Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat – 9/23/24

Ben Clemens: Hey all people, welcome to the chat

Ben Clemens: That is the final one of many common season, one way or the other

Ben Clemens: We haven’t fairly nailed down our chat schedule for the playoffs but however I assume it’ll be roughly just like earlier years – a couple of multi-writer mega-chats to kick off the Wild Card rounds and possibly a couple of concentrated days in a while when each leagues have video games. I’ll preserve my common chats going after I’m not competing on the schedule with others

Ben Clemens: Anyway, let’s get began immediately

Sirras: I recall you mentioning that there was an article early this yr on depth that confirmed CWS as shallow. Even realizing that, how shocked are you that they managed to hit the 120 loss threshold (and nonetheless have video games to go the place they may surpass it!)?

Ben Clemens: Oh, I’m fairly shocked

Ben Clemens: Like, even with all these gamers slashed off of the staff, our base case was one thing like 105 losses

Ben Clemens: I actually preferred this Twitter thread (by an awesome author, it is best to observe him if you happen to’re a twitter individual) in regards to the sheer improbability

Jesse: Ben, What are the probabilities Vlad truly turns into a full time 3B subsequent yr? Horwitz appears to be like deserving of a full time position subsequent yr and if the Jays need to add thump to the lineup it appears to be like simpler to do on the 1B/DH spot than it does at 3B.

Ben Clemens: I wished to inform you ‘yeah zero likelihood cease dreaming’ however then I went and appeared on the recreation logs

Ben Clemens: I don’t assume it’s probably, even nonetheless

Ben Clemens: He has 100 innings this yr, and they’re undoubtedly giving him probabilities, however he simply doesn’t look good there to me

Ben Clemens: However clearly they will give it a shot, and I perceive why

Ben Clemens: If he’s a few 40 third baseman, assume Rafael Devers, it’s most likely higher than their alternate options

Ben Clemens: Once more, I nonetheless don’t assume that may work

Ben Clemens: however I’m so much much less sure than I used to be earlier than this yr

Tim Tebow’s Thunder Thighs: Gun to your head: who wins the final wild card spot in every league and why?

Ben Clemens: I’m gonna say Mets and Tigers. I’m giving in to the narrative, slash simply choosing the groups in good spots proper now

Dk: Who wins the Mets/Braves sequence in your opinion? How involved are you about Lindor’s again harm?

Ben Clemens: I suppose I’ve to say the Mets to remain constant

Ben Clemens: I’m undoubtedly involved as a fan of baseball b/c Lindor is nice

Tim Tebow’s Thunder Thighs: What does Pete Alonso’s upcoming contract seem like?  Does somebody give him 6/$180 for about 13 complete WAR?  Or does Uncle Steve overpay at one thing like 7/$220 for 14-15 WAR?

Ben Clemens: I’m trying into free agent projections for our regular high 50 free brokers piece

Ben Clemens: and Alonso has been giving me a variety of bother

Ben Clemens: I mannequin payouts based mostly on WAR plus some changes based mostly on the way in which they accumulate these stats

Ben Clemens: protection much less beneficial, that kinda factor

Ben Clemens: and I really feel like Alonso goes to pressure the ‘some changes’ half quite a bit

Ben Clemens: like, 6/180 could be an enormous overpay in my mannequin however I kinda perceive why

Cromulent: Lindor for MVP! Wait, did one thing occur final week?

Ben Clemens: simply, actually wonderful week by Ohtani

randplaty: Does ERA matter for ROY?

Ben Clemens: it does for me

Ben Clemens: I’ve to imagine it does for everybody

Ben Clemens: I imply, FIP issues too

Ben Clemens: however why wouldn’t we use each to attempt to get a greater thought

Greg: Are Adolis Garcia and Luis Roberts carried out?  Is there any clarification for his or her poor season efficiency?  Would you retain both over Anthony Santander or JJ Bleday?

Ben Clemens: I’m much more interested by Robert than in Garcia, as a result of I at all times sort of mistrusted Garcia’s breakout

Ben Clemens: And age issues so much right here too

Ben Clemens: I feel I’d preserve Robert, I’m keen to have a look at this season as a misplaced yr the place he received harm after which the staff stunk and he sort of coasted. That’s not GREAT, clearly, however that’s a narrative I’m keen to reside with for his fantasy manufacturing

Ben Clemens: I’m undoubtedly keen to be satisfied that Santander is a greater guess although

Ben Clemens: he’d be my second alternative

Pinstripe Cushion: Since 2016 is Taylor Partitions nearer to his +35 DRS or -11 FRV?

Pinstripe Cushion: How about Altuve, -46 DRS or +2 FRV? That’s a fairly wild swing.

Ben Clemens: I’m in the course of making an attempt to determine an inexpensive technique to mix defensive statistics

Ben Clemens: I’ll be writing about it within the coming weeks when there’s a niche in playoff protection

Ben Clemens: So, I suppose I’d say that the reply is unquestionably in between, and I’ll be capable of inform you HOW in between I feel it ought to be in about 10 days

Farhan: Do you see the development of Wall Avenue nerds over ex gamers as GM’s persevering with?

Ben Clemens: As a former Wall Avenue nerd, sure, and it ought to be me

Ben Clemens: however realistically, uh, I feel baseball usually works in traits after which bounce-backs. The development has been so strongly in direction of the Ivy League banker advisor sort that I feel a bit of retracement is inevitable

Sonny: Is Detroit placing the items collectively and opening the window for a run on the AL Central for the subsequent few years or are their a variety of playoff groups and the two groups forward of them collapsed?

Ben Clemens: Can or not it’s each?

Ben Clemens: I feel it’s a bit of little bit of each. I feel it’s good for them that they’re within the ALC, although. It’s not like there’s no competitors on the high – clearly, the Guardians are persistently fairly good

Ben Clemens: But it surely’s only a softer division total, which implies that being fairly good makes you stand out extra simply. It’s not just like the Royals are gonna be terrible subsequent yr, however I feel it’s affordable to guess on some regression from Witt and that they most likely received’t hit gold with each free agent signing once more

Ben Clemens: so yeah, I’d say that they’re opening a window for ALC competition

Sonny: What’s your most popular (not predicted) World Sequence matchup?

Ben Clemens: Brewers/O’s

Ben Clemens: I’ve private ties to each groups (my spouse’s household are big Brewers followers, my mother grew up an O’s fan) and I discover each groups very enjoyable to observe

curveball? slider?: How has your view of Wyatt Langford modified from the beginning of the yr to now? Bat hasn’t been pretty much as good as some hoped up to now, however he’s additionally quietly been a strong defender within the outfield which is so much higher than he was projected to be!

Ben Clemens: My view has gone down barely, however I feel I used to be a bit greater than the pack to begin out

Ben Clemens: I actually didn’t purchase that he was helpless defensively as a result of he’s such a superb athlete, so I’m not significantly shocked that he’s beginning to determine that out

Ben Clemens: I’m anticipating him to drag out of it

Ben Clemens: I simply spent a bit trying over his peripheral numbers, like, I can’t fairly see what’s going mistaken right here

Ben Clemens: I really feel like he ought to be hitting higher, principally

Ben Clemens: Can’t determine the precise motive why he’s not

Ben Clemens: I feel I’d say I’m cautiously optimistic however subsequent yr must be a step ahead

Sonny: Has your long run view of the Breslow Purple Sox modified a lot based mostly on ‘24 outcomes?

Ben Clemens: Not an enormous quantity, tbh. The entire “oh they’re approach forward of the sport, all you must do isn’t throw fastballs and also you’re all geniuses” factor was predictably overblown, and the counter to that was as nicely

Ben Clemens: There are some predictable roster issues, I’d say, however I feel they’re addressable. Willy Adames would look AWESOME right here

Ben Clemens: however I suppose that’s most likely harsh on Story

Ben Clemens: There’s gotta be some technique to work the outfield image, I feel they’ll land on one thing, nevertheless it does really feel like this staff ought to be capable of go toe to toe with the highest of the ALE with some offseason additions

fanoftheman: Ben, do you’ve gotten a favourite baseball feat you’re irrationally connected to? One thing like most video games performed with out hitting right into a double play, or most consecutive video games with a double, one thing foolish like that?

Ben Clemens: I do: most profession plate appearances with out reaching base

Ben Clemens: John Gant made a run on the report early in his temporary profession

Ben Clemens: it’s at the moment held by Von McDaniel, an outdated Playing cards pitcher

Ben Clemens: 28 PA, 0 H, 0 BB

Hambone Central: Will both of the Reds or Pirates signal somebody (or possibly even someones, plural) from say the Adames, Santander, Alonso, Teoscar, Christian Walker tier of hitters to at the very least give the phantasm of making an attempt so as to add to their younger superstars in EDLC and Skenes?

Ben Clemens: I’m very skeptical that the Pirates will. It simply doesn’t really feel like the way in which they spend cash even once they have it

Ben Clemens: I feel that the Reds make some sense as a staff that may go for it a bit of. I consider that group, Santander most likely makes probably the most sense for them

Pat: AL Supervisor of the 12 months- I feel it’s been assumed it’s Vogt with Quataro 2nd..If Detroit makes it in, does Hinch snag it away from Vogt..or at the very least completed 2nd? Doing what they’re doing with 2 starters, I.E., 60% bullpen video games, is wonderful.

Ben Clemens: I feel Vogt goes to win the award regardless, and deservedly so

Ben Clemens: hell of a season

Talfred: Relating to Pete Alonso’s impending free company, wouldn’t Bryan Reynolds be a superb comp? Comparable age, taking part in time,fWAR, and many others.?

Ben Clemens: First, Reynolds signed his deal as an extension, so it’s not fairly equal, although he was approaching free company when he signed it

Ben Clemens: second, that is my level?

Ben Clemens: Alonso is getting more cash than Reynolds, and for fewer years, in all chance

Ben Clemens: regardless that a WAR mannequin wouldn’t agree with that

NL WEST: Do the Dodgers maintain on?

Ben Clemens: I really feel like I’m lacking one thing right here

Ben Clemens: I really feel fairly strong about their lead

Ben Clemens: in the event that they win one out of three from the Padres, it’s just about a lock

Talfred: As nice as Ohtani is, isn’t the 50-50 hooplah due partly to the overrating of the worth of stolen bases in a participant’s profile?

Ben Clemens: it’s as a result of worth and awesomeness don’t must be 1:1 correlated

Ben Clemens: 50/50 is simply undeniably cool

Ben Clemens: I feel that a variety of Ohtani’s dominance matches that mould. It’s simply COOL

Bernie Sanders: Do you however into the concept that WAR doesn’t absolutely seize the worth of Ohtani? I agree he has probably the most pure expertise of any participant ever, nevertheless it appears a variety of different folks prolong that to additionally being probably the most beneficial participant ever.

Ben Clemens: I imply…. I feel that WAR comes fairly near capturing the complete worth. The entire ‘oh the final roster spot is nice’ argument feels pretty weak to me until you’re saying that it’s price 0.5 WAR or one thing

Ben Clemens: however you don’t must be probably the most beneficial participant by the calculations of WAR to be probably the most spectacular participant, imo

Ben Clemens: and Ohtani’s uncooked expertise is only a pleasure to behold

Ben Clemens: Additionally him studying to steal bases on the fly and changing into the most effective base stealing risk in baseball is wonderful

Bosoxforlife: Do you see the ABS problem system as being a certainty in 2025?

Ben Clemens: I don’t, however I do assume it’s probably

Ben Clemens: I feel delaying it till 2026 is unquestionably nonetheless an possibility although

AL Central Casting: I learn yesterday that Willi Castro grew to become the primary participant in MLB historical past to play at the very least 25 video games at 5 totally different positions in the identical season. Is that this a outstanding achievement, or a little bit of trivia that claims extra in regards to the state of affairs he’s in than him as a participant?

Ben Clemens: I feel it’s each. Only a few gamers have the defensive versatility that may permit them to do that if given the prospect

Ben Clemens: however that’s principally moot, as a result of nearly nobody will get the prospect

Ken: One thing I’ve been noticing recently is that there’s a lot extra harm perception for soccer than baseball (to be clear, for fantasy functions). In soccer, I’ve principally received minute-by-minute updates on everybody’s standing for the week. In the meantime I’m making an attempt to determine if I can begin Brenton Doyle this week in a weekly roto league and am completely floundering for perception. It’s not only a Rockies mismanagement factor, both, since I’m doing the identical with Tyler O’Neill.

Is it simply that reporters aren’t actually incentivized to be digging that deep on accidents in baseball or one thing else? Additionally, am I beginning Doyle this week?

Ben Clemens: I’ve been interested by this query so much as I get push notifications of Kenneth Walker’s standing this yr

Ben Clemens: I feel that a variety of it has to do with path dependency

Ben Clemens: the NFL has at all times been so linked with playing, and to a lesser extent the widespread adoption of fantasy sports activities, and so the entire questionable/uncertain/out (possible, again within the day) system with its required day by day updates is smart

Ben Clemens: I feel the explanation baseball by no means went the identical approach is that the incentives simply weren’t there

Ben Clemens: I’m truly actually shocked that harm updates aren’t standardized extra now that the league has official sportsbooks and whatnot

Ben Clemens: I feel that’s prone to change, although by no means to the extent of soccer — the as soon as per week video games make their system a lot simpler to replace the way in which they do

Tacoby Bellsbury: LouBob’s received extra instruments than a Dave Matthews present, there’s nonetheless time for him

Ben Clemens: I’m posting this one as a result of I laughed about it

Jordan: Who do you’re feeling provides you with the most effective ROI on a $100-200M deal this offseason between the highest free agent SP: Cole, Snell, Burnes, Fried?

Ben Clemens: I actually don’t assume Cole is hitting the market

Ben Clemens: the way in which his deal is structured, there’s only a very slender window the place he opts out and the Yankees don’t void it with their possibility

Ben Clemens: I feel that there’s some likelihood of Burnes getting frozen out a bit of a la Snell, so he’d be my greatest guess

Ben Clemens: however not b/c of something greater than a hunch

Bosoxforlife: I can’t assist however look in disbelief on the White Sox season. If I’m not mistaken a staff of alternative degree gamers are projected to play at a .294 tempo. Which leads me to query the WAR of Chris Flexen. How can a 2-15 report with a 5.15 ERA, much more hits than innings pitched  and never many Ok’s not be a destructive WAR and a big one at that?

Ben Clemens: The White Sox season goes to end in some wonderful issues we bear in mind for many years

Ben Clemens: As for Flexen specifically, I’m not arguing that our calculation is ideal right here however he has 0 WAR on an RA9 foundation

Ben Clemens: which sounds about proper to me, 5.15 ERA appears alternative degree ish

Ben Clemens: neutral-ish stadium, leaguewide ERA is 4.16 for starters

Ben Clemens: I’m gonna offer you a fast mathematical proof of this, one sec

Ben Clemens: a staff that permits another run per 9 than it scores would go round .400 in accordance with Pythag…. a -162 run differential for the yr

Ben Clemens: That’s like Marlins and Rockies territory

Ben Clemens: in order that’s truly a smidge BETTER than alternative degree by our conception of it, however pitcher WAR is a bit more difficult than that, and I’m advantageous saying a run above common is kinda near alternative degree total

Ben Clemens: why will we charge him significantly better than that? His FIP’s a bit of higher than his ERA, in order that’s a tiny little bit of it

Ben Clemens: however extra importantly, we do a hidden calculation in our fWAR, the place we convert infield fly balls into strikeouts

Ben Clemens: as a result of they’ve the identical EV as a strikeout – they at all times produce outs and by no means advance baserunners

Ben Clemens: and Flexen will get a TON

Ben Clemens: it’s fairly onerous to permit a .315 BABIP if you’re additionally getting a ton of fly balls that don’t go away the infield

Ben Clemens: however uh, have you ever seen the White Sox protection?

Ben Clemens: in reality, BBRef truly has him with extra WAR than we do

Ben Clemens: b/c they have a look at that White Sox protection and shudder

Hambone Central: Brewers have gotten 18.4 WAR from their place gamers age 27 and youthful, Orioles are at 18.3 WAR. Do the Milwaukee kids fly below the radar comparably as a result of they aren’t all homegrown and get extra worth from protection/base working?

Ben Clemens: The protection factor is an enormous one

Ben Clemens: Like, I’m sorry, however Brice Turang doesn’t really feel like a younger stud regardless that he’s gonna find yourself with 2.5-3 WAR, as a result of he’s hitting .254/.316/.351

Ben Clemens: and the protection feels a bit of extra vulnerable to regression, than, say, the same line with extra hitting

Ben Clemens: I feel additionally that the O’s guys doing it final yr makes the narrative stronger – after we all reset our brains within the offseason, Jackson Chourio will out of the blue appear higher to everybody

Ben Clemens: regardless that our estimations have been all simply too low b/c of his gradual begin

Ben Clemens: I feel there are many individuals who would nonetheless take Jackson Holliday over Chourio simply b/c of priors, and I imply, no, disagree, that’s dangerous

Ben Clemens: I couldn’t agree any extra

Ben Clemens: Luke Weaver for Yankees nearer

Ben Clemens: that’s the true cinderella story of the yr

Bosoxforlife: Can there be a greater instance of baseball being unable to foretell than the Mets SS state of affairs. Lindor goes down and it appears to be like like the tip of their luck and up comes Luisangel Acuna who hits .379 with 3 HR’s, appears to be like like Ozzie Smith on protection places up 0.8 WAR in 9 video games and carries the staff.

Ben Clemens: I’ve gone from getting day by day “Lindor!” texts from my Mets fan good friend to day by day “Acuna!” texts

Grandal Richuk: I don’t have a query proper now. However I’m in a (public, free) roto fantasy league, tremendous tight race on the high with 1-5 separated by a couple of factors. Anyway, the funniest half is the final place man, managed to draft Ohtani, plug him in as a pitcher and by no means contact his lineup once more. Wonderful work for him.

Ben Clemens:

Ben Clemens: that’s completely pleasant

Say Hey: If there was only one MVP for all of MLB this yr, who would you decide?

Ben Clemens: I’d decide Decide

Looking for Options: So, if you happen to’re the Pirates, do you progress on from Ke’Bryan Hayes? Should you’re YOU, do you progress on from Ke’Bryan Hayes?

Ben Clemens: I feel it relies on what “transfer on” means

Ben Clemens: I’ve completely moved on from pondering of him as an affect participant

Ben Clemens: However I feel from the Pirates’ standpoint, it’s a matter of traige

Ben Clemens: this lineup has some actual stinkers

Ben Clemens: like, it has three good hitters if I’m being charitable

Ben Clemens: and one among them is 38 yr outdated Andrew McCutchen

Ben Clemens: There are a ton of query marks, and third base is one among them. However Hayes provides a ton of worth defensively, he’s low-cost and in addition on assured cash, and he undoubtedly has at the very least the ABILITY to hit for energy

Ben Clemens: I’d give attention to fixing different issues first

wheelhouse: luke weaver has a greater stuff+ on his fastball than mason miller

Ben Clemens: that is the sort of content material I’m right here for

Delbert: Is fWAR based mostly extra on end result stats or anticipated stats?

Ben Clemens: a superb and complicated query

Ben Clemens: Provided that the important thing inputs to fWAR are strikeouts, walks, and residential runs, clearly end result stats matter a TON

Ben Clemens: I’d say that what fWAR does, philosophically, is focus much less on the outcomes which might be much less managed by a pitcher

Ben Clemens: like, grounders are an awesome instance of this

Ben Clemens: you are able to do some fancy estimation of how a lot management a pitcher exerts over their skill to transform groundballs into outs

Ben Clemens: however realistically, it’s a really low quantity

Ben Clemens: fWAR ignores these sort of as a function, and actually focuses on the outcomes {that a} pitcher had a robust hand in

Ben Clemens: I wrote about this a couple of years in the past truly:

Sonny: judges relative energy outage didn’t sway you in direction of Witt?

Ben Clemens: he’s hitting .323/.458/.695

Ben Clemens: with 55 homers

Ben Clemens: and a 216 wRC+

wheelhouse: on the fWAR subject: does it frustrate you that pitching fWAR usually comes all the way down to the “who had an outlier low HR/FB charge yr” leaderboard?

Ben Clemens: a bit of bit, for positive. to be honest, that issues so much for ERA too

Joe: Have your total expectations for Jackson Holliday modified in any respect given his struggles this yr?

Ben Clemens: They’re much decrease now

Ben Clemens: Or nicely, they’re decrease

Ben Clemens: How might this not change my opinion?

Ben Clemens: clearly, there’s a good likelihood that he’s precisely the participant he thought and that that is simply an adjustment interval

Ben Clemens: however absolutely you must recalculate the percentages that that’s the case with the information that he’d be unplayably dangerous for a couple of weeks, return to the minors, after which come again up with much less fanfare and be… alternative degree

Visitor: Who ought to change David Bell as Reds supervisor?  And do you assume David Bell was in any respect truly responsible for the Reds’ struggles this yr?

Ben Clemens: I feel that Dan Szymborski has an awesome opinion about this

Ben Clemens: until you’ve gotten a very sensational supervisor, use a brief leash

Ben Clemens: gamers appear to learn from a change in managerial types, and actually, whereas managing is a tough job, there are most likely tons of people that can do it passably nicely

Ben Clemens: preserve biking by

Visitor: Within the Fangraphs Preseason Employees picks, 1 author picked the Royals to make the playoffs; 2 writers picked the Guardians; and a couple of writers picked the Mets.  Do these writers get, like a fruit basket?  Or simply bragging rights?  Or will we simply shake our head and say “baseball!”?

Ben Clemens: sadly, I can inform you that it’s the latter

Ben Clemens: I picked the Orioles to win the ALE final yr

Ben Clemens: and I received, as a prize, a bunch of O’s followers who stated I hate their staff b/c our fashions thougth they need to be underdogs towards the Rangers

Andre: The NYM are 65-36 since Could 30. Are they a plucky bunch of lovable overachievers we’ve been advised they’re, or are they simply one of many extra proficient groups within the league?

Ben Clemens: extra the second, I feel

Ben Clemens: the explanation the plucky overachiever narrative is sticking is b/c the Mets had some holes get crammed by guys like Jose Iglesias

Ben Clemens: who is certainly a plucky overachiever

Ben Clemens: and b/c Lindor is one way or the other underrated as a star

Bosoxforlife: I feel Nick Yorke has a superb likelihood of including a strong bat to the Pirates lineup. They stole him from the Purple Sox for Priester who doesn’t ignite any pleasure in Purple Sox Nation.

Ben Clemens: Love me some Nick Yorke

Ben Clemens: now admittedly, a few of that is b/c he had an superior card in OOTP good staff final yr

Ben Clemens: and I used it so much

Ben Clemens: however all he does is hit, so yeah, I’m into that sort of profile

Jeff Cirillo: Only a few folks picked the Brewers to win the NL Central this season, and so they’re sort of chronically underrated in preseason projections. Is {that a} tendency to give attention to stars and underrate depth?

Ben Clemens: I really feel like this yr was one thing totally different than regular, to be trustworthy

Ben Clemens: the Brewers had shockingly low over/below season win complete strains within the playing markets, which isn’t regular

Ben Clemens: they are typically grouped in with the Cubs and Playing cards however this yr they have been at o/u 75.5, which is wild

Ben Clemens: I feel that their skill to persistently end up good defenders and place them nicely has led to us underrating them a bit in projections

Ben Clemens: they’re fip-beaters as a staff, and whereas we get a few of that by projecting protection, we regress defensive projections fairly closely

Ben Clemens: b/c that’s the noticed conduct. and Milwaukee’s appears to regress much less

Ben Clemens: however I feel this yr, additionally they had a ton of query marks and unproven rookies stepping in, so there was a motive that expectations dipped

Mike Trout: Any ideas on why Luisangel was so dangerous after the Mets acquired him? I’m shocked by the onerous contact he has made in his first week.

Ben Clemens: I don’t have a robust view aside from that I wish to let prospects give me a couple of years of stats

Ben Clemens: that stated, his energy manufacturing is clearly foolish in the meanwhile and I do assume he’s gonna wrestle fairly onerous to maintain that half up

Ben Clemens: there’s minor league statcast now, and the man had 15 barrels out of 457 balls in play

Ben Clemens: 3 in 25 as an enormous leaguer is only a smaller pattern, you realize?

Mama Cass: What’s occurring with Oakland clearly sucks however how favorable is it for the Giants state of affairs in SF since they’re going to be the one recreation on the town now?

Ben Clemens: It’s undoubtedly favorable for them, I even have some anecdotal proof of A’s followers I do know getting ready to make the change

birds birds birds: What are some actual phenomena in baseball that we are able to’t statistically distinguish from random variance as a result of baseball is so random?

Ben Clemens: There are such a lot of of those

Ben Clemens: I really feel like groups can possibly do a greater job with higher knowledge and in addition higher statisticians, however: impact of foul balls on subsequent manufacturing

Ben Clemens: how batters do when the reliever has a distinct arsenal than the starter he changed

Ben Clemens: nonsense like that

Peaks and Valleys: How do you characterize a profession like Tyler O’Neill’s? I get that there’s an harm factor to it, but in addition his two “good” years have starkly totally different ISO and wrc+ numbers. Is he dependable for future years or only a crapshoot?

Ben Clemens: I characterize it as “enjoyable”

Ben Clemens: O’Neill was one among my favourite Cardinals and I’m nonetheless an enormous fan

Ben Clemens: that stated I feel the large factor a few recreation like his is that it’s going to be streaky

Ben Clemens: and that a couple of little issues being off are inclined to have an effect on him greater than the typical participant b/c his gameplan relies so closely on maxing out in a technique or one other

Ben Clemens: on that observe, I’m going to go seize some lunch

Ben Clemens: Get pleasure from this final week of normal season baseball, after which it’s time for playoff mode

Ben Clemens: have a beautiful day