Fantasy Baseball Fixers, Listener League ADP & Catching Up w/Ron Shandler

This episode of Rates & Barrels previews the upcoming fantasy baseball season, focusing on undervalued players, draft strategies, and roster construction. Derek VanRiper and Eno Sarris analyze listener league ADP data, highlighting players like Brent Rooker, Will Smith, and Caleb Durbin, who are being drafted earlier than their NFBC counterparts. They also discuss potential draft "fixers" to address weaknesses in saves or steals, mentioning Robert Garcia, Daniel Palencia, Nassim Nunez, and Luis Angel Acuna as late-round options. Fantasy baseball legend Ron Shandler joins the podcast to discuss his book, Fantasy Reconstructed, and shares his draft day strategies, emphasizing the importance of balancing skills and risk when building a roster.

Outlines

Part 1: News, Injuries, and Updates

Part 2: ADP Analysis and Market Trends

Part 3: Draft Strategy and Category Fixers

Part 4: Interview with Ron Shandler

Part 5: Player Targets and Closing

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Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Part 1: News, Injuries, and Updates

Tout Wars Preview, Ron Shandler Interview, and Rates & Barrels Beer Update

Blake Snell's Timetable, Shohei Ohtani's Progress, and Justin Robleski's Cutter Usage

Abreu vs. Jax, Quinn Priester's Injury, and Brewers Rotation Update

Part 2: ADP Analysis and Market Trends

Listener League ADP Analysis: Tucker, Rooker, Green, Smith, and Estevez

Durbin's Value, Dominguez's Role, and Undervalued Pitching

Part 3: Draft Strategy and Category Fixers

Draft Fixers: Relief Pitchers Garcia, Palencia, and Swanson

Draft Fixers: Steals with Lowe, Carter, Durbin, and Nunez

Part 4: Interview with Ron Shandler

Interview with Ron Shandler: Fantasy Reconstructed and Game Enjoyment

Industry Leagues, Analysis, and the Tension Between Public Analysis and Gameplay

Designing New Games, Monthly Formats, and Essential Draft Tools

Part 5: Player Targets and Closing

Shandler's Guys for 2026: Rooker, Merrill, and Buxton

Shandler's Book and Podcast Outro

Fantasy Baseball Fixers, Listener League ADP & Catching Up w/Ron Shandler

Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

Part 1: News, Injuries, and Updates

00:47Tout Wars Preview, Ron Shandler Interview, and Rates & Barrels Beer Update

Tout Wars Preview, Ron Shandler Interview, and Rates & Barrels Beer Update

04:44Blake Snell's Timetable, Shohei Ohtani's Progress, and Justin Robleski's Cutter Usage

Blake Snell's Timetable, Shohei Ohtani's Progress, and Justin Robleski's Cutter Usage

12:20Abreu vs. Jax, Quinn Priester's Injury, and Brewers Rotation Update

Abreu vs. Jax, Quinn Priester's Injury, and Brewers Rotation Update

Part 2: ADP Analysis and Market Trends

23:19Listener League ADP Analysis: Tucker, Rooker, Green, Smith, and Estevez

Listener League ADP Analysis: Tucker, Rooker, Green, Smith, and Estevez

37:30Durbin's Value, Dominguez's Role, and Undervalued Pitching

Durbin's Value, Dominguez's Role, and Undervalued Pitching

Part 3: Draft Strategy and Category Fixers

45:05Draft Fixers: Relief Pitchers Garcia, Palencia, and Swanson

Draft Fixers: Relief Pitchers Garcia, Palencia, and Swanson

53:40Draft Fixers: Steals with Lowe, Carter, Durbin, and Nunez

Draft Fixers: Steals with Lowe, Carter, Durbin, and Nunez

Part 4: Interview with Ron Shandler

1:03:54Interview with Ron Shandler: Fantasy Reconstructed and Game Enjoyment

Interview with Ron Shandler: Fantasy Reconstructed and Game Enjoyment

1:11:10Industry Leagues, Analysis, and the Tension Between Public Analysis and Gameplay

Industry Leagues, Analysis, and the Tension Between Public Analysis and Gameplay

1:17:19Designing New Games, Monthly Formats, and Essential Draft Tools

Designing New Games, Monthly Formats, and Essential Draft Tools

Part 5: Player Targets and Closing

1:27:49Shandler's Guys for 2026: Rooker, Merrill, and Buxton

Shandler's Guys for 2026: Rooker, Merrill, and Buxton

1:31:54Shandler's Book and Podcast Outro

Shandler's Book and Podcast Outro