JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/14/21

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Nate

2:50

Is there a point where the Rays way of doing things just becomes too much? They're obviously smart AF...but the idea of keeping down Franco into next year just to control costs when he's obviously ready now...or having a rotation full of openers and limiting guys like McClanahan and Patino to 2-4 inning showcases...constantly trading away your stars even when they sign team friendly deals to stay. At some point shouldn't you at least make a slight effort to give your fans something to grab onto and embrace? Winning is obviously a big cure all, but at some point it just seems...exhausting to follow

Ben Clemens

2:51

I've said as much as I'm going to say on this, basically, on Chin Music with Kevin

The Rays are really good

We respect that they're really good

I find their style of baseball management unappealing

I wish the rules of the game were changed in such a way as to disincentivize it

2:52

I do think that it might depress their fan interest, because you can't buy a jersey with any hope of that guy being there in two yeas

But also, they're in a tough market, it's a chicken/egg kind of thing

Eric

2:52

How would you change to rules to disincentivize the rays way of doing things? Would be kind of difficult to do, no?

Ben Clemens

2:52

Raise the minimum salary to 1.5mm

Make team control age-contingent

2:53

There are a lot of ways to do it

It's about changing the way money gets distributed to players to give younger players more and older players less

It may not happen, but there are myriad ways

MATT. DILLON.

2:53

MATT. DILLON.

Ben Clemens

2:53

We are equal opportunity Matt posters here

Erstad says he has it

2:53

Regarding WAR, i couldn’t find (apropos of Ohtani) if pitchers receive a positional adjustment to the defensive portion of WAR. Is such an adjustment made for pitchers?

Ben Clemens

2:54

As I understand it, when the Angels forgo a DH to have Ohtani hit, we just don't give him a positional adjustment

So he doesn't get the DH hit or the pitcher boost

Pitchers *do* get a positional adjustment when they hit in the NL

Derek

2:55

Also, not like the Rays have many fans to appease! (sarcasm kind of but not really, sadly...)

Ben Clemens

2:55

Right, this is what makes it a tricky question

Are they stunting their market? Probably

But the market is going to be small either wya

High Cheese