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Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/21/23

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Ben Clemens

12:36

So I think there's risk that pitchers just give him a pure junk diet and he struggles to adjust

But I'd rather have someone need to adjust that way than need to develop better tools

Jules

12:37

Since we now know power is pretty hard to come by if you don't already have it, how about the other side of the equation: contact? And please give me hope Oneil Cruz will somehow prove a point (in a good way).

Ben Clemens

12:37

Contact is easier to develop than power (according to what major leaguers have done) but still not easy

I'm very optimistic on Cruz, though, because I don't think he needs to become a great contact hitter to be awesome

12:38

if he strikes out 30% of the time and plays an acceptable shortstop, he's gonna be an all star

WBC

12:38

Do you think Didi will latch on with a team if he has a good WBC?

Ben Clemens

12:38

Honestly, no

If he wants to be a utility infielder, maybe?

12:39

I just don't think he's a starting shortstop anymore

Oaktown Blues

12:39

I appreciated your article on the Cole Irvin trade and your follow up about teams valuing players differently. Do you feel that the A's other selloff trades also fall into the category of "unfair on paper, but logical when you consider each team's needs and goals"?

Ben Clemens

12:39

Thanks. And, basically no? I think that in large part they're doing the opposite of what I'd do. There aren't a lot of Darell Hernaiz's in their returns

12:40

They seem to be going for proximity to the majors, which makes very little sense to me given how comprehensively they're annihilating their own major league team

The A's are smart, smarter than me. They're not just out there pressing random buttons. But from the outside looking in, I just don't get it

Alex

12:40

The Rays' offseason has been frustratingly bereft of signs that they will have an improved offense. Is there any hope beyond "Wander Franco gets better?"

Ben Clemens

12:42

I'll give you a few silver linings: more PA's from Isaac Paredes, who was an above average hitter with a .195 BABIP last year. More from Manuel Margot as a platoon bat. Jose Siri improving just a little bit would go a long way. Brandon Lowe returning

But yeah, I would have liked to see them do SOMETHING else

MilwaukeeBeerJays

12:42

Hi Ben. I noticed you're a kenji alt Lopez fan. Please tell me you have a sous-vide?

Ben Clemens

12:42

I don't, and I should probably get one

12:43

I don't do a lot of big cooking projects, which is what has held me back so far

Like, I'm really enjoying wok cooking, and one thing I like is that you just kinda prep your stuff and then chuck it in the pan

Mets Fan

12:43

Will Brett Baty make the team? Seems pretty likely he can outproduce Escobar if he can play an average 3b

Ben Clemens

12:43

I think that if he has a great spring training, he will make the team, but I am higher on Escobar than it sounds like you are

12:44

I pretty much agree with his projections; average player, both offensively and overall

12:45

Everyone loves Baty, granted, but it's no lock that he'd outperform Escobar right away

I think it might be a 'show you can do it' kinda thing, but if Baty is mashing in ST/AAA and Escobar is struggling, or even if Escobar is doing just fine but Baty is really on fire, they'll make the change

Escobar in a super utility role is an attractive fallback option, which is one reason I liked that signing

Amed Rosario

12:45

What are the chances I take another leap and put up a 5+ WAR season?

Ben Clemens

12:46

I'm gonna say pretty low, though I think you are underrated on the whole

This is one of those 'contact leaps aren't likely' situations

12:47

Rosario has legit top-end power and plays acceptable shortstop defense as best as I can tell

but he doesn't get to the power often enough b/c he swings at a bunch of nonsense

12:48

I was a big Rosario head when he was a prospect, so maybe I'm just falling into the same narrative trap that I've fallen into his entire career, but I think it could happen!

Oaktown Blues

12:48

Is a Cristian Pache DFA on the horizon this Spring now that he's out of options? Or will the A's give him one last shot in the bigs for a couple months?

Ben Clemens

12:48

I think they have to give him one last shot

12:49

Not even from a sunk cost perspective, just from a 'how the heck are we building a whole roster otherwise' perspective

Particularly when you factor in a likely Laureano trade

Mo Jiggles

12:50

Are the Yankees trying g

Are the Yankees trying to avoid letting Peraza establish himself at SS? They must view him as trade bait. Moving Volpe to 2b for a glove first SS doesn't fit their "let's pass on every allstar SS" narrative...

Ben Clemens

12:50

I like hte first question more, haha

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