FanGraphs Weekly Mailbag: February 14, 2025

Pleased Valentine’s Day, everybody, and welcome to the primary mailbag of spring coaching. It’s becoming that this annual day of affection coincides with the return of baseball, as a result of all of us are head over heels in love with this sport. If you happen to weren’t, you wouldn’t be spending a part of your Saturday studying a Members-only mailbag on an internet site devoted completely to masking our sport. Actually, baseball is the sport of affection. Our fandom begins as passionate affair, after which like all lasting relationship, it requires each day dedication, rising stronger over time. It rewards endurance, arduous work, and discovering pleasure in each the mundane and the extraordinary. It isn’t at all times straightforward, nevertheless it’s at all times price it. How will you not be romantic about baseball?

Talking of affection, no person I do know loves school baseball like Michael Baumann. With Friday marking the beginning of the school season, he previewed the motion to come back in two items. First, he ran by means of the seven school groups it’s essential know in 2026, after which went deep on what he dubbed, “The Ridiculous Firewagon Offenses of Faculty Baseball.” The opening of spring camps additionally means it’s Prospect Week right here at FanGraphs. If you happen to missed any of our protection, you will discover Eric Longenhagen’s audit of our 2019 High 100 checklist, David Laurila’s interviews with Cardinals assistant GM Rob Cerfolio and Padres assistant director of participant growth Mike Daly about their respective farm methods, Brendan Gawlowski’s reflections on what he discovered from his worst scouting report throughout his time as a Pirates professional scout, and Eric’s up to date 2026 draft rankings. Early subsequent week, we’ll have our High 100 Prospects checklist, in addition to these from each ZiPS and OOPSY, together with fantasy rankings and loads of different prospect protection. So you should definitely come again to the location to verify all of it out.

That’s the final you’ll examine love and Prospect Week on this week’s mailbag. As a substitute, we’ll be answering your questions on the price of 1.0 WAR, the legality of a canine taking part in first base, the variety of balls gamers hit of their careers, and whether or not a full staff of free brokers may beat the Rockies. Earlier than we do, although, I’d prefer to remind you that this mailbag is unique to FanGraphs Members. If you happen to aren’t but a Member and want to preserve studying, you may join a Membership right here. It’s the easiest way to each expertise the location and assist our employees, and it comes with a bunch of different nice advantages. Additionally, when you’d prefer to ask a query for an upcoming mailbag, ship me an e mail at mailbag@fangraphs.com.