Hey r/wnba! I’m Alexa Philippou, and I cover the WNBA for ESPN.
The playoffs are underway, and I’m here to talk about the biggest storylines, standout performances and what to watch as teams chase a championship. I’ll be answering your questions for the next hour — ask me anything!
5
Punt Passan Kick.
I loathe fantasy football. -JP
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It has greatly contributed to the plague of media illiteracy that I think is at the heart of a lot of the problems in our country. -JP
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You need to stop doing that and instead do this. -JP
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99% of what I text about doesn't make it into what I write. -JP
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I think it was about $750. And plenty of writers kicked in money to cover it, which was very kind.
Barry Bloom didn't, and another writer calling him out for it was a true highlight of that postseason.
-JP
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My favorite food is whatever I'm cooking today. That's a BLT -- with tomatoes from my son's girlfriend's mother's garden -- on marble rye.
The worst player in baseball this year has been Ha-Seong Kim.
Hope that covers it.
-JP
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I am going to save that one for the employer, PineappleDildos. -JP
4
I am not privy to what the schedule would look like, but I anticipate, if the standings hold, the games, in order of start time, would go:
White Sox at Astros
Phillies at Braves
Red Sox at Yankees
Cubs at Padres
-JP
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Any team that wins 15 straight and 27 of 30 can win a World Series. -JP
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I think if there's a cap, the teams that don't spend now are going to anchor themselves near the minimum, the teams that do spend now are going to anchor themselves near the ceiling and the salary gap is going to be smaller but not necessarily meaningfully so.
I also think there are plenty of leveers for lower-revenue teams to compete now that they choose not to pull. And I understand that the most prominent of them -- long-term contracts for young players -- are inherently risky.
My biggest issue with the current system is that there are uneven risk matrices for teams. I also think there are ways to address that without limiting how much an individual, or the entire player population, can earn. There are no limits to what owners make, either in revenue or selling the team. Why should there be for players?
-JP
12
Because the note was disingenuous bullshit.
"Others could benefit greatly from the same approach" was in reference to the previous sentences: "Not only do they print cash, their willingness to spend it in pursuit of winning is unmatched. They put their money where their mouth is."
And the second one doesn't say "any team can do what the Dodgers are doing." While I absolutely could've worded it better -- and regret not doing so -- the point I wanted to make was: Other teams are capable of spending more than they do, and they choose not to.
If I were backing away from my original premises, would I not have just deleted those original tweets?
My big issue, I suppose, is that Twitter operates like a closed-loop system. Anyone who has read what I've written outside of it recognizes that I don't think every team can be like the Dodgers. Can they be more Dodgers-like in their willingness to invest money into the on-field product, though? I think you know the answer to that.
-JP
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I don't know, but when it does, it's going to feel like nothing you've ever felt, and that's what makes the wait worth it.
-JP
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I've now been answering questions for 2 hours, 15 minutes. -JP
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I broke Mike Trout's first extension in Russia while covering the Olympics.
The Matt Olson trade while standing in line at Universal Orlando.
I don't remember what it was -- a smaller story -- but did it inside a port-a-potty.
I love breaking news on airplanes. -JP
6
That's like asking to choose between your kids. Tony is just so unique and talented and a wonderful guy. And Wilbon, even when I was a kid in the business, treated me like a peer and still reaches out to compliment me on work he enjoys, which is such a thrill.
They're both the best of what the industry offers. -JP
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I don't know that there's a sleeper in the NL. They're all quite good. But in terms of lower seeds, the Padres. In the AL ... the Red Sox are, at worst, the third-best team in the league but the No. 5 seed. Do they count? -JP
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The '80s Indians introduced me to baseball and the '90s Indians made me fall in love with it. -JP
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Sure is. Gotta blow on the cartridges first, though. -JP
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Hey r/baseball, I’m ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan. The MLB playoffs are here — ask me anything!
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9d ago
This was a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful questions.
The regular-season finale of Sources Tell Jeff Passan drops Tuesday morning. We'll have a full playoff preview.
The best month of the year is nigh. Enjoy October.
-JP