All About Baseball with Byron Copley

On June 2, 2010, Detroit Tiger pitcher Armando Galarraga retired 28 consecutive Cleveland Guardians (Then known as the Indians.) It just so happened that the 27th batter, Jason Donald, was called safe by veteran umpire Jim Joyce. As a result, this game stands in relief in comparison to all the other 238,000 + games that have been played by Major League baseball since 1869, because it serves as a l...

I believe that with a proper mindset of anticipation, expectation, and pro-activity, outfielders gain precious milli-seconds of reaction time that can affect the outcome of a play. This is a personal account of the mindset I developed and refined as an outfielder from the age of 14 until I when I stopped playing organized baseball at age 19. I hope that this is also a universal story about patienc...

53 years ago today, I attended the 42nd MLB All-Star Game at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. This is my account of my experience there, and I close with an anecdote that occurred two years earlier that involved two participants who were played in that game. Thank you, as always, for listening. 1971 All-Star Game Box Score: https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1971-allstar-game.shtml Reggie Jackson...

In this podcast, I present the five things that I do in every game I call to help ensure that I represent the game of baseball to the best of my ability. These are things that any umpire can and should do from their initial to their final game. I think these are indicative of umpires who respect the game, the coaches, and players — and that places them in the best possible position to succee...

It was a moment that I had been anticipating, along with the rest of the baseball word, for three years prior to April 8, 1974. And even though I witnessed it on television — I missed it — and then realized it much later in life. And it had nothing to do with the actual home run. bcpodcastbaseball@gmail.com ps. (apologies for the occasional bird noises and the occasional audio pops, wh...

Willie Mays (May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024) was the last five-tool player of my youth to pass away. The other five players being, in my opinion, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Al Kaline, Roberto Clemente, and Hank Aaron. I believe that Mays was the best of all of them, because of his elite base running skills. In this podcast, I reflect on Mays’s approach to base running, offer an anecdo...

What does a called strike look like from the perspective of the one person on the field who sees it most clearly: the home plate umpire? That’s what this podcast explores in detail. We’ll define the strike zone, how an umpire sees it best, why there is often disagreement about the location of a “questionable” pitch, and what I believe is the best approach to call the faires...

Sometimes baseball is the main character, sometimes it plays a supporting role, sometimes it's a supporting role. The topics are vast and varied. In this opening episode, called "Warmup" I introduce myself and the reason why I am initiating this podcast -- to connect with people who are as passionate about the game of baseball as I am.