Eric A Longenhagen: Oh hi hello, Eric Longenhagen here from relatively chilly Tempe (38 degrees this morning). I hope you’re all ready for baseball. It approaches.

Eric A Longenhagen: Some stuff really quick…

Eric A Longenhagen: I was on the pod with Carson: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/fangraphs-audio-luis-robert-and-the-wh…

Eric A Longenhagen: And wrote up Conner Greene, who was dealt over the weekend: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/scouting-the-talented-frus…

Eric A Longenhagen: Okay chat, let’s do this.

Greg: Favorite under the radar Braves prospect?

Travis Sawchik: Greetings!

Travis Sawchik: It’s been awhile with the holiday last week …

Travis Sawchik: But don’t worry, we haven’t really missed anything ….

Travis Sawchik: 29 of Dave’s Top 50 free agents remain unsigned

Baseball Guy: Best guess as to who’s still out there in, say, June, waiting for the “right offer”? I got Arrieta.

Travis Sawchik: I would be shocked if a top name was waiting until June … but I could see some high-profile March signings

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friends

Jeff Sullivan: Welcome to Friday baseball chat

Jeff Sullivan: Although that’s Friday baseball chat with an asterisk: there’s a decent chance that in about half an hour I’m going to have to go give someone an emergency ride to a wedding

Jeff Sullivan: Not ideal! But here we are. I hope it works out

Bork: Hello, friend, and welcome back!

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friend

Estevao: Edgar

312/418/515
.204 ISO.  .405 wOBA.

Larry

313/400/565
.252 ISO.  .412 wOBA

Coors Field is obviously a factor,
Edgar 147 wRC+
Larry 140 wRC+

But any advantage Martinez might and probably had gets crushed in the overall value analysis, def and bsr big advantage Larry

Dan Szymborski: They should both be in the Hall.   I’m not going to suggest we dont’ vote for Edgar just because Walker can’t get in this year in all practical likelihood.

Bret: How do you evaluate the Blue Jays offseason to date?

Dan Szymborski: Incomplete.  This has been a slow offseason and I’m loath to give anybody a grade.

Dan: Devers’ projection is pretty crazy for a 21 year old.  What does his long term (~5 year) projection look like?

Dan Szymborski: Don’t have it in front of me, but quite solid!

Eno Sarris: is this title about my struggle against the beer belly or

Jimbo Slice: Why did the Pirates system fail Gerrit Cole?

Eno Sarris: I think they need to relax a bit on the four-seamer thing. They really pound four-seamers hard, to the point of taking away two-seamers from prospects, in order to promote good command. But then they need to learn two-seam command, or they throw the four-seamer more than they should, like Cole does.

John M.: Do you really believe the Cardinals will go with Gregorson as their closer going into April? I just can’t seriously believe that after stating they wanted to upgrade the pen

Eno Sarris: Maybe going into April, but they have some pieces, could be Cecil or Lyons depending on how good and healthy they are this year. I don’t think they want to pay full freight on Holland, and I don’t blame them with his mechanics and history.

Eno Sarris: Maybe they sign Bud Norris? Maybe they trade for Bearclaw, Soria, Herrera? Maybe they do both.

Eric A Longenhagen: Good morning from Tempe

Kiley McDaniel: And good early afternoon from Orlando!

Eric A Longenhagen: This will likely be Kiley’s regular chat spot moving forward but we’re both here today as I missed my spot yesterday to see Luis Robert and others.

Eric A Longenhagen: Let’s get to it…

THE Average Sports Fan: If the Reds deal Hamilton, who benefits more: Winker or Ervin?

Eric A Longenhagen: I suppose Ervin because it means he gets more of an opportunity with Hamilton gone and it looks like Winker is already going to have a significant role, even with Hamilton there. But Winker is the better prospect and I don’t think it’s very close.

Eno Sarris: god I love the Hammond organ

Chad: The Giants’ outfield woes aren’t exaggerated, are they?

Eno Sarris: 1.4 win projection for the whole outfield. Worst in the big leagues. By almost a win behind the Royals. And it’s all in a bounce back from Pence, who looked pretty toasty last year.

Chris : The Mets need to shake this roster up. Would a Lagares/Wheeler/Nimmo for Herrera and Merrifield be doable? At least start the conversation.

Eno Sarris: I’d like them to keep Nimmo, but this would be interesting. They still need an infielder, and I’m not sure how much they have left to spend.

Mark: ENO! It’s still like a month until mock drafting on Yahoo! Where can I get my fix?

Travis Sawchik: This is my first chat of 2018, Happy New Year …

Travis Sawchik: I wish there was more to report http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/#month=1&year=2018

Travis Sawchik: The stove is ice cold

Travis Sawchik: But we’ll talk our way through this lull …

Corey: Is “solving” pitch sequencing a feasible goal for teams looking to gain a new competitive advantage?

Travis Sawchik: I think there is something there to be mined … changing eye levels, disrupting timing, creating anxiety, are real things and can probably be quantified

Eno Sarris: sometimes you long for a time that came before even though you know that time was rife with its own troubles and

Eno Sarris: I am HERE for this. sorry for being late. Kids are home, so if there’s an extended absence, one is running around naked or one is trying to climb the tree again.

Jimmy Ballgame: Whats the fantasy outlook for Josh bell this year?

Eno Sarris: If he regresses on the power a bit, I bet he improves the batting average and retains aobut the same overall value.

Bort: If I put on my Scott Boras thinking cap, it seems to me that a heavily front-loaded deal with an opt-out after two years with Colorado makes a bunch of sense for Hosmer. It incentivizes him to opt-out (good for Colorado, which might need the $$$ to resign Arenado) after 2019, and gives him an opportunity to pump up his numbers a bit and re-enter the market at a reasonable age. For Colorado, it gives them a short-term option to fill a short-term hole.

Eno Sarris: If he’s already gotten two seven year $147 offers as the rumors say, he doesn’t need to do this.