Jay Jaffe: Good afternoon, folks!

Jay Jaffe: Welcome to my first chat of the second half of the 2023 season

Jay Jaffe: I’ve got Hall of Fame on the brain after writing a four-part series on the active players making progress towards Cooperstown. Part IV just went live, covering relievers https://blogs.fangraphs.com/cooperstown-notebook-the-2023-progress-rep…

Jay Jaffe: Yesterday’s Part III addressed Ohtani and starting pitchers https://blogs.fangraphs.com/cooperstown-notebook-the-2023-progress-rep…

Jay Jaffe: Part II was shortstops and outfielders https://blogs.fangraphs.com/cooperstown-notebook-the-2023-progress-rep… and Part I catchers and the three bases https://blogs.fangraphs.com/cooperstown-notebook-the-2023-progress-rep…

Kyle B: Hey Jay! Over the all star break we heard a ton of talk about the new CBA and started hearing whispers about the next one….do you think we are staring down another lockout in 2026? Possibly missed games in 2027?

Eric A Longenhagen: Howdy howdy howdy

Eric A Longenhagen: Howdy from the fourth platform of Lumen Field’s Media Row.

Eric A Longenhagen: The power went out on the media platform so we’ll see how this goes. Luckily the wifi is working (sorta)

Eric A Longenhagen: Some links for you: final mock 2023 Mock Draft 2.0: The Day Of (Just Names) | FanGraphs Baseball

Eric A Longenhagen: Pushed slightly updated rankings, as well. The Board | FanGraphs Baseball

Ryan: Hi Eric! How are you today?

Dan Szymborski: Let’s slowly get this party started!

Dan Szymborski: Very slowly – I was late to set up the chat

Dan Szymborski: because I was over at mom’s because she incompetently broke her outside faucet and I had to go over there and fix it

Dan Szymborski: and it was *really* incompetent. She literally turned one of the handles until it fell off and then basically took the whole thing apart

Guest: If you could build a pitcher in a lab what’s their handedness, arm slot, and 3 pitch mix (spinrates or break measurement optional)? Fastball sits 93-95.

Dan Szymborski: Is this for aesthetics or optimization?

Jay Jaffe: Good afternoon, folks! I’m back from my annual foray to Cape Cod and at my usual battle station for the Tuesday chat.

Jay Jaffe: I just published a piece on Jordan Walker’s latest hitting streak and what’s changed (and hasn’t) since his return from Triple-A. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/jordan-walker-tries-to-get-off-the-ground/

Jay Jaffe: Yesterday, I took a look at the debut of the Padres’ Matt Waldron, the first pitcher to throw a knuckleball in a major league game since Mickey Jannis in 2021 https://blogs.fangraphs.com/matt-waldron-brought-the-knuckleball-back-…

Jay Jaffe: Current listening: Sparks, since I’m seeing them at the Beacon Theater tonight.

Jay Jaffe: And now, on with the show

babbganoush: Thoughts on Manoah getting shelled by 17 yo kids?

Dan Szymborski: GafternooN!

Chutzpah: Who are some prospects in this years draft you might be excited about that are not part of the top 20 group?

Dan Szymborski: Carson Roccaforte is one of the top of my head

Dan Szymborski: Cam Fisher has really fun power

Dan Szymborski: but these are probably Eric questions

Dan Szymborski: I’m not an amateur draft guru

Jay Jaffe: Good afternoon, folks and welcome to a special edition of my Tuesday chat. I’m a few days into the annual family trip to Wellfleet  — this is the seventh year in a row that my wife, my daughter, and my mother-in-law have rented this house — and the wi-fi is a bit dodgier than back in Brooklyn, but I always like to do a chat from here if I can.

Jay Jaffe: As it’s a two-week trip, it’s something of a working vacation, with the work front-loaded. Today I did a piece on Nick Castellanos’ rebound from a dismal 2022 https://blogs.fangraphs.com/nick-castellanos-is-mashing-again

Jay Jaffe: Yesterday I took a look at the impact of Pete Alonso’s hand injury https://blogs.fangraphs.com/skidding-mets-lose-pete-alonso-when-they-c…

Liam: Making it to any CCBL games while you’re out there?

Jay Jaffe: Yes, we’re planning to get down to at least one Orleans Firebirds games. I think we have four to choose from in terms of their home games. Haven’t looked at rosters or fully sketched out a calendar yet.

mike: The Twins seem to have painted themselves into a corner here, and just need to hope Buxton and CC and Polanco hit…..Kepler hasn’t hit for three years, would you move on?

Dan Szymborski: It is time. A time. For chats.

Dan Szymborski: Or at least once!

B’ryce Szymbobski: EllyD… That is all.

Dan Szymborski: I got a DM from someone really annoyed I referred to him as Ellraiser

Bert: Hey Dan! The Cards, and others, need to give Jordan Walker more time, right? Especially with them being in the cellar.

Dan Szymborski: It was always iffy if this was the year he was going to contribute, he has huge upside, but the short-term was very uncertian