The Baseball Rabbi Podcast

(Because of Passover, Pesach and Scott are off this week; they'll be back with the Baseball Rabbi preview of the National League East next week. In the meantime, enjoy this rerelease of the Baseball Rabbi interview with the great Bob Tewksbury.)

Bob Tewksbury had a fascinating career, pitching for six teams and becoming the greatest pitcher at preventing walks since the Dead Ball Era. But what he has done since then may be even more fascinating - and Pesach and Scott have lots of questions about his career as a mental skills coordinator for teams like the Red Sox and the Giants. Join the Baseball Rabbi as they discuss Bob's career, his success in helping players like Jon Lester, why David Ortiz was able to play so well in the biggest games, why Joe Torre is his favorite manager ever, and much more.

Become a Baseball Rabbi Patreon subscriber, and get bonus episodes, merch, and more! In the latest Patreon bonus episode, you'll hear Bob Tewksbury's stories about Rickey Henderson, Dave Righetti, Ron Guidry, Dave Winfield, Lou Piniella, Whitey Herzog, and more. Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast today!

The AL Central is on the rise! The division is becoming one of baseball's most fascinating, and Pesach and Scott are here to tell you exactly what to look for as the 2021 season inches closer and closer. The White Sox might be a notch below the Twins according to projections, but don't be fooled; Chicago is the real team to watch here. Not that the Twins are bad - they're really good - but they have a big problem. The Royals are creeping back toward temporary respectability (emphasis on temporary: this is the opposite of a youth movement), and the Tigers aren't there yet and won't be for a while (theirs is a youth movement - but who said the youths in question are any good?). As for Cleveland? At least the owners will make money. Of course, Pesach has a plan for the Indians and Pirates that would make everyone mad, which probably means that Rob Manfred will try it. Listen, share, and let us know what you think!

Join the Baseball Rabbi team as a Patreon subscriber! Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for bonus episodes, Baseball Rabbi merch, and more!

Well, the good news is that someone has to come in first place! When Pesach and Scott look at the National League Central, they see the worst team in baseball, plus four more that would likely come in fourth or fifth place in some of MLB's other divisions. That doesn't mean there aren't storylines and narratives, of course, and the Baseball Rabbi is here to deliver them directly to you door. Nolan Arenado of the Cardinals (Pesach's surprise pick for division winners, by the way) is a total base machine, the Brewers actually have decent pitching (but no hitting), the Cubs actually have potentially decent hitting (but no pitching), the Reds should have been contenders but blew it, and the Pirates shouldn't have been and aren't. And guess what: even if an NL Central team wins 90 games, that won't change the fact that it's probably a mirage. Listen in and let us know if you agree!

Join the Baseball Rabbi team as a Patreon subscriber! Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for bonus episodes, Baseball Rabbi merch, and more!

Pesach says that every Major League Baseball season is like a Russian novel, with heroes, villains, storylines, twists, surprises, and the Karamazov brothers (or at least Joe Maddon); and one of the main plotlines will probably take place in the American League West. Will the Angels waste Mike Trout's 30s in the same way they did his 20s, or do they actually have a window open this season? Is Houston still the class of the division? Can the A's continue their annual overachieving ways, or will they fall back to earth? What is the difference between the mediocre Mariners and the middling D-Backs? Is the Rangers' pitching significantly better than their terrible position player core? Answers to all of these quandaries and more are at your fingertips, so press play, sit back, and relax. (And get Scott a band aid, if you have one.)

Join the Baseball Rabbi team as a Patreon subscriber! Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for bonus episodes, Baseball Rabbi merch, and more!

After the long offseason break, the Baseball Rabbi is back and grumpier than ever about MLB's strange desire to destroy itself. But before that happens irreversibly, Pesach and Scott joyfully celebrate the National League West and offer storylines and projections - NOT predictions, mind you! - so that you will be an informed baseball consumer. Do the Dodgers have any weaknesses? Can the Padres actually challenge them for division supremacy? Do the Diamondbacks have any exit strategy to prevent them from being stuck in neutral? What are the Giants thinking (an annual question, mind you, that may have no answer)? Can Trevor Story help the Rockies reach surprising heights? (Answer: HAHAHAHAHA no.) And, most pressingly, who will be MLB's Pat Listach in 2021? We know you won't be able to sleep until you get the answer to that one, so listen today and rest easy.

Join the Baseball Rabbi team as a Patreon subscriber! Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for bonus episodes, Baseball Rabbi merch, and more!

Join the Baseball Rabbi for a short tribute to the late Henry Aaron. Can anyone really say anything new about Aaron, one of the five greatest players of all time? Is there a way to offer information that is meaningful, yet hasn't been noted among the thousands of words written in the past week? That's a tough assignment, but Pesach and Scott give it their best shot. Get ready to go beyond the home runs, RBIs, and total bases to see Hank Aaron from a perspective that might be even more impressive.

Join the Baseball Rabbi team as a Patreon subscriber! Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for bonus episodes, Baseball Rabbi merch, and more!

Bob Tewksbury had a fascinating career, pitching for six teams and becoming the greatest pitcher at preventing walks since the Dead Ball Era. But what he has done since then may be even more fascinating - and Pesach and Scott have lots of questions about his career as a mental skills coordinator for teams like the Red Sox and the Giants. Join the Baseball Rabbi as they discuss Bob's career, his success in helping players like Jon Lester, why David Ortiz was able to play so well in the biggest games, why Joe Torre is his favorite manager ever, and much more.

Become a Baseball Rabbi Patreon subscriber, and get bonus episodes, merch, and more! In the latest Patreon bonus episode, you'll hear Bob Tewksbury's stories about Rickey Henderson, Dave Righetti, Ron Guidry, Dave Winfield, Lou Piniella, Whitey Herzog, and more. Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast today!

Join Pesach and Scott as they look at the greatness of the late Dick Allen (you won't believe those OPS+ numbers) and discuss why he never got the respect that he deserves - even from Bill James.

Join the Baseball Rabbi team as a Patreon subscriber! Go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for bonus episodes, Baseball Rabbi merch, and more!

The 1969 Mets - a ninth place team in 1968, and a team which had five 100 loss seasons in the previous seven years - shocked the baseball world and won the World Series. Art Shamsky hit .300 for that team, and is dedicated to keeping the memory of the team and its colorful cast of characters alive. He joins Pesach and Scott for a wide-ranging discussion about his experiences and friendships with Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Pete Rose, Tony Perez and others, as well as about the reason for the '69 Mets' enduring appeal. He also talks about his experience as the manager of the short-lived Israel Baseball League Modiin Miracle, and what it taught him about managing. Listen in, you'll love it.

Learn more about Art Shamsky, including his experiences with Vada Pinson, Tug McGraw, Reggie Jackson, and Frank Robinson; his experiences in the Deep South in the days of segregation; and his opinion about the '69 Mets' defense and catching. Just go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast for more.

On November 23rd, Luis Tiant turned 80 years old, and what better way to celebrate than to hear from the man himself in conversation with the Baseball Rabbi! Apart from Tiant's stories and insights, Pesach and Scott discuss his Hall of Fame case, using Catfish Hunter as a fascinating foil; how can two pitchers with almost identical stats have a difference in bWAR of about 25 wins, and a smaller but similar difference on Fangraphs? The answer will provide insight into how WAR actually works. Plus: Pesach demonstrates that the Negro Leagues are, if anything, underrated - and what the various baseball internet sites need to do about it now.

(You can watch the full 75 minute interview, where Luis Tiant talks about his unique windup, what it was like to leave the Red Sox and join the hated Yankees, how often he would intentionally hit batters, what should be done to remember the Negro Leagues, which major leaguer never ever cursed - and much more! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/baseballrabbipodcast.)