Best Podcast in Baseball

Promise, snooze and sleep puns are kept to a minimum (two, at most) in a brand new episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to you weekly by Lumberlend Co. But the ramifications of Marcell Ozuna oversleeping this week and the trickle-down troubles some of the under-performing additions have caused for the Cardinals are discussed in detail. St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Frederickson and baseball writer Derrick Goold take a look at the most impressive outside additions for the Cardinals, the difference between Jordan Hicks' record 105.1-mph fastball and his 85-mph slider, and, of course, Frederickson's column about Ozuna and how the plot shifted the moment he didn't show up at the ballpark. The hosts also recall when they overslept -- and the fallout. An Aerosmith concert may or may not have been involved. Wake up, kid. Cardinals need a grand-slammer.

A conversation about the Cardinals' chronic lack of offense takes co-hosts, Ben Frederickson and Derrick Goold, into the look at how market factors are influencing the approach of hitters and why the chase for contracts may supersede the need to defy the defensive shifts. The Cardinals suggest that maybe they have the best example of the game's changing dynamics: Matt Carpenter. The Cardinals have not received the planned production from Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, and Marcell Ozuna -- the three pistons around which the lineup is built -- and that has them scraping for runs and pressure applying to their coaches. Can a solution be had? Does the game's culture allow for it. The two Post-Dispatch writers explore all of that and more in the latest edition of the Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to you weekly my Lumberlend Co., at Lumberlend.com.

The sun is out and interleague is in the air, so St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold and columnist Ben Frederickson go outside, find a few seats at Busch Stadium and talk about the decided lack of offense that has infested the Cardinals' lineup. It's a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to by Lumberlend.com. Fresh from a buoying sweep of the rival Chicago Cubs, the Cardinals lost back-to-back games against the visiting Minnesota Twins and, in 18 innings, manage to score one run. It came on one swing. That's it. At what point should the Cardinals attempt a dramatic shakeup of the lineup, draw the order out of the hat, or just let Jedd Gyorko be Jedd Gyorko and see how far he can carry them? All of that is explored, along with the injury to Yadier Molina that could reshape the season for the Cardinals. This also a musical interlude, as BPIB revisits a favorite listener contribution, "Baby, It's Podcast Time," by Rob Krosley.

As the Cardinals' lineup continues to search for its voice, a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball looks at how the offense was sunk against Pittsburgh's bullpen and quieted still against the White Sox. As the rival Chicago Cubs make their first visit to Busch Stadium of the season, St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold and sports columnist Benjamin Hochman discuss whether the Cardinals approach at the plate -- grind, grind, grind up the starter to get to the bullpen -- needs to be rethought in the age of "bullpenning," and whether success against tanking and troubled teams is enough to get the Cardinals into the postseason. (Spoiler: It just might be.) Also, Hochman's new book, The Big 50 of The St. Louis Cardinals, is discussed, stories are told, and no, no, no the fact that Goold's book has 100 chapters to Hochman's 50 isn't mentioned at all. Nope. A great Ken Oberfell story is told. The weekly BPIB made possible by Lumberlend, Co., home of the bat mug and available at www.Lumberlend.com.

During a home stand that featured a 5-1 record, two extra-inning games, and more perfection against the reeling Cincinnati Reds, the Cardinals moved into first place. But did they also reveal their personality. In a brand new BPIB, brought to you by Lumberlend, com, Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold, in Pittsburgh, and columnist Ben Frederickson, in St. Louis, discuss whether an identity is emerging for the Cardinals in late April, and whether those traits are shared with one player (Yadier Molina), multiple players (Tommy Pham), or will eventually be dominated by another player (Marcell Ozuna). If the Cardinals have many, varied ways to win, don't they also need to have many, varied types of leader to follow. Also discussed is Albert Pujols' career, and whether his 3,000th hit would be more celebrated if it came with the Cardinals -- but if the Cardinals might be less celebrated if he had stayed. Plus: Jack Flaherty's start. Can he stick?

Less than a week after the Cardinals swept through Cincinnati and won all four games of a series in the Queen City for the first time since, oh, the same week warning tracks were standardized around baseball, the Reds come to St. Louis. They've brought a new manager. They're stuck on the same rebuild. To understand what direction the Reds are going -- if they have a course heading at all -- The Athletic-Cincinnati's C. Trent Rosecrans joins the Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to you by Lumberlend, Co. St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball Derrick Goold and Rosecrans discuss just how long it will take for the Reds to be relevant, rather the Cardinals are as good as the Reds make them look, and if Joey Votto's best years are being wasted on a team that is deep into a tank. Also, two vintage packs of baseball cards are opened and Rosecrans scores a Cardinals fan favorite and then name-drops. A lot. There is one David S. Pumpkins reference. It has to do with Lenny Dykstra. Promise.

In a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Lumberlend, Co., St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold and columnist Ben Frederickson get into the middle of the Cardinals' order and discuss what's gone wrong, already, with the team's offense. Has outside temps put the hitters in a deep freeze? Is there something more sinister at work -- because the lack of offense has put the bullpen and rotation near a breaking point. The hitting philosophies of hitting coaches is explored, as is the lack of one being articulated. Plus, Goold says enough with the red herring about Carpenter batting third, already. Frederickson says not so fast. And an intervention is hatched for all further discussions about the Cardinals' use of the 25-man roster.

They'll be back. Soon you'll see. The Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to by Lumberlend Co., sets the stage for a culturally significant week in St. Louis. Not only does "Hamilton" open at the Fox Theater, but the St. Louis Cardinals return home for an annual, if official, civic holiday: Opening Day at Busch Stadium. St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Benjamin Hocman joins baseball writer and BPIB host Derrick Goold to discuss where arts and baseball intersect, and what strengths the Cardinals are bringing to town. The outfield production is discussed. Puns are limited. Promise. And the creeping concern about Carlos Martinez is considered. Want to be at the ballpark where it happens? Meet at Musial.

From New York, where the Cardinals opened the 2018 regular season against the New York Mets, it's the Best Podcast in Baseball brought to you by Lumberlend Co. St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writers Rick Hummel and Derrick Goold run through what went wrong in the Cardinals' opening loss to the Mets and whether spring things are neon harbingers for the season -- or red herrings. Calros Martinez's ongoing troubles with command are compared against the two starters who had the strongest springs, and whether those will translate to the regular season. Jose Martinez's bat and Greg Holland's addition are also touched on, and Hall of Fame writer Hummel walks us back through his 40 consecutive opening days. A foul ball by Pete Kozma is mentioned. Look for the BPIB weekly at StlToday.com or wherever

He's the all-time saves leader in Cardinals history and now Jason Isringhausen is back with the organization to help identify the next young Cardinals closer -- or three. In an expanded role as a pitching coordinator and tutor for the Cardinals' minonr-league organization, Isringhausen works with young pitchers, specifically ones the Cardinals believe could be the answer to future ninth innings. That means he's set to spend time this year with Jordan Hicks, Ryan Helsley, and a handful of other high-watt prospects with closer potential. Outside of the Cardinals' clubhouse, Isringhausen joins Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss what makes a closer, what made him a successful closer with 300 career saves, and what being a closer inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame would mean to him. You can find all BPIB episodes on StlToday.com or iTunes.