In Episode 30, Brock & Ben take a look at the Vegas odds for teams winning the pennant and the World Series and discuss what it means for the 2013 season. The guys then turn their attention to the National League East, breaking down the division and predicting its playoff chances.
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In a very special episode, Dan returns to The Baseball Diaspora Podcast to break down the American League West with Brock & Ben. The guys discuss the latest developments from the World Baseball Classic, including Team USA’s outlook, the Canada-Mexico brawl and Samurai Japan’s offensive awakening. The discussion then turns to the AL West, where the guys ask & answer:
- Will the Oakland A’s build upon their 2012 success & return to the playoffs?
- How does Bob Melvin find handle the positional surplus the A’s project at catcher, in the outfield and at 2B, 3B & SS?
- Will the Houston Astros be an historically bad team in 2013?
- Is the Astros’ complete rebuilding a positive or negative for the young players on the team?
- How do the Texas Rangers replace the production they lose with the departure of Josh Hamilton?
- Where does Jurickson Profar fit on the Rangers this year and how will they get him into the lineup?
- Have the Seattle Mariners’ modest upgrades moved them into contention in the AL West?
- Did the Mariners make the right decision in extending Felix Hernandez with a record-setting contract?
- Have the Los Angeles Angels misstepped in handling Mike Trout’s salary and position this offseason?
- How will Josh Hamilton fit with the Angels and will he prove the missing piece that gets the Angels to the playoffs after falling short last season?
- Is it possible that 3 AL West teams make the playoffs this year?
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In Episode 24, Brock & Ben turn their attention to the upcoming World Baseball Classic. After briefly discussing the Curtis Granderson injury and what it means for the Yankees in 2013 and beyond, it’s 100% WBC! The guys provide a brief primer of the history, rules and format of the tournament, then break down the rosters pool by pool. To wrap up, Brock & Ben put their reputations on the line, predicting the 2013 World Baseball Classic from the First Round to the Championship game.
For more on the World Baseball Classic, check out the WBC’s website.
Special thanks goes to Yahoo! Sports’ Big League Stew. Their team-by-team WBC previews were indispensable in preparing us for this episode.
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In Episode 20, Brock & Dan look back at the memorable 2012 Division Series, then turn their attention to the League Championship Series currently in progress. In typical TBD fashion, the topics of discussion hew closely to the teams closest to the guys’ hearts. Topics include: - The impressive showing by the Oakland crowd in…
In Episode 16, baseball is back and so is The Baseball Diaspora! Brock & Dan look back at the first half of the 2012 season and look forward to the July 31st trade deadline, focusing specifically on the A’s and the Cardinals. Topics of discussion include:
- How the A’s have defied predictions to finish above .500 in the first half and just 1.5 games out of the AL Wild Cards
- Revisiting the A’s offseason in light of the production the team has received from Josh Reddick, Jarrod Parker, Tom Milone, Ryan Cook and Derek Norris
- The manner in which the Cardinals have overcome the losses of Albert Pujols, Tony La Russa, Dave Duncan and Chris Carpenter to contend in 2012
- How injuries have impacted the Cardinals, but not in the ways everyone expected
- Assigning 1st half MVP, Cy Young, Rookie and “Thanks for Nothing” honors for both the A’s and the Cardinals
- What direction each of the two teams will go at the trade deadline, buyer or seller
- Whether the playoffs are in reach for either the A’s or the Cards and where each team figures to end up at season’s end
- Which of baseball’s major potential trade pieces – Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Justin Upton – will move before the deadline and where
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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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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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In Episode 4, Brock and Dan avoid a holiday time warp and traverse the entire baseball continent to discuss:
- The Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero trade between the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees and what it means for the Yankees rotation
- The Gio Gonzalez contract and whether Bryce Harper will start the season with the Washington Nationals
- The Ryan Madson and Ryan Ludwick signings and how they strengthen the Cincinnati Reds into serious contenders in the NL Central
- Theo Epstein’s offseason moves and how they position the Chicago Cubs for the future
- Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants’ arbitration bids and whether the Giants will be able to retain both Lincecum and Matt Cain
- The Coco Crisp and Bartolo Colon signings, the Seth Smith trade and the continuing disappointment of the Oakland A’s offseason
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In Episode 3 of The Baseball Diaspora Podcast, Brock and Dan close out 2011 by discussing:
- What the Carlos Beltran signing means for the St. Louis Cardinals and the NL Central
- How the Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey trades are confounding and disheartening A’s fans
- The prospects of an imminent resolution of the A’s stadium situation and what a move to San Jose means for the team
The guys wrap up by making their New Year’s wishes for their teams in 2012
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