Without much going in the world of baseball, we celebrate our listeners with a longer than normal email segment, including some tips on how we learn from scouts. Following that we go in-depth on the Dodgers and Angels systems, including some disagreement over Dee Gordon and a long talk about what kind of player Mike Trout can be in the end. The only big move of the week was the signing of Adrian Beltre, and Jason breaks down what that means for the Rangers, and how the signing meant more bad news for Angels fans. With it being Hall of Fame week, our special guest is our own Jay Jaffe, and there’s no better expert in the business on who should (and shouldn’t) be in when measuring performance. It’s a long, highly entertaining, and informative discussion about numerous recent candidates, with a quick bit of trivia thrown in as well. Then, to make sure the show is really long again, we have a second special guest with Mike Ferrin of MLB Network Radio to discuss the channel, his career and his side gig as the occasional voice of the Double-A Bowie BaySox. And of course, we finish with the goofy stuff, including an inside look at one of Jason’s many psychoneuroses. As always, we hope you enjoy.
Rob reviews Brad Hawpe and two other outfielder signings this offseason.
Wrapping up a look at the players on the Hall of Fame ballot by examining the careers of closers John Franco and Lee Smith.
The LaRoche and Uggla deals, plus the Marlins’ spendy winter and a Phillies camp that figures to border on unnecessary.