JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/1/24

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Ben Clemens

2:08

Sure, but that's a pretty good team and their pitching looks especially good this year

I actually think they did get a little better this offseason

2:09

Less better than they could have if they tried harder, obviously

Guest

2:09

Only a fool would predict a Key Hayes breakout, right?

Ben Clemens

2:09

Hey now

as someone who annually predicts a Hayes breakout, I'm not sure if I'm being slandered here

2:10

I'd be a little more excited if he weren't doing it with BABIP and grounders

2:11

That's always the part of the approach that looks the weakest, and he's still putting his hardest contact on the ground. But I like that his batting eye has looked good early

2:11

Who do you think has higher upside Colton Cowser or Dominic Canzone?

Ben Clemens

2:11

Cowser, but not because I don't like Canzone

2:12

I think they are both good options

Nick

2:12

Which young AL Central arm excites you the most? (thinking Mize, Ober, Olson, Bibee, Ragans)

Ben Clemens

2:12

Ragans

And I'd have Skubal only a hair behind him

bosoxforlife

2:12

Elias made a great deal to get Burnes but when is he going to be forced to trade some of his Norfolk mashers? All of the top prospects are tearing the cover off the ball. Is he just afraid to trade the wrong one?

Ben Clemens

2:13

I think that it's a really interesting question, but I have to say, I've liked how he handled this offseason. Getting someone like Burnes was a must, and he did it by spending prospects without going completely nuts

I don't see an obvious trade candidate for them at the moment, I'm sure that things will clear up as the year rolls along

And the thing is, if all those hitters pan out, what a wonderful problem to have. If some don't, well, call up the ones who are good

Dublin O's Fan

2:13

Are Oneil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz signs of a new super-athlete arriving in baseball or are they just two unicorns who have similarities?

Ben Clemens

2:14

A little bit of both, I think

But more towards the unicorn side

liam

2:14

what makes you more bullish on the pirates? they easily could've dropped two, and i still don't think the rotation is that great. jones will probably have his fair share of rookie struggles and keller didn't inspire a ton of confidence that he actually is the 2023 first half guy we saw

Ben Clemens

2:15

Jones looked really good, and sure, he'll probalby have some struggles, but I thought that before his start too

Cruz has looked good and healthy

2:16

It's hard to have a massively changed opinion after a few games, and yeah, my opinion hasn't changed a ton, but 'what if jared jones is ace-ish right away' definitely changes expecdtations a little

Tom

2:16

Jordan Hicks as a starter: success or huge success????? One game is a good sample size right

Ben Clemens

2:16

Haha yes, let's just call it there

Honestly what a great success, I agree with you

2:17

Will it work in the long run? I'm still skeptical. But I didn't really think it could work in the short run, either, so maybe don't take my opinion on this particular pitching conversion as gospel

liam

2:17

also just curious - what % of chat questions do you typically get around to answering

Ben Clemens

2:17

I dunno, 30%?

40%? There are so many good quesetions

Jack

2:17

Any middle relievers you would recommend. not for saves, but for ratio help and Ks? thanks.

Ben Clemens

2:17

I tend to shuffle through Guardians for ratio help

2:18

Weird as that sounds, they seem to churn out good middle relievers

2:19

like, Stephan looks pretty legit. Nick Sandlin is en fuego to start the year

Scott Barlow feels like the kind of guy I trust more in cleveland than elsewhere

Guest

2:19

What legitimate reason do you think the Orioles have for keeping Jackson Holliday in AAA to start the season? Surely the Orioles would rather have Holliday playing 2B/SS over Westburg and Mateo

Ben Clemens

2:20

This is a question I'm still pondering quite a bit, and I hope to have a response for you in article form later this week

It's a really confusing question, because I don't think the service time manipulation angle benefits them that much given the position they're in

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