Foul Ball Area

The World Series begins tonight and it's shaping up to be a good one! The Yankees take on the Dodgers in a battle of MLB heavyweights, reigniting an old rivalry of two of the most successful teams of all time. We'll get to see the likely MVPs Shoehi Ohtani and Aaron Judge go toe-to-toe as they hope to bring a championship back to their team. Billy Parvatam joins us again this year as we discuss what to expect in this series and make our picks for who will be crowned champions. 

We've gotten through two rounds of the 2024 MLB Postseason and there are two more to go! The NLCS starts tonight when the Mets take on the Dodgers in Los Angeles. MVP frontrunner Shohei Ohtani looks to lead his team to the World Series against Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso.  On the AL side, the Cleveland Guardians will take on the New York Yankees in another heavyweight matchup, featuring stars like Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Jose Ramirez. Can Cleveland keep their season going, or will the Yankees make it to their first World Series since 2009?

We're counting down the days to the end of the 2024 regular season, and several teams across Major League Baseball have clinched their postseason spot. The Brewers were the first team to do so, winning the NL Central and proving nearly everybody wrong. A few more teams followed suit later in the week, setting up the first pieces of the playoff picture.  Shohei Ohtani cemented his MVP front-runner status with a historic night, going 6-for-6 and becoming the first player to have a 50/50 season. What other stat chases are we watching as the season winds down?

We're back this week with another episode of Foul Ball Area and we've got a couple of interesting topics to discuss. As the season winds down, some teams that are contending for the postseason are struggling. Which of these World Series hopefuls should be the most worried as the playoff field becomes more clear? Plus, we've seen plenty of exciting moments in the 2024 season, but which player stands out as the most exciting player in MLB? Is it Aaron Judge with his unreal power or Shohei Ohtani with the potential for a historic 50/50 season? Or another player altogether stealing the show?

Aaron Judge is putting up phenomenal numbers for the Yankees this season, leaving us with two questions: how many home runs will he hit and is he better this year than he was in 2022? Trey thinks he'll slow down and get some rest towards the end of the regular season, but Matt is hoping for a new AL record by the end of September. Plus, Juan Soto is having a remarkable season as well and would be in the MVP conversation if Aaron Judge wasn't doing what he's doing.  And, two once proud organizations are struggling this year, with the White Sox the first team to 100 losses and the Cardinals practically giving away tickets. What's next for these teams?

We're back this week after a short summer break, and we're breaking down everything you need to know in the baseball world! Aaron Judge became the fastest player to reach the 300 home run mark this week, hitting the milestone in a 10-2 win over the White Sox. Judge reached 300 homers in 955 career games, shattering the previous record of 1,087 games, set by Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner. He also reached the mark 400 at bats quicker than Babe Ruth. Where will Judge end up on the all-time home run list by the time he retires? Plus, the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds are playing a game at Bristol Motor Speedway next season in what promises to be one of the most unique atmospheres in MLB history. And, Virginia's own Will Wagner - son of Billy Wagner - shines in his MLB debut. 

The 2024 All-Star Game has passed and it was another exciting weekend for baseball fans. The underdog Teoscar Hernandez won the Home Run Derby on Monday, which came down to the final swing against Bobby Witt Jr. Rookie phenom pitcher Paul Skenes faced Aaron Judge in the All-Star Game on Tuesday in a matchup that we were all looking forward to. And so much more happened over the last week that we break down on today's episode.  Plus, with the All-Star Game over, it's time to look forward to the upcoming trade deadline and which players could be on the move this year. 

The College World Series came to a close on Monday with the Tennessee Volunteers winning their first title in program history. UT beat Texas A&M in three games to win the title, and the loss upset A&M's coach so much he left the team to take the head coach job at Texas. This week's coaching drama is sure to add another spark to the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry this fall on the football field. The first round of All-Star votes were released this week, and two players already have starting spots. Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper received the most votes in their respective leagues, giving them each a starting spot on the roster for the 2024 All-Star Game. Who else is in the running to start this year's midsummer classic? Plus, if you could immortalize one baseball announcer using AI, who would you choose?

The baseball world lost a legend this week when Willie Mays passed away at 93 years old. The Hall of Famer is one of the greatest players of all time and is arguably the best player in MLB history. He won two MVPs, was a 24-time All-Star and crushed 660 home runs during his illustrious career. We take some time to reflect on his legacy on today's episode.  Mays was honored Thursday night when the San Francisco Giants took on the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Rickwood is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and was the longtime home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. Thursday's game was a perfect time to reflect on the contributions that Negro Leagues players made to the game of baseball. Plus, in the Yankees are still playing very good baseball, and they just got their ace back as Gerrit Cole returned from injury this week. 

The NCAA Super Regionals are here and we've got one team from the Commonwealth looking to make it to Omaha. The Virginia Cavaliers host Kansas State this weekend in Charlottesville after making it out of their regional last weekend. VCU and JMU each fought hard, but both teams came up just short of making it to the second weekend.  Plus, the Yankees and Braves each had players of the month in May, but one team is looking a lot better than the other right now. How will the season continue to unfold for each of our favorite teams?

We've reached Memorial Day Weekend, which means we're about two months into the MLB season. This gives us plenty of evidence to see how teams really look this season and how we can expect the division races to shake out. Which teams are contenders and pretenders at this point? Which players have a legitimate shot at winning individual awards? Plus, conference tournaments are well underway in NCAA baseball. Which teams from the Commonwealth still have a chance to make a run in the national tournament?

We're about a month into the 2024 MLB season, and there are some surprising temas at the top of their divisions and in the Wild Card spots. Can teams like the Reds, Mariners and Tigers hold onto their playoff hopes through an entire season, or are they just having luck at the beginning of the year? Will the Braves and Yankees run their respective divisions after their hot starts, or are they due for a falloff at some point in the year? Plus, Elly De La Cruz is playing like an MVP candidate, and a quick update on Virginia Tech and UVA baseball. 

We're just three weeks into the 2024 MLB season, but this year has already produced some big surprises. Teams that we didn't expect to do well are leading the divisions. MVP-caliber players are off to slow starts. So which teams and players have us shocked at this point? Plus, Mike Trout is back to looking like Mike Trout - he leads the league in home runs and has already matched his stolen base total from the past three seasons combined. Can he lead to Angels to success with his level of play?

Federal authorities have released an affidavit detailing their investigation into Shohei Ohtani's former translator, and it looks like Ohtani had no involvement in the gambling scandal at all. Text and phone call records are pretty incriminating for Ippei Mizuhara, who is now accused of stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani. Mizuhara is expected to appear in court this week for an arraignment, and we'll follow the case as it develops further.  Plus, star pitchers Shane Bieber and Spencer Strider are on the IL with elbow injuries. What's the catalyst behind the rise in pitcher injuries this year? Is it the pitch clock, or the longer-term issue of an uptick in velocity? 

We're through one week of the 2024 MLB season, and there's been plenty of action. Lots of home runs, MLB debuts and even a no-hitter. We break down a few opinions on the first week of games and debate whether they're overreactions or reasonable. Plus, the Oakland A's will play the next three seasons in Sacramento, the latest drama in their saga of leaving Oakland. And, which new ballpark foods would we try this year?

Opening Day is just 24 hours away! With the season coming up, we take this week to preview the American League in 2024 and predict which teams will make the postseason. How good will the Yankees be with Juan Soto? Can the Rangers repeat their success from last year? Will we see a dark horse team come out of the AL Central? We answer all these questions and more on today's episode!

The first games of the 2024 MLB season are just a day away with the Seoul Series coming up tomorrow morning. With the Padres and Dodgers about to start the season, we though we'd take this time to go over our picks and predictions. We pick our division winners, NL Pennant winner and predict how many wins each team will end up with. Did we get them all right? Let us know your thoughts!

As we get deeper into Spring Training and closer to Opening Day, we're seeing more and more pitchers go down with injuries. This week, reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole received news that he'll miss 1-2 months with an elbow injury. Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams will miss 3 months with stress fractures in his back. Where do these teams go to fill those holes in their pitching staff? Plus, Dylan Cease finally gets traded. What we think of the deal that sends him to the Padres. And, a look at the week in college baseball around the Commonwealth. 

We're another week closer to the start of the 2024 MLB season and we've got a lot to talk about around the league. MLB's brightest young stars are playing in a new initiative this year called Spring Breakout. The series will consist of 16 games from March 14-17 featuring each team's top prospects, including players like Jackson Holiday, Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews.  Plus, the Oakland A's have released renderings for their future stadium in Las Vegas, and the internet has some thoughts. And, another week of college baseball is in the books with an exciting weekend of series coming up. 

A lot has happened around the baseball world over the past week. We've got Spring Training games to break down, Shohei Ohtani making his Dodgers debut and a week of college baseball to recap. The biggest news this week? Cody Bellinger re-signs with the Cubs on a three-year, $80 million deal, much less than we expected for him. Plus, Danville has a new team this year in the collegiate Old North State League. Get ready to cheer on the Dairy Daddies this summer. 

We have a full slate of Spring Training games this weekend, but some of the biggest stars around MLB are still free agents. Can guys like Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger find a team before Opening Day? Plus, MLB Network released its full list of the Top 100 players in MLB. Which teams had the most players in the Top 10 or on the list overall?

The 2024 college baseball season is upon us! We have a full slate of game starting this afternoon to usher in the season, including some big matchups across the Commonwealth. To help us get ready and break down what we can expect from the Virginia Tech Hokies this year, we're joined by the voice of Hokies baseball, Evan Hughes. 

A lot has been happening around MLB this week. Multiple players have received massive contract extensions, including Bobby Witt Jr., who got an 11-year, $288 million contract from the Royals. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve also got a 5-year extension, all but guaranteeing he'll finish his carer in Houston. Plus, Las Vegas mayor Caroyln Goodman said on a podcast this week that the A's plan to move to Vegas doesn't make any sense. Will the A's change course and stay in Oakland? And, with the Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey in the Super Bowl this weekend, we're taking a look at some of the best father-son duos in MLB history. Who tops the list? 

Big news around MLB this week as the Baltimore Orioles have an agreement to sell the team. Owner John Angelo will be selling the franchise to a private equity group led by Baltimore native David Rubenstein. Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. is also involved in the group. What does this mean for the future of the team's payroll? Plus, there are a lot of free agents remaining, enough so that you could put together a pretty good team of them. We went through the best remaining free agents and weighed how many games they could win in an MLB season. Spoiler alert: They'd win one of the six divisions. 

The Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2024 has been announced, and Trey and I agree everyone who made it in deserves it. Joe Mauer and Adrian Beltre are getting in on their first ballot, while Todd Helton finally made it in on his sixth ballot. But there were still some names that were left off, like Billy Wagner, Gary Sheffield and Andruw Jones. Will these guys make it in next year? Plus, we take a look at some possible candidates for the 2025 class, with some intriguing names coming onto the ballot for the first time. And, Anthony Rendon wants to shorten the season, but he hasn't even played half a season since signing with the Angels. Is he the right person to speak out in favor of a shorter schedule?

This week has been a big one in the sports world, with several legendary coaches either retiring or moving on from their current teams. One of those is Bill Belichick, widely regarded as the greatest head coach of all time in the NFL. So we set out to determine who the Bill Belichick of MLB is. Is there a current manager that has reached his level of success, or do we have to look way back throughout the history of baseball?  Plus, the Dodgers are still making moves and we have some national broadcasts already scheduled for next season. 

It's our first episode of 2024, which means it's time to look ahead and come up with new year resolutions. But we're not talking about ourselves. We're thinking about what MLB teams and the league overall would like to accomplish in 2024.  Plus, some big names are still available on the free agent market. Where can we expect the reigning NL Cy Young winner to land this offseason. And, the Braves make a surprising move, that we're not really sure how we feel about. 

Christmas is just a few days away, so we though we'd take this time to go over our Christmas wish lists. On today's episode of the podcast, we talk about things we'd like to see our favorite teams do this offseason and next season, and some things we'd like to see happen across all of Major League Baseball. What's on your baseball wish list this Christmas?   Plus, the All-MLB teams were announced last weekend, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has met with the Yankees multiple times, and MLB is bringing some more rule changes in 2024. 

The wait is over. Shohei Ohtani, the biggest name in this year's free agent class, has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-way player signed a historic 10-year, $700 million deal that will see $680 million in deferred payments. Ohtani made it clear that he wants to win, and thinks the Dodgers are his best shot. The Dodgers are going all in as well, trading for Rays' ace Tyler Glasnow and extending him on a 4-year deal.  Plus, Michael Wacha signs with the Royals, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is meeting with several teams, and Max Scherzer will miss the first half of 2024. 

We're through the Winter Meetings and the hot stove is heating up. Juan Soto has been traded for the second time in two years, this time ending up with the New York Yankees. His impact is sure to be a significant one as he rounds out the Yankees outfield, which now also includes Alex Verdugo.  The biggest free agent of the offseason has yet to find a new team, but all signs point to that happening soon. Will Shohei Ohtani stay in LA and sign with the Dodgers, or is he heading to Toronto to ink a deal with the Blue Jays? Stay tuned...

The 2023 BBWAA awards have been announced, and there are no surprises. Trey went 8-for-8 in his award predictions, correctly predicting the rookies of the year, managers of the year, Cy Young winners and MVPs. We saw a lot of unanimous winners this year, with Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll each earning all 30 first place votes for Rookie of the Year. Gerrit Cole won his first Cy Young by unanimous vote. And for the first time ever, both league MVPs were unanimous decisions.  Plus, the Oakland A's are officially moving to Las Vegas, after a - get this - unanimous vote by the 30 MLB owners. 

We're just one week into the offseason and we've seen a lot of moves already. Craig Counsell has left the Brewers to become manager of the Cubs and Ron Washington is getting another shot at managing, this time with the Angels. Plus, the award finalists and Silver Slugger winners have been revealed.  Free agency is also underway, although we haven't seen any big moves yet. Trey and I make our predictions this week on where we think the top free agents will end up. Will Shohei Ohtani stay in California, and which teams will be getting premier starting pitchers this offseason. Tune in for our thoughts!

The Texas Rangers are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history. The Rangers beat the Diamondbacks in 5 games to clinch the championship and make history. Corey Seager has etched his name alongside some all-time greats, while Nathan Eovaldi put on a historic postseason performance. Trey and I break down everything you need to know from the series and what to look forward to this offseason. 

The World Series is upon us! The Arizona Diamondbacks will face off against the Texas Rangers for baseball's ultimate prize. Will the Dbacks keep the chaos going for four more wins and come away with their second championship? Or can the Rangers' powerful offense keep up the momentum to win their franchise's first ever title?  We teamed up with our good friend Billy Parvatam for today's episode as we break down what we've seen in the postseason so far and what we can expect for this year's Fall Classic. 

The NLDS and ALDS are over and we are down to the final four teams in the MLB Postseason. The Phillies have knocked out the Braves in the NLDS for the second-straight year, and Matt has a lot of thoughts on the disappointing playoff performance from Atlanta. Plus, the Dodgers and the Orioles get swept in their division series, bringing some serious questions about the current playoff format. Why are the Astros the only team who can figure out how to win after having a week off due to the first-round bye?  Looking ahead, we have a Lone Star State showdown in the ALCS between the Ranger and Astros. On the NL side, we'll see the red-hot Diamondbacks take on the surging Phillies. Who will come out on top and make it to the World Series?

We've made it through the regular season and into the 2023 postseason! The field of 12 teams is set and the Wild Card round gets underway this afternoon with four exciting matchups. Tune in as we discuss what to watch for in each series and give our picks for every round all the way through the World Series. Will the Astros become the first team since 2000 to repeat? Can the Dodgers find their way back on top of the baseball world? Do the young Orioles have what it takes to make a championship run. We answer all these questions and more.  Plus, some pretty significant players are retiring now that the season is over, and a few managers around the league won't be returning next year. 

We're just a week and a half away from the end of the 2023 regular season, and there's still a lot to be decided. The AL and NL Wild Card races are extremely tight with several teams vying for the final spot in each league. The AL West is another exciting race to watch, with the Astros, Mariners and Rangers all within half a game of each other. To make things even more exciting, the Mariners play the Astros and Rangers over the next week. Which team will come out on top and earn a better seed for the postseason? Can all three teams end up in the playoffs? 

The 2023 MLB regular season is coming down to the last couple of weeks and there's a lot still to be decided. One division race that's already been claimed? The NL East. The Atlanta Braves have won the division for the 6th straight season, even after the Phillies and Mets reloaded their rosters this past offseason. Now the Braves need to focus on winning the top seed in the NL and turn their attention to the postseason. While the NL East is wrapped up, other divisions look like they might come down to the wire. The Rays are in Baltimore this weekend, and the two teams are separated by just one game. The AL West is a three-team race between the Astros, Rangers and Mariners. Which teams will end up on top of their divisions when we flip the calendar to October? 

We have just over one month left in the regular season and teams are desperate in their push to make the postseason. The Reds and Guardians each picked up several players off waivers this week to help them in their quest for the playoffs. Many of these players are coming from the Angels, who have officially given up on the season.  Plus, the Braves and Dodgers have a huge four-game series this weekend in Los Angeles. The four MVP frontrunners go head-to-head in a matchup of the two best teams in the National League. What can we expect when these teams take the field? 

Things just can't go right for the Los Angeles Angels. After announcing that they would hold onto Shohei Ohtani at the trade deadline and try to make the postseason this year, the team has struggled to put wins together on the field. Those struggles got even worse this week when Ohtani has a torn UCL and may have to undergo his second Tommy John surgery. He's done pitching for this year, and this impacts from his injury could negatively affect his upcoming free agency. As if that's not enough, Mike Trout made his way back into the lineup for one day before being put back on the Injured List. Plus, the Yankees avoid a historic losing streak, Stephen Strasburg is set to retire, and we try the Immaculate Grid again.

The New York Yankees are playing .500 baseball this season, which for most teams would be a mediocre year, but by their standards it's historically bad. The Yankees haven't been under .500 at this point in the season since 1995, and they haven't finished a season under .500 since 1992. Do you place the blame on manager Aaron Boone or GM Brian Cashman? What changed does the team need to make this offseason in order to get back on track. We break down the Yankees' struggles and other news around MLB on today's episode. 

The trade deadline has come and gone and we've got a lot of faces in new places. Tune in to this week's episode as we break down all of the moves that happened on Tuesday and give our thoughts on which teams had the best and worst deadlines. Plus, a few moves didn't pan out for various reasons. What would the results have been if players waived their no-trade clauses? 

We're a little under two weeks away from the trade deadline, and there are a lot of questions that we're waiting to see get answered. Will the Cardinals deal their star sluggers after a disappointing season? Could Juan Soto be on the move at the deadline again? And the big one - will Shohei Ohtani be traded? The Angels are coming off a sweep of the Yankees and are back above .500, but they have a lot of ground to make up. If they keep winning over the next week, the decision to trade Ohtani or not will be a tough one.  Tune in today as we break down all of these questions and more. 

The All-Star break is over and it's time to get back to regular season baseball! Tune in to this week's episode as Matt goes over everything that happened this past weekend, from the MLB Draft to the electric Home Run Derby to the first NL win at the All-Star Game since 2012. Plus, with the return to regular season baseball comes the looming trade deadline. Which stars will be on the move this year? Could Shohei Ohtani get traded from the Angels at the deadline? Tu

The Los Angeles Angels have surprised us all this year and stayed in contention for the AL Wild Card race up to this point. Unfortunately, luck had to catch up with them and they're now dealing with injuries to Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon. What does this mean for the future of the team? Will they trade Ohtani at the deadline if they're no longer in contention for a playoff spot? Plus, the Home Run Derby bracket has been revealed and we think we'll see a repeat winner this year. And, the MLB Draft gets underway this Sunday. Which players from Virginia do you need to keep an eye on? 

What a week in baseball! The LSU Tigers beat Florida in three games to win the College World Series championship, and what a series it was. All two weeks in Omaha was packed full of exciting games and great matchups, including an intense few games between LSU and Wake Forest, but in the end the best team one.  Shifting over to Major League Baseball, the All-Star starters have been announced for the 2023 midsummer classic in Seattle. Four Rangers players made the starting lineup for the AL while three Braves and three Dodgers will be representing the NL in the starting lineup.  Plus, Domingo German pitched the 24th perfect game in MLB history the other night against the Oakland A's. Yes, Oakland is a historically bad team, but this is still an amazing feat. It's only been done 24 times ever, and we haven't seen one since 2012. Tune in for all that and more on today's episode!

The field for Omaha is set! The 2023 Men's College World Series features the favorite, some expected teams, and a few surprises. Matt's championship pick of Arkansas didn't even make it out of the regionals, while Trey's pick, Wake Forest, has been dominant in every game so far. The Demon Deacons have scored double digits in all but one game and haven't lost yet. UVA is back in Omaha for the sixth time in program history, all since 2009. The Cavaliers have looked good as well so far, and they'll look to make another championship run when things get underway.  Plus, Oakland A's fans stage a reverse boycott, we're seeing a lot of injuries across MLB, and Shohei Ohtani is still doing things only he can.

The Road to Omaha begins today! NCAA Regionals get underway at noon and we're following two teams from the Commonwealth as they try to make it to the College World Series. UVA is hosting a regional in Charlottesville, but they've got a tough road ahead of them with East Carolina coming to town. Can the Cavaliers make it back to Omaha? George Mason is in a regional for the first time since 2013, but they also have their work cut out for them. The Patriots will be in the Winston-Salem regional, hosted by No. 1 overall seed Wake Forest. Follow along with us as we see if George Mason can pull ofr the major upset.  Plus, Aaron Judge is still crushing home runs, the Braves are struggling as of late, and the AL East is still the dominant division in baseball. 

Conference tournaments are underway in college baseball and we're keeping an eye on each team from the Commonwealth that's competing this week. Which teams have a real shot at a title, and which teams will see their seasons come to an end?  Plus, Trea Turner had a terrific World Baseball Classic, but he hasn't been able to replicate that success in the MLB season so far. It took him nearly two months to match the same amount of home runs he hit in six games in the WBC. Can he turn things around going forward? And, Gerrit Cole makes history with his 2,000th career strikeout. Which players are the only two to reach this milestone faster than he did? Find out on today's episode. 

Trey and Matt both have birthdays this week, so we decided to look at which baseball players they share birthdays with. Some surprising names show up, including a good amount of Hall of Famers.  Plus, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Aaron Judge are having great weeks, hitting monster home runs for their teams. Could Acuna keep it up all season and earn his first MVP award? Can Judge help the Yankees get into first place in the incredibly tough AL East? 

As we continue making our way across the Commonwealth and covering our state's college baseball teams, we head to Charlottesville for a look at the Cavaliers' 2023 season. Greg Madia of The Daily Progress joins us to discuss the ups and downs of the season, the star players UVA has and their chances at hosting a regional. Tune in for an in-depth discussion of the season so far and a preview of this weekend's series against Louisville.