Dan Szymborski: And here we are as the clock strikes 8.
8:00
Dan Szymborski: Not that I have an actual clock anymore.
8:00
Dan Szymborski: Not even my grandfather clock because my grandfather did not have one.
8:01
JKD: Hey I’m a Nats fan and I listened to Sam and Ben today and now I’m sad about baseball at the time when I’m most happy about baseball which makes me sad about baseball. Thanks I’ll hang up and take my answer off the air.
8:01
Dan Szymborski: DAN IS NOT SMART ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTION
8:01
kevinthecomic: If this series comes down to managerial decisions, who wins?
8:01
Dan Szymborski: I’d personally take Hinch
8:01
Gumby: Will the majority of runs scored in the series be the result of a home run?
8:01
Dan Szymborski: Probably
8:01
Kiermaier’s Piercing Green Eyes: Hi all! Can we get a “who do you think will win” and a “who do you want to win” poll?
8:01
Dan Szymborski: Game 1 or the whole shebangchilada?
8:02
Tinker to Taylor to Soldier to S: All of the above
8:02
Dan Szymborski: I’ll just do Game 1!
8:02
Dan Szymborski: I don’t want to do 4 polls.
8:02
Dan Szymborski:
Who Do You Think Will Win Game One?
Washington Nationals (30.3% | 41 votes)
Houston Astros (69.6% | 94 votes)
Total Votes: 135
8:03
Dan Szymborski:
Who Do You Want to Win Game One?
Washington Nationals (78.0% | 110 votes)
Houston Astros (21.9% | 31 votes)
Total Votes: 141
8:03
Lou: Is everyone rooting for the Nats because Taubman is an a***ole?
8:03
Dan Szymborski: I’d hardly want to fault the players.
8:03
Dan Szymborski: Well, except Osuna
8:03
Dan Szymborski: Since it’s all kinda his fault
8:03
New iPhone X!!!: Not WS related, thank you for fixing the malicious ad redirect problem on mobile.
8:03
Dan Szymborski: We’ve been working with a company that is supposed to be the best at filtering out malicious results.
8:03
Dan Szymborski: It’s been something we’ve been working on for a while!
8:04
Dan Szymborski: The complaints were not unheeded, we just needed to figure out the best way to get rid of it.
8:04
Dan Szymborski: Without telling you guys to just subscribe. Though you SHOULD STILL TOTALLY DO SO IF YOU WANT.
8:04
Dan Szymborski: And by we’ve been working, I mean David and Sean. You don’t want to be on a site that I program.
8:04
New iPhone X!!!: The Marine on the right was about 4 beats behind on rendering his salute. He’s going to get chewed on.
8:04
Tvetter: I had the over on the time of the national anthem
8:05
Anonymous: Who’s ready to feel gross when these fans give Osuna a standing ovation tonight?
8:05
Dan Szymborski: Lord, I hope not
8:05
kevinthecomic: And after a 43 minute National Anthem, we’re ready to play ball!
8:05
Brian CashGod: Classic Dan intro right there, hi Dan!
8:05
Dan Szymborski: I’m not good at intros.
8:05
Dan Szymborski: I tend to say whatever is in my head and I have a poor filter, which is a bad combination.
8:05
Ben Kaspick: Speaking of which…hello Dan. Hello all!
8:06
Dan Szymborski: Hey Ben!
8:06
Dan Szymborski: Larks Tongues in Kaspick
8:07
Ben Kaspick: Ha, I had to look that one up
8:07
Dan Szymborski: To help wile away what’s left of your existence, enjoy some neural network generated nicknames for the World Series rosters.
8:07
Dan Szymborski:
8:07
Dan Szymborski: It’s rare when I can make an on-topic King Crimson reference.
8:08
5 Run Homer: I have ice cream. I have baseball. Let’s do this.
8:08
Dan Szymborski: YOU BETTER EAT IT THERE’S AN ICE CREAM PHASE CHANGE
8:08
Brian CashGod: Tonight is a classic Game 1 matchup of two of the best pitchers in the game in Scherzer and Cole, meaning that the final score will likely be 13-9
8:08
Dan Szymborski: I think that has happened in 100% of the classic pitching matchups that I’ve looked forward to in my life.
8:09
Ben Kaspick: Same. And I’m reminded of matchups like 2012 when it was Barry Zito vs. Justin Verlander.
8:09
Ben Kaspick: Naturally Zito prevailed, and even had a huge hit!
8:10
Dan Szymborski: Baron Zito!
8:10
Brian CashGod: I want the Astros to win game 3 but lose the series?
8:10
Ari: Nationals will be up 2-1 through 3 games, place it
8:10
Joe Buck Farmer: Your clock strikes 8, mines strikes 7. I’m offended, Daniel.
8:10
Dan Szymborski: East Coast is the S-tier coast.
8:10
Joe Buck Farmer: If you’re Gerrit Cole and the Yankees come calling this winter, does the fact they weren’t willing to part with certain players affect your decision?
8:10
Dan Szymborski: No.
8:11
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Barry Zito, country star
8:11
stever20: So Dan, Sandwich of the night is????
8:12
Dan Szymborski: No sandwich. I have a bit of bronchitis and my chest is tight and I’ve been not really all that hungry.
8:13
Dan Szymborski: I’m just drinking coke and eating peanuts.
8:13
Ben Kaspick: Here we go again with the bunting.
8:13
Dan Szymborski: Unsalted peanuts. Not for health reason, I just don’t like much salt. I like unsalted pretzels too.
8:13
Dan Szymborski: FREE DORITOS (YES)….locos tacos. <sad face>
8:13
Anonymous: what are the odds America does not win a free taco this year?
8:14
bosoxforlife: Max Scherzer as a more than 2-1 underdog. Something I never thought I would see.
8:14
Dan Szymborski: ZiPS had it 57-43
8:15
Geoff: I think those two things are the same thing.
8:15
Dan Szymborski: Ice cream and baseball?
8:15
Dan Szymborski: I dunno, MLB *has* been rather opaque about their baseball construction.
8:15
CTBNL: Cole: when Fangraphs commenters could talk about wins and not get voted down.
8:15
Dan Szymborski: Whatsa going on?
8:15
CamdenWarehouse: Cat update?
8:16
Dan Szymborski: Cassiopeia was sneezing all weekend but seems better now. Last I saw her she was asleep in her favorite bedroom. Constantine was fighting a scratching post, I can here Justinian fighting something on the stairs, and last I saw Mercutio, he was hiding under the bed after an awkward social interaction with Justinian.
8:17
PleaseThanks: FWIW…before the first pitch. Would be awesome to read some coverage of the whole MILB proposal/situation. Under reported and super interesting.
8:17
Dan Szymborski: Yeah, it’s kinda outta my wheelhouse since it involves lots of legal matters
8:17
Dan Szymborski: Has Sheryl written anything at BtBS?
8:17
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Is there less incentive to platoon with starters going fewer innings? (present starters excepted)
8:17
Dan Szymborski: Not sure it really changes things too much
8:17
Guest: If/when Osuna comes in and there’s a crowd outpouring of support, I’m going to have to take a break from baseball, maybe for the whole series.
8:17
Train noises!: How upset do you think Osuna was about Trautman? He’s spent the past year trying to keep his head down and now, on what should have been a time that everyone forgot why Altuve had to win the game, Trautman’s idiocy gets him brought back up.
8:18
Dan Szymborski: I understand teams are going to make cynical choices given the amount of money that is at stake. I just wish they weren’t so hapless at backing it up. Stand behind the negative consequences!
8:18
Dan Szymborski: Don’t double-down.
8:18
JD: Thank you for the King Crimson reference!
8:18
Brian CashGod: I love Star Destroyers (that new lego set is legit!!), but I don’t want to love Osuna…
8:18
5 Run Homer: The Lone Ranger?? Hell yeah
8:18
SadPiratesFan: what’s the deciding factor in Game 1?
8:19
Dan Szymborski: Runs!
8:19
kevinthecomic: Hey, quick site question: didn’t there used to be a list of all present and former FanGraphs writers somewhere on the site? — so, like if I wanted to read what George Plimpton wrote for FanGraphs back in 1968 I could just click on his name?
8:20
Dan Szymborski: If you do blog.fangraphs.com, you’ll get the recent author list I don’t know where the big one went, but it was SUPER long.
8:20
Dan Szymborski: I can bring it up at a meeting if you want
8:21
Hire Joe Morgan?: On Effectively Wild the other day, Ben and Sam had a conversation with Rob Arthur in which he seemed to say that under identical circumstances – identical launch angle, spin, exit velocity, atmospheric conditions, etc. – the coefficient of restitution of the ball could result in fifty feet of variance and the drag coefficient in another thirty. Obviously there’s some lesser variance in pitch speed and trajectory as well, but did I hear that correctly? Eighty feet of randomness on each swing, just from those two variables? That seems….sub-optimal from a competitive standpoint.
8:21
Dan Szymborski: I have to listen to the episode, I’m behind
8:21
Alfredo: I found your nicknames sheet was very informative, mostly for finding out that Javy Guerra is on the roster
8:21
CamdenWarehouse: Meg needs to turn on emojis in these
8:21
5 Run Homer: The Great American Baseball Show is an incredible nickname, someone needs to actually claim that
8:21
5 Run Homer: Mountain Time Best Time
8:21
Dan Szymborski: You have 0 oceans.
8:21
Dan Szymborski: Not even the dumb cold ocean they have in pacific time zone.
8:22
Train noises!: The good news is Yuli Gurriel probably won’t hit a home run off Kurt Suzuki and then get himself suspended
8:22
Sadman: Do you think anyone’s nervous and will that affect the game?
8:22
Dan Szymborski: No
8:22
Greg: Did Osuna and/or the Assistant GM get their ovations from the hometown faithful?
8:22
Dan Szymborski: Do they do assistant GM intros?
8:22
Ari: Strike or ball?
8:22
Dan Szymborski: If they were smart, they’d pack Taubman off to Nome or something.
8:23
bosoxforlife: The line is -208.
8:23
Sadman: would you rather have Gerrit Cole or Juan Soto (don’t factor in contract situation)
8:23
Dan Szymborski: Cole, but you have to factor in the contract situation
8:23
CamdenWarehouse: Dan, I got a new dog!
8:23
Dan Szymborski: Awesome!
8:23
Dan Szymborski: What type? Name?
8:24
tommytoms: have any of the astros players said anything about the trautman situation?
8:24
Dan Szymborski: I assume they’re smart enough to keep their mouths shut.
Lunar verLander: East Coast time objectively Worst time
8:25
Dan Szymborski: GO BACK TO THE MOON, ERR MOONEY
8:25
Ben Kaspick: Late response, but ball four to Springer looked like it should have been strike. It’s crazy how much of a difference strike zone calls can make.
8:25
Hire Joe Morgan?: Other than injury, is there anything potential free agents do to affect their valuation on the market? It seems like demonstrating an ability to pitch on an erratic schedule – coming out of the bullpen as a starter or stretching out to multiple innings as a reliever – would add information that might not have been available.
8:25
Dan Szymborski: Not really, no.
8:25
Hire Joe Morgan?: Can we all name CamdenWarehouse’s dog collaboratively tonight?
8:25
CamdenWarehouse: The Count, he’s an Akita
8:25
Dan Szymborski: I THINK THIS IS A JOB FOR TALK TO TRANFORMER
8:25
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: There was a Fangraphs writer named Pizza Cutter???
8:25
Ben Kaspick: Russell Carlton!
8:26
Ben Kaspick: Now an author and front office employee.
8:27
Dan Szymborski: Yup, he went by Pizza Cutter
8:27
Dan Szymborski: But eventually, you have to share your name so that people write you checks.
Dan Szymborski: You have to pick one of those five. It’s the alw.
8:27
Dan Szymborski: law
8:28
Hire Joe Morgan?: I want someone like Doolittle to say something about it.
8:28
Maggie25: Q: What do you call the Nationals’ pitcher when he’s playing starcraft? A: Max Scherzerg.
Thank you and good night.
8:28
Fangraph’s Lurker: Dan’s wrestling name is “Pizza Cutter”?
8:28
Dan Szymborski: I’m the Digital Dandy!
8:28
Dan Szymborski: Although the neural network gave me the nickname Smuckers.
8:28
Kiermaier’s Piercing Green Eyes: Name the dog JP Realmeowto, because I’m still mad the Marlins didn’t name that stray cat that. (They went with Don Cattingly.)
8:28
Stuafoo: Any FanGraphs alums participating in chat? Cistulli sliding in under some obscure philosopher pseudonym?
8:29
Dan Szymborski: Don’t smell brimstone!
8:29
Brian CashGod: I want to get a dog one day and name it “A Cat”. I will enjoy introducing people to A Cat so much
8:29
CamdenWarehouse: those are awful names. I’ll call him Kitty
8:29
Dennis: pizza cutter used pi for all his formulas
8:29
LFC Mike: Did he go from Prince Crimson to King Crimson or did he orchestrate a violent takeover and assume being King without proper procedure?
8:29
Matt A: Shout out to john jaso jungle helmet Schmidt for the greatest chat name ever. This is why I love fangraphs!
8:29
Dan Szymborski: Someone on BTF used the handle Joe Crede Clearwater Revival
8:29
Maggie25: I’d like to humbly suggest Max Scherzerg as the dog’s name. I promise that’s the last zerg comment I will make tonight.
8:29
Stuafoo: Scherzer will wind up with a very high pitch count.
8:30
Dan Szymborski: Gurriel almost broke the air.
8:30
Stuafoo: Someone has stolen my name
8:30
Mad Max: I’m throwing 9 innings and 180 pitches and none of y’all can stop me
8:30
Maggie25: Guriel is so handsome, Go Nats.
8:30
Hire Joe Morgan?: I think Scherzer might come out of the pen tonight.
8:31
Matt A: Gurriel then almost broke the wall in LC
8:31
Maggie25: Wow, now somebody stole my name!
8:31
5 Run Homer: He hit the shit outta that
8:31
Guest: Gurriel == racist? true
8:32
Dan Szymborski: He occasionaly just turns on those crazily
8:32
Dennis: 97.4 Exit velo and Gurriel had to pull his hands in… wow
8:32
Hire Joe Morgan?: I must have missed something. What did Gurriel do that’s racist?
8:32
Dan Szymborski: The asian eye pull thing
8:36
Dak To The Future: Will Yordan learn how to put the bat on the ball again or did he freaky friday with Keon Broxton for good?
8:36
Dan Szymborski: He’ll be fine.
8:36
Dan Szymborski: Sorry, had to restart browers.
8:36
Dan Szymborski: broser
8:36
Dan Szymborski: browser
8:36
Dan Szymborski: third time charm!
8:36
Matt A: Hit a white ball off the colored wall
8:36
twb: Scherzer’s grunts are super mic’d today
8:36
Dan Szymborski: But did he see ghosts?
8:37
Lunar verLander: 26 pitches in the 1st AND 2 runs scored…hard to realistically do better than that if you’re the Astros.
8:37
😀: Will this be a repeat of 2007?
8:37
John: Bowser
8:37
Brian CashGod: he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts
8:37
Mad Joe-Don: Bonser!
8:38
Dan Szymborski: I still don’t understand how Boof Bonser wasn’t Australian
8:38
LFC Mike: After abdicating his throne King Crimson went to Asia. He did it in the Heat of The Moment.
8:38
Maggie25: Q: Name an Astros pitcher who thinks it’s too darn hot in Texas? A: Gerrit Cole Porter
8:38
5 Run Homer: Boof?
8:38
Dan Szymborski: His birth name was John but his nickname was Boof and he changed his legal name to Boof.
8:38
Geebs: Is Sale’s contract under water or do you think it’s moveable?
8:39
Dan Szymborski: I don’t think it’ sunder water….yet
8:39
Dan Szymborski: Yeah, not touching the politics on Brian Cashgod!
8:39
Stuafoo: What did the Astros do to “fix” Cole after they traded for him?
8:39
Dan Szymborski: According to a comment to a piece, gave him magic illegal spin cheating somehow.
8:39
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: I often think, are there players who’s name just automatically fit a team? For example, How did Larry Walker never play in Texas? (Larry Walker Texas Ranger)
8:39
Dan Szymborski: Hugh “Losing Pitcher” Mulcahy never pitched for the Marlins
8:40
Dan Szymborski: Hire Joe Morgan: People try to trick me into answering politics questions. Possibly because they make me uncomfortable when I realize I’ve been tricked and have to answer.
8:40
Dan Szymborski: Certainly not because I have any particular insight.
8:41
Brian CashGod: WORTH THE WAIT
8:41
Hire Joe Morgan?: THE BALL IS REJUICED!!!
8:42
Ben Kaspick: Just as we all anticipated, early runs vs. both starters.
8:42
Dan Szymborski: The broadcasters aren’t bullshitting, that’s as much as PITCHER KNOWS IT as I’ve seen.
8:42
Mad Joe-Don: Cubby Broccoli never produced a movie about the Chicago NL franchise.
8:42
Dak To The Future: Cole’s $250mm deal just went down to $240mm
8:42
kevinthecomic: Fitting, Mr. National hits their first WS HR! Way to go Zim!
8:42
Maggie25: So are corked bats just not a thing anymore?
8:42
Dan Szymborski: They’re kinda pointless.
8:42
Dan Szymborski: No point cheating with a placebo!
8:42
Brian CashGod: Zimm’s first World Series AB!
8:43
Train Noises: The platonic ideal for a pitcher “knows it” is Brandon Morrow.
8:43
off-topic: “Cubby Broccoli” can’t possibly be a real person’s name
8:43
Dan Szymborski: Bond producer
8:43
Dan Szymborski: Cubby was a nickname
8:43
Maggie25: I thought of corked bats because I was imagining balls literally filled with juice
8:44
Dan Szymborski: It would be fun to see a baseball that’s half filled with liquid and a smaller weighted ball inside.
8:44
Dan Szymborski: You’d get some really weirdass movement on pitches.
8:44
5 Run Homer: Cubby Broccoli is an FX series Fargo ass name
8:44
kevinthecomic: Albert “Cubby” Broccoli
8:44
Brian CashGod: I mean this is Minute Maid Park…
8:44
5 Run Homer: Every 100th ball just explodes on impact
8:45
Dan Szymborski: Hidden concussion grenades within some balls would add to the intrigue.
8:46
Hire Joe Morgan?: How would it affect a swing if you could put a viscous liquid in the bat so the barrel’s center of gravity changed as you swung?
8:46
kevinthecomic: I remember like 25 years ago KFC gave away a beach ball that had a little pouch on one side that you filled with water — everytime you threw it, it would move like a knuckleball
8:46
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Seth Beer is a real name
8:46
Brian CashGod: I love that Zim hit the first Nats WS home run, he really is the face of the franchise
8:46
Lunar verLander: Flash bang baseballs to increase base stealing
8:46
CamdenWarehouse: is there a 7 day IL for concussion grenade injuries?
8:46
Dan Szymborski: Only if they cause a concussion!
8:46
Dan Szymborski: If you die, your roster spot is open and another injury there’s the traditional IL
8:46
Brian CashGod: Hidden grenades in the balls would definitely add value to that whole “see 10 seconds into the future” gift
8:46
Dennis: Are the Nationals viewed as an being advanced analytical team, or are they pretty much average at it?
8:46
Dan Szymborski: Averageish.
8:47
stever20: so who do you think the mystery candidate for the Mets is for their Manager?
8:47
Dan Szymborski: BOBBY VALENTINE I hope
8:47
Dak To The Future: Chapman a Yankee next year or moving on to less green pastures?
8:47
Dan Szymborski: I think they’ll work out an extension to keep him from opting out
8:47
CamdenWarehouse: Cistulli is the mystery candidate
8:48
Dan Szymborski:
8:48
LFC Mike: Optimal team for Rendon next year?
8:48
Dennis: Dan, u just made cough up my Tea in laughter with Bobby Valentine
8:48
Dan Szymborski: I’m not a Mets fan so I have no guilt about giving him to them!
8:49
Joe Buck Farmer: This Met’s mystery manager thing is the shittiest spin-off of the Masked Singer yet.
8:49
Dak To The Future: NY Post just confirmed that Weff Jilpon is the new favorite to manage the Mets
8:49
Pieman: Ohhhh I’ve been reading these chats for weeks now and I just got the joke in Lunar VerLander’s name. Nicely done, sir or madam.
8:49
Ben Kaspick: Could it be the Dodgers? Heard rumblings that Rendon doesn’t want maximum years, and that seems to be what the Dodgers would want too.
8:49
CamdenWarehouse: So the only lefties in the whole series are a Nats starter and closer. No planning for platoon matchups out of the pen. Think this is a first?
8:49
Dan Szymborski: Ideally, you don’t want matchups that make you want to use nationals relievers.
8:49
Hire Joe Morgan?: Scherzer looks really sloppy tonight….
8:49
Dan Szymborski: Someone pointed to overthrowing earlier and I buy it
8:50
Mad Joe-Don: But Valentine has to wear the eye-black mustache, right?
8:50
Juan Pursuit: I’m a nats fan and I get the feeling they are very traditional. There was an article in the Washington Post about how big the analytics gap is between the 2 teams.
8:50
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Who is the bombshell Mets manager candidate? I’m hoping it’s Bobby Bonilla.
8:51
Dan Szymborski: The Mets should hire the entire roster of the 1992 Mets as a manager-by-committee. All trainwrecks ought to be glorious ones.
8:51
Guest: Well, Cistulli did like to quote Epictetus, and stoicism in the face of an uncaring universe seems very important for the Mets
8:51
Dan Szymborski: WTF was that late time out call?
8:51
Dan Szymborski: A pitcher’s going to get injured at some point wiht that crap
8:51
Kevin: I keep trying to get into this game, but I am so disgusted by this Taubman/Astros debacle that I am compelled to turn this off.
8:51
Maggie25: I bet you any money that the Mets manager will be the kid from Rookie of the Year
8:52
LFC Mike: Only if Bobby Valentine manages in a different disguise everyday
8:52
CamdenWarehouse: imagine the post game pressers with Emil Cioran quotes
8:52
Alfredo: 4D replay? Let’s see if Kurt Suzuki was out across parallel universes
8:52
twb: is Scherzer usually a Chapman level sweater?
8:52
Dan Szymborski: I have sympathy for sweaters.
8:52
kevinthecomic: Hey, how bout getting rid of calling time outs as a way to speed up the game?
8:52
Dan Szymborski: Even the anticipation of being in hot weather, my body says “screw this, let’s get a head start”
8:52
Ben Kaspick: You would also need a pitch clock, otherwise pitchers could hold the ball for too long.
8:52
Hire Joe Morgan?: I like sweaters. My favorite is gray with ribs.
8:53
Hire Joe Morgan?: Kevin Mitchell to the Mets.
8:53
kevinthecomic: ah, good point BK — I’d be in favor of it
8:53
CamdenWarehouse: I try not to eat ribs in sweaters
8:53
Ben Kaspick: Same! Yes pitch clock. No time outs, no mound visits.
8:53
Hire Joe Morgan?: How are they getting Scherzer’s grunts and not his swearing? He yells at himself all the time.
8:53
sucramrenrut: Are we Canadians the only fans being ‘blessed’ by Buck Martinez commentary? I hope not.
8:54
Hire Joe Morgan?: They nearly picked him off there.
8:54
Dan Szymborski: Buck did Orioles radio for like 6 years and I had *no* impression of him and can’t remember anything.
8:54
Ben Kaspick: Love the Scherzer pickoff move
8:54
Dan Szymborski: Like I was drugged and some futuristic surgery was performed on me to remove all the Buck brain engrams
8:54
Tyler: That was me, really does look like he is overthrowing
8:55
twb: if they can track spin rate/launch angle/etc. I think they can auto-bleep
8:55
Dan Szymborski: They should dub it over with clean words, not just bleep.
8:55
Dan Szymborski: THIS CALL IS <freaking butternuts>
8:56
Dan Szymborski: Reddick’s bat slam was hard enough to possibly get the bat stuck standing up in the ground like he threw a sword.
8:56
twb: deep fake Scherzer, I’d support it
8:57
Spence: Could someone do a write up on what Gurriel’s MLB career what have looked like had he broken in at 22, not 32?
8:57
Dan Szymborski: That would be fun to do
8:57
Guest: YOUR <observed> ZONE IS <not supported by the rulebook>
8:57
Lunar verLander: I…I don’t think I can see Marlins Man behind home plate…this is truely a great day for baseball.
8:57
zurzles: You don’t remember Martinez’s pronunciation of Edwin Arncanacion?
8:57
Dan Szymborski: I’m still traumatized by the postseason when Anibal Sanchez was Annabelle Sanchez.
8:58
LFC Mike: Did you carb up for the chat Dan? .. or will we hear you munching during the game?
8:58
Dan Szymborski: I’m eating peanuts and drinking coke, so I have sugars
8:58
Nick: 42 pitches for 5 outs…
8:58
Maggie25: I think you mean Edwin ERNENFE*#@*@)!NFNSNSNSion
8:58
sucramrenrut: NASTY.
8:58
Brian CashGod: Sugar > Carbs
8:58
CamdenWarehouse: does LFC Mike have audio with the chat and the rest of don’t?
8:59
Jay Jaffe: Hey folks, happy World Series Game 1
8:59
Lunar verLander: A WILD Jay Jaffe APPEARS!
8:59
Ben Kaspick: Welcome, Jay!
9:00
Jay Jaffe: wild and not staying within the strike zone very well right now, tbh
9:00
Ben Kaspick: Yeah, Scherzer’s pitch count through two innings (48) is obviously not great for the Nationals.
9:01
Jay Jaffe: I had to catch up on the first two innings via TiVo but 1) what the hell with Eaton’s bunt and 2) yikes, the Astros are relentless. Also 3) cool to see Zimmerman hit the first World Series homer in Nationals history
9:01
Johnny Z: Think Harper is rooting for or against the Nats?
9:02
Ben Kaspick: Against? The fans didn’t treat him very well this year.
9:02
Jay Jaffe: For, not against, given the impression I got from that jayson Stark piece.
9:03
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Harper has to be rooting for Washington. He may have left them for a different chance, but many of these Nationals players are still his friends.
9:04
Hugh Jass: Jay, what do deGrom’s HOF chances look like assuming he wins this year’s CY? Closer to 30% or 15%?
Jay Jaffe: probably somewhere in the middle. The problem for him is that he didn’t debut until a month before his 26th birthday. He’s been excellent but will need exceptional staying power through his 30s, and this is a guy who’s already got one TJ surgery in his file.
9:05
sucramrenrut: $300M buys the ability to be happy for a variety of things. Including other people’s happiness.
9:06
Dystopian Future: Harper is surely rooting for the Nats, right? I’d assume that he was probably on good terms with the guys in the clubhouse; he’s never come off as particularly abrasive. I’d think that means more than some angry fans.
9:06
Dan Szymborski: It buys an immense amount of goods and services.
9:06
Dan Szymborski: And hey Jay!
9:06
Hire Joe Morgan?: For $300 million, I would root for the Nationals.
9:06
Dan Szymborski: For $300 million, I’d swim laps in a pool full of diarrhea.
9:06
Sean: That was a HARD check by Rendon. It hurt my wrists.
9:06
twb: that was a swing
9:07
Maggie25: Do you get nose plugs, Dan?
9:07
ben: Why did the Astros’ first press release have like five spaces after periods?
9:07
Jay Jaffe: because they were sloppy when it came to cutting out even more lies.
9:07
Dan Szymborski: My nose is very stuffy so I’m breathing through my mouth mostly, which is why you coudl hear me.
9:08
Dan Szymborski: It used to really annoy Carson that I’d put two spaces after periods.
9:08
Tom : Realistically, how much can a good or poor post-season affect the payoff for the marquee free agents?
9:08
Maggie25: I meant for the pool of diarrhea
9:08
Dan Szymborski: For $300 million? I’d swim through it naked.
9:08
Hire Joe Morgan?: I believe all periods should have two spaces. Also, ellipses should have a fourth dot.
9:09
Maggie25: Hire Joe Morgan is an anarchist
9:09
Dystopian Future: Anthony Rendon has gone on record to say he doesn’t watch baseball, right? When do you think was the last time he watched, say, a majority of a baseball game he on a participating team of? A full game?
9:09
Evan: I’m a firm believer that Nathan Eovaldi only got a good deal because of his playoff performance
9:09
stever20: Jay, we asked the others. Who is the mystery Mets manager candidate?
9:09
Dan Szymborski: He really was looking a lot better during the late season
9:09
Jay Jaffe: Bobby Valentine in a mustache
9:09
Ben Kaspick: Probably not much. Manny Machado had a pretty bad 2018 postseason for multiple reasons, and he got $300M.
9:09
Hire Joe Morgan?: One of the Maggies25 is perceptive.
9:09
scherzer i hardly know ‘er: Arrest Hire Joe Morgan for crimes against grammar
9:09
kevinthecomic: Wait a minute, did JB just say that Rendon won a national title with Rice in 2003? If he is 29 YO now, wouldn’t that have made him 13 when he attended college?
9:09
Dan Szymborski: DOOGIE HOWSER, D.H.
9:10
sucramrenrut: Girardi or Baker?
9:10
Dan Szymborski: Dusty
9:10
Jay Jaffe: re: postseason and free agency: very little to no effect. These are small sample sizes, afterall
9:10
Dan Szymborski: Dusty, but plan to fire him after two years no matter what
9:10
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Seeing this Star Wars trailer has me wondering: who is the biggest nerd at FG currently?
9:10
Dan Szymborski: In girth, I believe that would be I.
9:11
sucramrenrut: No one can employ Dusty again right? Please?
9:11
Dan Szymborski: The trick for Dusty is to give him a veteran team that needs to get their crap together and NO MEANINGFUL ROSTER DECISIONS FOR HIM TO MAKE
9:11
Lunar verLander: You know, for as annoying as these postseason commercials have been, they’ve had a pretty bangin’ soundtrack. It’s Tricky, Baba O’Riley, Rubberband Man. Good mix
9:11
Ben Kaspick: That said, did Nathan Eovaldi pitch his way to that $68M contract based on his 2018 postseason performance? This is pure speculation, but it seems like the postseason can help guys more than it can hurt them.
9:11
Dan Szymborski: I mean, they *are* extra games of baseball, so they should count in the record.
9:11
Dan Szymborski: ZiPS uses postseason games.
9:13
Dan Szymborski: 17% or so of Eovaldi’s 2018 innings were postseason ones. It’d be weird to throw out everyone’ sbest month
9:13
Meow: Jay, what does Scherzer still need to do for HOF election?
9:13
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Bumgarner will get more money in the offseason than he should based on his postseason experience, even 5 years removed. True or false?
9:13
Dan Szymborski: F
9:13
Mad Max’s Brown Eye: Correa has now pulled Gurriel off the bag twice by sailing throws from deep in the hole against probably the two slowest runners Washington has – do you think Bogar should have guys slide on the next similar play? I don’t like sliding into first, but seems like avoiding a tag on a bad throw might be the reason to consider it.
9:13
Dan Szymborski: just NEVER SLIDER
9:13
Dan Szymborski: SLIDE
9:13
Dan Szymborski: out of principle
9:13
Hire Joe Morgan?: Regarding Scherzer, I’d say he needs to retire.
9:14
sucramrenrut: Eovaldi seemed to have a bunch of lights out starts that year too (in between injuries of course.) So the market assumed a lot of potential.
9:14
Dan Szymborski: Eovaldi could always throw hard but he couldn’t punch out batters. THat he came back from injury, did that, and dropped his walks was a big deal.
9:14
Dan Szymborski: And there wasn’t a lot of recent Eovaldi performance to compare it to
9:14
Hire Joe Morgan?: I still think demonstrating the ability to work under unusual usage patterns has value.
9:15
Dan Szymborski: It does, but I don’t think of the type it really becomes a thing in contract negotiations
9:15
Dan Szymborski: unless it’ something REALLY significant like a corner outfielder being able to be adequate in center.
9:16
Dan Szymborski: The Great American Baseball Show!
9:16
Hire Joe Morgan?: PROFESSIONAL HITTER ALERT!
9:16
Brian CashGod: Smoltz said professional hitter, everybody drink
9:16
twb: we’ve got a professional hitter
9:16
Maggie25: If Alex Bregman works really hard to expand his skull, he could grow up to be Brett Gardner one day
9:17
Lunar verLander: Thank goodness the Yankees and Cardinals didn’t advance. Could you imagine those AMATEUR hitters?
9:17
Pieman: As a Rangers fan who is also sad that Larry Walker May never be in the Hall of Fame, imagining him playing in Texas nearly makes me weep.
9:17
Jay Jaffe: Sorry, had some parenting to do. It’s not going well at Casa jaffe Span
9:17
Jay Jaffe: Re Scherzer: I think he’s pretty much there once he gets to 3,000 strikeouts, which he will either next year or in 2021.
9:18
Dan Szymborski: I’m calling it now: someone who previously voted Larry Walker on their ballot will leave him off the ballot because it would be insulting to Derek Jeter to make him share HIS DAY with anyone.
9:18
Dan Szymborski: You don’t hear pitchers called a “professional pitcher” very often. If they’re not being paid, acquiring pitchers only might be the best strategy.
9:19
Dan Szymborski: I actually thought Gurriel was going to swing at that high inside 95 mpher
9:19
Hire Joe Morgan?: Pitchers are crafty, not professional.
9:19
Dan Szymborski: Maybe if pitchers weren’t so devious, someone would hire them on salary
9:19
Maggie25: Can we all take a moment to appreciate that Mike Trout passed Derek Jeter in FWAR this year?
9:19
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Oof robles
9:20
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: As a Giants fan, Hunter Strickland is an amateur pitcher
9:20
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Robles is not a professional fielder.
9:20
Cole’s Law: Dan – how would you define a Professional Pitcher. For some reason I know what a professional hitter is…have the broadcasters brain washed me?
9:20
Dan Szymborski: Someone who induces weak contact and doesn’t bother with those boorish vulgar strikeouts
9:20
Section329: Only left handers are crafty
9:20
LFC Mike: 1.0 out of 10 on the Robles dive.
9:21
Dan Szymborski: My believe is that lefties are considered crafty because everyone grew up with that same stupid offset camera angle
9:21
Brian CashGod: Gary Pettis is not a professional third base coach?
9:21
5 Run Homer: What the hell are they reviewing
9:21
Dystopian Future: Dan, what does the term pure hitter mean to you?
9:21
Dan Szymborski: BA, low walks
9:22
Dan Szymborski: no bat waggly stance
9:22
Maggie25: Pure hitter hasn’t been cut with anything.
9:22
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: On a scale of 1-10, how mad would Astros fans be if Brantley was called out for touching that jersey right there?
9:22
Dan Szymborski: 9
9:22
Brian CashGod: basically David Ortiz without walks
9:22
Dan Szymborski: Or power.
9:22
Dan Szymborski: From broadcasters, I think professional hitters also have to be white guys unless they’re pudgy.
9:23
Cole’s Law: I shouldn’t drink and chat…my comments are getting most stupidest
9:23
Dystopian Future: Juan Soto is a professional hitter though
9:23
Hire Joe Morgan?: To be fair, they called Kendrick a professional hitter!
9:23
Byron Buxton : Brantley isn’t white or pudgy
9:23
Dan Szymborski: Well, classically
9:23
Cole’s Law: Old also equals professionally
9:23
Fire Ken Tremendous: I think I’ve been blacklisted by Dan. None of my comments are getting published
9:23
This is Lude-i-cris: Victor Martinez was dubbed professional hitter by every broadcaster ever
9:24
Dan Szymborski:
9:24
Jay Jaffe: Still can’t quite figure out what was going on with Robles there, even after the replay
9:24
Dak To The Future: Prime Brett Gardner is the most professional of hitters: decent BA, decent walks, meh pop, works the count, is white, “plays the right way”
9:25
sucramrenrut: I think I read on Fangraphs somewhere that Kendrick has led the world in BA over his last 800 Abs or something?
9:25
Blue: That dad on the Indeed commercial with the lazy son looks like Maester Qyburn
9:25
Hebrew: Robles dove so early he was eating grass before the ball was even in-frame
9:25
Dystopian Future: I think Robles hit the ground too hard and accidentally did a full on faceplant, forcing his arms downwards and preventing him from making the catch
9:25
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Is Eric Hosmer the most professional hitter?
9:26
Dan Szymborski: I bet he never hits a home run with an even number lead, thus dooming his team.
9:26
cat’s paw: Are we more likely to see Corbin or Joe Ross in this game if Scherzer can’t get through six?
9:27
Jay Jaffe: Corbin, i think
9:27
Ben Kaspick: Was just wondering the same thing. I want to say Corbin, but the Astros are so tough on lefties.
9:27
Jay Jaffe: Whoa, Juan Soto
9:28
Dan Szymborski: Sotoriffic
9:28
Mad Joe-Don: Professional homer.
9:28
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Wait is Juan Soto turning 21 during the Series?
9:28
Jay Jaffe: game-tying home run hit at 375 miles per hour, and 689 feet
9:29
Ben Kaspick: Yes, he is! If they win, he can legally drink.
9:29
Ben Kaspick: I mean, if they lose he can legally drink too..
9:29
Jay Jaffe: 106 mph and 417 feet according to Statcast, but they’re clearly trying not to hurt Cole’s feelings
9:29
Dystopian Future: Eric Hosmer is the king of the “good at bat” 4-3
9:30
stever20: wow that was a bomb…… how in the hell is that only 417 ft???
9:30
Cole’s Law: Where did all the noise in the stadium go?
9:30
Cole’s Law: Professional Silencer
9:30
Dan Szymborski: The same person who wrote the Taubman press releases did the measurements.
9:30
Vincent: Someone tell Joe Buck what “enormity” really means.
9:30
twb: my wife posits that the DH is the most professional hitter of all
9:31
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: I feel like Mel Ott is the most anonymous inner circle HOFer
9:31
Hire Joe Morgan?: Does either of you have an idea what the pigeon toed stance gives Soto? How does it help his swing?
9:31
Dan Szymborski: It’s not like he could be better withou tit!
9:33
Jay Jaffe: My grandfather saw a lot of Mel Ott. He was born in Brooklyn, and after going abroad for his medical training (long and amazing story, covered elsewhere) returned to Brooklyn. Lifelong Dodgers fan but more often went to the Polo Grounds, as a colleague of his had season tickets.
9:33
Dan Szymborski: All playoff teams in the 70s had Charley Lau as their hitting coach.
9:33
Dystopian Future: Is it just me or is Kevin Long the hitting coach on every playoff team ever?
9:33
Leon: Ott got a LOT of help playing at the Polo Grounds
9:33
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: “withou tit”
Dan Szymborski… not a professional chatter.
9:33
Stuafoo: I want to be that guy silently watching the World Series from the rafters of the stadium…
9:34
Hire Joe Morgan?: I didn’t hear Buck tell us it’s a whole new ballgame.
9:34
Jay Jaffe: Ott hit 323 of his 511 homers at home, but his OPS splits weren’t drastic, .979 vs. .918
9:34
Fire Ken Tremendous: I think Mel Ott was Vin Scully’s favorite player
9:34
Jay Jaffe: that too
9:34
Dan Szymborski: He made the actual wins happen. If he maximized his use of his home park more than other players did, that has value.
9:34
LFC Mike: What is amazing is Soto only had 35 plate appearances in AA before the call up and it was Robles elbow injury that year that forced the Nats to call him up.
9:35
Cole’s Law: He Ott to hit better on the road
9:35
Jay Jaffe: you get one warning and then I’m throwing you outta here for stuff like that
9:35
Jay Jaffe: (I kid, I kid)
9:35
Byron Buxton : What are typical OPS splits?
9:35
Dan Szymborski: 20-30 points of OPS typically
9:35
Mac: Jaffe’s history facts Ott to be good, he knows his stuff.
9:36
Jay Jaffe: I’m going to clear the entire chat queue!
9:36
twb: knives out looks like the whitest cast ever
9:36
Dennis: The fact that the Astros and all their advancements don’t have the train automated and pay someone to drive it is ironic.
9:36
Jay Jaffe: As we learn with every passing year, the Astros have a lot of shortcomings beyond the diamond itself.
9:36
Jordan: Isn’t Soto what Robles was supposed to be?
9:37
Dan Szymborski: Not quite the same package
9:37
stever20: Jay Jaffe is a professional moderator.
9:37
Thom: How much longer could we realistically expect Scherzer to stay in?
9:37
Dan Szymborski: Until Scherzer is ready to be removed without murdering you.
9:37
Jay Jaffe: Well, he just got a reset of the game, but I’d imagine he’s going to try to grind into the 6th
9:37
kevinthecomic: Holy Shit, Christopher Plummer is still alive?!?!?!?!
9:38
Dan Szymborski: Norman Lloyd is still alive
9:38
Dan Szymborski: and Larry Storch!
9:38
Dan Szymborski: June Lockhart
9:38
Dan Szymborski: But I’m not naming everybody who’s alive, that would take way too long because there are a LOT
9:39
Dan Szymborski: Hugh Downs is still around too
9:39
lukewarmtakes: Is anyone here going to take Taco Bell up on the free taco? I have a weird tendency to want things less if they’re giving it away.
9:39
Dennis: seriously Dan why do they bunt now? is playoffs different?
9:39
Dystopian Future: That is now multiple bunt attempts this game, sound the alarm
9:39
Dystopian Future: Please Dan just spend the rest of the chat telling us people who are alive, I’d like to see it
9:39
John Stamos: Regression to small ball and bunting, what is going on?
9:39
Dan Szymborski: We don’t know which magical ball it is!
9:39
Dan Szymborski: Buck was unusually sarcastic there.
9:40
Dan Szymborski: “Thank you for those, now I will get you out.”
9:40
cat’s paw: …A catcher blocking montage? We’re only in the fourth.
9:40
Jay Jaffe: I haven’t eaten Taco Bell in at least 15 years. I’ve got some excellent Mexican bodega tacos nearby and some even better ones in Sunset Park if I’m up for the trek
9:40
Dan Szymborski:
9:40
Dan Szymborski: You can get real tacos like anywhere now.
9:40
Hire Joe Morgan?: In fairness, Suzuki’s been great tonight.
9:41
Dan Szymborski: I’m in frigging suburban southwest ohio and can find really good tacos in multiple places
9:41
kevinthecomic: Julie Newmar. Julie Newmar is still alive!
9:41
Dan Szymborski: Baby Peggy too.
9:41
Ben Kaspick: He has. Lots of balls in the dirt.
9:41
Jay Jaffe: Real tacos anywhere except Bristol, Connecticut, as Christina Kahrl tells me every time we talk
9:42
Dystopian Future: What’s your opinion on the World Series logo this year?
9:42
Jesse: I can get good tacos too, but sometimes I want bad tacos!
9:42
Ben Kaspick: I like the logo. But at first I thought I might hate it.
9:42
Tvetter: Suzuki is a professional catcher
9:42
Eel Ffilc: Tupac is maybe still alive.
9:42
Jay Jaffe: a taco truck on every corner is my vision of paradise. not even close to joking
Dan Szymborski: a cat has joined me. the 2-year-old housepanther, cassiopeia.
9:43
John Stamos: Oh yeah, the umpire drama can now begin
9:43
Ben Kaspick: That sure looked like catcher’s interference.
9:43
Brian CashGod: CONTROVERSY
9:43
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: “By odd coincidence, Shakur not only shares the same first and last name as the rapper, but he also has the same middle initial.”
I promise you, it’s not coincidence…
9:43
Jay Jaffe: underrated Prince song
9:44
Dan Szymborski: “What are the odds that Pat Mahomes would also have a son named Pat Mahomes? They have to be astronomical?”
9:44
zangler: It is not reviewable?
9:44
This is Lude-i-cris: JJ Redick is still alive. Not sure about the ump
9:44
Dan Szymborski: My sister’s married name is Reddick. Neither her and her husband follow basketball. Without realize it, they’ve named their kid J.J. Reddick.
9:45
Ben Kaspick: Don’t think so. I lose track of what is and what isn’t. Can’t say I fully understand why some plays that can look super obvious are not reviewable.
9:46
5 Run Homer: Which is strange, cause I really like J.J. Reddick and am completely opinionless on Josh
9:46
Jay Jaffe: Jacob John Jingleheimer Jaso Szymborski Reddick is the real name
9:46
Dan Szymborski: heh
9:46
JD: Dan is nearly doxxing his nephew
9:46
Dan Szymborski: Is doxing babies a thing?
9:46
Dan Szymborski: Maybe I should delete the specifics.
9:47
Lunar verLander: so each “J” stands for “J.J”. Got it
9:47
Dennis: is there more or less than 1,000 ppl in this chat?
9:47
Dan Szymborski: FEWER
9:47
Adam2: So instead of 1st and 2nd with 1 out it’s 1st with 2 outs on a play it took 5 seconds to see was a blown call. In 2019.
9:47
Brian CashGod: alright Stannis…
9:47
Dan Szymborski: I CHEERED at that moment.
9:47
Mad Joe-Don: Dan, you sweet summer child, every terrible thing is a thing.
9:48
Dan Szymborski:
9:48
Lunar verLander: …you cheered when Stannis burned his daughter?
9:48
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: How is Scherzer at almost 100 pitches in the 4th?
9:49
Dan Szymborski: Not, the grammar part.
9:49
tommytoms: has anyone ever actually swung out of their shoes?
9:49
Dan Szymborski: Before he did, Shoeless Joe Jackson was known as Shoeful Joe.
9:49
Ben Kaspick: I think we’re going to find out the answer to the Corbin/Ross question.
9:49
This is Lude-i-cris: It’s first and second with 2 out. The analytics say this would have been the end result regardless
9:50
Brian CashGod: Gleyber Torres ran out of his shoes during a game in Baltimore last year
9:50
Train Noises: Runner in scoring position. Scherzer has them right where he wants them.
9:50
Dan Szymborski: 0 is an even number
9:50
Jay Jaffe: Woof, over 20 pitches in every inning for Scherzer
9:51
Dan Szymborski: It’s what they shoudl do, get to the bullpen as quickly as you can.
9:51
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Swinging out of your shoes sounds very painful if you ask me
9:51
Dan Szymborski: Swinging hard enough to swing out of your shoes but have your shoes STAY ON is more painful
9:51
Dan Szymborski: Kinda like when wrestlers are slammed through tables and the table DOESNT break
9:51
Wraith: Even with the shakiness of the National’s pen, letting Scherzer pitch past this inning seems like a mistake, right?
9:52
Lunar verLander: Isn’t that contentious in the math community?
9:52
Lunar verLander: (the 0 is an even number thing)
9:52
Dan Szymborski: 0 is a multiple of 2
9:52
Vincent: How many innings from Doolittle tonight?
9:52
Dan Szymborski: 1
9:52
Shoeful Joe: Reminder: I’ve now been banned for an entire century
9:52
Jay Jaffe: Congrats, Joe
9:53
5 Run Homer: Y’know, we always say Justin Turner looks like Tormund but Scherzer’s intensity really reminds me of him
9:54
tommytoms: jay have you applied for the open mets manager position?
9:54
Jay Jaffe: I am rumored to be the mystery candidate, according to sources
9:54
Dan Szymborski:
9:54
sucramrenrut: Does Scherzer start the 5th?
9:54
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: “Scherzer is going to his computer.”
That’s not fai
9:54
Dan Szymborski: 5 months until I can use my Jansen-Turner Overdrive GIF
9:55
Ben Kaspick: I’d stick with Max for the 5th. Even though he’s laboring tonight, I’d still take him for an inning over almost anyone else.
9:55
Fire Ken Tremendous: Do you think there was ever a serious attempt to get the home run called a “quadruple?”
9:55
Dan Szymborski: No, but I’m game.
9:55
Hire Joe Morgan?: JAFFE/SPAN 2020 bumper stickers, coming soon.
Max Scherzer pitch count by innings: 26, 22, 21, 27 for a total of 96. It’s amazing this game is 2-2.
23 Oct 2019
9:55
Dan Szymborski: There hasn’t been a First Toddler since Grover Cleveland, I believe.
9:56
Cole’s Law: Dan – all presidential canadites are in their 70’s…a first toddler would be gross at this point
9:56
Dan Szymborski: But Jay has a toddler!
9:56
Jay Jaffe: i’m not 70!
9:57
Jay Jaffe: i think this would be a good opportunity to use Corbin for a couple of innings, 1 PA apiece against Brantley and Alvarez, both lefties, and perhaps bumping Reddick out of the game.
9:57
Dan Szymborski: Glad my sister had a baby, my mom was finally catching on that being in our 40s and childless, my girlfriend and I didn’t really intend to have a baby.
9:57
Dan Szymborski: Not touching that one Cole!
9:57
Hire Joe Morgan?: I apologize for raising politics in the context of this chat. If anyone was offended by my actions, I apologize for the hurt I have caused. Also, I meant Jaffe/Span 2020 for manager, not president!
9:58
Dan Szymborski: Jay already has a presidential mustache.
9:58
Jay Jaffe: i don’t think i want the Mets job. The commute to Citi is a pain in the ass. G train to the 7? Yeesh
9:58
5 Run Homer: Suzuki’s beard is really unnecessary
9:58
Dan Szymborski: The beard makes him look a bit like Lance Ito
9:58
Jay Jaffe: also, the number of anti-Wilpon things I’ve said probably rules me out
9:59
tommytoms: what is the most presidential facial hair?
9:59
Dan Szymborski: are you daft? taft.
9:59
5-Run Quadruple: Who replaces Reddick if he’s taken out? Marisnick?
9:59
Jay Jaffe: yes, most likely
9:59
someone: Does it count as playing small ball if you’re comically bad at it?
9:59
Dan Szymborski: The Marlins still count as playing baseball.
10:00
Fire Ken Tremendous: Did any of you guys think being a big league hitter was easy until Smoltz just pointed out that it isn’t?
10:00
Hire Joe Morgan?: John Quincy Adams over Taft, Dan.
10:00
Dan Szymborski: good beard, but no nose neighbor.
10:00
Acuña Moncada: I’m a fan of muttonchops
10:00
Dystopian Future: BUNT ATTEMPT COUNTER: 3
10:00
Jay Jaffe: My thinking on the ease of being a big league hitter changed pretty quickly thanks to Smoltz there, ya
10:01
kevinthecomic: gotta be Lincoln, right? — all beard, no stache!
10:01
Dan Szymborski: chinstrap is too bro-y
10:01
Byron Buxton : What is the record for most total bunts in a 9 inning game?
Hire Joe Morgan?: Beards should be judged relativistically. The bro-ness was not of his time.
10:03
Anonymous: G to the 7 is cake, Jaffe. There’s even an express line that’ll save you half the time.
10:04
Jay Jaffe: generally tough to get the express if you’re going at non-peak hours, like for covering a game
10:04
Dan Szymborski: You need a time machine to know for sure. Abraham Lincoln never had to make the choice to NOT wear an Ed Hardy shirt or get a barbed wire tattoo on his biceps.
10:04
Wire Fan: 100 fake internet dollars Smoltz talks about a safety squeeze here.
10:04
Lunar verLander: I agree. Beards get significantly better the closer they get to the speed of light.
10:04
CTBNL: Why does Cole look tired at half Scherzer’s pitch count?
10:04
Dan Szymborski: He’s not a professional pitcher so he’s working for free
10:04
Jay Jaffe: hey, the Astros are losing. Adam Eaton atones for his terrible first-inning buntfucking with an RBI single to RF on a slider.
10:05
Dan Szymborski: I like the term buntfucking
10:05
Dan Szymborski: Cole should’ve transformed, now it’s too late.
10:05
Dan Szymborski:
10:06
Ben Kaspick: And that is why we have screens.
10:06
Dan Szymborski: It doesn’t count as a curse word if you have a non-curse prefix.
10:06
Brian CashGod: is that a Cole-o-Lantern?
10:06
Dan Szymborski: Jack Cole Lantern
10:07
kevinthecomic: so how does this multi-chatter thing work? — can all three of you see the questions submitted or just Dan cuz he logged in first?
10:07
Dan Szymborski: Everyone can see and promote a question.
10:07
Maggie25: That’s why only 1/3 of the questions are about sandwich definitions
10:07
tommytoms: who can turn on the emojis?
10:08
Dan Szymborski: You have to turn them on when you make the chat.
10:08
Dan Szymborski: 🤮
10:08
Dan Szymborski: I can still use them though!
10:09
Dan Szymborski: 💩
10:09
Fire Ken Tremendous: Wait how often does Soto do that batters box Zamboni routine after a pitch?
10:09
5 Run Homer: That wall really snuck up on Brantley
10:09
Bill in Seattle: Am I the only one who never heard of Baby Shark before this post season?
10:09
Jay Jaffe: whoa, Cole getting hit, as Soto drives in 2 on a double off the left field wall
10:09
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Wow, is there a chance that Cole leaves the game before Scherzer!
10:09
Jay Jaffe: This just in: Juan Soto is Good at Baseball
10:09
Dan Szymborski: I heard of it late, but still during the season
10:09
Wire Fan: That was pretty poorly played by Brantley
10:10
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Jay, would you play Yordan Álvarez over Reddick when the series moves to DC?
10:10
CTBNL: Soto does that all the time, it’s called the Soto Shuffle.
10:10
Jay Jaffe: I would give it a shot, though you have to move Brantley to RF, where he’s got all of 66 innings experience. Alvarez has none there.
10:10
Dan Szymborski: After the bounce, Brantley just stood there to curse the wall
10:10
Rick: Recent performance aside, do you like Alvarez’s or Soto’s bat, long term?
10:10
Jay Jaffe: yeah that was strange
10:10
Dan Szymborski: Soto’s more well-rounded.
10:11
Jay Jaffe: Soto, on an age-to-level basis too
10:11
Dan Szymborski: Doesn’t mean Yordan ain’t fun of course
10:11
Adam2: Is “well-rounded” the analytics version of “professional”?
10:11
Jay Jaffe: oh, of course
10:11
Ben Kaspick: Last time Cole allowed 5+ earned runs was in May.
10:11
Dan Szymborski: OK, broad skillset and more time to develop
10:12
Jordan: Generally in chats which fan base is most annoying? Lopsided trade proposals, stuff like that.
10:12
Dan Szymborski: Whoever sends me Nick Markakis questions constantly.
10:12
5 Run Homer: oh my lord Carlos Correa
10:12
Jay Jaffe: The last time Gerrit Cole allowed 5 runs was on May 22 against the White Sox, also the last time he took the L
10:12
Maggie25: What is the analytics version of scrappy?
10:12
Dan Szymborski: Rays utility man
10:12
Hire Joe Morgan?: Maybe Nick Markakis can be the Mets’ new manager, since Jay doesn’t want the job.
10:13
Hire Joe Morgan?: Jay, over/under on 7 Hall of Famers in tonight’s game?
10:13
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: The Mets would play Markakis in center
10:13
Kiermaier’s Piercing Green Eyes: After 2:04, we are now halfway through the game. It’s 10:12 PM on the east coast on a Tuesday night.
10:13
Dan Szymborski: Hey, we’re working!
10:14
Jay Jaffe: I’ll take the under. Scherzer is mostly a sure thing. Altuve better than 50%. Soto off to a great start, Correa if he stays healthy, Bregman making some fast inroads… Cole if he keeps it up… but that’s A LOT that has to go perfectly
10:15
Dan Szymborski: And since I’m working, no video game multitasking! So no Trails of Cold Steel III or WWE2K20 which came out today.
10:15
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Strasburg and Rendon aren’t potential Hall of Famers?
10:15
Hire Joe Morgan?: Soto is being born tonight.
10:15
Ben Kaspick: I can’t get his ALDS Game 5 home run out of my head.
10:15
Ben Kaspick: What was it, 450 feet?
10:15
Trent: Is there any concern about how Alvarez will age? I can’t recall a player so young being relegated solely to DH this early in his career. Even Edgar Martinez, for instance, played the field for a few years.
10:15
Dan Szymborski: Ortiz.
10:15
Ben Kaspick: *NLDS
10:16
Dan Szymborski: Alvarez *could* play the field some, but Astros are deep OF wise
10:16
sphenreckson: Rendon is a hall of famer. I think.
10:16
Dan Szymborski: I don’t think Rendon gets near the counting numbers
10:17
Dan Szymborski: almost NOBODY is voting on peak these days. See Johan Santana
10:17
Jay Jaffe: yeah i don’t see Rendon making it
10:17
Dan Szymborski: I think this is the series that the Nats being cute using starters as relievers backfires.
10:18
Lunar verLander: iunno, Dan, it’s not like the Astros bats have done…anything…this postseason
10:18
Jay Jaffe: he’s through his 20s with 27.3 bWAR and just three seasons up to par for a peak score (~6 WAR)
10:19
Dan Szymborski: Lunar, if you assume the Astros bats are predictively sucky this postseason, that’s *less* of a reason to use a starter in relief too
10:20
Dan Szymborski: There aren’t enough rest days to do a Scherzer/Strasburg/Sanchez short-rest rotation
10:21
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Rendon does seem like someone who might not make 2,000 hits, though
10:21
Dan Szymborski: and under 400 HRs
10:21
Jay Jaffe: yup yup
10:21
Dan Szymborski: Remember, *Rolen’s* not getting in BBWAA and I don’t see Rendon getting to 70 WAR
10:22
cat’s paw: At 112 pitches, given the way the Nats operate, could Scherzer come back out?
10:22
Ben Kaspick: Maybe for one batter (Correa), then Corbin for Alvarez?
10:23
Jay Jaffe: That’s what I’m thinking too
10:23
Dan Szymborski: As I said before, I’m kinda glad I didn’t have a ballot last year because a Yankees fan might have knifed me.
10:23
Dan Szymborski: Becuase I *fully* intend to game my ballot if there are more than 10 players I want to vote for.
10:24
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: How much higher are your chances of making the HOF if you get drafted out of high school instead of college? That’s a few extra years of playing time.
10:24
PresidentsRace: Dan, how are you feeling about Soto undershooting his zips projection with a 949 ops. I think zips was shooting for a wicked. 985.
10:24
Jay Jaffe: I haven’t studied it systematically (it’s a good idea!) but early starts are important, so edge to the high schooler for sure
10:25
Dan Szymborski: Better, but ZiPS was still high. OPS+ projection of 149 vs. 138
10:25
Dan Szymborski: Not enough that it was embarrassing thankfully, but it was a bit high
10:26
Dan Szymborski: Now, if Bieber had imploded and had an ERA of 6, I might have had to hide ZiPS for a year out of shame.
10:26
sucramrenrut: Top World Series of the decade article reminded me Al Leiter came back out to throw 149 or so pitches. LOL METS.
10:26
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Is there any merit to choosing HOFers by Wins Above Average instead of WAR? Seems like it would balance peak/longevity well, and
10:26
Dan Szymborski: There is
10:26
Maggie25: One thing that is too bad about Houston moving to the AL is that we can never have an orange juice series between Houston and Tampa Bay
10:26
Dan Szymborski: I still am getting used to Brewers not being in the AL East.
10:27
Wire Fan: For your ZIPS IP projection for pitchers, is there a generic catastrophic injury risk (TJS, shoulder) that you just amortize out over a bunch of years?
10:27
Jay Jaffe: I’m sorry, I refuse to believe Asdrubal Cabrera is on the Nationals again. It’s not 2014, last I checked
10:27
Dan Szymborski: Yes. Predicting a specific guy to get TJ in a decade is a game which you will lose!
10:27
This is Lude-i-cris: The Orange Juice series happened in 2019
10:28
Nolan: Does Bregman or Rendon have the better HOF probability?
10:28
Dan Szymborski: I used to make Hasdrubal Barca military history jokes involving Asdrubal, but nobody got them so I gave up.
Cole’s Law: I’m a full fledge AL guy….and I find it crazy that Asdrúbal, Kendrick and Annibal Sanchez are key pieces to this nationals team.
10:28
Lord Above: Hamilcar Barca was the best Barace
10:28
Lord Above: *Barca
10:28
Jay Jaffe: Bregman. Has gotten more done at an earlier age. 20.8 bWAR through age 25 including 6.9 and 8.4 WAR seasons
10:29
Fire Ken Tremendous: Altuve and Correa are so smooth on those double plays
10:29
Dan Szymborski: Hasdrubal/Asdrubal is a pure Punic name that was latinized.
10:29
Ben Kaspick: That throw by Correa in Game 6 made my jaw drop.
10:30
Jay Jaffe: Corbin entering
10:30
Jay Jaffe: Max out
10:30
Dan Szymborski: I wanted Corbin to sign with the Rangers so I could make Corbin Dallas multipass jokes for 6 years.
10:30
CTBNL: Jay, this chat is about dog names, why are you giving is game news?
10:30
LFC Mike: Need more peanuts or Coke Dan? You need to stay alert
10:31
Dan Szymborski: i’m eating some madelines and have a glass of milk now
10:31
verbutten: Asdrubal and Anibal, reunited and playing baseball
10:32
Nick: Bregman I think is a good indication of why getting drafted out of college doesn’t hurt all that much; he spent minimal time the minors and hit the majors by 22.
10:33
This is Lude-i-cris: I’ve been looking for a replay of the Correa Altuve double play from game six. That was amazing!
10:33
Jay Jaffe: Yes, well, when you’re the #2 overall pick you generally are on the fast track. That said, Rendon was the #6 pick and debuted just before turning 23 but also missed a lot of time due to injuries in his first 3 seasons.
10:33
Ben Kaspick: 94.5 mph throw by Correa there
10:34
This is Lude-i-cris: My three-year-old has given up on Jay posting more Gerald and piggy Memes and has decided to go to sleep
10:34
Jay Jaffe: Sorry, i had been saving that one for the right moment
10:34
Ben Kaspick: Fastest on a 6-3 putout since 2015!
10:34
Jay Jaffe: I will replenish my stock for the next time I chat
10:34
Dan Szymborski: See? Hitters are cold until they are not.
10:35
Dan Szymborski: You believe in a guy, you play the guy.
Cole’s Law: HOF high school vs. College. No player is making their decision based on the unlikely chance they could become a HOFer…it’s about maximizing dollars.
10:36
Jay Jaffe: nobody’s suggesting the player should make a decision based on that. You won’t get many players to admit they think about the Hall of Fame at all, let alone at 18 or 21
Anonymous: is the gun hot tonight or do these guys really sit this fast?
10:36
Dan Szymborski: Trying to get the damn thing to appear in chat without having to click!
10:36
Ben Kaspick: guys throw harder in the postseason
10:37
Sean: That Correa throw. Holy moly.
10:37
Dystopian Future: I think the answer is that there’s a lot of folks watching a player for the first time for whom the PAs they have eyes on him mean more than the stats for the season. So naturally they base their takes on what they see in front of them.
10:37
Jay Jaffe: This is postseason baseball in a nutshell
10:38
Ben Kaspick: Correa even throws harder in the postseason, apparently
10:39
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: THEY MENTIONED SÁNCHEZ’S NO HITTER THERE GOES TONIGHT’S NO HIT BID
10:40
Dan Szymborski: Just seems kind of a waste to use one of your starters to get Martin Maldonado out on 8 pitches with a three-run lead in the 6th.
10:40
Dan Szymborski: And I’d still rather have Corbin pitching 2 starts in the Series than Sanchez.
10:40
Carl S: With only one IP, why couldn’t Corbin go in Game 3. Isn’t this like a throw day?
10:41
Dan Szymborski: This isn’t QUITE a throw day. Different stakes; there’s a reason that they don’t do this alls eason
10:42
Jay Jaffe: it’s a high-stress inning. There’s really not much downside to putting him off to Game 4 instead of 3
10:42
Dan Szymborski: Eh, the LI was right around 1
10:43
Jay Jaffe: I didn’t say it was high leverage. Starts off facing two excellent hitters, get a man on base, deep counts. Didn’t make it look easy.
10:43
Sam: This whole only use 6 or 7 different pitchers thing all postseason is wild, I’m honestly surprised it’s held up as well as it has
10:44
Nats bandwagon: You have the 5-2 lead, you play to win this game.
10:44
Dan Szymborski: Disagree with you guys here, but that’s cool
10:45
Dan Szymborski: it’s game one of a possible seven.
10:45
Dan Szymborski: We
10:45
Dan Szymborski: we’re talking elimination or a 2-2 series, I think the calculus is different
10:45
Dan Szymborski: But we’re arguign over small percentages one way or the other!
10:45
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: “Siri, who’s leading baseball in quadrangles this postseason?”
10:47
Lord Above: It’s interesting the different blends of white people you get at baseball games
10:47
Dennis: wow ryan pressley there best reliever (lowest xFIP) is up in the pen now.
10:47
Lord Above: pirates games for example you see a nice crowd of slavs
10:47
Dan Szymborski: POLISH POWER~!
10:47
Lord Above: See Houston is going full anglo-saxon
10:47
This is Lude-i-cris: Quadrangles must become a thing
10:48
Dan Szymborski: That’s Ryan “Tom Seaver” Pressly to you.
10:48
stever20: so does it look like the World Series ball is regular season ball or postseason ball?
10:48
Dan Szymborski: Think it’s premature
10:48
Lunar verLander: One good thing about the East Coast: late games = late night dog snuggles. Hard to complain with that.
10:48
This is Lude-i-cris: Are you guys coming out every night? Baseball without chats is not the same
10:48
Dan Szymborski: We’re doing chats for all games!
10:49
Jesse: Only Rob Arthur knows already
10:49
Jay Jaffe: the cast will change
10:49
Dan Szymborski: Yeah, you’d get tired of me after consecutive games. Consecutive innings, I’m barely interesting.
10:49
Dystopian Future: Actually, this set of baseballs came from 1776; they were hidden behind the Constitution
10:49
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Cuadrangular is one of the words for home run in Spanish, though it’s less popular than jonrón
10:49
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: So, when MLB stops juicing the baseball and a bunch of dudes stop hitting 30+ homers, will it mess with the economic side of baseball?
10:50
Dan Szymborski: I don’t honestly think the economics are that intertwined with the exact HR rate, except maybe in extreme situations
10:50
Dan Szymborski: An average fan who is prone to being fickle about their money is likely not sensitive to the difference between 1.15 HR/9 and 1.25 HR/9.
10:50
This is Lude-i-cris: The cast will change? Speak for yourselves we will be here
10:51
Carol B: Is there a short answer for how “leverage” is calculated?
Jay Jaffe: I think will create something of a no-win situation for certain types of players. “We don’t need to pay you for 30 homers when we can find 30 homers from a corner guy anywhere” vs. “You’re not going to hit 30 homers anyway once the ball changes, so why pay you?”
10:51
Dystopian Future: Oh, can I get credit as an extra then?
10:52
Dan Szymborski: WE HAVE NO DEAL WITH SAG
10:52
Cole’s Law: the exertion of force by means of a lever or an object used in the manner of a lever.
10:52
CTBNL: Dan, you lose a lot the fourth time through the order
10:52
Wire Fan: Do you think the 2-3-2 format puts the lower seeded team at a greater disadvantage than a 2-2-1-1-1 format?
10:52
Dan Szymborski: Not significantly
10:53
LFC Mike: Is Fangraphs a cast or Caste system?
10:53
Dan Szymborski: It’s a benevolent quangocracy.
10:54
Brett: if The Nats fo on to win this game, so they become the series favorites?
10:54
Dan Szymborski: With even vaguely even teams, the actual series wins-losses is the most important factor
10:55
stever20: wow Rainey with the nasty first pitch.
10:55
Dystopian Future: It’s time for the Tanner experience
10:55
Jay Jaffe: and that one was less nasty
10:56
5 Run Homer: Springer in the postseason is pretty much automatic at this point
10:57
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Quadrangle!
10:57
John Jaso Jingle Heimer Schmidt: Somewhere there’s a guy named George Faller who rakes in spring
10:58
CTBNL: bad Rainey loads the bases before doing that.
Youngest to hit a World Series home run: Andruw Jones, 19 years, 180 days; Miguel Cabrera, 20 years, 187 days; Mickey Mantle, 20 years, 352 days; Juan Soto, 20 years, 362 days. es.pn/2pLiV8c
23 Oct 2019
11:05
Ben Kaspick: Hudson and Doolittle are going have to get all the outs, aren’t they?
11:07
Ben Kaspick: Which should be do-able—unless one of them struggles. Then what?
11:07
Lunar verLander: logorrhea: a tendency to extreme loquacity …loquacity: the quality of talking a great deal I’m learning way more about fancy words than I thought I was going to tonight.
11:07
Jesse: Then Fernando Rodney
11:08
Jay Jaffe: Then the Nationals get to roll the dice with Fernando Rodney
11:08
Ben Kaspick: That should be fun!
11:08
Jay Jaffe: it could be great, it could be terrifying!
11:09
Dan Szymborski: I still think this is some of my better work.
11:09
Dan Szymborski:
11:09
This is Lude-i-cris: What a play to save a run!
11:09
PleaseThanks: Did Andrelton Simmons and Shawon Dunston have all the highest 6-3 MPH before 2015? Those dudes shoot LASERs.
11:09
Dan Szymborski: Dunston’s arm was crazy
11:09
Guest: Almost made it through chat without a diarrhea reference. Come on guys you can be better
11:09
Dan Szymborski: When you’re drying in a chevy and you’re feeling something heavy…
11:10
Dennis: Daniel Hudson had a 1.44 ERA with the Nats but a 4.68 xFIP thats a big discrepancy
11:10
Dan Szymborski: “drying in a chevy?”
11:10
Jeremy: Heck of a play by Turner to keep it in the infield
11:10
Ben Kaspick: Yep, nice rangy play by Turner to save a run there…for now.
11:10
Dan Szymborski: For example, this would seem like a great spot to have your lefty starter with the mean slider available…
11:10
Jay Jaffe: wow, Hudson
11:10
Dan Szymborski: (though unneeded)
11:11
Dan Szymborski: I thought I did a decent job filling in the star in that image.
11:12
Hey yo: gone insane, got no brain
11:12
Dystopian Future: So, would you consider that outing a success for Tanner Rainey?
11:12
Dan Szymborski: A successful outing for Tanner Rainey is you dont lose the game.
11:12
Dan Szymborski: A successful outing for Hunter Strickland is that everybody goes home alive.
11:12
John M: I have a feeling we’ll see Voth before the series is out. Not today unless we go to extras, though.
11:13
Ben Kaspick: Voth was left off the roster if I’m not mistaken.
11:13
stever20: Voth is off the roster.
11:13
Ben Kaspick: Joe Ross taking that role
11:13
Dan Szymborski: My neural network nicknames list has the actual rosters.
11:13
Dan Szymborski:
11:14
Wire Fan: Rainey saved 1 out for the Hudson/Doolittle combo without losing the game. That is almost a smashing success.
11:15
Lunar verLander: sure, but now it’s an even run lead.
11:16
Dan Szymborski: Honestly, the results were worse, but I think Cole PITCHED better today than in his seven shutout inning Game 3.
11:16
Dennis: Is it me, or does the Astros catcher look into the dugout for every pitch?
11:16
Dan Szymborski: It’s Maldonado’s job to watch and make sure nobody releases another awkward press release.
11:17
Joe: He looks into my soul
11:17
Dystopian Future: I’ll say it again, Will Harris needs to shave that off. It looks drawn on.
11:17
LFC Mike: I though a Kershaw/The Scream mashup would’ have been more your style Dan.. but I can see Kershaw Unplugged
11:17
Dan Szymborski: Mike, I already have one of those.
11:17
Dan Szymborski:
11:18
Jeremy: I want that neural network to make all major life choices for me.
11:18
Hey yo: That’s some professional hitting right there
11:18
Dystopian Future: You know, catchers sometimes change the sign based on what they’re seeing from the batter, yeah? I wonder if instead of putting down fingers, there was a more entertaining way to do it? Like, what if instead of putting down one finger, the catcher shouted something like, “OMAHA”
11:18
Dan Szymborski: They just shout out the pitches in Dothraki
11:19
John: One benefit of john smoltz being a tire fire is that it is hard to hate on joe buck
11:19
Dan Szymborski: Buck is like Olive Garden. It’s food and you probably won’t die.
11:19
Adam2: Disagree, John
11:19
Primetime Factorization: Does the dude who thinks 0 isn’t an even number also think 2 isn’t prime? His favorite kind of pi has finite digits and too much crust.
11:19
Joe: I don’t mind Buck
11:20
Running Down a Ring: How many players have hit for the cycle in the WS?
11:20
Sean: I think Buck is actually pretty good in big moments. See: Altuve walk-off.
11:21
Jay Jaffe: none. Brock Holt was the first to do it in a postseason game, that 16-1 blowout versus Yankees last year (I covered it, I know)
11:21
Dan Szymborski: Brock Holt has the only postseason cycle, I bleieve
11:21
Acuña Moncada: None. last year was the first playoff cycle
11:21
Fire Ken Tremendous: That’s how they’d khal the game, eh?
11:21
5 Run Homer: Literally Brock Holt
11:21
Ben Kaspick: I think that’s a fair assessment of Buck. Will add that I thought Joe Davis did a really nice job with Smoltz in that one ALCS game.
11:22
Dan Szymborski: There have only been 3 postseason games in which even the hardest 3/4 were done: Andre Ethier, Kaz Matsui, Lou Brock (2B/3B/HR)
11:22
Jay Jaffe: joe Davis is excellent. My dislike of Buck has waned somewhat over the years as I realized it was often his partners in the booth that were causing me to grind my molars to dust
11:22
Jay Jaffe: and Buck’s cameos on Brockmire have been very funny
11:23
John: The buck hate is misplaced, he is a total pro and though he lacks personality he is enthusiastic in the right moments
11:23
Wire Fan: Does completing the cycle when a position player is pitching really count though?
11:23
Dystopian Future: Wait what why is Aledmys Diaz playing?
11:23
Dan Szymborski: Still counts!
11:23
Ben Kaspick: He pinch hit for Reddick against Corbin
11:23
Fire Ken Tremendous: You can’t replace Vin Scully but I’ve been nothing but happy with Joe Davis in the booth for Dodger games
11:24
Dan Szymborski: I keep telling you guys, we just need a van and a giant net and we can get Vin to do a World Series game.
11:24
Bronson Arroyo’s Giant Legs: *You’re* a towel…
11:25
Dystopian Future: Joe Buck is all about his analysts. He lets them do the analysis, mostly because he has to do two different sports; especially in October where he’s working baseball and football the entire month. If his analyst can’t do a lot of the talking, he looks terrible, like tonight. If his analyst can, he looks pretty good.
11:25
Acuña Moncada: I still want more Jason Benetti led stat cast broadcasts
11:25
Joe: Andruw a HOF snub?
11:25
Jay Jaffe: he’s 11th in JAWS, a few points shy of the standard but with an above-standard peak score. Not getting to 2,000 hits or being worth much by his mid-30s probably mean he won’t get elected by the writers https://blogs.fangraphs.com/jaws-and-the-2019-hall-of-fame-ballot-andr…
11:26
LFC Mike: Kidnapping a senior citizen Dan? Make it Joe West and I am in.
11:26
Dan Szymborski: This isn’t a kidnap and murder situation. Calling a game to go free is the easiest ransom ever.
11:27
Adam2: It’s kind of nuts that FOX doesn’t assign a play by play person whose sole job during the World
11:27
Adam2: Series and playoffs is baseball.
11:27
Dennis: I wonder if carlos correa could have been called for obstruction for holding the fake tag on soto
11:27
Ben Kaspick: I believe obstruction only has an effect if the runner actually tries to advance.
11:27
LFC Mike: So we kidnap Joe West so he cannot call a game.
11:28
Dan Szymborski: That woudl be a Ransom of Red Chief situation.
11:28
Alan Porter: I like big zones and I cannot lie
11:28
Dystopian Future: We kidnap Joe West to encourage him to continue his music career.
11:28
Dennis: okay cool ben, thanks i learned something knew
11:28
Lunar verLander: Speaking of only needing finite digits of pi; you only need 39 digits of pi to calculate the circumference of the observable universe to within a hydrogen atom
Ben Kaspick: Yeah so when obstruction happens, if the runner tries to advance and is thrown out, the umpires can actually call him safe, saying he would have scored had the obstruction not occurred (see: Red Sox/Cardinals 2013 World Series Game 3)
11:29
This is Lude-i-cris: Robles making things look hard again
11:29
Jay Jaffe: Robles wut
11:29
Joe: Robles has played center field before, yes?
11:30
Dan Szymborski: Can Robles not see more than 20 feet?
11:30
Fire Ken Tremendous: Robles has played baseball before, yes?
11:30
Dan Szymborski: It’s not like he was trying to catch Judge. HE WAS TAGGING UP
11:30
Wire Fan: Anyone know what the route efficiency was on that flyball?
11:30
Dan Szymborski: – dickety four
11:30
This is Lude-i-cris: That was a great throw to the wrong base
11:31
Dan Szymborski: It’s like when you just bought a baseball video game and you got the controls wrong on the first play
11:31
Ben Kaspick: Someone asked a question earlier about nerves. Robles looks like he could be a little jittery.
11:31
Ben Kaspick: I would be! It’s the World Series and he’s 22.
11:32
Fire Ken Tremendous: QUADRUPLE!
11:33
Dan Szymborski: DOOPLE
11:33
Ben Kaspick: Man, Springer could have been on third if he ran hard.
11:33
Jay Jaffe: so the Astros are planning to come back and win this one, I see
11:33
Lightning Rodney: BRING IN FERNANDO
11:33
Dan Szymborski: Doolittle? They need to start warming up Doomuch.
11:33
Bi-Polar Bear: This game is getting set up for Osuna’s karmic implosion.
11:34
Dennis: no dan for a pitcher do little is good
11:34
Ace: The Nats bullpen is like a Greek tragedy – you know its gonna end in tears, you’re only trying to figure out which character will provide the arc.
11:34
LFC Mike: That’s a 5 minute major for excessive punning Dan.
11:34
This is Lude-i-cris: Unprofessional swing for a professional hitter
11:34
Dan Szymborski: MY GOD THEY STOPPED PAYING HIM
11:34
Jay Jaffe: “…which character will provide the arc.”
Might be the guy firing the imaginary arrows, but we’ll see…
11:35
Dan Szymborski: All baseball should be produced with a juicyness rating printed on it, like the expiration date on orange juice
11:35
Dan Szymborski: “Tagging is Springer staying put”
11:35
Acuña Moncada: “Do you prefer your baseballs with pulp or no pulp?”
11:36
PleaseThanks: Bless the person who invented betting the first 5 innings on MLB. This endgame stuff is exhausting emotionally.
11:36
Adam2: “Miracle Off Dan Hudson”—headline
11:36
Lightning Rodney: Sometimes I like to think that Doolittle’s dad is a doctor that can talk to animals
11:36
Dystopian Future: I do enjoy making fun of announcers but that sentence does make sense, he did go back to tag up and then stayed put, right? Or did they mean tagging like going to the next base tagging.
11:37
BK: How come no one is saying SHIT about Springer not hustling out of the box? He should’ve been on third and probably scores on that fly ball
11:37
Dan Szymborski: It’s late and I’m full of sugar and cough medicine
11:37
LFC Mike: That was much A Doolittle About Nothing.
11:39
Dan Szymborski: THey shoudl call the Nats bullpen Doolittle’s Razers, amirite?
11:39
Barves: Y’all know that if that was Ronald Acuna not running out of the box, it would be the only thing we’d hear about for the rest of the world series.
Dystopian Future: How did we as a baseball society go from Braves to Barves with no problem, but then never take the inevitable next step from Barves to Barfs
11:41
Dan Szymborski: It’s not as direct an insult on spelling
11:41
Lightning Rodney: WE WANT FERNANDO
11:41
Wire Fan: There’s still a pretty good chance Doolittle finishes this game and gets less than 4 outs.
11:42
Dan Szymborski:
11:42
Dystopian Future: Fernando Rodney is the favorite pitcher of everyone except the fans of the team he’s currently pitching on, and the team he’s currently facing.
11:42
Dan Szymborski: He’s the last player older than me, so I hope he stays in MLB for ten more years.
11:42
Ben Kaspick: Sounds accurate.
11:43
Dan Szymborski: Ichiro retired and Joaquin Benoit might as well be.
11:43
Dan Szymborski: See, I have media for every possible situation.
11:43
Dan Szymborski:
11:44
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: Hunter Strickland, by contrast, is simply the least favorite pitcher of both the team he’s on and the team he’s facing
11:44
Not Evan: Assume the Nationals would somehow be granted two wins if Trevor Rosenthal successfully pitched the ninth. Would they put him in? Three wins?
11:44
Bookworm: Any neutral has to embrace the chaos: Fernando.
11:45
Blue: Fernando is a ladder.
11:45
EarlWeaverJr: Fernando Rodney is the anti-Chuck Norris.
11:45
Dan Szymborski: Below his beard, there’s a…chin.
11:45
Dystopian Future: Joe Smith, sinkerballer, faces Ryan Zimmerman, groundout machine, and produces possibly the likeliest outcome of the entire game.
11:45
This is Lude-i-cris: For them to put him in he would need to be on their team
11:46
LFC Mike: Would Talk to Transformer put Fernando in?
11:46
stever20: that is crazy what Buck just said…. 1st WS team with no lefty pitcher since 1903.
11:47
Dan Szymborski: Talk to Transformer again dodged the question.
11:47
Dan Szymborski:
11:48
Tinker to Taylor to SoldiertoSpy: 1903 weren’t no World Series. That was a World’s Series.
11:48
Robb H: Fangraphs says Nationals about 78% chance of winning from here. Real odds? 50-50?
11:48
EarlWeaverJr: before 1903 they just left the left handed babies outside in the winter
11:48
Lunar verLander: …I want to see an 8-man bullpen close out the 8th
11:48
Dan Szymborski: It does sound like something that would happen ot the Nats.
11:50
Ben Kaspick: Yeah 80/20 feels like the wrong odds here.
11:50
Dan Szymborski:
11:50
…: How many games are you chatting Dan?
11:50
Dan Szymborski: Game 1 and Game 7
11:50
Dan Szymborski: maybe show up in another if it’s thin!
11:51
LFC Mike: Bottom of the 9th and the Nats have a one run lead. This is what used to be called in Disney World ..an ‘E’ ticket ride.
11:51
Dan Szymborski: Whiffed on the notaslider
11:52
Wire Fan: At least with Doolittle the Nats don’t need to worry much about sign stealing.
11:52
Dystopian Future: Bregman has looked totally lost in the playoffs, they should bench him. He’s a choke artist. Maybe they should take him off the roster. -Sincerely, someone rooting for the Nationals
11:52
EarlWeaverJr: Gurriel was fun in the WBC a million years ago, playing 3B for Cuba.
11:52
Lightning Rodney: setting up for correa to be a hero again
11:53
Dan Szymborski: Doolittle did have an .800 OPS in AAA. I really think he should’ve kept pinch-hitting at least.
11:53
Dan Szymborski: And that is that.
11:53
Jay Jaffe: Doo Done Did Plenty
11:54
PresidentsRace: Uh, Nats breaking serve and winning the first game against Cole is a big deal, right?
11:54
Dan Szymborski: Thanks for joining us everyone! We all had a great time and hope you at least had an adequate one.
11:54
Dan Szymborski: PR: Yes.
11:54
Dan Szymborski: We’re doing chats for all games of the World Series, so y’all come back ’round, you hear?
11:54
Ben Kaspick: Huge win, obviously, for the Nationals. Should be a great series. Thanks for chatting everyone!
11:54
Dan Szymborski: And make sure to check the FanGraphs.com homepage every morning for fresh hot takes!
11:55
Dan Szymborski: Chatting with you guys is a blast, even if you’re not professional hitters.
Meg is the editor-in-chief of FanGraphs and the co-host of Effectively Wild. Prior to joining FanGraphs, her work appeared at Baseball Prospectus, Lookout Landing, and Just A Bit Outside. You can follow her on Bluesky @megrowler.fangraphs.com.
Dan Szymborski: And here we are as the clock strikes 8.
Jay Jaffe: Hey folks, happy World Series Game 1
Still can’t quite figure out what was going on with Robles there, even after the replay
