Paul Sporer Baseball Chat – October 26th, 2017

Paul Sporer: Hola, everyone! Eno’s at his gall bladder appointment. I had to have mine removed a couple years ago and he seems to be going through the same thing, so we’ll see what’s what after this appt.

D.B. Sweeney as Shoeless Joe: What on earth are the Yankees thinking? Georgia Roddy is the best man for the job.

Paul Sporer: This is REALLY shocking that he’s out. There were grumblings on Twitter last night, but I wasn’t sure if it was sourced or not

Tim: JOOOEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Paul Sporer: Very surprising

Michael: Josh Fields was definitely the right choice, right?

Paul Sporer: For Houston

Zotto: Go Astros!

Paul Sporer: That was an amazing game!

Hannah Hochevar: Do you think when Randy Newman wrote the I Love LA lyric “Big nasty redhead at my said” he was actually predicting Justin Turner?

Paul Sporer: lololololol

Matt: So, arbitration is ending soon in my FGPoints league, and I’ll need to start figuring out who to keep and cut.  Got plenty of obvious ones, on the fence for a few though.  Your thoughts on $16 Carlos Santana, $9 Hunter Renfroe, $10 Jonathan Villar, $13 Mitch Haniger and $Nova and Davies.  Thanks, you’re the best!

Paul Sporer: I like Santana and Renfroe most of the group. Haniger is interesting, but maybe a couple bucks more than I’d like. Passing on the two SPs, they’re quite similar — although their costs didn’t make it into the msg so maybe if they’re dirt cheap

TABC roots for NYY: Yankees ditching Girardi a bad decision? What is their reasoning here?

Paul Sporer: I really don’t know. Eager to read more about it.

Michael: Are you going to call any readers dicks again this time?

Paul Sporer: I love how some of y’all got so angry about that when the person I said it to didn’t blink and realized I wasn’t being aggressive. In fact, the first Q was from said person

Zotto: Fangraphs requires employees and contributors to have their gall bladders removed? Seems strange to me…

Paul Sporer: We don’t question our overlords

Jalepeno Hannah: What’s you favorite sanwich?

Paul Sporer: I’m a big fan of grilled cheese sammiches

Marcus Banks: I want to start an expansion team just so I can hire Joe to be my manager.

Paul Sporer: If he’s still down to manage, he’ll be scooped up quickly. Washington?

Terry’s Sarape: the Yankees must have someone in mind who is currently available, right?

Paul Sporer: You’d think, but who knows. Dusty? lololol

I am the walrus: Would a trade built around Happ or Schwaber for Honeywell make sense for both?

Paul Sporer: I could see something between those two teams given that TB is tilted toward arms on their talent scale and CHC has bats

JD15: Same price who do you prefer going forward in FGPts scoring: Degrom, Archer, Darvish?

Paul Sporer: Degrom, Darvish, Archer is my order

Marcus Banks: Francesa called Girardi out weeks ago.

Paul Sporer: Well you can fit what Francesa knows about baseball into a thimble so that shouldn’t impact anything. That dipshit doesn’t think Altuve is that good –

 

Ƒunhouse

@BackAftaThis

 

Before 700 more people request it, here’s Mike Francesa letting you know that José Altuve is nothing special…. twitter.com/i/web/status/9…

26 Oct 2017

Dub: breaking news: Tigers fire gardenhire, hire Girardi

Paul Sporer: Wooooo!!!

HappyFunBall: Think Georgia takes some time off? Or does he head down I-95 to Philly or DC?

Dub: when is last time 3 managers of post season teams didnt return?

Paul Sporer: I could see him getting right back in the mix

Paul Sporer: I’m not sure, I wonder if anyone has researched that yet

Hooha: I can keep 3 out of Goldschmidt, Betts, Kershaw and Stanton – who you letting go of?

Paul Sporer: Man oh man, that’s tough. Great position to be in. I might actually say goodbye to Kershaw and then just stack pitching in the draft

Eno’s Gall Bladder: Where does last night’s game rank among great WS games of the past decade?

Paul Sporer: I’m bad at assessing those things in the moment and we’ve gotten some amazing postseasons the last few years, but it HAS to be quite high on the list. Doesn’t pass Gm 7 last year or Gm 6 of Tex/StL for sure

I am the walrus: After 2 year of suckage at the plate can a young J.Hayward figure it out again?

Paul Sporer: I’m certainly pulling for him, but I’m not sure we’ll see early Heyward again

Jota P: With the rise in shifting, especially third basemen playing around second base so much, is it an advantage having a former SS like Bregman at third?

Paul Sporer: Even without shifting, it is. They basically have 3 SS as I think Altuve could hold SS if necessary while Correa and Bregman are fantastic

Matt: That was $5 for Nova and Davies

Paul Sporer: Solid prices. I could see keeping Nova at that price, but prefer the hitters

E: Do I get something healthy or something twice as delicious for lunch today?

Paul Sporer: Delicious! Delicious!

Paul Sporer:

Shmu: how are the yankees going to deal with their infield with Torres coming up next year, and their already crowded outfield with Clint? This year was a little simpler in the infield with Bird’s injuries and Ellsbury and Hicks out in the outfield, but assuming everyones healthy, how are the yankees going to balance things next year?

Paul Sporer: It’s kind of a copout answer, but it’s also true – it’ll figure itself out. I can’t recall a time where a team had an overload talent that didn’t eventually sort itself out via injury, position change, performance change, or simply trade

Moltar: I have made it my mission to see that people recognize the supreme adequateness of Seth Lugo, who went completely undrafted and unranked in both your SP tiers and the too soon mocks. He posted 1.7 WAR in only 100ish innings! He has a really great pitch with the curveball! He gets grounders and doesn’t walk people! Sure he’s got the partial tear to deal with, but his rotation spot is assured. I’ll be drafting him in the late rounds even if nobody else will.

Paul Sporer: Eno, is that you? Aren’t you supposed to be at your appt?!?!

Paul Sporer’s BIGGEST FAN!!!: I gotta know paul, yea or nay on next years yankees?

Paul Sporer: Gotta be honest – yea. I mean, I guess we’ll see who they bring in, but they’re loaded with more on the way.

Marcus Banks: Franceser has fawgawt maw about baseball then you’ll eva know umkay

Paul Sporer: lol

Matt: Loved the SP Guide in past years, any thoughts about bringing it back??

Paul Sporer: News on that in the coming weeks!

JD15: Alex Bregman has been pretty awesome since the all star break. Where do you see him going in drafts next year if he still has SS eligibility?

Paul Sporer: He went a very nice 69th in Justin’s drafts – https://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/2018-too-early-mock-drafts-final-adp… I think he’s a 6th rounder in 15-teamers at the latest

JD15: After getting left out of the playoff rotation, do you think that Clevinger will have a spot in the rotation next season or will he be a swing man?

Paul Sporer: I think he gets a shot to start

Steve O: Are you high on Benintendi? Am I the only one who sees more slightly above average regular than future star?

Paul Sporer: I’m on the future star side. A fantastic collection of skills, especially for fantasy with pop, speed, and AVG.

Adler: What will the yankees rotation look for at this time next year?

Paul Sporer: Tanaka, Sevvy, Gray, Montgomery, TBD — could go a lot of ways with the other spot. They’ve got prospects coming up and of course could go trade/FA route

Wide Awake Sleepers?: The infielders most likely to make the jump from top 10/12 to top 5 at their position are . . . (Rhys?  Devers? Bregman? Schoop?)

Paul Sporer: I like your picks, espec. Bregman and Rhys (Schoop had his breakout and while I buy what we saw, I’m not sure there’s ANOTHER level still). Barnes, Turner, Correa, TTurner, and the aforementioned Benintendi

JD15: Is this the offseason to sell Buster Posey in a dynasty league? When is his drop off coming? I don’t want to hold too long…

Paul Sporer: I think he’ll still be good in ’18, but if you want to ensure you don’t get caught holding the bag AND get a big return, selling this offseason is a good idea

Pie: Long live Eno

Paul Sporer: We <3 Eno!

Dan: $39 too much to keep Seager?

Paul Sporer: Given inflation, I could see keeping him at that price depending on the league specifics (how deep, NL only?)

Richard: Some readers are dicks – get over yourselves

FAN: SAMMICHES!

Pie: Remove the stakes of the game, was last night crazier than game 7 last year?

Paul Sporer: Can’t remove the stakes, though. Too intertwined. That said, it was an amazing game last night. Before a further investigation, highest I can get it in last decade per the earlier question is third behind Gm 7 last yr and Gm 6 Tex/StL

Dan: What can I predict from Acuna this season?

Paul Sporer: He’ll be just 20 and as amazing as his season was, we gotta be careful getting too insane with expectations. Assuming he gets 2-3 months of time, I can see .265/10 HR/15 SB … lol I’m so bad at random prospect projections, sorry

Josh: Brewers resigned Chase Anderson to an extension today. How much do you believe in his gains he made this year?

Paul Sporer: Gonna do a quick write up (prob up tomorrow), but the velo and skills improvements and the emergence of his cutter have me excited

Zotto: Who is a consensus #2 overall pick in a 2018 fantasy draft?

Paul Sporer: I don’t think there is one, tbh. Altuve, Goldschmidt, Harper all viable there, too. Altuve did go 2 in all of Justin’s mocks – https://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/2018-too-early-mock-drafts-final-adp…

Marcus Banks: Next Yankee Manager – Jason Giambi

Paul Sporer: Or…. A-Rod?

Nathan: Has anyone looked at the effect that a base stealer (at least 20 bags a year type guy) on 1st base has on the efficacy of the pitcher and hitter?

Paul Sporer: Hmm, I can’t recall a piece on it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was explored

Moltar: Sure, Franceser knows nothing about baseball, but I would not be shocked if he has lunch with Randy Levine on a weekly basis. Those are two peas in a pod. He probably knew what he was talking about with Girardi.

Paul Sporer: Ya I could see him being connected despite how little he knows about the game. I realize he’s an institution in NY, but when it comes to baseball, he should be IN an institution.

Fat Steve: 6×6 H2H, which side do you prefer? Rizzo and Kershaw or Correa and Donaldson?

Paul Sporer: dang, that’s really close. think I’d go with Kershaw side by a hair

Oddball Herrera: Last night’s game is going to be underappreciated by history because it wasn’t a clinching game, and it will be mostlly forgotten if the Dodgers win the series.  If it had been a game 6 or 7 this would’ve instantly been declared an all time great.

Paul Sporer: I think it could still get its due, but ya I could see it falling down the list a bit if LA wins

Fat Steve: The super early mock drafts show that most people are still in on Machado as a fringe first round pick. Are you worried that he might not rebound to previous levels? Lots of IFFB and not a ton of walks compared to some of the guys he’s going in front of.

Paul Sporer: Nah, I’m not too worried. Really seemed that his base hits just weren’t falling early in the season and then he rallied in the summer. He even swiped a few bags after that crazy 0 last year

jjp: What does your crystal ball tell you about Ryan McMahon next year? Is he fantasy relevant?

Paul Sporer: I don’t think there’s a spot from the jump with Desmond going back to 1B, but I can see him getting some burn in the summer and I like his skills and of course Coors helps. I wouldn’t draft him in mixed leagues, but definitely keep an eye on him

Dave: Miggy or Zimmerman at 1B next year? Same cost.

Paul Sporer: assuming Miggy comes in healthy, I’m taking him

Mike: Does managerial salary contribute to luxury tax? Could that have been a factor ?

Paul Sporer: I don’t *think* so, but I’m not certain

BK: Who’s the highest rated NL player at the end of next year in a standard 4×4 roto?

Paul Sporer: Trea mf’n Turner

Seth: Where do you think Stanton plays next year? No way it’s the Marlins, right?

Paul Sporer: I wouldn’t say “no way”. I certainly think they’ll explore dealing him for sure, but finding a taker won’t be easy

BK: Is Acuna a top 20 OF next year?

Paul Sporer: I doubt it

ARubio15: Last nights implosion of the Dodger’s bullpen was hard to watch with them giving up 6 of the 7 runs.  Should this be a worry going against a Houston team that has the best home record in the postseason?

Paul Sporer: I mean, they were on a 28 IP scoreless streak. Had to see some runs scored sooner or later. But ya, this Houston offense isn’t going to back down

Steve O: I hate to defend Francesca but what year was that from? I don’t think it was this past year right?

Paul Sporer: here’s the thing, it was never correct so it doesn’t REALLY matter when it’s from

HamPorter: Paul! Happy Bday, MF!

Paul Sporer: thanks!!!

BK: Yankees won’t be playing this time next year!

Paul Sporer: Not really going out on a limb to say they won’t make the WS.

Steve: What card in MLB the Show did you grind hardest for?

Paul Sporer: It’s probably the Verlander I’ve been working on all month in the postseason events

ThatsNotMyMonster: You’re in Houston, right? Astros fan?

Paul Sporer: Austin. Tigers fan, but definitely cheering for Houston, espec. once they got Verlander

Paul Sporer: OK y’all, I gotta roll, but I’ll be doing my normal chat tomorrow! So for those of you whose questions weren’t answered, bring ’em back tomorrow!!

Paul Sporer: Follow me on Twitter (@sporer), Snapchat (psporer), and Twitch (psporer24) where I stream MLB The Show (I’ll be on later tonight, in fact!). I’ll talk to you tomorrow!!!