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  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Team Blogs We Like
  • Best Resources
  • About The Roundtripper
  • Contact Chris and Tom

Roundtripper Podcast #19 - Top of the pop times

6/30/2017

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On Show #19 of The Roundtripper, catchers have been in the news quite a bit lately and Chris and Tom dedicate a lot of time discussing the tools of ignorance and the men that wear them. They take a look at the recent Miguel Montero controversy, examine who is good and not so good at pitch framing, discuss catcher pop times, and throw out a few names that have been surprising at the position so far as well as those who may be likely trade targets. The two of them also talk about super utility players, and both take a few moments to highlight recent MLB and MILB ballpark experiences.

CLICK HEAR TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD, OR FIND IT BY SEARCHING THE ROUNDTRIPPER ON ITUNES PODCAST SEARCH

Be sure to like The Roundtripper on Facebook and give us a follow on Twitter (@RoundtripperMLB). Also, if you like the show be sure to rate us 5-stars on iTunes! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please send us an email at Roundtripperpodcast@gmail!
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Roundtripper POdcast #18 - The Lineup is for Real

6/23/2017

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On Show #18 of The Roundtripper, Summer is officially here and a pair of divisional races are starting really heat up! Chris and Tom take a look at the AL East and compare and contrast the rosters and lineups of it's two frontrunners - the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. After that, they head out west and breakdown the NL West and it's three-horse affair as the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Rockies all vie for top honors. Finally, Chris and Tom take a look at a relatively new metric - "Barrels" - and explain what it means while looking at the category leaders for both hitters and pitchers so far in 2017. 

CLICK HEAR TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD, OR FIND IT BY SEARCHING THE ROUNDTRIPPER ON ITUNES PODCAST SEARCH

Be sure to like The Roundtripper on Facebook and give us a follow on Twitter (@RoundtripperMLB). Also, if you like the show be sure to rate us 5-stars on iTunes! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please send us an email at Roundtripperpodcast@gmail!
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The two pitches that define Aaron Judge's Season

6/21/2017

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In case you were not already aware, Aaron Judge is having a remarkable year so far. Forty percent of the 2017 MLB season has come and gone and Judge leads all position players with 4.5 WAR...nearly 1 win greater than the next closest position player (Paul Goldschmidt at 3.6). It's a remarkable turn of events for both Judge and the New York Yankees and many folks thought he would be a part time player battling for at bats in a crowded outfield that also includes Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Aaron Hicks. While there is some concern that his success is in part being driven by a almost certainly unsustainable BABIP (batting average on balls in play) of .424, it's hard to dismiss some of the other metrics he has accumulated thus far. 

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Roundtripper POdcast #17: The Likeability Standings

6/16/2017

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On Show #17 of The Roundtripper, Chris and Tom take a look at some of the young and exciting hitters that have made their mark on the 2017 MLB season. They examine breakdown the stat lines for Aaron Judge, Scott Schebler, and Cody Bellinger, comparing and contrasting them with some of the other young power hitters that have come up in the last few years (such as Joc Pederson and Adam Duvall). They also dissect Jeff Samardzija's recent string of success, point out some of the unique occurrences of the past few weeks, and answer their first official mailbag question. Tom also takes the time to debut his slightly biased "Likeability Standings."

CLICK HEAR TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD, OR FIND IT BY SEARCHING THE ROUNDTRIPPER ON ITUNES PODCAST SEARCH

Be sure to like us on Facebook (search for Roundtripper Podcast) and give us a follow on Twitter (@RoundtripperMLB). Also, if you like the show be sure to rate us 5-stars on iTunes! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please send us an email at Roundtripperpodcast@gmail
​
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Zack Greinke is Alive! Possibly. We think.

6/15/2017

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Photo Credit: http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/12/12/159479078/zack-greinke-loves-arizona-sunsets
The 2017 Diamondbacks boast a very well-rounded and surprisingly deep starting rotation. Yes, those two acquisitions from the 2015/16 offseason appeared to disappoint in 2016. Yes, one of them has continued to be a bust, albeit due to injury. Poor Shelby. Still, that unfortunate injury has not kept the Diamondbacks from boasting an extremely strong team with a remarkably complete roster in 2017.

Zack Greinke was one of the most talked about question marks of the offseason. After coming to Arizona in order to enjoy more sunsets, Zack appeared to see the sun setting on his prime years. Ohhhh snap. I used desert humor. But in all seriousness, he looked bad last year. It was fair to wonder whether he would rebound.  After a winter of wondering and waiting, it now appears that Zack Greinke had mistakenly been pronounced dead.  He now appears to be an ace again. Is this real? Was 2016 one giant desert mirage? Let's take a look at his performance over the past two and a half seasons. 

In 2015, Greinke was incredible, finishing second place in Cy Young voting while leading the league in ERA. Last season was gross. Zack Greinke got bopped around like a beach ball.

Greinke certainly did not perform as well in 2016 as he did in his final year in Los Angeles, but he was never going to come close to that. His BABIP in 2015 was well below his previous standards. In the end, he basically struck out and walked as many guys as he did during his 2013 season (YAY!), while allowing twice as many homers (BAD!).  One should have expected a more modest increase in homeruns, accompanied by a gentle bump in BABIP, and a continued display of fantastic control. He continued to throw his pitches at similar rates, with only slight changes in his uses of fastball, change, slider, curve and four-seamer. The difference? Greinke simply couldn't throw the fastball over the plate without getting slapped around. According to PitchFx data, hitters had a ridiculous .326/.368/.592 line against his fastball. His four-seamer was similarly mashed, while his other pitches continued to be effective at Greinke-like rates.

So was Greinke actually showing signs of decline? Is his recent resurgence real? Yes and yes. His fastball velocity continued to max out at 95 in 2016 and averaged half a mile an hour less than his rate from the past three years. That downward trend is obviously not promising, but it was only slightly a trend last year (Diamondbacks fans of 2016 rejoice!). Has it continued? Yes. It is now officially a trend. (Diamondbacks fans of 2017 can cry in their dirty outfield pool). Zack Greinke is now averaging 90 on his fastball and topping out around 93mph. Zack hasn't felt this bad since Kelly dumped him in high school. 

So... has he continued to decline in 2017? Nope.  As baseball nerds had hoped and half expected, Greinke adjusted by throwing the fastball less and mixing in his slider and change. We will never see 2015 Greinke again, but D-backs fans can bet money that they won't see 2016 Greinke anytime soon, either.  His 2016 homer per flyball rate sky-rocketed to rates that aren't typical for him. While it is difficult to determine why, one could try attributing this to predictable fastballs or fear of Arizona cacti.  I will lean towards fastballs and bad luck, while acknowledging that plants simply shouldn't have spikes. They freak me out. While Greinke's secondary pitches were hit hard in 2016, his fastball and four-seamer were the ones landing in the seats most often. Now that Greinke is throwing the fastball less often, and continuing to show his trademark control, he seems to be ahead of hitters.

Expect Greinke to continue being awesome. But seriously, stay away from plants that can poke you.
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Roundtripper Podcast #16: Scooter's Big Day and Houston's Big year

6/9/2017

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On Show #16 of The Roundtripper, Chris and Tom contemplate the act of hitting four home runs in a single game and share their thoughts on 2017's unlikely offensive hero Scooter Gennett. They also take a look at the torrid start for the Houston Astros, continue to be impressed by the New York Yankees, shake their heads at the downfall of the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield situation, and try to pinpoint who is most likely to be traded from the Florida Marlins. Chris also talks about his annual sojourn to Cooperstown, NY, and talks about what it's like to stay in a hotel full of former ballplayers and baseball legends. 

CLICK HEAR TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD, OR FIND IT BY SEARCHING THE ROUNDTRIPPER ON ITUNES PODCAST SEARCH

Be sure to like us on Facebook (search for Roundtripper Podcast) and give us a follow on Twitter (@RoundtripperMLB). Also, if you like the show be sure to rate us 5-stars on iTunes! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please send us an email at Roundtripperpodcast@gmail
​
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    ABout

    Spanning an entire continent, lifelong fans Chris Kubak and Tom Baird take you on a magical, sabermetrically enhanced journey through Major League Baseball. 

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