FanGraphs Audio: Jay Jaffe and David Laurila Ruminate on Their Hall of Fame Ballots

Episode 953

On this week’s show, FanGraphs’ very own Hall of Fame voters go over their ballot options before a segment about the weird offseason.

• To kick things off, Jay Jaffe and David Laurila discuss this year’s complicated Hall of Fame ballot. They each voted for the first time last year (as discussed on episode 898), and the second time around does not look to be any easier. Jay and David go through the ballot’s many compelling candidates and the pressure they feel with their votes, as well as the challenge of telling the story of baseball without key players, before comparing the cases of Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. [2:58]
• In the second half, Eric Longenhagen catches up with Ben Clemens as they discuss baseball’s second straight strange winter. While the pair agree that being able to recharge has been nice, there has still been LIDOM and prospect coverage to keep Eric busy. We hear about — and watch some footage of — exciting players like Wirfin Obispo, Garrett Acton, and Colin Poche, before a deeper conversation about the scientific relationship between arm angle and natural fastball movement. [29:30]

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 1 hour 4 minutes play time.)

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