Venezuela Brings Home the WBC Title & Best Organizations for Pitching Development

From Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball The Athletic

Eno, Trevor, and DVR discuss Venezuela's thrilling win over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic Final on Tuesday including the impressive outing from Eduardo Rodríguez, an incredibly close play on Javier Sanoja's ninth-inning steal of second base, and a swing from Eugenio Suárez that will have a permanent place in Venezuelan baseball history.

Plus, Lance Brozdowski joins the show to discuss his recent pitching development survey, teams that appear to be headed in the right direction for the future, and a few prospects on the rise including potential keeper and dynasty league sleepers.

Rundown

0:13 Venezuela Brings Home Its First WBC Title

12:20 A Great Celebration of Baseball

17:13 Mark DeRosa's Future as Manager & Tactical Limitations for Tournament

21:43 About That Lack of Joy From Team USA

25:23 Lance Brozdowski Joins the Show!

(Lance's Survey: https://lancebroz.substack.com/p/2026-mlb-pitching-development-rankings-acqusition-lance-brozdowski-best-pitching-organizations-coaches-executives-survey)

26:19 Best Organizations for Pitching Development & Acquisition

29:11 How Much Did Past Reputation Influence Guardians’ & Rays’ Rankings?

31:59 Varying Timelines in Pitching Development

36:40 How Quickly Can Teams Improve Their Development?

39:44 Is Alignment Underrated In Organizational Success?

49:45 What Results Do You Look at to Measure Minor League Success?

55:13 Who Will Likely Move Up In These Rankings in the Near Future?

57:48 The Marlins Are Doing Things Their Way

1:04:44 Can the Cardinals Improve Faster Than Expected?

1:09:25 A Few of Lance’s Favorite Pitching Prospects

Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social