Baseball Connection

The lockout continues to drag on but do not worry, it will come to an end soon enough and the season will be here before you know it. Once the lockout does end, there are many moves to be made. Lets take a look at the specific needs to be met for the Blue Jays, Mariners, and Braves. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Mets selected Kumar Rocker with the 10th overall pick last year but surprised many when they failed to reach an agreement with him before the deadline. There were question marks regarding Rocker's physical health and the details never emerged. Rocker might pitch in an independent league this spring in hopes of re-entering the draft. What will scouts be looking for and where could he be selecte...

As the lockout drags on, negotiations between MLB and MLBPA continue, but the clock is ticking. There is a widespread belief that Spring Training will be delayed. Will the regular season be pushed back too? What exactly is holding things up? Expect all the free agent dominoes to fall once the lockout ends. Let's examine potential landing spots for the top hitters are looking for a new home. All th...

Shohei Ohtani put together a season like we've never seen before and it has many wondering what his long term future in the game looks like. Will the Angels keep him around by giving him a contract extension? What would his value be as a free agent? All this (and more) on today's episode.

MLB has listed new job postings for Automatic Ball-Strike (ABS) system techs for 11 different minor league teams at the AAA level. Could ABS be coming to the minor leagues in 2022? When will we see this in the MLB? After testing new rules and styles of play over the past few years, MLB is winding up for some major rule changes. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Rays floated the idea of splitting their home games between two cities: Tampa and Montreal. MLB has nixed this so they'll stay in Tampa for the foreseeable future. The Rays do need a new stadium, though. Carlos Beltran has joined the Yankees broadcast team and will serve as a commentator this upcoming season. Is he using this as a stepping stone to future managerial opportunities. All this (an...

Seiya Suzuki is preparing to interview with MLB teams. He has several suitors and will most likely be playing in the MLB this season. Suzuki is seen as the best Japanese player looking to make a move since Shoehi Ohtani. He won't put on a display of two-way skills, but Suzuki is a 5x Gold Glove winner and power bat that scouts see as a potential everyday right fielder. All this (and more) on today...

David Ortiz has been elected to the Hall of Fame. The Red Sox legend made it in on his first ballot. What made Big Papi so good? Why do voters look the other way for Ortiz' steroid ties but not for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Braves took home the World Series title in 2021. Adversity didn't faze them. They lost Ronald Acuna Jr, Marcell Ozuna, and Mike Soroka. They entered the All-Star break with a losing record. They spent the least amount of days atop their division. How did they pull it off? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Astros entered 2021 with high expectations and they delivered. They boasted the best lineup in baseball and dominated the AL West. At the end of the day, there can only be one champion and Houston fell just short by losing in the World Series. Moving forward, they'll have to replace Carlos Correa but they did bring back Justin Verlander. All this (and more) on today's episode.

No team carried bigger expectations entering 2021 than the LA Dodgers. They were looking to defend their title and had the most talented team in baseball yet again. It was a great season in LA as they won a franchise-record 106 games, but they faced more competition than expected, both within their division and in the playoffs. With the Giants now looming, they'll need to bring their A-game again...

Nobody could've guessed the Red Sox would end the 2021 season in the ALCS. It was a shocking turnaround for a team that was one of baseball's worst the prior year. Their thrilling postseason run came to an end at the hands of the Astros but Red Sox nation enjoyed many fun moments in October. They'll need more pitching in 2022. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Giants had the most surprising turnaround in MLB. Few could have guessed they would lead MLB with 107 wins in 2021. It was made possible by vintage seasons from their veteran core, as well as great pitching. Buster Posey has since retired and Kevin Gausman is now a Blue Jay so the Giants have huge shoes to fill in 2022. What should we expect?

After a trip to the World Series in 2020, the Rays entered 2021 with their eyes set on a return but they ran into a surprise in the ALDS. They lost to a hot Red Sox team and saw their season come to a surprising end. Despite this, 2021 was a successful year for Tampa Bay and they're just getting started. Equipped with a strong young core and future superstar, the Rays will be scary in 2022.

Pitching carried the Brewers to new heights in 2021. Led by NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, they had one of the best rotations in baseball. A trade for Willy Adames was the surprising boost to their struggling offense, as Adames turned out to be their best hitter. Will Yelich ever regain his old form? All this (and more) on today's episode.

After not pitching in 2021, Anibal Sanchez is attempting an MLB comeback. It will be a bit of an uphill battle considering the fact that he's 38 and wasn't so great his last time around. Why are the Orioles moving their left field fence back? It's time for Toronto to start discussing extensions for Bo and Vlad. All this (and more) on today's episode.

It was a good year on the South Side of Chicago. The White Sox played great baseball all season and won the AL Central quite handily. They were eliminated in the ALDS by the Astros but there's plenty more left in the tank for this team. Talent isn't an issue at the moment - they just need to keep getting better as they have been doing already.

Melky Cabrera has announced his retirement from baseball. After 15 MLB seasons, with his last appearance being in 2019, Melky hangs up his cleats with a World Series Ring and an All-Star Game MVP. Something must have been in the Yankees' water in 2009.... Despite the ongoing lockout, Seiya Suzuki is set to come to the Major Leagues this season. All this (and more) on today's episode.

After a rough couple months to begin the 2021 season, the Yankees looked like a lost cause. They turned things around over the summer and made key moves at the deadline which jolted the team. Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo came over and breathed life into the Yankees' season. Gerrit Cole figured out how to pitch without sticky stuff and finished with great numbers. The Yankees ran into a hot Red Sox...

After 16 MLB seasons, Jon Lester has announced his retirement. Lester is going out on his own terms and puts an end to a wonderful career. His storybook journey involved beating cancer, throwing a no-hitter, winning 3 World Series, and ending a 108-year championship drought. Rachel Balkovec has been hired as the next manager of the Yankees' Low-A affiliate. She will be the first woman to ever mana...

Deep into the 2021 season, the Cardinals were down but now out. A late-season surge launched them into the playoffs as they ripped off 17 straight wins to secure a Wild Card berth. The Dodgers ended their season but there is a lot of fuel to carry the Cardinals forward in 2022. Tyler O'Neill has blossomed, Adam Wainwright has remained elite despite his age, Harrison Bader is the defensive CF in ba...

The Blue Jays had a strong season but were caught in the midst of a tough division. As such, they missed the playoffs but it was a good season in Toronto overall. Vlad blossomed into an MVP-caliber player, Marcus Semien and Robbie Ray secured bags, and the Blue Jays boasted one of the scariest lineups in baseball. They've lost Semien and Ray to free agency, but don't expect the Blue Jays to take a...

So close yet so far. The Mariners were on the cusp of ending their 20-year playoff drought as they fought up until the last day of the 2021 season. Nobody expected much from them but they somehow racked up 90 wins and shocked the baseball world. Did they overachieve? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The A's hoped to continue their playoff streak in 2021 but that came to an abrupt end. They had a solid year overall thanks to consistent pitching but they weren't particularly great in any one area. Now having gone through a managerial change this winter, 2022 will be a new challenge for Oakland. They'll need a bounce-back from Matt Chapman, though. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Reds had a fun roller coaster ride of a season. They made a brief playoff push and finished with a winning record. From a trio hitters who put up midseason fights for MVP (Votto, Winker, Castellanos) to the NL Rookie of the Year (Jonathan India) showcasing an on-base and power combination, their lineup was strong. Wade Miley's no-hitter was the pitching performance of the season. Where does Ci...