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Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 9/25/23

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Ben Clemens

2:08

Isn't it just Mike Trout or Ohtani, though?

depending on how you define best

bosoxforlife

2:08

Looks bleak for the Astros but getting swept by the Royals at home tends to do that.

Ben Clemens

2:08

Yeah, what a bad time to have this happen

A Jolly Good Oberkfellow

2:08

Of the teams still with a shot at the World Series, which possible opponents’ cities would you most like to get to eat in? A foodie championship.

Ben Clemens

2:09

Okay, I like this question quite a bit. LA food scene is great, but I've been there a decent amount, ,so I'm not sure if it's a question for me or for the teams

2:10

I'd also put Seattle and Houston high on the list, I'm not sure which one will be left out in the cold but I like Vietcajun food so I'd like Houston, and I've always had delicious meals in Seattle

Toronto is high on my list as well

KC Pain

2:10

Andrew Vaughn pretty much this w maybe a few upticks here and there? I keep hoping for that breakout year and.....still waiting.

Ben Clemens

2:10

Yeah kinda seems like this is him

bosoxforlife

2:10

Wilyer Abreu looks like a find. The Red Sox now have 4 left handed hitting outfielders, Duran, Verdugo, Yoshida and Abreu. Verdugo gets nothing in return so what happens next?

Ben Clemens

2:11

I think Yoshida ends up DH'ing more, but also that injuries and underperformance will work things out. Given that Verdugo is gone after next year, it's no great tragedy if he gets pinched on PT a little, so long as the other players are better

Insert Witty Name Here

2:11

I went down a rabbit hole and ended up being fascinated with global economics. I believe you dealt with some weird exchange rate job back in the day. Anyway, I’m currently reading “Capital in the 21st Century” by Thomas Piketty. Have you read it and/or do you have any economic books you’d recommend to a beginner? Sorry if this isn’t in your wheelhouse, but I’m reading about exchange rates and you’re chatting today so figured I’d ask.

Ben Clemens

2:11

Oh man

That's a heavy read, and I have read it but I'm not sure I'm good enough at econ

to truly understand it

2:12

I really liked the book that introduced me to economics, "New Ideas From Dead Economists", no idea if it's still in print

also, I loooooooved "Inventing Money", a book about Long Term Capital Management's rise and fall. Failing that, I just think the LTCM saga was really interesting, so "When Genius Failed" makes the list as well

Dan

2:13

What is Tony-Philipsing (reference the mookie Betts question)?

Ben Clemens

2:13

playing IF/OF to be a true multi-positional beast is how I interpreted it

Sir Nerdlington

2:13

I’ve read that the Japanese player hierarchy may make it more difficult to sign a Japanese FA if you have a Japanese born player already rostered. Is there really anything to that? Seems like having a player in the clubhouse who speaks your native tongue would be a huge positive (unless he’s a jerk).

Ben Clemens

2:13

Never heard of such a thing, so I tend to not believe it

Tom

2:13

This will seem more negative than I intend, but is Volpe just Dan Uggla as a solid defensive SS? That would be a 4-5 win player, even if it's .230 with a ton of k's.

Ben Clemens

2:14

I think he's a better athlete, which gives me hope he'll fill out a few other skills, but generally yes, that comp kinda works for me

Ben

2:14

Utley/Rollins would have to be considered

Insert Witty Name Here

2:14

Re: infield duo - Rollins and Utley

Ben Clemens

2:14

Yeah, solid call. I'd give the one-season edge to Semien/Seager but let's see them keep it up for multiple years

Sir Nerdlington

2:14

Yamamoto & Bellinger +$100M or Ohtani. Which side have you got?

Ben Clemens

2:14

I'd take Ohtani but Yamamoto does indeed look awesome

I'm just kinda skeptical of Bellinger

Brian

2:14

Lindor and JRam

Ben Clemens

2:15

I considered this one but unless I'm misremembering JRam was never really a full-time 2b

KC Pain

2:15

Has any team gone nuts in a rule 5 draft and taken, idk, 4-5 players in a crapshoot rebuild? *eyes his Royals lack of roster talent and farm*

Ben Clemens

2:15

Oh man, the Padres did

and it was ridiculous

they took random totally-not-ready guys and it burned some of them badly

2:15

seager and trea turner

Grant

2:15

Jeter/Cano?

Dan

2:15

My favorite book was the economics of the undead that taught compound interest, market theory, and things like that but from the point of view of zombies and vampires. Its hard to do well but when things that people spend years researching are filtered into common language I love it. Any similar recommendations?

Ben Clemens

2:16

Lol I hadn't heard of this one but that sounds great

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