Baseball Isn’t Boring

With the pomp and circumstance of the World Baseball Classic kicking off, all eyes will be on the entertainment and flair the players are bringing to the field. A big part of that equation will be their footwear, which is an element the players are starving to show off. Two guys who are deep into the creativity when it comes to what they put on their feet are Miami's Jazz Chisholm and Trevor Story of the Red Sox. The pair join Bradfo to discuss the process that goes into crafting their cleats and why it is all so important to the future of the game.

Bradfo and ESPN's Buster Olney team up again for a deep dive into what's going on in the magical world of Major League Baseball. The pair dissect the landscape of spring training with the new rules supplying plenty of shock and awe, while also taking a look at how some teams are setting themselves up for a surprise or two. And then there is Buster's shocking Shohei Ohtani take! It's a great way to finish off your week.

Shawn sits down with one of the biggest names in National Baseball coverage to talk a little bit about the growing international coverage of baseball. From the culture expanding and evolving on a global stage to just growing baseball within a new demographic, the two talk about all the positive repercussions this year's tournament can have on the sport.

Don Orsillo has broadcasted some of the biggest spots in baseball in the last two decades. But in those moments it's always the instances that humanized the game that has left the biggest impact on his viewership. Dive into this conversation between Bradfo and Don on the mentorship and history of Orsillo's career in the booth.

WBC Central Podcast. Episode 7! I'm Shawn Spradling. I do a full breakdown of Pool B in the World Baseball Classic. I also cover:

- New MLB rules are NOT in the WBC

- Dominic Hamel, Puerto Rico's Game 3 starter

- Tommy Edman is in Korea

- Alejandro Kirk is out

- Robinson Cano is Dominican Republic's captain

MY SOCIALS:

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shawn_Spradling

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- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawn.sprad...

- WBC Central Podcast (Baseball Isn't Boring): https://open.spotify.com/show/09tpq9A...

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Intro

0:38 - News & Notes

5:00 - WBC Pool B Breakdown

5:15 - Australia

15:33 - Czech Republic

23:00 - China

31:35 - Korea

41:00 - Japan

57:03 - Predictions

So many are hearing from the pitchers and batters when it comes to living this new life with Major League Baseball's pitch clock. But what about the catchers? They are the ones who have to manage the game on the fly, captaining a ship that is flying faster than ever. Bradfo sits down with Mike Zunino of the Guardians, Reese McGuire of the Red Sox, and the Dodgers' Will Smith to discuss this new world of baseball. We even get a few more reasons why baseball isn't boring along the way.

Shawn sits down with Marek of North Greenville University and now WBC Team Czech Republic. The collegiate athlete is one of a handful of pioneer ballplayers from the European country participating in the tournament next month. We dive into his history with baseball and how that led him to the ultimate stage representing his Nation against some of the most talented individuals to play the game.

The Padres keep making splashes, the most recent one coming Sunday when it was reported Manny Machado had agreed to a 11-year contract extension. One man who will continue to have a front row seat to all the San Diego craziness is the team's television announcer Don Orsillo. Bradfo sits down with Orsillo to not only talk Padres, but also the state of broadcasting, as well as remembering the excellence of his former partner, the late Jerry Remy.

Houston Astros' Double-A affiliate phenom, Derek West, will be setting out for the WBC to represent the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Shawn sits down with the pitcher to talk about growing up in the United States while keeping up with his family's Dutch heritage and traditions and how that connection led him to play for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Bradfo sits down with Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts just prior to playing his first game with his new team. Bogaerts opens up about the path that led him to San Diego, including the twists and turns in his negotiations with the Red Sox and how touch 2022 was to navigate. It's an honest and open Xander Bogaerts.