Sayonara Baseball

Kazuki and Brandon are back with an episode full of news, topics, music, and more.  Our hosts start off with several news stories from the past several days in MLB.  Kazuki begins the stories in 'The Cycle' and helps us learn more about Toronto Blue Jays' rookie Alex Manoah.  Brandon and Kazuki discuss the bamboozling play in the Cubs-Pirates game.  Brandon provides an update on what is happening in Oakland with their potential relocation.  Kazuki closes 'The Cycle' with some thoughts on the Diamondbacks' losing.  Our hosts then 'tip their caps' and "give 'em the hook" to some players from around MLB.  Walk-up songs this week are selections from The Notorious B.I.G. and Boney M.  The episode concludes with a discussion on Lou Gehrig Day in 'Extra Innings'.

-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editorial Board shares their thoughts on Baez rundown (or lack thereof):  https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2021/06/01/Baseball-boondoggle-Pirates-Cubs-MLB-Bob-Nutting/stories/202106010011

-More details on the possible relocation of the Oakland Athletics (via Danielle Moran at Bloomberg's CityLab):  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-25/is-oakland-willing-to-take-a-swing-a-new-ballpark

-MLB's May All-Stars (via Will Leitch):  https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-may-all-star-team

-How "Rasputin" by Boney M Returned on TikTok (via Palmer Haasch from Insider):  https://www.insider.com/rasputin-song-tiktok-boney-m-dance-challenge-just-dance-2021-2  

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Kazuki and Brandon are back to discuss yet another no-hitter in Seattle.  However, the episode starts off with some optimism in Seattle (welcome Logan and Jarred!).  Later on, Brandon provides some news about the situation between the Athletics and the City of Oakland.  Kazuki helps provide some high hopes for the Toronto Blue Jays.  Kazuki also gives us an update on the solid performances from Texas Rangers' Kyle Gibson.  Brandon shares a not-so-great update on Matt Harvey in Baltimore.  The "Walk-Up Song of the Show" comes from The Outfield (literally).  Brandon finishes the show with the story of how the Houston Astros helped with a project during his freshman year at Cornell University.

-Three True Outcomes:  SABR - Christina Kahrl and Three True Outcomes

-Oakland Athletics' proposed new stadium:  According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Oakland Athletics are considering the opportunity to relocate

-Stadium Financing:  John Oliver’s segment on stadium financing from 2016

-MLB Tonight on AAPI Heritage Month:  MLB Tonight on AAPI Heritage Month

-The Outfield - Review from LA Times:  The Outfield (Tom Popson)

-The Outfield - Review from Chicago Tribune:  The Outfield (Dennis Hunt)  

In today's episode, Kazuki and Brandon discuss what's going on with the Royals, Giants, Dodgers, and the teams of the AL East.  Brandon looks back at the month of April in the MLB to learn more about the "Three True Outcomes" discussion.  Kazuki 'tips his cap' to a special group of relievers in Pittsburgh.  The hosts try to figure out the mystery of Donnie Stevenson; and, whether or not he will save the Mets.  Lastly, Kazuki shares how his Asian American heritage brought him closer to baseball.

For more of Brandon's work, please see here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theairlineguy/

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In this episode, Kazuki and Brandon discuss the past two weeks in Major League baseball.  They take a closer look at the Chicago White Sox after Rodon's no-hitter and the Brewers after Corbin Burnes' performance versus San Diego.  Also, which of several winning (or losing) streaks means the most right now?  The hosts travel to Southern California for a review of Padres versus Dodgers.

- https://www.mlb.com/news/perfect-games-broken-up-in-ninth-inning-c293924598

Kazuki and Brandon recap Opening Week of the 2021 MLB Season in a new format with some news and even some music.  We discuss the hot starts for Akil Baddoo, Shohei Ohtani, and the Cincinnati Reds.  Brandon outlines the series of events regarding the 2021 All-Star Game and Amateur Draft.  Kazuki helps us learn what happened to Jed Lowrie.  Brandon and Kazuki also select their 'would-be' walk-up songs in a new segment.  Lastly, we have minor league baseball news!

- What Does Georgia's New Voting Law SB 202 Do? | Georgia Public Broadcasting (gpb.org)

- What Georgia’s Voting Law Really Does - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

- Georgia voting bills news (ajc.com)

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Baseball is back! During the lead-up to this year’s Major League Baseball Season, we stumbled upon some rather earth-shattering news. Recently, MLB sent out a memo to all teams regarding the monitoring of possible “doctoring” of baseballs with substances to increase spin rate. Several questions have arisen - most notably, what are the possible causes for the increase in home runs over the past several seasons?

- https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/02/09/mlb-ball-is-live-daily-cover

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What does it take to become an elite athlete? The lifestyle of a professional athlete is often portrayed as glamorous on media, but what isn’t often shown is what it takes to make it to that level. Skylar Brandt, a renown principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, stops by to discuss the importance of grit and perseverance with Kazuki and Brandon as well as how her personal experience shaped her journey on becoming an elite athlete.

- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/arts/skylar-brandt-giselle.html

- https://www.dancemagazine.com/skylar-brandt-2650053682.html

- https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/in-ballet-conductors-are-the-dancers-guardian-angels/2020/04/28/5b42b2be-7b48-11ea-9bee-c5bf9d2e3288_story.html

Contract negotiations are a major part of Major League Baseball today. The negotiation between the league and MLB Player Association is crucial to professional athletes’ livelihoods. But because many athletes are brought up to big money at an early age, many face post-career money problems. Smith Brickner, Analyst of Morgan Stanley's Wealth Management division who has extensive experiences in a number of baseball entities including the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, TrackMan Baseball, Baseball Prospectus, and O'Connell Sports Management, stops by to discuss the importance of analytics, negotiations and financial management amongst players with Kazuki and Brandon as well as how his personal experience of what it was like to work for the Team Front Office and Sports Talent Agency.

Cornell University, known worldwide for its powerhouse presence across sports, has a century worth of powerful ties with baseball. From Hughie Jennings to Jon Daniels, the university has produced more than its fair share of stars, from notable athletes to sports commissioners and executives. Corey Ryan Earle, well-known Cornell Historian and Lecturer, stops by to discuss the rich and fascinating history of Cornell and Baseball with Kazuki and Brandon as well as how their alumni are shaping the future of baseball.  

The 2020 COVID Pandemic put a major halt to the minor league. With no season to play, the collective bargaining agreement between the minors and the MLB office ceased, thus causing a massive change to the entire league. Todd Radom, a veteran graphic designer who's known for much of the branding across professional sports franchises and events as well as being a frequent guest on Buster Olney's Baseball Tonight podcast, stops by to discuss the rich and fun history and the designs and names of these Minor League teams with Kazuki and Brandon as well as changes that these teams are undergoing today and how these changes could affect the future of baseball.

For more of Brandon's work, please see here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theairlineguy/