Episode 886

On this edition of FanGraphs Audio, I welcome FanGraphs senior writer Jay Jaffe to the program. Jay and I discuss his impressions of the first week of KBO action, the teams he finds the most compelling, and the differences between the KBO and MLB that he has appreciated most. We also discuss his recent piece on the impact that the cancellation of Induction Weekend has had on the Hall of Fame, as well as the people and small businesses of Cooperstown.

Jay’s KBO Coverage: A Thumbnail Guide to the KBO’s 2020 Season; Nothing Lost in Translation: Meet Dan Kurtz, the KBO’s Top Ambassador Part 1, Part 2; Half a World Away, the Korea Baseball Organization Looks to Play.

Shakeia Taylor: Is Baseball Ready to Love Dick Allen?

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 41 min play time.)

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Episode 885

On this edition of FanGraphs Audio, I welcome FanGraphs writer Ben Clemens to the program. Ben and I discuss the upcoming KBO season, his series on whacky World Series tactics, and the form we’d like baseball to take when it returns in the US. Plus, Ben reveals a shocking predilection for drinking plain, hot water, and a not-so-shocking affinity for board games.

Ben’s primers on the KBO: Part One and Part Two

Ben’s Wild World Series Tactics series: 1990-1993, 1995-1997, 1998-2000, 2001-2003

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 52 min play time.)

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Episode 884

On this edition of FanGraphs Audio, I welcome Jeff Sullivan, erstwhile FanGraphs writer and current Rays baseball person, back to the program. We discuss, among other things, the moment when we each realized just how much life was about to change in the face of COVID-19, Jeff’s quarantine hobbies, including birding, the scourge known as cruise ships, and the 2000 cheerleading film Bring It On. Plus, we contemplate what baseball might and should look like if it returns in 2020.

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Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 48 min play time.)

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Episode 883

Lindsey Adler, Yankees beat writer for The Athletic, joins the program to discuss what life is like on the beat right now, how she’s approaching writing during this delay, the anticipated state of the Yankees roster should baseball return later this summer, and what form she’d like the game to take when it does. Plus, Lindsey shares what it was like on the ground in the final days of Yankees spring training, and offers her advice for those who have taken up baking as a pandemic activity.

To read Lindsey’s piece on how the 1981 Yankees stayed ready through the strike, click here.

To read her piece on how Yankees minor leaguers coped with quarantine, click here.

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Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 36 min play time.)

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Episode 882
Dayn Perry is a contributor to CBS Sports’ Eye on Baseball and the author of three books — one of them not very miserable. He’s also the grotesque and magnetic guest on this edition of FanGraphs Audio.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 53 min play time.)

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Episode 881

FanGraphs’ lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen and senior writer Jay Jaffe pinch hit for regular host Meg Rowley, and discuss Curt Flood’s Hall of Fame candidacy, the role of cultural relevance in assessing a player’s case for Cooperstown, how spring training has struck them so far, and parenthood. Eric also shares a few baseball and prospect-related thoughts in a special post-interview monologue.

You can pre-order Eric and erstwhile FanGraphs writer Kiley McDaniel’s book Future Value here.

Be sure to follow the FanGraphs Prospects account on Twitter for all the latest prospect news!

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 58 min play time.)

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Episode 880

FanGraphs’ tweeter in residence Jon Tayler joins the program to discuss mascots, his Red Sox fandom, Boston’s decision to trade Mookie Betts, and to remember some guys who played baseball in the AL East in the mid-90s. He also encourages you, the listener, to say hello at FanGraphs’ Spring Training meetup on Friday, March 13, and to please wash your hands regularly.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 56 min play time.)

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Episode 879

FanGraphs’ lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen joins the program to discuss Prospect Week, the process of assembling the Top 100, how players move up and down in the rankings, his 2021 Picks to Click, and the upcoming college baseball season. He also signs the Ballad of Oneil Cruz and Tahnaj Thomas, two players you ought to know.

Eric’s book Future Value, co-written with erstwhile FanGraphs prospect analyst Kiley McDaniel, is available for pre-order now.

All of our Prospect Week coverage can found in the handy navigation widget below, and be sure to follow the FanGraphs Prospects twitter account for prospect news throughout the season.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 1 hour and 3 min play time.)

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Episode 878

Rachael McDaniel, managing editor of The Hardball Times, joins the program. We discuss the Houston Astros, the ethics of cheating, our disappointment in the game’s recent scandals, and our somehow still persistent excitement for the season to come. 

To vote for Rachael’s SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards nominated piece “The Meaning of Ichiro,” click here.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 44 min play time.)

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Episode 877

Jay and I discuss the Astros’ punishment for electronic sign-stealing, the dismissal of Jeff Luhnow, AJ Hinch, and Alex Cora, and what we want the punishment of teams, managers, and front office personnel to achieve in cases like this. We then turn our attention to how the Astros and Red Sox World Series teams (and the players who played for them) will be remembered decades from now, and what his association with the scandal might mean for Carlos Beltrán’s future Hall of Fame consideration.

Please note, this episode was recorded prior Beltrán stepping down as the Mets manager.

To read Jay’s piece on the parallels between the sign-stealing scandal and the steroid era, click here.
To read Jay’s piece on the Astros’ punishment, click here.
To read Jay’s piece on Carlos Beltrán, click here.
Update: Jay’s follow-up on Beltrán and the Mets’ mutual parting is available here.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @megrowler on Twitter.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 44 min play time.)

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