Ben and Sam talk to BP’s Ben Carsley about the Drew Pomeranz trade, David Price and David Ortiz, the Bogaerts/Betts debate, and the impact of Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington on Boston’s 2016 team.
Ben and Sam banter about the Sonoma Stompers and MLB payroll disparities, then try to outwit PECOTA in projecting hitters’ second halves.
Ben and Sam banter about box scores and the All-Star Game, then answer listener emails about alien abductions, odd career arcs, Clayton Kershaw, and being above or below .500.
Ben and Sam talk to Meg Rowley about how Jerry Dipoto’s flurry of offseason moves for the Mariners worked out over the first half of the season.
Ben and Sam banter about Sam’s move, the Waxahachie Swap, and Ryan Webb and Matt Albers, then discuss how much several contenders should be willing to trade to improve their playoff odds.
Ben and Sam talk to Jason Coskrey of The Japan Times about the incredible two-way dominance of Japanese ace/slugger Shohei Otani.
June in Clayton Kershaw’s Zone 12 pitching.
Ben and Sam discuss the causes and ramifications of this season’s dramatic (but easily overlooked) rise in home run rate.
Ben and Sam banter about their All-Star selection philosophies, then answer listener emails about the DH, the trade deadline, hidden knuckleball benefits, the virtues of tanking, and more.
Everybody butchers baseball. How do romance novels do, you might wonder.
Sam and Craig talk to Russell Carleton and Kate Morrison about their recent series covering the complexion of MLB’s front offices.
Imagining an All-Star game that was For The Win, not for the special interest groups (and fans).
What to do when the batter fails and the team succeeds?
Ben and Sam discuss their fatalistic feelings concerning Noah Syndergaard, banter about fun facts and Fernando Abad, and talk about impending trade-deadline decisions for the White Sox, Yankees, and Pirates.
Ben and Sam talk to Professor Alan Nathan about the physics of knuckleballs, then talk to WFAA’s Brett Shipp about his reporting on public funding for the Rangers’ new ballpark.
Translating the unrecognizable French abbreviations for baseball stats.