JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 1/30/23

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 1/30/23

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5 Run Homer

2:32

re: analytics in other sports, I'd also like to mention that advanced hockey stats have generally led to an increase in scoring and game speed as well. We just got unlucky with baseball

Ben Clemens

2:32

Yeah, I don't really follow hockey but I've heard that as well

RTJ

2:32

The A's owner is a literal billionaire - they are a "resource-lacking team" by choice.

Ben Clemens

2:32

That's implied in all of our talk about teams

Like, no team has a shoestring budget either

But plenty of teams operate like they do

bosoxforlife

2:33

Tatis and Julio Rodriquez also played only a half season in Double-A. Do you think more teams might start bringing up their precocious young players, like Mayer, sooner with all the success these players who skipped Triple-A have had?

Ben Clemens

2:33

I think it'll continue to be case-by-case, and I think that is wilse

A Boy Named Yu

2:33

Las Vegas Sharps or Sharks? I could see sharks but not getting sharps.

Ben Clemens

2:33

Sharps, like wise gamblers

Teddy

2:33

Recently read some early scouting reports on Yordan. A few noted that he lacked raw power (40-50 grade). How projectible is one's power vs. approach/hit tool? Would think that scouts would generally prefer a contact-oriented guy who might have the chance to put on muscle, as opposed to the other way around. Thoughts?

Ben Clemens

2:34

I don't know how scouts would think about this, so I'll limit this to how I look at things. I am by no means a minor league expert, but at this point I'm willing to say that I have a solid track record of finding interesting minor leaguers who are perhaps somewhat overlooked by the broader public

2:35

In doing so, I've found that contact skills feel more predictive at lower levels, subject to some minimum amount of power

2:36

The higher up you get, the closer the player is to fully formed and the more everything matters

Pat

2:36

Nashville Bachelorette Party's is the only acceptable name for a Nashville team.

Ben Clemens

2:36

Nashville Honky Tonks would be fun, too, though they're definitely not doing that

2:37

I wish they were an East TN team, I have way more names for those, though Chattanooga Lookouts is already hard to top

CLEV

2:37

How long can the Guardians realistically trot out Straw in CF if he keeps hitting below a 100wRC, even with the plus defense?

Ben Clemens

2:37

A very long time, depending on how far below 100 we're talking

2:38

If we're looking at his 2021 season, awesome, they'd take that every year

If he's hitting like he did in '22, with a .291 OBP and higher OBP than SLG?

I think the leash is very short there

ryan

2:38

Out of the two "Wow, that guy was really good at framing and could hit really well for a catcher but are not Yadier Molina" guys Brian McCann and Russell Martin, who do you think stays on the HoF ballot the longest/might actually get in?

Ben Clemens

2:38

I think McCann will stay on longer, but I don't think that either has a real shot at getting in given the standards of catchers in the hall

Gashouse Gorilla

2:39

Your thoughts on Wacha? Asking too much/too long or will he get it from a team who loses a starter once pitchers can catchers come in?

Ben Clemens

2:39

I think he'll end up getting a deal, obviously, but I think he's likely been asking for too much and didn't find the market he was looking for

at that point, as a starter of his general caliber I think waiting for an opening is smart

I assume he's just working out on his own so that he can be ready when someone calls him up, seems reasonable to me

bosoxforlife

2:39

Are you into the World Baseball Classic? It will be fun to watch players actually trying to win in March.

Ben Clemens

2:40

Oh yeah, and my sense is that everyone here is pretty excited about it

The rosters are stacked, the players are going to care, and I love a chance to get in some guilt-free national team rooting

Marko from Tropoja

2:40

What's your best guess for a Julio Urias FA contract after this season, and does it get signed with the Dodgers?

Ben Clemens

2:42

Hm.... Urias is going to be a rare case just because of his age

2:44

Eduardo Rodriguez got 5/72 as a 29-year-old who isn't as good as Urias, Zack Wheeler got 5/118 as an older but higher-octane kind of guy

Wheeler was not yet an ace when he signed that deal, either. I remember people being surprised that he got more than MadBum and Ryu

2:45

Maybe something like 6/160? I haven't given this one a lot of thought

A Boy Named Yu

2:45

Las Vegas Entertainers? 21s? Jackpots? Snake Eyes? Rogues?

Chip

2:46

Darren O'Day retiring with $50mm in career earnings is legitimately a cool baseball story. An undrafted guy who throws funny managing a 15 year career in the bigs is why baseball is such an awesome sport.

Ben Clemens

2:46

Oh yeah, love it

Darren O'Day was good for a long time, and basically the entire time the most interesting question about him was 'how is this guy good?'

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