Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat – 11/23/15

Dan Szymborski: Welecome to the Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat, where we promise our readers that at not time during chats is Dan Szymborski naked or using the toilet.

Comment From Bravoman
What can Atlanta expect to get in return for Shelby Miller or Julio Teheran? Far-away prospects? Or possibly a young MLB bat like Joc Pederson? Thanks

Dan Szymborski: I doubt they’ll get a Joc Pederson type (unless you’re just really down on him). Miller has more trade value right now, of course. Teheran actually makes sense to not trade unlike some others – his value right now just isn’t as high as it could be.

Comment From GSon
Does having your socks on count as NOT being naked?..

Dan Szymborski: I think it counts as naked if you could not appear on basic cable.

Comment From Ryan
If you’re running the Cards, how do you go about adding offense?

Dan Szymborski: Develop it. 😀 The Cards just don’t pay big bucks for open market.

Comment From Zonk
With the two IFA signings over the weekend, the Dodgers have now spent $44 mil on IFAs. To make a final mockery of the current system, they have even traded away almost all their IFA slots, and now figure to have at least a $43 mil penalty. That $87 mil is more than many team’s payrolls. This system is going to change, right?

Dan Szymborski: The changes have set up perverse incentives.

Comment From JKD
Given what Kimbrel just went for, and the fact that beyond O’Day (who seems set to sign soon) the FA pickings are mightly slim, it seems crazy to me that most people are still saying not only that the Nats *must* move Papelbon and Storen, but must do so for pennies on the dollar. Other than Chapman and Miller, and even with their late-season fall-offs, there really aren’t many (if any) better relievers potentially available. And maybe Rizzo is making a feint saying he plans on them being on the roster in absence of a “real baseball offer” but I don’t see them going for fire-sale prices. Or am I the crazy one?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t think they necessarily would have to move Papelbon for pennies on the dollars.

Dan Szymborski: The basic truth is that inside baseball, even with more progressive front offices, media and fans still are tougher on Papelbon for his behavior that insiders will be

Comment From Jenstrom
Hi Dan!

Dan Szymborski: Yo!

Comment From dylan
when will 2016 ZiPS be available?

Dan Szymborski: First team goes a week from Wednesday.

Comment From Q-Ball
White Sox are shopping Avisail Garcia. Should anybody care?

Dan Szymborski: No. It’s the equivalent of announcing that the 1982 Chevette rusting in your backyard is available for the right price. Garcia has no actual value.

Dan Szymborski: But there’s always Cuddyer’s Law: Someone will occasionally pay heavily for something of no significant value.l

Comment From GSon
Black on Black Mercedes CLS550 AMG or Black on Black BMW M5?

Dan Szymborski: Oops, should save these for the LIghtning Round

Dan Szymborski: I have a soft spot for BMWs, but in truth, I would probably buy neither.

Dan Szymborski: For me, it’s too impractical to spend a ton on a car simply because I’m not in it a ton.

Dan Szymborski: I work from home after all and if I’m doing a work related thing that I can’t do at home, I’m going to have to take a plane.

Dan Szymborski: My Mazda is 11 years old now and I still have under 100K miles and it’s in great condition, so no reason to shop for another car

Comment From The Dude
Have you noticed a drop in the quality of FanGraphs viewers? The comments section of articles seems more appropriate for Bleacher Report.

Dan Szymborski: It’s the rule of the internet; the more popular something is, the worse the comments will be.

Comment From Josh
Which top of the rotation starter do you think the Cards sign this offseason? Thanks.

Dan Szymborski: They won’t.

Dan Szymborski: It’s just not the Cardinals style to spend a bunch of money on a Greinke or a Price.

Dan Szymborski: They’re more willing to spend on their own players, but even then, there are limits (as we’ve seen)

Comment From Sammy schwarber
How much more than castro do you think the cubs would have to give up for severing or eduardo Rodriguez?

Dan Szymborski: Quite a bit – there’s no reason to give either for Castro at this point, especially Severino.

Comment From Bork
Give your ~~~hot take~~~ on the Hendricks for Chavez deal.

Dan Szymborski: It seems reasonable.

Dan Szymborski: Though I would not be shocked if Hendriks moves again in the not-too-distant futgure.

Dan Szymborski: Simply because the A’s have other needs than relief.

Dan Szymborski: It’s crazy how much his fastball improved. But just as importantly, Hendriks’s approach was better too – he actually used the new-found speed to go right after batters aggressively.

Comment From Zonk
In 2013, the Atlanta Braves were a 96-win team, with nearly all their players under 30, and a really nice cost controlled core. Now they are a complete trainwreck. In a nutshell, what the heck happened?

Dan Szymborski: Tommy John surgeries, malinvestment, and having faith in the wrong players.

Comment From Beep boop beep
Zunino. Does your thing thing math science account for the savage misuse by SEA? If he got traded to STL baseball heaven would get credit for the surrounding ezcellence and lack of savage misuse?

Dan Szymborski: ZiPS does not – it can only use data. Now, there are lots of creative ways to get data with proxies for things.

Dan Szymborski: Like say you’re moving a player to a new position for which you have no direct data. The player’s speed score actually have significant value in addition to their performance at other positions – at unnatural positions for a player, the base level of athleticism is significant and even if you can’t measure that, speed score-type stuff is a useful proxy

Comment From Roy
Brah maybe do the chat on the toilet. You never know some of us may enjoy that 🙂

Dan Szymborski: We’ll do the lowbow chat in which I sit on the toilet and inform you guys what’s going on.

Comment From Bravoman
If Atlanta is doing a longer rebuild than indicated, shouldn’t they look to move Markakis and his 33 million owed? He’s a solid OFer that can be a cheaper alternative to some of these mid-tier FA OFers,

Dan Szymborski: He’s just not all that exciting – even with the OBP, he didn’t clear 2 WAR last year.

Comment From The Big Dipper
Most likely landing spot for Puig?

Dan Szymborski: I still think Puig actually stays in LA. Even if they want to move him, it doens’t strike me as the FO’s style to do it all acosts.

Comment From Bravoman
What sense does it make for the Braves to be interested in Darren O’Day?

Dan Szymborski: Well, sidearmers and submariners are cool. He interest me.

Dan Szymborski: But from a team building standpoint, he doesn’t serve much purpose for the Braves.

Comment From Ryan
How much longer can Chris Davis be a middle of the order bat? Would a 5-6 year deal be outrageously stupid or just kind of stupid?

Dan Szymborski: He’ll hit for most of that, I’m sure. The trick is being the right kind of team in which there’s a good argument to overpay.

Comment From MK
Good move for Nats to try to sign Heyward and move Bryce to CF?

Dan Szymborski: Would rather move Heyward to center.

Comment From Bork
1982 Chevette? Bro I got a 92 Shadow just waiting to be sold.

Comment From The Dude
When a team signs Chris Davis, can they forgo the introduction press conference, and just put on a fireworks display and/or blow something up with C4 screaming “POWER” into a microphone?

Dan Szymborski: That would be sweet.

Comment From dylan
does Cliff Lee throw a MLB pitch in 2016?

Dan Szymborski: Yes. I think he gives it one last try.

Comment From Bravoman
What are your thoughts on Dan Farnsworth’s Braves prospect list? He has Gant ranked #2 in system……..

Comment From Matt
So Farnworth’s Braves list is…interesting…

Dan Szymborski: I haven’t read it yet.

Comment From James
Teheran would be a great get for just about anyone. Averages 30+ starts, 200+ innings, along with a 3.36 ERA over the past 3 seasons, and heck he’s only 24 years old still. Sure has accomplished alot.

Dan Szymborski: Yeah, but his value is lower than it has ever been. You can’t just pretend 2015 didn’t happen.

Comment From SwanSon
Sooooooo…I adopted a 4 month old female kitten on Saturday. What should I name her?

Dan Szymborski: Cat Upton?

Comment From Cookie Rojas
What would the Royals have to do to move Omar Infante off their payroll? Owed 17.5 over the next two years.

Dan Szymborski: Wait for two years to elapse.

Comment From Your Display Name
How often do you update zips in the off season? Seems like things are pretty fluid until late february.

Dan Szymborski: Upload after all moves.

Comment From Bill
Do you think Trout regrets his extension with the Angels?

Dan Szymborski: Not yet.

Comment From James
Do you think Mallex Smith can be a Bourn/Revere/Pierre type guy, or just a bench guy? thanks

Dan Szymborski: There’s quite a range of players there.

Dan Szymborski: I suspect he’s more a role player in the future.

Comment From James
Wouldn’t the rebuilding Braves be better off with having Alex Wood and Jose Peraza instead of Hector Olivera?

Dan Szymborski: Yes

Comment From Bret
Not that it was a big trade, but Liam Hendriks for Jesse Chavez doesn’t seem like great value for the Jays, given the value being placed on relievers this offseason. Thoughts?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t think you can sell Liam Hendriks, as excellent as he was in 2015, like you can Kimbrel or Chapman.

Comment From Your Display Name
give us your hot take on hot pockets

Dan Szymborski: Yuck

Comment From Pedro Alvarez
Who will I play for next year?

Dan Szymborski: Baseball team.

Comment From The Dude
Alex Anthopoulos has been offered a job in the FO of the NHL team the Arizona Coyotes. Thoughts?

Dan Szymborski: Honestly, I don’t know how in-depth his hockey knowledge is, nor do I have much knowledge of hockey myself.

Comment From Your Display Name
Did you have Arietta winning the CYA?

Dan Szymborski: I expected he would. You can argue for any of the top 3.

Comment From Leif
Giants deal Susac, Blackburn & Arroyo to Atlanta for Miller and Teheran

Dan Szymborski: Don’t see this happening.

Comment From Buzz
Baseball business question. Liberty Media split their stock, isolating Braves stock by itself. Is this typically a precurser and indication of of them trying to sell the team?

Dan Szymborski: There are a lot of motivations for this kind of thing.

Comment From Jesse
Does Semien stick at short?

Dan Szymborski: Long-term? No.

Comment From Bork
What exactly are the Braves doing? Bombing 2016 and setting up for a 2017 run with the new stadium?

Dan Szymborski: Yeah, though I expect 2018 a more realistic date.

Comment From Gwynn, dont Glues
Hearing some chatter about Tyson Ross. If Ian Kennedy signs elsewhere, why would the Padres trade Tyson Ross? Shields is not a top shelf ace, and who knows about Cashner. Seems like keeping Ross would be wise since he is cheap and under team control for the next couple of seasons.

Dan Szymborski: Because they feel their return for Tyson Ross is more valuable to them and their goals than the next couple years of Tyson Ross? Not sure what Kennedy has to do with it – simply put, he’s not very good and certainly not good enough that where Ian Kennedy ends up should affect anybody’s decisions.

Comment From The Dude
Were you aware that this chat’s listed “author” is Carson Cistulli, and features an add for his book, “Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast?”

Dan Szymborski: No, Carson is not the author of the chat, he’s the author of the post announcing the chat.

Dan Szymborski: Like Michael Lewis wrote about Billy Beane’s moves, but that doesn’t make the moves he described as having been made by Michael Lewis.

Comment From Ryan
Does ZiPS include any of the performance-reduction stuff for players coming off injury? Could/should it?

Dan Szymborski: Yes, though it’s of the identifiable variety (TJ surgery, x games leg injury, so on, not “dude played through injuries” which is harder to do)

Comment From Bret
Ryan Goins will be key for the Jays with Devon Travis missing the start of the year and Troy Tulowitzki being Troy Tulowitzki, for all the good and some bad that comes with it. Think he can keep some of the improvements in offense he showed in the second half?

Dan Szymborski: Some, not much. The Blue Jays should not consider him a key player.

Comment From The Dude
I know most former GMs are able to get jobs, no matter how bad they were. Will Zduriencik be the exception to that?

Dan Szymborski: He’s actually old enough that he might retire.

Dan Szymborski: But there’s no GM that’s bad enough that they couldn’t get some job with another team.

Comment From Bokonin
Who are you picking, as of right now, in the A.L. West — Houston or Texas?

Dan Szymborski: Right now I’d pick Texas slightly – Darvish will be back hopefully and starting with hamels is very good

Comment From Bork
Seattle’s misuse of (insert player here). Has there been any studies (on fangraphs or other) to actually prove that Seattle itself has a problem and not just players underachieving? The farm system is a proven mess, but I have’t seen anything about MLB level.

Dan Szymborski: I do not believe so. There are a lot of theories and hypotheses we all make that are very difficult to test.

Comment From Zonk
Are there any younger practitioners of the Knuckleball around right now? Or is RA Dickey going to be the last of the breed?

Dan Szymborski: Is there ever such a thing as a young knuckleballer?

Dan Szymborski: Wright’s still around and Zink was actually young knuckleballer, but you don’t see knuckleballers all that often in the last 75 years. There are usually a few, but not a whole breed.

Comment From Leif
Would a move to Centerfield hurt Jason Hayward’s defensive value?

Dan Szymborski: I’m not sure he’d actually be a +5 CF, but he’s so good in a corner, it’s worth trying. I want to get as much value out of the guy I’m paying for. I think it depends on the team

Comment From Phillies113
What, exactly, is the sense in trading away a prospect for a year of Jeremy Hellickson? Sure, the prospect, McWilliams, was low A, but he had a ton of potential and could’ve really become something. Hellickson is what he is at this point. Why would the Phillies make this trade when, if they needed bodies to fill the rotation, could’ve just picked up someone similar for cheap on the FA market?

Dan Szymborski: I think they just want games to actually end at some point.

Dan Szymborski: And Hellickson has been briefly interesting, enough so that you can’t rule out them getting a similar prospect back in July.

Comment From Corrupt framework
Isn’t framing pitches an insult and an embarrassment to umpires? When a catcher tries to frame a pitch, the umpire should say “Nice try pal, keep that up and [other team] will start getting the borderline calls.”

Dan Szymborski: Yeah, but I don’t mind that. The ratio of “how important umpires think them calling balls and strikes is to baseball” to “how important umpires actually ought to be” is very, very high.

Comment From I am the Walrus
I read Profar is out of options? Assuming his arm is not ready for ss, where does he get AB’s? Is there 400 AB’s in a 2B and OF platoon?

Dan Szymborski: Injuries happen. Players that have flexibility and an interesting bat can find a lot of playing time.

Dan Szymborski: Tony Phillips qualified for the batting title 11 times but only started 100 games at a specific position once.

Dan Szymborski: If Profar hits, the playing time will be found.

Comment From Bork
The Jays should sign Davis, and for a press conference have Davis read off a list of AL East pitchers and then a laugh track plays.

Comment From Beep boop beep
2008 Mazda 3i 105k miles. I laugh at fools who do not own one.

Dan Szymborski: That’s a very specific case to laugh at othe rpeople.

Comment From James
Teheran finished strong, last 6-7 starts had a 1.45 ERA

Dan Szymborski: Which just means that he was that much worse before those 6-7 starts.

Dan Szymborski: Countless bad signings and moves have been made because of late season performance.

Dan Szymborski: Want to know how many nasty emails and tweets I got about Kemp’s 2015 projection being nonsense because he had an awesome second half in 2014 and was totally definitely back?

Dan Szymborski: And I’ll get more this year about Kemp being back.

Dan Szymborski: And this happenes constantly

Comment From Derek
You may not be on the toilet, but I am. Ryan Howard o/u 400 AB’s this year?

Dan Szymborski: Under

Comment From Uther
Have you tried using Summoning Stone in constructed play? I have a lot of fun rolling it out in Priest and Paladin decks.

Dan Szymborski: Haven’t had a ton of time to play with it. Even with the meta slowing down, it strikes me as toos low.

Dan Szymborski: DAMMIT THATS LIGHTNING ROUND

Dan Szymborski: YOU GUYS ARE TRICKING ME BECAUSE I”M HALF-ASLEEP BECAUSE I HAD A RED EYE FLIGHT

Comment From Bokonin
If you are Jon Daniels, do you try to move Choo and Prince now, eating some money to do so? Or do you wait until next offseason, when they have a small future commitment, and there’s a weak free agent pool to compete with?

Dan Szymborski: I actually don’t. I wouldn’t have acquired Prince or signed Choo, but they already have them and given the construction of the team and the fact there’s no easy way to get out from either, I’d rather seem if this team can win. They’re a sunk cost, so even if drastically overpaid the rest of their deals, since nobody’s taking them off Texas’s hands, might as well let them try to contribut to winning teams

Comment From Zonk
August’s article on the White Sox was really good, IMO, and successfully illustrated the White Sox problem. Kenny WIlliams has stated they have not decided on a direction yet, but will. What would you do if you were the White Sox? Try to find pieces to build today around Sale/Abreu, aim for 2017, or blow it up?

Dan Szymborski: I talked about this quite a bit on the southsidesox podcast last week. Let me get the link

Dan Szymborski: http://www.southsidesox.com…

Dan Szymborski: Too long, didn’t listen version: If the White Sox can’t spend more than $120 million-$130 million, blow it up.

Dan Szymborski: Excuse me, won’t.

Comment From I am the Walrus
Is a package of Baez or Castro with another prospect (Torres, McKinney or Edwards) enough to get a #2 cost controlled starter?

Dan Szymborski: Baez interesting enough, Castro not.

Comment From Roger
Are 5-year ZIPS projections publicly available anywhere?

Dan Szymborski: No, there’s lots of stuff I greedily dole out as I need.

Dan Szymborski: There’s a lot of free ZiPS stuff! Surely you can’t me hoarding some of the stuff.

Comment From Bork
If you’re a bad GM you just become a base coach for a team, duh.

Dan Szymborski: Dave Littlefield was one of the worst GMs of my lifetime and even he got bettter post-GM jobs in baseball than selling hot dogs.

Dan Szymborski: Because let’s be honest, would you want Dave Littlefield to sell hot dogs for you? He might trade them for bottle caps and you’re out the cost of those dogs!

Comment From Dave Littlefield
Look at me! Even I got a job

Dan Szymborski: HAHA I didn’t even see this until after I typed that, I swear.

Comment From Striker
Can Chris Taylor be an average everyday MLB SS?

Dan Szymborski: Yes

Comment From The Dude
The Cuddyer Rule dictates that some team will be willing to lose a draft pick for Ian Kennedy, right?

Dan Szymborski: Yeah. It’ll happen on a day I say it’ll never happen.

Comment From Rick
I saw some Indians fans the other day trying to put together a trade for Paul Goldschmidt. So, just for fun: Lindor and Salazar to Arizona for Chris Owings and Goldschmidt. The diamondbacks get an elite SS and rotation help; the Indians fill their 1B void and can plug Owings and/or Jose Ramirez in at SS. So, who says no?

Dan Szymborski: Cleveland should.

Comment From Mets Fan
Who is your idea of the ideal fit for the Mets CF(besides Hayward, I’d love him but it’s not realistic)

Dan Szymborski: Well, trick the Angels into giving them Mike Trout would be ideal.

Dan Szymborski: Honestly, I think people are too quick to throw dirt on a player in Lagares that had 9.2 bWAR/7 fWAR in 2013/2014.

Comment From Merv Throneberry
Are the Yanks really shopping Andrew Miller and if so, who could they realistically get in return for his services?

Dan Szymborski: I think they’re more dipping their toes than going for the belly flop

Comment From Bork
There’s always going to be knuckleballers. If Dickey’s done anything it’s proven that if you are terrible at every other pitch, or older and lost velocity, develop a knuckeball.

Dan Szymborski: Yeah, if you’re not going to be a contributor in the majors anyway, might as well try something new.

Dan Szymborski: I’m an advocate for trying *every* failed prospect with a strong arm at pitcher.

Comment From Jordan
Some Mets fans seem to think that Wheeler could get CarGo, I don’t think he could, but I also think that any of there top 3 would be too much to pay, what do you think they would have to add to Wheeler to make that trade?

Dan Szymborski: The Mets should have no interest in acquiring Carlos Gonzalez for Wheeler.

Dan Szymborski: Should as in “ought to” of course.

Comment From Pen
What’s the most viable argument against Edgar making the HOF?

Dan Szymborski: That the voting process is so shitty that it is physically impossible to make a ballot that doesn’t leave 6-8 deserving honorees out.

Comment From Q-Ball
Seems like FO believe in pitch framing as a stat, but they don’t believe it’s as valuable as the stats say. Am I right? Otherwise, shouldn’t Chris Ianetta be in line for a really bid payday?

Dan Szymborski: They look at it, but I think they’re more conservative. As I am – there’s a lot we don’t know yet about long-term of this stat.

Comment From Compton
So different players age slightly differently, or so I understand. Is there any reason to think that players with similar genetic makeup age similarly? E.g. might Melvin Upton be of some use in determining how Justin Upton will age? Sorry in advance if this is a stupid question.

Dan Szymborski: We don’t have enough data.

Comment From Compton
Speaking of signings and late season performance, what’d you think of the Rich Hill signing? The K% and SwStr% indicate he wasn’t that much of a fluke, right?

Dan Szymborski: Love it. 6 million is nothing. The payoff if it works out is huge.

Comment From Bokonin
Profar is not out of options. Because he spent all of 2014-15 on the 60 day d.l., he burned a year of service time, not an option, each year.

Comment From Sammy schwarber
I love the trade value charts that are done at the Allstar break. Is there any way you can do it where you select players based on a redraft of the league with salaries not being involved

Dan Szymborski: Talk to a Dave. I work for ESPN!

Comment From drmorris

Dan Szymborski: This is an overrated thing to do. There’s a lot more to a park than the physical measurements.

Comment From Roger
I don’t begrudge the hoarding of ZIPS material; the 5-year projections were just referenced in Dave’s trade value articles, and I was wondering where he got them.

Dan Szymborski: I frequenly give them to Dave, but forget if I did htis time.

Comment From Mork
If you are the O’s, why wouldn’t you trade Britton and resign O’Day?

Dan Szymborski: Here’s the problem – if you trade Britton, that’s part of a strategy that would make bringing back Darren O’Day less purposeful

Dan Szymborski: The O’s are essentially a 75-win team at $105 million or so. There’s no longer a financial window or farm support to focus on both now and later simultaneously.

Comment From Guest
Have you every suffered from depression or another mental illness?

Dan Szymborski: Dammit, I keep clicking on the off-topic ones.

Dan Szymborski: Not that I know of, but my brain has not been fully vetted.

Comment From Matt
Do you think that FO’s anticipate robo-umps in the near future, and take that into consideration to their valuation on pitch framing?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t believe so.

Dan Szymborski: Actually never thought to ask this particular question.

Comment From 976
As an Orioles fan, potentially trading for Jay Bruce makes you happy/sad/looking for another team to root for?

Dan Szymborski: Depends on the cost and what goes with it.

Dan Szymborski: Most players a team can acquire have situations in which the trade involving that player oculd be excellent or terrible.

Comment From Simon
Does any of the available KBO batters, namely Hyun-soo Kim and Ah-seop Son have a chance to succeed in the big league?

Dan Szymborski: Yes

Comment From The Dude
I’ve been wondering this for a long time: If you work for ESPN, why do you do chats on FanGraphs?

Dan Szymborski: Because I’m allowed to!

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Hey DIJZ! Which player do you think has the most fascinating trade history?

Dan Szymborski: Dick Allen

Dan Szymborski: Edwin jackson

Comment From Derek
Since most pitchers are automatic outs, is it possible a team should try and give pitchers more time in BP or developing their swings enough to at least become more apt at getting on-base? Or is the injury risk not worth the extra base every now and again?

Dan Szymborski: The question is whether it takes time away from something more useful

Comment From DJ
random clicking could be a start of a mental illness

Dan Szymborski: It could be!

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Heh Edwin Jackson was jeff’s answer

Dan Szymborski: I did beat you to that.

Comment From Sean
One issue that many fans have with WAR is assigning appropriate pitcher value and defensive value. What if the value was assigned based on a fielder’s likelihood of making the play? A ball hit to a fielder with a 90-100% chance of making the play goes entirely to the pitcher while a play that’s 0-10% of being made goes entirely to the fielder? Then you scale everything else in between proportionately.

Dan Szymborski: Honestly, this is a developing field.

Comment From David
Think anyone will take a flyer on Eric Thames rather than dealing with posting fees and multi-year guaranteed contracts for other KBO players?

Dan Szymborski: No, but I think it’s worth at ry.

Comment From marc
What can we expect from Happ going forward? Is he better off trying to take a liriano deal where he may make less but is in a better position to succeed and play for a contender?

Dan Szymborski: No, in this case, Liriano had significant upside for a future contract that Happ does not.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Standing in line at the food bank and reading ft chat. I am wearing a Giants hoodie and dude in front of me has a Dodgers cap on. We might need to be separated. #centalCAproblems

Comment From Andrew
Do you think the Red Sox go for an ace, and if so, which one?

Dan Szymborski: Dueto

Dan Szymborski: Cuet

Dan Szymborski: Cueto

Dan Szymborski: DAMMIT

Comment From The Dude
Do you suffer from rapid clicking? Has the need to constantly smash the mousepad alienated you from your family and friends? Well, AstraZeneca may be able to help.

Dan Szymborski: OK, we’re at 1 o’clock and I’m very sleepy and out of it, so let’s do the Lightning Round.

Dan Szymborski: OK, here’s how the Lightning Round works.

Dan Szymborski: Dan has to answer every off-topic question so long as it doesn’t cross personal or professional lines.

Dan Szymborski: And this goes on until I either catch up with the chat or get bored or fall asleep which may happen today

Dan Szymborski: But I did get to eat at Volt yestedrday!

Dan Szymborski: AND GO

Comment From Your Display Name
why not combine rapid clicking syndrome with erectile dysfunction?

Dan Szymborski: Seems like there could be negative emotional traits from associating these activities.

Comment From Killgore Baggins
By your most recent calculations what are Hawk Harrelsons projections for TWTW looking like for 2016?

Dan Szymborski: TWTW is something you feel! ITS THE ELECTRICITY IN THE AIR

Comment From Aunt Jessie
I am trying to think of a question that crosses personal AND professional lines.

Comment From Compton
I started listening to Belle and Sebastian based one of your chats. I’ve listened to that Girls in Peactime Want to Dance album like 5 times, so thank you. Any more recommendations?

Dan Szymborski: Glad you enjoyed that. There is occasional preciousness though with B&S of course.

Dan Szymborski: My favorite albums for 2015 remain that and the Decemberists What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World

Comment From Andrew
Schoenberg or Stravinsky?

Dan Szymborski: Stravinsky

Comment From The Dude
Will you do the fandango?

Dan Szymborski: I will not.

Comment From marc
What should i get for lunch?

Dan Szymborski: Something with soppressata.

Comment From Q-Ball
Does Daily Fantasy interest you?

Dan Szymborski: Yes

Comment From Derek
I asked last week and you said you support HRC. Have you given much thought about Bernie Sanders instead? I feel that HRC is a career politician who is quite obviously pandering to the voters while all but being controlled by Wall Street.

Dan Szymborski: Thought and rejected.

Dan Szymborski: Rejected with extreme prejudice.

Comment From John
Dan, Obama puts a vote to the people re Syrian refugees. But there’s catch, if you vote for accepting the refugees you have to put up one in your home. Do you vote for or against and why?

Dan Szymborski: I like living alone, so i’d probably end up voting against.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Isn’t rapid clicking and erectile dysfunction called “porn?”

Comment From Mork
have you seen the Warrioris this year?

Dan Szymborski: I’ve seen both the team (not in person) and the movie this year.

Comment From Derek
When you write articles, how much editing do you have to do? Or does it flow naturally from your fingers to the keyboard?

Dan Szymborski: I do not do any editing. I think about my arguments. I then write the article in notepad. Then I submit.

Dan Szymborski: I’m very proud in my ability to write clean copy first time through.

Dan Szymborski: Me doing stuff well involves motivation. And based on experience in my life, the ability to have to work less hard is a giant motivator.

Comment From Andrew
What is the best piano concerto?

Dan Szymborski: Schumann

Comment From marc
Any interest in watching Jessica Jones?

Dan Szymborski: Yes, but I have not yet.

Comment From star wars nerd
IF that blue lightsaber in the trailers is Anakin and Luke’s old one, who recovered it after the lightsaber duel in Cloud City? It didn’t appear in ROTJ, and the last time we see it is right when Vader slices off Luke’s hand. I hope they flashback to that scene and show it from a different camera angle.

Dan Szymborski: How do you know that it didn’t have a GPS tracker in it? We have that stuff and can’t even fly through space.

Comment From Mork
worst and best movies that you have seen in the theatre this last year?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t go the theater often as I don’t like to go to alone and there’s way too much negotiation with a particular female about what movie to see.

Dan Szymborski: So we mostly end up just going to Bond movies.

Dan Szymborski: So the best and worst movie I saw in theaters this year was Spectre. Which was OK and not as good as Skyfall.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Belle and Sebastian is more like precocious than precious.

Dan Szymborski: Oh, there’s some preciousness.

Dan Szymborski: I love them, but you have to admit there are a lot of songs that are essentially I Am a Fey Young Man!

Comment From Simon
Personal and professional eh? Which player did you feel most attraction towards to, that made you question your, errr, allegiance?

Dan Szymborski: Never a player, but have you ever seen White Collar? I’m not so sure I could resist being seduced by Matt Bomer. Which would be a really odd thing for him to do.

Comment From The Dude
You are having a fight to the death with a Xenomorph in the Colosseum. You get one weapon of your choice. What will it be?

Dan Szymborski: Something fire-based.

Comment From Guest
Should I accept my descent into alcoholism?

Dan Szymborski: Just learn to live with your ever loosening grip on the common courtesies.

Comment From GSon
Why is a four hour erection considered Erectile Dysfunction?

Dan Szymborski: Because erections are supposed to stop.

Comment From The Dude
I reject your rejection of the aforementioned rejection!

Comment From Derek
What made you reject Feeling the Bern?

Comment From marc
Why the extreme prejudice for Bernie?

Dan Szymborski: Uh, because I’m a libertarian?

Comment From Matt
Girls in Peacetime is easily the worst B&S album. That Decemberists album is the bee’s knees though.

Dan Szymborski: Don’t like?

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Notepad? Has that improved ever? TextEdit on so x is the equivalent and it is very powerful.

Dan Szymborski: I don’t need power for anything. I write text. And if I have a chart, I just submit it in Excel and let the web guys worry abou tit.

Comment From Hearthstone Thoughts
Hearthstone thoughts of the week?

Comment From Your Cats
You live alone, eh? What are we, chopped liver?

Dan Szymborski: ARRRGGH NO NEW WING THIS WEEK BECAUSE OF THANKSGIVING

Dan Szymborski: Well, with other poeple.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
And you should be proud of your ability to spell cueto, too.

Dan Szymborski: That’s mostly bad typing and tiredness.

Dan Szymborski: This is the time of year I travel most – baseball keeps me very busy.

Comment From Matt
Piano concerto – check out Brad Mehldau’s recent release of 4 discs of 10 years of live solo work. Pretty awesome.

Dan Szymborski: I will look. I have no familiarity with his work.

Dan Szymborski: Though my listening backlog is horrific.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Gps won’t work off earth

Dan Szymborski: I’m sure they have their own.

Comment From Matt
What’s your favorite part about these chats? Is it that you get to talk to us? I bet that’s it.

Dan Szymborski: THAT’S THE ENTIRE PART OF CHAT

Dan Szymborski: That’s like saying “I BET YOUR FAVORITE PART OF CHEESEBURGER IS THE EATING”

Comment From Compton
Hypothetically and without regard to injuries and recovery, if the NFL season was 162 games, would we see a similar variance of winning percentages that we do in baseball, or would the best teams consistently win over 110 games ?

Dan Szymborski: There would be much greater variance than baseball.

Dan Szymborski: NFL seasons have much greater variance than 16-game MLB runs.

Comment From Sean
Why did everyone love Skyfall so much? I couldn’t stand it. I thought Casino Royale was far better.

Dan Szymborski: That’s a pretty personal question. I liked the side of the character it showed and it was the most three-dimensional an M has been.

Comment From Your Display Name
did you watch conan in armenia?

Dan Szymborski: I was in Armenia?

Comment From Rob
What percentage would you give the chance the W Sox actually do blow it up? 5%? It seems unlikely, expecially with Kenny Williams still involved

Dan Szymborski: 5% sounds about right.

Comment From War2d2
For the bonus round: Just out of curiosity, what exactly don’t you like about beets? Granted, my grandmother was first-generation Lithuanian-American, so pretty much every dinner growing up involved beets in some form, but I just can’t fathom someone disliking them. Is it a texture thing? Or a specific taste?

Dan Szymborski: I have issues with texture.

Dan Szymborski: There are a lot of vegetables that I can only eat raw and never cooked. Like carrots.

Dan Szymborski: The Broccoli/cauliflower/related is the only thing that there isn’t a way to get me to eat it.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
Is the fire had 8 more durable than an iPad Air 2 as this ad claims?

Dan Szymborski: Can’t say I have seen the data.

Dan Szymborski: I tend to avoid apple’s ecosystem.

Comment From Druidiful
Have you tried 24 Carrot Golden Ale by Stone?

Dan Szymborski: I have not.

Comment From Matt
Do you see the comedy in the fact that the question about alcoholism came from someone who was….anonymous?

Dan Szymborski: I did not.

Comment From Hearthstone Thoughts
Best hearthstone tavern brawl?

Dan Szymborski: The mechazod one.

Dan Szymborski: I also liked the last one. I play best when there’s an opportunity to make tactical choices.

Comment From Sean
How awesome would life be if science invented a railgun just like the old Quake railguns?

Comment From Matt
Better answer for the Bernie question: Because I believe in math and 10 + 10 will never equal -40.

Dan Szymborski: Not too good because people will use those badly.

Dan Szymborski: Chat appears to have swallowed a Q. It was another Sanders Q. I don’t begrudge anyone for holding dissimilar political beliefs to mine.

Comment From man cave poll
Your main TV, what type and size do you have?

Dan Szymborski: I have a samsung 58″ in the living room and in my office, another one with two LG 47″ around it.l

Comment From Sean
What percentage of your social life is this weekly chat?

Dan Szymborski: Surprisingly, a small percentage. People frequently trick me into being social.

Dan Szymborski: Strangely, people have the idea that I’m gregarious, which is something I can’t figure out. I think they’re tricked because I like drinking.

Comment From Aunt Jessie
The “entire part” eh? Isn’t that contradictory?

Dan Szymborski: 100% is a part!

Comment From Matt
You didn’t answer the question though. So your favorite part of the chat IS talking to us?

Dan Szymborski: Well, yeah.

Comment From Jeff
Lagares is great but he’s also been hurt for a while. Seems to have sapped a lot of his skills.

Dan Szymborski: The Mets don’t have a lot to spend realistically, so it’s best to see.

Comment From j6takish
beets taste like dirt

Dan Szymborski: I don’t get that.

Dan Szymborski: I think part of it is most of the family was grossed out by how my grandfather would always eat borscht

Dan Szymborski: He’d have a huge bowl of borscht and dump a ton of sour cream on top and then caviar on top of that.

Dan Szymborski: And then mix it all together and it looked like he was eating pepto bismol that was full of dead fruit flies.

Comment From Your Display Name
what about tofu’s texture? can you handle it?

Dan Szymborski: I’ve never actually had a problem with tofu.

Dan Szymborski: I actually enjoy tofu as long as you’re not using it to try and trick me to not eat meat.

Comment From which round is it?
I like how you freak out when you post a lightning round question too early, but posting baseball questions in the lightning round seems ok to you. 🙂

Dan Szymborski: Wait, did I accidentally do a baseball one?

Comment From War2d2
Re: Beets. Try them raw, sliced thin, on a burger, with rye bread and a big spoonful of sour cream. Amazing.

Dan Szymborski: I like burgers fairly traditionally

Comment From marc
Your midichlorians are off the charts. You have extreme Jedi Powers that rival almost anyones. Do you give in to the ultimate power of the Darkside and try and rule the universe? Or do you, idk, be a teacher or member of the council or something equally boring?

Dan Szymborski: I would be lazy middle management for the Sith.

Comment From c
how do i improve my arena skills from averaging 6-7 wins to 8-9?

Dan Szymborski: Don’t look at me, I don’t average 8-9. Very few do.

Dan Szymborski: I’d say, get good at drafting decks that maximize value but *also* work together well.

Dan Szymborski: Questions like “exactly how many mechs do I already need to have if it’s pick 17 and I can take TInkertown Technician?” can be quite complex

Comment From Druidiful
What are the specs of the computer you game on?

Dan Szymborski: 3770k, R9 390 (my old 7970 blew up last week).

Comment From War2d2
Your grandfather knew how to live.

Dan Szymborski: He did. My grandfather lived to be 96 and did everything he wanted right up until he died.

Dan Szymborski: He was a WWII vet and his best friend was in the Luftwaffe.

Dan Szymborski: Whilte having a serious heart attacks in his alte 80s, he called the ambulance and calmly went to wait at the end of his driveway eating his sandwich and drinking a heineken

Dan Szymborski: He had metastatic prostate cancer that spread all over his bones, made him so frail he had to use a wheelchair, and he still never complained, never said a non-jovial word, and would only take one aspirin every morning (and he’d make it clear to anyone who was nearby that it was for his heart, not for pain)

Dan Szymborski: It was very difficult to finish him off. Had the metastatic prostate cancer for 5 years, and he had pneumonia, a urinary tract infection that had led to sepsis and a heart attack. And he was still lucid and shrugged about the fact that he was going to die.

Comment From marc
Keep buying your same Mazada (same year and at least how many miles you have right now) or only buy whatever shoes you currently wear most (same color style exact same shoe but new)

Dan Szymborski: (My grandfather and I were very close. From the time I was born until he died when I was 28, I never saw him less often than once a week)

Dan Szymborski: Shoes. I already do this.

Dan Szymborski: If I like a shirt, I’ll just buy one of each color and say “Done, now I don’t need to buy shirts for 3 or 4 years)

Comment From Suzuki
Hot summer day, would you rather ride a JetSki or a motorcycle?

Dan Szymborski: Jet ski.

Comment From j6takish
Caviar? No wonder you’re voting Clinton

Dan Szymborski: I was posed that question in the context of a Democratic primary. I am not a registered Democrat or Republican and will not vote in either primary.

Dan Szymborski: I will likely vote for an establishment Republican in the election, if such one becomes the candidate. In the unlikely event that the Republicans appear to actually be in a position to pick up more seats (again, unlikely that they’ll pick up in Senate giving the contests) I would vote for Clinton in the general.

Comment From Guest
in an arena vacuum: murloc knight, truesilver champion, or muster for battle?

Dan Szymborski: Truesilver. It just trades too damn well.

Comment From Matt
Dan – you said you’re a libertarian. You’re one that fell into the “electability” bin? Gary Johnson 2016!

Dan Szymborski: I’m pragmatic. I vote for the candidates that can realistically do the least damage to the beliefs I hold.

Dan Szymborski: Amusingly enough, Obergefell made it far likelier for me to vote for straight Republican tickets, but removing one of my biggest problems with Republican politicians.

Comment From War2d2
Yeah, same for me with my granddad. Best, most favorite person I ever knew before my kid was born in ’14. He’s a little, tiny mirror of my granddad. The world is in trouble.

Dan Szymborski: OK, on that note, since I’m having trouble getting comments to post, I shall bid you all a fond adieu if you ever read this. As usual, you can read my work at ESPN.com, chats and projections here at FanGraphs, and DSzymborski on Twitter.

:

: