The Cat Chat Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 12 - Matt Vasgersian Jan 17, 2018

Show notes

The lead studio host and also play-by-play voice for MLB Network has a healthy respect for journalists working at the regional level, so he joins The Cat to banter about baseball and a whole lot more.

The slowly evolving trade and Free Agent market this off-season
Matt's assertion that Hosmer will land in St. Louis not San Diego
Why he believes the Cardinals stack up well against Cubs in '18
Are the Cardinals still a destination franchise despite Stanton saga
National view of Mike Matheny and his progression as a manager
How does he feel about rebirth of the XFL plus Vince McMahon

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Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

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Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 11 - Luke Weaver Jan 10, 2018

Show notes

This 24 year-old righty starter "arrived" in the Bigs during the Cardinals 2017 campaign. He joins Cat to discuss his breakout year, ghostly rumors, & more:

Luke's lemon tree and New Year's Eve celebration
Impulsive tweet regarding the Pitch Perfect trilogy
What clicked for him in this breakout 2017 season
How does his mindset now compare to last spring
Issues with having so many Luke's on the ball club
Takes on Flaherty, Lance Lynn & The Lizard King
Have teammates told him about the Pfister Hotel…

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The Home Loan Expert, Ryan Kelley

James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

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Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 10 - Brad Thompson Jan 03, 2018

Show notes

The former Cardinals pitcher and 2006 World Series champ is now a broadcaster for Fox Sports Midwest and 101 ESPN. Brad stopped by The Home Loan Expert studios to discuss his career and to hold Jim Hayes accountable for his tweets.

Why he doesn't like to exaggerate his Major League exploits
Brad's unconventional path to MLB and arriving with Peoria
Being mistaken for the Bat Boy after initially being called up
Brad tells us why he has an ill-fitting 2006 World Series ring
Why he ended up paying for his own Tommy John operation
What circumstances led him to work on radio and television
What's his approach for providing fair yet accurate analysis
Importance of having specifically defined roles for pitchers
Do the Cardinals need at least one more big off-season move

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The Home Loan Expert, Ryan Kelley

James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

@TheCatOnFox

Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 9 - Bo Hart Dec 27, 2017

Show notes

The former 2B thrilled Cardinals fans with an unbelievable run after being called up during the 2003 season. Now living in Memphis, he calls in to chat with Jim.

Why the story of his call-up has more details with each telling
What were the ingredients of his initial success with the Cards
Scott Rolen provides sage wisdom about dealings with media
Becoming acquainted with then Sportscenter host Dan Patrick
His disappointment with not making the 25 man roster in 2004
Trekking through the minor leagues after leaving the Cardinals
How often does he get recognized by Cardinals fans still today
The coolest pieces of memorabilia he has from his MLB career

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The Home Loan Expert, Ryan Kelley

James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

@TheCatOnFox

Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 8 - Kolten Wong Dec 20, 2017

Show notes

Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong interrupted his morning workout in Hawaii to speak with Jim Hayes about a variety of baseball and, frankly, bizarre occult topics…

Offseason activities and monitoring of Hot Stove rumors
Explaining why 2017 was a relief and growth he enjoyed
Why return of Oquendo could help make DeJong an MVP
What he makes of the team's clubhouse chemistry in 2017
A former Cardinals staff member who believes in Bigfoot
The haunted hotel in Milwaukee that spooks Yadi Molina

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James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

@TheCatOnFox

Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 7 - Randal Grichuk Dec 13, 2017

Show notes

Cardinals OF Randal Grichuk spoke with The Cat from his home in Texas about a variety of baseball and nonsensical topics, plus a special guest chimes in as well…

Should media guys address players by their nicknames
What does Randal's off-season training regimen entail
Social media usage and does he follow trade rumors
Eating habits and did he hide his candy from The Cat
The rationale behind his stint in Palm Beach last year
Real reason he was named cheapest teammate on FSM
Ghostly encounters and does Randal believe in bigfoot

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James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

@TheCatOnFox

Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 6 - Lance Lynn Dec 06, 2017

Show notes

Veteran starter Lance Lynn has pitched 7 seasons in St. Louis. Now a Free Agent, he spoke with Jim Hayes at the end of Nov 2017 about his time with the Cardinals and what's next in his Major League career. Topics of this conversation include:

The one person who feeds him nonsensical media reports
What he'd say to Giancarlo Stanton about playing in STL
Most challenging aspect of recovering from Tommy John
How pitchers like Chris Carpenter influenced his career
When and why did his personality with the media develop
The bullpen phone fiasco in Game 5 of 2011 World Series

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James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

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Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 5 - Dan McLaughlin Nov 29, 2017

Show notes

The Cat's colleague from Fox Sports Midwest joins in studio to discuss his outstanding play-by-play work for the Cardinals plus other topics including:

What occupies most of his time during the off-season
Why he's been so successful making the biggest calls
Dealing with fan and player criticism of the broadcast
Stories about traveling with The Cat on team charters
Favorite players to interact with the past two decades
The challenge of working with multiple TV analysts
His thoughts on the infamous "Caller Dan" of TMA

Please support our sponsors:

The Home Loan Expert, Ryan Kelley

James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

@TheCatOnFox

Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 4 - Matt Holliday Nov 22, 2017

Show notes

The long-time Cardinals OF and 2011 World Series champion talks with The Cat about his career in St. Louis, what's next, and more in this recent conversation:

What does he think about Jim having a podcast
How likely is Matt to play again next season
Thoughts on his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge
How challenging was it to sit at the end of last year
Why he still takes pride in having been a Cardinal
Recounting his final weekend playing in St. Louis
Interest in someday managing or broadcasting
Does he believe in the existence of extraterrestrials

Please support our sponsors:

The Home Loan Expert, Ryan Kelley

James Carlton Agency (State Farm)

Follow the show on Twitter:

@TheCatChats

@TheCatOnFox

Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes so more people can discover this new Cardinals podcast. Feedback is welcome: tmckernan@insidestl.com

Ep. 3 - Paul DeJong Nov 15, 2017

Show notes

The Cardinals shortstop and N.L. Rookie of the Year finalist recently called The Cat while spending some of his off-season in New York. Topics included: