JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/16/25

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/16/25

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Ben Clemens

2:58

iamgine looking at a lineup with Devers and Story and going 'yeah, we need to get Devers out of here so that things flow more smoothly'

I'm being harsh, I know, I know

but like.... look at all these problems and complications they've created for themselves

George

2:59

Do you have any opinion on the Davey Martinez saga in DC? I don't really think there is ever a downside to moving on from any non-elite manager for a non-playoff team?

Ben Clemens

2:59

I'm reading about it now and.... yeah haha, they need a change of scenery

I'm a big davey fan overall, tbh

my Nats fan friends have convinced me that he's a good clubhouse guy

but like, let's just fix this

there's no real downside in moving on, your players might want to hear some new voices

Cardinals Enjoyer

3:00

Do you see a way home for Jordan Walker, and if so how long do the Cardinals keep him as an every day guy to try an harness his powers. I think him not hitting may be the most upsetting thing that has happened to this team in recent years as an avid supporter of the franchise.

Ben Clemens

3:00

It's definitely one of the most surprising things to me

I was ready for Walker to be BRUTAL in the outfield

or to struggle with strikeouts

but I'm sorry, THIS guy can't hit for power?

3:01

THIS guy has 8 bombs over 358 PA in the last two years?

he's built like Aaron Judge

Bosoxforlife

3:02

How much do you fear that Ohtani's incredible offense may be negatively affected when he returns to pitching?

Ben Clemens

3:02

I'm not NOT worried, is how I'll put it

I don't have a good idea of how to handicap it because I just have no priors to map it to

3:03

but how can you not worry about it?

he got a lot better at hitting when he focused on it full time

Hunter

3:03

Does Riley Greene get enough credit for the Tigers being good? I've seen/read a bunch of stuff from national writers/podcaster trying to figure out if/why the Tigers are good and it seems like Riley is always just sort of briefly acknowledged if he's mentioned at all.

Ben Clemens

3:05

I don't really know how to grade the views of national sportswriters, but if that's the case, that's weird to me? Comfortably the best hitter on the team, and a really good hitter, and the Tigers are 6th in the majors in runs scored even in Comerica

DeeBo

3:05

“Breslow graduated in 2002 from Yale University with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. He was named the "Smartest Man in Baseball" by The Wall Street Journal in 2009, and in 2010 he ranked No. 1 on The Sporting News list of Top 20 Smartest Athletes.” I’d like to think that if WSJ named me the smartest man in baseball in 2009, I’d have the self assuredness to omit that on my official bio on the Sox website

Ben Clemens

3:05

lol oh man this one made me chuckle

3:06

I don't know, if I got ranked the smartest man in baseball, I might put that somewhere, haha

I guess I just looked at my bio and it's very simple, so maybe not?

but.... eh, I don't hold this against him. also he may not have written it. he almost certainly didn't come up with all the accomplishments to include

appa yip yip

3:06

what do you think ohtani would slash if he got 100 plate appearances against himself?

Ben Clemens

3:06

lol

I'd say.... his regular line

3:07

b/c he'd have the platoon advantage

Ichiro

3:07

Would you take the over or under on the Mariners’ 56.2% FG Playoff odds?

Ben Clemens

3:07

over

Michael

3:07

How legitimate is Jeremy Pena's breakout? Pulling the ball at a career high level and has cut his chase rate and K rate.

Ben Clemens

3:07

ask me again in a month. I'm thinking a lot about this specific question right now. I will say: I buy his xwOBA over his wOBA, dude's not gonna keep babip'ing .364 with this contact mix

but even if he's a 120 wRC+ shortstop with his glvoe ,that's a breakout

Eric

3:07

Ohtani had a 179 wRC+ hitting when he last pitched in 2023, basically the same as the 181 he's put up in 2024 and 2025. He had developed into this level as a hitter before his pitcher injury.

Ben Clemens

3:08

yeah.... look, I'm not saying this is completely unassailable fact

I'm speculating

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