Passed Ball Show

PASSED BALL SHOW #79 5/7/2013 Part 2; After mentioning the recent death of former Philadelphia Athletics catcher Joe Astroth, I recap the 11 living players from the 1954 Philadelphia Athletics team (the last before the move to Kansas City). I also dub the 1950s as the geographical chance decade for MLB with cities such as Milwaukee, Kansas City, Baltimore, Los Angeles and San Francisco all get MLB...

PASSED BALL SHOW #79 5/7/2013 Part 1 WITH FRED CLAIRE; I make the case why David Wright has been a clutch player for the Mets. I also compare the 2013 Yankees to the 2009 Mets, both teams plagued by injuries. I speak with long time LA Dodgers executive Fred Claire about his run as GM, the 1988 Dodgers, and Fox's take over of the Dodgers

PASSED BALL SHOW #78 5/3/2013 Part 2 WITH LEE TINSLEY; I start out by criticizing Keith Hernandez for taking broadcasting for granted and his "sighs" throughout the broadcasts. I salute Brad Lesley as well as breakdown the MLB closer changes that will happen this season. I also speak with Lee Tinsley, a current coach in the Chicago Cubs organization and former MLB OF with the Mariners, Red Sox and...

PASSED BALL SHOW #78 5/3/2013 Part 1; Listen to my simple breakdown of what the New York Mets are, and suggestion of a serious trade the Mets should consider. I also talk about the unpires and suggest a solution to their problems that does not involve expanded instant replay. I finish off by making a suggestion to our friends who rely on the sabr stats and WAR

PASSED BALL SHOW #74 4/4/2013 Part 2 WITH APRIL WHITZMAN AND KEVIN MENCH; I talk about the historic 1948 foot race between elderly Connie Mack and Clark Griffith. April Whitzman calls in to talk about MLB fan cave and her passion for baseball. I throw my full support for Johan Santana and talk about his best New York Mets moments. I reach out to former Texas Rangers OF Kevin Mench to talk about th...

PASSED BALL SHOW #74 4/4/2013 Part 1 WITH DON SLAUGHT AND MIKE HARGROVE; I open the program by laughing at the fact that fans run away from their pre season feelings about a team once the season starts. I speak with former MLB catcher Don Slaught about his time with the Royals, Yankees and Pirates and how he separated his responsibility of catching from being a consistent .300 hitter. Former India...

PASSED BALL SHOW #71 3/14/2013 Part 2 WITH DANNY GARCIA AND SETH ETHERTON; I talk a little bit about the World Baseball Classic and the brawl between Canada and Mexico. Danny Garcia calls in to talk about his brief opportunity to play for the New York Mets in 2003 and 2004 and what he is up to now a days. Seth Etherton talks about his comeback and what is was like pitching for his hometown Los Ang...

PASSED BALL SHOW #71 3/14/2013 Part 1 WITH RANDY MARSHALL AND CALVIN PICKERING; I open up by suggesting the Mets get OF Brennan Boesch, who has since signed with the Yankees. Former Mets, Tigers and Rockies minor league LHP Randy Marshall calls in to talk about his issues breaking into the big leagues and why he left the game so soon. Former Orioles, Reds, Red Sox and Royals 1B Calvin Pickering jo...

PASSED BALL SHOW #58 12/13/2012 Part 2 WITH RALPH CITARELLA AND BILLY STAPLES; PBS part 2 with @john_pielli, Billy Staples and Ralph Citarella. We go over some promotional dates for the Newark Bears for next season as well as go over Billy Staples latest book. Also some great stories of Ralph’s playing career and experiences Billy has had with MLB players

PASSED BALL SHOW #58 12/13/2012 Part 1 WITH RALPH CITARELLA AND BILLY STAPLES; Listen back to part one of the show as Ralph and I discuss the signing of Josh Hamilton with the Angels. I also ask Ralph many questions about his rise to the big leagues and am later joined by Billy Staples, a well known baseball author

PASSED BALL SHOW #68 2/21/2013 Part 2 WITH MIKE LACOSS AND VAL MAJEWSKI; Among topics in this hour are the 1979 Montreal Expos, Chris Young and the Nationals and two criminal MLB players that made the 1919 Black Sox and Pete Rose look like saints. Mike LaCoss speaks about who really taught him the split finger fastball and ibaseballchannel.com. I close it off by speaking with Val Majewski about pi...

PASSED BALL SHOW #68 2/21/2013 Part 1 WITH ROB DUCEY; On the first part of the program, I talk about the potential dis-service the Yankees will be presented with the loss of Phil Hughes. I speak with former Blue Jays and Phillies OF Rob Ducey about being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and his persistence throughout his MLB career. I also talk about Michael Jordan's baseball caree...

PASSED BALL SHOW #66 2/7/2013 Part 2 WITH GAVIN CECCHINI; I start the second half by calling out Ryan Braun for the fraud he his, making the comparison between him and Rafael Palmeiro. Mets 2012 1st round draft pick Gavin Cecchini calls in to talk about his brother Garin, who was drafted by the Red Sox, living up to being a number 1 draft pick and what he expects to happen in the future. Though I...

PASSED BALL SHOW #66 2/7/2013 Part 1 WITH MARK BREWER AND JUSTIN MILLER; On this version of the PBS, I start out by giving my approval of Felix Hernandez's new contract with the Mariners and General Manager Jack Zduriencik's commitment to perhaps the greatest player in Seattle Mariners history. I speak with former Mets minor league pitching coach Mark Brewer about his experience as a pitching coac...

PASSED BALL SHOW #65 2/2/2013 Part 2 WITH DAVE SIMS AND JOHN HALAMA; Listen back to my prerecorded interview from October 2012 with Seattle Mariners and Westwood One broadcaster Dave Sims. Interview has never been played before. Also, listen to my discussion about second basemen and their place in baseball's HOF as well as my ranking of MLB's 30 managers. The show finishes off with my interview wi...

PASSED BALL SHOW #65 2/2/2013 WITH JOEY GATHRIGHT; Listen back to my interview with MLB OF Joey Gathright as well as some discussion about the 1927 and 1936 New York Yankees. I finish up talking about the latest PED allegations and how much baseball should or should not care

PASSED BALL SHOW #64 Part 2 WITH BILL GULLICKSON AND MATT MCBRIDE; I spend some time on the Delmon Young signing and how much of a bargain it was and state the team that will end up with Michael Bourn. I speak with former MLB pitcher Bill Gullickson and discuss 1987 collusion, Japan, the 1981 postseason and comeback with the Astros. I talk to Colorado Rockies OF Matt McBride and talk about his off...

PASSED BALL SHOW #64 1/24/2013 Part 1 WITH MARK GRANT; I start out the program by mentioning the simple thing I want to see the New York Mets do, which would be just enough to make me want to go to more games this season. Remembering the legend of Stan Musial in lieu of his passing as well as Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver. Mark Grant calls in to talk about his playing career, being part of a tr...

PASSED BALL SHOW #62 Part 2 WITH AARON GUIEL, JOINED IN STUDIO BY CHRIS SPEZIALE FORM WIRED FOR SPORTS; Chris and I start by breaking down the offseason moves made by the Boston Red Sox. Former MLB OF Aaron Guiel calls in to talk about overcoming ten years of playing in the minors to get to the bigs. He talks about his success in 2003 and his transition to the Japanese League where he played for t...

PASSED BALL SHOW #62 1/10/2013 Part 1 JOINED BY CHRIS MITCHELL ANS CHRIS SPEZIALE FROM WIRED FOR SPORTS; Listen back as we go over everything involved with yesterday's announcement that nobody will be elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame by the writers. Opinion is shared on candidates such as Mike Piazza, Alan Trammell, Fred McGriff, Barry Bonds, Craig Biggio and more. John has some strong words for...

PASSED BALL SHOW #60 12/27/2012 Part 2; Listen to my breakdown of the 2012-2013 Hall of Fame Ballot, from those who will get in, those that will fall short and those that will return to the ballot next season, top options to fill the last spot in the Mets rotation, how Indians, Diamondbacks, and Reds all won three way trade and remembering Josh Gibson and Billy Martin

PASSED BALL SHOW #60 12/27/2012 Part 1 WITH MATT ANTONELLI; Listen back as @john_pielli talks about the recent release of Ugueth Urbina from prison, the Red Sox outlook after the trade for Joel Hanrahan and what the best answer for a Yankees RH OF bat. Listen to my interview with MLB infielder and former Padres 2B Matt Antonelli

PASSED BALL SHOW #76 4/23/2013; This is the recap of the show I did live from the Hooters in Princeton the prior Thursday. I speak about the Mets, Rockies and Ruben Tejada,the Yankees and Vernon Wells and the Phillies and Roy Halliday's velocity. I speak about the movie "42" and Jackie Robinson Day as well as the renovations being done to Wrigley Field

PASSED BALL SHOW #75 4/11/2013 WITH ARMANDO RIOS AND KEN DAVIDOFF; I speak briefly with New York Post columnist Ken Davidoff and get into some of what I feel the biggest issues are for the Yankees going forward. Armando Rios, former OF for the Giants, Pirates and White Sox, joins the program to talk about his developmental program for young athletes as well as his time in the big leagues. I finish...

PASSED BALL SHOW #73 3/28/2013 Part 2 WITH TIM DIERKES; I talk about the New York Post article and what it makes of Lenny Dykstra as well as Dykstra's open letter that he would be cleared of all charges. Of course, he was not. I play my earlier interview with MLB Trade Rumors creator and founder Tim Dierkes. I go over this date in baseball history as well as declaring my independent 2013 predictio...