Balls And Sticks

All the hockey headlines from around the league, including Erik Karlsson (1:00), Tyler Seguin (3:08), Austin Watson (4:08), Robin Lenher (7:05), new captains (10:25), RFA signings (11:46) and the biggest question facing each team in the Eastern Conference (13:09). Follow us on Twitter and see the associated blog post here!

The issue of service time (3:00), latest news in the AL (6:11), division races in the NL (11:45), important elbow-related news (14:09), fun statistical updates on the Astros' pitching staff and Mike Trout and Jacob deGrom (16:12), our hot take of the week (22:32). Follow us on Twitter!

The Max Pacioretty trade (1:00), Nate Schmidt's suspension (6:03), Blake Wheeler's extension (8:12), Noah Hanifin's contract (10:00), the biggest question facing each team in the Western Conference (11:26), early career progression (27:42). Follow us on Twitter and see the associated blog post here!

Our thoughts on fan policing and bandwagon fans (0:58), our experiences as as female sports fans (9:11), the role of suffering and hope in sports (16:30). Follow us on Twitter and see the associated blog post here!

Sixty seconds per NHL team: reasons to be pessimistic about last year's playoff teams (1:10) and reasons to be optimistic about teams that missed the playoffs (16:10). Follow us on Twitter!

How the August 31 deadline works (0:20), the AL East and Central (4:45), the AL West (7:18), the National League (9:25), our case for Jacob deGrom (10:45), why we love Players' Weekend (14:50), our stat of the week: pitch framing (19:45). Follow us on Twitter and follow us on Instagram!

#KarlssonWatch is back (1:05), our picks for next year's breakout players (3:53): Andreas Johnsson (4:30), Casey Mittelstadt (5:15), Dylan Strome (5:45), Travis Konecny (8:19), Alex Galchenyuk (10:08), Ty Rattie (11:52), Jordan Eberle (12:52), more on Mittelstadt because we just can't resist (14:22), our excitement over the season starting (16:11), more power play analysis (17:20). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

The Acuña/Ureña situation (0:32), the best thing on baseball Twitter last week (3:07), the ever-tightening battle in the AL West (5:00) and the rest of the division races (7:23), the update everyone's been waiting for on Mike Trout (9:10), why advanced stats belong in TV broadcasts (9:35), our heartwarming stories of the week (11:37), did you know Meg likes cycling? (15:23).

The losers (2:18) and winners (10:40) of the offseason (featuring Vancouver, Washington, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, New York, Buffalo, Toronto, and St. Louis), an analysis of last year’s top power play units (15:28). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

Cleveland's need for a new team name (0:30), our stance on bat flips (5:06), an update on all the injuries plaguing baseball and the state of the division races (7:05), our stat of the week: the slash line (19:30). Follow us on Twitter and follow us on Instagram!

Meg's hockey-heavy weekend (0:32), an update on the recent NHL headlines (3:53), incoming rookies who could compete for the 2019 Calder (9:50), a debate over which of last year's rookies will score the most points next year (24:04). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

Why we need hockey season to start ASAP (0:22), the result of William Karlsson's arbitration hearing and how other teams might follow the "Vegas model" (5:06), recent signings of John Gibson and Mark Stone (11:30), the crop of unsigned RFAs (16:00), Hannah's reaction to the Jeff Skinner trade (21:23). Follow us on Twitter and follow us on Instagram!

Jim Thome's HOF induction (1:30), Meg's reaction to the Osuna trade (3:34), LeBron James' new school (10:15), recent success from Bryce Harper (14:15) and the Red Sox (16:30) and the Oakland A's (18:35), recent impactful injuries (20:05), how Collin McHugh has put together such a successful season as a reliever (22:52) with our stat of the week: BABIP (27:03). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

Recent free agency updates (1:10), selecting a 2018 version of Team North America (6:45): defensemen (8:32), forwards (10:16), our indulgent picks (15:16), and goalies (18:14). Follow us on Twitter @ballsnstickspod and follow us on Instagram @ballsandstickspod!

An update on the divisional races and recent trades (2:01), Mike Trout and Rob Manfred's comments (6:25), declining attendance in baseball (11:50), the new trend of position players pitching (20:23), Meg says something nice about the A's (22:18), our heartwarming story of the week (24:21). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

The trade that bolstered Cleveland's bullpen (1:21), the rapid rise in popularity of the shift (3:30), the arguments for and against the shift (5:50), how hitters are (or aren't) adjusting to the shift (7:09), is the shift on its way to being outlawed? (11:53), our stat of the week: ultimate zone rating (18:56). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

The (lack of) NHL offseason headlines (0:30), our differing opinions on fighting in the NHL (2:24), the decline of the enforcer (5:34), what the old guard thinks of fighting (9:30), the downsides of "hits" as a statistic but how we can use it anyway (11:16). See this episode's associated blog post here, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

Our favorite moments from the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game (0:46), Josh Hader (5:42), where things stand in the NL (8:25) and the AL (15:14), the strangest walk-off of the year (29:22), our current MVP and Cy Young predictions (31:23), stat of the week: weighted runs created (34:01). Follow us on Twitter @ballsnstickspod and on Instagram @ballsandstickspod!

Recent goalie signings (2:40), how Kucherov's extension might affect #KarlssonWatch (7:01), updates on the unsigned restricted free agents (10:35), other players and teams who could be on the move (15:35), the strange situations with Panarin (17:55) and Pacioretty (21:42), Hannah's primer on women's hockey (26:55) and our thoughts on if there will ever be a woman in the NHL (37:38), our heartwarming story of the week (42:25). Follow us on Twitter @ballsnstickspod and on Instagram @ballsandstickspod!

Offseason updates (0:55), Meg's grievances with how people talk about captains in the NHL (4:30), current captainless teams in the league (10:26) including the Sabres (13:28) and the Leafs (19:08). Follow us on Twitter @ballsnstickspod and on Instagram @ballsandstickspod!