The hosts discuss implementing a transaction freeze in MLB, answer listener emails about Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, and more. They explore tampering violations and the impact of switching fandom. The value of pep talks in baseball, Bobo Newsom's career, and the impact of the balanced schedule on attendance are also discussed.
Implementing a playoff committee in MLB based on criteria such as market size and star power would significantly change the postseason landscape.
'Prep' is a term used in prospecting circles as a shorter alternative to saying 'high school', making it more convenient to refer to high school prospects in general.
The potency of a player's skill in delivering motivational speeches is unpredictable and dependent on their on-field performance and respect from teammates, making it unlikely for MLB teams to offer a significant contract based on this skill alone.
Deep dives
The College Football Controversy and MLB Playoffs
The college football playoff system has come under scrutiny for its selection process, which considers criteria other than wins on the field. In MLB, implementing a playoff committee would likely focus on criteria like market size, star power, even matchups, and favorable run-scoring environments. However, there are challenges in valuing purely social intangibles. Ultimately, implementing a playoff committee in MLB would significantly change the postseason landscape.
The Use of 'Prep' in Baseball
The term 'prep' is often used in prospecting circles as a shorter alternative to saying 'high school.' It is primarily used to avoid repeating the term 'high school' multiple times in an article or conversation. The distinction between 'prep' and 'high school' is not based on attending a preparatory school, but rather serves as a shorter and more convenient way to refer to high school prospects in general.
The Hypothetical Prospect: The Say-Yay Kid
Hypothetically, if a player like the Say-Yay Kid, who possesses the ability to deliver inspiring pep talks, were available in free agency, MLB teams would likely not offer a significant contract. While the skill of delivering motivational speeches may be valuable, its potency would be linked to the player's performance on the field and the respect the player commands from teammates. It would be too unpredictable and dependent on other factors to warrant a significant investment.
College Football Playoff Controversy
The controversy surrounding the college football playoff selection process highlights the structure and criticism of the system. The use of a selection committee and criteria other than wins on the field has led to debates and criticisms. Ultimately, the unique characteristics of college football and its postseason make it difficult to directly replicate this system in MLB, which has a different postseason structure and considerations.
The impact of the new balanced schedule on attendance
The theory that the uptick in attendance is due to the novelty of the new opposition doesn't hold up. Historical data shows that interleague games have only a 6% boost in attendance compared to divisional games. The rebalancing of the schedule didn't cause a big enough redistribution of games to explain the significant attendance boost. The boost seems to be driven more by divisional games and non-divisional interleague games.
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether MLB should implement an NHL-esque holiday transaction freeze, then (5:53) answer listener emails about Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and tampering, abandoning the Angels, what to do after visiting every MLB and MiLB ballpark, when the last-place finishers of 2023 will be 90-win true-talent teams, “prep” […]
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