Baseball Isn’t Boring

It's time. We felt the world needed Producer Evan's Top 10 teams in Major League Baseball at this very moment, and, boy, are his picks spicy. Spoiler: Not in the Top 10 - the Dodgers, Yankees and, yes, even the Padres. The list - which is complete with where each team sits in the eyes of FanDuel for World Series odds - is bound to spark conversation, which is a big part of the reason why baseball is never boring.

It is NFL Draft Day, which is a great time for Bradfo to sit down with someone who is in charge of a team's Draft. In this case, the conversation is with Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom, who discusses what goes into the preparation of the picks, how NFL and MLB are similar and different in their approaches, and how team look at football players playing baseball and baseball players playing football. Bradfo also talks a bit about all the bullpen chaos in Baltimore, while offering a take on Toronto's new fan-friendly bullpen from the Baseball Isn't Boring Godfather Joe Kelly.

Regular Baseball Isn't Boring contributor Rich Hill once again joins Bradfo, this time to offer an insider's look into how the Pirates have become one of baseball's hottest stories. Hill reacts in real-time to the latest good news for the National League Central leaders, the extension agreement with Bryan Reynolds. There is also, of course, another update on what has gone right and wrong, in Hill's eyes, when it comes to the new rules.

The lessons just keep on coming, just ask rookies Grayson Rodriguez (Baltimore) and Triston Casas (Boston). Bradfo catches up with the two first-rounders from the 2018 MLB Draft to ask then what they would tell their younger selves, whether it be as an 18-year-old heading into pro ball, or a major league newbie. Both players offer the kind of unique insight that only players in their position - and their relatively young age - can offer.

Bradfo is joined by Matt Spiegel of 670 The Score in Chicago to try and make sense of his upside-down world in the Major League Baseball Standings, so far. The Pirates. The Rangers. The Orioles. The Diamondbacks. And, the team that Matt follows every day, the Cubs. They have all gone a long way to shocking baseball with their early-season success, leaving smiles on fans who haven't turned those frowns upside down in some time. Conversely, there are teams like the White Sox - another club Spiegel is very familiar with, offering perhaps the most disappointing group thus far. It's not only even a month in, but what a ride it has been.

It's easy to ride the hot hand of a star pitcher, which is why it is tough to bet against the likes of Zac Gallen even against the Padres. But figuring out which pitchers are going to rebound from their bumps in the road is a true art form, one which Bradfo tries to master while talking with Red Sox starter Chris Sale. Sale, figured things out after totaling an ERA north of 11, dominating his most recent outing, explains the process and adjustments that went into fixing things. Conversely, just because a pitcher is wily and wise that doesn't mean it's going to click back in. Case in point: Madison Bumgarner. Bradfo talk to Sale and then looks at one of the most fascinating slate of pitching matchups for the season.

It's a great time to talk trades and contract extensions and there is no better person to dive into those subjects than Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey. Bradfo sits down with Falvey to talk about the ins and outs of the Pablo Lopez, how he views team building and the art of the contract extensions. There is also next-level ketchup-flavored potato chip talk, of course. It's a good one.

Congratulations to Samurai Japan, the 2023 World Baseball Classic champions! In this episode of WBC Central, Shawn Spradling and special guest Yakyu Cosmopolitan cover it all: Japan’s roster announcements, Ohtani’s WBC commitment, the WBC viewership numbers, Japanese baseball culture, the significance of this team, their performance in the WBC, and the aftermath of winning the championship.

Bradfo is joined by actor - and diehard Phillies fan - Ellen Adair to spend some time reflecting on the electricity that has come with the first three weeks of the Major League Baseball season. The unexpected breakout seasons, by both players an teams. The here, now and future of living life with these new rules. And the Golden Age of home run celebrations. It's all right there in almost an hour of high quality baseball conversation with a great ambassador for this great game, @Ellen_Adair.

David Robertson. Benji Gil. Shawn Spradling. They all have unique perspectives on how we should be looking at the impact of the World Baseball Classic now that we're a month out from the tournament. Bradfo catches up with the Team USA closer, the manager of Team Mexico and the host of 'WBC Central' to discuss what has been an out-of-the-ordinary start tot the young season.