Ringer staff writers Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann break down baseball’s biggest and silliest stories, mixing in interviews with other Ringer writers, plugged-in media members, and insiders from the front office to the dugout.
July 6
Tyler Flowers, Framing, and the Robot Umps Debate (Ep. 89)
The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about All-Star selection philosophies (1:10) and then tee up Ben’s conversation with Braves catcher Tyler Flowers, an elite pitch framer who’s transformed himself offensively and has, by one measure, been one of the most valuable players in baseball this season (10:25). Then, they discuss whether Flowers’s framing skill is good or bad for baseball (36:55), the obstacles that still stand in the way of a computerized strike zone (42:35), and whether they’re pro-robot umps (45:00).
July 3
Let the Trade Talk Begin
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann bring on Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports to talk about the likely (and unlikely) buyers and sellers at this month’s MLB trade deadline (01:00), what the contenders can do to address their weaknesses (13:00), the best bats and arms available (31:00), the impact that the massive 2018–19 free-agent classes could have on the market throughout the next year (45:00), and the latest on Japanese superstar Shohei Otani’s MLB ETA (48:00).
June 29
The First-Half Draft
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss the Cubs’ decision to DFA Miguel Montero (00:30) and the end of the College World Series (06:30), then draft 10 of their favorite stories from the first half of the 2017 regular-season schedule (plus honorable mentions) and forecast how they’ll hold up over the rest of the season (10:00).
June 26
The Dodgers, the Freeze, and Julio Urías
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss a wild Dodgers win and the surprising longevity of weak-hitting Michael Martínez (05:30), then talk to superhero/sprinter/Braves grounds crew member Nigel Talton (a.k.a. “the Freeze”) about becoming a between-innings phenomenon at SunTrust Park this season (09:30). Lastly, they bring on orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Dugas to discuss the season-ending injury to Dodgers phenom Julio Urías (25:15), the prognosis for his career and return (28:00), and why shoulder injuries have become less common among major league pitchers (32:30).
June 22
Marly Rivera on the Lives of Latino Players
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk about Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman potentially moving to third (01:00), then bring on ESPN’s Marly Rivera to discuss the Béisbol Experience project (06:00), why baseball’s native Spanish speakers still aren’t covered enough (09:30), the drawbacks and benefits of Latino players’ paths to the majors (16:00), how teams are trying to make it easier for Latino players to learn English and adjust to American culture and food (20:00), differences among countries in off-the-field challenges and on-the-field playing styles (23:30), leadership questions and cultural cliques in the clubhouse (26:00), why baseball players rarely talk to the media (or each other) about politics (33:30), and more.
June 19
Baseball Biomechanics and the Secrets of Statcast
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about balding and baseball hairstyles (01:00), then bring on Kyle Boddy, founder of data-driven training facility Driveline Baseball, to talk about how independent instructors work with teams and college programs (03:45), how Boddy is trying to turn Driveline into baseball’s DARPA (12:45), myths about baseball training (16:00), the future of biomechanics in baseball (24:00), and the latest on launch angle and spin rate (26:00). Then, they ask RotoGraphs writer and xStats founder Andrew Perpetua about Statcast’s improvements and limitations (32:00) and how he uses Statcast stats to assess skill and project performance (34:00). They wrap up with a brief discussion about the struggle to stay curious about baseball (50:00).
June 15
The Michael Baumann Battle
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk about Michael’s recent power rankings (01:15) and Carlos Ruiz’s pitching appearance (04:00), then bring on … Michael Baumann, a college pitcher whom the Orioles just selected with the 98th overall pick in the amateur draft (05:00). Later, Ben and Michael (the first one) play a game of “Is This Reliever Currently Good?” (19:30) and end with an Aaron Judge Minute (42:00).
June 12
Setting the Scene for the Amateur Draft
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to FanGraphs lead prospect writer Eric Longenhagen about why this draft class is unusual, the class’s strengths and weaknesses (02:30), the prominence of two-way players (10:00), the pros and cons of potential top pick Hunter Greene (12:00), which teams have the most at stake in this draft (19:30), how the first several picks are likely to play out (26:00), how much college reputations matter for player development (35:15), the influence of analytics (37:30), which draftees are the best bets to make their major league debuts first (41:15), the draft’s unpredictability (44:00), and more.
June 8
The Uneven Easts and Noah Syndergaard
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann discuss the AL East’s historic strength (03:00) and the NL East’s historic weakness (with a focus on the Phillies’ stalled rebuild). They they speak to injured Mets starter Noah Syndergaard about his health (12:15), the Mets’ struggles this season (15:00), his pitching approach (18:30), how he spends time in New York (27:00), and trends in home runs and strikeouts (30:00). Lastly, Ben and Michael talk about the incentives that often lead to injury for hard-throwing pitchers (34:00).
June 5
When Albert Arrived
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about college baseball (01:00), Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen’s two-way opportunity (02:00), Jon Lester’s triumphant pickoff throw (03:30), and Albert Pujols’s 600th career homer (08:15). They then bring on longtime Cardinals executive John Vuch to talk about Pujols’s origin story as a 13th-round draft pick (11:00), his rapid ascent to the majors (25:00), and his St. Louis peak (30:00).
June 1
The Impervious Astros and the Rebuilding Reckoning
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann banter about how poor pitcher hitting affects the DH debate (02:30) and Mike Trout’s injury (06:00), then talk to The Crawfish Boxes managing editor Ryan Dunsmore about whether the streaking Astros have a weakness (11:15) and what they can do to distance themselves further from the field (14:15). Lastly, Ben and Michael discuss whether the success of the Astros and Cubs has overfly inflated fan expectations for rebuilding teams (38:20) and whether the current, copycat crop of rebuilders can count on such short paths to the playoffs (42:30).
May 29
The Unfailingly Friendly Fly-Ball Debate
Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann talk to FanGraphs writer/fly-ball believer Travis Sawchik and FiveThirtyEight writer/fly-ball skeptic Rob Arthur about hitters who’ve broken out after aiming for the air (03:00), other hitters who’ve declined despite elevating their batted balls (13:00), how teams are trying to teach the uppercut swing (15:00), whether the “fly-ball revolution” explains the big leagues’ record home run rate (24:00), and whether pitchers can counter batters’ altered approach (33:00).
