The House Always Wins Media Network | A’s Baseball Podcasts

This wasn’t chaos. This wasn’t luck. This was control. The A’s grabbed the lead early—thanks to a tone-setting blast—and from that point forward, they played like a team that already knew how the story would end. Even when Cleveland tried to make noise, there was no panic, no unraveling. Just clean pitching, solid defense, and an offense that kept stacking pressure inning after inning. The 5th inning slammed the door shut for good, with Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof going back-to-back, turning a comfortable lead into a message.

What stood out wasn’t just the scoring—it was how easy the A’s made it look. They didn’t need a miracle inning or a last-second hero. They built the lead, protected it, and then expanded it like a team that’s starting to understand exactly who they are. Pitching stayed in control, the bullpen handled its business, and Cleveland never got a real foothold. This is what good teams do—they don’t just win, they control the script from the first pitch to the last out.

This one started with hope and ended with people staring into the distance. The A’s jumped out early behind a two-run blast from Shea Langeliers and later built a 3-1 lead, looking ready to punch back after yesterday’s disappointment. Langeliers stayed scorching hot with two home runs, Nick Kurtz kept finding hits, and the offense did enough early to put pressure on Cleveland. For five innings, this looked like a team ready to respond. Then baseball turned into a horror film.

The fifth inning cracked the foundation, and the late innings demolished the house. Cleveland scored four in the fifth, added one in the sixth, three in the seventh, three more in the eighth, and two in the ninth. That’s a 12-run avalanche while the A’s pitching staff sprayed walks, hit batters, wild pitches, and bad vibes everywhere. The bullpen door opened and apparently so did the floodgates. Two straight games where things unraveled badly, and now the A’s need answers fast before this series becomes a full-blown crime scene.

The best hitter in the A’s lineup is forcing teams to change their game plan, and that might be the biggest compliment of all. Nick Kurtz continues to draw walks at a record pace as opposing pitchers would rather give him first base than let him damage them at the plate. On today’s All In Before Ten, we break down why teams are pitching around Kurtz, why it proves he’s already one of the most dangerous bats in the lineup, and what the A’s need to do to make opponents pay for avoiding him.

We’re also diving into the viral Las Vegas Black Fire rumor — are the A’s really changing their name or is this just internet nonsense? Plus, we introduce David Casper and the brand new show joining the House Always Wins Media Network. We’ll recap last night’s frustrating opening game loss, preview today’s matchup, and look ahead at the upcoming road trip. Join us LIVE on YouTube at 8:30 for your favorite A’s morning show!

David Casper returns for a brand-new Weekend Walk-Off, and he arrives with the energy of a fan who knows something special is brewing. The A’s are playing winning baseball, stacking series victories, fighting back from deficits, and showing the kind of grit that good teams need. Casper dives into the rise of Carlos Cortes, who has stepped in during Brent Rooker’s absence and looked like he belongs from day one. With Jacob Wilson, Nick Kurtz, and a lineup that can create chaos one through nine, the A’s suddenly look less like a fun surprise and more like a real threat in the American League West.

Then the show takes a nostalgic turn as Casper opens up his treasure chest of A’s bobbleheads and relives memories of legends like Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire, Dennis Eckersley, Tim Hudson, Matt Olson, Coco Crisp, Sean Doolittle, Mark Kotsay, and more. It’s part baseball history lesson, part fan therapy session, and part reminder that the green and gold tradition runs deep. Past stars, present momentum, and future hope all collide in one episode. In short: vibes are immaculate, first place is real, and the A’s are must-watch television again.

LAST CALL: A'S POSTGAME

The A’s are no longer a cute surprise story. They are becoming a serious problem for the rest of the American League West. In this episode of Habit Hunter, Hobbs breaks down another series win after the A’s took two of three from Kansas City and flexed in the finale. He dives into the club’s biggest emerging trend: resilience. Whether it’s bouncing back from a brutal extra-inning loss, answering opponent runs immediately, or piecing together bullpen innings like duct tape on a race car that somehow still wins, this team keeps finding ways to stack victories.

Hobbs also spotlights the players driving the charge. Carlos Cortez is becoming must-watch television, Nick Kurtz is chasing baseball history with his absurd walk streak, Jacob Wilson and Shea Langeliers are hit machines, and the lineup suddenly has depth with attitude. On the mound, Luis Severino may have found his groove, while injuries to Jeffrey Springs and the rotation create fresh concerns. This episode is equal parts celebration and warning shot: the A’s are building habits that good teams build — and the division should be nervous.

A brand-new special edition of Where Stats Meet Instincts is loaded from first pitch to final take. Sam opens the show by breaking down the A’s series against the Royals—what worked, what didn’t, and what the results really mean moving forward. Was it missed opportunity, growth in disguise, or a little of both? Sam dives into the numbers, the momentum swings, and the players who either helped themselves or left fans yelling at the screen. Baseball can be cruel: one bad inning can feel like a tax audit.

Then Booney crashes the party for the debate fans can’t stop talking about: Leo De Vries versus Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Future superstar upside or better right-now player? Ceiling versus floor. Flash versus polish. The sparks fly as both sides make their case. To close the show, Sam turns the page and previews the upcoming series against the Guardians, outlining key matchups, danger zones, and how the A’s can come out ahead. It’s insight, arguments, laughs, and hard truths—the way baseball talk should be.

The A’s handled business again, beating the Royals 6-3 and taking the series with the kind of performance that says this club is no fluke. Kansas City jumped out early, but the response was immediate and loud. Shea Langeliers was a doubles machine, collecting extra-base hits like they were giveaway items. Nick Kurtz delivered the biggest early thunderbolt with a two-run double that flipped the game, and the lineup kept applying pressure all afternoon. This wasn’t a lucky bounce win. This was organized chaos, hard contact, and relentless traffic on the bases.

On the mound, Jeffrey Springs battled through trouble, Luis Medina and the bullpen took it from there, and the late innings were locked down like a bank vault. Mason Miller gets headlines, but this bullpen deserves flowers too. The A’s are now stacking wins, stacking confidence, and stacking evidence that the league underestimated them. While some people are still waiting for a collapse, the A’s are too busy collecting series wins. Funny how that works.

Tuesday night felt like one of those games that gets under your skin. The A’s had Kansas City exactly where they wanted them. Aaron Civale gave them five strong innings, the bullpen mostly slammed the door, and Jacob Wilson delivered the early RBI knock. Then came the sixth-inning Salvador Perez homer, and later the 10th-inning thunderclap from Bobby Witt Jr. A tight, winnable game suddenly became a 4-1 extra-inning gut punch. To make it sting even more, the A’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th and couldn’t cash in. That’s baseball’s version of leaving the casino with chips still on the table.

Now comes the response game. Luis Severino gets the ball against Michael Wacha as the A’s try to halt Kansas City’s four-game heater and protect first place in the AL West. We’ll break down whether Severino can rediscover his form, what Tyler Soderstrom’s injury status could mean for the lineup, and why Nick Kurtz continues to show elite patience even during an 0-for-4 night. Good teams don’t let one brutal loss become two. Tonight is about proving the A’s know the difference between a stumble and a slide.

Sam is back with another sharp-edged episode of Budget Baseball: Where Stats Meet Instincts, diving into the A’s frustrating 4-1 extra-innings loss to the Royals. This wasn’t a blowout—it was one of those baseball knife fights where one swing changes everything. Sam breaks down Bobby Witt Jr.’s crushing three-run homer, explains why the A’s failed to capitalize on quality at-bats, and why “making pitchers work” only matters if you cash in. He also gives credit where it’s due: Aaron Savale delivered exactly what you need from a veteran starter—five scoreless innings and a chance to win.

Then the show gets spicy. Sam digs into the growing Carlos Cortes debate and explains why the numbers—and the eye test—say he needs everyday at-bats. He also highlights Jacob Wilson’s rapidly improving defense at shortstop, a development that could reshape the A’s infield long-term. Add in thoughts on Brett Harris, lineup construction against lefties, bullpen usage, and what comes next against Michael Wacha, and you’ve got a classic Budget Baseball episode: smart, honest, and never afraid to call it like it is.