Baseball Isn’t Boring

With the pomp and circumstance of the World Baseball Classic kicking off, all eyes will be on the entertainment and flair the players are bringing to the field. A big part of that equation will be their footwear, which is an element the players are starving to show off. Two guys who are deep into the creativity when it comes to what they put on their feet are Miami's Jazz Chisholm and Trevor Story...

Bradfo and ESPN's Buster Olney team up again for a deep dive into what's going on in the magical world of Major League Baseball. The pair dissect the landscape of spring training with the new rules supplying plenty of shock and awe, while also taking a look at how some teams are setting themselves up for a surprise or two. And then there is Buster's shocking Shohei Ohtani take! It's a great way to...

Shawn sits down with one of the biggest names in National Baseball coverage to talk a little bit about the growing international coverage of baseball. From the culture expanding and evolving on a global stage to just growing baseball within a new demographic, the two talk about all the positive repercussions this year's tournament can have on the sport.

Don Orsillo has broadcasted some of the biggest spots in baseball in the last two decades. But in those moments it's always the instances that humanized the game that has left the biggest impact on his viewership. Dive into this conversation between Bradfo and Don on the mentorship and history of Orsillo's career in the booth.

WBC Central Podcast. Episode 7! I'm Shawn Spradling. I do a full breakdown of Pool B in the World Baseball Classic. I also cover: - New MLB rules are NOT in the WBC - Dominic Hamel, Puerto Rico's Game 3 starter - Tommy Edman is in Korea - Alejandro Kirk is out - Robinson Cano is Dominican Republic's captain MY SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shawn_Spradling - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com...

So many are hearing from the pitchers and batters when it comes to living this new life with Major League Baseball's pitch clock. But what about the catchers? They are the ones who have to manage the game on the fly, captaining a ship that is flying faster than ever. Bradfo sits down with Mike Zunino of the Guardians, Reese McGuire of the Red Sox, and the Dodgers' Will Smith to discuss this new wo...

Shawn sits down with Marek of North Greenville University and now WBC Team Czech Republic. The collegiate athlete is one of a handful of pioneer ballplayers from the European country participating in the tournament next month. We dive into his history with baseball and how that led him to the ultimate stage representing his Nation against some of the most talented individuals to play the game.

The Padres keep making splashes, the most recent one coming Sunday when it was reported Manny Machado had agreed to a 11-year contract extension. One man who will continue to have a front row seat to all the San Diego craziness is the team's television announcer Don Orsillo. Bradfo sits down with Orsillo to not only talk Padres, but also the state of broadcasting, as well as remembering the excell...

Houston Astros' Double-A affiliate phenom, Derek West, will be setting out for the WBC to represent the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Shawn sits down with the pitcher to talk about growing up in the United States while keeping up with his family's Dutch heritage and traditions and how that connection led him to play for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Bradfo sits down with Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts just prior to playing his first game with his new team. Bogaerts opens up about the path that led him to San Diego, including the twists and turns in his negotiations with the Red Sox and how touch 2022 was to navigate. It's an honest and open Xander Bogaerts.

We've given you the rosters but now it's time to evaluate each Pool. Shawn jumps into the first Pool, Pool A, in Taiwan when the tournament kicks off to see who has the strongest lineups and pitching staffs. Italy, Panama, Taipei, China, and the Netherlands will have an uphill battle against pool juggernauts, Cuba.

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto is ready to build off a memorable 2022 season, and he is willing to use the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast with Bradfo has his catapult. Dipoto dives into the Julio Rodriguez extension, the difference in constructing this Mariners club and how he views former top prospect Jarred Kelenic. There is also the great ketchup-flavored potato chip debate while reminisc...

It was the Twins' turn to talk baseball on the latest Baseball Isn't Boring podcast, with Bradfo catching up with three interesting members of the Minnesota club - Joey Gallo, Alex Kirilloff and Joe Ryan. The group talks about different facets of the current game, with Gallo diving into how 2023 might look different for him and the rest of MLB, Kirilloff offering perspective on players being willi...

The rosters for the World Baseball Classic are starting to take their final form as last-minute injury concerns knock off high-profile players as they enter Spring Training. To get you more intimate with each team before the tournament kicks off. Shawn rattles through each team and some of their key players along with each player he believes deserves your undivided attention when the first pitch i...

The MVP of the Dominican Winter League World Series - and man who is nicknamed 'Aquaman' - Jorge Alfaro joins Bradfo to talk about becoming a celebrity this offseason, his decision to join the Red Sox and play in the World Baseball Classic, along with his quest to meet the actor who portrayed Aquaman, Jason Momoa. He was, after all, Baseball Isn't Boring's adopted free agent pick-to-click (thanks...

One year ago, baseball was supposed to be on its deathbed. The sport was in the heart of a lockout, with sports fans ready to turn their back on the great game. But here were are, with spring training not only ready to kick off with as much enthusiasm as ever, but also with MLB feeling like the last 365 days may have allowed for its biggest step forward perception-wise in years. Ken Rosenthal of T...

All of a sudden, older pitchers are being accepted more than every in the world of Major League Baseball. Case in point: Yu Darvish signing a six-year deal at the age of 36 years old. Bradfo sits down with San Francisco Giants Director of Pitching Brian Bannister to explore why teams are all of a sudden valuing guys in their late 30's and early 40's, and when this shift actually happened. Banniste...

Shawn hosts Team Israel's young buck, Josh Wolf, to talk about how he ended up playing for the country and what it means to be competing against some of the game's biggest names so early in his career. Israel has a deep resource pool as far as coaching and personnel go, but the real question is how they will survive pool play.

Once again, Jonathan Papelbon and Bradfo are out to prove that not only isn't baseball boring, but betting on baseball isn't boring. It's why the two teamed up one again, this time to go through which teams are the best bets in each division. Along the way they formulate the 'Pitch of Destiny' where Papelbon sets the over/under on throwing a fastball at 89.9 mph. We also get to the bottom of exact...

Shawn has some good news and some bad news. With Pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training this week, some big-name players have dropped out of the WBC. The good news is that it means a new batch of professional ballplayers with an opportunity of representing their country on the world stage.

With the football season officially in the rearview mirror, it's time for baseball to step into the spotlight. That's why was a perfect time for one of the game's best personalities, Jake Burger of the White Sox, to join Bradfo on the podcast. The guys talk about the controversial spring training hats, who Joe Kelly helped turn Burger's season around, the important discussion involving mental heal...

In the heart of Super Bowl week, baseball took over thanks to Coop joining Joe Kelly in dominating Radio Row to talk about the book, "A Damn Near Perfect Game: Reclaiming America's Pastime". Bradfo was joined by Coop to offer a first-hand account of what he encountered in Phoenix.

Director and writer for El Extrabase, Daniel Alvares-Montes talks to Shawn about the strength of the Venezuelan roster and how they'll match up in pool play during the World Baseball Classic.

Bradfo jumped on MLB Network Radio with Jenny Cavnar to take a deep dive into the forthcoming best-selling book "A Damn Near Perfect Game: Reclaiming America's Pastime" while also picking apart what to expect with the Red Sox.

Should they play. Shouldn't they play. It's always a tough decision for players and teams every time the World Baseball Classic comes around, with this year being no exception. One of the more noteworthy case this season has been Ji-Man Choi, who wanted to play for South Korea but the Pirates steered him away from the roster. Pittsburgh Ben Cherington joined Bradfo to discuss that dynamic along wi...