Eno Sarris Baseball Chat — 10/27/16

Eno Sarris: I’d like to go to an Octopus Project show

Matt: What is ur ideal cubs lineup for game 3?

Eno Sarris: I’m putting Heyward out there. Hendricks Ks guys but not at the same level as his bullpen, so there will be balls in play. Bat Russell eighth, Heyward seventh, Contreras sixth, mixes up the lefty/righty at the bottom. Then the rest is the same; Fowler/Bryant/Rizzo/Zobrist/Baez

Bork: Hello, friend!

Eno Sarris: Hello!

Eric: Can Pujols be a starting 1B next year in a 12-team league?

Eno Sarris: He’s not in the top 11, I agree with Brad there. Hanley, Myers, Santana, I’d rather have any of those guys. So can Pujols beat out Gonzo, VMart, Belt? Maybe. But if Brad Miller repats, or Tommy Joseph catches fire, or Lucas Duda returns to form, or Eric Hosmer has a Good Batting Average Season… I’d say most likely not.

Jon: Cubs starting position players opening day 2017?

Eno Sarris: There’s so much love for Schwarber, I feel like he’s the starter in LF. With a full spring and healthier wheels, I think he can at least Kemp or Bruce, don’t you? That means Soler becomes a little expendable unless he’s the fifth OF behind an Almora/Heyward CF solution. Looks like Zobrist is an outfielder and Baez is the everyday second baseman, the only wrinkle could be Bryant in center, but dude is so tall… You know, the back end of this Cubs dynasty will have some bad defense unless they trade away studs to retool as they go along.

Mike: O/U 6.5 IPs for Hendricks on Friday. O/U 4.5 for Tomlin. What you got?

Eno Sarris: Under under

Michael: Will Eric Longenhagen be posting just one of the prospect lists per day or will they be posted more frequently?

Eno Sarris: They’ve been much more infrequent than that in the past, and they require an ungodly amount of work. I’d bet on two to three a week.

steve: The Cubs team doctor will likely review Schwarber’s medical records* from the last two games, and clears him for LF. The DH story is great, but are the Cubs actually hurting their chances to win with him in left?

Eno Sarris: I’m not sure I’d have him out there now. Next year, maybe, but dunno about now. It’s not like he’s even been 100% of himself if you ask me, but that’s just my eye test.

Eno Sarris: You could play him for two ABs I guess.

Guest: Haven’t been able to make a chat in weeks and now that it’s here…I can’t think of a question! I’M CHOKING ENO!!!

Eno Sarris: Breathe!

Guest: As of today, is Syndergaard a 2nd round keeper, or do his potential injury concerns scare you off of that?

Eno Sarris: If you’re in a league where people keep pitchers in the second round, he’s absolutely a second round keeper.

Bork: Can you put a word in to Manfred to move the starting times of games to earlier then 8 PM EST? Thanks much appreciated xoxo

Eno Sarris: It was nice to be able to help put the kids to bed.

Guest: No baseball today is a bleak look into our rapidly approaching dark future where there is no baseball for several months where we’re left to ponder our own futility, with nothing but cold and less than 8 hours of daylight to keep us company.

Eno Sarris: I will warm myself by the light of planning a trip to the Arizona Fall League, and you may do the same by the hot stove with a bit of rosterbation to keep the stamina up.

nb: Really enjoyed your Addison Russell analysis. What (if anything – it’s just 2 games) has he shown you in the World Series? Do you think that he can pull off a Joey Votto and simply “beat them” in the future?

Eno Sarris: You can pitch to Russell. It’s not just low and away, he’s a little excited about in off the plate and swings a lot there. He has two things to do, and that’s tough. The nice thing is that there’s a walk rate there, a natural patience, that could serve him well as he sees better pitchers try to pick him apart. I think this postseason — with lots of success and failure — could go a long way to helping him next year. If he doesn’t improve a lot more next year, I’ll revise my feeling about his ceiling downward.

Guest: Watching Cujo and I feel bad for the dog 🙁

Guest: I mean, I feel bad for the people, too but poor poor Cujo.

Miketron: So my son will now say “Go Cubbies!”, but its usually followed by “Touchdown!”. I still have some work to do…

Eno Sarris: sports and culture interlude

jon: Schwarber facing Miller in the World Series after Theo wouldn’t one for the other is like bending time space.

Eno Sarris: How about the two teams that traded for Yankees relievers making the world series?

Dingerville: How would you approach the Blue Jays short and longterm future?

Eno Sarris: If there’s a window going forward, it’s Sanchez and Stroman being cheap. Maybe you can add in Travis, Osuna, and Donaldson for two more years. That seems like a good core, and you can do all sorts of things with it. Here’s the nice thing: the team is losing two positionless bats, kinda, and that is the easiest thing to buy. Look at the Orioles, they find those guys every year. I’d treat this as a win-now team, at least in terms of signing players and worrying about losing picks to QO players.

Erik: How good do you think a reliever has to be to make the Hall of Fame? Francisco Rodriguez, for example, is fourth all-time in saves, but has only 17.2 career WAR. Does that make him close to a shoo-in, or a one-and-done guy? And do you expect reliever valuation by Hall voters to change significantly as bullpen usage changes?

Eno Sarris: He’ll be interesting because so far the relievers that have made it in have been clearly the best of their times, and mostly innovative, too. K-Rod seems more conventional, and was never really the best in the league at any one time, despite having that one great season by saves.

Kiermaier’s Piercing Blue Eyes: Is there a precedent for how to value players like Miller who are great during the regular season but that you really want for their playoff contributions? Maybe ace starters on teams that already know they’re making the playoffs?

Eno Sarris: I think he’s the kind of guy that really puts in focus how players traded at the deadline bring more back than during the offseason. You want Miller when you KNOW you’re going to the postseason, not when you think you will be going.

Erik: Who will miss the DH more in Chicago, the Indians or the Cubs?

Eno Sarris: Santana in left will also be interesting if it happens. The Cubs are like the only NL team that would rather have the DH right now.

Otis Redding: Do you ever take a break for beer? You used to be a wine guy right?

Eno Sarris: Used to be a craft cocktail guy. I take a break from beer every Monday and Wednesday and every other Tuesday and Sunday, so I try to keep it mellow. Longer breaks? Eh, might move to more sours or saisons for a bit to clear some hops. Wine gives me headaches and acid reflux and I can’t keep up with the hard stuff any more.

Dumpster Fiers: 16 team dynasty. I have Arrieta at a good price of $18 next year. Should I package him with a piece and go after Kershaw at $35, or go for Urias $1 and Buxton $2? I’m set to compete which ever direction I take.

Eno Sarris: I’d definitely look at trading him.

Matt: Hello, Eno. I think we’re comfortable enough to work on a first name basis, but I’m not quite sure we’re at friend-status yet.

Eno Sarris: You’d be surprised how quickly that goes out the window at a meetup.

Eno Sarris:

Eno Sarris: love video game music

Tim: So I can’t stop thinking about that Game 1 play (or lack thereof) when Lindor basically gets caught three miles off first base and Lester just lets him scurry back unchallenged. I mean, is it even possible to take a lead that’s too aggressive on Lester?

Eno Sarris: Yes because he’s quick to the plate and his catcher throws to first.

Grumpy old man: The older I get the more I just want fresh IPAs. You can take your say-zons and fruity berliner wiesses and get off my lawn

Eno Sarris: I’m trending towards fresh apas/sessions.

Roy: How epic was Joey Votto’s turn around this season? I feel like he’s not gotten near enough attention for the numbers he put up after an ugly first couple months

Eno Sarris: We don’t think monthly splits are predictive, but he told me he doesn’t get his swing until May and he’s done this a couple times now.

Doug: Give me two really deep pitchers who you’re targeting for next year.

Eno Sarris: I like Seth Lugo, think Foltynewicz is showing something with this throw it in the zone idea, Luis Perdomo is a deep league innings eater, I like Matt Boyd and Daniel Norris, and Jharel Cotton is my homeboy.

Eno Sarris: Manaea too, but lesser extent.

Erik: How far does Heyward bounce back next year? And how quickly do the Cubs give up on him and make him a full time bench player if he doesn’t bounce back?

Eno Sarris: He’s the 77th worst one-year drop in wRC+ since free agency began in 1974. He dropped 45 points or so. The average drop of those 77 was 55 points. The average bounce back was 25 points. So he should get back to league average with the bat (he was 72 wRC+ this year), and that’s what his projections say. That said, he’s so screwed up mentally and mechanically, the range of outcomes is everywhere. An offseason with the right coach?

Cracker Jack: Your guy Jharel Cotton…will the league figure him out after getting some film on him? I know the change up is a plus pitch, but everything is seems average at best. Do you think his ceiling a #3? Worse? Better?

Eno Sarris: I think the cutter is good. I like his ceiling more than most and thing he could be an ace. The fourseam has rise and average to above average velo. The change has a whopping seven inches of drop and almost 15 mph difference, there’s no scouting that unless he tips it. The cutter goes 89 and gives him a third speed. I don’t see a problem.

forever it: Do you think Dyson or Ottavino will still be closers next year? Not sure if worth keeping one or both in dynasty points league

Eno Sarris: With health, I believe more in Ottavino keeping the job all year.

Paul: Do you see Dombrowski making a regrettable trade now that some key front office people have left?

Eno Sarris: It seems like all the sustainable team guys left and that leaves the guy who will trade your farm system, yes.

Erik: Wouldn’t Baez in center with Zobrist at second make more sense than Bryant in center?

Eno Sarris: Seems like you lose a lot of his strengths, but you’re right, that’s another option.

Mike: I need a CF badly. I may trade Hosmer and Gallo for Blackmon. Thoughts? Dynasty lg

Eno Sarris: Risk a Blackmon trade, but the team is trending up and hasn’t traded CarGo forever, so I think you do that trade.

Matt: Are you at all upset that Bork has put you in the friend zone? You’ll officially never get a piece of that.

Eno Sarris: inoright

Miketron: Do the Mets resign either Walker/Cespedes or go cheaper?

Eno Sarris: QO Walker, push for full Yo re-sign I think.

Nelson: Why does Urias get so much attention for being so young when Addison Russell is clearly 15 years old

Eno Sarris: he’s the cutest little baby out there

Sean: Going to San Diego for a wedding this weekend. Any must have beers down there that aren’t readily available in the northeast (Stone, Ballast Point)?

Eno Sarris: Modern Times, go to North Park to their tasting room, they have takeaway beers, and Toronado’s is near by and Tiger Tiger. Otherwise, Societe if you leave downtown, they don’t distro much and are really really great. Downtown, Half Door is pretty good, and Monkey Paw is the OG.

CamdenWarehouse: What’s the weekend chat lineup?

Eno Sarris: You’ve got me Friday, that’s all I know.

Babe Ruth’s Ghost: There is NO way at all that Gary Sanchez is a bust next season yes?

Eno Sarris: Uh well the power will calm down a bit, and with that K rate he might hit .250, but he should still hit 25 homers and have a decent OBP, and there’s no way that’s a bust even if it’s regression.

CamdenWarehouse: Does Stanton get traded this winter? There has to be serious rebuilding consideration going on in Miami, right?

Eno Sarris: There’s that contract, though, which with his injuries seems like a hindrance to his relocation process…

Eno Sarris:

Mike: Is there anything tangible that Bauer was doing in his lights out June (among the league leaders in pitcher WAR for the month) that he isn’t doing now? Different pitch mix or speeds, maybe different spin rates? Was it just luck that he was so effective then compared to much of the rest of this season?

Eno Sarris: His command waxes and wanes, especially on that two-seam, which he’s learning. It’s because he’s revamped his delivery and also because it’s difficult to keep the same level of command all season.

Nelson: Is CJ Cron worth keeping for 2$? Can he .280 25/80/80?

Eno Sarris: Yeah I’d hold, even without the OBP, he’s got some pop.

Russ: As a Braves fan, how concerned should I be that the Braves might actually give up something of value to trade for a 32-year-old Brian McCann?

YankeeFan1: Would the Braves give us Folty for McCann + 10 mil and Clint Frazier?

Eno Sarris: Well, see, if it’s that second deal, I think the Braves would do it.

ljc: What, if anything, do we know about Corey Kluber on short rest? Just the same stuff we know about every pitcher on short rest?

Eno Sarris: Yeah I wouldn’t read too much into his own history on short rest because you’re probably talking about a couple starts. Eye test says he loses a bit of sharpness and command.

Make WAR not Love: How much is too much to pay for Cubs WS tickets? Would you spend 5% of your after-tax yearly take home pay?

Eno Sarris: I paid nearly $200 for a concert one time, and I didn’t pay, but my bro in law paid $500 for end zone seats for the 49ers against the Giants that year they muffed it in overtime. I’d probably find a bar if it was more than that.

Snarfle: My favorite baseball memory from 2016 is when Brendan and I went to an A’s game, and between innings they had a fan guess if Danny Valencia could name more than ten colors in a minute. The fan guessed no, and then they cut to a video of Valencia rattling off about 14 before running out of steam. Then back to the fan, where the A’s girl who does all the in-game stuff with fans cheerily announced “you underestimated Danny Valencia.”

Eno Sarris: That fan = all of baseball.

RABBINICAL COLLEGE GUY: Can and will the Bereaves sign two front line starters for 2017?

Eno Sarris: There are only like two front line starters on the market this year, and only if you count Jaime Garcia as the second (Rich Hill is the first). So, no!

Eno Sarris: Seriously. Here are the other best options: Andrew Cashner, Brett Anderson, Ivan Nova, and Cliff Lee.

Books: I like how Kluber ate up Rizzo with sinkers on the hands on Tuesday, then last night Bauer tried the same strategy in Rizzo’s first at bat and he smoked it into the corner. Great hitters adjust. Also I guess Bauer doesn’t have Kluber’s stuff.

Eno Sarris: It’s weird because Bauer has a tick more velocity, and Kluber really only has about one inch more drop on his sinker than Bauer. And that pitch was well placed. I think the front door sinker (piece coming today) is weird because you want them not to swing, and if they do swing, they can do damage with it. So, yeah, if someone else has been doing it, you better watch out if you’re pitching after them.

Ritt Momney: Is that beer break schedule a reference to something I’m not following because that sounds ridiculous

Eno Sarris: Oh, only Mondays and Wednesdays are set in stone. Then I try to take other days off, and Tuesday nights are the easiest.

Cracker Jack: Touki Toussaint’s spin rate on his curve has gotten a lot of love. Dan Farnsworth wrote, “On pure stuff, Toussaint has possibly the best one-two punch in the minors with his fastball and curveball.” What’s your take on him? Future star? Is it wrong of a layman to correlate organizational failure in cultivating other young starters (Foltynewicz, Wilser, Blair) and fear he’ll be yet another bust?

Eno Sarris: Dunno if future start because I don’t know if he’s got a third pitch and what’s going on with the velocity. But I think he’ll pitch in the big leagues, and all they did was pay for him.

Dumpster Fiers: Re: Arrieta at $18 for Kershaw at $35, or Urias $1 and Buxton $2, which side would you go for?

Eno Sarris: Might as well go super cheap. Love Urias, and what if Buxton works out.

Racist Mascot Union: So the wind will be reaching 40mph and blowing straight out tomorrow night while epic dong allower Josh Tomlin is on the mound. O/U of Cub dongs 4.5.

Eno Sarris: Well there should be at least 10 or 11 out there if we’re going to be literal.

Make WAR not Love: Tomlin over his career has a fairly large reverse platoon split 0.311 wOBA vs lefties and 0.341 wOBA vs righties (and he’s not a lefty Eno, no matter what you think). think Maddon runs Soler out in right again Friday? Would zobrist and dex consider hitting righty? We saw maddon do that with rays against knuckleballers

Eno Sarris: Did you know that platoon splits for pitchers become stable quicker than for hitters? I saw that recently. I think we’re seeing Schwarber out there, is the feeling I get from the air.

Gref: What’s an ideal offseason look like for Mets? Apparently have some money to spend finally. Could you see them going 3/70 with Joey bags?

Eno Sarris: They still have this center field problem. Maybe Fowler? Desmond?

Snarfle: When I realized that I could print stuff to the principal’s printer in high school, I printed him a page that read “Does Superman wear a cape to hide the fact that he’s an ape?”

TengoPreguntas: They tried Baez in the OF before the season and the results were less than stellar.

Q-Ball: Sorry I won’t be able to make Friday’s chat. Because I have tickets to the game!

Eno Sarris: started funny, got serious, and then just pfffffft.

Mark: Pirates fan here. Does Familia and Gsellman for Mccutchen make sense? Opens up spot for meadows and helps us pitching wise

Eno Sarris: Not enough for Cutch.

Matt: Can you tell me why netowrks don’t – after EVERY pitch – show a vertically split screen with the front facing zone camera and aobve view so that we can see exactly where the pitch was placed within or out of the strike zone? Even the ones that show both views after *some* pitches never split screen.

Eno Sarris: I’d like to also see behind catcher views on every pitcher at least once a game because we’d have a much better idea about deception then.

Mike: There should be an “eno’s guy” along with “cistulli’s guy” in Eric’s lists for guys who have weirdly good pitches by spin rate/results – Seth Lugo founding member. Make that happen

Eno Sarris: Hah

Q-Ball: Whatever happened to the “Effective Velocity” theory that Bauer is a big fan of? Does he still practice it, and has it gained steam around baseball, or is it bunk?

Eno Sarris: He still pitches high and tight! I mean, that’s the basics behind that theory, and it’s also as old as time.

Joe: With Chicago in the world series, which of the GI sisters should I drink to celebrate?

Eno Sarris: My favorite is Halia!

Snarfle: These are words: traipse, somnambulist, dragoon, trundle.

Eno Sarris: My trundle or my grundle?

CamdenWarehouse: I pay $200 everytime Springsteen is in town.

Snarfle: Business idea: sky-to-scuba diving. From the plane to the depths of the ocean in one jump!

Eno Sarris: Really bad for you, you’d get the bends really quickly.

Matt: Going to Boston in the middle of next week. Where should I go for some good beers?

Eno Sarris: Trillium has a tasting room now, I think. Night Shift is a bit out of town, and Jack’s Abby, too, I think. Cambridge is decent, and near Mead Hall.

The Decadent Moose: Getting into Wrigley is minimum $3,500. Lower “bowl” are in the $10k-$12k range.

Eno Sarris: Yeah see dunno about that. Not on my salary.

Miketron: Isn’t Cliff Lee dead, basebally-speaking?

Eno Sarris: Was a bit of humor.

steve: can you grade Schwarber’s goatee on a 80 scale?

Eno Sarris: 1

Snarfle: I’ve seen the Octopus Project open for Aesop Rock and some punk band that my punk friend said was a big deal.

Eno Sarris: Bit hard to place them, genre wise.

Pie: My guess was 25 dongs for the Cubbies

Maverik312: Heh heh. Dongs.

Matt: Epic Dong Allower sounda like a great name for a terrible porno.

Eno Sarris: rarely does a lude come three in a row like that, but dongs.

Pennsy: Will we have an openly gay Major League Baseball player by the 2020 season?

Eno Sarris: yes

Matt: I feel like Fowler has been right in the middle of every bit of success the Cubs have had over his tenure. That said, he’s obviously as old as he is, and they have the resources to fill the field without him. What are you thoughts on his free agency?

Eno Sarris: I think they let him go. Some players have got to be getting expensive, and I get the sense from them that they want to spend on pitching.

jim: is it giving the yankees too much credit to say they saw where the reliever market was going, acquired miller and chapman , and flipped them to immediately jump start their rebuild

Eno Sarris: I think they wanted to compete, but they then did the flip, and it was great.

Kristen: What kind of demand will there be for Desmond? After a hot 1st-half he hit .237 during the 2nd-half and all of 2 HR’s from July 28th onwards. Don’t want TEX to re-sign him due to his streakiness and most likely excessive contract demands.

Eno Sarris: 3-5 years around 15 per? People will see the entirety of him, which is streaky and based on athleticism more than approach, imo.

Guest: Was thinking last night about Bauer’s effective velocity theory, after reading your article about him and Arietta. Is it possible that the EV stuff makes his pitches more predictable, because the hitters can “think” along with him?

Eno Sarris: Being predictable is never good, but with his command I don’t think it’s necessarily predictability that is his problem, more reliable execution.

HotLanta: Would Ian Desmond make sense for the Braves since we have money to burn? Find a way to rid-ourselves of Markakis and put him in RF?

Eno Sarris: I think Atlanta about to have the most interesting offseason.

Eno Sarris: isn’t it awesome when you think you have a band sussed and then they go and do something a little different and it’s perfect?

CamdenWarehouse: Desmond is signing as an OF right?

Eno Sarris: Yeah he’s done at short, people don’t go backwards on the defensive spectrum usually.

Matt: The only way I see ATL having the most interesting offseason is by them filming a reality show with their FO that is something along the lines of a cross between Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern & Real Houswives of Orange County

Eno Sarris: Really? Moving into a new stadium, some whispers they want to trade for stuff instead of trading away, have some money…

TengoPreguntas: Pitchers like Bauer have really made me favor pitching prospects that have command. You can dream on stuff and some of them will learn command or succeed despite it, but it seems that a lack of command is pretty pivotal in the success of pitchers

Eno Sarris: I mean look at the story of Rubby de la Rosa. The stuff is there, but the command is minus minus. The problem with wanting command is that sometimes a guy in the minors is dominating without command and has low walk rates and then comes up and has to throw his stuff outside of the zone to live. Look at Joe Musgrove.

Snarfle or Matt or Q-Ball: Does Braun get moved this winter?

Eno Sarris: The Brewers have a ton of young interesting outfielders… Braun STILL due $80 million!! wow. Well, $80 million is not that much these days. If you don’t need a CF, you might be able to get Braun for a prospect or two plus $80m or Edwin for more or Jose for maybe about the same?

Sonny: my wife asleep on the couch, wakes up briefly “why does he have that chin beard? that’s terrible” falls back asleep

Eno Sarris: Exactly.

CamdenWarehouse: Rodon really stepped up the command this year

Eno Sarris: And finally started trusting the change. I do like him. that slider is plus plus.

HotLanta: Aaron Blair for Shelby Miller?

Eno Sarris: oh lord

Maverik312: In MLB: The Show I traded Jason Heyward and Joe Smith for Drew Smyly and Alex Colome. Did I win? Cubs will need some pitching soon (in real life and my PS4 life).

Eno Sarris: I think Smyly will figure it out. Has such interesting stuff and good command, got hit hard by the juiced ball.

TengoPreguntas: dongs and juiced balls…baseball chat!

CamdenWarehouse: Italian Wedding has to be the weirdest name for a soup?

Eno Sarris: Let’s throw some SOUP ON IT

Kevin: Ender for Carlos Martinez and Jake Flaherty? Would Atlanta want more?

Eno Sarris: Ooh if you think Carlos would stay healthy, that’s interesting. His mechanics make me shudder sometimes though, he really flies open.

Snarfle or Matt or Q-Ball: Edwin Diaz: O/U 1 start in 2017

Eno Sarris: Under. Seems like he’s taken to that role.

Nick S: Lock in your prediction now, which pitcher do the Braves trade for? Will it be a buy low salary dump like Shields, or a guy that can make an impact like Smyly?

Eno Sarris: More impact guy. Their prospects can be Shieldsian at this point. They have guys that can contribute, but they need a one/two.

Bork: Are you doing any of the game chats or are you too busy with non baseball activities?

Eno Sarris: Friday!

Sonny: Marlins Man has been absent from Cubs home games this playoffs, maybe the most impressive thing Cubs fans have done so far

Eno Sarris: Dude if that guy got priced out!

Steve: No playoffs, but at least we have Abraxas week in St. Louis!

Eno Sarris: So good!

Dominik: Does it really make sense for Atlanta to pony up this offseason? I know new stadium but they are still terrible and their second half is the not indicating their true talent either (although they played under their talent in the first half too).

Eno Sarris: Sometimes all that matters is what the owner says.. actually that’s probably true most of the time. Although… are the Braves still owned by Liberty?

Matt: Regarding a fantasy trade in a dynasty league – one the spectrum of Eugenio Suarez -> Marcus Stroman -> Wilson Contreras, can you compare the size of the two gaps there?

Eno Sarris: Willson Contreras … Marcus Stroman ……….. Eugenio Suarez.

Eno Sarris:

A. Reitz: Sorry…RE: Ender for Carlos Martinez and Jake Flaherty? Would Atlanta want more? Is this supposed to be a joke? CMart is a Top 20 SP. Enciarte is a soft hitting CF.

Eno Sarris: Well Enciarte is a pretty good D CF, and they’ve been revolving guys there in STL, but you’re right that it doesn’t fit their MO. They’d rather get their D cheaply like Bourjos. … Freese for Grichuk and Bourjos!

Matt: I think a pony is probably the last thing ATL should be looking to acquire.

ctw: what do the pirates do this offseason? brett anderson?

Eno Sarris: Oh, totally.

Joe: I remember u saying the problem with Arrieta is that he needs to throw slider more often. However, how come it is not that he feels it working and he ups his usage those months?

Eno Sarris: I was casting about trying to figure it out, because the only thing he’s lost on his slider is a mph of velocity, no movement. I mean he did have a pretty good game last night…

Matt: So I’m clear – you think I have the spectrum direction reversed there? Woulda figured Contreras at the top due to C eligibility, and Suarez losing value due to 3B only

Eno Sarris: I had Contreras at the top because I start at the top usually!

Kristen: What would TEX have to offer to get Urias from LAD? Something like Dyson (LAD needs a closer if Jansen leaves) and Odor (LAD needs a 2nd baseman)?

Eno Sarris: LAD not going to trade Urias.

mikik: I think FG likes your approval rating being they trust you against keith law

Eno Sarris: Or they know we’ll just get silly in our own little corner with the ludes and the music and whatever those guys do anyway.

A cat: Rather than trot out AAAA starters and other drek to fill their rotation, why don’t more teams use a piggyback option for the the last spot and develop good relievers? Piggies would only need two pitches, and throw 40-50 of them, then have a regular reliever turn on the third day. It would also seem to be a good time in current MLB practice to have more trade pieces for bullpens.

Eno Sarris: I hope we see some of this innovation in the regular season, because it’s been a pretty innovative postseason. Potential problems are getting players to buy in, but they all piggyback in the minors, so you just have to tell them it’s coming in the majors. Others: arbitration awards (they’ll make less money) but you can sell them on quicker opportunity. Last: might stress bullpen to lose a guy at the backend, that’s usually your long guy.

Jesse: RE- Ender/CMart… Team control is a big factor. Ender has 4 years left, Mart only 2 years.

Sonny: Contreras last night is a great example of the C defense does not equal pop time. He has a cannon but really flawed receiver. And that was not a wild pitch

Eno Sarris: yeah pop time probably the least valuable part of catcher D right now, too. He’s athletic but he needs to get the finer points.

Bill: to the guy who brought up the principal’s printer, when I was in 8th grade a kid in my grade printed out 50 copies of a picture of a squirrel to EVERY PRINTER in the school district. I believe he was expelled.

Johnny5Alive: Would the mets be better signing cespedes? I’d say let him walk, get encarnacion to plug into first, sign dexter fowler. trade bruce for whatever you can get, and sign a pitcher. It will cost more than retaining cespedes, but they will be infinitely better

Eno Sarris: It’s always been an awkward fit, given their hole in CF. I bet they can get by without signing a starter, though. I like Gsellman and Lugo, and they have the other guys hopefully coming back. but does Yo > Fowler, RP, another bat? maybe not.

Andrew: Why is Lugo more interesting to you than Gsellman?

Eno Sarris: it’s a failing of mine, but I like standout pitches. Lugo has one, not sure Gsellman does. I know Gsellman has more velo, but I really like Lugo’s curve.

cj: how can teams worry about ip limits if their starters do fall, winter spring and summer ball?

Eno Sarris: They actually send their pitchers to those leagues to build up innings so that they don’t have to cut them off when they get to the bigs.

Steve: How much can individual defense fluctuate? For example, the 2016 Cubs have a historic defense. Could they possibly repeat that?

Eno Sarris: It’s pretty tough year to year. Supposedly three year samples are better. I bet they take a step back.

Travis: So Freeman actually kinda underperformed this year. If that new Rotographs piece is correct, I look forward to seeing what Freeman can do next year in that new park.

Eno Sarris: I like that he changed his launch angle and still hit line drives.

jon: Soler and Hammel for Folty: who says no?

Eno Sarris: Cubs.

Dominik: with the current crazy reliever prices : what happened to the old any AAA starting prospect can relieve (as in moneyball) ? has that view changed or are relievers overrated by front offices?

Eno Sarris: Relievers out there now have ‘proven’ they can do it, and teams are giving guys as long as possible to prove they can’t start, because, as you can see from the free agent pitching market, pitching is scarce.

Andrew: Should the mets try to trade for McCutchen tho (you said they have a CF problem)? They’ll have the money to keep him past this contract. What does a Mets-Pirates trade for Cutch look like?

Eno Sarris: Maybe some major league pitching plus minor league hitting? You know, they talk to each other and have made deals. This could happen.

Eminor3rd: How do you feel about Desclafani in 5×5 roto going forward?

Eno Sarris: 2/3.

cj: would wisler be better suited for the bullpen or will new coach help

Eno Sarris: I’d move him to the pen soon.

Eno Sarris: hey! Gotta go do some stuff. chatting Friday during the game! Thanks for hanging out.