The SIS Baseball Podcast (Sports Info Solutions)

On our 2022 MLB season debut we welcome Ken Rosenthal from FOX Sports and The Athletic and Braves 1B coach Eric Young Sr.

Mark poses 10 questions to Ken, ranging from which team has the greatest potential variance in performance, sleeper Cy Young and MVP picks (people who never got a vote for that award) to the best defensive teams, to how rule changes are going to impact the game, and much more (0:48).

Eric Young explains what goes into coaching the Braves outfield and baserunners, how he uses data in his job, and the most important thing to know about being a first base coach is (14:34).

Thank you for listening. Please rate and review and send any feedback to Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball podcast, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by MLB Network analyst Cliff Floyd, ESPN Baseball Tonight host Karl Ravech, and New York Times national baseball writer James Wagner to answer some questions from Mark's baseball predictions game.

Cliff Floyd breaks down 5 hitters - Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Lorenzo Cain, and Shohei Ohtani and assesses the most important thing to watch and what the future holds for each guy (1:09).

Karl Ravech breaks down the 2 toughest divisions, shares what 2021 holds for superstars Juan Soto and Trevor Bauer, and gives a sleeper pick for the Cy Young who has not previously even gotten a Cy Young vote (13:23).

James Wagner picks the 2 teams poised to overachieve the most, gives win total estimates for the 2 most polarizing teams, compares the Yankees postseason chances to those of the Brooklyn Nets and lets us know if baseball games will get any shorter in 2021 (spoiler: probably not) (20:53).

Do you want to get an edge in fantasy baseball this season. Then check out The Bill James Handbook: Projections Update. This excel spreadsheet offers player projections for 2021. The projections are based on our exclusive formula and our playing time assessments. Purchase them here: http://baseballinfosolution.com/bijahaprup208.html

Thanks for listening. Please rate and review the podcast if you have a chance. Stay safe and stay well.

On a special bonus episode, Mark Simon is joined by Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña to review his impressive first half of the season, particularly in the field.

Jeremy tells us about his favorite defensive plays, why he's so good at fielding on the backhand, the value of being bilingual in a locker room, and much more (0:31)

We then run through the Defensive Runs Saved leaders by position for the first half of the season (11:33).

We also talk with SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales about the significance of the first 5 picks in the MLB Draft, the decline in high school players selected in the late rounds, and the fun in Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game. (14:09)

Thanks as always for listening. Looking forward to the rest of the 2022 season. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, we’re joined by two of MLB’s top defensive players, Platinum Glove (and Fielding Bible Award winning) Yankees catcher Jose Trevino and Gold Glove-winning (and Fielding Bible runner-up) Cubs left fielder Ian Happ.

Jose talks about the art and skill required to frame pitches, how he gets acquainted with a pitching staff, and why he’s passionate about keeping human umpires behind the plate (0:29).

Ian discusses the challenges of playing at Wrigley Field, why he was so aggressive at sliding, diving, and jumping this season, and how the Cubs used collaboration between the computers and the humans to refine their outfield positioning data (14:55).

Then, Mark is joined by SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales who talks about catching as an art, his own experiences at Wrigley Field, and what he’s most looking forward to for baseball in 2023 (32:31).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On the SIS Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon, senior research analyst for Sports Info Solutions, shows us how baseball analytics are cool, interesting, and fun. SIS develops analytics and provides them to MLB teams, media, and fantasy baseball outlets. On the podcast, we’ll give you a peek into our world, talk to important people around the industry about analytic storylines, and share what we find to be cool, interesting and fun.

In this episode, Mark breaks down the defensive performance of Phillies catcher JT Realmuto, interviews baseball writer extraordinaire Joe Sheehan, and sits down with Andrew Kyne to construct the perfect five-tool player.

Joe Sheehan was one of the founders of Baseball Prospectus in the mid-1990s and an editor of the Baseball Prospectus Annual. Now he writes regularly for many entities, including Sports Illustrated. He also writes his own baseball newsletter, which you can preview and purchase at JoeSheehan.com.

In this episode of the SIS Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) begins by marveling at Zack Greinke’s defense (1:05). Mark then talks to MLB Radio and Arizona Diamondbacks broadcaster Mike Ferrin (@Mike_Ferrin). Mike makes his case for the best team in baseball (3:25) and discusses how much organizations value defense in this era (4:51). He also makes his pick on which defensive player he’d most like to be (11:15) and who’s the best defensive shortstop in the NL (15:35). Mike then comes up with a stat he’d like the BIS crew to work on (19:43). 

Mark is then joined by Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne) and the two discuss Matt Carpenter, Jeff McNeil and the shift (24:24), how much outfielders benefit from changing positions (26:58), which players should have made the All-Defense All-Star team (29:58), and which defensive player they would most like to be (33:17). They then answer a listener question about which players have made the most different kinds of Good Plays (35:01) and try to stump each other with the Ridiculous Stats of the Day (36:42).

Tune in, and please rate and review if you listen.

On this episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by a Defensive Runs Saved leader of the present and a Defensive Runs Saved leader of the future, Braves outfielder Adam Duvall and Braves prospect Michael Harris (@MoneyyyMikeee).

Duvall talks about the intricacies of playing the outfield and one of his specialties, getting to balls quickly so that he can make a throw to nail or hold a baserunner. He also talks about the challenges of playing each of the three outfield spots and the adventures he’s had with side walls and outfield fences. (0:37)

Harris, our minor league outfield Runs Saved leader, discusses his time with the Rome Braves (Class-A) and some of the outstanding catches he’s made this season. He also shares the message he writes on his glove to remind himself not to feel bad about taking away base hits (10:28).

Thank you for listening. Stay safe and stay well.

In this episode of the Sports Info Solutions podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) recounts the Indians recent success (1:22), then talks to Tigers broadcaster & special assistant Kirk Gibson (@23KGibby) about what stats he’d like to see related to mentally getting through a season (3:30), teaching hitters proper swing techniques (8:34), what interests him about analytics (19:19), and the work he’s doing to raise awareness for Parkinson’s Disease (20:15).

Mark is also joined by Dan Brooks (@brooksbaseball), who co-runs the annual Saberseminar (Sabermetrics Scouting and the Science of Baseball) at Boston University. Dan recounts the history and past highlights (22:28), discusses the impact the conference has (especially on students) (25:48), and what to expect at this year’s event which raises money for the Angioma Alliance (28:40).

Mark and SIS research associate Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne) review research on how often balls hit up the middle result in a baserunner (34:15) and which hitters are best at getting in and succeeding in hitters counts (35:56). They also answer listener questions on how Hall of Fame analysis has changed (38:07), which past trade-deadline acquisition was of greatest analytic value (39:47), which analytics would be best used when a batter comes to the plate from former major-leaguer Doug Glanville (@dougglanville) (41:39) and which metrics teams are looking for that they don’t already have (43:46). Mark and Andrew close by picking a player to watch (46:12) and share their Ridiculous Numbers of the Day (47:23).

If you have feedback on the program, please send it to mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Giants bench coach Kai Correa (@ThatGuy_Kai). He talked about #CoachesvsCOVID, a series of coaching clinics aimed at raising money for The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, which is doing Covid-related research (1:56).

Kai also talked about the instructional videos available on the Giants YouTube page and how he taught the younger Giants first basemen proper posture and how to turn one-legged double plays (3:32). He then goes through what influenced him as he progressed in his career: the MLB and college coaches, film study, and trial-and-error (6:22). He also told the story of his coaching family tree, including his grandfather, who coached scholastic sports for more than 60 years (8:34).

Correa’s path to MLB is fascinating. He explained the process that led to his becoming a coach on Gabe Kapler’s staff and what his role will entail (10:04), what he wants to do to help add length to the primes of players like Evan Longoria (11:22), getting buy-in to the program-building work that the team is doing (13:55). He explained his receptiveness to analytics and how he likes to combine film, feel, and data to teach defense (15:33). He explains how he teaches getting in position and why he prioritizes that for teaching youth baseball players (17:28).

Thanks for listening. Stay safe and healthy!

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center- FredHutch.org

Kai’s Fred Hutch Fundraising Page

#FridayFielders baseball tutorials

How to train like a big league infielder: Part I Part II Part III

This week’s episode of the SIS Baseball Podcast highlights defensive excellence in the Bay Area.

Senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) points out how well Chad Pinder has played recently, with help from Oakland Athletics coach Ryan Christenson (1:04). 

Then, Mark talks to San Francisco Giants outfielder Kevin Pillar (@KPILLAR4). They discuss the challenges of making sliding, diving, and jumping catches including dealing with injuries (3:00), how Pillar learned to play that way (5:13), what being the leader in those kinds of catches says about a player (10:00), learning a ballpark (11:02), how much he uses scouting information (13:24), and what advice he would give to kids who want to play defense like him (15:19).

Mark is then joined by research associate Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne) and intern Jon Becker (@jonbecker_). They review Pillar’s comments (18:29), discuss a pitcher who changed approach upon joining a new team (20:56), answer a listener question about the Mount Rushmore of stats (22:45), preview Andrew’s presentation at Saberseminar (24:07) and challenge listeners to figure out the Ridiculous Stats of the Day (25:21).

On this episode, you’ll hear the “best-of” our interviews from the 2021 baseball year. Those you’ll hear from are Tony Kemp (0:46), Joey Wendle (3:10), Rachel Balkovec (5:03), Melanie Newman (6:57), Michael A. Taylor (9:03), Cedric Mullins (9:55), Tommy Edman (12:30), Ryan McMahon (13:41), Matt Chapman (14:30), Luis Guillorme (17:08), Antoan Richardson (18:12), Max Stassi (19:33), Larry Walker (22:12), Hunter Renfroe (23:19), Chas McCormick (24:17), Adam Duvall (25:18), and Michael Harris (27:14).

Thank you for listening this season. Please rate and review us if you get the chance. Happy holidays and we look forward to talking to you in 2022.

On this episode, baseball writer Joe Sheehan joins Mark Simon to recap the 2021 MLB season and look ahead to 2022.

After announcing the 2021 Fielding Bible Award winners (0:19), Mark and Joe talk about:

- The most impressive thing about defense in MLB (4:56)

- Byron Buxton’s future (7:50)

- 2021 MLB Awards (10:08)

- Reward Robbie Ray? (15:00)

- The promise of Eduardo Rodriguez (21:56)

- Teams to watch this offseason (Giants, Tigers & more) (24:30)

- Buster Posey/Paul Goldschmidt and the Hall of Fame (28:36)

- Veterans Committee candidates (35:09)

- Bring on the pitch clock! (36:52)

- The Baseball Revolution (38:46)

Thank you as always for listening. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker.

Christian talks about what’s gone into his dominant defensive season and an unusual offensive season in which he was repeatedly hitting the ball hard both into shifts and into great defensive plays. He’s back on track for good numbers now (1:07).

We’ll also hear from our Video Scout, Alex Eisert (@Mind_OverBatter), about 2 statistical studies he did with SIS data – one on checked swings and another on meatball pitches (16:38).

And then we’re joined by SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales and Operations Assistant Brandon Tew (@BrandonTeweets). The theme of their talk is “Grade 80 Watchability” as they did in-depth scouting on Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, along with Shohei Ohtani, Edwin Diaz, and Spencer Strider (22:54).

You can read Brandon’s article on Murakami here.

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Yankees minor league hitting coach Rachel Balkovec (@_rachelbalkovec), who is currently in Australia working as a coach with the Sydney Blue Sox.

Rachel talks about how she came to be coaching in Australia (1:46). She then addresses the progress that women have made in baseball and other sports and the challenges women face in light of the Mets firing of their GM (5:24).

Rachel also talks about the way she connects with players (11:21), the hardest thing to coach athletes on (13:36), and what she studied when she worked with Driveline (14:51). She also speaks about her favorite mentoring story (20:43) and provides perspective on how she viewed 2020 (25:12).

Thank you for listening. Please rate and review the podcast if you can. You can also find Rachel at RachelBalkovec.com or on Instagram at @Rachel.Balkovec

NOTE: This episode was taped last week prior to the player protests and games being postponed.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Dodgers second baseman Kiké Hernández (@kikehndez), who is off to a great defensive start to 2020. 

Kiké explains about how his work was impacted by the pandemic (0:51) and then 'talks shop' on how he covers ground laterally, how playing deep impacts his play, taking pride in his sprinting, which coaches impacted him the most, and the importance of keeping a soft base (2:43). 

Kiké also shares which play he's most proud of (which can be viewed HERE) (10:18) and what it's like to play with Mookie Betts playing behind him (11:57). He lists the top defensive players he's gotten to watch (14:09), shares how many gloves he's had (15:21), answers whether we'd ever see him catch (15:53), and explains (or didn't) how he hits Madison Bumgarner so well (16:29). 

To close the show, Mark shares the history of great defensive players from Hernández’s native Puerto Rico (17:42).

Thanks for listening as always. Please rate and review if you can. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Angels catcher Max Stassi (@MaxStassi10) to talk about what goes into his defensive work.

Max talks about his defense origin story (he was born into catching) and what he focuses on when he frames pitches (1:21).

Max also discusses what it's like to catch Shohei Ohtani and offers a strong take on the potential of robot umpires and how that would change catching forever (imagine catchers working entirely from their knees) (11:18).

Plus, Hall-of-Fame inductee and 7-time Gold Glover Larry Walker on his favorite type of defensive play (19:53).

Mark is then joined by former Baseball Info Solutions Video Scout, and singer-songwriter Matt Halvorson (@HalvyHalvorson), whose songs are often about prominent (and lesser-known) baseball players (you'll hear a brief excerpt from his latest album, which you can find here) (21:48).

Thank you for listening. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) and Bobby Scales (@Bobby_Scales) are joined by …

4-time Gold Glove winner Marquis Grissom (@MGBA_Baseball). Marquis talks about the work he does with aspiring Black baseball players and youth baseball organizations and the value of going to an HBCU both for school and for baseball. (0:55)

Major League Baseball's senior director of front office and field staff diversity pipeline program Tyrone Brooks (@tbrooksBIN). Tyrone talks about the work he does with MLB and the Baseball Industry Network, his time in baseball, and opportunities around the upcoming SABR Analytics Conference. (16:28)

And children’s book author Matt Tavares. Matt is the author of the children’s book, Henry Aaron’s Dream that was recently pulled from school bookshelves in Florida for review - the good news is that it was eventually returned. Matt gives us a good history lesson on Hank Aaron. (36:39)

And stay tuned at the end – Bobby answers Mark’s question – can you change a player’s defensive aggressiveness during spring training? (49:57)

On this episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by ESPN baseball reporter Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) to talk about the imperfect teams of the AL East, the trade deadline, and stories that go beyond analytics to explain player performance.

Marly discussed the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Kris Bryant, Trevor Story, Vladimir Guerrero, and Cedric Mullins. She also gave her thoughts on the state of women in baseball broadcasting.

Thank you always for listening. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton (@OfficialBuck103) to talk about everything from his defensive approach to how he changed his swing by watching video, to why he smiles so much and much more (0:45).

Mark also welcomes a group of guests to break down the Fielding Bible award winners from both the KBO and NPB. Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) of the Yonhap News and Ted Baarda of SIS join first to discuss the winners from the KBO (24:19), and John Gibson (@JBWPodcast) of JapaneseBaseball.com and the Japan Baseball Weekly Podcast finishes the show with a look at the winners from the NPB (48:24).

You can read more about the Fielding Bible award winners at Stat of the Week. Don't forget to rate and review, and stay safe.

Important Links

Byron Buxton defensive highlights (10 minutes worth!)

Game-winning infield hit vs Tigers

On this episode of the SIS Baseball Podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) talks with two current MLB coaches who have an expertise in playing multiple positions – Don Kelly (Pirates bench coach) and Joe McEwing (White Sox bench coach).

Don Kelly talked about what it took to become “Zobristian” – a player who could play any position on the field (2:23), how many gloves he had (4:27), what it was like to try to be good at multiple positions and which was hardest (5:15), what Jim Leyland taught him (13:25), his favorite defensive play (14:12), what it was like to be a one-time catcher (15:58), and how he integrates what he’s learned into coaching (19:49).

Joe McEwing also shared tales of “Zobristness” (24:16), the advice he would give a 28th-round pick - he was one in 1992 (27:04), what goes into playing second base (28:01), what it was like to play for Tony La Russa and Bobby Valentine, including the clever way that Bobby V had his first baseman hold runners on (31:26). McEwing also talked of teaching defensive excellence and working with Jose Abreu to help him become a better defensive player (33:26). He also explained the White Sox approach to defensive positioning (37:29) and explained why he hit Hall of Fame pitchers like Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine so well (41:58).

Thank you for tuning in. Please rate, review and subscribe. If you have any feedback on the podcast, send it to mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode, Mark Simon and Bobby Scales review the winners of The 2022 Fielding Bible Awards. You’ll also hear from some of the winners that we spoke to during the season, including Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, and Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan.

Plus new interviews with Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman and Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo.

Congratulations to all the winners!

 Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this special edition episode, Mark Simon is joined by Sports Info Solutions Director of Basketball, Jake Loos. SIS recently announced that it would be entering the basketball business. Jake, the former director of basketball analytics and technology for the Phoenix Suns will head up our operation. Jake talks about his background, which includes an MBA from MIT and what he loves about basketball and statistics (1:12). He then details the challenges of basketball analytics and trying to explain it to non-analytically inclined fans (7:26). He also explains what SIS will be doing with basketball data and the challenges of trying to do the kind of player evaluation he wants to do (11:18). He also talks about why Joe Ingles of the Jazz is one of his favorite players (20:24), why Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade’s stats are his favorite (22:24), and gives advice both on how to watch the game smarter (25:48) and how to pursue a career in basketball analytics (26:48).

Back to our usual programming later this week. Thanks for tuning in! 

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by Ethan Bryan (@Ethan_Bryan), the author of A Year of Playing Catch – What A Simple Daily Experiment Taught Me About Life. Ethan, a lifelong Royals fan from Springfield, Missouri, talks about where the idea of playing catch every day originated and what the experience was like (1:08) and shares the stories of the prominent people with whom he played catch, including a longtime major leaguer who was in his 80s at the time (11:22). They also discuss notable games of catch in MLB history (23:05) and what a game of catch does for the body and the mind (26:04).

Ethan’s book is published by Zondervan Books and is available at EthanBryan.com and wherever books are sold.

Thank you for listening. Don’t forget to rate and review us. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, we begin by discussing the historic hiring of Kim Ng as the Marlins GM with Josh Rawitch (@joshrawitch), the Diamondbacks senior VP of content and communications. Josh and Kim worked together when both were with the Dodgers, and Kim gave Josh a shout-out at her press conference. Josh shares stories about working with her and describes the traits that he thinks will make her a great general manager, including her knowledge base and demeanor (1:47). We’ll be talking more about Kim and women in baseball in greater depth later this offseason.

We are also joined by Jomboy Media baseball analyst, Trevor Plouffe (@trevorplouffe), who played third base for nine MLB seasons (2010 to 2018) (9:59). Trevor helps us preview the free agent market. He gives insights on what it’s like to hit against Trevor Bauer and offers a thought on why Bauer’s success could have staying power (14:31). He also evaluates George Springer, J.T. Realmuto, DJ LeMahieu, and Marcell Ozuna (17:59), along with the crowded market for No. 3 starting pitchers and closers (32:51). Along the way, he discusses things to keep in mind, like which hitters bring value for their long at-bats and which teammates work with players to make them better.

Lastly, we ask Trevor about what it’s like to be a first-round pick and about the challenges that come with being in that spot (36:09).

Thank you for listening. Please rate and review us if you can. Stay safe and stay well. 

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by new SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Bobby played 2 seasons with the Cubs and worked in the front offices of the Pirates and the Angels.

Bobby reminisces about his long pro career, which included 10 years in Triple-A and 2 years in Japan, telling stories of memorable moments and people (he thought he was being pranked after hitting his first home run … but a surprise awaited) (2:37). He also breaks down the duties and skills needed in the different front office jobs in which he worked – which include Director of Player Development, Special Assistant to the General Manager, and Field Coordinator (15:15). And he talks about something he’s passionate about – getting more Black men and women working in baseball front offices (30:45).

Thank you for listening. Please send any feedback on the podcast to Mark@SportsInfoSolutions.com

On this episode, Mark Simon was joined by Diamondbacks catcher-centerfielder Daulton Varsho, ESPN’s Paul “Hembo” Hembekides, and Sports Info Solutions VP of Baseball Bobby Scales.

Daulton Varsho talked about the origin of his unusual position combination, what a day in the life is like for a catcher, and what his experience has been like with the new Pitchcom communication system.

Bobby Scales shared his relationship with Daulton’s father, Gary, explained what impressed him most about how Varsho plays the outfield, and provided a Hawaiian baseball history lesson on former player/coach Mike Lum.

Mark and Paul Hembekides then ran through the most interesting hitter, pitcher, fielder, and team through the first two months of the season, and discussed the Mets’ new approach to scoring runs.

Thank you for listening as always. Please follow us on Twitter at @SIS_Baseball. If you have any feedback on the show or suggestions for guests, e-mail Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On a supersized episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by Red Sox outfielder Hunter Renfroe and Mets infielder Luis Guillorme to talk shop – how they do what they do on D. That is followed by an MLB Draft Preview with our Video Scouts, Brandon Tew and Dominick Ricotta.

Renfroe talks about his powerful throwing arm, with tips for aspiring players on what they can do to develop theirs (0:35). He also talks about the challenges of playing the right field triangle and right field corner at Fenway Park. (3:58)

Guillorme walks us through how he learned to be a smart defensive player while growing up in Venezuela and how he learned to slow the game down (12:04). He takes us through several plays he’s made this season, including a game-saving relay throw and a well-timed base block (15:30). He also discusses how he catches flying bats, how he battles in his at-bats, and how he became adept at juggling. (19:31)

Brandon and Dominick give us a preview of the top college pitchers and hitters in this year’s draft, a class headed by Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, and Henry Davis (24:29). They also come up with players to keep an eye on outside the top 10 (42:47).

As always, thanks for listening. Please rate and review us if you can. Stay safe and stay well.

Hunter Renfroe plays referenced

Catch in right field corner vs Tom Murphy at Fenway

Great throw after CF missed ball to throw out Matt Chapman trying for 3B on triple

Luis Guillorme plays referenced

Threw out Cedric Mullins on a bunt

Tag play at 3B on SB attempt

Throws Marisnick out at home

On this month’s edition of the SIS Baseball Podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) shares interesting things he's learned about Matt Chapman, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Didi Gregorius from the new Defensive Runs Saved (1:06).

Mark is then joined by Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore. They discuss the state of the Royals rebuild (3:05), what an MLB manager should be expected to know about analytics and performance science (6:53), how the Royals shift and how they evaluate whether their defensive shifts are working (9:52), the importance of chase rate in evaluating draft prospects (12:33), Dayton’s interest in learning about leadership (16:18), and his advice for those who want to work in baseball (listen before you speak!) (19:37).

Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne) also joins Mark to talk about The Fielding Bible Volume V, which will be out March 1 (23:12). Andrew also answers a listener question about how different aspects of defensive performance factor into a pitcher’s value (27:18).

For more information, check out FieldingBible.com and SportsInfoSolutionsBlog.com. Thanks for listening!

This special edition of the SIS Baseball Podcast features a conversation with 3 of the smartest minds in baseball writing today. Eno Sarris (@enosarris) of The Athletic explained how current players are learning how defensive metrics work (0:56). Rob Arthur (@No_Little_Plans) shared the details of an article he wrote for Baseball Prospectus on how teams are valuing defense (5:18). Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) of the Athletic and Eno then looked at which teams are valuing defense most and least (8:30). The panel weighed in on how defense is taken into consideration for Hall of Fame voting and discussed specific candidacies as relates to defense (Scott Rolen, Yadier Molina, Brian McCann, Chase Utley, even back to Bill Freehan) (16:09). The show ended with each member of the panel picking a player whose defensive skills they wish they had (25:09).

Give the podcast a try – it’s a chance to hear some well-informed baseball talk coming from a different angle.

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by NY Times national baseball writer Tyler Kepner for their second annual discussion of the biggest surprises of the MLB season.

Among the things they touch on are the Giants and Rays (0:50), the pitching of Nestor Cortes and Ranger Suarez (8:44), the craterings of the Mets, Padres, and Cody Bellinger (15:52), the up-and-coming Tigers (21:13), an unlikely MVP candidate (23:30), and the amazing defense of the Rockies third basemen (27:07).

Thank you as always for listening. Please rate and review if you can. Stay safe and stay well.

In this episode, Sports Info Solutions senior analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by three baseball writers – Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) of the San Francisco Chronicle, Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) of the Tampa Bay Times and Dan Hayes (@DanHayesMLB) of The Athletic. Slusser talks about how the Athletics are struggling to match the success of last season, particularly in relief pitching. Topkin discusses how the Rays operate in lock-step, from ownership down. Hayes explains how the Twins found untapped power both from their bats and their arms. Each also shares how the teams they cover find talent on the margins and how much they value defense.

Mark is also joined by research associate Andrew Kyne, who explains the methodology and shares the results from his study on which teams position their infield best. Mark and Andrew answer listener mail, share who’s getting the best and worst results when they hit the ball hard and close the show with some Ridiculous Stat of the Day trivia. Tune in and play along!

On this edition of the SIS Baseball Podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Keith Law (@keithlaw), senior baseball writer at The Athletic and author of the new book “The Inside Game.”

Mark and Keith talk about the motivation for writing this book and what he would want someone to get out of it (1:11), bias as it relates to high school pitcher selection in the MLB Draft (4:41), the power of the first impression a player makes (9:08), biases that become apparent when trying to evaluate defense (11:15), the challenge of coming up with solutions to dealing with bias and where teams will improve at dealing with bias in the next 20 to 50 years (17:35).

They also discuss a favorite computer game, Earl Weaver Baseball, and what made it so good (20:27), and how simulations could help with decision-making under pressure (22:37). They end their discussion talking about another passion of Keith’s, board games, and what board game best simulates baseball thinking (25:23). Keith also provides a list of minor league prospects to watch on the defensive side when baseball resumes (30:57).

Thanks for tuning in! And stay safe!

On a special playoff-preview edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, we dig deep on the top-seeded Rays and Dodgers as we welcome former MLB pitcher Brian Anderson and current Dodgers/FOX broadcaster Joe Davis (@Joe_Davis) to the podcast.

Brian, in his 10^th season as a TV broadcaster with the Rays, gives us an in-depth look at the team’s pitching staff, with what makes the group so good collectively and what makes Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Charlie Morton a dangerous playoff pitching rotation (2:36). He also explains the unusual success of pitchers like Nick Anderson (9:29) and how the catchers, defense and coaching staff have been integral to the team’s success (11:13). He also tells us how the Rays can win in the postseason without having big stars on the roster (15:59).

Joe tells us the story of the Dodgers season, using statistics to back up his key points. He picks a surprise player’s rise as the player whose stats were his favorite in 2020 (24:26). He also explains the success of Mookie Betts and Corey Seager and the decline of Cody Bellinger (25:16). Joe also gives us insight on the Dodgers pitching staff, including a couple of lesser-known names that could play key roles (30:33). Lastly, Joe explains his storytelling with statistics broadcast approach (36:38) and gives a tip to those who went to small colleges who aspire to get into broadcasting, as he did (40:21).

Thanks for listening. We’ll be back in our regular slot next week. Stay safe and stay well.

Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) heard from Rays infielder Joey Wendle (@JoeyWendle) right after we posted our last episode, so we figured we’d bring you a bonus interview with him before we ramp up to our Opening Day Preview here at the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast.

Joey talks about his 2020 postseason experience and the large number of hard-hit balls he had to field as well as the preparation that goes into playing defense, including pre-game work and how he’s positioned. He also shares tips for aspiring third basemen on making the long throw across the diamond to first base and gives his early impressions of Wander Franco.

Thanks for listening as always. Don’t forget to rate and review us if you can. Stay safe and stay well. 

On this week’s edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) opens the show by talking about the defensive analytics concepts he hopes a manager would know (1:16). Mark then talks with Nationals assistant general manager for baseball research and development, Samuel Mondry-Cohen.

They discuss Sam’s path from batboy to front office executive (4:19), how the Nationals analytics department is structured (7:57), what it’s like to work with the coaching staff and with ace pitcher Max Scherzer (9:53), what his group was working on when the team was 19-31 (12:54), what role the analytics group played in the team’s acquisition of Daniel Hudson (14:12), and tips for pursuing a job in sports analytics (spoiler: Learn to code!) (15:59).

Afterwards Mark is joined by SIS research associate Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne). They review the White Sox signing of Yasmani Grandal and look at three other free agents of note (20:16). They also offer their own version of 8 MLB Awards ranging from “Hall of Framer” to “Flat Bat.” (25:20)

Next podcast episode will be in December. See you then!

Supplemental links

Mark’s article in The Athletic on how free agents will impact a team on Defense

https://theathletic.com/1357020/2019/11/07/eighteen-free-agents-who-can-have-an-impact-with-their-defense/

Tyler Kepner on Samuel Mondry-Cohen

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/25/sports/baseball/washington-nationals-data-world-series.html

On this episode, Sports Info Solutions senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) details the story of the success of Yankees outfielder Mike Tauchman, who has had an unexpectedly impressive season in the field (0:59). Mark is also joined by minor league third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes (@KeBryanHayes), who is ranked among the top infield prospects in the minor leagues. Ke’Bryan explains where he learned to play defense (3:15), the challenge of not taking a hitting slump into the field (8:03), how minor league teams provide scouting information on where players should position themselves (9:19) and the famous catches made by his father, former major league third baseman Charlie Hayes (12:24). Eric Longenhagen (@longenhagen) of FanGraphs.com adds a brief scouting report on Hayes (15:29).

Mark then welcomes senior research analyst Alex Vigderman (@VigManOnCampus) and Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne), who share what they learned from the Saberseminar Conference in Boston. They share information about a biomechanic study at Wake Forest university (17:54), women working in MLB front offices (19:40), how the Red Sox hitting coaches work with their hitters (20:30), re-imagining the strike zone (22:02), C-Flap helmets (23:29), and the importance of outfielder jumps (24:16).

The three then answer listener mail on umpires (25:44), stats to measure pitch effectiveness (27:41), and the best stats for predicting “Beat the Streak” success (30:34) and try to stump listeners with Ridiculous Numbers of the Day trivia (32:44). 

On this edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) welcomes baseball back. Hooray! He’s then joined by Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter, who explains how the school’s state-of-the-art pitching lab came to be (2:18), how information gets translated from the language of a PhD to the language of baseball (5:44), the difference between performance science and analytics now versus when Coach Walter first began coaching (8:31), how the school applies the lab to studying hitters too (10:52), how his program uses shifting and how their shifts adjust based on count (12:06), future developments in performance science (15:03), expectations for this season (16:36), and what the team does in the local community (17:36).

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb), Rockies beat writer for MLB.com, Alex Speier (@alexspeier), who covers the Red Sox and MLB for the Boston Globe and Alex Coffey (@byalexcoffey), who covers the Athletics for The Athletic.

Almost every other episode of this podcast deals with statistical subjects or looks at the “how-to” of defensive play. There will hopefully be a time and place for that in the future. This episode is a little different.

This episode focuses on 2 subjects:

1) How teams and players are dealing with Coronavirus-related issues.

2) How players, teams and MLB are responding to social justice concerns

Thank you as always for listening. Stay healthy and stay safe.

More information:

Read Thomas Harding’s coverage at MLB.com

Red Alex Speier’s coverage at BostonGlobe.com

Read Alex Coffey’s coverage at TheAthletic.com

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. (@melrojasjr), arguably the best hitter in the KBO and the league’s leader in hard-hit rate. If Mel’s name sounds familiar, it should – his father pitched 10 seasons in the majors including a strong run as the closer for the Expos. Mel talks about his family’s baseball history, which includes the Alou family, and explains why he’s a hitter and not a pitcher (1:11). He talks about what the season has been like and how improved plate coverage has led to more success (3:31). He also explains what it takes to hit or lay off a nasty forkball and how his family’s history may have come in handy regarding his knowledge of that pitch (7:03).

Mel also discusses his defense and playing/living in Korea (10:40) and what it has been like to play without fans and how KBO fans are highly positive, even when their players are in slumps (16:30). He also explains why he chose to come to the KBO and why he chose to stay (17:38). He picks out some of the league’s other top players and references one who should be a future MLB prospect (20:00). Lastly, he offers advice for anyone considering playing in the KBO (22:23). 

When we planned out Season 2 of our podcast, our goal was to make the show more thoughtful and more diverse. We continue to work towards that with this episode, which spotlights two women working in baseball analytics who recently spoke at a Women in Baseball event – Emily Curtis (@emweecurt) with the Mariners and Kiri Oler (@glitter_corpse) with the Phillies.

Emily details her path to baseball from growing up in Norman, Oklahoma and becoming a Cardinals fan, then landing a job with the Mariners as a baseball analyst (1:04). She talks about learning the different groups in baseball operations and how she communicates with each of them (5:30), then describes working on pitcher injury analysis (6:30), how the Mariners analytics team works hand-in-hand with a very busy and analytically-inclined GM and explains how data travels through the organization (8:15), and the challenge of developing models (12:30). Then she shares her thoughts on making the field of baseball analytics more inclusive (16:54). And we got in one question on the amazing start of Kyle Lewis! (22:13)

Kiri similarly explains her path from majoring in Math AND English to teaching to working in baseball, first with the Twins and now with the Phillies as a quantitative analyst (25:10). She explains her role working with the coaching staff (27:10), the different projects she’s taken on (29:40), the difference in working with people who like charts vs those who like visuals (32:25), and the usefulness of the “poop” emoji (33:22). Kiri also provides tips to women interested in working in baseball analytics, emphasizing that you never know what happens when you apply (36:43). We end by talking about her interest in the role Roman Quinn will play with the extra innings rule this season (39:29).

Mark finishes the show by sharing one way for women interested in learning about baseball analytics could find a mentor and discusses inroads made by women in baseball broadcasting (41:00).

For more information about Measurables Office Hours, check out www.measurablespod.com/officehours. The second session of the #HANIC Women in Baseball panel will be this Sunday night at 7 ET. You can learn more at #HANIC or sign up for the Zoom session at https://www.hanic-analytics.com/

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by the godfather of baseball sabermetrics, Bill James (@billjamesonline) to discuss The 2021 Bill James Handbook.

Bill talks about the articles he wrote and the studies he did, including: Game Score for Batters, a companion stat to Bill’s popular Game Score for pitchers that is available on ESPN.com and Baseball-Reference (4:39); A look at Hall-of-Famers by team – which teams are most overrepresented in the Hall of Fame and which are most underrepresented (7:40); the Hall of Fame Monitor, which evaluates the likelihood of a player getting in the Hall of Fame (11:31), and Career Targets (also known as The Favorite Toy) which establishes the percentage chance a player has of reaching a milestone (13:44).

Bill also talks about an article he wrote for Bill James Online on the quality of MVP classes (15:53), shares a stat that he wished caught on more (19:36), and speaks about the all-around excellence of Mookie Betts (24:53).

Mark closes the show with an announcement of the winners of the 2020 Fielding Bible Awards (26:57).

Thank you for listening. Please rate and review us if you can. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian (@Kurkjian_ESPN) to talk about what he’s seen this postseason in pitching (1:13), hitting (5:46), baserunning (11:31), and fielding (16:56) – both for good and for bad. Tim also picks the player who he’s watched this postseason for whom he now has a greater appreciation (22:09).

Then, Mark talks with his SIS colleagues, Brian Reiff (@BrianSReiff) and Alex Vigderman (@VigManOnCampus), about their favorite sections in the new 2021 Bill James Handbook, which is available November 1 at ActaSports.com (24:32).

Thanks for listening. Please rate and review us if you can. Stay safe and stay well.

On this edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Dr. Aaron Gray (@MizzouSportsDoc), a Youth & Adult Sports Medicine Physician at the University of Missouri, and SIS Injury Coordinator John Verros (@VerrosJohn).

Dr. Gray gives his advice on sifting through the overwhelming amount of information (and misinformation) related to Coronavirus (1:54), what is known about training to play sports in a pandemic (3:31), and he also evaluates ongoing discussions related to fear of contracting the virus from breathing it in (4:26).

John explains some of the things he’s looking at, like how successfully a pitcher like Justin Verlander can return from injury (5:24). He and Dr. Gray both provide examples of exercises that athletes can do to keep in shape (8:25), what injuries they are most concerned about (10:40), and what studies have piqued their interest (15:42). Lastly, Dr. Gray explains the scenario that MLB officials are likely most concerned about – what happens if the season begins and a player tests positive in midseason (21:42).

Stay safe and well and thank you for listening.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by baseball writer Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) and Mets broadcaster Wayne Randazzo (@WayneRandazzo).

Joe explains what we’ll be talking about if the Rays and Athletics win the World Series (1:00), then talks about what impresses him about the Cubs, White Sox, and Padres (5:27). We also flip the script and chat about what would cause the Yankees or Dodgers to get knocked out early (10:37) and look at the chances for the Braves and Twins (12:26). Joe and Mark then give their thoughts on rule changes (16:43) and Joe shares some highlights from his baseball newsletter, as he and Mark each discuss their favorite defensive play (19:27) and marvel at how the heck the Giants are still in the race in the final week (23:52).

Wayne, one of MLB's more stat-savvy radio broadcasters, gives his thoughts on the NL Cy Young through the lens of Jacob deGrom’s candidacy (29:51), and explains potential causes for Pete Alonso’s sophomore slump (35:23). They also discuss the NL East in-depth and what impresses Wayne in watching the Rays, Yankees, and Blue Jays (37:18). Lastly, they close with Wayne explaining how he uses stats in broadcasts and how he overcomes the hurdle of trying to convey new-school information to old-school baseball fans (41:04).

Please rate and review us if you can. Thank you for tuning in. Stay safe and stay well.

On this edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Washington Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver (@DeanO_Lytics), a pioneer in basketball analytics, to discuss some of the challenges of measuring defense in his sport.

Dean talks about the differences in basketball analysis contrasting 25 years ago to now (2:18), the parallels between tracking defense in basketball and baseball (5:23), and trying to chart the effectiveness of double-teams, getting hands in the face of shooters, and deflections (8:07). He also explains the influence that coaches have on defensive performance (14:07).

Lastly, he discusses the different perspectives on fouling when up by 3 points in the final seconds (18:32) and offers advice to aspiring statistical analysts (22:32).

Thanks for listening and stay safe.

On this episode, we honor Women’s History Month with conversations with three women who are moving the industry forward with their work in baseball analysis.

Mark Simon is joined first by Chelsea Janes, national baseball writer for the Washington Post to discuss player reaction to rule changes, what to make of the Padres and Orioles heading into 2023, and other season preview-related topics. Chelsea also discusses how baseball’s receptiveness to women writers has changed in her 10 years on the job (1:02).

Andrea Arcidipane, also known as “Scoutgirl” on social media, talks about her time working in baseball operations for the Yankees in 2022. Andrea also speaks on information communication and making her videos and charts accessible to any audience, and she shares a few players she finds interesting heading into 2023 (Vinnie Pasquantino, Caleb Thielbar, Adam Duvall, and Brandon Walter for different reasons). Find her work on Twitter and at https://scoutgirlreport.com/ (22:41)

And SIS research analyst Sarah Thompson talks about the presentation she did at the SABR Analytics Conference on evaluating minor league outfield defense. She shares her findings on specific players and the differences between minor league and major league out rates on fly balls (36:50).

Make sure to check out The Effect of Outfield Position Changes on DRS by Andrew Kyne as mentioned in the Andrea Arcidipane interview. Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Braves third base coach Ron Washington who has an incredible amount of wisdom to share from his home in New Orleans. Wash explains what defensive excellence means to him (2:19), his first defensive mentor in baseball, Chico Fernandez (2:57), how hard it is to be a good defensive player (4:02), how defense has evolved (5:17), and the best lesson he learned from failing as a player (6:20).

Coach Washington also shares what it was like to play catcher and the difference between a pitch-framer and a pitch singer (7:19), and how he has evolved as a coach (8:55). He explains the role he’s had in working with excellent defenders like Eric Chavez and Ozzie Albies (10:22). Lastly, he says what he likes most about coaching defense and what advice he would give an aspiring coach (15:58).

Thanks for listening. Stay safe and stay healthy!

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions baseball podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) begins the show by praising those who played extraordinary defense for sub-.500 teams this season. (0:57)

Mark is then joined by Padres catcher Austin Hedges, who rates as the No. 1 pitch-framer in baseball. Hedges talks about the value of pitch-framing and explains where he learned to frame so well (2:27). He then explains the drills he uses to improve (4:54), how he gets low pitches called strikes and what it’s like to catch Craig Stammen’s heavy sinker and Chris Paddack’s fastball (5:56). Hedges also talks about his relationship with umpires and why he strongly supports the human element of an umpire rather than the potential robot umpires of the future (8:00) and which catchers he watches most closely (12:17).

Mark is then joined by research associate Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne). They discuss the Hedges interview (15:24), go through the leaderboards for Strike Zone Runs Saved, HR robberies, and Hard-Hit Rates (17:32), answer listener questions on pickoffs and the Mets defense behind Jacob deGrom (21:56) and Andrew gives job-hunting tips to aspiring research analysts (23:23). The show closes with ridiculous numbers about defensive support, the tie-in of Khris and Chris Davis, the leader in bunt hits this season, as well as a final pick of their favorite underappreciated players (27:26).

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins (@cedmull30), who is having a breakthrough season. Mullins talks about his favorite play from childhood (an unassisted triple play!) (1:00) and what goes into making some of the great catches he’s made (he walked us through several) (1:44). Mullins also talks about self-awareness and the understanding that giving up switch-hitting could help make him a better hitter (6:58).

Cedric Mullins Highlights

- Catch vs Kiké Hernández

- Catch vs Nelson Cruz

- Catch vs Amed Rosario

- Catch vs Jonathan Villar

Mark is also joined by Adam Darowski (@baseballtwit) of Sports-Reference.com to discuss the Baseball-Reference project – The Negro Leagues Are Major Leagues – in which the company added a considerable amount of statistical information to its databases and incorporated it as stats equivalent to the National League and American League (11:19). Adam talks about why the site took on the project (13:57) and some of the many cool statistical discoveries that can be made with a few clicks of a mouse (16:42).

Thanks for listening, and don't forget to rate and review!

On this episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by a trio of guests.

Yankees SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa joins us to talk about all things related to defensive excellence, from favorite plays he’s made to drills he’s done, to lesson’s he’s learned. We were psyched to hear that Isiah follows his Defensive Runs Saved total closely (0:56).

SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales (@Bobby_Scales), a former executive in player development with the Pirates and Angels comes on for his regular spot to talk about Alex Cora and the work the Red Sox have done in improving defensively. He also shares thoughts on Hunter Greene, and the best baseball lesson he ever learned (20:34).

And writer Howard Bryant (@hbryant42) – author of a new book about Rickey Henderson, talks about Rickey’s legendary baseball playing career (33:26).

Thank you for listening. Feel free to tweet us at @SIS_Baseball or e-mail mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) welcomes spring training with 3 guests!

 First, Mark is joined by Oakland Athletics second baseman and outfielder, Tony Kemp (@TonyKemp).

Tony talks about how his hitting approach generated higher walk rates (1:09), how a player knows and understands what he can do (2:23), the challenges of hitting at Wrigley Field, Minute Maid Park, and Oakland Coliseum (7:00), and his favorite defensive plays, both from college and pro. (8:39)

He also discusses what happened last year when he put out a call on social media to talk to people during the protests related to George Floyd’s death (12:14), and the work Tony is doing for his movement, The +1 Effect. (14:31)

Also joining the podcast is Baltimore Orioles radio broadcaster Melanie Newman (@MelanieLynneN), who is entering her second season calling games for the team. Melanie talks about her rapport with broadcast partner Geoff Arnold (20:20), her climb up the baseball broadcast ladder (24:15), the ascension of women and the importance of representation in baseball play-by-play broadcasting and other important MLB roles (31:25), how she simplifies numbers for listeners (38:17), which Orioles pitcher is better than you might think (hint: knuckleballer!) (42:03) and much more!

 Lastly, SABR (@SABR) CEO Scott Bush (@scott_bush) stops by to give us a preview of the SABR Analytics Conference. (45:33)

 Thank you as always for listening, Please rate and review the podcast if you can. You can contact us at mark@sportsinfosolutions.com or @sportsinfo_SIS.

On this episode, Mark Simon talks to Brandon Guyer (@BrandonGuyer), who just retired after an 8-year, 500+-game MLB career in which he was known for his ability to hit left-handed pitching and his penchant for being hit by a pitch. Guyer (with the help of his wife) has just written an 80-page book, The Fully Equipped Athlete and started a new business to mentor aspiring athletes (fullyequippedathlete.com). We often talk on this podcast about the statistical and physical side of the game. Brandon talks about giving athletes the mental foundation to succeed.

Guyer discusses what went into his retirement decision, how he looks back on his career, getting hit by pitches, and hitting lefties so well (1:13). He then walks us through 2 plate appearances from Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and what allowed him to come through them successfully (7:39). From there, the conversation shifts to the book, what it was like to put everything he learned on paper, why humility was his top point of emphasis, his friendship with a diverse group of players such as Chris Archer and Yan Gomes, and whose words are most impactful to him (11:43). He also talks about learning proper breath control and meditation and how that allowed him to maximize his talents (22:08). Lastly he talks about his overall goals for the future as he makes the transition to dad/businessman (26:55).

Thanks for tuning in. Don’t forget to rate and review us. Stay safe and stay well.

On this edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) asks the question – how can we measure catchers beyond pitch blocking, pitch framing, and caught stealing? Longtime former MLB catcher Bengie Molina (@BengieMolina1), now a Spanish-language radio broadcaster for the Cardinals, tries to help us out.

Bengie talks about the different factors that come into play for a catcher (0:57) and the different personality types he dealt with from Ramon Ortiz and Jarrod Washburn (5:32). He explains how you deal with stubborn pitchers and how he worked with the pitchers he got along with best (7:50). He also relays how things can change for a catcher in the walk back to home plate after a conference at the mound, using Yadier Molina in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Mets as an example (11:45).He offers his take on the difficulties of being a rookie catcher (14:32) and bridging the language gap by encouraging all catchers to be bilingual (16:12). He talks about why he likes watching Buster Posey, Salvador Perez, and his brother Yadier so much (19:24). He also discusses what he would say to someone who wants to catch like a Molina (22:12), how difficult it is to deal with foul tips off the mask (23:08), and how important it is to factor in umpires when calculating framing metrics (26:13).

Thank you for listening. Don’t forget to rate and review. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode, we're joined by Padres broadcaster and Big Time Baseball podcast co-host Tony Gwynn Jr. and SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales.

We talk with Tony about the role the Padres defense has played in their success this season, how Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado have figured out how to hit in the 2022 baseball environs, why Harrison Bader is his favorite defensive player to watch, and why Tony had considerable success vs Max Scherzer. (0:45)

Bobby discusses Hunter Greene's electric stuff, early struggles, and no-hit bid, why custom-fitted bats are so important for a hitter, and his relationship with the MLB leader in Defensive Runs Saved. (16:00)

You'll also learn about some shortstops whose names you may not know- but you should.

Thanks for tuning in. You can send feedback to Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. Please rate and review us if you can.

Sports Info Solutions Senior Research Analyst Mark Simon  (@MarkASimonSays) compares the defense of Nick Ahmed and Andrelton Simmons in his Batter Up! segment (1:07), welcomes MLB's Director of Engineering and Data Quality and former SIS president Ben Jedlovec (@BenJedlovec) to discuss his career in baseball and how new stats develop (2:56) , sits down with Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne) of SIS to asses the best and worst defensive teams in baseball (20:38) and look at the hard-hit rate leader board (26:29), takes questions from listeners (32:23), and closes with the Ridiculous Stat of the Day (36:21).

On this week's episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, , we focus on the No. 1 team in Defensive Runs Saved – the Astros – and outfielder Chas McCormick.

Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) talks to Chas about his path to the big leagues (which was not an easy one) (0:55), which coaches have most influenced how he plays (3:02), what it takes to play all three outfield positions and play them well (4:09), his welcome to the big leagues moment as a CF and what he's learned about playing outfield at the major-league level (4:55), the teammate he most enjoys watching play defense (9:21), and where he’s looking to improve his game (he has a good amount of self-awareness) (11:57).

Thanks for listening as always. Stay safe and stay well.

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by two of the premier defensive players in the upcoming MLB Draft: Coastal Carolina shortstop Eric Brown and Adonys Guzman. Both have been projected among the Top 100 draft prospects at different times this season.

Eric talks about the work that has gone into having what some say is the best range among college infielders and his unusual batting stance (0:23). Adonys, who plays high school baseball in Connecticut, talks about how he frames, blocks, and guides a pitching staff and discusses his throwing arm, which some scouts have given a 70 grade on the 20-80 scale (8:55).

Mark is then joined by SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales, who provides further explanation on Eric’s unusual stance and gives perspective on the challenges a high school catcher faces in hoping to go pro (16:35).

Thanks as always for listening. Please rate and review us if you can. You can follow us on Twitter at @SIS_Baseball. And send any feedback on the podcast to Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

LINKS

Scouting report on Eric Brown - LINK

Eric's barehand play - LINK

Eric's stance - LINK

Adonys Guzman highlights - LINK

Adonys Guzman scouting report - LINK

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by Royals center fielder Michael A. Taylor. They talk about his defensive approach, the value of having a catcher who can catch throws like Salvador Perez, some of Michael’s favorite defensive plays, and what he’s learned from past mistakes in the field (0:57).

Mark also chats with Dr. Jason Themanson of Illinois Wesleyan University to learn the neuroscience behind the great catch that Mookie Betts made against the Padres (12:24).

Thank you as always for listening. Go to FieldingBible.com for all the latest defensive stats. Stay safe and stay well.

On this edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) takes the show in a different direction. Mark is joined by science writer and stand-up comedienne Kasha Patel (@KashaPatel). Kasha, whose day job is as a science writer and social media manager for NASA, has opened for notable names such as Jen Kirkman and Vir Das in her comedy work. Her stand-up focuses on science, but also traditional topics such as family and the cultural experience of growing up as an Indian in West Virginia.

What’s distinct about Kasha is that she uses data to inform her comedy in ways that parallel how we study baseball statistics. She shares her background (2:33), then transitions into explaining how she tracks her jokes in a spreadsheet (4:09). Mark and Kasha discuss the different ways she categorizes and times her jokes (5:58), the process of tracking jokes and her wish for an automated tracking system (11:27), how old-school comedians have reacted to her work (17:07), how she constructs a joke (19:06), and how she simplifies scientific information to make it easily accessible to audiences who don’t have scientific background (24:02). Lastly, she shares career-development advice that can be applied to any field (26:47).

Then in the spirit of Kasha’s podcast, Science Comedy Paradox, Mark and show producer Justin Stine (@j_stine31) discuss the biggest takeaways from the conversation and share an analogy Kasha made comparing her joke list to a baseball lineup (29:52).

Stay safe, stay healthy, and thanks for listening!

Helpful Links

Kasha’s Tedx Talk – “Sneaking Science into Standup”

Stand-up set at the DC Improv

Science Comedy Paradox Podcast

Sports Info Solutions Senior Research Analyst Mark Simon  (@MarkASimonSays) is back for round two of the SIS Baseball Podcast.  This week, Mark looks at the San Diego Padres (@Padres) upgrading the  left side of their infield (0:52), welcomes New York Times national  baseball writer Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) to the show to talk pitching  and his new book (2:50), sits down with Andrew Kyne (@Andrew_Kyne) of  SIS to examine early defensive trends (17:26) and answer questions from  the listeners (23:59), and finishes with a couple "Ridiculous Numbers of  the Day" (28:04). 

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by 38-time Jeopardy champion and baseball aficionado Matt Amodio (@AmodioMatt) for a lengthy, fun interview.

First they talk about Matt’s baseball origins, covering everything from his best defensive play to his favorite players and ballparks (0:50).

The discussion then moves to Jeopardy! where Matt explains every aspect of his in-game strategy, including the mechanism he developed for timing when to buzz in. They also delve into specific moments in games and how they played out. Lots of baseball comparisons here too! (7:17)

Then comes talk about statistics, with Jeopardy in-game win probability serving as a springboard into talk about pitch tunneling and defensive metrics (26:59).

Matt then explains his field of study as he pursues his doctorate at Yale (35:01).

The show closes with some fun – an explanation of how he kept his wins (and loss) a secret, and a Uni-Watch style investigation into Matt’s “uniform” choices (h/t @oneeclecticmom) (37:00). Special thanks as well to Andy Saunders at TheJeopardyFan.com and J-Archive for research assistance.

Hope you enjoy this episode. It’s a little different from our normal fare! Please rate and review us if you can.

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) talks to ...

Dodgers broadcaster José Mota (@josemota05) about how the Dodgers have made the most out of players like Trayce Thompson, Tony Gonsolin and Evan Phillips, and how they've excelled on defense. He also shared stories of his father's relationship with Roberto Clemente and talked about the game's young Hispanic stars (1:12).

Washington Nationals infield prospect Jake Alu (@jakealu1 on Tiktok), who leads all minor league third basemen in Defensive Runs Saved, and who has made major strides in his offensive game. You might see him in MLB in 2023. (18:58)

And SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales (@bobby_scales) on the greatness of Aaron Judge and Albert Pujols (33:16).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode, Mark Simon interviews Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, women’s baseball pioneer Dr. Justine Siegal, and talks to SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales.

Steven (0:53) talked about some of the top plays he’s made in left field on his way to leading the Guardians in Defensive Runs Saved. And he explained the prep that goes into playing in the outfields in Colorado, Cleveland, Boston, and Baltimore.

Justine (12:20) is the founder of Baseball For All, a women’s baseball advocacy group, and was the consultant on Amazon Prime’s A League of Their Own show debuting on Friday. She talked about the work her organization is doing as well as everything that goes into teaching actresses to play baseball.

Bobby (22:10) reacted to both interviews, giving his perspective on Steven Kwan’s play so far. He also shared a story about an outfield adventure at Wrigley Field and gave us opinion on what happened at the end of A League Of Their Own, the movie.

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon (@Ry_McMahon), who won Sports Info Solutions Defensive Player of the Month honors for May.

McMahon is quick and to the point in discussing how he learned to play defense (1:07), his approach to playing defense (2:09), what he learns from watching other players (6:39), and why he was given a glove at birth (9:50).

Mark and show producer Justin Stine (@j_stine31) then review the early-season Defensive Runs Saved leaderboard and point out improvements, surprises, and key players (15:47).

On this edition of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by two beat writers to discuss the 2020 season outlooks for their respective teams.

Mark first talks to Derrick Goold (@dgoold), Cardinals beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the host of “The Best Podcast in Baseball.” Derrick explains how odd it has been to cover the team (1:04), then talks about what to make of a Cardinals team that isn’t necessarily abiding by the traditional Cardinals Way (3:56). He shares a stat that he is interested in following all season (7:12), explains why they are so good defensively (10:28), gives a “State of the Yadi” on the Cardinals catcher (15:02), and provides scenarios by which the Cardinals win the division and miss the playoffs - while also posing a question about why the Cubs “tickle the sims.” (17:38)

Mark is then joined by Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) of The Athletic who explains the unusual nature of covering the Dodgers in Los Angeles this season (24:11). He then offers his take on the weirdness of the first 4-game series with the Giants (26:04) and explains why performance in high-leverage situations will be his stat to watch (28:08). He shares what impresses him most about Mookie Betts (29:47), why Justin Turner is still so good at his age (31:14), and what Max Muncy does better than anyone on the team (32:27). He also looks at the Dodgers defense and pitching, offering predictions on ERA for Clayton Kershaw and saves for Kenley Jansen (33:10). He also picks an unheralded pitcher to watch (36:35). They close the interview by trying to figure out the 4% scenario by which the Dodgers don’t make the playoffs (37:40).

After both interviews, Mark offers his 2020 predictions for baseball’s MVD (Most Valuable Defenders). (39:18)

Thanks for tuning in. Don’t forget to rate and review. Stay safe and stay well.

Former longtime MLB pitcher and current Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow gives our host, Mark Simon, a lesson on what to watch for in defensive play and pitching using the surprising Giants team as a model.

Mike talked about the Giants overall strengths and put an emphasis on the catcher’s ability to manage the rhythm of a game. He also went pitcher-by-pitcher through the Giants’ surprises this season, explaining how tweaks can lead to success, with Kevin Gausman, Alex Wood, and Anthony DeSclafani as the examples, and the process that leads to such adjustments.

To close, he talked about the many arm angles of the Padres pitching staff, and what a fan should watch the rest of the season regarding pitching in MLB (it wasn’t velocity).

Thanks for listening as always. Stay safe and stay well. 

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by top minor league prospect Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles, as well as SIS VP of Baseball, Bobby Scales (a former MLB player and executive).

Gunnar, recently rated the No. 5 prospect in Minor League Baseball by MLB Pipeline, talked about playing both shortstop and third base and what’s gone into his success at each position (0:34).

Bobby talked a bout another standout rookie, Michael Harris II and his teammate, Matt Olson, and what’s impressed him with the recent strong play of the Orioles (13:13).

Please rate and review the show if you can. You can follow us on Twitter at SIS_Baseball

Links

Michael Harris’ impressive catch vs Josh Bell

SIS Baseball Podcast interview with Michael Harris

SIS Baseball Podcast interview with Matt Olson

Mark’s article on the Orioles’ defense

MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects

On this episode of the SIS Baseball podcast, senior research analyst Mark Simon is joined by former major leaguer Eduardo Perez (@PerezEd) and NY Times national baseball writer Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) for an NCAA Tournament-style bracket selection show – to pick the best defensive player of the 21st century. Top seeds Adrian Beltre, Yadier Molina, Andrelton Simmons and Jason Heyward lead a 32-player group of the best gloves in the game. We’ve got the stats, the stories, and much more. Cast your vote on Twitter (@SportsInfo_SIS) throughout the week and follow along as we go all the way through to pick one champion.

SIS Tournament of Defensive Excellence Bracket

This episode has all the bases covered.
 We start in college with Mark Simon talking to No. 1 LSU’s starting first baseman, Tre' Morgan. He’s considered one of college baseball’s defensive standouts, so we pick his brain on picks, adventures in the outfield, and much more (0:28).
We move on to some MLB Prospect talk as Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser gives us the rundown on how some of the game’s top future stars rate defensively. We run the gamut from Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson to Pete Crow-Armstrong (13:24).
Then SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales joins us to talk about both interviews, preview a couple of MLB breakout pitchers for 2023, and gives his thoughts, as someone who formerly worked in player development, on why Anthony Volpe and Jordan Walker will start the season in MLB (28:20).
Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by …

 * ESPN broadcaster Eduardo Pérez, who celebrates the global nature of the game, and talks about his appreciation of Shohei Ohtani, Luis Arraez, and (among others) Rays outfielder Harold Ramírez. Eduardo also talks about the new rules, the pace of the game, and why this Sunday’s broadcast of Astros-Rangers is going to stand out beyond the starting pitching matchup (1:07).

 * ESPN’s Paul Hembekides, co-author of the new book Got Your Number, The Greatest Sports Legends and the Numbers They Own. Paul gives a baseball history lesson as relates to the defense of Ozzie Smith, Roberto Clemente, and Willie Mays (17:19).

 * And SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales, who explains how pitchers throwing off baserunner and batter timing is going to be key in trying to limit stolen bases, discusses why singles have always mattered, and picks the pitcher who’s impressed him in the first two weeks of the season (31:49).

 Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Diamondbacks third baseman Josh Rojas (@joshrojass) and Guardians center fielder Myles Straw (@Myles_Straw) to discuss what’s made them into good defensive players and baserunners.

 Josh talks about the adjustments he’s made at third base and how he can feel the difference it has made for him. He also describes in detail three memorable plays he’s made this season and how he successfully executed a difficult move to steal home on a double steal (0:45).

 Myles explains the work he put in that made him a Fielding Bible Award winner in center field last season and how pre-game prep can have a big payoff. He also goes into what’s made him such a successful base-stealer (14:13).

 Then Mark is joined by SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales (@Bobby_Scales), who reacts to some of the things Josh said in his interview and speaks to how collaborative player development, from both coaches and strength and conditioning staff can help make a player better (23:54).

 Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com

Vance was the 2022 ACC Tournament MVP and league Preseason Player of the Year, but he joins us to talk about his defense and his penchant for home run-robberies and other great catches. He also explains how he's evolved as a hitter, one who could be a high-end pick in next year's MLB Draft (0:42).

Ben writes a weekly column about "5 Things He Likes About Baseball", and we modify that slightly to have Ben and Mark talk about 3 things they each liked about MLB defense from the first month of the season. Among the subjects, an outfielder with a cannon arm in Cleveland, how Wilmer Flores made a play with a 5% out rate, and why Ke'Bryan Hayes should be viewed as great by Cardinals fans (11:25).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by ZiPS projection system creator and FanGraphs writer Dan Szymborski to talk shop about creating a projection tool.

Dan talked about the principles of ZiPS, how he created it, and how the system works. He cited specific current examples, including whether the A's will lose 120 games, how the projection on Matt Chapman changes over time, the challenge of projecting defense from minor league data, and why the system projects what it does for George Kirby.

Mark was then joined by SIS VP of Baseball, Bobby Scales. Bobby talked about how projection systems are used by teams. He then talked about a game that he and Mark watched recently in which Bobby correctly predicted what was going to happen in the 1st inning. He explained the factors that went into that prediction.

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com (check out our recent piece on pitchers getting hit by batted balls). You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode of the SIS Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien and Astros center fielder Jake Meyers for a pair of conversations about defensive excellence.

 Marcus talks about a couple of memorable plays from the season, the hardest things about playing second base, the level of peak focus a hitter and fielder can have, and how eliminating the shift helped the Rangers right-side defense (0:32).

 Jake Meyers walks us through 3 great catches he’s made this season, explaining what went into making each play. He explains the practical value of his pre-game prep and why batting practice is such an important time for him to work on his defense. And he talks about the defensive lessons he learned from his father and from Nebraska baseball coach Darin Erstad (11:13).

SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales also joins us for his usual segment, where he reacts to some of the things Jake said in his interview and gives his thoughts on some of the early Defensive Runs Saved leaders (21:35).

 Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

 Links

- Marcus Semien throw-out at home

- Marcus Semien jump throw

- Marcus Semien DP turn

- Jake Meyers catch vs Owen Miller

- Jake Meyers catch vs Brandon Drury

- Jake Meyers catch vs Shohei Ohtani

On this episode of The Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by Giants rookie catcher Patrick Bailey.

Patrick talked about who taught him to think like a catcher, how he works with his pitchers, what goes into pitch framing, and why he thinks he got off to a good start as a hitter too (0:31).

SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales addressed some of Bailey's comments, talked about what goes into managing a pitching staff, and cited one past catcher who was particularly good at staff handling (2008 Phillies fans will appreciate) (13:08).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

On this episode, we focus on the toughest defensive job in baseball, playing center field at Coors Field. Rockies rookie Brenton Doyle is doing it and doing it well. Mark Simon talked to Brenton about how he does what he does defensively and how his defensive game has developed dating back to his Division II college days (0:39).

 SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales just watched Doyle play live and shares his thoughts on his game, as well as the outstanding defense of Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and third baseman Ryan McMahon. He also pays tribute to one All-Star close to his baseball heart (10:27). 

 Then we're joined by Saberseminar co-founder Dan Brooks, who talked about the return of the baseball statistical conference this August in Chicago. It's a fantastic chance to hear interesting speakers and network, with all the money raised going to a great cause (18:19).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

With this being Hall of Fame week, Jay comes on to talk about a series of pieces he's written about the Hall of Fame candidacies of current players. We discuss Jose Ramirez, Freddie Freeman, Kenley Jansen, and Marcus Semien from a variety of angles (0:51).

Russell comes on to talk about his new book, which takes a macro (and micro) look at the hidden forces shaping contemporary baseball (17:40).

To wrap the show, Mark is joined by SIS VP of Baseball, Bobby Scales. They discuss CC Sabathia's Hall of Fame candidacy, the rise of the Orioles, and what the days leading up to the MLB trade deadline are like behind the scenes (30:09).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.  

Links
The Cooperstown Casebook
The New Ballgame
Jay Jaffe's FanGraphs articles
Russell Carleton's BP articles

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman and MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo, author of the new book Smart, Wrong, and Lucky, The Origin Stories of Baseball’s Unexpected Stars.

 Adley talks about the challenges of catching the different pitchers on the Orioles staff, how the team’s pitching strategist helps him with game preparation, and what he could do defensively that would top switch-hitting home runs in the Home Run Derby (0:39).

 Jonathan discusses his new book and shares the scouting story behind the drafting of Mookie Betts. He explains the different types of work that goes into scouting a player. And he offers a college player and a minor league prospect that could be high-impact players defensively (12:38).

 We are also joined by SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales, who joins Mark in analyzing some of the big moves made at the trade deadline (27:18).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by The Athletic senior writer Eno Sarris (@enosarris), as well as Noah Gatsik (@iamthatnoah) and Brandon Tew (@brandonteweets), who help run SIS Baseball Scout School.

 Mark and Eno talk pitching, with a focus on the Giants, Astros, and Orioles. Among the names that come up are Grayson Rodriguez, Framber Valdez, and Jakob Junis, along with organizational pitching philosophies (0:33).

 Mark, Noah, and Brandon talk about SIS Scout School, a program that helps SIS employees learn how to scout baseball players. They discuss their favorite things to teach related to scouting hitting, pitching, and defense (16:49).

 You can find Stuff+ leaderboards at FanGraphs.

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

 Afterwards, Mark discusses the interview with Sports Info Solutions VP of Baseball Bobby Scales (@bobby_scales), who provides additional depth to some of the things Bobby Witt Jr. talked about, including a sliding play on Mike Tauchman (VIDEO). With the MLB home run robbery record being broken last week, Bobby also explains what it's like to watch a home run robbery on the field (13:34).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode of The Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon is joined by a pair of minor league defensive standouts, Noah Miller from the Twins organization (0:58) and Nasim Nuñez (16:19) from the Marlins organization.

We enjoyed talking about how they do what they do on D. Noah Miller leads all shortstops in the minor league version of Defensive Runs Saved this season with Nuñez consistently ranking around the top 5.

They talk about their specific defensive approaches, how they've come to be students of the game, and walked us through some of the best plays they've made.

SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales joined us to dissect what both players talked about (30:10).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

Plays referenced in the interviews
Nasim's QB1 play
Nasim's diving play
Noah's great play

On this episode of The Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays)  is joined by national baseball writers, Tyler Kepner of The Athletic (@tylerkepner) and Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post (@chelsea_janes).

This is our 3rd annual “The Year in Surprises” episode. Tyler, Chelsea, and Mark each offer their pick for most surprising team, position player, and pitcher. Among the teams and players that come up in the conversation are the Mets, Padres, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Kyle Bradish, Isaac Paredes, Zach Eflin, and even Freddie Freeman and Blake Snell (for specific reasons) (0:28).

Mark is then joined by SIS VP of Baseball, Bobby Scales (@bobby_scales), who offers his thoughts on the Rangers resurgence, the Braves’ potential playoff issue, the potentially scary nature of the Brewers, and the goodbyes for Miguel Cabrera and Adam Wainwright (27:21).

Thanks as always for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

The podcast goes global this week as Mark Simon is joined by Seibu Lions first baseman David MacKinnon and Japan Baseball Weekly podcast co-host John Gibson.
Mark and David talk about David's first season in Japan both from a baseball and cultural perspective and how being a college soccer goalie made him a better defensive player (1:23).
Mark and John then review the 2023 NPB Fielding Bible Award winners, explaining what made each of those players so good (12:13).
And SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales comes on for his regular segment breaking down what MacKinnon said and the things that separated the Texas Rangers from other teams in the postseason (25:35).
Thanks as always for listening. Please check out the new-and-improved FieldingBible.com website, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, we remember the many baseball players - major leaguers, minor leaguers, NPB players, and college players - that we spoke to in 2023.

 You'll hear the best we got from Phillies GM Sam Fuld, Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes, Tre' Morgan, Vance Honeycutt, Noah Miller, Nasim Nuñez, Brenton Doyle, Bobby Witt Jr., Bobby Scales, Marcus Semien, Josh Rojas, David MacKinnon, Myles Straw, Jake Meyers, Adley Rutschman, Marquis Grissom, Kevin Kiermaier, and Ke'Bryan Hayes

 Apply to work as a SIS Baseball Video Scout here 

 Thank you for listening. Please check out the new FieldingBible.com website, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com..

On this episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Orioles pitching strategy coach Ryan Klimek, SIS’ Asian Baseball scout and operations associate Brandon Tew, (@BrandonTeweets) and our VP of Baseball, Bobby Scales (@Bobby_Scales).

 Ryan walks us through his career path and explains what goes into being a pitching strategy coach in the major leagues (0:48).

 Brandon shares his scouting reports on Yoshinobu Yamamoto,  Shōta Imanaga, Naoyuki Uwasawa, Jung-hoo Lee, Yuki Matsui, and Woo-suk Go. (Click the link to read the report.) (18:29)

 And then Mark and Bobby talk about the recent Hall of Fame elections of Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton, and Joe Mauer, and look ahead to the next Hall of Fame ballot, which features Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia. (31:58)

 Thank you for listening. Please check out the new FieldingBible.com website, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.

 On this special Black History Month episode, Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) is joined by Pirates' Vice President of Player Personnel Steve Williams and former MLB pitcher LaTroy Hawkins (@LaTroyHawkins32).
Steve talks about his career working in baseball and the role he plays as the president of the Buck O'Neil Professional Baseball Scouts & Coaches Association (0:38).
LaTroy talks about his lengthy career, creating opportunities in baseball for underserved communities, and how he has adjusted to changes in the game now that he is working as a Special Assistant for the Twins (21:28).
Mark and Bobby also take a few minutes to talk about the Jackie Robinson Museum and the Negro League Baseball Museum (41:03)
Check out the podcasts mentioned in the show using the links below:
Black Diamonds Podcast
Thick Skin Podcast
Thank you for listening. Please check out the new FieldingBible.com website, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez (@andresgimenez). Andrés talks about how he does what he does on defense, which led to him winning a 2023 Fielding Bible Award. Andrés even explains one thing he does with his wife in the offseason to help him stay athletic (0:36).

Then, SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales (@bobby_scales) joins us to talk about what Andrés had to say (14:32).

Links to the 3 plays mentioned in the episode:
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Julio Rodríguez
Anthony Santander

Thank you for listening. Please check out the new FieldingBible.com website, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode, we honor Women’s History Month with 2 interviews featuring women working in baseball in different ways.

 First, Mark Simon talks to Saint Elizabeth University catcher Alexia Jorge, who became the 2nd woman to start at catcher in a college baseball game. Alexia has been playing baseball (not softball) her entire life and she speaks to us about her techniques for pitch framing and thwarting basestealing attempts, as well as how she prepares for upcoming opponents with limited data and information available (3:34).

 Then we speak with baseball researcher Emily-Anne Patt, who talks about a project she’s worked on - with research partner James Stockton - for the last several years. Emily-Anne’s work deals with analyzing strike zone sizes and shapes for umpires, catchers, pitchers, and hitters. She’s presented at the last 2 SABR Analytics Conferences and shared some of her findings on specific players (her project is very much in line with work SIS does) (19:39).

 Mark also recapps Alexia’s interview with SIS VP of Baseball Bobby Scales and talks about the things Bobby is most looking forward to watching in 2024 (32:33).

 Other SIS interviews with women in baseball:
 Rachel Balkovec
Bianca Smith
Alex Oglesby
Veronica Alvarez, Tess Taruskin, Sarah Thompson
Justine Siegal PhD
Kiri Oler and Emily Curtis
Jasmine Dunston
A.J. Andrews
Chelsea Janes, Andrea Arcidipane, Sarah Thompson

Thank you for listening. Please check out the new FieldingBible.com website, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) does an "everything but defense" show, talking to Cubs minor league hitting coach and co-hitting coordinator Rachel Folden (@rachelfolden25) and pitching analyst Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz), who writes his own newsletter and does analysis for Marquee Sports.

Rachel, a former softball All-American, talks about her path to her current job and what goes into teaching hitting from the perspective of understanding biomechanics, the lingo, the stats, and the player. She offers advice to those who want to work in a similar role and shares some of her success stories (3:16).

Lance talks about the trend of significant pitcher injuries to start the season, gives some examples of pitcher analysis he's done, and provides perspective on how fans could best utilize his info (20:25).

And then SIS VP of Baseball, Bobby Scales (@bobby_scales) joins us to further explain some of the things we learned in Rachel's interview. He also talks baserunning, specifically the challenges of being a major league third base coach and whether runners are sent home enough in situations that they should be (39:32).

Lance's newsletter: LanceBroz.Substack.com

YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@LanceBroz

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode Mark Simon is joined by Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel, baseball writer Daniel Epstein, and SIS baseball operations analyst Brandon Tew.

Mark and Kyle talk about Kyle's defensive approach, which has helped him to rank 3rd in Defensive Runs Saved the last 2 seasons. Kyle explains how a childhood game got him on an early path to being a top defensive player and what it was like to rob a home run from Bryce Harper and make an incredible play against Marcus Semien. And he shares what kind of tattoo he would want to create to commemorate the kind of defense he plays (2:50).

Mark and Daniel discuss Daniel's comprehensive video analysis articles, including ones on Mookie Betts, tagging effectiveness, and how first basemen catch throws, as well as a piece on pitchers introducing the splitter to their repertoire (14:41).

Mark and Brandon chat about how Kansas has taken one of its players and turned him into a roving defender, which players could go 1-1 in this year's MLB Draft, and a difference in pitch usage between MLB and NPB pitchers (30:29).

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.  

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Will Carroll (@injuryexpert), CEO of NTangible Sports and the Under The Knife baseball injury newsletter and SIS injury associate Brett Barnes.

The conversation is all things injury-related, not just pitcher injuries. The 3 discuss the abundance of muscular injuries, future prognosis for Mike Trout and Byron Buxton, and novel ideas like catcher innings limits and whether injuries may necessitate tandem starters.

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.  

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, Mariners bench coach Manny Acta (@mannyacta14), and SIS operations analyst Nick Rabasco (@nrabasco1).

Ryan talks to us about playing first baseman, where he's been a league leader in our "Good Fielding Plays" stat, what it's been like to switch positions at various points in his baseball life, and how he puts technology to use (3:48).

Manny talks to us about the details behind a recent article we wrote about the Mariners excellence in defensive positioning. He gives an intense breakdown of how the Mariners position their infielders, an approach that differs from many other teams. And he talks about how he collaborates with the team's analytics department (14:44).

Nick explains what he does at SIS, then gets into a discussion with Mark about SIS' version of scorekeeping, what's so impressive about Mookie Betts, and how the Red Sox have changed their pitching approach under new coach Andrew Bailey (27:53).

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.  

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Rangers utility man Josh Smith (@joshhsmith4), baseball writer Matthew Trueblood (@MATrueblood) and SIS operations associate Mark Bricker (@brick26house).

 Mark S. and Josh talk about Josh’s move to different positions, his approach to playing defense, and the tip he’d give to any kids that want to play defense like he does (a different answer than we usually get) (3:28).

 Matt and Mark talk about Matt’s defense-oriented articles, including one on the aggressive defense of Willy Adames, the slight decline in William Conteras’ pitch framing, the disappearance of the double play, and the experience of watching Eduoard Julien field 400 batted balls (13:15).

 The two Marks then talk about Bryce Harper’s defensive approach, how Shota Imanaga has changed as a pitcher, and how the Yankees and Phillies are dominating with one pitching plan and the Brewers are winning with another (27:53).

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode of The Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson, a baseball fan who cleverly used analytics for good, Jenn Rubenstein (@queerfancystats), and SIS baseball operations analyst Stephen Marciello (LinkedIn) .

Chandler introduced himself by telling us about some videos online showing him as a kid dancing like Michael Jackson … and how those skills related to baseball. He walked us through the idea of ball, wall, ball and walked us through the best play he’s made in the minors. Note: After the interview, Chandler was the star of the minor league game at Rickwood Field on Tuesday (though he also left the game with a calf injury).

He also told us all the different checkpoints he considers when thinking (or not thinking) about stealing a base. And he explained why he’s studying the hitting of Luis Arraez so closely.

Jenn told us about how they used analytics as a way to calculate donations to LGBTQ-related causes, how the idea originated, MLB’s relationship with LGBTQ fans, and what a misidentified pair of socks can teach us about changing your thoughts when data presents itself to show that you’re wrong.

Stephen explained his role at SIS and talked about some of the game’s breakout players in 2024.

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays)is joined by Nationals center fielder Jacob Young (@jacob_young27) to talk about his run of defensive excellence in 2024.

Young talked about what goes into playing the position, specifically how he’s one of the best in MLB at getting good jumps on fly balls. He walked us through 2 catches he made this season, one against Kiké Hernández (link to watch) and another against Ozzie Albies (link).

Mark was also joined by his colleague at SIS, Joey Mahon, to talk pitcher injuries, the trade deadline, and bat speed stats.

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode of the Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon (@markasimonsays) is joined by college baseball coach Cody Dennis (@BSB_Blueprint), who runs a Twitter community for teaching defensive excellence. Mark was also joined by SIS "superscouts" Brandon Tew (@brandonteweets) and Colin Sanders (@colinjsanders) who wrote scouting reports on some of the top college players selected in the MLB Draft.

Mark and Cody talked about what skills he likes to watch and some of the players that others can model their efforts after, like Royals shortstop Bobby Witt. They also talked briefly about Cody's other expertise, coaching baserunning.

Mark then ran through the different players that Brandon and Colin scouted and got their takes and projections (click the link to read the report).

- Chase Burns (Reds)
- Kaelen Culpepper (Twins)
- Jurrangelo Cijntje (Mariners)
- Vance Honeycutt (Orioles)
- Tommy White (Athletics)
- Jacob Cozart (Guardians)
- Dakota Jordan (Giants)

Notable link
Cody's podcast - Apple YouTube
Vance Honeycutt interview from 2023 Apple

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode of The Sports Info Solutions Baseball Podcast, Mark Simon talks with Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, FanGraphs baseball writer Davy Andrews, and SIS Video Scout Associate Christopher Barnett.

Gabriel (with help from interpreter Alex Arpiza) talked about his catching history and the different things he’s worked on that have translated to defensive excellence. He also shared a couple of his favorite defensive plays (you can watch some of Gabi’s best throws here).

Davy talked about 3 articles he’s written recently, one on observing how catchers prevent delayed steals, another in which he looked at what people see when they watch a baseball play, and a third about the statistical stickiness of line drive rate.

Then Mark and Chris closed the show by chatting about NPB outfielder Chusei Mannami, who might have the best throwing arm in baseball, Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn, and which team made the best move for a middle reliever.

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

On this episode, Mark Simon is joined by Angels shortstop Zach Neto, Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti, and SIS Video Scout Associate Benjamin Cruciani.

Neto talked about a couple of ridiculous plays he's made the last two seasons on popups, explained the pre-game work that's helped him rank among the shortstop leaders in Defensive Runs Saved, talked about what kind of tattoo would honor his defensive excellence, and shared his personal connection to Jackie Robinson.

Benetti engaged Mark on his AL Cy Young and MVP picks, whether the Guardians or Mariners could win the World Series, how he tries to make his broadcasts statistically sophisticated, and offered a baseball book recommendation.

Cruciani talked about catcher defensive evaluation, injury observations, and two-way players that he finds intriguing.

Neto catch vs Yankees

Neto catch vs Rangers

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com. 

Taking a brief break from our usual player interviews as Mark Simon chats about baseball favorites with one of our favorite baseball writers, Joe Sheehan, whose baseball newsletter is a great read.

We're not talking gambling favorites ... instead this was a fun discussion about favorite baseball stories this season, favorite 'out of nowheres,' favorite defensive teams to watch, favorite pitcher to watch who doesn't rank in the Top 10, favorite baseball development, and much more (including a lot on the Royals).

Plus, Mark and his colleague Jordan Coleman chat about Brenton Doyle, Hunter Greene, the ABS challenge system, and the toughest problem to solve in sports.

Thank you for listening. Please check out Archive.FieldingBible.com for your defensive stats needs, follow us on Twitter at @sis_baseball, and read our work at SportsInfoSolutions.com. You can e-mail us at Mark@sportsinfosolutions.com.