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Rob Neyer

  (12:01 PM)

Hello, Comrades and Fellow Travelers. You can ask me about anything except baseball. I'm afraid I'm just not in the mood today...

Gus - New City, NY

Hi Rob, I'm not a big fan of the WBC and now it seems that Chipper Jones isn't either. Do you think players are going to be less inclined to play in the future hearing what Chipper has said and what seems to be some injuries that have been caused by over exertion so early in the year? Thanks

Rob Neyer

  (12:02 PM)

I don't know that Chipper's words carry a great deal of weight, Gus. And considering how popular the WBC has been this season, the only thing that could kill it would be a rash of pitcher injuries this spring.

Mike(Chicago)

No question, just thanks for the Lenny Dykstra link. Made my day.

Rob Neyer

  (12:03 PM)

Yeah. If even half that stuff is true ... (and for those of you who don't know what we're talking about, check out my blog this morning ... it's free!)

Chip (NYC)

Is it possible that the Yankees' no name pen (Rivera aside) will be better than the highly touted revamped Met Pen?

Rob Neyer

  (12:04 PM)

Anything's possible, though I don't think this is likely. I do think the Yankees' pen will be good enough.

Tim (New Jersey)

Rob, are the Yankees set at 3B with Ransom, or do they have any other ideas?

Rob Neyer

  (12:06 PM)

I'm sure they're kicking around ideas, but there's no reason to trade a prospect for a body if Alex is coming back in May.

Luke- Caledonia, MI

You are a GM...for the next 5 years who would you rather have as your 1B: A. Gonzalez or R. Howard?

Rob Neyer

  (12:06 PM)

Maybe I'm crazy, but Gonzalez. Younger, better all-around game.

William (Caribou, ME)

Who is going to play third for the Phillies this year? Oops. That's a baseball question...

Rob Neyer

  (12:09 PM)

Same as last year, right? Feliz and Dobbs? One reason to not be super-optimistic about the Phils' chances.

PTD

Your DeVito blog link today reminded me of a Big Kahuna review I read years ago. Said Spacey's the two-time Oscar winner, DeVito's the better actor. Agreed. (Oh, add Throw Momma From The Train to the list of reasons why).

Rob Neyer

  (12:13 PM)

Yeah, I have a longer rant about that, how DeVito is so *obviously* the better actor ... He's also great in Get Shorty, Heist, and (especially) The Rainmaker. Just terribly underrated.

Arin

Rob, were you a fan of Arrested Development?

Rob Neyer

  (12:14 PM)

One of the biggest.

Josh (Knoxville, TN)

Can you explain the "King Felix" nickname? Seems a bit grandiose and it doesn't seem to have any historical significance (a la King James for LeBron). Can we just start calling people "king" now? King Rob?

Rob Neyer

  (12:14 PM)

He's been "King Felix" since the minors; not sure why, except at 17 or 18 he already looked like a major league pitcher in almost every way.

Chris (Boston)

Rob, say you are a GM and have a young pitcher in AAA who has all of the tools to become an ace in the next couple of seasons. Say you also have a manager in the big leagues who is notorious for over working pitchers and has flamed out more than a few. Do you keep the pitcher in AAA, put "Joba Rules" in place to prevent overuse, or fire the manager so that no chances are taken?

Rob Neyer

  (12:15 PM)

Wait, back up ... Long before all this comes down, I hire a manager who's on board with my program. Whatever it is.

Travis (Boston)

Unrelated to baseball, shouldn't the current financial woes of this country force many big advertisers out of baseball. As a craft beer guy, I'd love to see good local beer and regionally authentic food show up at baseball stadiums. Oh to dream.

Rob Neyer

  (12:16 PM)

Maybe you just need to visit Seattle, Travis ... Lots of microbrews at Safeco Field, as I recall.

Jarron (Cleveland, OH)

Any interest in the Melrose Place re-make?

Rob Neyer

  (12:17 PM)

Never saw the first one, so probably not.

Dave (Colorado)

Ok, no baseball, but here is a professional question for you. With the Seattle Post-Intelligencer printing its last print copy today and starting as a digital only publication--and with other newspapers to follow, how will the demise of major-city newspapers affect local sports reporting?

Rob Neyer

  (12:20 PM)

I'm not able to get a good handle on your question, Dave ... But I do think that void will be at least partially filled, if only because there's still so much interest out there. There may not be as many reporters and columnists, and those who remain probably won't make what they were making. But there will still be people hanging around the clubhouse and the press box, digging up stories.

Bharat Dhillon (Philadelphia, PA)

Is Salary cap a sure thing for baseball when the current contract expires in 2010 or 2011?

Rob Neyer

  (12:24 PM)

I think it's unlikely in any event, but I suppose if the economy's still in the tank anything's possible.

Ewan (Vancouver B.C.)

What do you think about the Royals moving Mark Teahen to 2nd base? Is he likely to cut it defensively, and if he sticks there does his bat put him in the upper half of the league?

Rob Neyer

  (12:25 PM)

I think it's preposterous to think he's a long-term solution there. How many double plays do the Royals *not* turn this spring because their second baseman is still learning?

Joe

Do we really need Sports reporters anymore? Bloggers do just as a good of a job and they do it for free. They also seem to have less of a sense of entitlement.

Rob Neyer

  (12:27 PM)

Well, it depends on how you define "bloggers," right? If your definition includes writers who have access and the skills to run down leads and ask the right questions, then sure. But most of them -- I mean, us -- don't have the access or those skills.

Craig (Atlanta, GA)

Rob, I'm in a constant argument with a few friends that I'm hoping you can solve and back me up. I say player's salaries do not affect ticket prices. If anything, I'd think the ability to raise ticket prices helps escalate salaries. They say rising salaries are why ticket prices go up. What say you?

Rob Neyer

  (12:28 PM)

Teams charge what they think they can get. That's a generalization, of course, but a fairly accurate one. Tell your friend to trust me on this one: If the players agreed to a 10 percent, across-the-board cut tomorrow, ticket prices would not drop as a result.

Justin (Ontario)

Hey Rob, thanks for posting the Albert Pujols article this morning...he's been my favourite player since he arrived in the league, and it's great to read something like that...shame on anyone who doubts him

Rob Neyer

  (12:32 PM)

Look, I don't think the guy is necessarily a saint ... but then, who walking among us is? It's a good piece about someone who seems like a pretty good guy. That's enough for me.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

As a Braves fan, should I take anything positive away from their impressive spring record or is this season going to be much like the past three?

Rob Neyer

  (12:33 PM)

They should be in the mix, with the Phillies and just a bit behind the Mets. The Braves had a pretty good winter.

Fred (NJ)

So I guess that means you like the Mets to win the East? I do to, but I also liked them last year and the year before that...

Rob Neyer

  (12:35 PM)

Same here ... one of these years we're going to be right!

Chris (Broadview Heights, OH)

Does David Delucci provide quality depth this year?

Rob Neyer

  (12:38 PM)

Gee, I don't know ... after two fine seasons, he's been pretty awful for two seasons ... aren't those latter two more predictive than the former?

JJ, Liberty Twp OH

Should the Brewers look to trade Fielder now, since they don't seem to have a realistic shot at the playoffs this year?

Rob Neyer

  (12:40 PM)

I don't think it's true that they don't have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. Sure, some things have to break right for them, but it's too early to give up. Not that I think Fielder should be considered untouchable.

Will (St.L)

So the Marlins aren't in it, or is the divison just that close in terms of talent

Rob Neyer

  (12:41 PM)

Too much depends on the young and oft-injured pitchers.

Muzzy (Leicester)

Really miss your Mendozas yesterday. Is everything alright? Also, a full season of Yovanni Gallardo and Chris Capuano will go a long way towards replacing half seasons of Ben Sheets and CC.

Rob Neyer

  (12:45 PM)

Agreed. And thanks for your concern; everything's good except I've been transitioning to a new laptop, and things didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped.

Tyler (Calgary)

Do you have any thoughts on David DeJesus? Part of me thinks that he is underrated as I virtually never see anything on him.

Rob Neyer

  (12:47 PM)

He's solid, but has never played in an All-Star Game and probably never will. Guys like him just don't get a lot of ink (and, frankly, they shouldn't).

Bryan-MA

You vs. Gammons in a fist fight, who wins?

Rob Neyer

  (12:48 PM)

Not a fair fight, as I lost both my fists in a threshing accident some years ago.

Eric: (Allentown, PA):

Did you really list Feliz as a reason to NOT be optimistic about the Phillies? Playing some of the best defense at 3B in the majors along with above average hitting. Don't forget he drove in the winning run of the World Series!

Rob Neyer

  (12:49 PM)

Above-average hitting? Really? I'm not sure you know what that term means, Eric.

sean (NJ)

aaaaaaaaaand the incoherant rants from the Phillies fateful begins.....

Rob Neyer

  (12:52 PM)

Yeah, you should see the stuff I'm not posting ... Anyway, that's what winning a World Series will do ... can't really blame them.

Jon-NJ

As far as the third base situation for the phillies I only have two words- Jason Donald.

Rob Neyer

  (12:53 PM)

Gee, I dunno ... He's 24 and hasn't spend a day above Double-A ... maybe in a few months we can say this, but not now.

Reggie (Orlando)

Have you seen the documentary on Delmon and Dmitri Young? Thoughts?

Rob Neyer

  (12:54 PM)

I've neither seen it nor heard of it. But thanks for the tip.

Jason (Birmingham)

Hi Rob. Gut feeling on which Gary Sheffield shows up this year? More like pre-injury 2007 or 2008?

Rob Neyer

  (12:54 PM)

I'll be (almost) shocked if he's any good this year. Sometimes players do actually show their age.

Ben (Charlotte)

Given the young pitching talent in Cincinnati, is there any way the front office can curb Dusty from over-working Volquez and Cueto?

Rob Neyer

  (12:56 PM)

I don't think Baker will be allowed to do with those guys what he did with/to Prior and Wood. Times have changed.

John, Maryland Heights MO

Keith Law answered this question in his last chat: If they rebooted the Hall of Fame, which 10 people should be put in first?

Rob Neyer

  (12:59 PM)

Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Walter Johnson, Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Honus Wagner, Ted Williams. With apologies to everyone born after World War II ... Guess I should rethink that list.

Darren, Santa Cruz

Any news on if Eric Chavez' career is really over?

Rob Neyer

  (1:00 PM)

It wasn't over two years ago?

Gray (Chicago)

Who are the first 5 players you'd kick out of the HoF? Maybe get Rice out before he even gets to make that acceptence speech. Hall of Pretty Good.

Rob Neyer

  (1:02 PM)

I'm afraid Rice wouldn't be in the top/bottom five. Close, but not quite. My five would be guys from the '20s and '30s.Thanks for all the Q's, and I hope to see you next week in a special sort of chat we're putting together.