JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/28/25

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

Sonny

2:44

Is this the year MLB will finally let Charlie Morton retire?

Ben Clemens

2:44

probably

Rob

2:44

You can force one trade right now with the goal of increasing your enjoyment of this season the most. What deal are you making?

Ben Clemens

2:44

oh, I'd trade Elly to the Giants

and then go to more games

jimmy touchdown

2:46

AJ Smith-Shawver is ready for a 2 start next week?

Ben Clemens

2:46

probably

Mateo

2:46

You've probably got the condolence already, but I felt really bad for you when the White Sox lost 1-0 in game 2 because that was likely your best shot to have them in sole possession of first place in the AL Central

Ben Clemens

2:46

oh yeah, that bet was very fun but it ended FAST

or rather, that prediction

2:47

I treally thought I might have it

Greg

2:47

Have you seen Oneil Cruz stealing bases? He hasn't been thrown out in his last 30+ attempts, but it seems like the jumps he gets are atrocious. I get the sense he's been lucky (of course he's also very fast and good at sliding) and I imagine regression is soon to come.

Ben Clemens

2:47

I have watched a good amount of it

the top end speed just makes it work, which always looks weird

and i agree, bad little jumps but then bam he's just too fast

so fun to watch

Dayn Perry Rock City

2:47

DAYN. PERRY.

Guest

2:48

Looking to sell Munoz for some offensive help, would Albies be worth the buy low? Or Hunter Greene? (Although a loss of ADP)

Ben Clemens

2:48

I'd prefer Greene to Albies but, he's not a hitter

2:49

if you're okay with that - look, Albies hasn't even been good this year!

he's a buy low with a 107 wRC+ over his last 2300 PA

2:50

I think that he's a better real life player than fantasy player

Nate

2:50

Things aren't going great when 36-year-old Mark Canha is your 2nd best hitter! (love him, he's great)

Ben Clemens

2:50

It's very true (sorry, too many messages, yhou guys are great)

Canha is really fun, but when a freely available minor league free agent castoff is your second best hitter, you built the team badly

this was the Royals' problem last year too, to be clear

2:51

and they at least took some steps to fix it. Like Mark Canha!

Phil

2:51

The 2012 Red Sox were the worst genuinely talented team I ever saw--they had a HOFer and a near-HOFer (who put up 5 WAR that year), and several recently good pitchers, and they didn't lose 100 games or anything, but the vibe was just. so. bad. Can't think of any team like that recently. The Braves and Orioles aren't close. . . yet.

Ben Clemens

2:51

Oh that's a different question but fun

2:52

the Cards in 2023 are up there, those guys did not expect to be that bad

2:54

I think it's one of these teams that is unexpectedly bad, basically

2020 Nats?

Matt

2:54

McNeil in CF is fascinating to me as well as scary. Ever since the Mets traded for Acuna I thought he would move to center. The way McNeil plays balls in the corner OF position does not seem like something that will translate to CF. How long do you think this experiment lasts?

Ben Clemens

2:54

I truly don't understand it

I'm gonna watch, for sure

2:55

but yeah, I don't look at Jeff McNeil and think 'oh, center fielder'

Hot Corna

2:55

Do you see any clubs in need of 3B help (Cubs, Blue Jays, Angels, Brewers, Dodgers) looking to Curtis Mead as a buy low? The prospect shine is off but he's never been given a shot to play everyday in the big leagues and has enticing combo of bat speed and low whiff rates & is seemingly blocked by Caminero/Aranda/Diaz in Tampa.

Ben Clemens

2:55

I guess... but I don't see the Rays itching to trade him

if they had some pressing need, then yes

2:55

Yamamoto's Stuff+ is already below average. How do you expect that contract to age?

Connecting…