Ben Lindbergh kicks off a short series of conversations with baseball content creators who work mainly in mediums other than writing or podcasting by talking to YouTuber Bailey Freeman of Foolish Baseball about the Mets hiring Buck Showalter and the challenge of evaluating managers, how many bases Rickey Henderson would steal today, Bailey’s origins as a baseball fan and video maker, his process for picking topics and producing videos, watching videos vs. reading articles or listening to podcasts, MLB’s video policy, how he and his videos have evolved, the tools of his trade, which baseball footage he wishes he had, his YouTube influences and recommendations, being beholden to algorithms, and much more.

Audio intro: Lucinda Williams, “Foolishness”
Audio outro: Superchunk, “Foolish”

Link to Foolish Baseball YouTube channel
Link to Foolish Bailey YouTube channel
Link to Bailey’s Patreon page
Link to Bailey’s latest Ohtani video
Link to Bailey’s Bleier video
Link to Bailey’s Henderson video
Link to Bailey’s Verlander video
Link to Bailey’s two-way revolution video
Link to Bailey’s Locastro video
Link to Bailey’s Simmons video
Link to Bailey’s Mathis video
Link to Bailey’s spring training video
Link to Bailey’s Yankees/Twins video
Link to Bailey’s Barajas video
Link to Summoning Salt YouTube channel
Link to Jomboy Media YouTube channel
Link to SportStorm YouTube channel
Link to YourFriendKyle Twitch channel
Link to history of perspective in art
Link to article about players peeing on hands
Link to Patreon trivia contest
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the United States of Shohei Ohtani and Baseball-Reference player page popularity, a perplexing fact about fielding percentage, time-shifted baseball (and watching only wins), learning to love a sport later in life, whether pruney fingers would be a performance-enhancer for pitchers, the great rosin bag battle of the 1920s and ’30s, sketching Mike Trout, and more.

Audio intro: Sparks, “Popularity”
Audio outro: The Electric Prunes, “It’s Not Fair”

Link to Baseball-Reference year-end stats
Link to Trueblood tweet about fielding percentage
Link to EW email questions database
Link to pruney skin explainer
Link to historical life expectancy story
Link to Craig R. Wright on rosin bags
Link to Wright’s subscription story series
Link to Rob Arthur on the spin rate resurgence
Link to Alex Speier on testing tacky baseballs
Link to Trout sketches on Reddit
Link to Patreon trivia contest
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how baseball writers are coping with the lockout, revisit the burst of spending that preceded its start, and marvel at the wide variety of Hall of Fame ballots that have surfaced so far. Then (19:01) they talk to Sean Gibson and Ted Knorr, two of the founders of the 42 for 21 Committee, about getting greater recognition for Negro Leaguers and other stars of Black baseball, their efforts to improve the Hall of Fame induction process, and the most deserving pre-integration Cooperstown candidates who are still outside the Hall. Finally (54:14), they talk to Dr. Sally Yerkovich, a professor of Museum Anthropology at Columbia University, about the field of museum ethics, the challenges confronting modern museums, and the parallels between the thorny issues other institutions face and Hall of Fame voters’ character clause dilemma.

Audio intro: Basic Plumbing, “Too Slow”
Audio interstitial: Paul Weller, “The Strange Museum”
Audio outro: Tiny Ruins, “Me at the Museum, You in the Wintergardens”

Link to Ben Clemens on free agent spending
Link to Clemens on math and walk rates
Link to BBHOF Ballot Tracker
Link to Jay Jaffe on Bonds/Clemens/Sosa/Schilling
Link to 42 for 21 website
Link to 42 for 21 Committee press release
Link to 42 for 21 on FanGraphs Audio
Link to info on HoF committee membership
Link to Sean’s previous appearance on EW
Link to Josh Gibson Foundation website
Link to Ted Knorr on Rap Dixon
Link to Dixon’s SABR bio
Link to Rap Dixon NLBM page
Link to John Beckwith NLBM page
Link to George Stovey NLBM page
Link to Gus Greenlee NLBM page
Link to Adam Darowski EW episode
Link to list of upcoming HoF elections
Link to Dr. Yerkovich’s Columbia bio
Link to A Practical Guide to Museum Ethics
Link to Institute of Museum Ethics website
Link to Jared Diamond on the character clause
Link to Michael Baumann on the character clause
Link to Puckett’s Hall of Fame page
CW // Link to SI report about Puckett
CW // Link to report about Puig
CW // Link to allegations by Bonds’s ex-wife
CW // Link to allegations by Bonds’s ex-girlfriend
CW // Link to Britni de la Cretaz on Bonds
Link to Negro Leagues MLEs explainers
Link to podcast about Negro Leagues MLEs
Link to Hamtramck Stadium website
Link to Hamtramck Stadium video
Link to Patreon trivia contest
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the reasons for and consequences of MLB’s lack of compelling record chases (à la Alex Ovechkin’s in the NHL, Stephen Curry’s in the NBA, and Tom Brady’s in the NFL). Then (21:16) they talk to Sam Dingman and Mac Montandon, the hosts of The Rumor, a just-completed six-part narrative podcast about a rumor that a fight between Cal Ripken Jr. and Kevin Costner caused the Orioles to cancel a game to preserve Ripken’s consecutive-games streak, touching on the origins, prevalence, and plausibility of the rumor, their reporting process, baseball hero worship, the interviews they wish they could have done, the appeal of baseball rumors, ideas for The Rumor Season 2, and more.

Audio intro: Ian Hunter, “Old Legends Never Die”
Audio interstitial: The Records, “Rumour Sets the Woods Alight”
Audio outro: Electric Light Orchestra, “The Lights Go Down”

Link to Sam Miller on unbreakable records
Link to Sam on hitting .400
Link to Sam on a 21-strikeout game
Link to Neil Paine on Ovechkin
Link to Zach Kram on Curry
Link to USA Today on Brady
Link to article on Franco’s on-base streak
Link to research on days off and offense
Link to The Rumor
Link to Vulture interview about The Rumor
Link to video of record-breaking Ripken game
Link to Secret Base video about the rumor
Link to Randy Johnson EW interview
Link to story on Jeter’s gift baskets
Link to “Yeah Jeets” story
Link to Paul Pierce pooping story
Link to Ripken’s 2001 ASG homer
Link to article about “pipe shots”
Link to Emma Baccellieri on baseball mud
Link to Patreon trivia contest
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the slow drip of baseball news during the lockout, why MLB’s competitive balance gets a bad rap, the Rays’ historic collective minor league winning percentage, and the difficulty of evaluating individual defense in the age of Statcast-based and non-Statcast-based metrics. Then (33:09) they continue their series of discussions of Korean baseball drama Stove League by breaking down Episodes 9–12. (Note: No spoilers beyond Episode 12.)

Audio intro: Superchunk, "Slow"
Audio outro: Michael Nesmith, "Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care)"

Link to James Smyth’s parity thread
Link to Rob Mains on 2021 parity
Link to Ben on competitive balance
Link to Organization of the Year announcement
Link to story on record Rays winning percentage
Link to story about winning and player dev
Link to best minor league records of the 2010s
Link to story on Astros’ minor league winning
Link to Sam Miller on the best farm systems
Link to FanGraphs farm system rankings
Link to Effectively Wild Secret Santa
Link to The Rumor podcast
Link to first EW Stove League discussion
Link to second EW Stove League discussion
Link to basepaths bubble tunnel photo
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to Stove League review
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk to Adam Darowski, the baseball historian, Hall of Fame scholar, and Head of User Experience at Sports Reference, about working on the Baseball-Reference website, creating the Hall of Stats, the Hall of Stats vs. the Hall of Fame, the appeal of 19th-century baseball, the Hall of Fame elections of Buck O’Neil, Minnie Miñoso, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, and Bud Fowler, another near miss for Dick Allen, deserving candidates who weren’t on a ballot, the future of Cooperstown committees, ballot math, and more.

Audio intro: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, “Tribal Statistics”
Audio outro: Whitney, “Golden Days”

Link to the Hall of Stats
Link to Hall of Fame announcement
Link to Jay’s intro to the ballots
Link to Jay Jaffe on the voting results
Link to Adam’s Hall of Fame podcast
Link to Joe Posnanski on ballot math
Link to Posnanski on O’Neil’s election
Link to Shakeia Taylor on O’Neil
Link to Jay on Fowler
Link to Jay on Dahlen and Reynolds
Link to Jay on Kaat
Link to Jay on Hodges
Link to Jay on Oliva
Link to Jay on Allen
Link to Craig Wright on Miñoso
Link to Wright on Freehan
Link to 42 for 21 Committee
Link to John Donaldson EW episode
Link to Doc Adams EW episode
Link to Ben on Baines
Link to Effectively Wild Secret Santa
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to Stove League review
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about listener responses to their earlier conversation about the proper pluralization of “hit by pitch,” then (11:41) bring on Bradford William Davis and Dr. Meredith Wills to discuss the reporting and research that revealed that two types of baseballs were used during the 2021 MLB regular season, as well as the differences between balls, players’ and teams’ reactions to the news, whether MLB’s ball problems stem from incompetence or conspiracy, how the league could improve its messaging and production process, the outlook for offense next year, the ball’s impact on gambling and the labor situation, and more.

Audio intro: Sparks, “Balls”
Audio outro: Roy Orbison, “Two of a Kind”

Link to SABR style guide
Link to Bradford’s report
Link to thread about Bradford’s report
Link to SI report about 2020 balls
Link to study about the Yankees
Link to Alonso’s comments
Link to Ben’s first piece about the HR rate
Link to Ben’s first piece about the ball
Link to Manfred’s 2019 comments
Link to Meredith’s 2019 analysis
Link to Ben on 2019 postseason balls
Link to article about Wilson basketballs
Link to Sporting News on three-pointers
Link to NPR on three-pointers
Link to Effectively Wild Secret Santa
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to Stove League review
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about which teams have the most unfinished roster construction to complete post-lockout and the league’s and union’s dueling playoff format proposals, then answer listener emails about what Wander Franco would make as a free agent today, a plan to combat tanking, and the proper pluralization of “hit by pitch,” Stat Blast about Rich Hill and Scott Service, and meet two major leaguers, the Nationals’ Joan Adon and the Cubs’ Tyler Payne.

Audio intro: Leftover Salmon, “Mountain Top”
Audio outro: Biz Markie, “My Man Rich”

Link to 14-team-playoffs proposal
Link to 12-team-playoffs proposal
Link to Ken Rosenthal on Freeman
Link to Sam Miller on seeking contracts
Link to article about Boras loophole
Link to the “Gold Plan”
Link to article on MLB vs. NFL TV ratings
Link to Ben Clemens on the Hill signing
Link to list of most signings with one team
Link to list of most stints with one team
Link to article about Cubs players used
Link to article about Service
Link to Servais vs. Service record
Link to Servais vs. Service video
Link to Travis Sawchik thread
Link to Adon debut highlights
Link to Adon debut post
Link to Effectively Wild Secret Santa
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to Stove League review
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the beginning of the lockout, which marks MLB’s ninth work stoppage and the first in 26 years. They also discuss a flurry of buzzer-beating transactions, including the Dodgers re-signing Chris Taylor, the Cubs signing Marcus Stroman, the Brewers and Red Sox swapping Jackie Bradley Jr. and Hunter Renfroe, and the Red Sox remaking their rotation with Rich Hill and James Paxton. Then (32:13) they bring on Indiana University professor and FanGraphs contributor Nathaniel Grow to discuss the significance of the lockout, what can and can’t happen while the lockout is in place, how and when it might be resolved, challenging MLB’s antitrust exemption, and more.

Audio intro: Crowded House, “Locked Out”
Audio interstitial: Lucinda Williams, “Changed the Locks”
Audio outro: Pink Floyd, “The Show Must Go On“

Link to Manfred’s letter
Link to Tony Clark’s statement
Link to Manfred’s press conference
Link to more Manfred and Clark comments
Link to Ben Clemens on Taylor
Link to Eric Longenhagen on Renfroe/Bradley
Link to Kevin Goldstein on Iglesias
Link to Dan Szymborski on Paxton
Link to last Evan Drellich podcast appearance
Link to Evan on the most divisive issues
Link to Evan on the start of the lockout
Link to Evan on the path to the lockout
Link to Nathaniel’s CBA preview
Link to Nathaniel’s lockout preview
Link to Travis Sawchik on 1995 signings
Link to Ben on spring training for free agents
Link to Mike Axisa on work stoppage rules
Link to Nathaniel on the antitrust exemption
Link to Baseball on Trial
Link to Effectively Wild Secret Santa
Link to Travis on agents and earnings
Link to Shi Davidi on the Gausman signing
Link to Davidi on Gausman vs. Ray
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to Stove League review
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the onslaught of transaction activity leading up to the expiration of the CBA, touching on why they and others misread how fast the market would move, why players and teams have done deals so quickly and how the burst of spending could affect labor talks, the group of non-playoff teams that are trying to win, the Rangers and Mets pushing in their chips, the futures of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Javier Báez, Max Scherzer’s record-breaking contract, Kevin Gausman vs. Robbie Ray, the aesthetics of Starling Marte, how close to contention the Mariners, Tigers, and Marlins might be, the Byron Buxton extension and the state of the Twins, the prominent teams that haven’t been busy, what the Rockies are thinking, where Carlos Correa could end up, and more.

Audio intro: The Orange Peels, "All at Once"
Audio outro: Bee Gees, "All My Christmases Came at Once"

Link to Dan Syzmborski on the Mets’ signings
Link to Jay Jaffe on the Scherzer signing
Link to Dan on the Semien signing
Link to Kevin Goldstein on the Seager signing
Link to Dan on the Ray signing
Link to Ben Clemens on the Gausman signing
Link to Brendan Gawlowski on the Frazier trade
Link to Ben Clemens on the Buxton extension
Link to Justin Choi on the Gray signing
Link to Ben Clemens on the Báez signing
Link to Danny Knobler on a signing deadline
Link to MLB-proposed free-agent signing deadline
Link to MLB.com on a signing deadline
Link to SI on speeding up free agency
Link to RosterResource payroll page
Link to Ken Rosenthal on Correa
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to Stove League review
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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