Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s habitual misappraisal of checked swings and the potential for automated checked-swing calls, then discuss the potential unionization of the minor leagues via minor league players joining the MLBPA, Nationals rookie replacement Joey Meneses outplaying Juan Soto and Josh Bell since the trade deadline, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and the AL Cy Young and MVP races, the Brewers’ and Padres’ results since the Josh Hader–Taylor Rogers trade, the potential postseason teams with the most sympathetic narratives for neutral rooters, Dallas Keuchel and the long tail of a former Cy Young winner’s career, the Angels’ surprisingly high shutout total, an Albert Pujols fun fact, John Smoltz’s communication breakdown, the return of soaring spin rates, a record-setting Mickey Mantle card, New York number retirements for Paul O’Neill and Willie Mays, and the reinvented stance of the late John Wockenfuss, plus two Past Blasts (1:36:32) from 1896 and a few followups.
Audio intro: Kurt Vile, “Check Baby”
Audio outro: Nick Drake, “Joey”
Link to checked-swing rule explainer
Link to SIS study on checked swings
Link to Ben on checked swings
Link to Tipping Pitches T-shirt
Link to MLBTR on unionization efforts
Link to Ohtani’s postgame comment
Link to team RP WAR since 8/2
Link to Jay Jaffe on the Hader trade
Link to SIS on Hader
Link to Michael Ajeto on Hader
Link to Robert Orr on Hader
Link to highest ERAs w/29+ saves
Link to team shutout leaders
Link to Pujols record article
Link to Ben Clemens on Smoltz
Link to Rob Arthur on spin rates
Link to 2022 offense by month
Link to story on the Mantle card
Link to EW episode on memorabilia
Link to Yankees WAR leaderboard
Link to story on the Mets and Mays
Link to Craig Wright’s story series
Link to Wright on Wockenfuss
Link to video of Wockenfuss
Link to BSG imitation of Wockenfuss
Link to Richard Hershberger’s Strike Four
Link to 1896 story source
Link to first source on Pond
Link to second source on Pond
Link to third source on Pond
Link to Pond/sweater story
Link to Pond’s SABR bio
Link to Fox 96 mph screenshot
Link to Fox 97 mph screenshot
Link to Dan S. on head-to-head records
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