JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 9/20/21

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Laffy Tuffy

2:21

If you're the head of baseball operations for the Nationals would you consider offering Ariel Miranda of the Doosan Bears in the KBO a one year $1.75 million deal for 2022 with a $3.5 million team option for 2023?

Ben Clemens

2:22

I always enjoy posting this question

And yes, why not??

CoryMC

2:22

Did you know there's a federal election going on in Canada right now? Curious if Americans even notice us the way we notice American goings-on.

Ben Clemens

2:23

I did! I also traded Canadian interest rates for a number of years and followed Canadian news quite closely for a while, so it's maybe still because of that

I'm not sure that many Americans are reading up on NDP in their spare time

Barry

2:23

Why don’t the Rangers seem to be viewed/treated as a big market team? DFW is one of the five largest metros in the country

Ben Clemens

2:24

Same with the A's, and I think Houston is considered mid-market even though it's huge

I'm not 100% sure why. Some of it is that people think too much about how the country looked in 1950

Zach

2:24

Why is Ohtani still basically the undisputed AL MVP? I mean, he's obviously been amazing in a way that we haven't seen in a century, but just in terms of raw production he and Vlad Jr. are within the margin of error and only one of those guys has a shot at the playoffs.

Ben Clemens

2:24

Because Ohtani pitching AND hitting

2:25

Like, that's great, they're kinda close on a WAR basis

What Ohtani is doing is way more impressive

For me, that's an MVP season

If people just want to award the person with the most WAR or the most WAR for a playoff contender or whatever, they could have an award for that too

Tom G

2:25

What do you think the odds of Paul Dejong moving this offseason are? Would a team like Oakland make sense in a swap for some pitching?

Ben Clemens

2:26

Eh, it would be the Cardinals selling him for nothing if they moved him I think

His stock is definitely down at the moment

Raphie C

2:27

I'm a Padres fan. Give me a reason to pay attention over the next two weeks before my annual hibernation.

Ben Clemens

2:27

Which will Jake Arrieta accrue more of? IP or HR?

On a serious note, it's b/c Tatis is so fun to watch

On any given night, he might provide you with the coolest play in all of baseball that week

Seeing that live is why you should watch

TomBruno23

2:27

Paul DeJong has more fWAR than Yadier Molina but do not say that out loud.

Ben Clemens

2:28

Yeah eh, I don't think UZR's estimation of his defense is accurate

That said, I also don't love Molina's production at this point and think it's pretty clear that the team is keeping him for non-baseball reasons

Bill

2:28

Given yesterday's clunker against CLE and his recent injury, do you think Gerrit Cole can fend off Sox hitters this week and salvage his Cy Young chances?

Ben Clemens

2:29

I think that he'd need to be nothing but lights off the rest of the way and also have Ray stumble

Jrp

2:29

Not a question. Just pointing out that the A's have 6 games left against the Astros and are 6 games back. Will they win all of those? Probably not.

But they could!

Ben Clemens

2:29

They are mathematically live to do it

I hope they win the first few to make it exciting

Appa Yip Yip

2:29

I'm in line to vote right now.

Ben Clemens

2:29

I voted in the California recall last week

There was not a line

2:30

(still decent turnout, people just voted by mail)

Ben

2:30

If you are the Rays or the Astros, would you rather face the White Sox in the playoffs or whoever makes it out of the Wild Card game? I know they will have used their ace, but I still think the Blue Jays might scare me more than the Sox.

Ben Clemens

2:30

For me, whoever makes it out of the Wild Card game. The White Sox pitching is just overwhelming

2:31

You could easily imagine only ever seeing Rodon, Lynn, Giolito, Cease, Bummer, Hendriks, Kimbrel, Kopech, Crochet for a whole series

and ewwwwwwwwww

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