Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat – 6/16/25

Ben Clemens: Yeahhhhhhh let’s chat

Ben Clemens: However to be clear…. we’re in all probability gonna discuss a LOT about Devers

Ben Clemens: and possibly much less about lunch than I’d wish to

Information of the Day: Right this moment’s high story — “500 Inner FanGraphs Error, 0 is Undefined”. How can Purple Sox followers use this as gasoline to get John Henry to promote the crew?

Ben Clemens: We’re nonetheless making an attempt to determine the outage however I believe there’s an affordable probability that Purple Sox followers truly made the location a bit of unstable by hate-clicking on teh story a lot

appa yip yip: “surplus worth” escaping entrance workplace containment and coming into normal baseball discourse has made each dialog about trades worse. who cares if Devers’ contract doesn’t have surplus worth he’s probably the greatest hitters on the planet and value each penny and framing it as “the Purple Sox needed to get out from underneath it” simply capes for possession and distracts from this basic fact about sports activities: your entire level is to observe insanely gifted folks do absurd issues that common folks can solely marvel at. we’re right here to have enjoyable watching the sport and Devers is enjoyable to observe. the Giants did a very good and funky factor and the Purple Sox ought to be embarrassed.

Ben Clemens: I…. I imply, yeah, I really feel equally. I’m fairly freaking excited that I simply all of a sudden get to observe Rafael Devers each time I am going to the ballpark. That’s cool

Phil: You’d suppose that in any case the cash the Dodgers have spent the previous 2 offseasons on Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani (to not point out Roki Sasaki), that there’s NO WAY they would wish a beginning pitcher on the deadline… and but right here they’re counting on the likes of Knack, Wrobleski, Sheehan, Casparius, Gonsolin and a 1000 yr previous Kershaw. Do you suppose they depend on the return of Glasnow and Snell to buoy them or are they going out and getting one other arm as soon as once more?

Ben Clemens: I believe they’ll in all probability go get one other arm, they simply all the time appear to

Ben Clemens: I believe they’ll do it even when they’re undecided they’ll want an arm. they need to. you may’t repair it after the deadline, and properly, why would you’re taking the danger given how nice the remainder of the crew is?

Oaktown Blues: Not me pulling the Jotcast hyperlink from the web page supply so I don’t miss the Ben Chat whereas FG is down lol. Love these chats

Ben Clemens: Haha yeah I did the identical to get in

Bosoxforlife: Earlier than we get to the elephant within the room I wish to offer you an enormous shout out for steering me to cross the Roberto Clemente Bridge throughout my journey to PNC Park. It was nice!

Ben Clemens: find it irresistible. I’m very glad that was enjoyable, it was significantly considered one of my favourite elements of the journey

Jim: What’s the report for feedback on a FG article? Will the Devers commerce article break the report?

Ben Clemens: I don’t suppose it’s going to. It’d set a previous few years report, however we’ve had some bangers over the eyars. commerce worth posts, large trades, these are likely to get swamped

Oaktown Blues: Hello Ben. Final yr, you wrote the article “Brent Rooker Is Who We Thought He Was”, about Rooker having success swinging exhausting in 2 strike counts, strikeouts be damned. On the time you revealed, he had a 34.6% Okay price. He lowered that price to twenty-eight.8% by season’s finish. This yr, his Okay price is all the best way down at 20.6%, higher than league common. Is Brent Rooker nonetheless who we thought he was? Is he higher?

Ben Clemens: He is perhaps. I’m with you that there’s been an method change. I believe he’s going to strike out greater than he’s proper now, as a result of it’s exhausting to have a swinging strike price this excessive and never strike out a bit extra

Ben Clemens: I haven’t determined if I like Rooker extra with fewer strikeouts and a tiny bit much less energy like this

Ben Clemens: however hey look, he’s nonetheless graet

anotherusername: I maintain listening to/seeing that the Devers contract is underwater – is there an opportunity that the contract is just not valued appropriately as underwater in mild of the Soto/Guerrero contracts? Or ought to these be handled as outliers?

Ben Clemens: Nice query. I share your confusion on that time. I assume that the ‘all of the fashions in baseball’ that Jeff Passan referred to additionally think about these offers underwater

Ben Clemens: The best way I put it to Meg final night time after I was pitching her on the best way I characterised it within the article is that this: I constructed a bit of modified surplus worth calculator and overlaid ZiPS projecdtions and contract particulars for Devers. It’s not excellent, however for those who’re lifeless set on viewing issues in a surplus worth framework, as in right here’s how a lot your manufacturing would fetch on an open market, I believe my assumptions had been cheap

Ben Clemens: first WAR is price much less, little bit of an escalating form of WAR worth as you may have increased WAR, primarily based on free agent contracts ’21-’24

Ben Clemens: anyway, the primary 4 years of his deal, counting this yr, are pretty optimistic. tens of tens of millions of {dollars}. the final 5 years are way more unfavorable, 20s of tens of millions of {dollars}

Ben Clemens: that’s what individuals are referring to after they say that, and properly, sure, the contract, taken as an entire, will very doubtless price extra per WAR than the going open market price? However…. there’s not likely a going open marketplace for gamers who submit 4 WAR projected seasons. these guys can’t be simply traded for or signed

Ben Clemens: if baseball awarded the World Sequence to the crew who had essentially the most ‘above water’ contracts, then I’m assured that Devers wouldn’t be in demand

Ben Clemens: however what? no. that’s not the way it works. it’s a nasty contract for a very good participant, however gamers play baseball, not contracts. That’s an oversimplification however I believe it really works as a primary order cross

Eric: Would the Devers commerce get much less hate if it was completed in the course of the offseason for the reason that possession might instantly promise to speculate the cash elsewhere?

Ben Clemens: This felt bizarre, proper?

Ben Clemens: truthfully the winter felt like they didn’t REALLY wish to spend even

Ben Clemens: except for Crochet, in fact, cherished that, and cherished the extension

Ben Clemens: however like, a take care of an choose out after a yr for Bregman? a rehabbing walker buehler?

Ben Clemens: so I’m very skeptical that they’re truly occupied with re-deploying Devers’s cash. And I’m gonna be skeptical all yr. At the least in the event that they’d completed it in December, yeah, they may have proven that they’ll use a few of it

Key Flaw: You talked about within the Devers article that you’re a visible learner. You do know that studying kinds like that was debunked generations in the past, and the information reveals that they trigger hurt in studying? To not be a “properly truly”, however studying kinds is among the extra persistent poisonous concepts in training.

Ben Clemens: I had completely no concept. That’s attention-grabbing. I like diagrams of issues, they simply click on higher for me.

John B: The Purple Sox taking a number of warmth for dumping Betts, Bogarts and Devers for a bag of baseballs.  However that group produced and insane quantity of WAR for managed costs (80 + WAR).  Isn’t this what you’re alleged to do from a price:value standpoint?

Ben Clemens: Proper, like I mentioned, worth:value is one axis that’s vital to concentrate to. You’re not gonna get very far for those who don’t know the way it works. But when that was everything of the right solution to construct a crew, wouldn’t crew constructing be far simpler?

John B: Isn’t Mark Prior as your pitching coach merely a nasty omen?  Why can’t they see this ?

Bosoxforlife: It was fairly clear that the Purple sox had been going to have to maneuver somebody after Anthony and Mayer had been known as up. It was assumed it will be Rafaela or Abreu however this transfer helps alleviate the logjam. I might be a idiot to say that it doesn’t weaken the crew because it stands now however Anthony will get ample alternative regularly as an alternative of the out and in of the lineup stuff which hinders anybody’s play.

Ben Clemens: I imply…. yeah, advantageous

Ben Clemens: watch this, we took Shohei off the Dodgers, now it’s simpler to search out PT for Max Muncy

Ben Clemens: it’s not the identical factor, however like, we’re frightened that Devers is obstructing Roman Anthony? No, that’s not the way it works. Your unhealthy starters are blocking him

Ben Clemens: if Jarren Duran is definitely a plus centerfielder, what the hell is he doing in left?

Ben Clemens: Abreu is a platoon man and he’s on the IL

Ben Clemens: Anthony might be simply as doubtless as Devers to have the ability to decide up first base, the place freaking Abraham Toro is enjoying

Ben Clemens: Trevor Story is a shell of his former self

Ben Clemens: ah ha, we’ll simply subtract Rafael Devers, our greatest hitter, from this combine, THAT’S why we had been blocked

Opifijikl: Is the location operating into extra 502 errors this week?

Ben Clemens: an absolute ton, sadly

Ben Clemens: we’re doing our greatest on the again finish to repair it

Ben Clemens: cloudflare has been a freaking nightmare of late, writing 5 issues final Thursday within the midst of the outage was terrible

Oaktown Blues: Jacob Wilson is the clear frontrunner for AL ROY. I learn a remark someplace that, though he was rookie eligible, on a number of prospects lists, and on the roster on opening day, he’s not eligible for a PPI decide. What provides?

Ben Clemens: I randomly know the reply to this one as a result of I did some analysis for an article. It’s b/c PPI defines eligibility by days on a serious league roster

Ben Clemens: and RoY eligibility stems from days on an ACTIVE roster

Ben Clemens: Wilson got here into the yr with 73 days of service time however greater than a month of that was on the IL

Schmegs: How is a man like Harrison, who’s greatest pitch is meant to be his fastball, mesh with and org like Boston that doesn’t throw many fastballs?

Ben Clemens: Actually, I might see it working

Ben Clemens: first, get him again along with Andrew Bailey, don’t hate that. Second, Harrison’s fastball is his greatest pitch, however his means to throw it that properly suggests to me that he has the power to govern a baseball higher than he’s now. and the specter of that scary fastball signifies that even when he makes use of it much less, folks will concern it. so he in all probability has the expertise, uncooked bodily expertise, to develop secondaries. they usually’ll play up if he manages it

Bosoxforlife: The Purple Sox had been 110% appropriate in passing on Bogaerts who’s already barely above substitute degree. You’ll be able to pencil me in to say that this transfer can also be going to develop into a very good one for the Purple Sox. It isn’t exhausting to see Devers washing up in a short while.

Ben Clemens: I agree on Bogaerts. That deal was an actual eye opener. I’m making an attempt to look again at what I wrote about him heading into that winter however, 502 errors, lol

Ben Clemens: additionally do you know that he was FOUR years older than Devers when he signed that deal? Kinda wild, Devers is simply youthful than I believe

Harrison <–> Bailey: Do you suppose the identical advantages Harrison will get out of Andrew Bailey’s pitching dev/philosophy can even get extra out of Jordan Hicks?

Ben Clemens: mmmmm… as one of many world’s most pre-eminent Jordan Hicks opinion havers, you’re going to get greater than you bargained for right here

Ben Clemens: Is Bailey going to say “Hey Jordan, you’re a reliever?”

Ben Clemens: as a result of if that’s the case, oh yeah, magic wand waved

Ben Clemens: I actually wished to consider in Hicks as a starter, and mayyyyyybe the Purple Sox could make it work. However his points weren’t like, oh, suboptimal pitch combine, oh, I have to study a brand new breaking ball

Ben Clemens: they had been like oh, typically I’m sitting 91-92 within the third inning, typically my fastball command jsut isn’t there, I completely crumble going through batters a second time

Ben Clemens: Is that this a fixable factor over time? Maybe. However the large holdup with him changing into a starter didn’t appear, to me, to be that he didn’t get sufficient alternatives or didn’t have three viable pitches (the changeup is eh, however…. it’s at the least eh). It’s simply that he isn’t a starter; he appears to work lots higher in excessive effort brief stints

G: 500 errors stopped me from getting right here earlier than the flood of Devers questions (and presumably the “Aaron Choose is absolutely good, will he be unhealthy” questions that flooded final week) however Ketel Marte is strolling 15%!! Greater than he’s hanging out!! I simply really feel prefer it must be talked about someplace

Ben Clemens: right here’s one for you

Ben Clemens: I’m doing a ton of backchecking and re-grading of my previous commerce worth sequence, identical factor I do yearly after I’m organising for this yr’s version

Ben Clemens: and Ketel has been too low

Ben Clemens: I re-ranked 2022 by a mix of accrued WAR + projected WAR, modified surplus worth off of that, peak WAR — I believe it does a very good job of roughly mimicking how I take into consideration worth in a formulaic approach

Ben Clemens: by that metric, the highest 5 from the 2022 record, by way of retrospecdtive commerce worth if I knew how the world would play out for the subsequent three years:

1. Bobby WItt
2. Jose Ramirez
3. Ketel Marte
4. Julio Rodriguez
5. Mookie Betts

HappyFunBall: For years we’ve questioned what it will be like if a crew with sources ran themselves like Tampa. Now we all know…it’s underwhelming

Ben Clemens: though, to be honest, the DOdgers additionally do this

Ben Clemens: simply, higher

Bosoxforlife: It wasn’t that way back that Jose Ramirez was not acknowledged for the actually nice celebrity that he’s.

Ben Clemens: he and Marte are literally actually related in that the best way they get to their manufacturing simply feels bizarre and so I believe folks overlook them

Ben Clemens: I write each Ketel Marte extension article right here, it’s a FanGraphs custom, and I’m all the time like ‘hey this deal appears nice! why isn’t he getting extra??’

Phil: Having simply watched Greg Weissert baaaarely make it by way of an inning towards the Yankees with a two-run lead (the actual downside there being the damage to Slaten and the insane overreliance on Chapman, who continues to be previous), I’ve no downside with Hicks being a reliever, notably if which means a very good reliever. Sure, he’s overpaid for that operate, nevertheless it’s the reverse of your level about Devers–the aim isn’t to maximise worth, it’s to win baseball video games.

Ben Clemens: completely. Hicks ought to be a reliever. He was already a reliever with the Giants, the beginning simply wasn’t working. I assume that’s what they’ll do as quickly as he’s off the IL. I wrote in my recap that he’s their greatest piece for 2025 out of this deal and I keep on with that feeling

Tuntz: Discovered it stunning within the Devers commerce article that you simply talked about that Tibbs to your cash may very well be the perfect participant the Sox acquired. Is that extra of a vote of confidence in Tibbs or an absence of perception in Harrison to dwell as much as his potential?

Ben Clemens: I’d say extra of the second. I’m keen to be confirmed improper (considered one of my good qualities, I’d not so humbly say) however I’ve a tricky time shopping for it. The opposite Giants youngsters had been simply persistently lapping this man. Like, is it actually the pitching dev if Hayden Birdsong and Landon Roupp are creating properly sufficient over the identical time? A change of surroundings is sweet however I’m getting bust vibes from Harrison

Some kinda Mook: I’m a Purple Sox fan that’s not as down on this deal in uncooked phrases as most individuals. However I’ll say that it’s kinda an enormous bummer, both approach.

Ben Clemens: I believe that a number of the rationale for the visceral responses is the sample

Ben Clemens: like, I shouldn’t be capable to say “as so usually occurs, the Purple Sox determined to commerce their greatest participant for cash causes”

Ken: Quick time period and long run, the place does Devers play in San Francisco? 3B, 1B, or simply DH?

Ben Clemens: so brief time period, I believe DH. I might not transfer him to third with Chapman doubtless again quickly. Lengthy-term, he ought to play first base, and I wager that with an offseason to work on it and higher messaging, that’s the way it’ll find yourself

Ben Clemens: if he actually needs to only DH, although, if I’m the Giants, positive, taht’s advantageous, go proper forward, simply maintain depositing balls within the cove please

Ben Clemens: it doesn’t add THAT a lot roster flexibility to be a 1b/DH as an alternative of a DH

John B: Is it roughly doubtless that the Purple Sox transfer Story now?  Roughly doubtless they re-sign Bregman after choose out (assuming he opts out)?

Ben Clemens: I imply, more likely that they attempt to resign Bregman if he opts out

Ben Clemens: god, might you think about if he opts out and the Purple Sox find yourself having a gap at third base?

Ben Clemens: as for Story, properly, I don’t suppose not shifting story is for lack of making an attempt

Visitor: How do you suppose this commerce impacts Buster Posey’s standing as a GM?

Ben Clemens: I believe he’ll get extra credit score than he deserves, however I believe it was good enterprise

Ben Clemens: like, hey somebody calls you up and says “you know the way your crew persistently whiffs on signing stars to large greenback offers the place, on the time of signing, it’s unclear whether or not they’re good offers? would you be occupied with getting a kind of gamers?”

Ben Clemens: i imply…. what, was he gonna say no?

Ben Clemens: I don’t know, this doesn’t really feel like 4d chess to me. You’re saying that for those who had been the Giants GM, you wouldn’t have the wherewithal to appreciate that it’s good to have Rafael Devers?

Appa yip yip: If you happen to’re bregman do you even wish to signal with Boston long run? Presumably he can have a extra sturdy market this offseason

Ben Clemens: I imply, I gained’t put myself in his head

Ben Clemens: I don’t suppose this deal essentially ought to make him a ton much less prone to re-sign

Ben Clemens: he’s seen the enterprise of baseball, he noticed the Stros not retain him

Ben Clemens: I agree that his market can be sturdy. If he truly wished to play somewehre else and simply signed this as a stopgap, positive, he would possibly go hit a bid away. However I believe he’s a very good match for Fenway and I believe that there could be protests on Yawkey Manner if he signed away. The Sox will probalby simply again up the truck to keep away from the unhealthy PR

Oaktown Blues: Wouldn’t Posey deserve credit score if he was the one to broach the concept to BOS? I believe I learn a report that they didn’t store Devers to different groups, which might sq. with the notion that it was the Giants who pushed for this

Ben Clemens: If that comes out, then yeah I assume? But additionally, I might assume GM’s are all the time doing this

Ben Clemens: that half I’m undecided about

Visitor: Are you able to discuss Devers’ contract particulars? There’s $75 million in deferrals,  which appears fairly large, and a $20 million signing bonus paid over his first 4 years. Who pays the bonus?

Ben Clemens: so the deferrals are within the math, principally 7.5 million of yearly’s wage will get paid 10 years later

Ben Clemens: I simply NPV’ed that

Ben Clemens: the signing bonus, I haven’t seen it coated instantly however usually the best way that works is that the unique signing crew has already agreed to pay it so they simply pay it. Similar approach that the Sox owe Devers 7.5 million in 2034, though clearly he’s not a Purple Sox anymore

Didace: “The Sox will probalby simply again up the truck to keep away from the unhealthy PR”. After which commerce him in two years?

Junior Caminero Jr.: Why do you suppose writers and speaking heads are likely to generalize Tampa as a terrific pitching, mild hitting crew yr in and yr out as if it’s nonetheless 2010 or so?  Is it laziness about not eager to analysis a small market crew’s ebbs and flows in technique, or do you suppose it’s a extra legitimate critique than I want to suppose?

Ben Clemens: partially, haha

Ben Clemens: I’m a kind of writers, writing is simpler if in case you have a number of narratives to observe

Ben Clemens: however yeah, I believe it’s additionally that the Rays proceed to TRY to do their pitching factor on a regular basis

Cardinals Enjoyer: As a Cardinals fan who simply watched an incredible April/Might, ignoring troubling underlying statistics, and seeing this early snapback to actuality for the crew, what do you suppose their goals ought to be within the deadline? Personally I believe they need to set of Chaim Bloom with a top-10 farm system in any respect prices, do you see the Cardinals having the ability to be sellers to any impactful extent?

Ben Clemens: I’ve been kinda pessimistic on the 2025 crew however the causes I used to be pessimistic haven’t tracked with what’s gone down

Ben Clemens: principally the pitching has been meaningfully higher than I anticipated, Libby particularly

Ben Clemens: however this rotation is just not actually tehre but, imo. and MAN, Jordan Walker not hitting is a bummer

Ben Clemens: I believe they need to be making an attempt to get youthful notably in pitching. and honestly, I believe that’s gonna occur, however I doubt they’ll go full accelerationist and commerce Helsley and Grey, though I’d in all probability chunk the bullet and do it

Justin: Ben, cherished your write-up on devers. In your article you mentioned {that a} crew 26 two win gamers wouldn’t make the playoffs. I perceive the purpose you had been making an attempt to make, however wouldn’t that roster truly make the playoffs? 52 wins above substitute on one crew appears fairly good. Thanks!

Ben Clemens: I in all probability ought to have mentioned ’26 true-talent 2 WAR gamers’

Ben Clemens: like sure, your 8 2 WAR reliever bullpen could be ludicrous

Ben Clemens: what about your bench being principally 4 corridor of famers, to have the ability to put up 2 WAR apiece in so few PA’s

Phil: By the best way, there is no such thing as a Yawkey Manner anymore, on account of Tom Yawkey being a racist: it reverted to Jersey Avenue (and the extension of it on the opposite facet of Brookline Ave is now David Ortiz Manner).

Ben Clemens: oh my goodness

Ben Clemens: properly that’s good

Ben Clemens: protests on David Ortiz Manner

Ben Clemens: hey, it’s even a DH avenue

G: Additionally on Devers, in the end that is the place Boston might get essentially the most cents for his or her {dollars}, proper? Yoshida-Anthony-Abreu-Duran-Rafaela, there was a lot smoke about how the stumbling block with Duran was that they simply weren’t going to get sufficient worth again. And SF principally mentioned, we’ll pay you to leap in your grenade as a result of we’d like it so unhealthy. From a price retention standpoint, this was in all probability essentially the most environment friendly maneuver. I believe what folks aren’t actually coming to grips with is the truth that the Purple Sox really feel that they must win AND be worth/money environment friendly to some extent. And the final 5 years are a departure from the final twenty in that respect.

Ben Clemens: hoist the worth retention banner

Ben Clemens: worth is an axis of trades

Ben Clemens: I write a crap ton about worth

Ben Clemens: who writes about worth extra tha nme?

Ben Clemens: for those who suppose that’s the one axis by which to guage baseball, you don’t perceive baseball, in my view

HappyFunBall: We notice, in fact, that Tibbs might find yourself being Alex Verdugo v2 sure?

Ben Clemens: sure, he’s very a lot of that archetype

Sir Nerdlington: Are we on the level the place the baseball’s drag coefficient must be collectively bargained?

Ben Clemens: each time I learn considered one of Eno’s articles on this I’m like ‘wow how is that this potential?’

Ben Clemens: it truly is loopy

Ben Clemens: I don’t even suppose MLB is doing this on prupose, like WHY

Bencle Mens: The Devers information is outshining the truth that Ohtani is pitching right this moment. That’s a very good indicator that it wasn’t an excellent commerce

Ben Clemens: lol, now that’s true

Ben Clemens: I’m actually excited for the Ohtani begin

G: Boston 3B gap could be stuffed by Mayer, proper? Simply means you retain the Story albatross

Ben Clemens: I imply, that’s perhaps worse?

Ben Clemens: jerk round your prospects to accomodate a 4 WAR stud, advantageous

Ben Clemens: jerk round your prospects b/c this man you signed 4 years in the past who had some surgical procedures and by no means was the identical continues to be drawing wage? that’s unhealthy

Ben Clemens: iamgine taking a look at a lineup with Devers and Story and going ‘yeah, we have to get Devers out of right here in order that issues movement extra easily’

Ben Clemens: I’m being harsh, I do know, I do know

Ben Clemens: however like…. have a look at all these issues and issues they’ve created for themselves

George: Do you may have any opinion on the Davey Martinez saga in DC? I don’t actually suppose there may be ever a draw back to shifting on from any non-elite supervisor for a non-playoff crew?

Ben Clemens: I’m studying about it now and…. yeah haha, they want a change of surroundings

Ben Clemens: I’m a giant davey fan general, tbh

Ben Clemens: my Nats fan associates have satisfied me that he’s a very good clubhouse man

Ben Clemens: however like, let’s simply repair this

Ben Clemens: there’s no actual draw back in shifting on, your gamers would possibly wish to hear some new voices

Cardinals Enjoyer: Do you see a approach dwelling for Jordan Walker, and if that’s the case how lengthy do the Cardinals maintain him as an day by day man to attempt an harness his powers. I believe him not hitting stands out as the most upsetting factor that has occurred to this crew in recent times as an avid supporter of the franchise.

Ben Clemens: It’s positively one of the crucial stunning issues to me

Ben Clemens: I used to be prepared for Walker to be BRUTAL within the outfield

Ben Clemens: or to wrestle with strikeouts

Ben Clemens: however I’m sorry, THIS man can’t hit for energy?

Ben Clemens: THIS man has 8 bombs over 358 PA within the final two years?

Ben Clemens: he’s constructed like Aaron Choose

Bosoxforlife: How a lot do you concern that Ohtani’s unbelievable offense could also be negatively affected when he returns to pitching?

Ben Clemens: I’m not NOT frightened, is how I’ll put it

Ben Clemens: I don’t have a good suggestion of methods to handicap it as a result of I simply don’t have any priors to map it to

Ben Clemens: however how will you not fear about it?

Ben Clemens: he acquired lots higher at hitting when he centered on it full time

Hunter: Does Riley Greene get sufficient credit score for the Tigers being good? I’ve seen/learn a bunch of stuff from nationwide writers/podcaster making an attempt to determine if/why the Tigers are good and it looks as if Riley is all the time simply kind of briefly acknowledged if he’s talked about in any respect.

Ben Clemens: I don’t actually know methods to grade the views of nationwide sportswriters, but when that’s the case, that’s bizarre to me? Comfortably the perfect hitter on the crew, and a extremely good hitter, and the Tigers are sixth within the majors in runs scored even in Comerica

DeeBo: “Breslow graduated in 2002 from Yale College with a level in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. He was named the “Smartest Man in Baseball” by The Wall Avenue Journal in 2009, and in 2010 he ranked No. 1 on The Sporting Information record of Prime 20 Smartest Athletes.” I’d wish to suppose that if WSJ named me the neatest man in baseball in 2009, I’d have the self assuredness to omit that on my official bio on the Sox web site

Ben Clemens: lol oh man this one made me chuckle

Ben Clemens: I don’t know, if I acquired ranked the neatest man in baseball, I’d put that someplace, haha

Ben Clemens: I assume I simply checked out my bio and it’s quite simple, so perhaps not?

Ben Clemens: however…. eh, I don’t maintain this towards him. additionally he might not have written it. he nearly actually didn’t provide you with all of the accomplishments to incorporate

appa yip yip: what do you suppose ohtani would slash if he acquired 100 plate appearances towards himself?

Ben Clemens: I’d say…. his common line

Ben Clemens: b/c he’d have the platoon benefit

Ichiro: Would you’re taking the over or underneath on the Mariners’ 56.2% FG Playoff odds?

Michael: How reputable is Jeremy Pena’s breakout? Pulling the ball at a profession excessive degree and has lower his chase price and Okay price.

Ben Clemens: ask me once more in a month. I’m pondering lots about this particular query proper now. I’ll say: I purchase his xwOBA over his wOBA, dude’s not gonna maintain babip’ing .364 with this contact combine

Ben Clemens: however even when he’s a 120 wRC+ shortstop along with his glvoe ,that’s a breakout

Eric: Ohtani had a 179 wRC+ hitting when he final pitched in 2023, principally the identical because the 181 he’s put up in 2024 and 2025. He had developed into this degree as a hitter earlier than his pitcher damage.

Ben Clemens: yeah…. look, I’m not saying that is fully unassailable reality

Ben Clemens: I’m speculating

Ben Clemens: I mentioned it’s all a guess

Ben Clemens: it’s potential that yeah he’s simply figured all of it out

Ben Clemens: I believe it’s cheap to fret that perhaps he hasn’t

Simply Fowl: Do the Purple Sox have to discover a new place for Kristian Campbell? Presently tied for final place in OAA for second basemen @-7. As soon as Bregman is again, Story and Mayer make up the perfect MI protection for the crew. They already pulled the plug on making an attempt him at 1B, and there are two, perhaps three higher CFers on the crew.

Ben Clemens: I truthfully don’t get why Campbell isn’t studying first

Ben Clemens: yeah he’s NOT good at second

Ben Clemens: and that actually matches with the scouting report, too

Ben Clemens: so as to add to the Ohtani factor, b/c I notice I got here off kinda dismissive:

Ben Clemens: yeah like…. he has, earlier than, hit and pitched very properly on the identical time

Ben Clemens: he has not, usually talking, completed it persistently for lengthy durations of time. I by no means wish to wager towards Ohtani however I additionally suppose that unease is warranted. Like, perhaps he’s a 160 wRC+ hitter as an alternative of 180?

Tony Mansolino: Ought to we commerce O’Hearn even when we’re ~5GB on the deadline? At the least to re-stock prospects, and perhaps flip them within the offseason for pitching?

Ben Clemens: The flip right here ought to be to Boston, proper?

Ben Clemens: Solely, lol, good luck!

Ben Clemens: um, I believe that buying and selling O’Hearn is affordable, however I believe that the current deadlines have proven that hte marketplace for 1b/DH bats, notably platoon bats, is just not sturdy

Ben Clemens: I’m guessing the O’s will do it b/c the Elias/Mejdal braintrust isn’t one to cross up getting some future worth

Ben Clemens: however I believe it’s gonna be for lower than you hope

Bosoxforlife: I watch each recreation and Campbell, at the moment, doesn’t appear like a serious league participant on both facet of the ball, however it’s the protection, or complete lack of it, that stands out.

Ben Clemens: Yeah, haha, properly mentioned

Ben Clemens: Actually I can see it on the plate though he’s not producing

Ben Clemens: however I can’t see it within the discipline. He appears unhealthy on the market. misplaced

Wirefan: Is a part of the rationale the RedSox are enjoying Campbell and Rafaela full time whereas enjoying Mayer and Anthony half time is the previous 2 have signed ectensions?

Ben Clemens: I dunno, that feels perhaps a bit of main, however I do suppose it’s a key motive they each began the yr within the majors

Ben Clemens: and perhaps that leads into the latter

Mike Elias: What ought to I study from this Devers saga? Be good to gamers? Don’t worth my roster 4 years from now over right this moment? Possibly purchase Gunnar Henderson a aircraft and a home??

Ben Clemens: I imply, truthfully I don’t suppose Elias would do that

Ben Clemens: his errors, in my view (debatable, I imply, he’s a significantly better baseball government than I’m, however my job is to opine), are that he’s very centered on successful each commerce

Ben Clemens: not that he’s making an attempt to eliminate his greatest gamers ever

Ben Clemens: he’s truly too connected, it appears to me, if something

Okra: T or F : the Devers commerce crashed Fangaphs?

Ben Clemens: it seems that solution to me, lol

Ben Clemens: I don’t know, Cloudflare itself doesn’t appear overrun

Ben Clemens: not like final week

MyBloodyBallantine: At the least Rafaela has 1 elite software (his protection). Proper now, Campbell has nothing and truthfully appears like he wants extra time in AAA.

Ben Clemens: I agree with this. Rafaela’s match with the crew is awkward as a result of they’ve a ton of outfielders, however there’s no doubting his heart discipline bona fides

Ben Clemens: I might very fortunately play him in heart day by day if I weren’t making an attempt to suit Duran, Anthony, Yoshida, Campbell, and Abreu within the outfield too

Ben Clemens: and yeah, at this level, it’s not like Campbell’s bat is simple. I nonetheless suppose it is going to be. However he’s not wanting like a 2025 breakout

Okra: Can we discuss Denzel Clarke having 8 (EIGHT!) OAA in CF in solely 21 video games?

Ben Clemens: ah, dang, I attempted to hyperlink to five issues from final Friday (he led the column) however the website is again down

Insert Witty Identify Right here: Missed the chat final week, wished to ask for those who watched all of that Roland Garros ultimate? That was nearly BoSox down 3-0 and coming again to win the World Sequence sort comeback!

Ben Clemens: oh my goodness what a match

Ben Clemens: I’ll say, I felt like in some way the steadiness shifted solution to Alcaraz because it went on, however not b/c Sinner faltered or something

Ben Clemens: if something he acquired higher?

Ben Clemens: Alcaraz’s degree simply stored rising and rising

Okra: If pitchers have persistently nice numbers however the pitch fashions don’t like them, what are the mannequin most definitely lacking?  Deception in supply?  Tunneling / how the pitches play off one another?

Ben Clemens: Yeah, all of those, “funk”, sequencing, means to regulate what you throw primarily based on the hitter

Ben Clemens: “pitchability” basically

Ben Clemens: I don’t suppose that is fixable. like, fashions can’t decide up on these issues, that’s why they’re simply fashions

Ben Clemens: perhaps new fashions might do higher. however some quantity of fuzziness is unavoidable

Ben Clemens: you gotta see what truly occurs in actual life in some unspecified time in the future

Visitor: Sorry to interrupt however I’m in want of some assist with splits leaderboard. I’m making an attempt to slender down Groups vs LHP over the previous 30 days for AVG, K5, HR, and ISO. I cant determine it out alone. Is there anybody that may help?

Ben Clemens: apologies upfront for the massive lengthy record

Ben Clemens: however principally, I believe this could do it? Phillies have 12 HR vL prior to now 30 days, 1 forward of the Dodgers

Bosoxforlife: Clarke’s Spiderman catch is within the Prime 10 I’ve ever seen. Now if solely Rafaela and Clarke might hit we would see the return of the nice all-around centerfielders that I grew up with, Willie, Mickey and The Duke.

Ben Clemens: that catch was SO loopy

Ben Clemens: I don’t suppose phrases do it justice

Mark: Ben, I’m glad you loved Wrigley Subject, and I agree that the in-park facilities are inferior. My solely comparability is with American Household Subject in Milwaukee (I nonetheless name it Miller Park!), and AFF has way more to supply. The one factor good at Wrigley is the new canine from Grill areas, cooked on a grill, avalable with grilled onions, and with a devoted condiment stand with the accoutrements of a correct Chicago canine: celery salt, neon-green relish, yellow mustard, sport peppers, and a pickle. And I stop shopping for beer on the ballpark a number of years in the past; I simply can’t pay $14 for any beer, not to mention a mediocre one. However right here’s the factor: I am going to see a baseball recreation, and in my view there’s no higher place than my seats, second row of the higher deck, wanting down on brief left discipline. I’m an previous fart and a baseball purist, and I admit I don’t interface with the brand new paradigm. However bear in mind, there are dozens of eating places and bars inside a number of blocks!

Ben Clemens: I sit within the higher deck at Oracle lots, for positive

Ben Clemens: and yeah, the expertise at Wrigley is nice. I gained’t knock anybody for liking it. doesn’t line up with the stuff I like most however you may’t argue iwth the historical past and the ivy

Visitor: it’s humorous to me that within the ultimate type of hitting, it seems zone contact doesn’t truly matter – Choose and Ohtani have sub 80 zcons this yr. get ok at crushing your pitch and watch it fly

Ben Clemens: you would possibly like this story

Steve: Do the Braves prolong Acuña within the subsequent couple of years? In that case, what does that deal appear like?

Ben Clemens: hmmmmm…. nice query

Ben Clemens: I’m actually uncertain!

Ben Clemens: I believe they’ll attempt to. However he would possibly wish to hit the open market provided that he’s already set for all times and already signed a giant extension slightly than check the market

The place had been you: The place had been you whenever you came upon when Devers was traded? I used to be enjoying pickleball

The place had been you: It’s a section of the place had been you! 😂

Ben Clemens: ooh, good. I used to be at dwelling preparing for sunday night time baseball watching

Ben Clemens: which was handy!

Ben Clemens: Meg pinged me like ‘you round?’ and fortuitously I used to be

Sean: Dipoto is getting a number of grief for not making the playoffs persistently, however for those who have a look at the nice he’s completed, like extending Julio and Cal, the Kelenic & Castillo & Arozarena trades, farm system rebuild, it will recommend he has completed a fairly good job.  Is it possession primarily holding this crew again?  Is Dipoto probably the greatest?

Ben Clemens: the possession is unquestionably a giant headwind right here. And I do suppose that general Dipoto has completed a very good job

Ben Clemens: probably the greatest? I dunno, it’s so exhausting to grade

Judgement Day: The Purple Sox broke Aaron Choose this weekend: True or False?

Ben Clemens: You realize what? I’m gonna exit on a limb and say false

Ben Clemens: alright, I’ve gotta head out and eat some lunch (leftover numbing pink cabbage and peanut noodles with turkey meatballs from final night time, A+ meal)

Ben Clemens: thanks a ton for sitting right here and letting me hold forth much more on Rafael Devers right this moment, and I respect your entire contributions and opinions as properly

Ben Clemens: Have a beautiful week, everybody, and let’s do it once more in seven days

Ben Clemens: perhaps not the blockbuster commerce on Sunday night time half, I wanna get some relaxation