Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat – 2/9/15

Dan Szymborski: Happy afternoon start! Well, for those in the good time zone.

Dan Szymborski: I woke up early for me and was surprisingly productive – wrote a Shields piece, set up some presidents *and* showed up for chat!

Comment From Maxamuz
When will I be able to export ZiPS projections into an excel spreadsheet for further analysis?

Dan Szymborski: Not too long – weekend or early next week

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Comment From Tom
Did you ever get into EUIV? Thoughts?

Dan Szymborski: I enjoy it, but I like CK2 more, so it gets played a lot more. CK2 is more of a focused game and it’s easier to quickly start a game.

Comment From Tom Jones
Hi Dan. Hope all is well. I was curious as to your auction strategy in terms of calling out players. I get to call out the first player in my upcoming AL-Only auction, and I’m debating between calling out Felix Hernandez (who I don’t want) so that a GM drops a ton of money early, versus Brandon Moss (who I really want) in hopes that he goes for cheaper given that most GMs like to make a bigger splash with their first player off the board and may lay off paying all that much for him? Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Dan Szymborski: I hate to give such a short answer to such a long question, but I don’t go into an auctions with a generalized strategy. It really depends on the league and what the teams look like. But I am not averse to calling a name early to get people excited.

Dan Szymborski: Though sometimes, I most like to call out a trendy bargain that I think people will like – you can sometimes coax out some bad value bids.

Comment From better call szym
we have entered the feb sports dead zone

Dan Szymborski: Yes, I enjoy the NBA, but MLB or NFL are more suited to be the “lead sport” in my watching.

Comment From Conebone
Do you think the Jays will add a bullpen piece? If so, which one out there makes the most sense? Soriano maybe?

Dan Szymborski: I wouldn’t be surprsied if they got involved with Francisco Rodriguez.

Comment From Northsider
Which approach do you prefer for International signings: going all in on 1 draft like the Cubs did or going all in on a talent like Moncada?

Dan Szymborski: I’m still figuring out what approach I like best given the constraints of the new rules.

Dan Szymborski: But I tend to like quantity.

Comment From Peter
Can you clarify why you are opposed to adding up individual WAR to total team WAR? Is it only because of the playing time? If you were to take reasonable estimates of playing time could you add up the WAR to get a base for the team WAR? or is there more to it than that?

Dan Szymborski: One playing time, two depth. When ZiPS simulates a season, there’s a model for starter playing time and ZIPS “fills in” missing starter playing time with the next options.

Dan Szymborski: Adding up WAR of the starters assumes that there’s no difference between what the Nationals fill in for Jordan Zimmerman’s Tommy John surgery and what the Tigers fill in for David Price’s Tommy John surgery. Obviously theoretical – you didn’t miss horrible breaking news in the last 5 minutes

Comment From Tom
Does CLE make a move in ST to clear their logjam of 1B/OF types? (Swisher, Santana, Moss, Murphy, etc.0

Dan Szymborski: Maybe in the spring, but not before then.

Comment From Johnny Bench
Factoring in their likely price points, which Catchers would you be targeting in an AL-Only league this season? Do you go big and grab one of the top guys or roll with a mid- or bottom-tier option?

Dan Szymborski: Haven’t done my value analysis yet – with catchers, I tend to like the lower level bargains given the position’s higher injury rate.

Comment From Phillies113
Grant would win if he were sober. However, there’s about an 87% chance he’d be passed out drunk during this fight. Also, Polk has the weight advantage. Polk wins in an upset.

Comment From Minty
What’re your thoughts on Polanco going into this year after the slow finish?

Dan Szymborski: I think he’ll be fine.

Comment From Texas Dolly
Do we like Alex Rios to have a bounce back season in 2015?

Dan Szymborski: Better than 2014? Yes. Good? No.

Comment From romelu lukaku
james shields. thoughts?

Dan Szymborski: I have a piece going up.

Comment From Scott
What to make of AJ Pollock. Zips projects a .351 wOBA, Steamer projects a .313 wOBA. Would the real AJ Pollock please stand up!

Dan Szymborski: One of the most entertaining projection disparities.

Dan Szymborski: I’d have to look at it, but I suspect that some of the diffeerences in players is that ZiPS translations (full ones, not in-season ones) do have a hit ball analysis in the BABIP model.

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
Do you think there could be an umpire backlash to the whole pitch framing craze? Might an umpire think, “I know this catcher is rated one of the best pitch framers in the league, but I’m not going to let him sway ME on a corner pitch,” and call balls on borderline pitches?

Dan Szymborski: I’m sure there are no umpires out there that would ever let these concerns override their professionalism. Also, vaccines give you autism and Vani Hari is not a quack.

Dan Szymborski: I can imagine it happening, but I think it would be a distinct minority.

Comment From Colby
Todd Frazier’s comp was Brandon Inge. Does the zips machine see that as his 2015 version or is it a career trajectory type comp?

Dan Szymborski: It’s simply recent years/characteristics. Top comps are there for fun and it’s very easy to overstate their important to the model.

Dan Szymborski: Looking at it to give a concrete example, Pinky Higgins is Frazier’s #10 comp and Inge’s weight in the cohort is only 7% greater than that of Higgins.

Comment From mtsw
How do you feel about the recent revisionism re: Grant’s Presidency that says his administration actually was highly accomplished and was smeared later on by racist Lost Causers?

Dan Szymborski: I think it’s a mix. Grant did have trouble as an administrator, but he also did a lot of good at a time in which the country was still wounded from a brutal conflict and relatively unstable.

Comment From Matt
Do you keep a database of your daily RoS projections? If so, have you done analysis on their relative accuracy? Any chance you would open up that data for interested researchers?

Dan Szymborski: Hoping to keep daily next year – I’ve only been doing scattered looks, but want to get every day this year.

Comment From Eric Weinstein
With Shields coming in at less than half of Lester’s contract, and the real economic value of the Scherzer and Lester contracts being very close, doesn’t Lester’s deal look like a big overpay?

Dan Szymborski: Not necessarily – I think Lester’s clearly the better pitcher of the two.

Comment From Itchin for ball
I keep hearing that the Jays will be signing an established closer but we’re within a few weeks of pitchers reporting and still nothing has happened. Can they be serious about going into the season with Sanchez or Cecil as their closer. If so, which of the two do you think gets the job?

Dan Szymborski: That’s kind of why I think they’ll likely land either K-Rod or Soriano.

Dan Szymborski: You can understand the organization not wanting to commit Sanchez to the closer role given they want him starting. Having him the designated closer just makes taking him out of the role to start a little more philosophically awkward, if that makes sense.

Dan Szymborski: And Cecil as the closer, that leaves Loup as the only other lefty and they can’t be ignorant of the fact that Loup’s walk rate like doubled last year.

Dan Szymborski: Yeah, teams should be more flexible with their closer, but fact is, teams are not.

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
Thoughts on Jimmy Nelson vs. Danny Duffy for 2015?

Dan Szymborski: Prefer Duffy.

Comment From Maxamuz
Am I alone in thinking that the Cubs and White Sox didn’t do enough to take them from 73 wins to enough to make the playoffs, say 89-92?

Dan Szymborski: No.

Comment From guest
are you a casual wizards fan?

Dan Szymborski: No. I tend to root for the Suns as I was a big Majerle/Hornacek fan as a kid

Comment From Joel
Hello Dan, do you think the Seattle Mariners will find themselves in the playoffs in 2015?

Dan Szymborski: Coinflippy

Comment From Brandon
Where does Fangraphs pull all its game data from? Does ESPN have a data feed you can use for free, or do you need to pay a service for that kind of thing?

Dan Szymborski: KARATE CHOP ACTION!

Dan Szymborski: As I seem to inevitably note, I am exactly the wrong person to be asking FanGraphs-specific questions. I can’t answer them and if I try I’m likely to have wrong info and say something stupid.

Comment From Oden
Dan, having read your top Zips prospect list—is it fair to say your system values floor above ceiling? Thanks!

Dan Szymborski: Yes, that would be fair.

Comment From Chicago Mark
Dang! Hit send. Do you ever adjust the projections on your own? Care to share any?

Dan Szymborski: Never, ever.

Dan Szymborski: Well, except general pitcher role/position, but that’s not exactly the same thing.

Dan Szymborski: I would not hand-adjust ZiPS projections even if it improved the final results. ZiPS is worthless to a reader if they don’t know where the objective computer stops and the subjective human begins.

Comment From Matt
Are you suprised that ZiPS doesn’t like Longoria’s power to bounceback?

Dan Szymborski: No, he’s never *really* been a consistent 30-HR guy.

Comment From guest
Do you think the Marlins offered Shields the most and he turned it down?

Dan Szymborski: I suspect Cubs ofered the most.

Comment From mtsw
Does it make sense to look at an Orioles team that has consistently outperformed its projections and assume they will continue to? Like, is it crazy to just say “the Orioles will win 5-10 games more than they’re projected to?”

Dan Szymborski: No, unless you can find a definable good reason. That they did in the past isn’t a good one.

Dan Szymborski: You would need to find a systemic bias that would explain it. Not rolling 7 twice in a process with a huge amount of uncertainty

Comment From Guest
Breaking News! All MLB pitchers currently undergoing simmultaneous Tommy John surgery! 2015 Cy Young is projected to be Chris Davis!

Comment From Hi Erix
Looking at the Reds zips projections, this team looks frisky! Am I crazy to think they could be dark horse wild card candidates? On a similar notes, are they actually any worse than the Padres right now?

Dan Szymborski: Could be if nobody gets injured, which is generally an unrealistic goal.

Dan Szymborski: Well, goal’s the wrong word. Happenstance?

Dan Szymborski: Just to seal my last two tweets

Dan Szymborski: The Reds are one of the teams likely to be worse than their depth chart graphic in the ZiPS projections.

Dan Szymborski: They’ve fared poorly in my ZiPS sims. In other words, the Reds have about as much depth as Jenny McCarthy’s medical knowledge.

Comment From Matthew E
How many weaknesses–say, weak spots in the starting lineup and/or rotation–is it typical for a contending team to have?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t think I’ve ever actually counted.

Comment From mtsw
Has James K. Polk entered “so famous for being underrated that he’s now weirdly overrated” territory?

Dan Szymborski: Probably, because of the song.

Comment From Joey Votto
Me with a .279 average and .332 BABIP? Come on now.

Dan Szymborski: Joey, if we’re ever at the same dinner function, I’d like to introduce you to Admiral Cornelius W. Babipdeclineratefornonfasthittersonthewrongsideofthirty.

Comment From Peter
Say something nice about Steve Lombardozzi.

Dan Szymborski: He was as good as his son is.

Comment From Tom
Could a team choose to have more than one AA or AAA team? Surely the payroll isn’t a concern and that could allow you to have quantity…

Dan Szymborski: No.

Comment From Joe
Do you think there is some average upside in Carlos Santana with the full-time move to 1B? Are his gains there (.274/.406/.506) likely arbitrary or could having a comfortable defensive home create some additional upside with the bat?

Dan Szymborski: I dont’ think he has *that* much upside left. You see guys moving from catcher improve if they’re disappointing there, not so much if they were star offensive players at catcher.

Comment From Johnny
Let’s talk about the Reds. No way they’re as good as zips thinks.

Dan Szymborski: ZiPS doesn’t think they’re that good. You’re misinterpreting what the data mean.

Comment From Tom
Have we passed a golden-age of sabermetrics? It just doesn’t seem like there is much room for new stats, when was the last significant stat developed?

Dan Szymborski: To an extent. Sabermetric use has certianly not dropped off al all, but we’re past the Heroic Age of Sabermetrics.

Comment From mtsw
Does the fact that the Rockies are apparently not telling their pitchers to throw fewer breaking balls at home disprove the idea that front offices are generally savvier than SABR people? Isn’t the dominant strategy for Colorado to load up on fastball-only guys given that balls don’t break at high altitude? How have they not figured this out after 20 years of playing there?

Dan Szymborski: There are still people left that think t he Rockies are savvy? Obamacare should probably cover that.

Comment From Boogs barbecue
Are you in the growing camp that Gausman may not be the ace we all once thought he would be? Sounds like until he gets some movement on his fastball that he’ll be a 4/5 starter or long reliever.

Dan Szymborski: I don’t assume any pitcher is going to become an ace – there are very few of those types. But 4/5 starter is way too low.

Dan Szymborski: From Chris Jaffe’s starting rotation analysis, the typical team’s #4 slot has be

Dan Szymborski: en a high-80s ERA+. Gausman’s better than that.

Comment From ar
why do you not use a hit ball analysis for full season?

Dan Szymborski: No, I use it for a full season, it’s the in-season translations that don’t have it

Dan Szymborski: I don’t have the technical skills to parse game logs every day like some do.

Comment From Vil B.
Hello Dan: I noticed in your ZIPs/Keith Law comparisons, ZIPs kind of likes Brandon Drury. I’ll be needing a 3B in a deep league next year with Zimmerman’s move to first; what does ZIPs like about Drury? Thanks.

Dan Szymborski: He’s hit well at young ages in some pretty tough environments (well, the California League stint wasn’t tough, but others were)

Comment From mtsw
Does it make more sense for teams to locate their minor league franchises in similar climates/altitudes/park dimensions so that there’s consistently throughout the organization or to vary them since observing players in different environments can (in theory) give you additional information in evaluating them?

Dan Szymborski: I tend to like fairly neutral environments the best. There’s usually other stuff a prospect needs to work on than fine-tuning their game to the parent club’s home park.

Comment From RotoLando
Have you ever had to strangle a man with your bare hands? It seems like something you’d be good at.

Dan Szymborski: I have not strangled anybody yet.

Comment From Barbie Ripken
Do you think the Red Sox will keep all of their OF on roster, or are they just waiting for Spring Training to shake out the pile before they move someone?

Dan Szymborski: I think they’re in wait and see mode.

Comment From BC
Is there a team w a higher variance than the Yankees this yr (CC, Betances now at closer, age concerns re their lineup, A Rod, and Headley)?

Dan Szymborski: I’m not sure they’re really *that* high variance on the upside anymore. Low side, yes, but the age of the team is really limiting their upside. The realistic upside for guys like A-Rod or Teixeira is fairly low at this point.

Comment From Brandon
Oh god I didn’t know I was supposed to take Presidential legacy into account when doing this stuff can we start over

Dan Szymborski: Wait, you’re not! No political considerations.

Comment From David
AJ Cole is #30 on BP’s top 100 prospects and he’s just sort of stuck in AAA blocked. Does he maybe make the Nats bullpen this year or SOMETHING to get him to the majors?

Dan Szymborski: He’ll get a job eventually, though I wouldn’t be shocked to see him do some relief work if the Nats need it.

Comment From Mike P.
Is Papelbon still a Phillie come opening day?

Dan Szymborski: I believe so.

Comment From Owen
I treat the Fangraphs article, “Current Steamer Fantasy Rankings and Auction Value” like it’s The Bible. Any chance of a Zips equivalent? I’d treat it like a newer, sexier Bible.

Dan Szymborski: I do my ZiPS fantasy stuff in early march.

Comment From BC
More importantly, are you an actual wizard?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t believe so. I’ve tried to shoot lightning bolts at my cat when he raids the fridge for expensive meats, but I’m rather ineffective so far.

Dan Szymborski: While I am generally unwilling to say something has a 0% chance of happening (I think there’s a non-zero chance that we exist in a simulation, given that if humanity is ever able to simulate the universe, it’s more likely we’re in the simulation than the reality)

Dan Szymborski: , I don’t believe I am a wizard.

Comment From RotoLando
Are you a casual wizard?

Comment From DepressedPhilsFan
You know anything about Clearwater FL? Heading there in March to see the Phils for spring training and looking to see what might be cool to do.

Dan Szymborski: From what I remember about Clearwater, there are a surprising number of hotels that look like they’d be good places to do a cocaine deal.

Comment From Kevin
What do you think are the Chances for Iglesias to make multiple starts for the Reds this year?

Dan Szymborski: Fairly low – more likely relief.

Dan Szymborski: They *see* him starting, but the thing is, I dont’ think he’s really all that safe a bet

Dan Szymborski: He’s a stuff guy who wasn’t really that good in Cuba.

Comment From Con
Do you play Magic: The Gathering?

Dan Szymborski: I haven’t in a long time, I’m many sets behind at this point. Magic online isn’t very elegant, so I almost always play Hearthstone, though I’ve been playing a little Solforge.

Comment From Johnny
As a Cubs fan, the fact that we’re projected for less wins than the Reds is a joke. And it makes me sick.

Dan Szymborski: They’re not.

Dan Szymborski: At least by ZiPS, whicih are the only projections I have jurisdiction over.

Comment From Guest
What video games are you playing this week?

Dan Szymborski: Hearthstone only one for sure.

Dan Szymborski: Others depends on mood.

Dan Szymborski: Did play some horrible NES games over the weekend. http://www.twitch.tv/zimsma…

Comment From mtsw
I have an inescapable gut feeling that the Sandoval contract ends up being a disaster for Boston but can’t really articulate why. Is there any reason to think this besides the fact he sort of looks like a lard ass?

Dan Szymborski: Mostly he’s just not that great.

Comment From Colby
so you’re saying Brian Williams isnt allowed to touch the zips comp?

Comment From Owen
I am of the opinion that the Trout extension was a bargain but not a “hilarious one”, as I believe Cameron stated. ~50M for arbitration years and 120M for 3 FA years makes 170M. Chop off, say, 15M for the unnecessary risk that the Angels are assuming and you get a surplus value of ~20M. Thoughts?

Dan Szymborski: Nah, I think it’s a hilarious one.

Comment From Kevin
Do you think Nolan Ryan is overrated or underrated?

Dan Szymborski: He was overrated for a long time, but given the layoff and the reduction in people who directly remember him, he’s probably closer to being rated than he has been in a while.

Comment From Peter
The guy who asked about the Orioles projections led me to ask this. Given the Pirates heavy use of shifting and pitching inside with ground-ball starters, could they be a team you might expect to outperform projections(not zips specifically)? It seems like that would be something that is difficult to capture in a projections system(please correct me if I’m wrong).

Dan Szymborski: It’s possible, but again, it’s really hard to be specific for projection systems I don’t design or run.

Comment From mtsw
Considering buying Evolve but am extremely turned off by the game’s DLC strategy. Should I just accept that the future of games is being nickel-and-dimed by developers over pay-to-win mechanics?

Dan Szymborski: To an extent. I’ll forgive DLC on a really good game, but not on an OK one.

Dan Szymborski: CK2, I’ll pay for anything you wrap up in a DLC just take my money. But the lesser tier of games? It becomes a turnoff.

Comment From Tom
Heyman tweeted that the Cubs did not make the highest offer to Shields.

Dan Szymborski: Didn’t see that.

Comment From Joey Votto
Dan, I’d like to introduce you to my cousin, Mr. Linedriverhitterswhocanspraytheballtoallfieldstypicallyhavehighbabips

Dan Szymborski: Let me introduce you to the super model Kate ZiPSmodeltakesintoaccounthitdataandVottosBABIPisnotlikelytogo Upton.

Comment From BC
Man, my questions must be really bad, if some of these are getting on ahead

Dan Szymborski: You’ve asked questions that are really hard to answer quickly.

Dan Szymborski: and IIRC, a couple that are directly addressed by articles I’m writing, so it puts me in an awkard position.

Comment From Peter
Would you take Kipnis or Betts just for 2015 in a league where they both have 2B elig?

Dan Szymborski: Probably Betts. I really like him.

Comment From RotoLando
If you could design a new keyboard and have it mandated for use around the world, what’s the first thing you’d do?

Dan Szymborski: Not sure, but one thing I would do make the punishment for using the UK keyboard layout drawing and quartering.

Dan Szymborski: My sister at one point had a UK laptop (she was living in the UK and bought one). I borrowed it for a day and I simply could not type with it. My pinky kept hitting the stupid \ key that they put between the z and the shift. It was a struggle not to throw her laptop through a window.

Comment From guest
Are you at all interested in No mans Sky?

Dan Szymborski: Yes

Comment From Josh Bresser
I’m surprised Tony Cingrani gets such an optimistic projection after his absolutely dismal 2014. If the Reds’ rotation stays decently healthy, would you say it’s a top 10 in the game? 15?

Dan Szymborski: Not 10, 15. the back side’s not crazy good and there’s litlte depth

Comment From mtsw
People who surreptitiously move down from cheap seats to (unoccupied) expensive seats: heroes or villains?

Dan Szymborski: A shade of gray, like most people. I mean in morality, not asswhips.

Comment From Archer Sterling
Is it possible to get Zips projections for splits?. Batter vs. LHP and vs. RHP specifically.

Dan Szymborski: Always before the season.

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
Better fantasy team name: Casual Wizards or Vegan Morlocks?

Dan Szymborski: Latter.

Comment From This post was sponsored by Nuka Cola
Why is Steamer so bad?

Dan Szymborski: Untrue.

Comment From Harry Porter and the Voldemalts
Re: Minor league fields. I always thought that was why the Tourists have such a tiny ballpark in Asheville…

Comment From randplaty
Where/when will your Padres/Shields article be posted? Here? ESPN?

Dan Szymborski: ESPN. I’ve never written a piece for FanGraphs – the piece I wrote for Hardball Times I had to get approval to do.

Dan Szymborski: That’s not to say I’d be unhappy to have my work on FanGraphs or FG sucks or anything, but I am employed elsewhere and have a contract with various conditions.

Comment From Nick
You said last week you would tell us Anthony Rendon’s career WAR as projected by ZIPS. So tell us, dammit!

Dan Szymborski: Did I? HOld on.

Dan Szymborski: ZiPS projects 38 WAR remaining for Rendon, 14th among hitters.

Dan Szymborski: Top 10 for hitters is Trout, Machado, Harper, Bryant, Puig, McCutchen, Stanton, Betts, Pederson, Heyward.

Comment From mtsw
Is Florida the weirdest state in the US? Or does its level of weirdness actually make it fairly typical and really normal-seeming states like Maryland are actually weirder?

Dan Szymborski: I think Maryland is weirder. I’ve spent a ton more time in Maryland than Florida, but Maryland’s regional differences are even starker than Florida’s

Comment From kevinthecomic
Why is fangraphs green?

Dan Szymborski: Less green is used in the coming redesign.

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Comment From Harry Porter and the Voldemalts
Re: Video games playing this week. FIFA 05 for GameCube, I’m addicted

Comment From Mark
What is your BNET name (don’t want tag #) so I can BM you into OBLIVION! if we meet on ladder?

Dan Szymborski: Zim #1436

Dan Szymborski: Oops #1236

Comment From Hi Erix
how does a cat “raid the fridge” … can your cat open a refrigerator door?

Dan Szymborski: He lies on his back and pulls the door open from the bottom with his paw.

Dan Szymborski: Even at 16, he’s a very large, very strong cat.

Dan Szymborski: He once got into my jamon iberico! That stuff’s not cheap.

Comment From RotoLando
Clearwater Guy: Make sure you rent a car. There’s plenty to do, but not much around the stadium. The Blue Jays ST is in the next town over, Dunedin, which has plenty of beer bars and food and shit.

Comment From Colby
With the possibility of the Tigers losing their 3 and 4 hitter to start the season, could it put them a hole too tough to dig out of if they get off to a bad start with an improved AL Central?

Dan Szymborski: It’s possible, but I still think they’re the favorites. There’s so many possibilities for the Tigers to go wrong though

Dan Szymborski: There are

Comment From Tom
Do you think Yadier Molina’s defense is overrated or underrated?

Dan Szymborski: I think it’s rated.

Comment From mtsw
You start a rock band with other SABRmetricians. What do you name it?

Dan Szymborski: Dunno on a saber-related name. Though I guess we could do a song Down With O.B.P.

Dan Szymborski: My reserved name for my fictional band I’ll never form is The Cheeseburger Bourgeoisie.

Comment From mtsw
Thoughts on the CS:GO match fixing scandal? It really seems like every competition ever has to go through a match fixing scandal in its infancy before developing norms that gambling on your own matches is unacceptable.

Dan Szymborski: esports still in its infancy, so more of this stuff will happen until it matures.

Dan Szymborski: Couple heaerthstone issues recently too, like Hosty ghosting.

Comment From Joey Votto
My father, Cornelius J. Vottohada360babipinhislasthealthyseasonanda355career might have something to say about this

Dan Szymborski: Not if he listens to your mother Kerry Woodwasalsoreallygoodinhislasthealthyseasonatthispointyoucantmakevottoprojectionsonthebasisthatheshealthygivenhisrecenthistory.

Comment From guest
could you write video game reviews?

Dan Szymborski: I *probably* could.

Comment From Barbie Ripken
Kiley has mentioned it is company policy to “really like Mookie Betts”. True or false?

Dan Szymborski: I suspect that’s what they call a joke. If it isn’t, I’m unfamiliar with policies.

Comment From BC
Honestly, if you only answer one more question from me, plz let it be a quick one-word answer as to who will be better betwn than the Pirates and Cubs. For some reason, this query keeps me up at night

Dan Szymborski: Pirates.

Comment From DepressedPhilsFan
We talking big time cocaine deal or small time? Trying to get an idea of the venue.

Dan Szymborski: I’m thinking small deals. I can’t imagine holding my high-society cocaine party in Clearwater. Speaking theoretically of course.

Comment From Tom
Are teams too conservative with power/speed prospects? Seems like most aren’t getting called up till age 25 or later. Seeing how both those skills diminish early, it seems that they are “wasting” the value of a player by letting them spend 2/3 years in AA or AAA. Granted I know there is a balance between arb. years and actually being able to hit ML pitching, it just seems the scale is tipped too conservative in most orgs.

Dan Szymborski: I dont’ necessarily think so – I don’t think those types are more prone to being left behind more than other types. In fact, I’d argue the guys that are ready *more* successfully push their way on to teams.

Comment From RotoLando
Quick! I need you reaction to this word: PENGUIN. Now, did you think of the hockey team, the animal, or Burgess Meredith?

Dan Szymborski: My fat tuxedo cat, who I sometimes refer to as the Penguin.

Comment From RotoLando
Could your cat strangle a man with his bare hands?

Dan Szymborski: perhaps, Galileo is more a bear than a cat. He’s pushed a whole laptop off a counter before.

Comment From JayT
I feel like it’s kind of hard to overrate the guy that added Texas, California, the Southwest and the Northwest. He’s possibly had the greatest financial impact on the country of any president ever.

Comment From guest
how many cats do you have?

Dan Szymborski: 4. A large gray cat, a fat tux cat, an unpleasantly loud calico cat, and an evil tortoiseshell cat.

Comment From Tom
SteamOS, yea or nay?

Dan Szymborski: Has its use, but probably not needed for me.

Comment From jake
Miggy (qualifies at 3b) or goldschmidt this year?

Dan Szymborski: With 3B qualification, I take Cabrera for sure

Dan Szymborski: OK, two minutes to get in any last remaining random crazy question you have and then I will shuffle off.

Dan Szymborski: Only crazy, off-topic questions in the lightning round.

Dan Szymborski: I will answer all (with exceptions that go over the line) asked in the next 120 second starting NOW

Comment From kevinthecomic
ba-dink-a-dink or ba-donk-a-donk?

Dan Szymborski: donk a donk. Sounds sexier

Comment From Scott
If the bull jumped over the fence would Grandpa help it?

Dan Szymborski: Both my grandfathers are dead so unlikely

Comment From Phillies113
Could a bear strangle a cat with your own hands?

Dan Szymborski: Yes. Bears are storng.

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
Did Ryan Adams get robbed last night. Beck? Really?

Dan Szymborski: Weird that this was the Beck album to get a grammy, though I did like it

Comment From guest
do your cats ever have a 4 way kitty royal rumble you gotta break up?

Dan Szymborski: No more than 3 usually. Galileo wins.

Comment From Joey Votto
Google + or Myspace?

Dan Szymborski: Google+. I actively disliked Myspace and just ignore Google+ existence.

Comment From neal
what is your favorite ice cream flavor

Dan Szymborski: pistachio

Comment From Joey Votto
How big is TOO big if you know what I mean

Dan Szymborski: never donned the tools of ignorance

Comment From Scott
If you cat shit in the woods?

Dan Szymborski: He hasn’t been in the wood

Dan Szymborski: s

Comment From Matthew E
Who knows how to make love stay?

Dan Szymborski: Hefner

Comment From RotoLando
High society cocaine parties are often held in the Clearwater La Quinta, because they have the best vending machine selection

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
John Irving or EL Doctorow?

Dan Szymborski: Doctorow

Comment From RotoLando
Do you use the spary bottle on the cats, or just loud voice

Dan Szymborski: Loud voice.

Comment From Joey Votto
Which letter is better- H or Y?

Dan Szymborski: Y sometimes a vowel. Good positional flexbiility

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
Beer or wine?

Dan Szymborski: Beer

Dan Szymborski: And stop.

Dan Szymborski: Thanks for joining me everyone! As usual, you can find my work at ESPN.com, chats and ZiPS projections here at FanGraphs, and DSzymborskin on Twitter.

Comment From Maxamuz

Comment From guest
favorite beer style?

Dan Szymborski: Pale ale.

Comment From Tommy Lasordid
Flaming Lips or Wilco?

Dan Szymborski: Flaming lips.

Dan Szymborski: BONUSES FOR THOSE THAT DIDNT LOG OFF!