The K.P. Wee Podcast

In this episode, K.P. welcomes returning guest Dr. Paul Semendinger to discuss his book The Greatest New York Yankees by Uniform Number. Paul explains how a popular series on his Yankees website evolved into a published book, the challenges of transforming blog posts into polished chapters, and the process he used to determine which Yankees were the greatest to wear each number.

The conversation expands into a wide-ranging discussion of Yankees history, player evaluation, analytics, and some of the franchise's most fascinating "what if?" stories.

Here is the link to purchase a copy of The Greatest New York Yankees by Uniform Number.

• How the idea for The Greatest New York Yankees by Uniform Number originated
• Turning a Yankees blog series into a published book
• The role of traditional statistics versus modern metrics such as WAR and OPS+
• Why player evaluation changes with hindsight
• The Yankees' controversial trades for Paul O'Neill and Joe Girardi
• Roberto Kelly, Mike Stanley, and other players fans initially hated to lose
• Joe Pepitone, Bill Skowron, and a memorable telegram exchanged after a Yankees trade
• The decline of the Yankees dynasty of the 1960s and unrealized talent from that era
• Revisiting Bobby Richardson and the 1961 Yankees through a modern analytical lens
• Brian Doyle's overlooked role in the Yankees' 1978 championship season
• Ruben Sierra's forgotten contributions during the 1995 ALDS
• David Cone's postseason reputation and Game 1 playoff performances
• Alternate-history baseball scenarios, including a near trade involving Ty Cobb and the early Yankees
• Which retired Yankees numbers generate the most debate
• Why some lesser-known Yankees made the book alongside franchise legends
• The challenge of narrowing more than a century of Yankees history into 100 uniform numbers

• Paul reveals that the book is not about the greatest player to wear a number, but rather the greatest Yankee while wearing that number.
• Discussion of whether Greg Nettles or Roger Maris deserves the title of greatest Yankee to wear No. 9.
• A look at surprising candidates for some iconic uniform numbers.
• Paul's story about unexpectedly meeting Juan Gonzalez at a restaurant near Yankee Stadium before a playoff game in which Gonzalez hit two home runs.
• A fascinating baseball "what if?" involving a possible early Yankees deal for Ty Cobb.

The Greatest New York Yankees by Uniform Number counts down from No. 99 to No. 0, examining the players who made each number famous while uncovering forgotten contributors, surprising statistical leaders, and overlooked chapters of Yankees history. Along the way, Paul includes additional historical notes, rankings, and debates that challenge conventional wisdom about some of the franchise's most celebrated players.

For Yankees fans, baseball historians, and anyone who enjoys spirited debates about the game's past, this episode offers a deep dive into one of baseball's most storied franchises.

Ron LeFlore's life is one of the most improbable arcs in American sports. Before he became an MLB All‑Star and one of the most electric base stealers of the 1970s, he was serving time in a Michigan prison—where he played his first organized baseball game.

In this episode, author Adam Henig joins host K.P. Wee to discuss his new biography, Baseball's Outcast The Story of Ron LeFlore, the first full modern account of LeFlore's rise, fall, and complicated legacy. Henig talks about LeFlore's childhood, Detroit, the prison system, Billy Martin's unlikely discovery, and the parts of LeFlore's story that have been forgotten or misunderstood.

Get the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Outcast-Story-Ron-LeFlore/dp/1538194953

Adam Henig's website: https://www.adamhenig.com/

Guest: Kirk McKnight, author of The Voices of Hockey and The Voices of Baseball

In this episode, we dive deep into the legacy of sports broadcasting with author Kirk McKnight, whose work captures the voices that shape how we remember the game. From Vin Scully's humility to the generational shift in storytelling, this conversation explores what makes a great call unforgettable—and why broadcasters are often the soul of a franchise.

• The emotional story behind Vin Scully's phone call—and the 30 minutes that changed Kurt's life

• How younger broadcasters balance reverence for legends with their own voice

• The myth of preparation: why the best calls are often unscripted

• Regional loyalty, Homerism, and learning to appreciate rival voices

• Behind-the-scenes rituals and habits that define broadcast rhythm

• The Voices of Hockey: Broadcasters Reflect on the Fastest Game on Earth (Updated Audible edition)

• The Voices of Baseball: The Game's Greatest Broadcasters Reflect on America's Pastime

• Instagram: @TheVoicesOfBaseball

• Facebook: Kirk McKnight

• Available on Audible and major book retailers

The guest in this episode is a powerful new voice in both storytelling and sports culture—Nick Peck. He's the author of "Only Way Out," a gripping debut novel that follows Jaylen Pierre, a teenager who finds purpose on the football field while navigating brutal challenges at home. The book draws from Nick's own raw experiences growing up, and it's been called one of the best reads of the year by ESPN's Bobby Marks.

With 20,000 loyal followers on Instagram, Nick has built a community around honest conversations about resilience, mental health, and how young athletes can find hope and identity in sports.

If you've ever wondered how fiction can change lives—or how mentorship can pull someone out of the fire—this episode is for you.

Follow Nick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickpeckauthor/

Nick's website: https://www.nickpeckauthor.com/

The guest for this episode isn't just a mental performance coach—he's a mindset architect for elite athletes, business leaders, and anyone chasing that next level.

Gary Chupik is the founder of Elite Mindset, the brain behind the GamePlan for Life and the Elite Mindset Assessment, and one of the most sought-after performance strategists in the world. Chupik has coached clients from the NFL to Major Leauge Baseball to figure skating, the FBI to Fortune 500s, and brings a rare blend of neuroscience, leadership psychology, and lived wisdom to everything he does.

What makes Chupik different? He doesn't pitch theories—he's the experiment himself. If it doesn't work in real life, Chupik doesn't teach it.

Chupik and host K.P. Wee dive into the sharp end of high performance: how to stop overthinking, why positivity alone doesn't cut it, and the two real ways to build lasting confidence.

Follow Gary Chupik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitemindset/

Check out Elite Mindset Nation: https://www.elitemindsetnation.com/

Take the Mental Performance Assessment for free (enter ELITE100): https://www.elitemindsetassessment.com/

In this episode, author and baseball historian Dan Schlossberg joins K.P. Wee to talk about his massive new release, "The New Baseball Bible." They dive into baseball's forgotten legends, strange superstitions, the history of the game, and even take shots at modern rules like the "zombie runner." Dan explains how he curated 500 pages of content, the challenge of staying fair when writing about controversial figures, and which baseball tradition he'd bring back in a heartbeat. From Rogers Hornsby to Ichiro, this one's packed with names, nuance, and no-nonsense baseball talk.

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683584864?&tag=skyhorsepub-20

In this episode, host K.P. Wee is joined by Dr. Paul Semendinger—a passionate educator, historian, and storyteller whose work bridges the worlds of literature, baseball, and inspiration.

A former principal and now a professor, Dr. Semendinger is also the editor-in-chief of the Yankees blog Start Spreading the News, co-author of Yankees legend Roy White's autobiography From Compton to the Bronx, and author of the acclaimed book The Least Among Them. In this deeply researched and compelling work, he shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked players who wore the Yankees uniform—giving them the recognition they deserve.

Tune in as Dr. Semendinger and K.P. dive into the stories behind The Least Among Them, discuss the human side of baseball history, and reflect on the importance of preserving the stories of players who might otherwise be forgotten.

Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Least-Among-Them-Players-Moments/dp/195112216X

Check out Dr. Semendinger here: https://www.startspreadingthenews.blog/

and https://drpaulsem.com/

Check out Dr. Semendinger's publisher here: https://www.apbooks.net/

Dr. Semendinger can be followed on Twitter too: https://x.com/nyy_report

https://x.com/DrPaulRSem

Today's guest on The K.P. Wee Podcast is Mark Connor, a boxing trainer, writer, and native of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Mark's journey has taken him from the boxing ring to the world of poetry and storytelling, and through powerful experiences of faith, family, and personal transformation. His debut book, It's About Time (Millions of Copies Sold for Dad), is a deeply personal blend of memoir and poetry, touching on themes of love, grief, heritage, and the search for meaning. The book earned the 2024 Bloomsday Literary Award from the Irish Network Minnesota, and it's a testament to his resilience, reflection, and reverence for the people and places that shaped him.

Check out his website and pick up his book today: https://boxersandwritersmagazine.com/books/

Brad Englert, founder of Brad Englert Advisory and author of Spheres of Influence: How to Create and Nurture Authentic Business Relationships, joins K.P. on the podcast to discuss his book.

Among the topics are the following:

• the first conversation Brad believes everyone should have with a new boss—and why it matters

• the importance of managing expectations and what saying "whoa" sounds like in a real conversation

• what to do when you find yourself stuck in a dynamic where a peer seems to have more influence over the boss

• how to go about understanding your customers' goals if they do not articulate them clearly

• what any leader could be doing to build a safe and respectful work environment

Spheres of Influence: How to Create and Nurture Authentic Business Relationships, published by Fast Company Press, is an Amazon bestseller in three key business categories. This book is a must-read for emerging leaders looking to develop the skill of building effective, enduring business relationships — both within and outside their organizations.

Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradenglert/

Get in touch with Brad: https://bradenglert.com/podcast

Vancouver Canadians (MiLB) broadcast and media relations assistant Chris Georges chats with K.P. about how he got into broadcasting and shares tips with students on how to "get into the game."