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Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 5/20/24

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Ben Clemens

2:51

and I kind of think he is too

Matt Damon

2:51

BEEN. SICK.

BETTER. NOW.

Ben Clemens

2:51

Sorry to hear that, friend. I'm glad you're back

KC Pain

2:52

Do you think teams are deluding themselves into fixing weaknesses in offense or know and just say "it will get better"? Mariners, Tigers, on offense, Rangers for pitching as an example (mentioning teams who could compete)

Ben Clemens

2:52

I think it's closer to 'know and think it will get better" in general

or alternatively, know and don't really have a lot of options to fix things

so they need to wait, see what changes, and then do some deadline deals

bosoxforlife

2:53

You agree that the game is trying to bring back more offense but the 800 lb. gorilla is the distance between the mound and home plate. As pitchers continue to get bigger and throw faster the 60'6" distance, which was last changed in 1893, has become obsolete. Is it so sacrosanct that it cannot be changed?

Ben Clemens

2:53

I don't think so. I do think that it took the wind out of that plan's sails a bit when they tried it in the Atlantic League and strikeout rate didn't change

breaking balls became even harder to hit

I feel like at some point that will give, like everything else gives

maybe they'll lower the mound again too

2:54

but I think that it's reasonable to be a little bit more hesitant to change the mound distance when it's not even clear how well it will work

more than any other decision they've considered to change the offensive environment, that one has unpredictable effects

Farhandrew Zaidman

2:54

Has any player lost more ground in the "Trade Value" Series over the last few years than Vladito? Went from consensus top 10 to uhhh...an "overrated" R/R 1B (I say with love and respect to his 2021 season)

Ben Clemens

2:54

Byron Buxton, maybe?

when he first signed his current contract and was still mashing and playing center at the same time, I had him pretty high

2:55

then of course, Wander Franco, ugh

Princess Leia

2:55

Story time... a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... young Princess Leia saw Luis Gil carving in spring training and decided to nab him for the back of the rotation. She told her best bud that Gil was legit, and that he deserved to be on their team too...

then Princess Leia watched Gil walk 7, and cut him for some flavor of the week. Now Princess Leia is sad every time Gil deals K's for days...

Ben Clemens

2:55

Brutal. I cut Sevy for similar reasons :(

Chat Laggard

2:56

What type of return could Stl get on Helsey and Kittredge? Pipe dream hopes of packaging them and maybe a mid pitching prospect for Mayo.

Ben Clemens

2:56

Quite a lot for Helsley, not a ton for Kittredge

2:57

Like, teams would add a Kittredge type to their bullpen for sure, but he's a rental and not a closer

not even really an amazing setup man, if you have him as your second-best reliever you're probably sad

whereas Helsley has been elite for three straight years and is around next year too

Guest

2:57

Is it just me or does the Yankees early season success seem a bit unsustainable ? Especially the pitching is way outperforming FIP

Irrational Exuberance

2:57

Re the Yankees rotation question: how good even is that rotation? Surface numbers are good, but everyone except Nestor is outpitching their FIP by a lot (4 of the top 22 ERA-FIP overperformers in baseball)

Ben Clemens

2:57

I mean, they're not this good, no

2:58

but they do seem good!

I'm a little less clear on Stroman, the walks are wild

2:59

but Rodon, I'd evaluate closer to his ERA than his FIP

largely b/c he was just so bad starting out

and it appears that he's starting to dial his strikeout stuff back in

Yankees SP

3:00

kinda awkward that Schmidt, Gil, and Cortes all look better peripherally than Rodon and Stroman this year, as they're not gonna bench the money guys

Ben Clemens

3:00

I mean, I disagree on Rodon but agree on Stroman. and the stats aren't the end all be all either

3:01

I do think that Stroman provides useful raw innings, though

like, the Yankees probably should be going to a six man rotation for at least a while when Cole comes back and Stroman is truthfully very good at availability

Ryan

3:02

Is Jordan Hicks' success sustainable? His velo was down yesterday but I heard that was because he was sick. Even when the sinker was in the low 90s, he was pretty effective

Ben Clemens

3:02

Yeah he was sick apparently

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