The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann examine the adjustments that Clayton Kershaw, Mike Trout, and Bryce Harper have made this season to become even better (03:00). Then they bring on Royals reliever and injury trailblazer Seth Maness to talk about making it back to the big leagues after undergoing "primary repair," an alternative to Tommy John surgery that helped him get back on the mound much faster (16:00). Lastly, they talk to Robert Mosley, who set a record in MLB's Beat the Strea...
May 19, 2017•45 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann shine a spotlight on the topsy-turvy and tightly compressed NL Central, talking to The Athletic Chicago's Sahadev Sharma about the surprisingly mediocre Cubs (03:00) and MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (25:30) and the Cincinnati Enquirer's Zach Buchanan (43:00) about the unexpectedly competitive Brewers and Reds, respectively. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 15, 2017•1 hr
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Red Sox executive vice president and chief financial officer Tim Zue about how teams are using data to optimize ticketing (05:00), marketing (12:00), concessions (36:00), the fan experience (39:00), and more, and the ways in which baseball business analytics are similar to and different from baseball operations analytics (51:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 11, 2017•58 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann and Baseball Prospectus writer Meg Rowley banter about Kris Bryant's double-play avoidance (03:00) and whether Giancarlo Stanton still inspires awe (07:00). Then they talk to 'Pitch' showrunner Kevin Falls about why Fox canceled the series (13:00), his attempts to revive the show or provide closure for fans (17:00), what did and didn't work in the first season (20:00), the challenges of making a TV show about sports (25:00), and what he had in mind ...
May 08, 2017•47 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to writer Steven Goldman of Vice Sports and FanRag Sports about historical precedents for the feud between the Orioles' Manny Machado and the Red Sox (4:07), whether bad blood (and bad behavior) among baseball players has gotten more or less common over time (31:48), and whether the beanball epidemic will ever end (40:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 04, 2017•47 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about big bullpens (02:30), high home run rates (06:00), injured Mets and fatalistic Mets fans (08:00), and the seasonlong losses of Adam Eaton and Shelby Miller (18:00). Then they bring on Pittsburgh Pirates Gift Ngoepe and Dovydas Neverauskas, who recently became the first players born in Africa and Lithuania, respectively, to make the majors (22:30). Lastly, Ben and Michael forecast which countries might be the next to send their first rep...
May 01, 2017•54 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring on former big leaguer (and current Astros broadcaster) Geoff Blum to discuss his evolution in the booth (01:00), the Astros’ past, present, and future (03:30), the differences between playing for good and bad teams, and more (18:00). Then, they welcome Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz to talk about his affinity for baseball (26:00), his thoughts on biometric monitoring of athletes (28:30), and the gaps between baseball and...
Apr 28, 2017•52 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann check in on the season’s high home run rate (01:30), talk about whether bullpens have gotten too big (03:30), and debate the fates of five teams that are off to rough starts this season (10:30). Then they bring on longtime big league pitcher LaTroy Hawkins to discuss data about the declining number of African American players (24:00) and the underrepresentation of black pitchers and catchers (31:30), as well as his thoughts on underrated major leagu...
Apr 28, 2017•46 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith about baseball’s rising strikeout rate (04:00), the current crop of talented young shortstops (10:00), the impact of shifting and data-driven defensive positioning (12:30), and the ascendance of advanced defensive stats (14:30). Then they bring on Reds reliever/pinch hitter Michael Lorenzen to talk about Cincinnati’s unorthodox free-flowing bullpen and quick-working staff (26:00), his history and preparatio...
Apr 28, 2017•44 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss the ingredients of a good baseball memoir (01:00), then bring on former major leaguer Rick Ankiel to discuss his new book, ‘The Phenomenon’ (05:00), his outfield conversion (09:00), his battle with the yips (11:00), and the improvement in baseball’s treatment of its players’ psyches (14:00). Then, they talk to Astros relief ace Chris ‘The Dragon’ Devenski about his unpredictable, multi-inning role (28:30), why he was underrated as a prospect...
Apr 28, 2017•41 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about the early season’s upside-down standings (02:00), toasted grasshoppers at Safeco Field (06:30), the etiquette of the wave (09:30), and how quickly you should quit on a closer (12:00). Then they bring on two dermatologists, Dr. John E. Olerud and Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield (15:00), to talk about how Dr. Olerud balanced pro baseball and medical school (16:00), possible remedies for Rich Hill’s seemingly unfixable blister (23:00), the dang...
Apr 28, 2017•42 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss 10 of the strangest, most surprising, and most impressive events from the first week of the MLB regular season, including an epic battle between Mike Trout and King Félix (10:30), Jeremy Guthrie's disaster start (15:00), Yadier Molina's sticky-baseball blooper (29:30), and the Padres' unprecedented tanking (41:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 28, 2017•48 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann review a dozen developments from the first week of the season and analyze whether they're signs of things to come (02:00). Then they bring on Baseball Prospectus writer Rob Mains to talk about how April differs from the rest of the regular season (23:00) and how fans (and fellow writers!) can avoid being misled by early-season small-sample results (41:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 28, 2017•46 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring on actor Hank Azaria to discuss spoofing baseball broadcasters (03:00), juxtaposing baseball and black comedy (10:00), explaining the sport's eccentricities (19:30), his reaction to a famous line from 'Heat' (22:45), and his new IFC TV series, 'Brockmire' (26:00). Then they call former MVP and future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones to talk about becoming baseball-obsessed (27:00), switch-hitting (34:20), playoff randomness (39:00), misbehaving awa...
Apr 28, 2017•45 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann ask and answer 21 either/or and over/under questions about the upcoming season (01:30). Then they bring on Sony Interactive Entertainment America community manager and game designer Ramone Russell to talk about AI improvements (25:30), increased realism (29:00), and new modes in 'MLB the Show 17' (30:00), the choice of cover model Ken Griffey Jr. (40:45), and how much research into real baseball it takes to digitize the sport (44:30). Learn more abo...
Mar 27, 2017•48 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Eric Longenhagen and Chris Mitchell from FanGraphs about the differences between the site's scouting-based and stats-based top-prospect lists and the highly ranked players who appear on the former but not the latter (02:00). Then they bring on Evan October and Justin Safely from Isotopes Punk Rock Baseball Club to discuss the band's origin story and songwriting process (27:00), baseball's punk-rock cred (34:00), and the Isotopes' new single,...
Mar 20, 2017•49 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss whether MLB teams should limit the workloads of players on WBC teams (02:00), break down Michael's clubhouse interviewing technique (11:00), and comment on quotes from two players Michael talked to on his trip to Arizona (14:00), Rangers starter Cole Hamels (on aging and wearable sensors) and Indians outfielder Brandon Guyer (on getting hit by pitches). Then they bring on Economist editor Dan Rosenheck to talk about his study on the signific...
Mar 13, 2017•48 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to baseball columnist and historian Steven Goldman about the new so-called Carter Capps and David Price rules (04:00), the evolution of the pitching motion (04:40), and past examples of rule changes prompted by a specific player, person, or event (07:10). Then they bring on journalist Octavio Hernández to discuss his statistical work for the World Baseball Classic (23:55), how big the WBC is in Venezuela (28:10), and how the top teams stack up ...
Mar 06, 2017•46 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to MLB.com columnist Joe Posnanski about his new job as a full-time baseball writer (01:45), his hatred for the intentional walk (04:50), the automatic IBB rule (5:50), and why baseball fans are so attached to rules and resistant to change (12:55). Then they bring on Padres super-utility player Christian Bethancourt to discuss his conversion from catcher to two-way player who catches, pitches, and plays all over the field (27:25). Learn more ab...
Feb 28, 2017•46 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Dodgers setup man Grant Dayton about being a 28-year-old rookie, his whirlwind success in 2016, his fascinating whiffs-and-flies fastball, and how a move from the Marlins to the Dodgers helped him embrace his unconventional pitching approach (0:35). Then they bring on hitting instructor Doug Latta to discuss working with big leaguers without being employed by an MLB team, reinventing Justin Turner, and why the uppercut, fly-ball-oriented swi...
Feb 20, 2017•51 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann play "College Baseball Player, Figure From American History, or Nicolas Cage Character?" (02:40) and talk to Twins pitcher Glen Perkins about his return from a torn labrum (09:45), embracing advanced stats (18:00) and preaching sabermetrics to teammates (30:30), reliever valuation and usage (33:30), and setting an entrance-song trend (38:24). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 13, 2017•41 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to former White House press secretary Josh Earnest about his Royals fandom (03:20), following baseball in the White House (13:55), President Obama's trash talk (15:30), sticking (or not sticking) to sports (20:15), MLB's PR approach (24:00), the Cardinals hacking scandal (28:50), and his plans for the future (32:35). Then they bring on veteran big league reliever Craig Breslow to discuss how he used statistics and technology to emulate other re...
Feb 06, 2017•1 hr 1 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann produce one last edition of 'What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?' with Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto (01:08), who dishes on trading tactics (03:43), GM etiquette (08:58), communicating with players (12:22), and jet lag (28:58). Then Ben and Baumann talk to MLB.com writer Mike Petriello about Statcast's progress (34:45), the fragile balance of pitcher-batter power (45:45), and coping with Coors Field (47:43). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...
Jan 30, 2017•59 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann remember Yordano Ventura (01:32) and talk to Baseball Prospectus writers Jeff Long and Jonathan Judge about their new attempts to quantify how some pitchers use command (04:53) and 'tunneling' to achieve more success than their raw stuff would suggest (24:46). Lastly, Ben and Michael discuss how stats have changed the way we talk and write about baseball (50:49) and bring back BP's Meg Rowley for an abbreviated edition of "What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?”...
Jan 23, 2017•57 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring back Baseball Prospectus writer Meg Rowley for a second round of "What Did Dipoto Do?" after another active week for the Mariners GM (1:46). Then they talk to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Dugas about a pivotal test of a new procedure that could repair pitchers' elbows much more quickly than Tommy John surgery (12:20). Lastly, they discuss the news that college coaches are considering equipping catchers with headsets to improve the pace of pl...
Jan 16, 2017•57 min
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Cubs pitcher David Rollins about changing teams five times in 36 days (01:25). Then they bring on FanGraphs writer Nathaniel Grow to discuss a legal loophole that could make Mike Trout a free agent before his contract expires (13:43). Lastly, they talk to Baseball Prospectus writer Meg Rowley about Jerry Dipoto's latest trades (29:31), the Mariners' strange rotation (35:57), and Edgar Martinez's Cooperstown case (43:33). Learn more about your ad choices....
Jan 09, 2017•50 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring on writers/analysts Jeff Sullivan (2:30), Rob Arthur (14:42), Corinne Landrey (26:40), Gerald Schifman (36:08) and Jeff Zimmerman (47:10) to discuss their recent research into several sabermetric subjects that yielded new insights in 2016, including catcher framing, defense and Statcast, the positional spectrum, competitive balance, and injuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 02, 2017•58 min
Inspired by ‘Rogue One,’ The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann pick the former players they’d like to see CGI’d back into their primes. Then they bring on Jonah Keri of CBS Sports to discuss his Hall of Fame philosophy and stump for Tim Raines. Lastly, they talk to WHOOP CEO Will Ahmed about the results of a large-scale study in which minor league players wore his company’s fitness tracker when they weren't on the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...
Dec 19, 2016•54 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Cleveland Indians coach and former longtime catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. about his team's 2016 playoff run (4:31), his two tough World Series losses, leadership and diversity in the dugout (7:18), the 1990s Indians' crazy clubhouses (10:47), manager Terry Francona's disgusting gum-chewing (35:23), and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 12, 2016•48 min
The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann break down the biggest winter meetings moves, including the Chris Sale and Adam Eaton trades, the White Sox's prospect windfall, what the signings and trades involving closers Aroldis Chapman, Mark Melancon, and Wade Davis mean for the closer market, and the Ian Desmond deal. Then they bring on new Brewers first baseman Eric Thames to discuss his improbable journey from the big leagues to Korea and back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...
Dec 08, 2016•52 min
