Dan Szymborski
@dszymborski.fangraphs.com
Senior Writer for FanGraphs, ESPN contributor, data consultant, ZiPSetician, gamer, talkative, exasperated/ing, possibly the worst. BBWAA, Digital Dandy. Also known as Zebulon Igor, apparently.
Pinned
Dan Szymborski
@dszymborski.fangraphs.com
· Nov 20
For those new to BlueSky and interested in FanGraphs writers -- or those who aren't, making this an odd choice -- I put together a FanGraphs starter pack of writers/editors who currently are staffers or contributors to the site.
go.bsky.app/Q1Dm1ED
go.bsky.app/Q1Dm1ED
I'm really happy to just have a normal winter forecast now.
February 8, 2026 at 10:17 AM
I'm really happy to just have a normal winter forecast now.
Reposted by Dan Szymborski
It's hard to believe it's been nearly four years since CNN awkwardly interrupted live reporting of the invasion of Ukraine mid-sentence for the breaking news that you could get five boneless wings for $1 at Applebee's with the purchase of a burger.
February 7, 2026 at 3:00 AM
It's hard to believe it's been nearly four years since CNN awkwardly interrupted live reporting of the invasion of Ukraine mid-sentence for the breaking news that you could get five boneless wings for $1 at Applebee's with the purchase of a burger.
Ever since the time I watched Luther with my mom, she's been casually using the phrase tickety-boo in conversation
February 5, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Ever since the time I watched Luther with my mom, she's been casually using the phrase tickety-boo in conversation
A cat stole a half-pickle from me yesterday and ran off with it. I have not encountered the pickle since.
February 5, 2026 at 3:12 PM
A cat stole a half-pickle from me yesterday and ran off with it. I have not encountered the pickle since.
You know what's really awkward? Getting a very long, kind email for someone about what your work has meant to them, but realizing from a couple of the facts mentioned that they're actually confusing you with another nerdy stathead writer, and you're not actually the correct target of the praise.
February 5, 2026 at 3:09 PM
You know what's really awkward? Getting a very long, kind email for someone about what your work has meant to them, but realizing from a couple of the facts mentioned that they're actually confusing you with another nerdy stathead writer, and you're not actually the correct target of the praise.
Up on @fangraphs.com, I wrote about the Framber Valdez signing. blogs.fangraphs.com/framber-vald...
Framber Valdez Signing Establishes the Tigers as AL Central Favorites
Detroit lands the best pitcher available on a contract that can’t go horribly wrong.
blogs.fangraphs.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Up on @fangraphs.com, I wrote about the Framber Valdez signing. blogs.fangraphs.com/framber-vald...
Sometimes I think my brain was simply defective at the factory, and some engineer instituted a backup system that kicks in after a half second as a kludge rather than fixing the underlying problems.
February 5, 2026 at 7:30 AM
Sometimes I think my brain was simply defective at the factory, and some engineer instituted a backup system that kicks in after a half second as a kludge rather than fixing the underlying problems.
For about a half-second, my dumb brain seriously misread this headline and though Stark had to decide which of her kids she wanted to be rid of.
February 5, 2026 at 7:28 AM
For about a half-second, my dumb brain seriously misread this headline and though Stark had to decide which of her kids she wanted to be rid of.
Actual people did things like trade Mickey Tettleton for Jeff Robinson. Imagine the laughter in social media if the A's traded Shea Langeliers this winter for Genesis Cabrera
February 5, 2026 at 6:55 AM
Actual people did things like trade Mickey Tettleton for Jeff Robinson. Imagine the laughter in social media if the A's traded Shea Langeliers this winter for Genesis Cabrera
Like, if we had 1995 GMs today, Adam Frazier and Miguel Andujar would have signed three or four year deals. Syd Thrift would have traded Samuel Basallo for Kyle Freeland or something.
February 5, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Like, if we had 1995 GMs today, Adam Frazier and Miguel Andujar would have signed three or four year deals. Syd Thrift would have traded Samuel Basallo for Kyle Freeland or something.
I do have to admit that I kinda miss the days when baseball teams were run far less competently. We just don't get the constant flow of hilariously dumb moves that we used to. I'm not being facetious when I say the worst-run organizations today would be easily in the top ten 30 years ago.
February 5, 2026 at 6:43 AM
I do have to admit that I kinda miss the days when baseball teams were run far less competently. We just don't get the constant flow of hilariously dumb moves that we used to. I'm not being facetious when I say the worst-run organizations today would be easily in the top ten 30 years ago.
Reposted by Dan Szymborski
I guess the silver lining on most things in the world being shitty is that there's way too much to be angry about before you get down to my and my small potatoes stuff. I really think this is the winter I've gotten the least expletive-filled direct messages sent to me in social media.
February 4, 2026 at 12:11 AM
I guess the silver lining on most things in the world being shitty is that there's way too much to be angry about before you get down to my and my small potatoes stuff. I really think this is the winter I've gotten the least expletive-filled direct messages sent to me in social media.
TFW you're live on the radio and while you're talking, a cat pushes a cup of buffalo sauce off the desk onto your lap and you spend the next four minutes feeling cold, pepper-based sauce where it should be not be
February 3, 2026 at 11:47 PM
TFW you're live on the radio and while you're talking, a cat pushes a cup of buffalo sauce off the desk onto your lap and you spend the next four minutes feeling cold, pepper-based sauce where it should be not be
How many bad teams would need to Voltron up to defeat the Dodgers? Today's bit of nerdy mischief from me at @fangraphs.com
blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-beat-th...
blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-beat-th...
Let’s Beat the Dodgers!
How many basement dwellers would it take to topple the two-time World Series champs? To the spreadsheets!
blogs.fangraphs.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:29 PM
How many bad teams would need to Voltron up to defeat the Dodgers? Today's bit of nerdy mischief from me at @fangraphs.com
blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-beat-th...
blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-beat-th...
Hall of Fames can be really annoying. But I was a baseball fan long before anyone made the confusing decision to pay me for writing about baseball, and as a baeball fan, I really like there being something that is considered a high honor by players that they can get.
February 3, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Hall of Fames can be really annoying. But I was a baseball fan long before anyone made the confusing decision to pay me for writing about baseball, and as a baeball fan, I really like there being something that is considered a high honor by players that they can get.
Oops yeah!
You mean A’s hitters and Pirates pitchers?
February 3, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Oops yeah!
Just for fun, I reran the projections with Pittsburgh/A's each having A's offense and Pirates hitters and the united team averaged 89 wins, winning the AL West 26% of the time and the NL Central 31% of the time.
February 3, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Just for fun, I reran the projections with Pittsburgh/A's each having A's offense and Pirates hitters and the united team averaged 89 wins, winning the AL West 26% of the time and the NL Central 31% of the time.
Reposted by Dan Szymborski
If you have a particular insight or story you want to tell about the increasing omnipresence of gambling (especially interested in how it’s affecting underage kids), get in touch. Email and signal in bio
For @cnn.com, a story about gambling addiction, gambling sobriety and how that changes many young men’s relationships to friends, family, and sports fandom. www.cnn.com/2026/02/01/s...
February 2, 2026 at 3:24 PM
If you have a particular insight or story you want to tell about the increasing omnipresence of gambling (especially interested in how it’s affecting underage kids), get in touch. Email and signal in bio
There will be a significant bump for Eugenio Suarez in the FG updated projections sometime on Monday. He still had his SEA projections in the system, so the ZiPS WAR was automatically updated on the site to Cincy but still had his SEA projs. Profound park differences!
February 2, 2026 at 7:35 AM
There will be a significant bump for Eugenio Suarez in the FG updated projections sometime on Monday. He still had his SEA projections in the system, so the ZiPS WAR was automatically updated on the site to Cincy but still had his SEA projs. Profound park differences!
I want to use the handle Closed Timeline Slurves, but I haven't found a reason to yet.
February 1, 2026 at 11:16 PM
I want to use the handle Closed Timeline Slurves, but I haven't found a reason to yet.
*If* Arraez is going to work out, then using him at 2B and hoping he's -7 defensively instead of -15 there is probably the way to go.
It'd *really* be nice if he weren't so good at making contact. He's unfortunately good at hitting the most garbagey pitches.
It'd *really* be nice if he weren't so good at making contact. He's unfortunately good at hitting the most garbagey pitches.
February 1, 2026 at 12:59 AM
*If* Arraez is going to work out, then using him at 2B and hoping he's -7 defensively instead of -15 there is probably the way to go.
It'd *really* be nice if he weren't so good at making contact. He's unfortunately good at hitting the most garbagey pitches.
It'd *really* be nice if he weren't so good at making contact. He's unfortunately good at hitting the most garbagey pitches.
Sorry Accuweather, I'm not feeling TOO sympathetic.
January 30, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Sorry Accuweather, I'm not feeling TOO sympathetic.
Reposted by Dan Szymborski
Really it's more "anyone born from 1975 to 1979" probably.
It's from the movie, The NeverEnding Story.
It's from the movie, The NeverEnding Story.
January 30, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Really it's more "anyone born from 1975 to 1979" probably.
It's from the movie, The NeverEnding Story.
It's from the movie, The NeverEnding Story.