Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Royals signing Terrance Gore and turning themselves into a bad-but-entertaining team of stolen-base threats, the Angels signing Matt Harvey and how they stack up, the renaming of Safeco Field, and the new posting system for Cuban players. Then (28:18) they talk to left-hander Rick Teasley about becoming the first pitcher ever to strike out Willians Astudillo twice in one pro game, the significance of getting big leaguers out, his itinerant career, staying safe in Venezuela and the deaths of Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo, why fan participation in other countries kicks MLB’s butt, how he weighs where (and whether) to keep pitching, his time as a Tampa Bay farmhand, and more, followed by a few outro updates.

Audio intro: Elliott Smith, "Speed Trials"
Audio interstitial: Bob Marley, "Do it Twice"
Audio outro: The Flashing Lights, "Same Thing Twice"

Link to Ringer Royals article
Link to Jeff’s Harvey post
Link to Gore episode
Link to Octavio’s brawl video
Link to closeup video of brawl
Link to summary of latest Russell revelations

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Astros’ signing of Michael Brantley, the curious cases of blocked prospects Kyle Tucker and Alex Verdugo, the Mets’ signing of Wilson Ramos, and the unique career of globe-trotting Trey Hillman. Then (20:49) they talk to Charlie Olson, co-founder and CEO of Pando Pooling, about his company’s plan to provide a security net for poorly paid minor-league players by pooling their future earnings, how they approach players and whether the service is an easy sell, how it works and where the concept came from, what type of players tend to take the company up on its offer, how Pando ensures that the terms are upheld, what might change in the future, other industries where pooling might make sense, and more.

Audio intro: Tonedeff, "Safety First"
Audio interstitial: Real Estate, "Pool Swimmers"
Audio outro: Camera Obscura, "Swimming Pool"

Link to Ben’s article about Hillman
Link to Pando site
Link to SI piece about Pando
Link to Big League Advance episode
Link to Agostinelli episode

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about why there have been so many Noah Syndergaard trade rumors, then answer listener emails about whether Giancarlo Stanton would be better if he raised his launch angle, how and when a manager who kept intentionally walking hitters would be stopped, how and whether to debate saber skeptics (about Harold Baines, or anything else), Bryce Harper pulling a LeBron, how to identify pitches, and the definitions of “gas” and “inning,” plus a Stat Blast about J.T. Realmuto and the biggest career home/road splits.

Audio intro: T. Rex, "Life’s a Gas"
Audio outro: Saturday Looks Good to Me, "Keep Walking"

Link to Ben’s article about Baines
Link to guide to identifying pitches

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Jeff’s sartorial choice during his MLB Network appearance at the Winter Meetings, Willians Astudillo striking out twice against the same pitcher in a pro game for (possibly) the first time, Scott Boras and Brian Cashman metaphors, big-picture takeaways from the Winter Meetings, the Phillies signing Andrew McCutchen, the Blue Jays releasing Troy Tulowitzki, Jerry Dipoto‘s hospital heroics and the three-way trade involving Yandy Diaz, Jake Bauers, Cole Sulser, Edwin Encarnacion, and Carlos Santana, the Jeurys Familia and Joe Kelly signings and the Alex Claudio trade, the Charlie Morton, Lance Lynn, and J.A. Happ signings, Justin Bour and Albert Pujols, Kaleb Cowart and Michael Lorenzen as two-way players, and Matt Harvey’s facial mask.

Audio intro: Weezer, "Undone – The Sweater Song"
Audio outro: Yo La Tengo, "Autumn Sweater"

Link to video of Jeff on MLB Network
Link to Jeff on the McCutchen signing
Link to Jeff on the Morton move
Link to Jeff on the three-way trade
Link to Harvey’s Instagram photo

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about expected activity at the Winter Meetings, the pointlessness of the Winter Meetings, and the Hall of Fame elections of Lee Smith and Harold Baines (yes, that Harold Baines). Then (23:04) they talk to FanGraphs prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the baseball and multi-sport future of Heisman Trophy winner and A’s first-round draftee Kyler Murray. Lastly (38:38), they bring on baseball executive and former journalist Octavio Hernández to discuss the killings of Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo, how Venezuelan Winter League teams arrange travel and security, how major leaguers deal with unrest at home, the state of baseball in Venezuela, the state of life in Venezuela, and why Octavio fled the country.

Audio intro: Yes, "Harold Land"
Audio interstitial 1: Dr. Dog, "Both Sides of the Line"
Audio interstitial 2: Parquet Courts, "Violence"
Audio outro: The Thrills, "Your Love is Like Las Vegas"

Link to right field JAWS leaders
Link to Jay’s pre-election post on Baines
Link to Jay’s post-election post on Baines
Link to Ben’s Hall of Baines
Link to Eric’s post on Murray
Link to Murray’s recreation of the Jackson photo
Link to Kiley’s Murray video
Link to story about Venezuelan MLB players who won’t go home
Link to story about Venezuelan players speaking out
Link to episode on Mexican League sabermetrics

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Willians Astudillo and discuss Nathan Eovaldi re-signing with the Red Sox, the Cardinals-Diamondbacks trade involving Paul Goldschmidt, Luke Weaver, and Carson Kelly, and the significance of good teams trading away great players. Then (36:03) they bring on free-agent outfielder and probable fastest man in baseball Terrance Gore to talk about when he first knew he was fast, his football career and non-track career, whether he actually likes running, improving his base-stealing technique, racing teammates, how he ever gets caught, the difficulty of bunting, getting his first big-league hit and home run, whether he can be an everyday big leaguer, how he’ll pick a team, staying healthy before he gets called up, the 2014 AL wild card game and 2018 NL wild card game, the excitement of stealing, and more.

Audio intro: Buzzcocks, "What Do I Get?"
Audio interstitial 1: Lorde, "Glory and Gore"
Audio interstitial 2: The Posies, "Everyone Moves Away"
Audio outro: Big Thief, "Paul"

Link to 2014 Gore feature
Link to Gore’s first hit
Link to Gore’s 2018-wild-card-game strikeout
Link to Gore’s minor-league homer
Link to Gore’s steal in the 2014 AL wild-card game
Link to Gore’s favorite baserunning play

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Willians Astudillo’s Venezuelan Winter League MVP chances, the latest scuttlebutt about banning the shift (and why it reflects the right impulse but the wrong solution), and the Nationals’ Patrick Corbin signing, the suddenly scary NL East, and the offseason market so far. Then (25:44) they bring on just-retired, 13-year major-league pitcher Brandon McCarthy to talk about his transition to civilian life, a hug from Frank Thomas, the pace of play, his (and players’) opinions on the shift, stats, technology, and player reinventions, his interest in broadcasting and thoughts on tweeting, watching his former team in the World Series, the players’ economic predicament, baseball’s youth movement, why fastballs are faster, the demise of the starter, clubhouse leadership, the up-and-coming Braves, framing and Tyler Flowers, dealing with politics and bad behavior in baseball, preventing pitchers from getting hit in the head, and more.

Audio intro: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, "Banned (By the Man)"
Audio interstitial: Trans-Siberian Orchestra, "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24"
Audio outro: R.E.M., "Exhuming McCarthy"

Link to Jayson Stark on the shift
Link to Jeff on the shift
Link to Ben on the shift in 2015
Link to Ben on moving the mound back
Link to Ben on Flowers

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the nomadic Andy Wilkins, revisit the Mariners-Mets trade and Robinson Cano’s graceful decline so far, discuss the Mariners-Phillies trade, the career of Jean Segura, the Mariners’ rebuild, Jerry Dipoto’s flip-flop about tearing down the team, and the status of the investigation into allegations of racism among Mariners brass, and reflect on the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts extension. Then (34:57) they talk to Blue Jays pitcher Oliver Drake about the record-setting experience of pitching for five major-league teams in one season, the demands that switching teams six times placed on him and his wife, his unusual baseball origin story, the logistics of changing teams, the differences between certain teams and clubhouses, whether he feels wanted or unwanted, his outlook for 2019, and more. Lastly (1:06:23), Ben brings on Baseball Prospectus’s Jonathan Judge to explain the site’s new, comprehensive hitting stat, Deserved Runs Created Plus, how to assess a new stat, the positives and the negatives of changing evaluations, BP being purchased by members of its staff, and more.

Audio intro: Mac DeMarco, "Another One"
Audio interstitial 1: Tennis, "Traveling"
Audio interstitial 2: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, "People Don’t Get What They Deserve"
Audio outro: The Tragically Hip, "You’re Everywhere"

Link to Ben on Cano
Link to Jeff on the Mariners-Mets trade
Link to Jeff on the Mariners-Phillies trade
Link to DRC+ introduction
Link to first Judge DRC+ piece
Link to second Judge DRC+ piece
Link to Trout/Cabrera DRC+ piece
Link to DRC+ run values

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a busy week in rumored (and completed) transactions, touching on the Mets-Mariners blockbuster revolving around Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, the Indians trading Yan Gomes to the Nationals (a rare trade between contenders) and teams opting not to spend, a Craig Kimbrel report, tender/non-tender decisions involving Billy Hamilton, Jonathan Schoop, Matt Davidson, Mike Fiers, Addison Russell, Bryan Mitchell, and more, and a banner week for renderings of proposed ballparks, plus a stat blast about new Mariners catcher Omar Narvaez.

Audio intro: Sweet, "Blockbuster"
Audio outro: Blur, "Mr. Robinson’s Quango"

Link to Sam on what free agents are seeking
Link to Sam on Hamilton breaking baserunning
Link to Travis Sawchik on Hamilton

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Robinson Cano, Madison Bumgarner, and Paul Goldschmidt trade rumors, what makes for a slow or exciting offseason, and the cooling effect that superteams can have on the hot stove, then (16:14) bring on Superpesis marketing and communications director Jussi Pyysalo to talk about the Finnish national sport of Pesäpallo, or Finnish Baseball, touching on its origins, popularity, similarities to and differences from baseball, strategic complexity, gender equality, shorter games and lack of strikeouts, walks, and home runs, international expansion, best player, potential to produce baseball prospects, capacity to be followed from afar, and more.

Audio intro: Queen, "Play the Game"
Audio interstitial: Monty Python, "Finland"
Audio outro: Death Cab for Cutie, "Different Names for the Same Thing"

Link to Jeff’s Bumgarner post
Link to Zach Kram on roster retention
Introduction to pesäpallo
Official rules of pesäpallo
Pesäpallo rules explainer video
Link to pesäpallo WSJ piece
Link to pesäpallo NYT piece
Link to EW Secret Santa sign-up

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