Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina mentions the possibility of retirement, the NL Central has been the least active in the majors this offseason, and the Cardinals' winter has lacked verve while they ask for patience. All of that, and this brand new episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball begins with a question about The Mandalorian. It will all make sense by the end, when we discuss who will be the Jedi Knight to save the Cardinals for this winter of fan discontent. KMOX/1120 AM sports host Kevin Wheeler joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss the three true outcomes of Molina's free agency and what's really going on with the Cardinals' inactive division. The two also touch on the arbitration questions for individual players, "artisanal" statistics, and of course the Disney+ show that has revitalized the Star Wars universe. The Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to you weekly by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

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Meet the Mega Mets. Author and baseball writer Andy Martino joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to talk about a huge deal in Queens and a huge book on the horizon -- Martino's "Cheated" about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal and the fascinating history of baseball's sign-stealing gray area. In the wake of the New York Mets' blockbuster deal for All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, SNY's MLB reporter Martino to discusses the ownership change and aggressive moves in Queens already this offseason. What does Lindor's arrival mean for the Mets, what does Steve Cohen's ownership mean for salary cap talk in MLB, and where might the Cardinals fit into discussions with the Mets or Yankees when it comes to outfielders? Those questions are all discussed, as is what Jeff Lunhow brought from the Cardinals the Astros, and how the culture he created contributed to the Astros plunge over the edge and into sign stealing that cost three managers their positions and suspended Luhnow for a year. The two longtime baseball writers also talk about how Carlos Beltran makes a re-entry into the game. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closest by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

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Cue the music. Polish that crystal ball. It's the final brand new episode of 2020, and after the welcome return of the BPIB holiday song by Annalyse Crowders and Rob Krosley, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Benjamin Hochman joins host and baseball writer Derrick Goold to share hopes for the New Year and some thoughts on where the Cardinals are headed on the field, where the Cubs are going in the standings, and where baseball can continue to advance off the field. The Cardinals offseason strategy is discussed through the lens of future revenue and how they can get the flock back to the Busch Stadium. "They should do whatever they think they can to win the division this year and prepare to compete with the big boys in the coming years," Hochman says. "Do that. Put all your eggs in that basket." The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. A special thanks as always to Annalyse Crowders and Rob Krosley for the song they wrote and performed for BPIB, and a healthy holiday season to all the listeners and the community that has been created around this podcast. Onward toward 2021 -- and season No. 9.

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Any time the biggest story in the world and most significant story in the country collide with the coverage of any beat, that's the most important story of the year. In the 40th brand new episode of the season for BPIB, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson and baseball writer Derrick Goold discuss their selections as the top five stories from the 2020 St. Louis Cardinals. They range from a telling decision that will have repercussions to two defining players who might be taking their talents elsewhere. The top five stories are ranked and discussed, right up to the obvious and predictable top story: The outbreak and Cardinals' recovery. One of the biggest stories in sports is also examined, and some snapshots from the back fields before the pandemic are remembered. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

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Any time is a good time to tell stories about Bob Gibson and Lou Brock, and the end of this year offered a time to visit with Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel about the two Cardinals icons that he got to know as Hall of Fame players and, most of all, friends. Hummel joins BPIB host and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to reminisce about his favorite stories and legends and moments from two Cardinals icons who died in 2020. The two writers also recall Dick Allen's one All-Star slugging season with the Cardinals. Allen died during 2020 at age 78. In the closing month of the 2020 season, Gibson and Brock died after lengthy battles with illnesses. Gibson was 84, Brock 81. For the past six decades, they've defined the organization and even after retiring as players they shaped its modern brand and place in Major League Baseball. They were baseball royalty, and their legacy is lasting. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.  

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It the middle of what would have been baseball's annual winter meetings -- that crucible of scuttlebutt, swaps, and signings -- Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak outlined a team in talks, but at a standstill. He requested "patience." And acknowledged there weren't many clear answers. But there are obvious questions. St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joins BPIB to discuss a 'white-knuckle' 2021 and whether the Cardinals are really positioning themselves for 2022, when there will be more certainties. Right? Along with BPIB host and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold, the conversation touches on the orchard of available players to upgrade the offense, the overshadowed concern the Cardinals should have about pitching, and what a DH would do for the Cardinals' lineup. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

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The Friday the Miami Marlins announced the hiring of Kim Ng as their general manager was a landmark day in Major League Baseball history, and one of the stories that best captured the joy, the enthusiasm, and the call to action throughout the baseball community was written by MLB.com's Cardinals beat writer Anne Rogers. She reached out to other women in baseball -- trailblazers and role models alike -- to talk to them about Ng and the first woman hired to lead the front office of a major-league club. Rogers joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to talk about her story, the stories she heard, and the stories she can tell about what Ng's hiring means and what the last month has done to the status in baseball. Rogers and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold also discuss the non-tender day, the new names that are available for the Cardinals' needs, and how the same old same old won't work for an offense that risks regression. A Cardinals beat writer Tik Tok dance video sequel is also discussed. Briefly. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

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A brand new Best Podcast in Baseball is all about negotiations -- negotiating the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame or negotiating the designated hitter into the National League. St. Louis broadcasters Dan McLaughlin, the television voice of the Cardinals for Fox Sports Midwest and founder of Scoops with Danny Mac, and Kevin Wheeler, of 1120 AM/KMOX fame, join the podcast for two discussions that hinge around this same thing. St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold talks to McLaughlin about his approach for voting players into Cooperstown, and then gets into the weeds on why the DH is such a big chip for owners and players, even if they both agree it's inevitably going to be in the NL. Ultimately, this is an episode about compromise -- for voting on immortality or leveraging a CBA. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

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One of the biggest unknowns for any Major League Baseball club in the 2020-21 offseason is how many tickets they'll be able to sell to how many games in the coming season. Revenue talk is all the rage, and into the conversation saunters word that a casino operator Bally's Corporation will have branding rights for several teams' broadcasts, including the Cardinals, and may infuse elements of gambling into the televised games. Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joins baseball writer Derrick Goold to go around the horn on four topics: the lingering effects of COVID-19 on one Cardinal; chairman Bill DeWitt's comments on staying competitive with reduced revenue; the Bally's factor; and, sliding into home, the market update for catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Adam Wainwright. On our walk back to the dugout, we discuss Theo Epstein's departure from the Cubs and what to make of the Theo Era in the Cardinals-Cubs rivalry. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

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Bernie Miklasz, co-creator of the Best Podcast in Baseball and longtime, essential sports voice of St. Louis, joins the podcast he first hosted to discuss with Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold all that has happened in the past few months, and what's next for him. Miklasz, an award-winning and widely read sports columnist for the Post-Dispatch, left several years ago to focus on radio, but before he did he helped jumpstart the podcast that has become BPIB. So BPIB returns to him as an outlet for all of his baseball opinions -- from the 2020 Cardinals season to Kolten Wong's option, Jeff Albert's place as hitting coach to the DH, expanded playoffs, and a neutral-site World Series. Also discussed are postcards, finding sports in politics, and how the Cardinals are a lot like the James Bond film franchise. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of StlToday.com, the Post-Dispatch, and Derrick Goold. 

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