JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 1/4/21

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 1/4/21

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Ben Clemens

2:43

I do not think he'll be traded, though I've been a bit wrong on the Reds so far this offseason so take this with a grain of salt

2:44

That said, I don't think LA makes particular sense as a place to add a top-tier starting pitcher. It's not really the Dodgers' MO to do that, and it's not like the Padres are their equal even after these signings and trades and so on

BooedSanta

2:44

Do Phillies fans have to wait until Dombrowski's salary comes off the books for the Phillies to sign some talent?

Ben Clemens

2:44

Lol amazing

I mean, you don't sign Dombrowski to NOT go for it

I'm curious to see what's coming next

2:45

A Realmuto signing seems somewhat likely at this point, I guess

Charlie’s Mom

2:45

You mentioned the Michael A Taylor signing earlier. I also like the Josh Bell trade (although reasonable people can easily disagree). Of the 3 or 4 other moves made so far this winter, what other “under the radar” ones do you think will have outsized impact?

Ben Clemens

2:45

Okay sure. I agree with you on Bell, I think it's a savvy move for the Nats with really good upside potential

2:46

I like the Nick Burdi signing for the Padres, lol

2:47

Mike Minor made a good amount of sense to me, though I think it's still more than 50-50 that he gets traded

Andy

2:47

I've heard Adam Ottavino mentioned a bit as a salary dump candidate - do you think he's broken or are his issues (walks, pitching to lefties) workable? They seem to have lost all trust in him as a high leverage arm

Ben Clemens

2:47

I think it's a bit of both

I'm not convinced that the pitching to lefties thing is totally fixable

2:48

His profile just doesn't scream lefty beater to me

For lack of a better way to put it, his slider is just too frisbee-ish

Walks? Fixable

Overbearing Padre

2:48

What could the Padres do to become the Dodgers' equal?

Ben Clemens

2:49

For me it's basically get another step forward out of Tatis and/or Machado

If Gore comes up and absolutely shoves, that would help

2:50

They'll be close! The Dodgers' biggest edge is that they have more superstars (Betts, Bellinger, Seager), and that makes it hard to backfill enough around it to overcome that disadvantage

I do think that they can, but I also think that it'll be hard to do so sustainably unless they have either one more big chip or one of their existing ones turns into Trout

Robert

2:51

Billy Wagner, the best left-handed closer of all time, should be in the HOF.

Ben Clemens

2:51

Agree with this take as well

He's still on the ballot, though, and the question was about players who have fallen off

I'd vote for Wagner if I had a ballot for sure

Sharp

2:51

Since you're a fan of both baseball and deckbuilders, have you checked out the center of that Venn Diagram, Baseball Highlights: 2045?

Ben Clemens

2:51

Yes! I like that game a lot

cool

1

2:52

Haven't played in a while but I have always enjoyed it

Matt (Oceanside)

2:52

Fangraphs Zips has the Dodger's rotation still projected to produce more WAR than the Padres even with the additions of Snell and Darvish. Are people just exclaiming they have the best rotation because it's fun for them to see a team sign anyone right now?

Ben Clemens

2:53

Steamer has the Padres ahead, and honestly, I think it's quite close overall. I think a lot of it is recency bias, though

It's just so fun to see a team add pieces like that

The problem is that the Padres are building from a low base

If Clevinger were part of their rotation in 2021, though, I would agree that htey have the best one

Narrowly ahead of hte Mets, who I favor right now assuming they sign one of Sugano or Bauer

Jimbo

2:53

Will Chris Paddack develop his curve and get back to form with his fastball or is he heading for thr bullpen down the road?

Ben Clemens

2:54

Back to form imo

I'm not exactly sure what's going on with that curve, but the changeup plays well enough that I like him in the rotation long-term even if the curve doesn't completely develop

Saul Goodman

2:56

In light of the Ross Detwiler signing, what is the most inexplicable guaranteed MLB deal given thus far this offseason, and why is it Abraham Almonte?

Ben Clemens

2:56

Presented without further comment

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