Hits Different

34. Free Agency Fake News Season Nov 17, 2024

This week on Hits Different, we're talking about the PowerPoint presentation that's going to convince Juan Soto to sign with the Boston Red Sox and the AI-generated image of him in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform that might change his mind. Every meeting has gone "well" so far—in what way might a meeting between a person hoping to receive $600 million and a group of people hoping to give it to him go poorly? Long story short, every piece of alleged news we saw this week was made up entirely.

Except for the true, breaking, and incredible news that DAVID SIMS has rejoined the pod. He's back, he's better than ever, he's read 2,000 pages worth of Roger Angell essays since you last heard from him. And you KNOW he has a photographic memory, so you can ask him anything about it.

At the end of this episode, a little something new...

Let's go Mets!

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33. Where in the World Are the Mets? Nov 01, 2024

In our first off-season episode, we're talking about the "World Series" which was a "clash of the titans," and we're also Googling and combing the stacks at the library in search of just ONE good baseball ghost story. If you know of any, please email us!! hitsdiffpodcast@gmail.com

Kaitlyn and Ellen also meticulously research the current whereabouts of the 2024 New York Mets. We miss them all the time! Where are they?? Regrettably, it did not occur to us that if we only waited a little later into Halloween evening we would surely see some of those guys as they revealed their Halloween costumes and family outings on the 'gram. Unknown to us at the time of recording: Brett Baty was in Texas and dressed as a pirate as we spoke.

Also unknown at time of recording: Tomas Nido dressed his son up as a baseball!!!!!!!!! I can't link because it's on his wife's private Instagram but he reposted it to his Stories and you can go see it if you are fast. It rules.

Happy Halloween and let's go Mets!

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32. Kings of New York Oct 22, 2024

We're in "don't cry because it's over" mode ... but we're crying anyway! Our cups runneth over! Some older gents in recent days have compared the 2024 Mets to the 1986 Mets and that's wrong. The 1986 Mets were bad people. Our Mets are heroes and they deserve a rest. The only sad part is we'll miss them so much.

This week on Hits Different, we recap the National League Championship Series, in which Francisco Lindor ruined the Dodgers pitching staff's little scoreless inning streak, Sean Manaea struck out Shohei Ohtani three times, and Mark Vientos broke the Mets post-season RBI record in his sparkly, sparkly shoes. The home crowd said give us one last thing to scream about and Pete Alonso and David Peterson said okay we will. Starling Marte said I love and believe in you Francisco Alvarez, and Francisco Alvarez said that works for me! Jeff McNeil said [tongue out]. Brandon Nimmo said this has been fun, now get me to the hospital.

After this, we're taking a little bit of leisure time ourselves. Then we'll be back with some titillating off-season investigations and interviews... Maybe a yarn or two... Maybe a breaking news event like when the Mets re-sign everyone all at the same time.

Thank you as always to Producer Nathan for your work in the booth. Thank you again to James Rainis for our music and Paul Windle for our art. MVPs of our first season!

Thank you for listening!

LGM forever!!

Don't break our hearts, Pete!!!

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31. Mets to California Oct 13, 2024

It's Sunday morning in the greatest city in the world and the Mets have given us a little time to breathe and take in 40 different angles of every amazing thing that has happened in the past two weeks.

This week on Hits Different, we are stretching our legs and cracking our knuckles and going for another nearly-two-hour pod after a week of harried emergency episodes. We're talking about Garth Brooks's early aughts effort to play Major League Baseball, as well as Ellen's plans for the Grimace tattoo she swore she would get if the 2024 Mets win the World Series. We're talking about the spread at Keith Hernandez's cat's 22nd birthday party. We've got a LOT to say about a political dynasty on Long Island.

Thank you to Producer Nathan as always, and happy birthday week to Starling Marte. You've never looked better, king. After we finished recording, I (KT) let Ellen know that if the 2024 Mets win the World Series I will also get an under-boob tattoo and mine will be of the beautiful text message she sent to me and David when Pete hit a home run on Tuesday night.

Send us mail: hitsdiffpodcast@gmail.com Write to us about whatever you want! LGM!!!

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30. Mark Vientos You Will Always Be Famous Oct 08, 2024

Francisco Lindor says Mark "Swaggy V" Vientos is making himself famous by being incredible, to which we say: Fact check PASSED.

This week on Hits Different, Ellen and Kaitlyn recap the first two games of that National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets. It's an interesting contrast between two fandoms—one of which regards all of this as gravy after an improbably fun year and one of which is maintaining arms caches and vowing to commit mass violence if they don't get their big trophy.

Live, laugh, love, and baseball in our opinion. Hakuna matata. Let's go Mets!!!!!

Huge thank you to Producer Nathan for chopping this one up early in the morning. Write to us at hitsdiffpodcast@gmail.com. Let's go Mets!!!!!!!!

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29. So Interesting How Sometimes Faith is Rewarded Oct 04, 2024

A quick and chaotic one for posterity! Ellen calls in from a SAT phone at the Hits Different international bureau located inside of a Danish spa. We have nothing to say really except we can't believe it, but you gotta believe it. These guys are MAGIC. That rally gourd is stupid but we LOVE it. Pete rewarded the faith we had in him all year and as you may know it is not really faith if it depends on rewards but THANK YOU PETE ALONSO. We love you so much.

We forgot to do some media criticism on mic about the New York Times's sports homepage this morning which featured stories about college football and the Baltimore Orioles (notably no longer playing baseball this year). We'll drop it here in the notes: Get it together paper of record. Is this a city paper or is this a city paper?

Thank you Producer Nathan for handling our third episode of the week! Thank you Producer Nathan for forcing me to watch the greatest swing of all time!

Let's go Mets!!!!!!!

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28. Coffee With the Girls, Day After Oct 01, 2024

This is obviously the worst episode of Hits Different by far and we had no plan for it and half of it doesn't make sense. Producer Nathan had notes for us, such as, "You can’t scream into the mic like that at the end of the episode ily" and "Or if you do you have to tell me. You’re gonna blow someone’s ears out"

We are so tired! We are so happy! Yesterday, we watched an INSTANT CLASSIC Mets game while doing our laptop jobs.

Let's go Mets!!!!!!!!!!!!

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27. On the Morning of a Braves Double-Header Sep 30, 2024

We snuck this one in during the early hours of what may be one of the longest days of our lives!! This week on Hits Different we're talking about how close the Mets' playoffs hopes came to slipping away and how close they have come to re-snatching them back from the jaws of defeat once again. Forgive that metaphor, it's not my best!!

Tylor Megill has a chance to become Mets Ty-LORE and potentially have never a bad word said against him again for the rest of his life. Ellen and Kaitlyn have a chance to burn acid holes through their stomach linings. The Atlanta Braves have an opportunity to do something sooooooo funny (lose bad).

Producer Nathan turned this one out in record time and to that we say: Thank you, Clutch King.

Let's go Mets!

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26. Keep Pete! Pete Stay! Sep 24, 2024

Flushing has descended into chaos!! There are 45,000 people drinking beers at the same time and in a place barely built to hold them. There's a one-man band playing The Killers under the subway tracks. There's good reason to think the National Guard could have been on-call. Brandon Nimmo is continuing his series of populist rants on the infield. LFGM!

This week on Hits Different, Ellen and Kaitlyn talk about the KEEP PETE PETE STAY MOVEMENT and recap a 6-1 home stand for the New York Mets who are two games ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card standings and who did NOT permit the Philadelphia Phillies to clinch the NL East on their field or smoke their vile celebration cigars in the visiting clubhouse. We have barely slept in days and can hardly talk. Sorry!! LFGM!!

Thank you to Producer Nathan and LFGM!!!

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25. Yapping and Feeling a Bit Sad Sep 17, 2024

It's LATE NIGHT on Hits Different. Hits Different AFTER HOURS. That's the only way I can think of to summarize the episode—also, to be transparent, I am at work and I don't have time to write anything else. It's Ellen and Kaitlyn on a Sunday night after a few brewskis yapping about the Mets and at times feeling a bit sad.

Thank you producer Nathan and let's go Mets!!

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24. How Many People Could Pete Alonso Carry Out of a Burning Building? Sep 11, 2024

We are very, very worried about Brett Baty. We know you don't care—and that's why we're worried.

This week on Hits Different, we're talking about a 6-1 week for the New York Mets. We're talking about how hard it would be to snap a baseball bat over your thigh. We're talking about what to send J.D. Martinez and his girlfriend Brooke off of their public baby registry. How about a pack of diapers and a little piece of advice: Make that private, you guys!! Ellen hates "Yankees Suck" chants but free speech is alive and well and Citi Field. Kaitlyn is reeling from the presence of Real Housewives of New York's Erin "Stop the Steal" Lichy in the luxury boxes at a rare Mets loss. Producer Nathan is boldly Amtrak-ing to Philadelphia to see the boys take on the city that killed Tug McGraw. There are three weeks left of regular-season baseball and then only God knows what's next.

Let's go Mets!!

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23. Jocks Vs. Nerds, Tale as Old as Time Sep 02, 2024

No time to write an elaborate description of this week's episode—we're off to the ballpark! It's the last day of summer and the first day of a new series against the Boston Red Sox.

[ED NOTE: ONCE AGIN WE APOLOGIZE FOR AN ERROR, THIS ONE OUR WORST YET. THE ORIGINAL AUDIO WAS MESSED UP AND WRONG. WE WERE IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY TO GET TO THE BALLPARK AND WATCH ANOTHER CLASSIC METS WIN. THE AUDIO IS NOW NORMAL. LET'S GO METS.]

We forgot to say that Jeff McNeil is looking for an emergency plumber based on Long Island. If you live out there, let him know about your plumber. Is that enough information? It's all the information we have.

Thank you to Producer Nathan and let's go Mets!

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22. The Most Haunted Hotel in Baseball, Allegedly Aug 27, 2024

You know that stupendously annoying Optimum commercial that plays 150 times during every single baseball broadcast? The Wi-Fi installation lady is like, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, but mostly, times were just okay." That's actually exactly how it feels in Mets world right now: Each week has a true BEST day of our lives, a true WORST day of our lives, the vibes are just okay, nobody around us ever knows what we're talking about, and we're getting a little brain-fried from worry and over-excitement in the dog days of summer. We're like the Wi-Fi installation lady when she then starts talking about Susan B. Anthony and goes, "Susan. Suzy!" as though she is having a stroke. Are we built for this? We don't know!

This week on Hits Different, our guest host Ellen Cushing returns and we once again go WAY over our self-imposed but never self-enforced time limit. We talk about how ladies always be napping and do a tight 15-20 on the misinformation and, perhaps, totally innocent misunderstanding that has resulted in MLB players feeling that a gorgeous old hotel in Milwaukee is haunted even though literally no one outside of baseball has ever reported that. We also have an update on last week's mailbag question about eye black (you CAN get it out of your laundry) and some new information about local delicacies in both Canada and Pennsylvania.

Also, Brett Baty broke his finger. It's a "why don't I just kms" text situation for me.

Thank you Producer Nathan and let's go Mets!!!

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21. John Fisher, if You Know What's Good for You... Aug 20, 2024

As daughters of fathers, we will defend the right of Mets' star J.D. Martinez to like photos of Sydney Sweeney's butt on Instagram in the days leading up to the birth of his first child, a baby girl. Mets are girl dads!! Mets don't hate women, they support them!!

This week on Hits Different, Kaitlyn and guest host Ellen Cushing discuss the Mets fans on Twitter who believe themselves to be psychics, the Mets fans who are actually psychics (us), and what flavor we would make a Mets-themed breakfast cereal. Also: Luis Severino threw a complete game which almost made Keith Hernandez cry. Pete Alonso hit a home run for us while we were at Citi Field telling John Fisher to SELL THE TEAM. Our Rochester, New York correspondent Sophie Tiffany went to check on Brett Baty and reports that he was weirded out by her. But he's fine!

The most important road trip of our lives is mere days away... and the vibes are much better than the absolute lunatics on the internet would have you believe.

Thank you as always to the beloved Producer Nathan and let's go Mets!

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20. The Mets' Nightmare Road Trip is Blissfully Over Aug 13, 2024

This week on Hits Different, we are joined again by our amazing guest host Ellen Cushing and we somehow find the time to talk about World War II not once but twice. Who will stop us? For the record, David is alive and well and he's issued some corrections on last week's show. We regret the errors. Out of solidarity with the New York Mets and their ridiculously long and upsetting stretch of travel we were actually forced to make this episode almost two hours long...

Sadly, the guys didn't fare too well on their road trip from hell and scored only one run in three games out in Seattle, but we have to remember that if you leave New York for 10 days it's actually easy to go insane and become bad at everything. Sometimes you just have to sleep in your own bed!!

Also in this ep: We hear from the legendary Bobby (Ellen's son) and we finally got a mailbag question to answer (a "pitch to hit," if you will). We're looking for more! Please write to us. Please email Ellen if you're available to go to the Oakland A's game with her on Wednesday. Please email David if you don't believe us that he's okay.

Thank you Producer Nathan and let's go Mets!

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19. The Sun Used to Be Yellow but Now It's White Aug 07, 2024

We're trying something with the episode title this week... some people enjoy a curiosity gap! And for a little insight into the Hits Different Business Operations, our most downloaded episode yet was the one titled "Bryce Harper Spit on WHAT?" We know the Hits Different listeners are not perverts, so we know they weren't clicking because they were titillated. They were clicking because they are intelligent and like to know the answers to questions!

I'm sure they can't wait to find out what the government did to the sun!!!

Also on Hits Different this week, our beloved guest host Ellen Cushing is BACK to talk about her fascination with perfect games, her hatred of the San Francisco Giants, and a really good BLT she had in Manhattan this week. It took us more than 45 minutes to get to the second segment of the show... but we had a lot to yap about regarding baseball, the New York Mets, and tangential topics, such as gift-giving and the new plastic hot dog in Ellen's house.

Thank you Producer Nathan—we love you!—and let's go Mets!

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18. Back in the New York Groove Jul 31, 2024

Hits Different has returned from the All-Star Break with MUCH to discuss. (First of all, I had a dream about Adam Ottavino) This week, we've got a very special guest host ELLEN CUSHING, fresh off of a red-eye flight from Anchorage, Alaska, where she took in a crosstown rival game nearly as thrilling as the two in New York City last week and also heard a little bit about a shocking U.S. government action to secretly replace the sun. Thank you Ellen for your service!!!

Thank you as always to Producer Nathan and let's go Mets!

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17. Hits Different Draft Based on Names Only Jul 16, 2024

The first half of the Mets' season is over and they're now in a Wild Card spot, leading to rampant speculation by sports writers who may in fact be chatbots that Pete Alonso will NOT be traded at the deadline. Duh!! We never even worried about it. What are we worried about? Hardly anything. Just Gunnar Henderson's Leonardo-DiCaprio-in-Django-Unchained cosplay and the future of Joey "Fuego" Lucchesi who was designated for assignment by the Mets last week and has since cleared waivers. So, he's still a Met for now but the President of Baseball Operations already came out in public and described Joey as someone who has "pitched well at times." Not exactly what you want to hear from your boss's boss's boss about yourself. Maybe Francesco, the guru who was living in Joey's house all winter, was not the correct guru for him.

This week on Hits Different, we're recapping a 5-1 home stand by your New York Mets and we're conducting the first ever Hits Different Draft Based on Names Only. The coolest baseball names on the list—those are the guys we want.

Let's go Mets!

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16. Jeff McNeil Homers Off of Paul Skenes (Only Thing That Happened on July 5) Jul 09, 2024

How many hot dogs did you have on the Fourth of July? Sadly, I (Kaitlyn) only had three. But! One of them was the best hot dog ever made. We discuss this and much else on this week's spicy mid-summer episode of Hits Different.

Kodai Senga looked fit as a fiddle playing for the Coney Island Franks (special promotional version of the Brooklyn Cyclones) and on Friday, July 5th (legally still part of July 4th), Jeff McNeil homered off of Paul Skenes??? Nothing else happened in that game as far as anyone can recall. Francisco Lindor won a baseball game on Sunday afternoon and was snubbed by his peers and his employers on Sunday evening. That doesn't matter to him. He doesn't do it for them, he does it for us. What does he need the All-Star Game for when he will be playing in the World Series?

Let's go Mets!

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15. Grimace Fever is Sweeping the Nation Jul 02, 2024

How long can this "vibes" thing last? At least until the Mets win the World Series! This week, downtown Buffalo was lit up in Grimace purple and the Seattle Mariners were bumping Mets' star Jose Iglesias' new single "OMG" in their clubhouse. The Mets are worldwide, luv.

David and Kaitlyn could not let the wild events of the tail end of Pride Month go unremarked upon, so they struggled through absolutely demonic recording and production issues caused by Kaitlyn's decision to be in Salt Lake City, Utah instead of New York where she belongs. Thank you Jim Tiffany (Kaitlyn's dad) for coming through and granting Hits Different access to the incredible emergency technology known as VERIZON HOTSPOT ON ANDROID PHONE. We love you Jim Tiffany!!!

Actually, the REAL struggle this week was endured by Producer Nathan, who had to tangle with a heap of misfit and mismatched MP3 files just after drinking one or two Ford vs. Ferrari themed cocktails somewhere in Japan. We love you Producer Nathan!!!!

We love you Mets!!!!

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14. Bryce Harper Spit on WHAT? Jun 25, 2024

It's hot!! It's sweaty! It's sexy! In Syracuse, they cut their sleeves off! In Arlington, the Gay Mets crushed the Texas Rangers, famously the only team in Major League Baseball that doesn't celebrate Pride Month in any way (God said: "losers"). Then Bryce Harper took out his fist and gave it the old "Hawk Tuah" on national television. Boys!! We're blushing!!

This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn discuss the dank parking garage that the New York Yankees play in for some reason and we learn that the Washington Nationals didn't want to be "the Senators" anymore because people who live in D.C. aren't represented in Congress. Okay! The people of Pittsburgh don't know any pirates either (I assume), but whatever you say. It's your uninspired baseball team and you can call it what you like.

Thank you to our friend James Rainis for our new musical moment this week, and thank you as always to Producer Nathan, this time editing us while on government business in [UNDISCLOSED ASIAN COUNTRY]. Love you! Let's go Mets!

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13. The Gay Mets are Kind of Unstoppable Jun 18, 2024

This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn are tired but wired. Since the beginning of Pride Month, the Mets have been terrorizing the National League and there's NOTHING anybody can do about it. Mets are undefeated since Grimace threw out the first pitch and Harrison Bader warmed up in a pink crop-top. Mets are undefeated since J.D. Martinez hit his first-ever walk-off home run and Jose Iglesias gave him a big smooch on the cheek. Mets are dressed like fancy cowboys getting on their plane to Dallas.

This is the best team in the history of baseball! LGM!

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12. It's a Carnival of Americana Jun 11, 2024

This week on Hits Different, we're talking about our favorite boy band the New York Mets traveling to London for a two-game series! It was, as the MLB put it, a Carnival of Americana. The Mets won the second game in spectacular fashion but please don't let that distract from the fact that Philadelphia Philly Garrett Stubbs must face consequences for his despicable actions.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn traveled to Dallas and saw a different type of Carnival of Americana (7/11 "Lone Star Slice" pizza, JFK murder tour). David stayed back in New York and watched the boys on his phone while doing dad duty. The worst day of his life was June 8, 2024. The best day of his life was June 9, 2024. When I (Kaitlyn) lived in Texas for three months in 2013, I worked at a coffee shop run by a woman who would always say "life is ever-changing, mama." So true. Life is ever-changing David!

Thank you to producer Nathan Marder for cleaning this one up back in the replay room in New York! We love you!

Let's go Mets!

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11. "I Really Don't Necessarily Know What to Think" Jun 04, 2024

Everybody is talking about the Mets! But it's not an "all publicity is good publicity" situation, necessarily. In the words of Pete Alonso, we really don't necessarily know what to think.

This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn apologize to their listeners for declaring Harrison Bader the King of New York. He actually isn't King of New York and he's unable to count. We also give our review of the rainbow cookie egg roll at Citi Field. I forgot to mention that immediately upon purchase, a drunk man will approach you and ask if he can get a bite. If that happens you just say, "Sir, this is a family environment!" And keep it moving.

The Mets are going to London next week and Kaitlyn is going to Texas and David is staying right here and Brett Baty is staying in Syracuse. We love and miss him and think about him every day. Let's go Mets!

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10. Harrison Bader, King of New York May 28, 2024

At the end of Mets' fifth-straight loss, SNY's Gary Cohen said "the sun will come up tomorrow, as difficult as that may be to realize." And the sun did come up, but we weren't surprised because we never stopped believing. This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn talk about one of the worst, weirdest weeks in the history of baseball—we are an anti-math podcast but this superlative is mathematically PROVEN. Then, of course, we talk about what came at the end of the week: A comeback victory for your New York Metropolitans, brought to you by hometown hero Harrison Bader who we should not trade no matter how many sociopathic armchair GMs suggest as much on social media. We should, actually, sign him and his college friend Pete Alonso to matching "Met for life" deals.

In this week's mailbag, we have two great questions from Hits Different listeners. If you'd like to hear YOUR burning baseball question answered on the show, please send it in, we can't wait to hear it!! We are also once again asking Reed Garrett to let Kaitlyn follow him on Instagram. I would never say anything mean in the comments and in fact would like to say something nice. Such as: Let's go Mets!

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9. Let's Go Meadowlarks May 20, 2024

This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn have their LAST CONVERSATION about Pete Alonso trade rumors. We're never talking about it again. Most of the rest of the episode is about the Don DeLillo straight-to-DVD movie Game 6 starring Michael Keaton and Robert Downey Jr. I think everyone can agree that the actual baseball we watched this week was not worth discussing.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But it is broke—that's why the Mets summoned Mark Vientos and Joey Lucchesi from Syracuse in a four-hour Uber XL. And that's why we're trying out some new segments on this show! First: BDOML/WDOML ("Best Day of My Life"/"Worst Day of My Life"). Second: Mailbag. Send us your questions! kait.tiffany@gmail.com

Thank you to James Rainis for our music, Paul Windle for our logo, and Nathan Marder for putting it all together!! <3

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8. What Exactly is a Baby Gronk? May 14, 2024

Disclaimer: This week's episode of Hits Different was recorded PRIOR to the tragic events of Monday night aka "Bark at the Park" night at Citi Field, when the Mets lost to the Phillies due to a series of unpredictable horrors. David and Kaitlyn had no idea that was coming. And that's baseball! [Ellie Goulding voice] Anything can happen!

This week on Hits Different, we are instead talking about a beautiful Sunday night victory over the Evil Atlanta Braves, in which the sinister ESPN broadcasters reminded viewers dozens of times that it is "impossible" for the Mets to catch runners trying to steal and continued to say that even after the Mets picked Ronald Acuña Jr. off at first base two times. Also: What were the Washington Senators? Why does everyone know who "Livvy Dunne" is? When will the rumor mill STOP churning stuff we hate to hear about Pete Alonso?

Thank you for listening and thank you as always to James Rainis for our beautiful theme song!!

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7. Florida!!! May 07, 2024

This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn are, unavoidably: forlorn, wistful, unmoored, hungover, etc.! We have that in common with the Mets and with the heroine of Nancy Lemann's 1992 sexy baseball novel Sportsman's Paradise, the first book in the Hits Different sexy baseball novel book club. (I recorded myself reading like three pages of it in the middle of this episode for some reason.) You can guess what else there is to say this week after the Mets dropped three games to the not-very-good Tampa Bay Rays. Tropicana Field should be razed. The only cool and funny thing that happened there was Brett Baty's home run ball getting lost in the stupid spaceship ceiling. Florida!!!

Did we talk enough about how much we love Brett? I kind of feel like we didn't. We also forgot to talk about the guy who was unjustly ejected from Citi Field's Dollar Dog Night because he loved hot dogs TOO much and people wouldn't stop throwing their extra hot dogs at him. Sorry to that guy!

Thank you as always to James Rainis for our theme song and Paul Windle for our cover art. This week we also say thank you to Taylor Swift, for giving us an appropriate exclamation to use in dark days such as these. FLORIDA!!!!

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6. Quality Start Quintana is Back Apr 29, 2024

This week on Hits Different, David and Kaitlyn talk "football stickers" and Bend it Like Beckham, two of the best things about these two Americans' childhoods even though both are incredibly British. The episode goes on forever because it's been two weeks and we have much to say to each other.

It's all connected, and here's how: After a four-game set with the Cubs, the Mets will be going to Taylor Swift's "Florida!!!" to play the Rays. Guess who listened to Taylor Swift when he was in high school and she was in her country music era? New York Met left fielder Brandon Nimmo, born in 1993 just like yours truly (Kaitlyn). The both of us were born at exactly the right time and in the right places to be devoted to Taylor's debut single "Tim McGraw," which is relevant because on this week's episode we are talking about Brandon's discomfort during his early days in Brooklyn as a 19-year-old Mets prospect—a feeling he relays by describing the lack of trees and the presence of bars on the windows of the Gowanus Holiday Inn. Sounds an awful lot like the 1997 Tim McGraw song "Where the Green Grass Grows," which is about being lonely and unhappy in a big city:

"But all of this glitter is getting dark

There's concrete growin' in the city park

I don't know who my neighbors are

There's bars on the corners and bars on my heart"

Oh my god... But it's okay! Brandon is rich and happy now and he lives on Long Island! More to the point, it was, of course, Tim McGraw's father Tug McGraw who coined the phrase "You gotta believe!" 51 years ago. And Mr. Quality Start Quintana went eight innings for the Mets this Sunday, then captioned his Instagram post "YOU GOTTA BELIEVE. LGM. [apple emoji] [baseball emoji] @mets." @mets: we love you!!!

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5. Reed Garrett Make Your Instagram Public, Please Apr 23, 2024

This week on Hits Different, producer Nathan phones in and fills in for David as a guest co-host. Nathan has been watching baseball at 4 in the morning while in Europe—this has not affected his performance on his work trip!! (Please excuse his audio quality) We talk about Reed Garrett, former Rochester Red Wing, current Mets GUY with the most strikeouts for a relief pitcher in the whole MLB. But why is his Instagram private, preventing us from learning more, more, more? Also: What is wrong with people who sit in the outfield seats, and can you claim a foul ball by getting hit by it?

The Mets just lost two games but they also took a series from the "superteam" Dodgers and we still believe. As Alvy so correctly put it: "We continue forward with God LFGM."

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4. The Evil Atlanta Braves Are Shaking Apr 16, 2024

This week on Hits Different, we are striking an inadvertently ascetic tone—i.e. there's no groovy intro music for this episode because the guy in the booth is on a work trip to Europe and was therefore asleep when I would have liked him to be editing the show. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!!

And we press on, as we always do. We were confused by all of the tweets regarding Nick Castellanos and OJ Simpson, but we got to the bottom of it. We were afraid that we weren't going to be inspired by Mets reliever Tyler Jay's underdog story but then we were so inspired. We were shocked and disturbed by the weird behavior of everyone in the Atlanta Braves organization, especially the dreadful mascot Blooper who is reportedly the product of "science run amok." (Have you guys ever thought of just having a man with a baseball head? Oh yeah, you did try that, but it was a FLOP!! Mr. Met is undefeated!!)

After three series wins in a row we are tempted to ask whether the Mets are... good? We'll probably know for sure after they get back from their little trip to California. LFGM!

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3. Baseball Will Not Kill Anyone Apr 09, 2024

This week on Hits Different: David was at the office in Manhattan during the rarest of all things, a New York City earthquake. Kaitlyn was in the path of totality of a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse. Yet, we knew nothing, and chattered blithely away about baseball cards and "ham-and-eggers" and whether Taylor Swift should have dated Bryce Harper, totally unaware that the Mets were about to win the first game of a four-game series in Atlanta in a very spectacular and frankly unexpected fashion. Nature is so powerful and in comparison we are so small!!

This experience has been humbling. Many mistakes have been made. I'm sorry for not knowing who Max Patkin "the Clown Prince of Baseball" was! I thought he was just a funny guy in Bull Durham,but I Googled afterwards and learned. That's why you should Google before. : ( More importantly, we apologize sincerely for the choppiness of this week's show and the parts where you can hear us breathing. It's the LAST time, because we've actually figured out all of our technical problems!!

Our theme song is by James Rainis and our logo is by Paul Windle and we can't say it enough. LFGM <3

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2. You Can't Lose 'Em All (Unless You Can) Apr 02, 2024

We waited all winter for this. Every time we got swaddled up to stumble down the frigid city streets, we said "baseball will come back, baseball will come back, at least one day baseball will come back." And somewhere, a monkey's paw curled...

This week on Hits Different, two fans of the orange and blue New York team talk about a three-game losing streak (which would become four shortly after taping) and exchange groans and bone-deep shudders. The only way things could possibly get worse is if time proceeds in a forward motion and the Mets fly down to Atlanta next week for a four-game series. The first game is the day of an eclipse. Will the Mets look at it? We wouldn't be surprised. Nothing can surprise us now! We also talk about which celebrities should become Mets fans, which should stop, and whether it should be legal to insider trade a little bit.

Thank you to our friend James Rainis for our beautiful theme song and thank you to Paul Windle for our logo which we love.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1. This is Hits Different! Mar 26, 2024

On the first episode of our anti-math baseball podcast, we talk about the biggest headlines of the MLB off-season, including the one about Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi's live-in guru named Francesco. We speculate about what we'll eat at Citi Field this year, and we wonder whether those "strike probability" calculators on Apple TV broadcasts are totally made up.

David's feedback after recording was "we prob did 50 things wrong," and that's right. We will get better and better if you just give us a chance. Don't be mad at us!

The Hits Different theme song is by our brilliant friend James Rainis. Our logo is by the incredible Paul Windle.

LFGM <3

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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