

In a bonus episode, Ben Lindbergh banters with FanGraphs writer Craig Edwards about Craig’s explanation for the struggles of José Ramírez, and then (11:15) Ben and Craig talk to John Bitzer, founder and editor of the new site Baseball Trade Values, about designing the trade-simulation site, the challenges of valuing players and constructing fair baseball trades, how he used real trades to refine his trade model, whether teams might scout for front-office talent via his site, how he accounts for changing team behavior, the outlook for the 2019 trade deadline, and more. Then (49:12) Ben brings on astrophysicist and contributor to The Athletic Dr. Meredith Wills to discuss her groundbreaking research into the construction of the baseball, the difficulty of disassembling the ball, why and how the 2019 ball is different from the 2018 ball, the multiple phases of home-run-happy balls, what MLB could do to suppress the home-run rate, solving home run mysteries with science, and more.

Audio intro: Matthew Sweet, "Trade Places"

Audio interstitial: The Inbreds, "Drag Us Down"

Audio outro: Stevie Nicks (Feat. Don Henley), "Leather and Lace"

Link to Craig on Ramírez

Link to Baseball Trade Values

Link to Ben on internet commenters trying to trade for Stanton

Link to Ben on internet commenters trying to trade for Price

Link to Meredith’s new research into the 2019 ball

Link to Meredith on lace thickness

Link to Ben on blisters

Link to Ben and Rob on the 2015 home-run spike

Link to Ben and Rob on the ball at midseason 2016

Link to write-up of Alan Nathan’s 2017 Saber Seminar presentation

Link to 2018 MLB-commissioned report

Link to Rob on decreased drag in early 2019

Link to Rob on decreased drag in Triple-A in 2019

Link to Manfred’s latest comments about the ball

Link to article about Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud

Link to order The MVP Machine

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