Dan Szymborski FanGraphs Chat – 3/29/17

Dan Szymborski: Hey guys!

CamdenWarehouse: Do you see Stephenson in the Reds rotation at some point this season?

Dan Szymborski: If his command is OK, I think he’ll get some time considering where the Reds are. Maybe even in if it isn’t.

mtsw: Does the fact that the arbitration system rewards counting stats for hitters but wins/saves for pitchers create a systemic bias towards teams with pitcher-friendly parks? Hitter counting stats are park dependent but wins/saves aren’t really.

Dan Szymborski: Never really thought of it, but I don’t think enough players go to arb for that to be a big deal.

Dan Szymborski: And I believe that they’re free to make an argument wiht a player to this effect.

Sir Nerdlington: I plugged 2017 OOTP stats into my fantasy league and I’m middle of the pack. ZiPS are clearly wrong this year. Please fix.

CamWard: Beltran seems to be getting criminally under-ranked after last year’s performance. Where do you see his number going hitting clean-up in HOU?

Dan Szymborski: Is he criminally underrated? Are we talking fantasy or real life here?

Dan Szymborski: Plus the fact the he turns 40 early in the season has to be factored in.

mtsw: I simulated the 2017 season in OOTP and the Padres went 81-81. Are you and your ZiPS projections responsible for this outlandishly unrealistic projection?

Dan Szymborski: I would guess not. Have You SEEN the ZiPS for the Padres?

Evil Goatee Dan: When is the last time you thought about the six-fingered Antonio Alfonseca?

Dan Szymborski: A few months ago when were talking about Bob Wickman missing part of a finger.

Dan Szymborski: on Twitter

TheBizza: Do you view the hype levels on Benentendi and Bregman to be too high or too low? Who has the better season?

Dan Szymborski: I don’t think it’s too high. They’re both likely good players

John: Its generally accepted that todays players are way better than the players of the early 1900s (ie if Maikel Franco faced Cy Young, Young would get destroyed). At what point does this stop being true? I assume Pedro could still dominate, but could Bob Gibson? Tom Seaver? Could Mickey Mantle go deep on Brett Anderson?

Dan Szymborski: I would imagine the outliers would always be outliers.

Dan Szymborski: Plus, in these time machine comparisons, isn’t it kinda mean to not give the other guys the same training, diet, etc?

Evil Goatee Dan: When is the last time you thought about Chad Ogea?

Dan Szymborski: WTF?

Dan Szymborski: I’m not answering 50 of these.

Joe: Pederson and Tomas seem to be two guys trending in the right direction when looking at 2015 to 2016 with respect to batted ball profile, etc. Obviously different defenders, but whose bat would you rather have? Does either take the “next step”? Thanks!

Dan Szymborski: I’ll take Pederson

Moxy Fruvous : What us state has the lowest highest point?

Dan Szymborski: Oh

Dan Szymborski: hmm

Dan Szymborski: I would guess one of those tiny states right on a coast? Rhode Island or Delaware

WWE: Who do you consider the greatest WWE wrestler of all time? Would the top 5 be Rock, Austin, Undertaker, HBK, Cena? Or do you have to put Hulk Hogan up there just for the cultural impact?

Dan Szymborski: Always depends on the parameters

Dan Szymborski: The best at actual wrestling, it would be someone like Benoit.

Dan Szymborski: But cultural impact, Austin and Hogan had the most effect on pop culture.

Bobby: What are your thoughts on Jose Ramirez? Do you think he will build off last year

Dan Szymborski: As in get better? No, players don’t generally improve in a straight line, even younger ones. But I’ve been a fan of him for awhile and I think he’s deservedly closer to start than scrub

Jason: How big is the overlap between people that think Coors stats don’t count and the people that want an expansion team in Mexico City, and how do they resolve that cognitive dissonance?

Dan Szymborski: Is there a real big Mexico City contingent?

Big Head Todd: Team Fortress, Team Fortress Classic, or Team Fortress 2? Lack of grenades makes me upset in regards to TF2. Also, my head is too weird shaped for hats.

Dan Szymborski: TF2, though I haven’t played much.

Ned Yost: When do your season predictions come out on ESPN/Fangraphs?

Dan Szymborski: I know they’re in the magazine, not sure when on site.

AWPer: When you played Counterstrike, were you an AWPer or did you have a soul?

Dan Szymborski: I played very little. I no longer have the reflexes for the realistic FPS types.

cat: what are your thoughts on corey dickerson? is he relevant for fantasy purposes in ottoneu points leagues if i plan on using him just against RHPs? he’s finally healthy now and has always crushed RHPs.

Dan Szymborski: He could be, but I’m guessing there’s a better option.

CatGuy: I have six cats. Would you like some?

Dan Szymborski: I’m not ready to add a cat again yet.

Dan: If you were making a 4/5 person bar/trivia team, what three/four other primates would you draft?

Dan Szymborski: Nieporent, Ron Johnson, Johnny Sycophant-Laden Fora

Dan: Is there any reason to hold onto Ryan Zim in my 50 man forever DMB keeper league? Batted ball profile suggested he was a league average 1b. If he has a 110 OPS+ will he be usable going forward?

Dan Szymborski: I wouldn’t.

Sonny: ZIPS is a little cooler on Danny Duffy than others, in both rate and volume. Can you talk a lil bout why?

Dan Szymborski: I she?

Dan Szymborski: ZiPS has him better than Steamer.

Dan Szymborski: And less yes, but Steamer’s playing tiem projections aren’t computer based.

Dan Szymborski: Same goes for fans, is 184 IP *REALLY* the over-under for a pitcher who has never thrown 184 IP in a season? I’ll say no.

Dan Szymborski: And again, I think I have to say this every week, but maybe this time will stick.

Dan Szymborski: I DO NOT PROGRAM STEAMER SO I DO NOT HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THE DIFFERENCES IN METHODOLOGY COMPARED TO ZIPS!

Dan Szymborski: It’s like asking me why I like sunsets more than Eli Whitney. I know how much I like sunsets. I have no particular insight into how Eli Whitney felt about sunsets nor any information that could lead to any particular insight.

Johnsies: More likely to win a world series in my unborn child’s lifetime: Padres or Orioles? Am I crazy for thinking San Diego?

Dan Szymborski: No. I think Baltimore always going to have slightly richer competitors.

Ron: Do you think yesterday marks the end of Munenori Kawasaki’s MLB career?

Dan Szymborski: I think if he wants to he may still get an esprsso somewhere

AHume92: How does ZiPS translate minor-league numbers? 98 wRC+ seems ambitious for Rowdy Tellez. Also, what do you have over five-years for him?

Dan Szymborski: Predicting a 1B/DH/cOF type to be barely replacement level doesn’t strike me as all that ambitious

CarrotJuice: How many PAs do you think Conforto will have in 2017?

Dan Szymborski: It’s cruel to make someone think about Terry Collins’s thoughts.

AHume92: Does ZiPS use any Statcast inputs? If not, is this something you are considering for the future?

Dan Szymborski: More in down-the-road editions that I dont’ consider ripe yet.

Andrew: What’s the best situation for Carson Kelly to be in the next 3/4 years? Hope that the cards can convince yadi to play in ~120 games a year, and have Kelly play the rest? Still doesn’t seem ideal

Dan Szymborski: Assuming they do make the extension deal, he’s looking a like like he’ll be a caddy or he’ll have to be elsewhere

Evil Goatee Dan: Would you rather have a ten year career as a 0.0-WAR player, riding the bench throughout a World Series Win, or a 10-WAR season as a star player, but suffer a career-ending injury in your rookie year, costing your team a chance to advance past the Championship Series?

Dan Szymborski: The latter.

Don Pablo: If the Yankees are in the WC race around the trade deadline should they go after more pitching? Solid position players and bullpen means starting rotation is the obvious weakness.

Dan Szymborski: Depends on the exact contours of the situation. Ideally yes, they would likely need to be in the market as I don’t imagine the rotation will be a strength at that point

Ron: Do you think we will soon see a spike in the Tim Anderson/Jon Singleton/Rizzo type deals in the near future?

Dan Szymborski: We’ll continue to see as many of them as teams are able to do – they make sense.

FlapJacks: I’m stuck on Robbie Ray. Potential to be a high-K ace; potential to be a ~5 ERA albatross. Any guidance?

Dan Szymborski: I’ve grown cautiously optimistic.

Dan Szymborski: Poor Tigers, somehow losing two Robbie Ray trades.

Bill: I know lineup order doesn’t really matter too much (of course, more at bats help), but does batting Carlos Santana in front of Lindor cap some of Lindor’s upside for stolen bases?

Dan Szymborski: It has to essentially be the times that Santana is exactly on first *and* Lindor gets exactly to first and doesn’t advance Santana to third

Sam: How much auction value is there left in Jose Reyes? Still SS eligible, steals the odd bag, and will get reps with David Wright essentially in traction

Dan Szymborski: His SS eligibility makes him interesting.

Bill: Mike Trout went from +21 DRS in 2012 to -11 in 2013, that’s got to be one of the biggest single season dumps ever?

Dan Szymborski: Defensive measures are volatile

S: Will PC ever get a real baseball video game series again(non-sim)?

Dan Szymborski: I’d hope so, but Sony doesn’t seem good and who else has a real baseball game IP right now?

Dan Szymborski: 2K had that exclusive and their versions were way worse than Sony’s.

Dan Szymborski: And even with that license I believe expired, it takes years to put together and engine, etc, and there may not be enough players to make it worthwhile, or at least that’s what htey think

Winston the Chimp: Orisa – yeah or neigh?

Dan Szymborski: I suck so far, but appears to have potential

CamdenWarehouse: Why does ZIPs have Edwin Diaz projected for 80 innings? In a sampling, he was by far the highest closer total.

Dan Szymborski: Don’t take playing time projectionst oo seriously

Choo Choo: Does Raul Mondesi offer any value now that he has been named starting 2b? Seems like most of his prospect ratings were based on defense.

Dan Szymborski: No

cat: which of the following yankees finishes with the most hrs this year? bird, gary sanchise, or judge?

Dan Szymborski: I’ll say Sanchez.

Brian: Reports out of Nationals camp say Harper has been seen with a 1B Glove and taking some reps. Is this to prepare for another Zimmerman injury or an “injury”?

Dan Szymborski: I think for a real injury. If they were going to “injury” him I think they would’ve made better palns over the offeseason

Dan: Do you think there was any time when the announcers said “The juice is loose” when Chad Ogea came in?

Evil Goatee Dan: Re: “Thought about” questions. I like to send four or five a chat and hope to get one or two answered. But don’t forget Chad Ogea won two World Series games against Kevin Brown!

Bill Z. Bub: Was Chris Sabo the Lance Storm of baseball?

Dan Szymborski: heh

Dan Szymborski: Not with those goggles

Dan Szymborski: Chris Sabo was the Lodi of baseball?

James Shields: Chances he returns anywhere near close to career number form with CWS?

Dan Szymborski: There’s always a chance, but he’s been looking toasty

Kirbyyyyyyy Pucket!: How soon do you see Moncada coming up? Do you think he will be a force right away?

Dan Szymborski: I wouldn’t say right away, but I don’t think the White Sox are as patient as some other teams would be

Guest: Lowest highest point = Florida

Golddust: I’m the greatest wrestler of all time FYI

Joe Schmoe: How much do you think aging and HR/FB regression will affect Nelson Cruz? Think he hits 35+ taters still?

Dan Szymborski: So long as the HR rates stay up among baseball, sure

Dan Szymborski: BUt he is at that age

Dan Szymborski: Where downsides become very real.

Dan Szymborski: Though in his case, I hope he ages super well for reasons of justice.

Dan Szymborski: After being called a AAAAer and not really given a full season until he was nearly 30, I want him to have the ortiz curve.

Evil Goatee Dan: When can we expect a new Fangraphs iPhone application?

Dan Szymborski: Ask a Dave.

Sonny: Andy Kaufman is the greatest living wrestler

JC Chasez: Who are your preseason cy young picks?

Dan Szymborski: Sale, Kershaw

TotesMcGoats: Do you think Jose Ramirez can hit .330? Contact rate is way up there.

Dan Szymborski: CAN he? Of course, but it’s not particularly likely naturally

Frank: Aaron Nola just seems to get lit up every time he pitches, even this spring… But everyone keeps saying how good he is… What gives?

Dan Szymborski: March.

Steve Balboni: Which 1B is most likely to breakout this year out of Cron, Duda, Napoli, Joseph

Dan Szymborski: Joseph, he’s the only one who could really develop further.

Dan Szymborski: I mean Napoli’s on the other side of his career

Hans Focker: How concerned are you about Nola’s last couple performances?

Dan Szymborski: Not very

Brian: What kind of music do you like?

Dan Szymborski: I’m fairly eclectic, but I don’t particularly like hip hop or modern country stuff

senpaisanto: whassup w/ MLB The Show 17?

Dan Szymborski: Haven’t played it yet. May have to get a PS4. Wish they just had it on Playstation Now, I’d subscribe for that

Professor Questerson: statistically speaking, who’s the worst umpire in terms of hygiene?

Dan Szymborski: I would guess Angel Hernandez because given his identification skills, he probably gets shampoo and cat food called wrong

JD: Do you feel at all bad for shaming me on Twitter for saying Orlando Hudson would be a good result for Jurickson Profar q few years back?!

Dan Szymborski: Never

Sonny: Alec Asher a slick under the radar move? these things have a way of working out for Duquette

Dan Szymborski: Yes. I’d look at any pitcher with two arms attached, given the back of the O’s rotation

Midnight Express: What are your thoughts on Keon Broxton?

Dan Szymborski: I’m guessing he’s not related to Jonathan Broxton.

Dan Szymborski: (If you have a specific question, ask, a specific question)

coach: What do you think is more likely to happen this year, Stanton hits 50+ bombs or Springer goes 35/20 ?

Dan Szymborski: Springer

Ol’ Sea Capn: Looks like Amir Garrett, in lieu of a FG player profile would you give a quick snapshot of your thoughts? Especially in deeper leagues

Dan Szymborski: He’s a big lefty that can hit the 90s. Just that in itself makes him interesting.

Dan Szymborski: Short-term I wouldn’t get super carried away. He’s still fairly raw.

Dan Szymborski: But he’s leapfrogged Stephenson in the system convincingly.

THUGNASTY: if you were selling the farm for young talent in a dynasty league, would you go bigger on Benintendi or Moncada? Bless

Dan Szymborski: Moncada. Not because he’s clearly better but the positional scarcity

TBF: Highest lowest has to be Florida, right?

Mrs. Roger. Dorn.: who do you expect to have more of a bounceback season, franco or sano?

Dan Szymborski: Sano, mostly because poeple were overrating Franco after 2015.

Dan Szymborski: He’s better than 2016, but 2015’s half year in the majors was NEVER a reasonable baseline expectation

Virgin Islander: Dan’s go-to craft beer is ______.

Dan Szymborski: I can always trust a Rochefort 10. But I vary things all over.

Hans Focker: What’s your take on wacha wacha this year? rosterable in a ten teamer?

Dan Szymborski: Not rosterable in a tean, I don’t think

Joe Bags: Have you looked in to the Braves new stadium this year and how it may effect Freddie and the gang?

Dan Szymborski: You really can’t tell much about a stadium’s effects until it’s actually played

Virgin Islander: who are your ROY picks for this year?

Dan Szymborski: Benintendi and Swanson were my ESPN panel picks. I know, boring

Six Ten: But do you like sunsets more than you like Eli Whitney?

Dan Szymborski: Not really since the cotton gin is useful?

John: Are you disappointing in the agents that have been negotiating extensions this spring? It seems that the teams have gotten the better end of most of these deals

Dan Szymborski: Players pre-arb have good reason to be risk-averse.

Dan Szymborski: The first 5 million is probably way more valuable to most people than your 9th 10 million.

Bruce Bocce: As an O’s fan, should I be happy that Rickard has had a strong spring (k/bb rates, etc) as it bodes well for 2017 or sad because it got him a roster spot?

Dan Szymborski: He’s fine in a platoon role. Just as long as everyone acknowledges that’s what he is and stops indulging the fantasies that he’s an actual reasonable full-time startee candidate

Bruce Bocce: Were you surprised to see Mondesi get the 2b job in kc? Is he coming into his own after a hot spring or is there more of last September coming? So young…

Dan Szymborski: Not that surprised as I don’t think that much of the organization genearlly.

romorr: Camden Depot ran some interesting numbers on lineup construction. They usually put out good analytical based articles, and surprised me by stating lineup construction matters more than we originally thought.

Dan Szymborski: I haven’t read it so I can’t say.

Carson Cistulli: Dan Szymborski, your chat schedule is erratic- much similarity to the horrifying chaos of the universe that dictates our entire lives. Would you, Dan Szymborski, be willing to amuse us with your opinion of the Tigers outfield situation?

Dan Szymborski: HAHAHAHAHAHA

romorr: http://camdendepot.blogspot.com/2017/03/mark-trumbo-is-not-ideal-oriol… is the article

Dan Szymborski: I’ll read it

Don: Who is the most overrated player in the game in your opinion? Underrated?

Dan Szymborski: Kemp still is. There are actual people who think that he is a star. Not that he’ll rebound to being a star, but that he ACTUALLY IS

Dan Szymborski: I think Kyle Seager’s underrated. He seems to get very little talk relative to his performance.

Tommy: Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, and Kolten Wong for Jose Quintana?

Dan Szymborski: Ha

JimLindeman15: Pete Kozma

Dan Szymborski: The Great Kozmandias, Look at his OPS ye Mighty, and despair.

Mrs. Markakis: When was the last time you thought about my son?

Dan Szymborski: When I read the SI piece that had the scouting bits on all teams and I was already laughing at the unnamed scout by the end of the Braves sentences.

Dan Szymborski: “Matt Kemp’s getting out of the Hollywood scene and coming to Atlanta, where he can just focus on baseball, is a great thing for him. “

Dan Szymborski: “Nick Markakis sets up the whole lineup. He’s finally healthy, and he could still earn his contract, but his defense is holding him back from being a valuable player”

Frankur: Whats the latest entry in your dream journal?

Dan Szymborski: Hold on

Hans Focker: Who do you like more out of Gsellman, Eickhoff, and Wacha?

Dan Szymborski: Gsellman

RAGS: Are the Mets realistically unupgradeable in-season? It seems like there aren’t too many sellers at their positions of weakness.

Dan Szymborski: More areas will pop up midseason, I bet

Dan Szymborski: I was at the C-Dot podcast taping when author Gary Cieradkowski was on (I was there too in real life) but his name was spelled Szyradkowski in my dream and I was furious that dream me was spelling it wrong because I knew the correct spelling

Dan Szymborski: For some reason, ___ was mad at me and wouldn’t spend time with me other than us making plans and her bringing me a loaf of bread as a present. I was mad because we went to this party on her lunch hour and she brought me more bread but then woudlnt eat at this party and said her lunch was back at work. Later, I helped the x-men fight and defeat this mutant whose power was to turn 5 people into baby heads and then eat them. We saved all but one of the x-men that he had already eaten and recovered the corpose of a voter, which made cyclops mad because he had just been elected president by three votes and this mutant might have swung the election. We let the mutant go but he was wearing a suit, but we kept finding baby heads in secret pockets and had to turn them back into people.

python-r: Rangers sell at the deadline?

Dan Szymborski: No

Eric Shortenhagen: Do you have a ZIPS projection on Jae-Gyun Hwang? I could not find it in searching the twitter, and no player page on Fangraphs.

Dan Szymborski: He’ son my final to-do list

Mike Matheny: Any tips on how to break the misspelling news to Jhonny

Timbersnaps: I’ve bought in on Whit Merrifield over Raul Mondesi. Smart? Hang tight? Or is Cheslor the better play?

Dan Szymborski: The Royals are very stubborn.

Dan Szymborski: Mondesi could be terrible and be left in there all season

ChiSox2020: Dave Cameron said Jose Quintana doesn’t get a top 20 prospect in a trade. Please talk some sense into that man.

Dan Szymborski: He *might* but I think people are overrating just how much will be given

Dan Szymborski: Jeremy Hellickson was literally the FA starter with the best 5-year ZiPS. I can’t imagine anyone ever offering the White Sox more than they would have been offered this winter unless the EXACT perfect situation comes up

CamdenWarehouse: Stop calling them taters!!!!

Dan Szymborski: What’s taters, precious?

Dan Szymborski: PO TA TO

britishcub: Do you think trout has the most war of any player not to win a post season game?

Dan Szymborski: Ernie Banks?

Carson Cistulli: “Anything but rap and country”. This is quite the hot take for a Caucasian male, Dan Szymborski, insofar as any take can register a temperature- or at least one that could produce a measurable change in temperature

Dan Szymborski: What, I like a lot of stuff

Moxy Fruvous : It’s Delaware! Dang, you win. It takes most people like 10-20 guessses to get there.

Dan Szymborski: CONFLICTING REPORTS

Not a Marlins fan: In hindsight, was Stanton extended too early? Is it possible for him to make his contract a good deal with his injury history?

Dan Szymborski: No, I think they’ve been unlucky

Richard: Matt Harvey, over/under 20 starts?

Dan Szymborski: I’ll say over, god help me.

Tim Teufel: How much faith should we have in Charlie Morton’s velo spike?

Dan Szymborski: Should have faith in a velocity spike. Less faith in the outcomes, of course

SJ: More lame death sequence, Ryan Zimmerman or Boba Fett?

Dan Szymborski: Everyone knows he wasn’t really dead and escaped later

SJ: ANTEAD lottery is today. Are you constantly checking your email to see if you won like the rest of us?

Dan Szymborski: wth is an antead lottery?

AHume92: About relative monetary value/contracts: ln(wealth) is the typical utility function of wealth used in undergrad economics.

Dan Szymborski: I think I missed whta led up to this

RC: ZiPS is fairly pessimistic on Greg Polanco – .259/.322/.420 vs. 2016 actual of .258/.323/.463. Seems pretty bearish no?

Dan Szymborski: Well first ZiPS is expecting offense to come down a bit

Dan Szymborski: And second,e xistence didn’t start in 2016. And if it did, baseblal would take a time to develop

big boy: hey dan – you buying panda’s spring training “resurgence”? If so, would taking him over danny valencia for 3b?

Dan Szymborski: Apply with caution

AHume92: Do you think the “unnamed scouts” actually believe what they say in those pieces?

Dan Szymborski: I hope not.

Paddy Cakes: What is your least favorite type of article to write? favorite?

Dan Szymborski: Very technical pieces.

Dan Szymborski: Trades

Richard from Jersey: Would you go to Enzo for $70 in Hoboken or get the worse haircut in Livingston for $50?

Dan Szymborski: I’ve never had a haircult in my life that cost more than $20

Babe Lincoln: Why no MLB game for XBOX?

Dan Szymborski: Remember, 2K sports had the only third-party license for that type of game

Dan Szymborski: Sony could only make the Show with the first party exception

Dan Szymborski: So once MLB 2K series was stopped, XBox users were left high and dry

Chet: Is it strange if your kids stuffed animals have names? Is it also weird if as a parent I know all of their names and refer to them as such?

Dan Szymborski: I’m sure I named my stuffed animals

Dan Szymborski: And it’s easy to refer to them by names

Paddy Cakes: Any chance of Travis Demeritte getting a cup of coffee this season for the Braves?

Dan Szymborski: Yes

Richard from Jersey: When’s the last time you took a bite out of crime?

Dan Szymborski: I’ve never taken a bite out of crime, as far as I know

Hank: The 20th ranked prospect according to Longenhagen is Corey Ray. The 20th ranked prospect according to Keith Law is Jason Groome. Neither team trades those guys for Quintana.

Dan Szymborski: I think it *could* happen in the right circumstance, but I don’t think it’s *likely)

Saint Thomian: Avg and SB- Over/under on .290 and 32 for Jose Peraza

Dan Szymborski: Under over

Chuncey Wiggins: Player most likely to be involved in a scandal involving his internet history being purchased?

Dan Szymborski: Carson Cistulli’s due to his weekly order of virgin blood

Sandy Kazmir: when is the last time you thought about putting a crabcake sandwich into a blender so that you could enjoy a delicious AND nutritious smoothie?

Dan Szymborski: never. why do that witha crabacake?

Turner: What is a comp of the type of player you see Keon Broxton becoming?

Dan Szymborski: MAYBE Randy Winn?

PD: Ron Santo has more WAR than Ernie Banks. But Roger Connor has even more but apparently Baseball Reference says there was a “World Series” in 1888 and 1889… WTF?

Dan Szymborski: Well, the 1880s ones weren’t official World Series, but you did see them described a number of ways at the time

Dan Szymborski: I don’t think those had a formal name

Ryan Dunne: No question, just a comment. Colin Cowgill, Juan Uribe, and Marlon Byrd were on the Indians opening day roster last season

Dan Szymborski: And the Nats apparently will have Jeremy Guthrie!

Looked up in my Funk & Wagnalls: Florida has the lowest high elevation (345 feet), Delaware has the lowest approximate mean elevation (60 feet).

Mr. Fister: I wanna rock!

Labrum retriever: Jean Segura is actually a very good offensive player, and the regression is not going to be as severe as expected, but the Mariner pitching is going to mostly suck, undermining an otherwise talented team. True or false?

Dan Szymborski: You’re on the right track, but I think the Mariner pitching will be mediocre rather than mostly suck

Dan Szymborski: Call the starters somewhere around 20th and their relievers above average?

Rahsta Pasta: Is it too late to put in an application for Jung Ho-Kang’s personal driver?

Dan Szymborski: He’d probably hire some local

Cubs Fan: First guess on Kris Bryant extension numbers?

Dan Szymborski:

python-r: Randy Winn had a 173 OPS+ for the 2005 Giants. #themoreyouknow

Dan Szymborski: I’m talking more, of course, then more typical Randy Winn-type season!

Mr. Fister: Someone asked me the other day if I would rather have Greinke or Felix. All I could do was decide between cringing or shuddering.

Chuncey Wiggins: If a player had one arm roughly ten feet long and played first base…how many extra outs would our long armed first baseman steal from would be hits in a season?

Dan Szymborski: Quite a lot, but hitting would be a problem.

Dan Szymborski: Why wouldn’t 10 foot arm guy be at a more crucial position?

mike sixel: More likely, Dozier is traded during the year, or signs an extension during the year?

Dan Szymborski: Traded during the year and eventually for less than the Rays got

Chet: JA HAPP IS THE MOST UNDERRATED. He’s so underrated, you didn’t even think he was rated.

Dan Szymborski: While he understands that milk shouldn’t come in bags, he loses points for pronounced his name Jay Happ.

Dan Szymborski: And on that note, tiem for me to leave for another week.

Dan Szymborski: Thanks for coming, everyone! You can read my work at ESPN.com, chats and projections at FanGraphs, and DSzymborski on Twitter or wherever Oxford commas run free and happy.