Baseball Prospectus - Chat with John Perrotto

Chat: John Perrotto

Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Thursday February 25, 2010 3:00 PM ET chat session with John Perrotto.

Back from the beat but bound for spring training, John Perrotto's got you covered for questions and answers.

John Perrotto: Hi everyone. Spring training has started and the start of the exhibition games are less than a week, so let's talk some baseball.

Philly Fan...but... (Philly ): I am in an auction draft and I have Howard at 47 bucks, I am tempted to throw him back in the pot, with the thinking he won't go for anymore then that price . Should I keep him? Throw him back in with the hope to get him cheaper or another Howard-like player?

John Perrotto: Marc Normandin is our fantasy guru and he'd be a better guy to ask but I think Ryan Howard is still one of the game's premier sluggers and should be for a few years. I'd say keep him and if he has a bad year then don't blame me.

paulbellows (Calgary): I see the over under on the Jays is set at 78.5 wins. There is no way they are reaching that is there?

John Perrotto: Gotta take the under there. They are going to need a lot of their pitchers to come back strong from surgery to get near .500.

Brandon (Charleston, WV): Aroldis Chapman is turning some heads early in spring. Do you think he makes the team out of ST?

John Perrotto: I would not be shocked to see him begin the season in the major-league rotation. I know the Reds would prefer that he start off in the minors but his talent might be too much to keep off the big-league roster.

Karp (NY): John, I've been enjoying some of the interviews David Lauria has been doing with scouting directors and MLB GM's. My question for you is this. Given that BP is stong in both statistical analysis and coverage of prospects, could we get more interviews and insights with team's scouting directors and directors of statistical analysis? I would love to see an interview with Kyle Stark and Dan Fox together, so we can learn more about how statistical analysis, visual scouting and player development merge and work together. Do you see value in that?

John Perrotto: We have been striving to provide more Q&As of that sort. However, many clubs are leery of allowing their statistical analysts to speak with the media for fear they might give up trade secrets.

Jquinton82 (NY): Ozzie Guillen now has a twitter acount... how much trouble will he get into and how entertaining will it be for all of us?

John Perrotto: It's going to be beautiful while it lasts but Ken Williams is already anger with Ozzie about this and I imagine he make him stop pretty soon.

Spanky LaValliere (Ron Karkovice's basement): I am not sure if this is common knowledge or even if you can answer it, but is this new blog interface given a release date? Can I expect it before the start of the season? I keep reading about how awesome it will be and I am looking forward to it. So is the time frame 2 day, 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years? Thanks.

John Perrotto: We don't have an exact date but it should be in place by opening day and, hopefully, a few weeks in advance of that.

Joe W (Kiski): John, you're an old newspaper guy. How much of this newfangled stat stuff do you get and how much of it is so much steaming poop?

John Perrotto: I've always been curious about the new stats going back to when Bill James' Baseball Abstracts first started be available in book stores in the 1980s. Thus, I get a lot of the new stuff because it's been of interest to me. That being said, and maybe I shouldn't say it considering who I work for, but some of the new stuff loses me.

Brandon (Charleston, WV): Mike Leake will be in Cincinnati by _______

John Perrotto: September, at the latest.

BallparkFan (Phoenix): What do you foresee the future holding for two enigmas - Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge?

John Perrotto: Dukes is his own worst enemy and I fear his career is not going to end on good terms. Milledge, on the other hand, seems to have started the game seriously since being traded to Pittsburgh last summer and I think _ and PECOTA does, too _ that he is on the verge of a breakout season.

Jack (Chicago): Who do you think wins the #5 spot in the Cubs rotation?

John Perrotto: Tom Gorzelanny. I think Jeff Samardzija is better suited to being a reliever.

Paul (LA): Come on, people who rip the new statistics just don't understand them and what they don't understand they don't like.

John Perrotto: No, I like almost all of the new stats but, in my opinion, some of them just lose me. It's like stories, some are better than others.

Paul (LA): Come on, people who rip the new statistics just don't understand them and what they don't understand they don't like.

John Perrotto: No, I like almost all of the new stats but, in my opinion, some of them just lose me. It's like stories, some are better than others.

John Perrotto: Well, that was painless. Enjoyed the conversation, even though it was short. Take care and talk to sometime before opening day.