Baseball Prospectus - Chat with Jason Collette (note time)

Chat: Jason Collette (note time)

Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Wednesday May 04, 2011 7:00 PM ET chat session with Jason Collette (note time).

Live out your favorite fantasy with Jason Collette!

Jason Collette (note time): Howdy all! Since my Rays get started 20 minutes early on mid-week games, I am going to do the same. There are a few questions in queue so I'll knock them out first as we get underway

Dave M (Chicago): Who do you want in HOU for saves for the rest of the year?

Jason Collette (note time): I want Wilton Lopez. High strikeouts, high groundball rate, and low walk rate. His BABIP & LOB% stink right now, but that's in a small sample size. If not Lopez, then Melancon.

Hokieball (DC): With Pagan and Torres both set to come off the DL soon, I'm going to have to make some drops. Please rank this hot mess of outfield mediocrity and disappointment. Consider that we set rosters daily, so guys like Boesch and Smith don't actually get me blanks on days they face a lefty, they just sit in favor of someone else. B. Boesch, R. Davis, N. Markakis, A. Pagan, A. Rios, S. Smith, A. Torres

Jason Collette (note time): Give me Rios, Davis, Pagan, Markakis, Smith, Torres, Boesch. If Smith gets better vs LHP, he jumps to 4th. Toronto is running, a lot, so Davis could pile up steals in bunches now that he is back off the DL. He already has one tonight and would have easily stolen 3rd if not for a foul ball.

mmaurer016 (tampa): What are your thoughts on this? Hanley and carlos Pena for Jose Reyes and Lance Berkman. Thanks.

Jason Collette (note time): I don't like it. Carlos Pena gets hot for a week or two, but then goes in the tank for 3-4 weeks at a time. Unless he is hitting home runs, he's just not helping you. Meanwhile, Reyes and Berkman's only risk is health. If it were anyone but Pena, I'd be more excited but he's a three true outcome guy these days and the HR is the least likely of the outcome since August 2009.

Yatchisin (Buried Under Tear-Dampened Kleenex): So, is there anyway to create a time machine and get Liriano off my bench for yesterday's no-no? I can't be the only person who sat him and his 9+ ERA.

Jason Collette (note time): I read a lot of complaints about it on Twitter so you definitely were not alone for that ugly mess. I would definitely market him around your league to gauge interest because I am still quite underwhelmed with him.

bscarge (Maine): Dave stole my question! Relatedly, I've heard Fulchino could get save opps. Any reason for Melancon over Fulchino?

Jason Collette (note time): Fulchino is a bit more wild and his walk rate is really high against LHB, to the tune of a 5.2 BB/9. His numbers look much better against righties making him more effective in a ROOGY role.

rawagman (Section 203): What's the deal with these 6:30pm start times? Toronto traffic is bad - can't get home that early. Does it have an effect on attendance? Most importantly, what does it say about the Rays' situation that the local hockey team got nearly double the attendance of the local baseball nine? - and I love hockey

Jason Collette (note time): The Rays marketing people surveyed season ticket holders and other fans and this proposal had enough approval from those surveyed to try out. In my opinion, it's hurt attendance more than it has helped but the last few have also butted up against home playoff hockey games which really does not help. The Lightning have not had a home hockey playoff game in 4 years so that's why the fans are really pouring over into the games right now.

Aceball (Reno): As a Giants fan I'm mad that ESPN jumped on the local story that the Giants have had internal discussions about making a move for jose reyes. What organization wouldn't have that discussion? Now some other teams are going to crash the party. Why should ESPN make a big deal about a non-story?

Jason Collette (note time): I'm not sure the Giants have the prospects to make that deal happen but given Alderson's track record, he was going to shop Reyes around anyhow before trading him away.

bigpoppalip (DC): What did you do to Carl Crawford and when will you lift the curse?

Jason Collette (note time): Introduced him to something he's never seen before....media. I've worked 5 games this year and in the clubhouse, the record number of media members would settle for an off-day at Fenway. I have him in 2 high-stakes leagues so I take no joy in this bad performance.

Yatchisin (Intercostal Clavicle): Am I going to be happy I've had Brian Matusz stashed on my roster all this time? There are folks like Dan Hudson and Brandon McCarthy lingering on our waiver wire.

Jason Collette (note time): I'd rather have Hudson right now since his worst stats are behind him

rawagman (Section 203): Are you aware of any studies of the effects of pickoff throws on either the batter waiting, the baserunner dancing or the pitcher tossing?

Jason Collette (note time): I wish I was - hopefully someone who reads this archive has heard of one.

kevinorris (St. Petersburg): Kyle Drabek is now starting for the Blue Jays tomorrow - what should I expect from him?

Jason Collette (note time): The Rays have had their troubles against good curveballing righties this year - particularly Phil Humber and Gavin Floyd. Drabek lacks the command of those two, but I expect he'll get 6-7 strikeouts tomorrow but he's going up against David Price who has been extremely successful against the Jays over the past two seasons so looking for a win is going to a lot to ask.

Byron (McKinney): Hey Mr. Collette - :) Leonys Martin? Worth 15.5M?

Jason Collette (note time): Not a bad price for him but but curious that he got the major league deal with the big signing bonus.

R.A. Wagman (Section 203): Jason - is it just me, or is the Rays CF cam not true HD?

Jason Collette (note time): I'm not sure. I only watch games either from the press box, my iPad, or my laptop (#humblebrag), so I've never gotten a true gauge for how it is on a real HDTV. That said, this is the first year they've gone to the dead CF camera view which I've really enjoyed.

Bryan (LA): This year and Long term, who do you like most of the A's young starters?

Jason Collette (note time): In both cases, Gio Gonzalez with Cahill right behind him. BIG fan.

Mike Gianella (Philly): Oh man! I missed the chat!

Jason Collette (note time): Shame on you....I'll be back on again later this month. Meanwhile, Joe West sucks

Jason Collette (note time): OK, it's been fun - we'll do it again soon.