JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/17/23

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Chip

2:18

Is it time to worry about Manoah. He's been, bad. If not, when do you worry?

Ben Clemens

2:19

I briefly wrote about him last Friday, I'm not worried yet but if he cannot regain his slider command in, let's say, 3 starts, I'm gonna get worried fast

Guest

2:19

Do you think the Cardinals bungled their outfield situation? Nootbaar and Burleson both have made strong claims to the starting spots in LF and CF. Jordan Walker sort of HAS to start in RF now, leaving Carlson and TON with pretty similar roles and poor 2023 stats. I don't think that the team had any intention of playing Carlson vs RHPs consistently this year, but now they are in a spot where their two most logical trade pieces aren't playing. I don't think its a hot take to say that Carlson and TON would likely out-perform Walker value-wise over the next few months, but that option isn't really on the table (barring an option)
Now, there are worse things than having Jordan Walker as the hitter in the lineup who is struggling the most, and maybe he can turn it around after a rough week, but now the team seems stuck with RF who doesn't totally appear ready and 2 solid OFs on the bench

Ben Clemens

2:19

Coming back to this one as I saw it earlier and wanted to hink about it a lot

2:20

I'm not exactly sure what the Cardinals should have done, but I think that bringing Walker up does necessitate letting him play until he shows he's not ready yet

Burleson working out so well early is an unexpected benefit that makes for tougher decisions

2:21

I said throughout the spring that I would have started Walker in Triple-A, but it's not like the problem would be any easier then

Doug Drebek - Underrated

2:21

Could the Pirates get back to .500 this year, even with Cruz on the shelf until late summer? They have looked decidedly competent so far but Reynolds and McCutchen might turn back into pumpkins.

Ben Clemens

2:21

I'm not ready to believe yet

O's 'n Bohs

2:21

Grayson Rodriguez ERA: 6.91. Grayson Rodriguez ERA w/o 1st innings: 3.18. What gives?

Ben Clemens

2:21

April gives. Three innings worth of first innings is just not nearly enough to say anything

Oaktown Blues

2:22

Have you heard about the "reverse boycott" planned by A's fans? Will you attend?

Ben Clemens

2:22

I won't, but only because I am pretty sure I'm gonna be working remotely that week to get a trip in

2:23

I think it's a cool idea and generally dislike all the crap Fisher has been talking about Oakland fans, who are great

noise?

2:23

The guardians have looked shaky defensively this year with even gimenez and straw scoring negative ratings. should we be worried or

Ben Clemens

2:23

Nah, April

JG6

2:23

Do you think a good player profile comp for Volpe would be Marcus Semien? Obviously Semien is more established and better at present but I could see Volpe developing into a similar type.

Ben Clemens

2:23

I could see it

A speedier version, but yeah, not excessive power but gets to all of it thanks to approach

Nestor Cortes

2:23

...is basically an established top line pitcher now?

Ben Clemens

2:23

Depending on the exact definition of those words, yes

2:24

He has looked very good, aprticularly from a command perspective, to start the year

The Yankees rotation is far from full strength and it's also one of the best in the majors already

lars nootbaar

2:24

Should I be leading off?

Ben Clemens

2:24

I think you're a really good #2 hitter if the Cards are gonna keep going Goldy/Arenado 3/4

Matt Damon

2:24

MATT. DAMON.

Guest

2:25

Taylor Rogers: Hurt? Bad luck? Yips?

Ben Clemens

2:25

I have not watched much of him but I watched an appearance where it looked like the yips to me

2:25

While the jury's still out, seems everyone was way too quick to call the Bellinger signing a bust after a week, no? Plate discipline metrics are substantially better thus far.

Ben Clemens

2:25

Yeah uh, if someone is calling a signing a bust after a week, it's definitely too quick

have they not followed how baseball works? the season is so long

bruins

2:25

Any reason to think that Bellinger's 15% K percentage this season represents any meaningful change?

Ben Clemens

2:26

speaking of

I'm not exactly sure what to make of it. Bellinger is making contact on 83% of his swings OUTSIDE the zone

that's super super weird

2:27

I'm definitely not discouraged by his start, but it feels like a lot of noise so far to me

Jay

2:27

I was interested / borderline excited about Clarke Schmidt coming into the season w/ the opportunity and the pitches he was throwing. But here we are and he's very hitable. Optimism? Cut bait?

Ben Clemens

2:27

I'd hold, but I'm generally too slow to cut bait, so take that witih a grain of salt

Hosmer

2:27

But my signing was a bust though.

Ben Clemens

2:27

How can a minor league minimum signing be a bust?

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