JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 8/4/25

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 8/4/25

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Ben Clemens

1:32

hitting both foul poles would be an all-time achievement

CFH

1:32

You mentioned in some trade value chats that 2 wins of defense isn't as valuable as 2 wins of offense because it's easier to develop - but only wins (not offense/defense) matter in the standings, so why wouldn't teams just go all in on developing good defense if that's the case? Ditto for why hitters seem to go for less than pitchers - if you're a game out, why not try and get a win better on hitting if it's cheaper?

Ben Clemens

1:32

okay, there are a few things here

1:33

one, most teams are getting a ton of defense for very cheap already, they're doing this

two, the Brewers are doing what you're talking about, and it works pretty well

it does feel like it puts a bit of a cap on you, but yes, very clearly this is a thing you can try to do

1:34

the pitching thing is a little more complicated, even, because the share of pitching value goes up in the playoffs

your best guys can go more often

i guess my point is this

maybe I'd pay up for a 4 WAR hitter who does it all with the bat. I can't get that skillset for less elsewhere

1:35

on the other hand, there's probably a slick-fielding CF or SS who can be a 1.5-2 WAR guy with a full allocation of playing time that you could have for less than that

1:36

Myles Straw was freely available, is posting a 78 wRC+ this year, and is on pace for a 3 WAR/600 season. he's a career 2 WAR/600 player

1:37

I'm not exactly sure on where the line is, what the tradeoffs are, but I think what the league is doing makes sense becuase of the variable cost of acquiring each skill

also offense stacks better than defense, which is a tricky thing to fit into war but definitely feels true

Guest

1:37

Why do the Pirates trade for AAA players like Nick Yorke and Cam Devanney and then not play them?

Ben Clemens

1:37

it's so weird!

I've been a big Nick Yorke fan since he had a cool card in OOTP a few years ago

1:38

not that I think he's super likely to hit, but why not find out??

Guest

1:38

Do you really believe that small market teams not spending enough money is on par with pitchers intentionally throwing balls as your said in a previous chat?

Ben Clemens

1:38

I think both are pernicious and terrible for the game

1:39

if there were as many pitchers throwing balls intentionally as teams just not even trying to win, obviously the pitching thing would be much worse

but at the relative incidences of each in teh game today? i think that the Pirates just not even caring is worse for baseball than Luis Ortiz's alleged misdeeds

Okra

1:40

I don't think the Twins can be good next year. They only control Lopez/Ryan/Ober thru 2027. Is it smart to keep all three and hope '27 is the year? Feels like they would likely be better off completely blowing it up given what they just did (trade every else of value, piss off fan base by trading Varland) and the slim chance: a) all three of their good starters remain healthy, b) they spend some money on FA's, c) several in-house prospects take a big leap by '27

Ben Clemens

1:40

yeah.... I dunno, it all felt bad to me

1:41

I just think that you can't look at this through a lens of trying to be a good baseball team

they're trying to be a good asset for sale

so that someone will pay them a few extra hundred million

1:42

they may yet blow it all up this winter

but maybe they wanted to keep a few names that they could pitch prospective ownership groups on?

wheelhouse

1:42

will the yankees make any of the changes they need to when they miss the playoffs, or will they just say "cole needed tjs" and throw their hands up

Ben Clemens

1:42

Boy, Yankees fans are having a tough one

laughing

1

WHEN they miss the playoffs

1:43

look, I get it, the Yankees have put together a not so fun team to watch and they haven't been to the world series in months

let's let the season end before we decide what they need to do to fix things

Agreed, but...

1:44

"i think that the Pirates just not even caring is worse for baseball than Luis Ortiz's alleged misdeeds" Agreed! But here's the thing: the Pirates and other teams not trying are doing so within the rules. Ortiz is doing something (allegedly) that's clearly outside the rules.

Ben Clemens

1:44

sure

i want them to change the rules

i mean, to be clear, not to allow what Ortiz allegedly did

1:45

'just following the rules don't blame me!' is generally not an argument that gains a lot of sympathy with me

lots of bad things have been done within the letter of the rules

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