The Diamond Duo Podcast

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony take a good, long look at the four division series as heavyweights are knocked out, underdogs rise, and their own team gives them chest pains! Before they can go straight into that, they must touch upon a pair of non-playoff related stories that transpired amidst the madness. Firstly, the two offer their goodbyes and more sincere of condolences for the loss of legendary closer: Bruce Sutter. Whether remembered as the pioneer of the splitter, one of the trailblazers of the closer position, or simply the kind soul those around him knew best, he will no doubt be missed and leave a mark on the game of baseball as a whole; may he rest in piece. Next, the duo go over the oh so shocking decision of Carlos Correa to opt out of his deal with the Twins (gasp). After recovering from this seismic shock, they debate where the all star shortstop could end up next year and why. Once that's said and done, it's time to talk Postseason! Once again, each game, significant play, series clincher, and baffling managerial decision is covered in great detail. From Houston's sweep and Philly's shocking upset to the laughable moves made by the Yankees and Dodgers skippers on a near nightly basis! Please note for this segment, the Yankees/Guardians series was still in the middle of being played; we will go over the result and how much we dislike Josh Naylor next week. The two close up shop with a brief look at the NCLS and call this one over! To wrap up here, we want to take this chance to earnestly thank each and every one of you for helping us get to 1,000 listens! You all are what make this passion project even more fun to make than it already is, we hope you know that. Thanks so much for being on this crazy ride with us, and here's to thousands more! Commemorate the milestone right here on Episode 45 of The Diamond Duo Podcast! 

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

0:38 - Thank You All for 1,000 Listens!!!

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony welcome MLB's first ever full Wild Card weekend with open arms as they break down all four series! Before they tackle the postseason, however, the two tie up some loose ends left over from the regular season. One of which being the first formal discussion of Aaron Judge breaking Roger Maris' AL home run record with his 62nd home run! Its significance is simply indescribable especially as the bookend to an unforgettable season, but the duo does their best to describe its impact anyway. Moving on, Tom and Tony discuss the recent firings of Royals manager, Mike Matheney, and pitching coach, Cal Eldred, and how this will affect Kansas City and their never-ending rebuild in the long run. After that, it's finally time to talk playoffs! Every outcome, critical play, and storyline is brought up and analyzed in this all-encompassing segment! From the collapse of the Mets and Blue Jays to the quiet death of the Rays to the final farewell to Tom's ultimate prophecy, this section's got it all! They immediately follow it up with a brief look into the next round in the divisional series! Wrap it all up with a deep drive all about New York's favorite closer (not the one with the trumpets) and you've got yourself quite the introduction to playoff baseball! So sit back, relax, don't forget to breathe if your team's playing, and enjoy the game here on Episode 44 of The Diamond Duo Podcast! 

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

2:12 - There’s a Winner in Fantasy Baseball

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony play a little game of catch up to recap the big stories we missed out on last week (sorry about that by the way). They begin with the big fish of Albert Pujols clobbering his 700th career home run followed by a look in on Aaron Judge's race for 62 (which if you couldn't tell happened after our recording). The two then rapid fire a series of stories ranging from the Royals firing long time president Dayton Moore and the Tigers hiring a new president in Scott Harris, to the Luis Castillo extension and Don Mattingly's imminent departure from the Marlins. Speaking of which, the duo touches upon Tony LaRussa's (second) retirement from baseball and how this could spark the White Sox going forward. As one older gent leaves the game, two more walk right back in with Charlie Morton agreeing to a 1-year deal with the Braves and Miguel Cabrera confirming he'll be back for 2023. Not to mention, a little known player by the name of Shohei Ohtani will avoid arbitration with a record-setting $30 million deal. After one final glance at the postseason picture, Tom and Tony dive headfirst into predictions for this years playoffs. The two construct their own brackets and explain why they'll totally be better than last year's! (for context, Tom picked the Brewers to win it all last year and Tony picked the Giants - yikes). With the Regular Season coming to a close, there's not much left to do other than kick back and usher in the playoffs here with us on Episode 43 of The Diamond Duo Podcast! 

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

1:23 - What happened to last week’s episode?

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony hunker down for the avalanche of milestones and home run chases currently coming down to the wire all across baseball! But first, the two offer their most sincere condolences for the recent passing of John Stearns and Joan Hodges; what they meant to the Mets, the game of baseball, and most importantly their loved ones cannot possibly be measured in the written or spoken word. May they rest in peace. Sticking to the Mets, the duo discuss the coming departure of Sandy Alderson from his present role with the Mets and eventual move to an advisor role. One more stop before the milestone coverage as Tom and Tony touch upon Ozzie Albies' injury that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season and David Price's decision to hang 'em up after the conclusion of this season. After this, it's a milestone extravaganza that begins with the Mets single season hit by pitch record, Framber Valdez's insane 25 straight quality starts record, and Spencer Strider's seemingly impossible 200 strikeouts in 129 innings! This leads was for the home run records that encompass the back half of the episode. First it's Japanese slugger, Munetaka Murakami's, record-tying 55th home run by a Japanese-born player in the NPB. Next up is two Diamond Duo regulars in Aaron Judge and Albert Pujols as the two check in on their historic home run chases! (friendly reminder that Aaron Judge is the MVP he's gonna be the first player to hit 60+ homers with a triple crown). Lastly, it's Mike Trout providing us with the latest Tungsten Arm O'Doyle moment as he homers in seven straight games! (and of course the Angels were sub 500 across that stretch). After a quick postseason update, it's a double-headed deep drive to close things out! We had plenty to talk about so sit back and take it all in here on Episode 42 of The Diamond Duo Podcast!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

13:50 - RIP John Stearns and Joan Hodges

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony take a moment to step back and thank all you wonderful people who have been with us through one year of the show! Whether you've been with us for just one episode or all 41, thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts and we can't wait for many more years to come. Following these sentimentalities, the two dive into some seismic rule changes coming to the game in 2023. The significance of a pitch clock, the banning of the shift, and larger bases are debated and discerned as to whether they will make the game better or worse. Derek Jeter's Hall of Fame ceremony in the Bronx is discussed and tied with a recent trip taken by the duo to go see the Yankees clobber the Rays in person! The two then switch gears to talk about the next great step forward for minor leaguers: the establishment of the MiLB union! The retirement of journeyman pitcher, Edwin Jackson, sparks the return of the trivia segment with a unique twist! Last but most certainly not least, the duo closes out the show with a look at every division race across baseball and debate how each of them could turn out. We had a lot to get through in this one so sit back and take it all in here on Episode 41 of The Diamond Duo Podcast!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

0:55 - The Podcast’s 1 Year Anniversary

Songs Played in Episode: 

"Wise Guy" by Joe Pesci from his album "Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just For You" 1998

"Careless Whisper" by Wham! from their album "Make It Big" 1984

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony recap the MLB roster expansion and note all the significant prospects given a September call up! These young prospects include Gunnar Henderson and his electric start in Baltimore, Corbin Carroll and his contributions to a surging Diamondbacks club (weird, right?), and even the impossible - the Yankees calling up top three prospect in the system, Oswald Peraza, to try and turn the team's fortunes around. Speaking of the Yankees, the two rebound from the prospect discussion to deep dive a handful of teams in the midst of late season collapses - and if you couldn't guess, the Bronx Bombers may or may not headline this segment. After a couple of smaller topics including the Red Sox bringing back Chaim Bloom and Alex Cora for next year and a masterful troll job by the Dodger faithful, Tom and Tony go head to head in putting together the best team based on August performances. The rules are slightly tweaked as well so take a listen to see how things have changed! The duo close up shop with one of their saddest closers yet, honoring two fallen brothers (in a friend-zoney type of way, not literally). We've hit the big 4 - oh and over 900 listens total on the show! Thank you all so so much from the both of us. We hope you're having just as much fun listening to the show as we have making it. Let's celebrate over Episode 40 of The Diamond Duo Podcast!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

3:35 - Beginning of September Call Ups

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony gawk in awe at the latest mega deal to fall in the lap of one of baseball's brightest young stars. Today's recipient of the "set for life" contract is Mariners superstar Julio Rodriguez and it's a deal with the potential to outlast even the likes of Bobby Bonilla. There's a ton of conditions to the contract, but Tom and Tony are prepared to break it all down in addition to what this means for the rest of baseball's young stars and the Mariners themselves. The two then shift gears from MLB's youngest to the elder statesmen of the Mets as the team held their first Old Timers Day for the first time since 1994. With Mets legends from Ed Kranepool and Ray Knight to Mike Piazza and Bartolo Colon, the duo discusses how this historic event could be seen as a high point for the franchise (particularly from the perspective of the team's owner). The announcement of Walker Buehler's second Tommy John surgery and a look ahead at potential September call-ups wrap up the main stories and make way for a double-headed deep drive! The first story of the segment details the next in a long line of strange injuries that's affected a once vital member of the Yankees bullpen. Lastly, the second story recounts the tale of everyone's *ahem* """favorite""" baseball personality in Zack Hample and his immature escapades during his trip to Coors Field. Please note, both Tom and Tony experienced a series of technical difficulties at various points in the show that forced the two to fill in the blanks and fix it while editing. We sincerely apologize for these technical mishaps, but we truly believe we still have a good episode for you this week and we know they won't happen again (God we hope anyway). This in mind, kick back and relax with Episode 39 of The Diamond Duo Podcast!

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Timestamps:

3:34 - Julio Rodriguez Gets A Huge Extension

12:00 - Mets Old Timers Day Highlights

25:14 - Walker Buehler Needs Tommy John Surgery & The Dodgers Recent Success

32:57 - 1st Technical Gaffe & September Prospects

47:37 - Deep Drive Into Left (Aroldis Chapman's Tattoo Infection)

56:22 - Zack Hample Makes A Fool Of Himself In Colorado

1:00:37 - 2nd Technical Gaffe

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony brush aside their analytical arguments in favor of the cries of an unhappy fanbase. That's right. They're tackling the Yankees recent struggles. They discuss everything from the lackluster offense to the plethora of injuries to the main reasons as to why the Bronx Bombers have collapsed so hard. There's witty banter and only a modest amount of aimless whining so this is a discussion you won't want to miss. Hey, speaking of aimless whining, Chris Woodward (and Jon Daniels) were recently fired by the Rangers. Tom and Tony discuss their legacy in Arlington as well as what the future could hold for the seemingly identity-less team. After paying homage to two veterans of the game in Albert Pujols (one of the best 2nd halves of his career) and Dellin Betances (announced his retirement), the two bid the happiest of anniversaries to the joke that hasn't gotten old or aged a day at all: Nick Castellanos's thunderous deep drive into left! The duo celebrates the occasion by presenting a double feature surrounding Southside's most maligned manager and a reporter who slid his way into some trouble. Don't miss the rants, the laughs, and the rest here on Episode 38 of The Diamond Duo Podcast!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

4:55 - Tony’s Paul O’Neill Day Experience

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony bid farewell to one of the most hated men in Detroit baseball as well as a temporary farewell to someone quickly becoming one of the most hated men in all of baseball! The Detroit Tigers are now free from the eternal torment known as Al Avila's tenure and the duo reflect upon his tarnished legacy of bad trades and poor roster construction in addition to what could be next for the Tigers. The larger story, however, comes in the form of the 80 game suspension of Fernando Tatis Jr. for PED usage. The two discuss the meteoric impact this will have on both the Padres and the sport as a whole as well as what this does to Fernando's own legacy. Next and last up comes a rapid fire of stories ranging from a recap of the Field of Dreams game to a pair of milestones for Tom's sweetheart Cardinals to a near perfecto spoiled by a known Twitter jinx. This one is closed out with one of the most feel good stories you'll hear this summer so be sure to listen all the way to the end here on Episode 37 of The Diamond Duo Podcast!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

0:49 - Fernando Tatis Jr: The Shame and Implications of His Immaturity

27:39 - Adios Al Avila!

45:41 - A Cincinnati Homecoming For Nick Castellanos

49:26 - A Breakdown Of The Field Of Dreams Game

1:03:46 - Albert Pujols's 2 Home Run Game & Chandler Redmond's Home Run Cycle (AKA THE PROPHECYYYYY)

1:11:54 - Joey Votto Plays The Most Games For A Canadian Born Player

1:14:19 - Drew Rasmussen & The Curse Of Bob Nightengale

1:19:27 - The Closer (The Debut Of Wynton Bernard) 

This week on The Diamond Duo Podcast, Tom and Tony break down the aftermath of the trade deadline! Before they analyze the deadline, they first pay tribute and honor the legacy of Vin Scully. Next, the duo dishes out their thoughts on the trades they didn't mention in last week's episode and rate them individually for each team involved. After the actual trades, Tom and Tony grade the overall performances by teams at the deadline (for better or for worse). Finally, the Angels are the butt of jokes once again for two events unrelated to the deadline that get taken for a Deep Drive to Left! A lot of names and numbers are thrown around on Episode 36 of The Diamond Duo Podcast, so stay tuned to take it all in!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @thediamondduopodcast and on Twitter @DiamondDuoPod for more content and show updates!

Timestamps:

8:37 - R.I.P. Vin Scully

17:48 - Beginning of Trade Deadline Breakdown

19:39 - Josh Hader to San Diego

24:33 - Atlanta Does the Same as Last Year, But Worse (Smith for Odorizzi & Raisel Iglesias)

29:04 - Boston’s Questionable Moves (Hosmer, Diekman, and Pham)

37:21 - Phillies Make Out Like Bandits Getting Marsh and Syndergaard

40:21 - The Roast of Al Avila and Praise for the Twins

45:46 - Blue Jays Bolster Bullpen for Top Prospect

49:14 - Mets Overpay for Darin Ruf & Also Get Mychal Givens

54:33 - Yankees Get Their Reliever

58:32 - Head-Scratching Montgomery-Bader Move

1:08:31 - Beginning of Grading the Most Prominent Teams of the Deadline

1:08:57 - Padres

1:11:03 - White Sox

1:13:05 - Twins

1:14:04 - Braves

1:15:57 - Guardians

1:18:18 - Orioles

1:20:57 - Phillies

1:22:42 - Yankees

1:24:06 - Cubs

1:26:21 - Red Sox

1:28:10 - Reds

1:30:02 - Cardinals

1:31:53 - Astros

1:33:44 - Brewers

1:35:15 - Angels

1:37:23 - Deep Drive to Left (Angels & Their Affiliate Manage to Embarrass Themselves Further)