Eno, Britt and DVR discuss the historical context of the 2024 season from Aaron Judge and Juan Soto by taking a look back at elite duos that have had incredible years as teammates. Plus, with the Angels extending Perry Minasian, they wonder if previous levels of payroll spending from Arte Moreno will open up paths to a big free agent signing this winter, before considering several teams that approaching big decisions in their front office during the year ahead. Rundown8:33 How Good Is This Season From Aaron Judge & Juan Soto?15:20 An Interesting Look at Lineup Protection from Saber Seminar18:19 Name the Yankees' Seven Cleanup Hitters in 202425:02 The Angels Extend Perry Minasian, Will Payroll Rise in 2025?41:30 Front Offices Entering 2025 on the Hot Seat51:48 Can the Cubs Make It Work Loading Up in the Second Tier of Free Agency While Their Young Core Arrives?Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperFollow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_Ghirolie-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us Thursday at 1p ET/10a PT for our weekly live episode with Trevor May!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris & Britt GhiroliExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno and DVR discuss the promotion Dylan Crews and one major change in his profile with the move from Double-A to Triple-A earlier this season. After a weekend at the 'Sabermetrics, Scouting, and the Science of Baseball' conference in Chicago, Eno shares a highlights from a few of the many interesting presentations. Plus, they look at the surge of Jhonkensy Noel as an important power source in the Guardians' lineup, and Bowden Francis' move toward Top-50 Starting Pitcher status. Rundown1:02 Dylan Crews Promoted by Nationals8:36 Xavier Edwards' Partial Season Breakout13:14 Nolan Gorman's Demotion to Triple-A; What Went Wrong in 2024?18:22 Eno in Chicago: Saber Conference Takeaways43:39 Ongoing Studies About the Value of Adding Pitches56:04 Where the Money Went This WeekendFollow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRipere-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us on Thursday at 1p ET/10a PT for our next livestream episodes!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Bloomfield of Baseball HQ and the Bubba & The Bloom podcast joins DVR discuss the third annual "Meatball Draft" a 15-team draft-and-hold league run by Rob DiPietro (@DeadPullHitter, Pull Hitter Podcast) that drafted its first 11 rounds this week. Who were some of the more interesting risers and fallers, and how should roster construction strategies be altered in a format that drafts this early.Draft Board: https://tinyurl.com/Meatball24Plus, DVR and Ryan discuss a couple of prospects they're trying to stash wherever possible, and a few intriguing names to consider on the waiver wire this weekend.Rundown1:53 Draft-and-Hold Season Begins with Rob DiPietro's "Meatball Draft"3:16 How Do You Alter Strategy for Very Early Drafts?9:12 Paul Skenes v. Tarik Skubal: Round 1 Pitchers11:27 Biggest Surprises, Movers Compared to Spring 202421:12 How Comfortable Are We With Second Tommy John Recovery?25:17 Pushing Power Over Speed in Early Rounds?29:55 Jordan Westburg: "Rare" Multi-Eligible Player for 202532:07 Corbin Carroll's Recent Resurgence35:13 Rest-of-Season Projections Thoughts for Final Weeks40:25 Project Prospect: One Player You're Stashing Everywhere46:55 Weekend Waiver PreviewFollow Ryan on Twitter: @RyanBHQFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRipere-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us on Thursdays at 1p ET/10a PT for our livestream episodes!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiperWith: Ryan BloomfieldExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss Joey Votto's retirement and his case for Cooperstown, the Mariners' decision to fire manager Scott Servais, and a few park factors for pitchers -- including variations in mounds -- that can impact performances across different environments.Plus, they examine a few pitchers finding new levels in 2024 and try to determine long-term ceilings in search of unexpected aces.Rundown1:04 Joey Votto Announces Retirement; Next Stop Cooperstown?13:19 Mariners Fire Manager Scott Servais26:08 Pitching Park Factors We Rarely Think About40:56 Searching for Unexpected Aces Among Current Young Starters52:26 Ryan Pepiot Discusses His Hard Breaking Ball55:43 Spencer Schwellenbach’s Late Move to PitchingSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisWith: Trevor MayExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As things currently stand, no team will finish the regular season with 100+ wins for the first time since 2014. Does the unusual shape of the standings and the lack of exceptional regular season clubs matter? Eno, DVR and Britt discuss the causes for the lack of dominance, and wonder if common approaches to roster construction are a contributing factor to this year's parity. Rundown2:47 Does It Matter If There Are No 100-Win Teams?8:11 Measuring Team Quality Beyond Win Totals12:48 Will Long-Term Injury Trends Make This Type of Season the Norm?15:28 Regular Season Dominance That Didn't Lead to a World Series Win21:05 How Mad Would You Be Without Playoffs?24:23 Unique Approaches From Guardians & Red Sox32:46 Organizational Brain Drain39:53 Will the Red Sox Make the Playoffs?47:04 How Does 2025 Look for Boston, Tampa Bay and Toronto?Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperFollow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_Ghirolie-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us Thursday at 2p ET/11a PT for our weekly live episode with Trevor May!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsWhat’s the Orioles’ secret to developing great hitters? Rival teams have theories ($): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5696854The Red Sox have an innovative pitching strategy, but has the league adjusted? ($): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5704202Hosts: Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris & Britt GhiroliExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno and DVR discuss the expectations of a tapering per-start workload for Paul Skenes as the season winds down, the second-half adjustments to usage of Garrett Crochet by the White Sox, an explanation for Ke'Bryan Hayes 2024 struggles, the most disappointing pitchers of the year -- relative to initial projections -- and a few weekend happenings on the waiver wire, including the return of Matthew Boyd and growing interest in A's starter Osvaldo Bido. Rundown2:18 Paul Skenes Approaching In-Start Limitations?8:07 At Least They're Not Going the Shutdown Route14:31 Garrett Crochet's 2025 Outlook17:29 The Dreaded Velocity Leaderboard w/Injuries25:18 Ke'Bryan Hayes Playing Through a Herniated Disc29:11 Biggest Underperforming Pitches of 2024 (So Far)39:06 Accounting for Different Run Environments Across Projection Systems49:20 Where the Money Went This WeekendFollow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRipere-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us on Thursdays at 1p ET/10a PT for our livestream episodes!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno and DVR discuss season-ending back surgery for Christian Yelich and the Brewers' search for a left-handed bat to use near the heart of their lineup, Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s elbow injury, a trip to the IL for Byron Buxton, a few prospects yet to debut with an eye toward breaking through for early 2025 debuts, the power ceiling of Junior Caminero, and a few players to consider on the waiver wire this weekend.Rundown2:25 Christian Yelich's Season-Ending Back Surgery (Is Garrett Mitchell Good?)9:27 A Lineup Vulnerable Against Elite Pitching in the Playoffs?12:45 Jazz Chisholm Jr. To Miss Several Weeks14:48 Byron Buxton Heads to the IL17:47 Coby Mayo Returns to Triple-A; Similar Struggles to Henry Davis?23:57 Searching for Yet-to-Debut Hitters w/Paths to Starting Roles in 202532:39 An Early Attempt to Solve the Cubs' Offseason Changes42:33 Biggest K% Improvers Among Hitters in 202446:35 Junior Caminero's Power Ceiling52:30 Join Us in Arizona for Baseball HQ's First Pitch Conference!https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-202453:43 Weekend Waiver PreviewFollow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRipere-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us on Thursdays at 1p ET/10a PT for our livestream episodes!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss a report from ESPN's Jesse Rogers that MLB might consider a future rule requiring a six-inning minimum for starting pitchers before taking a deep dive into pitch angles and how future data in this area might make it easier to quantify deception. Plus, they discuss a recent story that Eno wrote with Britt Ghiroli about the Orioles' success in developing hitters, and they play their first ever installment of 'Name That Dude'. Rundown0:57 MLB Considering a Six-Inning Minimum for Starting Pitchers?14:57 Will Pitch Release Angle Data Help Us Quantify Deception?23:03 Finding Ideal Horizontal Movement on Fastballs With Release Angle37:49 What’s In the O’s Secret Sauce with Hitting Development?44:47 Scouting for Curiosity Within Makeup54:46 Do Players on Bad Team Get Bored?1:03:49 Name That DudeFollow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperFollow Trevor on Twitter: @IAmTrevorMaye-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comRelated ReadingJesse Rogers' six-inning minimum (ESPN): https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40847173/mlb-rule-changes-2024-six-inning-starting-pitcher-injuries-tommy-johnMichael Rosen on pitch release angles (FanGraphs): https://blogs.fangraphs.com/its-release-angles-all-the-way-down/Eno & Britt on the Orioles' hitting development: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5696854/2024/08/15/orioles-hitters-development-vertical-bat-angle/Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us Thursday at 1p ET/10a PT for our weekly live episode with Trevor May!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisWith: Trevor MayExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the 2024 Olympics completed, Eno, Britt and DVR wonder -- if MLB players are participating in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, who among current stars will be on the roster? Plus, they discuss the unexpected sweat for the NL West and possibility of four teams from the division finding their way into the playoffs. Rundown1:08 The "Locks" for Team USA in 2028 (Assuming MLB Players Are Included)3:39 ZiPS Projections for *2028* (Thanks, Dan Szymborski!)7:05 Pitching Changes A Lot Over Four Years15:00 Overprojected Unproven Players?20:12 How Do We Think Aaron Judge Will Age?23:20 Looking Back at 2020 Suggest We Might Underrate Current Late-20s Players29:55 The Race for the NL West Looks Like a Party41:53 Four Teams From This Division Could Reach the Playoffs52:48 Will We See Another August Waiver Roster Dump?Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperFollow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_Ghirolie-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us Thursday at 1p ET/10a PT for our weekly live episode with Trevor May!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris & Britt GhiroliExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno and DVR discuss a soon-to-debut prospect pitching at his *fourth* level of 2024 with the arrival of Zebby Matthews on Tuesday, the demotion of Camilo Doval to Triple-A, and a potential suspension for Jarren Duran after he directed a homophobic slur toward a fan over the weekend. Plus, they take a look at the biggest underperformers among hitters relative to their initial 2024 projections. Is it finally time to lower expectations for the likes of Corbin Carroll, Matt Olson, and Gleyber Torres? Finally, they look at where the money went in weekly waiver-wire leagues and discuss a few of their own roster decisions coming out of the weekend. Rundown5:53 Who is Zebby Matthews?11:54 Camilo Doval Optioned to Triple-A20:08 Jarren Duran Facing Discipline for Homophobic Slur23:36 Biggest Underperforming Hitters of 2024 (So Far)33:15 Finally Tempering Enthusiasm Around Gleyber Torres?38:44 Where the Money Went: Joe Musgrove Nearing Return from IL53:26 What Moves Did We Make This Weekend?Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRipere-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeJoin us on Thursdays at 1p ET/10a PT for our livestream episodes!Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisExecutive Producer: Derek VanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices