Slate’s sports podcast on the Stephen Strasburg shutdown, Melky Cabrera’s suspension, and incredibly shrinking NFL behemoths.

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In this week’s episode of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss the Nationals’ plan to shut down Stephen Strasburg and whether teams should protect the long-term health of their players at the expense of winning. They also discuss San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera’s drug suspension and speak with former NFL defensive lineman Trevor Pryce about whether pro football players are getting skinnier.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:

• Shutting down Stephen Strasburg “isn’t stupid. It’s just not smart, either,” writes Yahoo’s Jeff Passan.
• ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark takes a comprehensive look at all aspects of the Strasburg debate.
• A neat graph projecting Strasburg’s shutdown date.
• The Nationals could use Strasburg in the playoffs and limit his innings, writes David Leonhardt of the New York Times.
• Strasburg’s agent Scott Boras supports the Nationals’ decision.
• Melky Cabrera was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for testosterone.
• The Giants’ outfielder used a fake website in an attempt to avoid the suspension, the New York Daily News reports.
• In Slate, Brian Palmer writes that PEDs have long-term performance benefits.
• Ryan Braun avoided a PED suspension earlier this year, thanks to a technicality.
• Why athletes fail drug tests, in their own words.
• Trevor Pryce writes in the New York Times that NFL players are getting smaller but the game is getting faster and more dangerous.
• There was only one 300-pound player in 1970 and now there are approximately 400.
• Grantland’s Jonathan Abrams and Robert Mays discuss how linemen lose weight when their football careers are finished.

Hang Up and Listen’s weekly JIBBOOMS:

• Mike’s JIBBOOM: Robert Griffin III should start training for the 2016 Olympics as a hurdler.
• Stefan’s JIBBOOM: The Patriots signed Jeff Demps, who is one of several Olympic athletes to play in the NFL. The list also includes Stone Johnson and Randy Dean.
• Josh’s JIBBOOM: Ostrich racing can make for a fun-filled family event. Watch some ostriches in action.
  

Podcast production and edit by Mike Vuolo. Our intern is Eric Goldwein.

You can e-mail us at hangup@slate.com.

The Hang Up and Listen T-shirt, designed by listener Todd Johnson, is now on sale. A shirt can be had for as little as $15.75, and you can choose between two color schemes—the green-and-gold “Oakland” edition or the red “Portland” edition. Support the show by buying both!