In today's Curveballs & Changeups, I give a quick take on the Giants and A's Spring Training clash over the weekend in the desert. And I then take down the analytics with the story of Matt Williams' when he blew the Washington Nationals' playoff hopes with his historic analytics blunder.

Lawrence Butler made a splash in his rookie year last year, something that was no sure thing after being drafted in the 6th round of the 2018 draft. In fact, most of the 172 players in the 2018 draft drafted before Butler have never made it. We take a look at the path he took to get to where he is now.

The second episode of Curveballs and Changeups features a discussion of the careers of Giants pitchers Justin Verlander and Logan Webb. I look at how Verlander's history of longevity can pave the way for Webb to take another step toward greatness. Also, a note: I've changed my podcast name, though not before recording this podcast, so you will hear references to the Hot Corner, for which this podcast no longer is named.

I'll take a look at some of the key players and upcoming decisions of the San Francisco Giants and Sacramento A's, including a deep dive into Giants' manager Bob Melvin's lineup construction; as well as some background into the two pitching acquisitions the A's made over the winter.