Derek VanRiper

Map showing a driving route from the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS to LSU in Baton Rouge, LA.

How long would it take a snake to slither from Oxford to Baton Rouge?

About 3.5 days if he just kept slithering non-stop without stopping at one of the many Waffle House locations on the route.

Thumbnail for the Dec. 1st episode of Rates & Barrels featuring Brandon Nimmo getting doused with Gatorade. Brandon Nimmo Thumbnail Photo: John Jones-Imagn Images

🎙️ Rates & Barrels ⚾

@enosarris.bsky.social and I returned from Thanksgiving break to discuss the Nimmo-Semien deal, Sonny Gray to Boston, Dylan Cease to the Jays, Ryan Helsley to the Orioles, and Raisel Iglesias' return to Atlanta.

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrels
Audio: pod.fo/e/35df59

Song ID on display — “Tanana” by Portugal. The Man.

Did they write a song about Frank?

Completely agree, and it’s maddening.

Alex Jackson might be able to spend a day in all 30 orgs at this rate. The O's are his eighth stop after he went sixth overall to the Mariners in 2014.

Eeles is interesting if he ever finds some playing time, and it looks like a busy offseason for Mike Elias anyway so the roster is far from done.

1973 AL Cy Young Voting

1974 AL Cy Young Voting

Nolan Ryan doesn't have a Cy...I would have bricked that in a trivia situation.

1973 and 1974 voting from B-Ref....

Having a hard time believing that Tyler O'Neill is a small-side platoon outfielder in Year 2 of a three-year, $49.5M deal, but the O's would have to eat money or take a similar contract back to trade him.

Eduardo Rodriguez has 2/$40M left, but has a mutual option that vests w/145.2 IP this year.

I could see him getting a late-August promotion if they do some of the other stuff and hang around, preserve ROY for 2027. Probably has to do some silly stuff in Grapefruit League this spring to actually break through right out of camp.

Somehow my favorite part of that clip his how little his order actually costs.

Panera might be a dark horse for Lane Kiffin? If you can win at Ole Miss, you can win anywhere.

Yikes

Great example of trying to solve a non-problem by any means necessary other than to pay humans working in the restaurant a living wage.

Curling?

All good, I was trying to confirm on the MLB pages about qualifying offers and nothing I dug up had it.

It's May 15, not June 15?

I could see a completely acceptable low-20s homer season from Grisham. The Law of Gyorko. Trade 10-12 homers for doubles, be mostly the same hitter otherwise.

Not sure anybody cares, but Gyorko lost 10 homers the following season (was +11 on for doubles).

30+ HR with single-digit doubles in a season is hard to do.

Only seven players have done that since 1961:

Grisham (2025)
Stanton (2022)
Gyorko (2016)
McGwire (2000)
Kingman (1982)
Aaron (1972)
Cash (1971)

Gyorko and Grisham the only two before age-30.

(Stathead rules.)

That's where I'm at. Specific cases across the board where Woodruff and Shota probably do better next winter/post lockout with healthy seasons at projection. Not sure there are many Grisham believers out there, and Torres is in a two-year stretch with a sub-.400 SLG and below average defense.

Private equity picking a fight with hockey parents is probably going to end very poorly for private equity.

We really need baseball back.

Really not sure about that 'or' in the question.

Episode thumbnail for the Nov. 17th episode of Rates & Barrels featuring Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor. Josh Naylor Thumbnail Photo: Luke Hales/Getty Images

🎙️ Rates & Barrels ⚾

@enosarris.bsky.social and I discussed Naylor's return to Seattle, Clase & Ortiz, more hardware for Ohtani, Judge, Skenes and Skubal, rumors and reports from the SP market, and my wild weekend activities....

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrels
Audio: pod.fo/e/354984

Ah yes, the classic pulley system into the fryer and the marble rye fish hook trick. So much easier than spatchcocking and using the oven!

Anything good happening out there today?

Does Rick Bayless’ Frontera still sling tortas at O’Hare?

I have to think it’s a small return, but KC?

Aob Iger said what?

No lose scenario in that case. I take the L for the projection and enjoy being wrong.

I want to pencil in all of those contact quality gains for Turang to hold in 2026, but I cannot. I cannot. I cannot.…