Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the “death ball,” a curveball variant that could be baseball’s next sweeper-esque pitch-design innovation, and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of separate classifications for “new” pitches that are subsets of other pitches, and the importance of continuing education among fans and media members. Then (39:23) they talk about the Aroldis Chapman, John Brebbia, James Paxton, and Joey Gallo signings (with another contract over/unders draft update and a Clayton Kershaw check-in), the possibility that NPB phenom Roki Sasaki will come to MLB next offseason, Alex Blandino’s knuckleball conversion, a Willians Astudillo lowlight, and a player mercenary follow-up.

Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme (“We Looked Like Giants” cover)

Link to death ball BP article

Link to sweeper definition

Link to Passan on the death ball

Link to Tread video

Link to “Public Enemy No. 1”

Link to Ben on young newsbreakers

Link to Cotillo on EW

Link to FG on Chapman and Brebbia

Link to over/under draft results

Link to Pirates payroll page

Link to MLBTR on Paxton

Link to story on Paxton’s knee

Link to Paxton eagle incident

Link to MLBTR on Gallo

Link to Ben on Gallo in 2014

Link to “genericization” article

Link to Sasaki article

Link to MLBTR on Blandino

Link to Blandino knuckler

Link to Blandino throwing 90

Link to Jannis EW interview

Link to Ben on knuckleballs

Link to Astudillo drop

Link to game outcome

Link to Astudillo HR robbery

Link to Astudillo in center

Link to Astudillo draft article

Link to other Astudillo draft article

Link to Farnsworth revenge article

Link to HoF voting results

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