Scott Podcastnik

On what was supposed to be opening day, Joe and Intern Matt discuss the delay of the season and the potential for baseball in December. They also discuss some crazy statistical anomalies, and how numbers might change in the future.

2019 MLB win totals, playoff predictions and World Champion. Plus, is Kyle Hendricks going to end up being the *best* Cubs pitcher of the last 30 years when it's all said and done? And we debut the Lunch Angle with: How good are beans>

It's February and Bryce Harper is still unemployed. And Manny Machado. And others. What's going on? When does it end and who comes out on top? This, plus a handful of rules changes being proposed to baseball. Some suck, others don't. But there are other changes they could make but aren't talking about.

The guys talk to former big league infielder Homer Bush about playing for the Yankees dynasty, being involved in a blockbuster trade, how advanced stats affected his career, working with young players and much, much more.

The guys talk about their favorite opening days, the misnomer of teams being "one year away" and who is going to win the 2018 World Series

Rich Thompson became a prolific base stealer in college and in the minors, but after a brief stint in the majors in 2004, he had to wait a long while for a second shot in the bigs. Rich tells us what it was like to battle through the minors and fight for a chance to get back to the MLB, his thoughts on the evolution of the leadoff hitter, his post retirement audition for "American Ninja Warrior" & more.

Friend of the Podcastnik Will Ohman returns to go in-depth on how the free agency and arbitration processes work from a player's perspective, and how different reliever roles are valued by teams. This includes a discussion on the value of the save stat and what it takes – if anything in particular – to be a dominant closer. Will also shares his new work in youth baseball and what he hopes to accomplish working with younger players by focusing on three things: attitude, commitment and effort.

On his way to a scouting trip in the northwest – driving through a snowstorm in the mountains – Todd Greene, former big league catcher and current Arizona Diamondbacks scout, joins the show over the phone to talk about scouting, player development, hype over prospects and more. Todd also shares the story of catching the first pitch from President George W. Bush during the 2001 World Series – just a month after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The next Willie Mays? That's what a young Lastings Milledge heard coming up through the Mets system. How did he handle pressure, and what did he learn throughout his time in the big leagues and in Japan? The outfielder – after a year hiatus from baseball – talks to Joe and Chris about all this and more, as he now returns to the states to play for the Lancaster Barnstomers and begin ventures outside of baseball, including giving back to his community.

Former big league pitcher Aaron Small, best known for his improbable – and memorable – 10-0 season in 2005, talks to Joe and Chris about his journey bouncing from team to team, trying to find his place before finally doing so with the Yankees. What compelled him to not give up? Would Aaron ever turn his inspirational story into a movie? Listen as he walks us through his career. *Disclaimer: Not our best audio quality. It may sound like we recorded this in a bunker, but Aaron's insight is worth it*

Former big league starting pitcher Jason Hirsh talks to the guys about his three-year MLB career – which included some experiences beyond what most major leaguers see in a lifetime. Hirsh pitched for the incredible 2007 Colorado Rockies team, which went on to win the National League pennant. He also played along side several HOF-caliber players, had the challenge of overcoming several injuries and gained wisdom he now carries into helping younger players. During the episode, Hirsh also gives some insight on Team Israel and the pipeline of Jewish baseball talent.

What did Will Ohman, rehabbing from injury, do between 2002-2004? How has he dealt with getting traded midseason? What is the future of German baseball? All of these questions you've probably asked yourself recently will be answered. The guys talk to Will Ohman about all this and more. Will and Joe even invent a statistic – dubbed "awesomeness" – to solve all pitching-metric controversies.

There's a ton of chatter now about two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Otani, but don't forget there have already been a few dual-threat pitcher/position players in baseball history. The guys talk to Brooks Kieschnick, the last true two-way player in baseball, about his unique career, how he was able to pull off pitching, hitting and playing the field, and what he thinks the future of being a two-way player is. They also ask him his favorite spots in Milwaukee, and Brooks explains why he doesn't like instant replay.

Former big-league reliever Buddy Groom talks to the guys about his long career – which includes the record of most games played without a plate appearance – and his new work on the show "Buckventures" on Outdoors TV. Also: Where does Buddy think his mustache ranks among the players in his era? And what's the story behind his name?

Memphis Redbirds Manager Stubby Clapp – an Olympian and World Baseball Classic vet – talks to Joe and Chris about the Olympics, World Baseball Classic and the talent pipeline from his native Canada. He also discusses his new managerial gig in the St. Louis Cardinals' system and talks about his playing days, which included a perennial All Star robbing his would-be first career hit. Also, Stubby and Joe make a friendly wager over the Cubs and Cardinals. Listen to hear the stakes.

Longtime, hard-throwing reliever Kyle Farnsworth talks to the guys about his 16-year MLB career, which included stints with nine teams, several great managers, a couple years in Mexico and now some time playing football. He also takes them through his famous brawl with former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Paul Wilson, and what it was like to play for the 2003 Chicago Cubs.

J.R. House, Diamondbacks minor league manager and former big-league catcher, joins the show and discusses his philosophy coaching young players, the importance of advanced statistics and why catchers make good managers. He also talks about his personal decision in picking baseball over football, and share some insight on in-game, mental strategies, featuring an anecdote from his final major league home run.

Former all-star closer Billy Wagner, who is sixth all-time in saves in MLB history, talked to the guys about his Hall of Fame candidacy, his days with the Astros, what it's like pitching in high leverage situations and much more. Billy also shares the best pitched game he ever saw in person (hint, his team was on the losing end of it) and what it's like coaching high school baseball now.

The guys talk to former MLB starter/reliever Tanyon Sturtze on his 12-year career, his dislike for "numbers" and Tropicana Field, and how he feels about David Ortiz and Gabe Kapler (two players he got in a brawl with in 2004), among other topics. What did Tanyon do after the 2004 ALCS loss? Does his Red Sox-fan family embrace his Yankee years? Is he more of a fan of the North Side of Chicago or South Side (he played for both teams)? Listen to this wide-ranging interview.