JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 8/2/21

Ben Clemens

2:02

Hey everyone, welcome to the chat.

Friday was a madhouse, but I took it easy this weekend, got some IV fluids (not actually, though it might have been nice, I have a nasty cold), and I'm ready to go

Trevor Story

2:02

W.T. #@&$%! F? Really?

Ben Clemens

2:03

Yeah, I don't think it's inconceivable that the Rockies really didn't like the returns enough to move Story

That's fine if true

But if they were asking for a top 50 dude while not telling Story "hey look our ask is obscene you're probably not leaving"

2:04

It doesn't seem great

They really do seem to have a way of annoying their stars

Justin

2:04

What are Willy Adames' chances for NL MVP?

ROGELIO

2:04

Brewers are an MLB best 42-20 since the Adames trade. Where does Willy wind up in the NL MVP vote?

Ben Clemens

2:04

I don't see it, at least partially because both pitchers on his team probably have a better case

2:05

The NL crop is weak this year due to injury, but there are still plenty of players who were on their teams all year and have been great for contenders

barney gumble

2:05

hey ben. do you think rizzo goes back to the cubs at the end of the year? beloved as he is, I can't imagine they'd want to pay him if they aren't contending

Ben Clemens

2:06

I hadn't really thought about it, but it's not out of the question. Kind of depends what he's getting offered. If he's getting 3/30 offers from a bunch of teams, the Cubs could definitely do that -- I think Hoyer should theoretically be targeting a return to contention fairly quickly

Speaking of which:

Jed Hoyer

2:06

What's my timeline for contention? Do you think I'll hit the mid-tier free agents this offseason? Let's face it, the NL Central still probably isn't going to be *that* great next year (I know the Brewers have those 3 pitchers but still that is a bad offense)

Ben Clemens

2:07

This is perhaps a cynical way to look at it, but if you're Hoyer, why not skip 2022?

Ownership presumably doesn't expect you to be good

Why put any pressure on yourself?

Just say it's a 2023 target, that's another year of job security!

2:08

They probably could bid on a ton of free agents and try to take a run at the Brewers/Cardinals/Reds group, but why not take a year off and do a Giants-y deal where you test a bunch of players out

If there aren't people calling for pitchforks, it's a no-brainer from a front office perspective

Matt Damon

2:08

MATT. DAMON.

2:08

I suggest putting a moratorium on Matt Damon chat comments.

MARK. WAHLBERG

2:08

MARK.WAHLBERG

TED > We Bought A Zoo

Ben Clemens

2:09

Had to pile them all together

Nate

2:09

Ben, if the White Sox were to try and flip Kimbrel this offseason, who the expected return be significantly lower?

Ben Clemens

2:09

Yes for sure

2:10

A closer isn't something you go pay a premium for in the offseason when you don't know if you're going to be close, way ahead, way behind, etc

But when you're in the White Sox position, which is that they've locked up the playoffs this year and the class of the AL has been worse than expected

There's a TON of leverage to improving the team now

2:11

I'm not saying he'll have no value in the offseason or anything, but there's a reason that big reliever moves happen far more often at the deadline. They're more valuable to a subset of teams then, so sellers wisely hold off until then

Guest

2:11

Had to show my vaccine card at a bar for the first time in SF. Pretty crazy that’s where we’re headed !

Ben Clemens

2:11

I haven't had to yet, but I also haven't been to a bar in a few weeks

I did have to download an app with proof of vaccine on it, though. Technology is neat

Guest

2:11

The single deadline rules. Do you think the slugfests in the NL West and AL East drove the prices this year around?

Ben Clemens

2:12

Huuuuuuuge fan of the single deadline

BringBackDeSpanielHair

2:12

Bro! I gotta drop Voit in a ten team redraft, right? Right? I seriously had Rizzo filling in for him and dropped him two days before the trade...

Ben Clemens

2:13

Yeah, think you have to drop Voit at this point. It's rough, but Rizzo is the big part of a platoon and I think the Yankees going out and trading for him shows that they think he's good

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