Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies are putting the PH in fun once again this October, right down to his Phanatic cleats, a teammate's foul mouth, and a fun-filled, phenomenal atmosphere at home games.

If more players in 2024 don't use walk-up songs that invite crowd participation, that's not A-Oh, A-OK. How can the Cardinals capture what the Phillies have on the field -- and is there something they can take away from another October run by the Phillies?

Even literally? New York Times bestselling author Tyler Kepner, now a national baseball writer for The Athletic, rejoins the podcast to discuss his recent article that is an appreciation of Phillies' right-hander Aaron Nola, a free-agent this winter.

Kepner and BPIB host Derrick Goold also discuss a trend in pitching and whether or not it should be concerning, and just how far the Cardinals must go to close the gap on NL standouts.

Kepner makes the point that the Cardinals may be squandering the peaks of two all-time greats in the same way some haloed American League club did.

The Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to you by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of StlToday.com, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and baseball writer Derrick Goold. 

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News team, assemble! The Post-Dispatch's baseball writing team gathers to discuss what moves the Cardinals can make quickly and need to make assuredly to race away from the results of 2023 and toward a better 2024.

Lynn Worthy explores his first year on the baseball beat at StlToday.com and the Post-Dispatch, and Daniel Guerrero relies on his expertise about the minor-league system to first detail a statistics change and then map where prospects can help, and how soon.

Worthy and Guerrero gathered with colleague and baseball writer Derrick Goold, host of the Best Podcast in Baseball, to discuss how the Cardinals got stuck in the muck of a 91-loss season, but more importantly -- how and how quickly they can move out of it once the offseason begins.

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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Entering September, the Cardinals had an offense that ranked in the top eight in the majors, was producing runs 7% better than the average lineup, and that was with two of its centerpieces struggling. They had the bats to carry a contender. Their arms let them down. The solution is obvious, to quote an executive: "Pitching. Pitching. Pitching." That does not make easy. Frequent contributor Kevin Wheeler, part of the The Dave Glover Show on KMOX/1120 AM, joins the BPIB to discuss the fallout from the 2023 season and the pitching plans that will create a quick turnaround for 2024. He also discusses the defensive spectrum and tries to stay one step ahead of BPIB host, St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. Welcome to the offseason.

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As the minor-league season nears its end -- some Cardinals affiliates are in the postseason, others are completing their schedule -- a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball discusses the performances at every level and "leapers" who have bounded into the conversation for top-prospect rankings with their production in 2023. Daniel Guerrero, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer and beat writer for the minor-league system, details what players have made an impression on him and where significant strides must still be made within the system. Prospects discussed include Thomas Saggese, Victor Scott II, Tekoah Roby, Ian Bedell, Chase Davis, Won-Bin Cho, Edwin Nunez, Gordon Graceffo, and several more. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Lous Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and its host, Derrick Goold. 

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As they meander to their first losing season since 2007, the Cardinals have identified a shopping list for the 2023-24 offseason. To quote the executive who will lead the spree: "Pitching. Pitching. Pitching." John Mozeliak said it thrice on purpose. They intend to add three pitchers from the outside. Will that be enough? Who better to ask than Gordon Wittenmyer, the longtime baseball writer and first-year Reds beat writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer. He covered the Cubs at the start of the season and now is on the daily beat as the Reds make a push for a playoff berth. Both teams are ahead of the Cardinals in the standings. Is there one move that the Cardinals can make to retake control of the NL Central, and what is the move that could give the other teams, like Milwaukee, a longer rain. Is the answer for each team the same -- pitching, pitching, pitching? A brand new Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is produced by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

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So, how did the Cardinals do at the deadline with their acquisition of handfuls of minor-league pitchers? Smart, wrong, or lucky? Maybe a bit of all three.

MLB Pipeline prospect guru Jonathan Mayo joins a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss the Cardinals new additions and his new book, 'Smart, Wrong, and Lucky: The Origin Stories of Baseball's Unexpected Stars.' He details which one the Cardinals were when they selected Albert Pujols in the 13th round.

Mayo shares stories about teams scouting Pujols as a Missouri high schooler and for a Kansas City-area junior college, and how at least one team forever changed how it runs a draft because it missed on Pujols.

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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What happens when a team that prides itself on always been a contender turns the final two months of the regular season into extended spring training? That's what the Cardinals are going to find out. After the Cardinals' latest drubbing by the New York Mets at Busch Stadium, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson takes over a brand new BPIB and talks with host and baseball writer Derrick Goold about the trouble with trying to have it both ways -- keeping the sense of urgency to win while also auditioning young players for future roles and accepting their growing pains. 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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On the same night Matthew Liberatore makes his first start against Tampa Bay, the team that identified his talent and drafted him 16th overall in the 2018 draft, the Best Podcast in Baseball visits with Tampa Bay Times' baseball writer Marc Topkin, the longtime baseball writer who covered big-league baseball in this area before there was a big-league team. With BPIB host Derrick Goold, Topkin details how the Rays have rebuilt, replenished, and retooled a pitching staff each year to contend in the robust American League East. Can the Cardinals as they revamp their rotation learn anything from the Rays' commitment to pitching and willingness to experiment? 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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In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

In a game that started on Sept. 11, 1974, the Cardinals beat the Mets 4-3 in the longest non-tie game in Major League history. Here is our original report from that game.

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The Futures Game is approaching and with it the 2023 MLB Draft -- which gives BPIB an excuse to discuss if any talent is racing the Cardinals way and whether it's possible they run the table on their 2020 draft picks. (They won't.)

It also is a chance for the Best Podcast in Baseball to introduce a new, regular feature for the podcast: Expanded coverage of the Cardinals minor-league system with St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Daniel Guerrero, co-host of the former BPIB spin-off shot, Best Podcast in the Minors. Guerrero joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss Tink Hence and Victor Scott II representing the Cardinals at the 2023 Futures Game in Seattle, and revisit some past draft selections, including how bountiful the 2020 draft could be.

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.