JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 12/13/21

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 12/13/21

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Ben Clemens

2:00

Hello, welcome to another edition of Let's Talk Baseball During a Lockout

2:01

Should be a blast, and I love how interested people are in keeping up with their team even while there's nothing going on

2:02

Perhaps we'll talk some gift ideas and cooking/baking too, because I don't have that many interesting baseball thoughts at the moment

Let's get going

NashvilleSounds

2:02

Do you plan to add "Oneil" to your spellcheck and end up misspelling the names of other players, or leave it off and have to decline the suggested change to "O'Neil" a million times?

Ben Clemens

2:02

I don't actually use my spell check

I spell fairly well, so I just leave it on default and assume names will often get picked up

So to answer your question: no

Ross

2:03

Who would you target coming out of the lockout if you were running the Mariners?

SGray

2:03

Any truth to the rumor that Jerry Dipoto had a deal in place for Sonny Gray, but wasn't able to finalize it before the lockout? Would that be a good fit?

Ben Clemens

2:03

I have legitimately no information as to whether this rumor is true

That said, I like the idea of adding one more pitcher

2:04

The Mariners have a ton of interesting pitching in the pipeline, but two years of Sonny Gray isn't going to change that

I'd like to see them spend free agent dollars on a hitter first

2:05

But it's hard to get a pitcher of Gray's caliber for exactly two years in free agency

In fact, it's impossible

And I actually think the short timeframe fits them there

So I'd be very in favor of the move

Mrs Phanatic

2:05

I asked Szymborski but he didn’t have any good answers. Do you have any good productivity tips?

Ben Clemens

2:05

I'm not sure that I'm the person to ask on this

2:06

I would say that my main productivity tip is to focus intensely, but take as many breaks as you want

I find that I can be VERY productive in a ten minute burst, and then after ten minutes my brain thinks 'okay I'm really bored of looking at WAR and $, I'm going to work at half speed until you give me something fun'

aj

2:07

sorry if you've answered this before, but if you had a HOF ballot who would you vote for this year? in the future?

Ben Clemens

2:07

I haven't answered this before, actually

I really liked Ben Lindbergh's discussion of what goes into voting for the first time on Effectively Wild a few weeks ago

2:08

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-1775-ask-the-audi...

2:09

I'm glad I do not have a vote this year. I don't know what I would do -- but I do think I'd link Bonds/Clemens/Schilling (vote all or none) and basically vote for the big names aside from that. I'll be very happy when Rolen gets inducted, he was a big part of my favorite Cards teams growing up

Kevin Garnett

2:09

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!!

Ben Clemens

2:09

Objectively true!

BigBagBerk

2:09

What (big hopefully) move do you see the Astros making? I think they need a bat ie Bryant or Story. Seeing Bregman is willing to move back to SS.

Ben Clemens

2:09

I would not move Bregman to short.

2:10

I don't think he'd be particularly good there, think he makes a lot more sense long-term as a third baseman and there are several shortstops looking near-majors-ready

I kind of think they'll just stand pat, to be honest

David

2:10

Better for the Mariners: Story, Gray, and Chapman; or Bryant, Gray, and Suzuki?

Ben Clemens

2:11

Lot of Mariners questions. I think I'd take the right group, b/c they'll require less talent-based compensation and the Mariners have stated they have money to spend

I don't think that they're in a place where they can afford to trade a ton of prospects for impact players, they need some of those prospects to hit still

So I'd prefer to keep a deep bench and let my money do the talking this year. Next year, if they're in a more stable playoff contention situation, let the trades get going

The Real Ben Clemens

2:12

Sort of feels like the Padres missed out on the chance to upgrade what is in my mind a rather shaky rotation. Still a good amount of depth but a lot of iffy injury history with no real durable ace at the top. Once the lockout is over, think they aggressively pursue Castillo, Gray, someone else?

Ben Clemens

2:12

But...

I'm the real Ben Clemens

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