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Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/2/25

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Ben Clemens

2:29

This is a great question, and one I've been struggling with A TON

I left Duran off the trade value list last year, for example

and boy, that sure looked silly for the entirety of 2024. But it looks a lot better now

2:31

I'm struggling to see a 120 wRC+ hitter here, I just didn't quite believe the power. And I don't really think he's a plus center fielder, standout 2024 defensive metrics notwithstanding. So he's just in a really awkward in between state where like, he's demonstrated many skills of an elite player, but all of them in ways wehre you go 'eh can that keep going?'

and in each case, it hasn't kept going

2:32

So yeah, this is a wildly difficult question and I don't feel that I've gotten to the bottom of it yet

but don't worry, you are gonig to get thousands of words about it over the next few months

Smokin' Jim Leyland

2:32

Improbably, is Tarik Skubal pitching *even better* this year than his unanimous Cy Young winning season last year? 94 pitch Maddux hitting 103 MPH on his last pitch (and 13th Strikeout)? No clue how long it can last, but soaking this up while it does - most enjoyable Tigers pitcher since Verlander/Scherzer!

Ben Clemens

2:33

I couldn't agree with you more. When I wrote about him recently, it was less of my usual "let's find some standout corner case skill" and more "let's all marvel at how this guy is pitching at the extreme top of the sport"

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-multifaceted-tarik-skubal/

HappyFunBall

2:33

Better A's question: Will this pretty good hitting core last long enough for them to actually start playing in Vegas and, at least theoretically, have dollars to spend on pitching?

Ben Clemens

2:33

I mean.... no, right?\

The smart money is on no

Bosoxforlife

2:34

Returning to my previous comment would Abreu, power and great defense, be enough for Alcantara?

Ben Clemens

2:34

He would for me. I don't have a strong idea of how the industry as a whole values him

But I'm quite high on him. Elite defense, controllable, chance for plus offensive tools. I love this kind of player

Bosoxforlife

2:35

Have you ever attended a game at PNC Park? I am going to the U.S. Open and on 6/10 I have a ticket to watch the Pirates play the Marlins. I was hoping to see a major league game but this was all that was available.

Ben Clemens

2:35

I have, and it was amazing

If you can, get there early enough to walk over the Clemente bridge from downtown

I went to a crappy September game between teh Pirates and Brewers when neither team was in the playoff hunt, and it was still awesome

Insert Witty Name Here

2:36

is Chandler Simpson really that bad or is this some service time manipulation going on? If I have a comfortable lead in fantasy, should I hold on to him as a stash

Ben Clemens

2:37

I think the defense is just not there yet

I've been surprised that he hasn't been making more plays in the outfield, though of course, very small sample size and whatnot

2:38

but I understand where they're coming from. They're in a spot where the wins are SUPER valuable, right on the fringes of the race, and this dude just isn't getting it done right now

I really don't think it's service time manipulation. The Rays are'nt dummies. No one should be valuing year seven of Chandler Simpson team control more than improving right now in a tight playoff race

Oddball Herrera

2:38

Coors field is another stadium where going to a game is an excellent experience even if the quality of baseball isn’t

Ben Clemens

2:39

Yep. Both Coors and PNC are in my top 5. Honestly Coors might be number one. The Rock Pile elevated bar/party section is really well done, the views cannot be beat, they do cool giveaways, the tickets are affordable, it's right downtown

2:40

if you just completely ignored their on-field record and how they get to it, I think the Rockies would be a model franchise. They spend. They do a good job in the community. They have a sweet City Connect and seem to get Denver as best as I can tell, based on my friends there and my times visiting.

They just cannot figure out how to make good baseball teams

Eli

2:40

One terrible game isn't changing your enthusiasm for Will Warren, right? Riiiight?

Ben Clemens

2:40

Oh yeah, absolutely agree

I'm stubborn about giving up on dudes, but also, I don't think this is me being stubborn, just reasonable

he looks awesome, on net, and pitching is tough

Didace

2:41

In their last 16 games, the Nationals are 11-5 against some pretty good competition. Is it a)that's baseball, or b)hey, they might be getting good.

JCCinDC

2:41

No real comment except an observation that, as a Nats fan, it's nice to have a bit of hope for the first time since the rebuild began nearly four years ago. They're not good, mind you. Not yet. The defense is awful, and the starting pitching beyond Gore is, to be charitable, full of question marks. But the team is young, and it's the young players that are doing the work. Jettisoning the vets for the kids has improved the bullpen (low bar there). And there's more on the way. Even after Wood and Crews have "graduated" the farm system has some solid prospects (Sykora; House; Dickerson; Susana).

Ben Clemens

2:42

Even more Nats questions than this, I just picked the most recent ones

2:43

I think they might be getting good. I've been pretty high on this Nats core for a while, to be fair. I had a ton of these dudes on the trade value list last year, and if you can find a public-side analyst who's been more in the tank for James Wood, I'm curious to hear who it is

But like.... this is how you're supposed to do it. I like a lot of their trades. I think that in general, Mike Rizzo has done an excellent job in trade and a less good job in the draft, but the net is pretty good

2:44

They're an interesting org: clearly, they're behind the curve on some tech-y pitch modeling stuff, just based on who they trade for and all that. But they, and maybe specifically Rizzo, seem to have a good feel for seeing transcendent talent and making it work

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