Nicholas Minnix: Hello, everyone! I’ll be with you at the top of the hour!

Comment From Guest
Hey Nick, Im in need of a Slg boost in 4×4, im looking at Pearce, Vogt, Rasmus or Stubbs? Unless you have any better suggestions. Thanks

Nicholas Minnix: SLG boost, gotta be Pearce, I think. Vogt may not play again reg season, also.

Comment From Hamilton Porter
Over/under: 3.5 MLB homers for Sano next season

Nicholas Minnix: I’ll take the under.

Comment From Brad
Hi Nick: Hh pts league weekly lineups. Next week for ss? Peralta 6 games, Aybar 7 games, Xander 6 games or Rutledge 7 games at coors. Thanks.

Eno Sarris: I’ll be here in fifteen!

Tycho:

Comment From Guest
so, um, is Alex Guerrero ever going to get a start?

Eno Sarris: They still trying to win games and they are pretty set at third, second and left field I guess. Maybe he’s next year’s third baseman or fourth outfielder, guessing utility guy.

Comment From Tony G.
Eno!!!!! What was the best baseball-related thing you saw over the past week? In terms of non-baseball related, please tell me you saw Mike Tyson’s interview with a local Toronto TV station!!!

Eno Sarris: Hah that was pretty sweet. Baseball? Dunno. Affeldt showed me what a fosh grip looks like, Panik told me he misses on purpose, Chase Anderson told me he has two changeups really, and Inciarte splashed down in San Francisco as the best live baseball thing I saw.

Neil Weinberg: Hey all. It’s Wednesday afternoon, so let’s chat.

Remember, this chat focuses on questions about advanced stats, FanGraphs data/features, etc, but you’re more than welcome (encouraged?) to ask regular baseball questions as well. Fantasy and prospect questions aren’t banned, but I’m just not very good at answering them.

I’m @NeilWeinberg44 on Twitter if you want to reach me other times.

Also, my dog usually isn’t at home on Wednesdays, but he is today. That may mean a slight “please take me outside” delay, or it might not. I’ll make up for any pauses on the back end.

Neil Weinberg: Alright. Let’s discuss the events of the day. Current dog status: sleeping

Comment From Mike
why did so few teams recognize Abreu’s abilities as a hitter?

Neil Weinberg: I don’t think anyone did. Not even the White Sox. Players who come up against competition different from the normal MiLB are harder to judge because you have no idea how his numbers and performance is skewed by the opponents he faces.

If I got to play against 8 year olds, I’d look great. I don’t think we’re good at determining the talent of all Cuba opponents.

Comment From Guest
Does a foul out that occurs in the infield count as an IFFB? For example, a ball count one step in foul territory next to first base.

Neil Weinberg: Theoretically, yes. Although it’s my understanding that it is at the discretion of the stringer to call something a “popup” or not

Dave Cameron: It’s Wednesday, so let’s chat. Final few weeks of the regular season are upon us, so we can talk pennant races, playoff expectations, postseason awards, offseason speculation, or about how awesome my dog is. Up to you.

Dave Cameron: Queue is now open and we’ll start chatting in 15 minutes.

Dave Cameron: I will note that I’m going to have to leave right at 1:00 today, as I’m doing a segment on MLB Now at 2:15, and have to actually look presentable. Tune in and count the blinks.

Comment From THE average sports fan
Straight to the point, should Jocketty be fired?

Dave Cameron: I think he’s done more good than bad, but it depends on what the organization’s plans are. If they try to win in 2015, then keep him around and let him finish the job. If they’re going to blow it up, maybe it is time to let someone else do that job.

Comment From Tyler
Are Trout’s increased K rate and decreased BB rate a serious concern?

Paul Swydan: Hi guys, join Jeff and myself at 9 pm ET, and we’ll chat with you live during the big KC-DET matchup tonight. We’ll take all our normal questions too, so the other 95% of you who don’t care about that game needn’t worry!

See you soon!

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody! I just helped my neighbor move one of those old, heavy TVs, so the adrenaline is FLOWING!!!!! Woo!

Comment From Pale Hose
Will complete teardown rebuilds go out of style? It seems like if a team stays mediocre-ish they will have quicker turnaround time and might even luck into a playoff spot.

Jeff Zimmerman: Paul – Want to move 9 railroad ties with me tomorrow?

Paul Swydan: YES!!!!!

Jeff Zimmerman: Depends if they have anything to rebuild around. The key is staying mediocore

Jeff Sullivan: Let’s baseball chat!

Jeff Sullivan: On today’s menu: baseball, of the real kind!

Jeff Sullivan: Is there even still fantasy baseball at this point in the season?

Jeff Sullivan: I might never know!

Comment From Sam
Since Marcus Stroman has developed his new sinker and is getting an impressive amount of groundballs is he a legit number 2 starter?

Jeff Sullivan: There’s the usual stuff about having to prove yourself for longer before you can be a legit anything, but I remember being surprised when I found that Stroman’s breaking ball compares well to that of Jose Fernandez/Yu Darvish/Corey Kluber. So that made me particularly curious, and while Stroman doesn’t throw that pitch very much, I like his overall profile quite a bit. Remember the height questions? I always hate the height questions.

Dan Szymborski: Firing this up a little early, but it doesn’t “really” start until noon. Need a little time to set up an experiment. No presidents today as a result.

Dan Szymborski: OK, let’s get ready to rock. As an experiment this week, I’m streaming this on twitch.tv as well, with voice and music (and you can ask questions there too)

Dan Szymborski: Twitch.tv/zimsmash

Comment From CuriousGeorge
“In FanGraphs’ version of WAR, a home run-robbing catch with two outs in the ninth inning of a one-run game counts the exact same as a catch 5 feet in front of the fence in the fifth inning of a game in which the outfielder’s team trails 11-0.” that is from the jeff passan article that is putting down war. what are you thoughts on that statement?

Dan Szymborski: Jeff makes some good points (as does Ol’ Dave) but I think that situational stuff in this way doesn’t enhance WAR, it simply adds a bunch of team information into a player stat.

Dan Szymborski: Now, if we had a reason to think that players at the MLB level had significantly different abilities in this situation that would be different, but we don’t

Nicholas Minnix: Hello, folks, sorry for the delay, but ready to roll!

Comment From Guest
Brandon Finnegan upside ROS?

Nicholas Minnix: I like the player, in fantasy leagues, unless it’s a holds league, there doesn’t seem to be much value beyond a little chipping away at ERA and WHIP, some extra K’s (which he can produce, surely). He won’t get a start, surely.

Comment From Kevin Towers
$@#$!! $@#$!! wusses @#$@#$! %$@#%ing #$@#!!!!!!

Nicholas Minnix: Haha, you seem to have captured that well.

Comment From Bluesox
What do you think is the source of the current slump in Oakland?

SublimeVEVO:

Eno Sarris: see you in ten

Comment From Ryan
Are you drunk…like right now?

Eno Sarris: Haha 9am West Coast time. I’m a derelict, but not that much of one.

Comment From Bobby Blownilla
Just lost Starlin for the year. In first place and HR/RBI most needed categories. Replace him with Alicedes, Mercer, or B. Crawford? All are on roster and fairly interchangeable. Not much else on wire. thanks!

Eno Sarris: If you have them all on the roster, play Mercer against lefties, Alcides the rest of the time and drop Crawford lol.

Neil Weinberg: Hey all, happy Wednesday. I’ll be here at 3pm to chat about baseball and baseball stats. This means questions about sabermetrics, our data, and related FG-centered concepts are strongly encouraged.

Other things are welcome too, but as usual, I’m not good at fantasy and prospect stuff, so ask at your own risk.

I’m @NeilWeinberg44 on Twitter, so follow me there and ask me questions at other times too. I’ll hang til 4pm for sure, and until 5pm if you ask lots of questions.

Comment From Hunter
How do you think teams like the A’s quantify chemistry? How much of an impact do you think it has in wins?

Neil Weinberg: I don’t know. I’ve heard all sorts of ideas. I’m not really sure how to go about doing it. I think it probably makes a difference, maybe something like 0-5 wins per season? But we’re talking about all of those wins spread across 25+ players. I would imagine players do better when they are happy and good chemistry makes them happy. How to measure that? No idea. I won’t even pretend to suggest we could do it from the outside in any way

Comment From A Concerned Reader
Where’s Dave? Is he okay?

Neil Weinberg: Dave’s on vacation!

Neil Weinberg: Which is good for Dave and will finally give me a chance to get more chat views than he does! Although Kiley probably crushed me.