Almost Cooperstown
464 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago -We're a father & son who love to talk and argue about baseball! Baseball is the professional sport that has the longest history so there is a lot to talk about. We launched Almost Cooperstown noting that baseball contains a long history of players that, for whatever reasons, have been shunned by the electors of the Hall of Fame. Consequently here are many 'Almost' players still waiting their turn for induction. With less than 1.5% of the now more than 23,000 players in the HOF, we feel there should be more players included. In these podcasts we discuss the current season as well as the HOF. Please send any messages to [email protected].
Baseball articles can be found here: https://almostcooperstown.substack.com/publish/posts
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Episodes
Best World Series 'Ever' Candidates - Ep. 333
November 03, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBWill this year's World Series be one of the greatest ever? One team won 87 games the other 107 so that's a good start. Do the greatest World Series in history have to be 7 games? It certainly helps! We talk about all the 7 game series' since 1950, great moments in game 7's and otherwise (last at-bat kind of stuff). We also discuss game times and why there are still no day games during the World Series (disappointingly) and being a west coast baseball fan is very different especially ...
Ep. 333 - Best World Series 'Ever' Candidates
November 03, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBWill this year's World Series be one of the greatest ever? One team won 87 games the other 107 so that's a good start. Do the greatest World Series in history have to be 7 games? It certainly helps! We talk about all the 7 game series' since 1950, great moments in game 7's and otherwise (last at-bat kind of stuff). We also discuss game times and why there are still no day games during the World Series (disappointingly) and being a west coast baseball fan is very different especially ...
Ep. 332 - 100 Wins in a season - it don't mean a thing!
October 27, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBThe 87-win Phillies are showing the world that winning 100 games far from guarantees a World Series victory. The Mariners in 2001 won a whopping 116 games but did not even reach the WS! This year for the 2nd time (4) teams won 100 games or more but only one is still playing - the Astros. It didn't help the Braves (who've won 100 7x in franchise history but never won WS when they won 100 games), Mets or Dodgers. Winning 100 games is a little bit cool and fun for the fans since they go ho...
Ep. 332 - 100 Wins in a season - it don't mean a thing!
October 27, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBThe 87-win Phillies are showing the world that winning 100 games far from guarantees a World Series victory. The Mariners in 2001 won a whopping 116 games but did not even reach the WS! This year for the 2nd time (4) teams won 100 games or more but only one is still playing - the Astros. It didn't help the Braves (who've won 100 7x in franchise history but never won WS when they won 100 games), Mets or Dodgers. Winning 100 games is a little bit cool and fun for the fans since they go ho...
100 Wins in a season - it don't mean a thing! - Ep. 332
October 27, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBThe 87-win Phillies are showing the world that winning 100 games far from guarantees a World Series victory. The Mariners in 2001 won a whopping 116 games but did not even reach the WS! This year for the 2nd time (4) teams won 100 games or more but only one is still playing - the Astros. It didn't help the Braves (who've won 100 7x in franchise history but never won WS when they won 100 games), Mets or Dodgers. Winning 100 games is a little bit cool and fun for the fans since they go ho...
Ep. 331 - Texas Rangers Team Deep Dive #5
October 20, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBOriginally the 2nd incarnation of the Washington Senators, the Rangers moved to Texas in 1972 from D.C. The Rangers are again a team that has never won the World Series. There's only one more team we've yet to cover with a deep dive that has not won a WS. So you can guess the next one pretty easily. We talk about the team history, success, lack of success, and the best players to wear a Ranger uniform. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion f...
Ep. 331 - Team Deep Dive #5 - Texas Rangers
October 20, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBOriginally the 2nd incarnation of the Washington Senators, the Rangers moved to Texas in 1972 from D.C. The Rangers are again a team that has never won the World Series. There's only one more team we've yet to cover with a deep dive that has not won a WS. So you can guess the next one pretty easily. We talk about the team history, success, lack of success, and the best players to wear a Ranger uniform. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion f...
Team Deep Dive #5 - Texas Rangers - Ep. 331
October 20, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBOriginally the 2nd incarnation of the Washington Senators, the Rangers moved to Texas in 1972 from D.C. The Rangers are again a team that has never won the World Series. There's only one more team we've yet to cover with a deep dive that has not won a WS. So you can guess the next one pretty easily. We talk about the team history, success, lack of success, and the best players to wear a Ranger uniform. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion f...
Ep. 330 - Did Aaron Judge Have the Greatest Season Ever?
October 13, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MBAaron Judge is 6'7" & 282 lbs. of baseball amazingness. Shohei Ohtani might be the most outstanding player in baseball this season (again) but Judge was most valuable as without him the Yankees would be watching the playoffs on TV like 22 other MLB teams. We put Judge's 2022 season up against some of the other greatest offensive seasons in MLB history and he compares very well. But it;'s not the best season ever. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a...
Did Aaron Judge Have the Greatest Season Ever? - Ep. 330
October 13, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MBAaron Judge is 6'7" & 282 lbs. of baseball amazingness. Shohei Ohtani might be the most outstanding player in baseball this season (again) but Judge was most valuable as without him the Yankees would be watching the playoffs on TV like 22 other MLB teams. We put Judge's 2022 season up against some of the other greatest offensive seasons in MLB history and he compares very well. But it;'s not the best season ever. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a...
Ep. 329 - 2022 Mets Season Post-Mortem and Therapy
October 12, 2022 12:00 - 34 minutes - 24.1 MBThis is an extra episode since we will still drop our weekly Thursday episode tomorrow. As we note in the podcast we needed to this as much for ourselves as for our listeners. It's only been a couple of days since the Mets were booted out of the 2022 MLB Playoffs by the Padres. While it was a really fun season to be a Met fan the disappointment of being ousted early will smart for a while. We just had to talk about our feelings - raw as they are, on the season and what's possibly in sto...
2022 Mets Season Post-Mortem and Therapy - Ep. 329
October 12, 2022 12:00 - 34 minutes - 24.1 MBThis is an extra episode since we will still drop our weekly Thursday episode tomorrow. As we note in the podcast we needed to this as much for ourselves as for our listeners. It's only been a couple of days since the Mets were booted out of the 2022 MLB Playoffs by the Padres. While it was a really fun season to be a Met fan the disappointment of being ousted early will smart for a while. We just had to talk about our feelings - raw as they are, on the season and what's possibly in sto...
Ep. 329 - 2022 Mets Season Post-Mortem and Therapy
October 12, 2022 12:00 - 34 minutes - 24.1 MBThis is an extra episode since we will still drop our weekly Thursday episode tomorrow. As we note in the podcast we needed to this as much for ourselves as for our listeners. It's only been a couple of days since the Mets were booted out of the 2022 MLB Playoffs by the Padres. While it was a really fun season to be a Met fan the disappointment of being ousted early will smart for a while. We just had to talk about our feelings - raw as they are, on the season and what's possibly in sto...
Ep. 328 - 2022 Predictions Review & Playoff Preview!
October 06, 2022 11:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBHere's the episode in which we come clean on who we picked before the season. We were right more than we were wrong but had a couple of huge swings and misses. The 2022 MLB playoffs are at the ready and we both pick our World Series participants. For we baseball fans it's truly the most wonderful time of the year! Correction - Mark said that after the WC series there were only 7 game series. The Division series is best of 5 games. And there is no re-seeding after each round. Would've be...
Ep. 328 - 2022 Predictions Review & Playoff Preview!
October 06, 2022 11:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBHere's the episode in which we come clean on who we picked before the season. We were right more than we were wrong but had a couple of huge swings and misses. The 2022 MLB playoffs are at the ready and we both pick our World Series participants. For we baseball fans it's truly the most wonderful time of the year! Correction - Mark said that after the WC series there were only 7 game series. The Division series is best of 5 games. And there is no re-seeding after each round. Would've be...
2022 Predictions Review & Playoff Preview! - Ep. 328
October 06, 2022 11:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBHere's the episode in which we come clean on who we picked before the season. We were right more than we were wrong but had a couple of huge swings and misses. The 2022 MLB playoffs are at the ready and we both pick our World Series participants. For we baseball fans it's truly the most wonderful time of the year! Correction - Mark said that after the WC series there were only 7 game series. The Division series is best of 5 games. And there is no re-seeding after each round. Would've be...
Ep. 327 - The definitively MOST successful baseball last names
September 29, 2022 11:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MBWith the addition of records from the Negro Leagues more than 23,000 have played Major League Baseball. What's the most common name for pitchers and hitters? Hint: it's not the same. How about the most successful pitcher last names? And the most successful hitter last names? There are only 3 Smiths in the HOF - two that you know quite well 1 pitcher and 1 hitter. We whip through a lot of name that fans will remember and a bunch that they probably won't since we didn't either! Please...
The definitively MOST successful baseball last names - Ep. 327
September 29, 2022 11:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MBWith the addition of records from the Negro Leagues more than 23,000 have played Major League Baseball. What's the most common name for pitchers and hitters? Hint: it's not the same. How about the most successful pitcher last names? And the most successful hitter last names? There are only 3 Smiths in the HOF - two that you know quite well 1 pitcher and 1 hitter. We whip through a lot of name that fans will remember and a bunch that they probably won't since we didn't either! Please...
Ep. 327 - The definitively MOST successful baseball last names
September 29, 2022 11:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MBWith the addition of records from the Negro Leagues more than 23,000 have played Major League Baseball. What's the most common name for pitchers and hitters? Hint: it's not the same. How about the most successful pitcher last names? And the most successful hitter last names? There are only 3 Smiths in the HOF - two that you know quite well 1 pitcher and 1 hitter. We whip through a lot of name that fans will remember and a bunch that they probably won't since we didn't either! Please...
2022 Almost Cooperstown 2022 Postseason Award Predictions - Ep. 326
September 22, 2022 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBIt's too easy to wait until the end of the regular season to pick our winners of this seasons MLB award winners. There is a new award for 'Super Utility Player' in each league. MVP, Cy Young, Rookie-of-the-Year, Manager-of-the-Year. We talk about all of these and even a few more. We're sure we will get some of the right. Hopefully. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected]...
Ep. 326 - 2022 Almost Cooperstown 2022 Postseason Award Predictions
September 22, 2022 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBIt's too easy to wait until the end of the regular season to pick our winners of this seasons MLB award winners. There is a new award for 'Super Utility Player' in each league. MVP, Cy Young, Rookie-of-the-Year, Manager-of-the-Year. We talk about all of these and even a few more. We're sure we will get some of the right. Hopefully. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected]...
Ep. 325 - Our quick take on the 2023 MLB rule changes & September Call-Ups will never be the same
September 15, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBAs we were getting ready to record an episode about September roster expansions and how they've changed dramatically, the news about the MLB rule changes for 2023 came out. We could not ignore them as those rule changes are and will be significant! If you've listened to this podcast you know we did not want to see the infield shift restricted. We've also talked about the pitch clock as well but now it's really going to be a part of MLB. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for li...
Our quick take on the 2023 MLB rule changes & September Call-Ups will never be the same - Ep. 325
September 15, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBAs we were getting ready to record an episode about September roster expansions and how they've changed dramatically, the news about the MLB rule changes for 2023 came out. We could not ignore them as those rule changes are and will be significant! If you've listened to this podcast you know we did not want to see the infield shift restricted. We've also talked about the pitch clock as well but now it's really going to be a part of MLB. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for li...
Ep. 324 - Team Deep Dive #4 - Milwaukee Brewers
September 08, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBThe Brewers have been around for more than 50 years but not always as the Brewers. We talk about the team's history, reason for being, its greatest players and most memorable seasons for this team which has unfortunately never brought a World Series win to its great fans. It was Ben Ogilvie and Gorman Thomas combining for 73 home runs in 1982 - more than the entire Cardinal team that beat them in the World Series! Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a s...
Team Deep Dive #4 - Milwaukee Brewers - Ep. 324
September 08, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBThe Brewers have been around for more than 50 years but not always as the Brewers. We talk about the team's history, reason for being, its greatest players and most memorable seasons for this team which has unfortunately never brought a World Series win to its great fans. It was Ben Ogilvie and Gorman Thomas combining for 73 home runs in 1982 - more than the entire Cardinal team that beat them in the World Series! Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a s...
Ep 323 - After the 1st 100 episodes of this podcast - now what?
September 01, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBWhat started as a way to pass time during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic has grown to be something that's bigger than we ever imagined. We owe a huge thank you to all of our listeners! Do we keep going? Are there enough topics that can sustain another 100 episodes and beyond? We think so and talk about how we got here from there. Thanks again to our guests - Willie Blair, Jillian Geib, Gary Livacari, Sean Forman, Adam Korengold, Jean Fruth, and Jeff Idelson. And thanks to...
Ep 323 - The 1st 100 episodes of our podcast - what's next?
September 01, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBWhat started as a way to pass time during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic has grown to be something that's bigger than we ever imagined. We owe a huge thank you to all of our listeners! Do we keep going? Are there enough topics that can sustain another 100 episodes and beyond? We think so and talk about how we got here from there. Thanks again to our guests - Willie Blair, Jillian Geib, Gary Livacari, Sean Forman, Adam Korengold, Jean Fruth, and Jeff Idelson. And thanks to...
100 episodes of this podcast - now what? - Ep. 323
September 01, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBWhat started as a way to pass time during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic has grown to be something that's bigger than we ever imagined. We owe a huge thank you to all of our listeners! Do we keep going? Are there enough topics that can sustain another 100 episodes and beyond? We think so and talk about how we got here from there. Thanks again to our guests - Willie Blair, Jillian Geib, Gary Livacari, Sean Forman, Adam Korengold, Jean Fruth, and Jeff Idelson. And thanks to...
Ep 323 - After the 1st 100 episodes of this podcast - now what?
September 01, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBWhat started as a way to pass time during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic has grown to be something that's bigger than we ever imagined. We owe a huge thank you to all of our listeners! Do we keep going? Are there enough topics that can sustain another 100 episodes and beyond? We think so and talk about how we got here from there. Thanks again to our guests - Willie Blair, Jillian Geib, Gary Livacari, Sean Forman, Adam Korengold, Jean Fruth, and Jeff Idelson. And thanks to...
Ep. 322 - Is baseball better on the radio?
August 25, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBWith the recent passing of Dodger announcer Vin Scully we lost one of the great voices of baseball - be it radio or television. We love to listen to baseball on the radio and once baseball on the radio began in 1921 it was the only way to follow pitch by pitch until baseball came to TV in 1939. We talk about some of the great radio announcers and why listening to the game on radio might be better than watching it! Note: The great Tim McCarver did mostly TV for the Mets and national broa...
Ep. 322 - Is baseball better on the radio?
August 25, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBWith the recent passing of Dodger announcer Vin Scully we lost one of the great voices of baseball - be it radio or television. We love to listen to baseball on the radio and once baseball on the radio began in 1921 it was the only way to follow pitch by pitch until baseball came to TV in 1939. We talk about some of the great radio announcers and why listening to the game on radio might be better than watching it! Note: The great Tim McCarver did mostly TV for the Mets and national broa...
Is baseball better on the radio? - Ep. 322
August 25, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBWith the recent passing of Dodger announcer Vin Scully we lost one of the great voices of baseball - be it radio or television. We love to listen to baseball on the radio and once baseball on the radio began in 1921 it was the only way to follow pitch by pitch until baseball came to TV in 1939. We talk about some of the great radio announcers and why listening to the game on radio might be better than watching it! Note: The great Tim McCarver did mostly TV for the Mets and national broa...
Ep. 321 - Our pitch - the baseball HOF 'Corridor of Controversy'
August 18, 2022 11:00 - 27 minutes - 19.2 MBJoe Jackson, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and a few others all are not enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But there is no way these are really 'Almost' guys. They were clearly not just great players, but were among the greatest players of their era as well as all-time. Do they deserve to be members of the HOF? We think they do but even if they remain out, how can they be non-entities? Having a specific area in the HOF - a Corridor of Controversy where controver...
Our pitch - the baseball HOF 'Corridor of Controversy' - Ep. 321
August 18, 2022 11:00 - 27 minutes - 19.2 MBJoe Jackson, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and a few others all are not enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But there is no way these are really 'Almost' guys. They were clearly not just great players, but were among the greatest players of their era as well as all-time. Do they deserve to be members of the HOF? We think they do but even if they remain out, how can they be non-entities? Having a specific area in the HOF - a Corridor of Controversy where controver...
Ep. 320 - Scoring runs is cool - more for teams than players
August 11, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MBWhen a player scores 100 runs in a single season it's considered to be a significant achievement. Yet isn't scoring runs as derivative as stat as are RBI's? Because, it depends - on the other players in the lineup. Fantasy baseball team owners often have to try to pick the players who will score the most runs as one of the categories. Should it be a leadoff speedy guy? Or a home run hitters - at least he guarantees that he scores! We talk about the importance of team runs versus individ...
Scoring runs is cool - more for teams than players - Ep. 320
August 11, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MBWhen a player scores 100 runs in a single season it's considered to be a significant achievement. Yet isn't scoring runs as derivative as stat as are RBI's? Because, it depends - on the other players in the lineup. Fantasy baseball team owners often have to try to pick the players who will score the most runs as one of the categories. Should it be a leadoff speedy guy? Or a home run hitters - at least he guarantees that he scores! We talk about the importance of team runs versus individ...
Team Deep Dive #3 - Tampa Bay Rays - Ep. 319
August 04, 2022 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBIf it all it took to be successful only was as simple as changing a team's name that would be smart right? Well the Tampa Bay Devil Rays became the Tampa Bay Rays and they've been so much better ever since! We talk about the franchise's history in this franchise's Silver Anniversary 25th season. Who's the greatest Ray (or Devil Ray) of them all? Listen and find out! Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line vi...
Ep 319 - Team Deep Dive #3 - Tampa Bay Rays
August 04, 2022 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBIf it all it took to be successful only was as simple as changing a team's name that would be smart right? Well the Tampa Bay Devil Rays became the Tampa Bay Rays and they've been so much better ever since! We talk about the franchise's history in this franchise's Silver Anniversary 25th season. Who's the greatest Ray (or Devil Ray) of them all? Listen and find out! Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line vi...
Ep. 318 - David 'Big Papi' Ortiz headlines the 2022 HOF Inductees
July 28, 2022 11:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBThere were 8 new inductees into Cooperstown over the weekend. The various committees finally enshrined Bud Fowler, Buck O'Neil, Minnie Minoso, Gil Hodges, Jim 'Kitty' Katt, Tony Oliva, David Ortiz was voted in as a 1st ballot selection. We think that might have overdone it but agree Ortiz is a HOFer. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected]. You can also follow us on T...
David 'Big Papi' Ortiz headlines the 2022 HOF Inductees - Ep. 318
July 28, 2022 11:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBThere were 8 new inductees into Cooperstown over the weekend. The various committees finally enshrined Bud Fowler, Buck O'Neil, Minnie Minoso, Gil Hodges, Jim 'Kitty' Katt, Tony Oliva, David Ortiz was voted in as a 1st ballot selection. We think that might have overdone it but agree Ortiz is a HOFer. Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected]. You can also follow us on T...
Almost Cooperstown midseason report - Ep. 317
July 21, 2022 11:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBUnlike many who offer predictions on who's going to be a playoff team, we divulge what we predicted BEFORE this 2022 season started. We did pretty well by our own admission although we did have a big miss. Listen to find out what we got right and what we got wrong in this fast moving summary of the unofficial 1st half of the season! Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail...
Ep. 317 - Almost Cooperstown midseason report
July 21, 2022 11:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBUnlike many who offer predictions on who's going to be a playoff team, we divulge what we predicted BEFORE this 2022 season started. We did pretty well by our own admission although we did have a big miss. Listen to find out what we got right and what we got wrong in this fast moving summary of the unofficial 1st half of the season! Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail...
Grassroots Baseball - MLB photographer Jean Fruth & HOF past-President Jeff Idelson - Ep. 316
July 14, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBWe're fans of baseball and that includes all levels. Driving past a Little League field seeing kids out there playing baseball makes us smile every time. For nearly all major league players playing baseball starts in backyards, on streets, and wherever there's a ball, a glove, and even sometimes a bat. Jean Fruth has been photographing baseball for many years. As team photographer for the SF Giants and Oakland A's, she's demonstrates a keen eye and a deep sensitivity for America's Pasti...
Ep. 316 - Grassroots Baseball - MLB photographer Jean Fruth & HOF past-President Jeff Idelson
July 14, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBWe're fans of baseball and that includes all levels. Driving past a Little League field seeing kids out there playing baseball makes us smile every time. For nearly all major league players playing baseball starts in backyards, on streets, and wherever there's a ball, a glove, and even sometimes a bat. Jean Fruth has been photographing baseball for many years. As team photographer for the SF Giants and Oakland A's, she's demonstrates a keen eye and a deep sensitivity for America's Pasti...
Catchers utility will be robbed by Robo-umps - Ep. 315
July 07, 2022 11:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBCatching is hard and debilitating to the body. The famed 'tools of ignorance' may be better than they were in the past but squatting for 150-200 MLB pitches a night is still incredibly difficult. There are only 19 catchers in Cooperstown. In the past 30 years 'pitch framing' has been touted as a key skill for a receiver. With the advent of Robo-umps sometime in the near future pitch framing no longer counts for anything. We talk about the lack of hitting by today's catchers and if the i...
Ep. 315 - Catchers utility will be robbed by Robo-umps
July 07, 2022 11:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBCatching is hard and debilitating to the body. The famed 'tools of ignorance' may be better than they were in the past but squatting for 150-200 MLB pitches a night is still incredibly difficult. There are only 19 catchers in Cooperstown. In the past 30 years 'pitch framing' has been touted as a key skill for a receiver. With the advent of Robo-umps sometime in the near future pitch framing no longer counts for anything. We talk about the lack of hitting by today's catchers and if the i...
Ep. 314 - Mid-Season Manager Changes mostly don't work
June 30, 2022 11:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBAlready in this 2022 season 2 managers have been fired. Joe Maddon and Joe Girardi. There are no other Joe's managing in MLB so maybe everyone else's job is safe. Why change managers in-season - early-mid-late season? We talk about manager changes over the years - even the fairly recent one where the manager was fired with 12 games to go and his successor led the team to a scintillating 7-5 finish to make the playoffs. Then there's owner George Steinbrenner and his Yankees. There wo...
Mid-Season Manager Changes mostly don't work - Ep. 314
June 30, 2022 11:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBAlready in this 2022 season 2 managers have been fired. Joe Maddon and Joe Girardi. There are no other Joe's managing in MLB so maybe everyone else's job is safe. Why change managers in-season - early-mid-late season? We talk about manager changes over the years - even the fairly recent one where the manager was fired with 12 games to go and his successor led the team to a scintillating 7-5 finish to make the playoffs. Then there's owner George Steinbrenner and his Yankees. There wo...
Kershaw vs. Koufax - Ep. 313
June 23, 2022 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBMany baseball fans still feel that Sandy Koufax is the GOAT. At least as pitchers go. Despite his relatively short career, Sandy had a sustained period of excellence (6 years) that is unrivaled. 382K's in one season is incredible to think about. But this in no way should sell Clayton Kershaw short. He has done it for a long time and at times been as good if not better than Sandy Koufax! The are a surprising amount of similarities in their career statistics. We talked about that and ...
Ep. 313 - Kershaw vs. Koufax
June 23, 2022 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBMany baseball fans still feel that Sandy Koufax is the GOAT. At least as pitchers go. Despite his relatively short career, Sandy had a sustained period of excellence (6 years) that is unrivaled. 382K's in one season is incredible to think about. But this in no way should sell Clayton Kershaw short. He has done it for a long time and at times been as good if not better than Sandy Koufax! The are a surprising amount of similarities in their career statistics. We talked about that and ...