Summary[]
Ben Lindbergh, Jeff Sullivan, and ESPN’s Sam Miller recap the results of their 2018 minor league free agent draft and the surprising season of Wade LeBlanc, banter about Willians Astudillo and Delmon Young, discuss the defining memory of the 2018 season (and other seasons), and react to Clayton Kershaw’s contract extension. Then they bring on Rob Neyer, author of the new book Power Ball: Anatomy of a Modern Baseball Game, to discuss how he picked a game and topics to write about, whether baseball is changing in worrisome ways, knowing when and how to cite stats and talk to players, an unintended consequence of a powerful MLB Players Association, the pace of baseball’s evolution, Rob Manfred’s performance so far, and much more.
Topics[]
- Process of writing the book
- Changing baseball
- Commissioner role in “saving” baseball
- How to change baseball
- Opinion of Rob Manfred
- What will baseball look like going forward
- Are stats a help or hindrance
- Power of MLB union
- Differences in writing
- Taking to the players
- Advice for the next person to write this book
- Will the game ever stop changing
Interstitial[]
- Rockpile, "When I Write the Book"
Banter[]
- Minor league free agent draft recap
- Wade LeBlanc
- Richard Rodriguez
- Willians Astudillo
- Delmon Young
- Defining the 2017 season
- Defining the 2018 season
- Gary Sanchez/Austin Jackson gaffe that wasn't
- Clayton Kershaw
Notes[]
- Wade LeBlanc had almost the same stats, even though he started 27 games, up from 0 last year.
- Willians Astudillo hasn't struck out in the winter league yet.
- “I wish you guys would stop talking so we have something to talk about this offseason” -Jeff
- “Baseball is no longer run for the fans” - Rob
Links[]
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/effectively-wild-episode-1291-power-ball-to-the-people/
Link to minor league FA draft episode
Link to EW competitions/draft spreadsheet
Link to Sam’s article on each season’s defining memory
Link to Sam’s article on 2017’s defining memory
Link to Sam’s Delmon transaction tree article
Link to Jeff’s Kershaw contract post