"Rickey’s model didn’t just survive it became the default. In a profession obsessed with optimizing player development, it’s the one area where the underlying model hasn’t changed since the 1950s." jrod20033.substack.com/p/baseballs-...

"Rickey’s model didn’t just survive it became the default. In a profession obsessed with optimizing player development, it’s the one area where the underlying model hasn’t changed since the 1950s." jrod20033.substack.com/p/baseballs-...

The ultimate gift for the baseball fan on your list (including yourself): BP360, which bundles a one-year subscription to @baseballprospectus.com, the 2026 Annual, and a shirt, all for a discounted price, is on sale now! baseball-prospectus.myshopify.com/collections/...

"But even Rickey for all his innovation, missed the final step. He was famous for long lectures that buried players in information. And that’s the lesson: designing the framework is one thing; delivering it in a way players can actually absorb is another" jrod20033.substack.com/p/the-system...

Life as a remote worker-

"But even Rickey for all his innovation, missed the final step. He was famous for long lectures that buried players in information. And that’s the lesson: designing the framework is one thing; delivering it in a way players can actually absorb is another" jrod20033.substack.com/p/the-system...

"But the truth is much simpler players understood the game because they talked about it constantly. If you want that same level of understanding now, you have to build an environment where those conversations actually happen." jrod20033.substack.com/p/questions-...

"But the truth is much simpler players understood the game because they talked about it constantly. If you want that same level of understanding now, you have to build an environment where those conversations actually happen." jrod20033.substack.com/p/questions-...

"Instead of treating every moment as its own instruction manual, they start weighing likelihoods, consequences, leverage, and timing." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

Josh’s inquisitive mind is quickly becoming my favorite

"Instead of treating every moment as its own instruction manual, they start weighing likelihoods, consequences, leverage, and timing." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

Great read. Provides some guidance and perspective to the struggles I've felt as an instinctual and intellectual player trying to teach situational play to very young players.

Reading this reminds me of Miguel Cabrera, who always had a reputation for doing "1000 IQ" fielding and base running plays

"As much as we’d love to prepare them for every situation before they face it, that’s not how the game works. The only sustainable path is teaching them the patterns underneath the play." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

Hoy, @jrodrigues39.bsky.social confirma lo que ya sospechábamos: www.baseballprospectus.com/en-espanol/a... en @enespanol.baseballprospectus.com #Beisbol

"As much as we’d love to prepare them for every situation before they face it, that’s not how the game works. The only sustainable path is teaching them the patterns underneath the play." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

The New October Blueprint: Lean on Your Best, Not Your Bullpen by Joshua Rodrigues (@jrodrigues39.bsky.social) www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...

Going to be interesting to see Taylor Ward on a team where he doesn't need to put a sensor on his own bat

"Low swing tendencies dominate across nearly every count, forcing pitchers to labor and often producing favorable counts. Aggressive hitters shine in the extremes 0-2 or 3-2 otherwise, patience dictates success." www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...

With Blake Butera being introduced today, worth reposting this. Front Offices are looking for Managers who are able to partner with them instead of endlessly pushing back on them at every turn. jrod20033.substack.com/p/the-modern...

From an MLB Job posting. It's real and happening

This is an area where Mike Rizzo's old school mentality was putting the Nats woefully behind and an illustration of how tough a challenge Toboni will have in getting the Nats organization to catch up. He'll be fixing minor league development while other teams race ahead on the pro side.

"He’s been clear that the goal is to create environments where players aren’t just getting their reps, they’re actually getting better and getting better quicker." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

"He’s been clear that the goal is to create environments where players aren’t just getting their reps, they’re actually getting better and getting better quicker." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

These posts have slowly beat the baseball truisms that have been beaten into my head. Dodgers are probably best positioned to take these risks since their jobs are unlikely on the line as well, which is likely why more teams don't do this.

For the night crowd

The debate isn’t about blame it’s about whether decades of caution still make sense in a game where every small edge matters. At some point, teams have to decide whether protecting against disaster is worth closing off the paths that might win them games. jrod20033.substack.com/p/playing-no...

Nice find here. @sandwichpick.bsky.social

The debate isn’t about blame it’s about whether decades of caution still make sense in a game where every small edge matters. At some point, teams have to decide whether protecting against disaster is worth closing off the paths that might win them games. jrod20033.substack.com/p/playing-no...

This is a great look at the overall state of fundies, and a chance to plug both Sam's subtack and @jrodrigues39.bsky.social 's substack, which looks at fundamentals from both coaching and operational perspective: jrod20033.substack.com

Wonder how pissed they were when the Max Muncy obstruction call on the sacrifice fly happened against the Mets

"The Dodgers go further. They teach. Bob Geren said it flat-out on MLB Now before Game 7 of the World Series: they don’t just want the best players in the world they want the smartest." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

"The Dodgers go further. They teach. Bob Geren said it flat-out on MLB Now before Game 7 of the World Series: they don’t just want the best players in the world they want the smartest." open.substack.com/pub/jrod2003...

"You can build all the systems and departments you want, but without the manager buying in, the learning stops where it matters most." jrod20033.substack.com/p/the-modern...

I wrote up a Game 6 recap, about Miguel Rojas, who was everywhere in this game despite being nowhere at the plate:

The game ending play last night with Barger getting thrown out at 3md is a classic misunderstanding of out rules at second base. One of the hardest situations to drill or teach.

"Coaching baseball isn’t that different from teaching in a classroom. The principles are the same ask the right questions, pause to let players wrestle with ideas, and build understanding over time. Coaches are just teachers in baseball pants" jrod20033.substack.com/p/coaching-t...

"But that contrast is exactly what player development is built for. The goal isn’t just to train physical skills; it’s to build players with enough game understanding, anticipation, and adaptability to think for themselves when the moment comes." jrod20033.substack.com/p/teaching-i...

"When hitters in those same-sided matchups try to lift and pull, they’re often creating a mismatch between their intent and the actual pitch shapes they’re facing." www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...

"When hitters in those same-sided matchups try to lift and pull, they’re often creating a mismatch between their intent and the actual pitch shapes they’re facing." www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...

The differences between these two bullpens in terms of usage and batter's getting a look at these reliever is a huge advantage for the Dodgers

"That’s the hidden currency of October: every extra out a starter records doesn’t just buy rest it buys mystery. And in a month where familiarity kills advantage, mystery might be the most valuable weapon a team has left." www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...

WENT THE DISTANCE ✅ Yoshinobu Yamamoto has thrown the first Los Angeles Dodgers postseason complete game since José Lima in the 2003 NLDS.

ALCS Game 3 Preview: Putting the Blue in Blue Jays by Patrick Dubuque (@euqubud.baseballprospectus.com)

Vibe check @blakemurphy.bsky.social ?

great stuff from @jrodrigues39.bsky.social on managing familiarity in the postseason www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...

Hoy en @enespanol.baseballprospectus.com : La ventaja oculta en los bullpens de octubre–primera parte, por @jrodrigues39.bsky.social , traducción de @camarcano.bsky.social .