Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat – 4/14/25

Ben Clemens: Hey all people, welcome to the chat

Ben Clemens: Let’s speak

Guards! Guards!: With swing velocity being a measured part now, do you assume that swing acceleration may need some which means to it? I’m pondering of gamers who’re described as “ferocious rotators” and if it’s doable to correlate swing accel/decel to harm danger, for instance.

Ben Clemens: I undoubtedly assume so

Ben Clemens: I haven’t accomplished a lot taking a look at it other than listening to the identical issues about Ohtani that I feel lots of people have – great acceleration lets him hit the ball with excessive bat pace even deep behind the plate, and many others.

Ben Clemens: I feel it’s actually fascinating to take a look at, I haven’t accomplished a ton of labor with the swing size and depth of contact knowledge however presumably one thing might be labored out from that

Pig Newton: How farfetch’d would it not be for the Royals to name up Jac Caglianone straight from AA to supply the staff with an offensive spark?

Paddy: These EV readings for Caglione are bananas. Is he a monster or extra like Gallo 2.0 with the swing and miss?

Ben Clemens: I’m form of shocked he solely has three residence runs

Ben Clemens: For a way laborious he’s hitting the ball, that appears unusual? However I assume he has solely 45 PA nonetheless

Ben Clemens: Is there going to be some swing and miss? I imply, yeah. The man is a low contact fee kind, that’s who he was in faculty and I don’t count on that to vary immediately

Ben Clemens: But when he can play outfield, I would like him up yesterday. And if he can’t, possibly Jonathan India can play outfield?

Opifijikl: Everyone was lukewarm on the Purple Sox until the tip of the offseason, once they began hyping them up like loopy. To this point they’ve been lukewarm. Any ideas on what’s going on, or what ought to change?

Ben Clemens: I feel it might be nice for them to not have a complete rotation on the IL

Ben Clemens: Like, Sean Newcomb isn’t their fifth starter proper now, b/c he’s their fourth starter

Ben Clemens: I feel their offense is great, like ‘it’ll be advantageous even with rafaela and catchers who had been’nt adequate to supplant connor wong’ wonderful

Ben Clemens: So I feel it’s only a matter of respectable beginning pitching

Ben Clemens: They’ve form of gotten it to this point, actually. However a few of that comes from Fitts, who’s already on the IL, and there’s a variety of ‘properly possibly Walker Buehler will determine it out once more’ in right here, if that doesn’t occur, they may want a bit extra

Ben Clemens: Crochet is pretty much as good as marketed, although

David Stearns: Baty has a wRC+ of 68 in his profession and has been considerably worse than that this yr with a 41% Okay fee. Is he a bust or does he want a change of surroundings?

Ben Clemens: I’m undoubtedly not good sufficient to know easy methods to inform the distinction between these two

Ben Clemens: however get him out of Queens

Yeah Properly Hiura Towel: I get that some people like catcher framing. But when it had been eradicated by way of full ABS, wouldn’t the tradeoffs we’d assumedly get – higher hitting & throwing from catchers – be price it?

Ben Clemens: It’s an excellent query and I’m undecided

Ben Clemens: Like, to some extent undoubtedly

Ben Clemens: however to some extent the large plodding guys behind the plate, the Ryan Doumits of the world, are simply aesthetically unpleasing to observe

Ben Clemens: and it’s not like catchers are immediately going to be a font of nice offense

Ben Clemens: higher throwing, I assume I’m enthusiastic about that

D again fan: Geraldo Perdomo finishes _ in NL MVP voting

Ben Clemens: I imply, I get that he’s off to an excellent begin

Ben Clemens: however even Geraldo Perdomo doesn’t agree with you on this one. He’s dropping down sacrifice bunts

Phil: Austin Riley has been merely fairly good as an alternative of fantastic for a season and a half now. Do you see him bouncing again to his 2022-type manufacturing, or is that this who he’s now?

Ben Clemens: 2022? Possibly that’s a bit excessive. 2023? That’s round the place I’ve him. He was harm final yr and underperformed his uncooked knowledge, however beneath the hood, it regarded loads like ’23

Ben Clemens: Now, that’s extra All Star than borderline MVP vote getter, however is that dangerous? By no means

Sir Nerdlington: With Steele down, do the Cubs’ willingness to increase Kyle Tucker go up to allow them to commerce Cassie and/or Alcantara for a TOR arm?

Ben Clemens: I undoubtedly don’t assume they understand it that approach

Ben Clemens: Signing Tucker is a long-term resolution, and I feel it might be poor technique for them to vary their habits round essentially the most consequential contract extension talks they’ve had because the 2016 period primarily based on a short-term pitching availability drawback

Ben Clemens: Like, I’d attempt to prolong Tucker both approach. However I wouldn’t add $100 million to my supply to bowl him over simply because Justin Steele is harm

Talfred: I do know it’s solely 56 PAs, however ought to we take the StatCast numbers for Ben Rice significantly? He appears nice to this point.

Ben Clemens: We should always as a result of they match what we already find out about him

Ben Clemens: Don’t take them precisely as gospel or something, however yeah, this very massive gentleman with an enormous swing hits the ball laborious

comish4lif: When is swing velocity measured? It might appear to me that the swing being so brief – that something different then the rapid starting (preliminary acceleration) and the tip (deceleration) could be in a slim band?

Wouldn’t the system simply seize the max of that studying?

Ben Clemens: It’s taken at contact level

Ben Clemens: and no, there’s a fairly clear relationship between longer and sooner swings. The extra time it has to speed up, the extra it does. Hitters have increased bat pace once they catch the ball out entrance

Oaktown Blues: Who do you assume could have a greater profession: Caglianone or Kurtz?

Ben Clemens: I feel I lean in direction of Caglianone however that is actually not my space of experience

Ben Clemens: I like each gamers fairly a bit although

Neelix: The variety of GIDPs continues to drop league-wide. On a fee foundation, final yr’s 0.66 GIDP-per-game was the bottom quantity since a minimum of the mid-Forties (document protecting will get sketchy at this level). We’re down even additional in 2025. What’s inflicting it? Shift? Fewer singles? Much less pitching to contact?

Ben Clemens: Mainly “sure”

Ben Clemens: So, proportion of plate appearances that characteristic a runner on first, going approach down

Ben Clemens: runner on first and fewer than two outs, I ought to say

Ben Clemens: There have been 2,800 fewer of these in 2024 vs. 2008, the primary yr I can pull Statcast for

Ben Clemens: ball in play frequency has gone down too — extra homers, walks, strikeouts

Ben Clemens: none of which may flip into double performs

Ben Clemens: Lastly, even on balls in play, groundball fee is down

Ben Clemens: hitters need the ball within the air

Ben Clemens: it’s only a ton of issues, all working in live performance

GraphsMan: what stage of concern is there for Jobe’s incapability to generate whiffs? I learn the Michael Rosen article about being extra misleading along with his supply and I’m positive that may assist, but it surely seems like there’s one thing a bit extra basic to his issues, even when he can actually pump gasoline and spin it.

Ben Clemens: Yeah, I feel his article hits on it in a particular approach – we’re taking a look at what this man is doing to make his stuff not translate into missed bats

Ben Clemens: however from a extra basic perspective, like, clearly!

Ben Clemens: the stuff can appear like no matter it desires to. This man wasn’t lacking bats within the minors, did we expect he was going to immediately achieve this within the majors?

Ben Clemens: I’m not saying he can’t work out easy methods to flip his prodigious skills into outcomes

Ben Clemens: However he hasn’t but

Ben Clemens: I’d count on a lot increased strikeout charges for a man with this sort of arsenal. Whether or not it’s deception or simply the fastball enjoying down b/c of his arm slot, I have to see extra

Ben Clemens: I’ll be fast to imagine if he has a number of large strikeout video games, however till then I’m out

David: How rather more priceless is a 6-WAR participant than a 3-WAR participant? Judging by the mega contracts in the previous couple of months for Soto and Guerrero, plainly entrance places of work worth a participant who might put up a 6-WAR season way over double a 3-WAR participant.

Ben Clemens: Yeah, fairly a bit extra. Groups are treating wins above common as one thing to focus on, significantly good groups. That is smart to me – they’re fairly good at producing or buying and selling for common gamers

Ben Clemens: I’ve written about this in the previous couple of editions of the commerce worth sequence, how doing a little form of linear accounting of wins and {dollars} doesn’t actually match staff preferences anymore

Ben Clemens: stars have worth in extra of simply including up the WAR as a result of WAR isn’t made to account for the truth that concentrating a ton of worth into one spot is nice

Ben Clemens: There are solely so many at-bats handy out, the high-rate guys make your ceiling increased, give them the large offers

Kurtz: I’m mainly Barry Bonds within the minors proper now.  IDK how you could possibly choose Jac over me.

Ben Clemens: If the query was which participant could be higher for a 14-game 2025 minor league pattern, and solely video games which have already been performed would rely, properly, I’d choose you

Damion: Why is the pure development of harm information for pitchers at all times as follows?…..1. Pitcher X being evaluated for elbow discomfort.  2.  Solely irritation/tendonitis discovered, Pitcher X optimistic about lacking the minimal.  3.  Pitcher X out for the season, after looking for second opinion.  Wants elbow reconstruction…….this occurred precisely this fashion with Eury Perez, then Kyle Bradish, then Cole, now Steele.  Is it simply because higher imaging was accomplished?  Why rush to proclaim optimism publicly, solely to do a 180?

Ben Clemens: Nice query and I don’t have an excellent reply for you

ethan: a 6 conflict regressing athletically would possibly flip them into an overpaid 3 conflict participant, whereas a 3 conflict participant regressing an identical quantity turns into a fringe mlber or non-rosterable

Invoice: Keibert Ruiz’s underlying metrics are horrible, with poor exit velocity and even worse bat pace. So how a lot of his scorching begin is definitely legitimate? Is it doable to be an excellent hitter with these poor metrics?

Ben Clemens: I’ve it at a cool 0%

Ben Clemens: Properly, that’s unfair

Ben Clemens: however c’mon, it’s 57 PA, 14 video games. Ruiz was even hotter than this in 2023, in August

Ben Clemens: a season that he completed 0.5 wins under substitute stage

Ben Clemens: now, a variety of that’s as a result of he’s not excellent defensively

Ben Clemens: however…. no, I don’t assume he’s going to maintain operating a 20% HR/FB fee with virtually no barrels, no I don’t assume he’s going to study to hit the ball a lot more durable after an enormous pattern of him not doing it

Clen Bemens: Aaron Decide is insanely good.  That’s all.  I hope folks perceive and admire what we’re privileged to be watching.

Ben Clemens: I used to be watching Giants/Yankees over the weekend and the announcers had been speaking about his numbers in opposition to Robbie Ray

Ben Clemens: after which one among them was like ‘Properly he’s really nice in opposition to everybody sporting a Giants uniform, these numbers are’nt even anomalous’

Ben Clemens: yeah, it’s loopy, he’s so good

Matt: Final yr, the Marlins had been extraordinarily aggressive in declaring themselves as sellers and dealing Arraez early within the season. When and who might be that staff and participant this yr?

Ben Clemens: It’s tough as a result of they don’t have an apparent particular person to commerce, however the Rockies really feel like that to me

Ben Clemens: brutal division, dangerous begin

Steve E: Torpedo bats. Simply protecting alive the streak of mentions within the the weekly chat.

Tim: What are the chances Lawlar sticks round as a super-sub for Dbacks if he’s known as as much as fill-in for Marte? I get they’d need him enjoying on a regular basis, but it surely looks as if it’s lastly taking place for him and that is what they’ve been ready for

Ben Clemens: I imply, they didn’t name him up! I’m actually shocked they didn’t

Ben Clemens: Tim Tawa is getting backup reps now, and I imply, positive

Ben Clemens: however they need to solely need Lawlar up if he’s going to start out every single day, and never if he’s simply going to briefly fill in

Didace: “these numbers are’nt even anomalous” – Wait, a baseball announcer used the phrase “anomalous”?

Ben Clemens: haha undoubtedly!

Ben Clemens: I don’t keep in mind the precise context however Jon Miller likes to drop within the odd vocab phrase

Clen Bemens: Why don’t the Pirates do what simply appears so pure, and transfer Cruz to 3B?  He appears terrible in CF.  Too large for SS.

Ben Clemens: As a result of they gave a contract extension to the perfect third base defender in baseball

Ben Clemens: however yeah… as a lot as I really like Ke’Bryan Hayes, and it’s a complete lot, he simply doesn’t hit sufficient

Ben Clemens: I heard on the Pirates broadcast lately that his again points have been so extreme that he says he might by no means have full vary of movement once more

Ben Clemens: that doesn’t appear nice!

NT: Do you purchase the Giants scorching begin?

Ben Clemens: Um, this good? no

Ben Clemens: however good? yeah

Ben Clemens: I’ve been noodling over one thing to jot down about Logan Webb, however the basic thought is ‘yep nonetheless nice’

Ben Clemens: JHL will cool off, however Adames will certainly warmth up, and I feel general the offense appears a bit of higher than anticipated

Ben Clemens: The large fear is first base… I’m not loving seeing Casey Schmitt within the lineup ever, however significantly not there

Ben Clemens: however we’re speaking a couple of staff with good run prevention and a fairly stable offense

Ben Clemens: The most important factor holding them again might be the division they play in, plus  I’ve questions concerning the backside of the rotation

Ben Clemens: However I feel they’re a profitable staff, and the largest wild card when it comes to efficiency was most likely JHL, who has regarded pretty much as good as doable. In order that’s good

Clen Bemens: Can KeBryan play 2B?  LF?

Ben Clemens: I’d not even contemplate it, tbh. I’d simply reduce him or one thing, which might be unhappy

Sirras: Should you needed to load up a baseball putting object to make use of as a weapon in a submarine, what type would you choose?

Ben Clemens: Ooh, I’d most likely use a type of banned softball bats, sorry to destroy the torpedo bat joke

Sirras: Seeing the Cardinals play later this week. Who ought to I be watching?

Ben Clemens: Masyn Winn being on the IL is a bummer. However Victor Scott II is electrical in heart, Arenado stays very entertaining, and I actually get pleasure from watching Nootbaar hit

Ben Clemens: I undoubtedly favor protection in my baseball viewing, so Scott and Arenado are large attracts

Brandon Marsh: why have I and my good buddy Alec Bohm been not good?

Ben Clemens: Properly, I don’t assume Bohm is all that nice, and was very baffled by his wonderful 2024, so possibly that one is simply regression

Ben Clemens: clearly I feel you’ll each be higher because the yr wears on. However I can’t actually level to anybody factor. Marsh misplaced all his energy but in addition is getting unfortunate BABIP sensible

Ben Clemens: Bohm is a basic not nice at anybody factor man, however all of these issues he was good however not nice at simply fell aside without delay

Ben Clemens: like he’s putting out 50% extra continuously and strolling virtually by no means? But in addition, he’s chasing extra and swinging at strikes much less? None of that is affordable over an extended stretch

Ben Clemens: It’s gonna come out within the wash some

Dan’l: What’s some reasonable-to-expect finest case situation’s for the Playing cards? An sudden younger SP or two take a step ahead (i.e. Liberatore)? Arenado play properly sufficient to get respectable commerce affords?

Ben Clemens: finest case? The Playing cards make the playoffs

Ben Clemens: the NL Central is fairly blah other than the Cubs, who simply misplaced their finest starter

Ben Clemens: so like…. why not simply win the entire thing?

Ben Clemens: we’ve them 20% to play in October, I feel that’s squarely in affordable territory

Damaged Bat: You get him first 3 years… AJ Shawver or Mathew’s of Twins.

Ben Clemens: I’m an AJSS man if I needed to choose, however I’m additionally form of a low-info voter right here. I undoubtedly have no idea sufficient about Zebby

Steve E: A torpedo bat would undoubtedly work wonders in opposition to a submarine pitcher like Tyler Rogers.

Professor Farnsworth: Simply right here to complain the the Braves had been completely happy to depend on an oft-injured man who threw extra innings than he had in like 7 years, a transformed reliever who completed final yr with shoulder issues, a man beginning the yr on the IL as a result of he was having an inner brace, one other transformed reliever, and whoever eeked out a place battle with Ian Anderson

Ben Clemens: Then they traded Anderson!

Ben Clemens: I imply, Atlanta’s rotation had actually excessive upside however with tons of danger

Ben Clemens: and to this point, the danger has been dangerous

Ben Clemens: Schwellenbach appears superb htough!

Taco Tuesday Eve: Are there every other days of the week that so intently are tied with a meals than Tuesday with Tacos.  Might there ever actually be one which compares?

Ben Clemens: Fish Fridays possibly, from the Catholic affect?

Ben Clemens: However yeah, taco tuesdays is simply too good

cade cavin: what’s the life like stat line for a 2025 Fernando tatis jr MVP yr? 40-40 with a .900 ops?

Ben Clemens: 950 OPS possibly

Ben Clemens: however yeah, some form of offensive explosion yr with a enjoyable statistical hook, 4040 counts

JD: To me it might make sense to measure swing size till the purpose of contact with the ball, slightly than the place the swing finishes. Ideas?

Ben Clemens: Yeah that’s how they do it

Ben Clemens: Size is from when the bat begins transferring to the place it impacts the ball

Oaktown Blues: JJ Bleday is de facto tough defensively in CF. However the A’s don’t actually have room to maneuver him to a nook, particularly with a Kurtz name up looming. Is there a situation the place he’s the odd man out quickly, possibly after a Denzel Clarke name up?

Ben Clemens: Mmmmm, I form of doubt it this yr except he will get worse

Ben Clemens: However yeah, I don’t actually purchase him as a middle fielder long run, and if everybody pans out, 1b/lf/rf/dh might want to match Butler, Rooker, Soderstrom, Kurtz

Ben Clemens: in order that’s 4 guys for 4 spots, enjoying a type of 4 spots worse than these guys will most likely find yourself shopping for you a commerce out of city

Ben Clemens: realistically, are all of them going to pan out and all be wholesome quickly? We’ll see, it’s at all times unlikely for any staff

Ben Clemens: but when I’m the A’s, Bleday is the least priceless of that group when it comes to my long-term plans

Wigglebot23: Is the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning pitcher rotation more likely to stay as dangerous because it has been?

Ben Clemens: I’m simply gonna go together with no

cade cavin: price researching if guys who naturally let the ball journey within the zone (reverse subject strategy guys) wrestle extra with enhance in velocity as they progress via MiLB into MLB?

Ben Clemens: That sounds nice! I don’t have the information to do it, but it surely sounds fascinating

Bencle Mens: what’s the backup plan at SS for St. Louis? I like Saggese’s bat however not protection. Is it a Jose (Borerro or Fermin)? Or do they keep on with Saggese? There’s a preferred quote on the market that nobody has ever “had” a nasty again, it’s both there or not.

Ben Clemens: I feel they’ll keep on with Saggese except the harm is extra extreme than has been reported

Ben Clemens: like, that’s true what you say a couple of dangerous again, however the listing of baseball palyers who’ve had again accidents after which been principally fairly good and obtainable just isn’t brief

Dan: I’m additional glad for Aaron Decide as a result of life on the time and being on the incorrect coast made it more durable to understand how good Bonds and Trout had been at their peak. I’m getting a do over in taking the time to understand a generational expertise in actual time.

Ben Clemens: Seeing an incredible participant on the peak of their powers is so pleasant

Steve E: Taco Tuesday dude, that is ‘Merica, so we’ve Tenders Tuesdays at my home. Albeit with Mexican beer.

Jim: If Soderstrom continues to hit and Kurtz appears able to deal with 1B, what do the A’s do with Soderstrom? DH and Rooker to LF? Soderstrom rotating between catcher, 1B, and DH? Soderstrom in LF?

Ben Clemens: Final week, we chatted about possibly transferring Soderstrom to LF longterm

Ben Clemens: Within the current, although, I feel Rooker to LF is more than likely

Ben Clemens: Possibly with Kurtz 1B and Soderstrom DH/occasional catcher

Ben Clemens: I’ve little confidence on this view, although

Bobby Peru: Compulsory Kurtz query…is a ROY from him a practical chance, or do the As preserve him down? Is a draft choose sufficient motivation for the As to provide him a shot this yr?

Ben Clemens: Properly they wouldn’t be eligible for the draft choose, proper?

Ben Clemens: I assume in the event that they known as him up like NOW

Ben Clemens: however that you must get 172 days on the large league roster

Oaktown Blues: Wait I believed he needed to be on the opening day roster for the draft choose? Or did you simply imply he might win ROY in the event that they known as him up now?

Ben Clemens: You may technically get it even with out being on the opening day roster

Ben Clemens: really yeah I feel we’re previous 172 days of service time already

Ben Clemens: so, no choose for Kurtz this yr

JD: Um, this good? no. however good? yeah *Reply to each scorching begin query ever*

Ben Clemens: haha I imply, sure

Ben Clemens: you’re not incorrect

Ben Clemens: and but the questions preserve coming

Bobby Peru: Rocker has regarded like a scorching mess. Does he want to vary his sinker-heavy strategy, or is that this simply an adjustment interval for him? The swing and miss hasn’t been there, what do you see from him ROS?

Ben Clemens: I’ve solely seen one among his begins, however yeah, I’m not a fan of the sinker-heavy strategy

Ben Clemens: however, like, his four-seamer is hardly scary

Ben Clemens: actually pedestrian motion profile and he doesn’t find it properly sufficient to make it play up

Ben Clemens: Between the slider and curveball I feel he has two plus secondaries, however his fastball utility has simply been abysmal to this point

Jim: Why is IL time final season stopping just like the A’s and Jacob Wilson from being PPI eligible if he wins ROY?

Ben Clemens: That’s the way it was bargained. I agree that it’s form of complicated. He simply had too many days of service time in 2024

Ben Clemens: It’s unusual to me that they’ve that separate roster time rule, on condition that additionally they have to be rookie eligible, however hey, they agreed to that rule already

Steve O: Are you shopping for Anthony Volpe lastly making the leap to a league averageish bat? His underlying metrics appears a lot better this yr.

Ben Clemens: I’ve at all times been shopping for

Ben Clemens: greenback value averaging, child

JD: On bat size: however isn’t a swing like 7 toes? It’s seven toes on the level of contact?

Ben Clemens: Yep. It’s in 3d area, although, so loads of that’s how far the bat has to journey to get from its excessive preliminary level to on airplane with the strike zone

Jim: Who do you imagine in additional as a starter – Jeffrey Springs or Joe Boyle?

Ben Clemens: I feel Boyle is likely to be an superior reliever although

J: Why does Craig Counsell insist on handing save alternatives to struggling former Astros closers? Porter Hodge’s savant web page and easily fuming

Ben Clemens: I imply I feel Ryan Pressly is nice! However I additionally wish to write about Porter Hodge

Ben Clemens: so I’m conflicted right here

Ben Clemens: I usually assume it’s a nasty plan to overreact to some weeks of numbers. But in addition, I really like overreacting to some weeks of numbers, and Pressly has been horrible

Ben Clemens: I’d keep the course if I had been Counsell, however I’d additionally attempt to get Hodge numerous excessive leverage alternatives

Ben Clemens: Right here’s the excellent news: staff chief in entry leverage? Porter Hodge

Noah: How we feeling about Oneil Cruz? Higher Okay and BB %s, however not translating to actual manufacturing.

Ben Clemens: Ignore the actual manufacturing, it’s been 54 PA, too noisy to say a lot. I feel he most likely received’t run a .214 BABIP all yr

Ben Clemens: That mentioned, I don’t assume this strategy is gonna work long-term

Ben Clemens: He’s simply not swinging at strikes

Ben Clemens: 48.6% zone swing fee

Ben Clemens: I’m a fan of the Statcast zones, you recognize coronary heart/shadow/chase/waste

Ben Clemens: his 48% coronary heart swing fee is off the charts

Ben Clemens: Let’s put it this fashion: 319 gamers have seen a minimum of 25 pitches down the center in 2025

Ben Clemens: nobody has swung much less continuously than Cruz

Ben Clemens: The overall thought is nice, I feel. However he must refine it an excellent dela extra

Ben Clemens: I equally assume Elly De La Cruz is being too passive to start out the yr -and he’s swinging extra continuously at pitches down the center and fewer continuously at pitches out of the zone

Visitor: wait why the speak about slicing hayes? Dude has had nice plate self-discipline this yr and elite protection is price *one thing*

Ben Clemens: properly somebody requested whether or not the Pirates ought to transfer Cruz to 3rd and put Hayes in left

Ben Clemens: I feel the best way that Hayes has worth is when he performs elite protection at third

HappyFunBall: With the plethora of DH-type gamers the As are operating on the market (or will likely be quickly) would it not make sense for them to commerce one among them to the Nats for Jacob Younger? Nats might use the bat, and Younger’s lack of 1 means he’s most likely ticketed for OF4 standing anyway

Ben Clemens: That sounds nice, actually

Ben Clemens: I like Younger fairly a bit, and he’d be an incredible match with statues round him within the outfield

Some kinda Mook: Purple Sox went every week with out hitting a homer, and dropped 2 of three to the WHITE SOX. Irritating stuff.

Ben Clemens: and virtually no hit the White Sox of their solely win, it was a bizarre weekend

Ben Clemens: early season swings are brutal. if the Sox are pretty much as good as I feel they’re, they’ll climate this

Oaktown Blues: Any likelihood you caught JT Ginn’s begin in opposition to the Mets? Regarded fairly good, however I feel he might be even higher if he threw the sinker extra. It’s nasty

Ben Clemens: I turned the sport on too late to see his begin

Ben Clemens: I’m an general fan, however extra?? He’s very sinker dominant already

Ben Clemens: I feel he’s form of pushing the boundaries of how sinker/slider you could be as a starter

Ben Clemens: the cutter helps… however like, no changeup in any respect this yr, and his sinker is the form of form that performs down in opposition to reverse handed hitters, a minimum of in my opinion

ML: Are you shopping for Tork’s early season success?

Ben Clemens: I feel I’m? However Jay Jaffe is writing about it for tomorrow, so I’d say wait and see what he has to say

Jung Hoo Lee: Sure April 14th, however ought to we get a head begin on engraving Jung Hoo Lees MVP trophy?

Ben Clemens: I’d wait till April 16, personally

Ben Clemens: This has panned out so properly for the Giants, it’s kinda loopy

Ben Clemens: seemingly each giveaway this yr is for him

Ben Clemens: him being good goes to be an enormous advertising growth

MoonBeamMcSwine: Gabriel Arias has been that gifted man who couldn’t put all of it collectively.. had hamate injured palms… wanted to hustle extra, and many others.. Is he lastly turning the nook/breaking out as his expertise is unassailable?

Ben Clemens: As a very long time Arias fan who wrote this:

Ben Clemens: Yeah, let’s do it

Jim: Why have the A’s rushed Max Muncy 2.0 to the majors? Particularly when the long-term plan was for him to shift to 3B, the place he hasn’t actually performed within the minors.

Ben Clemens: I imply, it feels a bit of quick, however not loopy, he performed all of 2024 at Triple-A and regarded adequate. My guess is that they simply actually don’t like the remainder of their choices at second

Ben Clemens: Now, when Gelof returns, possibly they’ll ship him again down and have him work on his third base protection

Ben Clemens: however I feel it is a ‘we should win extra video games this yr and we’ve no higher choices at second’ resolution

Visitor: Do you assume taco retailers see a noticeable enhance in enterprise on a Tuesday?

Steve O: Are the Yankees considerably an underrated participant improvement org? They’ve produced Volpe, Rice, Wells, Dominguez over the past couple of years with no excessive draft picks, and so they’ve received pitchers littered all through different organizations. They’ve additionally made a bunch of trades to amass expertise over the previous few years.

Ben Clemens: I’d say no, however then I fee their participant improvement group extremely

Ben Clemens: significantly on the pitching facet

Chip: Drop one with Strider coming again: Wesneski, Roupp, Soriano, G. Williams.

Ben Clemens: Oof, most likely Roupp although I do like him

Ben Clemens: He and Williams each have an absence of competitors working of their favor

Ben Clemens: the new speak within the Bay is changing Verlander within the rotation, not ‘does Roupp have a spot’

Ben Clemens: Eh, so I feel I’ve talked myself into Williams then

Ben Clemens: Roupp’s curveball is pleasant

Ben Clemens: and he has the massive tailwind of enjoying a variety of video games in SF with nice catching

Unhappy Sox Fan: Is there any hope for Andrew Vaughn at this level? Dude got here out of school an incredible pure hitter and now he appears completely misplaced on the plate.

Ben Clemens: Nah, I’m over it

Ben Clemens: I picked him for AL RoY approach again int he day

Ben Clemens: after which I’ve been sadly watching his progress ever since

Ben Clemens: He’s not as dangerous as he’s regarded this yr – however I feel he’s as dangerous as he regarded final yr, which is kinda dangerous

MoonBeamMcSwine: Emmanuel Clase, whereas retaining his velo and cutter motion… has turn into pedestrian..  Any purpose to panic at this early stage of the season??

Ben Clemens: I don’t assume there’s a purpose to panic

Ben Clemens: I simply don’t see how persons are gonna preserve BABIP’ing .481 in opposition to him

Ben Clemens: additionally, possibly pay extra consideration if he begins giving up a string of homers, however he’s given up 1

Ben Clemens: that makes his stats look worse than regular as a result of he provides up about two a yr

Ben Clemens: significantly, he debuted in 2019 and he’s allowed 14 homers in his profession

Tim: Any hope for Miguel Vargas?

Ben Clemens: Certain! However not due to how he’s accomplished this yr

Ben Clemens: I’m only a sucker for Vargas. I’ll be incorrect on this over and over if he doesn’t flip it round

Chris: Has Nick Allen supplanted Arcia because the Braves common SS, or is even that bar too excessive for April stats?

Ben Clemens: Nope, that one I’ll provide you with

Ben Clemens: He’s one other one among my long-term participant crushes, so once more take this with a grain of salt

Ben Clemens: however let me put it this fashion: if I provide the alternative bewteen two guys who can’t hit

Ben Clemens: you’d take the one with higher protection, proper?

Ben Clemens: That’s Allen, for me, and actually I like his bat extra too

Ben Clemens: if he has an 85 wRC+,  he generally is a good participant

Matthew: Does Jackson Chourio have a legit shot at a high 5 MVP end? He has been on fireplace to start out the yr regardless of taking no walks. He has additionally improved a ton within the subject this yr.

Ben Clemens: most actually he does

Ben Clemens: it’s additionally humorous, I wrote concerning the Brewers’ chilly begin not two weeks in the past, and other people had been freaking out about his SLOW begin

Steve O: Is Ceddanne Rafaela’s strategy unfixable? I hoped he might get to a 90-95 wRC+ however even that feels a bit optimistic.

Ben Clemens: To me, it’s unfixable

Ben Clemens: Not like…. man can’t play within the majors unfixable

Ben Clemens: He’s an outstanding defender

Ben Clemens: however swing that a lot, with that little oomph behind these swings, and what do you assume is gonna occur

Ben Clemens: He’s twenty first percentile for bat pace, first percentile for chase fee, and solely common in terms of contact

Ben Clemens: like, how do you see this enjoying out properly? I can’t wrap my head round an excellent end result right here with no LOT altering

MoonBeamMcSwine: Higher long run catching expertise: Daniel Susac or Henry Ford?

Ben Clemens: I imply, I’ve received Ford, so long as we’re speaking Harry Ford

Ben Clemens: Massive fan of his general skillset and I kinda fell in love with the goofy Crew GB celebrations on the world baseball basic

Strider: Any concern for Strider shedding a number of mph early occurring his FB? Outcomes have been nice however competitors is suspect. 99 to 95avg is an enormous change. Assume this will get higher with time or attempt to transfer R.Greene and Strider for Skenes or one thing?

Ben Clemens: I’m not involved, however I’m with you, I’m form of ignoring the outcomes, the copmetition is simply not significant

Ben Clemens: give him a bit to ramp up. and actually, the velo’s good however the form is the factor I wish to see on the fastball

diadem: What does Preister’s future appear like?

Ben Clemens: So, possibly he’ll be a diamond within the tough, immediately an incredible pitcher after years of being fairly dangerous

Ben Clemens: leaving the pirates is usually good on your improvement as a pitcher, although

Ben Clemens: and if nothing else I might see him as a pleasant reliever

Ben Clemens: BP wrote a pleasant piece that was primarily wishcasting, like what if Priester realized to throw his finest pitches higher and in addition used them extra, and it was kinda convincing

Ben Clemens: however I’m going to stay to my take from final yr’s PPR

Ben Clemens: Let’s simply say that if Priester had been named “Jared Jones” as an alternative of “Quinn Priester,” I feel he would have gotten loads much less prospect buzz.

Bencle Mens: Quinn Mathews to the DL. Disappointment.

New UK fan: Re Rafaela: why do some gamers have a nasty strategy? Recognising pitches, accrued dangerous habits? Feels rather more intangible to me than e.g., lack of energy

Ben Clemens: I feel it’s largely pitch recognition

Ben Clemens: to some extent, it comes all the way down to a acutely aware alternative, too. like, you could possibly swing much less laborious or swing later and provides your self extra margin of error

Ben Clemens: however ‘strategy’ is form of nebulous and consists of many issues

Ben Clemens: Rafaela’s weak point to me jsut appears to be bother with pitch recognition. Which is de facto laborious

Oaktown Blues: Batting appears so laborious, I’m by no means shocked when somebody has a nasty strategy. Pitchers are too good

Ben Clemens: Yeah, I’m with you. I’m extra impressed when somebody has an excellent strategy than I’m aggravated that somebody has a nasty strategy

Dfan: Is there a approach Rice can keep within the line-up when Stanton returns? If he retains hitting the place will they play him?

Ben Clemens: I feel he’s earned himself a platoon on the very least

Ben Clemens: the Yankees like Stanton an excellent deal greater than I do, to be honest

Ben Clemens: However like…. sure, I get that he’s very highly effective, however he wasn’t even that nice final yr? along with being rigid (DH solely) and continuously unavailable

Ben Clemens: if Rice by some means finally ends up as a bench participant this yr, I’m going to be shocked and dissatisfied. Give GOldy frequent relaxation days and have Rice again him up. Squeeze him in at catcher very often. Sit Stanton liberally in opposition to righties, the man has a 105 wRC+ in opposition to them prior to now three years in combination

Ben Clemens: to be honest he has a 106 wRC+ general

Ben Clemens: however like… don’t block your younger gamers breaking out for form of a fixed-upside DH

Stephen: Yankees nonetheless badly want a 3B.  Ke’Bryan commerce make any sense?

Ben Clemens: Nah. Look, it pains me to say this, however they want an excellent 3b

Ben Clemens: not one who has a profession 89 wRC+, and 84 because the begin of 2021

Ben Clemens: I actually hope Hayes breaks out. At one poitn I in contrast him to Josh Donaldson as a gifted defender who hits the ball laborious and simply must elevate

Ben Clemens: however look, he didn’t do this

Ben Clemens: if I’m the Yankees, I make a commerce for a 3b in the event that they might help me straight away, and never in any other case

Ben Clemens: Like somebody within the chat steered Ryan McMahon as an possibility, and similar deal

Ben Clemens: might be good. isn’t but!

Ben Clemens: Okay, I simply realized I’ve been chatting for an hour forty, and that i gotta go get lunch prepared

Ben Clemens: So have a beautiful week everybody, and let’s do it once more subsequent week, once we’ll have 33% extra knowledge and but I’ll nonetheless let you know ‘relax, it’s April’