Infinite Inning 242: Hell-Bent to the Balls

David Roth returns to discuss the postseason thus far, remember bad Braves teams and worse shortstops, wonder at the complacency of the AL Central, and be psychically assaulted by “Citizens for Sanity.” Plus tales: The Reds’ revival in, and the Yankees aftermath, of the 1976 World Series, and the story of Liz Funk, an outfielder who came up with the wrong team at the wrong time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Anti-Complacency and the 1976 World Series*The Ballad of Liz Funk, Man in the Wrong Place*David Roth: Random Ron Gant Reference*Which Leads Inevitably to Alfredo Griffin*The Guardians Were Cheap*The Byron Buxton Conundrum*Every AL Central Team is Annoying In It’s Own Way*Rooting for Dusty/Joe Maddon, Numbers, and Nerds*The Wrong Pizza Hut*Once Again: George Steinbrenner’s Shrimp Scambi*Aaron Judge and Jacob deGrom’s Pizza Hut(s)*“Stop the Insanity”*Cheesy Cheddar Biscuits*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?