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Meg Rowley FanGraphs Chat - 12/9/2020
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Meg Rowley
4:00
Hi everyone! I'll be getting started in just a few minutes here - just wrapped recording Effectively Wild and need to grab a seltzer.
4:05
And am returned, with a seltzer and some chips. Let's chat!
Scotty
4:05
Meg.... hello
Meg Rowley
4:06
Hi there!
dude
4:06
Rank these OF for 2021; Arozarna, Teoscar, Carlson, JD Martinez, Laureano, Mountcastle, Winker.  Going to be thinking about who to prioritize as keepers and trade bait soon.
Meg Rowley
4:07
My name is Meg and I am once again going to ask you to direct fantasy questions to our fantasy writers, as they know what they're talking about when it comes to fantasy, and I decidedly do not.
Jeff
4:07
Is there a more relatable figure in pro sports than Steve-y Cohen? His tweet about losing 2 pounds...he's just like me
Guest
4:07
Steve-y Cohen: Mets savior or MLB savior? That guy is such a hero, and his wallet is so big ;)
Super relatable RoY favorite owner, Steve-y Cohen, is on Twitter! Man of the people this guy
Jeff
4:07
Hi Meg!! I would like to thank you all at FanGraphs for keeping the content coming. Is super relatable rookie owner, Steve-y Cohen with the Mets, the favorite for RoY?
Meg Rowley
4:09
Setting aside the obviously joking nature of these, I beg of you to not getting overly invested in or allow yourself to be charmed by billionaire owners. It is nice that he is more apt to communicate with fans than the Wilpons seemed to be and that he is keen to win, but I assure you that that way lies madness.
Guest
4:09
What is your take on the White Sox/Rangers trade? Who “won” the trade in your opinion? Thanks!
Meg Rowley
4:11
Even allowing for the reality that the franchises were trying to accomplish different things, and that it appears Lynn was ready to opt out if he was traded this summer, which surely changes our understanding of their at-the-time puzzling decision not to move him at the deadline, Chicago did well here.
4:14
Lynn has been a top 10 pitcher the last two years on the back of a reworked pitch mix that saw him trim his sinker usage, throw his cutter and four-seamer more, get more whiffs, profit etc etc. The move brings them stability up top, pushes guys with more question marks further down, and also adds just a tremendous beard to the org.
The whole thing makes me wonder where Joey Gallo is playing at the end of text season.
Vcap51
4:14
I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the livestream yesterday. Was fun to see some familiar faces or just to put familiar voices to new faces.
Meg Rowley
4:15
I'm so glad. Despite feeling out of my depth with streaming, I had fun, too.
dude
4:15
On a per inning basis, chance Dunning > Lynn this coming year?
Meg Rowley
4:15
I would be surprised. I like Dunning fine, but Lynn is just very good.
Syndergaardengnomes
4:16
If you had to guess, what are the odds of NL DH?  What are the odds of expanded playoffs?  I haven't met a single real baseball fan who prefers expanded playoffs...  Why are we cheapening the 162 game season?
Meg Rowley
4:20
I still think the DH is an inevitability and the league has certainly demonstrated a willingness to change up the rules midstream, so I could see that being sprung upon teams in a few months. I think we will also see expanded playoffs but I wouldn't be surprised if that ends up being a point of contention in the next CBA, so if we get them again in 2021, I don't imagine they will be in their final form.
tldr we'll have both eventually, the league will try to leverage the DH to get expanded playoffs, teams will express a desire for a universal DH, we might end up with one sort of last minute, and I imagine we have both on a permanent basis for 2022.
Nolan
4:21
Last I saw the Mariner's payroll projects to be 22M lower than last season according to RosteResource, is it right to think that them now reinvesting at least close to that amount this offseason should be expected of them even with the pandemic? 2020's payroll was already low for the team and to lower it even more when there's a good amount of solid players out there to sign would be quite the missed opportunity just to make the billionaire owners checkbooks look better.
Meg Rowley
4:23
I think that the availability of lower cost alternatives will prove too tempting for a team that is still assessing minor leaguers who just "played" a weird-ass season and who the club hopes will be the core of the next winning Mariners team. Add in the pandemic and the looming CBA negotiation, and I'd imagine 2022 is the earliest we see free agent cash really add up in Seattle.
Watch now they're going to sign Bauer for $100 million.
dude
4:25
Will Gavin Lux be a starter in 2021?
Meg Rowley
4:28
A starter? He's in the mix for sure. At second? Ehhhhhh. I think the throwing issues are real and haven't shown a ton of improvement, so he might end up making sense as another of these Dodger guys who float between the infield and the outfield, perhaps helping to spell Pollack in left sometimes, perhaps sometimes playing at second.
4:29
(apologies, my internet was being squirrelly for a second)
4:30
This likely means very little, but it was recently pointed out to me that Mookie is on the Dodgers' depth chart as a backup at second.
FanGraphsGraphsFan
4:30
Was last night an active endorsement of alcoholism?
Meg Rowley
4:30
Nope! I hope it was clear that folks were welcome to drink whatever they wanted, alcoholic or non, or nothing at all.
4:31
I will say that folks at Winter Meetings aren't famous for making Good Choices.
Aaron
4:31
So, it's good that the Royals are spending, but...why did they spend on Carlos Santana?
Meg Rowley
4:31
It's an odd fit. That's not to say that Santana is bad, or that he isn't useful to KC, or that they aren't a better team with him.
4:32
But the gap between the Royals with him and the Royals without him is the difference between them contending or not.
It isn't even the difference if all their young dudes take a huge leap forward
4:33
And he isn't likely to bring a difference-making prospect back in trade.
That said, he is good, and he is useful, and they are a better team with him.
4:34
And I do like the idea of teams fielding sort of competitive rosters with goodish players while they're in the late stages of their rebuild.
It's also a pleasant surprise to see that profile of player do well.
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