The Infinite Inning

Sam Miller (ESPN, Baseball Prospectus, The Only Rule is It Has to Work) joins Steve to talk about joy in baseball, which fun facts matter and which don’t, and how to alienate your colleagues your first day on the baseball beat. Plus, overlapping tales of puppy love and Billy Herman and a remembrance of the late Harlan Ellison. WARNING: There is one cussword, baseball’s “magic word,” at about the 2...

Steve flies solo in an attenuated episode this week which focuses on current events that take place outside of baseball but find their echoes within in it. WARNING: A disgusting racial epithet concerning African Americans is quoted in the course of this episode in the telling of a historical incident TABLE OF CONTENTS The most evil man in baseball history*The black dog and “I Am So Proud”*When the...

Eric Stephen (True Blue LA) returns to explain the strange odyssey of the 2018 Dodgers, plus this year’s Orioles versus your great-grandfather’s Browns, bad fan behavior in 1970s Pittsburgh, and a Yankees tugboat not delivered. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Pirates keep the nickel*The Schleuter-ization of the Orioles*Billy Martin’s tugboat*Eric Stephen: The Dodgers’ child does not resemble the parents*An...

Cliff Corcoran (The Athletic) returns to talk baseball, and then is joined by film critic Scott Tobias (The Next Picture Show podcast) to talk about “Solo,” the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, and the curse of the summer movie season. Prior, Steve has two stories of Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst, plus a protest of sorts. TABLE OF CONTENTS Stan Musial’s kid and mine*Popeye thoughts*Red Shoendie...

Rotation regular Jesse Spector rejoins Steve for a discussion that starts dark and soon gets silly, with Jesse fighting to the death to abolish the June amateur draft. Also features Steve stories on Hank Greenberg, Tyler O’Neill, and Long Tom Winsett. TRIGGER WARNING: In the Hank Greenberg segment, Greenberg himself is quoted describing anti-Semitic slurs to which he was subjected. There is also a...

Deadspin’s David Roth returns like a periodic comet to discuss the joy of Shohei Ohtani, ripping old packs of baseball cards on camera, and debate the state of the baseball and the national anthem. Plus Steve Stories on Joe Cronin managing his way to a walk-off loss and early game-throwing pitcher Jim Devlin. WARNING: As in all David Roth episodes, there is the occasional cussword. We contritely a...

Steve is joined by former major league manager Davey Johnson to discuss his life and adventures as described in his new autobiography, Davey Johnson: My Wild Ride in Baseball and Beyond. This week’s tales include taking the permanent exit from a Babe Ruth-era Yankees game and a Johnson-inspired story of an Orioles no-hitter gone wrong. THE INFINITE INNING FACEBOOK GROUP can be found here. TABLE OF...

Steve is joined by Meg Rowley (Fangraphs, The Hardball Times) to discuss some unlikely Mariners success, including James Paxton’s no-hitter, defense-first first base prospects, and the batting-out-of-order rule. Plus SteveStories of the Singing Umpire and a continuation of last week’s discussion about Ty Cobb. WARNING: Late in the show, there is a cussword uttered in regards to Chuck Knoblauch. It...

Steve is joined by major league veteran Greg Pryor to discuss his forthcoming book, The Day the Yankees Made Me Shave: A Baseball Autobiography, and share tales of the game in the 1970s and 80s. Plus, SteveStories on the meaning of 3,000 hits and the way Ty Cobb’s racism is misused. TABLE OF CONTENTS Paul Waner’s two 3000th hits*Abnormalizing Ty Cobb*Short pants and South Side Hitmen*The Syracuse...

Cliff Corcoran (The Athletic) takes his turn in the rotation to pursue topics within topics, from the widening space between balls in play to a sinister plan to headhunt an 11-year-old girl. Cliff also quotes Dr. Dre, which is a first for this program. SteveStories include Dan Ford’s infamous baserunning mishap and how outfielder Johnny Mostil’s darkest day collides with a Harlan Ellison adage on...

Craig Calcaterra (NBC’s Hardball Talk) returns to assess the start of the 2018 season, envision the damage that tanking is doing to the game, and reminisce about some really bad Atlanta Braves teams. Plus, SteveStories about drowned ballparks in Cincinnati and Tampa and a baseball “witch-hunt.” The Infinite Inning now has a Facebook group! Come one, come all, come as you are, come as Reggie Jackso...

Jacob Pomrenke, editor of Scandal on the South Side: The 1919 Chicago White Sox and SABR’s Director of Editorial Content joins Steve to explore the relevance of the Black Sox to our time, appreciate and criticize both the book Eight Men Out and its filmed counterpart, and attempt to fix the roles of both Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver in throwing the World Series. In addition, this week Steve offers...

David Roth returns to talk about competitive balance, over-monitoring mound visits, and the pernicious nature of social media (not back on it, still on it). Meanwhile, Steve tries to turn a nonsensical Jerry Coleman call into something dark and disturbing and rants about outfielders from 1934 to the present day who were damaged, sometimes severely, by unpadded outfield walls. The Haunting of Bruce...

Russell Carleton (Baseball Prospectus, author of The Shift: The Next Evolution in Baseball Thinking) joins Steven to discuss things we don’t have words for, and surprising findings on third-base coaches, the effect of managers, and, of course, the shift. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Day the Sun Shone on Ty Tyson*Reframing the problem of Alex Johnson*Russell Carlton: Man with a Doctorate*You can’t control...

Steve is joined by Marty Appel, author of Casey Stengel: Baseball’s Greatest Character and other books, plus a cautionary tale about time and Bob “Fats” Fothergill and another about all the times Fat Freddie Fitzsimmons failed to duck. TABLE OF CONTENTS Fats Fothergill, Ronald Acuña and the tyranny of time*Fat Freddie Fitzsimmons, Human Target*Marty Appel: “Give me a good team”*Stengel vs. Joe Tor...

Jesse Spector returns for a wide-ranging episode in which the question of length of game versus pace of play is explored and the MLB FoodFest is dissected with an eye towards finding the missing Rocky Mountain Oysters, and many a personal encounter of strange press box behavior is told. Plus, Steve opens with a tale of the least-supportive teammates ever and a shortstop whose moment passed at an a...

Howard Megdal (Wilpon’s Folly, The Cardinals Way, Summit Hoops, 50 States of Blue) joins Steve for a discussion of New York Mets finances, the way women’s sports is and isn’t covered, and his new political journal focused on providing political news that is now neglected by the major media organs. TABLE OF CONTENTS Hawkins, Herman, and defeat from the jaws of victory*June 7-8, 1950: Red Sox 49, Br...

Cliff Corcoran parachutes in to save Steve from a scheduling mishap, taking on service-time issues, the New York Yankees’ amazing depth, and sundry other issues. Plus: Steve on taking a train trip into eternity and a super-fan who had to be put in his place by the player he loved. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Brickyard who Wasn’t a Brickyard, Forever Voyaging*The Ballad of Cookie and Jack*Spring training...

Baseball Prospectus writer Rachael McDaniel joins Steve to talk about surviving the offseason when baseball is your defense against time spent alone with yourself, plus Steve’s encounter with Chuck Knoblauch and twin tales of a great songwriter and a not-so-great pitcher from 1936. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chuck Knoblauch and the Chicken Française theory*Van Lingle Mungo and Larry Hart*Rachael McDaniel:...

Rob Neyer, the Sage of Portland, joins Steve to preview his new book on the state of baseball, review some classic old ones, and dig into the art of writing for an audience of baseball fans and his controversial stance on the owners versus the players.   TABLE OF CONTENTS McGraw, Chase, Porter*July 4, 1950 at the Polo Grounds*Rob Neyer: The Father of Us All*Alternative realities: Rob Neyer, pro ro...

Ben Lindbergh (The Ringer, Effectively Wild podcast) makes an emergency relief appearance when a guest bails, and he and Steve dissect a bleak winter landscape. WARNING: One cussword early on. We contritely apologize. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Turtle Who Was Hated By God*The Johnny Bassler interruption*Metacom and Wahoo*Ben Lindbergh: A podcast in baseball’s worst winter*What if Mike Trout is a woman?...

Cliff Corcoran returns to discuss the current scene, including Mark Appel’s break from baseball, the state of the Dodgers’ starting rotation, and gives an important pro-tip about how to adjust your microphone pack (not a metaphor). TABLE OF CONTENTS Farewell to Oscar Gamble*Reggie Jackson, Steve Chilcott, and Casey Stengel*Cliff Corcoran: Behind the scenes at the MLB Network*Surprised by Bill Jame...

Did anyone say stick to sports? Baseball’s slowest offseason collides with the national mood when Deadspin’s David Roth returns to break down a case of universal paralysis and, of course, supply his particular brand of Mets ennui. WARNING: As is typical of a David Roth episode, there is the occasional profanity. TABLE OF CONTENTS Wayne Garland and Mother-Love*Connie Mack and the Wilpons*David Roth...

Steve is joined by Astros Special Assistant Kevin Goldstein to review the championship season and delve into the psychology of a title defense. Plus: Things fall from the sky on shortstops and the Red Sox shoot themselves in the foot. WARNING: There is one slight profanity in this episode. It quotes the President of the United States and is now in common usage in even the better publications. TABL...

ESPN baseball analyst and ZiPS projections proprietor Dan Szymborski joins Steve to talk about the art of player projections, plus integration, an awkward moment at the doctor’s office, and World War II deflects Buddy Lewis from both the Hall of Fame and the game itself. TABLE OF CONTENTS A question of courage: Jackie Robinson, Vic Power, Elston Howard, Panglossian racism*What Buddy Lewis saw*Dan...