Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat – 1/25/16
January 25, 2016
| 12:01 |
: I see like the first 10 questions in the queue are off-topic. Saving most of them for the Lightning Round.
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| 12:01 |
: If the Astros do end up signing Gallardo, where would a rotation of
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| 12:01 |
: Where would a rotation of Keuchel/McHugh/McCullers/Fiers/Gallardo rotation rank in the AL if the Astros do indeed end up signing him?
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| 12:01 |
: Ah, found the rest farther down.
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| 12:02 |
: Not doing final ranks until we get closer to the season. I’m not high on Gallardo though so I can’t say it would be significant.
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| 12:03 |
: There are some very scary trends in Gallardo’s line.
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| 12:03 |
: I’m a bit confused on the ZIPS statistical comps. When I see the #1 comparison to player X’s projected season is player Y, does that mean player X is projected to have a season similar to the average of player Y’s career statistics, or just one of player Y’s seasons? If the latter, which season?
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| 12:03 |
: Recent past seasons.
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| 12:04 |
: BY-Park is clearly going to hit 50+ HR’s for the Pirates this year, yes?
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| 12:04 |
: Well, I guess if there is like an Human Resources Night and there’s a big section of Human REsources Directors and he fouls off a whole bunch of pitches into that section, maybe.
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| 12:04 |
: I’m at work feeling pretty sick. Do I go home early, or just sit here and do nothing for 6 more hours?
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| 12:05 |
: Might as well stick it out. You already did the part of waking up and going to work, so might as well finish. Waste of sick time to use it on a day you already made effort
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| 12:05 |
: I’m not even going to try and cleverly disguise it, this is a fantasy question (points for honesty?). How many games do you think Machado plays at SS this year?
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| 12:05 |
: 5
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| 12:06 |
: Even though he’s out of options, Rymer Liriano seems like he’d be a better option than the in house ones for Baltimore. Do the O’s bring him on board?
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| 12:07 |
: Doubt he makes it to O’s in a claim
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| 12:08 |
: and the O’s don’t have a lot to offer in a trade.
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| 12:08 |
: What type of return can I expect for Ryan Braun right now?
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| 12:08 |
: Not much. Brewers foolishly extended a great deal with a mediocre deal YEARS in advance.
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| 12:09 |
: Would Braun get 5/105 if he had been a free agent this winter? I don’t think so.
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| 12:09 |
: Cespedes and Upton are both younger awith better recent track records.
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| 12:09 |
: Where do think the MLBPA should focus their attention in the CBA? Raising the luxury tax is the obvious top priority but it seems to me that 4x’ing (or some other crooked number) the league minimum would do far more for everyone in the sense that team-friendly extensions would be harder for team’s to get since those with only a year of service time have already locked in their first millions. Thoughts?
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| 12:09 |
: Following up on the CBA, it seems like the MLBPA should be doing some subversive posturing at this point. E.g. collusion as it relates to top hitting FAs not moving (though two weeks ago would have been the time for this). With a $9B pie, why is the MLBPA not publicly fighting harder for their positions?
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| 12:10 |
: The thing about collusion is it requires evidence – there was significant evidence when findings were made.
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| 12:10 |
: There will likely only be tinkering around the edges.
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| 12:11 |
: I think a better explanation for the hitters is simply that teams are wising up to the idea that you don’t give massive contracts to corner outfielders decline years.
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| 12:11 |
: Why do you think Cespedes had to settle for such a small contract?
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| 12:12 |
: See previous answer. A team signing Cespedes doesn’t get to have his 2015 because that’s not how time works.
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| 12:12 |
: Which version of Rendon shows up in 2016? The 2014 baseball-thumping version or the 2015 endlessly-injured version?
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| 12:12 |
: It could be both.l
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| 12:12 |
: Do you predict, as of today, that the Nationals will win the NL East? If not, are they a wild card winner?
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| 12:12 |
: I think the Nats and Mets are very closely matched right now and that as of now, the wild card is more likely to come from the NL Central
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| 12:13 |
: Do you publish confidence levels/error bars for the ZiPS projections? Any idea who ZiPS missed the most on last year (high or low)?
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| 12:13 |
: I publish lots of odds stuff in the final spreadsheet.
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| 12:13 |
: Prospects are highly valued right now. But does the league properly value the ease/difficulty of stocking a farm system?
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| 12:14 |
: I’m not sure I understand the question. Prospects are highly valued because the benefits of prospects are built into the system. It’s not like valuing high-OBP guys 15 years ago because OBP was underrated, you get to pay prospects less than their market value no matter how many people know abou tit.
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| 12:15 |
: Are you surprised that the Mets brought back Cespedes? Are you surprised by the terms of the deal?
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| 12:16 |
: Once the market dragged on without him signing, less so.
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| 12:16 |
: Towson, MD…down the street from Loyola Blakefield. Still not plowed. I created a mountain by shoveling. Will Bubba Starling ever climb the mountain?
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| 12:16 |
: Sledding there was always good.
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| 12:16 |
: I lived on Kenilworth growing up.
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| 12:16 |
: But the best sledding? You can’t do it now, but you know that wooded inclined hill on the charles street kenilworth corner?
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| 12:18 |
: There — at least used to be — a really clear trail through those woods that was an amazing sledding run. It was like a luge track. You could start halfway up and get an amazing curvy ride and you’d never ben in danger of htiting a tree because the trail was slightly recessed with sides.
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| 12:18 |
: We used to make a ramp coming out of those woods so you’d fly 10 feet and nearly brake every bone in your body.
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| 12:18 |
: The lightest one of us, a friend of mine named Bob, would go down first, becuase he had the easiest time stopping before running into the intersection.
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| 12:18 |
: And he could help catch the rest of us to keep us from going into traffic.
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| 12:19 |
: Your thoughts on Carlos Rodon? Can he take a big step forward and repeat his last August? And it appears that the ChiSox defense will improve somewhat over last year.
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| 12:19 |
: I think he’ll be fine. Lot of upside.
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| 12:19 |
: Do you include any of Zimmerman’s DL probability data into the projections?
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| 12:19 |
: Yup
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| 12:19 |
: If the White Sox sign Fowler what do you think would be their best outfield alignment? I would assume Cabrera, Fowler, Eaton from left to right given Eaton has a better arm than Fowler, but I wonder what your projections say.
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| 12:19 |
: Eaton has a better arm than fowler, but Fowler’s range isn’t that great.
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| 12:19 |
: Yo. What are Trout’s comps? Surely if Bryce gets Teddy Ballgame…
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| 12:19 |
: What’s the ZiPS schedule this week, brosef?
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| 12:19 |
: You’ll have to wait and see, won’ tyou!
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| 12:20 |
: Shared schedule on Twitter. It would be unfair to the people who endure me on Twitter to say otherwise here.
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| 12:20 |
: Hey Dan.
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| 12:20 |
: Yo
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| 12:20 |
: Ask people to mark their off topic q’s, dude. Easier on you
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| 12:20 |
: There’s a star button.
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| 12:20 |
: Rough AL Tiers?:
Red Sox Astros Blue Jays Some Ordering of the Rest? |
| 12:20 |
: The Red Sox are not in a tier above.
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| 12:21 |
: Frankly, I’d put most of the AL in the same top tier. All the best and worst teams are i nthe NL.
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| 12:21 |
: Not ranking but close I guess: Whose rotation would you take if you were to bet on the most effective staff for this coming year? Cubs? Mets? Nats? The field?
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| 12:21 |
: Cubs
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| 12:21 |
: When do you expect to have all of the ZiPS projections done?
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| 12:21 |
: Before spring training opens.
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| 12:21 |
: Are teams signing guys to opt-out contracts taking insurance policies out against the possibility they don’t opt out? Seems like any situation where say, Cespedes or Heyward stay is a situation where they’ve been hurt or declined dramatically.
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| 12:22 |
: I heard your voice for the first time ever last week (on XM). Why do you sound so happy? Calm down, some of us are bitter and depressed and dont need to hear you chirping about.
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| 12:22 |
: It’s hard to tell – teams don’t usually share much info on their insurance policies.
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| 12:22 |
: Oops, out of order
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| 12:22 |
: I’m very excitable. And the more excited I am, the faster I start to talk and the higher-pitched my voice gets.
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| 12:23 |
: I write about baseball for a living, now with some eSports in the mix. I’m in the BBWAA now, I got a cool nickname. Why wouldn’t I be happy?
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| 12:23 |
: If i was grumpy, that would be kinda ungrateful, don’t you think?
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| 12:23 |
: Think it’d be wise for the Astros to look into extending Carlos Gomez? What kind contract do you think that would look like?
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| 12:23 |
: No, I think he’s on the decline.
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| 12:23 |
: What are the projection systems missing when it comes to the Royals?
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| 12:23 |
: I’m not sure they are. There’s a very quick tendency to assume errors are predictive.l
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| 12:24 |
: With the Cardinals and Pirates pretty clearly behind the Cubs at this point in the NL Central, which one of them would you be less surprised to see upset Chicago and win the division?
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| 12:24 |
: Cardinals
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| 12:24 |
: But close.
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| 12:24 |
: Carlos Peguero vs rymer liriano
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| 12:25 |
: Liriano
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| 12:25 |
: What about Rymer and the Rox?
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| 12:26 |
: It makes too much sense for the Rockies to do. They prefer spending $10 million a year to get a 4th outfielder’s declining years and pretending it’ll help them win 69 games instead of 68 and that makes their rebuilding easier because crazy reasons.
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| 12:26 |
: Is the swap of borderline non-tender Mark Trumbo for out-of-options third catcher Steve Clevenger the lowest amount of value that’s ever changed hands in a trade involving two major leaguers?
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| 12:26 |
: I dunno, there are a lot of nothing trades of MLBers.
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| 12:26 |
: Does Rymer Liriano make sense for a team like the Braves or Phillies to take a flyer on?
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| 12:26 |
: Yes
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| 12:26 |
: The new CBA should find a way to ban Curt Schilling from ever being able to do anything with or relating to baseball. Agree?
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| 12:26 |
: No.
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| 12:27 |
: AL East: Yanks, Jays, Sox, Os, Rays – in that order.
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| 12:27 |
: I wouldn’t be shocked by any order, though I do think the first 3 are a step above the last 2.
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| 12:27 |
: The chance that Carlos Rodon becomes an “ace” is _____%?
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| 12:27 |
: 30
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| 12:27 |
: Why are there so many bust prospects in mlb? Seems like NFL and nba have a lower bust rate
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| 12:27 |
: Well, for one, the NFL doesn’t get players until they’re essentially at AAA
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| 12:28 |
: If minor leaguers were independent and teams had to draft from AAA, there would be a lot fewer busts.
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| 12:28 |
: Bobbi Bradley has been rated as the # 4 1B prospect.. Does he make it to the corner of Carnegie and Ontario this season?
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| 12:28 |
: Bobbi? Is that a porn star version?
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| 12:29 |
: Let’s not go nuts, he only made a brief cameo at high-A.
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| 12:29 |
: Did you have to change everything you thought about The Rays in 2016 because of The Steve Pearce Signing? (yeah, I capitalized it.)
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| 12:29 |
: No
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| 12:29 |
: Arismendy Alcantara have any trade value given the lean nature of 2B depth?
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| 12:29 |
: Too much uncertainty. I think he’ll be a good role player.
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| 12:29 |
: Instead of saying the Mets will get 3 WAR out of Yoenis in 2016, could you argue its actually 5 or 6, since they also took 3 away from their main competitior?
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| 12:30 |
: I guess you could, but it’s very easy to make wacky and or too-cute arguments with this line of reasoning.
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| 12:30 |
: Why has no team experimented with treating/paying minor leaguers like human beings? Seems like the payoff would be well worth the cost. Is there a class-solidarity thing going on where no team wants to be the one that steps up and demonstrates that having minor leaguers paid okay is possible?
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| 12:31 |
: Well, some teams *are* trying to do a better job with their minor leaguers. But progress in baseball is glacial.
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| 12:31 |
: Will either Chris Johnson or Edwin Jackson help the Marlins this year?
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| 12:31 |
: Jackson might, though more likely if he gets sent back to the bullpen.
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| 12:32 |
: Chris Johnson? No.
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| 12:32 |
: Which current player most deserves to have his name universally written in all caps?
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| 12:32 |
: Trout
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| 12:32 |
: At what point should the Astros seriously attempt to extend Correa? Don’t they lose leverage the longer the wait? Did the Angels time it perfectly with Trout?
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| 12:32 |
: They shoudl attempt it at the earliest possible time.
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| 12:32 |
: Who is the worst player in baseball in 2016 according to ZIPS?
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| 12:33 |
: I’m not even done all the projections!
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| 12:33 |
: Do you do any kind of forecasting for other sports? Should the Steelers sign Bell to an extension?
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| 12:33 |
: I’ve been working on some other things, though baseball tends to take priority
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| 12:33 |
: Do you think MLB will ever have a min/max budget for teams to spend? Remember readin something in the past where MLB supposedly encouraged the Marlins to spend more due to their low team salary.
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| 12:33 |
: Probably not.
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| 12:33 |
: Sure. Prospects are cost effective right now. But what if they aren’t a scarce commodity? In the sense that it might not be as hard to build or renew a farm as generally thought?
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| 12:34 |
: It’s a lot easier to get water than it used to be, but that doesn’t make water not crucial.
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| 12:34 |
: If cespedes has another 30-35 hr yr will be get more $ nxt yr given the weaker class?
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| 12:34 |
: Depends what kind of 30-35 homer year it is.
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| 12:35 |
: As a general rule, I don’t think he’ll find the market all that better. He’s likely going to be coming off a worse year than 2015 and will be a year older and I don’t think a weaker FA market will balance that out.
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| 12:35 |
: I hear that Ryan Kalish has had a pretty good winter playing in Puerto Rico. Odds on a comeback reaching the majors? 100 to 1? He’s only 27!
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| 12:36 |
: Better than 100 to 1. Jason Lane even made it back.
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| 12:36 |
: Who rolls the dice on Cliff Lee ?
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| 12:36 |
: I’m not sure how much Cliff Lee is really willing
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| 12:36 |
: If you were the Red Sox, would you trade Andrew Benintendi and a lower level pitcher for Julio Teheran? Seems to me to be mutually beneficial.
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| 12:36 |
: I think Braves want and get more.
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| 12:37 |
: Yeah, he looks really good so far, but I think they’ll do better as an overall package.
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| 12:37 |
: With Cespedes off the market, do the nationals look to make a big trade for Lucroy or Cargo?
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| 12:37 |
: I think probably no.
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| 12:37 |
: How much faith do you have in the Yankees’ staff staying mostly healthy this year?
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| 12:37 |
: I don’t have faith in any pitchers staying healthy.
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| 12:37 |
: Dan: Historically, do LHH have more of a same-handedness platoon split than RHH? If so, why is that…..maybe RHH get more practice vs. same-handed pitching?
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| 12:38 |
: Lefties tend to have larger platoon splits though the *exact* why is kinda difficult.
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| 12:38 |
: While that’s a reasonable theory, it’s hard to prove.
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| 12:40 |
: Why do you prefer Cubs rotation over Mets? Once you realize that Lester is a terrible fielder who will do worse than FIP (and Lackey bound for regression), decision seems easy. ZiPS doesn’t take into account pitcher fielding (or a pitcher not being able to throw to first).
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| 12:40 |
: Mets will probably get a sizable dose of Colon, I don’t think they push Matz too hard, and Wheeler still has uncertainty giving the surgery he’s coming off of
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| 12:40 |
: Cardinals are in kind of a weird spot, aren’t they? Enviable depth, good financial resources, but not a ton of impact talent at the top or on the farm. What direction will this franchise go, in your opinion?
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| 12:40 |
: I think they’ll fine.
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| 12:40 |
: be
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| 12:41 |
: What lessons can e-sports take from baseball and vice versa? Feel like the fanbases have a lot to teach one another.
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| 12:41 |
: I’d have to think more about that one.
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| 12:41 |
: Rymer and the Rox sounds like a pretty cool band name, no?
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| 12:41 |
: I can’t see Rymer getting past the Brewers. Excellent fit there. What say you?
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| 12:41 |
: Honestly, I think he gets traded, but the Padres have been weird enough with their decision making that they may not.
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| 12:42 |
: Who makes a bigger contribution to the Indians this year: Clevinger or Tomlin?
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| 12:42 |
: Clevinger. ZiPS may not be high on him, but there’s at least a reasonable chance he’ll be good.
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| 12:43 |
: Yeah, Tomlin had the reasonable ERA with his mess of a FIP, something he does once in awhile and never sticks.
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| 12:44 |
: I’m probably being too mean, but I’m not a fan.
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| 12:44 |
: I guess he could soft-toss his way to a 2 WAR season or something, but Clevinger has the potential to be actually interesting.
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| 12:44 |
: Gun to your head, how would you rank the scrum that is the AL Central?
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| 12:44 |
: I am calling the police. That is not a proper use of your gun.
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| 12:45 |
: What is the weirdest or most outlandwish thing that ZiPS uses for its projections?
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| 12:45 |
: Not sure there is anything – ZiPS wouldn’t work if it went on crazy stuff.
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| 12:46 |
: What current player, minors or majors, has the coolest name? How about nickname?
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| 12:46 |
: The Flyin’ Hawaiian is still a damn good nickname
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| 12:46 |
: The Toddfather?
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| 12:47 |
: And The Millville Meteor is a good classic nickname
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| 12:47 |
: What’s Betts going to be like?
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| 12:47 |
: Excellence.
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| 12:47 |
: At what point (say, how many games/seasons into a career) does a player’s particularly high or low career babip look less like luck and more like he’s just doing something different than anyone else?
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| 12:47 |
: Depends on the degree. It’s not like crossing a line.
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| 12:47 |
: It’s like asking “When is it too warm for the clothes I’m wearing?”
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| 12:47 |
: When you could be wearing shorts or a parka or something
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| 12:48 |
: Do you think that Buchholtz could make it thru an entire season injury free?
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| 12:48 |
: He could, but pitchers are fragile.
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| 12:48 |
: Wouldn’t the Nationals be better off playing Murphy at 3B and Rendon at 2B and why won’t they do that?
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| 12:48 |
: Yes
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| 12:48 |
: New FAs don’t like changing positions.
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| 12:48 |
: How many wins did mets add to their previous “84” win projection with additions of cespedes and bastardo
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| 12:48 |
: I never made an 84-win projection, so I can’t answer htis.
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| 12:50 |
: Do you really believe that Jon Lester is better than Harvey, deGrom, and Syndergaard, as ZiPS seems to believe?
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| 12:50 |
: Has them all similar (Lester has a few more innings). Lester has a longer track record.
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| 12:53 |
: Sorry, internet was weird
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| 12:53 |
: If conforto didn’t lose his rookie status, where would we be seeing him on top 100 lists this offseason?
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| 12:53 |
: Quite high.
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| 12:53 |
: Will the Crush Davis contract prohibit the Orioles from locking up Machado long-term?
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| 12:54 |
: Honestly I don’t think it makes a difference. If the O’s were going to sign Machado to a long-term contract, their window closed years ago.
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| 12:54 |
: bullish or bearish on Kolten Wong this year…platoon possibility isnt’ great to hear but if he puts it all together he could be one of the top 2bs
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| 12:54 |
: He is what he is. A decently above-average 2B with little star potential.
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| 12:54 |
: do you watch a lot of baseball?
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| 12:55 |
: What’s baseball?
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| 12:55 |
: Quick follow-up on same-handedness: Why is same-handed pitching more effective? Does it have to do with the way pitches break, or maybe how the batter sees the ball?
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| 12:55 |
: Breaking balls.
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| 12:55 |
: I had asked this briefly on twitter but was wondering if you could expand on it a little bit. Why is Cespedes projected for such a low games played total over the next 3 years? Is it just that anybody on the wrong side of 30 gets knocked for that? He’s been seemingly healthy his whole career.
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| 12:55 |
: Because players that play nearly every game have a one-sided risk curve?
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| 12:56 |
: List all the events that could cause Cespedes to miss 10 games. Or 20 games. or 30 games. Or 50 games. or 100 games. Or 130 games. There’s a lot of them.
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| 12:56 |
: But he can *never* play more than 3 more games than he did last year in the regular season, without additional play-in games.
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| 12:57 |
: Now, list the things that could make Cespedes 10 *more* games. Or 20 *more* games. Or 30 *more* games. Or 50 *more* games. Or 100 *more* games. Or 130 *more* games. Your paper is blank
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| 12:58 |
: Unless you write crazy scenarios like “Cespedes wins the lottery 200 times, buys every team, institutes a 300 game seaosn, and plays every day.”
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| 12:58 |
: So, I guess you’re not too impressed with the Rockies management then? Who are their 4th and 5th starters? Are they actually considering Gallardo…and how bad would he be in Coors?
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| 12:58 |
: I’m not impressed at all with the Rockies as an organization.
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| 12:58 |
: They have some really good prospects, but I have little faith they’ll maximize what they do with them.
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| 12:59 |
: They’re like a 1985 team in a world in which most teams are 2015 teams.
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| 12:59 |
: What is your nickname?
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| 12:59 |
: Zim
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| 12:59 |
: Or the Digital Dandy
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| 1:00 |
: Was listening to the Michael Schur/Joe Posnanski podcast where they were ruminating on the obscurity of Fred McGriff’s nickname. What percentage of current 25-39 year olds can still recite the McGruff Crime Dog jingle?
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| 1:00 |
: We still use the term “OK” without knowing its origin
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| 1:01 |
: I mean I know the theories, but most people are unaware of the disputed etymology
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| 1:02 |
: Is it just me or do the Nats look completely underwhelming.
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| 1:02 |
: The offense is.
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| 1:02 |
: How do you feel about Vegas giving the Giants 6/1 odds to win the WS in 2016? Even year BS, right?
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| 1:02 |
: Yup.
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| 1:02 |
: I feel like people would start to get suspicious after the 150ish or so Cespedes lottery win. Your scenario is invalid.
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| 1:03 |
: OK, LIGHTNING ROUND TIME
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| 1:03 |
: Good lord you guys pre-asked a lot of off-topics.
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| 1:04 |
: The rules of the Lightning Roudn are simple: I have to answer any question, so long as it’s off-topic and with the exception of a few kinds I can refuse to answer (very personal things, work-related things I can’t talk about).
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| 1:04 |
: And the round continues until I either catch up or I get bored.
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| 1:04 |
: GO.
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| 1:04 |
: How do you sleep at night
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| 1:04 |
: On my side with a hand under the pillow.
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| 1:04 |
: If you were a superhero, I reckon your name would be “The Symbol”. You could argue with the rest of your super-team about wanting to put the Z in there. No need to thank me for this idea.
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| 1:04 |
: There would have to be the Szymbol.
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| 1:05 |
: And anything I say of that type would have to have a Z. Szimulations.
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| 1:05 |
: How does a libertarian of the Szym school avoid fetishizing the human decision making capacity?
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| 1:05 |
: I have no faith in human decision making. I believe we have to right to make bad, horrible personal choices.
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| 1:05 |
: With the popularity of snowboards.. have you ever considered going pro at Snow-Board Bumper skiing?
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| 1:05 |
: Is that a thing?
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| 1:05 |
: What is Settlers of Catan?
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| 1:05 |
: A board game.
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| 1:06 |
: Think competitive Hearthstone will be hurt by having fewer opportunities for players to pick up sponsorships?
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| 1:06 |
: If think there will be plenty of opportunities for sponsorships.
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| 1:06 |
: To what degree is secret paladin still a problem?
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| 1:06 |
: It’s a problem in that’s it’s such an annoying deck to play against. It’s not like crazy-strong. Just annoying as hell.
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| 1:06 |
: B.O.B is on twitter presenting “evidence” for a flat-earth. Dumber or Smarter than Jose Canseco?
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| 1:07 |
: Flat-earth is way dumber than pretyt much anything.
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| 1:07 |
: And Jose did teach me a lesson about lemons.
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| 1:07 |
: Are the troubles US-owned game companies have had in the Chinese market (Blizzard and Valve specifically) compared to Chinese-owned Riot a good example of what Donald J Trump is talking about re: trade protectionism? As much as it pains me to say it but I think Trump has a decent point in terms of how tough it still is for US-owned companies to do business in China.
|
| 1:07 |
: I don’t believe in trade wars.
|
| 1:07 |
: Do you have any other hearthstone articles planned for ESPN?
|
| 1:07 |
: Yes
|
| 1:07 |
: Lightning Round! If presidential races were by people nominating anyone they want, who would you pick to be president?
|
| 1:07 |
: Someone in a persistent vegetative state.
|
| 1:07 |
: Who has the bigger email scandal, Hillary Clinton or the Cardinals?
|
| 1:07 |
: Clinton
|
| 1:07 |
: What’s the most unorthodox Hearthstone play that has won you a game? This weekend I Blessing of Wisdomed a Dragonhawk Rider (3/3 inspire: gain windfury) in arena. It drew me 6 cards and I ended up coming back to win.
|
| 1:08 |
: Hmm
|
| 1:09 |
: Probably something Sylvanas related.
|
| 1:09 |
: I don’t record everything so I’d have to think
|
| 1:09 |
: What has been the best and worst part of being named “Dan” in your experience? “Dan the man” is up there, but being called “Danny boy” has been the worst.
|
| 1:09 |
: Mostly when I get called Szymbo. No real Dan problems. There are lots of people named Dan.
|
| 1:09 |
: OK’s origin is related to a presidential election, no? I wanna say Ike Eisenhower and the state of Oklahoma.
|
| 1:09 |
: I bleieve that’s spurious.
|
| 1:10 |
: Assuming you’re talking about the Ol’ Kinderhook story.
|
| 1:10 |
: Iowa caucus predctions?
|
| 1:10 |
: Trump, Clinton
|
| 1:10 |
: Thoughts on Maria Rya ?
|
| 1:10 |
: Who?
|
| 1:11 |
: Best PC turn based strategy game?
|
| 1:11 |
: Civ III
|
| 1:11 |
: Was your Mazda apart of the recall?
|
| 1:11 |
: Wait, was there a recall?
|
| 1:11 |
: There was like an airbag thing awhile back.
|
| 1:12 |
: They did a recall fix when I brought in my car last month.
|
| 1:12 |
: (Split hose – Didn’t change it myself because to access it on my car, you have to take apart the intake manifold)
|
| 1:12 |
: Play Rust naked or with digiflaged groin?
|
| 1:12 |
: Don’t play
|
| 1:12 |
: You smoke the weed?
|
| 1:12 |
: Not for a long time
|
| 1:13 |
: Is Dave Cameron grumpy in person?
|
| 1:13 |
: I haven’t found him to be
|
| 1:13 |
: Rank the Hearthstone faces.
|
| 1:13 |
: Shaman, Druid, Hunter, Paladin
|
| 1:13 |
: What deck should I get legend with?
|
| 1:13 |
: Depends what cards you have. If you win half the time or so, it’s just a question of quantity. You can reach legend with most competent decks.
|
| 1:13 |
: Who besides himself would Trump have to shoot to lose votes ?
|
| 1:13 |
: Be nice.
|
| 1:14 |
: Oh, shoot
|
| 1:14 |
: Santa Claus in a parade?
|
| 1:14 |
: Which presidential candidate would you most like to tickle?
|
| 1:14 |
: Cruz probably has an incredibly high-pitched laugh when tickled
|
| 1:14 |
: The presidential race is neither presidential, nor a race. Thoughts?
|
| 1:14 |
: Will ESPN put up any Mtg articles?
|
| 1:15 |
: I’m not sure we’ll be doing much magic. It’s eSports and Magic has trouble getting online traction because, well, the client.
|
| 1:15 |
: It’s not really a game designed for online play/viewers.
|
| 1:15 |
: Any prominent figures at ESPN that play Hearthstone or MTG?
|
| 1:16 |
: Haven’t exactly asked around
|
| 1:16 |
: Consider a hypothetical hotel with a countably infinite number of rooms, all of which are occupied. How would you be able to accommodate a countably infinite number of new guests?
|
| 1:16 |
: No, because eventually the time needed to reach rooms would make it impractical
|
| 1:16 |
: Do you have to go to the ESPN main campus?
|
| 1:16 |
: Sometimes. Not often, it’s not like I’m really needed.
|
| 1:16 |
: How sad does a possible Trump vs. Clinton or Sanders election make you?
|
| 1:16 |
: Very
|
| 1:16 |
: What are important factors you look for in a video game?
|
| 1:16 |
: Fun, variety
|
| 1:16 |
: Favorite movie ?
|
| 1:16 |
: It always varies.
|
| 1:17 |
: You ask me my favorite X on one day and it may be different another day.
|
| 1:17 |
: Today I’d say Princess Bride.
|
| 1:17 |
: Favorite video game ?
|
| 1:17 |
: With the same caveats, Final Fantasy VI
|
| 1:17 |
: Leg wrestling match: Danny Devito v. Murray Chass. Who’s your money on?
|
| 1:17 |
: DD
|
| 1:17 |
: Do you watch speedruns ?
|
| 1:17 |
: Yes
|
| 1:17 |
: What’s the most complicated car repair you’ve done yourself?
|
| 1:17 |
: Changed alternator. On my old Ford.
|
| 1:17 |
: Royal Rumble grade?
|
| 1:17 |
: A-+
|
| 1:17 |
: Err A-
|
| 1:17 |
: hit the +
|
| 1:18 |
: Are you a fan of Satie?
|
| 1:18 |
: Yes, good sense of humor.
|
| 1:18 |
: Better drinking buddy Eno or Dayn?
|
| 1:18 |
: Haven’t drank with either!
|
| 1:18 |
: What society do you think is the closest to true libertarianism that has existed?
|
| 1:18 |
: I’d still say none as I don’t believe we have evolved to the point where we’ve deserved one yet.
|
| 1:18 |
: ESPN pay for your airfare and travel?
|
| 1:18 |
: Well, if I’m on a work-related reason, that’s pretty standard.
|
| 1:19 |
: what would happen in a 4 way Cruz (R) Sanders (D) Bloomberg (I) Trump (I) race?
|
| 1:19 |
: Chaos and hilarity.
|
| 1:19 |
: Any chance the Astros move Carlos Gomez soon? They seem to have any extra OF with Rasmus’ unexpected accepting of the QO. With only one year left on his deal, could you see the White Sox making a deal with the Astros here?
|
| 1:19 |
: I think they hang onto him.
|
| 1:19 |
: Best 16-bit era sports game?
|
| 1:20 |
: Mario kart
|
| 1:20 |
: What type of keyboard do you use?
|
| 1:20 |
: Gigabyte Osmium
|
| 1:21 |
: Favorite Shakespeare tragedy?
|
| 1:21 |
: King Lear
|
| 1:21 |
: Virtual Reality: hype or for real?
|
| 1:21 |
: For real, but still far away from being *good*
|
| 1:21 |
: Worse drinking buddy, cistulli or loneliness?
|
| 1:21 |
: Loneliness. You have the potential to poison carson if drinking with him.
|
| 1:21 |
: Witcher 3 or Fallout 4
|
| 1:21 |
: Witcher 3
|
| 1:21 |
: Mulder or Scully?
|
| 1:21 |
: Scully
|
| 1:22 |
: Most overrated noble gas?
|
| 1:22 |
: Krypton. People think it can kill superman.
|
| 1:22 |
: Liking the new xfiles?
|
| 1:22 |
: Thumb in the middle
|
| 1:23 |
: Least favorite alkali metal?
|
| 1:23 |
: Potassium. One-letter elements are arrogant.
|
| 1:23 |
: Recommend a video game I can play on tablet or laptop while watching TV with my girlfriend that won’t leave her feeling neglected
|
| 1:23 |
: HS or a card game
|
| 1:23 |
: You can still have conversations.
|
| 1:24 |
: Mark Mulder or Vin Scully?
|
| 1:24 |
: Mark
|
| 1:24 |
: Oh Vin Scully
|
| 1:24 |
: I read that as Mark Mulder v. Scully
|
| 1:24 |
: Sorry Mark, I’ll take Vin Scully over everybody in the world.
|
| 1:24 |
: The truth: out there or no?
|
| 1:24 |
: Yes, but we have limited ability to discern the truth.
|
| 1:24 |
: What ever happened to the presidential brawl? Was there a winner?
|
| 1:24 |
: Keep forgetting to start it.
|
| 1:24 |
: The media will “Howard Dean” Trump. Mark it down.
|
| 1:24 |
: How would you Howard Dean Trump?
|
| 1:25 |
: Have you ever played Vagrant Story? Battle and crafting is overly esoteric but still a decent game.
|
| 1:25 |
: I have but honestly I didn’t finish it
|
| 1:25 |
: Agent Dana Scully or Dodgers Vin Scully
|
| 1:25 |
: Vin
|
| 1:25 |
: CALIFORNIA?!?!?! RAWRRR
|
| 1:25 |
: Wait, what?
|
| 1:25 |
: Fox News will supposedly have knives out for Trump in next debate. Too little too late for him to be damaged?
|
| 1:26 |
: The only thing that can hurt Trump, sadly, is him being really nice and humble.
|
| 1:26 |
: I know this is a trite, age-old question, but what’s your favorite part of a bug: Head, Thorax or Abdomen?
|
| 1:26 |
: Head
|
| 1:26 |
: Trump is already the post-scream Dean!
|
| 1:26 |
: Vin Scully or Vin Scully implanted with alien DNA?
|
| 1:27 |
: Vin Scully is perfect as is. Having alien DNA might be immoral broadcast enhancement
|
| 1:27 |
: Are the pitcher books any good?
|
| 1:27 |
: Mathewson Pitching in a Pinch
|
| 1:27 |
: You don’t remember when howard dean lost his voice and got really excited during his rally? The media blew up over it calling him unstable and whatnot
|
| 1:27 |
: What effect would the media calling Trump unstable have? Everybody’s already rightly calling him worse things
|
| 1:27 |
: Did you think BB8 was a bit *too* cute?
|
| 1:28 |
: No
|
| 1:28 |
: Baseball Reference or Stat Corner
|
| 1:28 |
: Still gotta be BR.
|
| 1:28 |
: How many mlb games will u attend?
|
| 1:28 |
: Usually 20-30
|
| 1:28 |
: What do you suspect Walter Johnson’s approximate fastball velocity was?
|
| 1:28 |
: 94
|
| 1:28 |
: Who hits more HRs: Sano, Franco, Schwarber
|
| 1:28 |
: Schwarber.
|
| 1:28 |
: CRAP THAT WAS ON TOPIC
|
| 1:28 |
: YOU GUYS ARE SLOWLY SEGUING ME BACK INTO NORMAL CHAT
|
| 1:28 |
: If Vin Scully implanted himself with alien DNA, Chase Murray would make sure he never gets into the HOF.
|
| 1:29 |
: if you were to sponsor a player on BR, who would it be and what would you say?
|
| 1:29 |
: Carl Everett. Something about paleontology.
|
| 1:29 |
: Will trump start ww3?
|
| 1:29 |
: No
|
| 1:29 |
: Best historical President to revive and run against Trump?
|
| 1:30 |
: Teddy
|
| 1:30 |
: Tab or RC Cola?
|
| 1:30 |
: RC
|
| 1:30 |
: Baseball player most likely to be an alien in disguise?
|
| 1:30 |
: Trout as he’s too good for this world
|
| 1:30 |
: Not Grover Cleveland who actually reduced the size of government?
|
| 1:30 |
: Teddy might punch out Trump which would be cool.
|
| 1:31 |
: What is one thing you want people to know about Maryland?
|
| 1:31 |
: The most western part of Maryland is still east of any part of Florida.
|
| 1:31 |
: Digital Dandy HC Card please
|
| 1:31 |
: Seems a little self-absorbed to make a HS card about myself
|
| 1:31 |
: Violets are Red/Roses are Blue/When Metamaterials/Alter Their Hue -Randall Munroe
|
| 1:31 |
: Another xfiles movie?
|
| 1:31 |
: Eh
|
| 1:31 |
: Teddy v Putin bare fist fight who wins?
|
| 1:32 |
: Teddy
|
| 1:32 |
: Putin has gym muscles
|
| 1:32 |
: Peak Teddy had a core
|
| 1:32 |
: AND END
|
| 1:32 |
: I caught up.
|
| 1:32 |
: Not just quitting.
|
| 1:32 |
: Thanks for joining me everyone! You can find my work at ESPN.com, chats and projections here at FanGraphs, and DSzymborski on Twitter.
|
| 1:34 |
: And check out my first Hearthstone piece at http://espn.go.com/esports/story/_/id/14619726/hearthstone-rise-not-growing-pains if you’re so inclined.
|
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Snap, what the hell happened in here..?