Chat with Rob Neyer

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Welcome to SportsNation! On Tuesday, ESPN.com MLB Insider Rob Neyer will drop by to chat some baseball.

Neyer's book, "Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends," can be ordered now!

Send your questions now and join Neyer on Tuesday at noon ET!

More Rob Neyer: Search | Chats | SweetSpot blog

Brad (McDonough, GA)


As an Indians fan, watching Game 1 of the World Series is going to be rough: Sabathia vs. Lee. Any comforting words?

Rob Neyer
  (12:02 PM)


Think of it as a testament to Mark Shapiro's ability to draft and develop pitchers!

Drew (Fairfax)


I believe whatever advantage gained by pitching CC twice on three days rest is lost by pitching Burnett and Pettitte on short rest. if you go CC-AJ-Off-Andy-Gaudin-CC-Off-AJ-Andy then you can bring CC out of the pen in game 3 and game 7.

Rob Neyer
  (12:03 PM)


Hey, it's a valid thesis. I'm just not sure they Yankees have much use for Sabathia as a reliever, given Coke's and Marte's effectiveness against left-handed hitters. And is Gaudin really ready to pitch? He's thrown one innings in the last three weeks, right?

Barry (Eastenders)


Agree/Disagree with Pedro starting game 2?

Rob Neyer
  (12:04 PM)


I'd have gone with Hamels probably, but Charlie Manuel's not an idiot.

Andy (Smithtown)


The LHB heavy lineup of the Phillies is misleading, as Utley and Ibanez, two of the three big left handed hitters, have done better this year against LHP.

Rob Neyer
  (12:05 PM)


That's a fluke, my friend. The platoon effect is real and it's absolute (I exaggerate, of course).

Joe (Boston)


Jayson Stark said that certain "baseball people" think that the Phillies are better at every position except 3rd base. Are you one of the baseball people?

Rob Neyer
  (12:06 PM)


Let's just say it's close at every position except third base, and catcher too. Let's also say that we're talking about apples (AL) and oranges (NL).

Bernard (Chicago)


In your Manny Acta blog you mentioned that there really aren't many great managers in the game. Who's on your list of great managers?

Rob Neyer
  (12:08 PM)


Joe McCarthy, Earl Weaver, John McGraw, Bobby Cox ... that's a good start, anyway. You can throw La Russa in there if you like.

Craig (PA)


Non-WS related, as a Dodger fan i'm worried that the McCourts divorce will kill our franchise similar to what happened in SD. How badly will the Dodgers be hurt and can the league step in?

Rob Neyer
  (12:11 PM)


I think it's almost impossible to say, except that you don't *want* your team going through something like this during the off-season. I have to think the other front offices in the West are, behind close doors, doing a lot of chuckling and chortling.

Matt (Philly)


Shapiro didn't draft Lee, he traded for him. I guess the development holds true though.

Rob Neyer
  (12:13 PM)


Oh, right. I remember now. But this is even better, because now you've got the drafting and the development *and* the trading. Shapiro's a triple threat!

Eric (Hoboken, NJ)


It's close at SS? Derek Jeter's batting average was 40 points higher than Rollins' OBP!

Rob Neyer
  (12:14 PM)


It certainly wasn't close this year, but I was trying to be charitable. Rollins was an MVP and a Gold Glove winner, not so long ago...

Justin (New YOrk)


What do you think of Girardi, the manager? Mostly good?

Rob Neyer
  (12:17 PM)


Sure. What's not to like, really? I think he's still learning, but that strikes me as a good thing. Now, if he doesn't learn soon that you don't pinch-run for your best player when you're behind by a run...

Scott (Baltimore)


About comparisons. The only OPS gaps of Philly over NY going around the field: -95, -17, +34, -239, -166, 45, 49, 10, -141 (last is Stairs as DH). The phillies have a few small edges, but NY has big ones at C, 3B, SS and DH.

Rob Neyer
  (12:18 PM)


Objectively, of course that's exactly right. And the Phillies' edges, where they have them, are not large, with the possible exception of second base (including defense).

Sam (Livingstone)


You're really going to bring up the AL vs. NL thing when talking about the two best teams in the league? Honestly, listening to some of you pundits, the Royals would be an 80 win team in the National League.

Rob Neyer
  (12:19 PM)


They wouldn't be? Why not? Have you seen the Royals' record against National League teams over the last three or four years? It's real good.

Zachary (Eagan, MN)


Hey, I prefer oranges! A better comparison is to say we're talking about bratwurst (AL) and hot dogs (NL).

Rob Neyer
  (12:21 PM)


Well played, sir.

Tim (LA)


you are delusional if you think the Yankees are far and away the better team. Sure, they may be better than the Phillies, but there really isn't the NL/AL difference when comparing these two teams. They are very evenly matched!

Rob Neyer
  (12:24 PM)


Then why did the Yankees win so many more games than the Phillies? Shouldn't equally matched teams win roughly the same number of games? I might be wrong, but you haven't come anywhere near making the case for delusional. Well, not for *me* being delusional, anyway.

Stack (Hoboken (NJ))


Mother Nature might shuffle the deck on the pitching rotations b/c it's raining cats and dogs right now...

Rob Neyer
  (12:26 PM)


Yeah, lots of rain in the forecast for tomorrow and perhaps tomorrow night, too. We'll worry about that when we have to, but if the Series loses an off-day, that's good news for the Phillies.

Dave (NK)


Actually, Rob, if the two teams were evenly matched the Phillies would have won a few MORE games than the Yankees due to the competition.

Rob Neyer
  (12:26 PM)


Yes, there's also that. I was again trying to be generous.

Steve (Philadelphia)


The NL is just as strong as AL. I know I've watched a lot of baseball, so what if every single piece of evidence is against me. Go back to your mom's basement and look at those stats some more.

Rob Neyer
  (12:27 PM)


Done and done.

bebopdeluxe (philly)


Your Yankees in 5 was SO predictible...you've been wrong on the Phillies for two years - why stop now?The question is - if the Phillies win it all AGAIN, will you and Jim Caple co-author a "mea culpa"...or can we just wait to see you pick the Phils to finish 3rd in the NL East in 2010?

Rob Neyer
  (12:29 PM)


Actually, the presence of Cliff Lee will probably lift the Phillies to the top of my 2010 projections. But thanks for asking.

John (Cincy)


Are people at ESPN forbidden from talking about Deadspin?

Rob Neyer
  (12:30 PM)


I'm not sure what the policy is, John, but I haven't seen much of the site since Leitch moved on.

Gregg G. (Philly)


Rob, didn't you blog about some computer program that said the Dodgers would beat the Phillies 750 times out of 1,000 series, with the most common result being four games to one?

Rob Neyer
  (12:31 PM)


It wasn't a computer program. Computer programs don't make assumptions about player performance or Pedro Martinez's guts. People do, and then they punch a bunch of buttons to speed up the process. But, yeah. And other objective analysis had the Phillies winning. They're all just data points, some more useful than others.

Jack (DC)


Easy on Rob, that was all pre-Cliff Lee, correct? Kudos to Amaro for getting Cliff!!!

Rob Neyer
  (12:34 PM)


Well, it wasn't *all* pre-Lee, was it? He did start 12 games for the Phillies this season. But, yeah: Give the Phillies a full season of Cliff Lee and a Brad Lidge who doesn't blow a million saves, and they win around 100 games. If I were sold on Lidge's comeback I probably would have said Yankees in 6 (rather than 5).

Kevin (San Diego)


Rob, a non-WS question...any thoughts on new Pads GM Jed Hoyer? Good move?

Rob Neyer
  (12:35 PM)


People who have worked with Hoyer in Boston think the world of him. I don't know that we can know that he can manage a far-flung baseball organization until he actually does it. But of course he'll have some help.

Chad (Las Vegas)


What do you think of the McGwire hire in St. Louis?

Rob Neyer
  (12:37 PM)


I think McGwire shouldn't be disqualified from working in the majors, and if he's actually a good teacher then why not? My only concern, were I a Cardinals fan, is that La Russa is trying to send a message rather than hire the best hitting coach in the world.

George (NY)


Do you think Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds would be so warmly received by Commissioner Bud if they were named coaches next season?

Rob Neyer
  (12:40 PM)


No, but then McGwire is not currently embroiled in legal proceedings. Bratwurst and hot dogs...

Jesse (Ca)


Pedro in game 2, why?

Rob Neyer
  (12:44 PM)


He's pitched exceptionally well for two months and it's not likely that he's afraid of the Yankees. That said, a left-hander would seem to have been in order, in the Stadium.

Justin (New York)


Will the Yankees waste a roster space on freddy guzman again?

Rob Neyer
  (12:46 PM)


Who would you rather they waste it on? I think having an extra fast guy on the team is perfectly reasonable, since seven positions are completely set in every game, innings one through nine.

Jerry (St. Louis)


Roberto Alomar and Barry Larkin will appear for the first time on this year's Hall of Fame ballot .... how do you expect them to do in the voting? (I'm sure we both think they *deserve* to go in, but, how do you think they will actually do?)

Rob Neyer
  (12:48 PM)


I think they'll both fall short with Alomar coming closer, but eventually they'll both make it. They have to, right?

Doug (NYC)


Rob, Hinske and his bat is likely to be activated for Guzman and his legs. Do you agree?

Rob Neyer
  (12:51 PM)


Oh, of course. I'm an idiot. Completely forgot about those three games with pitchers hitting. Yeah, the Yankees do need an extra bat, maybe two. And Guzman won't cut it. And I wonder if they should start Gardner against Blanton, so Cabrera can come off the bench.

Otto (CA)


Will Bill James ever do an annual Abstract again?

Rob Neyer
  (12:52 PM)


I don't think so. But you should pick up the Bill James Gold Mine this winter. There's a fair bit of Abstractian material in there.

Ken (Scottsdale, AZ)


I keep hearing that the Pads will/or should deal A-Gon. But why? Could they possible get full value?

Rob Neyer
  (12:54 PM)


Why couldn't they? Reasons to trade him: 1) They need more young talent in the organization, and 2) Kyle Blanks, one of the best young players they do have, has to eventually play first base.

Ian (OK)


Why does Larkin "have to" make it? He missed a lot of games and had a lot of incomplete seasons (just like Raines, come to think of it). I guess this goes to what you want in your HOFer. Compilers v. seasons.

Rob Neyer
  (12:55 PM)


I want both, and that's Barry Larkin, the 12-time All-Star.

Hunter (Jackson, WY)


Why wouldn't Epstein entertain the idea of cutting the cord on Ortiz now, and dealing a mid-level prospect or three for Adam Dunn to fill the void?

Rob Neyer
  (12:56 PM)


Do you know that he wouldn't? I suspect, though, that the Nationals overvalue Dunn.

Old Hoss Radbourn (The Ultimate Bullpen)


Rob, I was pretty deuced good, wasn't I? I certainly think so, but am curious as to what you stat people think.

Rob Neyer
  (12:58 PM)


Yeah, for four seasons anyway. You were the Don Gullett of the 19th Century.

Anthony (Sarasota, FL)


Is Clay Buchholz going anywhere this winter, and if so, for whom?

Rob Neyer
  (12:59 PM)


I think he stays, because even if he's just league-average next season he's immensely valuable because he's so cheap.

Nate (Vancouver, BC)


Rob, I remember you writing several years back about the theory that all righty hitters, given enough time, will have similar platoon advantages. It seemed like a pretty big discovery, but I haven't heard much about the issue since. Has that conclusion held up over the years?

Rob Neyer
  (1:00 PM)


I don't know, Nate ... Did I write about it, then? Bill James came to much the same conclusion when I was working for him in the early '90s.

Chad (Easton)


Why is this year a fluke with regard to Utley and Ibanez vs LHP but not a fluke with regard to Jeter?

Rob Neyer
  (1:02 PM)


I don't understand the question. But I do understand this: "The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs." Cheers!

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