Baseball Connection

Edwin Diaz has agreed to a five-year, $102 million deal with the Mets - the first nine-figure deal ever signed by a reliever. Diaz will be near-term fixture in the ninth inning at Citi Field. Bryce Harper has been dealing with a torn UCL in his elbow since May. The newly-added designated hitter rule allowed Harper was able to play the rest of the season for the Phillies. Carlos Rodon opted out of his contract with the Giants and will become a free agent. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Houston Astros have won the World Series. It's their second championship in the past six years and they can now silence all doubters who've levied criticism since the fallout of their cheating scandal. Jeremy Peña was named World Series MVP. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Astros take a 3-2 series lead back to Houston as they look to close things out in Game 6. Can the Phillies score enough runs off Framber Valdez, who has been dominant all year long? We take a look at the Gold Glove winners for 2022. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Cristian Javier led the way for the Astros as he tossed the first 6 innings of a combined no-hitter. Just one day after their impromptu home run derby, the Phillies bats went cold and the series is now tied 2-2. This was only the second no-hitter in World Series history. Why doesn't anyone talk about Cristian Javier's strong career? Under-the-radar signings like him have been key to the Astros' pitching success.

The Phillies tagged Lance McCullers Jr. for five home runs in Game 3 of the World Series. McCullers was tipping his pitches and the Phillies hitters keyed in on that immediately. Ranger Suarez threw 5 shutout innings as the Phillies beat the Astros 7-0.

Framber Valdez has been the Astros' most consistent starter all season long. You can expect him to throw a quality start or better each time out and he did just that in Game 2. Valdez threw 6.1 innings with 9 strikeouts and 1 earned run to help the Astros tie the World Series at one game apiece. The Series now heads back to Philadelphia for three straight.

The Phillies defeated the Astros 6-5 in Game 1 of the World Series. Houston was up 5-0 after three innings thanks to two Kyle Tucker homers. With Verlander on the mound, it looked like the Astros would cruise to victory. The Phillies had other ideas and immediately mounted a comeback. Strong bullpen work and a clutch homer from JT Realmuto put the Phillies on top.

The World Series is here. What are they top storylines to look out for ahead of Game 1? Can Justin Verlander shake his rough World Series reputation and get the Astros off to a strong start? The Phillies are underdogs, but their lineup has enough firepower to match Houston's. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Adam Wainwright is coming back for one last year. Wainwright signed a one-year deal to pitch for the Cardinals in 2023. He will play in a key role in their pitching rotation. Bruce Bochy is back in the MLB as he's agreed to terms with the Rangers as their new manager. Expect big moves from Texas this winter. Skip Schumaker will be the Marlins next manager. All this (and more) on today's episode.

For the 13th year in a row, the Yankees will be watching the World Series instead of playing in it. The current ownership group is fiscally conservative, and that just might be the problem. Fortunately, there is elite talent available on the market this winter. We discuss how the Yankees can buy their way back to the World Series.