About this episode

Jeff and Mark discuss various baseball topics including rule changes, historical anecdotes, and baseball card stories.

Jeff and Mark open discussing Hideki Matsui’s scheduled lecture at the Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation and how he became an ‘expert’ on the subject. They review minor-league rule experiments, including moving second base again, check-swing challenges, limiting batter timeouts, counting PitchCom issues as mound visits, reducing disengagements, and allowing starters to re-enter, plus a DH-related idea. They cover an NPB postseason rule expanding “ghost wins” in the Climax Series and MLB’s spring training re-measurements to calibrate automated strike zones, noting several players’ height changes. In “Tales from the Dugout,” they recount 1900 Giants players rescuing people from a fire before a game that ended in a stalled tie, a 1944 Reds-Braves game finished in 1:15 on 58 pitches, and odd baseball card stories involving Mike Proly’s empty-bench card and forged Little Sun autographs. The episode ends with a 2003 Topps Wax Pack Heroes matchup. 00:00 Podcast Cold Open 00:51 Matsui Fertility Lecture 02:35 Minor League Rule Experiments 07:06 NPB Ghost Wins Debate 08:33 Measuring Strike Zones 13:45 1900 Fire Rescue Antics 18:19 1944 Speedrun Game 22:51 Mike Proly is…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jeff, Mark

Topics covered

• baseball history
• rule changes
• minor league
• NPB
• Tales from the Dugout
• baseball cards
• speedruns

Keywords

• Hideki Matsui
• minor league rules
• ghost wins
• strike zones
• baseball history
• speedrun games
• baseball cards

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation

Books & works: 2003 Topps Wax Pack Heroes

More episodes of Two Strike Noise - A Baseball History Podcast

• Episode 319 - Boomer Goes Boom for the Most Alcohol Fueled Perfect Game In MLB History · June 6, 2026 · 1h 9m
• Episode 318 - An Orel History of A Scoreless Innings Streak · May 30, 2026 · 1h 12m
• Episode 317 - Tales from the Dugout - Dentures Edition · May 17, 2026 · 54 min
• Episode 314 - Ken Williams - The Deaball Slugger Nobody Noticed · March 14, 2026 · 53 min
• Episode 313 - Clowning Around · March 7, 2026 · 57 min
• Episode 312 - Jackie Jensen, The 'Golden Boy' to the 'Grounded Boy' · March 1, 2026 · 1h 1m

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