Episode 936

On this week’s show, a pair of Lens talk about the intersection of music and baseball. Plus, an extended conversation about Joey Votto.

• At the top of the program, David Laurila welcomes Len Kasper and Lenny DiNardo for a conversation that is a bit more about tunes than baseball. Lenny shares what it was like to face the Yankees in his major league debut back in 2004, and how baseball science has changed since then. Meanwhile, Len shares his pick for the best rock album ever and what it was like to sing in front of the Wrigley faithful. The trio also go deep on their favorite musically-inclined current and former players. [2:32]
• In the second half, Jay Jaffe is joined by C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic to discuss the surging Cincinnati Reds and their fascinating first baseman. Jay wrote about Votto’s hot streak a few weeks ago, while Trent recently chronicled the Canadian slugger’s milestones and quest for Cooperstown, and the pair are eager to swap stats and stories. They also discuss what it was like to cover late-career Ken Griffey Jr. in Cincinnati, Votto putting himself into the NL MVP race, emulating Ted Williams, and the legend of Joey Moppo. [32:31]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 935

This week on the podcast, we welcome a rising prospect with a story to tell before having an extended chat about the current baseball landscape.

• To kick things off, David Laurila is joined by Ryan Fitzgerald, an infielder in the Red Sox organization. Fitzgerald shares his story of going from being undrafted to playing in the independent leagues to getting all the way to Triple-A. Now, he is on the precipice of attaining his dream of becoming a major leaguer. The pair discuss using technology to improve swing mechanics, intentionally hitting for power, and just how meaningful errors are as a defensive metric. Fitzgerald also shares what it was like to play behind Chris Sale and who is the best defender he’s played with this year. [2:40]
• After that, Eric Longenhagen and Ben Clemens chat about their recent travels. Eric just returned from the Area Code Games in San Diego, where he got to see some great players from the 2022 draft, and he has a lot to share about the event and how it works. Meanwhile, Ben has been musing about teams that aren’t serious playoff contenders but still have questions to answer regarding the future. What will Cleveland do with their 40-man crunch? Can Abraham Toro play second base for the Mariners? And what are the Cardinals going to do next year? [19:59]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 934

Now that the FanGraphs staff has recovered from the trade deadline, we bring you divine discussion about last week’s many moves as well as some draft fallout.

• To kick things off, Dan Szymborski and Jason Martinez get together to tackle the flurry of transactions we saw last week. The duo gives a thumbs up or thumbs down to all 30 clubs for their deadline, with some judged more for the moves they didn’t make than the ones they did. Dan and Jason also discuss the excellence of Robbie Ray, the impact of a healthy Chris Sale on Boston’s rotation, and the Padres doing their best to keep up in the NL West. [2:40]
• Following that, Eric Longenhagen is joined by Brendan Gawlowski to talk about the Kumar Rocker situation. Brendan recently wrote about the Mets’ failure to sign the 10th overall pick, which feels like the fault of both the organization and the draft itself. Eric and Brendan discuss how and why this happened, as well as some of the other current failures of the draft as an exercise. The pair also consider the history of draft medical mishaps, the Mets whiffing on having a safety pick, the other players who didn’t sign this year, and why the industry can be so slow to innovate and progress. [50:01]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 933

In anticipation of the trade deadline, FanGraphs Audio arrives early this week, featuring some transaction predictions as well as a conversation with a former player looking to help make things better for the next generation.

• Dan Szymborski begins the show by welcoming FanGraphs contributors Sara Sanchez and Justin Choi to consider what the next few days in the game may look like. Which Chicago Cubs are on the move and who could be offered an extension? Is Max Scherzer headed to the west coast? And could the Royals really sell? The trio also discuss Germán Márquez and the Rockies, who Justin recently wrote about, as well as Sara’s look at the potential playoff impact of AL players who could soon return from injury. Finally, Dan divulges that he is particularly invested in Eric Hosmer’s fate. [2:27]
• After that, David Laurila welcomes Jonathan Perrin, former minor leaguer and contributor to FanGraphs, to the program. Jonathan shares what it was like to be traded, how dominant Corbin Burnes looked in the minors, and how prevalent sticky substance use was in the minors. Now a financial advisor, Jonathan works with More Than Baseball to help educate today’s minor leaguers and advocate for better conditions. He tells David what it was like for him and his teammates, and what needs to change. [28:17]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 932

On this week’s show, we dive deep on Canada’s team before a chat about the Trade Value series and more.

• At the top of the program, David Laurila is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet to weigh in on the Toronto Blue Jays, who are contending for a playoff spot in the competitive AL East. David and Ben discuss the big contributions the team has gotten from players like Robbie Ray, Alek Manoah, and Marcus Semien, and how Toronto is still waiting to see more from free agent signing George Springer. Ben feels good about the Blue Jays being buyers at the deadline, in large part thanks to the undeniable Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who continues to lead the club with his meteoric rise. [2:36]
• After that, Ben Clemens and Eric Longenhagen have an extended chat to catch up on what they’ve been working on. Eric is on the East Coast after having just been in Denver for the Futures Game, while Ben has been working hard with Kevin Goldstein to attempt to rank the best players in baseball by their trade value. Ben and Eric discuss this challenge and the nuances involved in compiling the list, including different philosophies for how to approach and consider the rankings. The duo talk about specific players who were ranked as part of the exercise, including Jack Flaherty, Mookie Betts, and Freddy Peralta, before getting into the upcoming trade deadline and what impact 40-man roster crunch could have on the deals made. Finally, the pair reflect on the awkward new timing of the draft and the effects it could have. [27:00]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 931

On this edition of FanGraphs Audio, we are joined by a pair of broadcasters from the Double-A Northeast league before a discussion about this week’s All-Star festivities.

• To start things off, David Laurila welcomes Emily Messina, broadcast and media manager for the Reading Fightin’ Phils, and Emma Tiedemann, director of broadcasting and voice of the Portland Sea Dogs. The duo share the stories of their respective backgrounds and roads to calling games at the minor league level, as well as what a day in the life looks like for their positions now. Emily and Emma also get a chance to talk about some of the most impressive prospects on their squads, including Triston Casas, Ethan Lindow, and Grant Williams, as well as some of their favorite major league stars. [2:35]
• In the second segment, Jay Jaffe and Dan Szymborski get together to chat about the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game. Jay recently wrote about the derby, and he and Dan are encouraged by some of the format changes that have turned it into a more entertaining event. The pair also discuss Joey Gallo, who Jay also wrote about recently, and how he could have a big second half ahead of him — as well as a possible trade. [26:51]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 930

This week on FanGraphs Audio, we talk to a pair of scribes about the Chicago baseball scene before digging into the upcoming draft.

• At the top of the show, David Laurila welcomes Bruce Miles and Mark Gonzales to discuss their many years of covering the Cubs, White Sox, and Chicago sports more generally. The trio discuss the reputations surrounding the fans of the two teams, as well as their differences in managers and owners. Bruce and Mark also share stories of covering particularly memorable managers like Lou Piniella, Ozzie Guillen, and Joe Maddon. They also talk about the great on-air talent covering the Cubs and White Sox right now, as well as what it’s like to be confronted by players who you wrote about critically. [2:36]
• After that, Ben Clemens is joined by Kevin Goldstein to discuss the amateur draft, which begins Sunday. Kevin recently wrote about what goes on in draft rooms and shares his insight into the all-hands-on-deck chaos teams experience this time of year. Ben and Kevin also discuss courtesy picks, the importance of the defensive spectrum for a player’s future, and how a baseball draft is about both talent and value. The duo also touch on this week’s episode of Chin Music, which features plenty of additional draft content and experts. [35:09]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 929

On this week’s show, David Laurila has a pair of interviews with pitchers eager to discuss the nitty gritty of their craft.

• In the first half, David welcomes Janson Junk, a 22nd-rounder in the Yankees system who is currently dominating Double-A. The pair talk about his hot stretch and what got him there, including being an early adopter of Driveline research. Junk details each of his pitches and the design work he’s done on them, such as improvements to his consistency, pitch shapes, and strategy. They also discuss Junk’s college teammate Tarik Skubal, who is now in the Tigers rotation. [2:32]
• After that, David is joined by former major leaguer Clayton Richard to talk about the many things about pitching he wishes he knew when he debuted. The left-hander is currently focused on his children and youth coaching, but he has done a lot of pitching research in recent years. David and Richard also discuss pitching with conviction, how Mark Buehrle would have felt about modern pitching analytics, and Richard’s possible path as a quarterback. [18:09]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 928

This week on the podcast, Eric Longenhagen and Dan Szymborski go the distance to discuss the wild state of affairs in baseball.

The pair begin by touching on the latest sticky substance drama, including some frisky business now that on-field checks have begun. Max Scherzer and Sergio Romo were most visibly unhappy, and Eric and Dan agree that the way things have been handled has resulted in a not-great look for baseball.

Following that, they dive into the wonderful world of Wander Franco’s long-anticipated debut. The game’s top prospect likely has a solid career ahead of him, but where does he compare to other former No. 1s who have recently debuted? Eric and Dan also go into how Willy Adames is doing just fine in Milwaukee while Keston Hiura is not.

Finally, the duo talks about continuing issues across the minor leagues before considering some doomsday scenarios for the Mets.

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 927

On this week’s show, we get to hear true tales from the minor league experience. But first, we must address the sticky elephant in the room.

• We begin with Eric Longenhagen and Ben Clemens catching up on baseball happenings and with each other. What should the struggling Twins and D-backs do with the rest of their seasons, and why are balks still a complete mystery? Eric also provides an update on prospect lists and the draft before he and Ben get into the nuances of the foreign substances controversy and how we cover it. [3:03]
• After that, David Laurila is joined by Zack Bayrouty, broadcaster for the Reno Aces, and Alex Cohen, voice of the Iowa Cubs, to check in on minor league life. Zack shares the story of the 21-16 game he recently survived calling, while Alex tells us about the time he was on House Hunters. The trio also discusses the lineage of broadcasters that goes through Pawtucket before diving into gritty stories from the road, including sketchy hotels, bus breakdowns, and a bath gone very awry. [44:20]

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS