Baseball Connection

After 16 MLB seasons, Jon Lester has announced his retirement. Lester is going out on his own terms and puts an end to a wonderful career. His storybook journey involved beating cancer, throwing a no-hitter, winning 3 World Series, and ending a 108-year championship drought. Rachel Balkovec has been hired as the next manager of the Yankees' Low-A affiliate. She will be the first woman to ever manage an affiliate team. All this on today's episode.

Deep into the 2021 season, the Cardinals were down but now out. A late-season surge launched them into the playoffs as they ripped off 17 straight wins to secure a Wild Card berth. The Dodgers ended their season but there is a lot of fuel to carry the Cardinals forward in 2022. Tyler O'Neill has blossomed, Adam Wainwright has remained elite despite his age, Harrison Bader is the defensive CF in baseball, and much more. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Blue Jays had a strong season but were caught in the midst of a tough division. As such, they missed the playoffs but it was a good season in Toronto overall. Vlad blossomed into an MVP-caliber player, Marcus Semien and Robbie Ray secured bags, and the Blue Jays boasted one of the scariest lineups in baseball. They've lost Semien and Ray to free agency, but don't expect the Blue Jays to take a step back. They will be good. All this on today's episode.

So close yet so far. The Mariners were on the cusp of ending their 20-year playoff drought as they fought up until the last day of the 2021 season. Nobody expected much from them but they somehow racked up 90 wins and shocked the baseball world. Did they overachieve? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The A's hoped to continue their playoff streak in 2021 but that came to an abrupt end. They had a solid year overall thanks to consistent pitching but they weren't particularly great in any one area. Now having gone through a managerial change this winter, 2022 will be a new challenge for Oakland. They'll need a bounce-back from Matt Chapman, though. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Reds had a fun roller coaster ride of a season. They made a brief playoff push and finished with a winning record. From a trio hitters who put up midseason fights for MVP (Votto, Winker, Castellanos) to the NL Rookie of the Year (Jonathan India) showcasing an on-base and power combination, their lineup was strong. Wade Miley's no-hitter was the pitching performance of the season. Where does Cincinnati go from here?

The Phillies finished with a winning record for the first time since 2011. Phenomenal seasons from Bryce Harper (NL MVP) and Zach Wheeler paced them from start to finish, but there is still plenty of work to be done. The Phillies need a legitimate closer, leadoff hitter, and more lineup protection for Harper. All this on today's episode.

Cameron Maybin has hung up his spikes after a 15-year MLB career. Maybin played with 10 different teams over the years. Although he was a journeyman, it was for good reason. His speed and defense combination was of value to many teams. At his peak, Maybin could steal a base on command and provide some power as well. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Indians finished below .500 for the first time since 2012. They were close, though, at 80-82. With such a young team, Cleveland is trying to establish their identity at this point. For 2022, expect Cleveland to show some growth, growing pains, and more flashes of star performance from Jose Ramirez.

Expectations were sky high in San Diego heading into last season. They were considered among the cream of the crop in terms of talent and looked like they could compete for an NL West title. Injuries mounted and things turned south in the second half of the year. The Padres finished with a disappointing record of 79-83? What else went wrong? How can they be better in 2022? All this on today's episode.