JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 4/5/21

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Ben Clemens

2:30

Simply spectacular

2:31

Giolito's changeup is a really fun pitch

High changeups in general are fun, and underrated

BarryBondsJuicedForOurSins

2:31

You buying what Yermin is doing?

Ben Clemens

2:31

I mean, no, but it sure is fun

2:32

That's a lame answer, but I think it's probably the best one

The Opener

2:32

Thoughts on Glasnow's new slider?

Ben Clemens

2:34

I haven't done a deep dive on it, but he looked great and the Marlins were completely not ready for him dropping it in for a strike

2:35

He desperately needed a third pitch, I'm hyped to see how it goes for him. He's a guy where it FEELS like he should be brekaing out but he never quite gets there

feddy

2:36

biggest pet peeve that players do when ur watching baseball?

Ben Clemens

2:36

First, the woo people

They aren't players

But I swear

Why are you going to a baseball game, one of the most combo chill/exciting things to do with your time

2:37

And spend the chill part just yelling woooooooooooo loudly

What decisions led you to this point?

Do you enjoy just yelling woo to fill empty air?

I simply don't get it

Dee Arby

2:37

What decisions? Well they probably spent $50 on three beers. You start with that.

Ben Clemens

2:38

After spending 50 bucks on three beers, I prefer to muse quietly on the pleasant pace of the game

Or boo Bryce Harper or whatnot, that might be fun

I guess Castellanos is the modern-day heel

or Bregman

But you get the idea

As to players -- it's the tobacco chewing

2:39

Hate seeing it, grosses me out a little

Matt

2:39

Do you believe the big drop (33%-14%) the A’s took in playoff odds?

Ben Clemens

2:40

I mean, kind of?

Going 0-4 instead of 2-2 against your main competition isn't good

The other team in your division going 3-1 isn't good

2:41

I'm not sure why it costs them 3 wins rather than 2 (against my naive expectation), likely that has to do with some depth chart changes we've made, but I was down on the A's chances to start the season, and this is absolutely not a great way to get going

Cueto's Shimmy

2:42

I'm all in on the "more balls in play" bandwagon, but my interest in baseball was re-ignited by Baseball Ninja and crazy movement on pitches. Do you think there's a way to cut walks and homers while keeping crazy movement (aka strikeouts)? Would MLB even want that specific formulation?

Ben Clemens

2:42

It's an interesting push/pull

2:43

I don't think there's much way to arrest the crazy movement; pitchers are just going to keep getting better over time

I don't think you want fewer walks and homers with the same number of strikeouts, though

moving the mound back seems like a possible compromise

CWess

2:43

How bad do you think TLR's decision was last night to keep Hendriks in the bullpen for the 9th? I hated it and thought it was awful, but I have some friends who vehemently disagree with me or think TLR was well-reasoned

Ben Clemens

2:43

Oh, I have an article coming out about his intentionally walking Pujols to get to Hendriks on Saturday

2:44

because that one I thought was semi-interesting

Saving Hendriks? Terrible, stupid if he did it for the reason he said, I'm hoping it was just that he reallllly didn't want to use him or something

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