MLBTR Chat Transcript with Tim Dierkes

I would love to be a part of the chat but i am still in school at that time.Maybe you could think about making it later...

I enjoyed that chat a lot, and it was a whole lot better than the first one. I think you got the balance of accepted questions right, and just the right length of response to keep it pacey but informative!

I find it a stretch when someone goes from posting "found" information to the point where their personality starts dominating the proceedings and they start to come across as a tout.

Jeez guys. Tim runs a baseball rumor website, where he does have SOME inside info now and then. He runs a fantasy website (yes which he just stated), and has been at it for years. He's done a pretty damn good job, in no way saying "This is the way it'll be" about some players. Just like any ESPN announcer or your respective baseball teams' beat writer, he has opinions. Doesn't your beat writer have an email address that is available for you to email them and ask their opinions on whatever? Not only opinions, but he may inform someone of something that has been said or done that the person asking is not aware of, so Tim informs them of that. He does a real good job saying where he got his info from too.

Give him a break. He does a damn fine job at what he does. Let him continue that and not have to waste time on posts such as yours.

Sir CoryJWilson,

Tim has a reputation proceeding him because of the quality of analysis he provides, whether it be on MLBTR or on player analysis for Rotoauthority, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, or any of the other fantasy baseball establishments that welcome his commentary. There is a reason why his following is what it is, and his attitude toward your comment was completely warranted. If you did your research before you made your comment, you'd know that Dierkes commentary is not based merely on found information, but his careful and articulate analysis of such. It's hard to real some of the crap on the internet from guys like Berry who speak of their "gut instincts" and offer little else. In no way is that true of the commentary Dierkes offers. He really does do a thorough job collecting, analyzing, compiling, and synthesizing and finally presenting new information, which is the reason why his sites are among the small handful I am able to rely upon. If you disagree, at least have the courtesy to back up what you say because your opinions seem baseless among those of us who are familiar with Dierkes' body of work.

Wow, I just read what I wrote again and I think it could get misconstrued as me being fresh, for lack of a better word, and that's not what I intended. I was trying to ask a legitimate question about Tim's baseball background. Sorry, Tim.

finite24,

It's amazing you could pull your head from Tim's butt long enough to type that little spiel. Yes, it is "found" information. He is not originating news. So what if Roto sites and Hardball Times take his contributions.

Oh man....you said "Dierkes body of work." I'm sorry for insulting Hemingway. It's all very pretentious. Not "Dierkes" but you the Trekies that suckle at his teet.

How does one become a baseball progosticator? I'm guessing by having the loudest microphone. What are the success rates for their field. I think Ron Shandler said something to the effect that he was only close on projections 60% of the time. I'd venture to say that the average fan who is up to date is at 50%. If a surgeon was only 10% better than you at doing your operation would you go to him.

My point being that baseball "experts" are only experts because they CLAIM they are.