Ben and Sam talk about whether adding the late Jose Fernandez to the Hall of Fame ballot would be a fitting way to honor his superlative but tragically brief career.
Ben and Sam talk to Mike Fisher, the baseball coordinator of Moneyball and the new Fox series Pitch, about how he makes baseball look realistic on screen (and what he might have missed).
A story about Sam Miller and Ervin Santana.
Ben and Sam banter about the Giants’ bullpen problems and Bryce Harper’s shoulder, then answer listener emails about Terrance Gore, Gary Sanchez, calling time, playoff formats, one-pitch baseball, and more.
Ben and Sam banter about Padres GM A.J. Preller’s suspension, then discuss whether each of 2016’s non-playoff teams should consider its season a success or a failure.
Ben and Sam talk to former Sonoma Stompers pitchers Santos Saldivar and Dylan Stoops about their progress as players, meager earnings, and clubhouse experiences during their rookie seasons in affiliated ball with the Brewers and Padres, respectively.
Ben and Sam banter about Shohei Otani and answer listener emails about Rich Hill, tanking in the season’s last series, interleague play, Jose Bautista’s ballpark ownage, and more.
Ben, Sam, and Los Angeles Times Dodgers beat writer Andy McCullough discuss Dave Roberts’ decision to remove Rich Hill after seven perfect innings on Saturday.
Ben, Sam, and Sonoma Stompers GM Theo Fightmaster answer listener emails about the Stompers’ past two seasons and Ben/Sam’s book, The Only Rule Is It Has to Work.
Ben and Sam banter about Yasiel Puig’s clubhouse qualities, Giancarlo Stanton’s comeback, and Anthony Rizzo vs. Wily Peralta, then answer listener emails about Kershaw and Trout, the Hall of Fame, roster sizes, young cores and more.
Ben and Sam banter about MLB’s copycat comedians, then discuss players whose big contracts seem much more movable (or unmovable) after perception-altering 2016 seasons.
Ben and Sam talk to BP’s Rob Mains about what Billy Hamilton’s career might have looked like in an earlier era, and whether baseball teams’ increasing efficiency has made the sport better or worse as a spectator experience.
Ben and Sam banter about Shohei Otani, then answer listener emails about running the Rockies (with a twist), a Kershaw dilemma, a time-traveling Ubaldo Jimenez, umpire park effects, and more.
Ben and Sam banter about an In-N-Out Burger baseball promotion gone wrong and the MLB.TV Game Changer, then decide which win-value stat they side with when the available options don’t tell the same stories about certain stars.
Ben, Sam, and BP’s Jonathan Judge discuss the Dodgers’ puzzling decision to trade A.J. Ellis for Carlos Ruiz, breaking down the beloved backstops’ hard-to-see skills and then considering the clubhouse implications.
Ben and Sam banter about Rich Hill and Dylan Stoops, then answer listener emails about Collin McHugh, stacking rosters with clones of Barry Bonds, diving into first base, Dylan Bundy and Ervin Santana, and more.