JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/27/26

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Dan'l

2:48

Shouldn't the Cards attempt to sign Winn long-term? Great defense and decent contact-offense seems like something to build around for a while.

Ben Clemens

2:48

if there's mutual interest, for sure

2:49

I don't think there's much argument that he's an elite defender. he has 1500 PA worth of being an average-ish hitter, with the peripherals to match. that's a nice player, and yeah, a nice build-around. Nico Hoerner vibes, perhaps, and Hoerner is great

The Actor for Al Pacino

2:49

Matt Shaw having a better batting line than Alex Bregman through a month of the season is pretty funny to me right now. Probably won't last, but a good reminder that we shouldn't evaluate 5-year deals one month of play into them

Ben Clemens

2:49

haha yeah, evaluating deals is had

hard

2:50

and yet, it's so FUN to evaluate them early

2:50

Is there a more fun hitter right now than Moisés Ballesteros?

Ben Clemens

2:50

I think Yordan. but hey, another 'mid-tier hitters I like' alum, you love to see it

2:51

he and Miguel Vargas are two of my more flag-plant-y guys from this list, I love seeing them both thrive at the moment

CFH

2:51

9-inning-a-year FG reader reporting - MLB TV blacks out the only team I want to watch, my apartment is too small for a TV with ESPN or whatever, and Fangraphs is fun

Ben Clemens

2:51

yeah, very reasonable imo

i mean, not the blackouts

but the situation and your response

2:51

What numbers do Mason Miller need to have to win NL cy young?

Ben Clemens

2:52

if he ends the year with, like, 1 run allowed in 65 innings, maybe 5 WAR? I don't think this is very likely, just so we're clear

Guest

2:52

2026 GB% below 35, pull rate above 50, the fastest swing in this group (at just 72.1) is...

(... Cole Young)

Ben Clemens

2:52

in case you're wondering what Cole Young is doing right this year

strange plan in Seattle, I'm curious to see how it pans out

Kevin McGonigle

2:53

Am I wrong to think that people don't realize just how crazy and historic a start to my career I've gotten off to? I think it deserves more attention!

Ben Clemens

2:53

yeah, really really good so far

bosoxforlife

2:53

Watching what Mason Miller has done brings me instantly to Leo deVries. The last time two top prospects were traded for one another was Zac Gallen for Jazz Chisholm which has been sort of a wash sale. Both good but not great. This latest deal is far more interesting.

Ben Clemens

2:53

eveyrone loves a challenge trade

I'm curious how DeVries will turn out, but the fact that he's at Double-A and doing passably well is very impressive

Platoons

2:54

Why do teams seem to start so many rookies in platoons? Is it better for them to get a taste of everything or improve on one side before tackling the other?

Ben Clemens

2:54

yeah, I think that's basically it

Derek

2:54

Bobby Witt Jr.'s defensive evolution is unreal... From a minor question mark as a prospect to now having an argument for being the best defender in baseball regardless of position! I know defense is generally less fruitful analytical territory but I'd love to see an article on the improvements he's made over the years that have made his defense so valuable.

Ben Clemens

2:54

I looked into it briefly at one point

probably during fielding bible voting

2:55

it's very impressive. It actually brings to mind Fernando Tatis Jr's improvement at short (and then again in right) as a tooled-out guy who just needed to let game speed and his own freakish internal clock sync up

Witt was making, like, over-effort mistakes

as was Tatis

Darren

2:55

Is Jarren Duran cooked?

Ben Clemens

2:55

2:56

but the perils of holding on to a bunch of guys who you can't currently use are more evident than ever

because, like, they might decline. or public opinion of htem might decline

Jacob Wilson

2:56

Am I in the danger zone yet? I've walked once (1) in 117 PAs and am sporting a 45.6% chase rate. Am I going the way of recent vintage Arraez with the "just because I can make contact with everything, doesn't mean I should" approach?

Ben Clemens

2:56

100% yes. In my opinion, you were always in the danger zone (projected) because of the contact issue

2:57

but it's more evident when it's happening, you know?

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