Welcome to Tipping Pitches — the baseball podcast trying to nationalize our national pastime. Available anywhere you get your podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @tipping_pitches. Email us at [email protected]. Tell us why you hate your team's owner at 785-422-5881.

Alex and Bobby chat about — what else?  — Fernando Tatis Jr.’s payday and what it says about the San Diego Padres, the financial health of the league, and so-called “small markets.” Then, they get into some Open Season voicemails about Bob Nightengale’s best source, Jerry Reinsdorf’s personal debts, coping with toxic players, and the time we almost lost the Minnesota Twins. Finally, they give one final, heartfelt send-off to Tim Tebow in a Power-Hour finale.

Call into Open Season at: 785-422-5881

Songs featured in this episode:

Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”

Alex and Bobby banter about vaccinations and the looming reality of in-person baseball games. Then they talk about Jack Flaherty’s arbitration case with the Cardinals and why fans should care about labor battles in the sport, as well as the history erased with the renaming of the minor league divisions. Finally, more voicemails for Open Season, Clayton Kershaw’s takes on tanking, and the latest in MLB romances.

Links:

Clayton Kershaw on tanking

Songs featured in this episode:

Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”

Alex and Bobby kick off the pod with the first edition of ‘Open Season,’ answering listener voicemails on the utter mismanagement of the Cubs, the joy of being able to root for Sean Doolittle, and the broken public trust between ownership and fans. Then, they’re joined by Jen Ramos of the Baseball Prospectus R&D department to discuss, among other things, Bob Nightengale, Kim Ng, Jared Porter and Mickey Callaway.

Follow Jen on Twitter.

Links:

Sean Doolittle grateful for his Nats tenure.

Songs featured in this episode:

Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”

Bobby and Alex talk about Nolan Arenado and the concept of “onerous contracts,” as well as Steve Cohen, GameStop, and the freaking stock market, baby. Then they bring on Mike Schubert, podcaster extraordinaire at Multitude Productions and obnoxious Yankees fan, to talk the Bronx Bombers as they exist in 2021, the team’s facial hair policy, the high bar their fans set, hot dogs, and more. Finally, they discuss Marcus Semien’s departure from the Oakland A’s, and Ken Griffey, Jr.’s move to the Commissioner’s Office.

Leave us a voicemail for Open Season by calling ‪(785) 422-5881‬.

Follow Mike on Twitter.

Links:

Ben Clemens on the Nolan Arenado trade

Ken Rosenthal on the Oakland A’s finances ($)

Andrew Yang taking BP

Alex and Bobby reflect on the legacy of Hank Aaron and wonder whether it’s possible for him to be...underrated? Then they dive into some free agent news — hello, Toronto Blue Jays! — and probe the Baltimore Orioles in their quest to screw over their players. Then they talk about Jared Porter and what comes after his firing (cw: sexual harassment), as well as Ken Rosenthal’s backwards column about Trevor Bauer. Finally, Alex Rodriguez sees rackets some teers and bezzles some ment.

Links:

ESPN’s story on Jared Porter

A-Rod hit with lawsuit

Songs featured in this episode:

Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”

Bobby and Alex bring on Michael Baumann, staff writer at the Ringer, for their annual look at the state of labor in baseball. Their conversation includes how the landscape has shifted over the last year, what the frigid free agent market means for players, breaking down Rob Manfred’s call for 162 games in 2021, what to expect with the CBA expiring at the end of the year, and much more.

Follow Michael on Twitter.

Links:

So You Want to Own a Baseball Team (feat. Rob Mains)

A Labor of Love (feat. Michael Baumann), 2019

Songs featured in this episode:

Paramore — "Where the Lines Overlap" • Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”

Alex and Bobby discuss the Mets trading for Francisco Lindor, the Padres pushing in all their chips, and the Cubs’s manufactured window. Then they chat about their defining moments as baseball fans and how they give context to the way they think about the sport, including a perfect game, an inauspicious debut, a veteran’s return, and more.

Songs featured in this episode:

Booker T & the M.G.’s — “Green Onions”

Bobby and Alex kick off the new year by bringing on Rob Mains, writer at Baseball Prospectus, to talk about the business of baseball from an owner’s perspective, how teams actually make (and lose) money, what’s changed about owners in the last 50 years, and much more.

Follow Rob on Twitter @Cran_Boy.

Links:

Baseball teams and rent seeking

Why teams aren’t dependent on cash flow

Alex and Bobby take a look back on their favorite memories from 2020, including an impassioned debate on jerseys vs. shirseys, an investigation into whether fans could own a baseball team, Sean Doolittle’s Star Wars rankings, a critical look at baseball’s most pointless traditions, and plenty of wonderful guests. Thanks to everyone who followed along this year, and look out for bigger, better, brighter bullshit in the new year!

Links:

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Songs featured in this episode: