Surprising Teams & The Cubs’ Unusual Path to the Middle

From Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball The Athletic

Is Manny Machado really mad about analytics, or is a tough season at the plate fueling the frustration? Today, Eno, Britt, and DVR unpack Machado’s comments and discuss whether advanced stats can help him break out of his prolonged slump.

Then, they look at three of baseball’s biggest surprises this season: the White Sox, Cardinals, and Nationals. Are these teams legitimate contenders, or should they sell at the deadline?

Later, Eno and DVR are joined by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic to discuss the Cubs’ disappointing season, what’s gone wrong, and whether there’s still a path back into the playoff race.

Rundown:

0:36 Brewers-A’s Goes PCL: Outdoor Baseball in Vegas in June, Yikes!

7:48 Manny Machado’s Frustration: Was Analytics Rant Just Venting?

15:20 It’s About Communication: Always Has Been, Always Will Be

22:10 Longer Road Trips? Would Teams Benefit From Less Back-and-Forth?

26:13 Should They Be Buyers? Watching White Sox, Cards & Nats Closely

41:36 Braden Montgomery Gets the Call

43:58 Patrick Mooney Joins the Show

44:18 An Unusual Start: Making Sense of Cubs’ Streaky Path to 34-22

46:32 Sitting in Discomfort: Believing in the Core to Click Despite Early Struggles

49:25 Trade Deadline Plan: How Much Rides on Path to a Wild-Card Round Bye?

52:15 Pitching Development: Why Are the Cubs Short on Arms?