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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 Orioles’ improbable playoff run, the post-Moneyball Athletics, and the rest of baseball’s pennant races. They also speak with writer Patrick Hruby about his decision to give up football and the morality of watching the sport. And finally, Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski joins the show to talk about the NHL lockout.

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

• Baseball’s extra wild card spots are keeping mediocre teams alive.
• Jeff Zimmerman at FanGraphs explains how the Orioles might make the playoffs despite a negative run differential.
• The Baltimore bullpen has been consistent and predictable, writes Deadspin’s Tom Scocca.
• Buck Showalter deserves some credit for the Orioles’ performance, says FanGraphs’ Graham Tyler.
• The Athletics’ lineup is cheap, but deep.
• Billy Beane’s big offseason acquisition has paid dividends.
• Patrick Hruby is done watching football.
• In the Washingtonian, Hruby wrote about football’s role in the death of 17-year-old Austin Trenum.
• Former players like Troy Aikman and Kurt Warner wouldn’t want their kids to play, writes ESPN.com’s Ashley Fox.
• In the Washington Post, Jason Reid wonders whether it’s ethical to cover football.
• Other writers contemplating the morality of watching football include Ta-Nehisi Coates, Will Leitch, Charles P. Pierce, Bill Simmons, and Dave Zirin.
• Deadspin’s Drew Magary writes that fans aren’t close to quitting football.
• Football’s popularity continues to grow, according to a poll conducted by the Washington Post.
• Concussion blogger Matt Chaney says modern medicine prevented approximately 100 football-related deaths in 2011.
• In the New Yorker, Ben McGrath writes that “averted danger is the essence of football.”
• The NHL lockout has begun.
• Dueling messages: from the NHLPA to the fans and from the NHL to the fans.
• In Puck Daddy, Wyshynski says Gary Bettman needs to “fix the the glitch” in the NHL’s economic system.
• ESPN’s Darren Rovell says hard-core hockey fans won’t leave.
• The National Post’s Bruce Arthur says the stalemate started seven years ago.
• Listen to Monday’s edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski, featuring the NHLPA’s Mathieu Schneider.

Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Magnitogorsks:

• Mike’s Magnitogorsk: Presbyterian lost 58-0 against Vanderbilt. It was the second consecutive 50-point loss for the Blue Hose.
• Stefan’s Magnitogorsk: The bulges at the top of the backs of the Australian women’s national soccer team might be special technology from GPSports used to track player movement.
• Josh’s Magnitogorsk: Roger Maris never had four kickoff return touchdowns in a single game. What he actually did might be more impressive.

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!