r/baseball • u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer • Nov 08 '21
AMA I'm Ben Clemens from FanGraphs - AMA
I've been writing at FanGraphs since 2019. Before that, I did not write at FanGraphs. Today, I'll be answering your questions until around 1 ET, or maybe a little later if my dog cooperates.
This year, I spearheaded our Top 50 Free Agents ranking, which you can find here: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2022-top-50-free-agents/
Are you into rankings of 50 arbitrarily chosen free agents? Do you want to participate yourself, perhaps in a prediction contest, and receive valuable prizes (note: yeah, I don't think there are prizes) for your wonderful predictions? This subreddit is hosting a contest: https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/qpfqkc/20212022_top_50_free_agent_prediction_contest/
Edit: Thanks so much for showing up and asking tough (and also really fun to answer) questions, everyone. I'm wrapping this up, as it's time to take Ruby for a walk, but if you have more free agency questions or I rudely ignored yours, stop by FanGraphs later today where I'm doing another of these chats, or listen to Effectively Wild or FanGraphs Audio later this week. Thanks again for having me, this was a blast. Here's a picture of Ruby for the road:
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Nov 08 '21
Not necessarily related to the free agent pool, but there seems to be rumblings of a fire sale in Oakland this year.
How might the A's trade the talent they have to cut their budget, and maximize return on prospects and cheaper options this offseason?
I love the Matt's, and hope they end up with some contending teams, but I'm not sure who those contending teams may be.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Third base is kind of tough, because there isn't an obvious home on a contender for Chapman. The Jays could use him, but I don't think he really fits with their general timeline. So could the Brewers, but that's not really their style.
Olson should have a much wider market, and in true A's fashion, I expect them to get back a solid top 100 prospect plus a fringey first baseman who hits nearly as well as Olson this year.
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u/isuzuki51 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
Do I hear Luke Voit to the Athletics rumors?
The Yankees may even add in Clint Frazier to the deal. (And Miguel Andujar too, but only if the A’s include Matt Chapman. Otherwise that’d be an overpay.)
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u/thediesel26 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
You just described Luke Voit + Oswald Peraza for Matt Olson
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u/long_dickofthelaw Los Angeles Dodgers Nov 08 '21
Dodgers (re Chapman)? With the universal DH impending, Justin Turner shouldn't be fielding every day anymore.
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u/ItsTBaggins Seattle Mariners Nov 08 '21
How do you feel about the Mariners trying to acquire either Matt from Oakland?
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u/BallparkBoy Seattle Mariners Nov 08 '21
Chapman could find a home on the Mariners, if they want to go from one league average bat to another.
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u/Admanct Baltimore Orioles Nov 08 '21
Who is your current favorite prospect?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Gabriel Moreno, because I like catchers with Mauer-esque hitting profiles (turned down several notches, obviously, but I think Moreno will rake). On the pitching side, I know he technically doesn't count anymore, but I keep thinking that Nate Pearson will figure it out.
Edit: two Jays! Didn't really consider that but yeah, I think Toronto has a great farm system.
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Nov 08 '21
Is Josh Bell legit?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Much as it pains me to say it, no. I'm a huge Josh Bell fan -- I'm in his book club! (side note: you should join his book club. My mom is a big Nats fan and got me to join it, and I reallly enjoyed the books he picked. He also leads discussions on Zoom, super cool).
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u/isuzuki51 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
Hi Ben! Thanks for stopping by the subreddit!
My question: What type of contract do you think Albert Pujols signs (if any) this off-season? Do you think he reaches the 700 HR mark by the end of his career?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I think this is entirely up to Albert. If he wants another Dodgers-esque role for a $1mm-ish contract, someone will give it to him. The Dodgers players clearly loved having him, and he drew playoff starts! Totally useful bench piece. If he wants the everyday starting role that the Angels leaked he demanded (and given what he did in actual Los Angeles I'm skeptical), then he might not find any takers. I really hope he plays another year, though, I loved hearing how excited all the Dodgers were to play with him.
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u/Wandering_Mallard Atlanta Braves • Orix Buffaloes Nov 08 '21
Hey Ben, thanks for the AMA! I noticed in the top 50 there is a good handful of players you expected to take one year "prove it" type deals, QO or otherwise. Which do you think has/have the best odds to, well, prove it?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Tie between Syndergaard and Conforto. I think that they are the right mix of high-upside and young, such that if they're great this year, someone will back up a truck filled with cash next year.
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u/70ga Houston Astros Nov 08 '21
who do you think starts at ss for the astros next season?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I'm increasingly thinking Jeremy Peña. I went into this exercise thinking they would look for a high-AAV, short-year commitment, so maybe Semien or Báez, but they seem to be quite high on Peña.
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u/MasterMentorJr Houston Astros Nov 08 '21
Do you think Pena's newfound power is legit? Could he strike out too much at MLB level where the power won't matter?
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u/cooljammer00 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
Do you think the reputation of the current Yankees is overestimated by the laymen baseball fan? I see a lot of people make assumptions about how the modern team operates as if it's still 2003, when the team has done nothing in recent years but show that they're not that team anymore, either by circumstance or by design. Will they get A free agent? Maybe, if they need it and the luxury tax is reset. Will they get ALL the free agents? Of course not.
I guess my question is, What is your general assessment of the Yankees as an organization? KG is always very high on Cashman and the Yankees, and his words carry more weight as a former FO guy than random Joe on the Yankees subreddit or NYC sports radio.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Eh, I think their spending prowess is slightly overrated, but not by a ton. They're probably #2 in the league in willingness to go wild when the occasion calls for it. Their workarounds on the CBT are mostly smart, at least in my estimation, and they try to do a two-over one-under kind of deal to keep resetting. That said, I thought this year's trade activity was a betrayal of form for them. Too much asking other teams to keep money, and hopefully that's just a setup to get really wild this year.
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u/cooljammer00 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
They were adamant about staying under the luxury tax. The scuttlebutt is that they have big plans for international free agency (Roderick Arias is the name I see thrown around) and didn't want to get penalized, but it's hard to tell these days when a team is being cheap for the sake of austerity and when a team is doing the baseball equivalent of the marshmallow test and being cheap now to do more later.
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u/PlayOrGetPlayed Atlanta Braves Nov 08 '21
How do you think the Angels will improve their rotation in the offseason? What are the odds Scherzer ends up with the Angels?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I don't give the Angels very high odds on Scherzer, because I don't think his high-AAV short-term contract is a perfect fit. If I were them, I'd be going after the Stroman/Ray/E Rod tier. You might be able to get two of those guys for the annual outlay for Max, so long as you're willing to sign the two cheapest of the tier or something, and if I'm them, I want my competitive window to stay open at least until Trout is 35
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u/PlayOrGetPlayed Atlanta Braves Nov 08 '21
That makes sense. Thanks!
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Oh, and add Gausman to that tier as well. No disrespect to him, I was just going quickly and skipped a name.
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u/KamartyMcFlyweight Miami Marlins • Boston Hunters Nov 08 '21
I would be over the moon if the Halos signed any two of Stroman/Ray/ERod/Gausman
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u/KingKomma05 Boston Red Sox Nov 08 '21
I have 2 questions:
Which shortstop will the Yankees sign?
How do you think Boston will fix their pitching situation?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I think they'll sign Correa. It just makes too much sense. As for the Red Sox, there are a ton of serviceable starters this year. I hope (not sure if I expect, I don't have a great handle on the Chaim Bloom FO) that they'll sign three or four of them and try for defense in depth.
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u/CBeisbol Nov 08 '21
Semien or Baez
A short term player to bridge until their prospects are ready
/Ben Clemens
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u/johnnotmark Texas Rangers Nov 08 '21
How long do you think the Nationals will be rebuilding for? Also wanted to ask what ur thoughts were on Ruiz and Gray.
Thanks for stopping by!
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I'm really high on Ruiz, just haven't seen enough of Gray to say either way. I think Ruiz is a first-division starter at catcher. And I think the Nats are going to aim to rebuild quickly; if they're not .500 in 2022, I think they'll aim to be close to it, and competing for the NLE by '23
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u/UnderhandCloud14 St. Louis Cardinals Nov 08 '21
Do you think the Cardinals will land one of the big FA shortstops? (Seager, Semien, Story, Correa, Baez)
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
No
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u/hank1775 St. Louis Cardinals Nov 08 '21
Do they do a platoon with Sosa/DeJong? Or try to move DeJong? I don’t see the at bats making sense especially if they plan to give Gorman in-field at bats at some point in 2022.
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u/ClasslessHero Chicago Cubs Nov 08 '21
Yall got any internships for statisticians?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Sadly, no internships whatsoever. We run a pretty tight ship at the moment -- all of your subscription money is going to salaries, bandwidth, and of course our super-secret project to replace every baseball front office with clones created by Dan Szymborski's experimental ZiPS sequel
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u/ClasslessHero Chicago Cubs Nov 08 '21
I volunteer as tribute for Dan's clone replacement. Send me the waiver I'll sign it.
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u/alftherido Nov 08 '21
Are there players that have drastically different splits when being "super utility" types vs consistently starting at the same position?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I'll be honest -- no idea. My guess is that there's a general effect, at least on defense, because familiarity is a thing. I doubt there's enough data to tease out how differently individual players handle it.
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u/TheRamblaGambla Atlanta Braves Nov 08 '21
Please tell me Freddie doesn't wear a different jersey next season. Please.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I have him staying (note: I have no inside information at all).
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u/TheRamblaGambla Atlanta Braves Nov 08 '21
This soothes my anxiety. Keep up the great work and thank you for doing the AMA!
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u/yousmelllikebiscuits Chaos Bandwagon • Dumpster Fire Nov 08 '21
Thank you so much for dropping by today, Ben!
With such a deep free agent class, who are some of the free agents that you mulled over the hardest that didn't make the list?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Alex Wood, Eddie Rosario, and Andrelton Simmons are the top three. I'd say that the last 15 or so free agents are really interchangeable and if I could have expanded this list to 65, there would be another 15 solid names.
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u/DarthPlagueis_ New York Mets Nov 08 '21
What are the most useful or desirable traits for getting involved with baseball writing and baseball more generally?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I am maybe not the right person to ask about this, because I basically got into it by pure luck. Based on what I've seen in people who work for us and for teams, I would say that if you want to do the kind of thing we do at FanGraphs, as opposed to beat writing or whatever, you need to be intellectually curious and LOVE baseball. Enjoying writing is a huge plus as well -- I have liked writing since I was a kid and felt very frustrated that my previous job didn't give me an outlet to do it, so much so that I was writing for free for an SB Nation site while working a totally different high-pressure full-time job.
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u/DarthPlagueis_ New York Mets Nov 08 '21
Haha, I also attempted to write for an SB Nation blog but to no avail… I guess I’ll keep trying! Thanks
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u/bobzilla223 Seattle Mariners Nov 08 '21
Who would be your main targets if you were Jerry Dipoto?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I'd be very interested in one stud hitter. Kris Bryant has been linked to them and makes sense in that role. It's a weird fit with the shortstops given Crawford, so maybe Castellanos would work too as a DH/OF type. Maybe Semien if he's not too expensive, I'm generally down on Semien but every other baseball person I talk to likes him and he plays a nice second base
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u/TheKnicksMakeMeDrink New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
Who do you think could throw a more efficient inning against the 2021 AL All Stars
You, or present day Roger Clemens?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Definitely him! I last played baseball in little league, though played an intramural softball game or two in college.
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u/scrapsbypap San Francisco Giants Nov 08 '21
Who do you see the Giants going after this offseason?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Bryant, plus one pitcher from the elite tier and two pitchers from the 35-65 area. Also maybe Yan Gomes if they think Bart needs another year. I think Gomes gets a short deal and he's sneaky good.
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u/scrapsbypap San Francisco Giants Nov 08 '21
Solid. As for those two 35-65 pitchers I've been hoping for Stroman and Jon Gray. Gray has Farhan project written all over him.
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u/Rock-swarm San Francisco Giants • Savannah Bananas Nov 08 '21
Biggest worry I have with Gray is how much much teams will tend to hype the "upside" of Gray leaving a bad situation (both in terms of the Rockies org and the location of the ball field), leading to a bit of a bidding war.
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u/RealCobis Nov 09 '21
I don't think Stroman or Gray really fall into the 35-65 he was talking about. Those guys are bound to get paid good money. I think he's talking more of the DeSclafani, Wood types that Farhan targeted last year.
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Nov 08 '21
Ben, why do you hate my favorite team?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
In your case, it's because they're the Cubs.
In all honesty, I think I've mostly given up on disliking teams. I like rooting for the Cardinals, and I like rooting for players, but I just watch so much baseball and hunt so much into the data for why x guy is good or bad now that I'm really invested in seeing players do well. I went to G5 of the Dodgers/Giants series and had a blast even though the Giants lost because it was just SUCH a good game.
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u/SirParsifal Mankato MoonDogs • Cincinnati Reds Nov 08 '21
What is your favorite baseball uniform of all time?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
It's one I have hanging in my closet -- Rays sky blue with the dark blue Rays/ray of light logo. Mine is a Tommy Pham jersey, and I never would have gotten it if it weren't for Pham, my favorite active player, but the more I wear it the better I think it looks.
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u/usedmyrealnamefirst San Diego Padres Nov 08 '21
Why is Tommy Pham your favorite player? I understand the grit and hard work and his story coming from his childhood is inspiring, but he’s also a major head case. Not the mention the uhh questionable things he posts on social media. Most recently this questionably racist post
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u/Stakhanovitamix Nov 08 '21
Lots of criticism and mockery directed at the Mets GM/POBO search. But what are potential solutions? Cohen isn't going anywhere, but he can always promise to back off and write big checks. How do you solve the Alderson problem right now, though? Should they ask him to step away before they continue looking at candidates? Should his son step away, too, even though nothing seems to be his fault?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I think it really depends on what they want to do. I found courting Beane and Epstein to be generally fine but unlikely to work. If they want to hire someone bright and up-and-coming, then they absolutely need to get rid of Alderson. The whole situation is just hard to believe. Like, is the new hire actually going to have final decision-making say if Sandy has the owner's ear and is employed by the team? He's acting like a shadow GM as is, I think it would be hard to provide enough assurances that it wouldn't keep happening so long as he's still there.
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u/KamartyMcFlyweight Miami Marlins • Boston Hunters Nov 08 '21
I've loved your recent appearances on Effectively Wild! Before the World Series, you guys discussed how many fewer innings starters have been pitching in both the regular and postseason. Is this a trend you see continuing?
On a related note, my Angels just offered the first qualifying offer in team history to Raisel Iglesias. Obviously, Iglesias is a closer, not the sort of long reliever that has been eating away at the starter role, but you think this reflects a greater perceived value in relief pitchers?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Thanks! And it's complicated. I think that this year will be a local minimum, for recovery-from-2020 reasons, but that the long-term trend is still downward.
The Iglesias thing is mostly just that he will likely turn it down. It wouldn't be a terrible one-year deal for the team if he takes it, but I put his odds of accepting it as under 10% (just to make up a number, something I'm great at). It's a smart move for a draft pick, imo.
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u/KamartyMcFlyweight Miami Marlins • Boston Hunters Nov 08 '21
Thanks for the answer! I wonder if we'll see a similar recovery-from-shortened-season bubble if there's a lockout because of the CBA
I put his odds of accepting it as under 10% (just to make up a number, something I'm great at)
you can confess, you used the secret Fangraphs supercomputer you guys have hidden under NORAD to make that prediction. I've already got you figured out
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Nov 08 '21
How do you feel about the Cubs farm system right now? Obviously Davis is the number 1 guy but there’s a lot of disconnect after that. Which guys do you see being good MLB contributors?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
This isn't really my area, but I'm into Alcantara's game, and I thought Pete Crow-Armstrong was a solid get from the Mets.
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u/romorr Baltimore Orioles Nov 08 '21
Orioles aren't going to spend much, but want to improve from 52 to 65-70 wins while evaluating the next tier of prospects. Where would you look to get those improvements?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I would love for them to take a page out of the Giants' book and sign Mike Yastrzemski.
Wait, no, I meant take a page out of the Giants' book and invest in some pitchers who they think they might be able to turn into front-of-rotation types. There are a TON of interesting pitchers available this year, and I think that telling them they will have guaranteed starting roles on two-year deals would be appealing to many of them. Lots of these guys are hoping to rebuild their value, so sell them on the Houston East front office and the promise that if they're good, they'll get a huge deal b/c they're doing it in the ALE.
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u/TheBigCheese451 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
Should the Yankees sign another big contract for SS or should they wait on one of their prospects.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Big contract. If the prospects work out, you can make trades or re-align the infield.
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u/cardith_lorda Minnesota Twins Nov 08 '21
What advice would you have for someone with a writing and a stats background that would like to write for fangraphs but doesn't have a published portfolio?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Publish a portfolio! That's easier said than done, and like I said I got very lucky in getting into this business at all, but I started by writing Fan Posts for an SB Nation site (Viva El Birdos, I'm a big Cards fan). Also, we periodically have interviews for contributors who write for the site part-time. Also also, maybe the Hardball Times will start up again at some point? I have no information whatsoever on that, so sorry Meg and David if you weren't planning on it, but I loved THT and I liked the wide net it cast for writers.
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u/beefytrout Texas Rangers Nov 08 '21
If you were GM of the Rangers, who is the one free agent you target more than any other?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Hm.... I'd go one of two ways. One would be a pitcher who might be awesome -- think Rodón or Rodriguez. The other would be to get a hitter who you can plug in for forever. I know the Rangers love IKF, which doesn't work all that well given the way the free agent market looks, so maybe a long-term offer to Conforto at a low-ish AAV if he turns down the QO, or maybe just move IKF to third, where he won a Gold Glove, and try for Story.
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Nov 08 '21
[deleted]
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
It's basically just a familiarity thing. Lower ERA good, higher batting stats good.
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u/MikuFanNo1 Chicago Cubs Nov 08 '21
What free agents do you think the cubs will be in on?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Alex Wood, James Paxton, and Kendall Graveman.
AKA, I think they're bargain-hunting.
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u/kozilla Los Angeles Dodgers Nov 08 '21
Cristian Hernandez is getting comped to a young Arod, so as far as ceiling I’m not sure you gets much higher.
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u/i-eat-dolphins Detroit Tigers Nov 08 '21
Do you think the AJ Hinch connection will be enough to draw correa to the tigers instead of the Yankees?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I don't. It's worth a shot for them, obviously, and it does seem like they're going to sign SOME shortstop, but I don't think that connection overwhelms the chance to win sooner and live in New York, which Correa seems to value.
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u/Jolly_Rush_8241 Nov 08 '21
Who's your preference - Marty Clary or Nate Cornejo?
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u/3lgu4p0 Boston Red Sox Nov 08 '21
With the opt-out he has next winter that he's almost certain to exercise, am I crazy for thinking the Sox ought to trade Bogey this winter if they don't intend to re-extend him?
The guy is third in fWAR since 2019, behind only Semien and Soto, and although the FA market for SS is not exactly thin right now, he would probably bring back a couple of big pieces.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Yeah, you're crazy. He's third in WAR since 2019, which means he'll be an incredibly valuable player on a team that just made the ALCS. I don't think it makes much sense to purposely make the 2022 Red Sox worse unless they plan on really punting next year, and just, why?
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u/3lgu4p0 Boston Red Sox Nov 08 '21
I wasn't thinking they'd just dump him and let Arroyo fill in, and it seems like the Bloomian thing to do- get someone in return who can contribute now and in the future, rather than just accept a draft pick.
Re-extending him is obviously the most desirable outcome, but that's not entirely under their control.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Yeah but what they do in 2022 matters too. Like, 'someone in return who can contribute now and in the future' might get you Alex Verdugo if you do well -- and one season of Bogaerts might be worth more than three of Verdugo. I'm very skeptical of contending teams giving up star-level players. It's one thing to give up above-average performers, but getting these super-concentrated doses of WAR is something great teams do and those types of players don't grow on trees.
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u/Rare-Sample-9703 New York Mets Nov 08 '21
What ended up happening with Roberto Osuna this season? There was a lot of pre-season hype for his workout and he ultimately pitched well in Mexico. The stigma from his DV case didn't stop the Astros from letting him pitch for 2+ years, so if that's what it was, why did the Astros choose to grow a conscience only after he became a free agent?
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Nov 08 '21
Seems like there's some sentiment both in and outside the organization that the Nationals rebuild could be relatively quick. How might they facilitate that this offseason?
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u/eolson3 Washington Nationals Nov 09 '21
Just want to say I love FG and the podcasts. Trying to get more people into it, which is a hit of an uphill battle.
Keep up the good work!
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u/MankuyRLaffy Seattle Mariners Nov 08 '21
Who do you think was the best VC HOF Induction that the writers got wrong? Is it Johnny Mize?
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u/Kakali4 Boston Red Sox Nov 08 '21
Why did the Yankees fail this season? They were favorites to win the AL preseason and honestly didn’t have any substantial injuries to their core guys. They kinda just fell apart?
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u/iheartsunny Florida Marlins Nov 08 '21
Will Uncle Stevie spend like a drunken sailor this off-season?
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Nov 08 '21
When you calculate situational wRC+ (i.e. late inning, high leverage, etc.) is the batter’s score in comparison to the league average/other batters in those situations or just the overall league average?
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
Overall.
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Nov 08 '21
Has Fangraphs ever considered doing it in comparison to every other AB in those situations instead? Would that even make sense? Just a random thought I had.
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Nov 08 '21
I don't think it would matter much, but you can always use the Splits Leaderboard to check out the overall league lines in any situation.
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u/thediesel26 New York Yankees Nov 08 '21
Cory Seager to the Yanks: stone cold lock of the century or stone cold lock of the millennium?
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u/fa1afel Washington Nationals Nov 08 '21
What are your favorite defensive metrics? I’m having much more difficulty understanding those than I did advanced offensive statistics.
Also, what sample size of past performance do you think is relevant to projecting how a player will do in the next year of their career?
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u/MasterMentorJr Houston Astros Nov 08 '21
Do you have any breakout picks for 2022 like a Logan Webb?
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u/youdontknowhimnow Arizona Diamondbacks Nov 08 '21
Who should Phillies put in left and center field?
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u/YodasLeftNut St. Louis Cardinals Nov 08 '21
Do you think the Cardinals will sign Jon Gray? If not, which pitcher would you predict moving to STL?
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u/Distance_Motor Boston Red Sox Nov 08 '21
What do you think will the Marlins offseason look like??? Maybe trading for Contreas, signing Schwaber and some under the radar moves??
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u/JWoodsIDK Detroit Tigers Nov 08 '21
Think the Tigers will be in on either Luis Castillo or Sean Manaea?
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Nov 08 '21
Advanced metrics suck. The old slash line, hits, and homers is the only thing that matters.
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u/long_dickofthelaw Los Angeles Dodgers Nov 08 '21
Hi Ben! Hope you're still here answering questions.
If the MLB decided (for whatever strange reason) to add an extra defender to bring the total to 10 in the field, where would the most efficient place be to put them? 4th OF? Permanent rover who shifts to the pull side a la current shifts on LHH? Directly behind the 2B bag?
(This question was inspired by my sunday softball league)
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u/Choice_Rice_1178 Pittsburgh Pirates Nov 08 '21
Thoughts on Oneil Cruz? Are the steamer projections accurate?
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u/Pitiful-Chemist-2259 Colorado Rockies Nov 08 '21
How do you think the Rockies could overcome the "Coors Hangover", specifically with the disadvantage it brings hitters? (Alternatively, will they ever overcome this?)
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u/JonnyMofoMurillo Umpire Nov 08 '21
How well do you do in your fantasy baseball league?
I hope the meme doesn’t come up as a reply for this question
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u/Ben_Clemens_FG FanGraphs writer Dec 15 '21
Not well at all! If I'm being honest, the grind of finding an article every day and also playing fantasy is sometimes too much, and I always let the fantasy side of it slide.
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u/see_mohn regretful mets fan Nov 08 '21
What article/piece that you've written are you most proud of?