Jason Collette: Happy Friday, everyone. Only an hour today, so let’s make it a great one!

Comment From Kris
Andrelton the best of the Braves extensions?

	Jason Collette: The Braves must really believe in the power. The defense is not something that would have played up in arbitration as defensive runs saved means as much to an arbiter as vegetables mean to Ron Swanson. It’s a ballsy move to guarantee 7 years to a guy with barely one full season under his belt & pay him more than Ryan Braun in doing so.

 

Comment From JV
Where is Nick Franklin on opening day?

	Jason Collette: I read something earlier today that McClendon considers Franklin & Miller on equal footing for the shortstop job and potentially the leadoff role. As much as I like Franklin, I think he is the inferior player in both situations.

 

Comment From Guest
O’s going to regret the Jiminez contract? AL East is a division of patient hitters who can devour his wildness

	Jason Collette: They had to do something here as their window to contend is shrinking. I prefer him over Big Erv in terms of the ballpark and the division, but this is the best they could do given their medical constraints.

 

Comment From JV
Kershaw-Medlen-Salazar-Ross-Kluber ok rotation in 12 team mixed?

	Jason Collette: Absolutely – lots of upside with the back 3

 

Comment From Guest
Do you think Homer Bailey can be a top 15 pitcher by the end of the year?

	Jason Collette: I’ve said it a few times this offseason; in a Kershaw vs the field bet for Cy Young, give me Homer Bailey.

 

Eno Sarris: 13 minutes until weird.

estoners:

Eno Sarris: clip of the day brought to you by my wife, who gave her consent for me to go to Jamaica for a long weekend coming up.

Comment From JEB
LETSSSSSSSSSSSSSS GETTTTTTTTTT WEIRD!

Comment From Alex
Tell me what to think about the Simmons deal!

Eno Sarris: Not as awesome as Rizzo or Goldschmidt deals, but pretty good. Just saw Collette tweet that Reyes got 54 mill over the same time period, and players are more expensive now.

Dave Cameron: The queue is now open, so get your questions in.

Dave Cameron: Probably going to start 5-10 minutes late today, but we’ll run long in order to make it up to you.

Dave Cameron: Sorry guys, just a few more minutes.

Dave Cameron: Okay, just pushed out my list of the best moves of the off-season, so let’s get this thing started. And you can read that here, if you’re interested. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-best-transactions-of-the-2014-off-season/

Comment From Nelson
Is there a way to assign a dollar value to a players fielding versatility? For example how much more valuable is Bonifacio over an identical hitting mono-positional player?

Dave Cameron: I think the value shows up in the fact that these guys have MLB jobs at all. If a guy like Bonifacio only played one position and hit like he did last year, he’d probably be a Triple-A lifer.

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody! I am flying solo tonight because Jeff has his Ottoneu draft, but join me at 9 pm ET and we’ll talk snow and baseball and snow and basesnow and snowballs and snowsnowsnow. And baseball!

See you soon!

Paul Swydan: One second.

Paul Swydan: OK, let’s do this

Comment From Everythings Coming Up Milhouse
For deep AL leagues, who are some under the radar relievers to target?

Paul Swydan: Cody Allen for sure. Danny Farquhar for another. Junichi Tazawa I like.

Paul Swydan: Probably others. Someone on the Angels for sure.

Jeff Sullivan: Look at that, everybody! On time!

Jeff Sullivan: I’m too pleased with myself. I better take a few minutes.

Comment From @lomomarlins
Votto is averaging 65 RBI over the last two years, so he’s clearly bad. Bazinga.

Jeff Sullivan: Fun fact:

Jeff Sullivan: Last year, he was one of the least-clutch players in baseball!

Jeff Sullivan: That is, by the win expectancy Clutch score.

Dan Szymborski: And boom goes the dynamite.

Dan Szymborski: Programming note: I’m not answering any ZiPS spreadsheet release date info. I’m working on getting everyone on the right team, but am not going to commit to which day this week first go will be ready.

Comment From LaLoosh
My girlfriend wants me to unfollow you on Twitter because you are a pompous ass (her words not mine). Should I break up with her?

Dan Szymborski: Wait, she wants to control your unfollows? She needs to have some serious hotness to put up with that.

Dan Szymborski: Teller you followed me because I’m a pompous ass.

Comment From jocephus
how will you remember the jim hoey era?

Jason Collette:

Jason Collette: Happy Corporate-Created Holiday everyone! Let’s chat

Comment From KSSoxFan
Any hope for any of the vets in the Marlins infield? Late round fliers?

	Jason Collette: I actually like the youth best here in Hechevarria and Dietrich. This has a Major League movie type feel to this roster – Salty even resembles a younger Jake Taylor

Comment From Bill
Are you concerned about Encarnacion’s wrist? Feel like we’ve heard nothing about it recently.

	Jason Collette: Yes, a bit. Toronto hasn’t exactly had the best luck with health in recent seasons so any bit of injury news from there concerns me. Their lack of action on the free agent/trade market leads us to believe that all is well up there, but if Anthopoulous shows up to a presser in a ROTC uniform, be worried.

Comment From Brad
What are your thoughts on Kevin Gausman? Thanks.

	Jason Collette: I like him a ton. When he’s commanding his fastball and throwing his offspeed pitches, it can be NC-17 material.

Comment From Pale Hose
The Rays model is based on turning over expiring contracts for future talent. If they can’t do this with Price is it the beginning of the end for their competitive cycle?

	Jason Collette: The beginning of that cycle has happened in recent years with the restrictions on the international market and added rules to the draft process. The Rays are in a catch22 here as the current team, on paper, is arguably the best in franchise history. Trading Price now changes that dramatically. They are apparently comfortable with that they will lose in potential trade compensation by holding onto him another season will be offset by possible postseason glory. The recent deals of Torres, Hahn, Lobaton, Vettleson, and Rivero to add depth to the upper levels of the minor league depth chart in terms of pitching help offset poor drafts from a few seasons ago. They need to develop more young hitting to keep this thing going though.

Eno Sarris: Be here in 15

KEXP:

Eno Sarris: Cool. Song of the day embedded. Will serve as the elevator music while you wait.

Comment From David
Doesn’t Jose Lobaton, Felipe Rivero and a minor leaguer for Nate Karns get you excited?!?!?1

Eno Sarris: BABESELL

Comment From Brian
In a league that weights RBI/R/HR above everything else, how would you rank Beltre, Longoria and Wright?

Dave Cameron: I’m hunkering down for Apocalyptic Snowstorm 2014 — for those outside the south, that means we’re going to get a few inches of snow today — so let’s talk baseball for a bit. The queue is now open.

Dave Cameron: A.J. Burnett has signed with the Phillies, for those who haven’t seen it on Twitter.

Dave Cameron: Brief analysis: Still a good pitcher, one year deals are almost always a good risk, but the Phillies aren’t a good team, so he’s now probably mid-season trade bait. Don’t be surprised if you see him moved at the deadline once the Phillies realize they’re out of it.

Comment From Graham
Should fringe-y contenders like the Reds and O’s commit to rebuilding or go all-in? It seems to make the least sense to sit right in the middle.

Dave Cameron: This is far more true in other sports than in baseball, since the returns on a top pick in the NBA or NFL can be enormous and instantaneous. In MLB, there’s little practical difference between picking 8th and 14th, and the revenue losses associated with being a non-contender may actually outweigh any gains from picking higher. I think the idea that there is little or no marginal value in wins 70-85 in baseball is just entirely wrong.

Comment From Ted
Is it unreasonable to expect Trout to continue putting up numbers like his first two seasons? What should we be expecting from him going forward?

Paul Swydan: Hi everybody!

Jeff and I will be here at 9 pm ET to cram as much baseball into your thirsty little gullets as possible! While you wait, check out this new game that The Dark Overlord created:

http://www.fangraphs.com/fgplusgame.aspx

Oh, and read my post from earlier today:

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/hanson-hooks-on-with-rangers/

Maybe polls later. See you soon!

Jeff Zimmerman: For some pre-chat fantasy draft porn … LABR Draft: http://www.rtsports.com/LABR-Mixed-Draft

Paul Swydan: Oh yaaa.. Let’s do this thing.

Comment From Jaack
Tommy Hanson – now that’s an article topic I was legit looking forward to. I totally thought he was going to be the shit, which is weird because I don’t really care about the Braves.

Paul Swydan: Jaack approves! Good times.

Comment From Jaack
Roy Oswalt retiring reminds me of the first fangraphs chat question I ever had answered, where I asked who was better Oswalt or Jonathan Sanchez.