Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball Pleasant Surprises & Warming Up to a Riser in Colorado?
Aug 8, 2025
Niv Shah, Senior Hot Dog Correspondent and a familiar voice discussing ballpark cuisine, brings a delicious twist to the conversation. The chat covers Josh Naylor's surprising speed boost that catapulted him into the top ranks, while Cade Cavalli's improved performance post-surgery creates excitement for Nationals fans. Niv shares insights on the intriguing rise of Jakob Marsee, and speculates on Warming Bernabel's potential at Coors Field, blending baseball analytics with fun food commentary.
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Naylor's Contract-Year Speed Surge
- Josh Naylor has 21 steals this season despite third-percentile sprint speed.
- Derek and Eno attribute it to savvy base-stealing and a contract-year effort to add value.
Use Cavalli For Ks And Volume
- Pick up Cade Cavalli in deeper or keeper leagues to chase strikeouts and volume.
- Monitor his command and avoid leaving him in tough matchups that will hurt ratios.
Why Keishel Isn't The Next Altuve
- Luke Keishel shares Altuve-like contact and zone skills but lacks an obvious power-up path.
- Expect a .270-ish hitter with around 10 homers and 20 steals, not a full Altuve breakout.