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Miami Marlins Paul Clemens Analysis

By Sean Millerick

Feb 21, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Paul Clemens (50) during work out drills at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Paul Clemens (50) during work out drills at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 21, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Paul Clemens (50) during work out drills at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Paul Clemens (50) during work out drills at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Turns out Ichiro’s 4,257th professional hit wasn’t the only Marlins milestone I was getting to watch in person last Wednesday at Petco Park.  I was also getting to watch what could easily be Justin Nicolino‘s last start as a Marlin in 2016.

Fair enough if you want to argue only one of these is worth committing to my scrapbook; fairer still if you want to know who in their right mind would have a scrapbook of random baseball memories.  But nevertheless, the Miami Marlins decided this weekend to demote the struggling Nicolino, and replace him with the next man up down on the farm.

Time to meet Paul Clemens.

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And do we mean meet.  Because if you’ve heard of this guy prior to yesterday’s announcement of the move, the only logical explanation is that you’re a season ticket holder for the New Orleans Zephyrs.  Send beignets!  Or perhaps you followed the Houston Astros in 2013 or 2014, his last and only MLB stretch prior to the present. His most notable professional moment to date would be that he was one of four players the Atlanta Braves traded to Houston for one and a half years of Michael Bourn.

Even the most casual Marlins fan can probably name at least one other pitcher you might have expected to see tapped for this opportunity instead.  And if you’re reading this site, you probably came up with at least four.  Before we move too far off the subject of “Inconsequential Trades Involving the Astros”, I’d hazard a guess Jarred Cosart was the name most were expecting to be drawn from the AAA hat.  So Clemens wasn’t even the most likely ex-Astro to be starting Monday’s Marlins-Rockies finale.

But upon closer inspection, he was actually the most logical choice.

There’s two sides to this, one grounded in pitching practicality, and the other in midsummer fantasy.  Let’s take a look.

Next: Why He's Better Than The Others

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