JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/15/26

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/15/26

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Ben Clemens

3:13

I think it's like the Czechia WBC team

semi-pros, etc., taking on real MLB players and doing fine

3:14

like, look at how badly Curacao got worked by Germany

you know what USUALLY happens in these games

but it doesn't have to

bosoxforlife

3:14

There are so many great things in Misiorowski's game but the one I can't believe is that he could fan 15 and keep the pitch count at 95. I never thought that was possible. IMHO a better game has never been pitched.

Ben Clemens

3:14

the math is so weird

like, how!

that's 45 pitches just on the strikeouts

and just the strikes on the strikeouts

cosmichero

3:17

Sorry for the barrage of Nats questions, they're just a very confusing team and are interesting with the new FO. Do you think we're having the same conversation about Wood in a year? He seems good enough to be the guy you keep if anyone is, but will they pay to extend him? I assume it would be a big number.

Ben Clemens

3:17

Man, I think that they should definitely pay to extend him, but I'm curiosu to see how the Nats operate with uncertain ownership future

you know what I mean?

like, I think they still want to sell

and that probably changes the calculus

but these days, it's so hard to trade for a guy like that. they did it! they need to consolidate theihr gains

ankoalec

3:17

What record or how many games out of the division/WC would Detroit need to be to decide to be buyers at the deadline? The season has been riddled with injuries and obviously the main focus has been if/when Skubal gets traded, but they're also at a ~20% chance for playoffs which isn't nothing in a division where the frontrunner just lost their star player to a hamate injury. For as gross as the lineup has been, it feels like an impact righty bat and a reliable reliever or two could really kickstart a turnaround (or I'm rationalizing a lost season? no, definitely not that).

Ben Clemens

3:19

Right now they're 6 back in the WC with 6 teams ahead of them. I think games back is less important than teams ahead; maybe it's like, within 5 with only 3 teams between you and the WC, add?

I don't have a great answer for you here but if I'm the Tigers, I'm trying ot make the playoffs this year if it's reasonable

Alex Remington

3:19

Minor league team in same city as major league parent – *that* would probably be relatively unprecedented, but "minor league affiliate in suburbs of the city where the parent plays" is not: e.g., Gwinnett Stripers / Atlanta Braves, Potomac Nationals / Washington Nationals (until recently), etc.

Ben Clemens

3:19

true. not so easy to accomplish in the desert where the sprawl doesn't work the same way, but that's not a bad point

PC1970

3:19

In 1997, I saw Randy Johnson throw a 15K, 1 hitter at Tiger Stadium..(& the 1 hit was in the 8th inning..& we were pissed, Tigers were going nowhere & we wanted to see a no hitter). So dominant, looked like the Tigers were swinging whiffle ball bats at times. So, similar to Miz..but, he threw 125 pitches & that was in 8 innings. Long way of saying- Yeah, that Miz game was insane.

Ben Clemens

3:20

haha yeah the math is just bonkers. I think that so few players today can operate as fastball-primary as a starter that his line just does'nt add up in my head

it's just baffling!

Chuck Slothower

3:20

Gelof or Bazzana ROS?

Ben Clemens

3:20

gimme Bazzana but I'm not super confident in that

cosmichero

3:20

on the topic of Nats offense: are they getting lucky with RISP to score a decent amount more runs than wRC+ would suggest or is the base running really that good?

Ben Clemens

3:20

both, but more the first I think

psweeting

3:20

Has Ben Rice actually taken a step forward this year or it just underperforming xwOBA last year and over performing this year?

Ben Clemens

3:20

both imo

D-Wiz

3:20

How do you think the weak AL will affect the trade deadline? Only two teams (Royals & Angels) have less than a ~16% chance of making the playoffs. Like, can't the Tigers or Red Sox or [insert mildly disappointing team here] relatively easily convince themselves that they should actually be buyers, or even just do nothing and still sneak into the playoffs with some marginal good luck, if things stay like this?

Ben Clemens

3:21

(speed round here as I come closer to wrapping up) Yes, absolutely

I think that you're going to see teams fracture off a little bit. because passing a ton of teams is really hard. but I think that it might start slow because everyone thinks they're still in it

and the first mover will extract a slight premium for being the first team willing to trade out of the race

small e

3:21

why is the all star voting process personally biased against my favorite player (Ceddanne Rafaela not even a top 3 Red Sox outfielder in the voting results released just now :( )

Ben Clemens

3:21

baffling!

3:22

I was slow to get on the Rafaela train but I'm there now. and yeah, 'the all star voting slights my favorite player' is a classic annoyance

mikeladd123

3:22

Will Sal Perez break out of his season long slump?

Ben Clemens

3:22

I think at this point we just call it a decline, sadly

MFG

3:22

Which retired, non-HOFer from each team's past would have the biggest impact on the present team? E.g., the Twins' bullpen sure could use prime Joe Nathan these days.

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