JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/23/25

Ben Clemens

2:01

Hey everyone, welcome to the chat

Davy Andrews

2:01

Hey Ben!

Ben Clemens

2:01

Hey Davy!

Hunter

2:01

After 2 starts, has Jacob Misiorowski cracked your list of must-see pitchers?

Ben Clemens

2:02

Yes indeed. He's facing Skenes on Wednesday

you should watch

Zach

2:02

Cal Raleigh is currently .9 fWAR behind Aaron Judge. Am I crazy for thinking that if he finishes within about one win, and the Mariners make the playoffs, Cal will win MVP?

Ben Clemens

2:02

I mean, I kinda doubt it

because WAR is not exactly what people vote on

2:03

offensive stats still matter more, for sure

2:04

so I could see Raleigh passing Judge, and I could see it being like you said, finishing within a win, Mariners make the playoffs

but only if it's similar to it is now where his WAR comes largely from hitting, not framing

like, if he has a 150 wRC+ second half but still posts 5 WAR, to where his season ending line is 175 wRC+ 10 WAR

and Judge has 11 WAR, 225 wRC+

I mean, the batting difference is just going to be too big

2:05

but if it's all hitting, like if he ends up leading hte league in homers and posting a wRC+ near 200?

then I can see it

The Person who asks the lunch question

2:05

What's for lunch?

Ben Clemens

2:06

We've been trying out a meal kit that is kind of disassembled pieces of things that you put together and cook -- like, today's is some sous vide chicken that I'll heat in a pan plus sauteed veggies and a lemon pepper sauce

bad bad Ben Brown

2:06

has there ever been a viable starter with essentially 2 pitches? what do the cubs do with me? Am i destined to be an RP or is my change up getting good enough to throw in games over 5%?

Ben Clemens

2:06

Jacob deGrom was the best pitcher on the planet for like 4 years in a row with two pitches

2:07

but like, two REALLY good pitches, not two solid ones

Your Name

2:07

If you were the Padres, would you have thrown at Ohtani? If not, what would you have done?

Ben Clemens

2:07

I would not have. I'm not a 'throw at people' guy. Nothing is accomplished by this except angering everyone

I think I would have complained vigorously and mocked the Dodgers for their hilariously bad control

2:08

given a ton of quotes about how afraid they are of Tatis

shame them

Jett

2:08

Hey Ben! Appreciate the chat. Streaky Lars Nootbaar or leveling-off Tommy Edman this week? Thanks!

Ben Clemens

2:09

Okay, looked at the schedule, and I think I'd take Edman - three lefties this week

Edman just mashes lefties, I'd be willing to ride that

Ken

2:10

What does Denzel Clarke have to hit to be a solid regular, given his stellar defense?

Ben Clemens

2:10

like, 80 wRC+?

obviously his current .190/.218/.250 line is not gonna work

Ham Fighter

2:10

Are these recent Brewers teams among the best speed & defense squads of all time? Their 35.8 fWAR since 2023 is 20th but their 56.5 rWAR is 2nd, that's like 20 extra wins. On offense their 97 wRC+ is 19th but they've scored the 10th most runs by being the best base running team (+37.6 BsR) and Top Five with RISP. All told their 228 wins since 2023 are tied with ATL for 3rd most in MLB...with a 97 wRC+ and 100 FIP-.

Ben Clemens

2:10

they're certainly one of the best speed and defense teams of my memory

2:11

I hesitate to say of all time because man, there's been a lot of baseball, and we haven't measured all of them in the same way

but since we've been able to put numbers on it, they have my vote for the best

Lord Thunder

2:11

Does Ohtani get to 50 HRs this season? How much -- if any -- does his return to pitching jeopardize his offensive production? Seems like a needless inury risk.

Ben Clemens

2:12

I think he will not, more so because I expect him to be more focused on pitching this year than before. I don't feel comfortable putting a number on what % of his focus that takes or anything, but one thing we've seen with Ohtani is that he's very good at deciding he wants to do something, focusing on it, and getting it done (50/50 last year, for example). I expect that focus to be solidly trained on pitching. He clearly values being a two-way player very highly

War2d2

2:13

Cubs beat reporters doing a radio hit this week said he was hearing that there Cubs were getting close on a deal for a starter and possibly a third baseman. Who’s your best guess, and why is it Gallen and Suarez.

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