	Comment From G How could the umpire not call that an illegal slide?

4:12	Comment From TR Also because Goins really doesn’t want to fight Napoli

4:12	Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, too many brawls involve the catcher. let’s see them germinate elsewhere

4:13	Comment From Danny Here comes Loup for the typical weak grounder single or flare shot into the outfield.

4:13	Comment From Bob Loblaw Shouldn’t the Rangers pinch hit here? No way you can let Hamilton up there against a lefty in this situatoin…

4:13	Jeff Sullivan: your options are Beltre or Stubbs

4:13	Craig Edwards: Cueto has now given up two walks that started 0-2.

4:14	Jeff Sullivan: Hamilton did well but not well enough. Inning’s over

4:14	David G Temple: Wow, Moustakas’ hesitation was costly.

4:15	Comment From Michael Bah. Jeff is like 1 minute ahead of my feed.

4:15	Jeff Sullivan: And I’m a minute behind everyone else!

4:15	Craig Edwards: Cueto pointed to third, and Moustakos looking back there cost them an out. Bases loaded no outs for Altuve.

4:16	Comment From ShinyThing Astros have got something going.

4:17	Sean Dolinar: I’ll be switching over to the KC-HOU game after the Jays get a walk-off HR.

4:18	Comment From The+Dude Was the sarcastic applaud by the Kansas City crowd?

4:18	Craig Edwards: I don’t think so. Thought it was for getting an important out.

4:19	Craig Edwards: Springer had a green light on 3-0. Can be a smart play.

4:19	Comment From Just curious If things keep going well, could the Astros be the only team to win both the NL pennant and the AL pennant?

4:19	Sean Dolinar: Milwaukee could do it, too.

4:19	David G Temple: Bloop single by Springer scores 2. 3-0 Houston in the 2nd.

4:19	David G Temple: It was fisted, if you will.

4:19	Jeff Sullivan: by the way, Napoli sliding into Goins:

4:20	Jeff Sullivan:

4:20	Jeff Sullivan: Encarnacion very much unhappy with this strike zone

4:21	Craig Edwards: Cueto’s trademarked delivery hit Springer’s bat right in the trademark and Houston now has a 3-0 lead. /Nailed it.

4:22	David G Temple: Very quiet in KC right now.

4:22	Comment From DB Is there someone who tracks pitchers “accuracy” by keeping track of how many times they miss their spot – catchers glove? How does that work and is that publically available?

4:22	Sean Dolinar: It’s not that precise and resource intensive. I saw something (though I can’t find it now; it might have been at Saberseminar) where the researchers used video to do just this. It’s hard to measure because of different camera angles, framing, and the fuzziness of video.

4:22	Jeff Sullivan: Inside Edge does it

4:23	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t know how good it is

4:23	Craig Edwards: Could be the newness of it, but A.J. Pierzynksi seems really good as an announcer. Would be happy to see him take somebody’s spot in the FOX WS booth.

4:23	Comment From Phillies113 Isn’t Paul supposed to be here too?

4:23	Sean Dolinar: I think for the NYM/LAD game.

4:23	Jeff Sullivan: Off to the 12th. won’t ever be able to leave my computer

4:25	Comment From Sgt. Pepper I don’t trust my judgement on the strikezone but this seems kinda bad

4:25	Jeff Sullivan: Tolleson was painting the edges. That’s how you earn calls

4:25	David G Temple: DP by Correa ends it in the 2nd. 3-0 HOU going into the bottom of 2nd.

4:26	Jeff Sullivan: Extreme pull shift for Odor

4:27	Jeff Sullivan: And he goes the other way! with a lazy fly out.

4:27	Jeff Sullivan: Boy is this chat window ever non-responsive for me 🙁

4:27	Comment From The+Dude Aren’t the Astros the team that strikes out all the time? How are they not striking out?

4:27	Craig Edwards: Yes, although the Cubs actually took the crown by a decent amount this season. Cueto has had trouble finishing hitters off so far.

4:27	David G Temple: It’s been pretty dumb.

4:28	David G Temple: (The chat window, that is)

4:28	Jeff Sullivan: This software just does not hold up to volume

4:29	David G Temple: Have you tried restarting it?

4:30	Craig Edwards: Really great turn on the DP by Zobrist last inning. Will be interesting to see what kind of contract he gets.

4:31	David G Temple: Sal Perez with a solo shot makes it 3-1 HOU.

4:32	Jeff Sullivan: Sanchez makes quick work of the Rangers. off to the bottom of the 12th! and I’m getting hungry and irritable

4:33	Comment From Kevin Who is most adversely affected personnel wise by this extra inning affair?

4:33	Jeff Sullivan: neither team should benefit. day off tomorrow. both bullpens are fairly deep

4:33	Comment From ShinyThing Are the Jays going for the professional record for longest game? They have awhile to go then.

4:33	Jeff Sullivan: I would kill myself

4:33	Comment From Ricks Sanchez highest legs/torso ratio in the MLB?

4:33	Comment From The+Dude The Royals scoring vit HRs. The Astros scoring by stringing hits together. Screw your team scouting reports!

4:34	Comment From Canadian Caddy If the Jays fail, what are the chances of them winning the series?

4:34	Jeff Sullivan: around 20%

4:34	Comment From TR I didn’t know that entertaining baseball games made you irritable Jeff

4:34	Jeff Sullivan: the kitchen is downstairs and I am upstairs and I am committed to this live chat

4:34	Comment From B Has anyone written a speculative post on what’s wrong with Cueto? He’s been hit-happy for what seems like months.

4:34	Craig Edwards: Jeff has written a couple pieces on it. http://www.fangraphs.com/bl… http://www.fangraphs.com/bl…

4:35	Jeff Sullivan: Base hit Colabello!

4:35	Jeff Sullivan: 25% of the way to sandwich!

4:35	Comment From Michael Pinch runner?

4:35	Jeff Sullivan: Dalton Pompey it is

4:36	Comment From Nachos Craig (or anyone) the win probability chart on the KC/HOU game thinks Houston only has 2 runs. http://www.fangraphs.com/li…

4:36	Jeff Sullivan: will notify Appelman

4:38	Craig Edwards: Playoff hero Colby Rasmus

4:38	Comment From Designated Bitter Conundrum: I devoted 12 hours today to watching baseball. So far, I am doing exactly that, but because of extra innings, I am still somehow missing baseball.

4:39	Comment From Aunt Jessie Now I want some poutine. Thanks, Jays radio broadcast.

4:39	Sean Dolinar: Now you got me wanting poutine!

4:39	David G Temple: Colby Rasmus is a man on fire.

4:39	David G Temple: Not literally, however.

4:39	Comment From Tyrone Biggums A grease fire.

4:39	Jeff Sullivan: I picture Rasmus sprinting with his mane aflame

4:39	Comment From DB Does it seems fair that the 1b coach can have a stopwatch? I don’t like it, and seems weird they allow it

4:39	Jeff Sullivan: now that you mention it

4:40	Craig Edwards: AJP quoting Major League 2.

4:41	David G Temple: Poorly

4:41	Comment From B What’s the anti-stopwatch argument?

4:41	Jeff Sullivan: device on the field of play

4:41	Comment From B And?

4:41	Jeff Sullivan: that’s all

4:42	Comment From Denji Rasmus 2016

4:42	Craig Edwards: Close. His OPS in the playoffs is actually 2.250

4:42	Jeff Sullivan: Another borderline strike call for the Rangers

4:42	Comment From Bob Loblaw Totally off topic, but what percentage of America knows that the Speaker of the House need not be an elected member of Congress (or a person who has been elected to any other office, for that matter)?

4:42	Sean Dolinar: I knew that…but I guess most of the general public doesn’t. I can’t see the HR not electing one of their own.

4:42	Jeff Sullivan: Pompey takes second with two outs…

4:43	Jeff Sullivan: Pompey takes third!

4:43	Comment From Kevin Rasmus making a push for a postseason success FA bump.

4:43	Craig Edwards: Probably won’t have to settle for a one-year deal again this winter.

4:44	Jeff Sullivan: Annnnnnnd Goins is out. I die slowly

4:45	David G Temple: Jeff, there are like 90 FG people in here. You can get your sandwich if you want.

4:45	Jeff Sullivan: I MADE A COMMITMENT

4:45	Sean Dolinar: What kind of sandwich?

4:45	David G Temple: Folks, stop commenting with GIFs. We won’t post them, and they are annoying us in the comment stream.

4:46	Comment From matt With pennington on the bench how has gibbons not pinch hit for goins yet???

4:46	Jeff Sullivan: seems like he really doesn’t want to use his second catcher

4:46	Comment From TH JEFF I HAVE AN IDEA. send a pizza emoji to dominos. ya. doesnt even involve callin’

4:46	Sean Dolinar: I support all emoji.

4:46	Comment From Ryan Is the postseason somewhat paradoxically the only part of the season Sal Perez gets semi-regular rest because of the schedule?

4:46	David G Temple: Probably!

4:47	Comment From TR Colby Rasmus reminds me of a much crappier Lenny Dykstra

4:47	Craig Edwards: Through 7 seasons-Dykstra-24 WAR, Rasmus-17. Not that far off.

4:47	Comment From Ben But he needed Smoak for defense anyway

4:47	Jeff Sullivan: forgot about Smoak

4:47	Craig Edwards: Naked eye-thought he was safe

4:48	Jeff Sullivan: So Smoak is in the game now at first after Pompey pinch-ran for Colabello

4:49	Craig Edwards: Instant replay says he was safe. Royals with 1st and 3rd, nobody out with Zobrist up.

4:49	Jeff Sullivan: Strike zone in Toronto getting people pretty uppity

4:49	Comment From Kyle Odds Royals-Astros finishes before Blue Jays-Rangers?

4:49	Jeff Sullivan: annoying

4:50	Comment From TH so the announcers basically just said that their eye is better than the graphic that shows if it is a ball or a strike…

4:51	Comment From Art Vandelay In all fairness, there have been so many borderline pitches this game.

4:51	Jeff Sullivan: yeah, it’s just asking for controversy

4:51	Comment From The+Dude Rasmus is encouraging a generation of young baseball players to forgo showering. Or getting their hair cut.

4:51	Craig Edwards: I hope there are a bunch of kids in Houston right now saying, “but Colby Rasmus does it”

4:51	Comment From The+Dude Jeff, do you get overtime?

4:51	Jeff Sullivan: technically it’s not even 2pm my time

4:51	Comment From TR Dykstra 1993 world series, 4 HR. Rasmus, ??

4:52	Jeff Sullivan: Sanchez really featuring the high-waisted pants

4:53	Comment From Minty You have to wonder if Rasmus’ hair is like getting slapped by a wet towel when he’s running.

4:53	Comment From Nachos sounds like the Royals crowd is trying to will them back into it

4:53	Craig Edwards: these fans are playoff veterans.

4:53	David G Temple: DP scores the man from third. 4-2 HOU

4:53	Jeff Sullivan: Man does Napoli ever have a terrifying swing

4:55	Jeff Sullivan: And there’s Ryan Goins paying off

4:55	Jeff Sullivan: Really good play behind the bag sends us to the bottom of the unluckiest inning!

4:55	Comment From TR PLEASE SCORE HERE I AM RUNNING OUT OF SWEAT

4:56	Comment From Phil I have started to boo great defensive plays.

4:56	Comment From Bob Loblaw Rangers bringing in Keone Kela who they have a stated desire not to use on back to back days. This isn’t going to end well for Texas.

4:57	Comment From Total Clown Jeff, does Donaldson deserve mvp if he ends the game and sends you to the kitchen?

4:57	Jeff Sullivan: gets my vote

4:58	Comment From Phillies113 Do you think there is a psychological benefit to winning a long game like this, especially in a playoff series?

4:58	Jeff Sullivan: probably exaggerates the delight and disappointment on either side, but I don’t think it’s the sort of thing that materializes later in the series

4:59	Jeff Sullivan: Ben Revere cannot help himself but go after inside fastballs

4:59	Comment From Sgt. Pepper I still need to walk 5km today and work on my thesis. If Donaldson hits a home run and ends this I will literally walk to the polling place up the road and vote for him for Member of Parliament.

4:59	Sean Dolinar: You haven’t done this already?

5:00	Jeff Sullivan: Genuinely forgot that Cole Hamels pitched today

5:00	Comment From The+Dude AJ Pierzynski is shockingly good as a broadcaster.

5:00	Craig Edwards: The broadcasters on his team probably love him, but rival broadcasters I’m not so sure about.

5:01	Jeff Sullivan: KEEP THOSE FAIR DONALDSON GOD DAMMIT

5:01	Jeff Sullivan: a bench-clearing conversation!

5:01	Comment From MSW All I’m seeing is “onfield delay”

5:01	Comment From Toronto Fan Donaldson saying some pretty uplifting stuff

5:02	Comment From Phil You can’t let this pitcher-batter pairing continue now with Donaldson, right? How can you trust him not to beam him?

5:02	Jeff Sullivan: playoff game?

5:03	Comment From MSW Seriously though, for us working stiffs. what is happening

5:03	David G Temple: Donaldson stood on home and observed his foul ball. The pitcher appeared to have taken offense.

5:03	Comment From DB MLB needs to do something about the pens emptying….this is getting stupid. Talk about pace of play and adding time to the game. Plus if they do fight it just adds to people getting hurt

5:03	Sean Dolinar: I think MLB needs to police the players policing themselves. Especially with HBP.

5:03	Comment From Ben Jays radio says Donaldson upset by quick-pitch

5:03	David G Temple: Perhaps that’s it?

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: I bet Kela feels pretty good right now

5:06	Comment From Nachos God forbid someone try to speed up the game by “pitching quickly”

5:06	Comment From Phil It did appear Donaldson was griping before the exchange. How can he complain about a quick pitch that he missed homering by a few feet?

5:06	Comment From DR EVIL So Jeff, David…. you guys doing the CHI/STL game too?

5:06	Jeff Sullivan: I’m outta here when this game is outta here

5:07	Comment From MSW Umm gameday just showed ball one as middle-middle. For reals, or gameday error?

5:07	Jeff Sullivan: error

5:08	Jeff Sullivan: JESUS GOD DAMN

5:08	Jeff Sullivan: Encarnacion misses a home run by three feet

5:08	Jeff Sullivan: Sooooooooooooo a 14th inning shall be allowed

5:09	Craig Edwards: Royals-Astros seems to be settling down some. 8 pitches for Cueto last inning. 1-2-3 for Kazmir. Astros up 4-2 through 4.

5:09	Comment From DR EVIL The 0-1 was indeed a bit of a quick pitch. He didn’t come set (doesn’t have to with noone on) and he sped up his delivery. Not sure if that is what Donaldson was upset with – he said something to Kela before Kela yelled something back and started walking toward him.

5:09	Comment From Michael #LetJeffEat

5:10	Comment From JACKS Funny to hear Kaat and Costas essentially blame Kela’s age and upbringing for that little exchange; and excuse Donaldson as “higher in the pecking order”

5:10	Comment From NYDC go get a sandwich man!

5:10	Jeff Sullivan: I ran down to get a couple cheese sticks

5:11	Comment From Danny The warning track is the Rangers best friend in this series. Tulo and EE have hit numerous warning track shots.

5:11

Comment From mtsw
Does the advantage the home team has in extra innings meaningfully diminish as the game goes later and later? Pitchers get lousier and benches are exhausted meaning the tactical advantage the home team has in manufacturing a single run becomes mitigated right? Has anyone studied this?

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: Can’t think of a study that’s been done

5:12	Craig Edwards: Rasmus will bat this inning. He’s a triple and single short of the cycle.

5:12	Comment From B That upbringing stuff is nonsense, but there is something a little pathetic about talking trash to the MVP when you’re a 22-year-old RP.

5:12	Jeff Sullivan: not if he starts it

5:13	Comment From Bob Loblaw I am 30 years old. LaTroy Hawkins was drafted when I was in kindergarten.

5:13	Jeff Sullivan: Dan Wilson reference

5:14	Comment From xx eek http://www.baseball-referen… re: the extra innings advantage: less than it is for a full game

5:15	Craig Edwards: Trainer out for Correa. Fouled it off his back thigh.

5:15	Jeff Sullivan: Not a great pitch to Hamilton but he flicked it instead of swinging through it

5:15	Jeff Sullivan: Rosenthal basically confirming that it was a quick-pitch attempt by Kela. Which is fine, of course

5:16	Comment From B Depends on severity of “starting it,” I guess. But I mostly disagree with you.

5:16	Jeff Sullivan: if someone is yelling mean things at you, you are allowed to yell at him back

5:16	Jeff Sullivan: Odors hits it against the shift on the ground!

5:17	Craig Edwards: Correa steps back in the box, but Cueto gets a swing and a miss for a K. Cueto’s 5th on the day.

5:17	Comment From The Hamburglar So I was driving back from work. Was Donaldson overreacting?

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: probably but he’s an emotional dude. they’re all just tired and annoyed

5:17	Comment From Dan who is Sometimes the Man Sure, Jeff can’t have his sandwich yet, but think of the poor people at the game who haven’t been able to get a beer for 2+ hours

5:18	Craig Edwards: Sounds like you are projecting, Jeff.

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: Lots of ballplayer swear words getting picked up by the mics in this one

5:20	Craig Edwards: Rasmus walks. He’s now 4 for 8 with 3 homers, a double, and 3 walks.

5:20	Jeff Sullivan: Another shot the other way by the Rangers. Bautista with a good idea to throw behind Odor rounding second, but he just missed

5:21	Jeff Sullivan: Odor might be out…

5:22	August Fagerstrom: hey guys so is this game going to end before my chat starts? because i’m not sure i’m willing to turn it off

5:22	Comment From jj Cueto is scared of rasmus. 9 baserunners for the ‘stro already

5:22	Craig Edwards: have to wonder if the Astros won’t regret cashing in a few more runs. Royals still close.

5:22	Comment From Toronto Fan Hes gonna be out

5:22	Comment From Designated Bitter That’s an out, homie

5:22	Comment From Bob Loblaw Odor’s out.

5:23	Sean Dolinar: I see 6 FanGraph’ers logged in now.

5:23	Comment From DR EVIL Just what replay was intended to do (I hate these type of reviews)

5:23	Jeff Sullivan: getting calls right?

5:23	Comment From mtsw Exactly the sort of play that never would’ve been an out before replay and is kinda dumb that it’s an out now.

5:23	Jeff Sullivan: he’s safe!

5:24	Jeff Sullivan: Rangers take the lead!

5:25	Comment From JACKS Nothing more exciting than watching the umpires gather for 5 minutes and have a chat during the 14th inning!

5:25	Jeff Sullivan: seems kind of worth it

5:25	Comment From Toronto Fan I guess Odor is a hero

5:26	Comment From Guesto So, that replay is gonna be a hot discussion topic for the next few days, eh?

5:26	Jeff Sullivan: you think?

5:26	Comment From Designated Bitter That was a very 2015 sequence. Replay upholds a call and a runner avoids the catcher on a throw home. I dig it.

5:27	Comment From Guesto Can’t lie – I had no idea Hanser Alberto existed until today.

5:28	Comment From Oddibe Young What’s your take on it? I’m inclined to agree that it wasn’t quite conclusive that he was out.

5:28	Sean Dolinar: I thought he was out, but it was too close to overturn.

5:28	Comment From B Odor had a fairly close plays at 1st, 2nd, and home in that trip around the bases. Love how relevant small distances can be in this game that also includes 450-foot HRs and 100mph pitches.

5:29	Jeff Sullivan: Another run!

5:29	Comment From Sgt. Pepper wtf that looked routine

5:30	Comment From Designated Bitter LUDICROUS SPEED

5:30	Comment From MSW Hanser. He’s so hot right now.

5:30	Comment From The Hamburglar Jesus. Are the Texas Rangers really going to make the ALCS? They are very mediocre

5:30	Sean Dolinar: A 98-win team didn’t make the NLDS.

5:32	Jeff Sullivan: the big play:

5:32	Craig Edwards: Kazmir making a lot of pitches and Josh Fields is warming. Starting the third time through the order with Escobar.

5:32	Craig Edwards:

5:34	Comment From Toronto Fan Jeff Passan:

5:34	Comment From Toronto Fan Average top speed, home to 1B: Delino DeShields, 19.98 mph Paulo Orlando, 19.34 Rajai Davis, 19.28 Jake Marisnick, 19.22 Kiermaier, 19.19

5:34	Comment From Unnecessary Plouffeness I hate when replay is used to call a guy out because he lifted his foot a millimeter into the air while standing right on the base, or when a fielder pushes a guy’s foot off, or a fielder’s foot blocks the path to the base on a steal. Dumb dumb dumb.

5:34	Comment From Designated Bitter That is a MASSIVE gap

5:34	Comment From Bodrod the Bearded What do you guys think about the idea of keeping the wild card but just making it about the best five records in the league, I.E. Pirates, Cubs, Cardinals all clinch spots with Dodgers and whoever the other team was as wildcards

5:34	Craig Edwards: If I were to make a change, I would guarantee the top two division leaders a spot in the LDS. Then, between the the 3rd division leader and the two Wild Cards, best record goes to LDS, other 2 go to play-in game.

5:35	Jeff Sullivan: The call at second seems like one of those calls where if it had been called the other way on the field, replay would’ve resulted in the call also standing

5:36	Jeff Sullivan: My sense is that was a bad strike call

5:36	Jeff Sullivan: Boy howdy

5:37	Jeff Sullivan: Awful call

5:37	Comment From Designated Bitter Sean Dolinar has some dangerous ideas

5:37	Sean Dolinar: Wait until you hear my 2-base HBP idea.

5:37	Jeff Sullivan: Sarcastic cheer for the ball call to Smoak. love it

5:38	Comment From Nachos I would like: 2 divisions per league, 4 wild cards per league. 3 game wild card series – the two division winners get a bye into the division series. all else the same. It adds one more team to the post-season per league, and extends the post-season by 2 games.

5:38	Craig Edwards: I like the 2 division idea. Might work better if there were 2 more teams in MLB. Not sure about adding a sixth spot in the playoffs though. Could dilute things.

5:38	Comment From DR EVIL Two questions 1) Is MLBN missing an opportunity not broadcasting Ohlendorrf in black and white? 2) His back foot is coming off the rubber a couple of times – isn’t that technically a non-pitch?

5:38	Jeff Sullivan: every pitcher does that

5:38	Comment From B Think a home team will win this postseason?

5:39	Jeff Sullivan: Jays down to the verge of being on the verge

5:40	Comment From Norrin Radd Ohlendorf/Gimenez battery, playoffs are cool!

5:40	Craig Edwards: If Luis Valbuena and Dexter Fowler keep getting hits, we’ll never be able to figure out who won the trade.

5:40	Jeff Sullivan: And we have a baserunner

5:41	Jeff Sullivan: Martin clearly stuck his elbow out

5:41	Jeff Sullivan: That should just be a ball

5:41	Comment From Aunt Jessie Okay, so DiPoto has already fired Lloyd. Is his NEXT move to move Trumbo? =p

5:41	Craig Edwards: Could happen sometime this winter.

5:42	Comment From Bob Loblaw Reminder that Ross Ohlendorf performed below replacement level in 2015.

5:42	Comment From xx how egregious does putting yourself in the pitch’s way have to get before the ump won’t give the batter the HBP?

5:42	Jeff Sullivan: apparently extremely egregious

5:43	Jeff Sullivan: And it’s over!

5:43	Jeff Sullivan: Unbelievable. Well, not unbelievable, but very surprising

5:43	Jeff Sullivan: Ross god damned Ohlendorf

5:43	Comment From Brandon RE: 2 Divisions: So much for rivalries, i guess?

5:43	Sean Dolinar: You’d still get them. Rivalries end up being whoever you play the most with playoff implications.

5:43	Comment From DR EVIL “The Rangers played baseball ” – Jim Kaat sums it up well?

5:44	Comment From Nachos Has anyone ever seen a HBP called a ball?

5:44	Jeff Sullivan: yes! once or twice

5:44	Jeff Sullivan: I’m outta here you guys. Thanks for hanging around. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening of baseball

5:45	Craig Edwards: Jeff Sullivan sandwich watch is at a merciful end while the Astros lead the Royals 4-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth.

5:45	Comment From Oddibe Young That actually made me feel better about Tabata, knowing what’s apparently allowed

5:45	Sean Dolinar: That still was terrible. Tabata got DFA like a week later.

5:45	Comment From JACKS Thanks Jeff!

5:45	Sean Dolinar: I still really want to know what type of sandwich Sullivan’s getting.

5:45	Jeff Sullivan: delicious sandwich

5:46	Comment From Spiff Announcers (Pierzynski?) Just said that the Royals are going to try to win this game.

5:46	Craig Edwards: Sage advice.

5:48	Comment From Kevin So on a scale from one to Mariners, how depressing would it be for Blue Jays fans to go to the playoffs for the first time in 22 years and have them not win a single game at home? Get swept?

5:48	Craig Edwards: It’s pretty bad, but they are also bringing back a pretty good team next year.

5:49	Craig Edwards: Also, Blue Jays season not done yet.

5:51	Craig Edwards: Astros pressing their luck here with Kazmir, who just gave up a double to Cain.

5:52

Comment From Nachos
On my 2 division plan – if concern is that 6 playoff teams is too diluted, would not mind stopping at 4. Either top two teams from each division advance, or the winners plus two best records. But I suspect the revenue generated by: 1. Wild card games, and (more importantly) 2. more teams being in the playoff hunt will outweigh dilution concerns.

5:52	Sean Dolinar: I think baseball has hit a happy medium between too many teams making the playoffs and too few. This is evident in how the trade deadline changed, because there are so many buyers now.

5:53	Craig Edwards: And Kazmir is out. Tying run on base. Oliver Perez-yes that Oliver Perez is coming in to face Hosmer.

5:54	Comment From Toronto Fan Brett Cecil with a “significant tear in his calf”

5:56	Comment From senpaisanto hey craig, enjoyed your article – have a take on the cubs v. cardinals lineups?

5:56

Craig Edwards: Thanks-Cubs lineup today is probably the one we expected against the Pirates-minus Ross. Cardinals are probably putting up their best lineup of the season. Question for them is health, especially Molina and then Grichuk making throws from right-they are worried about his ability to make throws from CF, but RF is no picnic.

5:57	Comment From Nachos Perez to face Hosmer who is 0-6 this post-season.

5:57	Craig Edwards: 1-7!. Hosmer equals Springer’s jam shot, scoring Cain. Now a one-run game. Cain was moving with the pitch. Risky, but paid off.

5:58	Comment From Kevin Much better games today so far!

5:58	Craig Edwards: a lot closer for sure.

5:58	Comment From Evan The problem with 2 divisions is that MLB is looking for ways to increase the number of games that teams play that start at 7 PM in their home TV market, not decrease them. I don’t see them reducing divisions unless they completely realign the leagues by geography.

5:58	Sean Dolinar: While bad for TV revenue…I love 10PM West Coast games.

5:59	Comment From MSW Honestly, if you told me in 2010 that LaTroy Hawkins and Bartolo Colon were pitching in the playoffs, I might have believed you. But Oliver Perez? Never in my wildest nightmares.

6:01	Craig Edwards: Bases loaded for Salvador Perez, who already has a homer. Fields is coming in. Just one out.

6:02	Comment From DR EVIL Did Oliver Perez remember to pick up the empty gas can when he was pulled?

6:02	Craig Edwards: Kazmir, and arguably Hinch started it, but Perez got a bit of bad luck against Hosmer, and then wasn’t really close against Moustakas.

6:03	Comment From Nachos Royals WPA is positive for the first time all series.

6:03	Comment From Nachos (exluding top half of both first innings before runs scored)

6:04	Comment From senpaisanto jeff’s sandwich – dressed in blue jays’ tears…

6:04	Sean Dolinar: that would taste awful and risk bird flu.

6:05	Craig Edwards: Has to be tough for a reliever to come on with the bases loaded in this environment. FIelds didn’t come anywhere close to the strike zone. Overthrowing perhaps?

6:05	Comment From The Hamburglar Is he really about to walk Salvador Perez?

6:06	Comment From The Hamburglar That’s awful. Walking Salvador Perez is pretty inexcusable

6:06	Sean Dolinar: The K is LOUD.

6:07	Comment From DR EVIL So if you are a hitter – are you hacking at a first pitch fastball after that? Or do you have to take one strike?

6:07	Craig Edwards: Depends on how comfortable the hitter is. If he is the type to swing on 3-0, then swing.

6:08	Comment From Nachos wow Salvador perez had 13 walks…. all season

6:08	Craig Edwards: Perez had 7 4-0 walks all season-four were intentional.

6:11	Craig Edwards: Fields came in with the bases loaded and one out and gave up just one run. It was a little ugly, but that is a decent outcome for the Astros given the situation.

6:12	Comment From highrent He blew that one right by him.

6:12

Comment From senpaisanto
seeing this astros team more closely now (after following the cubs all season) i can’t help but feel they’re similar somehow, e.g., succeeding despite high team strikeout totals. is this just a function of both squads leveraging their youth? what might a math-type thingy looking at those strikeouts in the context of clutchness have to tell us?

6:12	Sean Dolinar: They both stripped down their teams and got a bunch of young bats, and then brought them up at the same time. (or around the same time.) Striking out is OK when you hit for power. The Astros did that. The Cubs not quite as much.

6:12	Comment From senpaisanto okay, so how are all y’all on food?

6:12	Sean Dolinar: I’m getting hungry.

6:13	Comment From highrent The astros are thanking their lucky stars. that could have been a disaster.

6:13	Craig Edwards: And Royals should be kicking themselves. Wasted a big opportunity.

6:14	Comment From highrent Chinese Sweet Pork jerky is the best.

6:15	Comment From senpaisanto better get a plan together – learn from jeff

6:15	Craig Edwards: We can all learn things from Jeff. He’s the best.

6:16	Craig Edwards: Pierzynski giving away the secret of loose pants. At least I think that is what he was doing.

6:17	Comment From Toronto Fan He had a hotdog

6:17	Sean Dolinar: Did he? That’s a let down.

6:17	Comment From Designated Bitter A hot dog is not a sandwich

6:17	Sean Dolinar: I’d kill for a Chicago dog now.

6:18	Comment From Designated Bitter Has anyone mentioned Altuve is shorter than the average ballplayer yet today? That’s an important observation that should be made.

6:18	Craig Edwards: but his heart makes up for it.

6:18	Craig Edwards: Herrera with the 360 spin on that K.

6:21	Comment From senpaisanto hot doug’s behind wrigley rightfield ftw

6:21	Sean Dolinar: Did he open a place there? Last I remember he closed the California Ave shop last Oct.

6:24	Comment From Igotherebychance Weird swing by Correa

6:24	Craig Edwards: thigh could still be hurting from earlier in the game. Foul hit him pretty hard.

6:24	Comment From Igotherebychance anyone watching internationally?

6:26	Comment From DR EVIL There is only one ump (per baseball Savant) , who calls more pitches out of the zone than Angel Hernandez. Rather than just having crews – do you think MLB should consider specialized umps during the playoffs (specific umps for HP, 1st base, etc….)

6:26	Craig Edwards: could be difficult as having one ump call multiple games in a row is likely more strenuous, and umps likely don’t want to give up HP assignments.

6:27	Sean Dolinar: I’m surprised how close those two got to the ball.

6:27	August Fagerstrom: here i am to chat about the cubs-cardinals game, people of the fangraphs chat!

6:27	August Fagerstrom: hello!

6:27	Comment From The Hamburglar Obligatory Conan “Fagerstrom, I know youre in there!”

6:27	August Fagerstrom: just get that out of the way early

6:28	Sean Dolinar: Ooo, I have to change over to that game.

6:28	Comment From Aunt Jessie Oh, good, time for a REAL playoff baseball (NL) game. ;-D

6:28	Comment From BulletBill Watching from Australia

6:28	Comment From Designated Bitter August: You have 5 seconds to name the sweetest swing we’ll see tonight in the Cubs-Cards game. GO!

6:28	August Fagerstrom: a great jump-throw in the hole at SS by addison russell

6:28	Comment From ShinyThing Alright, I’m back. Did the Blue Jays game end yet?

6:28	Craig Edwards: should we tell em?

6:29	Comment From Chef Jim I think every game today should go to extras tied at 4.

6:29	Craig Edwards: My apologies.

6:30	Comment From highrent How can his heart be that big when his body’s so small.

6:30	Craig Edwards: science

6:31	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Why do we assume rookies panic and veterans don’t?

6:31	Sean Dolinar: Same reason why ‘playoff experience’ matters. Though intuitively someone who has been through an experience before should be able to handle it better. (Stats just can’t prove that…yet.) But all people are different.

6:32	Comment From Igotherebychance btw i think cubs win game 1 tonight, too hot at the moment

6:32	August Fagerstrom: cubs, so hot right now. cubs

6:35	Comment From Igotherebychance I think that depends on the guy mostly, I would rather have Correa than Russell on the field, guy just seems mentally tougher, readier for postseason maybe?

6:35	Craig Edwards: I think you would rather have Correa simply because he is the better player. I’m not sure I can judge toughness or being more ready, etc.

6:36	Comment From Evan I think the Cards will win tonight because my hands are cold.

6:36

Comment From Beasy
Like after the 7-9 Seahawks made the postseason in 2010, I feel like a lot of this restructuring talk is shortsighted. It values the Cubs’/Pirates’ perspectives and wants to help them out. But wouldn’t the Cardinals, you know, the team with the best record, prefer to face a team that’s down an ace than a full-strength club? Or if the Dodgers and Mets faced off in a one game playoff and advanced to the NLDS down an ace and facing the Cardinals (which, if we’re pretending record is the basis for seeding, would have made for a much different end to the season, with the Dodgers and Mets resting less, and Pirates/Cubs potentially more[or not, and there’s your parity argument!]), would anyone think that too big of an advantage for the Cardinals? I don’t know, am I silly to think people are too focused on molding rules to meet this one season, instead of looking at this season as an outlier? Dare I say, sample size?

6:36

Sean Dolinar: I don’t think a league had the three best teams records wise in the same division since 1975. MLB wanted to make winning the division important. They did that, and clearly winning the division has it’s advantages: the Pirates are at home and the Cubs have to wait to use Arrieta. If MLB wanted to seed the top 3 teams regardless of divisions they would have designed the postseason differently. Plus everything in the postseason is subject to so much randomness, so bickering about what’s fair really doesn’t make much difference.

6:38	Craig Edwards: Royals will need two more innings from the bullpen. Who do they go with? Day off tomorrow.

6:38	Comment From senpaisanto re: “playoff experience” -supposedly a lotta the young rangers came up showcasing, i.e., used to bigtime crowds/environments

6:38	Sean Dolinar: showcasing at lower levels?

6:38	Comment From Igotherebychance I would go Davis for 2 innings, but I don’t think Yost does that

6:40	Comment From Igotherebychance I was thinking fielding specifically, where I would normally like Russell more, but I don’t know, Correa looks so confident out there

6:40	Craig Edwards: does Russell not getting that hot shot on Wednesday factor into it? Would you feel the same way without it? Judging somewhat based on that play might be unfair, I’m not sure. I just don’t have any reason to pick one over the other.

6:42	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Three man booths remind me of the announcer introduction in the Naked Gun where they had like 12

6:42	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina How far away are we from a 4 man booth?

6:42	August Fagerstrom: i just want more jessica mendoza-chris archer talk

6:42	August Fagerstrom: that was splendid.

6:43	Comment From Igotherebychance Was that Yankees Red Sox and Orioles who had the 3 best records, right?

6:43	Sean Dolinar: I was off a little bit…1978 http://www.foxsports.com/ml…

6:44	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina http://sabrmedia.org/wp-con…

6:44	Comment From Designated Bitter I’d like to see a booth where there’s two announcers calling it down the middle and one ‘Heel’ announcer like in professional wrestling. I have obscure and unpopular taste.

6:44	August Fagerstrom: get hawk in there for the next white sox world series

6:46	Comment From Aunt Jessie So if the cubs make it to the WS, they ONLY start lester at AL parks right?

6:46	August Fagerstrom: i mean, even with lester being the very worst pitcher hitter, he’s still not that much worse than most pitchers, because the bar is so low.

6:47	Comment From Evan Hawk and Vin

6:47	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Hawk and Schilling

6:47	Comment From DR EVIL I’d go Davis for two, but I assume Yost will go Madson/Davis?

6:47	Craig Edwards: You are correct and Ryan Madson, yes, that one, an incredible story, just shut them down.

6:47	Comment From Igotherebychance I just realised I’m watching this game through British TV, but thank God commentary is American

6:48	August Fagerstrom: dexter fowler didn’t get a hit

6:48	August Fagerstrom: that’s weird

6:48	Comment From Igotherebychance Craig – Not thinking about that honestly, I was just thinking if I were forced to choose I would go with Correa, based mostly on nothing, but I get what you’re saying

6:48	Craig Edwards: No problem. I was just curious. It is difficult not to pick Correa for just about anything. He is fantastic.

6:48	Comment From Designated Bitter Whats’ Wrong With Dexter Fowler coming up on the frontpage of fangraphs soon

6:48	August Fagerstrom: i’m on it!

6:48	Comment From DB I saw that setup you described for an English soccer game. Two homers and a play by play guy. It was the most entertaining thing ever. They just made fun of the other teams players and their franchises. Baseball needs it

6:49	Comment From Igotherebychance Well, I suppose you didn’t need to ask 6 outs from Davis after all

6:50	Comment From Alex Would John Lackey be considered an ace?

6:50	August Fagerstrom: what’s an ace?

6:51	Comment From Designated Bitter Big fan of the August / Edwards chatmod tandem for what it’s worth. These chats improve my MLB experience

6:51	August Fagerstrom: HEYYO

6:51	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Why don’t refer to 2-5 pitchers as king, queen, jack, 10

6:51	August Fagerstrom: the mets have a really strong hand.

6:51	August Fagerstrom: Astros-Royals

6:53	Comment From highrent Nobody wants to be known as the Queen of the staff I’m guessing.

6:53	Comment From Designated Bitter Because calling Mike Pelfrey a ’10’ seems misleading.

6:53	August Fagerstrom: well that didn’t last long

6:53	Comment From Toronto Fan Watching the end of each game p much

6:54	August Fagerstrom: ooh! just noticed heyward is in center field. hadn’t looked at lineups yet. that’s a treat

6:55	Comment From Guest TBS showing two borderline strike calls, fangraphs thinks there were easy strikes. Who do I trust?

6:55	August Fagerstrom: you went to some coke den or something? i still haven’t quite pieced together that commercial, i just keep hearing it in the background

6:55	Comment From TH hey august, you wanna know how i got this gold ps4? its a p crazy story

6:55	August Fagerstrom: that’s the coke den submission. we’re off the rails already. christ

6:55	Comment From Designated Bitter Wow, that escalated quickly…

6:56	August Fagerstrom: i’m gonna be fired here so fast

6:56	Comment From TH think the red sox could get jurgen klopp?

6:56	Craig Edwards: if they offered him enough. Not sure that would make sense for John Henry though.

6:57	Comment From Igotherebychance Dunno about Heyward in center, I think they should have played him there more in September if the plan was to play him there come playoff time

6:57	August Fagerstrom: wow, i guess i hadn’t realized he’s only play 230 career innings there. thought he’d gotten a lot more. something tells me he’ll be fine

6:57	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Would it be against MLBAM rules to record a live podcast providing alternative commentary? Be cool to get some RiffTrax going.

6:57	Sean Dolinar: Possibly. I think it would fall underneath ‘accounts and descriptions of the game’ Basically, if it takes away from revenue channels (which radio and TV audio provides), MLBAM probably doesn’t like it.

6:57	Comment From Igotherebychance Btw what would you think is a realistic ceiling for Russell with the bat? And yes, Correa is awesome, I’m choosing good times to stay awake and watch baseball

6:57	Craig Edwards: might look a lot like Jhonny Peralta last season.

6:58	August Fagerstrom: first “oops kyle schwarber is in the outfield” moment of the 2015 cubs postseason!

6:58	Comment From Igotherebychance Yeah, he definitely has the talent to play there, just thought he might be a bit uncomfortable calling flyballs or moving to his left

6:58	August Fagerstrom: could be. an interesting minor storyline to look out for

6:58	Comment From Neil Bourjos got left off the playoff roster this round 🙁

6:59	August Fagerstrom: matt holliday will never decline

6:59	Comment From The Hamburglar Royals/Rangers would be lame

6:59	Craig Edwards: Royals are an exciting team to watch and Adrian Beltre deserves a title. Really hope he can get back in it.

7:00	Comment From Designated Bitter Could you construct a competitive major league roster out of just guys with awesome facial hair?

7:00	August Fagerstrom: might be harder to make a major league roster out of guys who don’t

7:01	Comment From Igotherebychance Huge hit by Gordon, if the Royals score I think it’s over

7:01	Craig Edwards: struggles from Neshek continue. Could be a big story going forward, though Keuchel could solve a lot of that.

7:01	Comment From Designated Bitter He’ll still get a ring

7:01	Craig Edwards: true, but it would still be good to see him play. One of the all-time greats.

7:03	August Fagerstrom: definitely more commercials should have ODB instrumentals in the background

7:04	Comment From Kevin True or false: Blue Jays only team from AL that could be favored in the WS?

7:04	Craig Edwards: Probably true, although they would probably be pretty close as long as it is not the Dodgers.

7:04	Craig Edwards: Astros-Royals stays at one run. Wade Davis enters.

7:05	Comment From Igotherebychance Beltre’s season was crazy

7:05	Comment From highrent Only to toronto and Houston fans. It would be an interesting series.

7:05	Comment From Designated Bitter Kansas City would be favored over the Mets

7:05	August Fagerstrom: did that statcast graphic just say that piscotty had a negative seconds first step time?

7:06	Comment From TH no

7:06	August Fagerstrom: just looked again, it definitely did. though i guess that could make sense if he was already in motion at time of contact?

7:07	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina What was the last bad cardinals fa acquisition?

7:07	Craig Edwards: They have had trouble with bench guys like Ty WIgginton, Mark Ellis. The one that always comes to mind is Tino Martinez, but that is ancient history at this point.

7:07	Comment From RespectBattingAverage Whoa what is this fanduel thing? I’ve never seen a commercial before…

7:07	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina You are doing pretty well if your bad signings are bench guys

7:09	August Fagerstrom: no players like any umpires

7:09	Craig Edwards: Astros-Royals is the sixth game of the playoffs and we have yet to see a home team win. Wade Davis is on the case. Strikes out Lowrie for out 1.

7:09	Comment From Igotherebychance Who is the leader for 9 pitch innings? I bet Davis ranks pretty high

7:09	August Fagerstrom: you could give up six runs in a nine-pitch inning

7:10	Comment From Designated Bitter According to the internet, the Cardinals last bad FA signing was LaMarr Woodley, Outside linebacker from the Raiders.

7:10	Craig Edwards: never even got in an MLB game.

7:10	Comment From Igotherebychance I love watching Davis getting to business

7:11	Comment From DR EVIL Why do they keep playing the Vanilla Ice song?

7:11	Craig Edwards: David Bowie is an institution.

7:11	Comment From Say Nay Kid Fun exercise: Construct an entire lineup of former Athletics who are playing on postseason teams this year.

7:12	Comment From Igotherebychance yeah, I meant 9 pitch-3 ks innings, sorry about that

7:12	August Fagerstrom: this actually happens less often than you maybe think. i wrote an article about justin masterson doing it last year (http://www.fangraphs.com/bl…). it’s called an immaculate inning

7:12	Craig Edwards: Instant replay could be Gomez out on a pickoff right after getting into the game as a pinch runner.

7:12	Comment From DR EVIL Out (on the pickoff play)?

7:12	Craig Edwards: i think so. We’ll see.

7:12	Comment From TH is it weird that Davis

7:12	August Fagerstrom: * head explodes *

7:13	Comment From Designated Bitter Ya busted. Gomez out at first on a pickoff

7:13	Craig Edwards: Indeed.

7:14	Comment From Designated Bitter Josh Donaldson – 3B, Chris Carter – DH

7:14	Comment From Designated Bitter Ben Zobrist – 2B, Josh Donaldson – 3B, Chris Cater – 1B / DH (Damn, oakland… c’mon…)

7:14	August Fagerstrom: i’ve decided to imbibe some alcoholic beverages this evening. who of you am i joining in this pursuit?

7:15	Craig Edwards: Series tied. Big comeback win for the Royals.

7:15	Comment From Igotherebychance August – Excellent article about Masterson’s inning, loved the reading. Also thanks for the info about the immaculate inning, didn’t know that thing had a name

7:15	August Fagerstrom: hey, thanks! yeah, it was a pretty neat little occurrence, especially given what he did in the next couple innings

7:15	Comment From Igotherebychance I already had a couple of beers, but I might be cheating it’s 1 am here

7:15	Comment From Designated Bitter Frosty beverage city – population: You, bro

7:15	Comment From TH im only 20 can i join

7:15	August Fagerstrom: this chat doesn’t check IDs at the door

7:16	August Fagerstrom: New Royals lose 🙁

7:16	Comment From Designated Bitter Legal age to drink in this chat is ‘tall enough to put money on the counter’

7:17	Craig Edwards: That is it for me on the chat. It was most enjoyable. I am now off to freak out watching the Cubs-Cardinals outside of this chat room. Treat August well.

7:17	August Fagerstrom: bye craig!

7:17	August Fagerstrom: sorry everyone. you only have me now.

7:17	Comment From ShinyThing *Turns towards August, creepily winks.

7:18	Comment From Designated Bitter Addison Russell can be the ex-A’s Shortstop. We’ve got an entire infield

7:20	Comment From Evan Matt Holliday, former A

7:20	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Cespedes in lf another ex A

7:20	August Fagerstrom: this team is incredible

7:21	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Isnt brandon moss on the cards too?

7:21	Comment From Designated Bitter I guess Bartolo Colon would be the starting pitcher

7:21	Comment From Say Nay Kid Bartolo, Lester, Hammel, Brett Anderson … you could have an entire rotation

7:21	August Fagerstrom: well there it is. well done.

7:22	August Fagerstrom: gregerson definitely in the bullpen. i’m sure the rest of the pen could be done easily.

7:22	Comment From Igotherebychance we are a catcher short, aren’t we?

7:22	August Fagerstrom: donaldson emergency catcher!

7:22	August Fagerstrom: yep. heyward looks fine in center

7:23	August Fagerstrom: he’s just incredible

7:23	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Think anyone signs Heyward as a cf?

7:23	August Fagerstrom: if he was on board, i’m sure they could.

7:24	August Fagerstrom: peralta has very quick hands on the exchange.

7:24	Comment From Designated Bitter Ex-A’s catcher will be Stephen Vogt once Billy trades him to the Angels for two minor league arms and bus fare

7:28	Comment From ShinyThing Why do the Red Sox and Athletics always seem to swap players? Crisp, Cespedes, Lester, and I’m sure there are others

7:28	August Fagerstrom: i’d imagine there’s some strong pre-existing relationships between high-ranking front office execs

7:28	Comment From Ryan Why even show the K-zone on the Cubs-Cards broadcast? It’s so clearly not the zone that is being (or would ever be) called, so it makes every other pitch look way outside.

7:28	August Fagerstrom: so broadcasters can talk about pitch framing

7:28	Comment From highrent I also think that both sides like similar things. Thats why Cards trade with the Bosox and Cleveland.

7:30	August Fagerstrom: that ball looked crushed off the bat. and surprisingly nice play by schwarber

7:31	Comment From Igotherebychance Does anybody else think umpires sometimes don’t call borderline pitches on Carpenter because he seems to always know when to swing at the pitch?

7:31	August Fagerstrom: this could a subconscious thing that affects guys with elite plate discipline. would imagine the effect, if any, would be very minor, though.

7:31	August Fagerstrom: hope i did affect/effect correctly there. it’s just a guessing game, really.

7:31	Comment From ShinyThing I see it with Votto. The zone gets tighter

7:31	August Fagerstrom: he was the first guy that came to mind.

7:32	Comment From highrent Nah check viva el birdos this year the umps have actually called balls for strikes a bit more than usual.

7:32	Comment From Igotherebychance Yeah, I see that with Votto Carpenter Mauer

7:32	August Fagerstrom: you two: fight!

7:32	Comment From highrent But it was more true last year that they trust his judgements its true he’s very selective.

7:32	Comment From Andrew affect is a verb. effect is a noun…except when it’s a verb

7:32	August Fagerstrom: nailed it

7:32	Comment From Evan I think I saw a few weeks ago that Carpenter has had more balls called for strikes than any other player in MLB this year.

7:33	Comment From Brian Matt Carpenter has more wrong calls go against him than ANY player in baseball over the last 3 years (the data backs it up!)

7:35	Comment From highrent Reminds me of a story of a rookie pitcher getting frustrated at the umpire for calling 3 straight balls. The ump goes young man when you throw a strike Mr Hornsby will let you know. It was told by George Will probably apocryphal but still fun.

7:35	August Fagerstrom: love old-timey anecdotes like this

7:35	August Fagerstrom: i feel like very few players beside matt holliday get thrown out on that.

7:36	Comment From highrent Cool Brian. I couldn’t remember if it was just this year or the last 3 years. I think its also because Carp does take some balls for strikes. He just knows what he likes. One of the most selective hitters I seen.

7:36	Comment From Neil It could make sense that selective guys will have more calls go against them since they’re more likely to take a close pitch. Close pitches would be called wrong more often than not close pitches

7:36	August Fagerstrom: this is an interesting argument. i like it.

7:37	Comment From Evan It seems more like a polite discussion.

7:37	August Fagerstrom: i like those too!

7:38	August Fagerstrom: this is playoff baseball right here baby. nice replays

7:38	August Fagerstrom: it’s over! holliday is out!

7:39	Comment From Ryan Fair point re: Holliday, but also the good thing about playing Castro at 2b is when (not if) he bobbles it, he still has a shot to make the play.

7:40	Comment From Ryan Cubbies!

7:41	August Fagerstrom: a wild poll!

7:41	August Fagerstrom: i mean, seriously, that thing is out of control.

7:41	Comment From Phillies113 I think it’s more accurate to say I’m rooting for “Not the Cards!” rather than the Cubbies

7:42	Comment From Cards Fan Do you agree that Cards fans are the Best Fans in Baseball? It’s hard to be humble when you root for a superior team

7:42	August Fagerstrom: https://twitter.com/BestFan…

7:42	Comment From Brian “Not the Cards” are a very popular team

7:42	August Fagerstrom: appears so!

7:43	Comment From Ryan As a Cubs fan, thank you for linking that twitter account

7:44	August Fagerstrom: so, strong cubs contingent in here, it appears. cubs fans- favorite cubs memory? thoughts on the wrigley renovations?

7:46	August Fagerstrom: left side of the st. louis infield gets the ball out quick. carpenter and peralta both showed real fast hands on their double plays. lackey is dealing

7:46	August Fagerstrom: ha! jeff wrote about the rougned odor slide, which i was planning to do for an instagraphs post later tonight

7:47	August Fagerstrom: that’s already twice now in three days that we’ve had the same idea for a topic

7:47	Comment From MichaelK No need to have made Wrigley video boards so big. Ntotslly

7:47	August Fagerstrom: that was my first thought upon seeing them, too. i’m all for renovations to modernize an old structure, but something about the integrity of the stadium feels compromised.

7:48	Comment From The+Dude I’d rather the big screen not be there, but it isn’t overly intrusive like in some other stadiums cough Yankee Stadium cough

7:48	Comment From Ryan The superficial renovations (new scoreboards etc) are way better than expected IMO. The video boards are big but they fit them into the style of the park as much as they could

7:48	Comment From senpaisanto aw man, just this season i witnessed bryant’s debut @ wrigley as well as his first big league homer @ miller (should prolly mention jake’s 23rd W @ miller, too) – and i can’t complain about having hot doug’s behind the rightfield bleachers…

7:49	August Fagerstrom: my favorite cubs memory, for anyone who cares, was being at wrigley for maddux’s 3000th strikeout

7:49	August Fagerstrom: that three-months-in-advance ticket purchase turned out to be quite timely.

7:49	Comment From Jenstrom August, have you considered that you and Jeff might be the same person, a la Fight Club?

7:49	August Fagerstrom: this has been discussed, yes.

7:50	August Fagerstrom: i’d prefer neither of us suffer the fate of durden, though.

7:50	August Fagerstrom: does heyward run on lester here?

7:51	Comment From Evan Are you quite tall as well?

7:51	August Fagerstrom: this is the main difference. jeff towers over me. i’m like 5’9

7:53	August Fagerstrom: there’s the lester effect. heyward’s leads, per statcast: 13ft, 13ft, 14ft, 14ft

7:54	Comment From The+Dude That might as well been a SB.

7:55	Comment From senpaisanto maddux’s three thousandth is an epic thing to witness! standing O time, i reckon…

7:55	August Fagerstrom: it was pretty fantastic. maddux, only partly because of that, is now my all-time favorite baseball player

7:55	Comment From Ryan Best memories: Sammy vs McGwire, Kerry Wood’s 20 Ks, the 2003 run up to the playoffs (let’s ignore what happened after) stick out for me but more recently, the Soler 2 HR game vs. STL last year was awesome and felt like the real end of their recent terrible-ness

7:55	August Fagerstrom: have you read sam miller’s article where he walks through the entire kerry wood game? might be my all-time favorite piece of internet baseball writing.

7:57	Comment From Ryan I had not, will def check it out. My favorite recent Sam Miller Cubs thing is the Kris Bryant Homerun piece http://www.baseballprospect…

7:57	August Fagerstrom: sam’s about as good as it gets

7:58	Comment From Neil Astros are the New Royals mention on Cardinal’s radio!

7:58	August Fagerstrom: ha, no shit! what was said?

7:58	August Fagerstrom: that looked way down the middle. not sure what that K box is seeing.

7:58	August Fagerstrom: maybe it’s the camera angle/parallax effect

7:59	Comment From Neil They basically said the name of the piece haha. They might know more though

7:59	August Fagerstrom: nice

7:59	Comment From anhyzer TBS pitchtrax has been terrible all postseason

8:00	August Fagerstrom: i actually kind of liked the ESPN K zone the other night ducks

8:00	Comment From DR EVIL http://www.brooksbaseball.n… I think it;s the off angle – those seemed off the corner

8:02	Comment From Evan PNC and Busch both have CF camera wells, but TBS refuses to use them.

8:03	Comment From anhyzer I’ve been okay with ESPN or really anybody else’s…for whatever reason though, it doesn’t seem right on TBS

8:03	August Fagerstrom: you guys wanna just overthrow TBS?

8:03	August Fagerstrom: anthon rizzo bunt attempt!

8:04	Comment From Ryan Lots of pitches from Lester so far… looks like we’re gonna get a full serving of the Cubs meh bullpen tonight?

8:04	August Fagerstrom: is the cubs bullpen really meh? top five FIP- and top-10 ERA-

8:05	August Fagerstrom: rondon, strop and grimm are all quite good, from what i understand

8:06	Comment From senpaisanto len kasper just mentioned on the radio call this being cubs/cardinals first meeting in the playoffs (!) – is this black swan ever to manifest again, or shall we look forward to this happening on the regular for years to come?

8:06	August Fagerstrom: i’d imagine it happens again soon. cubs certainly aren’t going anywhere and doesn’t feel like the cardinals will ever not be good again

8:06	Comment From anhyzer Grimm pretty shaky lately…Strop has been awful against the Cardinals, not that that necessarily means much

8:06	August Fagerstrom: how long’s lately? i’m probably willing to side with his dominant season numbers, but relievers are so strange…

8:07	August Fagerstrom: weak contact all over the place for lackey.

8:08	August Fagerstrom: besides bryant’s lineout to LCF, has anything really been squared up?

8:08	August Fagerstrom: CiL is murdering my laptop

8:09	Comment From Jason There was another hard hit ball to CF but blanking who it was

8:09	Comment From anhyzer Three bad outings for Grimm in the last month or so… I guess he’s still had quite a few good ones. i guess the bad ones just stick out in my mind.

8:10	Comment From Jason It was Russell I think, hit a rocket after a long at bat

8:10	August Fagerstrom: yeah i think this is right. trying to look it up on gameday but CiL really appears to be doing a number on me

8:15	August Fagerstrom: batted balls vs. lackey tonight: popout 109mph lineout 64mph popout groundout to third 88mph “lineout” 63mph groundout 103mph groundout (by lester!) 81mph popout 89mph groundout 105mph groundout 67mph popout

8:15	Comment From Ryan Very audible “SHIT” from Lackey on the telecast after that strikeout.

8:15	August Fagerstrom: seems to be a lot of shits and fucks being picked up by the mics so far this postseason. really enjoying it

8:17	August Fagerstrom: could use more of that imo

8:17	August Fagerstrom: i got irrationally excited when the mics picked up everything tulo screamed at the umpire after his called third strike at the end of the jays game

8:17	August Fagerstrom: i always want to know what they’re yelling

8:18	Comment From NOLACubs Not to mention the two glorious middle fingers during the bench clearing wednesday

8:18	August Fagerstrom: missed this!

8:18	August Fagerstrom: cubs hit!

8:19	Comment From Ryan The several Donaldson “Fuck you”s in a row to Kela today were p funny

8:20	Comment From egm Does Statcast route efficiency seem pretty reliable?

8:20	August Fagerstrom: yeah, it’s the timed things that have pretty large error bars.

8:22	Comment From Jenstrom You’re pretty cool, August.

8:22	August Fagerstrom: hey thanks jenstrom.

8:22	Comment From Ryan This Ross-Lester combo at the bottom of the order is brutal. Wonder if Maddon’s wishing he had Addison at #9?

8:22	August Fagerstrom: i’d bet joe maddon thought this over pretty well before writing the lineup down

8:23	Comment From jwa What is the context for route efficiency? Letter-grade mentality?

8:23	August Fagerstrom: the definition, as defined by MLB, is: “Divide the distance covered by the fielder by a straight-line distance between the players position at batted ball contact and where the ball was fielded.”

8:24	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Is it irrational to be annoyed when pitchers have personal catchers?

8:24	August Fagerstrom: i think it’s kinda cool! i’m actually writing about dickey/martin/thole for monday

8:24	August Fagerstrom: holy hell how was i not aware that kershaw-degrom is still happening tonight?

8:24	August Fagerstrom: and soon!

8:25	August Fagerstrom: how about jon lester moving the runner over like a real hitter

8:27	August Fagerstrom: gooooood lord.

8:27	Comment From Jason I don’t believe in the Kershaw can’t pitch in the postseason thing but would there be any point where we would have enough info for that to be a real thing?

8:27	August Fagerstrom: this is a great question

8:29	August Fagerstrom: 0-5

8:29	August Fagerstrom: did i go too small with the answers? should there have been a 50+ option?

8:30	Comment From senpaisanto there should be a “i don’t buy dat shizz” option

8:30	August Fagerstrom: ok wait gonna re-do it

8:31	August Fagerstrom: 0-10

8:31	August Fagerstrom: ok i think that one’s better.

8:32	August Fagerstrom: ok so i’m already a little surprised that anyone voted “never,” though those could be in jest. if kershaw made 50 hypothetical postseason starts with a 5.00 ERA, then something is up. his arm wouldn’t be able to handle pitching for 6+ months maybe?

8:33	Comment From senpaisanto a mental block’s different from “not a postseason player”

8:33	August Fagerstrom: that’s what i mean, though. that he’s just fundamentally _different_ in the postseason, for whatever reason

8:33	Comment From Pale Hose I think somewhere around a full season is right

8:33	August Fagerstrom: this is around what i’d say. i think somewhere between 20-30 starts of a ~5.00 ERA and i start to think maybe he just doesn’t have it in october. depends on what his periphs are, though.

8:33	Comment From Skore You can have a 5.00 era and an 2.50 FIP

8:35	Comment From Ryan I’d be more willing to believe it if he also fell apart in the 9th inning of all his shutouts, no-hitters, etc. Or if he hadn’t thrown 200 innings so many times.

8:35	August Fagerstrom: that’s different, though, right? you’re talking about pitches in the first example, and innings in the second example. maybe it’s just a time thing? physically this hypothetical person just can’t handle a six-month, once-every-five-days workload without wearing out

8:35	Comment From Pale Hose How many starts did it take for people to readjust expectations for Verlander? That answer is probably in the same ballpark as Kershaw.

8:36	Comment From DB Is there a way to measure the carry on the ball in various stadiums and environmental conditions? Like right now it might take Schwaber v Cole type HR to get it out tonight

8:36	August Fagerstrom: not sure, i’d love to know this though.

8:36	Comment From Ryan Every time they show Lackey close up, I see this gif in my head http://i925.photobucket.com…

8:36	August Fagerstrom: HA! totally forgot about that. i always see the postgame photo of him with the cowboy hat in the clubhouse: http://www.survivinggrady.c…

8:37	August Fagerstrom: also, i talked to lackey in cleveland this year and he was wearing a similar hat. it wasn’t quite as tall.

8:38	Comment From anhyzer I want to see another Schwarber-Cole HR for the bat flip alone.

8:38	August Fagerstrom: i want to see it for that swing. good lord, that swing.

8:38	August Fagerstrom: wow! schwarber swinging bunt!

8:39	August Fagerstrom: not really even swinging. came off the bat like it was swinging, though.

8:39	August Fagerstrom: schwarber reached 20mph running to first there. he’s not totally slow.

8:41	Comment From jwa How many 22 year old professional athletes are totally slow?

8:41	August Fagerstrom: right.

8:42	Comment From Crusty Juggler You heard it here first: Lackey will pitch very well tonight.

8:42	August Fagerstrom: going out on a limb there, Crusty Juggler

8:42	Comment From Crusty Juggler Do you get tired of people asking you if August Fagerstrom is a real name?

8:42	August Fagerstrom: people i meet in real life don’t really ask me that

8:43	Comment From Norrin Radd Where are you getting runner speed info from?

8:43	August Fagerstrom: i’ve got statcast database access, though i’m not sure for how much longer

8:44	Comment From jwa What is your middle name?

8:44	August Fagerstrom: dylan

8:46	August Fagerstrom: Defensive Replacement Mark Reynolds worked pretty well

8:46	Comment From Jake What’s the fastest recorded speed this year? Wanna see how I stack up

8:46	August Fagerstrom: there are definitely some error bars on the numbers, but seems to be somewhere in the mid-20’s

8:49	Comment From senpaisanto could you please elaborate re: error bars?

8:49	August Fagerstrom: sometimes the cameras screw up and give crazy times that mess up the data

8:49	Comment From jwa What is the slowest top speed this year…?

8:49	August Fagerstrom: slowest _average_ is victor martinez at around 13mph

8:49	Comment From Jake Damn, I’m a competitive sprinter and 24ish is my top pace. These guys ain’t slow

8:51	Comment From senpaisanto hmmm…interesting about the cameras – wonder if they just need more reps, or add’l training…

8:51	August Fagerstrom: not sure. something is definitely up with the statcast systems for the mets and giants, too. their data is essentially unusable this year in it’s current state. don’t know if it could be corrected in the offseason or not. texas, maybe, too, if i recall correctly

8:51	Comment From Pale Hose Is route efficiency measured for every player on the field?

8:51	August Fagerstrom: just the guy who caught the ball, i think

8:52	August Fagerstrom: that’s one way, lester

8:52	August Fagerstrom: his “not be able to throw overhand to bases” thing is just so, so strange.

8:52	August Fagerstrom: not that he really had a choice there, but, still.

8:52	Comment From DR EVIL Why don’t teams bunt on Lester? Seems like teams are starting to finally take advantage on the bases this year – but why does no one bunt and force him to throw?

8:52	August Fagerstrom: seems like this should happen more, right?

8:54	Comment From senpaisanto you gonna be posting on fangraphs, august?

8:54	August Fagerstrom: have for the last three days! i’m here full-time now

8:54	Comment From senpaisanto great to hear, man!

8:54	August Fagerstrom: thanks! really happy to be back.

8:55	Comment From jwa Time for me to leave FGs, I guess.

8:55	August Fagerstrom: 🙁

8:56	Comment From Jenstrom August, were you away on PED suspension?

8:56	August Fagerstrom: i was away on “being an intern for mlb.com” suspension

8:56	Comment From ShinyThing Why are gifs frowned upon in the chat feed? Just wondering.

8:56	August Fagerstrom: are they?

8:58	August Fagerstrom: hell of an outing by lackey. funny that he faced schwarber/rizzo/bryant three times but russell/ross/pitcher spot

8:58	August Fagerstrom: which, probably would have been russell/montero/pinch-hitter?

8:58	Comment From Ryan Haha Sullivan and Temple were being GIF police in here earlier.

8:59	Comment From Pale Hose They are frowned upon because they bog down an already obnoxiously slow application.

8:59	Comment From ShinyThing Earlier, one of you guys asked people to stop trying to post .gifs, as they found it annoying.

8:59	August Fagerstrom: there’s your answer

8:59	Comment From senpaisanto have you ever met pat hughes? i reckon he’s quite the gentleman…

8:59	August Fagerstrom: not sure who pat hughes is

9:00

Comment From Ryan
A general Q on pitcher defense – it’s been said somewhere this year (maybe Cameron on FG Audio?) that some of the best pitchers in baseball (Greinke, Arrieta) also have top 10-20 DRS stats. Do you think they really have above-avg fielding ability? Or do they gain some advantage from regularly inducing weak contact and giving themselves easy plays to make?

9:00	August Fagerstrom: another fascinating idea! keuchel has led the league each of the last two seasons. he had like 13 DRS. totally writing about this

9:00	August Fagerstrom: keep giving me good topic ideas everyone please thanks ok

9:00	Comment From Yo-Yo I’m surprised at Matheny yanking Lackey. 1st or 2nd season as a manager Matheny wouldn’t have made that move. Even awful managers can improve!

9:01	August Fagerstrom: feisty joe maddon

9:02	Comment From DR EVIL Were there no righty options? 5 outs to go?

9:02	August Fagerstrom: yeah, you’d think denorfia might make an appearance there, yeah?

9:02	Comment From Santiago Really missed you here. Your articles are top notch quality. Quick question: The strike zone displayed in the Live Game Graphs (WIn Probability) is a lot bigger than the actual strike zone, right?

9:02	August Fagerstrom: not sure about “bigger.” definitely “not accurate” though. probably “misshapen” is the best way to phrase it

9:03	Comment From jwa Soler, Baez….

9:03	August Fagerstrom: or austin jackson

9:04	Comment From Jake Arrietas Beard No right-handed pinch hitter for Coghlan because Siegrist is a huge reverse-split guy.

9:04	August Fagerstrom: this was my first thought but i didn’t look it up. lotta changeups i’m assuming?

9:05	August Fagerstrom: oh, yeah, wow. siegrist, career: .304 wOBA allowed vs. LHH, .257 wOBA allowed vs. RHH

9:07	Comment From Yo-Yo What does that sample really mean, though? Is he “truly” worse against lefties?

9:07

August Fagerstrom: right, this is a good question. i know for a fact that a lot of managers use them, though, including maddon, because i asked him about a lineup decision in cleveland, can’t remember who it was but it was against salazar, and he cited salazar’s reverse splits and his changeup as the reason why

9:08	Comment From Jake Arrietas Beard Those splits suggest Matheny went with the “conventional wisdom” of lefty-lefty without actually paying attention to those numbers.

9:08	August Fagerstrom: interesting flip-side to maddon’s rationale

9:08	Comment From senpaisanto could be to do w/ the plane

9:09	Comment From DR EVIL So then PH for the righty then?

9:09	August Fagerstrom: for russell? your only alternative is la stella, who just isn’t good of a hitter despite a (potential) reverse-platoon advantage, and then you take russell’s glove out of the game and have castro at SS

9:09	August Fagerstrom: tonight is the first time i’ve ever seen footage of tommy pham playing baseball by the way

9:10	August Fagerstrom: 110 mph off the bat for pham, 431 feet. goodness.

9:11	Comment From ShinyThing What is with reverse splits? Is it common?

9:11	August Fagerstrom: seems to me that it’s usually with big changeup guys

9:12	Comment From DB How many games/day do you watch? how much do you watch vs look at numbers/stats?

9:12	August Fagerstrom: was in the press box for all 81 home games this season, watched another assorted… ~40? games throughout the season maybe?

9:13	Comment From Section329 Why is Lester still in?

9:13	August Fagerstrom: we’ll he’s not anymore! pham is a tough call because there’s no TTO penalty, except for however much fatigue factors into the TTO penalty in the first place

9:14	Comment From senpaisanto cool – so which indians pitcher had the best stuff? or would you hafta break it down by pitch?

9:14	August Fagerstrom: i honestly think carrasco might be the best pitcher on the team.

9:14	Comment From Pale Hose “weird unscheduled rainout”

9:14	August Fagerstrom: unREscheduled

9:15	Comment From DB what role were you in? what was your primary job(s)

9:15	August Fagerstrom: i was an “associate” beat writer, AKA jordan bastian’s assistant. i either wrote the secondary story for the indians each day, or covered the road team for a series if their beat writer didn’t make the trip to cleveland

9:16	Comment From senpaisanto carlos’ #1 pitch?

9:16	August Fagerstrom: that’s what makes him so good– on any given day it can be his fastball, change or slider. usually the change, though.

9:16	August Fagerstrom: stephen piscotty sure hits baseballs hard!

9:17	August Fagerstrom: where’s that “cubs’ meh bullpen” guy? ha. maybe you were right…

9:17	Neil Weinberg: August! Hi!

9:17	August Fagerstrom: hey there!

9:17	Neil Weinberg: Everyone else, also hi!

9:18	Comment From Ryan ^ That because Carrasco is getting better or Kluber is getting worse? Both?

9:18	August Fagerstrom: carrasco’s pretty much been their best pitcher since he returned from the bullpen in august last year

9:20	Comment From Norrin Radd Quick Tribe question, TJ House has dropped off the map what’s his status right now?

9:20

August Fagerstrom: he’s complicated. was bad early, was sent down, got hurt in the minors, then it was learned that he filed a grievance against the indians (and won) that he was already hurt when the optioned him. he’s rehabbing in AZ and is probably like 7th or 8th on their SP depth chart next season

9:20	Comment From senpaisanto damn, this playoffs has seen vast quantities of high value drives in est. feet and exit mph going fair…

9:20	August Fagerstrom: i’ve noticed that. rougned odor hit a missile yesterday.

9:20	Neil Weinberg: This is apparently an Indians chat. August, can you tell me about Francisco Lindor?

9:21	Comment From ShinyThing August, opinion on shiny things?

9:21	August Fagerstrom: pretty good chat commenters

9:21	Comment From senpaisanto b/c you just revealed yer CLE mole status!

9:22	Comment From senpaisanto damn, wonder what CLE got in offers/inquiries regarding carlos during trade season…

9:22	August Fagerstrom: i’m sure it was massive. his contract makes him one of the most valuable assets in baseball. the only way they were going to deal him is if they absolutely fleeced another team, which is possible

9:23	Comment From Z “Strop has had his troubles at Busch Stadium. That could be why Maddon brought him in right now, to get it out of his system.” LOLZ

9:23	August Fagerstrom: probably it

9:23	Comment From Tim Best pham in baseball!!!

9:26	Comment From DB Are you all doing a live blog the rest of the playoffs?

9:26	August Fagerstrom: believe that’s usually the case

9:26	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina RE Kershaw’s post season ‘struggles”. Why cant people just accept that sometimes shit just happens? Every oitcher has a bad start from time to time. People just don’t care when it happens in May.

9:26	Neil Weinberg: It’s memorable because a bad start in the postseason is visible and important.

9:26	Comment From senpaisanto what’s the best thing to eat at Jacobs (or whatever CLE calls it) when i go see Cubs v. Carrasco next season?

9:26	August Fagerstrom: barrio, chicken tacos.

9:28	Comment From Tim Just one time we need an announcing crew that rips on the cardinals all game. Just constantly repeating the same crap about hacking, peraltas PED use and la russas DUI

9:28	August Fagerstrom: tom hamilton (indians radio guy) basically does this every game about every team

9:29	August Fagerstrom: that looked inside

9:29	Comment From ShinyThing I should become an announcer just to flex my pun powers. For example, Sterling should just say: “There’s another TEXTbook home run for Texiara. By that I mean barely over the fence.

9:29	August Fagerstrom: sounds like you’ve got a future

9:30	Comment From Cards Fan As I said before, Best Fans in Baseball, Best org in baseball, best team in baseball the end. It’s not arrogance when you are just better than everyone else

9:30	August Fagerstrom: ooh boy.

9:31	August Fagerstrom: really pleased with the end of this game coinciding with the beginning of kershaw/degrom

9:31	Neil Weinberg: Wainwright!

9:31	Comment From Ryan Ump: “C’mon Rosie stop giving them something to hit. I’ve gotta get into the clubhouse to watch Kershaw/deGrom”

9:31	Comment From A Real Cardinals Fan Please ignore that last guy

9:31	Comment From Cards Fan Whatever, Cubs have sucked for 100 years, and will for another 100

9:31	August Fagerstrom: yay

9:32	Comment From Stanatee the Manatee I’m convinced Cards Fan is a plant out to make us look bad

9:32	August Fagerstrom: no, you think?

9:32	August Fagerstrom: matheny/molina meeting with rosenthal… hmm…

9:33	August Fagerstrom: that 2-0 pitch looked like something that kris bryant does a lot of damage to

9:33	August Fagerstrom: wooow

9:34	Comment From senpaisanto will vin be traveling to away games this playoffs?

9:34	Neil Weinberg: Out for the playoffs. Had surgery.

9:34	August Fagerstrom: well, there it is! cardinals magic is alive and well! thanks for chatting everyone! have some neil and paul!

9:35	Neil Weinberg: Time to watch the most deserving choice for NL Cy Young.

9:35	Comment From DB DeGrom right

9:35	Neil Weinberg: I think I had deGrom 7th. NL was nuts.

9:36	Comment From senpaisanto heh, yeah – staking some territory right off the bat – (grabs popcorn)

9:36	Neil Weinberg: I’m often accused of not having any takes, so I opened with one.

9:39	Paul Swydan: Hi everybody!

9:39	Neil Weinberg: Paul!

9:39	Paul Swydan: I have an Autumn Ale Brew from Woodstock Inn Brewery, and I’m ready to do this damn thing.

9:39	Paul Swydan: Hey Neil!

9:40	Comment From Crusty Juggler Who has the better hair, DeGrom or Grienke?

9:40	August Fagerstrom: me

9:40	Paul Swydan: How about Joe Maddon getting way too cute with his pitching staff, huh? I’ve never seen that. Oh wait, I’ve seen that in every game Joe Maddon has ever managed.

9:40	August Fagerstrom: ok that’s it for me here. signing off!

9:40	Neil Weinberg: Water FTW

9:40	Paul Swydan: Bye August! Thanks!

9:40	Paul Swydan: (I also have water.)

9:40	Comment From ShinyThing Bye August!

9:40	Comment From Crusty Juggler Paul! What’s Neil wearing?

9:41	Paul Swydan: I’m guessing Tigers sweatpants and a Porcello shirsey.

9:41	Comment From DB Hi Dr. Nick

9:41	Paul Swydan: Seriously baby, I can prescribe anything I want!

9:42	Paul Swydan: That poll is done. Time for a new one.

9:42	Paul Swydan: Dodgers

9:43	Comment From Big Nick Digger Cuzzi leads the NLDS 1-0.

9:43	Comment From John P That last game was one of the worst strike zones I’ve seen all year

9:43	Comment From ShinyThing Hi! I’m Paul!

9:43	Paul Swydan: So many Pauls.

9:43	Comment From senpaisanto ’sup paul!

9:43	Comment From ShinyThing All my picks have been wrong, so Fangraphs is going to lose

9:43	Neil Weinberg: we had a good run

9:44	Paul Swydan: We did indeed.

9:44	Comment From Pale Hose Is it a take to not have a take?

9:44	Paul Swydan: Only if you live in Switzerland.

9:45	Comment From DB What makes you pick Kershaw? I argue that Dodger stadium is more of a pitchers park than we realize…which stats take park effects into consideration and do they adjust for park effects on the road and day/night?

9:45	Neil Weinberg: If you don’t start from ERA/RA9, his body of work is more impressive. Don’t get me wrong, not a runaway.

9:45	Paul Swydan: Neil is typing a long reply to this.

9:46	Paul Swydan: At least, I think he is.

9:46	Neil Weinberg: It was more of a CIL slowly working reply

9:47	Paul Swydan: Assuming that was a Cy Young question, I pick Kershaw because if you come at the king, you best not miss. And Arrieta and Greinke didn’t do enough to knock Kershaw from the throne.

9:47	Neil Weinberg: Granderson and Cespedes! Go Tigers!

9:47	Comment From senpaisanto paul – prescribe this perpetually postapocalyptic cubs supporter succor, pretty please?

9:47	Neil Weinberg: 2010 and 2011 gold gloves, very important info right off the bat

9:48	Paul Swydan: I can’t. I loved the Cubs until they dumped Renteria for Maddon, and now I can’t stand them. The only one I am really rooting for is Dexter Fowler.

9:48	Comment From Crusty Juggler The “year of the rookie” really is the year of the rookie!

9:48	Paul Swydan: Truly, truly I say to you.

9:48	Comment From Norrin Radd Best hair: DeGrom, Thor, Grienke, or Kershaw?

9:48	Paul Swydan: Kershaw. deGrom looks like a poodle.

9:49	Paul Swydan: Granderson swings at the first pitch, laces a line drive, but it’s right at Ethier.

9:49	Comment From senpaisanto i just caught my first foul ball @ miller! fowler leading off the game! any advice on getting him to sign it?

9:49	Paul Swydan: Hang onto it until you know he’s coming back to town would be my advice. Never mail the players stuff. I’ve seen their mailboxes before.

9:50	Comment From DB Wire quotes to start this off…well done

9:50	Neil Weinberg: I’ve been waiting to scream at someone “come on man, be for real!” like Avon does to Prop Joe in s1

9:50	Paul Swydan: All the pieces matter, DB.

9:50	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina My distaste of the cardinals is greater thanmy distaste for joe maddon. I am a Red Sox fan by the way.

9:50	Paul Swydan: I am too. There really is no wrong answer.

9:50	Comment From senpaisanto thanx paul! he really came through in the wildcard playin

9:51	Paul Swydan: He did indeed.

9:51	Paul Swydan: Good at-bat here from Wright. This is really nice to see. Every time he gets hurt, I assume he’s played his last game.

9:51	Comment From Aaron Thankfully David Wright’s glutes have a clean medical history #infographics

9:52	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Life would be easier if Maddon managed the Cardinals

9:52	Paul Swydan: Totally!

9:52	Comment From Bip I’m a Dodger fan, a Kershaw fan, a sabermetrically-inclined fan, and I myself can’t shake the idea that Kershaw somehow can’t get it done in the playoffs. Someone stroke my fears, please?

9:52	Neil Weinberg: 80 career xFIP- in postseason

9:53	Paul Swydan: Yeah, I’m confident in him.

9:53	Comment From Crusty Juggler What an at bat!

9:53	Comment From Angus Oh great. We get to stare at Larry King all night.

9:53	Comment From Bip This Wright at bat is doing more to convince me Kershaw can’t get it done than that 80 career xFIP- is convincing my otherwise. ughughugh

9:53	Comment From eric Do any of the fielding independent stats account for pitches / batterfaced

9:54	Paul Swydan: Neil would know this better than I would. Partially because he’s the Librarian, and partially because he’s sober.

9:54	Neil Weinberg: Ours don’t

9:54	Comment From senpaisanto yesterday dontrelle compared clayton w/ david price – overburdening themselves w/ self-imposed pressure

9:55	Paul Swydan: I think Dontrelle is just excited to have a paying job again. He was all over the place yesterday.

9:55	Comment From Crusty Juggler That’s Larry King’s son.

9:55	Neil Weinberg: Verlander was bad in October until he wasn’t. It’s a non issue

9:55	Comment From Skore I played baseball with Larry King’s son. Not a nice guy.

9:55	Paul Swydan: Good to know!

9:56	Comment From DB Where is the line MLB is willing to go with the highlighter thing? Which is the first team with neon green jersey…Marlins

9:56	Paul Swydan: I’m just glad no one is wearing an alternate jersey tonight. I’ve had enough of them, to be honest. Which makes the marketer in me shudder, but still.

9:57	Paul Swydan: Someone is going to have to explain to me why Murphy is hitting fourth and Duda sixth.

9:57	Comment From Big Nick Digger The last time I saw somebody called out on a pitch that low it was Leg Before Wicket

9:58	Comment From Bip Does everyone have the TBS broadcast? Does their pitch tracker adjust for batter height? So, in other words, could the vertical “zone” be inaccurate on their tracker?

9:58	Paul Swydan: Well, we don’t really know for sure, but I would assume that this is a basic element that they have taken into account.

9:58	Comment From Crusty Juggler Paul, Murphy is clutch. Get it together.

9:58	Paul Swydan: So clutch.

9:58	Neil Weinberg: I dont think it’s a good graphic.

9:59	Comment From Evan The pitch actually looked totally fine and in the zone on Gameday

9:59	Comment From DB Duda is 1-11, 7 K v Kershaw

9:59	Neil Weinberg: The pitches outside the zone are not proportionally outside the zone

9:59	Paul Swydan: That is totally and completely irrelevant. Sigh.

9:59	Paul Swydan: Explain that, Neil.

10:00

Comment From DB
7 K out of 11 is irrelevant? Its a little relevant

10:00

Neil Weinberg: Inside the zone, the plot seems right, but pitches ouside the zone are not shown correctly, so the graphic makes it look 8 inches outside when it’s 1.5 inches out

10:00

Paul Swydan: No, it isn’t. Sorry. It’s 11 plate appearances. That small a sample – especially when it’s spread out over a long time – is never relevant.

10:00

Paul Swydan: OK, thanks Neil.

10:01

Comment From Bip
Oh, the irrationality of fandom. I know, in my head, exactly what is right, or at least what is most likely true, regarding pitching, small samples, and “clutch”. And yet, my heart, which yell louder than my brain, fills me with doubt. I need my team to win it all, so I can get that release, and pump the brakes on my fandom, knowing I’ve experience the highest high.

10:02

Neil Weinberg: Being a sports fan is a really weird thing.

10:02

Paul Swydan: Just checked – half of Duda’s PAs against Kershaw are from 2012 and 2013 when Duda was still a replacement player.

10:02

Paul Swydan: It is really nice when you get that, Bip. Definitely worth it.

10:02

Neil Weinberg: If they were last week I still wouldn’t care

10:03

Paul Swydan: I know, I’m just saying that line is especially irrelevant.

10:03

Comment From senpaisanto
uh, sorry for being clueless (have had the telly muted to listen to the cubs radio call) – but who exactly are on the broadcast at the moment?

10:04

Paul Swydan: It’s Ernie Johnson, Ron Darling and Cal Ripken Jr.

10:04

Comment From DB
Couple that w Duda’s overall split w L and Murph better v L I am not sure the argument that Duda should hit 4th

10:04

Neil Weinberg: Johnson, Darling, and cal

10:04

Paul Swydan: For their careers, Duda has a 91 wRC+ vs lefties and Murphy has an 88 wRC+ against them. This was a stupid decision by Collins, as was the decision to play Cuddyer.

10:05

Paul Swydan: http://www.fangraphs.com/st…

http://www.fangraphs.com/st…

10:05

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
When did the sideline reporter become a thing?

10:06

Paul Swydan: In the late 80s, I believe. The first was New England’s own Will McDonough. This was in football, not baseball, mind you.

10:06

Neil Weinberg: Probably not first one to say this, but Seager has some Utley in his swing.

10:06

Comment From ShinyThing
not a bad thing to have in one’s swing

10:07

Comment From DB
I stand corrected on the splits….was looking at wrong column

10:07

Comment From Bip
I think you’re right Neil – even though K’s mean more than, say, a BABIP-driven 0-for-11, 11 at bats is still nothing. However, do you think someone watching might see that Dude seems particularly helpless against Kershaw? Or is that always basically going to be covariant with the K’s?

10:07

Paul Swydan: No worries dude. Wasn’t attacking you personally, just the dumb decision by Collins. He ran out an “look I did stuff!” lineup. Nauseating.

10:07

Neil Weinberg: A player absolutely can be helpsless against a pitcher, you just can’t see it from the outside in those quantitites.

10:08

Paul Swydan: deGrom staying away, away, away from Adrian Gonzalez.

10:08

Comment From Crusty Juggler
How much do you want to cut the hair of the first four pitchers in this series? As a bald man, I go with muchly

10:09

Paul Swydan: Can’t say I really care all that much. None of their hair situations are as bad as Dallas Keuchel’s beard.

10:09

Paul Swydan: Gonzalez finally got his pitch, and missed it.

10:09

Paul Swydan: deGrom is super ugly though.

10:10

Comment From DB
99 wow

10:10

Paul Swydan: 99 on the TBS gun. 98 on Gamedays. Either way, hella fast.

10:10

Comment From senpaisanto
wow paul – so who’s a dish, ya reckon?

10:11

Paul Swydan: Kershaw, for starters.

10:11

Comment From Keuchels Beard
Say that again.

10:11

Paul Swydan: YOUR BEARD IS TERRIBLE, KEUCHEL!

10:11

Comment From ShinyThing
Scruffy beards are pretty popular in baseball

10:11

Paul Swydan: I know, but some people take it too far and ruin it for people with good beards everywhere, like myself.

10:11

Comment From Timbo Slice
Keuchel’s beard is amazing. Stop hating.

10:12

Neil Weinberg: I am pro beard, but take some pride in it

10:12

Paul Swydan: Your face should stop hating.

10:12

Comment From Bip
So in other words, Neil, you’re a beard elitist

10:12

Neil Weinberg: Seems that way

10:13

Comment From Crusty Juggler
If you had a job where you could have a scruffy beard, you would have one. Like, baseball players, or hipsters. All of our heroes have beards, is what I am saying.

10:14

Paul Swydan: Honestly, I wouldn’t. My beard can get super thick like Keuchel’s, but it becomes wicked itchy and irritating. I can only grow it out that thick from Dec-Feb when it is super cold out.

10:14

Paul Swydan: And, I absolutely have a job like that. Obviously.

10:14

Paul Swydan: Well that was weird.

10:15

Paul Swydan: I wonder if the infield behind Kershaw would have got that.

10:15

Comment From Furious Onanist
I think he really did try to kick-save that to first

10:15

Comment From ShinyThing
Paul, how drunk are you?

10:15

Paul Swydan: I’ve only had the one. I’ll get another in a minute. Working up the will to stand.

10:16

Comment From DB
Here comes K 8/12…

10:16

Comment From DB
just kidding hes gonna single

10:16

Comment From DB
Maybe he should hit higher in the order

10:16

Paul Swydan: DB is all over the place.

Cuddyer isn’t though – he’s playing right to type. He had NO CHANCE.

10:17

Comment From Bip
I have seen Kershaw stick various extremities in the paths of batted balls for years, on purpose. I would think they would have put something in his contract about that.

10:17

Paul Swydan: Eh, he’d probably hurt himself trying to hold himself back from sticking his limbs out to bloc the ball.

10:17

Comment From ShinyThing
Are there lefties who hit Kershaw well?

10:19

Paul Swydan: Here you go:

http://www.baseball-referen…

I did it for bats left or both. So it might not be 100% accurate.

10:20

Paul Swydan: When it’s just left, it looks like it is just Parra, Carpenter, Votto and Utley:

http://www.baseball-referen…

10:20

Comment From Spry
Kershaw looked bored with that part of the lineup. Almost offended.

10:20

Paul Swydan: I was too.

10:21

Comment From Bip
Including both in there probably not right, as they would all bat righty against him right?

10:21

Paul Swydan: Ya probably, that’s why I did both splits. Take from them what you may.

10:21

Comment From Bip
To ShinyThing: Kershaw has very very small platoon split, since he’s so over the top. Also: Adam Dunn has the most homers off Kershaw of any player

10:21

Paul Swydan: And he retired!

10:21

Neil Weinberg: Oof. CIL attacked me. Back.

10:22

Comment From Crusty Juggler
Does Kershaw have a pitch count today, even unoffically?

10:22

Paul Swydan: I sincerely doubt it. 150, maybe?

10:22

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
If you bat an ‘rbi guy’ 9th is he stillan rbi guy?

10:22

Paul Swydan: Depends on how dumb your manager is.

10:23

Comment From Spry
Paul, do you like Turner’s beard? Bonus points for a color that pops?

10:23

Paul Swydan: It’s better than Keuchel’s. And it seems more natural.

10:23

Neil Weinberg: Not sure I have seen “shin guard removing” before realizing it’s a strike

10:24

Neil Weinberg: Well, that went about how you’d expect

10:24

Paul Swydan: Hey Neil, I think the TBS box is off vertically as well. That 3-1 strike to Turner wasn’t as low on Gameday as it was on TBS.

10:24

Neil Weinberg: Makes sense

10:24

Paul Swydan: And LOOKIE LOOKIE, Cuddyer screwed up in the field too.

10:24

Neil Weinberg: I know he is old and hurt, but WOW that was a really bad play

10:25

Neil Weinberg: Ethier bead game is strong

10:25

Comment From matt
You’d think that after 13 years in the big leagues, he could catch a line drive right at him.

10:25

Paul Swydan: You WOULD think that. Unless the player is a cripple.

10:26

Comment From Bip
That Cuddyer miss might bring up positive memories for Dodger fans of Matt Holiday in the 2009 NLDS

10:26

Paul Swydan: The difference is that Holliday misjudged his miss. Cuddyer didn’t misjudge that ball – he’s just too old, fat and slow to get there.

10:27

Paul Swydan: Ethier definitely swung though.

10:27

Comment From matt
Old, fat, and slow is no way to go through life.

10:28

Comment From Timbo Slice
You would think he’d be able to catch balls that hit his glove even if he was a cripple….

10:28

Neil Weinberg: Late time. Rough inning for the umpire

10:29

Paul Swydan: Ya, well, he didn’t.

10:29

Comment From Bip
Oh, that’s not how I saw it, it looked to me like Cuddyer was going back, stopped because he thought he went far enough, but the ball was actually too far. Could be that I misread it at the time.

10:29

Paul Swydan: Fair enough.

10:30

Comment From eric
please gif the cuddyer miss

10:30

Paul Swydan: Oh man, def not my forte. Sorry.

10:31

Paul Swydan: Also, I’m really sorry. CiL is crawling right now. I’m debating ending this chat and starting a new one.

10:32

Comment From Bip
Interesting IBB to Pederson. I almost wonder if part of it is not that they’re scared of him, but that they don’t want to waste pitches on him, given his long at bats.

10:33

Paul Swydan: Maybe. But I’d never want to be turning over that lineup quicker.

10:33

Neil Weinberg: Pretty common to IBB the guy in front of the pitcher. Doubt they thought about it like that

10:34

Paul Swydan: Pretty disciplined at-bat by Kershaw until he waved at strike three.

10:36

Comment From Spry
As a young person, that boner-drug ad is so f’in patronizing. Think it works on old guys?

10:37

Paul Swydan: Absolutely. If it didn’t, they wouldn’t be running them.

10:40

Paul Swydan: Well that was a banner two minutes. My computer died, and then I spilled my beer on my shirt.

10:40

Neil Weinberg: There are now way too many comments in the queue about viagra

10:40

Comment From Stu
How does MLB select umpires for the postseason? Is it based on call accuracy during the season? Seniority?

10:40

Neil Weinberg: I have no idea, actually?

10:41

Neil Weinberg: Via Ben http://grantland.com/the-tr…

10:41

Paul Swydan: Probably a little of both, with a healthy dose of “who is actually healthy” mixed in.

10:43

Comment From Norrin Radd
Send Grandy here?

10:43

Neil Weinberg: No. Kershaw is amazing at holding runners

10:44

Comment From matt
Wasn’t there some FG article about umps supposedly squeezing the pitcher on 2 strike counts.

10:44

Neil Weinberg: The zone definitely gets smaller with 2 strikes. I’m sure we’ve written about it

10:45

Paul Swydan: OK everyone. If you refresh your web browser, you will see a second chat window. Go there, we’re moving this puppy.

10:45

Paul Swydan: I’m going to end this chat window.

10:44

Paul Swydan: Hi. Everyone come down here!

10:46

Comment From Michael
Do I need to repost my question?

10:46

Neil Weinberg: Yeah, repost whatever. Can’t bring it with us

10:46

Neil Weinberg: Oh my goodness this is much better

10:47

Comment From Spry
TBS use showed Cespedes’s pretty balanced HR total for strike zone quartiles. Is that common?

10:47

Neil Weinberg: If you only cut the zone into four parts, I think so.

10:47

Paul Swydan: OK. So, pretty sure the problem was that there was just a ton of unapproved questions in the queue from earlier in the day. Hopefully this is better.

10:47

Comment From Yo Enes Kanter
There are rules about what a pitcher can have on his arm, because it can be distracting. Justin Miller was forced to wear a sleeve to cover tattoos, for instance. Is there any equivalent rule that would spare us from the highlighter arm of Cespedes?

10:47

Neil Weinberg: No. The pitcher thing is about being able to see the ball.

10:47

Comment From Bip
It’s kind of weird and arbitrary to do quartiles though, right?

10:48

Neil Weinberg: Yes.

10:48

Comment From Michael
Are we in a Golden Age of starting pitching, or am I just underestimating how down hitting is? So many guys with more than 9 k/9 and less than 2 bb/9.

10:48

Neil Weinberg: Sort of hard to separate. I think it’s a bit of both. Big strikezone and lots of guys training to throw 95+.

10:48

Comment From Spry
Fangraphs tends to split the zone into 9ths, right?

10:49

Neil Weinberg: That’s sort of standard. Generally, the four part zone is bad just because most HR are coming from the middle and all four zones have a claim to that

10:49

Comment From cowdisciple
Just got done working – is this zone as bad as TBS’s thing is making it look?

10:49

Neil Weinberg: Not really. TBS graphic is not good

10:50

Comment From Furious Onanist
We’re in a golden age of Umpshow

10:51

Neil Weinberg: Uhhhh….

10:51

Neil Weinberg: Seager’s reaction dot gif

10:51

Paul Swydan: OK, so if you refresh again, you’ll see the entire day’s chat until I closed that window under the new window.

10:51

Comment From ShinyThing
?????? Cuddy?

10:52

Paul Swydan: As Daniel Craig said in “Road To Perdition,” it’s all so fu****g hysterical.

10:52

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
When did the Mets trade for Hanley?

10:52

Comment From Cynical Baseball Fan
deGrom is so angry

10:52

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Cuddyer still stinks awfully

10:52

Comment From Bip
A rare play where the ground rule double may have actually given the batter an extra base.

10:53

Neil Weinberg: I watched Torii Hunter play the outfield for two years but even I might have to look away

10:53

Paul Swydan: Not sure about that. Say Cuddyer catches it on a hop. He’s running thr wrong way, and has no arm. I’d still try for second.

10:53

Comment From ShinyThing
As long as deGrom doesn’t pull a Sean Rodriguez and break his hand, he’ll recover

10:53

Comment From Bip
I mean this is not Cuddyer’s first time in the outfield….?

10:54

Paul Swydan: It’s definitely not his first time.

10:54

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Cuddyer is hilarious

10:54

Comment From Phil
Jacob deGrom is kneecapping Cuddyer in the dugout.

10:54

Comment From The+Dude
And to think the Mets gave up a draft pick for him!

10:54

Paul Swydan: I can just picture Jeff Bridich watching this game tonight and thinking, “thank god, we dodged a bullet there.”

10:55

Comment From ShinyThing
Watch Cuddyer become the MVP of the postseason after this moment. Hit 100’s of home runs.

10:55

Neil Weinberg: https://twitter.com/mike_pe…

10:55

Paul Swydan: Don’t hold your breath.

10:55

Comment From Crusty Kuntz
I’m shocked- SHOCKED- that a guy who turned down 1/15 and signed for 2/21 let himself go to complete crap in year 1.

10:56

Comment From Crusty Juggler
DeGrom’s high pitch count could be a factor pretty soon. Stupid Cuddyer.

10:56

Comment From Evan
This game feels really slow compared to Cubs-Cardinals.

10:58

Paul Swydan: Pace this year:
Lackey – 22.0
Lester – 22.5

Kershaw – 22.5
deGrom – 19.6

The moral of the story – it’s all Cuddyer’s fault.

10:58

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Is Sonic telling me that I should eat there if I’m a moron? I don’t understand these ads.

10:58

Paul Swydan: They were cooler when I was 23. I’m not 23 anymore, but there are definitely people who are.

10:59

Neil Weinberg: Well then

10:59

Paul Swydan: What a smart move to hit Daniel Murphy cleanup, just like I was saying all along.

10:59

Comment From Evan L
DeGrom only 8 pitches ahead of Kershaw after 3. Very fascist game from both sides so far

10:59

Comment From xx
high-ish pitch counts for both even though nobody’s scoring

11:00

Comment From Analicious Delight
Daniel murphy should do boner ads because that was a HUGE DONG

11:00

Neil Weinberg: Paul, another network not showing the replay in favor of high fives!

11:00

Paul Swydan: Stupid TBS.

11:00

Neil Weinberg: LOL did they just show his 4th inning ERA?

11:00

Paul Swydan: Cool story.

11:00

Comment From Sausalito Sal
“And Kershaw’s postseason woes continue!”

11:01

Paul Swydan: I wasn’t paying attention, did they really say that?

11:01

Comment From Crusty Juggler
Not a good pitch.

11:01

Comment From The+Dude
Why can’t Fangraphs have such in-depth analysis?

11:01

Paul Swydan: Trying. Trying.

11:01

Neil Weinberg: None of us played the game!

11:01

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Just anticipating

11:02

Comment From ShinyThing
We should implant the part of Buhrle that makes him work so fast into every other pitcher

11:02

Paul Swydan: I think it’s called a brain.

11:02

Neil Weinberg: This is the beginning of a very niche horror movie

11:02

Paul Swydan: Or Toy Story 3. Do you think the other pitchers have a Spanish Mode, too?

11:03

Comment From Phil
This is where the Dodgers score no runs in the game and we hear about Kershaw’s “woes.”… As he strikes out everybody.

11:03

Comment From Evan
Trachsel’s brain would be a horror movie.

11:03

Comment From The+Dude
There’s a fine line between baseball pace and 80s B-Horror films.

11:04

Comment From Crusty Juggler
Was Joc playing really shallow there, or is that how he normally plays?

11:04

Paul Swydan: Come on, I’m sort of your doctor.

11:04

Neil Weinberg: I’m not sure, any full time Dodger fans have a sense of how shallow he plays?

11:04

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Okay I’m biased, but the buster posey assurance commercial is kind of the best.

11:05

Neil Weinberg: I love that commercial

11:05

Paul Swydan: There’s no kind of about it. It’s the best ad in a brilliant ad campaign.

11:05

Paul Swydan: The substitute teacher one is also excellent.

11:05

Comment From mtsw
Okay, Posey isn’t delivering any babies, but if you had to pick one major leaguer to do so, who would you select?

11:06

Paul Swydan: EIther someone super smart like Jeff Francis (he was a physics major) or someone with soft hands like – well, like Posey, or maybe Andrelton Simmons.

11:06

Comment From Evan
Certainly not Cuddyer because he’d drop it.

11:06

Comment From Tommy
AJ Ellis literally delivered his baby on the side of the road.

11:06

Paul Swydan: Wait, is that true?

11:06

Comment From Analicious Delight
My DirecTV went out earlier in a storm and I had that image of Buster Posey staring at me locked onscreen for 5 minutes

11:07

Paul Swydan: Could be worse.

11:07

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
So I have a gentlemen’s bet with a Dodger fan in LA. whichever team wins, if the Mets win he has to wear a Mets Jersey in an LA bar and vice-versa. Which player from each team do you think would be the one to make the other person wear?

11:07

Neil Weinberg: http://articles.latimes.com…

11:07

Paul Swydan: Gotta be Turner for the sheer cruelty of it on the Dodgers side. On the Mets side, gotta be Cuddyer. Also for cruelty. But a different kind of cruelty.

11:08

Neil Weinberg: Mets – Colon

11:08

Neil Weinberg: Agree on Turner

11:08

Comment From Bip
Not that Joc is an elite CF, but good center fielders tend to play shallower right? It’s worse for a ball to go over your head than to drop in front of you, so bad fielders play deep to prevent that, right? As a Dodger fan, it’s never struck me that Joc plays very shallow. Definitely doesn’t play deep though.

11:08

Paul Swydan: Oh snap. That’s amazing. I went with my wife both times, and I wouldn’t have wanted to do that. Not saying I couldn’t have…just that I wouldn’t want to.

11:08

Neil Weinberg: Typically guys play shallow if they believe in their range

11:09

Paul Swydan: Colon is a little too adorable though. People would just kind of chuckle and not give you a hard time.

11:09

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Cuddyer and Kemp

11:09

Comment From Aunt Jessie
I’d vote for Frenchy to deliver a baby. You could easily prank him into doing it for real, after all.

11:09

Comment From ShinyThing
Definitely not Buckner.

11:09

Comment From Norrin Radd
Will Conforto start from now on?

11:09

Paul Swydan: Apparently Cuddyer is starting against lefties.

11:09

Comment From Aunt Jessie
“guys play shallow if they believe in their range” + a conversation about pregnancies… the obvious joke is left as an exercise for the reader.

11:10

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
maybe Piazza in a mets jersey?

11:10

Comment From Nope
Piazza

11:10

Comment From mtsw
I’m friends with a Mets fan who’s last name is actually “Colon” and he doesn’t own a Bartolo jersey. Should I stop hanging out with him?

11:10

Paul Swydan: Well you guys are going all historical on me now. I was using current season only.

11:10

Neil Weinberg: Does he own ANY jerseys? If yes, yes

11:11

Paul Swydan: But in terms of bets such as this, I once made a bet with a friend that I’d wear his team’s hat – the Giants – if his team won the 2002 World Series. So I bought it in advance of Game 6. Needless to say, after Ortiz was pulled, and the Angels came back, I taunted him MERCILESSLY the rest of the night, and then all through Game 7.

11:11

Paul Swydan: He was so mad that he flew in to watch Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS with me, and taunted the sh*t out of me in return when Aaron Boone happened. Karma is a b*tch.

11:12

Comment From mtsw
John Rocker Braves jersey seems like the worst to wear to a Mets bar.

11:12

Comment From Analicious Delight
I’m so rooting for a Dickey-Colon WS Matchup

11:12

Neil Weinberg: Ohhh, what’s the worst combination possible?

11:13

Paul Swydan: Maybe a Mets Strawberry shirsey? Well, no, I guess some sort of Giants shirsey…

11:13

Comment From Evan
Should challenge Granderson’s arm there.

11:13

Comment From The+Dude
A Bonds shirt?

11:13

Comment From mtsw
Jeremy Guthrie started game 7 of the WS last year. Anything’s possible.

11:14

Comment From Phil
Cespedes did his best to get there before Cuddyer on Joc’s pop-up.

11:14

Paul Swydan: Ha.

11:14

Comment From ShinyThing
Cuddy didn’t screw up!

11:14

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Cuddyer catch!

11:14

Paul Swydan: Miracles do happen.

11:15

Paul Swydan: Who would have pinch hit for Kershaw here? I wouldn’t have, but it definitely seems frustrating that the Dodgers can’t break through.

11:15

Comment From partido
A youkilis jersey at the porcello family bbq

11:15

Comment From Evan
Papelbon jersey in Washington.

11:15

Neil Weinberg: Not with two outs

11:15

Comment From ShinyThing
No way

11:15

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Best to force him to wear a jersey and have that jersey be of someone laughable. More probe to cruel and aggressive homer ridicule.

11:16

Comment From Phil
I have never been clear on pinch-hitting rules for pitchers… can they keep playing? What happens to the hitter?

11:16

Paul Swydan: They cannot keep pitching, no. The pinch hitter is either double switched into the field, or he comes out of the game.

11:16

Comment From Jeff Q
Don’t pinch hit here, but I fully expect to be upset when Mattingly gives Kershaw another at bat in the bottom of the 6th or 7th.

11:16

Comment From Timbo Slice
A-rod jersey in Boston.

11:16

Comment From The+Dude
Papelbon jersey in DC, Papelbon jersey in Philadelphia, Papelbon jersey anywhere.

11:16

Comment From Yo-Yo
The hitter can stay in the game and pitch, though, right?

11:17

Paul Swydan: Kershaw is making him work. I like it.

11:17

Neil Weinberg: Yes, in theory

11:17

Paul Swydan: Oh man, he barreled that!

11:17

Comment From ShinyThing
Kershaw going to square up something. Maybe the air, but something.

11:17

Neil Weinberg: He made that fun

11:17

Paul Swydan: He did square it up! He did!

11:18

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
Both pitchers are good hitters. Could be fun. At what point do we put deGrom in the conversation of being an elite shut down pitcher – some people see it, others just can’t get their heads around it. Are we approaching the enough is enough scenario and he needs to be in the convo?

11:18

Comment From beckadawrecka
LGM

11:18

Neil Weinberg: Yeah, he’s there. Just so much top level pitching right now that he gets lost.

11:18

Comment From Crusty Juggler
Cespedes’ center field ability increases his value, correct? Even if it is just that he can play center for two years of the contract.

11:19

Paul Swydan: He’s there now for me. I wanted to see year two, and he was just as good as the first year. The skepticism stems from him being old for a rookie last year.

11:19

Neil Weinberg: It should wash out for Yo in CF with the positional adjustment, but his perceived value is higher and it allows you to get better hitters in the lineup, so yes

11:20

Paul Swydan: the funny thing is that cespedes was really bad in center previously. he looks slimmer this year though.

11:20

Neil Weinberg: He was awesome in LF in Detroit.

11:20

Comment From Cam
Currently a sad reflection of the Dodgers offense tonight, that the best heart-in-your-mouth-will-we-score-moment came from…Kershaw. Early days, but..this doesn’t help the narrative.

11:20

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Re: Cespedes, the A’s tried to play him in CF when they first got him, but as I recall, the problem at the time was more his communication / his ability to “be the captain outfielder” or whatever you want to call the CF’s role. Presumably he’s better at it now that he’s had more time in the league.

11:20

Comment From Michael Frilling
I think I’m getting blocked. C’est la vie.

11:21

Paul Swydan: no blocking. queue is furious right now.

11:21

Comment From mtsw
Mets at a disadvantage here just via team composition? Seems like they have a lot less run manufacturing ability than the Dodgers, if it’s still a one-run game late.

11:21

Comment From mtsw
Make sense that advanced metrics that rely on human inputs underrate CFs that play shallow because everyone looks worse having a ball go over their head than drop in front of them?

11:21

Paul Swydan: The Dodgers are the deepest team, but the Mets aren’t at a huge disadvantage right now, no.

11:22

Neil Weinberg: That’s not how the metrics work. Human stringers input data, not judgements

11:22

Comment From The+Dude
Kershaw only has 9 Ks? Talk about choking in the Post Season.

11:22

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Pop quiz for the chat moderators: where did the Giants and the Dodgers get their team colors of Orange and Blue, respectively? (answer coming in a few.)

11:23

Comment From FM Mood
Mets fan checking in, this pitching match up is just too awesome. Then I remember tomorrow is grienke vs syndergaard and get too happy

11:23

Comment From Norrin Radd
Do you see the “pitcher moves to the field for a batter to let a reliever pitch to current batter, then comes back into pitch” scenario ever becoming a thing?

11:24

Neil Weinberg: I wrote about it like a year ago

11:24

Paul Swydan: I do not, no. The Astros did it a couple times last season (this season?) and it worked, but it’s pretty nerve wracking.

11:24

Comment From Timbo Slice
What’s the over under on total strikeouts this game? 20? 25?

11:24

Paul Swydan: go higher

11:24

Neil Weinberg: It won’t be a thing, but it should be, mathematically

11:25

Comment From Sausalito Sal
So Cards were first home team to win a postseason game. Also Cuddyer is awful.

11:25

Comment From The+Dude
TBS isn’t telling me Kershaw’s ERA in the 5th inning!

11:25

Paul Swydan: no the royals were.

11:25

Comment From Sausalito Sal
NM royals won…

11:25

Comment From Ryan
What’s the best (non-player) occupation in professional baseball?

11:26

Neil Weinberg: bullpen catcher

11:26

Comment From Timbo Slice
Why is everyone hating on OFs playing deep? Isn’t it better to have a ball land in front of you for a single than have one go over your head for a double?

11:27

Neil Weinberg: cutting down on singles is good, and playing shallow allows you to get to them, while balls hit far are usually ones with long hang times, so you can get back to them

11:27

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Haha thanks for telling he whole story, Paul

11:27

Paul Swydan: np

11:27

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Giants and Dodgers (and Yankees) got their colors from the NYC flag, Orange and Blue and Grey. Hence the Mets being Blue and Orange, though — I don’t have a reference for this, but — I heard that the Mets had to get permissions from LAD and SFG to use the blue and orange.

11:27

Paul Swydan: i actually do remember this now that youre saying it. but i couldnt remember it when you asked, so you win.

11:28

Comment From Ryan
If Shohei Otani gets posted, we might see more of the “starting pitcher leaves to play the field briefly” scenario. See this article: http://ftw.usatoday.com/201…

11:28

Paul Swydan: cool!

11:28

Comment From Norrin Radd
Can i get a link Neal? I’d love to read about it.

11:28

Neil Weinberg: http://www.beyondtheboxscor…

11:29

Comment From The+Dude
Kershaw/deGrom: Awesome! Greinke/Syndergaard: Incredible! Harvey/any other Dodgers’ pitcher: you know, I have laundry that I need to do.

11:29

Comment From Spencer
Considering that the shift has now been beaten a number of times tonight (Morales and Zobrist in KC, now Granderson), what are the mods’ opinions on the extreme shifts we’re starting to see?

11:29

Neil Weinberg: Strongly in favor

11:30

Paul Swydan: keep doing them

11:31

Comment From Ryan
Does Scott Boras ever go see his players in person? I’d love to see some shots of him writhing in the stands as Harvey piles up pitches this post-season.

11:31

Neil Weinberg: This would be a really fun tumblr

11:31

Comment From Steve
Not shifting just seems indefensible. How can you possibly think that the optimal positioning is identical for dramatically different hitters?

11:32

Paul Swydan: Boras is frequently behind the plate at Dodgers and Angels games, yes.

11:32

Neil Weinberg: Yeah, if you think about it, standard fielding spots make no logical sense.

11:32

Paul Swydan: Having said that, Steve, it may get beat more often in the postseason, just because teams are better able to focus on the specific matchups in front of them.

11:32

Paul Swydan: During the season you wouldn’t want to do that as much.

11:32

Paul Swydan: IN the postseason, it’s anything to get an edge.

11:33

Comment From Bip
I think we’re in a different golden age of pitching. Now, there are a ton of really good pitchers. But, not that long ago, Randy, Pedro, Clemens, Maddux, were all pitching at the same time. Only Kershaw right now is on their level, and even that is arguable.

11:33

Paul Swydan: Very arguable. And i love Kershaw.

11:34

Comment From Bip
So, let’s say Kershaw goes 7, K’s 10, doesn’t allow any more walks or runs, and Dodgers lose 1-0. Is this game used as evidence Kershaw isn’t a postseason pitcher?

11:34

Paul Swydan: It will be in some corners, yes.

11:35

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
The combined salary of the Mets playoff starting pitchers is 1.6 million dollars. That has be to the least combined salary of a starting playoff pitching squad in modern day?

11:35

Paul Swydan: In modern day, it’s probably close. Well, unless Colon pitches at some point. Let’s see what shakes out.

11:36

Comment From Bip
Kershaw quietly working on a 21-K game

11:37

Comment From MrMets
Tell me everythings gonna be alright

11:38

Paul Swydan: I won’t, but Treach and Vinny will.

https://www.youtube.com/wat…

11:38

Comment From Phil
Already at 20 combined K’s before the end of the 5th.

11:38

Comment From Analicious Delight
Well if this keeps going, by 2045 everybody will K 100% of the time, so the other 7 defenders can sit around playing duck-duck-goose

11:39

Comment From Ryan
What’s the record for most combined strikeouts in a 9-inning playoff game?

11:39

Paul Swydan: Good question. Anyone?

11:40

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Dollar/WAR (inflation considered), is it unprecedented for a division winner?

11:40

Comment From Jeff
Has anyone looked at whether it’s harder for elite pitchers in a low run environment to put up the godly WAR numbers that guys like Randy Johnson did? If you allow 50% of league average runs in a 3.5 run environment, your WAR is going to be much lower than the guy who allows 50% of league average in a 5.0 run environment. I’m not sure if this is a thing, but it seems to make sense.

11:41

Paul Swydan: On the $/WAR, again let’s see how the postseason shakes out. I could see Colon getting a spot start.

On the WAR numbers, not sure, that would make for an interesting Neil Weinberg THT article!

11:42

Comment From Crusty Juggler
DeGrom is over 90 pitches. He gets more inning? Isn’t that kind of nuts?

11:42

Neil Weinberg: That sounds like a hint.

11:43

Paul Swydan: No, it’s the playoffs.

11:43

Neil Weinberg: Pitch until you think he’s not effective

11:43

Neil Weinberg: It feels like playoff announcers have never seen a fly ball sometimes

11:43

Comment From mtsw
Do other agents complain about their pitchers’ innings and pitch counts? Is Boras the only one vocal about this or just the only one with the juice to get it into the press?

11:44

Comment From Phil
Dunno about playoffs, but 31 K’s seems to be the answer I found. 1997 regular season game between Mariners and Rangers.

11:44

Neil Weinberg: Other agents keep that kind of thing anonymous

11:44

Comment From David S
To be fair TBS doesn’t have any baseball announcers

11:44

Neil Weinberg: Ouch.

11:45

Comment From Phil
I think that’s the rub on Kershaw being able to be on the level of Johnson or Pedro. He’s doing what they did, essentially, but in a general lower run-scoring league so his FIP-, for example, is not as low. In isolation, he’s every bit as great, but adjusting for environment hurts him some.

11:45

Neil Weinberg: This is a really hard question to answer, because you’re getting into the whole idea of Babe Ruth sucking if you put him in 1990

11:46

Comment From Puig
my no-doubt witty comment didn’t get posted, I must be getting blocked. auf wiedersehen

11:46

Paul Swydan: Nope, no one is getting blocked. We love all of you.

11:46

Comment From larryv
that earlier guess of 25 total Ks looking absurdly conservative

11:46

Paul Swydan: Yes. Yes it does.

11:46

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Do you think it cuts a pitcher’s soul when the opposing pitcher get a hit? Or worse, a HR?

11:47

Comment From Burt
Well that wasn’t really what was asked. The question was basically if the WAR distribution gets stretched in a high run environment. Guys who are 50% better than average (either pitching or hitting, really) are more runs better than average in a high run environment, so their WAR may be inflated relative to the same guys in a low run environment.

11:47

Paul Swydan: Probably.

11:47

Neil Weinberg: BUT is it the same guy? That’s what I’m saying

11:47

Neil Weinberg: Is a 1.50 ERA always a 1.50 ERA? You have to impose that assumption as an analyst.

11:47

Paul Swydan: Burt, what you’re saying makes an intuitive sense, but I don’t know that it plays out that way.

11:48

Comment From Ryan
0.22 xFIP for Kershaw tonight, and yet the stories tomorrow will doubtless use the phrase “post-season demons”

11:48

Comment From Burt
Agreed that it may not play out that way. I think it’s an interesting hypothesis, though.

11:48

Neil Weinberg: Yes. Absolutely.

11:48

Paul Swydan: He’s up to a 1.20 xFIP now though.

11:48

Paul Swydan: Yes, definitely, Burt.

11:48

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Mike Epps teaming up with the Cavs makes me anticipate the basketball regular season

11:49

Neil Weinberg: I don’t know what this means^

11:49

Paul Swydan: As does the new projection system that 538 rolled out. I’m giddy about it, and I’m barely paying attention to basketball right now.

11:49

Paul Swydan: (I don’t get the reference either, but I AM excited for basketball this year).

11:49

Comment From Nope
When the scoring environment is higher, doesn’t that make runs/win also higher

11:49

Neil Weinberg: Yes.

11:49

Comment From jpg
Regular season record definitely isn’t 31. Last week during Scherzer’s no-no, he K’d 17 Mets and Mets staff K’d 18 Nats

11:49

Paul Swydan: Well OK then.

11:50

Comment From The+Dude
Paul, in a previous chat, you shared a link showing Kershaw’s sheer incredibleness. No there should be no debate that Kershaw is among the best . http://www.fangraphs.com/le…

11:50

Comment From Burt
Do we use a static RAR/WAR? Or does it move with the run environment?

11:51

Neil Weinberg: RAR divided by R/W = WAR, always. R/W changes with environment

11:51

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Paul, when did you grow a beard? Pre-marriage, the dating game stopped me. Post-marriage, it’s the job. How did you handle the middle phase–the dilapidated period? Were you working in an office?

11:51

Paul Swydan: I mean, for now, The+Dude, but he will regress later in his career and won’t end up with an ERA- that good. It’s more a fun anecdote than anything.

11:52

Neil Weinberg: I grew my beard while writing my master’s thesis and just never shaved it

11:52

Paul Swydan: So, I had a goatee for my wedding, but I vacillated between goatee and shaved for most of my 20s. I grew mine for good when I left the Rockies. That’s five years ago now. I haven’t fully shaved since.

11:52

Comment From xx
top sixth: first half-inning without a K finally

11:53

Comment From Phil
This should absolutely be the last half inning for Kershaw, even if he breezes through it. 9th spot due up 3rd.

11:53

Neil Weinberg: Yeah, it’s gonna be tempting to leave him in.

11:53

Paul Swydan: Yeah, agreed. Hopefully the Dodgers get a runner on in front of him and make it academic.

11:54

Comment From Grimace
Give us an interesting story from your time at the Rockies!

11:54

Paul Swydan: Nah, nobody wants to hear that stuff.

11:54

Comment From Bip
To be fair to the dude, Kershaw ranks near the top of just about any “through 27” list as well.

11:54

Comment From Analicious Delight
They said DeGrom on deck, if he actually bats and comes back out that’s batshit insane

11:55

Paul Swydan: Collins said before the game that his goal was to have deGrom go 8 and Familia 1. So he’s almost certainly going to hit.

11:55

Comment From jpg
Umm how about no Rockies stories…

11:55

Paul Swydan: See?

11:55

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Makes sense. I might take the plunge this holiday season. Pray for me. Re Mike Epps and the Cavs, a commercial came on in which LeBron and Kyrie were basically in Mad Max, and then Mike Epps randomly showed up on a vehicle and cracked a joke or two. Weirdness.

11:55

Paul Swydan: LOL ok

11:55

Comment From jpg
Cleanup hitter Murphy with a jack. Duda reaches base twice. Collins is a genius of course.

11:55

Paul Swydan: But of course.

11:55

Paul Swydan: Except…Cuddyer.

11:56

Comment From Sausalito Sal
By “plunge” I mean beard-growing, not marriage. The former is more complicated.

11:56

Neil Weinberg: I recommend both

11:56

Comment From mtsw
Dodger Stadium, Rogers Center, Kauffman. Is this the year of the modernist, symmetrical ballpark re-appreciation? A lot of the faux-retro, amusement-parky 90s ballparks are suddenly not aging great.

11:57

Paul Swydan: It’s almost like a lot of them were rushed into production to take advantage of the boom of taxpayer funded stadia or something.

11:57

Paul Swydan: But it’s also about how you take care of them. For instance, Coors Field has held up well, because even when the ballpark was brand new, the Rockies set aside $5 million or so every year for ballpark improvements, even if said improvements were just “paint that railing again.”

11:58

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Tell us a Rockies World Series story! ;-D

11:58

Paul Swydan: It was short. I hung out on the field before a game with Joe Sheehan for an hour. I had to wear a suit. The end.

11:59

Comment From Phil
Uh-oh… it’s the dreaded 7th for Kershaw.

11:59

Neil Weinberg: deGrom batting! With two on!

11:59

Comment From Hareeb al-Saq
Somebody call in a wellness check on MGL.. He’s (rightfully) going to go apoplectic about this decision.

11:59

Comment From Phil
Most of the 90s ballparks are gone, right? Isn’t Coors the 3rd oldest field in the NL?

11:59

Neil Weinberg: Brad Ausmus nods approvingly

11:59

Comment From Grimace
How is deGrom batting???????

11:59

Paul Swydan: I’d call it 90s to early 00s. But yes, Coors Field is older than every NL ballpark except Dodger and Wrigley.

12:00

Comment From Cam
He’s gotta be sending DeGrom out there to keep “confidence momentum” going into Game 4.

12:00

Paul Swydan: Oh baby, it’s midnight.

12:00

Comment From GM
Chris Singleton on ESPN Radio says he’s fully on board with decision to have DeGrom bat

12:00

Comment From A Real Cardinals Fan
I get mad about Matheny sometimes, but man do I forget how bad some other managers are.

12:00

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
that bunt was perfect

12:01

Paul Swydan: Still tho

12:01

Neil Weinberg: That was super weird.

12:01

Paul Swydan: I love that Kershaw isn’t backing down and just walking Granderson btw.

12:01

Neil Weinberg: lefty with two outs, why would he?

12:01

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
granderson makes him pay

12:01

Paul Swydan: Bold prediction, that.

12:02

Comment From Phil
You don’t really choose to pitch to Wright.

12:02

Comment From jpg
Well Wright is on deck…

12:02

Paul Swydan: Yeah I get that, but he could be doing the whole pitch to you but pitch around you thing, and he isn’t.

12:03

Paul Swydan: Well, maybe he is. Though I think judging by Kershaw’s reaction, he missed location on that pitch.

12:03

Comment From Donald
Tomorrow’s headlines are dancing on the knife’s edge right now. If the inning is extended, we get 3 more days of Kershaw-playoffs narrative. If he gets a strike here, that dies.

12:03

Comment From Timbo Slice
This chat is ahead of my video feed……

12:03

Paul Swydan: Sorry, I hate when that happens.

12:03

Comment From Bat
deGrom is at 100+ pitches and his high this year is 117. He isn’t pitching much longer anyway so why not send a pinch hitter up there?

12:03

Paul Swydan: It’s the playoffs. Normal pitch counts are out the window.

12:03

Paul Swydan: OHHHHHHH, can’t believe Kershaw didn’t get that call!

12:04

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
GREAT at bat

12:04

Comment From jpg
Yeah but he’d only do that if he preferred to face Wright. I doubt he does

12:04

Neil Weinberg: BASEBALL

12:04

Paul Swydan: Well, he’s got to now…dum dum dum.

12:04

Paul Swydan: WHAT? Mattingly is taking him out????

12:05

Comment From Aunt Jessie
So how does pulling Kershaw at this point play into tomorrow’s narrative re Kershaw’s postseason clutch?

12:05

Paul Swydan: I don’t care what the percentages say, I want to see Kershaw face Wright there. Unreal.

12:05

Neil Weinberg: Depends on what the reliever does here because human beings are bad at logic

12:05

Comment From Bip
And now we get to the part where a reliever’s performance determines how this start affect’s Kershaw’s narrative

12:05

Comment From Evan L
Is a fresh Baez > 113 pitches Kershaw against a RHB?

12:05

Comment From Donald
@Jessie, only if these runners score. If Baez gets out of it, nobody remembers.

12:05

Paul Swydan: Maybe, but I don’t care.

12:05

Comment From Grimace
Truth: I don’t live in my mother’s basement. Fact: I have mlb pip on my iPad while chatting on fangraphs. Question: am I cool?

12:06

Comment From ShinyThing
He is not trusted with the game on the line in the playoffs

12:06

Neil Weinberg: Sounds cool to me, but I am not the person you want to judge this

12:06

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
Wright saw the ball on Kershaw the best on the team today

12:06

Comment From Phil
That’s a terrible decision.

12:06

Comment From Cam
Absolutely yes, Jessie.

12:06

Comment From Donald
You’re on a fangraphs chat on Friday night. You’re not cool. Sorry.

12:07

Comment From jpg
If you are going to pull Kershaw, Jansen absolutely should be the guy here. But there might be save later I guess!

12:07

Neil Weinberg: Preach

12:07

Paul Swydan: https://www.youtube.com/wat…

12:08

Comment From larryv
It’s technically Saturday morning for me now, so Friday night denigrations are totally invalid

12:08

Comment From mtsw
So-called “advanced stats” are too hard to understand and based on suspect logic. Now let me explain why its Kershaw’s fault if guys score after he’s been pulled from the game.

12:08

Comment From Bat
Agree with Paul. You don’t pull a possible 3 time (including this year) CY Young award winner and the most dominant pitcher in the game over the past few years because a righty is coming up. This is the time your money pitcher makes his money.

12:08

Comment From Sausalito Sal
I’m a happily married, gainfully-employed thirty-something. And my wife went to sleep. This is what I choose to do. Who cares about “cool” as an adult?

12:09

Neil Weinberg: This is me but I am not in my thirties

12:09

Paul Swydan: That is what my link was saying.

12:09

Neil Weinberg: Take this pitch.

12:10

Paul Swydan: Wright did him a favor.

12:10

Comment From Grimace
Can we all agree that this has been an awesome game??

12:10

Paul Swydan: So far.

12:10

Comment From jpg
The chances of a bigger spot coming up is remote. Jansen should be in there. These guys can’t shut regular season mode/mindset off. Just terrible.

12:11

Paul Swydan: Nauseating if you’re a Dodgers fan.

12:11

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Love it

12:11

Comment From jpg
Wooooooooooooo

12:11

Comment From jpg
The Captain delivers!!!!

12:11

Comment From Stu
Groundhog saw his shadow. 12 more months of Kershaw-can’t-pitch-in-October stories.

12:11

Comment From Evan L
SEE KERSHAW AIN’T A CLUTCH PLAYOFF PITCHER

12:11

Comment From Aunt Jessie
“Nauseating if you’re a Dodgers fan.” Luckily, I am a Giants fan. 😉

12:11

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
CAPTAIN WRIGHT!

12:11

Comment From ShinyThing
Welp, Kershaw is now officially totally worthless

12:12

Comment From mtsw
If you own the Dodgers do you fire Mattingly tomorrow for this?

12:12

Paul Swydan: No, I don’t. But if they lose the series, ya.

12:12

Neil Weinberg: I mean, the other manager let deGrom hit two batters ago

12:13

Comment From Bodrod the Bearded
Wait why would you fire Mattingly? It was indefensible to pull Kershaw he had just walked the bases loaded

12:13

Paul Swydan: If I’m going to lose, I want it to be with Clayton Kershaw. Not Pedro Baez.

12:13

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
leave DeGrom in now or go to Reed?

12:14

Paul Swydan: Again, Collins said he wanted 8 from deGrom. So it’ll be deGrom.

12:14

Neil Weinberg: I think that’s a fine thought, Paul, but doesn’t rise to fireable

12:14

Comment From jpg
Because pulling Kershaw for anyone other than Jansen with the game on the line is a fire-able offense.

12:14

Neil Weinberg: Although I have been watching Ausmus for two years so my sensitivity to bad managing is really dulled

12:15

Comment From Bip
People are joking but I actually now seriously don’t think Kershaw is the same guy in the postseason. I think he puts extra pressure on himself. I think he wears himself out too fast, whereas in the reg. season he can pace himself for 8 innings. Mattingly doesn’t adjust, leaves him in too long.

12:15

Paul Swydan: I mean, he struck out 11.

12:15

Neil Weinberg: He pitched really well

12:15

Comment From Aunt Jessie
My mom just said she wasn’t sure how to pronounce Yoenis. I pronounced it very carefully for her. She said “uh, like ‘your anus?'” I said “no” and pronounced it very carefully again, and then I said “oh wait, yeah, pretty much.” (I do love how phonetic Spanish is though.)

12:15

Paul Swydan: The more you know…

12:16

Comment From Stu
ESPN’s old pronunciation guides on their site for Latin players were hilarious. Always clearly written by some 22 year old intern from Boston who had never met anyone that spoke Spanish.

12:16

Comment From ShinyThing
Fire Mattingly, hire the whole Fangraphs website

12:17

Paul Swydan: Don’t underrate the fact that Friedman and Co likely want their own guy in the managers chair, and this will be the perfect excuse to get him.

12:17

Comment From Sausalito Sal
So, Neil, you’re a Tigs fan? From the metro-Detroit area?

12:17

Comment From Bip
And he walked 4. He struck out more than normal early in the game, was overexerting himself, was worn out by the seventh. It just can’t be luck each time.

12:18

Paul Swydan: Well we’ll never know because Mattingly took him out at the worst time.

12:18

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
wait when did Lagares come into the game

12:19

Paul Swydan: At the start of the inning.

12:19

Comment From mtsw
Greinke as player-manager for Dodgers next season? Crazy enough to try?

12:19

Paul Swydan: Definitely not crazy enough to try.

12:20

Comment From ShinyThing
How would that work if he took himself out of the game?

12:20

Paul Swydan: I’m guessing he’d have to turn that responsibility over to his bench coach?

12:21

Comment From jpg
Would he be allowed to have a cell phone to call the bullpen to get someone warming up?

12:22

Paul Swydan: Haha. Well, the manager never really calls the bullpen himself, anyway.

12:22

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
Yes but Greinke couldn’t play DraftKings, he’d know too much inside information about himself lol

12:23

Paul Swydan: Not sure we’re going to have to worry about Draft Kings for much longer, anyway.

12:23

Neil Weinberg: CIL froze everything, but to answer the question from a while back. Grew up in Toledo, live outside Lansing now

12:23

Comment From mtsw
Have Carl Crawford handle managing duties when Greinke is on the mound since he spends most of the season hanging out in the dugout anyways.

12:23

Paul Swydan: Oh snap.

12:23

Paul Swydan: I thought you lived in North Carolina?

12:23

Neil Weinberg: I moved in February

12:24

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Need to look to the US Constitution for ideas for player managers, with checks and balances. Like, pitching player manager can change defense, defense can change hitting, hitting can change pitching.

12:24

Paul Swydan: It’s all in the Constitution.

12:24

Paul Swydan: I knew that!

12:24

Neil Weinberg: I like this idea. Stealing it.

12:24

Comment From Sausalito Sal
In a FG chat earlie today. Question of a 1B coach having a stopwatch came up. Argument against was devices on the field and where you draw the line on tech on the field. Fine, I guess. But what’s the fear?

12:25

Paul Swydan: Well I suppose technically you could be tricking out a stopwatch to send and receive texts, etc.

12:25

Comment From Jeff
The fact that we have physical, hard-wired phones in the dugout is one of those things that would be completely bizarre and inexplicable if we weren’t so used to it.

12:25

Paul Swydan: True.

12:25

Comment From mtsw
Articles of Confederation contains little-known section outlining which transgressions you get plunked for.

12:26

Paul Swydan: Interesting.

12:26

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Did… Yost I think it was? .. get any fines or anything for his Apple Watch?

12:26

Comment From William
Is it fair to say DeGrom outpitched Kershaw at this point in the game?

12:26

Neil Weinberg: MLB reminded him about the rules, but he assured that it wasn’t connected to a phone because his phone wasnt with him

12:26

Comment From Hareeb al-Saq
Who really gives a crap if somebody sends texts to the field anyway? I mean we aren’t watching a game in a maximum security prison here.

12:27

Neil Weinberg: Signs and stuff

12:27

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
Okay, so we can debate Kershaw all we want, but DeGrom clearly out pitched him

12:28

Paul Swydan: Yeah, he did. deGrom was money tonight.

12:28

Comment From Timbo Slice
Is it possible to call the bullpen from outside the park? Or are the phones closed circuit?

12:28

Paul Swydan: Almost positive they’re closed circuit.

12:28

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Well, we don’t want Gibbons getting texts from the Man in White in CF at Rogers Centre with signs. ;-p

12:28

Comment From Shrewd Cat
Did Collins leave DeGrom on too long- got thru the inning but loaded some counts.

12:29

Paul Swydan: Nah, he was fine.

12:29

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Seems awfully paranoid and unrealistic in the world of mass connectivity and ubiquitous, unobstrisuve high-powered cameras

12:29

Paul Swydan: I don’t disagree with you, I’m just playing devil’s advocate.

12:29

Paul Swydan: On the other hand, I could also say this – why do we need the first base coach to time guys with a stopwatch?

12:29

Neil Weinberg: The whole idea is no tech on the field or in the dugout. Probably fine to retire the rules, but they are the rules

12:30

Neil Weinberg: It’s their job to time the pitcher!

12:30

Paul Swydan: shrug. i think the players can tell on their own.

12:30

Comment From Aunt Jessie
oh, timing the pitcher makes more sense…

12:30

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Doesn’t StatCast do a better job than a stopwatch? =p

12:31

Comment From Cam
Lost in the Donnie is a tool/Kershaw choked/DeGrom is amazing chatter, is how poor the Dodgers offense has been tonight. Looks like they don’t really care out there.

12:31

Paul Swydan: Well, I don’t know, they mounted a few rallies, but they were all toward the bottom of the lineup, and they just couldnt get it done.

12:31

Comment From mtsw
Guys having radios in their helmets in football sucks. Preventing baseball from going in that direction is great. Also looking forward to seeing Joe Girardi’s trapper keeper in Cooperstown in 20 years.

12:32

Paul Swydan: I tend to agree. We go ape when the helmet radios don’t work, but I don’t see why they need them to begin with.

12:32

Comment From Hareeb al-Saq
Mets are the ones who swung-and-missed-by-a-foot like 15 times in the early innings, and here we are

12:32

Comment From Norrin Radd
Francona/Antonetti had conversations when Antonetti was sitting front row at Fenway, who knows what they were talking about.

12:33

Paul Swydan: Probably what steakhouse to go to after the game.

12:33

Comment From Eli
Nothing about a baseball coaching staff makes sense. Why are they in uniforms? Why do we let Don Mattingly make day to day operational decisions for a multi-billion dollar corporation?

12:33

Comment From William
I think Mets’ pitching is as much responsible for the Dodgers’ lack of offence tonight as some failing of the Dodgers. The Dodgers succeed when their pitching is better than the opposition’s, and fail when it is not.

12:33

Paul Swydan: I mean, don’t most teams?

12:34

Comment From Timbo Slice
All teams do.

12:35

Paul Swydan: yeah thats what i’m saying

12:35

Comment From mtsw
We need helmets to communicate the BRILLIANT CHESS-LIKE PLAYS even tho majority of actual NFL players seem persistently befuddled by complexity of offensives they’re expected to run.

12:35

Comment From DR EVIL
So if that was Harvey out there tonight, in what inning would Boras have run onto the field in a Terry Collins disguise and signal for a pitching change on his own?

12:35

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Full immersion is the long-term goal! (Though, if that’s true, it’s absurd we don’t watch football in All-22 (and I don’t even like football)).

12:35

Comment From jpg
That’s like saying everyone tall, short or somewhere in between

12:35

Paul Swydan: well, except for babies, and midgets. they’re super short.

12:35

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
What if a team had no manager? All decisions are voted on the players. Democracy!

12:36

Paul Swydan: “Raise your hand if Puig should pinch hit here!”

12:36

Neil Weinberg: I like this line of thinking. Could have committees

12:36

Comment From DR EVIL
Football is complicated – just look at college where they hold up that cardboard sign with 4 pictures on it to call plays!

12:36

Comment From ShinyThing
It would take too long. One player would take control and order everything

12:37

Paul Swydan: OK, time to see if batting the kid third was justifiable, or a total overreaction by Mattingly.

12:37

Comment From mtsw
Run team as anarcho-syndicalist commune, with each player assuming executive authority for an inning at a time on a rotating basis.

12:37

Paul Swydan: I like this idea.

12:37

Comment From William
What about direct democracy? Fans vote. Or more likely, people with season tickets.

12:37

Paul Swydan: That’s take too long.

12:38

Neil Weinberg: Nice idea, but too cumbersome

12:38

Paul Swydan: And could be hacked. Hacked I tell you!

12:38

Comment From mtsw
Having a committee of the starting pitchers not playing that day make the relief pitcher decisions is actually kind of a compelling idea, or would be if there were an odd number of them to break ties

12:38

Paul Swydan: By rogue Marlins fans!

12:38

Neil Weinberg: This is my next THT article, Paul

12:38

Paul Swydan: Sweet

12:38

Paul Swydan: Wow Seager really knocked the crap out of that one.

12:38

Comment From ShinyThing
If it was fan vote, KC players would be the only ones playing

12:39

Comment From Sgt. Pepper
Why not just hire competent managers

12:39

Paul Swydan: Now you’re just talking crazy talk.

12:39

Comment From Phil
You know, if you eliminate 2001, Randy Johnson was also fairly poor in the postseason. Must not have been clutch.

12:40

Neil Weinberg: Is that true???

12:40

Comment From Sgt. Pepper
What if teams set up prediction markets, where people bet on whether or not a decision will increase win expectancy, and the role of the manager is to simply make the change if the odds reach a certain threshold.

12:40

Paul Swydan: I like where your head is at, but that’s not entirely true, sorry.

http://www.baseball-referen…

12:41

Comment From DJ Elemental
or offer hot dogs for each vote

12:41

Paul Swydan: I like hot dogs.

12:41

Paul Swydan: When it was $1 Hot Dog Night at Coors Field, I would grab a stack of the $1 hot dog coupons and eat like 5 hot dogs on my way to the car. In a related story, I’m overweight.

12:42

Comment From Norrin Radd
Larry King got replaced by some blonde in the front row.

12:42

Paul Swydan: Not that you were staring at Larry King for 7 innings or anything…

12:42

Comment From Sgt. Pepper
The idea of people betting on managerial decisions in real time seems crazy but its not really that much crazier than DraftKings

12:42

Paul Swydan: Yes but that’s why Draft Kings is rolling in money/valuations right now.

12:42

Comment From Timbo Slice
Beer would get more votes.

12:43

Paul Swydan: I dont know…little kids would want to vote, and they can’t drink beer.

12:43

Comment From Norrin Radd
Dude he’s in every right handed hitter shot!

12:43

Neil Weinberg: if Turner ties it, everyone rush to Mets Twitter

12:43

Paul Swydan: I mean, so? I’m watching the game, not Larry King.

12:45

Paul Swydan: CiL still having problems.

12:45

Comment From Sausalito Sal
What does the fangraphs collective think of Ausmus as a manager. Not a fan. But I fear I’m scapegoating. But I do think he’s a bit too paint-by-number–like a Matt Williams lite.

12:45

Paul Swydan: Ha, come on man, Neil is in a good mood.

12:46

Neil Weinberg: He is incompetent.

12:46

Paul Swydan: The only difference between Ausmus and Williams is that Ausmus doesnt have Papelbon on his team.

12:46

Neil Weinberg: Iglesias tried to fight McCann.

12:46

Comment From Hareeb al-Saq
When I was in college, Pizza Hut had this deal where you had to take a long-ass phone survey and you’d get a code for a $2 medium. After a couple of tries, I cracked the code so i never had to take the survey and just chained $2 mediums together for months across locations. In related news, I’m overweight.

12:46

Paul Swydan: Now that’s a hell of a story. Way better than mine.

12:47

Comment From David S.
In the Cubs broadcast TBS said the team that wins game 1 in a DS wins 73% of the time in this broadcast it’s down to 72%

12:47

Paul Swydan: They’re evolving!

12:47

Comment From Sausalito Sal
I want to see this game tied. More entertaining. (Just as long as it ends quickly afterwards.)

12:47

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
What if the drunkest fan made the decisions?

12:47

Paul Swydan: I like where this is going.

12:48

Neil Weinberg: I just decided which player I would want to deliver my baby, ala Posey. Max Scherzer. Bet my wife would go for it.

12:48

Comment From Calum
72.5% we’ll call it a draw

12:48

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
No no no. Familia end this thing

12:49

Paul Swydan: The New Yorkers want to go to bed, to rest their sleepy heads.

12:49

Comment From ShinyThing
So do Coloradians

12:50

Paul Swydan: I think it’s just Coloradans.

12:50

Comment From Aunt Jessie
My mom wants to know why your wife would go for Scherzer, Neil.

12:50

Paul Swydan: Because Neil loves Max Scherzer.

12:50

Paul Swydan: Neil was in denial for a whole year about the Tigers re-signing him.

12:50

Comment From mtsw
Which player would you LEAST trust to deliver a baby? I want to say Steve Pearce but can’t articulate why exactly.

12:51

Paul Swydan: Right now? Prob Hanley Ramirez. Somehow his helmet would fall off his head and the noise of it clanging on the floor would scare my wife.

12:51

Comment From Phil
Hanley Ramirez, obviously.

12:51

Paul Swydan: See, Phil knows what’s up.

12:51

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
Hanley Ramirez would miss the baby when it came out.

12:51

Comment From DR EVIL
How is that answer not Hanley Ramirez?

12:52

Paul Swydan: These f’n guys.

12:52

Comment From ShinyThing
Oh! Least, Cuddyer

12:52

Comment From Nope
Puig? Papelbon? Lawrie?

12:52

Comment From ShinyThing
Maybe Jeter

12:52

Comment From Sausalito Sal
Yordano Ventura

12:52

Comment From Evan L
Brian Wilson would be the worst obgyn in baseball

12:52

Comment From Dakota McKee
jon papelbon

12:52

Comment From Punchy
Tanaka. I don’t want his split fingers anywhere near my wife. (I’m so sorry for this)

12:52

Comment From Fletch
Yasiel Puig.

12:52

Comment From DJ Elemental
Retired player? Wouldn’t want Doc Gooden to deliver a baby. Did you know he wans’t a real doc?

12:52

Paul Swydan: Hahahahahaha. Just as long as Dr. Dre is a real doctor, I think we’re all safe.

12:53

Paul Swydan: A lot of your answers I can’t post right now, but they’re funny.

12:53

Paul Swydan: I’m laughing on the inside.

12:53

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
Doc Halladay?

12:54

Comment From Jeff
Coloradians? If that’s seriously what they call themselves, they should be expelled from the union.

12:54

Comment From ShinyThing
Why are there purple clouds full of athletes surrounding that poor jogging woman?

12:54

Paul Swydan: I was very confused until I realized you meant a commercial.

12:54

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
Arent Coloradians the things that determine if you can use the force?

12:54

Paul Swydan: Ha!

12:55

Neil Weinberg: Good time for CiL to freeze.

12:55

Paul Swydan: We’re just talking about who you would LEAST like to deliver your baby. You know, just some normal baseball talk.

12:55

Paul Swydan: Not weird at all.

12:55

Neil Weinberg: Max is very bright, but also has a good energy, like he could talk you through it if things got rough

12:56

Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina
Save notgraphs!

12:56

Neil Weinberg: Hands down, the worst choice is Joe Nathan.

12:56

Comment From Sausalito Sal
In this game, it’s definitely Puig. Or Duda.

12:56

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
LA FAMIA LOOKS NASSSSTY

12:56

Comment From ShinyThing
Apparently Sam Fuld is an Eagle Scout so he has rudimentary medical knowledge

12:57

Paul Swydan: Ethier – https://www.youtube.com/wat…

12:57

Neil Weinberg: My wife would probably sign off on Sam Fuld too.

12:57

Paul Swydan: I’m an Eagle Scout, and you wouldn’t want me delivering a baby.

12:57

Comment From Alex
Sam Fuld would be an Eagle Scout

12:57

Comment From Cam
Joc, game tying homer. I feel it.

12:57

Paul Swydan: Well, we need a baserunner first.

12:58

Neil Weinberg: Greinke would deliver your baby perfectly and then tell you how ugly it was

12:58

Comment From Sausalito Sal
I want LA to load the bases and then lose

12:59

Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw
NICE PLAY

12:59

Comment From Aunt Jessie
I just want LA to lose, Sal.

12:59

Paul Swydan: Last chance, and it’s the guy who gets lots of Ks against the guy who Ks a lot. I think this might be advantage Mets, but don’t quote me.

1:00	Comment From Sausalito Sal My main rooting interest in this game is baseball and sleep

1:00	Comment From DR EVIL Wait Murphy is playing 1st? Doubleswitch? (and it’s paying off?)

1:00	Comment From HarveygetsitonwithEllenKershaw why do I feel like Peterson is just thinking about hardboiled eggs right now

1:00	Paul Swydan: You’re projecting.

1:01	Comment From Evan L 9 years is a long time – playoff baseball when your team is involved is super stressful!!!

1:01	Comment From John Joc’s stance is totally unrecognizable from what it was in the first half.

1:01	Comment From Siegmeyer of Catarina Why no Puig?

1:01	Paul Swydan: Because Familia is a righty.

1:02	Paul Swydan: Full. Count.

1:02	Neil Weinberg: Camera angle was bad but kinda seemed like he didn’t stop

1:03	Neil Weinberg: And now, we’ll bring Jeff Sullivan back for another 7 hour chat

1:03	Paul Swydan: Well there it is. As an added bonus, that play can give you some comfort that the Mets aren’t going to LOLMETS this series, because if there was ever a time for that to rear its ugly head, it’s a big boy reliever trying to sprint to first base.

1:04	Paul Swydan: Can you imagine if he tripped and fell, eating the ball, and Pederson reaching there, with Grandal on deck? Eep.

1:04	Comment From Evan L Silly Paul, LOLMETS won’t come into effect until the Mets have a lead so that it hurts more

1:04	Paul Swydan: Well, they had the lead there!

1:05	Paul Swydan: In any case, I think we’re going to put a bow on this one. Thanks for hanging out, as always. You guys and gals are the best. We won’t be chatting the rest of the weekend, but we’ll probably be on Twitter. Get at us there. Have a good night!

BAL	CHW	LAA
BOS	CLE	OAK
NYY	DET	SEA
TBR	KCR	TEX
TOR	MIN	HOU

ATL	CHC*	ARI
MIA	CIN	COL
WSN	MIL	LAD
NYM*	PIT	SDP*
PHI	STL	SFG