Positive Spin Rate

Heather, Slickhawk, and Casey react to some of the major trade news around the league, and delve into the trades made by each of our (now seven) teams.

(This episode was recorded shortly before 3pm Eastern time, a little more than an hour before the deadline)

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For the first time in over a month, the entire Positive Spin Rate crew is back! Jason, Heather, Slickhawk, and Casey catch up on their favorite moments from the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby, reflect on the draft, revisit some of our trade deadline predictions, and take a look at where our teams stand heading into the second half of the season.

Then Heather and Slickhawk talk to Pirates prospect and Altoona Curve outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba about what it's like being back after a COVID-cancelled minor league season last year, getting traded from the Yankees to the Pirates, and his Connect Four dominance.

Check out our friends Céspedes Family BBQ's bike trip to Chicago for a great cause here.

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The July 30th MLB trade deadline is fast approaching! Heather, Slickhawk, and Casey discuss which players from our six teams might be getting dealt away and to which contending teams. We also talk about the All-Star Game rosters and Home Run Derby participants (including Derby winner predictions!).

We first discuss the recent developments in the Trevor Bauer sexual assault allegations, including the extension of his administrative leave, the poorly handled reactions from both the Dodgers and the league, and what they'd like to see happen in the coming days.
 
Content warning: sexual assault (10:00-12:40)

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Heather and Jason are joined this week by a very special guest (and our show's youngest so far): Jason's son Matteo Strummer La Canfora! They talk to him about why he loves baseball, how he stays engaged with the Orioles, his favorite players, what he thinks teams should do to attract more kids (free Dippin' Dots, of course), and more.

Make sure to tune in next week for our trade deadline preview!

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For this bonus episode, Heather and Slickhawk chat with Orioles prospect, Norfolk Tides infielder Jahmai Jones. They discuss what it was like to get traded from the Angels earlier this year, glasses versus contacts, his music taste (a surprise K-Pop fan!), and how he's feeling optimistic to be in the Orioles system, despite the major league team rebuilding.

Make sure to tune in next week for our trade deadline preview!

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Jason, Slickhawk, and Casey continue last weeks' sticky stuff discussion after the new developments regarding MLB's crackdown on pitchers using foreign substances.

Then we break down the minor league housing crisis and what happened with the Bowie Baysox, after Advocates for Minor Leaguers tweeted on Tuesday that some players were considering sleeping in their cars since the Orioles (and other MLB teams) stopped providing housing. We talk about the broader implications across MiLB, and how there's only one real solution to this problem.

We wrap with recapping some pretty bad losing streaks, who our teams could be flipping in the weeks to come before the deadline, some movement in the farm systems, and suggest a new way to name the restructured MiLB leagues.

If you'd like to donate to support Bowie Baysox minor leaguers, you can send money to @Heather-Noble-4 on Venmo and [email protected] on Paypal.

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Heather, Jason, Slickhawk, and Casey discuss MLB's sticky situation and cracking down on pitchers using foreign substances, highlight some of the less discussed, but very promising prospects in each of our six teams' farm systems.

Then we're joined by Hudson Haskin, an outfield prospect in the Orioles system, playing with the Delmarva Shorebirds, and wrap up by highlighting our favorite non-baseball related positive things going on.

This week's episode also includes the special treat (or unfortunate feature) of the musical stylings of Slickhawk Mikolas and the two chords he learned on guitar during quarantine.

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This week on Positive Spin Rate, we talk about MLB Pride Nights, yet another Rangers/Mariners series, react to the Orioles' breaking their 14-game losing streak mid-recording, and give our favorite weird and whacky baseball moments of the week.

As we're now in the thick of the season, and watching some truly bad baseball, we brainstorm ideas for how to still enjoy and stay engaged with your bad team for the rest of the season (hint: minor leagues and baseball butts).

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Heather and Slickhawk are joined by Shakeia Taylor for a special episode this week to discuss how she became a baseball fan and writer, what's missing in discussions about the Negro Leagues, and what we could do to increase Black fandom and participation in baseball.

Follow Shakeia on Twitter and Instagram
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Heather, Jason, and Casey recap their (rainy) trip to see the Bowie Baysox last week and talk at length about the insane things Shohei Ohtani is doing, why more people aren't freaking out about it, and what could possibly make baseball a little more #hip. They also discuss yet another "swinging on a 3-0 count" controversy, unsurprisingly involving Tony La Russa.

And on 7th Team Watch: still the Minnesota and Kansas City, sorry Twins and Royals fans.

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