JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 11/9/20

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 11/9/20

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Gutbuster

2:15

Marco Gonzales and Justus Sheffield seem like they are trending in very similar ways: once-hyped, then either hurt and/or forgotten, or yelled at for being purely reliever material, then making adjustments, hitting spots, and becoming remarkably solid contributors, but still overlooked. Does this sound like too much homerism, or do you agree, this control/command profile just gets a lot of shrugs even if it is effective?

Ben Clemens

2:16

As someone who was on team Marco over team Carlos Martinez when the Cards had a spare rotation spot (2014? I can't remember when)

I've long been a sucker for that profile

2:17

I think that expecting Sheffield to match Gonzales's stats is a tough selll, which is partially b/c I think expecting Gonzales to replicate those stats will be hard lol

2:18

But yeah, I think that they're similar types of pitchers in that they felt like they had htin margins

Missed those margins (not enough velo, or not a good enough secondary, etc.)

And despite missing were still good enough b/c they developed other tools

Isolated Thinker

2:19

The Mets should only be concerned about improving the pitching staff especially the starters behind deGrom. You can argue that the Mets need to add 4 SP. The only major offensive add should be Realmuto.

Guest

2:19

So how would you improve the Mets? Doesn't JT, Lindor, and Morton make them division co-favorites with ATL?

SH

2:19

Do you think that Michael Conforto gets to another level next year?

Ben Clemens

2:19

Lot of Mets questions today!

I agree with Isolated Thinker that I'd focus on the rotation plus Realmuto

2:20

Between Rosario and Gimenez, I don't hate the shortstop situation, and they're kind of flooded elsewhere

With hitters, that is

Nice problem to have

Moose_Bolton

2:20

Hi Ben. Thoughts on the Red Sox rehiring Cora? As a Sox fan myself I think I would have preferred they go a different direction, if only so I didn't have to deal with piping hot internet takes (which I should ignore anyway). That being said, the players seem to really like him so I guess it's not a terrible decision.

Ben Clemens

2:20

I think it's a real cop out by the team, and I think there's some chance it backfires

2:21

I.e. if Cora is just really into cheating, or things that he considers not to be cheating but that we consider to be out of bounds

And they get caught

Well, yeah, that's gonna be bad

That said, maybe it's just a bet that no one actually cares about sign stealing, least of all MLB, as long as you keep it quiet

And that they just thought Cora was the best person for the job last time

They clearly didn't give anyone else a real shot this time despite what Chaim Bloom said

Uncle Steve

2:21

Thoughts on the likelihood for the DH in the NL in 2021?

Ben Clemens

2:22

90%?

kcbg

2:22

Best SP addition for the Mariners if they feel there is a playoff chance in 2021 but a very good chance in 2022? Return of Taijuan at 3 years, 45 mil. Trade for Musgrove, giving Taylor Trammel and Juan Then. Or go for broke with Trevor Bauer?

Ben Clemens

2:22

That would be WAYYYY too much for Walker I think

Depending on whether you like Craig or the crowd more, we have him somewhere between 2/18 and 2/20

2:23

I'd definitely not trade Trammell for Musgrove, though there's some chance I'm just residually too high on Trammell from his Cincy days

So I'd say Walker for 3/30 or something

Give him an extra year and hope it works.

Derek

2:23

Jeff Luhnow suing the Astros seems like a natural next step in this story. (though honestly I think he has a bit of a point - Jim Crane escaping the whole thing mostly Scot free is at least... interesting.)

T-P

2:23

What or how or when and where can the Cubs make imporvements to the roster this offseason? So that they make it out of the play in round next year

Ben Clemens

2:24

Whoops, was trying to grab two Astros ones

But let's answer these two instead

As to the first: he might have a point that he was scapegoated, but wrongful termination? No shot

2:25

He's just not going to be able to win this when it's clear he was involved. Maybe they did make a deal behind closed doors, but Luhnow was complicit and was always going to get fired, regardless of what the deal was

I'm not sure whether he's just suing for wrongful termination or also for defamation, and I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think he has much of a case

2:26

As to the Cubs, they're still kinda stuck. They could non-tender Bryant and sign Tommy La Stella, then use that money to sign a pitcher, maybe?

vomit

1

Uncle Steve

2:26

Pristine weather in NYC since Steve Cohen officially closed the deal for the Mets. Coincidence?

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