Best Podcast in Baseball

In the middle of correcting the glitches in his delivery that led to a difficult April, Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright spoke extensively with Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold about the work he was doing in the bullpen and the importance of feeling "uncomfortable." This interview, conducted in the visitors' clubhouse at Chase Field, became the backbone of a Cardinals Insider in the May 1, 2016 edition of The Post-Dispatch. It was reworked here for an exclusive Best Podcast in Baseball Special, one that hopefully adds depth and further context to the article that appeared in print and online at StlToday.com. BPIB co-host Goold and the Cardinals righthander talk about his curveball, the age question, and the 11-inch solution Wainwright, with a team of helpers, discovered and how he implemented it. Since, he's made two starts and won both, getting a grip on his curveball and taking steps during each that he predicted during this interview.

While continuing as a host for Sirius XM's MLB Network Radio, Mike Ferrin has joined the Arizona Diamondbacks as their pre- and post-game host. His reason for wanting to work for a team sounds a lot like Tony La Russa's for leaving the commissioner's office and getting back into the competition as an executive with Arizona. That's where this new BPIB short begins before Ferrin and Best Podcast in Baseball co-host Derrick Goold discuss the way the Diamondbacks have been rebuilt, and whether it's a statement La Russa and others are making about how to compete and if it just might be the best thing for baseball. Ferrin and Goold also engage in a contest of 1985 Chicago Bears fan cred. They stop just shy of singing The Super Bowl Shuffle.

After a brief discussion about Donruss Diamond Kings and the 1990s masterpieces of Dick Perez, co-hosts Derrick Goold and Benjamin Hochman detail what the first Cubs-Cardinals of the seasons revealed about the team two teams, and their T-shirt preferences. The mild kerfuffle about the colorful verb that appears on manager Joe Maddon's T-shirt is also discussed, and that word in question -- fair warning -- is uttered. Jason Hayward's return to Busch Stadium, Carlos Martinez as an ace in bloom, and what to make of Adam Wainwright's difficult start to the season are all explored with minimal tangent. There is a story about Luis Polonia, a SNK Baseball Stars legend. We cannot promise this full-length Best Podcast in Baseball is "touche" free.

The season opener for the Cardinals was the Pitts. Back from the Steel City, co-hosts Derrick Goold and Benjamin Hochman discuss how the Pirates outhit, outpitched, and outplayed the Cardinals in the season-opening, three-game visit to PNC Park. The question confronting the Cardinals as they ready for the home opener and Busch Stadium III's 10th anniversary is how long can they let recurring trends on offense last. It's early in the season, but the wait for production is not new. By turning to a handful of young players in key position, patience is clearly part of the plan. But, then again, so was improved power.

Former Cardinals reliever Ricky Horton enters his 13th season as a broadcaster for the club with an expanded role that means more travel and more appearance on KMOX/1120 AM to complement his TV work for Fox Sports Midwest. On the off day, sandwiched between the first and second game of the season-opening series, Horton sits in the dugout with BPIB co-host Derrick Goold to discuss the 2016 Cardinals but also baseball in 2016. The two explore the increasing amount of hours ballplayers spend at the ballpark, worrying over splits and video and the ongoing quest to solve the game. Horton contrasts that with the game he knew as part of bullpens managed by Whitey Herzog and Tommy Lasorda. Horton explains how one element of the modern game makes him believe he couldn't thrive today.

In an episode recorded just hours before the Cardinals' latest injury -- presumptive starter Ruben Tejada's strained quadriceps muscle -- co-host Benjamin Hochman returns to the podcast to review 2016 spring training. Using 10 of the questions the Cardinals sought to answer entering spring training as a backbone for the discussion, Hochman and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold explore whether the Cardinals answered any of them -- or just created more questions for themselves. The lineup, the offense, the health, and the vibe of the Cardinals as they head to Pittsburgh for opening day are all covered in this full-length episode, the last from Florida before the regular season begins.

With StlToday.com columnist Ben Frederickson pinch-hitting again, the Best Podcast in Baseball hits the road for Viera, Fla., and tries to make sense of the Cardinals' offense and spring training statistics. The numbers can be devilishly misleading what with purposefully patience approaches (see: Wong, Kolten) and awful places to hit (see: Stadium, Roger Dean), but the continuation of a three-trend is concerning. So how much time can the Cardinals give the lineup to prove the numbers wrong? Seth Maness as an example of spring numbers gone awry is also discussed, and the promised 'Heyward Phone' story is told. Buckle in and join the ride.

Long drive. Shortstop. Come along for the ride as co-host Derrick Goold and pinch-hitter host Ben Frederickson discuss the arrival of Ruben Tejada and what that means for the Cardinals and, specifically, Aledmys Diaz. The two sportswriters for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and StlToday.com also dive deep into clubhouse chemistry after a week dominated by clubhouse chatter, from sons in the clubhouse to the allegations a gay pitcher made about what he encountered in professional baseball. Frederickson details a story he did on the different languages in the clubhouse and how three Cardinals are at various stages of learning it. All of these examples show how a cohesive clubhouse can blend cultures, families, religions, and sexual orientation by being an inclusive clubhouse.

Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel pinch-hits for Benjamin Hochman as co-host of the Best Podcast in Baseball, and the Cardinals should be so lucky to have a capable, standout replacement on short notice. Jhonny Peralta's hand injury leaves the Cardinals canvassing their own roster for a fill-in at shortstop, and suddenly the lineup doesn't look as deep. Hummel and BPIB co-host Derrick Goold discuss who has the edge at shortstop -- Jedd Gyorko, Aledmys Diaz, or Greg Garcia -- and what the addition of Diaz to the lineup would mean for the Cardinals and their intention to contend. The two longtime baseball writers also discuss Skip Schumaker's retirement, Matt Holliday's turn at first base, and much more, all to the rhythmic sounds of the batting cage. The word "touche" is not uttered. Not once.

As a companion piece to an article that ran in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and on StlToday.com, this BPIB short dives deep into two key questions for the Cardinals and All-Star third baseman Matt Carpenter: who can he be as a hitter and where should he hit. In a candid conversation with baseball writer Derrick Goold, Carpenter discusses why he takes such pride in being a leadoff hitter, how he's the "right fit" at this time for the Cardinals, and also how he's willing to move elsewhere if a new No. 1 is best for the team. Carpenter also talks about the spike in strikeouts he and the team experience while also predicting a much improved offense for 2016. The story and podcast are both available on StlToday.com.