Summary[]
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a non-revelatory tweet, cycles, Bryce Harper vs. Aaron Judge (and also vs. expectations), Jarrod Dyson’s homers and bunts, and Ben Davis’ 2001 bunt against Curt Schilling, then respond to Tom Verducci’s articles about baseball trends and explain why they aren’t worried about rising strikeout or home-run rates.
Topics[]
- Tom Verducci's article about the future of baseball
- Three true outcomes
- Pace of play
- Contact rates
- Changing in-game strategy
Banter[]
- Non-revelatory rumors and tweets
- Episode 1074 follow-up: Coors Field is now tied with Fenway Park for ballparks where the most cycles (17) have been hit. Ben and Jeff discuss what changes could be made to the field to encourage cycles.
- Comparing season and career projections for Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge
- Jarrod Dyson has four home runs and has lowered his ground ball rate by close to 10%.
- Ignoring unwritten rules: Jarrod Dyson bunted to break up a no-hit bid in the 6th inning by Justin Verlander. Jeff remembers when Ben Davis bunted to break up a perfect game by Curt Schilling.
Notes[]
- Jeff, on trying to find out about high school fields with strange quirks, "Are we allowed to talk to people in high school or is that weird and kind of illegal?"
- Discussing Ben Davis' bunt against Curt Schilling, Ben and Jeff wonder if it is the intent or result that makes a bunt. For example, if a player swings but hits what looks like a bunt, is it a true bunt?
- The increase in home runs this season amounts to one additional home run per team for every ten games played.
- Neither Ben nor Jeff feel that baseball is close to a point where the percentage of plate appearances ending in one of the three true outcomes is too high.
- In the outro Jeff tells a story of someone coming into his house and stealing $100 while he was upstairs.