JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 8/7/23

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Ben Clemens

3:02

but like, yeah, not much of a problem

he's so good

Smiliing Politely

3:02

Lance Lynn says no haha

Ben Clemens

3:02

Haha yeah, there are problems and then there are PROBLEMS

Jason

3:02

Ben, is there any hope for Spencer Torkelson going forward? Seems like he has shown flashes this year (more so than in '22). I want to believe he, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Jake Rogers are the nucleus of a young team that can approach .500 next year...and therefore contend in the AL Central

Ben Clemens

3:02

Man, I don't know what to make of Tork at this point

3:03

he's totally shown flashes, that's a great way of putting it

he has 15 bombs in a tough park, it's not like he's been unplayable

3:05

I think that his power being more + than ++ has mattered more than I expected

like, that was supposed to be his carrying tool but 83rd percentile max exit velo is not what I was hoping for

3:06

I think he's gonna end up as a hitter who consistently posts wRC+'s above 100 but below 120, and that's kinda disappointing given my hopes

Dan

3:06

I'm interested in your thoughts on this. I, as most of us here do, yearn for baseball all year but I found myself dispirited as a Mets fans attending their game on Friday against the Orioles. In your opinion, is it still worth going to games when possible despite potentially seeing AAA players like Peterson, Curtiss, Reid Garrett, DJ Stewart, Rafael Ortega, etc since there are only so many games per season? Or is this a time when it's simply not worth going because it's so much less enjoyable than before? I know this is very subjective, but interested to read your thoughts

Ben Clemens

3:06

I think this really comes down to what you're looking for in your baseball experience

3:07

i LOVE going to games as a fan, I go to minor league games with no clue who the prospects are, no questions asked. I'm a big fan of the crack of the bat and how food tastes at hte stadium and all of that

I went to a ton of Mets games in '17 and '18 when they were trash down the stretch and had fun

But it really depends what your expectations are

Guest

3:07

How do your expectations for Andrew Vaughn compare to Tork?

Ben Clemens

3:08

so I had Vaughn as less of a pure power guy and hopefully more spray to all fields hitter, think what people thought Freddie Freeman was before he took a few more steps

like, early-career Freeman before he turned into god

3:09

I think that is probably out of the question. He doesn't have the plate disciplin to make it work, if you're looking for a one-line answer

Dan

3:09

I tend to be the same and just love being at games, but thought I might be crazy after looking at tickets for upcoming games. Always appreciate your opinions on the fan experience

Ben Clemens

3:09

Oh yeah, I think a lot of fans are there because they want the playoff chase

I love that too, to be clear

3:10

but the marginal amount of fans is clearly down, and maybe that hits ticket pricdes more?

Guest

3:10

Regarding the padres: sometimes really good teams just get crazy unlucky, and things just don’t click right. Don’t think there’s anything inherently flawed about the team. 2018 nats are another example of this

Ben Clemens

3:10

Yeah, generally concur with this

if they make the plyaoffs, no one is going to want to face them

carl

3:10

just think, if the guardians accidentally developed a hitter that could hit hrs, they could then trade them for somebody who doesn't

Ben Clemens

3:11

Tom

3:11

Big weekend from the Mariners... They moved their consistent closer for small pieces and go on a streak. Do you think they will make the playoffs again?

Ben Clemens

3:11

I can't talk myself into it

I think the ALE teams are just too good

Kodai Senga

3:11

Will I be traded or leave the Mets when my option comes and what are the 5 most likely teams to sign or acquire me?

Ben Clemens

3:11

I think the most likely outcome is that he opts out

3:12

He looks like a solid #2 starter to me