The Infinite Inning

Jeffrey Paternostro discusses Baseball Prospectus’s midseason top-50 prospects list and his long road to becoming a baseball writer, plus tales of Bill Dickey and Jim Palmer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Catcher Injures Runner*Lament for the Orioles*Jeff Paternostro: Driving in the Minors*Prospects and Park Effects*What Makes a Prospect Expert? (To the Brian Bannister Moment)*Faux Scouty Shorthand*Whose Prospect List is Best?*The Subjective Part (The Leody Taveras Problem)*The Big Misses (Einertson vs. Gsellman)*The Greening of Player Development*The Rookie Class of 2019*Wander Franco, No. 1 Prospect *Nick Madrigal, Prospect from the Deadball Era*“Have You Ever Seen Him Naked?”*Why Isn’t Plate Judgment the Sixth Tool?*Goodbyes.

Jason Turbow (“The Baseball Codes” and “Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic”) discusses the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers as portrayed in his new book “They Bleed Blue.” Plus, forgotten All-Stars remembered and wild pitching appreciated.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Everyone Has a Special Anniversary (Len Barker Makes the All-Star Team)*Dolly Gray Goes Wild*Jason Turbow: Why the 1981 Dodgers?*What the Dodgers Did Right, Not What the Yankees Did Wrong*The Longest-Running Infield*Steve Garvey Against Davey Lopes in the ’81 Strike*Steve Garvey Against the World*Reggie Smith, Unknown Great*Young Dave Stewart*Tommy Lasorda in Retrospect*Wise Words from Dusty’s Dad*Lasorda’s Broken Aces*What Was Fernandomania?*Al Campanis’s Pre-Nightline Racism*”Coconut Snatching” and Pedro Guerrero*The Guerrero/Sax Anecdote*The Sneaky Way to Publish a 300,000-Word MS*Rick Sutcliffe vs. The Frank Sinatra Wall*The Dave Kingman Footnote*Goodbyes.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

Rachel Louise Snyder discusses No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us and how abusers (even athletes) don’t just “snap.” Plus thoughts on the passing of Tyler Skaggs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tyler Skaggs*So Much More Than Marty Bergen*Rachel Louise Snyder: Curiosity*A Billion Women*Michelle and Rocky*Threats of Suicide*When Michelle Was Behind the Camera*It’s Not About Anger Management*Beware of Narcissists*Twenty Percent of the Housework*Impulse Love is a Hazard*Why Do Victims Recant? Why Do Victims Stay?*Prosecution Complications/The Rattlesnake*Strangulation and Odubel Herrera*Choking and Strangulation Are Not the Same Thing*Is Rehabilitation Possible?*The Impact Incongruity of Punishment*The Promise of Early Intervention*Goodbyes.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

Cliff Corcoran (The Athletic) talks CC Sabathia in history, Mets mad decision-making, and short benches. Plus, tales of Gorman Thomas being archaically pelted and pre-Machado suspensions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Gladiatorial Combat in Detroit*That Darn Calloway*The Infinite Punishments of Manny Machado*Cliff Corcoran: The Montgomery Biscuits baseball cap*Sabathia, Greinke, Kershaw, Verlander: Yesterday and Today*Dave Stieb and Other Devalued Aces*The Magic 235*Peak vs. Career: Dale Murphy vs. Harold Baines*The Rays Are Not Going to Montreal*The Expos Got a Raw Deal*The Mets Are Proudly Octogenarian*Geriatric Coaches in History*The Dave Eiland Story*Edwin Encarnacion In, Clint Frazier Out*There Are No Short Benches, There Are Only Short Minds*Goodbyes.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

Rachael McDaniel (FanGraphs, The Hardball Times) returns to discuss her new editorial mission and lays out a philosophy of baseball writing. Plus a tale of Billy Martin’s self-sabotage and Steve bids goodbye to a friend.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Intentional Damage*A Personal Note of Mourning*Rachael McDaniel: Youthful Editor of The Hardball Times*Racist Knitters*Leaving Baseball Prospectus*What Is The Hardball Times?*“All They Really Want is What They Know”*Vladimir Guerrero Jr is like Cheddar Cheese*Writing That Has an Antagonistic Relationship With its Audience*Special Pleading on Behalf of Smokers and the Overweight*Editor’s Envy*This Temporal World of Baseball/“This Could Have Been a Tweet”*The Tommy Thevenow Analogy*Rachael’s Favorite Baseball Writer*What If You’re a Middle-Aged White Guy? (The Middle Feels Like the Beginning Feels Like the End*The Inevitable Blue Jays Question*Goodbyes.

David Roth (Deadspin) returns to discuss Mets failings, how Jorge Bell became George, and why teams feel the need to add “the one guy who can get the job done.” Plus an argument/tribute to David Ortiz and a pitcher unjustly fined and unjustly accused.

WARNING: There are a few random cusswords in this episode. It’s a RothShow.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Paean to David Ortiz*Bill Voiselle’s Weight: It’s Not What You Say*David Roth: The Falls at Paterson*An Accidental Ad*The Americanization of Jorge Bell*Sympathy for Clint Frazier*A Very Brief Conversation about Gene Nelson and Mike Griffin (But Not Ken Clay)*Remembering Ivan Calderon*Remembering Chili Davis*Dominic Smith is Doing His Best*Robinson Cano Got Old*Need the Mets Move on From Mickey Callaway*Cespedes’s Last Ride*Good for the Wolves*Don’t Acquire Old Second Basemen*Evaluating Amed Rosario*Mental Processing Speed in Sports*Richie Incognito, Odubel Herrera, and Players Who Need to Go Away But Just Won’t*Goodbyes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

If John Wehner Had Broadcast in 1880*Mike Ivie’s Dilemma*Ben Lindbergh: Self-Machined Through Dedicated Practice*A Deeper Understanding of the Game*Can You See Spin Rate with the Naked Eye?*What is THE Essential New Baseball Technology?*Hitting Lags Behind*Paul Waner Dissents*Fly Balls vs. Line Drives*Choking Up*Francisco Lindor, Bill Buckner, and Productive Contact*When Trevor Bauer is Your Pioneer*Excluding the Underprivileged Through Baseball Through Technology*When Not All Teams Care Equally About Progress*Rejecting High Steinbrennerism*Once More Through the Self-Machine*Goodbyes.

THE INFINITE INNING ARCHIVE: All episodes available, popcorn extra.

THE INFINITE INNING FACEBOOK GROUP: Socialize with like-minded people!

SUPPORT THE INFINITE INNING: Visit our Patreon page.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

WARNING: Baseball’s magic word is said at about 3:30. Notify your congressman.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

“My Kingdom for Jones”*Requiem for Bugs*Jesse Spector: All the Times We Broke Bones Not Falling Off of Horses (Yoenis Cespedes)*The Mighty Vipers Song*Jacob de Grom Isn’t Real (“Who is Yoenis Cespedes?”)*So What if it WAS a Horse? *The Smell of Flushing Bay and Elizabeth, NJ*The Texas Rangers Are Rarely Good but are Often Interesting*Joey Gallo Appreciation Day*The Days of Wine and 40 Home Runs Being Special*Nolan Ryan ’87 and the Win* “Steve Baloney’s ‘WABBA’” and Gio Urshela*Player Performance Variation is the Norm/Dave Kingman [Was/Was Not] Good*Alonso/McNeil*Balls in Play Wanted*Phil Rizzuto is Going Out to Florida Tonight*Do You Value Knowledge You Don’t Have to Earn?*When Did Rizzuto Go Bad?*The Annotated Pine Tar Game*

THE INFINITE INNING ARCHIVE: All episodes available.

INFINITE INNING FACEBOOK GROUP: Socialize with like-minded people!

SUPPORT THE INFINITE INNING: Visit our Patreon page.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Weak Spot on the Ballclub*Ian Desmond and Other Tales of the Replacement Level*Diana Moskovitz: Caster Semenya: Struggling to Sum Up a Complex Matter*Testosterone and Michael Phelps’ Arms*Fear of Men (in Women’s Events)*“Penis Panic”*The Complexity of the Human Body*The East German Example*A Strange Apathy Towards Forced Medicating*“You Are Not a Woman”*Should There Be a Women’s Sports Category?*“Tradition!”*Covering Four Hurricanes in One Season*Goodbyes.

THE INFINITE INNING ARCHIVE: All episodes available, popcorn extra.

THE INFINITE INNING FACEBOOK GROUP: Socialize with like-minded people!

SUPPORT THE INFINITE INNING: Visit our Patreon page.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

All-Stars in the Naked City*Chicago, 1886: Cap Anson and the Haymarket Eight*Craig Calcaterra: The Social Cubs*Famous For Nothing*“Move to Mexico”*Bat Flip and Unwritten Rules*Dated Ringtones*The Complacent Team of the Year Award (The Cleveland Indians)*Expansion and the Non-Shortage of Pitchers*Nick Markakis 3000, Jack Morris, Bert Blyleven*Hall of Fame Debates, Prospects, and the End of a Long-Running Series*Arguments Make Friends*Goodbyes.

THE INFINITE INNING ARCHIVE: All episodes available, popcorn extra.

THE INFINITE INNING FACEBOOK GROUP: Socialize with like-minded people!

SUPPORT THE INFINITE INNING: Visit our Patreon page.

The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?