Bat Flips And Nerds

Russell, Rob and Ben get together to review an entertaining set of wildcard and division series that threw up some upsets and extra-inning marathons. They end with a quick look ahead to the Championship Series and Great Britain's confirmed WBC pool in March.

2:04 - Playoff format chat
9:43 - Rays-Guardians
16:52 - Mariners-Blue Jays
20:45 - Cardinals-Phillies
25:55 - Mets-Padres
33:25 - Mariners-Astros
40:53 - Guardians-Yankees
50:29 - Braves-Phillies
58:01 - Padres-Dodgers
1:08:52 - CS Previews
1:12:49 - GB WBC Pool Chat

Russell, Darius, Ben and Rachel join forces to briefly discuss the frustrating news about postseason blackouts internationally before diving into a full playoffs preview.

70 minutes of thought-provoking discussion eventually ends with them deciding the best teams are probably the ones that won the most games.

Send in your postseason brackets and tell us why we're wrong!

The team go deep on Great Britain Baseball's historic qualification for the 2023 WBC, including the tensest game of baseball we have ever watched and hat tips for a bunch of new heroes as well as some old ones.

Oh, and we talk about two blokes called Aaron and Albert. Who are they? They're no Anfernee.

In this episode we give a bumper intro to GB at this week's World Baseball Classic Qualifier, including:

- John and Russ breaking down the rules and the GB roster
- Chris Knoblock checking in with players Alex Crosby and Vance Worley
- A feature length interview with Head Coach Drew Spencer

#LetsGoGB

In a change to our normal programming schedule, we've let the gruesome twosome loose for a two-hander. They pick up on everything we've missed during our summer holiday, dig into the news about the MLBPA looking to unionise the minors, consider the two front runners for AL MVP and look at the playoff picture.

John, Darius and Russell are joined by Nick Wright of LA Angels UK and MLB UK Community to break down a very weird trade deadline, dig into the misery of the Angels 2022 season and look ahead to the 2023 MLB London Series after the worst secret in baseball was finally confirmed with the Cubs and Cardinals announced as next summer's participants.

Major League Baseball is returning to London on June 24th-25th 2023. Cy Young and World Series winner CC Sabathia, who was part of the Yankees team that participated in the first London Series, joins the show to discuss his experience during that series, his thoughts on the current Yankees team, and what he's been up to since retiring, as well as some extremely instant Juan Soto trade reaction.

A packed roster for a packed schedule, as the guys chat about Mike Trout's unpronouncable back condition, Big Papi's reefers, and try to pick the bones out of a Soto deal to - well - anywhere, before rounding it off by breaking down the trade deadline for all 30 teams.

John, Russell, Darius and Rob are here for a bumper catch-up pod featuring everything from Home Run Derby X to, err, the Home Run Derby.

They also chat about Gabe Rincones being drafted by the Phillies, a raft of Canada opt-outs, Bobby Manfred loving the taste of leather and speculate wildly about next weekend's trade deadline.

Five-time MLB All-Star and Home Run Derby X participant Adrian Gonzalez joins Ben live at Home Run House to talk about his HRDX participation and his MLB career.

The first HRDX event is in Crystal Palace Park from 12pm on Saturday 9th July. Find out more about HRDX at https://www.mlb.com/HomeRunDerbyX