Le Batard & Friends Network

We are back with another Coca Friday! It has yet to crack the Top 100 Podcasts of All Time list, but I'm sure we were 101!

As always (IF YOU'RE EVEN READING THIS) you can yell at me on Twitter @matthewcoca

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Today’s word of the day is ‘induction’ as in Hall of Fame as in Ichiro as in CC as in the best of the best as in Cooperstown! The weekend is finally here! My guy! Our guy! Ichiro Suzuki! What a weekend it’s going to be and I’ll be there! (12:00) The trades are starting! The Arizona Diamondbacks traded Josh Naylor yesterday to the Seattle Mariners. Seattle desperately needed to make that move. (24:00) The Washington Commanders still need a stadium. Despite President Trump’s threats, the D.C. Council still needs to vote. The clock is ticking if the city wants a new stadium on the Commanders timeline. (33:30) Review: KPop Demon Hunters. (37:00) Austin, Texas wants baseball. It’s trying to get a Major League Baseball team. It really doesn’t have a chance. (42:00) Hulk Hogan has died at 71. What a life.

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On this episode of Mystery Crate, the show travels back to their senior high school days to discuss the times they did, or did not, skip class and what pranks their senior classes pulled off. Also, Mike Fuentes wants to revive a classic show bit, Jessica was made to feel bad by athletic children and Billy finds himself in a pickle over group chats.

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Jim Bowden joins us today! He’s an MLB Insider for CBS Sports, The Athletic, and you can hear him on SiriusXM. Let’s get into the trade deadline. The Diamondbacks and Twins are the two teams that have to sell! What other teams should we be paying attention to? (28:45) Messi didn’t play in the All-Star Game yesterday. Wow. For rest? (39:00) NFL isn’t going anywhere. The Packers financials came out. And MONEY! But that’s not all. More NFLPA drama. (48:00) A concession strike! No food or drink for you at Fenway!

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Today’s word of the day is ‘defensive’ as in the Yankees as in Aaron Boone as in ejected as in the Blue Jays as in errors. The Yankees defense has been bad. Anthony Volpe has been bad. The Yankees are now 4 games back of the Blue Jays and lost the tiebreaker if the season ends tied. Let’s talk about Boone and his comments postgame. (9:50) Automated ball-strike system is coming to baseball. It’s a guarantee. The union is going to do what it can to make the transition as difficult as possible. Tony Clark wants a buffer-zone? WHAT!? (21:40) Would you trade for Dylan Cease? That’s the big question for teams right now. Why are the Padres selling? (28:15) Shohei Ohtani is magic. Everything he does is magic. Are you paying attention? (36:00) Review: RRR. (39:00) Review: Part 2: One Night in Idaho. (45:00) NPPOD. (48:30) Mets got a sweep of the Angels. Are they back? Is the team ready? But let’s talk about Mike Trout.

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Today’s word of the day is ‘crazy train’ as in Ozzy Osbourne as in The Prince of Darkness as in Parkinson's as in the MLB season. Let’s start with Rafael Devers. He made his debut at first base with the Giants yesterday. Said he loves playing the field. Oh? (9:30) Aaron Boone is having a rough go of it right now. He went off on the Jomboy team. The Yankees have a problem with Anthony Volpe. He has been bad bad bad at short stop, and Boone and Cashman will defend him to the grave. (23:40) Ethan Holliday is the new record holder in Draft history. A monster $9 million signing bonus! (32:40) Review: My Mom Jayne. (36:15) The Los Angeles Times going public? That’s the plan. Will it work? (43:00) NPPOD. (48:20) Qatar wants the Olympics in 2036. Is it going to happen?

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Evan Drellich joins the show! He’s a senior writer for The Athletic and an author! HE covered some tactics that MLB has taken this year with the CBA fast approaching. MLB wants to be cool and win over the fans. This is how they’re doing it! Is a salary cap coming? (27:30) Let’s talk about paywalls. (39:30) Trey Hendrickson is not showing up for camp. Whoops! (42:00) Lloyd Howell is done at The Carlyle Group. Back week to be him. (48:30) Chris Paul is back with the Clippers.

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Today’s word of the day is ‘manna’ as in Jerry Jones as in the Dallas Cowboys as in training camp as in FOOTBALL! Jerry Jones is back and he brought his fastball with him! You want hope for the season? Well Jerry spent time bashing Micah Parsons who wants a new contract. What a guy! (21:30) Now we move to the Bengals owner and his comments on Shemar Stewart, who has still yet to sign. What is happening there? (27:45) Phillies owner John Middleton met with the media about his trade plans. Is he satisfied? No, he wants a ring. (35:30) Review: Dying for Sex. (39:45) Will Levis season over before it started. Wow. Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick from the 2025 draft, is now the starter for good. Why did Levis wait so long? (48:00) NPPOD.

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The viral commercial has a mysteriously simple message: sportsmanship. The child actor has gotten dunked on by NBA Twitter for more than a decade. Correspondent Zach Schwartz untangles a web from Madison Avenue to the Supreme Court to Damian Lillard, in search of a boy named Alex — and the meaning of perseverance.

(This episode originally aired January 7, 2025.)

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