JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/14/25

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Jim

3:00

Who do you believe in more as a starter - Jeffrey Springs or Joe Boyle?

Ben Clemens

3:01

Oh, Springs

I think Boyle might be an awesome reliever though

3:01

Why does Craig Counsell insist on handing save opportunities to struggling former Astros closers? Looking at Porter Hodge's savant page and simply fuming

Ben Clemens

3:01

I mean I think Ryan Pressly is good! But I also want to write about Porter Hodge

3:02

so I'm conflicted here

I generally think it's a bad plan to overreact to a few weeks of numbers. But also, I love overreacting to a few weeks of numbers, and Pressly has been terrible

I'd stay the course if I were Counsell, but I'd also try to get Hodge lots of high leverage opportunities

3:03

Here's the good news: team leader in entry leverage? Porter Hodge

Noah

3:03

How we feeling about Oneil Cruz? Better K and BB %s, but not translating to real production.

Ben Clemens

3:03

Ignore the real production, it's been 54 PA, too noisy to say much. I think he probably won't run a .214 BABIP all year

That said, I don't think this approach is gonna work long-term

He's just not swinging at strikes

3:04

48.6% zone swing rate

I'm partial to the Statcast zones, you know heart/shadow/chase/waste

his 48% heart swing rate is off the charts

3:05

Let's put it this way: 319 players have seen at least 25 pitches down the middle in 2025

no one has swung less frequently than Cruz

3:06

The general idea is good, I think. But he needs to refine it a good dela more

3:07

I similarly think Elly De La Cruz is being too passive to start the year -and he's swinging more frequently at pitches down the middle and less frequently at pitches out of the zone

Guest

3:07

wait why the talk about cutting hayes? Dude has had great plate discipline this year and elite defense is worth *something*

Ben Clemens

3:07

well someone asked whether the Pirates should move Cruz to third and put Hayes in left

3:08

I think the way that Hayes has value is when he plays elite defense at third

HappyFunBall

3:08

With the plethora of DH-type players the As are running out there (or will be soon) would it make sense for them to trade one of them to the Nats for Jacob Young? Nats could use the bat, and Young's lack of one means he's probably ticketed for OF4 status anyway

Ben Clemens

3:08

That sounds great, honestly

I like Young quite a bit, and he'd be a great fit with statues around him in the outfield

Some kinda Mook

3:08

Red Sox went a week without hitting a homer, and dropped 2 of 3 to the WHITE SOX. Frustrating stuff.

Ben Clemens

3:08

and almost no hit the White Sox in their only win, it was a weird weekend

3:09

early season swings are brutal. if the Sox are as good as I think they are, they'll weather this

Oaktown Blues

3:09

Any chance you caught JT Ginn's start against the Mets? Looked pretty good, but I think he could be even better if he threw the sinker more. It's nasty

Ben Clemens

3:09

I turned the game on too late to see his start

I'm an overall fan, but more?? He's very sinker dominant already

3:10

I think he's kind of pushing the limits of how sinker/slider you can be as a starter

3:11

the cutter helps... but like, no changeup at all this year, and his sinker is the kind of shape that plays down against opposite handed hitters, at least in my view

3:11

Are you buying Tork's early season success?

Ben Clemens

3:12

I think I am? But Jay Jaffe is writing about it for tomorrow, so I'd say wait and see what he has to say

Jung Hoo Lee

3:12

Yes April 14th, but should we get a head start on engraving Jung Hoo Lees MVP trophy?

Ben Clemens

3:12

I'd wait until April 16, personally

This has panned out so well for the Giants, it's kinda crazy