JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/9/26

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/9/26

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Ben Clemens

2:45

I am down, relative to consensus, on the players on each side

but the Red Sox spent the entire winter maknig moves that screamed 'get me an infielder'

2:46

and put themselves in a situation where if they didn't get an infielder, they were going to severely hurt their postseason chances

so now, even if I don't love the deal tactically, it's made their overall team look much better

El Tim

2:46

Sure, but Skubal had to put that together, right?

Ben Clemens

2:47

um yes, clearly this is bad for the Tigers/Skubal relationship

and also I think it's bad in general for the MLBPA/MLB relationship in that the labor relations division is heavily involved with teams in arb strategy

I think that the Tigers timing everything the way they did makes it even worse, though, so I think you and I agree on that

War2D2

2:48

Where does Gallen wind up? Sure seems like AZ is the only team that makes sense—they’re the only one that doesn’t have to give up a pick, and they’re (at least) one starter short. He looked rough last year, and I can’t imagine too many teams are willing to give up even a lottery ticket pick for what might wind up being an August mop-up guy. That said, the DBacks probably know better than anyone why he was bad.

Ben Clemens

2:48

Yeah, I guess so at this point. I think I'd be interested in a reunion if I were Gallen, so I don't know why this hasn't happened yet

Ben from DC

2:48

Speaking of Scherzer and Verlander. Why don't we see more pitchers later in their career switch over to the bullpen like Smoltz to be closers and hopefully preserve their arms. I always thought Max would be a great closer

Ben Clemens

2:48

I don't know and I wonder this too

2:49

I was at the Scherzer-closes-out-the-NLDS game against the Giants and it was pretty great, his intensity really matched the moment

Sid the Astro Kid

2:49

Hello hello, Given that teams who were said to be interested in Paredes are signing alternatives, do you think the best path forward for the Astros using Walker as a bench bat and Paredes at 1st? Or rotating Alvarez in left field/dh and Paredes at DH. We have so many infield players I don't really know what we plan on doing right now

Ben Clemens

2:49

I think it's some combination of this, but maybe Paredes as like a home/road platoon almost?

2:50

i mean he has the second-highest projected wRC+ on the team

and for good reason, like, he just keeps producing

2:51

I understand that the Astros are now overloaded on infielders thanks to trading for Correa last year. but c'mon, you can't tell me that you'd prefer Zach Cole and Jesus Sanchez's bats to Paredes

or Walker's, though at least there's defensive value there

2:52

the team just has to find a way to get him in the lineup, and so they will. I think it'll be at the expense of Walker if he doesn't hit right away though

Fred

2:52

Do you see the Cards relegated to the lower class of the league with an inability to spend based on lower TV revenue and cratering attendance figures?

Ben Clemens

2:52

let's see what happens when they build their next good team. I don't think it's at all obvious that attendance will stay down

2:53

they packed the fans in for a very long time, and if they weren't so lackadaisical and stuck int he mud in recent years, I think they might continue to do so

Baron Oone

2:53

The whole deal with the Yankees is that they didn't give the (often blindly insane) fanbase shiny new guys to dream on. They have to be OK just having a bunch of guys be very good to great in a relatively predictable way. There's not even a New Ben Rice to surprise with a breakout. Therefore: Everyone loses their damn minds with doom and gloom because of a couple bad games against Toronto. And so it goes.

Ben Clemens

2:53

I tend to think people give Yankees fans too hard of a time for their high expectations

the Yankees should have high expectations

but yes, in this case, last year's team was really good and they did a good job of replicating some of the good parts of it

Potato

2:53

Okay now I understand your Durbin reaction better. Thank you for the clarification! (I’d really love the trade if they’d *also* signed Bregman…)

Ben Clemens

2:54

ha yeah it's complex and I didn't explain it well

Skubal

2:54

It’s funny how some fans are mad at Boras for shutting down negotiations, when the Tigers’ offer was so bad that Boras immediately realized he could demand the highest arb salary ever and still easily win

Ben Clemens

2:54

it's hard to know how easily they won but yeah, this is only maknig Boras look better and more reasonable

what in the world were the Tigers thinking?

if they offered a reasonable number, I think this would have gone differently

Guest

2:55

What's the highest average number of wins a division has been projected to win preseason? The answer may need to be a recent division since the change to the balanced schedule reduced divisional games. The AL East feels brutal this year but maybe I'm forgetting another recent example.

Ben Clemens

2:55

Let me introduce you to.... last year's ALE. I didn't do all the math but that's the highest projection I quickly saw

BuntSingles

2:55

Looking at the Red Sox/Brewers deal and I think I actually like the Brewers side more with Drohan being my favorite/most interesting player in the trade. Is that nuts?

Ben Clemens

2:55

not at all. I don't have a strong view on him but if you do, that should absolutely change your evalaution of it

Dan

2:56

Is there any world where Kristian Campbell holds down a significant role on this Red Sox team post-Durbin deal? Feels like another sign they don't buy into him at 2B and the OF is well-publicized overloaded.

Ben Clemens

2:56

I think that it's quite reasonable for them to keep him around and try to develop him as an outfielder, expecting something (injury, trade, underperformance) to free up some MLB at-bats

only because uh, what else are they doing here

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