JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/17/2020

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/17/2020

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The Ghost of Wade Boggs

2:16

If you were going to construct a baseball team made up of presidents, who would you pick and where would you play them, and why?

Ben Clemens

2:17

Hm, I don't know a ton about presidential athleticism. If you're getting them at the age they were when they became president, which makes sense, let's see:

I'd want Ford, W Bush, Obama, Teddy Roosevelt, and Kennedy for sure

Combination of age and athleticism

2:18

Maybe James Madison as an Eddie Gaedel style pinch hitter

Lincoln might be a great pitcher, he was tall.

That's all I have off the top of my head.

Dave

2:18

Lincoln pitches, Teddy at C, Washington 1B and Ford CF

Yasiel Puig

2:18

Any hope for me to sign before the season starts?

Ben Clemens

2:19

Oh for sure. With no comp pick attached, this isn't a wait for the draft thing. I think something's going to pan out, even if it's just a pillow contract, before too long.

2:20

I haven't really heard rumblings of what's keeping Puig unsigned, but presumably there's a money disconnect. There are plenty of teams who would be improved by having Puig as their third outfielder if the terms were right.

PartyGuy69

2:20

Did you see John Henry's statement released today about the Betts trade? People are still up in arms, but I thought it was reasonable. Seems like people are just going to be upset about moving a generational talent no matter what.

Derek

2:20

Any thoughts on John Henry's "letter to Red Sox fans" he put out there? Seems incredibly tone-deaf and more like pouring fuel on the fire than anything else...

Ben Clemens

2:20

So

I didn't find the statement particularly compelling, personally.

2:21

The whole 'there is a cost to losing a player to free agency'

What does that mean?

Like, you no longer get the player at a discount rate?

Tough, man, I'm sad for you.

2:22

But I think it's a statement that you can read whatever you'd like into.

If you think the Red Sox weren't competing anyway this year, then you'll like it. If you think they're blowing up a good team for Alex Verdugo and some dollars, you won't like it.

I doubt it's done much to change people's minds, and it was a divisive trade obviously

Campbell

2:23

Who are the Brewers top-5 starters right now?

Ben Clemens

2:23

Sadly I'm sixth on the depth chart :(.

No, uh, Woodruff Lindblom and Lauer I thikn are locks

2:24

Woodruff b/c he's the best, the other two because of the Brewers going out to acquire them this offseason.

After that, I really like Adrian Houser.

2:25

Risky, but I think he has a ton of upside

And then they'll give Peralta and Burnes looks, but I think Burnes' just awful 2019 will probably leave them a little gunshy

2:26

I see that we have Brett Anderson listed as the fifth starter, but I'm skeptical he'll hold up. And Shelby Miller is a sneaky guess for fifth starter.

New Bork

2:26

Washington also very tall. W and Trump were baseball players in their youth

Ben Clemens

2:26

I've been mostly trying to stay away from people who were old when they became president. But yeah W would be my second pick after Ford.

Eric

2:26

What about Houser?

Ben Clemens

2:26

Yeah I really like him.

2:27

He's someone I've been meaning to sit down and write about, I think there's just really a lot there. I think his pitch mix is kinda weird, b/c who throws four pitches and still throws 2/3 fastballs?

2:28

But I think there's just a ton to work with and that if he can decide which fastball he wants to throw, and which secondary to pair with it, you could see a big step forward quickly.

6'11" Bottom

2:28

Gun to your head, highest upside between Spencer Howard and Grayson Rodriguez?

Ben Clemens

2:28

Probably I would be too afraid to pick

What with the gun to my head.

2:29

But, uh, Rodriguez?

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