JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/27/22

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Ben Clemens

2:00

Hey everybody, welcome to the chat. Today I'm going to try to keep this to a tight one hour, but I'll strive to keep it fast-paced as a result. Let's get right into it.

Alex

2:00

What would a Cardinals trade package for Frankie Montas look like?

Ben Clemens

2:02

The A's like volume in their returns, so the Cardinals actually feel like a good fit to me. Maybe something like Thompson, Burleson, and someone lower down but interesting, maybe Angel Rondon who seems to have major league capability

Probably add another name to that, but I think they'll be looking for volume, and the Cardinals can absolutely provide volume

2:03

Or swap Rondon up for someone a bit more projectable, that kinda thing

Chase

2:03

Does it seem to you that trading Ohtani might be the best move for the angels considering their lack luster farm system and current onfield results?

Ben Clemens

2:03

What are they gonna get back for him? An excellent DH and a top 30 major league starting pitcher?

That's literally what Ohtani already is

the whole 'my team isn't good so they should trade their best players' thing is, uh, not particularly appealing to me

Bob

2:04

NL Central, how many teams make the playoffs?

Ben Clemens

2:04

Two, I'd say

It's gonna be close

Inaccessible Rail

2:04

Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson quitting MLB mid-season for a college job seems like an incredibly rare thing to happen. Has anything like this ever happened before?

Ben Clemens

2:04

I definitely can't point to anything

2:05

It's wild to me that high-major pitching coaches make more than major league pitching coaches, but that's apparently just true

Derek

2:05

Can we graduate the Orioles from the disaster-tier of MLB teams (Rockies, Reds, Pirates, etc.)? They have a respectable record in a hellish division and actually appear to have a solid foundation on which to build - and they're pretty fun to watch to boot! Though the whole ownership family in-fighting thing happening right now probably doesn't bode well...

Ben Clemens

2:05

For now! Let's check in again at the end of the season

Cortez tha Killah

2:05

So is Alejandro Kirk the top fantasy catcher now?

Ben Clemens

2:06

If you offered me Realmuto or Smith for Kirk straight up..... mmmmm I think I'd probably deal Kirk for Smith but keep Realmuto?

Er sorry, keep him over Realmuto

I dunno, it's close

He's definitely top 2-3

2:07

Listen to last week's sleeper and bust! I did a new segment we're trying out, 'Ben Clemens Investigates', on Kirk

He's great

NobleHelium

2:07

Instead of moving the mound back, what do you think of changing the rule such that pitchers have to have their entire foot on the rubber? It would effectively move the mound back without having to change thousands of mounds.

Ben Clemens

2:07

I don't think that's a good idea. Making pitchers re-learn how to throw on the fly just sounds like a recipe for disaster

The Real Ben Clemens

2:08

Do you think the team that eventually signs Judge would consider making him their starting CF if it was a better fit? He's proven capable of handling it in a limited sample this year

Ben Clemens

2:08

I do. I don't think it makes sense as a long-term solution, but he looks to me like at worst a fringe-acceptable CF so far this yera

2:09

And likely better than that

2:10

Limited sample is true, but he's played 36 games in center this year. That's quite a lot. It's more innings of CF th an in his entire career before this year

9-4

2:10

Yankees went 9-4 in a really tough 13 game stretch. No-hitter was weird and obviously they know they have some holes, but that has to be considered encouraging.

Ben Clemens

2:10

'has to be considered encouraging' they have a 53-20 record

uh, yes, the Yankees have had a good season so far

Nate

2:10

Is there any value to being more or less consistent if it "averages out"? For example, would it be more valuable to have a pitcher who 1) gives up 2 runs in 6 IP every time or 2) gives up 0 runs twice (in 6 IP) and then gives up 6 runs (in 6 IP) the third time out?

Ben Clemens

2:11

This is a fun research topic that I've never really worked out the best way to tackle

My sense is that it's useful at extremes, particularly in relievers, but that those extremes don't really exist in real life

Angelus Novus

2:11

Might the O's surprise some people in 2023?

Ben Clemens

2:11

I mean, they might. They might be the worst team in baseball again too

Vic

2:11