Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Matt Mervis and Brandon Pfaadt Arrive At Last

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR, Eno and Al discuss the latest round of prospect callups, including Matt Mervis, Bryce Miller, Brandon Pfaadt and Gavin Stone, and share their app...

Miller v. Miller and April's Rising & Falling Hitters

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss an excellent battle between rookie starters Bryce Miller and Mason Miller in Oakland on Tuesday night before a rookie pitcher inst...

Project Prospect - 2023 Rookies After One Month

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR, Eno and Welsh review some of the biggest rookie performances from April. Who to buy and sell, plus some Dynasty rank overall changes.Rundown1:27 ...

April's Starting Pitcher Risers & Fallers

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss some of the biggest risers -- and a few fallers -- among starting pitchers from the first month of the season. Rundown0:45 Jacob ...

Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Other Top Waiver Targets

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Al consider how aggressively they want to pursue Guardians pitching prospects Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen, now that they have made their majo...

A Delayed Breakout, Taj Bradley's Demotion & In-Game Command Monitoring

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the excellent start to 2023 for Jarred Kelenic, other young players who may be on the brink of breaking through after initial stru...

Project Prospect - A Pitching Wave In Cleveland

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR, Eno and Welsh breakdown some Stuff+ factors to consider for Triple-A pitchers, the latest call-ups and prospects to stash.Rundown1:07 - Welsh was...

Swing Changes, Overlooking Tools in the Face of Flaws & Searching for Cheap Power

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several players with significantly changed swing rates to begin 2023 before considering the possibility of some toolsy players get...

Mason Miller Week and Streamable Pitchers

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Al discuss how much to bid on Mason Miller and when to start anticipating the major league debuts of Brandon Pfaadt and Tanner Bibee. They als...

Promotions, Extensions, and New Opportunities

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the promotion of Mason Miller to Oakland, Brayan Rocchio and a potentially brief look in Cleveland, an extension for Hunter Greene...

Project Prospect - Prospects on the Fast Track

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR, Eno and Welsh are taking a look at Prospects on the fast track. Is Brett Baty here to stay? Zach Neto or Edouard Julien? Plus a now hilarious con...

Early Drops, Unlucky Hitters, A Gorman Breakout & Weekend Pickups

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Eno discuss a few sluggish early bats that have been on the radar to be dropped before examining some unlucky hitters. Plus, they break down t...

Taj Bradley Debut and Shortstop Replacements

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Al assess the short- and long-term fantasy value of Taj Bradley and Edouard Julien, both of whom debuted this week, and they look at at the po...

Biggest Movers in Stuff+, Searching for Meaningful Early Adjustments & Taj Bradley's Debut

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Eno discuss some of the biggest movers in Stuff+ according to Eno's pitching model, early K-BB% laggards to target (and a few to worry about),...

Project Prospect - Triple-A Stuff+ Numbers

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR, Eno and Welsh dig into some Triple-A stuff+ numbers. The guys look at what these numbers mean and how much more we need, as well as the latest pr...

Oneil Cruz Injury, Early Starting Pitcher Pickups, and the Value of Two-Start Weeks

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Eno discuss the lengthy absence on tap for Oneil Cruz, another frantic weekend of free-agent pickups in fantasy baseball, the value of two-sta...

Grayson Rodriguez Debut and Waiver Wire Preview

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Al explore this weekend’s waiver wire options, starting with top prospects Grayson Rodriguez and Francisco Álvarez. They also discuss sever...

Playing Time Analysis With Mike Kurland

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Al are joined by Mike Kurland of The Athletic and Gaining The Edge Fantasy to talk about playing time analysis. Mike reveals his process for a...

Project Prospect - Impact Upon Arrival

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Welsh discuss some prospect impact in the majors with Brice Turang and others. The Triple-A season is underway with some interesting performan...

Early Arsenal Changes & Big Splashes for Saves

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Welsh discuss takeaways from the Opening Series, including a closer look at the arsenal of Kodai Senga, the 'new' Noah Syndergaard, the signif...

Opening Day Reactions and Waiver Options

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR and Al look at some actionable news items from opening day, including IL stints for Justin Verlander, Max Fried and Ryan Pepiot, and they consider...

Final Draft 2023 Season Takeaways

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR returns to join Eno and discuss their takeaways from the 2023 draft season including teams' varying processes for promotion prospects on Opening D...

Project Prospect - Spring Prospect Stat Standouts

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welsh and Eno are discussing Grayson's option to the minors and discussing prospects with stand out stats from spring training.RundownFollow Eno on Tw...

Eno's Bold Predictions

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno dropped his top-10 bold predictions for the season on the Athletic this weekend. Welsh is picking to find which makes Eno nervous, plus a breakdow...

Replacing Rhys Hoskins and The First FAB

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al look at the Phillies’ roster in the aftermath of Rhys Hoskins’ season-ending injury and consider first base replacements in fantasy. Th...

Adam Wainwright Injury and ADP Refresh

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al look at the players who have moved up and down the farthest in NFBC ADP over the last week, and they also discuss the fantasy fallout from ...

Project Prospect - Optioned, But Not Forgotten

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Welsh react to Roki Sasaki's electric stuff in the WBC. Project Prospect continues as the guys look at players that were optioned, but could s...

MLB Weekend News and WBC Stuff+ Numbers

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So much news one little weekend can pack in. Eno and Welsh discuss Altuve's injury, should we be worried about Soto's oblique and Eno digs into some o...

News Roundup and Position Battles

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al discuss the latest news items, including some positive developments for Kyle Wright and Byron Buxton, and they look at several position bat...

Injury Updates and Spring Training Stats

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al talk about the latest injury updates, including Edwin Díaz’s knee injury, Tony Gonsolin’s return from a sprained ankle and Harrison Ba...

Prospects to Target in Re-draft

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welsh watched Jacob DeGrom pitch his first live game on the Rangers backfield Tuesday, so Welsh and Eno breakdown the videos. We've also got 10 prospe...

Crazy March ADP Data

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno returns from his Florida trip with some wild tales for Welsh, as well as some great conversations and perspectives with players. Eno and Welsh als...

Spring Training Injuries and Stuff+

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno is at the trop recording live on location. Welsh and Eno are talking about the latest spring training injuries and the new stuff+ release. **Warni...

Interview with Driveline's Chris Langin

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno interviews Chris Langin, the Director of Pitching at Driveline Baseball. They discuss whether this season’s rule changes will impact pitchers’...

FYPD Ranks with James Anderson

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

First Year Player Draft ranks can be tricky. How do you value the newest coming prospect class, and how do they relate to overall prospect lists? Chri...

AL LABR Draft Recap

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh off of drafting his AL LABR team, Eno discusses his process and assesses his results, and he and Al talk about some of the more interesting winn...

Closer Potpourri with Greg Jewett

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Greg Jewett joins Al to discuss his general approach to drafting relievers this season and to discuss likely opening day closers who could lose their ...

Early Spring Training News Analysis

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al dig into the biggest news items from the early portion of spring training and assess the fantasy impacts.Rundown1:47 News impacting pitcher...

2023 Rookies to Target: Pitchers Edition

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Which rookies should you target in your 2023 drafts? Eno and Welsh breakdown all the pitchers, from the guys who have a locked down job to speculative...

Spring Training Reactions and The Latest News

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Spring training is here and Eno and Welsh react to it all. How do the Padres pay everyone, who is on the outs? Pitch clock mania, stolen base numbers ...

Lars Nootbaar Interview

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno interviews Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar, and they talk about the work that Nootbaar has done at Driveline and how it helped him at the plate...

2023 Deep Sleepers: Pitchers

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al talk about processes for finding deep pitching sleepers, and then they discuss several pitchers whom fantasy managers should tuck away as l...

2023 Rookies of Interest: Hitters Edition

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Which rookies/prospects should you pay attention to for 2023 drafts? Eno and Welsh discuss players the have locked down jobs, some of the fringe to br...

New Stolen Base Rules and Stephen Vogt Interview

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and Al look at the potential impact of some of the new MLB rules on stolen base production. Eno also discusses the new rules and catcher preparati...

2023 Outfield Preview, Part 3

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the outfielders going outside the Top 200 overall in early fantasy baseball drafts. Rundown0:45 Riley Greene: Can We Learn Anythi...

2023 Outfield Preview, Part 2

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the outfielders in the Pick 100 to 200 overall range in early fantasy baseball drafts.Rundown0:47 Bryan Reynolds & Potentially...

Dynasty Ranks Breakdown

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DVR is officially out and on baby watch, so Eno and Welsh hold down the fort to talk about Welsh's dynasty ranks release and some of the most interest...

2023 Outfield Preview, Part 1

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the outfielders within the Top 100 overall in early 2023 fantasy baseball drafts.  Rundown1:41 Early Round 1 Outfielders (Acuña...

Digging Deep for Endgame Hitters

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several endgame hitters of interest for those playing in deeper leagues in 2023. Rundown0:38 Aaron Ashby Shoulder Fatigue, Behind...

2023 Catcher & UT-Only Preview

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the catchers and Utility-only players ahead of 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. Rundown1:00 ADP Tier 1: J.T. Realmuto, Daulton Varsh...

Introducing Chris Welsh and the Rates & Barrels Prospect Project!

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR welcome Chris Welsh to the Rates & Barrels crew as they introduce a new prospect-centric weekly episode focusing on keeper and dynasty...

2023 Second Base Preview

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the second base position for 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. Rundown3:03 ADP Tier 1: Top-50 Overall Second Basemen (Jose Altuve, Ma...

2023 Shortstop Preview

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the shortstop position for 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. Rundown1:25 ADP Tier 1 (Trea Turner, Bobby Witt Jr., Bo Bichette, Fernan...

2023 First Base Preview

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the first base position for 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. Rundown1:07 ADP Tier 1-1.5: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Freddie Freeman, Pau...

2023 Third Base Preview

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR examine the third base position for 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. Rundown0:53 Tier 1-1.5: José Ramírez, Bobby Witt Jr., Manny Machado, ...

Late January Deals & Signings, Managing Young Starting Pitchers

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several noteworthy news items including a few recent trades, signings, and proclamations about opportunities for a pair of interes...

2023 Relief Pitcher Preview

28 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR close out Pitcher Week with their 2023 Relief Pitcher Preview. Rundown0:53 ADP Tier 1: Edwin Díaz, Emmanuel Clase, Josh Hader12:48 ADP T...

2023 Starting Pitcher Preview, Part 3

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR continue Pitcher Week with a look at the starting pitchers typically available outside the Top 200 overall in early drafts. Rundown1:46 P...

2023 Starting Pitcher Preview, Part 2

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR continue Pitcher Week with a look at the starting pitchers with Top 100-200 overall ADP in January drafts. Rundown1:37 A Quick Breaking N...

2023 Starting Pitcher Preview, Part 1

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR begin Pitcher Week with a look at the starting pitchers with Top 100 overall ADP in January drafts. Rundown5:34 ADP Tier 1: Elite of the ...

The New Crew, Offseason Health Updates & Risky Early-Round Decisions

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the potential impact of Brian Anderson and Jesse Winker during in the Brewers' lineup, a new fan on the way in February, Alex Kir...

Rounding Out Rosters & Depth Chart Diving

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the Yankees' rotation depth with Frankie Montas expected to miss time at the start of the season, Trey Mancini's impact on the Cub...

A Phillies-Tigers Deal, Questionable First-Rounders & Roster Construction Problems

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the still unsettled status of Carlos Correa and the Twins' move back into the fray, a trade between the Phillies and Tigers, Mich...

Uncertainty with Carlos Correa, Jays-D-backs Trade, Mid-Range Free Agent Moves

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR start the new year by discussing Carlos Correa's unexpected lingering free-agent status, a blockbuster trade between the Blue Jays and Dia...

Moves, Moves & More Moves: Carlos Rodón, Carlos Correa & Sean Murphy Relocate

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the latest round of moves including Carlos Rodón's six-year pact with the Yankees, Carlos Correa's move to the Bay Area, Dansby S...

Kodai Senga to the Mets, Xander Bogaerts to the Padres & Another Flurry of Hot Stove Moves

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss a very busy week of movement around the league including Kodai Senga's five-year deal with the Mets, other pitchers on the move in...

Winter Meetings Fun: Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander & Trea Turner On the Move!

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Winter Meetings are underway! The Rangers swooped in with a five-year pact to land Jacob deGrom, and the Mets quickly backfilled in their rotation...

2022 Catcher & UT-only Review

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the 2022 catcher and utility-only hitter pool. If two-catcher leagues remain a standard, should you push for top-end talent at the...

2022 First Base Review

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the 2022 first base pool. How much can we trust Paul Goldschmidt's incredible season? Can Vlad Jr. get back to his 2021 levels? Ho...

2022 Third Base Review & Arizona Fall League Observations

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the 2022 third base pool after Eno shares some of his observations from his annual trip to the Arizona Fall League. They examined ...

2022 Second Base Review

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the 2022 second base pool. With a steady supply of mid-round value, does it make sense to wait at the position in the future? How ...

2022 Shortstop Review

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the 2022 shortstop pool. Was the position as deep and productive as expected? How can the shape of shortstop be leveraged in futur...

2022 Outfielder Review

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR battle a sinus infection and microphone issues take a look back at the Outfielder pool from 2022. From a group that fared well overall, ar...

2022 Starting Pitcher Review

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR take a look back at the Starting Pitcher pool from 2022. Is the group getting better at assessing pitching in general? Does that make it m...

2022 Relief Pitcher Review

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR begin their 2022 Positional Reviews series with relievers. As the top closer shuffle places, does it make sense to target top-end sources ...

Learning From 2022 Roster Builds, Title or Bust & Timing Rebuilds

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR looks at two of their teams with wildly different outcomes in 2022 in an attempt to mold future strategies and avoid repeating mistakes. P...

Finale Strategy, Triston McKenzie's Big Step Forward & the Impact of Rule Changes on Catchers

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss a few more difficult aspects of endgame strategy with just 10 days left to play in the 2022 fantasy baseball season. Plus, they ex...

New Steals Sources, Late Promotions & Endgame Help

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR consider the implications of new 2023 rules on stolen bases. Will players who currently run occasionally end up with bigger increases than...

Shift Rule Winners, Breaking WAR & Superstar Fatigue

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR dig into potential winners from the restrictions on shifting that will go into effect in 2023. Can José Ramírez become even more product...

When to Give Up on Young Players, Spin Rate Check-In & Making Sense of Morel

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inspired by the 2022 struggles of Jo Adell and Jarred Kelenic, Eno and DVR discuss when they give up on young players, what they look for while trying...

Second Half Pitching Risers & Fallers

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss some of the biggest risers and fallers among pitchers in the second half of the season in search of late-season pitchers to trust,...

Quality Speed Sources, Rule Changes On Tap & Pitch Clock Considerations

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the pleasant surprise of having many sources of stolen-bases that are good all-around offensive players, plus Cody Bellinger's fut...

An Impressive Debut & Fun with xStats

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the strong debut from D-backs pitcher Ryne Nelson before examining a few surprises on the xStats leaderboards including José Ramí...

Promotions, Roster Expansion & The Julio Rodríguez Megadeal

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several recently promoted players in the wake of September roster expansion including Gunnar Henderson, Spencer Steer, Garrett Mit...

Corbin Carroll Gets the Call, Misjudging Paul Goldschmidt, and Late-Season Bullpen Help

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the promotion of Corbin Carroll, his chances of being relevant in all league formats down the stretch, second-half risers in conta...

Tough Late-Season Decisions, Finding First Base Help & Throwing Too Many Strikes

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss a few challenging late-season decisions, how to potentially avoid the issues in the future, a disappointing 2022 from Jared Walsh,...

Long-Term Outlooks for Buehler & Tatis, Late Promotions & Oneil Cruz Feats of Strength

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the long-term outlook for Walker Buehler following his second career Tommy John surgery, Fernando Tatis Jr.'s decision to undergo ...

Fishing for Pitching: Overlooked Veterans, Relievers w/Starter Potential & Young Risers

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several late-season pitchers to monitor in hopes of finding undervalued arms for stretch run, and potential big movers in 2023 -- ...

Tatis' Suspension, CJ Abrams' Power Outlook, Slugging Risers & Fallers

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss Fernando Tatis Jr.'s positive PED test and subsequent 80-game suspension, CJ Abrams' long-term power outlook, the biggest risers a...

Stretch Run Value Targets, Stashes to Consider & Warming to Combined Saves and Holds?

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several second-half standouts that they are optimistic about beyond 2022, factors to consider when looking for deep pitching stash...

Closer ROI & 2023 Expectations, Projecting Risk & Jesse Winker is the Next Jesse Winker?

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the value provided (or lack thereof) from the top-end closers in the pool so far this season, and whether that might lead to a les...

Trade Deadline Takeaways, Threading the Needle, and Remembering Vin Scully

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss Trade Deadline takeaways, the frustration when teams try to 'thread the needle' in the wake of the Brewers' recent moves, the seem...

Luis Castillo to Seattle, A Surprise Josh Hader Trade to San Diego & Eno's Updated Pitcher Rankings

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the blockbuster trade that sent Luis Castillo to Seattle, big surprises in the latest update to Eno's Starting Pitcher Rankings, a...

Anticipating Deadline Deals in Search of Late-Season Opportunities & Value Changes

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR comb through several rosters ahead of the Trade Deadline in search of current backups and upper level minor leaguers with paths to more pl...

Statcast Bat Tracking, Struggling Starting Pitchers, and Pitching Model/Results Disagreements

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss the early applications of Statcast Bat Tracking data, as well as what they hope to learn as the dataset grows in the future before...

Second-Half Rebound Hitters, the 'Pie Slice' Rule & the Marlins' Offensive Woes

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several hitters with the potential to rebound in the second half -- with the emphasis on players whose value has fallen since the ...

Second-Half Pitcher Workload Concerns & Searching for Midseason Help via Trade & Waivers

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss several pitchers facing potential workload limitations in the second half -- including a large group of rookie pitchers, and a few...

Young Hitters to Target & Why the Stabilization Point for Barrel Rate Feels Slippery

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss why Esteury Ruiz might have a difficult time becoming Jon Berti 2.0 despite blazing speed and a growing path to playing time with ...

Midseason Problems, Young Pitchers to Target & Trying Making Sense of Byron Buxton

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss a few different midseason problems and try to determine which is the easiest to solve in the second half, plus they examine severa...

Luis Castillo's Ace Case, Stuff+ Risers & First-Half Pitching Movers

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eno and DVR discuss Luis Castillo's case for 'ace' status and the possibility that he's the best pitcher moved at the August trade deadline before exa...