World Series Game 6 Chat
| 7:50 |
: Hey guys, thanks for chatting with us tonight. Meg and I will be here for all inevitable four hours of baseball. We’re going to let the chat queue fill up with a few questions, but I’ll throw in some links while you wait.
|
| 7:51 |
: First, there’s an artisanally hand-crafted World Series preview that is, in my opinion, excellent: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/postseason-preview-the-2019-world-series/ |
| 7:51 |
: Craig Edwards wrote about how Stephen Strasburg is god*: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/stephen-strasburg-is-a-postseason-god/ |
| 7:51 |
: *not in a religious way or anything
|
| 7:52 |
: And as a quick recap of how we got here, Jay Jaffe on Game 5: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/road-warriors-again-astros-take-third-stra… |
| 7:54 |
: And if you aren’t interested in the World Series, well first of all, weird place to be if that’s the case! But second of all, here’s Dan Szymborski on the Texas Rangers, in case that’s more your speed: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-texas-rangers-were-surprisingly-releva… |
| 7:54 |
: We’ll kick off the chat a little closer to game time, probably around the top of the hour.
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| 8:03 |
: At first I thought you wrote “Dan Szymborski <b>of </b> the Texas Rangers”. Thought we were facing another Friday farewell letter.
|
| 8:03 |
: Just caaaaaasually snuck it in there 🙂
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| 8:03 |
: Nope, to the best of my knowledge Dan remains here.
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| 8:04 |
: He does indeed |
| 8:04 |
: and also, hi all!
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| 8:04 |
: Thanks for hanging out with us. I am, what is the word?, very sleepy? But also excited?
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| 8:05 |
: Why is there any real consideration for ‘Dodgers rumored to be interested in Lindor’ aside from someone on the Indians side pumping up Lindor’s trade value by suggesting a deep pocketed, prospect stocked franchise would waste valuable assets by trading for a marginal upgrade? This just seems phony, and fans who want ‘new blood’ or ‘a change’ from a team that won 100+ games are just being emotional… non-story if you ask, who wouldn’t want the guy? Am i wrong?
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| 8:06 |
: I say this without inside info but, on the one hand it seems deeply silly, but on the other hand, Cleveland seems very unlikely to extend Lindor, and the Dodgers are one of the few teams with a system deep enough to snag him.
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| 8:06 |
: Hi Meg and Ben!
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| 8:06 |
: Hi! |
| 8:06 |
: I am about to go into a catatonic state at the thought that this could be the last baseball game I watch until next spring.
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| 8:06 |
: There’s clearly a joke about this game lasting until spring in here somewhere, but I can’t quite think of the right wording.
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| 8:06 |
: So uh, postseason baseball games are long.
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| 8:07 |
: On a more serious note, will this game be a dud because one of the starters will get shelled in the 1st inning like so many post season games this year?
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| 8:08 |
: I’d be surprised but then again, I didn’t think Patrick Corbin would look so shaky or that Houston would take three on the road so.
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| 8:08 |
: Wait, Meg. Is it Fangraphs or FanGraphs? I can never remember |
| 8:08 |
: FanGraphs, not Fangraphs.
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| 8:08 |
: FangRaphs around Halloween.
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| 8:08 |
: I love spooky Halloween names.
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| 8:09 |
: Here’s our customary poll, which I forgot to put up until now:
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| 8:09 |
:
Who are you rooting for tonight?
Nats (Nats fan) (11.1% | 15 votes)
Nats (unaffiliated) (67.4% | 91 votes)
Astros (Astros fan) (8.8% | 12 votes)
Astros (unaffiliated) (12.5% | 17 votes)
Total Votes: 135
|
| 8:09 |
: Is there any back story as to why the “G” is capitalized? |
| 8:10 |
: I think David just wanted it to be obvious that those were the words.
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| 8:10 |
: I’m sleepy like Meg, because of the game length. Waking at 5 am EST is not a good mixer with post midnight games.
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| 8:10 |
: Getting up at 5 AM PT doesn’t go much better
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| 8:10 |
: If this goes to 7 and it’s Scherzer vs Greinke, would the Nats be the favorites?
|
| 8:10 |
: That looked awfully close live
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| 8:10 |
: Dan’s odds actually have this in them: |
| 8:10 |
: He looked safe live to me
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| 8:11 |
: And they have the Astros ever so slightly favored, basically a coinflip
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| 8:11 |
: I’ll note that when I constructed a top-down model of the series (Dan’s is bottom-up starting with individual player projections) I had the Nats as very slight favorites.
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| 8:11 |
: It’s close, is what I’m saying.
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| 8:12 |
: Lousy umpiring already. Does it ever end? |
| 8:12 |
: For all of us someday
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| 8:12 |
: I wish I loved anything as much as Eaton loves bunting
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| 8:12 |
: Oh boy, gotta love a first inning sacrifice bunt
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| 8:12 |
: This early? Really?
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| 8:12 |
: He was out there.
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| 8:13 |
: Bunting for a hit there? |
| 8:13 |
: Giving an out away?
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| 8:13 |
: Unclear!
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| 8:13 |
: Adam Eaton bunts altogether too much considering that he’s not the best bunter in the world.
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| 8:13 |
: But he’s very willing to try to bunt for a hit, that’s for sure.
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| 8:14 |
: John Smoltz wanted a steal PLUS a bunt, of course.
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| 8:14 |
: Altuve does that occasionally. Sometimes works, too. |
| 8:14 |
: It’s not the worst spot for a bunt, if you think you are safe reasonably often.
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| 8:14 |
: But that bunt wasn’t really good enough.
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| 8:15 |
: Gomes Barksdale and intentionally miscalling a pitch: do framing stats need a respect component?
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| 8:15 |
: I believe you misspelled re2pect
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| 8:15 |
: (trademarked by Jeter)
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| 8:16 |
: Does anyone else mentally pronounce re2pect as “re two pect?”
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| 8:16 |
: I thought I was the only one!
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| 8:17 |
: Mentally and verbally haha
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| 8:17 |
: yes!
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| 8:17 |
: We’re in good company.
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| 8:17 |
: In Play, Run(s)
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| 8:17 |
: “Led team in RBI and runs” is maybe the worst way of showing Rendon’s talent
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| 8:17 |
: Nats showing no re2pect to Verlander thus far
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| 8:17 |
: Yeah does’t do justice to Rendon at all
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| 8:18 |
: I’m a very big fan of “The exit velocity didn’t register much.”
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| 8:18 |
: As if there’s a machine called the exit velocity that just measures the exit velocity.
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| 8:19 |
: well sometimes the radar can’t see it, ya know?
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| 8:20 |
: Remember when Verlander used to be a good post season pitcher….WHen does the narrative change?
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| 8:20 |
: When we all forget the 2017 postseason?
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| 8:20 |
: As much as we all love baseball, do you ever feel a little relief once the pressure filled, small sample size of October is over? It’s nice to have a break
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| 8:20 |
: In case you guys were curious, I did a very lazy calculation, and Eaton would need to bunt for a hit around a quarter of the time there
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| 8:21 |
: for that play to make sense
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| 8:21 |
: (Just using generic win expectancy in each base/out state)
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| 8:21 |
: Could this score mean that a lead change is possible? Odd score and all.
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| 8:21 |
: I uhhh haven’t had a day where I haven’t worked in… some time, so while I will miss it and stress about other stuff, I am very excited to have a little bit of breathing room.
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| 8:21 |
: Is a zero run lead an even lead?
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| 8:22 |
: Coles law, I don’t remember verlander ever being a good postseason pitcher. The narrative is correct
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| 8:22 |
: I’m pretty sure Verlander’s postseason stats are great, without looking.
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| 8:22 |
: Yeah, 3.35 ERA, that seems pretty fine.
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| 8:22 |
: Yeah I think that instinct, especially lately, is a good one
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| 8:22 |
: Yes and no. A zero run lead is not a lead, but zero is an even number.
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| 8:22 |
: zero is indeed an even lead
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| 8:23 |
: Yeah, I’m with Annabelle actually. A negative-2 run lead isn’t an even lead despite -2 being even.
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| 8:24 |
: Lazy calculations > lazy narratives > lazy comps.
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| 8:24 |
: My favorite lazy comp article of all time is the Grant Brisbee draft review one where he compared every draftee to another draftee
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| 8:24 |
: Springer good
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| 8:25 |
: So I think narrative’s are stupid…which is why I joke about them, every chat!!!
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| 8:25 |
: Coles law is my college roommate. That was total irony because I didn’t think I was getting posted. Thanks for making that happen guys
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| 8:25 |
: We’re writers, so we like narratives, though as an editor, I must suggest that lazy narratives are what you want to avoid.
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| 8:25 |
: Here it is:
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| 8:27 |
: So, when I look at Eaton’s fangraphs page, 2019, not batting stats. He looks to have 22 bunt attempts and 9 bunt hits. That’s a .409 average right?
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| 8:28 |
: Yeah so I guess in that sense, you could argue it’s a good bunt! Baseball Savant shows 23 actually.
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| 8:28 |
: And for his career he’s 42 for 99 on bunt attempts
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| 8:28 |
: So I take it back. Good bunter!
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| 8:29 |
: I assume that doesn’t include bunts he is credited with a sacrifice on.
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| 8:29 |
: Nope, counts those. I just checked the flag for any ball scored as a bunt, not at bats.
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| 8:30 |
: Good frame by gomes there
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| 8:30 |
: You mean, good patience by not going around the horn until after hearing it was strike three
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| 8:30 |
: Then his BA should be much higher.
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| 8:30 |
: What % of major leaguers do you think are naturally introverts? It seems like the culture is centered around loud Type A personalities and players such as Greinke are singled out just because they’re not as social.
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| 8:30 |
: Oh yeah, I’m just saying, conversion rate. Batting average isn’t the most useful when failures turn into sacrifices.
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| 8:31 |
: Oh hey
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| 8:31 |
: a homer
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| 8:31 |
: neat
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| 8:31 |
: Alex Bregman is pretty pretty good.
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| 8:31 |
: Uh oh it’s an odd number lead
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| 8:32 |
: Did Bregman carry his bat to first base?
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| 8:32 |
: Yeah I’m curious what he was planning on doing with it.
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| 8:33 |
: He does like his celebrations.
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| 8:34 |
: At what point are you required to drop the bat? Could he take it all the way, that would have to be an out right?
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| 8:34 |
: Soto limping a bit there. Hope he just stepped awkwardly
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| 8:34 |
: for a home run, I’m not sure you actually are
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| 8:34 |
: I really enjoy players celebrating and having fun, but Bregman really gets on my nerves
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| 8:34 |
: I think the bit that makes it less fun is how affected it seems?
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| 8:35 |
: He was told his bit was funny too many times
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| 8:35 |
: the first few times it was great though
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| 8:35 |
: I find him more enjoyable when I’m rooting against him, if that makes any sense.
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| 8:36 |
: He’s a verryyyyy good heel. He knows right where the line is.
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| 8:36 |
: Puig celebrations > Bregman celebrations. Puig looks like he’s just there to have a good time, while Bregman looks like a villain from an 80s movie
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| 8:36 |
: And also picks the right combatants.
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| 8:36 |
: Puig celebrations are certainly the best.
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| 8:36 |
: Bregman is a heel. Entertainment needs heels.
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| 8:37 |
: Agreed! And like I said, picks the right guys to go against. Doesn’t punch down.
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| 8:37 |
: Correa has the best celebrations on the Astros, Altuve still always looks like he’s having the best time.
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| 8:37 |
: I didn’t love the helmet free throw one or whatever.
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| 8:37 |
: But totally agree on Altuve. He just looks like he’s having a blast.
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| 8:38 |
: Ben becoming a grumpy old baseball writer — sad day when you become everything you used to despise — don’t worry though, it happens to everyone 🙂
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| 8:38 |
: 🙂
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| 8:38 |
: Well I thought if he was really doing it to honor James Harden he should have traveled first.
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| 8:38 |
: Arbitrarily taken three shuffle steps back, say.
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| 8:39 |
: I love that Don Kelly is the Astros first base coach.
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| 8:39 |
: Wow whomever designed this stadium is pretty proud of his Left field cutout today isn’t he/she?
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| 8:39 |
: The one Soto caught was almost *in* the little corner there.
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| 8:40 |
: odd run lead held up, so far…
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| 8:40 |
: Only a matter of time though.
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| 8:40 |
: That’s Don Kelly? Hell yeah
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| 8:40 |
: Yes indeed!
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| 8:42 |
: Cole’s Law….what do you think of that Verlander not a good postseason pitcher comment now!!! You look like a fool….
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| 8:43 |
: Is there a narrative that has died more quickly than ‘the Astros must have some special metric that shows Yordan Alvarez is worse now, they wouldn’t drop him in the batting order without reason’?
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| 8:43 |
: Why is don kelly a cult hero?
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| 8:45 |
: If you aren’t paying a ton of attention when the Nats shift against a righty, it looks like the two base umpires are also part of the shift.
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| 8:45 |
: I know he is precious to many Tigers fans including a friend of mine from grad school who, hand to god, wore a t-shirt with don kelly’s face on the breast pocket to his post-wedding hang out with the young people from the wedding at a bar time
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| 8:45 |
: As if there’s just a great wall of humanity out there.
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| 8:45 |
: Is Bregman ok?
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| 8:46 |
: Why do they play under a roof in a city like Houston? Really dont like it .
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| 8:46 |
: My guess, unsubstantiated, is that it’s just too dang hot there for the majority of the baseball season.
|
| 8:46 |
: Too dang hot/humid.
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| 8:46 |
: yes
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| 8:46 |
: it is just that
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| 8:47 |
: sometimes they have it open, but you need the option
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| 8:47 |
: And lots of rain.
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| 8:47 |
: The stadium that doesn’t make the most sense to me is the Twins.
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| 8:47 |
: Isn’t that why the Rangers abandoned a 20 year old stadium?
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| 8:47 |
: Yerp.
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| 8:47 |
: A buddy of mine moved to Houston several years back — I said, boy, it must be great to play golf year round — he said no one plays golf in the summer, it’s too hot to even hang by the pool
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| 8:48 |
: But it really does look fun when the weather’s nice. The problem is, the weather is iffy for a lot of their season.
|
| 8:48 |
: Sorta like how you need to have the roof at Chase
|
| 8:48 |
: Bregman did look like he was crying…
|
| 8:48 |
: Where’s a hot mic when you need it? That was a very weird out-of-context shot
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| 8:49 |
: Bregman realized his life might be peaking right now
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| 8:50 |
: I’ve brought this guy up before, but I went to an ALDS game last year in Yankee Stadium and there was an absolutely incredible heckler.
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| 8:50 |
: He brought out ‘Benintendi, you’ve peaked, and your skillset doesn’t match what arbitration rewards!’
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| 8:50 |
: So good!
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| 8:50 |
: that is SO specific
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| 8:51 |
: He also dropped ‘Hey Benintendi, I had that haircut in third grade!’
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| 8:51 |
: Cutting stuff.
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| 8:51 |
: Did he react?
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| 8:51 |
: He verrrrry slightly turned at the haircut one, but he wasn’t playing that close to the fence and it was loud, so I’m not sure he heard any of it.
|
| 8:51 |
: ‘Hey Benintendi, you’re due for some regression based on your xwoba!’
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| 8:52 |
: Unsure if this is official FanGraphs policy (hi Meg!) but my wife and I are going to share a nice stout.
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| 8:52 |
: Highwater Brewing Campfire Stout, sounds delicious.
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| 8:52 |
: I support your choices
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| 8:53 |
: This is probably the best in-game manager discussion of the WS
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| 8:53 |
: Imagine if Petriello was a heckler…so much power used for evil…
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| 8:53 |
: MIke
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| 8:53 |
: ‘s too nice to heckle
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| 8:53 |
: Thoughts on Benintendi going forward? This year was pretty disappointing to say the least.
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| 8:53 |
: Carson would drink an entire Bota Box so I think you’re fine.
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| 8:54 |
: I miss Carson every day.
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| 8:54 |
: When this is your disappointing season, that’s probably okay.
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| 8:54 |
: Do you guys ever hear from Carson?
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| 8:54 |
: Indeed — doing well, being Carson.
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| 8:54 |
: That said, I’d be a bit worried the plate discipline regressed.
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| 8:55 |
: Any fans of Left Hand Brewing milk stout out there?
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| 8:55 |
: I like it quite a bit.
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| 8:55 |
: took a walk in the garden of Eaton
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| 8:55 |
: i. am. so. tired.
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| 8:56 |
: Benintendi’s at that prime post-prospect hype age, so this could be a breakout year. Or, we can all keep waiting.
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| 8:56 |
: It’s weird, because he kind of broke out, then un-broke out.
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| 8:56 |
: Maybe the heckler was right and he has peaked!
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| 8:56 |
: I think we should nickname Rendon The Quiet Conquistador. Can we make that happen?
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| 8:56 |
: Nah, Tony Two Bags is too good to be replaced.
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| 8:57 |
: It’s got such nice pop
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| 8:57 |
: I thought Two Bags was taken by Mitch Moreland
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| 8:58 |
: Better player should win imo
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| 8:58 |
: Rendon has never actually been nicknamed Tony
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| 8:58 |
: He’s an ‘Ant,’ right?
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| 8:58 |
: He is an Ant
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| 8:58 |
: Yeah, thought so.
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| 8:59 |
: If two people have the same name, and it’s players weekend, and both of them go with the nickname “Highlander”, what do you think happens?
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| 8:59 |
: Austins Adam might be forced to test this out
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| 8:59 |
: You know, for science.
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| 9:00 |
: Eaton blows giant bubbles and has a very full beard and that would terrify me
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| 9:01 |
: Highlander and Higherlander based on WPA+
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| 9:01 |
: very, very good
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| 9:01 |
: I get a tiny little thrill every time I think Rendon is about to show emotion.
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| 9:01 |
: Robo-ump in the World Series: before or after 2030?
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| 9:01 |
: Before, imo
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| 9:01 |
: You’re saying if you were him, you wouldn’t be Eaton gum, Meg?
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| 9:01 |
: What I’ve learned, this postseason, is that I’m almost always wrong.
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| 9:01 |
: ALSO VERY GOOD
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| 9:01 |
: I think Forrest Whitley should be have High-lander as his nickname.
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| 9:01 |
: Do the playoffs have an impact on rendon’s free agency
|
| 9:01 |
: Nah I don’t think so.
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| 9:01 |
: Nah, I don’t think so,.
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| 9:02 |
: heh
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| 9:02 |
: I get a tiny thrill every time he doesn’t show emotion when a normal person would.
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| 9:02 |
: You think he’s friends with Kawhi?
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| 9:02 |
: I sure hope so.
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| 9:03 |
: What a take!
|
| 9:03 |
: I love that this is the one good way to mean that
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| 9:04 |
: Rendon = Kawhi. Now that’s a NON-lazy comp!
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| 9:04 |
: I think it might be too much of a stretch, but they give me the same kind of vibe.
|
| 9:04 |
: cross-sport comps are always better imo
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| 9:04 |
: Is soto’s little dance offensive to pitchers?
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| 9:05 |
: So there was a whole thing during the Cardinals series where Mikolas shuffled back.
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| 9:05 |
: But when they interviewed Mikolas he said he loved the shuffle!
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| 9:05 |
: And was just goofing around back.
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| 9:05 |
: So it’s all very unclear.
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| 9:05 |
: Does Soto have a nickname? I submit Baby Bull
|
| 9:05 |
: excuse you
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| 9:05 |
: Oh boy, he already has the best nickname.
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| 9:06 |
: Childish Bambino
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| 9:06 |
: Did Mikolas shuffle on balls? Pitchers should shuffle at him on strikes.
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| 9:06 |
: Mikolas struck him out and then shuffled.
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| 9:06 |
: Which I support.
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| 9:06 |
: (that nickname is courtesy of one Craig Goldstein)
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| 9:06 |
: Ooh… that felt like the Nats best chance (Soto against Verlander, high stress inning…)
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| 9:06 |
: I mean… it’s an odd lead.
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| 9:06 |
: Now if the Astros can somehow get to either 2 or 4
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| 9:07 |
: Yikes
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| 9:07 |
: Houston WE currently at 67%
|
| 9:08 |
: and WE for this game?
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| 9:08 |
: That is for this game
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| 9:09 |
: Wait, one of those hands had Ace-King of clubs, then someone drops an ace of clubs on his pocket rockets…what gives?!?
|
| 9:09 |
: Yeah, not a strong showing by the poker fact checker there.
|
| 9:10 |
: Is Reddick still the most un-clutch player on the Astros?
|
| 9:11 |
: If you’re going by our clutch stat, which keep in mind concerns how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment” and also compares a player against himself (so a player who hits .300 in high leverage situations when he’s an overall .300 hitter is not considered clutch.), it’s actually Bregman
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| 9:12 |
: A lot of Reddick’s unclutchness always came from the fact that he had the platoon advantage far less often in high-leverage scenarios, as I recall.
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| 9:12 |
: Reddick does fine by that measure
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| 9:12 |
: Ben – The article you linked to is very hilariously wrong. He gave out three F’s and two were Gavin Lux and Wll
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| 9:12 |
: I mean…. if you’re reading that article for accuracy, you’ve made a wrong turn somewhere.
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| 9:12 |
: This is Mickey Moniak’s grade:
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| 9:12 |
: Draft grade: A dinner bell that rings, a meal under a silver cloche, a beguiling aroma you can’t place.
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| 9:13 |
: I was intentionally reading it for inaccuracy
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| 9:13 |
: Draft Grade for Juan Pursuit: A joke Ben didn’t get, a reference so subtle it was indeed perhaps too subtle.
|
| 9:14 |
: Springer is from my home town. My only rooting interest in the series but it is still baseball, yea!
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| 9:14 |
: Hey, count it.
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| 9:14 |
: Springer’s been cold tonight…about time for a homerun
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| 9:14 |
: Didn’t he, uh, smack a double off the wall?
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| 9:14 |
: Like, two innings ago?
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| 9:15 |
: When I watch Rendon fielding I think he’s slow
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| 9:15 |
: But he’s just so smooth
|
| 9:15 |
: It’s weird when umpires announce balls in plain English (“ball, outside”) but make some weird made-up grunt (“heur-ehr-eet!”) to announce strikes. I do not understand this convention.
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| 9:16 |
: So Soto is a childish child? Is there a story I’m missing behind that?
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| 9:17 |
: Craig felt that some of Childish Gambino’s lyrics spoke to Soto’s game and the experience of watching him
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| 9:17 |
: He is a young babe Ruth
|
| 9:17 |
: also that
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| 9:17 |
: it feels like the astros score in the first alot. do they score more in the first inning then in other innings?
|
| 9:17 |
: a moment
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| 9:18 |
: Time to pop some corn, pour lots of melted butter on it, open a cold one and enjoy the rest of the season.
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| 9:18 |
: Do you have a popcorn popper rather than microwave?
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| 9:18 |
: No, they scored the most runs (127) in the fifth
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| 9:19 |
: I feel like that’s the way to go, but I’m not much of a popcorn person.
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| 9:19 |
: I still do it in a 3 quart pot on the stove with oil.
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| 9:19 |
: Oh fancy.
|
| 9:20 |
: According to the poll, there are 23 people who are a fan of one of these teams. To these 23 I ask, how y’all holding up?
|
| 9:20 |
: Not well
|
| 9:20 |
: after all the jewelry commercials, what’s the cultural convention for months of salary you’re supposed to spend on an engagement ring?
|
| 9:20 |
: I have heard a lot of things but I feel like having a convention is just silly?
|
| 9:21 |
: Like what a weird scale.
|
| 9:21 |
: it’s a hilariously high $$
|
| 9:21 |
: Talk to your significant other, decide what you guys want to spend
|
| 9:21 |
: yup!
|
| 9:21 |
: You don’t have to specifically talk about it before getting engaged, just talk about it in the general context of ‘if we get engaged.’
|
| 9:21 |
: Some people care a lot about having a glacier.
|
| 9:22 |
: Some people don’t.
|
| 9:22 |
: the range of topics tonight is significant.
|
| 9:22 |
: Last chat of the year! Gotta show off our range.
|
| 9:22 |
: Seems a bit premature before this game ends to call it “last chat of the year”
|
| 9:23 |
: Nah, we’re just not on the roster for tomorrow.
|
| 9:23 |
: oh yes the last postseason chat for me and Ben also
|
| 9:23 |
: What’s the rangiest topic you’re fluent in?
|
| 9:23 |
: Sounds like a goal for the chat!
|
| 9:23 |
: Not until tomorrow’s game goes 23 innings
|
| 9:24 |
: Rosenthal dropping truth bombshells about win-loss record.
|
| 9:24 |
: Ken is good at this.
|
| 9:24 |
: Imagine the excitement when Meg and I run from the writing dugout to the writing bullpen to warm up to tag into the chat.
|
| 9:25 |
: “WE ARE HERE AND HAVE NOT BEEN DRINKING WHY DO YOU ASK?”
|
| 9:25 |
: I like the analysis on Verlander’s “bad” WS starts….Really, really wish they gave that context to a lot of Kershaw’s postseason starts….
|
| 9:25 |
: Strong agree.
|
| 9:25 |
: Who’s the writing bullpen catcher?
|
| 9:26 |
: Oh I’d love a thoroughly sloshed chat in the 16th inning or so
|
| 9:26 |
: It’s Meg, as she has a twitter avatar with a catching mask on.
|
| 9:26 |
: Which makes it very confusing when she too is warming up.
|
| 9:26 |
: Damn straight
|
| 9:26 |
: I’m versatile
|
| 9:26 |
: any Central Waters fans in the chat? they have the best stout imo
|
| 9:27 |
: If you could get it out of Wisconsin, I’d be more into it.
|
| 9:27 |
: As it is, I have it when we go see my wife’s family.
|
| 9:27 |
: How many drinks is too many to respond to a work email? I stop answering after four, which is when it starts feeling risky.
|
| 9:28 |
: I had my rule at two, back when I worked in a field where this was more relevant.
|
| 9:28 |
: Agreed
|
| 9:28 |
: I feel like Verlander’s fastball flattens out when he overthrows. Is there any way to test that?
|
| 9:28 |
: There absolutely is a way to test it. I have not done that way.
|
| 9:28 |
: But you could basically just look at the Bauer Units (spin/mph)
|
| 9:29 |
: At how many drinks do you stop tweeting?
|
| 9:29 |
: You misspelled ‘start’
|
| 9:29 |
: Don’t tell me Bauer Units are an official thing…
|
| 9:29 |
: They are not. Just a Driveline term.
|
| 9:29 |
: ‘Overthrowing’ doesn’t necessarily mean higher velo though
|
| 9:29 |
: Yeah, if it’s not velo, then it’s probably untestable?
|
| 9:30 |
: Without data we don’t have publicly.
|
| 9:30 |
: I’m a fan with the concept, but not so much of the namesake
|
| 9:30 |
: Yeah, I get you.
|
| 9:30 |
: Mannnnn Brantley
|
| 9:31 |
: I’m a big fan of actually doing the units and conversion
|
| 9:31 |
: since it’s rpm and mph
|
| 9:31 |
: does the fair/foul matter on a catch?
|
| 9:31 |
: Odd that they even mention that it was a fair ball there
|
| 9:31 |
: yeah not sure what that was about — might have just emphasized it weirdly?
|
| 9:32 |
: Like “how many Altuves was that ball away from being foul?”
|
| 9:32 |
: If he dropped or overran it then it would have mattered
|
| 9:32 |
: Revolutions per Mile
|
| 9:32 |
: well sure, but that’s not what that phrasing/emphasis implied
|
| 9:33 |
: Bloom’s list of priorities with the Red Sox: 1. destroy Andrew Friedman’s no doubt legendary 38% drop in payroll with the Dodgers and 2. win?
|
| 9:33 |
: Don’t forget to out-years-of-control the Blue Jays.
|
| 9:34 |
: How do you decide fair or foul when a fielder on the line drops a ball? Just where the ball drops? Or does the fielder being in fair or foul territory matter?
|
| 9:34 |
: As I understand it, what matters is where the ball is when it makes contact with a fielder.
|
| 9:34 |
: Not where the fielder is, but where the ball is when it touches the fielder.
|
| 9:35 |
: So are we ignoring that Robles didn’t go around yet was rung up by the home plate umpire?
|
| 9:35 |
: Haha I mean, not even the worst Robles strikeout decision this series!
|
| 9:35 |
: Strasburg is staying with the Nats, right? Cant see him switching teams
|
| 9:35 |
: I can — I think he’ll opt out
|
| 9:35 |
: I think he’ll leverage the chance of an opt out to remain with the Nats.
|
| 9:36 |
: A la Kershaw
|
| 9:36 |
: wow so nats can lose Rendon and Strausberg?
|
| 9:36 |
: Yep. They actually have a shocking number of ‘contributors’ hitting free agency considering that their core is young.
|
| 9:37 |
: He’ll be the #2 FA pitcher after Cole won’t he?
|
| 9:37 |
: Kendrick, Zimmerman, Daniel Hudson, Baby Shark…
|
| 9:37 |
: Yes
|
| 9:37 |
: I hate when home plate umpires dont ask for help on check swings when there is no reason not to ask for help.
|
| 9:37 |
: Yeah, agree.
|
| 9:37 |
: I have a late business dinner date so have to leave, Have a great night.
|
| 9:37 |
: Have fun!
|
| 9:37 |
: Couldn’t they have locked up Mookie before bringing on a GM trained on dollar stretching?
|
| 9:38 |
: I mean, yes, they could do it whenever they want with the right number
|
| 9:38 |
: Re: Opt Outs: Have we seen anyone actually opt out and sign with a different team, instead of just using it as leverage a la Kershaw or Sabathia or ARod?
|
| 9:39 |
: Off the top of my head, Greg Holland, amusingly.
|
| 9:39 |
: Though that was a player option rather than an opt out.
|
| 9:39 |
: Wait, what? That guys stole my username? The REAL Hamburglar does not have a late business dinner
|
| 9:39 |
: Well that’s quite confusing.
|
| 9:39 |
: Would you say that he…. burgled…. your name?
|
| 9:39 |
: I’ll show myself out.
|
| 9:39 |
: didn’t expect his burgling to involve your identity
|
| 9:39 |
: How did the Nationals acquire Hudson??
|
| 9:39 |
: Deadline trade.
|
| 9:40 |
: Greinke opted out from LAD, went to Arizona
|
| 9:41 |
: What’s the difference between an opt out and a player option?
|
| 9:41 |
: So, I’m not a CBA expert, but as I understand it, it comes down to how salaries are counted for the cap?
|
| 9:41 |
: Because if a contract has roller-coaster style salaries, they take an AAV to apply to the cap
|
| 9:41 |
: With some unspecified discounting for deferred, Nats-style ones.
|
| 9:41 |
: Ok, I did NOT ask the Hudson question!!!
|
| 9:42 |
: My my my.
|
| 9:42 |
: So if you have a player option, that, I assume, wouldn’t get AAV’ed?
|
| 9:42 |
: But an opt out would?
|
| 9:42 |
: Boo
|
| 9:43 |
: Well this just gets more and more confusing.
|
| 9:43 |
: Hold on, I didn’t write that stuff about the CBA and opt-outs
|
| 9:43 |
: lol moderators are in blue EVERYONE RELAX WITH YOUR TRICKS
|
| 9:43 |
: So the consensus is that Strasburg, relative to ‘’most hyped pitching prospect ever’’, has neither disappointed nor exceeded expectations?
|
| 9:43 |
: I think I’d give him a slightly exceeds
|
| 9:43 |
: Don’t listen to that imposter!
|
| 9:44 |
: Moderators are actually in grey for us, and our own comments are in blue.
|
| 9:44 |
: oh good grief
|
| 9:44 |
: We are all Ben Clemens here
|
| 9:44 |
: [extreme janet from the good place voice] not a ben
|
| 9:44 |
: I always though player options were at the end of of a contract and opt-outs were in the middle?
|
| 9:45 |
: Sure, but it’s just semantics, right? Like you could have a two-year contract with a player optoin for two more years
|
| 9:45 |
: Or a four-year contract with an opt out after two
|
| 9:45 |
: When I modeled them up in the offseason I treated all of them as player options
|
| 9:45 |
: How do the camera folks always know where their families are?
|
| 9:45 |
: As in, assume nothing and the player has a choice to add a second contract to the first
|
| 9:45 |
: But it’s all semantics (plus potential cap math)
|
| 9:46 |
: Their own families? Or players’ families?
|
| 9:46 |
: Players’
|
| 9:46 |
: The player options hang from the top of the cave and the opt-outs reach toward the top.
|
| 9:46 |
: Isn’t there a section for players families? I’m basing this on for the love of the game.
|
| 9:46 |
: I’m not sure how it works now, but player option years at least used to be AAV’d. The Beltre contract with the Red Sox had a low value player option in it as an accounting trick to get under the Luxury Tax.
|
| 9:46 |
: So to be clear I have no idea, but this random someone sounds authoritative.
|
| 9:47 |
: Team and mutual options are not considered guaranteed and not factored into the AAV, but player options are treated as if they’re guaranteed years for the purpose of calculating AAV (unless there’s a gigantic buyout). This is to prevent teams from offering no-brainer options in an attempt to circumvent the luxury tax.
|
| 9:47 |
: Bam thank you!
|
| 9:48 |
: because players families sit in a designated section, generally.
|
| 9:48 |
: there’s variation though
|
| 9:48 |
: No problem, Ben.
|
| 9:48 |
: they aren’t all in one place, just a lot of them
|
| 9:48 |
: The chat is locked in tonight.
|
| 9:49 |
: You guys don’t freeze up in the postseason, that’s for sure.
|
| 9:49 |
: BUNT!
|
| 9:49 |
: should have bunted
|
| 9:50 |
: Why bunt when you can hit homers
|
| 9:50 |
: Adam Eaton has two of the true outcomes
|
| 9:50 |
: Plus the most lyin’ of outcomes, a bunt.
|
| 9:50 |
: A true man of extremes.
|
| 9:51 |
: How many bunt comments did the chat just get! LOL
|
| 9:51 |
: Dennis, you can’t even begin to imagine.
|
| 9:51 |
: Or, you probably can. But a lot!
|
| 9:51 |
: Does John Smoltz dislike Halloween or modern baseball more?
|
| 9:51 |
: I find Smoltz’s Halloween take refreshing.
|
| 9:52 |
: Halloween is great if you want to celebrate it, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to dress up.
|
| 9:52 |
: Unless you have kids, in which case, shut up grinch
|
| 9:52 |
: What’s his Halloween take? I’ve somehow missed this
|
| 9:52 |
: He thinks it’s too commercialized
|
| 9:52 |
: It’s hard to argue with that….
|
| 9:53 |
: Yeah Buck asked him about what he was doing for Halloween
|
| 9:53 |
: In the hey we are friends lets’ talk non baseball things that we do as friends
|
| 9:53 |
: kind of way
|
| 9:53 |
: And Smoltz was just like, I don’t care for it.
|
| 9:53 |
: He wants us to go back to cowering in the dark, fearing the spirits, playing small ball
|
| 9:54 |
: I guess it’d be more weird if Smoltz was REALLY into Halloween, and just couldnt shut up about it
|
| 9:54 |
: And we just got notice my wife aced her teacher certification exam. So no matter how this game goes it’s a good night.
|
| 9:54 |
: Congratulations!
|
| 9:54 |
: Congrats, Mrs. Train Noises!
|
| 9:55 |
: In Play, But Not For Long(s)
|
| 9:55 |
: i’m sorry, i got so distracted i forgot to chat
|
| 9:55 |
: That’s odd….I just got notice that my wife DIDNT pass her teacher certification exam
|
| 9:55 |
: Oh we’re doing this again huh?
|
| 9:55 |
: Juan Soto out of play, bat drop(s).
|
| 9:56 |
: That bat carry scores the highest possible on the Troll Index
|
| 9:56 |
: Good news for the Astros, it’s a 1 run lead for the Nats.
|
| 9:56 |
: they should have stopped at Eaton, they’ve only got an odd lead now instead of tied
|
| 9:57 |
: Well they should just try their hardest to get another run here.
|
| 9:57 |
: Soto should have just carried it to 3rd and handed to Bregman.
|
| 9:57 |
: I barely knew anything about Juan Soto before this World Series. He’s my favorite player now.
|
| 9:57 |
: Soto isn’t exactly an unknown or anything.
|
| 9:58 |
: But he’s raised his profile SO MUCH this postseason
|
| 9:58 |
: He’s just such a delight.
|
| 9:58 |
: This is why I think it matters to have enthusiasts on the broadcast
|
| 9:58 |
: Sorry, I was on top of CatchTheseHams for the last two years.
|
| 9:59 |
: I have to think that MLB is not going to like this business where hitters are carrying the bats to first or even beyond.
|
| 9:59 |
: Maybe this is naive, but…. why not?
|
| 9:59 |
: Soto can hit but I had to be revived after I saw his name as a finalist for a Gold Glove in LF.
|
| 9:59 |
: Yeah, I mean, the bar out there is low but it did seem goofy
|
| 10:00 |
: Good work by Budweiser to have the beer guy in a commercial already.
|
| 10:00 |
: Wow!
|
| 10:00 |
: Is it me or do the Astros need to try something different w Soto? It seems like the high fastball keeps getting hammered
|
| 10:01 |
: I knew Soto was really good but I didn’t know I loved him <3
|
| 10:01 |
: he was seeing a lot of breaking stuff a game or two ago, wasn’t he?
|
| 10:01 |
: What day is it? Who am I?
|
| 10:01 |
: Yeah as it turns out, Soto is everyone’s favorite.
|
| 10:01 |
: Carrying the bat to first should be ok, imho.
|
| 10:01 |
: Bartolo let’s be real, you didn’t make it to first base often enough for us to have a good sample of what you’d do.
|
| 10:01 |
: Over under on “the shutdown inning” being mentioned?
|
| 10:01 |
: 2.5
|
| 10:02 |
: Bartolo always carried the bat almost all the way to first, for reference.
|
| 10:02 |
: This is old, but:
|
| 10:03 |
: What about cradling the bat like a beloved child as one rounds the bases?
|
| 10:03 |
: love it
|
| 10:04 |
: What about riding the bat around the bases like a pony?
|
| 10:04 |
: love it even more
|
| 10:04 |
: Do you think when the Nationals play in Detroit Soto says to his teammates, “This is Comerica”?
|
| 10:04 |
: Related to HR celebrations… Reminder that Sean Doolittle is so awesome he’s offered to donate to the HR hitters charity if someone moonwalks after homering off him
|
| 10:05 |
: how about riding the bat around the bases like a weeeetch’s broom? hi
|
| 10:05 |
: Did they start at the pitchers mound when they measured that one
|
| 10:05 |
: soooky
|
| 10:05 |
: They measured that one in Celsius.
|
| 10:05 |
: spppoooky
|
| 10:05 |
: whatever, I know words
|
| 10:06 |
: I feel like Soto was kind of a jerk… to the first base coach.
|
| 10:06 |
: Yeah, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t mind much though.
|
| 10:06 |
: You hit the dingers, you do what you want, in my opinion.
|
| 10:07 |
: I was hyperfocused on that Bartolo Colon article but the Reddick single snapped me back in. I could’ve been there all night.
|
| 10:07 |
: If I accomplish nothing else in this chat, I hope I got people to read some of my favorite baseball articles.
|
| 10:07 |
: I wish Springer wasn’t up in this spot. Since we decided earlier that he’s cold and all
|
| 10:07 |
: but he hits dingers
|
| 10:08 |
: Every baseball player is cold until suddenly they’re not.
|
| 10:08 |
: Except Trout.
|
| 10:09 |
: Most players are cold… it’s almost November
|
| 10:09 |
: “Every player is hot or due” -Sam Miller
|
| 10:09 |
: I think trout was cold once, for like a few weeks
|
| 10:09 |
: springer has done a lot of good work helping kids with stutters
|
| 10:09 |
: Yeah, seems to be a good egg.
|
| 10:09 |
: True story, I wrote an article about John Gant going 0-for-25 that I think got me hired by FanGraphs.
|
| 10:09 |
: And that Bartolo article was the inspiration.
|
| 10:10 |
: It was a piece of yours that jumped out, yes.
|
| 10:10 |
: Reddick moving awfully slow
|
| 10:10 |
: This odd number lead is in danger
|
| 10:11 |
: 
|
| 10:12 |
: “Just don’t hit it to the corners.” John Smoltz laying down some wisdom.
|
| 10:13 |
: Altuve got carved up there
|
| 10:13 |
: not a single pitch thrown in the strike zone to Altuve
|
| 10:13 |
: I love that baseball is a thing where you can say those two things.
|
| 10:14 |
: I think the managing in this series has been fine, generally but Corbin instead of Doolittle as the (potential) fireman is a bit odd right?
|
| 10:14 |
: Super odd. I have generally agreed with the managing but I think that Corbin has been handled oddly.
|
| 10:14 |
: Wasn’t the 1st pitch changeup in the zone?
|
| 10:14 |
: Haha yeah it might have been, I barely remember anymore.
|
| 10:14 |
: What with me being busy watching Altuve’s soul leave his body after the swing.
|
| 10:15 |
: In Play, Disappointment(s)
|
| 10:16 |
: Buck sounded like he was trolling Smoltz there when he said “and the defense was aligned {pregnant pause} perfectly
|
| 10:16 |
: I mean, he grounded out but I just spent 10 minutes on IMDB to fact check a joke 5 people will get so
|
| 10:16 |
: I have to remind myself every ten minutes or so that Asdrubal Cabrera is still playing and is in fact starting very important games here! You could even say the most important games.
|
| 10:16 |
: have had this thought once a game this postseason
|
| 10:16 |
: Wouldn’t you love an announcing pair that openly mocked each other?
|
| 10:16 |
: even the ones Asdrubal isn’t in!
|
| 10:17 |
: How did Trea Turner go from being a mediocre defender to straight up bad this year?
|
| 10:17 |
: The injury can’t help
|
| 10:17 |
: The Tigers broadcast partners came to blows a couple years ago
|
| 10:17 |
: Mario Impemba and Rod Allen got into fisticuffs up here in Detroit, does that count?
|
| 10:17 |
: That absolutely counts!
|
| 10:18 |
: Isn’t one or the other of them in Boston now?
|
| 10:18 |
: Just from the eye test it seems like trea’s been doing well defensively in the playoffs. Do the advanced metrics back that up?
|
| 10:18 |
: Really wish Hinch would’ve let Verlander go out there for the 6th for a chance at a quality start
|
| 10:19 |
: has made some Not Good throws
|
| 10:19 |
: Trea, not JV
|
| 10:19 |
: though ya know, him too
|
| 10:19 |
: I mean, kind of both!
|
| 10:19 |
: If we get to game seven, it’s Greinke with Urquidy behind him, right?
|
| 10:19 |
: Is that to kind of confuse the batters?
|
| 10:19 |
: Seems like it’d be a waste of a fielder though.
|
| 10:19 |
: Scherzer with Corbin behind sounds pretty good for the Nats
|
| 10:20 |
: Everyone’s into these two pitchers standing near each other plans these days.
|
| 10:20 |
: If there’s any pitcher that doesn’t need a pitcher’s helper it’s Zack Greinke.
|
| 10:21 |
: man, Gurriel has been REALLY good at 1B. I can’t remember thinking that about a 1B in the playoffs recently
|
| 10:21 |
: Watching Paul Goldschmidt is like that for me.
|
| 10:21 |
: Gurriel has been very impressive too.
|
| 10:21 |
: Also when LeMahieu has to range to make a play, it feels like cheating.
|
| 10:22 |
: Like, you’re using a great defensive second baseman at first? What?
|
| 10:23 |
: Robles has looked pretty lost at the plate this series.
|
| 10:23 |
: Did the strike zone just get bigger this half inning?
|
| 10:23 |
: Yeah, not his finest series.
|
| 10:23 |
: baby zone, doo doo doo doo doo
|
| 10:23 |
: Semi-serious question: would you be allowed to position a fielder so that the pitch appeared to be coming out the fielder’s chest? Seems like it could make it hard to pick up pitches if the team was wearing home whites.
|
| 10:24 |
: I think the home plate ump could tell them to move, but also, how tall is this fielder??
|
| 10:24 |
: The Stanky Rule exists for the situation you’re describing, Jeremy.
|
| 10:24 |
: Also, Ben Zobrist did this against the Cardinals this year!
|
| 10:24 |
: He would get in the batter’s line of sight and jump around.
|
| 10:25 |
: The umps didn’t call anything, but after the game some Cardinals made comments about it being bush league, and he didn’t do it again.
|
| 10:25 |
: What has Robles done to the umps?
|
| 10:25 |
: You’re never going to be able to mess with the release point except with a submariner. That’s why the batter’s eye is way up there.
|
| 10:26 |
: Started going around the horn too early.
|
| 10:26 |
: yeah, this is my thing
|
| 10:26 |
: Robles is getting jobbed
|
| 10:27 |
: Victor now rung up on 3 out of 4 abs with bad calls
|
| 10:31 |
: Why do the astros have a train in their stadium, but the name is short for astronauts..?
|
| 10:31 |
: I happened to look this up yesterday. They built the stadium on the site of a train depot.
|
| 10:31 |
: Space train
|
| 10:31 |
: like a monorail?
|
| 10:31 |
: Monorail. Monorail. Monorail.
|
| 10:31 |
: Or space train.
|
| 10:31 |
: that was a nifty play by rendon
|
| 10:31 |
: It glides as softly as a cloud.
|
| 10:32 |
: for a moment Stras thought he had that
|
| 10:32 |
: Can Anthony Rendon Secretly Teleport? My column.
|
| 10:32 |
: So someone was asking if this postseason could change Rendon’s contract.
|
| 10:33 |
: If he suddenly revealed he was a literal sorcerer, then yes.
|
| 10:33 |
: I love how, when a ball is deflected by a pitcher, they always throw their hands up like “wait, where did it go?”
|
| 10:33 |
: pitchers inadvertently getting in the way of groundouts stresses me out so much
|
| 10:34 |
: What dnd skill would be most useful in baseball?
|
| 10:34 |
: I’m out of my depth here, but uh… something teleportation-related if that’s a thing.
|
| 10:34 |
: Bunt for a homer every time.
|
| 10:35 |
: You could just teleport to first, teleport to second, and so on.
|
| 10:35 |
: A serious question; if someone could legitimately teleport, would MLB ban them? I assume they would, right?
|
| 10:35 |
: Oh for sure.
|
| 10:36 |
: they’d ban them teleporting
|
| 10:36 |
: i doubt they ban their whole person
|
| 10:36 |
: Also, in what sport would teleportation be most useful?
|
| 10:36 |
: rock climbing
|
| 10:36 |
: Nightcrawler wouldn’t be good at baseball. Have to take correct angles and judgement
|
| 10:36 |
: On the other hand, his home run robbery gifs would be something else.
|
| 10:37 |
: re DND, from a baseball type who takes these things appropriately seriously:
|
| 10:37 |
: what if you could hit a ball into a black hole? — take of the tape: 437 light years!
|
| 10:37 |
: perception sleight of hand constitution checks for pitchers |
| 10:38 |
: If sleight of hand is a thing, that sounds like it would make for a good framer.
|
| 10:38 |
: Do we think Strasburg gets another inning, given that they had Corbin and Hudson up and there’s no margin for error?
|
| 10:38 |
: imagine he gets oneish
|
| 10:38 |
: Dang, Scherzer so intense, he’s warming up for tomorrow’s game to intimidate the Astros…
|
| 10:38 |
: If this goes 7, is there any possibility we see Cole at all tomorrow?
|
| 10:38 |
: scherzer warming
|
| 10:38 |
: Oh definitely.
|
| 10:39 |
: Scherzer warming seems a little foolish, no?
|
| 10:39 |
: what if scherz is just fuckin’ with them
|
| 10:39 |
: If he’s coming in, then yes. If he’s just seeing how his back does, then no.
|
| 10:39 |
: oh did swear
|
| 10:39 |
: sorry
|
| 10:39 |
: Part of me wants Scherzer in the game and part of me is deeply concerned for his health
|
| 10:39 |
: Yeah, I have worried about this
|
| 10:39 |
: Dylan there was a swear
|
| 10:40 |
: Are there still people that get upset about swearing?
|
| 10:40 |
: I like to imagine that Dylan is not an editor, he just hates swears
|
| 10:41 |
: on the pod, it is more a concern in case people listen in the car with their kids
|
| 10:41 |
: The Toronto Maple Leafs head coach just said post-game “you’re not gonna outscore anybody at playoff time”. Thoughts on this strategy?
|
| 10:41 |
: here it’s mostly a goof
|
| 10:41 |
: I mean, maybe he was referring to the Leafs specifically
|
| 10:41 |
: In which case, fair play there.
|
| 10:42 |
: Davey also did a swear
|
| 10:42 |
: In Play, Then Out of Play, Then Weird Rule(s)
|
| 10:43 |
: Wow uh
|
| 10:43 |
: That was not a good call?
|
| 10:43 |
: that seems like a not good call
|
| 10:43 |
: That was just the umpire making the game about him.
|
| 10:44 |
: That call is why people have conspiracy theories about rigged games
|
| 10:44 |
: To be clear, the games aren’t rigged!
|
| 10:44 |
: But that was atrocious.
|
| 10:44 |
: that was… not good though
|
| 10:45 |
: why doesn’t Fox have a Dean Blandino/ Mike Perrera on their broadcasts????
|
| 10:45 |
: I think umpires would not be pleased with it.
|
| 10:45 |
: But also, it would be maybe more boring for baseball?
|
| 10:46 |
: “Well, Joe, that pitch was a strike because the batter swung.”
|
| 10:46 |
: Wait they can review this?
|
| 10:46 |
: I don’t think so!
|
| 10:46 |
: This is confusing.
|
| 10:46 |
: Why call interference when he didn’t impact the throw at all??
|
| 10:46 |
: They just felt like it, it seems.
|
| 10:47 |
: I’m not a rules expert, but I’m a bit curious how you can out of the base line while literally on the base.
|
| 10:47 |
: Aaron Judge could do it.
|
| 10:47 |
: Will they call this a “rules check”
|
| 10:47 |
: I enjoyed when Dale Scott was a guest on Effectively Wild, I’d like hearing him on a broadcast in that kind of role
|
| 10:47 |
: Seconded.
|
| 10:48 |
: Turner is really fast, even in slo-mo.
|
| 10:48 |
: See, if Trea Turner could teleport, we wouldn’t have this problem! Just saying.
|
| 10:49 |
: Smoltz is advocating beaning the runner to elicit an interference call.
|
| 10:49 |
: That’s what infield coaches generally teach, in fairness to him.
|
| 10:50 |
: lolololol trea is gonna get a letter tomorrow
|
| 10:50 |
: omg trea turner calling out joe torre is hilarious
|
| 10:50 |
: Is Turner yelling at the umpires to check with Joe Torre? They kept muting him.
|
| 10:50 |
: Indeed
|
| 10:50 |
: He’s certainly yelling at the umps and using Joe Torre’s name.
|
| 10:50 |
: The content of that, I can’t confirm.
|
| 10:51 |
: You know what an important development of all this is? Trea Turner’s hair is excellent.
|
| 10:51 |
: And that’s after being in hats and helmets for hours!
|
| 10:51 |
: wow
|
| 10:51 |
: told ya, how can you reverse a judgement call
|
| 10:51 |
: you just do it — it’s all a construct
|
| 10:53 |
: This is embarassing for MLB on the biggest stage
|
| 10:53 |
: I certainly don’t understand why you would call that without huddling up with the other umps first.
|
| 10:53 |
: There are three people with eyes on that play.
|
| 10:53 |
: In Play, Justice
|
| 10:54 |
: I’m a die hard baseball fan, and I can’t believe this. If I was a casual fan who watched a 7 min delay for them to make the obviously wrong call, I’d turn off my TV.
|
| 10:54 |
: Yeah uh, that was just awful TV in addition to being awful.
|
| 10:54 |
: Did Anthony rendon just save baseball?
|
| 10:54 |
: See? Sorcerer
|
| 10:55 |
: That HR was clearly a gimme call by the ump
|
| 10:55 |
: He’s at least a level 15 wizard
|
| 10:55 |
: sorry, my chat screen just crashed with the force of that home run
|
| 10:56 |
: Underrated choke by Hinch hoping for an extra inning from Peacock there?
|
| 10:56 |
: Eh
|
| 10:57 |
: rendon’s HR has to be an out everywhere other than Houston and Boston right?
|
| 10:57 |
: Yeah that was a Houston special.
|
| 10:57 |
: Davey got tossed
|
| 10:57 |
: Yeah, that’s the right thing
|
| 10:57 |
: Could there be a worse show than Masked Singer? Granted I’ve never seen it
|
| 10:58 |
: You should give it a watch. I thought that and then tried an episode and it’s fine.
|
| 10:58 |
: There can always be a worse show
|
| 10:58 |
: Yeah like, I’m not saying watch it live with a watch party and such.
|
| 10:58 |
: But if you have nothing else going on, it’s okay.
|
| 10:59 |
: I should be clear, I think it is the right thing that he get mad and tell them
|
| 10:59 |
: Congrats Davey Martinez!!
|
| 10:59 |
: if only all of our bosses would fight as hard for us as martinez just then
|
| 10:59 |
: The umpire is Sam Holbrook who made the infamous infield fly call against the Braves in the 2012 WC game.
|
| 10:59 |
: Yeah, maybe he was playing 4D chess and was tired of being hated only in Atlanta.
|
| 11:00 |
: Poor Chip Hale
|
| 11:00 |
: (he’s managing from the clubhouse, it’s ok)
|
| 11:00 |
: more like Sham WholeCrook
|
| 11:00 |
: Points for originality.
|
| 11:00 |
: I feel like davey should have tried to take the inning break to calm down instead of (rightfully) going off on the ump. Who knows if hale will handle the bullpen well?
|
| 11:01 |
: Eh, presumably they have a binder.
|
| 11:01 |
: Also presumably Davey can just stand down the hall and send a runner out.
|
| 11:01 |
: Binders full of pitchers
|
| 11:02 |
: “Yeah but…that was a pretty lengthy delay for *that*.” -Buck responds to Rosenthal’s explanation of the head sets
|
| 11:02 |
: Joe Buck is announcing a perfect game.
|
| 11:02 |
: Can anyone provide an example of a call that isn’t a judgement call?
|
| 11:02 |
: Something like a swinging strike caught in the glove or something.
|
| 11:03 |
: But yeah, ‘judgment call’ is a dumb term.
|
| 11:03 |
: ‘those little intangible rules like pass interference’
|
| 11:03 |
: Good God John Smoltz read the room.
|
| 11:03 |
: (which is reviewable now)
|
| 11:04 |
: I’m reading this room right now.
|
| 11:04 |
: Will George Springer ever break out of this slump?
|
| 11:05 |
: Okay, the explanation of that the umps were actually doing has me even more confused. What the heck?
|
| 11:05 |
: So umps can ask for a rules check
|
| 11:05 |
: Stras 8? Seems like a batter by batter situation
|
| 11:05 |
: Does Strasburg come out for the 8th?
|
| 11:05 |
: to make sure they understand the rule correctly
|
| 11:06 |
: they aren’t reviewing the action per se, just the meaning of the rule itself — now what do they do if they had it wrong? that I’m less clear on
|
| 11:07 |
: They should only be able to watch replays at actual speed, not in super slo-mo. They use it too much as a crutch.
|
| 11:07 |
: but that doesn’t address the issue of the folks at home seeing it in super slow-mo
|
| 11:08 |
: It’s underratedly weird how Hinch is using his low-lev guys in high-lev spots and vice versa.
|
| 11:08 |
: Great question to poll re Strasburg and the 8tj
|
| 11:08 |
:
Stras in the 8th??
Oh Yeah (85.6% | 239 votes)
Oh No (14.3% | 40 votes)
Total Votes: 279
|
| 11:08 |
: I think Pressly is still aching, and he has for now turned into a low lev guy.
|
| 11:09 |
: This could definitely be the case.
|
| 11:09 |
: And they have better ways of checking that than I do.
|
| 11:09 |
: Just so weird to see a bunch of really important at-bats taking place and Osuna (yeah yeah yeah) and Pressly not get involved.
|
| 11:09 |
: Jared Diamond just tweeted that Joe Torre came on the field to talk to an umpire
|
| 11:09 |
: Nobody tell Trea Turner.
|
| 11:10 |
: I challenge your swinging strike judgement call:
|
| 11:10 |
: Haha well, look, that highlight is amazing but.
|
| 11:10 |
: Not really baseball.
|
| 11:10 |
: Or like, not really a good exmaple. I think that was just game fixing.
|
| 11:11 |
: Pressly isn’t healthy. He’s lost like 3 mph since his injury.
|
| 11:11 |
: I mean, if they thought that, then why have him on the roster? It’s very confusing.
|
| 11:11 |
: What do they call Asdrubal around the clubhouse? I feel like it would be Droobie based on Sam’s article from a while back
|
| 11:11 |
: Cabby
|
| 11:11 |
: 100% cabby
|
| 11:12 |
: Meg, what’s the WE for the Nationals right now? I’d guess like 85%, but i “feel” like its about 50%
|
| 11:12 |
: 92%
|
| 11:13 |
: I don’t think we want to know what Eaton’s nickname is.
|
| 11:13 |
: Oddly it’s also Tony Two Bags
|
| 11:13 |
: that feels high to me, a scaredy cat
|
| 11:13 |
: No one really understands why.
|
| 11:14 |
: It’s too bad this Adam isn’t Adam Lamb, because then he’d obviously be Sacrificial Lamb
|
| 11:15 |
: Who would be the favorites in a Scherzer-Greinke Game 7 according to zips?
|
| 11:15 |
: Astros, but basically a coinflip. 51.something to 48.something
|
| 11:15 |
: Who’s Adam Lamb?
|
| 11:16 |
: Don’t think he exists, but there’s a Jake Lamb.
|
| 11:16 |
: 1% Bud Selig calls it a tie?
|
| 11:16 |
: Haha well the somethings add up to 1.
|
| 11:16 |
: What is Doolittle’s nickname? Domore? DL would be insensitive and IL doesn’t make sense
|
| 11:17 |
: On Twitter he’s Obi-Sean
|
| 11:17 |
: (sorry pals, am doing a little editorial wrangling)
|
| 11:17 |
: Surely it’s just “Doo”
|
| 11:17 |
: Oh in the dugout, def yeah.
|
| 11:18 |
: wonder if Altuve was out of the baseline
|
| 11:19 |
: Rendon has been really good on 3rd all playoffs, and all year in fact. He is a little better than his reputation to my eyeballs.
|
| 11:19 |
: Isn’t his reputation…. very good?
|
| 11:20 |
: Regardless of teams or situations, are we ok with Joe Torre going onto the field to talk with umps between innings?
|
| 11:20 |
: For me it’s a hard no.
|
| 11:20 |
: If that happened I hope he faces discipline.
|
| 11:20 |
:
Stras in the ninth?
Run it! (81.2% | 229 votes)
Doolittle please! (18.7% | 53 votes)
Total Votes: 282
|
| 11:21 |
: Makes the whole situation even worse for MLB, very questionable of Torre
|
| 11:21 |
: Yeah I find that to be incredibly awful on his part. What is the upside here?
|
| 11:22 |
: wait what’s wrong with Torre checking in with the umps?
|
| 11:22 |
: What is he going to say to them that isn’t a problem?
|
| 11:22 |
: Like, there’s nothing he can say that helps the game.
|
| 11:22 |
: And lots of things he can say that involve biasing their opinions.
|
| 11:22 |
: ‘You need to make a makeup call’
|
| 11:22 |
: Would he say that? No
|
| 11:23 |
: But what is he saying that’s helpful?
|
| 11:23 |
: OK, the umps have had a rough patch here and tensions are running high, but I think they can settle in here and job Robles out on a called strike and get back into a rhythm here
|
| 11:24 |
: I really hate that Siri commercial
|
| 11:24 |
: A complete game in the World Series would warm every bone in my body, but send every true disciple of sabremetrics to their grave.
|
| 11:24 |
: It’s not super clear whether leaving him out there is so bad!
|
| 11:24 |
: Super low leverage, and you get a benefit tomorrow.
|
| 11:24 |
: If you’re in court and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts whispers in your judge’s ear, you’ve got a pretty great case on appeal.
|
| 11:25 |
: I admit I voted to take Strasburg out in the 8th but also voted to keep him for the 9th
|
| 11:25 |
: Now that is spicy.
|
| 11:25 |
: not super clear? Isn’t he in the fourth or fifth time through the order??
|
| 11:25 |
: Yeah but it’s low leverage and the bullpen being fresh for tomorrow matters.
|
| 11:26 |
: Like, I get that it doesn’t feel low leverage, but up three with three outs left.
|
| 11:26 |
: And I voted for him to pitch both the 8th and 9th
|
| 11:26 |
: Well if you’re just trying to maximize your odds of winning this game, I’d take him out.
|
| 11:26 |
: But if you’re trying to maximize your odds of winning the series, a fresh bullpen is nice.
|
| 11:27 |
: Theory: put your worst umpires out for the World Series to make the implicit case for robot umpires. Joe Torre’s 4d move
|
| 11:28 |
: 500 readers in this chat, don’t think I’ve seen anything like that before.
|
| 11:28 |
: Nice crowd!
|
| 11:28 |
: Pyrex, the lack of Joe West and Angel Hernandez disproves your theory.
|
| 11:28 |
: Well he can’t make it *that* obvious.
|
| 11:28 |
: i just got here, is the room as mad at umpires as Baseball Twitter?
|
| 11:28 |
: Indeed.
|
| 11:29 |
: Turner should just stand on the bag and refuse to move forever
|
| 11:29 |
: I’d like Trea Turner to check swing and ask for an appeal to Torre.
|
| 11:30 |
: “I live here now, this is my home, welcome to the living room that is also where I sleep and also, it’s a square.”
|
| 11:31 |
: Trea should have taken his bat to 2nd
|
| 11:31 |
: yesss
|
| 11:31 |
: Eaton is still a three true outcomes hitter
|
| 11:31 |
: I’m offended by how bad an actor A-Rod is
|
| 11:31 |
: Eaton keeps discovering new true outcomes.
|
| 11:31 |
: to be fair, a base is about the size of a San Francisco apartment affordable on an MLB salary
|
| 11:32 |
: As someone who rents an apartment in SF…. look, you’re not wildly off base here
|
| 11:32 |
: Unlike, say, Trea Turner.
|
| 11:32 |
: lol
|
| 11:32 |
: Oh boy guys, still an odd lead.
|
| 11:32 |
: “I went to Rice”
|
| 11:33 |
: Rendon sent that ball to Rice.
|
| 11:33 |
: Now Strasburg is definitely staying in.
|
| 11:33 |
: Unstoppable Force of Doubles
|
| 11:34 |
: Do you think a player would rather win playing for their childhood team, or win against their childhood team?
|
| 11:34 |
: Uh, for?
|
| 11:34 |
: Is this close?
|
| 11:35 |
: How did we go from over-emoting Harper to ice in the veins Rendon and Strasburg? Also, viva Strasmus!
|
| 11:36 |
: Well Soto is taking up Harper’s mantel.
|
| 11:36 |
: If Strasburg pitches a CG, it will prove analytics wrong and all teams will have to fire their GMs!
|
| 11:36 |
: That’s how it works actually!
|
| 11:36 |
: That shot of Greinke was gold
|
| 11:37 |
: Greinke looks like he just found out the World Series was going on and had to get out of bed to watch.
|
| 11:38 |
: Appa Yip Yip: That question reminds me of Will Ferrell as Harry Carey asking Jeff Goldbloom if he’d rather me the best scientist in his field or have mad cow disease
|
| 11:38 |
: Well… I can’t say I get this.
|
| 11:38 |
: Why taake him out here?
|
| 11:39 |
: Rizzo realized he was going to get fired if Stras finished and got the word to Chip.
|
| 11:39 |
: Put Rainey in to create a save situation for Doolittle?
|
| 11:40 |
: I guess they just want the matchups?
|
| 11:40 |
: Like, maybe? But Strasburg is really tough on lefties
|
| 11:40 |
: And honestly, it’s a five run lead?
|
| 11:41 |
: The only reason is if they’re trying to have him go tomorrow. But if they are, why’d he get the first batter?
|
| 11:41 |
: And also, why in the WORLD use Doolittle here?
|
| 11:41 |
: Ben, you think Strasburg’s available tomorrow?
|
| 11:41 |
: In extreme emergency only.
|
| 11:41 |
: And I wouldn’t even attempt it.
|
| 11:42 |
: But I’m trying to be generous with my guesses here.
|
| 11:43 |
: Maybe to boost Doolittle’s confidence for tomorrow?
|
| 11:43 |
: Welp.
|
| 11:43 |
: Thank you both for chatting. These are very enjoyable.
|
| 11:43 |
: Thanks everyone for showing up!
|
| 11:43 |
: They are very fun for me as well.
|
| 11:43 |
: Draining, but fun
|
| 11:44 |
: Does the full Fangraphs team chat for a game 7?
|
| 11:44 |
: I’ll be available on short rest.
|
| 11:45 |
: The actual group is Dan and David Laurila.
|
| 11:45 |
: A real All Star crew.
|
| 11:45 |
: Who the hell is Dan and David Laurila?
|
| 11:46 |
: Touche
|
| 11:46 |
: Dan is like quite clearly the best chatter.
|
| 11:46 |
: No offense to me or Meg or anyone else.
|
| 11:46 |
: Does it seem like Fox is making a concious attempt this WS to avoid the CF camera shot while signs are being given?
|
| 11:46 |
: 100% yes and they did this in the ALCS too.
|
| 11:46 |
: well that was rad
|
| 11:46 |
: G
|
| 11:46 |
: G
|
| 11:46 |
: and praise be that that call in the 7th didn’t matter!
|
| 11:47 |
: Thanks, Meg and Ben! Have a goodnight everyone
|
| 11:47 |
: Goodnight everyone!
|
| 11:48 |
: Night all! Thanks for hanging!
|
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.
the MLB umpires are going to HATE and I do mean HATE the Fox postgame show. ARod in particular skewering them…