Paul Swydan: Hi everybody. Different night this week, sorry if that’s a bother for you. But same time, 9 pm ET! Jeff and I will both be here to cram some baseball into your baseball holes. So crack open a Sam Summer, or whatever snooty beer you kids are drinking these days, and hit us with a question or six. See you soon!

Paul Swydan: OK, let’s do this! Sorry for the one minute delay, I was just reading an upcoming Hardball Times post. You guys and gals are all reading THT every day, right? Right, I knew you were.

Comment From Alex
IT’S 9 PM!

Paul Swydan: Yes yes, sorry Alex.

Comment From Big Joe Mufferaw
This MUST be Shared! Yesterday “Hawk” Harelson said this “No Shortstop in the league, including Troy Tulowitzky, has had a better season than Alexei, both on offense and defense”. Has he lost all credibility of what comes out of his mouth?

Paul Swydan: 95%. He has to say something intelligent every now and then or even his bosses would tire of him. But he’s incredibly biased, we already knew that.

Dan Szymborski: When trouble is a brewing
And things are getting weird
The bad guys are lurking
And they’ve got the world a feared
We need a superhero
With a cool hat and beard
It’s Abe Lincoln Man

He doesn’t shoot bullets
Or fly through the air
Drive a fancy car
Or have a secret lair
But he’s really kinda tall
And he’s extra super fair
He’s Abe Lincoln Man

Abe Lincoln Man [x2]
The presidential hero
Abe Lincoln Man
When he takes a stand
Evildoers cry in fear
Oh no, no, no

Well, the robbers and the crooks
They think they’re out of reach
But they’re gonna learn a lesson
Honest Abe is gonna teach
He kicks a little butt
Then he makes a little speech

He’s Abe Lincoln, Abe Lincoln, Abe Lincoln Man.

Dan Szymborski: Happy Wednesday, in whatever language you speak. Please be English.

Comment From Jake
Thanks as always for your time, Dan. NYY gets Hammel/Lee/Samardzija/Price/Shields/Some other 2-4 win SP, and Morales. Are they an 85+ win team? What gets them there?

Dan Szymborski: They’re not far off – I’m assuming you’re saying *one* of those guys, of course. I’d probably put their true ability at 82-84 or thereabouts, so 85 not a stretch.

Comment From jocephus
I think Matheny hit for the cycle tonight.

1. Pointless sacrifice with Carpenter in the 4th inning with runner on 1st, no one out.
2. Left Garcia in too long.
3. Tried sacrificing with Wong after Shields allowed a homer and a walk, was on fumes, and Wong already homered off him.
4. Called a hit and run with Wong, that resulted in Wong swinging at ball 3, and bailed Shields out (Cards went 1-12 against Royals pen).
5. Double switched Wong out of the game.
6. Intentionally walked a batter in a 1 run game.

Dan Szymborski: I think you prepared that! Or I commend your typing skills, much superior to my 120.

Jeff Sullivan: Hey there everybody and welcome to live baseball chat Tuesday 6/3

Jeff Sullivan: Usual statement to begin: don’t bother asking me your fantasy baseball questions. I am interested in baseball, but I am not interested in your fantasy baseball, and far more importantly, I haven’t played fantasy baseball in a decade so I cannot give you good advice on how to proceed in your league(s).

Jeff Sullivan: Should it become necessary for you to ask a fantasy baseball question, I urge you to attempt to disguise it as a regular baseball question. Godspeed!

Comment From ryan
What is up with Adam Jones this year? Does he hit 30 homeruns this year?

Jeff Sullivan: He’s topped out at 32 and 33 while playing almost every single game. Given his slow start this season, no, he’s not reaching that level. But I wouldn’t be too concerned — power slumps are the least worrying slumps, to me

Comment From ryan
does adam jones steal over under 15 bases

Dave Cameron: Due to a scheduling conflict, Dan Szymborski and I have changed chat days this week, so I’m filling in today and Dan will take my spot on Wednesday. The queue is open, and we’ll get started in 15 or 20 minutes.

Comment From pop
Do you have any thoughts on Juan Francisco moving forward? Think he will be effective?

Dave Cameron: He’s a decent enough part-time guy, but I wouldn’t want him as a regular in the postseason.

Comment From Brad
What’s up with Joe Mauer this year at the plate?

Dave Cameron: High contact/moderate power only works if you’re actually making high levels of contact. Mauer’s basically turned into a guy who strikes out at a league average rate, and given his limited power, that’s a big problem.

Comment From Scotty
Any chance Scotty Kazmir keeps this up? Obviously injuries are a risk with this guy…

Eno Sarris: YES ITS ALMOST WEEKEND

Eno Sarris: and yes I feel ya strutter

Emmanuel Camaiti:

Eno Sarris: I’m here!

Eno Sarris: In an hour, my piece in which Chris Young yells at me publishes.

Comment From Graham
Sup Eno? I need help in the BA category badly, but without sacrificing too severely in the counting stats. Which two of these guys would you rather have: Bonifacio, Odor, Legares, Wong, or Owings?

Dave Cameron: Two months of baseball in the books, and now things get kind of interesting. Go ahead and fill the queue with non-fantasy questions and we’ll get to it at noon.

Dave Cameron: Alright, let’s get this shindig underway.

Comment From Will
Is Toronto regretting their inability to sign Santana even more now that it looks like their offense is so legit?

Dave Cameron: From what I’ve heard, they thought they had him signed, but he ended up in Atlanta because he didn’t really want to go to Toronto. I’m not sure you can regret someone not wanting to play for you.

Comment From Theo Epstein
With the logjam in the outfield for the dodgers who do you see making a deal for Joc Pederson? With him currently hitting in the PCL what chances would you give his power making an impact in major league parks?

Dave Cameron: I think the Dodgers will keep Peterson and trade Kemp this summer.

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody! My apologies for not setting up the chat earlier. I usually sit down and do it at 5:30, but tonight at 5:30 I was at the park for a picnic for my son’s school. Whoops!

In any case, fill up the queue and I’ll get some polls working and together we can do this. Just make sure you caress the ball the way you would your wife or girlfriend or husband or boyfriend. Baseball!

Paul Swydan: OK, let’s do this.

Comment From Matt
What are you doing with Hanley Ramirez? In the lineup but are you selling now?

Paul Swydan: I’m holding. Unless you find someone really desperate for a shortstop.

Comment From Jose
Jacob Turner: ERA 5.35, FIP 4.27, xFIP 3.73, BABIP .351. Even better numbers if you remove his one start before going on the DL. Is he turning a corner?

Paul Swydan: Color me intrigued, but it’s hard to fall in love with a guy who has such a low strikeout rate. May be one of those guys whose peripherals always look better than what he really is.

Jeff Sullivan: Hello friends

Jeff Sullivan: Welcome to the other side of the holiday weekend

Jeff Sullivan: I’ll be with you just as soon as my coffee stops dripping

Jeff Sullivan: Which is like right now!

Comment From PS
PROVIDE CONTENT

Jeff Sullivan: You’re the first!

Jason Collette: It’s been 4 years since Jose Lima passed away — I loved watching that guy on the mound

Jason Collette: No wonder it was quiet in here, I’m an idiot and posted the scripting in the “view” mode rather than in the coding mode.

Comment From Vliet
Jason – Is not a good time to sell high on Ventura or Gray and what level of position player can I expectin return?

	Jason Collette: I think that time has passed on Ventura & for Gray, just ride it out. Great team, great park, enjoy the ride

Comment From Guest
will Fielder be ok next year? do guys lose power after the surgery?

	Jason Collette: Anything related to the back is never a good thing for a power hitter. I don’t see myself ranking him in the top 50 next year.

Comment From PS
IT WORKS

	Jason Collette: I’m such an idiot

Comment From Chet Lemon
Drop T. Hunter for B. Shaw?

	Jason Collette: Tommy? Yes. His closing career is circling the drain.

Eno Sarris: I will be here soon!

Eno Sarris: In the meantime, hear something that blew my mind.

TheSoundtrackBeast:

Eno Sarris: This came out before Stairway to Heaven. Both bands played about ten shows together in the year before Stairway came out. Fast forward to about a minute in if you want to hear what I’m talking about.

Comment From Jake
Sup Eno.

Eno Sarris: Sup.