JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/7/21

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/7/21

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Ben Clemens

2:00

Hey everyone. I'm gonna try to speed-run this chat today because I have an appointment to run to at 12:15 PST, so let's get right to it

Curtis

2:00

Any words of/on Wisdom?

Ben Clemens

2:00

Love Patty Smarts (Patrick Wisdom, if you're not up on things)

2:01

Really glad he's hitting well and getting a chance to stick, he's earned it

Do I think he has the underlying skills to make it keep happening? I do not

But I do think he's a totally fine backup and someone you wouldn't be crushed to see in the lineup in case of injury

2:02

Honestly, that's what he was in both Texas and St. Louis and they just got roster crunched, as best as I can tell

copecru

2:02

How best to handle Kelenic? Games/ days off at big league level? Back to AAA ala Trammel? Ride with it?

Ben Clemens

2:02

Yeah, I guess so? Really tough bind

I kind of think you give him some off days at the big league level and keep letting him hit

He's not gonna babip .109 forever

2:03

And he's gotten into a few balls, just not the consistent power I'd expect

Chris

2:03

Hey Ben, really enjoyed you on chin music and hope you become a semi regular co-host.

Ben Clemens

2:03

Thanks! I think it might be a function of Chin Music just being a great show no matter who hosts, but I will absolutely take the compliment

joe

2:03

So that strike 3 call last night, huh? Do we still see the Yankees come october? They can't ~not~ hit forever, I think?

Blake Grady

2:03

If the Yankees find themselves in a similar position come the trade deadline (winning record but out of the Wild Card), do you think they'd be buyers, sellers, or just hold firm?

Ben Clemens

2:04

I think they'd be buyers if they had any obvious holes with pieces they could plug in -- so Story, for example, if the Rockies actually deal him

I'm not sure they'd do some bullpen window dressing type stuff

But I do think we'll see them in October, they're just realllly good and there aren't a lot of teams outside the ALE who are going to push them for that Wild Card slot

Sirras

2:05

So this deGrom guy might be pretty good...

Ben Clemens

2:05

It's just silly

My wife was yelling at me to put deGrom on for this last start b/c I hadn't realized the game had started

we're gonna watch every game. This is historic

Mandy Romero

2:05

How concerned should the A's be about Chapman and his wRC+ of 88?

Ben Clemens

2:05

Moderately concerned, if that's a fair answer

2:07

I've always been slightly afraid of Chapman's bat holding up

Not afraid that he wouldn't be a good player

But just, if he's a 100-105 wRC+ hitter, that wouldn't really surprise me

2:08

Some of it could absolutely be residual from his injury last year, but what worries me is basically that if his contact quality is only above average instead of great

2:09

I'm not sure that will work out

That said, I think he's better than what he's showed so far this year

But basically, I think he's more of an All Star than an MVP candidate if that makes sense

bk

2:09

Is Gabriel Moreno now a top 5 C prospect?

Ben Clemens

2:10

I can't tell you how badly I want to say yes

When I looked at mid-tier hitters, he was basically the top of my list, and would have been the headliner of the piece if not for him being in Eric's top 100 (I didn't use any 50 FV or higher prospects)

SO whatever, I'm going to say yes!

2:11

I'm not terribly worried about the strikeout uptick, and I thought he was too low on everyone's lists before he started hitting .367/.429/.608

So yes, in, definitely in

Babip Roberts

2:12

Runners almost never tag up from first, going halfway instead. On deep balls that are very high probability catches, are runners leaving a significant number of advances on the table?

Ben Clemens

2:12

First, wonderful username

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