Ben and Sam banter about Veeck As in Wreck, Willie Mays, and the term “hot stove league,” then discuss some of the Winter Meetings’ major moves, including big closer contracts and the Chris Sale and Adam Eaton trades. Source
Ben and Sam banter about pitch limits, an MLB.com headline, and news about Rich Hill and Shohei Otani, then discuss the implications of several of the new CBA’s most noteworthy changes. Source
Ben and Sam banter about the possibly unprecedented complete lack of luddite teams, then discuss the Royals as sellers, the reliever market, and Braves trade rumors. Source
Ben, Sam, and BP’s Russell Carleton banter about Nolan Ryan as a reliever, the possibility of a strike in 2021, and how teams should use the money the new CBA prevents them from spending. Source
Ben and Sam banter about an endless lockout and an A.J. Ellis rumor, then answer listener emails about odd MVP votes in Japan, peak Pedro vs. peak Koufax, what they would bid for Charley Kershaw’s baseball career, and mo Source
Ben and Sam banter about a scene from Major League, an Adam Jones tweet, and the return of Nora Morse, then talk to BP’s Jeff Paternostro about the Yankees’ farm system, the Mets’ Yoenis Cespedes signing, and the future of international free agency. Source
Ben and Sam banter about a baseball TV trope and a Roger Angell passage, then discuss how they would have asked and answered interview questions for the Twins and Diamondbacks GM jobs and what they thought of the Mariners’ and Diamondbacks’ Jean Segura-Taijuan Walker trade and the Twins’ Jason Castro signing. Source
Ben, Sam, and Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times draft a few of their favorite baseball books. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Kyle Gaedele, then share their thoughts on Mike Trout’s second MVP Award and what it does and doesn’t say about both Trout and the BBWAA. Source
Ben and Sam banter about four pitchers with a broken bone, then answer listener emails about Ichiro, Bryce Harper, catchers, throwing games, whether players are making the most of their skills, and more. Source
Ben and Sam reprise their “multiple Andrew Millers” conversation for the final time, banter about the AL Rookie of the Year Award and the NL Platinum Glove Award, and spotlight some of 2016’s most eye-catching indy league stat lines. Source
Ben and Sam revisit their conversations about Cubs-parade attendance and multiple Andrew Millers, banter about Eddie Gaedel, and discuss which teams will see their World Series odds improve or decline by the most before Opening Day. Source
Ben and Sam review listener responses to their skepticism about Cubs-celebration attendance figures, then answer emails about the offseason outlook, changes in closer usage, Times on Base, Edwin Jackson, identical Andrew Millers, Mike Trout and more. Source
Ben and Sam review the results from Jerry Crasnick’s 2015 MLB executive survey and discuss the latest installment in his long-running survey series. Source
Ben and Sam banter about the attendance at the Cubs’ World Series celebration, then discuss several things we may (or may not) have seen for the last time during the 2016 season. Source
Ben and Sam reflect on what they learned from Game Seven of the World Series and the Chicago Cubs’ first championship since 1908. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Aroldis Chapman and answer emails about title droughts, the Cubs and consecutive pennants, scoreless streaks, World Series strategy, the recent rarity of Game Sevens, playoff ads, and more. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Manny Mota Grip Stick and Smash Mouth’s latest Twitter feud, then discuss the Cubs’ use of Aroldis Chapman in Game 5 and some strategic considerations for the rest of the series. Source
Ben and Sam banter about mean-spirited nicknames, then answer emails about Kyle Schwarber’s bat, Jon Lester’s long con, the neglected White Sox drought, the Nationals’ 2016 “success,” overcoming bad broadcasters, paying to play in the World Series, and more. Source
Ben and Sam banter about the two Indians teams and perceptions of postseason Kershaw, then discuss whether the eight eliminated postseason teams had successful seasons. Source
Ben and Sam banter about the origin of the pitcher’s mound, the impact of seeing a starter multiple times in the same series, and the Dodgers’ perplexing approach against Jon Lester, who continues to flourish without ever throwing to first. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Ben’s engagement, then answer listener emails about Andrew Miller, playoff tactics during the regular season, renaming the playoff rounds, and more. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Zach Britton and Shohei Otani, then discuss Dave Roberts, bullpen management, and the NLCS. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Kidz Bop, answer emails about facing MLB pitching, a time-traveling manager, and communicating with catchers, and then cold-call the star of the Play Index segment. Source
Ben and Sam banter about the Madison Bumgarner-Noah Syndergaard wild-card duel, their favorite types of playoff games, and their favorite playoff rounds, then discuss whether the Dodgers are more dangerous than the Cubs and how to weight postseason performance in Cooperstown candidacies. Source
Ben and Sam banter about an aged usher, Buck Showalter’s decision not to use Zach Britton in the AL wild-card game, and Barry Bonds, then answer listener emails and talk to Saber Seminar raffle winners Armaan and Ishaan about the Red Sox and whether baseball bores kids. Source
Ben and Sam conduct multiple Mike Trout drafts and discuss DJ LeMahieu’s batting title, the AL Cy Young race, Vin Scully’s sign-off, and more. Source
Ben and Sam banter about a wild night in baseball, the morality of forfeits, and the triples record, then discuss Theo Epstein’s record-setting extension. Source
Ben and Sam banter about Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw, and Shohei Otani, then answer listener emails about Mike Trout, playoff formats, inflated homer totals, their introductions to baseball, and more. Source
Ben and Sam talk about whether adding the late Jose Fernandez to the Hall of Fame ballot would be a fitting way to honor his superlative but tragically brief career. Source
