When will MLB go ‘full ABS,’ let robot umps take over? Maybe never Would baseball be a better sport if ABS called every pitch? We spent weeks looking into that question. There are many factors to consider.

“If you turn it into all robots, then we should just have robots playing as well.”

New from me:

How soon will MLB let those robot umps call every pitch?

Maybe never
www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

We’ve been waiting for this.

The Reds just ended a game on a tap-off!

P.J. Higgins challenges and gets a game-ending strikeout.

Baseball! (In 2026)

Starkville’s Back with Aaron Boone YouTube video by Rates & Barrels

Starkville is back!

Aaron Boone joins @dougglanville and me talking Yankees, his historic ejections streak and his hilarious impressions.

Watch on YouTube! www.youtube.com/watch?v=78A6...

Apple podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

And anywhere you get your podcasts

Starkville is now on YouTube!

Amazing episode with Aaron Boone

x.com/jaysonst/sta...

Starkville’s Back with Aaron Boone

Starkville is back!

@dougglanville.bsky.social and I had a fantastic conversation with our special guest, Aaron Boone.

Come for the Yankees talk. Stay for his dead-on Dan Baker impression!

Apple podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/2dkp...

I‘m excited to have @dougglanville.bsky.social & @jaysonst.bsky.social joining Rates & Barrels — and back on YouTube, starting tomorrow!

Subscribe to the feed wherever you listen or watch to get ready for the return 👇

🎧 podfollow.com/rates-barrels
📺 www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrels

You've been asking. Here it comes

When is Starkville returning? This weekend!

@dougglanville and I are now part of Rates & Barrels. So look for us Saturday morning, wherever you find your podcasts AND on @YouTube

Our guest: Aaron Boone. And yes, he'll be doing impressions!

Don't miss this one!

5-Game Losing Streak After 8-2 Start (Since 1900)
1918 Phillies 8-2, 9 losses
1941 Giants 8-2, 6 losses
1973 Pirates 8-2, 6 losses
2019 Dodgers 8-2, 6 losses
2026 Yankees 8-2, 5 losses
2026 Brewers 8-2, 5 losses

So 4 times in 125 years, then twice this week. Baseball!

 "How much should we care about that? I can tell you that umpires care, I can tell you that there's some pitchers and catchers who care, but most people are just figuring this is the deal. We wanna live with it. And fans seem like they don't care..."

- @jaysonst.bsky.social on ABS margin of error

Hey, I wrote about Mason Miller (and a lot of other stuff) in my latest Weird & Wild column.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

Did Jo Adell really have the greatest defensive game in MLB history? After a week of hearing Adell's home-run-stealing heroics might have been the greatest defensive game of all time, I decided I had to know.

Did Jo Adell have the greatest defensive game ever?

Just when you think we can answer every question in baseball, a wild research project like that comes along.

I tried! But when AI started basically making up "legendary" games, I knew this was trouble
www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

Did Jo Adell really have the greatest defensive game in MLB history? After a week of hearing Adell's home-run-stealing heroics might have been the greatest defensive game of all time, I decided I had to know.

Did Jo Adell really have the greatest defensive game ever?

In a Weird & Wild special, I went off in search of that answer.

When my AI research friend basically made up 2 "legendary" games, I knew I was in trouble
www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

Konnor Griffin’s contract, Mason Miller Time and a 1-ball walk: Weird & Wild There was an actual game in which 93 hitters reached base. But first, let's celebrate Griffin, 19-year-old face of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

More Weird & Wildness!

A game where 93 hitters reached base?
A one-ball walk?
Konnor Griffin's contract
Mason Miller's insane unhittability
LA's $1.5 billion HRs
Edward Cabrera
Jose Ramirez
Mickey Moniak's revenge
Strangest bunt of the year
Lots more fun
www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

Did Jo Adell really have the greatest defensive game in MLB history? After a week of hearing Adell's home-run-stealing heroics might have been the greatest defensive game of all time, I decided I had to know.

Did Jo Adell really have the greatest defensive game ever?

In a Weird & Wild special, I went off in search of that answer.

When my AI research friend basically made up 2 "legendary" games, I knew I was in trouble
www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...

📣 Plus, a big show announcement!

Starkville is back on Saturdays, beginning April 18th -- wherever you watch or listen to Rates & Barrels!

More details to come, but you can subscribe to the feed to get ready for the return 👇

🎧 podfollow.com/rates-barrels
📺 www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrels

We didn't just join Rates & Barrels on this show.

Doug and I are joining Rates & Barrels as a regular part of this show!

The triumphant return of Starkville is next week (April 18) ...

As part of the Rates & Barrels empire.

Very excited about this. More to come next week!

MLB’s robot umps are messing with the math, all hail Ohtani, an epic rookie race? With ABS, even the most fundamental parts of the game are evolving in real time. Hey, the robots never promised there would be no math.

"Eugenio Suarez may still be hitting"

In Weird & Wild, we look at baseball's new ABS math.

3 called strikes, a whiff, a foul ball & you're still up? That happened!

Plus fun with:

An epic rookie class
Ohtani vs Babe
Edwin vs Kenley
The White Sox did what?
Lots more
www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

MLB’s robot umps are messing with the math, all hail Ohtani, an epic rookie race? With ABS, even the most fundamental parts of the game are evolving in real time. Hey, the robots never promised there would be no math.

"Eugenio Suarez may still be hitting"

In Weird & Wild, we look at baseball's new ABS math.

3 called strikes, a whiff, a foul ball & you're still up? That happened!

Plus fun with:

An epic rookie class
Ohtani vs Babe
Edwin vs Kenley
The White Sox did what?
Lots more
www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

So crazy!

Hi Tim! It is. We should be back soon. I'll have more info in the next few days, I hope. Thanks for asking and listening

Weird & Wild stats and facts from MLB’s return. Plus, ranking ABS challenges "Nobody knows anything," Trea Turner said this spring. The early days of this baseball season were another reminder that he's right.

Weird & Wild is back, with a Happy New Year edition

Robot-ump wackiness
Ty Cobb was no Kevin McGonigle
Rocky Colavito was no Chase DeLauter
Skenes
Judge
Trout
And of course ... Joey Wiemer, MVP favorite
Plus lots more first-week fun
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Weird & Wild stats and facts from MLB’s return. Plus, ranking ABS challenges "Nobody knows anything," Trea Turner said this spring. The early days of this baseball season were another reminder that he's right.

Weird & Wild is back, with a Happy New Year edition

Robot-ump wackiness
Ty Cobb was no Kevin McGonigle
Rocky Colavito was no Chase DeLauter
Skenes
Judge
Trout
And of course ... Joey Wiemer, MVP favorite
Plus lots more first-week fun
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Justin Crawford, Trea Turner give Phillies two of MLB’s fastest players. The Plan? Unleash ‘hell’ “These two guys are going to be on base at the same time,” Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long said, “and all hell is gonna break loose.”

“Nobody has mentioned it, which is crazy.”

Have you noticed the Phillies have the 2 fastest teammates in baseball?

Trea Turner had the No. 1 sprint speed in MLB last year

Justin Crawford was the fastest man in the top 100 prospects

Next up? "Havoc!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Justin Crawford, Trea Turner give Phillies two of MLB’s fastest players. The Plan? Unleash ‘hell’ “These two guys are going to be on base at the same time,” Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long said, “and all hell is gonna break loose.”

“Nobody has mentioned it, which is crazy.”

Have you noticed the Phillies have the 2 fastest teammates in baseball?

Trea Turner had the No. 1 sprint speed in MLB last year

Justin Crawford was the fastest man in the top 100 prospects

Next up? "Havoc!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Player Pitching Game Stats Finder - Baseball | Stathead Find game-level player stats fitting certain criteria and filters

This seems impossible but ...

Johan Duran just became the first Phillies reliever ever to save a game at home on Opening Day

www.sports-reference.com/stathead/bas...

What an inning in Philly, as the Phillies were hanging on to win.

We had a Burger to go and then ...

A Duran-Duran classic!

Brandon Marsh in spring training:

One extra-base hit all spring

Brandon Marsh today:

2 doubles

Baseball!

Phillies pitchers with 10+ strikeouts on Opening Day:

Art Mahaffey (10), 1963
Chris Short (11), 1965
Chris Short (10), 1968
Curt Schilling (11), 1997
Cristopher Sanchez (10), 2025

Justin Crawford: 2 major league AB, 2 singles up the middle.

He's the youngest Phillies position player (22 years, 72 days) to make his big-league debut by starting on Opening Day since ...

Richie Ashburn (21 years, 32 days) in 1948

Nothing says "Opening Day in Philly" more eloquently than the return of this guy.

#Frankie2Scoops