Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat – 6/9/25

Ben Clemens: Hey everyone, welcome to the chat

Pat: Tarik Skubal’s final 11 starts- 95K, 3 BB..Holy Moses! By no means seen something prefer it.

Ben Clemens: Yeah I imply “getting ridiculous” doesn’t cowl it anymore

Ben Clemens: I wrote about how ludicrous Skubal’s 2025 efficiency was a number of weeks in the past and it’s possibly extra ludicrous now?

Trent Grisham: Why oh why did he resolve to return to his outdated and drained ultra-passive methods as quickly as you wrote about how nicely he was pitch-hunting?

Ben Clemens: That is form of a traditional “SI cowl jinx” kinda factor

Ben Clemens: Like, I wrote about Grisham b/c he was doing a factor a number of SD’s totally different than he had all of his profession

Ben Clemens: so certainly the go-forward expectation of that factor was much less excessive than it had been

Ben Clemens: additionally, for this talent particularly, it most likely will at all times go in waves. You get extra aggressive early and feast on pitchers throwing you meatballs. So the pitchers begin nibbling, however you’re nonetheless aggressive, and it doesn’t work. So that you get much less aggressive and get forward within the depend. However then the pitchers begin throwing you meatballs once more…

Ben Clemens: I hope he can preserve it going however that is the form of adjustment that’s by no means going to be performed and at all times going to be a piece in progress

Visitor: I hope this complete chat is devoted to speaking about this Kershaw remark!! He made an offhand, tongue-in-cheek reply to a reporter about one thing he didn’t even assume value mentioning! That is actually the story of the yr!!

Ben Clemens: I truthfully thought the remark, and the Cardinals video board operator that led to it (looping a well-known Kershaw playoff implosion), have been each very humorous

Inaccessible Rail: What do the Mets do as soon as Winker & Siri come off the IL? Choice Baty & Acuna? Looks like which may make the group worse. Similar factor with Montas & Manaea. Choice Megill? Brazoban? They don’t have a whole lot of optionable guys.

Ben Clemens: I don’t assume they will possibility Acuna in the event that they’re sending Baty down, they want backup infielder. Absolutely Jared Younger will get despatched down, proper?

Ben Clemens: WInker is presumably gonna play some DH, so I might see them saying “Ronny Mauricio was alleged to be in Triple-An extended this yr, we are able to ship him all the way down to preserve rehabbing”

Ben Clemens: however that’s robust b/c he has been hitting very well in his temporary 2025 season

Ben Clemens: on the pitching facet, I’d say simply don’t fear. Somebody’s gonna get harm. Somebody at all times will get harm. In the event that they don’t, do you actually need Paul Blackburn and Brandon Waddell (and Jose Castillo and Brazoban) within the bullpen suddenly?

Ben Clemens: you’re allowed to DFA guys with out choices in the event that they aren’t considerably higher than your alternative hcoices

Visitor: Acquired any board sport recs for 2 gamers? One thing that’s extra interactive between the 2 gamers than Wingspan or Azul

Ben Clemens: Ooh, yeah, a spread relying on what precisely you’re searching for. However for interplay, how about Watergate?

Ben Clemens: One participant performs because the Nixon administration, one performs because the WaPo

Ben Clemens: or alternately Votes for Ladies, I performed this as a 4 participant nevertheless it works as 2 as nicely. On this one, one facet performs the suffrage motion and the opposite performs the anti-suffrage political institution. You struggle for management of the Senate, fillibusters, fashionable attraction, and so forth. Each have a ton of interplay and each scratch the uneven, work out your opponent’s weak spot b/c it’s totally different from your personal, itch that I’ve in two-player board video games

J: What do you consider Ben Brown going ahead? Of pitchers with 60 innings he’s received the eighth worst ERA but the twentieth finest FIP and 18th finest xFIP. Simple to say he’s due for higher luck, however when hitters make contact they pummel the ball.

Ben Clemens: yeah, it is a case wehre I don’t actually purchase FIP. His strategy results in a ton of so-so fastballs getting put in play

Ben Clemens: There’s simply no approach round it – that has to result in the next wOBACON than somebody who’s more durable to foretell and or sq. up

Ben Clemens: I get that hitters have extra to say about contact high quality than pitchers – however Ben Brown looks like the form of man who will coax one of the best outcomes out of hitters extra usually than common, for the foreseeable future

Visitor: In your Carlos Santana article, you included a desk displaying that pulled fly balls hit 90-95 mph lead to a .812 wOBA, however reverse subject fly balls hit 90-95 mph lead to a .289 wOBA.  Why would that be?  I believed pulled balls have been higher as a result of they have been sometimes hit more durable and/or at a greater launch angle, nevertheless it looks like there’s extra to it……

Ben Clemens: I believe a whole lot of it’s that we’re saying “fly balls with exit velocity x” however lacking a whole lot of different elements. Like, the fly balls hit oppo have, on common, worse different traits. They’re mishit, so possibly they’ve the mistaken spin or they’re disproportionately pop ups, t hat form of factor

Ben Clemens: for positive, the hook on pulled fly balls contributes to their success, the ball hooking away from the left fielder and towards the foul line may be very straightforward to conjure up in your thoughts’s eye, however are you able to image a righty hitting one with that form of spin to proper subject? most likely not

Sodo Mojo: I get Choose is approach forward of Raleigh within the MVP race however he’s operating a BABIP 100 factors above his profession common.  If that regresses over the again 60% of the season might we see a a lot nearer MVP race?

Ben Clemens: oh sure, Aaron Choose regresses however not Cal Raleigh haha. I imply…. positive?

Ben Clemens: realistically, although, that is Choose’s to lose. If he posts ANOTHER wRC+ above 200, with all of the counting stats that inevitably go together with that, I’m undecided that voters will ignore it even when Raleigh continues his personal absurd stretch

Ben Clemens: Raleigh is thrashing his projections by greater than Choose, and Choose’s xwOBA is  so much increased than Raleigh’s wOBA (which itself outstrips his xwOBA by an honest quantity)

Ben Clemens: like, yeah, Choose isn’t gonna preserve BABIP’ing .468, as a result of that’s not how actuality works. However .375 and possibly some extra dwelling runs? feels resaonble to me!

NeedOffense: Jose Ramirez has a .947 OPS & is on tempo for 30 HR & 35 2B, however he’s on tempo for less than 78 RBI as a result of non-Jose Guards hitting 2nd have a .372 OPS (not a typo). No query, simply slowly dropping my thoughts

Ben Clemens: Effectively right here’s the excellent news

Ben Clemens: The Guardians have by no means struggled with offense earlier than they usually’ve proven a penchant for fast fixes, in order that they’ll remedy this

Ben Clemens: wait, no, this group has traditionally been tremendous unhealthy at determining offense. It’s wild, I doubt they’re going to all of the sudden crack the code, I’m sorry on your sluggish descent into insanity

Idiotic Failson: Is Shane Baz form of a misplaced trigger? He had a ton of prospect shine again within the day, and had an important begin to the season, however looks like he’s by no means going to be an above-average pitcher.

Ben Clemens: Nobody is ever actually a misplaced trigger. That mentioned, we’ve got to be probabilistic. The percentages listed below are that Baz isn’t gonna determine it out

Ben Clemens: And I imply, hyou watch him and that feels about proper

Austin: Noticed somebody already put one thing about Skubal however simply curious how a lot concern you place into extending hardthrowing pitchers. I really feel like he’s sure to get TJ sooner or later, you assume the Tigers are baking that into extension talks?

Ben Clemens: I believe that it’s baked into the contracts that pitchers get

Ben Clemens: So yeah, it’s actually in there, however each pitcher who indicators a contract is a threat to blow out

Ben Clemens: that’s simply the way it works, and in reality I believe that’s a profit to signing these longer offers for younger pithcers. You probably have a man for two years and he misses one, that actually sucks. You probably have him for six and he misses one, eh, it was baked into the cake

….finally?: Like this Choose season has to ‘cease’ sooner or later. Proper? Proper?

That Man: There’s a definite chance that we would have back-to-back non-Choose 10 WAR seasons within the AL that lead to precisely zero first place MVP votes.

YouBeTheJudge: Choose’s stats are undoubtedly insane. Is there maybe some luck that’s going to deflate issues? Taking a look at his stats, he’s hitting extra reverse subject fly balls and pulled floor balls than up to now.  That isn’t supposed to enhance your outcomes. Nearly all of his dwelling runs have gone the opposite approach. Is that this extra than simply luck?

Ben Clemens: I might simply put Choose questions in right here all day if I wished

Ben Clemens: I assume what I’d say in regards to the reverse subject fly ball factor, particularly, is that what you’re saying is true for almost all of gamers however Aaron Choose is just not nearly all of gamers

Ben Clemens: the explanation that we don’t love oppo fly balls is that they don’t, on common, journey so far as your finest contact

Ben Clemens: however Aaron Choose doesn’t want his finest contact to go away the yard

Ben Clemens: for him, the tradeoff may be “if I attempt to make contact deeper, I’m each getting longer to resolve whether or not to swing and conserving extra contact honest”

Ben Clemens: doesn’t actually matter whether or not you hit your property run 115 mph/470 toes or 106 mph/370 toes

Bosoxforlife: The Pink Sox win 2 within the Bronx and the cloud over the season fades then I have a look at Giolito and Buehler listed as starters on Tuesday and Wednesday and a darker cloud reappears. Are these two guys as cooked as I believe they’re and in the event that they each explode once more do the Pink Sox admit that they threw $40 million away.

Ben Clemens: I imply, I don’t hate the best way they’re dealing with it in the interim. That mentioned, I principally assume that as a result of they’ve had a ton of pitching accidents. If we’ve got a full power Sox rotation, these guys are nonetheless churning out alternative stage outcomes, they usually keep within the rotation, then I believe it’s a case of sunk value fallacy

Ben Clemens: for now, positive, they value more cash than you’d like to spend for alternative stage pitching. However have you learnt what number of groups would fortunately settle for some alternative stage pitching?

jerry: and relating to wilson: we now have him, arraez, kwan, all firmly displaying the worth of contact. is that this going to be a pattern?

jerry: jacob wilson isn’t geting the thrill he deserves. is he the antidote to sterile baseball, the prince that was promised?

As: Is Jacob Wilson somebody that can defy hitting metrics for his profession (Exit Velo, Barrel, Laborious Hit, Bat Pace all under tenth percentile)? Or do you see some large regression coming?

Ben Clemens: I’m undecided that you really want Arraez on this instance anymore. He’s been simply kinda unhealthy the final two years

Ben Clemens: 900 PA of the emptiest .304 common you’ll ever see in ’24-’25

Ben Clemens: my colleague Dan Szymborski is writing about him this week, in truth, I believe

Ben Clemens: that mentioned, I believe Kwan particularly is a superb instance of how contact can play on the highest stage

Ben Clemens: good protection, good OBP b/c of few strikeouts and sufficient walks to get free bases, at the very least satisfactory baserunning

Ben Clemens: That feels simply achievable for Wilson. He’s even beginning to take walks, a HUGE constructive signal for me

Ben Clemens: He’s virtually actually not going to maintain up his 20-homer tempo, however he doesn’t must to be actually helpful

Ben Clemens: I’ve been in for some time on Wilson, I’m at all times in on these guys. bat management at a premium defensive spot. If you happen to get Arraez’s bat out of him, you’re most likely fairly pleased

Nate: Has Maikel Garcia performed sufficient to pencil him in as at the very least a league common common, if not a 140 wRC+ man

Ben Clemens: I’ll be trustworthy, I haven’t appeared deeply into Garcia this yr apart from seeing his identify a number of instances and going “huh, higher than I believed.”

Ben Clemens: trying via his web page now, I imply, I’m keen to imagine common common

Ben Clemens: I really like the protection, and I’m mainly ignoring his down yr by the metrics this yr. I’ve at all times thought he ought to hit extra homers than he confirmed in video games. So yeah, the .375 BOP is just not right here to remain, however what about like .335 with the occasional cheeky homer? I’d be into that

Bosoxforlife: In an earlier chat you mentioned that in in the present day’s sport a catcher wouldn’t get sufficient begins in be a viable MVP candidate like the good Berra and Campanella did within the 50’s. I supply up for MVP consideration Cal Raleigh who has began 62 of the Mariners 63 video games and appeared within the one sport he didn’t begin. I want no harm on the apparition that claims to be a mere human however a prolonged stoop may enable Raleigh to have an opportunity.

Ben Clemens: Yeah, Raleigh is having a season for the ages in availability, not simply in manufacturing

Ben Clemens: first in PA for catchers, fourth in innings caught, with out seeming to put on down in any respect

Ben Clemens: the opposite guys placing up quantity like this look floor down. Realmuto, William Contreras, Keibert Ruiz (!) (what are the Nats doing???)

Ben Clemens: okay critically, why on this planet is Keibert Ruiz on this checklist

Cal Raleigh: and rattling positive I’m going to be a part of the HR derby.  I’m flexing this yr child!!!!!

Ben Clemens: I’m very a lot trying ahead to this

UT: Does Polar Bear choose out if he turns into the Met’s all-time HR chief?  And do the Met’s become involved within the bidding?

Ben Clemens: I believe he HAS to choose out after this season

Ben Clemens: like, do you assume Pete Alonso is prone to being a under common first baseman within the subsequent few years? I don’t anymore

Ben Clemens: So he ought to attempt to get a number of years, and somebody will give it to him. I assume it’ll nonetheless be the Mets, truthfully. He and hte group are an important match

Ben Clemens: Cash is clearly not a limiting constraint for them, and he is a vital a part of the offense who additionally certainly helps with advertising and marketing and whatnot

Ben (DC): CJ Abrams appears to run scorching or chilly on the dish, by no means within the center. Is he somebody you’d try to increase long-term, or nonetheless must see extra consistency and discover a extra appropriate defensive place?

Ben Clemens: I’ve to say, CJ Abrams frustrates me to no finish at the same time as a fan

Ben Clemens: like, I simply envision him placing all of it collectively, happening the baseball equal of an all-night playing heater the place you keep up till 6 a.m. simply stacking chips up

Ben Clemens: however one thing, I can’t say fairly what, retains him from ever actually ascending to that stage

Ben Clemens: I’d have moved him off of brief by now FOR SURE, however possibly that’s simply the frustration speaking

appa yip yip: A lot of catcher speak, however does Alejandro Kirk not get the respect he deserves as a result of he’s brief and fats?

Ben Clemens: Presumably as a long-time reader you’d contemplate me a Kirk truther, I’ve actually at all times been increased than consensus on him

Ben Clemens: Kevin Goldstein advised me the ‘in the event you didn’t know what Kirk appeared such as you’d like him rather more’ factor within the yr the place we did the commerce worth checklist collectively, and that actually opened my e sure

Ben Clemens: has me liking Moises Ballesteros too!

Catch: There appears to be a glut of younger offensive targeted hitters rising this yr – Baldwin, Narvaez, Teel, Speeding, A Ramirez, Dingler and so forth, whereas some getting older stalwarts like Realmuto, Murphy, Perez, are floundering a bit of – any ideas or favs for you transferring ahead?

Ben Clemens: I talked myself into Luis Torrens after writing about him final week. Narvaez seems to be GREAT to me

Ben Clemens: I’m not prepared to purchase in on Baldwin but, however Dingler is fairly good I believe

Ben Clemens: yeah it’s enjoyable! I would like new blood in catching

HappyFunBall: Utilizing a playing analogy for CJ Abrams is simply merciless…

SPArn: A late night time on line casino playing analogy for Abrams?! Daring! (And doubtlessly on function?)

Ben Clemens: Pure coincidence, I guarantee you

Critical Query: Why aren’t RBI groundouts to the suitable facet thought of a sacrifice, when a reasonably deep fly ball, or a nicely positioned bunt are?  Doesn’t it take simply as a lot talent to direct a grounder?  Is it as a result of, with out the drive at dwelling, you’ll be able to’t assume the fielder wouldn’t go dwelling?  Couldn’t the identical be mentioned for a bunt?  I’ve been desirous about this so much currently.

Ben Clemens: It’s as a result of they made the principles a very long time in the past and simply kinda did it this fashion

Ben Clemens: I utterly agree with you

Ben Clemens: It’s actually arbitrary, and doesn’t make that a lot sense

Ben Clemens: that’s why I largely favor statistics that deal with sacrifice flies and RBI groundouts the identical. So wRC+ is one. in order for you a win chance sort stat, RE24 and WPA would each deal with these occasions as equal

Nico Hoerner: Its F***ing BS that RBI groundouts to the suitable facet arent thought of a sacrifice

Ben Clemens: nicely see, I do know this isn’t Nico Hoerner b/c I simply noticed Nico Hoerner get so heated he received ejected

Ben Clemens: and what he mentioned was “you’re having a nasty sport to this point”

TugMcGrawFan1996: Do you imagine the Braves have any probability of turning issues round earlier than the deadline, or are they utterly sunk?

Ben Clemens: you realize, I’m nonetheless a believer, however I’ve to caveat that with the truth that I used to be veyr excessive on them coming into the yr and am beginning to be very frightened about Strider

Jeff Zimmerman the meanie: Yankees not searching for a 3b w/Jazz there now?  Really shall be proud of Lemehiehoohoo at 2b?

Ben Clemens: I believe that 2b is the improve spot. If DJLM doesn’t begin hitting for energy, or getting on base much more, that’s a troublesome spot. I don’t actually need to depend on his protection and well being there if he’s not bringing one thing actually distinctive on the plate

Steve O: After a number of years of the sixth wildcard.. any basic ideas? Are you in favor of it now? Would you want to return to the outdated format, and so forth?

Steve O: sixth playoff spot, not WC spot

Ben Clemens: man, I assume I’m into it? I prefer it greater than the 5 playoff group setup, at the very least

Ben Clemens: I’d have extra video games on consecutive days within the divisional spherical to make these WC video games harm extra

Ben Clemens: like, what about 5 video games in a row with no days off for the DS?

Ben Clemens: however I believe rewarding the highest two groups with a bye has at the very least given a little bit of which means again to successful the common season

Beve Salboni: re: Choose’s BABIP and such, Petriello additionally theorized he’s hitting the ball so onerous he’s creating an overperformance cushion by forcing the outfield to play stop protection that enables extra hits to fall in. Nuts!

Ben Clemens: I completely imagine that

Ben Clemens: you strive defending aaron decide with 9 gamers

Dan: Video games 2 and three of the wildcard needs to be on the identical day.

Ben Clemens: nice! into it!

Motivational Speaker: If Roman Anthony REALLY wished to be within the present, he would’ve picked up a 1b glove 3 weeks in the past….

Ben Clemens: Devers had a spare one

Visitor: I’m looking for a board sport I can play with my spouse, who may be very uncompetitve.  Any recs for a *cooperative*, 2-player sport?

Ben Clemens: okay, I’ve extra of those than aggressive ones

Ben Clemens: our favourite is that this sport referred to as “Mass Transit”, you are attempting to construct transit traces and get commuters dwelling from work

Ben Clemens: it’s a bit of little bit of a constraint juggling sport, they usually restrict communication in order that one participant can’t take over as captain

Ben Clemens: in the same vein: Tranquility, a superbly illustrated and evenly themed sport about crusing and/or placing numbers so as

Ben Clemens: they’re each quiet, each are available tiny containers and play pretty shortly, each very nice for a day on the patio

appa yip yip: it’s tough to confess however a whole lot of manfred’s modifications have ended up being actually good. i simply want the ghost runner began within the eleventh as an alternative of the tenth.

Ben Clemens: you realize, you’ll be able to have the mistaken intentions and nonetheless provide you with good options

Ben Clemens: I don’t agree with Manfred’s motivations on the whole, however I do assume that the sport is so much higher for the on-field guidelines modifications

Ethan: What are your ideas on Jarren Duran? He’s hitting the ball more durable this yr (92.5v 90.8, higher launch angle and higher onerous hit charge 47.2 v 43.9 and he’s pulling the ball within the air extra 12.4 v 10.3) and but his underlying numbers and precise numbers are down from a season in the past. Would you commerce him to a OF needy group like Mets, Phillies, Padres and name up Anthony?

Ben Clemens: nicely, I don’t assume you’re supposed to drag the ball within the air extra as a lefty at Fenway, so I wouldn’t actually contemplate {that a} plus

Ben Clemens: however I assume I’d say that my opinion of Duran when he broke out final yr was that this felt like a late breakout and that I’d put my expectations round “barely above common hitter with wonderful baserunning” going ahead

Ben Clemens: I left him off the highest 50 commerce worth, for exmaple, and truthfully I didn’t get a ton of pushback from trade contacts on that

Ben Clemens: I believe that these ‘commerce a great participant whereas contending and simply name up a reinforcement’ trades are enjoyable in concept however that they virtually by no means occur in apply

Ben Clemens: so like…. I believe the precise resolution right here is that Duran is simply gonna preserve enjoying left, and that it’s good to have a bunch of excellent gamers in order that even when a few of them tail off you’ve others to select up the slack

appa yip yip: how do you are feeling in regards to the ball/strike problem system coming subsequent yr? i believe it threads the needle fairly properly myself – retains framing essential for borderline pitches however lets groups not get burned by the actually egregious calls.

Ben Clemens: I completely adore it

Ben Clemens: yesterday, please

Ben Clemens: additionally have you ever ever been to both a minor league sport with the problem system or a tennis match with the outdated problem system?

Ben Clemens: it’s enjoyable! viewers involvement

Why All the time Mets: Went to Safeco (T-Cell now i suppose) for the primary time final Thursday vs Baltimore. Nice park, nice metropolis

Ben Clemens: it’s the park I haven’t been to that I most need to go to (now that I’ve crossed off Wrigley)

Ben Clemens: I’ve heard nothing however good issues, notably in regards to the views and meals

A’s line of thining: Do the A’s attempt to make Soder choose up third base over the offseason for subsequent yr? If not, who’s the third baseman of the longer term?

Ben Clemens: I believe that’s asking an excessive amount of and that left subject makes a bit extra sense to me

Ben Clemens: I might utterly see him ending up as a great left fielder. I’m very skeptical that he might all of the sudden choose up third with no ton of expertise as a quick-twitch infielder within the minors

A Boy Named Yu: What did you consider your journey to Wrigley?

Ben Clemens: you realize…. the ambiance was superb, and I utterly perceive the explanation it’s thought of such a Mecca. Excellent spot to observe a baseball sport, the followers are enjoyable and pleasant, I had an exquisite time

Ben Clemens: however like… that stadium is just not good from a me watching a baseball sport in 2025 standpoint

Ben Clemens: the meals, for one factor!

Ben Clemens: I adore it, I really like that it exists, however I’m glad I’m not watching each sport tehre

Matt VW: I’m all for the ABS problem system too, however I do need to give some credit score the place credit score is due. It looks like umpiring is waaay higher than it was twenty years in the past. Quantification and accountability have already performed a reasonably good job of elevating the bar.

Bosoxforlife: The extra I watch the extra I can’t watch for the problem system to be applied. Possibly it’s simply because I’m a crotchety outdated man however the umpiring appears poorer than ordinary capped off by yesterday’s ejection of Nico Hoerner on an terrible name. There must be greater than 3 challenges to make it actually efficient as a result of the groups shall be compelled to preserve them.

Ben Clemens: Yeah, I are inclined to agree with each of those, which may appear paradoxical. I believe that umpiring is definitely higher than it was 20 years in the past, and truly, you’ll be able to measure it

Ben Clemens: but in addition, sure, as a result of it’s a lot simpler to do that now, it shoudl be so much higher. there have been two unhealthy line calls within the french open finals yesterday and I misplaced my thoughts

Ben Clemens: ‘we’ve got the computer systems, why are we letting this occur?’

Ben Clemens: and that was two calls in a 5.5 hour match. What the hell is baseball doing?

A Boy Named Yu: In response to Wrigley, identical.  At the same time as a diehard Cubs fan, identical.

Boston Beans: Have you ever been to Fenway?  Whew, I do know it’s historic and all, however modern-day people barely slot in these tiny seats.  My first sport there, I felt like I had arms on each of my arms, knees behind my shoulders, and my knees within the shoulders of the particular person in entrance of me.   Subsequent time I spring for the Monster seats.

Ben Clemens: Yeah very comparable feeling there. I went the primary time the Playing cards performed there in interleague, I used to be in highschool and on the town schools anyway so I wrapped all of it up into one journey

Ben Clemens: I had a lot enjoyable and cherished the good-natured ribbing I received from the followers

Ben Clemens: and yeah, look, it’s simply not as luxurious as fashionable stadiums, it may’t be

Skenes: It’s so unhappy watching this unfold.  Each Skenes begin seems to be like 7.1 2hits 1bb 9ks, L

Ben Clemens: it’s so unhappy

Ben Clemens: I don’t know

Ben Clemens: I discover all these ‘commerce Skenes’ articles to be ghoulish, like come on, no, the Mets aren’t getting Paul Skenes for 3 baggage of used baseballs and Ronny Mauricio

Ben Clemens: however on the identical time, I discover the possession scenario in Pittsburgh objecitonable. Possibly if Nutting compelled his entrance workplace to commerce Skenes, there can be sufficient fashionable outcry to drive him to promote?

Eternally Hopeful: How lengthy earlier than Dom Smith slumps his approach out of a job?  Clearly the clock is ticking with Bryce within the wings.  Do you assume Dom can contribute for some time?

Ben Clemens: Do you know that Dom Smith is 29?

Ben Clemens: I’m 39, and my spouse and I used to go to a ton of Mets video games once we lived in New York (mid-to-late-2010s). When she noticed Dom within the lineup (we went to his debut sport, it was $5.01 ticket day at Oracle and I’m not about to show that deal down) she was like “oh look, a baseball participant your age’

Ben Clemens: nope, decade youthful! simply has that always-been-in-baseball vibe

Ben Clemens: as to your precise query as an alternative of my tales about myself, yeah, the clock is ticking

Ben Clemens: the best way I see it, LaMonte was simply so unhealthy that they couldn’t journey it out any longer. However their willingness to take action for so long as they did looks like they’re looking for a option to tread water till Eldridge is prepared

Ben Clemens: if Dom doesn’t simply constantly mash, he’s finally going to search out himself out of a job

Ben Clemens: however hey,  he’s within the bigs, getting AB’s, that’s about nearly as good as you’ll be able to ask for as a primary baseman who hasn’t been league common with teh bat since 2020

Visitor: As a Yankee fan transplant in Boston I can affirm each the good-natured reception by the followers in addition to the struggle crimes that the seating commits on my posture

Ben Clemens: I assume it’s self-indulgent story day. I went to the 2018 Pink Sox Yankees ALDS within the Bronx, enjoyable sport, I’m positive I’ve advised the tales of the artistic Benintendi heckler earlier than

Ben Clemens: we’re leaving, the Pink Sox have received, and on our option to the subway there are a Yankees fan and Pink Sox fan in a straight up shoving match, screaming, we’re like oh crap, is a struggle gonna get away?

Ben Clemens: My spouse crossed their path, and oh my god, they BOTH calmed down so shortly. “Oh excuse me, sorry about that, didn’t imply to get in your approach.”

Ben Clemens: so we get 5 toes away, and bam, proper again to yelling and shoving

Dos Muncys: What do you assume the Mariners will do with Ford, since he’s being blocked by Hank Aaron 28 yr outdated Raleigh?

Ben Clemens: robust one for me! I like Ford so much and assume he may very well be legit behind the plate. I like what they examined out final yr, giving him just some reps in left, I might see a scenario the place Raleigh is extra like a C/DH even cut up, Ford is the catcher half the time and will get some reps in elsewhere as nicely

James wooden lover: Are also there any issues that the consensus actually values when analyzing gamers that you simply dont. for me that will be common, OBP is simply superior

Ben Clemens: nicely yeah however that one’s kinda dishonest

Ben Clemens: I believe that I’m a bit of down on fastballs, simply general, relative to consensus

Ben Clemens: like for me, 95% of pitchers, I’m almost ignoring the fastball once I consider them until it’s ‘throw this much less’

Ben Clemens: as a result of I simply don’t assume the distinction between a sixtieth percentile fastball and a fortieth percentile fastball is that essential. They each suck. Don’t throw that pitch a lot

James wooden lover: who’re your prime 5 favourite gamers persona sensible in baseball and why?

Ben Clemens: Mookie is up there for me, I really like how he manages to obviously love baseball and but be very cool and picked up even in large moments

Ben Clemens: Masyn Winn, doubtlessly a residual from this tweet:

Ben Clemens: oh, huuuuuuge Manny Machado teen film villain power fan

Ben Clemens: Alex Bregman matches into that class as nicely

Ben Clemens: Sean Doolittle is clearly an all time favourite, not energetic so I assume he doesn’t depend anymore

Ben Clemens: Strider appears cool

Ben Clemens: there are a bunch!

Bosoxforlife: Francisco Lindor, Francisco Lindor, Francisco Lindor, Francisco Lindor and francisco Lindor.

Ben Clemens: yep, see, someway I forgot him

Bosoxforlife: I hoped to catch Skenes once I go to PNC park tomorrow night time. If I’m fortunate tonight’s sport will get rained out, 80% probability, and I can see two tomorrow.

Ben Clemens: Fingers crossed. Our editor, Matt Martell, noticed him for the primary time final yr and was simply raving about it for days. I’m unhappy I ahven’t gotten to see him in particular person but

Ben Clemens: I bear in mind the primary time I noticed deGrom in 2018 to this present day

Visitor: Years in the past now Rowdy Tellez hit a house run at Fenway that statcast had as being longer than Ted Williams’s. It was instantly declared to be a glitch, the one statcast glitch that complete sport. I’m wrapping my physique in tinfoil. Did the deep state meddle with historical past?

Ben Clemens: nicely now I’ve a brand new favourite conspiracy concept

barger believer: can we get some #bargerchat #addisonbarger #bargerincharger

Ben Clemens: I need to write about

Ben Clemens: Thus, I sandbag takes

Why All the time Mets: Lotta Mets followers freaking out over poor leads to a pair Montas rehab begins. Justified? And the bigger query is how frightened must you about outcomes whereas on rehab?(particularly for pitchers, who’re presumably extra targeted on stuff/command than outcomes)

Ben Clemens: I mainly ignore them utterly

Ben Clemens: b/c sure, they’re targeted on small specific issues

Dan: If you happen to drive your opponent to make a mid inning pitching change subsequent inning you get a runner on first. Extra base runners, much less mid inning pitching change. Rewarding good offense slightly than arbitrary base runners.

Eurybouttime: Excited in any respect for Eury Perez to return to the mound in the present day?

That Man: There’s so much already written about gamers like Choose bucking the traditional knowledge of athletes of that dimension and stature excelling on the main league stage. How a lot of that you simply assume may simply be choice bias? Athletes constructed like Choose find yourself in soccer or basketball most of the time for apparent causes, so we by no means get to see greater than a smattering of those tall, hulking goliaths being devoted baseball gamers. Maybe in one other universe the league is overrun with Giancarlo Stanton clones and we’re making up much more juiced ball epidemics.

Ben Clemens: Liked this query however missed it earlier

Ben Clemens: I believe a whole lot of it’s choice bias, for positive

Ben Clemens: in the event you’re that athletic and that large, you’re going to get funneled into basketball, proper?

Ben Clemens: each child I knew rising up did

Adenolith: Dont know in the event you learn Washington’s feedback about launch angle and exit velo within the Sunday Notes column, nevertheless it struck me that there have to be both be a fairly large disconnect between Wash and the LAA analytics dept (each function and execution), or there isnt an analytics dept. Is that this nonetheless fairly widespread between entrance places of work and managers?

Ben Clemens: I did, and yeah, I additionally learn the feedback part with popcorn in hand

Ben Clemens: I believed that was a extremely attention-grabbing interview, and I believe it confirmed that the Angels entrance workplace hasn’t performed a great job in communication, as a result of if I received to speak to somebody day-after-day for years, as a numbers one that likes signing gamers like Zach Neto and Jo Adell, and didn’t persuade my supervisor that they’d actual abilities not together with slap hitting that I wished to nurture

Ben Clemens: nicely…. what was I doing with all these conversations?

Ben Clemens: I refuse to imagine that Ron Washington is incapable of studying or altering. He’s clearly a vibrant man and clearly a great trainer

Ben Clemens: this quote particularly:

Ben Clemens: See what I’m saying? As a result of, why? The trade has allowed it. The trade don’t care in the event you hit a buck-98 in the event you hit 25 or 30 out. If I might hit 30 dwelling runs and receives a commission, they usually don’t care about common, then I’m going to go for the house run.

Ben Clemens: like, the Angels entrance workplace is part of ‘the trade’. They don’t appear to be making an attempt to impress that upon the man they belief as a steward of their gamers. That feels poor ot me

Ben Clemens: Alright, I’m gonna do a lightning spherical since you guys have completely been killing it with the questions in the present day

Ben Clemens: I must go eat lunch however there are SO many good ones left

Ben Clemens: so gonna go actually quick for 5 minutes

Adenolith: I’m an enormous fan of fellows who deliver power, appear to like enjoying, don’t thoughts showboating a bit. Acuna, Jazz, Joey Bats from his peak enjoying days.

Ben Clemens: Joey Bats, love him

roger dodger: What sort of pitcher might Wilyer Abreu fetch on the commerce market from an OF-needy group? Quinn Matthews? Andrew Abbott? Brandon Sproat?

Ben Clemens: extra Abbott than Matthews/Sproat I believe

Ben Clemens: I believe the Mets are simply not within the enterprise of buying and selling guys like Sproat anymore, until they’re getting superstars again, not solid-rate regulars

Jonathan: Is Strider cooked or can he bounce again subsequent yr with a full offseason and Spring Coaching?

Ben Clemens: i imply, my cash is on not cooked

Ben Clemens: that’s only a affordable guess, proper?

GBS42: My spouse and I purchased Ticket to Trip: Rails and Sails just lately. Up to now it’s simply the 2 of us who’ve performed, however we’ll get a bunch of 4-5 quickly. Ideas on the sport?

Ben Clemens: haven’t performed it however I by no means actually gravitated to coach video games. My stepbrother who’s an enormous board gamer loves them, although, and I imply, they’re very talked-about

Visitor: Why do you hate american cheese?

Ben Clemens: I truly do, even when I haven’t talked about it earlier than. Or slightly… I believe it’s fantastic, however there’s a lot good cheese on this planet

Ben Clemens: uncommon that I don’t see a greater possibility

Ben Clemens: I really like a great sharp cheddar greater than virtually anything

Miami Fan: Once I have a look at Alcantara stuff plus and pitching plus it is extremely good. I don’t know why he’s struggling a lot. Assist me!

Ben Clemens: i dunno! let’s give him extra time

James wooden lover: I’ve a sense Doolittle shall be promoted from assistant pitching coach to pitching coach, after which finally supervisor for the nats sooner or later. does he depend as a favourite persona if he have been to grow to be a supervisor?

Ben Clemens: Dusty was on my checklist when he was energetic

Visitor: At the moment’s chat is very entertaining.  Thanks for taking all of the questions!

Vin da Bona: Worse contract to this point ……Soto or Vladito?

Re: Skenes: Odds Skenes continues to be a Pirate on Aug 1, 2026? I might see the stress actually mounting on them to money in in the event that they’re nonetheless directionless by then, which it actually seems to be like they’ll be

Dos Muncys: Why does it look like Minnesota has extra accidents yearly than most different groups? I do know it’s unlikely however might there be an intrinsic organizational conditioning subject?

Ben Clemens: may very well be attainable however like, is also that they signed a man who had failed two physicals that winter, and received him for a reduction charge b/c of the expectation that he may be harm susceptible

“what if decide regress”: Not that I believe he’ll hit .396 all yr, however I preserve seeing “nicely, Choose may lose the HR title to Raleigh and the RBI title to Devers and the BA to Wilson” like of all of these gamers to regress probably the most… JUDGE?

Ben Clemens: haha yeah once I did a Choose article about IBB’s I simply used his stats for the final three+ years

Ben Clemens: and he has a 208 wRC+ over these 2146 PA’s

Ben Clemens: like…. cease questioning when he’s gonna all of the sudden simply be a traditional 140 wrC+ participant

Ben Clemens: that ship sailed

Ben Clemens: and it’s already docked, dropped off its cargo, and returned

Visitor: if pitch velocity has been of main human curiosity for many years, why is there nonetheless such old-fashioned resistance to batted ball velocity?

Ben Clemens: b/c it wasn’t on broadcasts in 1987

Adenolith: Once I was rising up, youth baseball groups have been at all times named after main league franchises. This yr my daugher’s t-ball group is called the Yard Goats and I’m right here for it.

Ben Clemens: ha that’s nice

Ben Clemens: yeah our little leagues (boys membership, I believe) have been the identical

Bosoxforlife: Joey Bats membership throw is among the defining moments in my baseball watching historical past.

Ben Clemens: Soto bat carry for me is in that very same basic tier, however sure

AA: Will the braves bounce again and attain the postseason?

Ben Clemens: I’ve them lacking regardless of enjoying very nicely

Choose’s peak: Already shall be sixth all time in Yankees WAR quickly (proper behind Yogi). Quickest to utterly change profession perceptions from good to all timer?

Ben Clemens: actually loopy, and yeah

Ben Clemens: the man is simply….

Ham Fighter: Going again to 2023 Brewers pitchers have a 99 FIP-, Brewers batters have a 97 wRC+, they usually’ve received the third most video games in MLB (tied with ATL, two behind PHI for 2nd). Is “willful defiance of sabremetrics” the “New Moneyball”??

Ben Clemens: okay, cherished this query, so one final lengthy reply after which I’ll name it

Ben Clemens: i imply, you’re leaving out that they’ve had one of the best protection in baseball by a sizeable quantity over that point

Ben Clemens: and one of the best baserunning in baseball, additionally by so much

Ben Clemens: like…. these undoubtedly matter, and really clearly to me, the Brewers entrance workplace has determined that these kinds of skillsets are cheaper for them to accumulate

Ben Clemens: and supply extra bang for his or her buck in consequence

Ben Clemens: it’s no accident that they preserve pushing additional in these instructions, and it’s undoubtedly working

Ben Clemens: alright, with that mentioned, I’m going to name it a day. Once more, thanks all a lot for the unbelievable number of nice questions this week

Ben Clemens: Let’s do it once more subsequent Monday.

Bob Loblaw: Taking Oracle out, what’s your favourite park?

Ben Clemens: fantastic one final…. PNC or Citi

Ben Clemens: eh, PNC or Petco

Ben Clemens: however I really like Citi