Baseball Isn’t Boring

Late August and early September mean a lot in the world of Major League Baseball. New players. New hope. Pennant races. And, of course, fantasy football drafts in big league clubhouses. Fantasy football has been a pivotal part of every big league's team's existence for years, with the stories and perspective only truly gaining steam recently. Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story and Rays reliever Jake Diekman join Bradfo to give their perspectives on baseball teams diving head-first into the world of fantasy football this time of year.

Jake Diekman has become one of the most dominant lefty relievers in the game this season, but only after being cut loose by the White Sox and finding his way to the Rays. Diekman sat down with Bradfo to explain how his turnaround came about and what is behind the Tampa Bay success stories. The pair also dive into his view of the Nebraska football program, Deion Sanders' speeches, fantasy football, and, of course, the art of paying (or not paying) for a meal. It's the kind of conversation that will make you a better baseball (and football) fan.

Sept. 4, 2022. It was the day Triston Casas made his major league debut, playing for the Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Rangers. Exactly one year later, Casas has had quite a journey, one that allowed him to celebrate his one year in the big leagues with a game-changing three-run homer and RBI single. Casas joined Bradfo to reflect on how things have changed over the last year and the advice he would give players just starting their big league path.

He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. He rebounded from myocarditis to catch fire during his year-plus of professional ball. He is the No. 25 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. And now Heston Kjerstad is joining Bradfo for a Baseball Isn't Boring sit-down. You are going to want to get to know Kjerstad, so here is your chance.

The Power Ranking experts - Producer Evan and Liam 'Skiff' Skiffington are Bradfo-less in this edition of the Power Rankings as they attempt to define who is the best of the best when it comes to the Major League Baseball elite. The Top Three of the Braves, Orioles, and Dodgers remain untouched while some teams currently in playoff positions have managed to play their way out of the Experts Top 10's!

Videos of players learning they are going to the big leagues has become one of the favorite parts of baseball social media, with the reaction of current Orioles star Adley Rutschman kicking everything off. The man who executed that exchange - Baltimore Triple-A manager Buck Britton - joins Bradfo to give a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into planning and executing those memorable moments.

As Christian Arroyo told Bradfo on this latest podcast, rarely do you find a major league baseball player with a linear career path. Arroyo, the former first-round pick who started 2023 as the Red Sox' starting second baseman, is perfect proof of that. The 28-year-old sits down to offer an honest discussion about his struggles, both on the field and with his mental health throughout a season that has led him to Triple-A Worcester. It is a powerful conversation that should offer insight into the kind of challenges that keep on coming for many ballplayers.

Bradfo headed down to Worcester to witness and report on the latest rehab start for Orioles Starting Pitcher John Means. It turned out to be quite the dazzling performance for Means as he held the Worcester Red Sox to 1 hit in 5 innings pitched while striking out 6 and only walking 2. After the game, Bradfo caught up with Means and Norfolk Manager Buck Britton to talk about his impressive outing and what the next steps look like on his road back to Baltimore

Bradfo tweeted out in July, "Have the Red Sox had a player who it consistently feels like will always drive in the big run like Justin Turner since David Ortiz?", which felt like the perfect question to ask the man himself, Big Papi, here is his response...

MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams will forever share a few experiences. Both were high first-round picks by the San Diego Padres. And each were involved in one of the biggest trades in recent memory for Juan Soto. Bradfo caught up with each of the current Washington Nationals to discuss their paths and pressures since being identified as a big part of the Nats' foundation.