JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/3/22

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Ben Clemens

12:40

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/how-well-do-our-odds-work/

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/a-playoff-odds-check-supplement/

Golan Norman

12:41

Why does Fangraphs use Neil Pallante instead of Andre Pallante?

Ben Clemens

12:41

There are a few of these, I think

We pull our data from MLB directly

so whatever they're listed as by the league, we follow

causes some Josh/Joshua Fuentes mishaps, the occasional Jonathon/JP Feyereisen, etc.

Quarantino Martinez

12:42

Curious about Josh H. Smith in Tex. He's listed as a top 100 prospect but as N/A on the team list. Is that because of the midseason trade or just an oversight?

Ben Clemens

12:42

It's b/c of the midseason trade last year and b/c this year's Rangers list isn't out yet

So he's never been on a Rangers list we've produced. When this year's comes out he'll be on it, near the top if not at the top

TStats

12:43

worried about Merrifield?

Ben Clemens

12:43

We passed worried a while ago

The Great Giambino

12:43

ESPN released their deadline preview today, and I spotted Austin Hedges on their list of "bats". First of all, lol. Second, would the Guardians actually move on from Hedges even if they're out of contention? Seems like they really like his guidance of a young pitching staff

Ben Clemens

12:43

I mean, Austin Hedges owns more bats than I do

but yeah I think he stays

Insert Witty Name Here

12:43

Whoa, whoa, whoa, tough because of the fans? That’s only if you suck, and then you deserve our scorn. If you win, you’re a legend. Fans aren’t a problem, we’re just a barometer on how good of a job you’re doing.

Ben Clemens

12:43

Haha I don't entirely agree with this. I don't think that if there were a different manager in town, the team would be 35-25 or whatever

12:44

Like yeah, Philly (and New York and Boston and....)

fans only get down on you when the team is bad

But sometimes the team is bad for reasons outside your control. Girardi isn't the one out there playing little league defense, though perhaps his clubhouse management didn't help things

12:45

I like passionate fans! But given the current composition of the Phillies, the manager is gonna get booed unless they start hitting a LOT of homers

Taillon

12:45

So that's a pretty cool story with two TJ and cancer

Ben Clemens

12:45

Indeed

Everyone is rooting for him, I think it's safe to say. Hell of a story

TStats

12:45

I think Libatore might need to switch the slider to a truer cutter, looking at the spin profiles on savant makes it seem like the fourseam and curve have good spins together and the changeup and fastball have good tilt differences. Pair the sinker with a cuter?

Ben Clemens

12:46

I could see that. I haven't been impressed by his four-seam yet but I've only seen parts of his ML starts and not the minor league ones, so that's not a huge sample size

Sharps

12:46

Board Game Weekend was amazing. Gaia Project might be one of the most frustrating/enjoyable games I've ever played. Anachrony is amazing. The Strat-o-matic idea was met with interest by one pal, so we'll see what comes of that...

Ben Clemens

12:47

Nice! I've heard Gaia Project is exactly that, and I'm intrigued

I played Dune:Imperium this week for the first time, it is very well designed in my opinion

namiki

12:47

Do you think a slow curve or a slow change-up is necessary in pitching? I think a fast curve and a fast change-up are more likely to get strikeouts. Do slow curves and changeups make it harder for batters to aim?

Ben Clemens

12:48

I think it's contextual to the pitcher. If you have really good strikeout stuff I think it generally makes sense to lean into it. If you're still not gonna strike out too many even with your harder secondaries, mixing them up to make contact and timing harder seems wise

sam m

12:48

have you ever played slay the spire? feel like you would like it

Ben Clemens

12:48

Yeah, love it

Zonk

12:49

Is Kyle Hendricks approaching the end of the line? He's getting hit hard!

Ben Clemens

12:49

Yeah I think so