Dan Szymborski: SzymChat is *back* now that I’m firmly in the domain of the living.

Greg: As a Braves fan with very little to complain about, I’ve thought of something that is driving me nuts. Why is Ozzie Albies continuing to switch hit? He’s bad left handed and much better right handed. Are players stubborn about this? Do front offices not suggest this? I feel like I’m missing something obvious because it seems like such a no brainer.

Dan Szymborski: Players tend to be stubborn about dropping pinch-hitting.

Dan Szymborski: And with Albies, he isn’t *so* bad left-handed that the issue is likely to be forced.

Dan Szymborski: I mean, he’s still at around a .750 OPS left-handed

Keefths: Dan !!! Can you please please please tell us when Prospect Week is ?!??!
We don’t know how much longer we can last without it !!

Jay Jaffe: Good afternoon and happy Friday, folks! Welcome to my first chat since the Hall of Fame results were announced. My reaction piece is here: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/rolen-into-cooperstown-bbwaa-voters-avoid-…

Jay Jaffe: and my candidate-by-candidate rundown here https://blogs.fangraphs.com/a-candidate-by-candidate-look-at-the-2023-…

Jay Jaffe: I spoke to the Ballot Tracker’s mastermind, Ryan Thibodaux, for the first time in our collective history for today’s FanGraphs Audio here https://blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-audio-ryan-thibodaux-chats-ballo…

Jay Jaffe: I’ll have my five-year HOF election outlook piece on Monday, and another FGA spot for next Friday as well.

Tacoby Bellsbury: Who gets inducted first: Jeff Kent or Chase Utley?

Jay Jaffe: My guess is Kent, even though he has to cool his heels for the next three years. Utley’s facing quite a crowd on the next two ballots, and while I’ll find room for him, I don’t know that everybody who wants to vote for him necessarily will get to right off the bat.

Jay Jaffe: Hey folks, it’s been a crazy busy day and I only noticed a few minutes ago that the chat notification didn’t show up on the home page or on Twitter. We’ll see if we can get a critical mass by 2:15 pm ET. Thank. you for your patience!

Jay Jaffe: OK, since there are at least some questions in the queue that will be fun to answer, I’m going to do a short chat.

Greg: A player exactly like Barry Bonds has an identical career as him. He gets voted into the HoF. On the day before induction, he comes out that he used PEDs every single day – is the induction cancelled?

Jay Jaffe: No way. It would be a logistical and public relations nightmare for tens of thousands of people and dozens if not hundreds of area businesses. There’s a sign in the HOF plaque gallery about the membership and the information the plaques reflecting the best available information at the time; this would fall under that category (and the language on that sign might be tweaked).

Led Tasso: Really enjoy your HoF below 5% posts; when will they be announcing the Hall voting results?

Jay Jaffe: The results show on MLB Network will air at 6 PM on Tuesday, January 24. I think it takes about 10-15 minutes to cut to the chase

Dan Szymborski: The appointed time in the prophecy has been reached.

Nick: What would a Gleyber Torres extension look like?

Dan Szymborski: They’d offer him a set number of dollars in return for a set number or seasons!

Dan Szymborski: (Sorry, it’s opening)

Dan Szymborski: ZiPS would offer 5/119 or 6/138

Rizz: Does ZiPS just not care about exit velo/barrel data much? Carlson’s statcast numbers were about as bad as you can get last year, yet ZiPS isn’t forecasting much of a regression. Nootbaar is essentially the inverse, yet ZIPS didn’t think his performance was sustainable. Two of many instances I’ve pinpointed over the last few weeks

Dan Szymborski: CONGRATULATIONS, ITS A CHAT!

Cat Latos: How do my cat friends do?

Dan Szymborski: Mercutio is on my office couch looking stupid, Justinian left to go upstairs, Constantine is asleep in the living room overlooking the kitchen as he stakes out dinner, and Cassiopeia is in the spoon of the cat tree sleeping last I checked.

Champdo: What do you think of the players the Tigers got back in the Soto deal?

Dan Szymborski: Meh.

Dan Szymborski: I think there’s a lot to not like about Soto’s command, but I rather have a sorta prospect than what are essentially established role players