Episode 754
Owing to a confluence of circumstances, including his own impending fatherhood, the author is compelled to ask Dave Cameron: “If a parent’s sole, awful intent were to raise a future major leaguer, how would he or she go about that endeavor?” Using both objective data and also wild speculation, the guest attempts to answer that hopeless question.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 1 hr 18 min play time.)

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Episode 753
The prolific Travis Sawchik is a former beat reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and author of the book Big Data Baseball. He’s also the guest on this edition of the program, during which he discusses (a) the politics of area Little League baseball and (b) his conversation with Jon Lester regarding the yips but mostly (c) his championship title in a Hardball Dynasty league composed of rival baseball writers.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 1 hr 18 min play time.)

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Episode 752
Managing editor Dave Cameron recently underwent surgery to repair his ACL. In this episode, the host of FanGraphs Audio uses Cameron’s personal misfortune as an entree into a conversation about baseball’s actual disabled list. This offseason, the 15-day DL was replaced by the 10-day variety. Certain clubs (the Dodgers) have used the rule change to their advantage. Others (the Mets) haven’t. Also, were Cameron to create a DL system from whole cloth, how would he do it? The guest holds forth on that and much, much, much, much, much more.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 43 min play time.)

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Episode 751
Lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen is the guest on this edition of the pod, during the course of which he discusses the logic of some under- and overslot bonuses to which recent draftees have already agreed, comments on some prospects in the delightful and free Cape Cod League, and reluctantly participates in an analogy regarding the author’s subpar contribution to a birthing-class potluck.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 1 hr 13 min play time.)

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Episode 750
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 immodest guest on this edition of FanGraphs Audio.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 1 hr 10 min play time.)

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Episode 749
When Mike Trout slid headfirst into second base recently on a stolen-base attempt, he incrementally improved his odds of beating the catcher’s throw. He also increased the probability for injury. In the end, he did steal the base. He also did suffer an injury, one that’s likely to keep him out till mid-July and cost the Angels a couple wins. The cost, in this case, would appear to seriously outweigh the benefit. Does that mean that Trout shouldn’t ever attempt a steal if the play is likely to be close? Is there an argument for valuable players to avoid unduly exerting themselves? Managing editor Dave Cameron answers similar to these.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 42 min play time.)

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Episode 748
The philosopher Heraclitus says you can never step into the same river twice. It seems recently that one doesn’t face the same Clayton Kershaw or Max Scherzer twice, either. Both pitchers have made adjustments just this year, even as they continue to dominate opposing batters. Do even the very best of players need to change in order to stay the same? That’s at least one of the questions answered by managing editor Dave Cameron on this edition of FanGraphs Audio.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 40 min play time.)

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Episode 747
Lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen is the guest on this edition of the pod. Since his most recent appearance on the program, he’s been many places, if not technically everywhere, including Cincinnati and Louisville and Cincinnati again and Reading and Lehigh Valley and Fayetteville and so on. Discussed on the pod: Phillies prospects Dylan Cozens, Rhys Hoskins, and Cam Perkins; other Phillies prospects Scott Kingery and Andrew Pullin; likely first-rounders Adam Haseley (of Virginia) and Brendan McKay (of Louisville); plus no fewer than one (1) player from the NCAA Regional in Fayetteville.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 1 hr 8 min play time.)

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Episode 746
The prolific Travis Sawchik is a former beat reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and author of the book Big Data Baseball. He’s also the guest on this edition of the program, during which he discusses a hotly contested trade in his Hardball Dynasty league and another hotly contested trade in his Hardball Dynasty league. Also: the scouting report which the Pittsburgh Pirates may or may not have composed on Sawchik during his tenure as a newspaperman.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 1 hr 13 min play time.)

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Episode 745
What happens when a rebuild doesn’t work? That question, arrived at in stupid and circuitous fashion, leads to the bulk of this week’s conversation with managing editor Dave Cameron. Also: if it’s the practice of FanGraphs authors, generally speaking, to ask questions and attempt to answer them intelligently — if that’s the case, is it possible even to address the recent contretemps between Hunter Strickland and Bryce Harper? “Sort of,” is Dave Cameron’s answer summarized briefly.

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Audio after the jump. (Approximately 37 min play time.)

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