A Swing and a Belt with Dan Shulman

Without question, the 2020 MLB season was the strangest in baseball history: a pandemic, a shortened schedule, new rules, a team without a home and, in the end, an historic World Series win. On the season finale of A Swing and a Belt, Dan takes listeners through a campaign like none other. This season of the podcast was produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan. Amil Delic helped with episodic production and general awesomeness. Thanks to all our guests as well as everyone from Sportsnet and beyond who helped gather archival sound for episodes, we couldn't have done it without you. Audio Credits: YouTube.com/CBSSportsHQ; YouTube.com/ESPN; YouTube.com/MLB; Sportsnet; YouTube.com/FOXSportsSun The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers leading the Tampa Bay Rays three games to two heading into Game 6 of the World Series, the finish line is now in sight. MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian has been on the play-by-play call and brings us up to speed on the series so far. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Braden Connolly assisted with archival audio. Audio Credits: YouTube.com/MLB; Sportsnet The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

The World Series is off to a great start, with the favoured Dodgers tied up at one with the Rays. Six-time All-Star Nomar Garciaparra, who covers the Dodgers for SportsNet LA, offers his thoughts on the series, Clayton Kershaw's legacy and Bo Bichette being compared to him. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Audio Credits: YouTube.com/MLB; ESPN Radio The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

The World Series is upon us, with the top seeds representing the American and National Leagues. Just like we all expected the season to play out when pitchers and catchers first reported in February… right? There's no doubt the mighty Dodgers, with their unmatched resources and talent, are the favourites but can the Rays pull off an upset? New York Times national baseball writer Tyler Kepner previews the Fall Classic. This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Audio Credits: ABC, Fox Sports, Hankook Tires, Sportsnet, TBS, WDAE and WLAC The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Pete Walker is the pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. And in this strange and unprecedented 2020 season, he worked with 28 pitchers across a 60-game campaign that resulted in a postseason berth. A handful with little or no previous Major League experience definitely left an impression. Walker takes listeners through the roles those youngsters will play in 2021 and beyond. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Audio Credits: MLB.com; MLB.tv; Sportsnet The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

There's a new rivalry out west. The Dodgers are getting a push from the young, fun San Diego Padres. Led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, the Padres are hoping to knock off the favoured Dodgers in their NL Division Series. Jon Sciambi, who will call the games for ESPN Radio, previews the series and more. This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Audio Credits: CBS 8 San Diego, ESPN, KWFN and Sportsnet The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

We are on to the Division Series and, in the American League, they are both truly divisional series. The teams know each other well, and don't like each other one bit. To preview New York-Tampa and Houston-Oakland, Yankees voice Michael Kay and Athletics radio play-by-play man Vince Cotroneo join Dan. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Audio Credits: YouTube.com/YESNetwork; YouTube.com/MLB The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

The Rays? Really, the Rays!? Yes, chances are the Blue Jays will play Tampa in the Wild Card Round beginning Tuesday. Andy Freed, one of the Rays' radio voices, drops by to chat about that team's injuries, pitching plans and how they feel about their opponent. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Audio Credits: MLB.com; YouTube.com/MLB; YouTube.com/Rays The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

As GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kyle Dubas is known for having grown up in hockey. But his love of baseball runs deep, from time spent with his grandfather as a kid to watching the Blue Jays nightly to the enthusiasm his three-year-old has already shown for the game. Dubas joins Dan to discuss his other favourite sport. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Thanks to Maria St. Aubin for archival help. Audio Credits: Sportsnet 590 The FAN; Sportsnet; YouTube.com/MLB; YouTube.com/TorontoMapleLeafs The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is trying to find his way at first base, a position he had never played prior to this season. Former big leaguers Justin Morneau, Pat Tabler and Eduardo Perez offer their opinions on how challenging first can be, and whether or not Guerrero can grow into the position. This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Archival support provided by Maria St. Aubin. Audio Credits: Fox Sports North, SportsNet Spectrum LA and Sportsnet 590 The FAN. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Joe Panik is not old, but on the Blue Jays, he must certainly feel like he is. He won the World Series with the San Francisco Giants as a rookie in 2014 and has been a regular in the big leagues for seven years. At the age of 29, Panik is a grizzled veteran amongst […]

The underdog Los Angeles Dodgers fought their way to the 1988 World Series championship, beating the heavily favoured Oakland Athletics… and they haven't won a title since. They've been close, even making it back to the World Series two of the past three years, but they've come up short. Is it World Series or bust […]

It's the stretch run… barely a week to go in the regular season. And there is much to be decided between now and when the playoffs begin. Former GM and current MLB Network Radio host Jim Bowden on which teams are peaking at the right time. This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, […]

Part of being a Major League Baseball reporter is building relationships with the teams and players you cover. It can take years. Now, you can't go into the clubhouse, can't get one-on-one interviews and can't easily generate stories. So how does it work? Sportsnet's Hazel Mae and Fox Sports Wisconsin's Sophia Minnaert take us through […]

It has been an interesting season for the San Francisco Giants. Like every team, the coronavirus has impacted them. But somehow even more pressing right now are the wildfires burning out of control up and down the West Coast. They've laid waste to millions of acres, claimed dozens of lives, forced people back indoors and […]

They are expected to win… virtually every year. They are, after all, the New York Yankees. Big names, big payroll, big expectations. After a great start to the 2020 season, they stumbled, dealing with injuries and losing 15 of 20 games. Now, winners of five in a row, they appear to have turned it around. […]

He knew them back in the day, even if “back in the day” was only a few years ago. Toronto Blue Jays coach John Schneider managed Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio in A and AA ball, winning championships as they all made their way to the Major Leagues. Schneider, a former Blue […]

For Major League umpires, COVID-19 has changed everything. How often do you need to get tested? How do you get from city to city? How different are things between the white lines? MLB umpire John Tumpane takes us through his day-to-day routine after six years in the Majors. This podcast is produced and sound designed […]

In 2020, any excuse to have fun is welcome. And no team is having more fun right now than the San Diego Padres. Second in the National League, they have one of baseball's best players in Fernando Tatis Jr. and dominated the trade deadline. Just as fun as their baseball team is their broadcast team. […]

Roberto Clemente was more than just a Hall of Famer. He remains a hero to baseball fans in Puerto Rico, Pittsburgh and elsewhere. Dan is joined by Carlos Delgado, Charlie Montoyo, ESPN's Marly Rivera and Pirates manager Derek Shelton to celebrate the memory of one of baseball's most influential figures. This podcast is produced and sound […]

Despite two significant coronavirus outbreaks and a lot of concern, we are now in baseball's stretch run. MLB has reportedly planned for postseason bubbles — of sorts. Two ballparks in Texas for the National League and two in California for the American League, with the World Series scheduled for Globe Life Field in Arlington. Andrew […]

Dante Bichette enjoyed an outstanding 14-year big league career. Part of the feared ‘Blake Street Bombers' in Colorado, Bichette was a four-time All-Star who finished with a .299 batting average and 274 home runs. During the 2013 season, he served as the Rockies' hitting coach before deciding to spend more time at home, in part […]

North Carolina Tar Heels coach Roy Williams is a legend in the college basketball world; a Hall of Famer who has achieved everything there is to be achieved in the sport. But Williams has never lost his inner child — the one who idolized Mickey Mantle and knew everything there was to know about the […]

As hard as it is to believe, it's September. Baseball is still here, and we have pennant races. Today, in Part 2 of our chat with MLB Network Radio's Casey Stern, we look back at the trade deadline and discuss which teams put themselves in a good spot for the stretch drive. This podcast is […]

Imagine loving a team so much, it consumes you. Now imagine that team provides you with more anguish than joy, to the point where you wish that you never loved it to begin with. A case can be made that nothing in baseball is harder than being a fan of the New York Mets. MLB […]

This year no one knew quite what to expect at the trade deadline, but it felt strangely… normal. Deals were made; contenders bulked up; the scene was set for the push to October. Dan and MLB Network's JP Morosi break down the winners and losers. This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, and […]

Cavan Biggio has a keen eye, both between the white lines and beyond. Whether it's forcing a pitcher into the strike zone or having a great sense of what is right and wrong in the world, he has quickly become of the most important Blue Jays. Biggio joined Dan Friday afternoon, Jackie Robinson Day, to […]

Jeff Dufine got the promotion of a lifetime over the winter when ESPN gave him the chance to produce Sunday Night Baseball. And then the pandemic shut everything down. When baseball started back up and it was time to get to work, nothing was like he thought it would be back in March. From the […]

The Chicago White Sox are often overlooked — the “second team” in their own town. Now, they're forcing people to take notice about what's happening on the South Side. So, who is this team? And why is it having so much fun? Chicago local and TV voice of the White Sox Jason Benetti brings us […]

Any other year, if player agents are fortunate enough to have a few major league clients, things go smoothly. They negotiate contracts, look for client endorsement opportunities — everybody's happy. But in 2020, nothing is as it used to be. Many players are flat out worried about how to make it through, now and in […]

The 2020 baseball season is unlike any we've ever seen before, for many obvious reasons. Not only at the Major League level, but perhaps even more so for young players trying to make it to the bigs. The same goes for Keith Law, prospect guru and senior baseball writer for the The Athletic, who tells […]

Richard Deitsch is a sports reporter, and a big part of his job is covering sports media. Who's calling which games for which network, the business of sports television, and so on. Of course, for a few months, there were no sports on television so there was nothing for him to cover. Now, they're back […]

Jamie Romak is a ballplayer. And he's been around. Part of seven major league organizations with some time in the big leagues a few years back. Since then, he's been in Japan and, for the past four years, South Korea. He loves playing there and was looking forward to his wife and two sons joining […]

For decades, segregation in the U.S. meant many of the best ballplayers in the world were forced to find their own league to play in, and thus, 100 years ago, the Negro Leagues were born. Bob Kendrick, the President of the Negro Leagues Museum, talks about the players who came before Jackie Robinson and the […]

All Ryan Borucki ever wanted was to be a big-league pitcher. As a skinny high-school kid, his chances didn't look great — until a growth spurt took him to about 6-foot-3 and his velocity ticked up. He was drafted in the 15th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, but with three elbow surgeries and three […]

COVID-19 has made this a weird season for everyone in baseball, especially prospects. Simeon Woods Richardson, 19, is on the Toronto Blue Jays' 60-man roster, honing his skills at their alternate training site. For 17-year old Los Angeles Angels pick David Calabrese, that's not the case. This is how both are turning a negative into […]

The 2020 baseball season is unlike any we've ever seen before. From health and safety protocols, to the season being just 60 games, to rule changes — you name it. So many things are different, for obvious reasons. Let's find out what ESPN's Buster Olney, one of the best observers in the business, thinks of […]

David Ross was as respected and beloved a player as there was in the game — his leadership helped propel the Red Sox and Cubs to World Series championships. Following his playing career, he settled into calling games on ESPN, and then his competitive itch returned. Now he manages Cubs players who were his teammates, […]

The St. Louis Cardinals are respected throughout the industry and pride themselves on doing things “the Cardinal Way.” But none of that matters one bit to COVID-19. The Cardinals began dealing with an outbreak on their first road trip of the season and haven't played since. Can their season be salvaged? Derrick Goold of the […]

The Blue Jays' long journey to finding a home has reached its end — in Buffalo, at Sahlen Field, which is not your typical minor league park. It is, in some ways, the common ancestor of the beautiful retro facilities now seen across Major League Baseball. Mike Buczkowski has been with the Buffalo Bisons for […]

So you're trying to put together a baseball team for a season in which you think your team has a chance to compete; really make some noise. Just one problem… you don't have a place to play. COVID-19 border restrictions have forced the Blue Jays out of Canada, so their temporary home will be their […]

Minor league baseball has been around since the 1880s, allowing players to develop and pursue their dreams of making it to the big leagues while also providing endless entertainment for baseball fans in those towns. Currently there are 162 teams, but the system as we know it appears to be on the verge of seismic […]

Alex Anthopoulos is the President of Baseball Operations for Atlanta. That means everything, whether it's between the white lines, or COVID-related, falls under his jurisdiction. Because of the virus, he is dealing with endless new challenges, while still trying to do the traditional part of his job – build a team which could win it […]

With four World Series titles in the past 16 seasons, no team has won more than the Boston Red Sox. But in the past year or so, their fortunes have taken a noticeable turn for the worse. Mookie Betts – traded. Chris Sale – injured. Alex Cora – relieved of his duties. And Boston looks […]

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon was the second overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft. He was climbing through the minors when he felt a pop in his elbow…Tommy John surgery, which cost him all of the 2014 season. He came back in 2015, only to suffer a sports hernia and miss all of that […]

As we are now rediscovering within the context of a baseball season, there is no such thing as zero risk when it comes to COVID-19. The Philadelphia Phillies found that out the hard way. By last Sunday, the Miami Marlins had learned of four positive tests. Yet a game was played. Monday, it was reported […]

The Tampa Bay Rays are both respected and overlooked. Year after year, they have one of the smallest payrolls in baseball. And year after year, with just the odd exception, they're one of the better teams in baseball. So how do they do it? And is the truncated 2020 season exactly the kind of campaign […]

Who doesn't love a Major League debut? Players spend years pursuing their dreams and working their way to the sport's biggest stage. Sometimes it goes well… but sometimes it doesn't. Fortunately for Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Thomas Hatch, his recent debut is one worth talking about. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian […]

Mike Matheny took every precaution to avoid testing positive for COVID-19… but it wasn't enough. The Kansas City Royals manager contracted it, fortunately without serious symptoms. He's recovered, and now he's resumed his baseball duties and is trying to convince 60 players how seriously they have to take the virus — which he can do, […]

There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the MLB season, but one thing that is certain this and every year is the pressure on the Yankees to win… a lot. New York manager Aaron Boone joins the podcast to shed some light on that and more. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan […]

A Swing and a Belt is back with a whole new format. Coming at you every weekday covering issues, trends, stories and news in 15(ish) minutes with Dan and guests from around Major League Baseball.