Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Red Sox designating Hanley Ramirez for assignment, what Mookie Betts and Barry Bonds have in common, Shohei Ohtani‘s “workload management,” Bartolo Colon’s 45th birthday, a John Jaso appearance at the Trop, a listener’s real-world use of tOPS+, and two more examples of players intentionally performing typically detrimental activities. Then Ben briefly brings on FanGraphs’ Meg Rowley (16:05) to discuss the latest Jerry Dipoto and Wilmer Font trades, work-related nightmares, and business words. After that, Ben talks to writer Rob Arthur (28:20) about the questions raised and the questions answered by MLB’s report on the ball being behind the game’s rising home-run rate, and Ben and Jeff get the skinny from sabermetrician Mitchel Lichtman (1:00:49) about his decades-long history of betting on baseball, how he built a model that beat the sportsbooks and made millions, and how and why his advantage evaporated.

Audio intro: The Rural Alberta Advantage, "45/33"
Audio interstitial 1: The Minus 5, "Smoke on, Jerry"
Audio interstitial 2: Dr. Dog, "The Truth"
Audio interstitial 3: Earlimart, "Burning the Cow"
Audio outro: Drive-By Truckers, "Checkout Time in Vegas"

Link to Jeff’s Mookie Betts post
Link to John Jaso sighting
Link to intentional HBP video
Link to Rob’s article about MLB’s report
Link to MLB executive report
Link to full MLB report
Link to Bloomberg Bill Benter story

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the banged-up Mariners, Tyler Chatwood‘s wildness, the Astros’ record-setting run prevention, a Mike Trout milestone, Chris Davis and looking strikeouts, Ron Gardenhire‘s ringtone, Michael Taylor‘s walk-off face, settling a game with rock-paper scissors, bad closers, Nick Markakis, and more, then answer listener emails about strike sounds, “three up, three down,” Kyle Schwarber‘s defense, Shohei Ohtani’s home-run rates, starters as openers, famous players, bunting practice for prospects, Jordan Hicks and HBP danger, the “fair-foul hit,” intentional balks, and sunk costs, plus a Stat Blast about Colin Moran and a high-pitch homer.

Audio intro: Bahamas, "Stronger Than That"
Audio outro: Coldplay, "Bigger Stronger"

Link to Jay Jaffe’s Mike Trout post
Link to Ron Gardenhire video
Link to Michael Taylor face
Link to rock-paper-scissors story
Link to intentional-balk story
Link to ESPN’s world-fame list
Link to Jeff’s Colin Moran post

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In a bonus EW episode, Ben Lindbergh brings on The Ringer’s Michael Baumann to talk to actor Hank Azaria about the second season of IFC’s Brockmire, real broadcasters’ affection for the show, proving his baseball bona fides, and throwing out first pitches. Then Ben brings on Slate’s Mike Pesca (35:16) to talk about his new book (which includes a chapter by Ben), Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs in Sports History, how baseball’s what-ifs rank among the major sports’, and what does and doesn’t make for a fascinating hypothetical.

Audio intro: The Baseball Project, "Extra Inning of Love"
Audio interstitial: Snoop Dogg (Feat. Suga Free), "What If"
Audio outro: Waylon Jennings, "Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way"

Link to Brockmire’s official site
Link to Upon Further Review

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about baffling flamethrower Jordan Hicks, Rich Hill‘s latest blister problem, the Orioles’ unlikely 13-hit, zero-run game, Albert Pujols‘ prospects, Ryan Zimmerman’s slow spring training and slower start, and more. Then they bring on writer Joe Sheehan (23:23) to discuss the Rays’ “starting Sergio Romo” strategy, whether it will catch on with other teams, the evolution of in-game management, the optimization of bunting, batting orders, and bullpens, why analysis is no longer the province of small-market teams, whether smarter baseball is more boring baseball (and if so, who’s to blame), and how the evolution of baseball has changed baseball writing.

Audio intro: Smash Mouth, "105"
Audio interstitial: Teenage Fanclub, "The First Sight"
Audio outro: Superchunk, "Smarter Hearts"

Link to Jeff’s Jordan Hicks post
Link to Bryan Grosnick’s “Opener” post
Link to DRaysBay “Opener” analysis
Link to Joe Sheehan newsletter

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the dominant Justin Verlander and the Astros’ historic pitching pace, the still-struggling Dodgers, and the prospects of Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., then talk to author Rob Neyer (16:28) about becoming the commissioner of the West Coast League, the future of baseball in Portland, and writing his forthcoming book, Power Ball. Later, they bring on ESPN MLB senior editor Christina Kahrl (32:03) to discuss when an MLB team will hire the league’s first female GM, the progress the game has and hasn’t made in embracing gender diversity, and her own experience being accepted by the baseball community.

Audio intro: The Mountain Goats, "The Legend of Chavo Guerrero"
Audio interstitial 1: The Rolling Stones, "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man"
Audio interstitial 2: Electric Light Orchestra, "Wild West Hero"
Audio outro: Mac DeMarco, "For the First Time"

Link to research about prospect promotion age
Link to West Coast League website
Link to the preorder page for Power Ball
Link to Christina’s espnW article
Link to Ben’s Sherri Nichols article

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the fallout from Robinson Cano‘s 80-game suspension, the league’s latest adjustment to Shohei Ohtani, Jason Castro‘s injury and Willians Astudillo’s opportunity, and the resurgent Jordan Lyles, then answer listener emails about the topsy-turvy National League, the evolution of orthodoxy about bullpens, the impact of Willson Contreras on Cubs pitchers, preemptive PRP treatments, a Yankees and Padres roster-swap, streakers helping pitchers warm up, detecting called strikes by sound, expected prospect value and Mike Sirotka vs. Michael Soroka, the correlation between double plays and team success, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts, a pitcher who watches the wave, a player who always makes outs on the bases, sabermetric bar debates and advanced milestone stats, and judging players by their eras’ standards, plus a Stat Blast about bunting success.

Audio intro: Joel Plaskett, "Deny, Deny, Deny"
Audio outro: Koufax, "Let Us Know"

Link to Ben’s post about Shohei Ohtani
Link to Jeff’s post about bullpen inconsistency
Link to prospect-value research

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Freddy Peralta‘s unique Coors Field debut, Takuya Nakashima’s improbable grand slam, Shohei Ohtani‘s ongoing pitching evolution, Javier Baez‘s perplexing slash line, Jameson Taillon’s creative solution to a finger injury, their disinclination toward gambling, and the hapless (but no longer winless) Saint Peter’s Peacocks of NCAA Division I. Then they talk to attorney and FanGraphs writer Sheryl Ring (32:12) about the Supreme Court paving a path toward the legalization of gambling, MLB’s attempts to take a cut of the action, and the implications for baseball betting and coverage. Lastly, they bring on Saint Peter’s ace Willie Krajnik (57:00) to discuss the senior’s successful snapping of the team’s two-year losing streak.

Audio intro: Destroyer, "Trembling Peacock"
Audio interstitial: The Who, "A Legal Matter"
Audio intro: The Mountain Goats, "Peacocks"
Audio outro: Alasdair Roberts & James Green, "Peacock Strut"

Link to Jeff’s Peralta post
Link to video of Nakashima’s grand slam
Link to Link to Sheryl’s gambling post
Link to the Peacocks’ 2018 results
Link to Willie Krajnik’s Peacocks page

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a new newsletter about baseball debuts, Shohei Ohtani’s latest exploits, the pitiful state of the AL Central, the even more pitiful performance of Orioles starter Chris Tillman, pitchers’ perplexing lack of respect for the Braves’ Ronald Acuña, Ichiro’s debut as a bench coach and future in baseball, and the ongoing battle between the Yankees and Red Sox. Then (29:58) they bring on the three tallest catchers in MLB history—current Tigers catcher Grayson Greiner, former Brewers and Phillies catcher Pete Koegel, and former Red Sox catcher Don Gile—to discuss the perils of playing a smaller person’s position despite standing 6’6″, the skeptics they proved wrong, how their size affected their framing, blocking, throwing, and health, the evolution in the treatment and prevention of brain injuries, Koegel’s memories of Steve Carlton’s incredible 1972 season, and Gile’s memories of his teammate Ted Williams.

Audio intro: Passion Pit, "Let Your Love Grow Tall"
Audio interstitial: Harry Nilsson, "Jesus Christ You’re Tall"
Audio outro: Neil Young + Promise of the Real, "Stand Tall"

Link to This Week in Baseball Debuts newsletter
Link to Jeff’s post about the weak AL Central
Link to article about the Angels’ team name

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter (and answer listener emails) about podcast personas, Dylan Bundy’s bad day, players’ favorite stats and a Joc Pederson conundrum, James Paxton and the recent rash of near-no-hitters, how scoring has bounced back from its slow start, the Reds’ and Mets’ Matt Harvey trade, the Robinson Cano contract so far, and things about baseball that are harder than they look, plus a Stat Blast about switch hitters. Then they talk to 33-year-old Rays reliever Jonny Venters (46:10) about his incredible comeback from repeated Tommy John surgeries, how the game changed while he was rehabbing, his heavy workloads, his record groundball rate, the mental toll of trying to return, why he stuck with Tampa Bay, and more.

Audio intro: The Band, "Knockin’ Lost John"
Audio interstitial: John Lennon, "Dear John"
Audio outro: Men at Work, "Be Good Johnny"

Link to Anthony Castrovince’s stats article
Link to Tim Lincecum glove video
Link to Ben’s near-no-hitters article
Link to Jeff’s Shohei Ohtani pitching post
Link to Jay Jaffe’s post on the three-time Tommy John club

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Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan follow up on HBP rules and two of the three radical ideas they discussed last week and banter about Ichiro’s quasi-retirement, the Braves’ talented-but-overperforming offense, how Nick Markakis’s hot streak jeopardizes a career distinction, the eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, Gerrit Cole’s latest exploits, Collin McHugh, Archie Bradley, and the Diamondbacks’ bullpen cart, combined no-hitters, another Bryan Mitchell update, the injuries to Clayton Kershaw and Yadier Molina, instances of umpires and players losing track of the count, and a pitching record set by Daniel Descalso. Then they bring on Pirates pitcher/podcaster Steven Brault (44:26) to talk about his historic streak of not striking out, the DH and pitcher hitting, being a two-way player and the only big leaguer from a school, showing interests off the field, tailoring his pitching to the Pirates’ philosophies, John Jaso, and more.

Audio intro: Death Cab for Cutie, "Monday Morning"
Audio interstitial: Alice Cooper, "Steven"
Audio outro: Glen Hansard, "Winning Streak"

Link to 1944 three-way game
Link to Ben’s post on umps and players losing track of the count
Link to Daniel Descalso pitching post
Link to Jeff’s post on Steven Brault
Link to IMHO podcast

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