Stay ConnectedEno Sarris and Derek VanRiper, along with Britt Ghiroli, Trevor May, and Jed Lowrie discuss advanced stats, strategy, prospects and more. From the first move of the Hot Stove season to the final pitch of the World Series, join us for year-round baseball talk.
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Joe Sheehan joins Eno and DVR to discuss dropping the skepticism around the Tigers as AL Central frontrunners, where credit (and blame) belong with the 2025 Giants, over-performing teams they expect to see fade from the playoff picture over the course of the season, and under-performing teams they believe will find their way into the playoffs. Plus, the lack of top-end results from Jordan Walker despite top-end bat speed, and a few selections for summer breakouts.
Rundown
5:30 Should We Believe in the Tigers?
12:41 The 'Bustarhan' Giants Are Pretty Good
21:18 Best Teams Today That Won't Make the Playoffs This Season
25:15 Is the Guardians' Pitching Development Fading?
30:57 2025 Playoffs Teams with Worst Record on May 13th?
39:41 Why Are Teams Reluctant to Make 'Early' Trades?
46:12 Jordan Walker: Top-End Bat Speed, Without Top-End Results
53:32 Who Is Your Favorite Breakout On Tap This Summer?
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Joe Sheehan
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno and DVR discuss the D-backs' decision to recall Jordan Lawlar, Zach Eflin's importance for the Orioles' injury-plagued rotation, and the Rockies' decision to dismiss manager Bud Black, before looking at some of the biggest risers and fallers (among hitters) in initial 2025 projections v. rest-of-season projections with The BAT X.
Rundown
3:33 Jordan Lawlar: Recalled by D-backs; How Does He Fit Right Now?
8:52 Zach Eflin: Returns from the IL
12:59 The Rockies Fire Manager Bud Black
21:55 Projections Movers: Biggest Risers
28:22 Who Has Moved Their Projections Enough to Change Their Role?
34:50 Andrew Vaughn's Projection Has Improved Despite Tough Stretch?
44:26 Projections Movers: Biggest Fallers
52:57 Willy Adames: A Good Buy-Low Candidate?
57:15 Where the Money Went: Cade Horton & Intriguing, Affordable Bats
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno and DVR discuss Rafael Devers' rejection of a move to first base and answer a few mailbag questions -- including an intriguing reason the Dodgers' Stuff+ numbers may be lagging in public models -- before examining several waiver-wire options to consider ahead of the weekend.
Rundown
4:30 Rafael Devers Rejects a Move to First Base
10:56 The New Pope is a White Sox Fan, 2025 Chances?
13:15 Is Dodgers' Low Stuff+ This Season Just Being Ahead of Public Models?
20:29 Why is David Robertson Still a Free Agent?
22:38 Does Trent Grisham Have Shallow League Appeal?
36:29 A Waiver-Wire Leaderboard for This Weekend's Bats
49:39 Adjusting Age for Players Switching Roles?
53:01 Weekend Pitcher Leaderboard
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss the Pirates' decision to fire manager Derek Shelton after a 12-26 start and wonder how making a change in that role will can make an impact. Plus, they dig into the slow start for Roki Sasaki and wonder if he can improve his fastball command and make a tweak to his pitch mix on the fly to get better results over the course of his rookie campaign, before drafting struggling starting pitchers and discussing a great piece about Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz from Alex Chamberlain of FanGraphs.
Rundown
1:10 The Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton
8:54 The Overall Struggles Under Bob Nutting's Ownership
15:44 Injury Follow-Ups: Hunter Greene, Dylan Cease, Corbin Burnes, Yordan Alvarez & William Contreras
18:30 Checking In on Roki Sasaki
24:24 Comps for Roki Sasaki's Fastball
32:49 What's the Role *If* the Dodgers' Rotation Gets Healthier?
36:40 A Four-Round Rebound Pitchers Draft
54:16 A Great Read About Andrés Muñoz'
Andrés Muñoz Is an Analytical Blind Spot' by Alex Chamberlain of FanGraphs: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/andres-munoz-is-an-analytical-blind-spot/
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Trevor May
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno, DVR, and Jed discuss a brutal day at the office for Ryan Pressly and Chase Meidroth, before looking at the Orioles' sluggish start to 2025 and the rash of injuries that have played a role along the way, as well as the organization's approach to pitching. Plus, they talk about the changes in Seattle where the Mariners have put together a top-five offense to begin the season, and wonder if new philosophies will make that improvement stick all year.
Rundown
1:24 Ryan Pressly's Historically Bad Day
13:18 Bouncing Back From a Blunder
19:29 It Actually Happens...A Lot
32:38 Making Sense of a 13-21 Start in Baltimore
40:14 What Would You Have Done Differently?
50:34 The Mariners Have Been a Top-Five Offense
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Jed Lowrie
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Will Sammon joins Eno and DVR to discuss the Mets' increasing distance from 'LOL Mets' thanks to their continued growth in pitching development throughout the organization. Plus, they discuss the ongoing questions around Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña's path to lock down the second-base job, and changes to Mark Vientos' approach that haven't paid off yet. Plus, they discuss bloated ratios, Dylan Cease's bad luck to begin 2025, and Jasson Domínugez as a long-term target.
Rundown
2:11 Clay Holmes' Excellent Start to 2025
5:56 Griffin Canning's Relatively Simple Adjustments
11:49 Taking Small Market Success Into a Big Budget Situation
14:33 Tylor Megill's Short & Long-Term Changes
17:27 David Peterson is the Mets' Andrew Abbott
21:06 Questions Around the Mets' Bats
27:24 Trading Bat Speed for an All-Fields Approach?
37:04 Hope for Damaged ERA and WHIP?
44:26 What's Going On with Dylan Cease?
49:56 Jasson Domínguez: Still a Long-Term Target?
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Will Sammon
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Eno and DVR discuss the likely season-ending injury for Triston Casas among several other absences that popped up over the weekend including Yordan Alvarez, Shota Imanaga (both on the IL since recording), Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes. They also discuss BABIP as a tool to help find buy-low targets and pickups, and marvel at Aaron Judge's .500 BABIP to begin the season before looking at how Coby Mayo might fit on the Orioles' depth chart once they get a infielders back from the IL.
Rundown
3:00 Triston Casas: 2025 Season Likely Over
11:19 Corbin Burnes: Early Skills Decline Followed By Shoulder Inflammation
17:52 Freddy Peralta & Shota Imanaga: Leave Early w/Injuries
22:16 Other News & Notes From the Weekend
28:54 Inspector BABIP: Using BABIP as an Entry Point for Buy Lows & Pickups
43:54 Concerns About Junior Caminero's Launch Angle?
51:27 Favorite In-Season Projections
54:58 Where the Money Went: Light Bidding on Coby Mayo Thanks to Upcoming Crowded Depth Chart?
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Producer: Brian Smith\
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno and DVR discuss the surprising early May demotion to Triple-A for Jake Burger, and look at some of the biggest movers on the O-Swing% leaderboard from 2024 to 2025. Plus, they discuss another injury for Mike Trout, Jazz Chisholm's shift to the IL, and a few intriguing names to consider on the waiver as the weekend begins.
Rundown
3:40 Jake Burger Optioned to Triple-A
10:02 O-Swing% Changers: 2024 to 2025; The Rangers' Aggressive Approach
16:59 Mike Trout Placed on the IL
24:37 The Angels' Curious Late-Inning Bullpen Management
30:06 Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Oblique Injury Leads to IL Trip
35:19 Updates on Gelof, Ohtani, Darvish & Buehler
41:15 Pitchers to Consider
50:22 Shelby Miller's Path for Saves Opens Up
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss the strike zone, which is shrinking in 2025. They dig into why that changes have taken place and consider a few implications of that adjustment. Plus, they look at a trio of underperforming starting pitchers through the first month of the season including Zac Gallen, who may have started a turnaround Thursday against the Mets, Sandy Alcántara, and Aaron Nola.
Story from Jayson Stark, Ken Rosenthal, Eno & several writers from The Athletic MLB team ($): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6328105
Rundown
2:32 Is The Strike Zone Really Shrinking?
4:36 Where Is The Strike Zone Getting Smaller?
13:23 Adjusting the Game to Increase Offense & Balls in Play
20:52 Walk Rates Don't Fluctuate Much
29:59 Zac Gallen: Adjustments Already Happening?
38:16 Sandy Alcántara: A Typical Post Tommy John Command Lag?
45:14 Aaron Nola: Is the Ceiling Coming Down Again?
52:00 Eno's Greatest Fear
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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Trevor May
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
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Eno, DVR, and Jed discuss a story from David Adler of MLB.com about Aaron Judge's batting stance adjustments throughout an elite calendar year at the plate. Plus, they look at four hitters off to great starts to determine if there is more than just a fast start under the hood.
Join Our Six Picks Group -- Session 2 begins Thursday May 1st!
https://ottoneu.fangraphs.com/sixpicks/league/67 (password: froggy)
David Adler's Batting Stance Breakdown for Aaron Judge:
https://www.mlb.com/news/aaron-judge-batting-stance-change-statcast-breakdown
Rundown
2:44 Aaron Judge's Changing Stance Around Massive Year
15:15 Building a Breakout, Jacob Wilson?
25:30 Jung-Hoo Lee: Producing Despite Dip in Bat Speed
33:52 Jonathan Aranda: Setting In for Big Year in Tampa?
46:39 Cedric Mullins: A Second Breakout at 30?
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e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com
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Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels
Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris
With: Jed Lowrie
Producer: Brian Smith
Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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