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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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by Evan Drellich, senior writer for The Athletic, to talk about the benefits and drawbacks of reporting from the scene of the CBA negotiations, the proper composition of photos of executives walking to meetings, not getting hoodwinked by sources, whether there really was optimism about a deal leading up to the MLB-imposed deadline for delaying the start of the season, whether MLB tried to sneak proposals past players overnight, whether the owners are trying to break the union, whether the owners and players are united internally, what still separates the two sides (and how much money it’s worth), Rob Manfred’s job security, the changing tone of national coverage of the labor negotiations, what could end the lockout, the prospect of on-field changes, and more.

Audio intro: Guided By Voices, “Cohesive Scoops”
Audio outro: Atomic Rooster, “People You Can’t Trust”

Link to Evan’s first Manfred video
Link to another Manfred video
Link to well-composed Manfred video
Link to MLB exec video
Link to Twitter pooping exchange
Link to thread on where talks stand
Link to Evan’s latest report
Link to Evan’s weekend column
Link to MLBPA statement
Link to Stripling quote
Link to Martino report
Link to article on Ohtani’s service time
Link to Clemens on the financial gap
Link to Evan on EW in November
Link to Ghiroli on the talks
Link to Rosenthal on the talks
Link to McCullough on the talks
Link to Passan on the talks
Link to Ben on Lords of the Realm

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In the hours immediately following MLB’s decision to cancel the first two series of the regular season, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by Ben’s colleagues from The Ringer and The Ringer MLB Show, Michael Baumann and Zach Kram, to recap the negotiations leading up to this week’s MLB-imposed deadlines, lament and lambast the owners’ self-interested stewardship of the sport, explain the queasy sensation of simultaneously rooting for and against baseball being played, and forecast how and when the lockout could end, while touching on a number of other topics including the prospect of MLB players suiting up overseas, Derek Jeter’s resignation as CEO of the Marlins, Tony Clark’s striking beard, and much more.

Audio intro: Murder by Death, “Raw Deal”
Audio outro: Bettye Swann, “(My Heart Is) Closed for the Season”

Link to MLBPA statement
Link to Manfred’s letter
Link to Baumann’s column
Link to Jaffe’s column
Link to Passan on the talks
Link to Rosenthal on the talks
Link to McCullough on the talks
Link to Ghiroli on the talks
Link to Harper’s Instagram post
Link to Rosenthal on Jeter
Link to Sherman on Jeter
Link to Rojas tweet
Link to article about lockout photos
Link to Ringer Baseball podcast feed
Link to Dan Devine on Ja Morant
Link to EW episode on lockout effects
Link to Stripling quote
Link to The Simpsons video clip

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a week of many meetings but no breakthroughs between MLB and the MLBPA, Liberty Media’s financial disclosures about the Braves’ profitability, the prospects of a labor deal before the owners’ deadline for starting the season on time, and more, then (25:22) talk to historian and author Kerry Yo Nakagawa, the founder and director of the non-profit Nisei Baseball Research Project, about the history of baseball in Japan, the development of baseball in the Japanese American community, the impact and legacy of Kenichi Zenimura and the Vancouver Asahi, the 80th anniversary of FDR’s order to incarcerate Japanese Americans during World War II, the role of baseball in the internment camps, Masanori Murakami’s trailblazing career, Nakagawa’s athletic ancestors and his efforts to preserve Japanese American baseball history, and much more.

Audio intro: Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, “Faking a Living”
Audio interstitial: Kat Eggleston, “Executive Order 9066”
Audio outro: Sloan, “Can’t You Figure it Out?”

Link to Rosenthal’s column
Link to Passan’s tweet
Link to Liberty Media news
Link to The Athletic on Liberty Media
Link to Manfred video tweet
Link to dog photo tweet
Link to Nisei Baseball Research Project
Link to mlb.tv autorenew article
Link to NJAHS summary
Link to history museum explainer
Link to Diamonds in the Rough
Link to barnstorming photo
Link to high school curriculum
Link to Executive Order 9066
Link to E.O. 9066 wiki
Link to story on 80th anniversary
Link to Sleeping Dogs documentary
Link to Vancouver Asahi story
Link to THT on the Asahi
Link to Zenimura info
Link to Zenimura SI story
Link to Gila River story
Link to MLB.com Murakami story
Link to 42 for 21 list
Link to 42 for 21 EW episode
Link to Doc Adams EW episode
Link to Doc Adams story
Link to Doc Adams SABR bio

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen and national writer Kevin Goldstein for a FanGraphs Prospects Week discussion centered on the site’s Top 100 (or Top 114) prospects ranking, touching on the swift fall of MacKenzie Gore, the scarcity of pitchers toward the top of the list, whether there was a debate about the no. 1 prospect, the future of Adley Rutschman, the glut of catching prospects and how robo umps could affect the position, Oneil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz, assessing injured prospects, the outlook for Joey Bart, the placements of Jasson Dominguez, Anthony Volpe, and Nick Yorke, farm rankings and teams with good and bad systems, disagreements within the prospect team, prospects who just missed and who might make the list next year, and setting realistic expectations (plus a postscript followup on MLB heels and Jimmy Piersall, Casey Stengel, and the fallibility of history).

Audio intro: Jamestown Revival, “Prospector’s Blues”
Audio outro: Tigers Jaw, “Jimmy Piersall (Alternate Version)”

Link to 2021 prospects ranking
Link to 2022 prospects ranking
Link to prospect primer
Link to The Board tutorial
Link to top 100 chat
Link to 2023 picks to click
Link to prospect valuation study
Link to Ben on pitching prospects
Link to BP on picking the top prospect
Link to AFL strike call video
Link to Ben on robo umps
Link to Ben on teaching framing
Link to Rob Arthur on framing
Link to James Fegan on framing
Link to De La Cruz video
Link to Tess Taruskin on catchers
Link to story on Dominguez cards
Link to Votto video playlist
Link to Stanky draft episode
Link to Piersall’s SABR bio
Link to picture of Piersall
Link to Stengel’s reaction to Piersall
Link to story on Piersall and Frick
Link to story on Stengel and Piersall
Link to story on Stengel and Bordagary
Link to story on Piersall’s release
Link to second story on Piersall’s release
Link to story on his Stanky maneuver

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In an all-mailbag episode, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about baseball with nine DH spots (and separate offensive and defensive units), baseball with eight lineup spots instead of a DH, a visual baseball rulebook, their favorite types of ballpark quirks, adjusting offensive stats for the behavior of the ball, an ethical question about preventing a Shohei Ohtani injury, anointing MLB’s biggest heel, bringing ultimate Frisbee’s self-officiating to baseball, posting the wrong lineup on the scoreboard to confuse an opposing team, a pitcher with one pitch but perfect (albeit limited) command, programming a robomanager, and more.

Audio intro: Roxy Music, “Three and Nine”
Audio outro: Belle and Sebastian, “I Can See Your Future”

Link to Ben on pitcher hitting
Link to BtBS on the universal DH
Link to Star Trek Ringer MLB Show
Link to ballpark homogeneity study
Link to BP on LeMahieu
Link to FanGraphs on LeMahieu
Link to Gonny Jomes EW wiki page
Link to video of Pierzynski play
Link to Michael Baumann on Bregman
Link to Incaviglia rule story
Link to Robinson retirement story

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Inspired by the loophole-exposing chicanery of former player and manager Eddie “The Brat” Stanky, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley draft 19 MLB rule changes that were solely or largely precipitated by one player, manager, coach, or owner.

Audio intro: We Are Scientists, “Rules Don’t Stop”
Audio outro: Pezband, “Eddie’s Pals”

Link to A Game of Inches
Link to A Game of Inches intro
Link to King Kelly myth
Link to archaic/obsolete rule changes
Link to story about Chapman and new balls
Link to more on Chapman and balls
Link to story on the spitball’s evolution
Link to story on banning the spitball
Link to Utley slide rule story
Link to Stanky maneuver story
Link to Stanky maneuver image
Link to Stanky maneuver/sac fly rule
Link to story on Randle foul ball play
Link to Randle video
Link to story on foul ball rules
Link to A Game of Inches on fair-fouls
Link to Nate Silver on Barnes
Link to Barnes Stathead WAR query
Link to Stanky running start rule story
Link to base-coach interference passage
Link to Schaefer reverse-running rule
Link to story about the Schaefer play
Link to Schaefer in The Glory of Their Times
Link to The Glory of Their Times fact-checks
Link to story on Harry Davis play
Link to story on Segura play
Link to Veeck’s fences story
Link to Ben on Veeck As in Wreck
Link to Green Cathedrals debunking
Link to A Game of Inches on Lane
Link to Venditte rule blog post
Link to ESPN Venditte feature
Link to 2008 NYT Venditte story
Link to 2008 Venditte video
Link to oversized mitt story
Link to A Game of Inches on oversized mitts
Link to Ben on the Waxahachie Swap
Link to start of Stanky LIFE story
Link to end of Stanky LIFE story
Link to Stanky college mound visit story
Link to Stanky SABR bio
Link to Stanky South Alabama feature
Link to Stanky retirement story
Link to George Wright hat catch story
Link to old hat catch rule
Link to NYT Hornsby story
Link to BP on why players can’t be owners
Link to story on the Spiders and syndicates
Link to ESPN on the foul-strike rule
Link to foul-strike rule in A Game of Inches
Link to Jeff’s Capps delivery post
Link to Weaver’s phantom DH rule
Link to Grant on Posey and Avila
Link to more info on home-plate collisions
Link to post on Gaedel and Veeck
Link to Cooney interference story

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