JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/22/21

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/22/21

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Ben Clemens

2:27

Yeah, I guess I'd just say the same thing I did above. Good luck living a life where none of the things that you derive utility from involve doing bad things

somewhere down the chain

cool

1

Life is tough, and it's no fun to root for a team but then have to take a step back and say man these idols of mine are crappy people

2:28

But I think that being a sports fan involves understanding that and being willing to deal with that cognitive dissonance

Derek

2:28

Most of the Red Sox' best players under Cora are gone now anyway, so they hardly even needed to worry about that!

Ben Clemens

2:28

Haha c'mon now, they still have the stars

I'm sure if Bogaerts and Devers weren't into it, we'd have heard

Bookie Metts

2:28

There has been a lot of talk of a probable work stoppage or player's strike in 2022 due to the increasing tension between players and owners. My question is what exactly would that look like. Only half of 2022 being played? None of it? I know you don't know what will happen, but if you could speak on this hypothetically that would be great.

Ben Clemens

2:28

I don't think we know, to be honest

2:29

There could be a work stoppage that doesn't result in any missed time, one that delays the start of the season, or one that negates the whole season. There could be no work stoppage at all

I think the most likely outcome is either no missed games or a tiny amount of missed games, but that there's no new CBA in place by the time the current one expires

2:30

And let me tell you, as someone whose career involves writing about baseball, that's not a comforting thought

Chris

2:30

So who has made baseball look the worst 1) the mets 2) the mariners 3) the Rockies

Ben Clemens

2:30

I think the Mariners, narrowly over the Rockies

Because of how casual the highest-ranking member of the front office was about all of this

2:31

It's clear, regardless of whatever nonsense excuses he makes, that he and the team think that this way of thinking is totally fine

Otherwise you don't yell it on video at a rotary club meeting

The Rockies just traded their star after a public spat with him, that's poor general management

Cullen

2:31

The Cardinals have been working with Nolan Gorman at 2nd recently. Do you think this is where he'll find his future home? I've heard concerns about his range.

Ben Clemens

2:32

I'm skeptical, but they should absolutely try

It worked for Matt Carpenter

2:33

He's not making the majors this year anyway, and I think you can just tell him 'hey work on the defense when you can but we want you to focus on hitting'

If it works, yahtzee

If not, he can play left or first in a few years

Ugh

2:33

So the Reds are looking quite unlikely to contend for the Division this year. Does Luis Castillo have more value to the Reds as a pitcher or a trade chip?

Ben Clemens

2:34

Pitcher. They're not really that out of it, despite their best efforts

2:35

And the way the team is set up, it's not like they're going to be absolute beasts in three years. Their farm system is kinda midlding and they have a lot of good players righ tnow

If they're going absolute full teardown, maybe, but that's kinda gross and a weird move to make when you have Castellanos, Gray, Castillo, Moustakas, etc.

Guest

2:35

Is WAS really going to trot out an outfield with Soto and Schwarber flanking Victor Robles (whose Def was barely ahead of Nimmo's in CF last year, and who still hasn't hit much)?

Ben Clemens

2:35

It feels like they might, and I don't think it's THAT bad

2:36

Robles is a great center fielder, literally one season of defensive metrics notwithstanding; he's graded out well in each of the previous three years

Also outs above average thought he was good even last year

2:37

Soto isn't the worst defender either

Now, Schwarber, he's bad

RJ

2:37

I played against a left handed shortstop in little league. He was the coach’s son but the two things were totally unrelated.

Schmegs

2:37

If they're both health which is more valuable, Bauer pitching every 4 days or Ohtani playing both ways?

Ben Clemens

2:38

I *think* it's Ohtani?

2:39

Pitching every four days is actually less of a benefit than you think because it garbles up your rotation behind it

It's still valuable, but it affects everyone else's innings

Guest

2:40

How much weight should we put on Dylan Carlson's second stint

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