Episode 192
FanGraphs managing editor Dave Cameron makes his weekly appearance.

Discussed:
• The draft, who’s available in it this year.
• The draft, how the CBA affects it.
• Dick Allen, against Dave Cameron’s will.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 38 min. play time.)

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Real News Item: Amateur Draft Starts Today
2. Featured Game: Los Angeles NL at Philadelphia, 19:05 ET
3. Transaction Note: Fernando Martinez Recalled
4. Other Notable Games (Including MLB.TV Free Game)
5. Today’s Complete Schedule

Real News Item: Amateur Draft Starts Today
The 2012 amateur draft starts today at 7pm ET. Our Marc Hulet recently published notes on same for both the American and National Leagues. Furthermore, a source close to the situation reports that Hulet will be publishing a mock draft at some point on Monday.

Live and free video coverage of the first round appears to be available at MLB.com/live.

Featured Game: Los Angeles NL at Philadelphia, 19:05 ET
A Notable Thing in Terms of This Game
A notable thing in terms of this game is that it represents the return of Philadelphia right-hander Vance Worley (44.0 IP, 82 xFIP-, 0.5 WAR) from the disabled list.

Regarding That DL Stint
The internet reports that Worley was originally placed on the DL in mid-May with elbow inflammation. The internet reports, furthermore, that the discomfort Worley felt was caused by bone chips in his elbow (which will require surgery after the season, but shouldn’t impair him for the time being).

Regarding Bone Chips, What They’re Called in England
Bone crisps, naturally.

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Featured Game: Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 13:40 ET
2. Other Notable Games (Including MLB.TV Free Game)
3. Today’s Complete Schedule

Featured Game: Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 13:40 ET
Regarding Which of These Teams Is in First Place
In terms of which — between the Orioles and the Rays, that is — which of them is currently in first place in the AL East, the answer to that is: “Both of them.”

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of csontents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Featured Game: St. Louis at New York NL, 16:10 ET (Free Game)
2. One Other Notable Game
3. Today’s Complete Schedule

Featured Game: St. Louis at New York NL, 16:10 ET
A Question Someone Might Ask
A question someone might ask ahead of this game — for rhetorical purposes, say — is this: “What’s more surprising: that the Cardinals are in second place in their division, or that the Mets are in second place in theirs?”

Regarding the Intent of Such a Question
The intent of such a question likely would be to illustrate how the Cardinals’ record (27-25, 2.5 games behind the Reds) is worse than one would expect (given their run scoring and prevention so far) and how the Mets’ record (29-23, 1.0 games behind the Nationals) is better (according to the same criteria).

An Actual Possible Answer
Using each team’s respective WAR record — that is, a theoretical record based on the wins above replacement each club has amassed at the team level — it’s possible to provide something like an actual answer to that question.

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Episode 191
Alan Harrison, a contributor to the new nightly Bullpen Report feature at RotoGraphs, is the guest on this Fantasy Friday edition of FanGraphs Audio.

Discussed:
• Relievers with tenuous holds on the closer role, in this week’s Hector Santiago Status Update.
• Other relievers, like David Robertson and Huston Street, who are currently on the DL — when they’re expected back, and in what capacity.
• Recently promoted players and their likely roles: Alex Castellanos, Yasmani Grandal, and Andrelton Simmons.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 35 min. play time.)

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Actual Transaction News: Yesterday’s Three Promotions
2. Featured Game: New York AL at Detroit, 19:05 ET (Free Game)
3. One Other Notable Game
4. Today’s Complete Schedule

Actual Transaction News: Yesterday’s Three Promotions
Yesterday’s Promotions
Three notable players were promoted to the majors yesterday: Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons, Dodgers outfielder Alex Castellanos, and Cardinals right-hander Maikel Cleto.

For More Information on Two of Those Players
For more information on Simmons, read Ben Duronio’s piece from yesterday. For more on Castellanos, read this piece by Jackie Moore — also from yesterday.

For More Information on Cleto
For more information on Cleto, regard these three bullet points.

• Has a fastball that sits — in relief, at least — at around 98 mph.
• Control was an issue (13.8% BB in 71.1 IP) following promotion to Triple-A last season, but less so in lower minors (ca. 8% BB in 63.1 IP) before that.
• Has pitched very well at Triple-A Memphis this season. Line: 26.0 IP, 11.77 K/9, 3.12 BB/9, 0.69 HR/9, 2.85 FIP.

Cleto’s Role
Cleto will pitch in relief for the Cardinals.

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Episode 190
David Laurila, curator of FanGraphs’ Q&A Series, talks with Tigers personalities of past and present and present: former Detroit third baseman (and current first-base coach) Tom Brookens and left-handed reliever Phil Coke.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 27 min. play time.)

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. A Note on the Title, Its Decided Ambiguity
2. Every Game Previewed Amazingly
3. Today’s Complete Schedule

A Note on the Title, Its Decided Ambiguity
The reader will note that the title of this post is phrased ambiguously. On the one hand, one might suppose that, within the confines of this post, he will find all of today’s games, previewed in a way — owing to an impressive combination of logic and rhetoric, perhaps — that will amaze readers. One might suppose, alternatively, that the mere fact that every game has been previewed is, itself, the amazing thing.

While it’s true that much of writing is a purposeful struggle against ambiguity — and that the strategic insertion of a comma might make the author’s intentions perfectly clear — I’m prepared to submit that present case represents an instance of pleasant ambiguity.

Every Game Previewed Amazingly
These are all of today’s games today.

Detroit at Boston | 19:10 ET ***MLB.TV Free Game***
Of the 158 pitchers who’ve thrown more than 20 innings as a starter, right-hander Max Scherzer, who goes tonight for Detroit, is one of only ten with a perfect NERD score. (See below for more on NERD.) Owing to a .394 BABIP and 16.7% HR/FB, Scherzer’s ERA is 5.67, but there are indications that he’s pitched much better than that. For example, here’s what two defense-independent ERA estimators say: 2.78 SIERA, 3.16 xFIP (76 xFIP-). Also for example, consider how only Jeff Samardzija (12.9%) and Cole Hamels (12.8%) possess a batter swinging-strike rate better than Scherzer’s (12.5%) — a figure better than even his teammate Justin Verlander’s (12.2%).

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Red Sox Radio.

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Episode 189
During Dayn Perry’s most recent appearance on FanGraphs Audio, both host and guest spent a not insignificant portion of the show googling the internet in search of information about professional wrestling. This week, the internet is googled even more vigorously — and with shocking results!

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 42 min. play time.)

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A couple of weeks ago, I waxed idly on the degree to which April numbers — and the narratives they create — seem capable of occupying an inordinately large space in the baseball fan’s mind, even as the season progresses. Reader Mike noted in the comment thread of that post — nor do I have any interest in contradicting him — that this is due to what is called the Primacy Effect. The Primacy Effect is, according to Wikipedia, “a cognitive bias that results in a subject recalling primary information presented better than information presented later on.”

While the author has no intention of speaking for the reader, I don’t think I’m being particularly controversial by suggesting that the Primacy Effect does seem to play a part in the way we remember and reflect on a season, whether in progress or after the fact.

As a means to pushing back against this bias, I’ve presented below two leaderboards for May hitters — one a simple WAR leaderboard, the other an Expected wRC+ leaderboard — with notes on same. Insofar as basically all endpoints are arbitrary — a point noted by my colleague Eno Sarris last August — these May numbers aren’t necessarily more “important” than either their April or full-season counterparts. Still, they do reveal what has happened over the most recent stretch of meaningful baseball games, which has some value in itself.

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