JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 3/28/22

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Ben Clemens

2:12

Hate if for Juan Yepez, though.... goodbye, playing time

2:13

And I'm very high on Yepez

Spencer

2:13

How do you anticipate the Rockies using their shiny new DH spot? To me it felt like a perfect match for Charlie Blackmon in 2022, but from reading other things it seems like that's not the consensus view.

Ben Clemens

2:13

I like our projection; Blackmon will be a part-time RF, part-time DH

2:14

Which is how you can get a CF split between Grichuk and Hilliard (fine with me) but also get Grichuk some PT in right, where he's probably a better defensive fit

2:15

Do that, let him sit against some tough lefties, and I think the whole package will work out (Connor Joe or CJ Cron can take the rest of the DH reps)

Dave

2:15

Can you rank all 30 teams based on how likely they are to sign Conforto? Folks love a ranking

Ben Clemens

2:15

1-30. Everyone (tied)

I just have no clue at this point

And I'm writing three positions of power rankings so I haven't had the time to rumor-monger

GBS42

2:15

Kevin is gone. Our loss, the Twins' gain. Sadness...

Ben Clemens

2:15

This feels like as nice a place as any to talk about this: I'm super happy for Kevin but really sad for us

2:16

One thing I thought I was not so good at was tempering my (pretty good!) natural inquisitive nature with what would actually work, or what the baseball industry thought of things

2:17

Kevin is just spectacular to bounce ideas off of; he's never dismissive but by talking with him I got really good feedback on what made sense, where I was being too theoretical and not thinking enough about the human beings playing, that kind of thing

2:18

And honestly, he and I just get along really well, which made doing podcasts a blast

Not that I don't get along well with the rest of the staff, but they're not hosting me for three-hour podcasts :)

So yeah, congrats Minny, but booooooooooo

Appa Yip Yip

2:18

There's a lot of hand wringing in Blue Jays land about how right handed the lineup is, but does that really matter when all the righties mash?

Ben Clemens

2:18

Yeah I think it's much ado about little

I'd say nothing, but it's not completely nothing

2:19

I think it will hurt their effectiveness against relievers because it's easier to optimally deploy your relievers against them

But they're all great hitters sooooo

I'd rather have Vlad vR than whatever rando lefty-hitting 1b platoon partner you could pick up

Same goes for Springer, Chapman's defense doesn't turn off when a righty pitcher is on the mound for the opponents, etc.

2:20

People make too much of handedness stuff if it's stars

It's a valid concern when the hitters are of the league-average variety

Dan

2:20

Kyle Schwarber would be by far the best defender in my rec league right?

Ben Clemens

2:21

I don't know how good your rec league is, but he'd be one of the best for sure

I doubt his infield actions are polished, but if you mean outfield only, the guy is pretty fast, normal human division

I think the best comparison is that he's about as fast as the fastest kid at your high school was

Maybe a little faster -- he's actually pretty close to major league average sprint speed, surprisngly enough

2:22

He doesn't get good jumps, but that's relative to major leaguers: you, Dan, don't get good jumps either, though I don't know you and bet you're better at softball than me

Mike

2:22

Who ends up having more of an impact this season, Cano or Pujols?

Ben Clemens

2:22

Gimme Cano

Pujols is a short-side platoon DH who I think was largely signed b/c it's just so cool

2:23

There's a chance Cano is cooked, but that's true of Pujols ,and I think Cano will have an easier time getting playing time because he can at least legitimately play several positions

Joey Caltrain

2:23

I mean, how much commemoration can one team even do in a season?

Ben Clemens

2:23

June 1: Pujols Bobblehead night

June 2: Pujols Brad Lidge Homer Bobble-bat night

2:24

June 3: Pujols MVP plaque night

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