JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 5/4/26

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Tim Tebow's Thunder Thighs

2:37

RE: Manoah

I'll never forget that all star game when he was mic'd up on the mound and asked Smoltz what he should throw next and he answered "back foot slider" and Alek said that was a "sexy" answer. Little did he/we realize that would be the highlight of his career.

Ben Clemens

2:38

100%! It's a bummer that he's been bad because he's a very fun personality

Okra

2:38

is it an indictment of an org when a guy like Jordan Walker has to go outside the org to unlock his full potential?

Ben Clemens

2:38

I don't think so, actually. Smart organizations in lots of fields use third parties where appropriate to extend their reach and be more efficient

2:39

it wouldn't make sense to have sufficient hitting coaches to individualize an approach for everyone, I don't think

I'm alright with it, basically

Appa Yip Yip

2:39

It's like when players say the vibe in the clubhouse matters. I believe it does, but exactly how many extra hits are Impeccable Vibes worth a week?

Ben Clemens

2:40

well yeah, we don't know and it's hard to quantify. But being a jerk does really feel like a headwind to your ability to succeed in the majors unles syou're really good

The old rule in finance (lightly paraphrased for language): "You can lose money or be a jerk. Choose one."

Alex

2:40

Cedric Mullins seems COOKED. How much leash does someone with 12 wRC+ get even if Tampa would have to eat money?

Ben Clemens

2:40

oh yeah, I think he's just done

man, sad

another player I really enjoy

2:41

but the Rays are surely thinking about cutting ties

2B Confusion!

2:41

How you feeling about Jazz Chisholm's slow start? What about Brice Turang's hot start? Considering trading the latter for the former in a dynasty league

Ben Clemens

2:41

loved Michael Baumann's article on Turang. I don't have a strong opinion on Jazz, I think my view is basically unch from before the season. But I think I'd be intersted in that trade generaly in that I think Turang is a similar kind of player (depending on which categories you're using) but I like his odds of doing it for longer

War2D2

2:42

So the Giants seem to be in a bit of a pickle. They still owe $225ish million on Devers, he’s been worth roughly -1 WAR regardless of flavor, and his statcast data doesn’t seem to indicate a resurgence coming anytime soon. The team is built from disparate parts with no apparent rhyme or reason. They were projected as a .500 club, but they’ve already banked a -8 in the loss column and even if they return to “average” instead of “bad” they seem to lack the horses to break off an extended run. I realize he hasn’t had a ton of time to get his arms around the job, but at what point do you think Buster POBOsey’s seat starts to get a little warm?

Tim L

2:42

The Giants (gestures broadly, disgustingly). How high can this dead cat bounce?

Ben Clemens

2:42

super curious what they're gonna do

basically every veteran is performing abysmally

except Arraez. But the team's three big stars have wRC+'s of 90, 61, and 56 respectively

2:43

they're playing Heliot Ramos in the outfield every day and he's not even an average hitter. Bailey has a 20 wrC+!!!!

2:44

It feels like they need to do something to blow this team up and change the trajectory, but like, 'let's build it around stars' doesn't work if the three guys you give the money to (Chapman, Adames, and Devers are the three big deals of the Posey era) combine for -0.8 WAR

The Ghost of Wade Boggs

2:44

Hey Ben, I'm sure this isn't your department, but would you be able to pass this on:

I was hoping to pull some data from fangraphs, but I don't see the sort of information I'm looking for available in the custom table stats. I was hoping to find data on hitters who reach base on error and reach base on catcher's interference (which I know is technically an error, but of a special type). Additionally, I was wondering if there was a way to pull players specs as a table data point (i.e. height, weight, handedness). I know a few of those player spec data pieces are available, but it could be really helpful to have more for some interesting studies on size and effectiveness, especially with ABS being tailored to such now. Are these something that you thing Fangraphs would be able to incorporate into the custom table feature?

Thank you!

Cade Smith

2:45

I (Guardians reliever Cade Smith) have my picture on the Fangraphs player page of Cade Smith, AA pitching prospect. Accident? Or am I pulling secret double duty in the Yankees' farm system?

Ben Clemens

2:46

Linking these two b/c they're site stuff; basically I think that those specs are probably not gonna come from us, and probably should come from the league, particularly now that they're used as official measurements. And we get the pictures from a third party. We basically notify them when they have em wrong, which I'm sure will happen here too. But some stuff is just weirdly hard to get for the site. It's not really my area, like you said, but I dabble in it. I'll pass these along

bosoxforlife

2:46

The ABS challenge system has won me over. I was all in for completely automated calls but the anticipation is so much better. There needs to be a way to increase the number of challenges without it becoming invasive. How about 3 more challenges that when used are gone regardless of the outcome in addition to the 2 that presently exist? This would enable players to take a chance earlier in the game which players are becoming very reluctant to try.

Ben Clemens

2:46

yeah! The anticipation is just really fun

2:47

I think that maybe just adding a third chance to miss would be okay. or something like your rule, or maybe different batting and catching challenges/ I dunno, there's room to tinker, but the early returns seem very good

ho hum

2:47

Judge is just quietly tied for the ML lead in homers with a 180 wRC+. Just ho hum. Also does anyone realize that, provided he doesn't crash into another wall, he would be the first player ever - no caveats, no "right handed," no "non-PED," no "post integration," no "AL" - to hit 50 HR 5 times. What's more amazing, that he has a great chance to do it, or that it doesn't really seem all that unusual?

Ben Clemens

2:47

yeah, it's kind of amazing

2:48

I think the more amazing thing is that it doesn't seem all that unusual

it's not like it's hard to quantify aaron judge's success. There's not something ineffable about his greatness

He hits the ball super freaking hard, a lot

he's not outperforming based on one simple trick pitchers can't stand

Roman Banthany

2:48

Are there signs that the Empire is about to strike back? Or am I starting to look more suited for Nerfherding?

Ben Clemens