Batting clean up for The Show Before The Show is Sam Dykstra. Sam is a reporter for MLB Pipeline and MiLB and helps ranks minor league prospects. We dove into his ranking process and talk some of the current big names to watch for in the minor leagues.

We discuss The Show Before The Show podcast MiLB he hosts with Tyler Maun, Ben Hill and Josh Jackson. Sam also discusses his Proffitt & Loss.

Make sure you check out the podcast and check out Sam online.


Sam Dykstra -

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SamDykstraMiLB (@SamDysktraMiLB)

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-show-before-the-show/id983412776 (The Show Before the Show with Sam Dykstra and Tyler Maun)

Website: https://www.milb.com/news/tag/sam-dykstra



Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)


Curved Brim Media -

Website: https://www.curvedbrimmedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curvedbrimmedia/ (@CurvedBrimMedia)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CurvedBrim/ (@CurvedBrim)

We had a fun chat about the Jersey Shore BlueClaws on this week's episode. We had Bob McLane join us. He is the Sr. VP of Ticket Sales & Service. Bob gives us some background on his foray into baseball, including a stop at the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, before joining the BlueClaws.

Bob tells us what makes the BlueClaws stadium, FirstEnergy Park, so fun and what merchandise and food to expect when fans make it out to a game.

Make sure to follow the BlueClaws online and say hi to Bob if you make it to a game.

Jersey Shore BlueClaws -

Website: https://www.milb.com/jersey-shore

Tickets: https://www.milb.com/jersey-shore/tickets/single-game-tickets

Front Office Staff: https://www.milb.com/jersey-shore/team/front-office-staff

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueclaws1/ (@BlueClaws1)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/blueclaws (@BlueClaws)



Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Author, Doctor, Pickleball enthusiast and overall sports fan, Katie Russell Newland, joined us on this week's episode. Katie is the author of "A Season with Mom" where she chronicles her journey across all 30 MLB ballparks with letters she wrote to her late mother. Katie had also gone through her own cancer journey a few years earlier.

Hear Katie share the story behind the book and what her Proffitt and Loss are in baseball.

Follow Katie online and order a copy of her book.

Katie Russell Newland -

Website: https://www.katierussellnewland.com/

"A Season with Mom" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Mom-Ultimate-Baseball-Adventure/dp/0785238883/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HQ912Y6UTJM3&keywords=a+season+with+mom&qid=1684600388&sprefix=A+season+with+m%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katierussellnewland (@KatieRussellNewland)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katiernewland/ (@KatieRNewland)


Earned Fun Average - 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We had The Minor League Nerd himself, Kelabration, on this week's EFA episode. Kelly Robinson is a Chicago resident and attends Chicago Dogs and Chicago White Sox games. He has been traveling since the mid-2000's to see minor league and major league ballparks.

A few years back he started documenting his jerseys and his hats online and has since started a series about defunct minor league teams. It has since led to The Minor League Nerd video series on YouTube.

Follow Kelly online and check out his Minor League Nerd series on YouTube.

Kelly Robinson - 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kelabration/ (@Kelabration)


The Minor League Nerd -

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@minorleaguenerd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theminorleaguenerd/ (@TheMinorLeagueNerd)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/MinorLeagueNerd (@MinorLeagueNerd)


Earned Fun Average - 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Who doesn't love throwing meat or other delicious food on the grill? Baseball season is grilling season. What better way to combine both then by our conversation with Brett Mandel of Baseball BBQ this week.

Baseball BBQ makes licensed grilling tools and cutting boards. You can put your favorite MLB or MiLB team on  the tools or cutting boards, or even some select collegiate teams. Check out their seasoning rub and sauce as well. 

Get the grill out this baseball season and show off your branded team items for all to see.

Check out Baseball BBQ on their website and follow them on social media.

Baseball BBQ - 

Website: https://www.baseballbbq.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baseball_bbq/ (@Baseball_BBQ)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/baseballBBQ (@BaseballBBQ)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Jeff Dobish, the owner of the Casper Spuds, joins us on this week's episode. The Casper Spuds are a collegiate summer league baseball team based in Casper, Wyoming. Jeff takes us through his days playing hockey and his fandom of sports living in Tampa Bay. 

Jeff also shares the reasoning about moving the team from Caldwell, Idaho to Casper, Wyoming and what makes both communities great.

Make sure to follow the Spuds online and check out a game this summer. 

Casper Spuds -

Website: https://www.spudsbaseball.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spudsbaseball/ (@SpudsBaseball)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/spudsbaseball (@SpudsBaseball)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We had the pleasure of speaking with Tyler Maun on this week's episode. Tyler works for MLB Pipeline and does work with Minor League Baseball. He hosts The Show Before The Show podcast about MiLB.

Tyler recently called some of the World Baseball Classic games on TV. He also does TV and radio for The University of Denver.

Hear Tyler's Proffitt & Loss and what his hat collection means to him.

Make sure to follow Tyler online.

Tyler Maun -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermaunpxp/ (@TylerMaunPxP)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TylerMaun (@TylerMaun)

Website: http://www.tylermaun.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-show-before-the-show/id983412776 (The Show Before the Show with Sam Dykstra and Tyler Maun)

E-mail: [email protected] 


Earned Fun Average - 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

A place that all baseball fans need to visit is the Negro Southern League Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. The NSLM is beyond the outfield fence at Regions Field where the Birmingham Barons play ball.

We had the museum's Deputy Director Frank Adams Jr on this week's episode. Frank tells us about his position at the museum and discusses the basis of the museum. Frank shares some of the most popular exhibits and what artifacts they'd like to add in the future.

Make sure you check out the museum in person and check out their website and socials as well.

Negro Southern League Museum -

Website: https://www.birminghamnslm.org/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nslmbham (@NSLMBham)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nslmbhm (@NSLMBhm)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

The very talented Jesse Goldberg-Strassler joined us on this week's episode. Jesse is the radio broadcaster for the High-A affiliate of the Oakland A's, the Lansing Lugnuts.

Jesse tells us about his broadcasting career, the Lugnuts ballpark and shares his Proffitt & Loss. He also shares the story behind the books he's written.

Follow the Lugnuts and Jesse online and order his books.

Lansing Lugnuts -

Website: https://www.milb.com/lansing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lansinglugnuts/ (@LansingLugnuts)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LansingLugnuts (@LansingLugnuts)


Jesse Goldberg-Strassler - 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jgoldstrass/ (@JGoldStrass)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jgoldstrass/ (@JGoldStrass)

Baseball Book: https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Thesaurus-Jesse-Goldberg-Strassler/dp/1938532384/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ALSF0CN6JNYM&keywords=jesse+goldberg+strassler&qid=1680748518&sprefix=jesse+goldberg+strassler%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1

Football Book: https://www.amazon.com/Football-Thesaurus-Jesse-Goldberg-Strassler/dp/1938532252/ref=sr_1_5?crid=ALSF0CN6JNYM&keywords=jesse+goldberg+strassler&qid=1680748573&sprefix=jesse+goldberg+strassler%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-5


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

David C. Ruckman joined us this week to chat about the Charlotte Knights rebrand and what promotion he would do for a baseball team.

David is a graphic designer, videographer, and consultant amongst others. He shares some of the work he's done and his Proffitt & Loss.

Make sure to follow David online.

David C. Ruckman -

Website: https://www.davidruckmancreative.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidruckman

Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidruckman

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidruckman (@DavidCRuckman)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/RuckmanCreative/ (@RuckmanCreative)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)