Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about what would happen if a dominant starting pitcher were caught using sticky stuff in a playoff game, then set up the biggest storylines and scheduling considerations of the division series round, consider which matchup is most likely to result in an upset, and preview each AL and NL series, plus banter about taxing home run balls, and a Past Blast from 1915.

Audio intro: The Society of Rockets, “Western Division”
Audio outro: Phish, “The Divided Sky”

Link to Musgrove quote
Link to BP’s ALDS previews
Link to BP’s NLDS previews
Link to FG’s Yankees-Guardians preview
Link to midges story
Link to FG’s Dodgers-Padres preview
Link to FG’s Braves-Phillies preview
Link to terms of Strider extension
Link to Bloomberg on HR balls
Link to 1915 story source
Link to SABR on the MLBPA’s origins
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about and break down all four wild card series, beginning with big-picture thoughts on the weekend as a whole and the Mariners’ improbable Game 2 comeback win before going series-by-series and discussing Mariners-Blue Jays (8:52), Guardians-Rays (33:03), Phillies-Cardinals (48:39), and Mets-Padres (1:05:50), plus a Past Blast (1:39:25) from 1914.

Audio intro: Dan Auerbach, “Never in My Wildest Dreams”
Audio outro: Meat Loaf, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”

Link to Castillo’s velo by game
Link to rally shoe tweet
Link to Crawford double
Link to Jake Mailhot on M’s-Jays G1
Link to Justin Choi on M’s-Jays G2
Link to M’s-Jays WE graph
Link to Kyle on Guardians-Rays G1
Link to Jake on Guardians-Rays G2
Link to Guardians challenge
Link to Baumann on Phils-Cards G1
Link to Baumann on Phils-Cards G2
Link to story on Pujols retirement
Link to Ben Clemens on Mets-Pads G1
Link to Kyle on Mets-Pads G2
Link to Davy Andrews on Mets-Pads G3
Link to Musgrove inspection video
Link to tweet about Padres one-hitter
Link to Sarah’s tweet
Link to McCutchen tweet
Link to Showalter/deGrom video
Link to deGrom destination report
Link to The Athletic on int’l blackouts
Link to Forbes on int’l blackouts
Link to 1914 story source
Link to SABR on the Chase game
Link to SABR on the Supreme Court
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the beginning of the playoffs and playoff podcasting, share a few words (17:43) from the diligent author of the retiring Stephen Vogt’s exhaustive Wikipedia page, preview the four wild card series (30:54) and hype up the playoff field, meet major leaguers (1:07:25) Nate Eaton and Brian O’Keefe, and discuss two Royals firings and the coming managerial merry-go-round, plus a Past Blast (1:23:57) about 1913.

Audio intro: Midnight North, “Wild Card”
Audio outro: The Felice Brothers, “Saint Stephen’s End”

Link to Patrick on Vogt’s retirement
Link to Craig Wright on Vogt’s retirement
Link to MLB.com on Vogt’s retirement
Link to Vogt’s Wikipedia page
Link to Vogt’s page “before”
Link to Vogt’s page “after”
Link to Matz’s Wikipedia page
Link to Colin’s Wiki hub
Link to Colin on Twitter
Link to Colin’s books
Link to EW on long Wikipedia pages
Link to 2020 list of long pages
Link to ESPN on the playoff field
Link to FG’s Jays-M’s preview
Link to FG’s Rays-Guardians preview
Link to FG’s Mets-Padres preview
Link to FG’s Cards-Phillies preview
Link to postseason ZiPS post
Link to BP’s AL previews
Link to BP’s NL previews
Link to B-Ref’s new debuts page
Link to arm strength leaderboard
Link to Petriello on arm strength
Link to Tango on arm strength
Link to FG report on Eaton
Link to BA on Eaton
Link to story on Eaton’s promotion
Link to The Royals Reporter on Eaton
Link to The Seattle Times on O’Keefe
Link to Rosenthal on managerial changes
Link to MLBTR on Ohtani’s contract
Link to 1913 story source
Link to 1913 box score
Link to 1993 box score
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to suppose.tv
Link to Reddit post on streaming
Link to Ben on Alcantara
Link to Ben on Judge and Ohtani

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s efforts to get the new dictionary definition for “ghost runner” changed, how to watch the playoffs when one has cut the cord, Meg’s Rookie of the Year voting deliberations, the underrated Jeff McNeil, the two teams whose per-game attendance declined this season, MLB’s problem gambling PSAs, a DraftKings ad, and more, plus Stat Blasts (56:12) about the worst best players on a team, the change in the percentages of players who make the playoffs and the World Series in their careers, and Mike Trout’s emoji and exclamation point use on Twitter, followed by a Past Blast (1:28:25) from 1912.

Audio intro: XTC, “Your Dictionary”
Audio outro: Ty Segall, “It’s Over”

Link to “ghost runner” definition
Link to playoff broadcasting schedule
Link to McNeil Stathead query
Link to team attendance page
Link to article on Ohtani qualifying
Link to article on Trout’s game
Link to MLB press release
Link to DraftKings ad
Link to article on Ohtani grand slam
Link to Stathead
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to worst team WAR leaders
Link to playoff/WS appearance data
Link to Trout’s first airplane tweet
Link to Trout’s latest airplane tweet
Link to Trout tweet data
Link to 1912 story source
Link to SABR on Cubs ownership history
Link to Chance SABR bio
Link to new book about Murphy
Link to Posey ownership story
Link to Hornsby story
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Braves’ first sacrifice bunt of the season, Meg’s gratitude for the effect Mariners fandom has had on her life, the Orioles’ status as impressive also-rans, Atlanta overtaking the Mets, how to assess an MLB season, and the playoff field being set. They also react in real time to Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run and discuss Jon Berti stealing his 40th base, the latest Astros leadership turmoil, and a dismaying dictionary addition, followed by a Past Blast from 1911. Then (46:33) they talk to Jordan Shusterman of Céspedes Family BBQ and Fox Sports about witnessing Cal Raleigh’s drought-ending homer in person, the nickname “Big Dumper,” Jordan’s journey as a Mariners fan (and Meg’s reaction to the team clinching), the potential end of playoff droughts, and more, plus postscript updates and followups.

Audio intro: MC5, “Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa)”
Audio interstitial: Matthew Sweet, “Finally”
Audio outro: The Hollies, “The Very Last Day”

Link to Harris sac bunt
Link to FG post on Braves bunting
Link to Stats & Info Orioles tweet
Link to Judge homer story
Link to Baumann on Berti
Link to Rosenthal on the Astros
Link to Nightengale on the Astros
Link to dictionary announcement
Link to “ghost runner” entry
Link to 1911 story source
Link to “slobber-ball” game story
Link to Walsh SABR bio
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to Raleigh at-bat video
Link to Jordan’s article
Link to Kelenic’s tweet
Link to Kelenic’s emoji
Link to Sims call
Link to Rizzs call
Link to Elias on Raleigh
Link to Baumann on playoff expansion
Link to Baseball Bar-B-Cast podcast
Link to playoff bracket

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the fight for the third wild card in the National League and the way in which the expanded playoff format shifts attention toward middling teams, appreciating postseason success and regular-season success, the regular-season dominance of the Dodgers, home-run-record derangement syndrome (17:52) and a middle ground between the warring absolutists worked up one way or another about Aaron Judge (or pitchers not pitching to him), a better name for the combined cycle, a suspicious Carlos Correa quote, a counterintuitive observation about Yadier Molina’s basestealing suppression, Tony La Russa reportedly not returning to the White Sox next season, Rich Hill planning to pitch again, pedantic questions (1:13:01) about non-baseball ballparks, payoff pitches, and long balls vs. big balls, plus a new name for the Grand Junction Rockies, a new use for a descending mound, and a Past Blast (1:26:09) from 1910.

Audio intro: Vampire Weekend, “Obvious Bicycle”
Audio outro: AC/DC, “Big Balls”

Link to study on chance in the playoffs
Link to Ginny Searle on the Dodgers
Link to Maris Jr. quote
Link to Ben on the PED era
Link to Rob Arthur on PED HR outliers
Link to Lamont video
Link to Connecticut baseball divide
Link to Correa video
Link to Correa quote text
Link to Russell on Molina
Link to Edwards on Molina
Link to TLR report
Link to Hill report
Link to EW emails database
Link to “last strike” EW wiki page
Link to GJ Rockies renaming report
Link to GJ Chubs EW wiki page
Link to pit clock EW wiki page
Link to 1910 story source
Link to cork ball source
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to Ohtani game story
Link to Sheehan on middling teams
Link to Lasagna story

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the inadequacies of dental insurance and Ben’s rewarding trip to Citi Field, a Marlins marketing strategy, Richard Bleier’s balk debacle, pitchers getting the memo about throwing strikes to Aaron Judge and Judge’s difference-making performance even when he doesn’t homer, preliminary Stat Blasts (41:33) about the most consecutive secondary pitches thrown to a batter in a game and the redundancy of RBI as a Triple Crown stat, finding things to savor in the regular season even with a shortage of standings suspense, more Stat Blasts (59:33) about the Braves’ extreme day/night split revisited, Fibonacci Sequence scoring, getting replaced before a second PA in both ends of a doubleheader, combined/relay cycles, Albert Pujols and homering on the most dates during the regular season, and games getting away from cruising pitchers, plus a Past Blast from 1909 (1:33:56) and a real-time reaction to Judge’s 61st (1:38:40).

Audio intro: Ezra Furman, “My Teeth Hurt”
Audio outro: Son Volt, “Afterglow 61”

Link to Marlins marketing tweet
Link to Dan S. on Meneses
Link to Bleier balks story
Link to Bois’s balk rules
Link to Sam Miller on balks
Link to Rob Mains on the Year of the Balk
Link to first episode about Judge/strikes
Link to consecutive secondaries sheet
Link to FG Junis post
Link to article on HR/SB leaders
Link to FG standings suspense post
Link to Stathead
Link to Stathead webinar
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to Atlanta day/night data
Link to Fibonacci Sequence explainer
Link to Fibonacci games
Link to doubleheader replacement data
Link to post on relay/combined cycles
Link to relay/combined cycles sheet
Link to Seinfeld reference clip
Link to info on ex-cruising pitchers
Link to Russell on replacing pitchers
Link to EW emails database
Link to 1909 story source
Link to Tim Murnane SABR bio
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to video of Judge’s homer
Link to Lindsey on relievers catching HR

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest hitting heroics by 30-year-old rookie Joey Meneses, then discuss the Guardians clinching the AL Central title, underdogs that defy the projections and playoff odds, and Albert Pujols’s 700th homer. After that (47:00), they talk to Death Cab for Cutie singer/songwriter/guitarist Ben Gibbard about the Mariners’ stretch run and playoff prospects, the sound of settling (for the third wild card), the greatness of Julio Rodríguez, the strengths and weaknesses of the roster, the future of the franchise, celebrity M’s fans, monitoring the Mariners during Death Cab concerts, the band’s stylistic evolution on new album Asphalt Meadows, the reception to the record, and more, plus a Past Blast (1:37:07), a few followups, and a closing word from Ben G.

Audio intro: Death Cab for Cutie, “A Movie Script Ending”
Audio interstitial: Death Cab for Cutie, “I’ll Never Give Up on You”
Audio outro: Ben Gibbard, “Duncan, Where Have You Gone?”

Link to Ben on Meneses
Link to Jayson Stark on the Guardians
Link to Zack Meisel on the Guardians
Link to Zack on the celebration
Link to article on Guardians’ youth
Link to article on old-school Guardians
Link to SIS on Giménez’s defense
Link to Ben on contact and the playoffs
Link to FG preseason playoff odds
Link to FG preseason staff predictions
Link to MLB tweet about odds
Link to Guardians’ tweet about odds
Link to playoff odds check
Link to second playoff odds check
Link to BP IL Ledger
Link to Rob Mains on weak divisions
Link to Ben on Pujols
Link to Death Cab album/merch
Link to Death Cab tour schedule
Link to stream Asphalt Meadows
Link to Death Cab on Metacritic
Link to story on why we like music
Link to Church cancellation story
Link to Church rescheduling story
Link to “Ichiro’s Theme”
Link to Ben G.’s first EW appearance
Link to article about tour bus shortage
Link to 1908 article source
Link to SABR on the 1908 Winter Meetings
Link to article on lineups and gambling
Link to Shantz interview episode
Link to Pujols swing montage

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the man who tried to return Roger Maris’s 61st home run ball, two Mickey Mantle letters, the 2017 Zac Gallen/Sandy Alcantara trade, how Maury Wills changed (and dominated) basestealing, and Aaron Judge’s recent value even when he hasn’t hit homers, then answer listener emails (38:15) about hitters setting their own strike zones, Atlanta’s extreme day/night winning percentage split, the shift ban and the Stanky rule, which pitchers will suffer from the new pickoff-attempt rules, and immaculate innings that include an automatic strike from the pitch clock (with a digression into “timer” vs. “clock”), followed by a research-intensive Stat Blast (1:05:53) into whether working quickly improves the defense behind a pitcher, and a double Past Blast (1:27:58) from 1907, including an ahead-of-its-time proposal by the eccentric Bob Unglaub.

Audio intro: Styx, “Havin’ a Ball”
Audio outro: Drive-By Truckers, “Bob”

Link to 2022 article about Durante
Link to 2016 article about Durante
Link to offer for Judge ball
Link to article about Judge ball value
Link to other article about Judge ball
Link to 1961 Mantle letter
Link to 1973 Mantle letter
Link to BP on Gallen
Link to article about 2017 trade
Link to Jeff on the 2017 trade
Link to Wills SABR bio
Link to Wills obit
Link to Pages From Baseball’s Past
Link to Craig Wright on SBs
Link to Wright on Wills
Link to 1960–65 SB leaders
Link to 1962 NL MVP voting
Link to video of Judge near-homer
Link to Defector on the Judge flyout
Link to Defector on walking Judge
Link to EW emails database
Link to Stathead on Atlanta’s split
Link to EW Stanky draft
Link to Stanky maneuver story
Link to Stanky maneuver image
Link to Russell on the running game
Link to list of immaculate innings
Link to Stathead
Link to Savant pitch tempo page
Link to Savant defense behind pitcher
Link to Savant team defense
Link to Mike Fast on pace and defense
Link to Ben on pace and defense in 2017
Link to pace and defense Stat Blast data
Link to 1907 Cubs story source
Link to list of in-season exhibitions
Link to SABR baseball cards site
Link to SABR baseball cards tweet
Link to Unglaub’s 1907 arc idea
Link to article on eccentric Unglaub
Link to article on Unglaub not playing
Link to Unglaub SABR bio
Link to Rob Arthur on deeper defense
Link to Rob on better defense
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to DraftKings ad

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the ethics of returning or selling a valuable home run ball, a dilemma involving Aaron Judge on Apple TV+, selling the opposing team’s gear in a ballpark, the Tigers hiring Scott Harris and the Royals firing Dayton Moore, the Mets and Reds setting hit-by-pitch records, Canada dropping its vaccine requirement in time for the MLB playoffs, the lack of standings-derived suspense in the 2022 regular season, the latest Joey Meneses news, and a record number of MLB debuts and 4-WAR rookies, plus a Past Blast from 1906.

Audio intro: The Format, “Give it Up”
Audio outro: Richard Thompson, “I’ll Never Give it Up”

Link to tweet about ball decision
Link to Freedman’s response
Link to Sheehan’s response
Link to Goldstein’s response
Link to article about Jeter ball
Link to Sports Night episode script
Link to Judge on Apple article
Link to article on Giants vendor
Link to Posnanski on Moore
Link to Royals Review on Moore
Link to Moore on Eldred
Link to article on Harris hiring
Link to article on Mets HBP record
Link to post on Buck asking for ball
Link to post on Reds HBP record
Link to Baumann on Mets HBPs
Link to Defector on the Mets/Reds
Link to Canada vaccination change
Link to May EW episode on standings
Link to Gilligan on season suspense
Link to Foolish on Meneses
Link to 2022 MLB debuts
Link to Ben on 2022 rookies
Link to 1906 story source
Link to 1906 game
Link to Lush’s SABR bio
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to Ohtani golfing clip

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