Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein banter about a contentious Baseball Prospectus headline and an overlooked Scott Boras quote, then preview the 2022 season in the National League West, team by team (plus closing banter about the Baseball Prospectus annual).

Audio intro: Big Star, “Way Out West”
Audio outro: The New Pornographers, “The Fake Headlines”

Link to BP zombie runner story
Link to Boras quote about Correa
Link to Ben’s old ouroBoras tweet
Link to Snell on sandwiches
Link to Trout on cutting sandwiches
Link to Craig on the Dodgers
Link to BP playoff odds
Link to FanGraphs playoff odds
Link to R.J.’s breakout picks
Link to Jarrín’s retirement story
Link to Michael Ajeto on Heaney
Link to Gore spring training story
Link to Jeff Passan on Story
Link to Ajeto on Gallen
Link to buy the BP annual
Link to Votto’s Instagram post
Link to Ben’s Ohtani article

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the beginning of the 2022 division series preview series, rant about the reinstitution of the zombie runner, applaud the advent of the Ohtani Rule, follow up on a previous Stat Blast by recounting the most consecutive defensive plays a fielder has ever been involved in, and relate an unforgivable Scott Boras pun, then (35:59) bring on R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports to preview the 2022 season in the American League Central, team by team.

Audio intro: Yo La Tengo, “Automatic Doom”
Audio interstitial: Fruit Bats, “My Sweet Midwest”
Audio outro: Kevin Morby, “Don’t Underestimate Midwest American Sun”

Link to news about rules
Link to Ohtani Rule story
Link to study on zombie runner effects
Link to Stanky Draft episode
Link to longest fielder streaks
Link to first Boras quote
Link to second Boras quote
Link to Correa signing story
Link to Guardians sale story
Link to R.J.’s breakout picks
Link to FanGraphs playoff odds
Link to RosterResource payroll page
Link to Greinke photo tweet

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Reddit description of the podcast, the pleasures of watching spring training games, and the possibly excessive coffee consumption of White Sox DH Gavin Sheets, before discussing the last burst of big free-agent signings, including Carlos Correa’s shocking contract with the Twins, Trevor Story to the Red Sox, Nick Castellanos to the Phillies, Jorge Soler to the Marlins, and Kenley Jansen to the Braves, plus musings on Michael Conforto as the last highly rated free agent remaining, the results of Effectively Wild’s seventh annual free-agent-contract over/under draft, and more.

Audio intro: The Courtneys, “Minnesota”
Audio outro: The White Stripes, “One More Cup of Coffee”

Link to Reddit podcast comment
Link to Sheets/coffee story
Link to Russell Carleton on the DH penalty
Link to Emma’s Red Bull tweet
Link to Ben on the Correa signing
Link to Ben Clemens on Correa
Link to Lindsey Adler on the Yankees and Correa
Link to Justin Choi on Story
Link to Mike Petriello on the Coors hangover
Link to Purple Row on the Coors hangover
Link to Michael Ajeto on Story
Link to Russell on changing positions
Link to Dan Szymborski on Castellanos
Link to Matt Gelb on Castellanos
Link to Jayson Stark on Philly’s defense
Link to Philly spring training clip
Link to Dan on Soler
Link to Jay Jaffe on Jansen
Link to Jay on Pineda
Link to FanGraphs top 50 free agents
Link to Conforto extension story
Link to contract over/under draft results
Link to FanGraphs playoff odds
Link to FanGraphs transaction roundup
Link to gender-inclusive MLB rules

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about new details about Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant’s contracts, Stat Blast about players not touching the ball, and then (18:59) bring on Effectively Wild listener and Patreon supporter Kevin Brotzman to discuss being an Orioles fan and season-ticket holder and answer listener emails about whether Goodhart’s law will apply to WAR figures used in the new CBA, updating baseball terminology to be more inclusive, fans bragging about their teams’ titles, abandoning A’s fandom, and adjusting stats for the universal DH.

Audio intro: Jim White, “Fighting My Ghosts Again”
Audio outro: The Bees, “These Are the Ghosts”

Link to ESPN on Freeman’s deal
Link to story about Bryant’s introduction
Link to Stat Blast data
Link to Kevin’s Orioles numbers site
Link to Kevin’s Orioles cards site
Link to Rosenthal on Correa
Link to Camden Chat on Correa
Link to Trezza tweet
Link to Apstein tweets
Link to Goodhart’s law wiki
Link to Ben on pitcher deception
Link to “manager” etymology
Link to ICC “batter” story
Link to Ben on league quality
Link to cosmic distance ladder wiki
Link to Russell on DH penalties
Link to Suzuki video
Link to FanGraphs transaction roundup

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley continue to break down a busy, chaotic week in MLB by bantering about which was wilder, this week or the week leading up to the lockout, then breaking down the Rockies signing Kris Bryant, the Dodgers signing Freddie Freeman, the Blue Jays trading for Matt Chapman and the new AL East hierarchy, the Yankees re-signing Anthony Rizzo and largely confounding their fans, the Red Sox staying idle, Kyle Schwarber going to Philly and Zack Greinke returning to K.C., the Cubs signing Seiya Suzuki (and others) and seemingly not Nutting after all(?), assorted Giants and Braves moves, and more, plus closing banter about new/old minor league names, a milestone decision in a court case about minor league pay, and a rule reversion intended to cut down on rampant roster reshuffling.

Audio intro: Spoon, “Wild”
Audio outro: Michael Nesmith, “Keep On”

Link to The Athletic report about Bryant
Link to FanGraphs post about Bryant
Link to Van Lenten hiring report
Link to Van Lenten firing report
Link to Ben on the Freeman saga
Link to Ben Clemens on Freeman
Link to Chapman trade post
Link to Rizzo signing post
Link to Lindsey Adler on the Yankees
Link to Sale injury news
Link to The Athletic on Schwarber
Link to FanGraphs on Schwarber
Link to Greinke signing post
Link to Suzuki signing post
Link to Suzuki projections post
Link to Villar signing post
Link to Giants signings post
Link to Braves signings post
Link to league names news
Link to minor league pay ruling
Link to Baseball America on the ruling
Link to California bill story
Link to news about roster-churn rules
Link to BP on options use
Link to FanGraphs playoff odds
Link to FanGraphs transaction roundup

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a packed few days of post-lockout action, including news about the zombie runner and a ball-strike challenge system, Fernando Tatis Jr.’s fractured wrist and motorcycle mayhem, Pete Alonso‘s close call, Mike Trout’s vetoed position change, the Yankees and Mets potentially losing unvaxxed players in home games, and how nice it is to talk about non-lockout-related news. Then they discuss transactions, including the Braves’ bittersweet decision to move on from Freddie Freeman by acquiring and extending Matt Olson, the prospects the A’s got back, why Freeman’s departure isn’t like the Mookie Betts trade, the Reds’ trades with the Twins and Mariners, the difference (if any) between the Athletics’ and Reds’ teardowns, the Twins-Yankees trade involving Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Ben Rortvedt, Gary Sánchez, and Gio Urshela, a taxonomy of Yankees Beef Boys, and what the Twins are doing, as well as moves involving Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi, Nelson Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Rodón, Clayton Kershaw, Kurt Suzuki, and Willians Astudillo.

Audio intro: Ozzy Osbourne, “Zombie Stomp”
Audio outro: The Bats, “Busy”

Link to report about zombie runner
Link to Tatis news
Link to Alonso truck video
Link to story on pickup accidents
Link to Trout’s position story
Link to NYC vaccination story
Link to Judge video
Link to daylight saving time story
Link to Olson trade post
Link to Oakland prospects post
Link to story about Olson’s strikeouts
Link to Olson extension post
Link to data on Freeman comps
Link to WS winner roster research
Link to Mariners-Reds trade post
Link to BP on the Mariners-Reds trade
Link to Yankees-Twins trade post
Link to Rortvedt muscles story
Link to Cole-Donaldson beef story
Link to Rob Liefeld drawings
Link to Gray trade post
Link to Gleeman on the Twins trades
Link to Dan on 12-team-playoff odds
Link to current FanGraphs playoff odds
Link to Cruz signing post
Link to McCutchen signing post
Link to Kikuchi signing post
Link to Bassitt trade post
Link to Kershaw signing post
Link to Suzuki signing post
Link to FanGraphs trade posts
Link to FanGraphs FA signing posts

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Cardinals breaking the post-lockout free-agent signing seal, what the pre-Opening Day market will look like, day-after reflections on the new CBA (including an alternative term for tanking), the benefits and drawbacks of MLB broadcasts on streaming services, how Canadian vaccination policies could affect the Blue Jays, the advent of WARdle, weather splits at FanGraphs, the podcast’s season preview plans, why the international draft is subject to collective bargaining, and more, followed by a conversation (50:05) with The Athletic staff writer Maria Torres about the ongoing discussions between MLB and the MLBPA about the international draft, the many problems with the international free agent market, MLB’s culpability, alternatives to a draft, and more.

Audio intro: Crosby, Stills & Nash, “After the Storm”
Audio interstitial: Steppenwolf, “Draft Resister”
Audio outro: Spector, “Local International”

Link to Eric on VerHagen
Link to study on late-offseason signings
Link to Evan Drellich on the CBA
Link to Joe Sheehan on the CBA
Link to article on broadcast deals
Link to news about Peacock deal
Link to thread about the Blue Jays
Link to WARdle
Link to FanGraphs weather splits
Link to Ben Clemens on qualifying offers
Link to Freedman thread
Link to news on draft negotiations
Link to Maria’s feature story
Link to Lindor statement
Link to story on Puerto Rico and the draft
Link to second story on P.R. and the draft
Link to third story on P.R. and the draft
Link to ESPN on the international draft
Link to Durbin tweet
Link to Sanders statement

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After 99 days of lockout, the voice of the turtle speaks up, and the season is saved. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley exuberantly respond to the news of a new CBA, breaking down the major on-field and off-field provisions in the deal and discussing the worst-cast scenario averted, the imminent prospect of spring training and Opening Day, the way the lockout was covered, what will happen next, and more.

Audio intro: AC/DC, “Play Ball”
Audio outro: Sam Cooke, “Good Times”

Link to Jay Jaffe’s CBA breakdown
Link to Evan Drellich on the deal
Link to Ken Rosenthal on Manfred
Link to ESPN’s CBA breakdown
Link to post on Passan hack
Link to Russell on the shift ban
Link to Justin Choi on the shift ban
Link to WaPo on lockout coverage
Link to December YouGov poll
Link to March Morning Consult poll
Link to Ernie Harwell quote

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs author Dan Szymborski discuss the drawbacks and virtues of expanded playoffs, the ideal expanded-playoff format, and the biggest beneficiaries of playoff expansion in 2022, why the competitive balance tax functions as a soft cap and how MLB could actually promote competitive integrity, whether banning the shift is a bad idea and their general attitudes toward rules changes, the plight, projections, and possible destinations of Seiya Suzuki, free-agent deals Dan would want to see after the lockout is lifted, and much more.

Audio intro: The National, “Don’t Swallow the Cap”
Audio outro: Smith Westerns, “Cheer Up”

Link to Apple streaming press release
Link to Dan on projecting expanded playoffs
Link to Dan’s earlier post on playoff expansion
Link to Ben Clemens on expanded playoffs
Link to study on playoff luck
Link to Neil Paine on team true talent
Link to Brendan Gawlowski on KBO playoffs
Link to Pinstripe Alley on KBO playoffs
Link to Travis Sawchik on KBO playoffs
Link to Dan on projecting Suzuki
Link to Suzuki report
Link to Dan’s previous pod appearance
Link to Dan on signing FA pitchers
Link to Dan on signing FA hitters
Link to Dan on the CBT
Link to thread on competitive balance
Link to Rob Mains on the CBT
Link to Rob Mains on market size
Link to Sawchik on the CBT
Link to Eno Sarris on the CBT
Link to Ken Rosenthal on the CBT
Link to Ben on rules changes
Link to Ben on directional hitting
Link to Rosenthal on rules changes
Link to Russell on shifting developments
Link to Russell on bunting
Link to Russell on banning the shift
Link to Rob Arthur on outfield shifts
Link to Kim report
Link to David Appelman on funding FanGraphs

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about shortening the regular season, whether baserunners could tunnel under the basepaths, creating a fictional top prospect, whether umpires expanding and contracting the strike zone lengthens games, where the Hall of Fame should have been located, aesthetically pleasing pitching motions, and whether Statcast could improve the fan experience at the ballpark, plus a Stat Blast (1:02:54) about the minor league affiliates with the longest streaks of sending an alum to the World Series, a Ukraine edition of Meet a Major Leaguer featuring Izzy Goldstein (1:13:01), and a few closing lockout thoughts.

Audio intro: The Frames, “The Stars Are Underground”
Audio outro: Bee Gees, “Odessa (City on the Black Sea)”

Link to MLBPA donation tweet
Link to mole eyesight info
Link to Sam on the pit
Link to Toe Nash story
Link to Sidd Finch story
Link to Tigers impostor story
Link to story on umpire zones
Link to Ben on robo zones
Link to story on metaverse Truist Park
Link to Lilly video
Link to Jeff on the windup’s decline
Link to lefty familiarity piece
Link to sweet-swinging lefties piece
Link to Stat Blast data
Link to Isaac Johnston’s thesis
Link to Goldstein SABR bio
Link to Jewish Baseball Museum page
Link to Odessa Twitter thread
Link to Bill Cristal B-Ref page
Link to Reuben Ewing B-Ref page
Link to Goldstein B-Ref page
Link to Ukraine charities
Link to more Ukraine donation options
Link to third Ukraine donation site

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