Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1951 comedy, “Rhubarb.” They introduce the film (0:55), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers. They review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (7:17), then begin their grading with Amount of Baseball (13:58). Baseball Accuracy (18:09) considers the origin of the term “rhubarb” and its journey into baseball terminology (Red Barber), as well as Rhubarb the cat’s luckiness (Brad Miller). Also considered are the 1914 Braves (Joe Connolly, Rabbit Maranville, Johnny Evers, Bill James, Lefty Tyler, Dick Rudolph), cats on the field, and the rally squirrel (Dominic Brown, Scott Kingery, Aaron Altherr), suspended and tie games, and mascot origins. Storytelling (43:55) wrangles with the film’s silliness, as well as Banner’s will, the many cats of the courtroom, Rhubarb’s capture, Polly’s sniffing abilities, making it rain (literally), pets inheriting money, as well as a quick overview of Rhubarb’s two sequels. The Score (1:17:17) does not have a lot going on, but there are some definite highlights to the Acting (1:21:16). With little in the way of baseball, however, Ellen and Eric are limited in their consideration of Delightfulness of Catcher (1:25:06) and Delightfulness of Announcer (1:25:28). Myra’s athleticism and attitude are a big part of the discussion of Lack of Misogyny (1:27:39), as is the pretty admirable character of Polly. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:38:56), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:44:11), Favorite Moment (1:45:29) Least Favorite Moment (1:47:02), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:48:30), Dreamiest Player (1:50:59), Favorite Performance (1:51:37) Review Thank You (1:54:07) and Next Time (1:55:28).

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the classic 1984 film, "The Natural." They introduce the film (2:00), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers. They review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (6:52), and then Ellen issues the first apology in Take Me In to the Ballgame history. Amount of Baseball (15:88) kicks us off with a disagreement, as they discuss the Amount of Non-Baseball versus the iconic, thirst-quenching nature of the baseball depicted, plus a player comp. Baseball Accuracy (21:27) discusses Eddie Waitkus and Ruth Ann Steinhagen, Ted Williams, Wheaties and Lou Gehrig, the Wrigley clock and Bama Rowell, and spitballs and Burleigh Grimes. Is there an issue with Roy Hobbs hitting a walk-off homer on the road? Eric enlightens us on the process of boning a bat. Ellen wonders if Pop is a bad manager. They also address baseball superstition (with reference to Rhys Hoskins and Wade Boggs), commemorative patches, the 1939 Giants (Mel Ott & Carl Hubbell), Reds (Ernie Lombardi & Bucky Walters) and Pirates, the bribe amount, and disintegrating baseballs (Martin Maldonado). Ellen considers the One Baseball Superman problem, the Baseball Is Hard problem, and does a breakdown of Hobbs's final at bat. Storytelling (54:20) addresses Arthurian and Homeric legends, the beautiful cinematography, the "16 years later" cut, the nature of Harriet's mental illness, and some confusion around Roy's flaw and the shame of being shot. What was Roy doing for 16 years? Can someone explain these medical issues? They also discuss Roy's magic, the newspaper photos of Iris, various issues with Judge, the son's whereabouts, and Roy's stay in the maternity ward. The Score (1:24:29) lays praise at the majestic feet of Randy Newman's score. Acting (1:28:56) lauds the ensemble, with special mention of Robert Redford, Glenn Close, Wilford Brimley and Richard Farnsworth, and a question about Kim Basinger. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:39:15) considers Olsen's catcher-esque story function and recognition of Hobbs despite not knowing he was a pitcher, without being a prominent character. Plus, some bonus catchers. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:42:44) is another disagreement. Get ready for Lack of Misogyny (1:46:31), in which our scouts discuss women as either bad-luck seductresses or patient angels in a Madonna/Whore binary, where ultimately women are only a function of their impact on men. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:55:37), Six Degrees of Baseball (2:03:21), Favorite Moment (2:05:33) Least Favorite Moment (2:08:09), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (2:10:22), Dreamiest Player (2:12:09), Favorite Performance (2:13:26) Review Thank You (2:17:58) and Next Time (2:18:25).

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 2012 indie zombie film "The Battery." They introduce the film (2:13), with an overview of the story, cast, and filmmakers--including the almost supernatural circumstances of its making. They review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (8:44), and have a brief parental advisory: there will be some discussion that is not appropriate for younger listeners. Then, they begin with Amount of Baseball (15:43), discussing the feasibility of fielding a full baseball team in the zombie apocalypse, or in a film with six total living characters. "The Benchwarmers" rears its head. They consider the baseball activities shown instead, including killing a zombie with a baseball bat, and dissecting a baseball, with reverence to the work of Dr. Meredith Wills. Baseball Accuracy (21:27) queries what kind of pitcher Mickey is, and addresses the theory of friendship between a pitcher and a catcher. Eric dives in on Pittsfield baseball history, and Ellen discusses an excellent BP article by Octavio Hernandez about changeup and curveball usage amongst Dominican and Venezuelan baseball players. The John Kruk defense is invoked. Storytelling (54:43) addresses the establishment of the dynamic between Mickey and Ben, the careful and deliberate way that the past is shared with the audience, the toothbrushing scene, usage of long takes, the Mickey Needs Some Action storyline, and the subversion of expectations. The Score (55:09) revels in music by Rock Plaza Central, Brother Claude Ely, Sun Hotel, Wise Blood, The Parlor, and Ryan Winford's score. The scouts also refer to their appearances on Al Melchior's "You Me and an Album" and the "Jaws"-reference usage of "Show Me the Way to Go Home." Acting (1:03:08) focuses on the performances of Jeremy Gardner and Adam Cronheim. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:09:02) considers the very high Amount of Catcher, and what a catcher would do in a zombie apocalypse. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:12:59) also, in its way, considers the Amount of Announcer. In Lack of Misogyny (1:13:38), the scouts find they have a lot to say about the one live woman and the one main dead one, and how women function in the storytelling. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:25:21), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:29:07), Favorite Moment (1:30:07) Least Favorite Moment (1:32:22), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:35:57), Dreamiest Player (1:37:47), Favorite Performance (1:38:17) Review Thank You (1:39:02) and Next Time (1:39:50).

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde scout the 1994 movie, “Little Big League,” grading it on the 20-80 scouting scale. They introduce the film (2:29) before reviewing the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (8:26). In Amount of Baseball (15:05), they are dazzled by the variety and amount of on-field play, and a player comp comes courtesy of MLB The Show. Baseball Accuracy (19:32) considers the overwhelming number of players referenced and appearing in the film (Babe Herman, Dazzy Vance, Ralph Branca, Bobby Thompson, Willie Mays, Moses Fleetwood Walker, Jackie Robinson, Roger Clemens, Walter Johnson, Whitey Herzog, Bobby Valentine, Bob Lemon, Rickey Henderson, Tommy LaSorda, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Wahoo Sam Crawford, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco (indirect as Billy’s friends are called the B.B.), Reggie Jackson, Wade Boggs, Sammy Sosa, Bob Uecker, Bo Jackson, Danny Tartabull, Cecil Fielder, Casey Stengel, Freddy Lindstrom, with APPEARANCES by Dave Magadan, Dean Palmer, Eric Anthony, Alex Fernandez, Lenny Webster, Lou Piniella, Rafael Palmeiro, Pudge Rodriguez, Sandy Alomar Jr., Wally Joiner, Mickey Tettleton, Carlos Baerga, Tim Raines, Paul O’Neill, Ken Griffey Jr, and Randy Johnson), Rickey Henderson’s free agency, owners being managers and stadium ownership, illegal pitches (Joe Niekro, Kevin Gross, and Roger McDowell), the crowd at the end, and Little League accuracy. The film’s quality to popularity ratio sends Ellen into an existential crisis to start off Storytelling (51:26), which then leads to discussions of growing up too quickly, the importance of having fun, the issues of presenting Jenny as a struggling single mother, the case for Billy as a bad manager, questionable child references, undercutting O’Farell’s tantrums, the security guard, and kid vs. adult wish fulfillment. Score Tool (1:19:54) laments the music that the team considers forgettable and uninspired, as well as John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” and the Band’s cover of Muddy Waters’ “Stuff You Gotta Watch.” Acting (1:25:07) considers the entire ensemble, including Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Kevin Dunn, John Ashton, Jason Robards, Dennis Farina, Jonathan Silverman, as well as the general dynamic between child and adult actors. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:31:12) focuses on the value of Mark’s redemption, with some time devoted to Mickey Tettleton’s bad attitude. Delightfulness of Announcer (1:33:56) is a celebration of John Gordon and the weirdly specific baseball stats he shares. Lack of Misogyny (1:36:32) is a bit unfortunate in comparison, with female characters only presented in relation to men and frequently being pretty vapid. Some strange song choices, too! No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:41:38), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:45:36), Favorite Moment (1:48:05) Least Favorite Moment (1:50:43), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:53:02), Dreamiest Player (1:55:27), Favorite Performance (1:56:32), Review Thank You (1:59:32), and Next Time (1:59:56)

With Ellen Adair away, Eric Gilde brings in Chicago native Scott Thomas to revisit “Rookie of the Year” in a “Replay Review!” After introductions are made (1:25), they review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating the film (16:45). In Amount of Baseball (25:12), Scott does some geographic detective work, and also shares his grading philosophy. The consideration of Baseball Accuracy (18:35) is not just for the sport but for Chicago baseball generally, with much discussion of players of the era (Randy Myers, Jose Bautista, Mark Grace, Andre Dawson, Ryan Sandberg, Kerry Wood, Greg Maddux, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, and Ozzie Guillen, among others!). Storytelling (37:20) has a number of fresh takes, and Score (45:08) hits not just on Bill Conti, but Aaron Copland and Puff Daddy, as well. Acting (52:26) gets praised for its high floor, with a few real standouts. There is quick agreement on Delightfulness of Catcher (56:28) and a fresh take on John Candy’s performance for Delightfulness of Announcer (56:57). After continuing to sing Amy Morton’s praises as a part of Lack of Misogyny (1:00:37), the two move on to an abridged version of the remaining questions (1:03:12), before a reminder of what to catch Next Time (1:11:28).

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1992 Seinfeld episode, “The Boyfriend.” They introduce the episode (1:34), and review the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating it (5:47). In Amount of Baseball (12:28), the scouts consider how the presence of actual baseball players impacts their scoring. Baseball Accuracy (17:02) considers Keith Hernandez’s status as a Civil War buff, defensive acumen, and 1979 MVP award (with nods to Greg Maddux and Willie Stargell). Also discussed are Roger McDowell’s antics (Gary Carter and Tommy Greene) and the 1986 World Series. Praise of jokes and structure make up a lot of the discussion of Storytelling (37:20), as does an examination of Keith and Jerry’s friendship. After talking about the Score (51:59), Eric and Ellen then talk acting (54:44), with praise of the ensemble and thoughts on Jerry Seinfeld’s acting ability specifically. Delightfulness of Catcher (1:01:14) and Delightfulness of Announcer (1:01:59) are pretty thin, but Jerry’s behavior around Keith and George’s date give Ellen and Eric plenty to consider in Lack of Misogyny (1:02:14). No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:08:31), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:12:59), Favorite Moment (1:13:36), Least Favorite Moment (1:15:47), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:18:53), Dreamiest Player (1:21:11), Favorite Performance (1:21:37) Review Thank You (1:24:00) and Next Time (1:24:45).

Ellen Adair and Brian Gene White grade an episode of "Hey Arnold!" entitled "The Baseball" on the 20-80 scouting scale, with an intermission on the 2024 World Series Champion Dodgers. They introduce the show, with background on the creators (1:58) and provide a summary of this episode's story (6:12). A quick overview of the 20-80 scouting scale for those just joining us (7:15). Amount of Baseball (8:07) looks at a couple of ways that Ellen breaks with precedent in scoring this category, and at the diversity of the kinds of baseball in this episode. Baseball Accuracy (17:44) discusses the player positioning in the streetball game and some other animation faux pas, whether physics-accuracy-is-baseball-accuracy applies to this cartoon, the accuracy of Quigley Field w/r/t Ebbets Field, Shibe Park, and the Polo Grounds, and issues with Arnold having Mickey Kaline as his favorite player. The scouts dive in on some Mickey Mantle and Al Kaline comparisons with the fictional Mickey Kaline, along with references to Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Ellen tests their ability to do a teeny tiny deep dive considering every player who homered on their last at bat, and talks about the accounting of Al Kaline's last game in Joe Posnanski's BASEBALL 100. Storytelling (43:31) talks about the primacy of stories of baseball players facing retirement in baseball media, and its metaphorical implications. They consider a few real-life baseball players, such as Chase Utley, Albert Pujols, Roberto Clemente, Ken Griffey Jr., and parallels to what's currently happening in the TV/film industry. Brian shares an interesting fact about the young voice actors in "Hey Arnold!" Both envy Arnold's room and community, and discuss Kaline's nickname. Ellen compares a story moment to Don Delillo's UNDERWORLD. Then, an INTERMISSION (1:00:16) in which Brian and Ellen discuss the 2024 Dodgers and their postseason, with a segment Ellen has titled Three Things, which challenges both of them to choose three answers to various Dodgers-related prompts. No spoilers on the names and moments discussed here as they look at the Dodgers' path to their 2024 World Series Championship. They return to grading with the Score Tool (1:25:38). Acting (1:29:00) considers the performances of Dan Castellaneta, Tress MacNeille, Ron Perlman, Toran Caudell, Jamil Walker Smith, Francesca Marie Smith, James Keane, and Dom Irrera. Delightfulness of Catcher Character (1:35:29) weighs Helga as catcher and Delightfulness of Announcer (1:38:45) Billy Riback as "TV Reporter/Announcer." Lack of Misogyny (1:40:27) leaves us feeling good. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:43:15) Six Degrees of Baseball (1:45:56) Favorite Moment (1:46:22) Least Favorite Moment (1:46:50) Scene We'd Like to See (1:47:10) Dreamiest Player (1:48:41) and Favorite Performance (1:48:52). Follow Brian Gene White on Instagram/Threads @briangenewhite, and find Ellen Adair on Bluesky and Tiktok @ellenadair, on Twitter at @ellen_adair, and on Instagram/Threads @ellenadairg.

Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde discuss the 1942 Disney short, “How To Play Baseball,” starring many, many Goofys. They introduce the cartoon (1:55), with Ellen clarifying precedent established concerning cartoon short eligibility as a baseball film (per a previous ruling discussed between Alan Sepinwall, Joe Posnanski, and Mike Schur). This is of course followed by a review of the 20-80 baseball scouting grades for rating it (7:59). Amount of Baseball (14:30) gets help from its status as ratio-based. Baseball Accuracy (16:50) considers the cartoon’s example and argument of the game’s simplicity, the ball and glove (A.G. Spalding, Rawlings, Charlie Waitt, Doug Allison, Bill Doak), descriptions of pitch types, the World Series player shares, and hitting the cover off the ball (Martin Maldonado, Tony Walters, Jose Reyes, Bryce Harper, Jose Abreu). Ellen and Eric then turn to Storytelling (47:55), where they consider the cartoon’s structure of a descriptive half followed by a narrative half. Goofy and goofiness are praised, generally, and questions arise about fights with the umpire, which team the viewer really should be rooting for, and the notion of sentient baseballs. Swing music and high stakes come into play when discussing the Score (56:46), and Acting (58:31) discusses the skill and limits of Fred Shields’ narration. Delightfulness of Catcher (59:56) and Delightfulness of Announcer (1:02:25) and Lack of Misogyny (1:04:21) discussions are limited due to the nature and contents of this short cartoon. No spoilers on the following segments: Yes or No (1:06:12), Six Degrees of Baseball (1:12:07), Favorite Moment (1:15:16) Least Favorite Moment (1:16:49), Scene We Would Have Liked to See (1:19:46), Dreamiest Player (1:21:37), Favorite Performance (1:23:20) Review Thank You (1:25:30) and Next Time (1:27:25).