BCB Mailbag 16: Passing Gas and Illegal Deliveries

Opening Day tickets went on sale this morning! I got mine, and I hope you were able to score yours as well. Now let’s get to the questions:

The Dane asks:

My 5 year old kid is left handed

When do I start grooming him for the majors?

You better get him signed up for little league this spring! My 6 year old stepson is also left-handed, but he’s nowhere near as interested in the game as my three year old daughter. She’s been asking me all winter when we get to watch baseball next, and he just keeps asking if we can watch Spongebob.

nanook1207 asks:

Who will have the first stupid injury

And how will he do it? Along the lines of busted hand from dropped suitcase, or stitches from shower incident? Or tear up knee putting shoes on? You get the drift.

Hmm...I’ll say that Brent Suter trips and suffers a knee sprain while doing his dinosaur walk during the making of a video with Tim Dillard and Cody Decker.

tomreagan707 asks:

Who will be the 25th man on the roster?

If we’re talking the last guy on the roster who will be earning frequent flyer miles between Colorado Springs and Milwaukee a la Keon Broxton during the first half of 2016, Michael Reed sort of fits that mold in my mind. He’s on a league-minimum deal and has minor league options remaining. I’m guessing that he’ll probably start the year in AAA, but only because Hernan Perez and now maybe Scooter Gennett will be able to function in the fifth outfield role. But any injury to a position player will likely bring Reed to the big leagues.

Duhawk Steve asks:

Who will be the highest WAR infielder?

I could see it being Villar, based on last year, Arcia, based on prospect status, Thames, based on being Korean Barry Bonds, or even Shaw if you think he could break out and the others are around 1.5-2.

I think it will be Villar. I’m not sure that Shaw or Arcia are going to be much more than league average starters at best at this point (and I’m more sold on Shaw), and as much as I like Thames, it’s hard to accrue a big WAR while you’re playing first base unless you are really outstanding with the bat. It’ll be a tall order much his tremendous production from 2016, but I don’t think something like 3 WAR is unreasonable for Villar to attain.

AKBrewerfan asks:

Will there be another "beat the writers" fantasy league this year?

I can say that I won’t be able to organize and run a league this year, so you’ll have to ask Jaymes or JP or eddiematthews if they’re willing to get one together.

cjsever asks:

Taking Someone Yard

If Braun could hit a monster home run off one National League pitcher, who would you like it to be?

In a showdown of the aces, I would like to see a Junior Guerra vs. Jake Arrieta matchup that’s scoreless until the 7th or 8th inning, when Braunie comes up in front of the Wrigley faithful and crushes a hanging slider on to Waveland Avenue to put the Brewers ahead for good.

(This is an invitation to post the Guerra-Arrieta meme in the comments.)

Cheeseandcorn asks:

How illegal is Carter Capps' new delivery?

(Link)

Pretty illegal, super illegal, or Cardinals-hacking illegal?

I mean, this is pretty crazy, right?

Capps’ delivery isn’t new, this is how he’s been throwing since he debuted in the big leagues. The above photo is actually form April of 2015, and I think I remember folks making a big deal out of it last year, too. But Capps’ delivery is apparently legal, and he’s not the only guy who uses a ‘hop step’ either - Jordan Walden uses a similar sort of delivery. The MLB and their umpires seem to be okay with it, and I can’t imagine integrating a hop step like that and still being able to deliver a strike is very easy.

drezdn asks:

Did Adam Lind fart?

Evidence

Absolutely.

Thanks for all the great questions this week everyone!