The Infinite Inning

Latest Episodes:

The Infinite Inning #30: Here's Why I Didn't Go To Work Today Nov 22, 2017

Show notes

In a short Thanksgiving episode—short by Infinite Inning standards, anyway—we visit the soft places of the Infinite Inning, including hypothetical whiskey-pushing gangsters who had it in for the Cardinals, when the pressures of World War II caused New York Giants fans to threaten to riot during a performance of the National Anthem, and the frightening place that is the family dinner table at holiday-time.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Giancarlo Stanton and You Prowl the Unquiet Lands*Steve’s annual Thanksgiving avoidance recital*Here’s Why Flint Rhem Didn’t Go to Work Today*Harry Nilsson: “(Thursday) Here’s Why I Did Not Go to Work Today”*The Giants lose by a national anthem and a blackout*Errol Flynn: “That’s What You Jolly Well Get”*Goodbyes.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

The Infinite Inning #029: Brian McCanns All the Way Down Nov 11, 2017

Show notes

David Roth (Deadspin) returns to take on the World Series, Yuli Gurriel, and Papa John’s.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lou Whitaker, Walter Briggs, and the Hall of Fame*No one who cares about you would use your kindness against you*David Roth: Falsettos*Farewell to wannabe sportscaster Chris Christie*Roth’s national pizza rankings*Why do we accept bad chains?*Oatmeal for dinner*Cats who eat Dunkin’ Donuts*The Yuli Gurriel World Series incident*Celebrating Yasiel Puig*The Mets hire a new manager*Goodbyes.
WARNING: As is typical for David Roth episodes, there is light intermittent swearing.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

The Infinite Inning #028: When the Shortstop Made the Pitcher Cry Nov 04, 2017

Show notes

Author Paul Dickson joins Steve to discuss his new book, Leo Durocher: Baseball’s Prodigal Son. Plus, the Dodgers bullpen at Jutland and a note on eternal World Series goat Roger Peckinpaugh.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Jutland*Roger Peckinpaugh’s first World Series*Paul Dickson: How do you write 60 books?*The demise of the slicks*Durocher wasn’t a nice guy, but was he a good guy?*Slapping Babe Ruth*The 1947 suspension*Leo and money*Leo and race*Leo vs. Ernie Banks*Leo vs. Ron Santo*Leo lies about his childhood and Nice Guys Finish Last*Durocher as Branch Rickey’s Prodigal Son*The Dodgers 1943 clubhouse rebellion*Bookies in the dugout*What made Durocher a great manager?*Haunted by Casey and Bill Veeck*The Bonus Army*“Wikipedia conspires against the truth”*Goodbyes.
WARNING: One cussword is said this week. It’s a historical quotation and therefore unavoidable. Please warn the children that adults sometimes say things like this and they’re just sounds.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

The Infinite Inning #027: Effectively Wilderness Oct 27, 2017

Show notes

Ben Lindbergh (Effectively Wild podcast, The Ringer) returns to not breakdown the postseason, not talk about starting a family, and not talk about all the managers. Actually, we do cover that last one, and some of the others as well. Plus: Fred Merkle vs. the Stoics.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Me and My Friend Fred*Bucky Harris, Gene Mauch, Joe Girardi, and Stuckness*The Wedding Bell Blues*Starting a Family Blues*Not Necessarily a World Series Conversations*Cubs-Indians still lingers*When writers root, fans say “We,” and Will Leitch yelled at Steve*Dusty Baker moves on*Managers who grew on the job/Joe McCarthy vs. Ted Williams*Ron Gardenhire’s compromised second chance and Mickey Callaway’s comprised first*Ron Gardenhire Origin Stories*Brad Ausmus, Joe Girardi, and fireable offenses*Lindbergh on Bullpenning*Goodbyes.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

The Infinite Inning 026: Night of the Living Craig Oct 20, 2017

Show notes

Craig Calcaterra (Hardball Talk) returns to talk postseason baseball and the way flawed memory can distort our memories. Plus: The Marriage of Casey Stengel and manager inaction in the World Series.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This is How Casey Ran*Owens, Henrich, and Another Casey*Craig Calcaterra: Expansion Dreaming*Derek Jeter’s Marlins Plan of Destruction*MLBPA Accommodationist?*The MLBAM success story*The CC Sabathia Reunion Tour*Mortality? Nah*It was better in our steroidal day*A moment with the Warren Report and The Collusion Period*The past is never dead; it's not even past*Cheap home runs*Batman and the different versions of baseball*1950s baseball was the worse*Bo Jackson: Gen-X Hero*Closers/tie game/road*Goodbyes.

The Infinite Inning 025: Forever, The Binder-Man Oct 13, 2017

Show notes

Jesse Spector (FanRag and so much more) returns to recap the postseason, argue about home runs, and be barked at by his dog.
WARNING: There’s one mild cussword and Jesse’s dog Youppi makes a sudden, shocking appearance that nearly caused the host to soil his undergarments.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Phlegmatic Lou*Larry McLean Learns Something Too Late*Jesse Spector: Sixteen hours of baseball*Joe Girardi’s Boner*The Redemption Cliché*Girardi vs. his clubhouse*Joe Girardi/Jorge Posada/Austin Romine/Gary Sanchez*Joe Torre’s elocution and Barry Bonds’ ear*Barry Bonds’ head vs. JFK’s head*Girardi’s Boner II*Coffee Joe*Managing the playoffs vs. managing in the regular season*The 1947 World Series, Yogi Berra/Gary Sanchez*Dave Henderson memories*Power in the postseason*O Home Run Be Joyful*Back to the 1980s*VP gestures*Goodbyes.

The Infinite Inning #024: The Sweet and Innocent Before-Times Oct 05, 2017

Show notes

Cliff Corcoran (Sports on Earth) returns to simultaneously preview and review the early postseason.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ducky and the Produce Truck*A Manager Wrecks and Arm, 1920 Edition*Cliff Corcoran: From Bud Selig with Love: The mystery of the Brewers’ logo*The Wild-Card play-in games Part 1*Does the postseason truly validate the best team?*Teams are mutable*Finishing the season against your playoff opponent (Red Sox-Astros)*A pause to talk about the tragedy in Las Vegas*Twins vs. Yankees*Closers: Shut up*Bullpenning*Rockies-Diamondbacks*Joe Girardi stats*J.D. Martinez, greatest deadline acquisition ever?*Something purely redundant*The Wild-Card play-in games Part 2*Goodbyes.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

Infinite Inning #023: Oh Say Can't You See? Sep 28, 2017

Show notes

Steven is joined by historian Mary Craig (Baseball Prospectus, Beyond the Box Score) to discuss the intersection of sports and politics as we see it and/or refuse to see it today. Along the way, Herbert Hoover doesn’t meet Babe Ruth and Tom Seaver crosses into John Lennon territory.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
War is over if Tom Seaver wants it*Herbert Hoover goes to a ballgame*Mary Craig: John Locke was such a racist (and Martin Heidegger was a Nazi)*Days of Taking a Knee and the Myth of Baseball’s Depoliticization*Baseball’s color line in context*Stick to sports?*Baseball and the National Anthem*Retroactive homogenization*Mr. Maddon goes to Washington*The difference between a team and a political figure*What does a Red Sox cap stand for?*Where do you draw the line on accountability?*The younger generation*The intent of the Framers*How can you stick to sports when you’ve never stuck to sports?*The Joe Maddon mystique*Hannah Arendt and Thucydides show up; can Herodotus be far behind?*Goodbyes.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

The Infinite Inning Episode #022: Agents Of Chaos And Hilarity Sep 21, 2017

Show notes

Marc Normandin of SBNation.com joins Steve to talk postseason baseball, the Boston Red Sox, and the soap opera that is professional wrestling. We also have a more positive encounter with Mickey Cochrane and Phil Rizzuto in the Pacific.
WARNING: There is the odd cussword this week, but we omitted a potential anecdote about Rizzuto’s testicles so it’s all okay.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
More managerial wisdom from Mickey Cochrane*Phil Rizzuto’s war*Marc Normandin: Cheers vs. Frasier*An awkward beginning? (Podcasts, Marc Maron, GLOW)*In the land of professional wrestling*Marc reviews GLOW and Foxcatcher*Actor’s Studio: Dave Bautista vs. The Rock*The Othering*Has 2017 been a good baseball season?*Different opinions of what constitutes fun in October*Win 100 games, finish second*Rooting for a losing team in the playoffs*The San Francisco Giants: What?*The left-handedest Red Sox team since the 1950s*Rick Porcello and the juiced ball*The Doug Fister Moment*Chris Sale’s secret*Slumpy guys: Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts*Must criticize Eduardo Nunez*Standing desks and fainting*Goodbyes.
The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

Infinite Inning #021 The Day Chris Sale Became A Right-Hander Sep 14, 2017

Show notes

David Roth returns to discuss the intersection of the NFL, MLB, and the joys of postseason baseball, plus tales of emotionally distressed catchers.
WARNING: There is the odd cussword this week, artistically deployed. It’s a David Roth episode.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
“What breaks a contender?” 1911 Edition*Black Mike’s Black Dog*David Roth: A friend of us all*Roth’s remembrance of 9/11*MLB, the NFL, and kabuki patriotism*Roth’s “Getting Used to” the NFL*When leagues tolerate bad franchises*Owners vs. players vs. empathy*Joe DiMaggio slurred in Life*Sports is not your safe space*The 2017 regular season vs. the 2017 playoffs*Jose Reyes, thin mint wafer*For 50 at-bats anyone can be great*Pat Borders, Al Weiss, Nelson Cruz, Cooke Lavagetto, Bill Bevens*Roth’s Ratio*There’s a sucker born every minute (on Twitter)*America is in a rebuilding season*Goodbyes.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected