The Battery

We found ourselves just south of Cowtown for an interview with the Sergent this week. We welcome Okotoks Dawgs roaming Pitching Coach, Joe Sergent on the pod this week. We talk WMBL life, playing life, coaching life, teaching life, Jr. High Basketball coaching life, and most important of all, Dad Life. Also RJ does a really good Cleveland from Family Guy impression. Enjoy!

We are joined this week by Pittsburgh Pirates MiLB Hitting Coach and alumni of UBC Baseball, Justin Orton. Orton walks us through using Rapsodo Technology to help decipher and program hitters to get them to the top of their game! You can find the video version of his Rapsodo Presentation on our Instagram Page and Facebook page! Following the presentation Justin and the Battery Boys had likely the most in-depth hitting conversation that we've had on this show. Bring a pen and paper and listen to this Pro-hitting coach drop some knowledge out here, hitters at all levels can get something out of it! Enjoy!

In this new installment of The Battery, we have decided to approach some more specific topics to discuss in more detail. Sometimes this might be with just the three of us, sometimes with more, we don't know, we're trying to keep it loose out here. In this episode, we talk about how to go about building a safe and effective Ramp Up program for throwers and more specifically, Pitchers. RJ talks about his current ramp that he has been on for the last month or so, with Isiah using his big S&C brain to talk about how everything works. Meanwhile, Wedge just takes notes and asks questions because, well, he's out of his league on this one. Hope you enjoy and can get some value out of this conversation.

Welcome back to the Battery, the show where three lovable idiots ask mediocre questions to people much smarter than us! Cole was an absolute blast to have on. We talked about everything from the landscape of youth baseball, to the Junior National Team, to the Y-word (seriously, don't say it). Enjoy this one, it was a blast to make. The Battery

We are joined with OBJ's President and Director of Player Development, Corey Eckstein. Some may know Eck as the former Team BC Head Coach for the 2019 Canada Cup squad, and others might know him as the former head coach of Abbotsford Cardinals and Yale Academy in Abbotsford. He made the big move in 2020 to Ontario to head the biggest amateur baseball program in Eastern Canada and has been making big splashes ever since. OBJ is home to current MLB players Josh Naylor, Jordan Romano, Jacob Robson and Zach Pop. Enjoy!

We are joined this week with University of Calgary Baseball Head Coach, Cam Williams. We talk this week about the CCBC, , redefining a collegiate baseball program, and how Cam has gone about building a culture of success in a program that... well hasn't had a ton of it. It's a new chapter for U of C baseball, and Cam Williams has already begun to turn the ship around. With two years since the last real CCBC season gone, it will be fun to see Cam surprise the CC. Enjoy!

We are joined this week by David Burns, Founder and CEO of the growing company, Baseball Jobs Overseas. BBJO's main focus is finding baseball players the right fit to allow them to continue pursuing the dream of playing baseball professionally. RJ connected with BBJO for his opportunity to play in Germany and ultimately Czech Republic, and we wanted to bring on David Burns to bring information to all of you who may be interested in doing the same! Thanks for joining us, enjoy this week's episode of The Battery!

BLE fans rejoice! We have the quick talking, high energy, always laughing, Assistant Hitting coach of YOUR 2015 and 2016 Toronto Blue Jays on the pod this episode, the legendary Eric Owens. Owens was no slouch as a player, logging 9 years in the show along the likes of greats like Tony Gwynn, Barry Larkin, Deion Sanders, Trevor Hoffman and many many more. Following his career, he saw great success as a hitting coach in various organizations like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, coaching players like Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki, the list goes on and on and on. Also RJ was late for this interview so listen to the first five minutes to hear us light him up. Enjoy!

To quote a Goat... We Back. Introducing our new co-host, Isiah McDonald, the boys catch up on life: RJ has two new friends, Isiah gets to be around big leaguers daily, and Wedge spends too much time on his laptop. Welcome to the Battery. (New and Improved, maybe.)

The boys from episode 1 are back! The San Jac Gators are in Grand Junction for the NJCAA Juco World Series! We had to catch up for this emergency pod and talk about their season, as well as talk about how Grand Junction has been so far, and the excitement of playing for the title of the Best Band of Juco Bandits. RJ skipped practice for this! Check it out!

Welcome back for another episode of The Battery! This episode we welcome Toronto Blue Jays minor league outfielder, Tanner Kirwer. Kirwer is a Sherwood Park, Alberta native, drafted back in 2017 in the 20th round by the Blue Jays out of NCAA D.1 Niagara University. Back in 2018 he led the Northwest League in stolen bases on his way to an All-Star game nod, and has a career MiLB batting average of .264 over three seasons. In 157 games he has 60 stolen bases, 10 career homeruns (4 this season in his first 15 games) and 25 doubles. Also on the pod: Wedge and RJ chat Yermin Mercedes' 3-0 homerun off La Tortuga; the potential Shohei Ohtani effect on two-way players in years to come; the upcoming Derek Jeter documentary; Mariners get no-hit for the second time this season; and send some congratulations in the wake of the San Jac Gators bus on their way to Grand Junction for the NJCAA World Series. Thanks for tuning in! Enjoy!

Thanks for joining us for Season 2 Episode 2! RJ's journey in Czech Baseball continues, as he talks about some recent spooky occurrences at an apparently 'haunted' field. We don't know about the field, but we do know that RJ's pick off move continues to haunt opposing baserunners. Wedge and RJ go through some video of RJ making baserunners look like they've seen a ghost, and flip through RJ's guide to the lefty pick off move. We are joined this week by the legendary Allen Cox. Coach Cox is loved by many and was frankly an absolutely energizing interview. He brings the best energy you could ask for, and says some very cool stuff too. This is a must listen to interview. You can kick it off at [35:20]. Thanks for joining us for another episode of The Battery! Enjoy!

We are back! After a long hiatus, RJ and Wedge are back with a new episode to chat about some recent developments in RJ's baseball career! In case you haven't heard, RJ picked up his Home Run Derby Champion bat, his glove and a pocket full of dreams and took a cross the globe trip to Czech Republic to play some pro baseball. And in case you live under a rock, he's lighting the league on fire. Could this be Babe Ruth's true second coming? Tune in and decide for yourself.

Hello and welcome to episode 18 of the Battery Podcast. Todays show is featuring 7 year professional Catcher and Calgary native Jordan Procyshen. The Battery team has been pumping out great catching conversations lately is this absolutely follows that trend. There's also some big news thats discussed both locally and on the biggest stage. The university of Frasier Valley is rumoured to have signed a new head coach in the shape of a 10 year pro ball veteran which is wildly exciting news for canadian baseball. WCBL has started releasing their rosters for the upcoming season which is promising and gives the boys some hope for a normal summer filled with the greatest pastime. The MLB has released their upcoming rule changes for the 2021 seasons that span all throughout their minor league systems. Wedge and RJ are quite opinionated on a few of the rules, thats for sure. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode. The Battery Podcast Team.

Welcome everyone to the Battery Episode 17 with some of the boys from our infamous Friday Live sessions. In this episode RJ and Wedge get together with some buddy's that helped keep the dream alive over the first lockdowns in BC with some live at bats. It was fun reminiscing about the couple of months during such a weird time for all of us. The whole episode this week is basically the conversation with these gentleman. Hope you guys enjoy! The Battery Team.

Welcome everybody to The Battery Episode 16 featuring the Wise and hilarious, Brett Thomas. This episode we welcome The Catching Academy founder and former Okotoks Dawgs WMBL champion, Brett Thomas. Brett Thomas suited up for the Dawgs for three years as a player, and three more as the head coach. He also coached in the Okotoks Dawgs Jr Dawgs Academy, and has since moved home to the Bay area in California and opened up The Catching Academy. A lot has happened in the world these past couple of years, especially when it comes to the voices of all. It seems that owners, presidents and executives are having a hard time not exposing who they really are to the public and the Mariners are unfortunately no exception to this. For once there is no free agency talk, however College baseball is now in full swing and the boys couldn't be more excited. Hope you guys enjoy the episode! The Battery.

Welcome everybody to The Battery Episode 15: Every Rep is not Created Equal with Isiah McDonald.   Our guest today is a very talented young Strength Coach who is currently interning down in the Florida heat with the Godfather of baseball specific strength training, Eric Cressey. Isiah is a Grand Forks, BC native, he played collegiate baseball for TRU Wolfpack in the CCBC and graduated with a degree in Kinesiology from UBC before opening up his own S&C business in Kamloops BC. You may have seen him around the BLE camps over the summers, or at a ball park near you. This interview is electric and full of information, whether you're a high school, college, or professional player, or if you're a coach trying to figure out how to implement physical training to supplement your practice plans. You can skip to [42:50] for the interview with Isiah McDonald. Also on the pod, Wedge takes a trip to the future to discuss what the world will look like at the conclusion of Fernando Tatis Jr's new 14 year/ $340 Million extension, and we say farewell to Tim Tebow as he steps away from professional baseball. The 2021 season is upon us! Pitchers and Catchers have reported and if you listen closely, the ting of BBCORE metal is in the air floating south from NCAA Division 1 contests kicking off this past weekend.   This was a fun one, Enjoy! The Battery

Hello and welcome to Episode 13 of The Battery We're very excited to bring Ryan Divish on for the pod. Ryan has been writing about the Seattle Mariners for 15 years and is currently a Mariners beat writer for the Seattle Times. We get into how his life took him in the Journalism direction and what the life of a beat writer entails. Also on the Pod, Trevor Bauer heads to LA, The Big Bear makes a bank deposit and re-signs with the Braves, Kolten Wong brings his glove to the Brew Crew and the AL west makes a quick swap. Also on the episode we make current roster comparisons in the NL West and how to stay in baseball if your name doesn't get called are all on the horizons so hope you guys enjoy!

Hello and welcome to episode 12 of the Battery Podcast hosted by RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. Winnipeg was so nice we decided to visit twice. We're here today with "Famous" Amos Ramon, native of Corpus Christi, Texas, who became a member of the Winnipeg Gold Eyes in the early 2010s, earning a Playoff MVP title in their 2012 championship season, and committing to the city and the country of Canada. Amos lives and works in Winnipeg, and is now the Head Coach of Team Manitoba baseball at the 17U age group. You can jump to [34:00] for our interview with Amos! Also on the pod, Wedge and RJ chat about the flurry of moves that happened over the week in the MLB, including Nolan Arenado to the Cards, Marcus Semien to the Blue Jays, JT Realmuto resigning with the Phillies and The Kid accepting a role in the Commissioner's office. To add on, we congratulate a couple of Canadian's accepting big roles in professional baseball. Hope you enjoy!

Hello and welcome to episode 11 of The Battery Podcast hosted by RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. On the pod this week is good friend and coach Jon Ali. He's the program director at Homerun Sports Training Facility and while things may be moving slow in Winnipeg, The guys out there are trying everything they can to keep their players thinking about baseball and training at home. RJ and Wedge start off the show by paying their respects to late greats: Hammerin' Hank Aaron and Tommy Lasorda, whose legacies will live on forever in baseball history. RJ and Wedge also got into trade talks with a bit of free agency sprinkled in there. During the interview with Jon, they chat about Canadian baseball leagues out West and how they're looking to make much larger impacts in the baseball community over the next few years. Hope you all enjoy the episode! The Battery Podcast Team.

Welcome to episode 10 of the Battery Podcast hosted by Ryan Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. On this episode we are joined by great friend and old teammate of Wedge, young LHP prospect Erik Sabrowski. The boys start things off by talking about some nice things that came in the mail for RJ, while Wedge had a wardrobe malfunction. They quickly get into trade talks, with Kluber signing a 1 year deal and DJ Lemahieu resigning for an addition 6 years, both to the Yankees. RJ and Wedge finish off their pre interview chat with some of their shared experiences and beliefs as to what makes team culture a success. This episode has plenty of good topics. Whether you're a pitcher, a veteran of the WMBL or are currently looking to get an edge in your bullpen sessions, its definitely worth the listen. Hope you enjoy! The Battery Podcast Team

Hello and Happy New Year friends! Wedge and RJ are excited to be back in action for episode 9! There is no better way to start the New Year than with an interview from BC's Baseball journeyman and Absolute PRO, Wes Darvill. Wedge and RJ chat with Wes about his playing career, how his routine and habits have evolved throughout a nine-year professional baseball career, and why a rain delay could be exactly what you need. You can skip forward to [42:55] if you wanna check out our chat with Wes. The boys kick off this episode by recapping their holidays. RJ had himself a fun time seeing all the guys who came back from their universities, at the gym. While Wedge enjoyed Netflix. Wedge and RJ talk some hot stove in the first big splash of the off season, with the Padres acquiring Blake Snell and Yu Darvish, and Lindor heading to the Mets with Cookie Carrasco. Hope you all enjoy, the fellas had a heck of a fun time with this one. The Battery Podcast Team

Welcome to Episode 8 of The Battery Hosted by RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all of our Battery fam! This week the fellas have the local stud & Vancouver native Will McAffer on the pod. Will is currently in the Toronto Blue Jays organization and is looking to compete this upcoming year on a large stage and make some noise. Wedge and RJ really dive into what we are excited about with Major League Baseball's most recent announcement. Its one that is long overdue and we both believe its an incredible step in the right direction, no spoilers here though. The guys also dive into Wedge's betrayal from the hands of Spotify wrapped, how not to be a meathead at a facility and just other tidbits that will help the average high school/college ball player try to fit in while the boys are takin hacks with 100 year old baum bats. Thanks a ton for being on this ride with The Battery Podcast, its been an absolute pleasure for us to create this content. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Cheers to better things in 2021 #500 on streaming services, #1 in your heart The Battery Podcast Team

Welcome to Episode 7 of The Battery Hosted by RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. In this episode we are excited to bring to you an interview with Tyler Yorko, a man whos making a name for himself at Douglas college as a next level hitting coach who, with his Kinesiology background, is showing his athletes to the promised land of not just being a good hitters but also being an all around athletes. In this episode the boys get into Spotify wrapped, how humble of a loser Wedge is, how the minor leagues are making adjustments and what RJ and Wedge think are some glaring issues the MiLB needs to get re-evaluate- including Minor Leaguer's pay. To wrap the whole show up Wedge and RJ talk about how a holistic viewpoint on coaching will ultimately benefit a program as well as the athletes that are on the team. Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 6 of The Battery Hosted by RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. We welcome former teammate of RJ's at LCU in Texas, and now Minor League Catcher in the Washington Nationals organization. We chat catching, Driveline baseball, and being comfortable trying new things to get to new levels in our games. In this episode, Wedge and RJ open up the discussion about the emergence of the new collegiate/amateur baseball league established through a partnership with Prep Baseball Report and Major League Baseball; The MLB Draft League. They discuss the repercussions of the new draft league on local Western Canadian collegiate summer leagues, the WCL and the WCBL and swap WMBL (now WCBL) stories. To wrap up the show, Wedge and RJ talk about our conversation with Pratt and relate the information he gave us to local programs that we work with and our own practices in the game. Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 5 of The Battery with RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. For this episode, we are beyond excited to bring to you an interview with a Canadian Baseball Icon, Stubby Clapp. Stubby took us through his journey as a player and coach, various coaching philosophies, and so so so many fantastic stories. To open up the show, Wedge and RJ discuss the developing landscape of amateur baseball and players reclassing or trying to find schools in a whirlwind of college athletes regaining athletic eligibility and the MLB Draft being shortened due to Covid; as well as winter training, social media self-promotion, and the new 2021 PBR BC rankings. They introduce a new segment, "We see you", where they give a shoutout to some young ballers that they see putting in the work behind the scenes to get themselves to the next level. Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 4 of The Battery Podcast with RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. Wedge and RJ had the great opportunity of visiting with a couple of very prominent women in the baseball world, Stacy Fournier and Marika Lyszczyk. Stacy has been grinding and putting in countless hours both on and off the field for baseball and softball in Canada. Currently, Stacy is the Assistant Coach at SFU softball, plays first base for the Women's Canadian National Baseball Team and last but not least is the Manager of Operations for BC Girls Baseball Instructional League. Marika has been in the spotlight of the baseball world for some time now, when she became the first ever Female to break into the NCAA baseball world as a catcher for Rivier University, in New Hampshire. Marika is also a catcher for the Women's National Team at just 19 years old. In this episode Stacy and Marika discuss how the game of Baseball has evolved for women over the years as well as the glass ceilings that have been shattered in the year 2020. If there's one thing the world can look back on this year, its that there have been many positive developments in equality in our backyards. For once it seems that the little battles are being won. Hope you all enjoy the Pod! The Battery.

Welcome to episode 3 of The Battery podcast with RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. We're still excited to be here and even more excited that you're here with us on this journey. In this episode, The Boys start things off by getting into some big MLB news around the league that's not only great for the game of Baseball, but great for all of professional sports. RJ and Wedge also dive into the Cy Young and MVP awards that were handed out this past week. Phil Curtis joined the podcast for a solid interview that consisted of Western Canadian Baseball League talks, his transition from college coaching to high school and what kind of atmosphere he believes makes his teams successful. Phil is a 2 time manager of the year in the WCBL and holds many franchise and league records, one of which is the longest win streak in WCBL history. Wedge and RJ finish things off by recapping the interview with Phil, diving into the ideas of coaching philosophies and what makes a coach memorable. Hope you enjoy the episode, The Battery Podcast.

Welcome to Episode 2 of The Battery with RJ Johnson and Logan Wedgewood. To those who listened to episode 1 and came back for more, we thank you and we will not forget our Day One's when we're the top baseball podcast in Canada. In this episode RJ and Wedge open up with their recommendations on who should get your votes for the 2020 ALL MLB team. Following that Wedge gets sore lips giving praise to the Mariners for a little too long, right before we move along to our special guest, Justin Orton. Orton is a UBC Hitting Instructor and a Dominican Summer League Development Coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. His interview is filled with knowledge about using tech and analytics to help hitters do what they do best. As well as some info on how he keeps practices engaging for players to help them get the most out of their work outs. Orton may be the smartest hitting coach in British Columbia, and was definitely the smartest person on this particular ZOOM Call. Thanks to Justin for stopping by. We conclude the episode talking about our chat with Orton, discussing some of the concepts and ideas he presented and our main takeaways from the conversation and how we relate it to Western Canadian amateur baseball as we see it. Enjoy Episode 2!

Welcome to the first episode of The Battery Podcast! Thank you for tuning in to our inaugural episode featuring these two young studs at one of the top NJCAA schools in the US. Jack Seward is a Pitcher from Port Moody, British Columbia, and had numerous stints with the Canadian Junior National Team before heading away to San Jacinto Community College in Houston, Texas. Cole McMillan is a Houston native, and NCAA Div. 1 transfer from University of Houston, to San Jacinto Community College. In this episode, we cover the conclusion of the World Series, including the Kevin Cash decision, and our takes on the Series. In the interview, we cover numerous topics, including the adjustment from Canadian High School baseball to the ultra competitive American NJCAA circuit, differences between NCAA Div. 1 and JUCO baseball, information from Calgarian MLB All-Star Mike Soroka that was passed down to Jack, San Jacinto's perennial Winning Baseball Culture, and much, much more. To conclude the episode, RJ and Wedge talk about the interview with the boys and their takeaways from the information that they gave. Enjoy!