JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 7/28/25

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Ben Clemens

2:54

then shouldn't they try to get something back for Gore?

2:55

the Lerners definitely seem to be running out the clock on their ownership and waiting for a big bid

Matt Damon

2:55

MATT. DAMON.

Joey Caltrain

2:55

Why are the Red Sox playing Rafaela at 2nd instead of playing a corner outfielder at 1st? Even if you buy that Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez are better than their 2nd base options, isn't that a smaller margin than the difference that Rafaela's CF defense (and, as a result, Duran's corner outfield defense) provide?

Ben Clemens

2:55

I truly don't know

I mean, it shows you that they don't think centerfield or second base defense are THAT important

2:56

right? like if you really think Rafaela is worth 20 runs a year in center, and is below average in the infield (lots of evidence for both of these points), the gap is bigger than the offensive upgrade they're getting out of it

2:57

I just truly don't get it. But you have to say "Red Sox don't think defense is as valuable as the models"

because like, it just cannot be otherwise

Ken

2:57

Did you hear the story about Matt Damon asking Prince about living in Minnesota? Prince responded "I live inside my own heart, Matt Damon." Of Severino, Springs and Sears, who do you think gets moved by the deadline?

Ben Clemens

2:57

now THAT deserves an answer

um.... maybe Springs?

2:58

I don't think that Severino is gonna be of much interest and I also just don't see Fisher eating money, amybe I'll be wrong about that?

Bosoxforlife

2:58

I find it hard to imagine but the D'Backs are threatening a complete teardown. Do you see them jettisoning Gallen and Kelly? Suarez is already booked on a flight out of town. Carroll and Marte in their primes deserve a decent supporting cast.

Ben Clemens

2:58

it's a really interesting question because those guys are on expiring deals, but it's not like you can imagine a great 2026 team without doing some re-adding this winter

2:59

I don't know any of the idiosyncratic details about which players the DBacks are more interested in re-signing, but I'd be tempted to try to go Royals/Lugo with one of the two and trade the other

Big Buckston

2:59

RE: The Nats. Team is near the bottom of the league in baserunning and defense, again. They've finally found some young guys who can hit a bit, but they seem to really struggle at, well, doing the other things winning teams tend to do to.

SPArn

2:59

I also think since the Nats have maybe (I'm choosing to remain high on Crews) 4 for sure core players right now, and a blend of question marks and probably not's beyond that, it probably makes sense to 1) deconsolidate talent and get someone more on Wood and Abrms timeline and 2) accept the reality that we aren't going to extend Gore or compete in 2026 with him. Coupled with the fact that pitchers break and 2027 is by no means guaranteed anyway, as long as they get someone on Wood's timeline rather than Single A'ers, I think it makes perfect sense

Ben Clemens

3:00

Yeah, I'm generally in agreement with this view. The best thing to do would be to try to use some money, spending back up to the previous levels that the Nats are clearly capable, as they try to transition from 'good young team with way too many holes' to 'playoff team fueled by a pre-arb superstar'

3:01

that clearly doesn't seem to be on the table, though - honestly, 120 million for the Nats! they had a 210m salary when they won the world series and the game has gotten bigger since then

so with that in mind, yeah, trying to be really good in 2027-2028 seems like a better plan

I kinda hate it but I think that if you're going to accept these constraints, you have to admit that the way they're doing it right now just isn't working

Henry Dodger

3:01

The Giants are continuing to try adding pieces to a foundation that's just not good. I thought before they made the Devers deal the best thing for them would be to rebuild and stop the dreaming.

Ben Clemens

3:02

that's definitely a tricky thing about the Giants

they have plenty of kind of interesting players, including some who are good right now

but for whatever reason, the Zaidi era didn't really churn out a ton of young talent, so the team has a shape that few good teams have

3:03

Bailey and Ramos are probably the best of the current crop, and like.... I love Bailey, I think he's maybe talented enough to figure out how to hit and the defense is great

Ramos is not really a foundational player

Guest

3:03

it's wilder to me that NL pitchers were still hitting in 2021. that feels like a decade ago

Ben Clemens

3:03

wow, that's nuts

it does feel like a long time

Henry Dodger

3:03

Should the Yankees deadline strategy be to do small Amed Rosario things around the margins?

Ben Clemens

3:03

yeah, I think so

David

3:03

As bad as the Pirates ownership is, there’s a world of difference between refusing to spend money vs deliberately throwing a bad pitch. One is very public: fans know certain owners are cheap (an issue that’s always haunted baseball). The other is secretive — and a betrayal of every fan who expects players to be trying their hardest.

Ben Clemens

3:04

I don't really agree with this. like, if a player were doing this in a categorical way, over and over, absolutely. but 'oh well we know those guys are ruining the sanctity of the game by not trying to win so it's okay' doesnt' seem like a great argument to forgive teams who do actively anti-competitive stuff to make money

like it's okay to say both are abd

bad*

both are bad!

TheJack20

3:05

Should the Yanks consider moving Dominguez for a starter? Not sure how much if at all they want to play him in the field come October, especially with a healthy Bellinger, Grisham, and Judge. Playoff Stanton deserves the nod at DH as well.

Ben Clemens

3:05

hmmmmmm..... maybe for a good starter

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