Moving the trade deadline to give front offices more time after the draft.
Isolating relievers from game context to improve their performance.
The 2048 All-Star Game showcased the international diversity in baseball.
Deep dives
Timing of the Trade Deadline and Draft
There has been discussion about moving the trade deadline to alleviate the crunch faced by front offices after the draft. The current timeline between the draft and the deadline is tight, causing challenges for teams that have to shift focus quickly. One proposal is to move the draft back or align it with the College World Series. This would give front offices more breathing room and allow scouts to cover the minors and majors in a more balanced way.
Keeping Relievers in the Dark
There has been a suggestion to keep relievers ignorant of the scores of games until they come in to pitch. The idea is that if a game is lopsided, high-leverage relievers may mentally check out, while low-leverage relievers mentally check in. However, this proposal may not go far enough. Perhaps relievers should be completely isolated from the game context until they are called upon. This way, they would always enter the game with a mindset of high-stakes performance, which could potentially lead to better results.
Sensory Deprivation for Relievers
Taking the idea of keeping relievers in the dark further, the suggestion is made to use a sensory deprivation chamber or a device like the "Sump Sensory Deprivator 5000" from "How I Met Your Mother." Relievers would wear this contraption during games, blocking their sight and isolating them from any game-related information. The goal is to maximize their performance by putting them in a mental state where every appearance is treated as critically important.
The McCloud brothers make history in the All-Star Game
In the 2048 Major League season, Jalen, Kenton, and Jonathan McCloud, three brothers, played together for the American League in the All-Star Game. Jalen started in right field, leading the league in home runs and runs scored. Kenton, a pitching ace, started and threw two scoreless innings. Jonathan started in center field. The historic moment of the first pitch thrown by one brother leading to a fly ball caught by another brother and then tossed to the third brother in right field was captured live globally. The game garnered nearly 30 million viewers.
International representation in the All-Star Game
The 2048 All-Star Game featured international representation, showcasing the global reach of baseball. Newcomers like designated runner Lorren Fields, who made her first All-Star appearance, captivated viewers. Micah Chaen Jr., the first Finn to play in an All-Star Game, and Kevin Ingundan Nicole, only the second player with roots in Tyland to make it to the big leagues, made their presence felt. This highlights the growing diversity in baseball and how it has become more internationally inclusive.
Baseball Prospectus’ editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein joins the show to discuss the surging Dodgers (5:26) and what led to their recently concluded win streak, the call-ups of Masyn Winn and Nolan Schanuel (28:07), and the optimal timing of the trade deadline and the draft (44:43), and why Craig doesn’t want to move it back. Plus, Meg […]
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