{"podcast":{"title":"Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball","slug":"rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652","podcast_index_feed_id":692652,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879","website_url":"https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/podcasts/","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879/1774225915041-25aacc15-e115-4d2e-b3fa-72decc9773cb.jpeg","author":"The Athletic","episode_count":1068,"summary":"In baseball, numbers are everywhere. But they’re not just numbers. For Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris, they’re the keys to solving the most fun problem in sports. Every weekday, join DVR and Eno as they unpack baseball in ways you’ve never heard before, endeavoring to figure out all they can about a sport that’s constantly changing. Alongside contributors Britt Ghiroli, Trevor May and Jed Lowrie, the Rates & Barrels crew breaks down all the latest MLB news through an analytical lens, feeding your unhealthy addiction to numbers, while helping you master your fantasy baseball GM skills. But wait, there's more: come back for Saturday mornings in Starkville, where Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville talk to some of the most important players, coaches, and thought leaders in the league. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-26T10:19:52.816182+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652"},"episode":{"title":"Checking In on the Padres, Orioles & Guardians (w/ Zack Meisel)","slug":"checking-in-on-the-padres-orioles-guardians-w-zack-meisel","published_at":"2026-05-19T19:26:31+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652/checking-in-on-the-padres-orioles-guardians-w-zack-meisel","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652","url":"https://shows.acast.com/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball/episodes/checking-in-on-the-padres-orioles-guardians-w-zack-meisel","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879/e/6a0cb273f2a8b51c6a85efc2/media.mp3","summary":"The Padres and Guardians are surging, while the Orioles are still searching for answers. Eno, Britt, and DVR break down how San Diego has managed to stay atop the standings despite underperformance from a few key stars. Then, the crew takes a closer look at Baltimore’s continued struggles, examining why the Orioles haven’t been able to build on their 100-win season just a few years ago — and whether the bigger issues stem from pitching development or a lack of continuity on the coaching staff. Later, DVR sits down with The Athletic’s Zack Meisel to discuss Cleveland’s early success and whether the Guardians’ young core can keep them atop the AL Central. Rundown: 3:30 First Place Padres! 10:57 Starting Pitching Questions: How Will They Find Enough? 12:50 Can Walker Buehler or Griffin Canning Put it Together? 14:42 A Slow Start in Baltimore: Is This a Bottom-Five Team? 22:20 Can Shane Baz, Trevor Rogers & Chris Bassitt Turn It Around? 30:10 Turnover on the Staff: Is the Lack of Continuity an Issue? 34:05 Zack Meisel Joins the Show 35:11 Travis Bazzana: Impressing From the Jump 36:44 Brayan Rocchio & Angel Martínez Impressing 39:55 Guardians Tied for Second in Steals This Season 42:54 Ralphy Velazquez to Columbus: Is an August Promotion on Tap? 46:35 Parker Messick is Rolling: What Do the Next 16 Starts Hold? 50:15 Potential Weakness: Is the Rotation Depth Lacking? 51:44 Bullpen Remains a Strength Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social Follow Britt on Bluesky: @brittghiroli.bsky.social e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris With: Britt Ghiroli and Zack Meisel Editor: Jason Potere…","meta_description":"The Padres and Guardians are surging, while the Orioles are still searching for answers. Eno, Britt, and DVR break down how San Diego has managed to stay…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3341,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652/episodes/checking-in-on-the-padres-orioles-guardians-w-zack-meisel/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rates-barrels-a-show-about-baseball-692652/checking-in-on-the-padres-orioles-guardians-w-zack-meisel.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}