JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 5/12/25

Ben Clemens

2:01

Hey all, let's chat

Dallas

2:01

Will Joey Bart get moved to create playing time for Endy and Henry behind the plate? Hard to see a catcher being moved mid-season, but do they really want to waste another year or development on both former top 100 prospects? Also, would Bart have value?

Ben Clemens

2:01

Man.... I don't know

it's so weird

Like I love that the Pirates took a shot on Bart, I think it was very wise

2:02

you never know how your catching prospects will work out and they were wonderingn about whetehr Davis would stick anyway

but yes, now I think they should be trying to trade him. And honestly, I agree that it's hard to trade him mid-season

kinda awkward spot

2:03

but I don't see how you can play him less, he's mashing. I think that he has at least 'intersting prospect far from majors' value in a trade and I think at some point soon, the Pirates should look at the year, admit that they're not making the playoffs, and do it

I've been a strong proponent of the Pirates going all out to compete this year since they have SKenes, but like... they didn't

and so now they should at least have their decisions line up

Bosoxforlife

2:03

Aaron Judge cant keep this up, can he?

Ben Clemens

2:04

As John Maynard Keynes famously said, in the long run we're all dead

I'm actually writing an article about Judge right now where I needed to estimate his true talent

And instead of just using projection systems, I just used his 2022-2025 stats

....which are a 207 wRC+

goodness gracious

Matt Damon

2:04

MATT. DAMON.

2:05

Thank you for doing this. Hypothetically, if I develop the ability to keep MLB pitchers healthy all season (no pitchers go IL), what kind of contract can I get from a team?

Ben Clemens

2:05

oh wow

is this like a portable skill? are you magical, or a scientist?

I think if it's magical, a ton

2:06

like, $20 million a year to have all your pitchers be healthy? Several teams would pay that I think

if it's science, eh, you're going to get duplicated and FAST

Greg

2:07

Do you think the league would consider adding a Friday afternoon nationally televised game? Obviously not Sunday Night Baseball level network fees, but something akin to the Sunday morning Roku window?

Ben Clemens

2:07

THey will definitely consider it!

They already have the Roku and Apple windows

2:07

Fantasy-centric inquiry: ERod vs Hicks in SF on Wednesday; which SP are you starting?

Ben Clemens

2:07

ugh, I hate to admit it but I'm starting both in Ottoneu

our starting pitching is not doing great

2:07

What if it's a 21st Century Bonesetter Reese, where people can see what he's doing but no one is quite skilled enough to duplicate it?

Ben Clemens

2:07

indistinguishable from magic, then

Steve

2:08

Will Baltimore GM ever be proven right on Trevor Rogers? Baltimore needs pitching bad

Ben Clemens

2:08

I don't think so, but look, I was down on him from teh start, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask

from a Bayesian standpoint I'm gonna need to see a LOT before I buy it

Kevin

2:08

What would be your best hopes and your worst fears for the Rockies for moving on from Bud Black?

Ben Clemens

2:09

best hopes: 2025 is incredibly embarrassing to Dick Monfort, so much so that he reads all the press about hte Rockies and sees all the talk about how disjointed and confused their data/analysis team is. Meanwhile, he also reads all the press about how it's a great place to watch a game, the team spends, this SHOULD work better. And he's inspired to try a different model because this year is just so bad. The man really does seem to love the Rockies. He personally answers emails from season ticket holders. He's not some absentee landlord

2:10

Worst case is bunker mentality, he says 'tune out all the outside noise' and doubles down on Rockies mentality

Jeremy

2:10

The owners would rather get rid of the minor leagues and outsource player development to the NCAA, right?

Ben Clemens

2:10

I actually don't think so

Load More Messages

Connecting…