JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 3/9/26

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 3/9/26

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Ben Clemens

2:00

Hey everybody, welcome to the chat

2:01

The WBC is in full swing, spring training has started, some of the last few free agents are signing; the regular season is right around the corner, and I'm excited

let's talk baseball

Beano

2:01

Thoughts on the reemergence of Wili Castro in Denver? He might have a career year - yes?

Ben Clemens

2:01

I mean, sure?

most people might

2:02

if you mean that he's batting .636 in spring training, it's 13 PA

but he's a nice player! before he fell apart in the second half of 2025 he was working on three straight plus seasons

not crazy to think he'll just be that guy again. and hoenstly, 2024 Willi Castro would be the Rockies' best player

Guest

2:02

Will the Assorted City Athletics be able to get enough good pitching in time to support their hitting core?

Ben Clemens

2:03

I think so, but I don't think it's this year

2:04

I think that the hope is that they start spending money on pitching, to go with all the hitting, in 2027 and into 2028

but like.... this version of the pitching staff needs a lot of things to break right

Key Flaw

2:04

After any amount of time on a job, there feels like it is a slog (even if it is something you love). How has the day-to-day doldrums of writing about and analyzing baseball been compared to your old corporate job? Is this more seen in the offseason where you are more feeling like writing content than about what is actually happening?

Ben Clemens

2:05

Oh, it's very real. If you do a job, it's a job

2:06

and I need variety in my life. I've picked jobs like 'bet on interest rates' and 'write about baseball' because they are hopefully not repetitive

Let's just say that the FanGraphs Lab is a real part of how I keep myself motivated

2:07

I really like doing different things and changing up my responsibilities

Matt

2:07

Hey Ben, what do you think a peak PCA season will look like? Obviously carrying a sub-5% walk rate isn’t great, but gold glove CFs with 70 XBH don’t grow on trees

Ben Clemens

2:07

I think it'll look like 2025

5.5 WAR thanks to an outlier defensive season, amazing

2:08

a gold glove CF who's 10% above average offensively is a hell of a player

like, maybe he spikes a 7 WAR season in there somewhere thanks to a crazy babip?

but I am not betting on him suddenly becoming an elite hitter given his pitch recognition struggles

Oaktown Blues

2:08

Did you read Project Hail Mary? Are you excited for the movie?

Ben Clemens

2:09

I haven't read it yet - because my wife got it for Christmas and I'm waiting for her to finish it to read it

but I'm really excited, I've read all of Weir's other books and I'm hyped for the movie

Phil

2:09

"If you do a job, it's a job." Couldn't agree with this more. I am in academia, very different industry, but doing what I know is a (possibly unattainable) dream job for a lot of people. I am grateful when I take a step back, but the day-to-day is still a slog. "I love my job" means I derive a general satisfaction, not that it's continuously or even consistently pleasurable.

Ben Clemens

2:10

Yeah, totally

there's nothing wrong with feeling that way

it's still good to do work that's satisfying

but like.... if you tell yourself that ever feeling bored, tired, or frustrated means you don't love your job, things won't work out well

Babip Roberts

2:10

Given everything we know now that we didn’t know in 1992, would you say that it was a mistake to put a team in Denver? Does it distort baseball to such a degree that it’s not really worthwhile?

Ben Clemens

2:10

not at all. I think it's a great idea. I also love going to Rockies games and think Colorado and Denver absolutely merit a team

drplantwrench

2:10

semi-miserable academics RISE UP

Houzer

2:10

Given Parker Meadows lackluster Spring, should the Tigers make an aggressive offer on Brenton Doyle? Would Max Anderson get a deal done?

Ben Clemens

2:11

Just to be clear - Parker Meadows has 25 PA in spring training

I'm more worried about his lackluster 2025

but buddy, wait until I tell you about Brenton Doyle's 2025

2:13

I truly have no idea if Anderson would get the job done. I'm guessing not b/c the Rockies seem to like Doyle. But this is not a case where the Tigers absolutely need Doyle to compete. Would he even make them better? I'm unsure. I like him and am sympathetic to the fact that he had some off-field struggles last year that probably cost him concentration and probably won't repeat in 2026, but like.... dude has a career .284 OBP playing in Coors

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