Tipping Pitches
337 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 148 ratingsBaseball for the many, not the few. A podcast trying to nationalize our national pastime. Hosted by Alex Bazeley and Bobby Wagner
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Episodes
In The Thick Of It
August 17, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBBobby and Alex try to take in Zach Plesac’s chaotic explanation for breaking COVID protocols, fret about the wellbeing of the Cardinals, and hold their breaths for the Reds. Then, a discussion of how Major League Baseball is engaging with the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues, and what it means to pit Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto against each other. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features a relatable Stephen Strasburg and Mookie Betts doing Mookie Betts things. Links: Zach Plesac ...
Gone Fishin' (feat. Jeremy Taché)
August 10, 2020 14:37 - 1 hour - 73.6 MBAlex and Bobby talk about the blasphemy of being unable to buy a Fernando Tatís Jr. jersey online, discuss the merits of jerseys vs. shirseys, and wonder how the hell an adult human accidentally does the Nazi salute…twice. Then they bring on Jeremy Taché to talk about the Miami Marlins, their roller coaster of a season, the two factions of Miami sports fandom, and more. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features some choice words for Nick Swisher and the allure of the stolen base. Follow Jer...
It Is Not Manageable
August 03, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBBobby and Alex discuss the three year anniversary of the podcast, and in doing so, revisit a bad take from…themselves! Honesty is the policy on Tipping Pitches. Then, they discuss the last week in Rob Manfred dumpster fires, before debuting a revamped ‘Three Up, Three Down’ segment for the 2020 baseball season — or whatever is left of it, anyway. Songs featured in this episode: Tei Shi — "Matando" • T-Connection — “Do What You Wanna Do" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions --- Send i...
This Is How It’s Going To Be (feat. Craig Goldstein)
July 27, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 75.1 MBBobby and Alex talk about what “normal” looks like in baseball amid a global pandemic, the swift co-opting of the Black Lives Matter messaging, and how some world class procrastination led to bizarre playoffs and a team left in limbo. Then they bring on Craig Goldstein, editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus, to talk failures in broadcasting, fake fans, and whether this all feels real. Follow Craig on Twitter. Songs featured in this episode: Taylor Swift — "the last great american dynasty...
The 10 Most GIF Worthy Players In Baseball
July 20, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 88.3 MBThe 2020 All-GIF Draft is here — and this year it got a tuneup. Alex and Bobby join forces to draft against a rotating cast of guests including Shakeia Taylor, Hannah Keyser, Meg Rowley, Jake Mintz, and Jordan Shusterman. Mainstays like Francisco Lindor and Yasiel Puig were quick off the board again, but the picks included some fresh faces and new names. Follow Shakeia, Hannah, Meg, and Céspedes Family BBQ on Twitter. Read the 2020 All-GIF Draft Breakdown and see the cream of the crop GIFs...
What Would Trout Do? (feat. Fabian Ardaya)
July 13, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 66.3 MBBobby and Alex debate the legitimacy of Joe West’s COVID-19 conspiracy theory, do a Bad Take Dramatic Reading of a column chastising players who opt out of the season, and yell about blackouts. Then they bring on Fabian Ardaya, Angels beat writer for the Athletic, to discuss the #vibe among players in summer camp right now, how these circumstances have changed the meaning of media access, what a shortened season could mean for the Angels, and more. Follow Fabian on Twitter here. Links: Bu...
The Zone Lives in the Moment (feat. Joon Lee)
July 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBAlex and Bobby talk about Alex Rodriguez’s favorite ways in which pitchers tip their pitches — ranked, of course. They talk Rob Manfred’s admission of guilt, and a sobering message from Ian Desmond. Then they bring on ESPN.com staff writer Joon Lee to talk about the Ivy League to front office pipeline, MLB’s diversity reckoning, and Joon’s burgeoning influencer career. Follow Joon on Twitter here. Links: Joon on the homogeneity of front offices A thoughtful message from Ian Desmond Alex...
Koshien Certified (feat. Ema Ryan Yamazaki)
July 02, 2020 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBIn this bonus episode, Alex and Bobby talk to Ema Ryan Yamazaki, director of the recently-released documentary “Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams.” They talk about the the process of filming high school baseball in Japan, the internal culture struggle between old and new, gender roles on and off the field, and much more. Follow Ema on Twitter at @emaexplorations. Songs featured in this episode: Pete Rock, C.L. Smooth — "Back On The Block" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Sen...
What’s the Worst That Could Happen?
June 29, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBBobby and Alex talk about the confirmed return of Major League Baseball in 2020, and wonder what responsible coverage of and engagement with the sport will look like. Then they try to parse through some of the out-of-the-blue rule changes for this season and their ramifications, including wet rags, wet butts, and Rob Manfred’s embodiment of both George Bush AND Barack Obama. Read Hannah Keyser, from 2017, on extra innings rule changes. Songs featured in this episode: The Rolling Stone — "...
When and Where (and How and Why)
June 22, 2020 10:00 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBAlex and Bobby discuss Marco Rubio’s budding friendship with Rob Manfred, and read an incredibly inspired column on why swearing might lead to the end of baseball as we know it. Then they talk about the week in negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA, and wonder about what the last few months of acrimony can tell us about what the sport’s future might look like. Follow the full MLB labor negotiations here. The Beatles — “Here, There, Everywhere” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” ---...
Baseball, In A Vacuum (feat. Micah Johnson)
June 15, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBAfter taking a couple weeks off, Alex and Bobby return to discuss how baseball is engaging with the social unrest around police brutality. They bring on Micah Johnson, former major league second baseman, to talk about the 2015 Orioles-White Sox game played in front of no fans due to protests in Baltimore, what it was like being in that atmosphere, and how baseball’s relationship with activism has shifted since then. Then they do a deep dive into protests and politics in baseball history, and...
Traditions, What Are They Good For?
May 26, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBAlex and Bobby talk about absurdity that went into creating the Nationals' World Series ring and whether Baby Shark deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. They also talk about the precedent that it sets to let broadcasts pipe fake crowd noise into broadcasts, and why we're having the player vs. owner conversation all wrong. Finally, they take a look at some of baseball's oldest traditions, ruminate on their origins, and decide whether to give them the boot. Links: The math (???) behind the Na...
The Masked Player
May 18, 2020 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBAlex and Bobby talk about Barry Zito’s appearance on The Masked Singer and singing prowess among major leagues. Then they talk the plan to bring back Major League Baseball in July and the myriad ways in which it could go wrong. Links: Buy a "Unionize the Minors" t-shirt! Songs featured in this episode: Tim McGraw — "Humble and Kind" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tipping-pitches/message
Could Fans Own a Team?
May 11, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBBobby and Alex talk about their experiences watching the KBO, Scott Boras’s misunderstanding of 9/11, and whether baseball in 2020 makes sense. Then, they explore the idea of publicly-owned baseball teams, the precedent for such a concept and what it would look like in practice. Links: Ben Clemens on watching baseball in Korean Dave Zirin on the Green Bay Packers Ben Burgis on Public Ownership of Sports Teams MLB’s 80-game plan More reading: Could the Mets just go public? Imagining a...
Billion Dollar Baby
May 05, 2020 10:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBAlex and Bobby talk in-depth about Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez’s bid to buy the Mets, the biotech investor interested in partnering with them, and what a billion dollar sale means for fans — if anything. Then they discuss MLB’s plans to play baseball again this season and whether Rob Manfred is capable of seeing more than six feet in front of him. Links: Jeff Passan on MLB’s plans for baseball in 2020 Yasiel Puig on TikTok Songs featured in this episode: Oso Oso — “reindeer games”...
Take Me Out To The Movies (feat. Kyle Bandujo)
May 01, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 66.6 MB~ This episode originally aired on Big Screen Sports. ~ It’s movie week at Tipping Pitches! In this quasi-bonus episode, Alex and Bobby talk with Kyle Bandujo of Big Screen Sports about which fictional baseball games they would have wanted to see in person. The discussion includes big moments from Bill Durham, A League Of Their Own, Angels in the Outfield, and more. Follow Kyle Bandujo at @kylebandujo and Big Screen Sports at @Big_ScreenSport. Songs featured in this episode: Beastie Boys...
Trailer: Tipping Pitches
May 01, 2020 04:17 - 1 minute - 3.89 MBSitting for the anthem. Standing for the bat flips. A weekly baseball podcast trying to nationalize our national pastime. Hosted by Alex Bazeley and Bobby Wagner. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts ⚾️ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tipping-pitches/message
The Baseball Documentaries We Deserve (feat. Kyle Bandujo)
April 28, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 98.7 MBBobby and Alex talk Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez’s prospective bid to buy the New York Mets, and whether it would mean anything. Then, they bring on Kyle Bandujo from Big Screen Sports to talk about what baseball documentaries they’d like to see made, including a dive into Montreal Expos history and a look at youth baseball both here and abroad. Follow Kyle on Twitter here. Songs featured in this episode: "Decode" Paramore • Booker T & The M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Send in a voi...
Vote For Pedro (feat. Sean Doolittle)
April 20, 2020 15:22 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBAlex and Bobby are joined once again by Washington Nationals closer Sean Doolittle to break down Game 5 of the 1999 ALDS between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. It’s a game that features plenty of dingers, plenty of Hall of Famers, and vintage Pedro Martínez in the tightest pants imaginable. Plus: a dive into the story of Albert Belle and the greatest heist in baseball history. Follow Sean on Twitter at @whatwouldDOOdo. Links: Watch along with Tipping Pitches Classics Songs fea...
The Moments Before The Moment (2015 ALDS Game 5, Blue Jays vs. Rangers)
April 13, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBAlex and Bobby rewatch game 5 of the 2015 ALDS between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers, a game which featured an hour long inning, multiple close readings of the rule book, and the bat flip heard ‘round the world. Plus: Rob Manfred is literally about to risk it all, and the story of the pitcher struck by lighting. Links: Watch along with Tipping Pitches Classics Songs featured in this episode: Fleet Foxes — “Battery Kinzie” • Joyce Manor — “Falling In Love Again” • Booker T. ...
A Little Roller Up Along First (1986 World Series Game 6, Mets vs. Red Sox)
April 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 85.9 MBBobby and Alex watch Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, an absolutely bonkers game often reduced to an unfortunate error, and discuss how the game lives on in our minds today. Then they talk with Matt Paré and Ty Kelly, two former players fighting for fair pay in the minors with their new organization Advocates for Minor Leaguers. Follow @HipHip_Pare, @tykelly11 and @milbadvocates on Twitter. Links: Advocates for Minor Leaguers Watch along with Tipping Pitches Classics Songs featured in t...
My, Oh My (1995 ALDS Game 5, Yankees vs. Mariners)
March 30, 2020 10:00 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBAlex and Bobby watch Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS featuring the Mariners and the Yankees, and talk about what was possibly the greatest game of all time? Plus: the story of the Brooklyn Dodger who hijacked the first commercial airplane in US history. Links: Watch Game 5 Tipping Pitches Classics Songs featured in this episode: Camila Cabello — “My Oh My” • Nirvana — “Drain You” • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ti...
Party Like It’s 1991 (1991 World Series Game 7, Braves vs. Twins)
March 23, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBBobby and Alex kick off Tipping Pitches Classics with a rewatch of Game 7 of the 1991 World Series featuring the Braves and the Twins, and talk about how the game resonates today. Then they chat with Jeremy Wolf, Executive Director of More Than Baseball, about supporting minor leaguers and trying to bolster the game from the ground up. Follow More Than Baseball on Twitter. Links: More Than Baseball Buy a Tipping Pitches shirt Watch along with Tipping Pitches Classics Songs featured in...
2020: The Season of Anxiety (feat. Bradford William Davis)
March 16, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBTo round out their (apparently ill-timed) season preview series, Alex and Bobby bring on Bradford William Davis, columnist for the New York Daily News, who takes a look at baseball through the wide lens, asking what will define this season and shape the ones to come. Also: no baseball during the pandemic, and what to do about it. Follow Bradford on Twitter here. Adopt a MiLB Player More Than Baseball Songs featured in this episode: Tame Impala — “The Less I Know The Better”• REM — “It’s...
2020: The Season of Heartbreak (feat. Hannah Keyser)
March 10, 2020 01:22 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBAlex and Bobby are joined by Hannah Keyser, national baseball writer for Yahoo Sports, for some more season preview action. In this episode: a competitive season, heartbreak, and like 30 minutes on the Angels. Follow Hannah on Twitter here. Songs featured in this episode: Bay Dream — "Culture Abuse" • Chance the Rapper, Saba — "Angels" • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tipping-pitches/message
2020: The Season of Redemption (feat. John McGee)
March 02, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 65.1 MBAlex and Bobby are joined by John McGee from UK-based podcast Bat Flips and Nerds, who gives his take on the year’s biggest storylines in the first of a three part preview to the season. Follow John on Twitter here, and follow Bat Flips and Nerds on Twitter here. Links: Madison Bumgarner has an alter ego Songs featured in this episode: Princess Nokia " I am Free" • Khruangbin, Leon Bridges "C-Side" • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcas...
You Don’t Know Jackie (feat. Shakeia Taylor)
February 24, 2020 16:29 - 1 hour - 79.2 MBEp. 110 — Alex and Bobby talk with baseball writer Shakeia Taylor about the legacy of Jackie Robinson, the long tail of baseball’s color barrier, the whitewashing of players of color and their stories, and more. They also talk the Phillie Phanatic’s apparent makeover, more Astros news (unfortunately), and baseball’s streaming dilemma. Follow Shakeia on Twitter here. Songs featured in this episode: Proper. — "No Loitering " • Dr. Dog — "Can She Dance" • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onio...
The Baseball/Basketball Cultural Exchange (feat. Eric Silver and Mike Schubert)
February 17, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBEp. 109 — Bobby and Alex are joined by Mike Schubert and Eric Silver, hosts of the basketball podcast HORSE, to discuss which cultural elements they’d like to steal from each other’s sport. Topics include coaches in full uniform, individuality of stars, the 7th inning stretch and more. Follow Eric and Mike on Twitter, and listen to HORSE here. Songs featured in this episode: Lou Monte — "Lazy Mary" • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcaster...
A Mookie Mistake
February 11, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBEp. 108 — Alex and Bobby discuss the Mookie Betts trade and what it means for the respective teams involved and the sport at large. They also talk a failed sale of the New York Mets to Steve Cohen, Jessica Mendoza’s uniquely scrutinized position, and how they would describe a tumultuous offseason. Finally, a discussion on what makes a great baseball movie, and some picks for a baseball-only Oscars. Songs featured in this episode: Parquet Courts — “Borrowed Time” • Flying Lotus — “Putty Boy...
Yes Grandy Can
February 03, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBEp. 107 — Bobby and Alex talk about a seventh inning stretch show to rival the Super Bowl’s and which performer would fit best. They talk some recent developments on baseball’s labor landscape, including Kris Bryant losing his grievance case, and Francisco Lindor and Mookie Betts’ trade status. Then they kick off the Grandy For Commish campaign, and choose some teams to root for in the coming year. Links: A’s players on their visits to Bob Melvin Songs featured in this episode: Taylor Sw...
Efface Of The Franchise
January 27, 2020 11:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBEp. 106 — Alex and Bobby discuss what fandom looks like in an era devoid of franchise players and how it affects the incentive to root for teams. They also take a close look at the incoming three batter minimum and what its unintended consequences might be, and introduce the inaugural class of the All-GIF Hall of Fame. Links: The 2019 All-GIF Draft Songs featured in this episode: Sonic Youth — “Total Trash” • Wire — “Mannequin” • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” ~~ Follow Tippin...
The Big Bang Theories
January 20, 2020 11:00 - 58 minutes - 54 MBEp. 105 — Bobby and Alex talk about What A Week It Has Been, breaking down how the Houston Astros' #banggate unfolded, the conspiracy theories that materialized, how to contextualize this scandal in the history of the game, and where we as fans go from here. They also talk about the Giants hiring Alyssa Nakken, who becomes MLB’s first female coach, and Joey Votto’s dunking abilities. Links: Giants hire Alyssa Nakken Joey Votto can still dunk Songs featured in this episode: Freddy Fender...
No War But Star Wars (feat. Sean Doolittle)
January 14, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBEp. 104 — Alex and Bobby bring on Washington Nationals reliever and Star Was superfan Sean Doolittle to talk his personal Star Wars movie rankings, the endless fascination the expanded universe brings, why FinnPo is the love interest we deserved, and more (1:56). Then they discuss social media in baseball and the platform it provides to players, and how the narrative around the game is becoming more decentralized (37:39). They wrap up with a pitch for a sketch comedy show starring a major le...
A Labor of Love (feat. Michael Baumann)
January 09, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBEp. 103 — Bobby and Alex chat with Ringer staff writer Michael Baumann about what the events of this offseason mean for the state of labor in baseball. They discuss why owners don’t care about winning anymore ($hhhh) and whether we’ll ever see anything close to a fair labor landscape in our lives. New year, same us. Follow Michael on Twitter here. Songs featured in this episode: Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” Short Fictions — "Living In Places Like This Can Be Bad For Your Healt...
A Year-Long Replay Review
December 30, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 82.5 MBEp. 102 — Alex and Bobby look back at 2019 and reflect on some of their favorite moments from the pod and around the game. Play the hits, baby! Thanks to all the wonderful guests we had on this year, as well as our lovely listeners. See you all in the New Year! Songs featured in this episode: Root Doctor and Jim Alfredson — “Green Onions” • Bill Black’s Combo — “Smokie, Pt. 2” • Taylor Swift — “New Year’s Day” • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions” ~~ Follow Tipping Pitches on Twitte...
A Minor Change To The Majors
December 16, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBEp. 101 — Alex and Bobby discuss the biggest news item of the week: which Christmas song could best replace “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”? Then, the hot stove is scalding, so what does that mean for the health of free agency? And with the Mets getting a change in ownership, the bootlickers come out. Rob Manfred threatens to get rid of the minor leagues entirely, so they discuss why he only learned one negotiating tactic growing up. Finally, a thought experiment: which single rule could you c...
The 10 Players Who Defined The Decade
December 09, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 73 MBEp. 100 — For their 100th episode, Alex and Bobby take a look back at the 2010s by picking a player from each year who best represented the decade as a whole. The resulting list is a collection of players who were not necessarily the best, but who made the biggest cultural impact in the last 10 years, or who changed the way that we as fans consume the game. Does Yasiel Puig make the cut? Listen to find out… Songs featured in this episode: Lorde — “Supercut” • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Gree...
A Holiday Tradition For Baseball
December 01, 2019 19:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBEp. 99 — Bobby and Alex talk about Trevor Bauer’s unfortunate automobile luck, and also the Allstate Mayhem guy’s Twitter presence (it’s not sponsored content, promise). Then, in the spirit of Thanksgiving football and Christmas Day basketball, they discuss which holiday deserves its own baseball tradition, touching on the merits of three summer holidays and figuring out what that day would actually look like. Finally, they craft a Thanksgiving plate from ballpark food. Hope you didn’t want ...
Tipping Pitches On Tipping Pitches
November 22, 2019 19:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBEp. 98 — Alex and Bobby discuss Rob Manfred’s big ol’ middle finger to the MLBPA, where MLB’s plan for minor league restructuring goes from here, and widdle baby Astros owner Jim Crane needing cops to shield him from the Big Bad Journalists. Then, they interview… each other. Yes, seriously. They talk about the things they don’t know about each other’s baseball fandom, and discuss a baseball player as a jeopardy host and a Mount Rushmore of baseball players — among other things. Links: Rob ...
Whacking Trash Cans With The Boys
November 18, 2019 19:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBEp. 97 — Bobby and Alex have some fun with this winter’s latest Boras-isms and Bobby recounts a middle school memory. Then they discuss the Astros sign stealing scandal and what an appropriate response from MLB would look like, and Gabe Kapler continuing to fail upward. Finally, a look at which stars could get traded this offseason, and how they foreshadow the future of baseball fandom. Links: The Astros stole signs in 2017 ($) Songs featured in this episode: Britney Spears — “Toxic” • F...
Do Androids Dream of Electric Umps?
November 11, 2019 19:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBEp. 96 — Alex and Bobby talk the robot umps looming in the shadows and discuss whether or not MLB can be trusted with their implementation. Then they look at the Nationals’ visit to the White House, their behavior on the visit, and the ensuing public reaction, wondering how to swallow this as fans. Finally, some good old fashioned collusion talk, courtesy of Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos saying the quiet part real loud, on a phone call to journalists. Offseason baseball, baby! Songs featured i...
The Nationals Anthem
November 03, 2019 19:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBEp. 95 — Bobby and Alex discuss the biggest takeaways from the World Series, including unlikely heroes, rules chatter, a scandal hanging over it all, and, of course, Baby Shark. They also briefly discuss Carlos Beltrán being named the new Mets manager. Then, for a seasonal retrospective, they look back on the year in Three Up, Three Down, comparing how their lists began and how they ended to see what occupied their headspace the most this year. This week’s Three Up, Three Down — and the fina...
The TP10: World Series Edition
October 22, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBEp. 94 — Alex and Bobby share their 10 steps to watching and enjoying the World Series, discussing the pitching-heavy teams, the Bryce Harper narratives to come, the Nationals and Astros as patchworks of tanking teams, the joy of rooting for Good Players and against Bad Players, the Nationals as the perfect foil to the Astros, and more. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features a radically bad plan for minor league baseball and the beauty of baseball as a packaged product on TV. Links: Bas...
Raging Bullpens (feat. Bradford Davis)
October 15, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 74.1 MBEp. 93 — Alex and Bobby talk with Bradford Davis, senior sports writer at the New York Daily News, about the Yankees, a tipping-pitches-or-maybe-not scandal, how postseason strategy differs from regular season strategy, the Carlos Correa walk-off home run and subsequent celebration, and more. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features an updated scouting report on Bernie Sanders, and the return of The Smoltz. Follow Bradford on Twitter at @_beewilly. Songs featured in this episode: Wilson ...
Pain, Pleasure, Playoffs (feat. Meg Rowley)
October 11, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 76.8 MBEp. 92 — Bobby and Alex somewhat-but-not-quite briefly discuss Gerrit Cole’s hair, and also his ability to throw baseballs extremely well. They then talk to FanGraphs managing editor Meg Rowley about the acute anxiety of watching strangers succeed and/or fail on a national stage, whether it is fair to judge managerial decisions from afar, the resurgence of starting pitching this postseason, how we root in the playoffs, and more. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features the Tomahawk Chop in ...
The Platonic Ideal of Playoff Drama
October 07, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBEp. 91 — Bobby and Alex banter about playoff matchups thus far, and bid farewell to the Oakland Athletics. Then they discuss at length what the ideal playoff baseball moment looks like, and how baseball’s evolving character changes that in 2019. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features Kevin Kiermaier in need of some labor value theory, and baseball analysis telegraphed via half-baked analogies. Links: Jack Nicas on the Oakland Coliseum Songs featured in this episode: Erykah Badu — “Cer...
Was This A Good Baseball Season?
September 26, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBEp. 90 — Alex and Bobby banter about Mike Francesa, how PETCO Park fits into its urban surroundings, and baseball’s subliminal military ties. They discuss the news that Mike Matheny is in talks to manage the Royals and ask, quite politely, why? They read off some choice answers from Pedro Pedro Martínez’s Bleacher Report AMA, and take a moment to reflect on this season of baseball and what they as fans want out of it. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features an Uber driver pitching for the ...
Build-A-Player Workshop
September 20, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBEp. 89 — Bobby and Alex banter about the improbability of Homer Bailey in the year 2019. Then they dive deep into the idea of what the perfect superstar of the 2020s would look like, taking into account skill, style of play, and personality traits on and off the field. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features a discussion on blame, and why Max Kepler is the softboi we were looking for. Links: The band shirt photo Marcus Stroman’s stylish Instagram Songs featured in this episode: Gratef...
Who’s Rooting For Efficiency?
September 13, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBEp. 88 — Alex and Bobby talk the joy of Tony Kemp (yes, that Tony Kemp), and Mike Francesa becoming the investigative sports journalist we need. They discuss the Red Sox firing Dave Dombrowski and ponder what it means for the future of GMs who want to spend money to win championships (hint: it’s not pretty). Then they break down an article in FiveThirtyEight that asks if we even need minor league baseball, leading to a quasi-philosophical discussion about whether we “need” sports, or enterta...
The Deep State Of The Game
September 05, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 66 MBEp. 87 — Alex and Bobby talk the wonders of the Justin Verlander no-hitter and dream of a league where every team is the Astros. Then they take a deep dive into the world of baseball conspiracy theories, going over a few big ones — including an anti-Expos bent and the rigging of Cal Ripken Jr.’s streak — to assess their truth. This week’s Three Up, Three Down features a galaxy brain take on leads from A-Rod and some postseason game theory. Links: More reading on conspiracy theories in base...