Travis Sawchik: We need to talk

Travis Sawchik: So let’s get started …

Bork: Would the MLBPA be wise to fight for a payroll floor more than anything?

Travis Sawchik: An article I researched related to this very subject was just published on the Site so please check it out….But, yeah, I’m surprised the MLBPA has not fought for a floor given where the owners’ share of revenues has gone, given there is a tax on payroll spending.

Travis Sawchik: While it’s not a perfect comparison, if MLB had an NBA-style soft cap and floor, there would have been 19 MLB teams under the floor in 2015

Erik: What happens first, an MLB expansion or an MLB relocation?

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friends

Jeff Sullivan: Welcome to Friday baseball chat

Bork: Hello, friend!

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friend

WannabeBork: Sup Bro

Jeff Sullivan: Sup friend

Eno Sarris: This feels like music that has come before but, unlike War on Drugs or others I’ve heard, I don’t hate it for that fact. Kinda love it.

Five tool: Eno the baseball guy! Ludes ludes ludes ludes ludes ludes!

Jack: Hey Eno – where do you see Franklin Gutierrez ending up? Do you think an unexpected team like the Dodgers, even with their OF log jam, could swoop in and get a guy who they can platoon vs Lefties?

Eno Sarris: Unexpected: Boston. More expected, especially after Mahtook trade: Tampa.

Jason: What’s the highest you see Cotton going in terms of SP this year? Top 40? Is keeping him in 17 team league for 8 bucks a solid price?

Eno Sarris: I’d keep him there. I bet he goes in the top 60 unless I’m inflating him too much.

Dan Szymborski: I THOUGHT TODAY WAS TUESDAY!

Bret: How does the Jays offseason look after the Jose Bautista signing?

Dan Szymborski: Decent, not specatular.

Chris: How much fun is it to check out TalkingChop and see so many people adamantly fight against the validity of sabermetrics. We have some heated Matt Kemp discussions going on if you want a “fun” read

Dan Szymborski: I’ve been in some of those. I already flamed that guy with the weird metaphysical post.

CarrotJuice: Over/under on number of strokes you expect to have tonight

Dave Cameron: Sorry about the delay!

Dave Cameron: I’m here.

Dave Cameron: I had to finish up a Tim Raines piece before starting the chat, which you can read here. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/what-would-a-modern-tim-raines-look-like/

Edgar Martinez Hype Man: Ad Free Fangraphs is so much better. Does Edgar Martinez get in next year?

Dave Cameron: Ad-free FanGraphs is so much better. If you haven’t signed up yet, you really should. Better for you, better for us, better for the planet.

As for Edgar, I think his last ballot in two years will be his shot. He’s going to need the Raines “are you sure you don’t want to vote for me?” pressure.

Erik: What do you think of the Saunders signing? Combined with the Kendrick trade, it looks like the Phillies have taken a lot of plate appearances away from their recently arrived or soon-to-arrive young outfielders like Altherr, Quinn, Williams, and Cozens. Will they have enough game time available to give those guys looks to see if they’ll be valuable future pieces?

Paul Swydan:

Paul Swydan:

Paul Swydan:

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody!

Guest: If The Avengers were a baseball team, who would play where, what would their WAR be?

Paul Swydan: Oh my gosh, I’ve thought about writing this up before.

Eric A Longenhagen: Good morning, everyone. Let me tweet a link to this thing and we’ll get started.

Eric A Longenhagen: Okay, just a heads up that my Diamond Mind draft is currently going on. If I step away for a minute it’s because I’m aggressively trying to move up.

Eric A Longenhagen: Also, Cubs prospect list is done and being edited so expect that in a day or so. Brewers are next. That system is fun.

JimLindeman15: Have you scouted Jordan Hicks, RHP in the Cardinal organization? If so, thoughts? Made two League Top 10 lists, but doesn’t crack anyone’s Cardinal Top 10-20 lists.

Eric A Longenhagen: I haven’t seen him but it’s 90-93, will show you 95 and it comes in at kind of a funky angle. Flashes above average slider. Good body, delivery is okay. He’s a solid prospect, 45 FV type of arm.

DR: How much does age of a player factor into your draft ranking? Looks like more and more HS players are 19+ at the draft. Do teams discount for age?

Travis Sawchik: Greetings, everyone. Welcome to Episode No. 2 of the Sawchik Chat…. Long way to go to catch up to EW podcast.

mtsw: Are we, savvy baseball fans, really meant to believe Jose Bautista is turning down bigger offers to return to Toronto? These “better offers” seem about as real as your middle school buddy’s Canadian girlfriend.

Travis Sawchik: Players, of course, generally take the best offer, so I doubt Bautista would take a lesser offer to remain in TOR. As Dave Cameron wrote last week, it appears the market for Bautista-types has over-corrected

Justino: What can you tell me about Trevor Clifton?

Travis Sawchik: If the Cubs begin to develop pitching, if more arms take jumps like Clifton did in ’16, then the rich get a whole lot richer. The Cubs have not developed much of their own pitching to date, one of the few weak areas

Travis Sawchik: I can also tell you it appears Clifton had his number retired:

Jeff Sullivan: All right, everybody, let’s baseball chat

Jeff Sullivan: I’m fresh off two and a half weeks away, and I’m writing to you with a fever, but let’s see how this goes anyhow!

Jeff Sullivan: Oh, I forgot. Hello friends!

Bork: Hello, friend!

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friend

Wayne : If Atlanta has a dreadful 1st half do they consider moving any core pieces like Freeman, Teheran, or Ender?

Eno Sarris: love this, all of it

Sterling Malory Chris Archer: Eno, my dear Eno, I’m hungover today. Make me laugh.

Eno Sarris: oh you think I’m a clown, funny like a clown, funny ha-ha?

Ryan: Who’s a better bullpen arm next season: Greg Holland or Joe Blanton?

Eno Sarris: Floor for Blanton, ceiling for Holland. If I liked my closer, I’d get Blanton.

BL27: what to expect about Miguel Sano in 2017 ? 35 HR – 90 RBI ?