The Ringer Mlb Show

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann examine the adjustments that Clayton Kershaw, Mike Trout, and Bryce Harper have made this season to become even better (03:00). Then they bring on Royals reliever and injury trailblazer Seth Maness to talk about making it back to the big leagues after undergoing "primary repair," an alternative to Tommy John surgery that helped him get back on the mound much faster (16:00). Lastly, they talk to Robert Mosley, who set a record in MLB's Beat the Streak competition but fell just short of the ultimate goal (30:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann shine a spotlight on the topsy-turvy and tightly compressed NL Central, talking to The Athletic Chicago's Sahadev Sharma about the surprisingly mediocre Cubs (03:00) and MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (25:30) and the Cincinnati Enquirer's Zach Buchanan (43:00) about the unexpectedly competitive Brewers and Reds, respectively. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Red Sox executive vice president and chief financial officer Tim Zue about how teams are using data to optimize ticketing (05:00), marketing (12:00), concessions (36:00), the fan experience (39:00), and more, and the ways in which baseball business analytics are similar to and different from baseball operations analytics (51:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann and Baseball Prospectus writer Meg Rowley banter about Kris Bryant's double-play avoidance (03:00) and whether Giancarlo Stanton still inspires awe (07:00). Then they talk to 'Pitch' showrunner Kevin Falls about why Fox canceled the series (13:00), his attempts to revive the show or provide closure for fans (17:00), what did and didn't work in the first season (20:00), the challenges of making a TV show about sports (25:00), and what he had in mind for Season 2 (43:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to writer Steven Goldman of Vice Sports and FanRag Sports about historical precedents for the feud between the Orioles' Manny Machado and the Red Sox (4:07), whether bad blood (and bad behavior) among baseball players has gotten more or less common over time (31:48), and whether the beanball epidemic will ever end (40:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about big bullpens (02:30), high home run rates (06:00), injured Mets and fatalistic Mets fans (08:00), and the seasonlong losses of Adam Eaton and Shelby Miller (18:00). Then they bring on Pittsburgh Pirates Gift Ngoepe and Dovydas Neverauskas, who recently became the first players born in Africa and Lithuania, respectively, to make the majors (22:30). Lastly, Ben and Michael forecast which countries might be the next to send their first representatives to The Show (49:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring on former big leaguer (and current Astros broadcaster) Geoff Blum to discuss his evolution in the booth (01:00), the Astros’ past, present, and future (03:30), the differences between playing for good and bad teams, and more (18:00). Then, they welcome Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz to talk about his affinity for baseball (26:00), his thoughts on biometric monitoring of athletes (28:30), and the gaps between baseball and football in terms of physical strain (31:30), the strength of unions and security of contracts (42:30), the use of analytics (44:00), and the degree to which player performance is dependent on coaching (47:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann check in on the season’s high home run rate (01:30), talk about whether bullpens have gotten too big (03:30), and debate the fates of five teams that are off to rough starts this season (10:30). Then they bring on longtime big league pitcher LaTroy Hawkins to discuss data about the declining number of African American players (24:00) and the underrepresentation of black pitchers and catchers (31:30), as well as his thoughts on underrated major league cities (40:00), the keys to aging gracefully as an athlete (41:15), and the evolution of reliever usage (44:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith about baseball’s rising strikeout rate (04:00), the current crop of talented young shortstops (10:00), the impact of shifting and data-driven defensive positioning (12:30), and the ascendance of advanced defensive stats (14:30). Then they bring on Reds reliever/pinch hitter Michael Lorenzen to talk about Cincinnati’s unorthodox free-flowing bullpen and quick-working staff (26:00), his history and preparation as a hitter (34:30), and his attempt to fill roles both in the bullpen and on the bench (38:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss the ingredients of a good baseball memoir (01:00), then bring on former major leaguer Rick Ankiel to discuss his new book, ‘The Phenomenon’ (05:00), his outfield conversion (09:00), his battle with the yips (11:00), and the improvement in baseball’s treatment of its players’ psyches (14:00). Then, they talk to Astros relief ace Chris ‘The Dragon’ Devenski about his unpredictable, multi-inning role (28:30), why he was underrated as a prospect (32:30), his filthy changeup and evolving slider (33:30), and his distinctive nickname (38:15). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about the early season’s upside-down standings (02:00), toasted grasshoppers at Safeco Field (06:30), the etiquette of the wave (09:30), and how quickly you should quit on a closer (12:00). Then they bring on two dermatologists, Dr. John E. Olerud and Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield (15:00), to talk about how Dr. Olerud balanced pro baseball and medical school (16:00), possible remedies for Rich Hill’s seemingly unfixable blister (23:00), the dangers of sun exposure in sports (30:00), and how Botox is helping hitters (40:45). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss 10 of the strangest, most surprising, and most impressive events from the first week of the MLB regular season, including an epic battle between Mike Trout and King Félix (10:30), Jeremy Guthrie's disaster start (15:00), Yadier Molina's sticky-baseball blooper (29:30), and the Padres' unprecedented tanking (41:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann review a dozen developments from the first week of the season and analyze whether they're signs of things to come (02:00). Then they bring on Baseball Prospectus writer Rob Mains to talk about how April differs from the rest of the regular season (23:00) and how fans (and fellow writers!) can avoid being misled by early-season small-sample results (41:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring on actor Hank Azaria to discuss spoofing baseball broadcasters (03:00), juxtaposing baseball and black comedy (10:00), explaining the sport's eccentricities (19:30), his reaction to a famous line from 'Heat' (22:45), and his new IFC TV series, 'Brockmire' (26:00). Then they call former MVP and future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones to talk about becoming baseball-obsessed (27:00), switch-hitting (34:20), playoff randomness (39:00), misbehaving away from the field (41:15), and his new book, 'Ballplayer' (43:15). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann ask and answer 21 either/or and over/under questions about the upcoming season (01:30). Then they bring on Sony Interactive Entertainment America community manager and game designer Ramone Russell to talk about AI improvements (25:30), increased realism (29:00), and new modes in 'MLB the Show 17' (30:00), the choice of cover model Ken Griffey Jr. (40:45), and how much research into real baseball it takes to digitize the sport (44:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Eric Longenhagen and Chris Mitchell from FanGraphs about the differences between the site's scouting-based and stats-based top-prospect lists and the highly ranked players who appear on the former but not the latter (02:00). Then they bring on Evan October and Justin Safely from Isotopes Punk Rock Baseball Club to discuss the band's origin story and songwriting process (27:00), baseball's punk-rock cred (34:00), and the Isotopes' new single, "Legend of George Brett," and forthcoming album, '1994 World Series Champions' (43:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss whether MLB teams should limit the workloads of players on WBC teams (02:00), break down Michael's clubhouse interviewing technique (11:00), and comment on quotes from two players Michael talked to on his trip to Arizona (14:00), Rangers starter Cole Hamels (on aging and wearable sensors) and Indians outfielder Brandon Guyer (on getting hit by pitches). Then they bring on Economist editor Dan Rosenheck to talk about his study on the significance of spring training stats (27:50) and examine why earlier analysts came to incorrect conclusions about traditional baseball beliefs (35:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to baseball columnist and historian Steven Goldman about the new so-called Carter Capps and David Price rules (04:00), the evolution of the pitching motion (04:40), and past examples of rule changes prompted by a specific player, person, or event (07:10). Then they bring on journalist Octavio Hernández to discuss his statistical work for the World Baseball Classic (23:55), how big the WBC is in Venezuela (28:10), and how the top teams stack up (39:05). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to MLB.com columnist Joe Posnanski about his new job as a full-time baseball writer (01:45), his hatred for the intentional walk (04:50), the automatic IBB rule (5:50), and why baseball fans are so attached to rules and resistant to change (12:55). Then they bring on Padres super-utility player Christian Bethancourt to discuss his conversion from catcher to two-way player who catches, pitches, and plays all over the field (27:25). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to Dodgers setup man Grant Dayton about being a 28-year-old rookie, his whirlwind success in 2016, his fascinating whiffs-and-flies fastball, and how a move from the Marlins to the Dodgers helped him embrace his unconventional pitching approach (0:35). Then they bring on hitting instructor Doug Latta to discuss working with big leaguers without being employed by an MLB team, reinventing Justin Turner, and why the uppercut, fly-ball-oriented swing is replacing an outmoded belief in "hitting down on the ball" (23:50). ​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices