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Mike is the lead fantasy writer at Baseball Prospectus, and co-host of the Flags Fly Forever podcast.
Mike Gianella: (fan in the back) chat, chat, chat.
(entire group of fans: Chat! Chat! Chat!
(everyone on the Internet): CHAT! CHAT! CHAT!
mikewilsonelgin (Bloomington): Does David Dahl have a non-robust skeleton?
Mike Gianella: according to the article I Googled 30 seconds ago, no.
Frank (Brooklyn): is Taillon's new slider a key to his breakthrough/level up?
Mike Gianella: the sample size is a little small, but i like what i've seen so far. he had been relying more on separation between his fastball/curve but the slider looks better to me than the curve in the 1 or 2 Taillon starts I've seen so far.
Chansen8895 (San Jose): I know dynasty isn't your go to but what should we make of this Sano demotion from a LT prospective? he clearly hasn't been right since the injury last year.
Mike Gianella: It hurts him in long term formats. I saw him at Triple-A in the last game of his rehab and while he was mashing in BP and hit a home run in the ninth his bat looked a little slow to me. Can't speak with any authority if it is the injury still bothering him but the high whiff rate makes Sano look more like a Chris Carter type than an Adam Dunn type.
Dusty (Colorado): Where does Wander Javier fit into the Twins plans in 2019?
Mike Gianella: If he's fully recovered, he'll start the year in the low minors. Even if he knocks the cover off the ball, the injury makes me believe the Twins will be cautious.
Mr. Fister (Arlington): What are your thoughts on the Royals' return for Herrera? Seems like quantity over quality. They could have gotten a better prospect if they hadn't jumped the gun, right?
Mike Gianella: yeah. I like Gutierrez more than most but even there you're probably looking more at an average starter at best. Hard to say if they jumped the gun or not; always difficult to judge ROI on trades until after the dust settles and the deadline is over.
Salty MFer (Mom's Basement): The MLB probably wants to know why attendance is down across the board. Well, for me to take my family of four to a game in KC, it costs roughly $250 when you include tickets, parking, concessions, and maybe a small novelty item for the kiddos. All to watch a team that since its World Series has raised prices while simultaneously going into full tank mode. I sure hope they don't start pulling this relief/opener garbage (even if it make sense from an analytics standpoint) or it will be even tougher to convince myself to take the family to the ballpark. Do you think MLB will step in at some point and ask teams to try and appeal to fans over trying to squeeze out every tiny strategic advantage they can?
Mike Gianella: I think they're already trying with all this talk of pace of play and speeding the game up, but I'm with you. Tanking and ticket prices are having more of an impact on attendance than pace of play imo. And even if ticket prices go down, there's something to be said for staying home and watching the game on my widescreen as opposed to driving an hour each way to sit in the upper deck and get a poorer view of the same game.
Matt Damon (Film Actor's Guild): MATT. DAMON.
Mike Gianella: yes you are.
Juan Soto (The Swamp): JUAN. SOTO.
Mike Gianella: LOUD NOISES
Mr. Fister (Arlington): Are you a believer in Domingo German? Seems like he's getting crazy whiffs and limiting walks.
Mike Gianella: I am. I don't see him as a future ace but if he's a mid-tier starter with elite whiff totals that's pretty sweet for fantasy.
Johnny Lasagna (New York): Why is everyone getting super excited about me? One good but not great start and I'm being compared to Mariano Rivera who is quite possibly one of the best pitchers to ever play the game. This is nuts!
Mike Gianella: This happened with Fernando Romero too (well, maybe not the Mo comps). People get really excited by pitchers who throw hard with funky movement. The problem with pitchers like this is repeatability. I like Loaisiga long term but we'll see if he has enough command and consistency to be a starter.
Slapnuts (London): Rank for ROS, Pivetta, German, Quintana, Mikolas. Thanks!
Mike Gianella: Hi Slapnuts. Thanks for chatting.
Mikolas, Quintana, Pivetaa, German.
Hunter Strickland (Recovering from surgery): I am stupid, no? Why are closers like myself such divas these days?
Mike Gianella: Anger seemed like more of the impetus here than stupidity. Closers have been flaky as long as I can remember.
Roberto Osuna (Administrative Leave for the 18th time..): RIP XXXTentacion. You were my role model. I learned from the best.
Mike Gianella: (finds out who someone is, finds out how awful he is, all on the same day. thanks internet!)
Lil' Xan (Getting another face tattoo): I'm thinking about changing my stage name to Lil' XWOBA. What do you think?
Mike Gianella: i expect this to go poorly (XTTGP)
Turd Ferguson (Boston): With only the NL East having more than two teams that could possibly make the playoffs, I wonder why attendance is down.?.? Hmmmm.....MLB has a problem.
Mike Gianella: I agree. NBA has tanking galore but it's easier to watch an emerging star on a bad team in basketball and get immediate gratification. In baseball you often have to wait a few years and when teams play the service time game it deprives you for another month or two. League needs more parity, a way to market their young stars sooner or both.
Foodie Man (Thinking of food): If you were to put Nick Markakis in a hot dog bun, would he then be a sandwich?
Mike Gianella: a gyro sandwich.
Beefcake (Aspen): If you were to split a burrito longways, would you then have two soft tacos?
Mike Gianella: that's none of your business. it's nacho concern.
Chansen8895 (San Jose): Is Danny Duffy a lost cause as a starter? Maybe they should just throw him in at closer so they can recoup some value.
Mike Gianella: Probably. I'd like to see a different team take a crack at fixing Duffy but you're right that his trade value is in the toilet so he's not going anywhere.
Mike Gianella (Sitting in your chair): Inception
Mike Gianella: I'm chatting from a secure location for this reason.
Ric Flair (Atlanta ICU): Woooooooo!
Mike Gianella: Wooooooooo!
Mr. Fister (Arlington): Baseball is inching ever closer to having two thirds of the league in tank mode. How will the MLB address this in future CBAs? I understand why teams do it, but I also realize that it is not good for the game from the paying customer's perspective.
Mike Gianella: For all of baseball's pearl clutching about attendance, I wonder how much they really care as long as they're profitable. The game is making money hand over fist. This can't last forever if the TV money dries up but right now it isn't a significant worry. There's no real incentive for MLB to change/mandate competitive rules if everyone is rolling in $$$.
Esteban Loaiza (Hangin' out on the street corner): Sup man, need any ludes?
Mike Gianella: the first night of my honeymoon someone tried to sell me cocaine. i'll tell you what i told him "do you know where the nearest Denny's is?"
Player 1 (Here and now): Smoak or LoMo? I'm stuck cycling between the two at CI. Or would you play both and bench Josh Bell? 12 team head to head categories not including OBP. Thanks!
Mike Gianella: I'd sit Bell for now.
Salty MFer (Mom's Basement): I hate it when I'm pretending to listen to someone and they say "were you even listening to me?" and when I say "yeah" they say "then what did I just say?"
Mike Gianella: what? sorry, i wasn't paying attention.
Mr. Fister (Arlington): Having played dynasty for over 18 years, I do not see how people get enjoyment in redraft leagues. Just sayin'
Mike Gianella: I prefer keeper formats myself but I do enjoy an auction/draft where I have an opportunity to get any player I want.
Jim (Dallas): Got Carlos Gomez for $10 in AL Only and thought I had a bargain. Do you trust him to hold value through Kiermaier's return, or is a total random like Johnny Field a real threat?
Mike Gianella: what are your FA options? I have Gomez in LABR AL and I'm kind of stuck with him because my other options stink. In mixed drop him like a hot potato but in AL-only what choice do you have?
Chansen8895 (San Jose): What should we consider Jon Gray at this stage? is he only a high K pitcher who will murder your ratios? or is he getting the horrible end of the luck spectrum?
Mike Gianella: Some bad luck, but he looks like a different pitcher with men on base. I'd bet on a rebound in the second half but he isn't going to be the elite arm I thought he'd be.
Roger Watters (In a daze): How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat your meat?
Mike Gianella: i'll take the final cut, please.
Teresa (Sarasota): Thanks for the chat! I love it when you guys post all of the silly random non-baseball questions. Hearing people constantly ask about Ohtani, Acuna, Harper, and the flavor of the day waiver guy gets boring really quick.
Mike Gianella: I'd rank them Harper, Acuna, Ohtani and flavor-of-the-day guy.
Hobbs (NY Knights): 12tm roto dynasty. I'm back from 1st 4 points. Have 5/12 points in avg. Would you look to move Harper or wait for his avg to come back?
Mike Gianella: I'd hang on, unless someone is going to back up the Brinks truck.
Brad (NJ): what do you think is a realistic future for Enyel De Los Santos? 4/5? Pen arm? any worry about the short stride?
Mike Gianella: think he'll stick as a starter. i'm a little worried but thinking the mechanics can be fixed.
Joe Joe (IA): How high up has Jose Ramirez moved in a roto dynasty? Thinking of offering Harper for him. Is that crazy?
Mike Gianella: That seems pretty fair to me, unless it's an OBP league.
Teresa (Sarasota): That being said, after I boil hot dogs, I like to pour the hot dog water into ice cube trays and freeze it. I then use those ice cubes in drinks for my in-laws. Am I evil?
Mike Gianella: only if they're vegans.
Carl (CA): What are your thoughts on Nimmo moving forward in a dynasty format?
Mike Gianella: I'm biased as a Met fan but he seems legit. Great approach, more power than I expected, I do wish he would run more but otherwise looks like a solid OF2 going forward.
Smoker (Smoking): MLB parks need to have smoking sections where you can still see the game from. At Kauffman, you literally have to leave the stadium to have a cigarette. And there are no televisions. Boo!
Mike Gianella: That doesn't sound ideal.
Pot Smoker (Smoking Pot): I don't want to hear it Smoker. I have to go all the way back to my car to get high. Suck it.
Mike Gianella: you guys are in the wrong chat.
Smoker (Still smoking): That's why they make edibles, Pot Smoker! Step up your game.
Mike Gianella: Get a room, you two.
Pot Smoker (Smoking Pot): Do they sell edibles at Coors?
Mike Gianella: I've never been to Coors. I really need to get to more parks out west. Sorry I couldn't be of assistance.
The guy with a million aliases (In this chat since 11am): Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Don't know if you can tell if one person is posting as 11 people or not, but I was, and it looks like I asked about 75% of your questions. You mind checking into whether or not I can buy edibles at Coors? I need one right about now! Cheers!
Mike Gianella: i figured it was one person or two people. these questions are much easier to answer than "is this 17-year-old kid from Cuba who no one has seen play yet the next Mike Trout?" so you did me a favor.
Tre (Compton): Who should I play between Amed Rosario and Nick Ahmed. I'm stacked everywhere else, but MI is thin. Thanks!
Mike Gianella: I'd go with Rosario.
Brad (NJ): When Austin hays comes off DL, do you expect him to go back to 2017 production or 2018?
Mike Gianella: split the difference.
Scatman (I'm the Scatman): Skeeby deeby deeby bom boodoo boop, bom boodoo boop.
Mike Gianella: scatman!
Hobbs (NY Knights): Can you name some guys you think are good buy low candidates in dynasty. Hoskins, Conforto, L Castillo, etc?
Mike Gianella: Manuel Margot, Jon Gray, Scott Kingery.
Chris (MI): Thoughts on Yordan Alvarez? Seems to be a little underrated no?
Mike Gianella: he's in the top 35 in FanGraphs updated prospect list so i think the industry is catching up. Looks like a potential beast.
Frank (Brooklyn): who are your best buy low hitters and pitchers ROS?
Mike Gianella: Manuel Margot, Gary Sanchez and Brian Dozier for hitters. Jon Gray, Luke Weaver and Yu Darvish on the pitching side.
Chesty (New Bern NC): 6x6 one yr league hr,rbi,r,ave,sb,xbh
Looking for a third baseman available are Muncy,Davidson,Matt Duffy.Thanks
Mike Gianella: I think you have to grab Muncy and ride that streak.
Chansen8895 (San Jose): Are you worried about Charlie Blackmon? His batted ball data suggests something is up as his GB are up and hard hit rates are down or am i just cherry picking at a 2 1/2 month sample with his historically hot months coming up.
Mike Gianella: I'm a little worried. But Coors will help and I agree that he's usually a second half guy, if memory serves.
Mr. Fister (Arlington): Poor Clint Frazier. No spot to play in NYY and unlikely to be traded for Happ or Hamels. Is there another prospect in as unlucky a place as him? Maybe Mejia?
Mike Gianella: It would be those two.
Mike Gianella: Thanks for coming out to chat. Not a lot of baseball questions, but glad I good help you out with all your hot dog water needs.
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