Eno, Britt and DVR discuss the many ways that baseball will change over the next 30 years, from automated strike zones to expansion, to finding ways to increase the number of balls in play, how different will the game look in 2052?Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_GhiroliFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperRelated LinksGrant Brisbee 'What Major League Baseball will be like in 2052': https://theathletic.com/3136290James Fegan 'The death of pitch framing? A potential automated strike zone looms over the future of catching': https://theathletic.com/3134661Subscribe to The Athletic at $1/mo for the first year: theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who cares about the lockout when Brett Phillips is visiting Starkville to remind us all how much fun baseball is! He talks about how he's staying in shape (working out with local high school teams!) and reflects on his World Series walk-off hit, facing the Blue Jays as a pitcher and much more.Plus Jayson and Doug do talk about the lockout and the progress that has been made. They brainstorm events for an MLB skills competition and try to stay hot in listener trivia.Follow Jayson on Twitter: @jaysonstFollow Doug on Twitter: @dougglanvilleFollow Brett Phillips on Twitter: @Brett_Phillips8Follow Mayor Tim on Twitter: @TimMMcMasterGet six months of The Athletic for just $1 per month at theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DVR and Keith discuss a few of Keith's top-ranked farm systems -- including the Dodgers, D-backs and Pirates -- and their prospects most likely to make an impact at some point in 2022. Follow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperFollow Keith on Twitter: @keithlawGet a subscription to The Athletic at $1/mo for the first six months by visiting theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno, Britt and DVR discuss what players are doing on their own in the absence of spring training, the increasingly difficult path to necessary offseason training facilities for minor-league players, and the seemingly limited paths to a better professional baseball landscape. Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_GhiroliFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperRelated LinksBritt, on the financial toll minor-league baseball takes on its players: https://theathletic.com/3130271Eno & Britt, on the minor-league players caught in limbo unable to sign contracts during the lockout: https://theathletic.com/3132562Subscribe to The Athletic at $1/mo for Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken and Tim start the show by discussing why it's looking more and more like regular season games will be lost to the MLB lockout. Then they open up the mailbag...-Is baseball considering how to promote the game to kids in these negotiations?-Will the minor league seasons go on despite the lockout?-Can players play in independent leagues or overseas if lockout continues?-How can we best evaluate General Managers?-Will a bigger competitive balance tax lead to a decrease in parity?-Is MLB umpiring good or bad?-Would MLB adapt a schedule where all teams play each other every year?-What types of hotels do teams stay in on the road?Those questions and more! To be a part of next week's episode call the voicemail at 646-543-7072 or email tabaseballshow@gmail.com.Follow Ken on Twitter: @Ken_RosenthalFollow Tim on Twitter: @TimMMcMasterKen's story on A.J. Preller: https://theathletic.com/2858560/2021/10/01/inside-the-padres-collapse-manager-gm-under-scrutiny-after-club-crumbles-down-the-stretch/Save 33% on an annual subscription to The Athletic at theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eno, Britt and DVR discuss The Athletic's recent MLB Mega-Mock Draft, in which 30 participants had to build a franchise through a seven-round draft, before wondering what the role of modern owners should realistically be, and answering mailbag questions about realignment and schedule changes, which baseballs will be used in 2022, and the impact of humidors in the nine parks where they're currently in use. Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_GhiroliFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperRelated LinksThe Athletic's MegaDraft Results & Recap: https://theathletic.com/3099160Baseball's Most Valuable Teams 2021 (Forbes, Mike Ozanian): https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2021/03/26/baseballs-most-valuable-teams-new-york-yankees-on-top-at-525-billion/Estimated Local TV Revenue for MLB Teams (FanGraphs, Craig Edwards): https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-update-the-estimated-local-tv-revenue-for-mlb-teams/Subscribe to The Athletic at 33% off for the first year: theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The start of Spring Training is about a week away but the owners and players remain far apart in their negotiations. Royals' All-Star Whit Merrifield visits Starkville with the players perspective on what has gone wrong and what needs to be figured out. He also tells the story of his journey to the Major Leagues, what makes him a great base stealer and much more.Jayson and Doug also discuss Groundhog Day, fix the tanking problem and discuss what baseball needs to do to match the NFL's playoff drama. All that plus trivia with Padres' broadcaster Jesse Agler!Follow Jayson on Twitter: @jaysonstFollow Doug on Twitter: @dougglanvilleFollow Whit on Twitter: @WhitMerrifieldFollow Jesse Agler on Twitter: @jesseaglerFollow Mayor Tim on Twitter: @TimMMcMasterSave 33% off an annual subscription to The Athletic at theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DVR and Keith discuss Keith's recently-released Top 100 Prospects List, focusing on the state of the rebuild in Baltimore, the Royals' path to a playoff berth with the impending arrival of Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez and Nick Pratto, Seattle's continued ascent in the AL West with four current top-50 prospects, and several MLB-ready players from the list including the Cards' Nolan Gorman, the Angels' Reid Detmers, and the Rays' Vidal Bruján. Follow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiperFollow Keith on Twitter: @keithlawSave 33% on a subscription to The Athletic by visiting theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britt, Eno & DVR take a team-by-team look at the five clubs in the NL East in an attempt to sort out what the rest of the offseason will look like once the lockout is over. Is Freddie Freeman destined to return to Atlanta? What else should the defending World Series Champions prioritize as they prepare for 2022?The Mets have already made a ton of moves to improve this winter, what other changes are in store?Can the Phillies find outfield and bullpen help and keep pace with the frontrunners in this division?Will the Nats make a handful of small moves to bolster their big-league roster once they're able to do so, or is longer rebuild unfolding?And, could the Marlins be positioned to increase their payroll and complement their young pitching in the wake of a new TV deal last year?Follow Britt on Twitter: @Britt_GhiroliFollow Eno on Twitter: @enosarrisFollow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, the owners and players made some progress in their negotiations a week ago, but the movement was minor and the sides are still far apart on almost every major talking point. Ken Rosenthal digs into that problem before opening up this week's mailbag to answer these questions from our listeners...-When will a decision be made regarding cancelling games?-Are teams currently talking trades that will be finished after lockout?-Where will Seiya Suzuki sign?-Would extra arbitration year lead to more non-tenders?-Will Bob Nutting sell the Pirates?-How does baseball get action back into the game?-Fixing MLB's blackout problem?Those questions and more! To be a part of next week's episode call the voicemail at 646-543-7072 or email tabaseballshow@gmail.com.Follow Ken on Twitter: @Ken_RosenthalFollow Tim on Twitter: @TimMMcMasterSave 33% on an annual subscription to The Athletic at theathletic.com/baseballshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices