JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/3/23

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Well-Beered Englishman

3:00

another $0.02 in agreement on the "Nats good at scouting, poor at developing" camp. Also, their scouting in trades/intl does seem substantially better than their scouting for the draft.

Ben Clemens

3:00

Yeah, well said. They have done a good job finding international talent

Derek

3:00

I think the hardest thing about the snappier games is the 1 hr = 3 innings shorthand that's always been in my brain no longer applies

Ben Clemens

3:00

I know! I use that too

Weekend Hack

3:00

FWIW, dont disagree regarding M's starting pitching. Also don't enjoy Tommy La Stella: Starting DH *sigh*

Ben Clemens

3:00

I somehow missed that but yeah, not great

Sad Nats Fan

3:01

The Soto trade genuinely made me consider becoming an Orioles fan. I lived across the street from Camden Yards for a year so maybe it was Stockholm Syndrome

Ben Clemens

3:01

Do it! The O's are really fun right now. Even if you're going to adopt them as more of a junior varsity rooting interest, I feel like there's a lot of Maryland/Virginia/general DC area synergy going on in following both teams

Wesley

3:02

Do you think the pitch clock needs to be in the scorebug at all? I feel like it's distracting and not really necessary. It isn't like a shot clock where play is affected by how much time is left on the clock. After players adjust, there will probably only be like one violation every couple games and it'll be clear what the umpire is signaling without having to double check a clock.

Ben Clemens

3:03

I think it's useful to me for now, as a 'hey action needs to happen soon' check, but I could see that falling off as I get more used to it

A Boy Named Yu

3:03

SSS - Justin Steele, Cy Young winner

Andoru

3:03

Logan O’Hoppe for ROTY?

Ben Clemens

3:03

I'm more into O'Hoppe RoTY but I mean, that's a more realistic prediction. I'm gonna watch Steele's next start closely, seems kinda fun

Brock

3:03

Are prospect lists no longer a priority? I feel like it must be the single biggest driver of site traffic to Fangraphs. I was forced to subscribe to BA for more current analysis and I am sad about that.

Ben Clemens

3:04

They extsremely are, which is why the team takes the time to get them right. They're churning them out at maximum speed and have done a TON of prospect content. I get that it's fun to complain that things aren't ready now and great and hot and fresh, but the amount of detail in these things takes forever

I could write you a prospect list for any team tomorrow, but it'd suck and I wouldn't know half the players

Walker TR

3:04

So deGrom gets shelled but the Rangers still sweep the defending NL Champ Phils. Hard not to be optimistic even though it's only one series. Maybe the Rays, Twins, and Rangers going 3-0 is a foreshadowing of the division winners.

Ben Clemens

3:05

Haha yeah, not GREAT to have dG get shelled but absolutely walloping the Phillies anyway has to be a good sign. I think that Texas is gonna sink or swim with their rotation this year in the end, but the offense not starting out as slowly of last year has to be gratifying for fans

Seager and Semien were just BRUTAL at the start of last year, to the point where it almost didn't matter what the rest of the team was doing

Didace

3:05

1 hr = 3 innings - I used to be happy that 6 innings took only 2 hours in the hopes that the game would be over in 3. And then the parade of relievers taking 30 seconds between pitches and all their other nonsense would happen. 90 minutes later the ninth inning started. Three games in, my wife has noticed the change and she's usually in another room.

Ben Clemens

3:06

Yeah it is SO noticeable

I really really love it, I'm open to the idea that I'll tire of it but I'm skeptical that more action per minute will ever get old to me

Guy Who Asks Multiple Choice Questions

3:06

What is your favourite colour of shower towel?

a) White
b) Grey
c) Mauve
d) Other

Ben Clemens

3:07

What the heck, why not. Probably b), but I have a pink hair towel too, because I've occasionally hurt my neck by overly vigorously drying my hair with a regular towel, so I accepted that I'm getting older and got a special smaller towel for drying my hair

Wesley

3:07

To add to the response to Brock's question, I kind of like that FG's prospect articles take a bit longer. With FG's lists coming out between BA's preseason and midseason lists, I feel like I always have a source for pretty up-to-the-minute info

Ben Clemens

3:08

Thanks! Yeah, I obviously don't experience it in the same way as a reader, because if I need to know about x guy I can just bother Eric, but I like that there is prospecdt content popping up everywhere all the time

I subscribe to pretty much everything, what with it being my job and all

Re: Pitch Clock

3:08

Best thing to be added to the game in years. Force players to make decisions and be engaged. Even if they added 5 seconds to give a little more breathing room, I think it would be a massive net positive on the viewing and playing experience. Forces action

Ben Clemens

3:08

100%. I think it's clear from watching that the existence of it matters than the exact number it's set to

Uncle Spike

3:08

What do you make of a stat line like the one Brandon Pfaadt had this weekend? 3.2 IP, 7 K's, 0 BB, 6 H, 4 HR. It some aspects, looks like the stuff was good and command was there...but also 4 HR's.

Ben Clemens

3:09

I would have to go watch the start to get a better idea, but this reminds me of the start to Corbin Burnes's 2019

And while you might say OOOOOOH, Corbin Burnes, that dude won Cy Young

he was ABYSMAL in 2019

3:10

I just pulled that game up, lol

12k, 1BB, 3HR

7.2 ERA, 0.61 xFIP

Basically I'd say if the issue is that he's throwing pipe shot fastballs in bad counts, that's worrisome

if guys were just knocking well-placed breaking balls out of the park, c'est la vie

You should definitely be encouraged by the stuff, and maybe take a look at whether he's throwing some bad idea pitches too often

Re: Corbin Burnes

3:11

He had the goggles back then getting shelled. He glowed up with contacts and performance like a one dimensional love interest in a rom-com post-glasses

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