Episode 695
Dave Cameron is the managing editor of FanGraphs. During this edition of FanGraphs Audio, he examines Aroldis Chapman, Joe Maddon, and the latter’s management of the former in the World Series; considers Chicago’s susceptibility to the breaking ball and Cleveland’s use of it; and determines which club stands to benefit most from a championship.

This episode of the program either is or isn’t sponsored by SeatGeek, which site removes both the work and also the hassle from the process of shopping for tickets.

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 40 min play time.)

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Episode 694
Rob Arthur not only contributes to FiveThirtyEight and Vice but has also been recognized as a doctor of genes. Furthermore, he’s the guest on this edition of the FanGraphs Audio.

This episode of the program either is or isn’t sponsored by SeatGeek, which site removes both the work and also the hassle from the process of shopping for tickets.

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 1 hr 2 min play time.)

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Each week, we publish north of 100 posts on our various blogs. With this post, we hope to highlight 10 to 15 of them. You can read more on it here. The links below are color coded — green for FanGraphs, brown for RotoGraphs, dark red for The Hardball Times and blue for Community Research.

MONDAY
Minors to Majors: Calculating Individual Pitch Grades by Jeff Zimmerman
One step in tying pitch grades to actual on-field performance.

The 2016 World Series’ Nastiest Pitches by August Fagerstrom
Video clips of men imparting improbable velocity and spin onto leather spheres.

The Kyle Schwarber Decision by Dave Cameron
Revisit a moment in history when rostering Schwarber was a question.

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Since the beginning of this year’s postseason, the present site has become littered with a collection of posts examining the somewhat novel (if also logically sound) deployment of relief pitchers during that postseason. A hasty examination of the archives reveals, for example, a post declaring the advent of the bullpen revolution; a meditation on likely bullpen usage in 2017; and then a third one about how another run might never be scored in a major-league game.

Given this trend, one might suggest that the editors of this site should change its name to BullpenGraphs. But only as a joke, presumably, is why one would do this. Because actually changing the site’s name to BullpenGraphs would represent a huge logistical nightmare — and would almost certainly hurt traffic. And therefore revenue. And therefore ruin the site entirely. Which, for someone who’s employed by that site and also possesses a mortgage, isn’t a particularly amusing joke.

In any case, mostly at the center of this enthusiasm regarding bullpen usage has been Cleveland left-hander Andrew Miller. And for good reason: not only has Miller been predictably effective, but he’s also been ubiquitous. Following last night’s appearance in Game One of the World Series, Miller has now recorded a strikeout rate of 47.1%, stranded every runner who’s been dumb enough to get on base, and conceded zero runs in 13.2 innings. So, roughly as good as possible.

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Episode 693
Dave Cameron is the managing editor of FanGraphs. During this edition of FanGraphs Audio, he discusses how the Cubs are unusually well suited, among National League clubs, to benefit from the use of a designated hitter; examines the possible role Cleveland right-hander Danny Salazar might assume for Cleveland in the World Series; and also attempts to establish criteria for identifying Andrew Millers of the future.

This episode of the program either is or isn’t sponsored by SeatGeek, which site removes both the work and also the hassle from the process of shopping for tickets.

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 40 min play time.)

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Episode 692
Lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen is the guest on this edition of the pod, during which he discusses Boston’s Michael Kopech, Oakland’s Frankie Montas, and other prospects who might be candidates for the future role of middle-inning relief ace; considers Atlanta prospect Travis Demeritte and the possibility of plus-plus second-base defense; and previews his forthcoming organizational lists, including his use of future value.

This episode of the program either is or isn’t sponsored by SeatGeek, which site removes both the work and also the hassle from the process of shopping for tickets.

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 1 hr 7 min play time.)

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Free agency begins five days after the end of the World Series. As in other recent offseasons, FanGraphs is once again facilitating this offseason a contract-crowdsourcing project, the idea being to harness the wisdom of the crowds to the end of better understanding the giant and large 2016-17 free-agent market.

Below are links to the final six ballots for this year’s free agents, including all relief pitchers.

Other Players: Pedro Alvarez / Erick Aybar / Jose Bautista / Carlos Beltran / Joe Blanton / Billy Butler / Andrew Cashner / Santiago Casilla / Brett Cecil / Aroldis Chapman / Bartolo Colon / Rajai Davis / Ian Desmond / R.A. Dickey / Edwin Encarnacion / Doug Fister / Dexter Fowler / Carlos Gomez / Jeremy Hellickson / Rich Hill / Greg Holland / Matt Holliday / Austin Jackson / Jon Jay / Matt Joyce / Colby Lewis / Brandon Moss / Mike Napoli / Ivan Nova / Angel Pagan / Steve Pearce / Wilson Ramos / Colby Rasmus / Josh Reddick / Michael Saunders / Kurt Suzuki / Mark Trumbo / Justin Turner / Chase Utley / Luis Valbuena / Edinson Volquez / Neil Walker / Matt Wieters / C.J. Wilson.

Kenley Jansen (Profile)
Some relevant information regarding Jansen:

• Has averaged 62 IP and 2.3 WAR over last three seasons.
• Has averaged 2.5 WAR per 65 IP over last three seasons.
• Recorded a 3.2 WAR in 68.2 IP in 2016.
• Is projected to record 2.9 WAR per 65 IP**.
• Is entering his age-29 season.
• Made $10.7M in 2016, after avoiding arbitration in January.

*That is, a roughly average number of innings for a starting pitcher.
**Prorated version of final updated 2016 depth-chart projections available here.

Click here to estimate years and dollars for Jansen.

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Free agency begins five days after the end of the World Series. As in other recent offseasons, FanGraphs is once again facilitating this offseason a contract-crowdsourcing project, the idea being to harness the wisdom of the crowds to the end of better understanding the giant and large 2016-17 free-agent market.

Below are links to ballots for five of this year’s free agents, all relievers are some repute.

Other Players: Pedro Alvarez / Erick Aybar / Jose Bautista / Carlos Beltran / Billy Butler / Andrew Cashner / Bartolo Colon / Rajai Davis / Ian Desmond / R.A. Dickey / Edwin Encarnacion / Doug Fister / Dexter Fowler / Carlos Gomez / Jeremy Hellickson / Rich Hill / Matt Holliday / Austin Jackson / Jon Jay / Matt Joyce / Colby Lewis / Brandon Moss / Mike Napoli / Ivan Nova / Angel Pagan / Steve Pearce / Wilson Ramos / Colby Rasmus / Josh Reddick / Michael Saunders / Kurt Suzuki / Mark Trumbo / Justin Turner / Chase Utley / Luis Valbuena / Edinson Volquez / Neil Walker / Matt Wieters / C.J. Wilson.

Joe Blanton (Profile)
Some relevant information regarding Blanton:

• Has averaged 78 IP and 1.0 WAR over last two seasons*.
• Has averaged 0.8 WAR per 65 IP** over last two seasons.
• Recorded a 0.9 WAR in 80.0 IP in 2016.
• Is projected to record 0.8 WAR per 65 IP***.
• Is entering his age-36 season.
• Made $4.0M in 2016, as part of deal signed in January.

*Didn’t pitch in 2014.
**That is, a roughly average number of innings for a relief pitcher.
***Prorated version of final updated 2016 depth-chart projections available here.

Click here to estimate years and dollars for Blanton.

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Free agency begins five days after the end of the World Series. As in other recent offseasons, FanGraphs is once again facilitating this offseason a contract-crowdsourcing project, the idea being to harness the wisdom of the crowds to the end of better understanding the giant and large 2016-17 free-agent market.

Below are links to ballots for five of this year’s free agents, all starting pitchers.

Other Players: Pedro Alvarez / Erick Aybar / Jose Bautista / Carlos Beltran / Billy Butler / Andrew Cashner / Bartolo Colon / Rajai Davis / Ian Desmond / R.A. Dickey / Edwin Encarnacion / Doug Fister / Dexter Fowler / Carlos Gomez / Jeremy Hellickson / Matt Holliday / Austin Jackson / Jon Jay / Matt Joyce / Brandon Moss / Mike Napoli / Angel Pagan / Steve Pearce / Wilson Ramos / Colby Rasmus / Josh Reddick / Michael Saunders / Kurt Suzuki / Mark Trumbo / Justin Turner / Chase Utley / Luis Valbuena / Neil Walker / Matt Wieters.

Rich Hill (Profile)
Some relevant information regarding Hill:

• Has averaged 48 IP and 1.7 WAR over last three seasons.
• Has averaged 6.9 WAR per 200 IP over last three seasons.
• Recorded a 3.8 WAR in 110.1 IP in 2016.
• Is projected to record 6.9 WAR per 200 IP**.
• Is entering his age-37 season.
• Made $6.0M in 2016, as part of deal signed in November 2015.

*That is, a roughly average number of innings for a starting pitcher.
**Prorated version of final updated 2016 depth-chart projections available here.

Click here to estimate years and dollars for Hill.

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