JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 9/18/23

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 9/18/23

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Ben Clemens

2:28

that said, I'm excited to see whether Josh Naylor can finally put things together for a full year

Honestly, this year might count

A Cleveland hitter with actual power? It's maybe true

Insert Witty Name Here

2:28

after a few years of the current playoff setup, how do you like it?

Ben Clemens

2:29

I think overall I like it

the worst division winner getting punished is a good feature in my opinion

I do not like the flattening of the third wild card/semi-contender space, and its effect on the deadline

I'd like to see something changed there, perhaps a later trade deadline

But the three-game series are really fun

and I think an appropriate handicap for WC teams

Chicago Fan

2:30

WSox fan here, but I will be following the Cubs for the playoffs. Does their pitching stack up okay for the playoffs? Who lines up 1-4? (Their lineup should have no holes)

Ben Clemens

2:31

I assume Stroman will be ready to go by then, but I guess that's not 100%

Steele/Hendricks/Taillon feel like locks to me. I'm guessing they are between Wicks and Stroman for that last spot

2:32

I'd have Hendricks behind Wicks, personally, and on the bubble, but the team seems higher on Hendricks htan me, and I'm sure that his longevity matters

Matt

2:32

How does the Nationals' rebuild look to you as the season winds down?

Ben Clemens

2:33

Pretty good! I like the signs of life from Abrams, the prospects are looking solid, I still kind of believe in Luis Garcia

2:34

If you think the team is going to pour a bunch of money into being good when they think they're ready, a la Jayson Werth signaling a surge in their previous cycle, I think that next year will be very important

because if the young guys take a step forward, you could start seeing the groundwork come in right after that

Oneil Cruz

2:34

How much do you expect missing an entire season to hurt my development? I'll be 25 next year, and a lot of my issues are things that primarily improve with game reps - can I still be a 30/30 (or 40/40) guy?

Ben Clemens

2:34

Sadly, a lot

I'm a big Cruz fan, but the reps clock really matters

and he's just running out of time

Too many Mooks

2:35

Feels like people should be talking more about Ryan Noda. A rule 5 pick putting up a 130 wrc+ and over 2 WAR in only 450 PAs. Nice work if you can get it

Ben Clemens

2:35

Totally

I think that the A's are just so depressing this year that their success stories are going under-appreciated

James

2:35

Is Yainer Diaz the best hitting backup in baseball history?

Ben Clemens

2:36

I think I'm gonna have to give that honor to Lou Gehrig

baseball history goes back a long way

Wireless Joe Jackson

2:36

Who's the best team in the AL? Seems like you can make a pretty decent argument for almost any of the likely playoff teams.

Ben Clemens

2:36

I like the Astros

But yeah, it's crowded at hte top in the AL

Not Joe

2:36

Are there any playoff matches you're really hoping to see?

Ben Clemens

2:36

Dodgers Braves is fun. But O's/Rays again would be great

I've loved their series this year

2:37

a texas showdown with Scherzer facing Verlander is now off the table, that would have been up there otherwise

Oddball Herrera

2:37

Lot of mixed signals with Elly...his SwStr and z contact are at least sneezing distance from average, and his K rate is encouragingly about what it was in AAA, but his GB% and O-Zone% are ugly. For 2024, is this a buy low guy who is an adjustment from exploding, or merely a lotto ticket?

Ben Clemens

2:37

I'm on an adjustment away from exploding just because of his age and tools

I dunno where he's gonna be valued in fantasy, though. I could imagine him being a really high pick because of the hype, at which point the equation doesn't work that well

Sonny

2:38

Looking at two very young SS, who are you more encouraged by and buy into long-term: CJ Abrams or Volpe?

Ben Clemens

2:38

Volpe by a long way

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