Tipping Pitches
By Tipping Pitches
Tipping PitchesDec 27, 2021
Ghost Kitchen on Third
Bobby and Alex take a moment to appreciate the human toil of maintaining MLB Gameday feeds, then try and see if they can become a ghost kitchen for MLB’s new food delivery venture, throw out some other ideas for venture capitalists wanting to squeeze more juice out of the sport, and reflect on one year since the A’s announced their move to Las Vegas. Then they answer some listener questions about an employee-owned team, the MLBPA, and what they'd do if there were no copyright restrictions on broadcasts.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Equipment — "Talk to Strangers" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Cross Your T’s and Dot Your Outs
Bobby and Alex take a look at how Slam Corp stock is doing, then discuss a recent article about Diamond Baseball Holdings’s minor league shopping spree and what the encroachment of private equity means for the developmental arm of the sport. Then they settle on a slogan for the A’s and answer some mailbag questions about how to denote outs on scorebugs, governmental investigations, the outlook for robot pitchers, MLB in the Middle East, and more.
Links:
What is Diamond Baseball Holdings up to?
Rockies under investigation by the FAA
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Arm's Length — "Dirge" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
It's the End of the DH as We Know It (feat. Hannah Keyser)
Bobby and Alex are joined by Hannah Keyser to run through a grab bag of topics, including the Shohei Ohtani/Ippei Mizuhara investigation updates, the state of the Designated Hitter across the league, why pitchers are not more...anxious, whether Jordan Montgomery leaving Scott Boras portends anything, team slogans, and more.
Follow Hannah on Twitter.
Links:
The billionaire behind the scenes in White Sox’ stadium plan
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
At the Drive-In — "Lopsided" • Jimmy Eat World — "Christmas Card" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The Most Evil Jersey Sponsors, Ranked
Alex and Bobby break down the quote that's got them saying "Let's Go Brandon" and check in on some news items regarding a Sacramento baseball team and a recent rash of elbow injuries. Then they take stock of MLB's current bedfellows by ranking this year's jersey patch sponsors based on their benefit (or lack thereof) to society. We're talking grocery stores and oil spills, baby!
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Madonna — "Material Girl" • The Saints — "Know Your Product" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Tipping Pitches Bingo: 2024 Edition
Bobby and Alex preview the 2024 season (three days into the season) by putting together a bingo card of some off-field events they'll be watching for this year, including billionaire shopping sprees, the encroachment of sports betting, political donations, Twitter settings tweaks, and more. Play along with your own card at the link below!
Links:
A-Rod, Marc Lore and Glen Taylor clash publicly over Wolves, Lynx ownership
Play Tipping Pitches Bingo: https://bingobaker.com/#660a190e3bb4104e
Songs featured in this episode:
Smirk — "Violent Game" • Booker T & the M.G.'s — "Green Onions"
The 2024 Banned Topics. Plus: Ohtani Betting Scandal and the MLBPA Rift
Return of the pod! Alex and Bobby are back to kick off the 2024 season with this year’s banned topics, a list which includes a media member, a sport, an oft-repeated lie from owners, a uniform decision, and more. Plus, some discussion of a couple small stories from the last week involving Shohei Ohtani and the MLBPA. Everything is fine here!
Links:
Players move to oust Bruce Meyer from union
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Thin Lizzy — “The Boys Are Back In Town” • Gulfer — “Clean” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
[Rebroadcast]: Vote For Pedro (feat. Sean Doolittle)
[From April 20, 2020]
Alex 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 featured in this episode:
Jamiroquai — "Canned Heat" • Booker T. & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
[Rebroadcast]: The 10 Players Who Defined The Decade
[From Dec. 9, 2019]
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 — “Green Onions”
[Rebroadcast]: The Least Terrible Owners Draft (feat. Céspedes Family BBQ)
[From Jan. 17, 2022]
Bobby and Alex are back with a very special episode this week. They’ve invited on their friends Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman of Céspedes Family BBQ to do the unthinkable: draft the owners who they would actually want — or wouldn’t hate — to have running their team. Some of the choices may surprise you and some may not, but the episode reveals the colorful history of some of baseball’s lesser known owners and is sure to give you a better understanding of the billionaires who run the sport we love to hate and hate to love.
Follow Céspedes Family BBQ on Twitter at @CespedesBBQ.
Songs featured in this episode:
H.E.R. — "Do To Me" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
[Rebroadcast]: Tipping Pitches, Presented by CarMax (feat. Eireann Dolan)
[From Feb. 19, 2018]
On this episode, Alex and Bobby banter a bit about baseball’s resident dad Mike Scioscia, the return of The Freak, and Hunter Pence’s board game/video game/comic book/live streaming/podcasting café in Houston (a.k.a our new recording studio). Then they bring on writer and prolific tweeter Eireann Dolan to talk about activism in baseball, a painfully slow offseason, baseball reality shows, and how she met her husband Sean Doolittle (spoiler: it was Twitter). She also has some great ideas for how we should monetize. Follow Eireann on Twitter here.
Links:
Pedro Moura on Ohtani/Scioscia ($) / the Scioscia quote
Hunter Pence’s foray into the coffee business
Songs featured in this episode:
X — “Los Angeles” • Japanese Breakfast — “Everybody Wants to Love You” • Jeff Rosenstock — “Nausea” • The Eagles — “Already Gone”
[Rebroadcast]: A Love Letter to Backyard Baseball
[From March 12, 2018]
Inspired by an article by Zach Kram at the Ringer last year, Bobby and Alex take a deep dive into the history of “Backyard Baseball,” the kids-video-game-turned-cult-classic that they grew up with. They bring on Nick Mirkovich, one of the game’s co-creators, to talk about the game’s inception and its evolution through the years, and speculate on why the game remains so firmly embedded in the minds of this generation. They dive into the colorful personalities of each character and reminisce on what made the game so special in the first place. It’s a full-on nostalgia sesh, featuring real gameplay and cameos from Sunny Day, Vinnie the Gooch, and the one and only Pablo Sanchez.
A Brief Update About the Show
Hi everyone,
We'll be taking a small hiatus from the show. In the meantime, we'll be running old classics and hidden gems from before many of you were subscribed. Thanks for your understanding, we look forward to being back with new episodes soon!
—Alex and Bobby
UNLOCKED: 'Moneyball' Watchalong
Please enjoy this 'Moneyball' watchalong commentary track, unlocked from the Tipping Pitches Patreon, while Alex and Bobby take the week off from the feed to recover from the chaos of Billionaire Hunting. 'Moneyball' is currently streaming on Netflix in the United States.
Billionaire Hunting
Bobby and Alex discuss the sale of the Baltimore Orioles to billionaire hedge fund manager David Rubenstein. Then, in one of their most unhinged efforts ever, they run through the Forbes list of the 100 richest people in America to try and find a new owner for the Oakland Athletics.
Links:
Michael Baumann on the sale of the Orioles
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Parquet Courts — “NYC Observation • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Children of Manfred
Bobby and Alex banter about a World Series between the most likable teams, then discuss the bubbling age fraud story in the Dominican Republic and its fallout, run through a grab bag of listener topics, and float an idea for how to raise the stakes of the Hall of Fame selections.
Links:
Age fraud in the Dominican Republic
Adrian Beltre gets the call to the Hall
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Jess Williamson — "Hunter" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Live From Bankruptcy Court!
Alex and Bobby try and parse Amazon’s rescue of Diamond Sports Group and what it means for the future of broadcasts, then discuss Jerry Reinsdorf’s quest to make his mark on the South Side with a new stadium, and dive into what Sports Illustrated’s untimely demise means for the future of the media landscape (it’s not great!).
Links:
Amazon investing in Diamond Sports Group
White Sox in “serious talks” for new stadium
Matthew Trueblood on Jerry Reinsdorf’s stadium dreams
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
The Mother Hips — “White Falcon Fuzz” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The 2024 State of Labor In Baseball (feat. Michael Baumann)
You know him, you love him. It's FanGraphs writer Michael Baumann's fifth time appearing to assess the state of labor in baseball, which this year features a macro-analysis of the minor league CBA, a final consensus on whether deferred money in player contracts matters all that much, and predictions over whether streaming's collapse will have adverse effects on labor in the future.
Subscribe to Mike's cycling newsletter here: https://wheelysports.substack.com/
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Desaparecidos— “Mall of America” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Alex Rodriguez Victory Fund
New year, same Tipping Pitches. Alex and Bobby ring in 2024 by running through some REAL baseball news (the contents of Jeff Passan’s Twitter account) over the last few weeks, including a pair of moves from the Red Sox, even more rule changes, and Harrison Bader (that’s right). They also make some New Year’s resolutions, field some listener questions, and start planning out Alex Rodriguez’s presidential campaign.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Indigo Moiré — “Whole, Again” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
UNLOCKED: 'The Sandlot' Watchalong
Unlocked from the Patreon feed, Alex and Bobby give you a podcasters' commentary of the seminal coming-of-age baseball flick The Sandlot. Come for the Green Onions lore, stay for the Stevie barks, maybe leave for when they eat s'mores.
TO GET MORE PATREON CONTENT, SIGN UP AT: patreon.com/tippingpitches
Links:
Songs featured in this episode:
Counting Crows — "Big Yellow Taxi" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Shohei Ohtani Contract Support Group
Bobby and Alex banter about colds and cold opens before delving into the disastrous discourse that is Shohei Ohtani's whopping $680 million of salary deferral and what it means for the Dodgers competitive balance tax bill. To close, they tell you everything you could possibly ever want to know about the Mariners and ROOT Sports and why you might actually not need to know any of it.
Links:
Shohei Ohtani Contract Explainer
Mariners to take full control of ROOT Sports NW
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Oso Oso — "reindeer games" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Overrated/Underrated (feat. Céspedes Family BBQ)
Alex and Bobby discuss Shohei Ohtani’s free agency and the resulting media frenzy, Juan Soto’s heel turn, and a prospective Orioles sale, then bring on Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman of Céspedes Family BBQ for a game of Overrated/Underrated that includes MLB.tv, Jumbotrons, ballpark flyovers, Jackie Robinson, and more.
Links:
John Angelos says the Orioles aren’t for sale
The doomed search for a perfect Statcast data interpretation
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Spiritual Cramp — "Talkin' On The Internet" • Taylor Swift — "Mastermind" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Condolences, Casinos, and Cardio
Bobby and Alex open with a dramatic reading of the New York Yankees statement on the death of Henry Kissinger and try to parse why the hell a baseball team would feel the need to release it. Then, they speed round (lol) some news items from the last couple weeks, including Ohtani and Soto rumors, Steve Cohen’s casino, and more. Finally, they open the mailbag to allow a bevy of listeners to yell at them about running, matchmake for Taylor Swift, share managerial interview tactics, and make sense of the Jackson Chourio extension.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
No Thank You — “Saturn Return” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Jocks and Emo Kids (feat. Pool Kids)
Bobby and Alex are joined by Christine Goodwyne and Andy Anaya of Pool Kids to recount the band's hilarious connection to Pete Alonso, give an update the Pete/Pool Kids saga, talk about their last year of touring, writing new music, creative influences, meeting Hayley Williams, and more.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Pool Kids — "Couch” • My Chemical Romance — "Hang 'Em High" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Free Cowboy Boots (feat. Trevor May)
Bobby and Alex give some quick reactions to the owners’ unanimous vote to relocate the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas, then bring on recently-retired reliever Trevor May to talk about his second career as a content creator, how his rant against A’s owner John Fisher went viral, what Fisher’s motivations for selling the team might be, the end-of-season gift the notoriously penny-pinching A’s owner got all the players, Beats by Rob, what he puts on when he has the aux cord in the clubhouse, and more.
Links:
Follow Trevor May on Twitter
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Kississippi — "Around Your Room” • Antarctigo Vespucci — "Freakin' U Out'" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The Dumbest Baseball Things of 2023 (feat. Batting Around)
Reprising their roles as the arbiters of all things Dumb in the baseball world, Stephen, Lauren, and Jane from Batting Around join Alex and Bobby to do their incredibly on-brand yearly drafting duties.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Smut — "After Silver Leaves” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The Real World Series Was the Narratives We Made Along the Way
Bobby and Alex come together to recap a dominant Texas Rangers run that ultimately ended in a somewhat pedestrian World Series. Then, they expand the scope of the conversation to include some retrospective thoughts on the 2023 season at large, including how pitcher usage is affecting our relationship to watching the sport, what we learned about what "all in" means for teams, and more. Also, Alex shares a very important memory about fonts.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Into It. Over It — “August, GA” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Snakes in the Grass
Bobby and Alex ideate some outside-the-box baseball Halloween costumes, then dig into some surprises from the World Series thus far, including the Dbacks’ apparent non-fraudulence(?), Tommy Pham’s intensity, critical analysis of the Global South, and drone technology. Plus: predictions for Scherzer vs. Pfaadt, the announcement of a Game 5 watchalong, and a lot of hot yoga talk.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Shania Twain — “Any Man Of Mine” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The 2023 World Series: What's Going On In Arizona?
Alex and Bobby reflect on some main takeaways from the ALCS and NLCS, including why you don’t start beef in the middle of a series, the arrival of Adolis García, the podcast’s hand in the Phillies’ elimination, the Rangers’ need for a karaoke machine, and more. Then they give some predictions for the World Series and share what they’re looking forward to, including a pivotal moment for Chris Young’s height, the concept of Dignity, and a January 6th reunion.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Teenage Joans — "Three Leaf Clover" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The Division Series (The Concert, The Movie, The Film)
Bobby and Alex build out a concept for a World Series documentary on the heels of Taylor Swift’s box office success, then look back on the various Division Series and ensuing eliminations, including a desperate string of narratives in Atlanta, Sonny Gray’s One Bad Start, some legitimate scheduling gripes, and powerhouse teams going silently into the night, before answering some listener questions about the upcoming Championship Series.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Relient K — "Be My Escape" • Blue Deputy — "I Hate Steven Singer" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Variance Flies Forever
Alex and Bobby check in on Bob Nightengale’s recent predictions record, then take stock of the playoff picture thus far, including whether the “right” teams made it to the division series, the most compelling matchups to watch this round, which teams are poised to come back after losing their first game, Kershaw and Verlander in October, and more. They also give Jerry Dipoto some PR lessons, make the case against Online Mascots, and dig into the Diamondbacks crossing a picket line in LA.
Links:
UNITE HERE calls out the Dbacks
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Tony Allen — “Secret Agent” • Equipment — “Hot, Young Doctors” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
2023 MLB Playoffs Narrative-Ball
Alex and Bobby assess the 2023 playoff field and which teams have the most compelling narrative cases to win the World Series. Plus, they assign two teams, respectively, as the hero and villain of this year’s October.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Olivia Rodrigo — “bad idea right?” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Kerned Beef (feat. Allison McCague)
Alex and Bobby run through a grab bag of topics from the last couple weeks, including David Stearns as the prodigal son, meet the new Trop (same as the old Trop), some certifiably Bad Vibes in San Diego, the end of The Chaim Bloom Era in Boston, the finer points of uniform typography, Yusei Kikuchi’s sleep habits, James Cameron’s “Titanic,” and more. They also talk to Allison McCague from A Pod of Their Own about their annual Dollars for Dingers fundraising drive in support of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and this weekend’s raffle in New York.
Links:
Follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter
Yusei Kikuchi’s need for sleep
Rays announce new stadium deal
Neil deMause on the Rays stadium news
DEA documents show A-Rod named names
Rangers announcers roast Mariners uniform kerning
The Padres are facing an “institutional failure”
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Smash Mouth — “Walkin’ On The Sun” • Jay-Z — “Change Clothes” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The 300th Episode Power Hour
It had to be something special for the 300th episode: Alex and Bobby do a “power hour” while answering your questions, ranging from cities they’d want to live in, a fictional A-Rod and Taylor romance, eggplant parmesan vs. lasagna, and much more. Plus, they finally deliver on the long-promised two hour episode. Strap in!
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Fall Out Boy — “Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Low-Level Corruption
Alex and Bobby discuss some mediocre yelling at clouds before moving on to talk about the Nationals’ mishandling of the Stephen Strasburg retirement situation. Then, they check in on a pair of lawsuits against MLB, before finishing with their favorite topic: the Nevada state legislature!
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone
Links:
David Wells’ comments at Old Timers’ Day
Two lawsuits against MLB advancing
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Swearin’— “Untitled (LA)” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
I Don’t Play Golf, I Don’t Go Outside
Alex and Bobby banter about infrastructure in Pennsylvania and the destruction of the cap shuffle in Washington, D.C., then discuss the rationale behind Arte Moreno’s waiver wire frenzy, Jerry Reinsdorf’s jarring lack of hobbies, and Brian Cashman and the Yankees’ inevitable turn to “outside consultants.”
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone
Links:
Answering questions about the Angels’ waiver wire dump
Reinsdorf on the 2023 White Sox
Reinsdorf on the possibility of selling
White Sox decline to hire diverse group of GM candidates
Yankees bringing in outside consultants
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
The Cardigans — “Live and Learn” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
It’s So Over, We’re So Back
Bobby and Alex return from summer break with a grab bag of topics in the latest edition of Three Up, Three Down, including the first-place Mariners, owners talking to reporters, Shohei Ohtani, a half dozen team plans to move, ESPN’s big bet, pizza reviews, the delay of Dune 2, and more.
Links:
John Angelos talks the future of the Orioles
John Fisher talks the future of the A’s
Tahoe Coffee Shop bans John Fisher
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
TKTK • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The Coliseum Diaries
Alex and Bobby take a trip to the Oakland Coliseum for a Bay Bridge Series protest game and report back on what they saw and heard, like “Sell the team” chants, sick Teamsters shirts, and a whole lot of passionate fans. Plus: Steve Cohen semi-open letter alert, and a programming note about the next couple weeks.
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Kool & the Gang — “Celebration” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Sad at the Deadline 2: Electric Boogaloo
Alex and Bobby reflect on a fun evening at the Brooklyn Cyclones game, then take stock of Rob Manfred’s legacy as his commissionership is renewed, check in on John Sherman’s quest for a new Royals ballpark and interrogate the concept of the “open letter,” react to the Max Scherzer trade, and celebrate six years of being bummed on July 31.
Links:
Rob Manfred re-elected as MLB commissioner
John Sherman’s open letter to Royals fans
Max Scherzer traded to the Rangers
Ken Rosenthal on Steve Cohen’s investment in the Scherzer trade
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Alabama — “I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why) • Bobby Brown — “Every Little Step” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
MLB Matchmaker, Part 2
At long last, Alex has selected the team he will switch his allegiances to. That's it! This is a podcast! Here's a podcast! Please listen! Thanks!
Buy tickets for the Tipping Pitches Brooklyn Cyclones Meetup
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone episode
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
[REDACTED] • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
MLB Matchmaker, Part 1
At long last, it's time for Alex to either publicly break up with the Oakland A's and find a new team or renew his vows to the Athletics. In part one of two, we go team-by-team through 20 of the 30 MLB teams to determine where they measure up on Alex's custom made rubric. In part two, we will finish the final 10, consider alternative visions of fandom, and make a final selection.
Buy tickets for the Tipping Pitches Brooklyn Cyclones Meetup
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone episode
Links:
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Whitmer Thomas — “Rigamarole” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Tipping Pitches, a.k.a NYSE: TIPP
Alex and Bobby discuss the ways MLB's Virtual Ballpark could actually supplement fans' experience, but instead serves as an uncanny reflection of the league's diverging interests. Then, they break down what it means for the Atlanta Braves to be officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Finally, they share their thoughts on what the 2023 season has brought us at the halfway point.
Buy tickets for the Tipping Pitches Brooklyn Cyclones Meetup
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone episode
Links:
MLB's Virtual All-Star Game Stadium
Braves to split from Liberty Media later this month
Inside the Alabama Baseball Betting Scandal
Rob Manfred's Sportico Guest Essay
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Dog Ears — “Midnight Sunburn” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Baseball
Alex and Bobby talk about air quality and MLB’s discouraging response to hazardous climate events, the Royals stalling in contract talks with stadium workers, scouts suing the league over age discrimination, and the Orioles’ heartening Pride Night, then answer listener questions about a Castellini inheritance, Immaculate Grid strategy, Mets players who would risk it all for Mrs. Met, and more.
Buy tickets for the Tipping Pitches Brooklyn Cyclones Meetup
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone episode
Links:
Royals accused of stalling stadium worker deal
Stadium workers file federal labor charges against Royals
Scouts sue MLB over age discrimination
Scenes from the Orioles’ Pride Night
Pepsi Colachup is coming to stadiums for July 4th
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Jimi Hendrix — “Purple Haze” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The Empire Strikes Out (feat. Debbie Sharnak)
Bobby and Alex bring on Rowan University professor Debbie Sharnak to discuss MLB’s international presence, including the ways their practices overseas reflect imperialist desires, the U.S.’s long history of baseball as an export, the complicated proposal of an international draft, the impact of talent drain on international communities, the role of baseball academies in the sport’s global influence, and more.
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone episode.
Links:
Two Dominican prospects sue the Angels
Dodgers establish a “secret” baseball academy in Uganda
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
boygenius — "$20" • Sweet Pill — "Sucker Punch" • Green Day — "Longview" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
It’s All Green to Me
In this episode, Alex and Bobby delve into the recent news surrounding the Oakland A's move to Las Vegas, dissect Rob Manfred's comments on the A's relocation efforts and his stance on Pride Nights across the league, and drill down into the implications of the recent spate of layoffs at The Athletic.
Submit questions for a Tipping Pitches milestone episode.
Links:
Manfred on the A's potential move
Manfred's comments on Pride Nights
Bryce Harper's comments on the A's situation
A's stadium deal wins final legislative approval in Nevada
MLB intends to curb team spending on tech
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
TOPS — “Petals” • Jim Croce — “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
The CBA Deep Dive
It's here. At long last. Bobby and Alex comb through the recently-released MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement and discuss the parts of it that that stand out beyond the headline items, including sports betting, international play, service time manipulation, grievances, market sizes, uniform regulations, and more.
Links:
The Collective Bargaining Agreement
Evan Drellich’s breakdown of the CBA
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Songs featured in this episode:
Daryl Hall and John Oates — "Rich Girl" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Is There a Right Way to Build a Ballpark? (feat. Neil deMause)
Alex and Bobby touch on Bally Sports making way for blackout-free baseball in San Diego, then welcome on journalist and stadium economics expert Neil deMause to try and dream up the ideal community-integrated ballpark, exploring the history of baseball in urban areas, the long shadow of mallparks, the ruthless efficiency of today’s mixed-used development stadiums, what ethical engagement with surrounding neighborhoods looks like, and much more.
Follow Neil on Twitter @neildemause.
Links:
MLB takes over Padres broadcasts
CityNerd’s top 10 urbanist ballparks
Field of Schemes
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Roky Erikson — “Starry Eyes” • The Chicks — Texas Man” • snow ellet — “In Reverie” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Let’s Give Jeff Bezos a Hand
Bobby and Alex wonder if AI is coming for Alex Rodriguez’s pod spokesperson duties and discuss the potential perils of Amazon’s palm recognition technology in baseball stadiums, then respond to a grab bag of listener topics, including another Billy Eppler masterclass, a reasonable Chicago sports talk radio caller, baseball heists, Oppenheimer vs. Barbie, the new pitch sweeping the nation, and more.
Links:
Rockies bringing palm recognition tech to Coors Field
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Paramore — "Big Man, Little Dignity" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Gambler’s Paradise
Alex and Bobby banter about internet sleuthing in the golden age of sign stealing, then wade through the latest development in the Oakland A’s non-development, the Dodgers’ spineless response to Marco Rubio, and on-the-ground reporting from the Eras tour.
Links:
The Dodgers cave to right-wing concern trolling
Statement from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Nevada lawmakers balk at public funding for A’s stadium
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Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
The Apples in Stereo — “Do You Understand” • Beach Bunny — “Sports” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
You Wouldn’t Download a Strike Zone (feat. Steve Sladkowski)
Bobby and Alex try to figure out what the hell the Cardinals are doing with Willson Contreras, discuss a Baseball America series on artificial intelligence in baseball, and give updates on the Tipping Pitches Brooklyn Cyclones meetup in July. Then they welcome back friend of the pod and PUP guitarist Steve Sladkowski to talk about being on the road nonstop over the last couple years, the implications for AI’s emergence in the music industry, his strategy when shopping for vinyl, birthday buddy Brandon Belt’s slash line, and much more.
Follow Steve on Twitter @sladkow.
Links:
Brooklyn Cyclones meetup interest form
Maitreyi Anantharaman on the Cardinals’ Willson Contreras woes
How AI could hone pitcher deliveries in real-time
The scouting director of the future may be AI
See PUP, Beach Bunny, and Pool Kids in NYC
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
PUP — "Full Blown Meltdown" • PUP — "Closure" • Pool Kids — "Talk Too Much" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”
Meaningful Games (feat. Trevor Hildenberger)
Alex and Bobby discuss the role of the audiologist in society and reflect briefly on the ongoing WGA strike, then dive into a CBS Sports article about the potential for a front office union, Jerry Reinsdorf’s comments about the White Sox level of play, and the Angels concern over negative energy from the media. Then they bring on minor league pitcher and friend of the pod Trevor Hildenberger to discuss what it was like forming a whole dang minor league union, how the fight for a housing policy introduced many young players to the idea of organizing, how members went about deciding which issues to prioritize for their first CBA, and much more. Follow Trevor on Twitter at @t_hildy.
Links:
Baseball’s next unionization effort could be in front offices
Jerry Reinsdorf talks the business of sports
The Angels don’t appreciate negative energy from reporters
Join the Tipping Pitches Patreon
Tipping Pitches merchandise
Songs featured in this episode:
Parquet Courts — “Dust” • Thundercat — “Friend Zone” • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”