The D1Baseball Podcast

Roons and Burkie recap their podcast conversation with Lance Berkman, calling it a standout episode and describing him as an authentic, hilarious, and uniquely wired competitor. They discuss Berkman’s anxiety and pressure to perform, how elite performers often create personas or mental routines to manage competition, and how leadership can help players get out of their own way. The hosts also touch on Berkman’s unconventional habits (like riding the stadium bus), his openness about the mental side, and favorite funny stories from the interview, including the “Major League clubhouse” bit and fake-injury tales. They briefly update the struggling Carrots’ season and reflect on a big college football weekend. The episode closes with an argument for Berkman’s Hall of Fame résumé, and the takeaway that feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean being defeated.

00:00 Welcome and Thank You, AstroTurf!

00:39 Berkman Pod Reactions

01:44 Personas and Anxiety

03:50 Pressure and Duty

07:28 Leadership and Mindset

09:17 Berkman Quirks

13:19 Analytics and Homers

16:08 Funniest Stories

18:14 Carrots Update

19:59 Football Weekend Talk

21:26 Berkman and the Hall of Fame

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  

• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  

• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  

• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the span of six years, Texas Tech found themselves in Omaha four times from 2014-2019. On this episode of Sunday Night Conversations, Mike Rooney is joined by Davis Martin, Mike Gustafson and Jamie Lent to discuss the Red Raiders' rise to the top of college baseball.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Burkie and Roons welcome back guest Lance Berkman for part two, highlighting his college and MLB accomplishments while noting he did not advance past the first Hall of Fame ballot. Berkman explains how he created the “Big Puma” nickname and how Keith Olbermann coined “Fat Elvis,” then jokes about a “sixth tool”: convincingly faking injuries. He shares stories including grabbing his knee after forgetting the out count, a Cubs game where an umpire’s comment led him to play up a pitch that missed his head, and faking a hamstring issue while trying to relay signs. The group also recounts bare-bones Astros routines (no team stretch, hitters meetings, TVs, or breakfast) and a baserunning blunder that prompted Berkman to improve his situational awareness, ending with Berkman thanking Chris Burke for mental support.

00:00 Welcome and Sponsor

00:44 Berkman Stats Breakdown

04:14 Hall of Fame Snub?

04:47 Big Puma Origin

07:33 The "Sixth Tool" - Faking Injuries

10:06 Baltimore Outs Mixup

13:54 Bigbie Ball Story

18:29 Leave Room for Miracle

20:12 Cubs Beanball Setup

25:12 Astros Bare Bones Culture

31:56 First Sign Stealing Attempt

33:23 Fake Hamstring Timeout

35:13 Worst Baserunner Story

39:14 Parting Thanks And Wrap

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  

• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  

• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  

• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons welcome Lance Berkman onto the show. In part one, the group jumps into a conversation about Berkman’s anxiety in big moments despite elite production. Berkman and Burkie discuss the fear and “terror” of high-pressure at-bats, with Burkie citing Berkman’s Hall of Fame-level OPS and postseason success to underscore the value of his honesty. Berkman explains his “drag the pitcher into the pit” two-strike mindset and details a key 2004 ninth-inning at-bat vs. John Smoltz, outlining his “three Bs” approach: breathe, see the ball, and aim up the middle. They debate modern launch-angle instruction versus efficient swings, argue pitching velocity and specialization have increased, and describe how Berkman’s “pit” clip inspired a Brewers battle cry adopted by players through Jason Lane.

00:00 Intro and Recording Mishap

01:08 Pressure and Clutch Anxiety

02:45 Berkman Clutch Stats

05:18 Clubhouse Mindsets and Egos

07:12 Brewers Battle Cry Origin

10:49 Smoltz At-Bat Breakdown

13:04 Three Bs: Two Strike Plan

16:07 Launch Angle Debate

24:58 Pitching Evolution Today

31:27 Wrap Up and Part Two Tease

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  

• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  

• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  

• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ten years ago, UC Santa Barbara claimed a spot in the Omaha Eight for the first time in program history. Headlined by a walk-off grand slam to punch their ticket, the 2016 Gauchos were a team for the ages. On this episode of Sunday Night Conversations, Mike Rooney is joined by Andrew Checketts, Shane Bieber, and J.J. Muno to take a look back at the 2016 squad.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Burkie and Roons open by discussing how baseball prospects generally face less hype and “bust” labeling than football stars like Arch Manning, while noting that high draft picks who choose college can still carry heavy expectations. They debate whether athletes would prefer today’s world of constant online scrutiny with the chance to make millions versus an earlier era with less public pressure but only scholarship benefits, emphasizing discipline and the idea that “the internet is not real life.”

Shifting to baseball, they use the World Series/playoff lens to examine roster construction, prioritizing unflappable makeup, athleticism, defense, running, and pitching depth as traits that “slump the least.” They argue NIL/portal dynamics, smaller roster limits, and evaluation uncertainty are increasing parity and making it harder to stockpile elite sluggers, citing recent LSU/Tennessee title teams and examples like Cal’s Jack Kennedy.

00:00 Welcome Back!

01:21 Thank You AstroTurf

01:56 "Hype" Pressure in Baseball

05:33 NIL Money vs Scrutiny

09:57 World Series Lessons for College Rosters

12:01 Build Around Defense and Pitching

15:02 Slugging, NIL, and Growing Parity

20:05 Smaller Rosters and Tougher Evaluations

23:22 Final Takeaways

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  

• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  

• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  

• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Burkie and Roons discuss D1Baseball’s release of its biennial Top 100 Programs list. Roons describes the staff-wide process and internal debates, noting especially tricky evaluations outside the top tier.

The conversation highlights Texas at No. 2 as a projection based on sustained Omaha appearances and perceived title trajectory, and Oklahoma at No. 7 as a unique case balancing two recent finals appearances with more uneven seasons and a different roster-building model. They identify major movers including Vanderbilt dropping from No. 4 to No. 17 due to recent postseason exits, debate Georgia’s placement at No. 14, and cite heated discussion around the 40s range (including Troy, Louisiana, Arizona State, Kansas, South Carolina, and Texas Tech), with notable drops for Texas Tech and Stanford.

They close by reflecting on volatility and parity in modern college athletics, shifting player-acquisition dynamics, and the value of respectful feedback from coaches and fans.

Top 100 Programs: https://d1baseball.com/stories/2026-top-100-college-baseball-programs-by-the-numbers/

00:00 Welcome and Thank You, AstroTurf!

01:00 Listener Feedback

01:49 The D1Baseball Top 100 Programs: Intro

03:13 Top 100 Ranking Criteria Explained

06:27 Inside the Rankings "Debate Room"

08:02 Texas and Oklahoma Top 100 Spots

13:03 Biggest Droppers: Vanderbilt

14:53 Georgia and Other Risers

16:48 The Tricky "20s Tier" of the Top 100

18:42 Teams In The 40s: Comparisons

21:28 Volatility and Parity In Today's Game

24:56 Wrap Up and Final Jokes

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  

• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  

• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  

• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Highlighted by seven College World Series appearances, including four-straight trips to Omaha from 2006-2009, Mike Fox built a consistent contender in Chapel Hill over his 22-year stretch. On this episode of Sunday Night Conversations, Mike Rooney is joined by Fox, Robert Woodard and Chad Flack to take a look back at what led up to the initial Omaha run in 2006.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike Rooney and Burkie discuss recent NCAA tournament expansions in college basketball and the College Football Playoff, weighing how added teams might affect entertainment value, regular-season stakes, and bowl relevance.

They then shift to college baseball, proposing an expanded field (e.g., 68 teams) with play-in games: the weakest recent auto-bid leagues playing at the top two national seeds and the “first four out” playing into regionals hosted by the top two-seeds that missed hosting, using five-year RPI and tournament results to determine leagues. They debate potential benefits like compelling Thursday-night TV and more on-campus postseason games versus concerns about empty stadiums, daytime start times, possible season-calendar shifts, and preserving a regional format they believe is thriving.

00:00 Welcome Back

00:06 Thank You AstroTurf!

00:34 Playoff Expansion Debate

01:34 Hoops First Four Thoughts

02:28 Quick Aside: Notre Dame-BYU Chaos

04:03 Does The Playoff Expansion Ruin CFB?

05:05 Burkie on Basketball's Field of 68

06:36 Burkie on Football's "Bowl Games"

09:57 Transition to Baseball Format

10:34 Baseball First Four Proposal

12:48 Fairness and Seeding Logic

15:43 Auto Bid Leagues and TV

17:21 How The 32 Hosts Would Work

20:23 Keep Regionals...or Expand?

22:08 Wrap Up and Takeaways

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  

• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  

• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  

• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Burkie and Roons discuss why the baseball world has embraced Brewers manager Pat Murphy. They argue Murphy’s appeal is that he brings a “baseball coach” mindset to MLB, highlighted by his famous bunt story and Derek Jeter’s praise, and discuss broader differences between coaching in college baseball and managing in the pros. The conversation connects MLB postseason baseball to college conference and tournament play, emphasizing urgency, flexible roles, matchup-based decisions, and doing whatever it takes to win. They note Murphy’s long pro experience, Craig Counsell’s influence, and why adaptable, complete offenses matter, then mention additional college ties with other teams like Tampa Bay and Cleveland.

00:00 Welcome Back To The D1 Daily

00:03 Thank You Astroturf!

03:01 Pat Murphy: Media Darling

04:37 Coach Versus Manager

11:32 Why Playoff Baseball Pops

16:22 Bold Moves and Matchups

19:48 Murphy Origins + Player Development

22:41 Brewers Fit For Coach Murphy

25:31 Mentors and "Zigging" to Win

27:54 Wrap Up and College Connections

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Homefield is the industry leader in game day gear by and for true fans. Our friends at Homefield design and research EVERYTHING, from the fit and fabrics to the vintage logos, to make standout gear that defines Your Game Day. Shop the very best of Homefield, like: 

• T-Shirts, hoodies, and crewnecks featuring unique designs for your school–they’ve got over 180 partner schools, which means there’s something for YOU  
• Retro-style jackets for every part of the season  
• Premium hats, with retro designs AND a fit for everyone  
• And, just launched: The Homefield Stadium Polo, inspired by the bold, vibrant game day polos of the 90s.  

You can shop the very best in game day apparel for your team NOW with Homefield. Take 15% off your first purchase with code D15 at checkout at www.homefieldapparel.com!

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.