This snack-sized episode brought to you by the return of COVID. Was the media just stirring the pot or was it  poking the bear making up conflict between Chas and Dusty? We are grateful for the banana pudding tidbit outcome, however. Ha-Seong Kim stole five bases last week and may be the first Korean-born MLB player to win a Gold Glove.  Check out this profile in The Athletic. Oswald Peraza teaches us some dance steps while toe tapping his way to better plate appearances. Kyle Schwarber, our favorite atypical lead-off hitter, is our only current boyfriend Roberto Clemente Award nominee, but  the field is full of formers. Our Police Blotter ranges from “criminal” behavior by Nationals ownership to Criminal behavior by Julio Urías. The Nats cancel the leaked Strasburg retirement press conference while conducting behind the scenes shenanigans, while Urías does his best to become the first player to be suspended twice for domestic violence. Stealing bases is NOT a crime and the league is on pace for the second highest number of SBs since 1920, a full thousand more than last season.  Rule changes are working as intended and it is so much fun to watch. Patti spins our pre-season predictions to make us sound SO much better than we look on paper. You too can, and should, be watching the Women’s Baseball World Cup Group B qualifying round. Please seek out “Lost Diamonds, A History of Gender Rebellion in American Baseball,” the comic book series  by Ellen Lindner.

We say, “dealer’s choice bobbleheads,” “I’m more of the slow, ambulatory type,” and “I like people who are cute about Gunnar.” Fight the man, send your game balls to Meredith, get boosted, and find us on Twitter @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. Say goodnight, Pottymouth.