The road trip season has pushed us back a day but here we are squeezing in a show between Chanukah and Christmas. Vocabulary lessons this week include Competitive Balance Tax, because the Luxury Tax isn’t just for Monopoly anymore, and Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI). Just because it's the holidays it doesn’t mean you can slack on learning. Our boyfriends this week are from BAL, where Patti leans into the once and forever boyfriend and Pottymouth goes Westy, and the Hammers, where Pottymouth picks a player with a wacky Tennessee claim to fame and Patti goes right to ROY. The Police Blotter features the return of Wander Franco’s case to the courts, and the end of the Tyler Skagg’s courtroom drama. The International Baseball update includes almost baffling chaos around the Serie del Caribe and the Serie de las Americas but the takeaway is absolutely please stop blowing up Venezuelan boats. We’re both on yet more road trips and we wish you safe travels if you are too, and happy holidays if you celebrate.  See you a day late again next week!

We say, “A glass half full of Santa’s Butt,” “There was some hockey, there was some smarts,” and “Donny was the youngest Osmond that had any juice.” Fight the man, send your game balls to Meredith, get boosted, and find us on Bluesky @ncibpodcast, on Facebook @nocryinginbball, Instagram @nocryinginbball and on the Interweb at nocryinginbball.com. Please take a moment to subscribe to the show, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to NCiB. Become a supporter at Patreon to help us keep doing what we do. We now have episode transcripts available!  They are available for free at our Patreon site. Say goodnight, Pottymouth.