Eric A Longenhagen: Howdy, friends. Let’s do our baseball chat.

Earl: If there is a 2020 draft in the current modified form, do you think it’ll be more beneficial or less than the typical draft for a team like the Giants who have multiple high picks? With talent pool that’ll be available, other teams’ strategies.

Eric A Longenhagen: Uhhhhh, I suppose I don’t truly know but my knee jerk reaction is that it’s bad for creativity (like there’s no way to execute what the Braves did last year, for instance) and teams picking a bunch in the comp rounds are the ones best positioned to be creative in a typical year, so those are the teams most punished by the inability to get creative.

B: What range might Jesse Franklin go in? He seems to have that ideal spine angle (ie bent close to 40°) that is conducive to a steep plane/attack angle. That sort of mechanical profile coupled w/ the possibility that he sticks at a premium position makes him seem like one of the more interesting “sleeper” college bats IMO.

Eric A Longenhagen: I like Franklin. He’s relatively positionless but I agree he rakes. Does that guy get a medical redshirt in addition to his extra COVID year of eligibility? And does he use those multiple years of leverage as a reason to return to school for another year?

More Quarantine Please!: I’ve noticed that a popular type of question in Fangraphs’ chats is the best way to get a job in baseball. I thought people might like to know that Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors has a good article up today with feedback from multiple actual MLB execs:

Dan Szymborski: And it has begun.

LFC Mike: Dan, Your new avatar reminds me of a young roguish Larry Fine footloose and fancy free with a devil may care attitude in the roaring 20’s.

Dan Szymborski: I went through all my pictures to find the weariest looking one.

Dan Szymborski: Now this is the most frightening one.

Dan Szymborski:

Stevil: Which single organization should be the most appealing to undrafted players that are determined or willing to play despite the 20k cap?

Meg Rowley: Hi all, and welcome to the chat.

Meg Rowley: Before I get going, I wanted to take a second to thank everyone who signed up for a membership yesterday, visited the site sans ad blocker, or purchased merch.

Meg Rowley: We know this is a difficult time for many, and so appreciate everyone’s support of FanGraphs.

Meg Rowley: This community is really very wonderful, and we’re incredibly lucky to be a part of it.

JWDC: Will Fangraphs add more merch or other things members can buy to support your work?

Meg Rowley: Yes! We’ll have more info on this in the coming days. Plans are currently in the works for more merch (we know there are a bunch of sizes sold out), ways to pre-pay for future subs and also gift subs to others, and ways for existing members who wanna help out to do so.

Jay Jaffe: Good afternoon, folks, and welcome to today’s chat, where I plan to talk about baseball in at least some shape and form. I hope you’re doing all right; the Jaffe-Span household is trying to keep it together in downtown Brooklyn, where we’ve got a reasonable stockpile of supplies and are taking plenty of precautions when we do need to walk our dog (Sandy) and get our daughter some outdoor exercise.

Jay Jaffe: Some housekeeping: Please read this message from David Appelman. Like just about everyone else in the world of sports, we’re facing some lean times, and we hope that you’ll think of us.  https://blogs.fangraphs.com/a-fangraphs-update-were-asking-for-your-he…

Jay Jaffe: The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis has a piece about our situation and those of several other sports media outlets https://www.theringer.com/2020/3/30/21199460/coronavirus-sports-media-…

Jay Jaffe: I’m currently working on an obituary of Jimmy Wynn, the Toy Cannon — a highly-underrated ballplayer who was a stathead favorite. That will run tomorrow.

Jay Jaffe: And now, on with the show…

Dave: How is Sandy doing?

Eric A Longenhagen: Howdy from Tempe. I’ve got a busy day today so I’m gonna keep this to the 45-60min territory. Hope you’re all hanging in there, executing your scientific, humanitarian and patriotic duty of social distancing relatively free of mental imbalance.

Noah: Do you have an I-Love-You-Even-Though-You-Always-Hurt-Me prospect?

Eric A Longenhagen: I assume it’ll be Monte Harrison when all is said and done

Andrew: If there is a minor league “season”, would it be played at spring training sites?

Eric A Longenhagen: I have no idea. If I did I’d report it in a way that fed my ego and sense of self importance and you’d already have heard about it.

Old guy: A few weeks ago you mentioned wishing you could have seen Barry Bonds at ASU. I got that chance during a college visit. Incredible physically. Obviously stood out even on a quality college team. 80 grade arrogance. Warmed up apart from the rest of the team. Legendary coach Brock called everyone in, and everyone but Bonds hustled over. Bonds kept playing catch with a ball boy and later sauntered in when he felt like it.

Dan Szymborski: Here is Dan, with #PanicDoritos

Daniel: So, favorite and least favorite baseball movie?

Dan Szymborski: Favorite: Sandlot

Dan Szymborski: LEast: Field of Dreams. I find it treacly and overwrought.

LAXTONTO: Where, of all people, did a confernces select me to review a qualitative paper? I do heavy quant stuff all the time and I got stuck with this?!?!?!

LAXTONTO: How are you and the cats my friend?

Meg Rowley: Hi everyone, and welcome to the chat

Meg Rowley: Apologies for being a little late – had to brush my teeth. You know, how we still observe the trappings of a civilization?

I miss baseball: If there is a 2020 season, would you personally put an * next to the winner?

Meg Rowley: I think we’ll have to be aware of the statistical oddity, but in terms of it having an asterisks because it feels less valid somehow, not really – we’re going to be so happy to have baseball back

Adam: I’m sure I’m only about the 67th person to ask this, but can we please make the Carson/Dayn podcasts a regular thing again?

Meg Rowley: Regular? Likely not – I’m not sure how much we can impose on the Blue Jays generosity. But they have a standing invite.