JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/14/21

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/14/21

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Ben Clemens

2:01

Hey everyone, happy Monday. I'm taking tomorrow off (hooray), so I'm very excited to get some chatting in before a quick refresher. Let's get started.

John

2:01

what is your take on the Brewers? They seem to have a staff that, if they can keep it together, could take them deep in post seasonZ

Ben Clemens

2:03

I'm a believer in the Brewers. With Peralta and Burnes doing what I had been hoping for, they have a really deep pitching staff that is just going to be good enough

2:04

Do they have enough offense? I think so

I wouldn't mind seeing at least one more bat, though, and David Stearns seems totally willin to do that

Chungus Khan

2:04

Explain Hiura. Guy just looks awful, like he has his eyes closed. I can see his swings are poorly timed when watching at 5x speed on DVR. Two members of the Brewers starting rotation have a higher wRC+. His Z contact % is 59 PERCENT! And yet as soon as he goes to AAA he just demolishes it. How does facing AAA pitching fix the problem of not being able to make contact with strikes? It's so weird.

Ben Clemens

2:05

I was never a big Hiura buyer, because he just made SO little contact for his size

Size is lazy and reductive but like

It's also not wrong

2:06

I truly don't know what's going to fix it. The Brewers can't afford to give him THAT much more time to figure it out in the majors this year I don't think, but that means they really need a first baseman

Sorry, Vogey

Feelin pretty good about the 'Wong will out-wRC+ Hiura' prediction though

Tati

2:06

Do you think Ha-Seong Kim figures out MLB and gets regular playing time this year?

Derek

2:06

Any hope for Ha-Seong Kim or is he just in over his head?

Ben Clemens

2:07

I definitely have some hope, wouldn't hate seeing him get some time in the minors but a defensively versatile backup isn't the worst major league piece

The big problem is that I'd rather see him get developmental time and the at-bats aren't the easiest to find when no one is hurt

Gunther

2:07

When my dad threw BP, his most unhittable offering was without question his “scream pitch” where he would basically just unleash a high-pitched yell as he strided towards home. I typically laughed too hard to make contact, but do you think gimmicky attempts to distract hitters is an underutilized means of limiting opponents’ offense? If a pitcher could fart during their windup, or make well-timed weird noises, do you think those types of distractions, when used sparingly, could make a pitcher more effective?

Ben Clemens

2:08

Johnny Cueto says hello

Although he's also distracted by extra-curricular stuff, so maybe it cuts both ways

I definitely think that distractions can be effective when used sparingly but many of them are against hte rules

2:09

Like, you can't have a shiny object that you occasionally pull out of your pocket strategically

I think that Cueto-esque timing and delivery variations are the best current examples of this

Oh, and quick pitches

Appa Yip Yip

2:09

Is there a particular type of hitter you think will benefit from reduced spin/break? Or is this going to be a rising tide lifts all boats situation?

Ben Clemens

2:10

People who are weak against high fastballs will probably benefit the most, because that's the pitch that is most clearly affected by this

It affects breaking balls too, but hitters who were just helpless at the top of the zone are probably breathing a sigh of relief

2:11

My first thought was actually Keston Hiura, though uh, this might not be enough help

Levine

2:11

Buxton for Pache. Who says no?

Ben Clemens

2:11

I think that the Twins would say no, though it's certainly close

2:12

Pache has more years of team control but his top end is more in quesiton to me

Just in terms of whether he can hit in the major leagues

Ben Clewomens

2:12

Is Zack Wheeler an ace now? He’s been tantalizing the last few years, but he’s really put it together. Phils phans are super happy we waited a year to sign him instead of Corbin.

Ben Clemens

2:12

Just yes

He's an ace, not really a question, just really good

Derek

2:12

Can the Angels continue to be just good enough until Trout returns and then make a real push for the playoffs?

Doug

2:12

Think the Angels could make a move for pitching with their recent hot streak?

Ben Clemens

2:13

I think they're good enough to hang in there. If I were them I'd try to pick up some rentals, because you REALLY need to go for it at some point, and if you cut Pujols, you're making a statement that you really care about the wins this year

So just, go do it

Matt Damon

2:13

MATT. DAMON.

Ben Clemens

2:13

Hello there

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