Blog Archives

Episode 14: Opening Day Omnibus

April 7, 2012
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In Episode 14, Brock and Dan record in person – a first for The Baseball Diaspora Podcast!  The guys cover baseball’s multiple opening days and discuss insights from the young 2012 season, including:

- Brock and Dan’s attendance at Opening Night at the new Marlins Park in Miami and their impressions of the new stadium

- The Miami Marlins and whether the team’s lack of offense two games in is cause for concern

- The St. Louis Cardinals and if their early success portends good things in 2012

- Yoenis Cespedes, his power and defense, and what he means for baseball in Oakland during the rebuild

- Tim Lincecum’s troubling first start and whether it points to greater concerns for the San Francisco Giants this season

- The Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees and how tight the race for the AL East may become this year

- The “year of the pitcher” trope and whether 2012 projects to continue in the tradition of the last two as more pitching-dominated

- The Dodgers sale, the rise of regional TV revenue and what the new baseball economic landscape means for fans

- The Great Dodger Panic of 2012 – how the Joey Votto and Matt Cain extensions impact the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, respectively, and what these contracts mean for baseball generally

 

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Episode 13: NL West Preview

March 22, 2012
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In Episode 13, Brock and Dan are joined by Los Angeles Dodgers fan and Citizen of the Diaspora Brett Moore to talk NL West.  After hearing about growing up Dodger Blue from Brett, the guys discuss:

- How bleak things got for Dodgers fans at the end of the McCourt era and who fans hope wins the bidding for the franchise

- Reports that Dodger Stadium naming rights might be for sale and how much of a travesty a name change would be for one of baseball’s most historic parks

- The Dodgers’ offseason moves and whether the 2012 version of the team is better than the 2011 entry

- Matt Kemp’s 8-year $160 million extension and whether it is a good deal for the Dodgers

- If the Arizona Diamondbacks can repeat as division champions

- Whether the San Francisco Giants offseason moves improve their offense sufficiently to return them to the playoffs after they failed to defend their World Series title in 2011

- Whether the Colorado Rockies have a coherent plan in place or if Colorado’s questionable offseason acquisitions signal a lack of direction for the club

- San Diego’s rebuild and if the Mat Latos trade, Cameron Maybin signing and the Padres’ strong farm system are evidence that the Padres are moving in the right direction

- How the additional Wild Card will impact the NL West and if the division can expect more than one team in the playoffs this season and beyond

and

- Predictions for who will win the NL West and NL Wild Card(s)

Brett Moore is a host of sports and fantasy sports shows on KCR College Radio in San Diego.   Follow him  on Twitter as @BigLoudMoore.

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Episode 12: NL Central Preview

March 12, 2012
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In Episode 12, Brock and Dan turn their attention to Brock’s favorite division – the NL Central.  Joined by very special guest Marc Towler, Brock’s dad and Citizen of the Diaspora, the guys tackle the St. Louis Cardinals and the rest of the Central.  After Marc recalls what life was like for diaspora fans prior to the internet, satellite and cable, the guys discuss:

- Which of the departures – Albert Pujols, Tony La Russa, Dave Duncan and Jeff Luhnow – will impact the St. Louis Cardinals most going forward

- How the Cardinals offseason moves – adding Carlos Beltran, extending Yadier Molina – will make up for the loss of Pujols

- How Matt Holliday will handle becoming more of a focal point of the offense

- Whether Chris Carpenter’s neck injury is cause for concern

- Dan’s scouting report on the Cardinals, based off his visit to Cardinals Spring Training last week

- How the Cardinals’ primary competition in the division – the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers – stack up against each other and against the Cardinals for 2012

- What the outlook is for the Pittsburgh Pirates and if their young core and prospects will gel to become a factor in the NL Central in the near future

- What Theo Epstein and new ownership means for the Chicago Cubs’ chances to end their century-plus championship drought

- How much the NL Central will miss the Houston Astros after this season and how strange it will be for AL West fans to welcome a new team into the division

- How the addition of a second Wild Card will impact the NL Central and whether more than one team from the division will make the playoffs this year

and

- Predictions for who will win the NL Central and NL Wild Card(s)

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Episode 11: NL East Preview

March 7, 2012
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In Episode 11, Brock & Dan are joined by Mets fan and Citizen of the Diaspora Mike Connors, who helps the guys break down the NL East.  After Mike regales the guys with stories of his epic baseball road trips, the three discuss:

- The financial woes of New York Mets ownership and whether fans can hope for a resolution soon

- The Mets offseason and whether the team will be better than last season

- David Wright and whether he will still be a Met by season’s end

- Johan Santana’s recovery and what to expect from him this season

- R.A. Dickey and Mets fans appreciation for him

- The Mets abandoning black in their uniforms and returning to the classic blue and orange only

- The Philadelphia Phillies and if age, injuries and bad contracts will keep them out of the playoffs this season

- The Atlanta Braves and whether injuries will continue to hold them back or if their young talent will rise to the top

- The Miami Marlins and how their big offseason positions them in the division

- First impressions of the new Marlins Ballpark based on Dan’s visit there for Tuesday night’s exhibition between a Marlins’ split squad and the University of Miami baseball team

- The Washington Nationals and if they are ready to take the  next step and become a contender in a tough division

- Whether the Marlins or the Nationals are more likely to make the playoffs in 2012

- How the additional Wild Card impacts the NL East and whether we can expect to see 3 NL East teams in the 2012 postseason

and

- Predictions for who will win the NL East and NL Wild Card(s)

 

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Episode 10: AL West Preview

March 4, 2012
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In Episode 10, Brock and Dan preview the AL West.  Dan stands in for an outside expert since his knowledge of the division runs deep.  After reviewing Dan’s application for Citizen of the Diaspora, the guys discuss:

- The Yoenis Cespedes signing and whether it makes sense for the A’s

- The Manny Ramirez pick-up and whether Manny will be a factor for the A’s this season or not

- The A’s third base situation and who replaces the injured Scott Sizemore

- Brandon McCarthy and what he means to A’s fans

- Whether the Texas Rangers remain the team to beat in the AL West in spite of the Angels’ offseason moves

- If they expect the Rangers to three-peat as AL Champions

- How the Los Angeles Angels will perform given their new additions – Pujols, Wilson, etc.

- Whether the Angels will make the playoffs

- How the Angels handle the Mike Trout situation with an overstocked outfield

- Whether the Seattle Mariners will surprise people and be more competitive than expected

- How the – now confirmed – additional Wild Card impacts the AL West both this season and in the next few

and

- Predictions for who will win the AL West and one of the AL Wild Cards in 2012

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Episode 9.5: Ryan Braun and Yoenis Cespedes

February 27, 2012
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In Episode 9.5, a special mini-pod, Brock and Dan are again joined by Daren Garshelis to discuss the significance of Ryan Braun’s successful appeal of his PED suspension.  Then Daren, fresh off a visit to Cuba, gives the guys a scouting report on Yoenis Cespedes provided by Cuban baseball fans.

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Episode 9: AL Central Preview

February 27, 2012
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In Episode 9, Brock and Dan are joined by Twins fan and Citizen of the Diaspora Daren Garshelis as they break down the AL Central.  After Daren shares a harrowing story of braving Yankee Stadium for a Twins playoff game, the guys discuss:

-  Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer and if they will be healthy enough to help the Twins rebound from a difficult 2011

- What to make of the Twins bullpen with Joe Nathan’s departure and Joel Zumaya’s injury

- Francisco Liriano and if there is hope for him in 2012 or if his best years are behind him

- The Detroit Tigers and whether they have a stranglehold on the AL Central for the next few seasons

- The impact Detroit’s decision to sacrifice defense will have on the team’s chances for a deep playoff run

- The Cleveland Indians and whether they will make things interesting in the division this year and in the near future

- The Kansas City Royals youth movement and if and when the Royals will return to relevance

- The Chicago White Sox’ difficult offseason and what it means for their competitiveness going forward

- How the additional Wild Card impacts the AL Central

and

- Predictions for who will win the AL Central in 2012

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Episode 8, Part 2: AL East Preview (Tampa Bay Rays)

February 12, 2012
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In Part 2 of Episode 8, Brock and Dan continue to preview the AL East with Tampa Bay Rays fan and Citizen of the Diaspora Joe McNeal.  After unpacking the history of Joe’s baseball fandom, the guys discuss:

- The final day of the 2011 season from the perspective of a Rays fan

- The Rays’ offseason moves, analyzing the impact Carlos Pena, Luke Scott and Jeff Keppinger might have on the team in 2012

- Tampa’s young talent (Matt Moore, Desmond Jennings and others) and what to expect from them this season

- Jonah Keri’s book on the Rays, The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First

- The challenges for the fan of the small market team, where players come and go due to financial considerations

- Which team – Yankees or Red Sox – presents the greatest obstacle to the Rays’ postseason aspirations

- How the additional Wild Card impacts the AL East

and

- Projections for who will win the AL East and AL Wild Card in 2012

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Episode 8, Part 1: AL East Preview (New York Yankees)

February 12, 2012
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In Episode 8, Part 1, Brock and Dan are joined by Yankee fan and Citizen of the Diaspora Digger Lauter to break down the AL East.  After establishing Digger’s Diaspora credentials, the guys discuss:

- The Yankees’ offseason moves, specifically the Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero trade

- Who the five pitchers in the Yankees’ opening day rotation should be

- The Yankees’ search for a left-handed bat

- Whether the aging Yankees lineup is cause for concern for fans in the near future

- Which team – Red Sox or Rays – represents the greatest threat to the Yankees in 2012

- Whether the Blue Jays and Orioles project to contend in the near future or instead are consigned to second division status

- How the second Wild Card impacts the AL East (once implemented)

and

- Projections for who will win the AL East and AL Wild Card in 2012

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Episode 7: The Seedy Underbelly of Baseball

February 6, 2012
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In Episode 7, Brock and Dan dive headfirst into baseball drama, both off the field and on, discussing:

- Josh Hamilton’s recent relapse, what it means for him and the Rangers, and how news of the incident was received by the media

- Cecil Fielder’s continued standoffishness toward his son and whether it will motivate Prince to put up impressive numbers in Detroit

- Tim Lincecum’s break up with fast food and how the slender righty somehow lost 20-25 pounds

- The Colorado Rockies following the A’s example and becoming baseball hoarders, collecting mediocre starting pitching like it’s on sale

- The phenomenon of embracing players you used to root fervently against when they played for a hated rival and the specific players that would never, under any circumstances, be welcome on Dan’s A’s and Brock’s Cardinals

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