Dan Szymborski: It is time.

stever20: do you think MLB should do something for pitchers like they do for batters who don’t get to the PA threshold?   Say Sale gets 159 innings, for ERA counting purposes give him 3 more innings, but like 3 runs as well?

Dan Szymborski: I think what makes it awkward is that it’s zero for batters, but the inverse for pitchers is infinity!

Dan Szymborski: So the solution isn’t as elegant.

Pio: Margot is now two years into his big league career and still hasn’t shown much. Does he deserve the starting CF spot next year or should the Padres open it up to competition?

Dan Szymborski: I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration of his struggles

Kiley McDaniel: Hello, I’m coming to you people on Friday since I was on the road Wednesday. Let’s get to your questions

I hate avocados: When will we see rankings updates next?

Kiley McDaniel: I’m guessing Monday? We have one more update of about 15 players to shuffle around before we head into the offseason. We’ll probably lock all those in this weekend as far as where they go exactly, but the list is done

Arms: Long term who makes the better MLB Pitcher? Shane Bieber or Chris Paddack? Or will both be exceptional?

Kiley McDaniel: Similar kinds of guys, but Bieber is already there and performing and hasn’t had a TJ, so I’ll take him, though Paddack has a little more ceiling

Matt: are you buying the Luis patino hype? I believe he should be considered a top 100 prospect, plus velo, athletic, throws strikes, 3-4 usable pitches

Eric A Longenhagen: Hey from Tempe, everyone.

Eric A Longenhagen: Not much to link to because I was off last week and have been doing work on the guts of the Board this week in preparation for the offseason, so let’s hop right in to this…

Padulla: Out of all the recent international signees by the Yankees, which one are you most excited to see?

Eric A Longenhagen: Kevin Alcantara, who is simply the kind of player I like to watch. Yankees instrux games start the 25th. Haven’t seen their roster yet but lots of July 2 signees are here in the fall for instrux so he can be seen, domestically.

Ben: The Yankees system didn’t quite hit the highs of previous years – should Yankees fans be disappointed? Or is the ‘fall’ of the system in rankings more due to Major League graduations, which are obviously good?

Eric A Longenhagen: I think it’s clear their recent record of player dev means the system is always ‘good’ if there’s malleable talent in the lower levels, and there is.

Jay Jaffe: Hey folks, good afternoon and welcome to another edition of today’s chat. Apologies, there will be a few minutes delay in me getting started as I’m putting the finishing touches on today’s post, regarding Jake Odorizzi’s no-hit bid.

Please enjoy this if you haven’t seen it already

Jay Jaffe: OK, back, and as noted, working at a slight disadvantage due to a bandaged left thumb, which I sliced off the tip of on Sunday morning in the service of chopping garnishes for my breakfast tacos. A LOT of blood a trip to urgent care, two stitches, all while trying not to freak out our two-year-old daughter.

The tacos, which used chicken from this recipe (https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/2017/07/instant-pot-shredded-chicken-t… — I used all thigh meat), were delicious nonetheless.

Ozzie Ozzie Albies Free: Why are so many helmets flying off players heads? Shouldn’t they be a bit snug to where they don’t?

Jay Jaffe: I can’t believe Rob Manfred hasn’t corraled a blue-ribbon committee to look into the matter, because you know Bud Selig would have been on it like… like a toupee on Bud Selig

Jonny: With the Cardinals being in the thick of the race now, and Tommy Pham putting up a 166 wRC+ and 1.1 WAR so far with the Rays, do the Cardinals regret that trade now? Or do they really think Pham is a net negative? Or do they just really really like Justin Williams?

Jay Jaffe: We know that tensions were pretty high between Pham and the team based on a number of issues, including playing time, his contract renewal, and his long road through the minors. We also know that the Cardinals have had tremendous outfield depth in recent years, depth that led them to trade Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk this past winter and not miss them at all. I can’t say I know much about Williams, but I do know they wanted to create more space for Harrison Bader and Tyler O’Neill

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friends

Jeff Sullivan: Welcome to Wednesday baseball chat

Jeff Sullivan: This is just a one-week swap with Kiley because he was going to be unavailable today

Jeff Sullivan: Also many apologies for the especially absurd delay — podcast ran overtime

James: Where will be AL wild card game be played?

Jeff Sullivan: I think it would be a lot of fun to have the game played in Oakland, but I don’t see the A’s actually catching the Yankees (or the Astros for that matter)

Meg Rowley: Hello, and welcome to the chat. What a fun bit of baseball we’ve had, and likely will continue to have, and…

tb.25: Sad King Felix is sad to think about 🙁

Meg Rowley: Well, drat.

stever20: Rockies next 2 weeks get 3 with Arizona, 3 with San Francisco, and then after 3 with LA get 3 more with Arizona.  are we going to see them finally pick up their 1st division title ever?

Meg Rowley: I… I don’t really think so.

Meg Rowley: I still think the Dodgers will manage this somehow, and for reasons that might not be especially smart, I believe in that D-backs team more. How is the Rockies offense like this? Just, how?

Dan Szymborski: It’s party time!*

Dan Szymborski: * Does not indicate actual party

Matt: Wow, Dan. Way to give us a good…5 minutes of queue time.

Dan Szymborski: I was on the piano and got distracted for time!

Dan Szymborski: Then I was like HOLY CRAP IT’S GOTTA BE NEAR NOON

Tony: What do you think about the MLB’s decision to move Cubs/Nationals to Thursday in DC?  Cubs will have scheduled game 30 days in a row and there might be a hurricane affecting the region.  Why not play the game on Oct 1?

Kiley McDaniel: Sorry for the delay! Was going back and forth with offers/counters on a house, so that took slight precedent over this baseball chat

Kiley McDaniel: So, for those that haven’t seen it yet, I posted something today breaking down Dylan Cease (CHW), Matt Manning (DET) and Brendan McKay (TB) and which of those three types of players is normally underrated by list season

Kiley McDaniel: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/should-we-adjust-how-we-evaluate-pitch…

Kiley McDaniel: Now to your questions

squeeze bunt: What do you think is the best predictor of a pitcher taking a step forward with command?  Do you think there is a correlation between height/length and command?

Kiley McDaniel: Athleticism is the best single direct comp for command we have, but it’s usually a combination of factors. I’d tend to bet on longer-limbed elite athletes that are growing into their frame in the mid-20’s to improve, particularly if they aren’t a high 90’s type that’s always trying to throw it through the backstop

Meg Rowley: Happy first day back at work after the long weekend!

Meg Rowley: I hope this chat eases everyone back in to their ho-hum day time responsibilities.

Morbo: Good afternoon!

Meg Rowley: It’s still technically morning here.

Shaun A.: Hey Meg, do you think Ohtani will still be pitching 2 years down the road?

Meg Rowley: I’m trying to decide how to deal with “still” in this question.