Foul Ball Area
300 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsA weekly podcast hosted by Matthew Atkins focused on baseball, beer and life.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Playoff Races Tightening Up
September 17, 2021 14:14 - 40 minutes - 55 MBWe're about two weeks away from the end of the 2021 regular season, and there are some very exciting playoff races to keep an eye on right now. The teams atop the NL West are separated by just one game, and they each have important series coming up. Will the Giants surprise everyone and come out on top, or will the Dodgers show their strength and win their 9th straight division title? Plus, three teams from the AL East are all vying for the AL Wild Card race. Can the Yankees stop the sur...
Predicting the 2022 HOF Class
September 10, 2021 13:29 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBThe 2020 Hall of Fame class was inducted in Cooperstown this past week, which got us thinking - which players could end up in the Hall next year? Newcomers on the list include Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder and Tim Lincecum, among many others. Then of course there are the holdovers from previous years like Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen. Trey and I go through some of the players with the best cases and determine whether or not we think they will end up in the Hall of Fame. Plus...
Life as a Mets Fan
September 03, 2021 01:34 - 30 minutes - 41.6 MBThe Mets have been one of the more intriguing stories of the 2021 MLB season. From all the moves they made during the offseason, to being in first place at the halfway point, to their August collapse, they've provided plenty to talk about. Now that they're in the news with their recent thumbs down antics, the players are taking it to a whole other level. Trey Lyle sat down with Mets fan and co-host of The Drive on ESPN Blacksburg Andrew Alix to talk about life as a Mets fan. Plus, the Gi...
Wild Card Races Heating Up
August 27, 2021 14:44 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBThe Yankees are on a roll, winning 12 straight games and taking over the top Wild Card spot in the American League. But do they have what it takes to overcome the Rays, or will they have to fight off the A's to hold on to their current situation? Meanwhile in the National League, the Padres have fallen out of Wild Card contention, with the Reds taking their place as the second team. Can the Padres fight their way back into a postseason spot, or are they finished? We discuss all of these que...
New CBA Proposal, Braves and Yankees Surging
August 20, 2021 20:38 - 24 minutes - 34 MBWe're nearing the end of August and both the Braves and the Yankees are playing really good baseball. Neither Trey nor I thought our teams would have a shot at the postseason after the way their seasons started, but things are looking up, and they may just be the hottest teams in baseball at the moment. Plus, MLB has reportedly given the players union its first Collective Bargaining Agreement proposal, and it's got some interesting details. We go into what we think of the proposal, and ...
Nolan Potts, New Market Shockers
August 17, 2021 13:03 - 16 minutes - 22.7 MBThe New Market Shockers just won their first Rockingham County Baseball League championship in team history! I caught up with head coach Nolan Potts for a special episode of the podcast to discuss what this championship means to him and the team, how he guided them along the way and what to expect in the future. Tune in!
Cabrera Nears 500 Home Runs
August 06, 2021 18:28 - 20 minutes - 27.9 MBMiguel Cabrera is an all-time great player and a lock for the Hall of Fame once he retires. The Tigers' slugger is nearing 500 career home runs, which will put him in elite company. But where does he rank among all-time right-handed hitters? We answer that question on today's episode of the podcast. Plus, which other active players have a realistic shot at reaching 500 home runs? There are a few out there, but only some that we think are guaranteed to do it. All of that and more on today...
Trade Deadline 2021
July 30, 2021 15:24 - 34 minutes - 47.8 MBTrade Deadline day is upon us! Join us on today's episode of the podcast as Trey and I go over all the big names that have been moved already and who else could be on the trade block before 4 p.m. today. We go over some of the latest rumors, like Max Scherzer and Trea Turner possibly being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a haul of prospects. Plus, Trey is pretty happy with the Yankees' moves in the past 48 hours, as they've brought in a couple of left-handed bats in Joey Gallo and Ant...
All-Star Recap
July 16, 2021 14:52 - 34 minutes - 47 MBTune in to this week's episode of the podcast as Matt and Trey recap their favorite moments from All-Star Week, covering everything from the game itself, to the Home Run Derby and the MLB Draft. Plus, some big news on Thursday as the Yankees and Red Sox had to postpone their game due to some positive COVID tests within the Yankees' organization. And a big trade went down Thursday evening that tells us a little bit about the direction two teams are heading as we near the deadline. All that ...
Preseason Prediction Update
July 09, 2021 01:02 - 31 minutes - 43.6 MBWe've officially reached the halfway point of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, which means it's time to look back at our preseason predictions and see how accurate, or in this case inaccurate, they are. Trey and I go through the standings in each division, who we picked to win the division, and our World Series matchups. All we can say is we tried our best at the beginning of the season. You never know what's going to happen in baseball. Plus, other discussions including: should t...
Wander Franco Has Arrived
June 23, 2021 01:23 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBThe No. 1 prospect in all of MLB has made his debut! Wander Franco, the top-ranked prospect in the Rays' organization was called up over the weekend, and made his debut on Tuesday night in the Rays' game against the Red Sox. We discuss what his arrival means for baseball and how he compares to other highly-anticipated prospects. Plus, the Jr.'s are taking over the game. Vladdy Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ronald Acuna Jr. are all among the offensive leaders in MLB, putting up phenomenal ...
A Sticky Situation
June 18, 2021 13:26 - 32 minutes - 44.3 MBMLB released its memo to teams this week detailing the punishment for pitchers caught using foreign substances on the baseball, and we have a lot of thoughts. Is this really as bad as other forms of cheating? Is Tyler Glasnow justified in thinking that a lack of sticky substances caused his injury? Is the punishment enough? We answer all those questions and more. Plus, there are two candidates for AL MVP that stand out above the rest. Trey and I each give our thoughts on the race and which...
Bennett Conlin, Daily Progress
June 11, 2021 13:33 - 28 minutes - 38.5 MBUVA baseball is heading to Super Regionals after winning the Columbia, SC regional last weekend. A wild weekend of baseball culminated in a dramatic walk-off victory over Old Dominion on Tuesday morning, setting up a Super Regional matchup with Dallas Baptist, also in Columbia. Daily Progress UVA Sports reporter Bennett Conlin joins us on the podcast today to recap UVA's weekend, and preview their upcoming matchup. Plus, I give my thoughts on some of the breakout players we've seen in MLB t...
Ozuna Arrested, Softball vs. Baseball
June 02, 2021 14:36 - 30 minutes - 41.9 MBBraves' left fielder Marcell Ozuna was arrested over the weekend and charged with aggravated assault by strangulation and misdemeanor family violence battery. He was already missing time due to injury, but now he'll likely face a significant suspension once MLB completes its investigation into the incident. While many fans would like to see Ozuna gone from the game, it's a little tricky for the Braves to get out of paying his contract, but they can try to void it once the investigation is co...
Hokies Softball Heads to Super Regionals
May 26, 2021 14:32 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MBFor just the second time in program history, the Virginia Tech softball team is heading to Super Regionals! The Hokies went undefeated in the Tempe Regional last weekend, setting up a matchup against No. 2 seed UCLA in Los Angeles beginning on Thursday. Evan Hughes joins the podcast to break down the Hokies' season so far and preview this weekend's matchup. Plus, I go over all of the notable injuries we've heard of in just the past two days, which is a lot. Including one very weird injur...
Best Players to Wear No. 24
May 19, 2021 16:35 - 25 minutes - 35 MBWith Trey and I each turning 24 this week, we decided to rank the best players to ever wear the number 24 during their MLB careers. Turns out, there are a lot of greats who have donned this number, including some that are ranked in the top players of all time. While I thought our lists would be pretty similar, there's one controversial player who causes us to have a bit of a debate on how we put together our rankings. Plus, we touch on all of the injuries around Major League Baseball. S...
A's May Relocate, Tatis on the IL, Pujols Released
May 14, 2021 01:29 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBWe're a few days late this week but we've got a packed half hour full of all kinds of baseball news. Starting off with a discussion about the Oakland A's possibly having to relocate unless they can get a new stadium. Will it get done? And if they do move, where will they go? Plus, Fernando Tatis Jr. is back on the IL after testing positive for COVID-19 and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols was released by the Angels. We'll touch on all of that and more on today's episode!
April Players of the Month
May 05, 2021 15:35 - 38 minutes - 53.2 MBTrey and Matt are back this week with another half hour of baseball talk! Since we missed last week, we have plenty to discuss. We cover everything from the biggest injuries around Major League Baseball, to the April Players of the Month and some college baseball updates. Plus, we play a little bit of contender or pretender with some of the teams that have surprised us so far this year. And we ask you - one month into the season, how are you feeling about your team? All that and more on...
April 21, 2021 MLB Update
April 21, 2021 17:35 - 27 minutes - 37.1 MBWe're back for another episode breaking down everything that has happened in MLB over the past couple of weeks. We touch on the two no-hitter, Corbin Burnes' hot start, the Braves and Yankees struggles and so much more. Plus, we give you the usual Commonwealth College Baseball update and ponder whether there could be a baseball Super League. Tune in!
Top 3 Moments from Week 1
April 07, 2021 18:29 - 21 minutes - 29.2 MBWe've gotten through one week of the 2021 MLB season and there is already so much to talk about! Trey Lyle and I sit down today to go over our top moments from the first days of the season and some of the biggest overreactions we are having to the way teams are playing so far. Plus, a bit of injury news regarding one of the game's top talents, but it's not as bad as it could've been. Tune in for all that and more on today's episode!
Happy Opening Day and AL Preview
April 01, 2021 13:31 - 36 minutes - 49.5 MBOpening Day 2021 is here! After a shortened 60-game season last year, we're getting a full 162 games this season, and we are ready for all of it. Last week we gave you our predictions and preview for the National League, and this week we're shifting to the American League. Tune in as we go through the win total odds for each team in the AL and give our predictions on division winners, World Series matchup and more!
NL Preview Pt. 2: Predictions and Odds
March 26, 2021 13:30 - 32 minutes - 44 MBTune in today for the second part of our 2021 National League preview! Trey and I go through the projected win totals and odds for each NL team to make the playoffs, plus we give our predictions on who we think will win each division and earn the Wild Card spots. Stay tuned til the end for a player prop bet as we give our picks for which player will lead the league in home runs in 2021.
NL Preview Pt. 1: Steve Sax
March 24, 2021 09:00 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MBAs we inch closer to the 2021 MLB season, it's time to begin our season previews. We start with the National League, and with Los Angeles as the favorite, who better to join us than a former Dodger? 1982 National League Rookie of the Year and two-time World Series winner Steve Sax joins us on today's episode to break down just how far ahead the Dodgers are in the NL. Plus, we get Steve's predictions on each of the division winners and Wild Card teams.
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Fredericksburg, Va.
March 19, 2021 14:30 - 36 minutes - 49.8 MBThis week on Baseball Across the Commonwealth, we travel to the Northern Virginia city of Fredericksburg. The city is home to plenty of history, but one of the more exciting things happening in 2021 is the inaugural season of the Fredericksburg Nationals. The Nationals were originally supposed to begin play in 2020, but with the MiLB season canceled, their first season was pushed back a year. Now they're ready to open up their gates, and they've got a lot of fun stuff planned for this s...
Happy St. Patrick's Day
March 17, 2021 09:27 - 29 minutes - 40.5 MBOn this St. Patrick's Day, Trey and I take some time to look at the members of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame, with a bit of trivia. Plus, we give our thoughts on MLB experimenting with rule changes in Minor League Baseball. And what St. Patrick's Day would be complete without some beer? Mariah joins us again for "So You Think You Don't Like Beer?" but this time, I'm picking the drink. We're tasting the Dublin classic, Guinness Draught Stout. Tune in for all that and more!
Fan Mail
March 10, 2021 20:50 - 21 minutes - 35.1 MBTrey Lyle and I are back at it this week with another breakdown of the latest college baseball and Spring Training news. Virginia Tech is all the way up to No. 12 in Baseball America's rankings this week after winning their first ever series against UNC last week. The Hokies took a walk-off victory over VCU last night and are back against the Rams this afternoon. Plus, we discuss the fan mail that we've sent in our lives and how the rise of social media has changed the way we interact wi...
Top 10 MLB Players
March 03, 2021 21:02 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBOn this week's episode of the podcast Trey and I put together our lists of the top 10 players in Major League Baseball. Each of our list has some obvious rankings, some surprises and some really bold picks. Plus, Mariah returns for another edition of "So You Think You Don't Like Beer?" This week, we're tasting and reviewing the Fig Gose with Orange Zest from Ardent Craft Ales right here in Richmond. Tune in for all that and more!
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Woodstock
February 26, 2021 15:54 - 25 minutes - 34.4 MBOur journey across the state of Virginia takes us to the small Shenandoah Valley town of Woodstock this week. Woodstock is a town of roughly 5,000 people, but it has a lot of history behind it. And as with all of the towns we visit on our journey, it has a great local brewery and a proud local baseball team. For today's episode, we visit with Mike Bocock, Valley Baseball League Hall of Famer and manager of the Woodstock River Bandits. We also get a chance to chat with Travis Cooper, a p...
Spring Training Begins
February 24, 2021 11:00 - 28 minutes - 38.5 MBSpring Training is finally here! Tune in to today's episode of the podcast as Trey Lyle and I break down the biggest news from the first week of Spring Training, including Fernando Tatis Jr.'s contract, Albert Pujols potentially retiring and much more! Plus, we get into opening weekend of college baseball and the top 10 players in MLB right now.
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Winchester
February 19, 2021 15:45 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBThe latest episode of Baseball Across the Commonwealth takes us back to the Shenandoah Valley to visit the city of Winchester. Winchester is a historic city, with lots of notable sites dating back to before the American Revolution. The city changed hands 72 times during the Civil War, and there are seven major battlefields in the area. Today, Winchester is home to the Winchester Royals of the Valley Baseball Leauge, as well as numerous activities for baseball fans and beer lovers. We ta...
Virginia Tech Baseball Season Preview
February 17, 2021 11:00 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MBWe are just days away from the beginning of the 2021 NCAA baseball season. Since Trey and I are graduates of Virginia Tech, we decided to put together a season preview for the Hokies. Joining us on this week's episode of the podcast is Cory Van Dyke, baseball beat writer for Tech Sideline. He helps us break down the roster, schedule and everything else you need to know for this VT baseball season. Plus, Mariah returns for the second edition of "So You Don't Like Beer, Huh?" Today we tast...
Trevor Bauer and Marcell Ozuna Finally Sign
February 10, 2021 20:16 - 28 minutes - 38.5 MBA lot has happened since last week's episode of the podcast. Two of the biggest free agents on the market each finally signed contracts this past week. Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer signed a 3-year, $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His $40 million salary in 2021 will be the highest in baseball. LF/DH Marcell Ozuna, who led the National League in home runs in 2020, re-signed with the Atlanta Braves on a 4-year, $64 million deal. While there won't be a ...
Arenado Traded, Hall of Fame, and Much More
February 03, 2021 10:08 - 43 minutes - 60.4 MBTrey Lyle is back in the co-host seat for today's episode of the podcast, and that means we have a lot to catch up on. We talk about the big news of Nolan Arenado getting traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, Dustin Pedroia retiring and the Mets receiving some bad publicity. Plus, we have a bit of a debate regarding the 2021 Hall of Fame results. AND, new this week is a beer tasting segment featuring my fiancee Mariah. As someone who used to not like beer, she hopes to enlighten you all on...
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Vienna, Va.
January 29, 2021 11:02 - 46 minutes - 64.3 MBOur latest episode of Baseball Across the Commonwealth takes us to the Northern Virginia town of Vienna. We talk with James Madison High School head coach Mark Gjorman about his program, the baseball culture in Vienna and some of his favorite things to do around town. Plus, we chat with representatives of Caboose Brewing, which operates two taprooms in the area. We talk about their beer, how they got started, and what they love about Vienna. Tune in!
Remembering Hank Aaron
January 27, 2021 10:30 - 21 minutes - 28.9 MBThe baseball world lost a legend on Friday when Hank Aaron passed away at the age of 86. Aaron played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball, 21 of them for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. He was the all-time home run leader at the time of his retirement, hitting 755 career home runs. He was a civil rights leader, businessman and philanthropist. By all accounts, he was a greater man off the field than on it, which is saying something. To help me remember the life and legacy of this baseball ...
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Ol Dominion Beer and Exploration Club
January 22, 2021 14:53 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBToday's episode of Basaeball Across the Commonwealth looks a little different than usual. Instead of focusing on one city or team, we talk with someone else whose goal is to highlight all that this state has to offer. Matthew Johnson is starting Ol Dominion Beer and Exploration Club, a company that will connect beer lovers with local craft breweries across the state of Virginia. He also plans on opening up clubhouses around the state, offering local beer to people who are traveling thro...
Yankees Re-sign LeMahieu
January 18, 2021 16:13 - 21 minutes - 29.1 MBThe New York Yankees finally did the one thing they had to do this offseason: they re-signed DJ LeMahieu. The 32-year-old infielder led the league in batting average last year, hitting .364. His reward is a six-year, $90 million contract. As if that's not enough, the Yankees also went out and got two-time Cy Young winning pitcher Corey Kluber on a one-year, $11 million deal. The stove is heating up in the Bronx. Plus, Trey Lyle and I go through MLB.com's article predicting the next...
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Salem
January 13, 2021 10:30 - 19 minutes - 26.1 MBIn the latest edition of our Baseball Across the Commonwealth series, we travel south to Salem, Va., home of the Salem Red Sox. The Red Sox are the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, and compete in the historic Carolina League. We get a chance to chat with Salem General Manager Allen Lawrence about the team and what makes their gameday environment special. Plus, even though we weren't able to talk with a local brewery, I give you a rundown of some of the best spots in the ...
Mets Making Moves
January 11, 2021 15:48 - 30 minutes - 41.9 MBWe've got a lot to cover on today's episode of Foul Ball Area, starting with the sad news of Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda's passing last week. We send our thoughts and prayers to his loved ones and to the Dodgers organization. On the Hot Stove side of things, the Mets are taking my advice for their New Year's resolution and they're starting to make some big moves. They traded for All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor last week, and are currently linked to trade rumors involving Kris Br...
New Year's Resolutions
January 04, 2021 16:06 - 41 minutes - 56.3 MBTune in to the latest episode of Foul Ball Area as Trey Lyle and Matthew Atkins list off some New Year's resolutions around Major League Baseball. We talk about which players teams should try to sign, which trades should be happening, which teams need to make the playoffs, and much more. Plus, this offseason has seen a few good moves, so we rank our top five moves of the offseason so far. Tune in to see which team we think has done the best job of adding talent this winter. We wrap up to...
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Augusta County
December 07, 2020 10:28 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MBTune in to the latest episode of Baseball Across the Commonwealth as we head to the Augusta County cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Each city has unique charm and attractions, and we highlight some of our favorite things about the small Shenandoah Valley towns. In Staunton, we visit with Andrew Urbanowicz of Skipping Rock Beer Company, one of the best craft breweries in the Shenandoah Valley. After that conversation, we'll had to Waynesboro to visit with Tyler Hoffman, General Manager of ...
Christmas Wish Lists
December 02, 2020 15:20 - 17 minutes - 24.3 MBToday on Foul Ball Area, Trey Lyle and I make our Christmas wish lists - three things in baseball that we want to see happen before Christmas. I want to see the Braves re-sign Marcell Ozuna, while Trey hopes the Yankees will bring back DJ LeMahieu. Plus, we discuss the Cubs' situation and whether or not they will trade Kris Bryant away this offseason. Tune in for all that and more!
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Harrisonburg
November 30, 2020 10:30 - 45 minutes - 62.1 MBFor the next edition of Baseball Across the Commonwealth, we travel west on Interstate 64, then head north on I 81 for a few miles until we get to the small city of Harrisonburg. Nestle in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg has seen a boom in local breweries over the past decade. Combine that with its rich history of local baseball, and it's the perfect city to visit on our trip. We talk with local brewer Jeff Moon of Restless Moons Brewing about Harrisonburg's beer scene....
Happy Thanksgiving Eve
November 25, 2020 15:45 - 27 minutes - 37.1 MBTrey and I are back with a regularly-scheduled episode of the podcast on this Thanksgiving Eve! We talk about the latest offseason news - the Braves signed free agent pitcher Charlie Morton to a 1-year, $15 million deal, bolstering their rotation for the 2021 season. Plus, we give our votes for the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. And what Thanksgiving episode would be complete without some Thanksgiving food power rankings? We end today's episode with our top five foods that will be ea...
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Charlottesville
November 23, 2020 11:10 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBTune in to the second episode of our new series, Baseball Across the Commonwealth, as we west to see what's going on in C'ville. We'll hear from the local Valley Baseball League team, the Charlottesville Tom Sox, on how they've embraced the community in their short time as a team. Plus, we'll talk with Three Notch'd Brewing President Scott Roth about how the innovative brewery has staked out a spot among Virginia's craft beer scene. If you've ever thought about visiting the area, t...
Baseball Across the Commonwealth: Richmond
November 23, 2020 11:00 - 57 minutes - 78.3 MBTune in to the first episode of our new limited series, Baseball Across the Commonwealth, as we visit Virginia's capital city! We talk with representatives from the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Richmond Region Tourism and Center of the Universe Brewing. Listen and learn about all the fun activities, historic attractions and popular sights in the city. Plus, get some recommendations on where to eat and drink in the region, including some of the best breweries in the state of Virginia.
Mornings with Matt: Nov. 9, 2020
November 09, 2020 15:57 - 3 minutes - 4.97 MBTune in to today's episode of Mornings with Matt to get caught up on the latest rumors, cheating news from The Athletic, and get prepared for MLB Awards Week!
Mornings with Matt: Nov. 6, 2020
November 06, 2020 15:52 - 3 minutes - 4.9 MBTune in to today's episode of Mornings with Matt to get caught up on the latest Red Sox manager news, see which Braves won Silver Sluggers, and some Hot Stove rumors.
Offseason Primer
November 04, 2020 10:30 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBWith the postseason over and the offseason getting underway, we thought we'd take this episode to get ready for what's to come. We give you our top four free agents in this year's class, plus one bold prediction and one safe prediction for what will happen over the offseason. Plus, Trey and I go over the BBWAA Awards finalists which were announced Monday night. Each of our favorite teams has an MVP candidate, and while most of the finalists were expected, there were some that were surpr...
Mornings with Matt: Nov. 2, 2020
November 02, 2020 15:34 - 6 minutes - 8.27 MBTune in to today's episode of Mornings with Matt as I go over some of the latest offseason news, trade candidates for the 2020-21 offseason, and which potential free agents have received qualifying offers. This is just the beginning of a long, strange offseason, so get ready for it all and stay up to date with Foul Ball Area!