Episode 1152: The Pod Calling the Ketel

## Summary

*Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter (and bantler, again) about what they’ve learned about antlers and antler-rubbed bats, the Evan Longoria trade, Derek Jeter’s town-hall event with Marlins fans, and Jeff’s breakout-player pick for 2018 (and breakout player-picking philosophy). Then they debut a new Stat Blast theme song by Jessie Barbour, do a Stat Blast about Matt Adams, Adam Lind, and a player who shouldn’t have switch hit, and answer listener emails about paying minor-league players, Jason Heyward opting out, the Yankees’ prospects with Michael Schur in their rotation, what the Braves could do with their tiny international bonus pool, and a baseball Bachelor, then follow up on their discussions of a team with no coaches and Shohei Ohtani signing shenanigans.*

## Topics

* Players worst against lefties by tOPS+
* Benefits of paying minor league players a higher salary
* Jason Heyward's potential contract opt out
* Michael Schur as the Yankees fifth starter
* Creative ways for the Braves to use their international signing pool
* Episode 1150 follow-up: teams with no coaches and player penalties for signing illegal deals

## Banter

* Episode 1151 follow-up: Many listeners wrote in to Ben and Jeff to let them know that deer antlers fall off naturally. A PR person from YAYA bats (company that uses antler rubbed bats) also reached out to them.
* Evan Longoria was traded to the San Francisco Giants
* Projections for the Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants
* Derek Jeter's town-hall with Marlins fans and plans for the new ownership group
* Jeff's selection of Ketel Marte as a breakout pick

## Email Questions

* Dan: "I estimated the Padres paid minor league salaries of around $3.3 million last year. The Padres would need about .7 WAR to justify the expense of paying their minor league players $50,000 per year. I find it nearly impossible to believe a team wouldn't recoup that value. Why hasn't anyone done this?"
* Michael: "Jason Heyward can opt out of his contract after the 2018 and 2019 seasons. What WAR would he need to make him want to do so?"
* Mike: "Michael Schur joked that the 2018 Yankees will be so good that if he were the fifth starter they would still win the AL East. He stipulated that he would make 32 starts with at least 60 pitches per start. He also assumed he wouldn't get many batters out. What would happen if Schur were the Yankees' fifth starter. I'd guess his stuff is ceremonial first pitch caliber."
* Matt: "The Braves were limited to $10,000 per player in international signing. Is there any way to get $10,000 of positive publicity?"

## Stat Blast

* Jeff reviews the Nationals' decision to let Adam Lind go and sign Matt Adams. Both players struggle to hit lefties and Jeff looked for the players who struggled most against lefties in their career (by tOPS+).
* Rich Decker had a tOPS+ of 27 against left handed pitchers in his career.
* In over 500 plate appearances against left handed pitchers, Wally Backman never hit a home run. Jeff is amazed that Backman had a career as a switch hitter.

## Notes

* Ben, on deer antlers falling off, "What a ridiculous system. Can you imagine growing bones out of your head every year only to have them fall off?"
* This is the first episode featuring the Stat Blast theme song.
* Jeff, on his Stat Blast tendencies, "Maybe it's just gonna be a weekly tOPS+ because you know what F U, I don't care."

## Links

* Effectively Wild Episode 1152: The Pod Calling the Ketel
* Giants Trade for Evan Longoria's Mid-30s by Jeff Sullivan
* My Current Favorite Breakout Pick by Jeff Sullivan
* Effectively Wild T-shirts