Episode 861

FanGraphs writer Craig Edwards joins the program to discuss various causes of potential baseball panic. For instance, ought we to panic over Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.’s slow start given the early-career performances of other former top prospects? No! Should we shift uncomfortably in our seats over Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s recent acquisition of 21 regional sports networks given how it may impact the pricing and availability of baseball broadcasts? Maybe! We also discuss the St. Louis Cardinals, for Craig is a Cardinals fan.

Craig’s piece on Vlad Jr. can be found here. His most recent piece on Sinclair can be found here.

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

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximate 38 min play time.)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 860

I welcome FanGraphs contributing writer Ben Clemens (@_Ben_Clemens) to the program to offer our listeners a chance to get to know one of the site’s new writers. We discuss Ben’s former life in finance, his cross-country move, his love of the St. Louis Cardinals, and his approach to baseball writing and watching. Plus, we marvel at Jackie Bradley Jr.’s very poor start, and Cody Bellinger’s very good start.

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

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

UMP: The Untitled McDongenhagen Project, Episode 13

This is the 13th episode of a sorta weekly program co-hosted by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel about player evaluation in all its forms. The show, which is available through the normal FanGraphs Audio feed, has a working name but barely. The show is not all prospect stuff, but there is plenty of that, as the hosts are Prospect Men.

This episode is unique because Kiley and Meg Rowley have hot Game of Thrones takes to fire off but Eric is tied up with prospect travel.

0:21 – Surprise, the cohost is Meg and she’s not happy with Kiley’s intro.
0:46 – The elite nut-milk hipster coffee situation has expanded to Twitter beef.
3:11 – Kiley explains what’s happening in this episode.
3:45 – Kiley tries out some standup material about coupon codes.
5:55 – Okay, he has one more chunk about IKEA.
9:20 – Meg launches a lifestyle podcast on the Goop network.
9:40 – The Game of Thrones thoughts flow freely.
31:45 – The GOT episode three Death Draft commences.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @kileymcd or @longenhagen or @megrowler on Twitter or at prospects@fangraphs.com.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 859

FanGraphs Audio welcomes back Kiley McDaniel, prospect analyst, to discuss all things scouting, including Kiley’s recent trip to Florida to see potential draftees in the 2019 draft class and the biggest risers and fallers on the draft section of The BOARD. We also engage in a little bit of contract extension talk, particularly as it pertains to Ozzie Albies, and the concept of bummers. And finally, we indulge a little non-baseball talk, offering our spoiler-laden assessments of the new season of Game of Thrones.

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

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximate 59 min play time.)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 858

FanGraphs Audio returns to welcome Dylan Higgins, FanGraphs editor and important podcast person, to the program for the very first time. Dylan and I engage in a little bit of editor talk, and also recount some of Dylan’s experiences as a baseball intern in Australia, and with the Pacific Coast League. We also discuss the matter of minor league fandom, and the proper etiquette for those who attend baseball meetups.

Warning: this episode contains exactly one unbleeped swear, which appears around the 8 minute 38 second mark, and is well telegraphed in advance, but which will scar and alter young listeners.

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

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximate 46 min play time.)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

UMP: The Untitled McDongenhagen Project, Episode 12

This is the 12th episode of a mostly weekly program co-hosted by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel about player evaluation in all its forms. The show, which is available through the normal FanGraphs Audio feed, has a working name but barely. The show is not all prospect stuff, but there is plenty of that, as the hosts are Prospect Men.

This week we have a one topic show featuring special guest Meg Rowley of this very website. In honor of March Madness, we held a draft of active baseball players on major league 40-man rosters for a round robin basketball tournament. Listen to the episode to hear our logic and then use this poll to vote on who has the best squad. Warning: the poll contains a recap of our rosters, so don’t click on the link before listening if you don’t want those spoiled!

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @kileymcd or @longenhagen on Twitter or at prospects@fangraphs.com.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 32 min play time.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

UMP: The Untitled McDongenhagen Project, Episode 11
This is the 11th episode of a mostly weekly program co-hosted by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel about player evaluation in all its forms. The show, which is available through the normal FanGraphs Audio feed, has a working name but barely. The show is not all prospect stuff, but there is plenty of that, as the hosts are Prospect Men.

Here are some handy timestamps to help you navigate this podcast:

0:18 – Kiley makes his most ambitious intro joke yet
1:00 – What the guys have been up to the last few weeks, mostly going to games in Phoenix and Texas
8:00 – Some musings about our plans for the coming months and tools coming soon to the site
11:32 – We endeavor to talk about big league teams in the format of an over/under projections fantasy draft of teams (it makes sense when we explain it)
13:45 – Eric kicks off the overachievers 4-team fantasy draft
23:59 – Kiley kicks off the underachievers 4-team fantasy draft
36:40 – We wrap things up

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @kileymcd or @longenhagen on Twitter or at prospects@fangraphs.com.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 38 min play time.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 857

Lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen joins the program to discuss MLB’s recent rule changes, what they portend for baseball, how they will alter the aesthetics of the game, and how necessary they are for its health. We then turn our attention to the Houston Astros and all the many rumors that surround their approach to scouting and player development, before devoting some time to a consideration of FanGraphs’ recent trip to the greater Phoenix area, and the baseball games we watched while we were there.

Be sure to follow FanGraphs’ dedicated prospect twitter account, FanGraphs Prospects, for prospect-related news and pre-draft and spring training updates to The BOARD.

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

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximate 1 hour 5 min play time.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 856

Having announced his imminent departure from FanGraphs for the Tampa Bay Rays, Jeff Sullivan joins the program one last time to discuss his experience as an online baseball person, the future state of what Jeff has called “the one good place on the internet,” and the geography of Florida spring training. Plus, Jeff shares what he can about what he’ll be doing for the Rays, and I share an Emotional Tale designed to make Jeff squirm.

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

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximate 46 min play time.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

UMP: The Untitled McDongenhagen Project, Episode 10
This is the 10th episode of a mostly weekly program co-hosted by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel about player evaluation in all its forms. The show, which is available through the normal FanGraphs Audio feed, has a working name but barely. The show is not all prospect stuff, but there is plenty of that, as the hosts are Prospect Men.

We used to include timestamps so you could skip around by topic, but this episode has just one topic: the 2019 MLB Draft. If you’re not into that, we bet you’ll like the new into/outro music or the opening few minutes about non-baseball topics.

Among the draft subjects sampled on this podcast: the current state of our top five overall before next week’s re-ranking, what teams seem to be already zeroing in on which players with the top picks, which players made themselves into first rounders in the opening weekend, the Andrew Vaughn valuation dichotomy, prospects we think are moving down early on, our high variance picks for the guys who could jump way up THE BOARD by draft day, whom we saw last weekend, what happened in some games that happened literally hours ago, whom we’re seeing this weekend, and finally, tips for how to win an election for state office in Arizona.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @kileymcd or @longenhagen on Twitter or at prospects@fangraphs.com.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

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

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS