Jeff Sullivan: Let’s baseball chat!

Jeff Sullivan: That was weird. My comment didn’t show up. I think it’s there. Ok!

Jeff Sullivan: A friendly note: unlike most Fridays, this chat will have to end before it stretches past the 2-hour mark.

Jeff Sullivan: Sorry for forcing you to go back to work sooner than you’d prefer

Comment From HappyFunBall
So much has been made (at least here in DC) about the Nats’ starters pitching 41 1/3 scoreless innings. Also worthy of note is that this has been the first time all season that Scherzer, Strasburg, Gio, Fister, and Zimm have all been healthy enough to take their turns in order. How much longer can this reign of terror continue?

Jeff Sullivan: It’s the best rotation in baseball, it seems to be healthy, and signs are encouraging that Strasburg is over that which was making him a disaster. So you can think of the first 2.5 months as representing the extent of the Mets’ opportunity in the East. That opportunity is now gone.

Eno Sarris:

Comment From Miketron
Everything is coming up Milhouse!

Eno Sarris: COMING IN HOT

Comment From Josh G
Do you expect Gomez to eventually start stealing bases again, or will he take it easy given his hip issue?

Eno Sarris: No way he doesn’t get to 15 IMO

Comment From George is Curious
Everyone seems to be expecting the A’s to be big time sellers, but I don’t see it that way. They’re 8-2 in the past 10, and have closed the gap to 9 games. If any team knows what it’s like to make crazy runs and make the playoffs, it’s the A’s, so why are people so convinced that Zobrist/Clippard/etc. will be dealt in the near future?

Paul Swydan: Hi guys,

Jeff’s daughter has a sporting event that starts late tonight, so you’re stuck with just me tonight. Get your questions in and I will see promptly at 9 pm ET!

Paul Swydan: Welcome to the FanGraphs After Dark chat, where I don’t give a damn how close you sit to the field with your children.

Comment From Vic
Do you think Tazawa gets saves chances during the 2nd half of the season?

Paul Swydan: Nope.

Comment From Rusty Shackleford
Hi Paul! Maikel Franco’s month has a lot of people turning heads, particularly after his showing last night. Is it too soon to drop Josh Harrison for him? I mean, he has a 25% HR/FB.

Paul Swydan: He’s certainly having a good run here, and if you don’t need Harrison’s positional flexibility, it won’t be the worst decision ever, but by no means do I think that Franco is this good.

Kiley McDaniel: I’m still on the road, working my way around Florida for a few more days lining up some Florida State League games before I head back to the ATL

Comment From Bret
Jeff Hoffman thoughts from yesterday? Please and thanks, sir.

Kiley McDaniel: Once I get some time (should be next few days), I’ll write up Hoffman and Alex Reyes. Hoffman was 93-97 last night, curveball flashed the same as it was before TJ and he threw the changeup a lot more often. TOR has made his delivery less aggressive, more upright and more crossfire and he throws a slower curve most of the time, saving the best one for when he needs it. He’s also pitching to contact to limit pitch count and using his third best pitch (CH) more, which explains the lower than expected K rate. I’ll elaborate more, but this is more wait and see than good or bad. More important to see if TOR lets Hoffman loose next year

Comment From Brian
Where does Touki go in your Atlanta prospect rankings now?

Kiley McDaniel: Bethancourt, Wisler and Folty should be graduating this year, Peraza may as well. That leaves Albies, Rio Ruiz, Max Fried, Ricardo Sanchez, Manny Banuelos, Lucas Sims, Braxton Davidson, Tyrell Jenkins and Mallex Smith at the upper part of that list. I’d say Touki and Allard both would fit among the first few names. Should both be top 6-7 in the system next year.

Comment From Dan
Ruddy Giron. I know you’re probably tired of q’s about him, but… Is the word on him he’s a likely SS going forward? Would it be fair to put a 50 FV/OFP on him with a lot of variance top or bottom to that?

Dan Szymborski: The Szymborski Chat of Sadness and Depression has started. Get your Crying Hats on.

Dan Szymborski: Not really, but there’s something to be said for setting low expectations and then exceeding them.

Dan Szymborski: And if the chat sucks, well, I WARNED you.

:

Dan Szymborski: But first off, we have other, strangely unrelated to baseball business

:

Jeff Sullivan: So let’s talk about baseball

Jeff Sullivan: Walk-off balks, anyone?

Comment From Rick Hahn
Send help.

Jeff Sullivan: It’s always interesting when something goes even more wrong than anyone could’ve expected. It would’ve been one thing to say the White Sox were going to be mediocre. But a historically bad assortment of position players? It’s a catastrophe.

Jeff Sullivan: Good luck!

Comment From Bren
How much of the Lagares injury affecting his defense explanation are you buying, if any?

Eno Sarris: let’s start off nice and slow

Eno Sarris:

Eno Sarris: I’m here I promise

Comment From Marcus Banks
OK Go!

Comment From Marcus Banks
Michael Pineda is the best pitcher in New York City.

Eno Sarris: I still don’t agree! He’s had a bit more time since surgery, and I like the depth of Harvey’s arsenal better.

Dave Cameron: I’m opening up the queue a few minutes early today, so go ahead and get your questions in now. We’ll kick this off in about 20 minutes.

Dave Cameron: Alright, let’s fire this thing up.

Comment From Ol Sea Capn
What’s your view on Desclfani? Can he breakout or is he just middling?

Dave Cameron: Breakout means different things to different people. To me, he looks like a guy who could fit as a back-end guy based on command, but I don’t know if I see him becoming more than that unless he finds some velocity or better secondary stuff.

Comment From Natitude Adjuster
Would Trea Turner be replacement-level yet–or still more development needed for that?

Dave Cameron: He might be able to play at around replacement level, but there’s no point burning his development and service time until you can get more than that.

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody! Jeff is most likely off entertaining his in-laws tonight, so it looks as though I’ll be flying solo. But who knows, Jeff is wily, maybe he’ll escape the clutches of his family and join us for a little bit.

In the meantime, get in your questions, and I’ll see you at 9 pm ET!

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody!

Comment From CDM
What do you think we can realistically expect from Schwarber in this (let’s say) 20 PA stint?

Paul Swydan: Absolutely nothing.

Comment From Minty
With the Twins already calling up Buxton, what’re the odds that Sano isn’t far behind?

Paul Swydan: Maybe. The difference is Trevor Plouffe isn’t likely viewed as replaceable as their outfielders have been.

Kiley McDaniel: Dropping in a little early today since I’m hitting to road to drive to Florida right after today’s chat. St. Lucie v Clearwater, then begins a week at PG National with lots of Florida State League mixed in. Should get Alex Reyes and Jeff Hoffman this week as well.

Comment From Mike
What with Buxton, Correa, Lindor and now Schwarber in the big leagues, is your job more interesting or more boring with fewer big names?

Kiley McDaniel: I think it just means you guys will ask about when I think more and more obscure players will get called up

Comment From Shawn
With all the hitting prospects getting called up, who is your current top 5 in the minors?

Kiley McDaniel: Hadn’t thought about that in awhile and would need to make calls before I have a firm answer. Of my preseason top 20 (plus Moncada who signed right after but I said would’ve been top 10), less than half are still in the minors: Seager, Crawford, Giolito, Urias, Moncada, Glasnow, Sano, Norris, Appel. I’m not sure anyone has played their way into this group that wasn’t there, but lots of guys have played into the group just below this.

Comment From Oren
Hey Kiley – seems like some tangible improvements for DJ Davis from a statistical perspective – hitting for better average, less Ks, more walks. Has he improved his stock as a prospect?