Is This A Great Game, Or What?

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Elly De La Cruz Conversation, Drew Romo Homers, Nick Kurtz Walks Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Elly De La Cruz is a star and just pulled off something incredible, but what we didn’t know is what he was doing when Terry Francona was first hired, and it says a lot about his character. A true class act.

Our GameChanger of the Week focuses on managers, especially with all the wild news that broke this week. Alex Cora is out, Rob Thomson is out—so what does that mean for the game? Tim Kurkjian weighs in, and Jeff brings it all the way back around to Little League.

Nick Kurtz keeps getting on base, but he’s still short of the record for most consecutive games with a walk. The current leader might surprise you, and no, it’s not Barry Bonds. Plus, Drew Romo has done something that caught all of us off guard. He’s off to a really fun start, no debating that.

On This Date in baseball history, Bob Feller comes up, along with a great story involving one of our favorite guests, Steve Sparks. We share some laughs looking back at that interview, and don’t worry, Feller comes back into the conversation later in Alphabest.

We wrap things up with Wheel of Kurkjian, Three Cards in the Bathroom, and a Team Tim that highlights some of the best sitcoms of all time, at least according to Tim. Trust me, Jeff had plenty to say about the one major omission, but hey, it’s not called Team Jeff.

Thanks so much for listening or watching and for spending time with us. Be sure to subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening, it’s free, and thanke you being part of our family.

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Joe Buck On ESPN Jeopardy, Brockmire and The Hall of Fame Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Joe Buck joins Tim and Jeff Kurkjian and, as always, he doesn’t disappoint. The legendary play-by-play announcer has done it all, so we’ll spare you the long list of accomplishments—but trust us, it’s impressive.

What we will tell you is that he’s just been announced as the new host of ESPN’s Jeopardy!, and we’ve got the inside scoop. Joe shares what he knows so far and how soon filming is set to begin.

We also dive into his relationship with his father, Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, and the remarkable career that helped shape Joe’s path. In fact, they’ll become the first father-son duo enshrined in Cooperstown as broadcasters—pretty cool.

Then we take a trip down memory lane to the days of Brockmire, where both Tim and Joe appeared (Joe a bit more prominently) alongside the incredibly talented Hank Azaria. The behind-the-scenes stories are priceless.

Joe also gives us a great look into what it was like growing up around the St. Louis Cardinals. Whether you’re a Cards fan or just a baseball fan in general, you’re going to love these stories.

Big thanks to Joe for joining us—and as always, thank you for listening. Be sure to subscribe or follow wherever you’re tuning in.

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Shohei's Streak Ends, Walter Johnson's Head Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Coming to you from Tim Kurkjian’s office, just before the sprinkle for Baby Bodie Bell Kurkjian, arriving June 5. We squeezed this episode in not to dodge party setup duties, but with the understanding that we’re fully on teardown after, so don’t worry.

Shohei’s streak has finally come to an end, and we break down what it means and how it stacks up against Ted Williams. The Braves are rolling, and the Phillies, at long last, have snapped their skid. But when the two teams met, something strange happened, and we had to dig into it. Let’s just say we’ve become a little obsessed with extra-base hits.

Four players reached a milestone on Thursday, though it might not be one worth celebrating. On This Date brings up legends like Hank Aaron and Walter Johnson, and being in Tim’s office gave us the chance to pull out a few Walter Johnson artifacts, which didn’t exactly go as planned.

And finally, a special Team Tim in honor of our guest tomorrow, Joe Buck. Yes, that Joe Buck. Make sure you’re subscribed and following wherever you get your podcasts, this is one you won’t want to miss.

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Marathon Of A Baseball Game Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Brand new look—who dis?

For those listening on the audio stream, thank you! But we highly recommend checking out our new YouTube look. Just search “Is This A Great Game, Or What” on YouTube to see the upgraded vibe.

Alright, onto the episode. We’ve got another GameChanger of the Week to keep you entertained—this one tied to our friend Max Scherzer and something he said during our interview earlier this week. If you missed it, go back and listen. Seriously, it’s worth it.

The Boston Marathon has Tim Kurkjian thinking about the speed of the game we love. Plus, we debate the greatest last-name “E” hitter and pitcher—who’ve you got?

We also rifle through three more cards featuring incredible stories, including Joey Meneses—one we didn’t know we needed in our lives.

And to wrap things up, it’s a Team Tim edition in celebration of the NFL Draft kicking off tonight.

It’s a packed show, with a tease for next week’s amazing guest.

Thanks for watching and listening!

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Max Scherzer, Future Hall of Famer, Joins Us Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Max Scherzer is a future Hall of Famer—and we were lucky enough to have him join our show on an off day. The two-time World Series champion covers everything from his college career to life as a dad.

Scherzer even shares a bold idea for increasing the value of starting pitchers. It might sound a little crazy—but we want to hear what you think.

We also dive into his wife’s incredible athletic background and their shared love of pitching, plus a touching story about his daughter’s letter to the Toronto Blue Jays that might just bring you to tears.

We can’t thank Max enough for taking the time to join our show. Don’t miss his stories about Buck and the many legendary managers he’s played for—there are some great ones in here.

If you’re new, be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Thanks for being part of the family!

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The K's Keep Coming, Tim Can't Find His Car Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Tim Kurkjian in a cowboy hat? Yeah… we can’t picture it either. But apparently, it happened—and we’ve got the story behind the last time he wore one.

Jeff also took his family out to a ballgame that featured a special postgame concert, and we break that down too. Plus, Tim shares the tale of losing his car at an airport and unveils his latest “All-Clothing Team Tim.”

Got an idea for the next Team Tim? Submit your suggestions at GreatGameOrWhat.com—we’d love to hear them.

On the field, the 3-4-5 hitters combined to go 0-for-12 with 11 strikeouts. Naturally, we had to ask: has that ever happened before? We dig into the numbers.

We’ve also got plenty of “On This Dates” and “Quirkjians”—the kind of segments only this podcast can deliver.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to share with a friend, and don’t forget to follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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Jackie Robinson's Importance Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

This week in Major League Baseball, we celebrate Jackie Robinson. He’s our GameChanger of the Week—but truly, he’s the GameChanger of the game. What he did for baseball cannot be overstated, and we’re proud to honor his legacy.

Both Tim and Jeff moved mountains to bring you this episode. Jeff is still in Disney World with his family, while Tim is covering the Dodgers series in Los Angeles. Despite the time difference, busy schedules, and nonstop activity, they made it happen.

Who’s the greatest “D” last name pitcher and hitter? Tim makes his case for both. Three Cards in the Bathroom features a very large bird. Jon Kruk makes yet another memorable appearance with one of his best lines. And just how big is Bruce Bochy’s head? We explain.

Share the show with a friend or family member who loves—or is learning to love—baseball. Thanks for following and subscribing wherever you watch or listen!

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Steve Rushin On Helmet Nachos, Vin Scully and The Masters Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

Steve Rushin, a repeat guest for good reason, joins Tim and Jeff once again. It’s almost nerve-racking to write this episode description given how talented our guest is—but we’ll give it a shot.

From helmet nachos to helicoptering into The Masters, we somehow managed to cover all the important topics. Rushin and Kurkjian have been friends for years, dating back to playing 2-on-2 with an extremely famous actor known for shooting hoops on the side.

Rushin also recalls a gift Kurkjian once gave one of his kids—apparently still sitting in the garage to this day. And would it really be a Steve Rushin appearance without some absurd, completely illogical hypotheticals? We’ve got plenty of those too.

We bring it all—hope you enjoy!

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Jeff's Baby's Name, Max Muncy Heroics, RIP Phil Garner Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

Jeff is in Disney World? Yep—and because of that, we bring you Team Tim Disney… and it’s perfection. Huge thank you to everyone who sent in their Team Tim Disney submissions—they were absolutely incredible. Well done!

Plenty of takeaways this episode, including a big game from Max Muncy and the unlikely heroics that got him there. We also say goodbye to one of baseball’s greats, as Tim reflects on the impact Phil Garner had on him and on the game.

Strikeouts are piling up this season, which means we’ve got ANOTHER Team Tim—did we get lucky or what? If you had a four-strikeout game this year, there’s a good chance you made the team.

And a special thank you to Catholic University for giving Tim such an amazing day and for the love they’ve shown our family.

Be sure to follow or subscribe wherever you watch or listen—and share the show with a friend!

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Lock These Players DOWN, Plus The Loss Of An Incredible Baserunner Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

We say goodbye today to one of the greatest baserunners ever on Is This A Great Game, or What? But baseball never stops—especially for the incredibly young players getting locked up for the future, something Tim Kurkjian quite frankly hasn’t seen before. Catch that in our “GameChanger of the Week.”

Jeff attempts a Quirkjian and falls a bit flat, creating a hilarious moment between this father-son duo. On This Date, a great number eight comes up, leading Tim to this week’s Team Tim.

We’ve got the best “C” hitter and pitcher, another Wheel of Kurkjian, and three (not two!) Cards in the Bathroom. But before the baseball talk begins, we had to celebrate The Masters with a Kurkjian Quandary that absolutely NEEDS to be discussed.

As always, thanks for listening and for being part of our family. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow—and most importantly, share the show with a friend or family member who loves this game!

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