JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 7/10/23

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Ben Clemens

3:06

As a card-carrying Paredes fan club member, I occasionally look back at it in wonder

Izzy

3:06

Would you rather have Bryce Harper or Bryan Reynolds? Money doesn't count... Harper is the better player, but can't play the field for awhile. Reynolds is the lesser hitter and fielder, but he can play the field.

Ben Clemens

3:07

Harp

Pirate Parrot

3:07

Paul Skenes follow the Mike Leake path and go college to the show?

Ben Clemens

3:07

I think he might!

That said, I don't think he should

Sean

3:07

Speaking of lopsided trades, what the heck happened to Austin Nola?

Ben Clemens

3:07

There's an article somewhere about how trading for 'oh he does a lot of things fairly well' catchers is a trap

Jacob Stallings isn't lighting the world on fire either

Jax

3:08

Am I crazy to think the Braves have the best pitch for Ohtani? Looking at their payroll situation it seems like they could make it work financially.

Ben Clemens

3:08

I think it's truly down to vibes

And hey, if all he wants to do is win rings, they might be the best option

good god, can you imagine that team with Ohtani?

HappyFunBall

3:08

The thing about the impending Ohtani contract: He could make $600M, and if you look at it as a $300M pitcher plus a $300M OF/DH it's actually a bit of a...well not a bargain exactly, but a solid "B" set of expenditures for "A" production at two positions.

Sure, most of the league can't afford it. But those than can aren't going to look at it as putting all of their eggs into a single basket.

Ben Clemens

3:08

I'm with you

Positively Half St.

3:09

After drafting Crews and YoYo Morales yesterday, I am not sure that I can be impressed with anybody we get in trades. Do I lack imagination?

Ben Clemens

3:09

The Nats are not going to get anyone as good as Crews in their trades this year

But that doesn't mean they won't get someone who turns out great. What if you get the next Juan Soto or something? Prospects change skill level all the time

Matt VW

3:09

If you're the Red Sox, do you add, stand pat, or maybe even sell? They've gained a lot of ground on the wild card, but the pitching's in shambles. I'd have a hard time punting on even a puncher's chance at October, but I'm not sure how real that chance even is.

Ben Clemens

3:10

I think they should probably bite their tongue and sell the guys who will be gone after this year

Not fun but it's just REALLY hard to pass enough teams to make the playoffs for them

Duff

3:10

It seems like Francisco Alvarez has real power but xwOBA kinda hates him. What do you make of his early success?

Ben Clemens

3:10

I have him as a top 30 trade value in baseball, roughly

so uh.... buy buy buy

3:11

xwOBA might not like him, but that's b/c of his unsustainably low line drive rate

he hits the snot out of the ball

Pat

3:12

As a Tiger fan, I think if they had Jeimer at 3B all year & Paredes at 2B all year instead of 2+ months of Maton, Schoop, Ibanez, etc (They have to have negative WAR from 3B & maybe 0-0.5 from 2B), they would probably be within 1-2 games of the AL Central lead.

Ben Clemens

3:12

omg that's hard to wrap my head around

but I think you're right?

bosoxforlife

3:12

Am I the crazy one when I am shocked to see it being suggested that Jeimer Candelario is worth a QO?

Ben Clemens

3:12

Haha *I* wouldn't give him one

but he is clicking this year no doubt

Jack Glasscock's Cup

3:12

What should Cleveland look to do to revitalize their offense over the next few years. The contact-first, slight build, slappy group looked like they were playing a different sport than the Braves during last week's series. When did other teams' players get so big?

Ben Clemens

3:13

I think they should be less dogmatic in general

They seem to have a lot of rules-based thinking going on in Cleveland. They draft in a particular way, they work their 40 man roster in a particular way, they hunt skillsets and so on

Look, it clearly works for them, I'm not saying scrap it

3:14

I'm just saying consider adding a little bit of variation or maybe rethinking some of the aims

v2micca

3:14

Elly De La Cruz didn't just steal second, third and home. He stole Perguero's soul.

Ben Clemens

3:14

I have watched that play SO many times

the sensor tap too

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