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Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 5/4/26

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Jay

3:18

what are the appropriate ages for each MiLB level? I get that Salas is young for his level cuz he's still a teenager, but at what point are you too old for your level? Especially at A & AA. (I get that a MLB vet playing on AAA squad hoping for a Last Chance Saloon callup is old, but you understand the gist)

Ben Clemens

3:18

baseball ref has a 'relative to level' age for every player

I just use that

Guest

3:18

João Fonseca has the early indicators of a challenger to the sinner alcaraz - only 19. This will be a big season for him

Ben Clemens

3:19

heck yeah. and Mensik perhaps too? Rafa Jodar is ridiculous for his age. Rune was playing at a career-best level before he tore his Achilles. I think that a new crowd will rise up

but they haven't yet

I dunno if you saw Fonseca Sinner at IW, but it was a really fun match

3:19

I'm just willing into fruition that Nico Hoerner wins MVP while somehow losing the Gold Glove to Luis Arráez

Ben Clemens

3:19

omg, amazing

Sal's Mom

3:19

Spencer Steer for Jarren Duran. Who says no?

Ben Clemens

3:19

oh man, I don't know if this was your intent, but I love this question because it involves two players who I have taken a lot of flack for in trade value rankings

3:20

The Red SOx would say no. I think that's certain. But I am with you that it's closer than you think

Guessed

3:20

If you had to guess right now, who wins the NL ROY race? Wetherholt and Stewart being position players gives both of them an inside lane on McLean imo

Ben Clemens

3:21

I'll take McLean

just b/c I think voters often reward the guy who looks the most like a generational player, and I'm not there on Stewart or Wetherholt yet

there's a lot of baseball left to be played, obv

3:22

but me personally, I'd probably be worried that Stewart has cooled off hard

oh by the way, a quick disclaimer here

I am not a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America

I do not have a vote on these awards. I would not speculate on the voting on awards which I had even the potential of any sway over

Josh

3:23

Was doing some deep dives on sinker movement breakdowns. I'm a relative layman when it comes to data formulation, but I know how useful "rise" can be on fastballs generally. With sinkers, is there any analysis on how useful rise (or in another way, decreased sink) can be beneficial or detrimental to batted ball results (from pitcher's perspective)?

Ben Clemens

3:23

it's been a while, and I can't think of anything offhand on this but let me think for a bit

this is one of my favorite articles I've ever written:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-sinker-paradox/

3:24

another good one:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/what-the-heck-is-a-flat-sinker-anyway/

and finally:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/thinking-about-sinking/

jeez, looks like I've written a lot about aggregate sinker production in my career

3:25

anyway your specific question is not answered in these. But hopefully they offer some avenues for further research

Josh R

3:25

Justin Wrobleski next on the Ross Stripling, Tony Gonsolin get one great year out of him then he quietly goes away train?

Ben Clemens

3:25

oh 100%. Chicken Strip is who I think of when I see Wrobleski throwing

(pretty sure that was his player's weekend jersey)

alright, this was an XL-size chat today but I have to go get started on lunch

3:26

have a wonderful week everyone, and I hope you don't need loose body surgery, but if you do, I hope your recovery is speedy and unevetnful

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