Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

The podcast dives into Alex Bregman's surprising move to the Red Sox and what it means for team chemistry. Nick Pivetta's trade to the Padres is also under the microscope as San Diego ramps up its roster. The discussion then turns to advanced pitching metrics like Stuff+, examining how teams are finding competitive edges through analytics. Additionally, there’s a fascinating look at the historical evolution of baseball rules and how teams adapt their strategies in a changing landscape. All this while contemplating the future of sports analytics!

Eno and DVR continue their 2025 Team Preview series in the America League West! Is the Astros’ control of the division finally winding down? Are the Rangers primed for another deep October run with a healthier roster in 2025? Can the Mariners hit enough to support their elite rotation? Can the A’s close the gap on the three teams ahead of them, and have the Angels improved enough to do the same after a disappointing 2024?Rundown2:26 2025 Houston Astros Preview14:15 2025 Texas Rangers Preview32:15 2025 Seattle Mariners Preview44:05 2025 Sacramento Athletics Preview59:32 2025 ‘Los Angeles’ Angels of Anaheim Preview1:12:17 A Selection of Sleepers From the AL WestFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsNote: Win Total Projections for the episode are from Baseball Prospectus' PECTOA system at the time of the recording. Support BP -- they do great work!Current PECOTA Projections: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno and DVR begin their 2025 Team Preview series in the National League West! How much have the Dodgers improved following their World Series title in 2024? Do the Padres need another late winter trade to keep pace with the other NL playoff teams? Will the D-backs find their way back to October after a busy offseason? Can the Giants exceed expectations in Year 1 of the Buster Posey Era? And, are the Rockies better than some of the projections suggest?Rundown1:55 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers Preview17:15 2025 San Diego Padres Preview29:54 2025 Arizona Diamondbacks Preview43:31 2025 San Francisco Giants Preview56:51 2025 Colorado Rockies Preview1:07:08 A Selection of Sleepers From the NL WestFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsNote: Win Total Projections for the episode are from Baseball Prospectus' PECTOA system at the time of the recording. Support BP -- they do great work!Current PECOTA Projections: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno and DVR share a takeaways from the early part of draft season as spring training camps get underway, including the benefits of waiting to build a pitching staff (so far), and how looking back at some of last year's biggest rebounds can serve as a helpful reminder of the different sources of late-round value. Plus, they answer mailbag questions about past Tommy John surgeries, possible Astros regret with the Christian Walker deal after Pete Alonso's two-year deal with the Mets, and the dynasty league mindset of trading down a top-tier player to play for the future.Rundown5:20 What Have You Learned From Winter Drafts?9:17 Waiting on Starting Pitching Feels Great16:02 Looking Back at Pitching Rebounds From 2023 to 202419:05 Looking Back at Hitting Rebounds From 2023 to 202426:45 Watching on Second Catchers is Gross35:04 Accounting for Tommy John Surgeries Further in the Past44:03 Do the Astros Regret Their Christian Walker Deal After Pete Alonso's Two-Year Pact?50:06 Dynasty Trading Mindset: Flipping a Current Top-Tier PlayerFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno is joined by Sleeper & the Bust co-hosts Justin Mason and Jason Collette to talk about how they got into baseball, their upcoming drafts, some MLB news from the week and they take a few mailbag questionsRundown0:57- Intros & how they got into baseball11:55- Upcoming drafts & any surprises18:08- Pete Alonso is back with the Mets28:20- How will new parks effect Rays & A's players this season38:08- Is Junior Caminero ready to take a big step?42:44- Ben Gamel goes back to the Astros45:23- Yoán Moncada 1 year deal with the Angels47:26- Harrison Bader signs with the Twins50:42- Tommy Pham joins the Pirates52:11- Any concerns about Skenes recent workload?Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer: Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keith Law joins Eno and DVR discuss several players from his recently released Top 100 prospects list that should make an impact at the big-league level in 2025 including two from the top-10 in Boston, a few potential aces in Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Philadelphia, and a few prospects primed for a leap toward the top of the list in 2025.Rundown1:45 Roman Anthony at No. 1, How Red Sox Make Pieces Fit w/Anthony & Kristian Campbell; Adjustments Throughout Time in System17:12 Faster Timetables and Adjusting Expectations for Rookies26:36 Carson Williams' 2025 Path in Tampa Bay33:24 Jordan Lawlar's Outlook40:18 Is the Starting Third Base Job Matt Shaw's to Lose in Chicago?53:20 Bubba Chandler: Another Future Ace in Pittsburgh?59:07 Andrew Painter's Post-TJ Stuff, Phillies' Workload Plans1:05:46 Big Potential Prospect Risers for 2025Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.socialFollow Keith on Bluesky: @keithlaw.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hosts dive deep into the 2025 relief pitcher landscape, exploring the best strategies for drafting closers in fantasy leagues. They discuss the value of top-tier options versus hidden gems in later rounds. Edwin Diaz’s recovery is analyzed, along with his performance metrics and future potential. Dynamic auction strategies and budget management tips are shared to optimize team compositions. Listeners gain insights on emerging relief talent and the impact of recent trades, ensuring they’re well-prepared for the upcoming season.

The reunion of Jack Flaherty with the Tigers takes center stage as the hosts dive into strategies for balancing high-upside pitchers with steady veterans. Insights into the potential of talents like Nick Lodolo and Kumar Rocker are mixed with discussions of injury histories. They explore the importance of nuanced evaluation metrics in projecting pitcher performance and highlight undervalued depth options for fantasy leagues. Late-round sleeper picks are also examined, as the hosts blend humor with serious analysis of the ever-evolving pitching landscape.

Eno and DVR take a quick break from their 2025 Position Preview series to catch up on news from around the league. Max Scherzer has landed with the Blue Jays on a one-year deal, Ha-seong Kim has joined the Rays, and bullpen changes are happening for several clubs with Carlos Estévez (Royals), Ryan Pressly (Cubs), and Kirby Yates (Dodgers) on the move.Rundown2:37 Max Scherzer Signs with the Blue Jays8:40 Grant Holmes' Current Opportunity in the Atlanta Rotation13:11 Carlos Estévez Signs with the Royals24:09 Ryan Pressly Traded to the Cubs29:41 Kirby Yates Officially Joins the Dodgers33:37 Ha-Seong Kim Signs with the Rays41:22 Jorge Polanco Returns to the Mariners49:30 Shinnosuke Ogasawara: Gets Two-Year Deal with Nats50:31 Other News & Notes: Taylor Rogers & Austin Hays to the Reds, Jorge Mateo & Dylan Carlson to the O's, and Elias Díaz to the PadresFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeShare your Positional Rankings in the HiveMind Ranks for Starting Pitchers: https://forms.gle/QhdU1UimnejRG1bP6Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer Brian SmithExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diving into the potential of starting pitchers, the hosts explore emerging talents like Ryan Pepiot and Shane Baz, emphasizing their unique playing conditions. They assess the impact of injuries and performance metrics like ERA and WHIP for pitchers such as McKenzie Gore and Nathan Eovaldi. The discussion also evaluates the complexities of trade strategies, particularly for the Padres, while highlighting strategic evaluations of talents like Brandon Woodruff and Clarke Schmidt. It's a deep dive into the future of pitching in fantasy baseball!