John, Tom, Darius and Ben perform their annual ritual in the form of discussing 30 MLB teams and filling out a spreadsheet. Will they be right? No. Will they let that stop them? Also no.

Rob, Gav and Russ are back to destroy the "A-team" once again with their outstanding knowledge of baseball and predict the win totals for all 30 teams.This is a lively discussion about their predictions for the 2025 baseball season and a fun tiebreaker game for when they don't agree.

In this episode of Bat-Flips and Nerds, host Russell Eason interviews Liam Carroll, the manager of the High A Greenville Drive and a prominent figure in British baseball. They discuss Liam's journey from British baseball to coaching in the minor leagues, the impact of data and analytics on coaching, and the cultural differences between coaching at the national team level and in minor leagues. Liam shares insights on player development, the importance of individualized training, and the exciting changes in the Red Sox system. The conversation also touches on the new rules in baseball, the significance of the pitch clock, and Liam's aspirations for the future as he transitions to a new role with the Greenville Drive.

Ben, Russell and Darius combine forces to discuss Spring Training news (RIP Gerrit Cole's elbow), potential 2025 breakout candidates (and what even is a breakout?) plus some classic Spring Traning statline overreactions (panic!!!!)

Time Codes:

00:00-02:00: Intro
02:00-18:30: Spring Training stories: Gerrit Cole, Dave Roberts, New Era caps
18:30-46:00: Breakout candidates
46:00-1:02:00: Spring Training statline overreactions
1:02:00-1:05:00: Outro

In this episode, Jay Jackson shares his journey through baseball, discussing his experiences in the MLB and NPB, the challenges he faced with injuries, and the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. He reflects on his book, 'Nine Innings to Living Your Best Life,' and how his personal experiences shaped his outlook on life and baseball. Jay emphasizes the need for support systems within the sport, particularly for young black players, and shares valuable lessons learned from his son, JR. The conversation also touches on the cultural differences in baseball between Japan and the U.S., and Jay's aspirations for the future.

In this episode of Batflips and Nerds, the hosts discuss the arrival of spring training, exploring the optimism it brings, the downsides such as injuries and media clichés, and the impact of new rules on player performance. They delve into the significance of small sample sizes in evaluating player performance during spring training and share their thoughts on the media's coverage of the event. The conversation wraps up with final thoughts on the season ahead and the importance of player health.

Ben and Russell are joined by a baseball legend: former player and manager Clint Hurdle.

Clint talks the pair through his playing career, his coaching career and his two stints as a manager of a Major League ballclub, in a fascinating discussion of the highs and lows of professional sport!

Timestamps:
00:00-04:30: Intro and 'Hurdle-isms', Clint's new book
04:30-07:05: His role as special advisor
07:05- 19:48: Draft, SI cover and playing career
19:48-28:44: Coaching and becoming manager
28:44-39:50: Rocktober and the Rockies era
39:50-52:09: The Pirates era
52:09-59:03: Final questions

Pitchers and catchers have reported! Russ and Ben get together for a brief offseason recap in the form of an awards show, taking a look at the good, the bad and the wonderful of winter.

John and Russell are joined by current Seattle Mariner, Will Klein.   They chat through his debut year in which he was traded twice and moved house 8 times, they talk about pitching development and how it is changed over Will's career. There's also a smattering of Chelsea talk as the boys find out Will is an ardent Chelsea fan.

John and Russ are joined by Zack Scott, the former Acting GM for the New York Mets and Assistant GM for the Boston Red Sox. We get a bit of John fan girling over Koji Uehara to the man who brought him to Boston before they get on to the main topic of how a front office works in the offseason.