Eno and DVR discuss Jhoan Duran's oblique injury and the short-term pecking order for saves for the Twins during his absence before discussing some of the most difficult pitchers (and groups of pitchers) to rank in 2024.  Rundown 1:15 Jhoan Duran: Headed to IL with Oblique Strain 5:25 Pitchers with Uncertain Health Situations (Eury Pérez, Gerrit Cole, Kyle Bradish) 13:26 Future Aces with Short MLB Track Records (Bobby Miller and Grayson Rodriguez) 29:01 Model Disagreement with Other...

Eno and DVR discuss another busy weekend filled with injury news including elbow soreness for Eury Pérez, a fractured wrist for TJ Friedl, and an IL stint to begin 2024 for Josh Lowe. Plus, they dig into several tough hitter rankings as draft season heats up.  Rundown 2:58 Eury Pérez: Dealing with Sore Elbow 7:08 TJ Friedl: Out with Fractured Wrist 11:33: Josh Lowe: Will Open Season on IL 16:26 Kyle Manzardo: Sent to Minor League Camp 23:40 Corey Seager: May Be Ready for Opening Day? 28:29...

Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss the latest news on Gerrit Cole’s elbow injury, the Astros’ interest in Blake Snell, the best rotations in baseball, and several new faces in new places, before digging into curveballs, and taking a few viewer/listener questions.  Rundown 0:55 Gerrit Cole: No UCL Tear Detected 7:20 Blake Snell: Astros Interested? 8:45 Best Rotations in Baseball Right Now New Faces in New Places 14:50 Chris Sale’s Fit in Atlanta 21:00 Josh Hader: Adding to the Astros’...

Eno and DVR discuss the trade that sent Dylan Cease to the Padres, the impact of a significant injury for Brewers closer Devin Williams, the increasing possibility of an early-season opportunity for Victor Scott II in St. Louis, and swing decisions in 'The Shadow Zone'. Rundown 5:20 Dylan Cease Traded to the Padres 10:01 Assessing the White Sox's Return 14:10 Buying the Similarities Between Dylan Cease & Blake Snell? 22:17 Devin Williams' Extended Absence 30:43 Injury Updates: Ronald...

Eno and DVR discuss Eno's recent story examining the tendencies of position players in their walk year, disagreements across projection systems and how to work through those differences (and when to target players with projection systems agreement). Plus, they discuss Junior Caminero getting sent to Triple-A to begin the season, Jackson Merrill's upcoming flight to Korea, an injury for Taj Bradley, and the growing concerns about Gerrit Cole as the wait for an update on his status...

DVR is joined by Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus to discuss a busy weekend of news and notes including MRIs for Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge (among others), an 80-game PED suspension for Noelvi Marte, and more. Plus, they discuss their strategies from the 15-team Mixed LABR draft in which Mike built a roster around a power-heavy base and DVR opted for a 'Pocket Aces' build.  Rundown 2:06 Gerrit Cole: Has MRI on Elbow; Likely to Miss Opening Day 3:40 Aaron Judge: MRI on Abdomen; Timetable...

Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss Eno's co-authored story with Ken Rosenthal about the ongoing concern regarding pitcher injuries as velocity and breaking ball usage continues to increase. Plus, they examine the Rays' use of a relatively simple approach to maximize the effectiveness of their pitchers, and how some pitchers like the Cubs' Justin Steele alter the shape of a smaller arsenal to keep hitters off-balance. Finally, they wrap up the show with the deep dive into the slider and sweeper and...

Eno and DVR finish up their 2024 Team Preview series with the Braves, Phillies, and Mets. What's next for the Atlanta lineup after an excellent 2023 that featured five players among the league's 20 biggest risers in wRC+? With quality young pitching depth, is the rotation stronger than ever behind Spencer Strider, Max Fried, and Chris Sale? Will the Phillies get even more from Trea Turner during his second season in Philly? Behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, which starting pitchers are most...

Eno and DVR continue their Team Preview series with the Red Sox, Marlins and Nationals. Can the Red Sox's lineup produce enough to cover the potential shortcoming of their pitching staff? Will the Marlins' young rotation find enough quality innings in a season without Sandy Alcantara? As the Nats' rebuild continues, how long will we have to wait before James Wood and Dylan Crews enter the mix in Washington? Rundown 3:37 2024 Boston Red Sox Preview 5:55 Nick Pivetta's New Pitch Mix 13:30 The...

Eno and DVR discuss a busy weekend of news including further examination of Ronald Acuña Jr.'s surgically-repaired knee, shoulder fatigue for Kevin Gausman, Zack Wheeler's extension with the Phillies, Matt Chapman's three-year deal with the Giants, a pair of big March movers in recent drafts, and the increasingly complicated playing time situations in Baltimore and Cincinnati.  Rundown 1:31 More Knee Trouble for Ronald Acuña Jr.? 7:36 Chris Sale's Rapidly-Rising ADP 11:00 Kevin Gausman...

Eno, Trevor and DVR discuss Statcast's new Bat Tracking technology and the potential benefits of having that information as it becomes publicly available in 2024. Plus, they discuss Blake Snell as a free agent still available in March in a league desperate for quality starting pitchers, the importance of Spencer Strider's developing curveball, the challenges of getting ready for an earlier Opening Day, and take a deep dive into the cutter. Rundown 1:10 Trevor's Takeaways From Oakland's Fans...

Eno and DVR continue their Team Preview series with the Blue Jays, Rays, and Orioles, three teams in the AL East with very little separation in projected wins. All three clubs are loaded with intriguing players, and plenty of mid-round and late-round targets to consider. Can you trust Yusei Kikuchi's walk rate improvement from last season? Will Taj Bradley put the pieces together for a complete season in Tampa Bay? Is Jordan Westburg primed for a breakout despite a late ADP? Rundown 5:28...

Eno and DVR continue their Team Preview series with the Yankees, Royals and White Sox. With the addition of Juan Soto to the lineup, will the Yankees make good on their projection and win the AL East in 2024? Can Clarke Schmidt find a solution against left-handed hitters? Are we buying another improvement in the Royals' young group of hitters? Is there any help coming through the system to bolster the team's rotation? And just how bad is the rebuild going to be in Year 1 for the White...

Eno and DVR discuss Cody Bellinger's return to the Cubs on a short contract with multiple opt-outs, the start of TGFBI, a busy first weekend of spring action that featured a lot of new pitches, and a lot of information about velocity and iVB changes. Plus, they dig into the importance of working backwards when building out draft-day roster construction plans.  Rundown 5:32 Cody Bellinger Re-Signs with the Cubs 17:37 A Live First-Round Pick from Eno’s TGFBI Draft 22:56 Two (!) New Pitches for...

Eno, Trevor and DVR discuss an unusual day at Phillies camp, superstitious teammates, and what to look for in spring training games. Plus, they continue the deep dive pitching series with a detailed look at two-seam fastballs/sinkers, before discussing a few challenges organizations have getting coaching staffs on the same page in player development. Rundown 1:38 A Rough Day in Phillies Camp 7:26 What to Look For in Spring Training Games 18:45 Reliever Usage in Closer Battles 26:28...

After discussing a few spring news items, Eno and DVR return to their Team Preview series to break down the Twins, Guardians, and Tigers. Will the Twins' position player core take a leap forward with a full season of Royce Lewis at third base? Is the Twins' pitching depth and bullpen good enough to withstand the loss of Sonny Gray from the rotation? How much will the Guardians lean on Kyle Manzardo and Chase DeLauter this season in a bid to improve their run production, and can the Guardians'...

Eno and DVR return to their Team Preview series to break down the Cardinals, Cubs, and Brewers. Will the Cards' loaded lineup be able to outhit their shaky starting pitching? Are the Cubs preparing to lean on a group of young players to fill a few remaining gaps in their lineup? How will the Brewers' pitching fare following the Corbin Burnes trade and with Brandon Woodruff likely unavailable in 2024? Rundown 1:17 2024 St. Louis Cardinals Preview 7:11 Buying the Breakout From Jordan...

Eno and DVR discuss a few takeaways from Eno's squad in the Bay Area Rotisserie Fantasy League before digging into the latest round of news as spring training is in full swing. With a lot of positive injury news around recently hampered players, how should you adjust your plans as ADP begins to reflect improved spring health? Rundown 0:50 Eno's Case for Elly De La Cruz 8:10 Recapping Eno's BARF League Build (From Sober Values to YOLO) 13:10 Josh Jung's Calf Strain 15:53 Xander Bogaerts Moves...

Trevor May makes his Rates & Barrels hosting debut, joining Eno and DVR to discuss missteps with the new MLB uniforms, wearing other people's pants, unusual self-designed training regiments, and the difficultly of processing news when the flood of information happens at the outset of spring training. Plus, Eno & Trevor do a deep dive into four-seam fastballs, before a round of listener Q&A. Rundown 0:56 Getting to Know Trevor 10:45 Making Sense of Spring Training News...

Eno and DVR discuss a flurry of news updates from Orioles camp before continuing their Team Preview series, looking at the Dodgers, Reds and Pirates. Is it possible that the Dodgers are slightly underprojected even as a 101-win team in PECOTA? Will the Reds' young pitching stay healthy and deliver enough for them to contend for the NL Central? Can the Pirates turn the corner sooner than expected with Oneil Cruz's return to health and a nice group of young pitchers knocking on the...

Eno and DVR share some show-related news and discuss Jorge Soler to the Giants, a recent swap between the Twins and Marlins, catcher additions for the Brewers and Pirates, and a few spring items to watch for the Rays. Plus, they examine a few risers and fallers among pitchers since the start of draft season in the fall.  Rundown 0:49 Show Announcements! Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ratesbarrels 5:20 Jorge Soler Signs a Three-Year Deal with the Giants 11:37 Nick...

Eno and DVR continue their Team Preview series, looking at the three teams projected to finish in the middle three spots in the NL West -- the Diamondbacks, Padres, and Giants. Will Arizona's offseason upgrades be enough for them to return to the playoffs in 2024? Can the Padres rebound after sending Juan Soto to the Yankees in a blockbuster trade in December? Is there a reasonable path forward for the Giants with their current core? Rundown 1:11 2024 Arizona Diamondbacks Preview 11:25 Key...

There is an infinite number of ways to play fantasy baseball, so what factors should you consider when joining or creating a league?  Eno and DVR discuss some of the basic elements of building or finding a league to play in, as well as a few 2024-specific strategy considerations to keep in mind in the face of MLB's 2023 rule changes and the resulting impact on the run environment.  Rundown 1:40 How Do You Want to Play? - and - Key Questions to Consider 14:17 Where Do You Want to Play? - and...

Eno and DVR continue their Team Preview series, looking at a few key questions for all 30 clubs as spring training approaches. Part 2 of the series wraps up the AL West with the Astros and Mariners, before examining the ongoing struggles of the Rockies at the bottom of the NL West.  Rundown 0:54 Jose Altuve Signs a Five-Year, $125M Extension w/Astros 5:05 2024 Houston Astros Preview 18:25 Paths to a Hunter Brown Breakout 25:56 2024 Seattle Mariners Preview 33:06 Bryan Woo's Need for a New...

Eno and DVR begin their Team Preview series, looking at a few key questions for all 30 clubs as spring training approaches. The series begins with three teams from the AL West, including the defending World Series Champion Texas Rangers, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Oakland A's.  Rundown 4:47 2024 Texas Rangers Preview 18:27 Will Josh Jung Take Another Step Forward? 24:37 2024 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Preview 35:56 Can Chase Silseth Find a Solution For Left-Handed...