Takeaways From the First Quarter of the 2025 MLB Season w/Joe Sheehan

Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

The Athletic

Baseball, Sports

4.9 • 746 Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Joe Sheehan joins Eno and DVR to discuss dropping the skepticism around the Tigers as AL Central frontrunners, where credit (and blame) belong with the 2025 Giants, over-performing teams they expect to see fade from the playoff picture over the course of the season, and under-performing teams they believe will find their way into the playoffs. Plus, the lack of top-end results from Jordan Walker despite top-end bat speed, and a few selections for summer breakouts.

Rundown

5:30 Should We Believe in the Tigers?

12:41 The 'Bustarhan' Giants Are Pretty Good

21:18 Best Teams Today That Won't Make the Playoffs This Season

25:15 Is the Guardians' Pitching Development Fading?

30:57 2025 Playoffs Teams with Worst Record on May 13th?

39:41 Why Are Teams Reluctant to Make 'Early' Trades?

46:12 Jordan Walker: Top-End Bat Speed, Without Top-End Results

53:32 Who Is Your Favorite Breakout On Tap This Summer?

Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social

Follow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.social

Follow Joe on Bluesky: @sheehannewsletter.bsky.social

e-mail: [email protected]

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Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels

Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

With: Joe Sheehan

Producer: Brian Smith

Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Rollback is back at ASDA, with thousands of prices roll back across the store and online,
0:04.8	including two flaky cod fillets, 260 grams, was £5.21, now just 398.
0:10.6	Try recipes the whole family will love, like my delicious fish and chip tacos,
0:15.3	which will make any night feel like Friday night. Search Joe Wicks meal picks at ASDA.com.
0:20.4	Helping you make your midweek meals for less.
0:22.5	That's ASDA price.
0:24.0	Selected stores online subject to availability may exclude
0:26.2	ASDA Express in small stores.
0:27.4	See ASDA.com slash small stores.
0:28.9	Online charges may apply. Welcome to rates and barrels.
0:45.5	It is Tuesday, May 13th.
0:47.8	Derek and Riper, Inoceris, here with you, joined by a special guest, Joe Sheehan, joins the show today, author of the Joe Sheen newsletter.
0:54.3	Joe Sheen.com. If you want to be a subscriber to that, get in on that ASAP.
0:59.2	Joe, thank you so much for joining us.
1:01.0	Guys, I listen to every show. I'm really excited to come on to talk to you today.
1:04.4	It feels like it's long overdue, man.
1:06.4	This is like year seven of the show i can't believe we haven't had you on before but we're happy to have you today as you know eno loves games trivia of any kind and i want to be a game show host as a kid
1:17.4	so i will lean into eno's fears as much as i possibly can and we'll start today's show with a game
1:23.4	but i think i'll give you guys the option. Would you like to play collaboratively?
1:28.8	Would you like to play against each other?
1:31.3	I have massive issues with competition.
1:33.8	I'm hyper-competitive in a very bad way.
	...

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