0:00-27:30: 2021 is here, and so is Roenis Elías, but that’s not why we’re here. Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News and Baseball Prospectus has blessed the mic for an episode about MLB at-large. As a New York-based writer, Bradford has some extensive thoughts on the Mets and their innovative, cutting edge strategy, which is trying to win baseball games by acquiring the best players. Where does he stand on the players that went from New York to Cleveland in the Lindor deal? What about the practice of pretty good teams actively trying to be the opposite of pretty good?

27:35-49:15: We discuss this clip of Bradford asking Francisco Lindor about Cleveland’s spending habits after they were eliminated from last year’s playoffs. What does this response tell us about the rest of the league? Baseball players’ general lack of knowledge about the union and labor relations, detailed in this 2019 article by Stephanie Apstein, also seems like an issue. Kate openly asks if the Tampa Bay Rays are a pyramid scheme. Matthew makes his claim for abolishing divisions and a new system for determining who gets the No. 1 overall pick. Bradford calls people who care about the draft “dorks”. 

49:20-1:03:00: The Mets are interested in…Kyle Seager? Is this anything? You have to think Jerry Dipoto will at least make a phone call or six to Queens, just for old times’ sake. Right around this point the episode takes a vicious left turn toward blaccents, hip-hop tattoos, how every white guy is named Tyler, and public masturbation. 

1:03:05-1:19:57: Getting back on track by forcing Bradford to talk about the Seattle Mariners before we say goodbye. Terms like “upside” and “not embarrassing” are bandied about. 

Music: “ST. PERCY” by BROCKHAMPTON // “Fade Away” by Susanne Sundfør

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