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Yahoo Sports MLB: The Bandwagon

Dust off the bobbleheads and display your hat collection. It’s time to hop on The Bandwagon. Join Yahoo Sports’ Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer for a weekly conversation about the rapidly evolving world of baseball. From the bullpen to the front office, Hannah delivers perspectives from inside MLB organizations, and Zach goes full moneyball to provide the analytics angle as they critically dissect the stories and topics guiding baseball each week. Closing out each show, they hop on a new bandwagon and tell you the team or player for whom you should abandon your hometown allegiance and become the ultimate fair-weather fan.

Latest Episodes:

Luis Arráez, Shohei Ohtani & the future of two-way players in MLB Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer talk their way through Rob Manfred’s tone at press conferences, Shohei Ohtani’s free agency (and current season!), Luis Arráez’s incredible hitting season and a lot more on this episode of The Bandwagon.

02:30 Cardinals manager couldn’t find a bagel in NYC

06:00 Rob Manfred’s press conference

12:15 Does Las Vegas want an MLB team?

13:20 Built Different

19:30 Hannah’s Game

29:05 Shohei Ohtani & the future of two-way players

39:00 Ohtani’s free agency

45:00 BANDWAGON: Luis Arráez

Hannah kicks off the podcast with a new requirement for potential MLB managers. You should be able to find a bagel in NYC, and it is patently absurd that the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals couldn’t figure it out.

Rob Manfred had yet another press conference that pissed off baseball fans, so Hannah and Zach discuss his issue with tone and his lawyer-like mentality and how it is occasionally both good and bad for the sport.

Before picking the guys that were “Built Different” this week, Hannah wonders aloud if there are any actual baseball fans yearning for an MLB team to come to Las Vegas.

After Hannah’s Shohei Ohtani-inspired game, her and Zach discuss Ohtani’s season, his impending free agency, the playoff chances of the Los Angeles Angels, and the future of two-way players in MLB. They also explain why more two-way players don’t come through minor league systems and why Ohtani’s unique path was required for unique results.

Finally, Luis Arráez is having a marvelous hitting season with the Miami Marlins and Zach focused on him for this week’s bandwagon. Not only is Arráez currently hitting over .400, his era-adjusted hitting metrics are even better than that.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

A's are winning, Mets slumping & baseball ghosts with Michael Clair Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

Yahoo Sports' Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer discuss the latest happenings around the MLB, including Jacob DeGrom undergoing elbow surgery, the New York Mets slumping, Shohei Ohtani carrying the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland Athletics going on a winning streak. Later, they are joined by MLB.com's Michael Clair to discuss the biggest ghost stories from around the league, particularly a haunted team hotel in Milwaukee.

00:40 - Texas Rangers' Jacob DeGrom undergoes elbow surgery. DeGrom is an interesting case of what can happen when you throw at very high velocity over time. Does DeGrom deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame already, or does he have more to accomplish when he returns?

8:50 - The Mets are slumping after having lost eight of their last nine. Hannah and Zach try to determine whether the problem is a slump that the team can bounce back from, or if it's a symptom of an aging roster.

17:45 - Built Different: Zach highlights Cincinnati Reds standout Elly de la Cruz, while Hannah picks Washington Nationals prospect James Wood.

25:30 - Zach quizzes Hannah on a few of the first prospects to make it to the majors from the birth year. How many can you get right?

30:05 - MLB.com's Michael Clair joins to discuss the ghost stories swirling around the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, which has been the sight of numerous ghost sightings by MLB players and coaches staying there for road games against the Milwaukee Brewers. Michael gives detailed accounts from players and the trio discuss what to make of the reports.

46:45 - The Oakland A's are winning?? Hannah and Zach discuss how the Athletics are finally getting some wins leading up to the anticipated "reverse boycott" night against the Tampa Bay Rays, where the stadium will be packed. The hosts discuss what the reverse boycott could mean for the team and its future.

MLB’s TV plan, A-Rod’s LinkedIn, new pitch types & women’s college softball Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer go through all of the news of the day (NOTE: This podcast was recorded before the news broke about Jacob deGrom needing Tommy John surgery) before diving deep into pitch types and welcoming on Natalie Weiner to talk about the women’s college softball championship series.

00:30 Yet another A’s to Vegas update

02:45 Padres / MLB TV rights update

09:45 Aaron Judge ran through a wall

10:55 Walk-off Wild Pitch

12:55 GAME: Post-playing careers

24:00 Built Different

29:30 Pitch Types

45:00 BANDWAGON: Women’s College Softball

Hannah and Zach are back with another fun episode of The Bandwagon! They kick off the episode with an update on the Oakland A’s, whose move to Las Vegas seems to once again be stalling out. This time, they talk about what they would like the A’s to do (instead of what the A’s are currently doing).

Diamond Sports Group is going bankrupt amidst a fight over streaming broadcast rights and that’s why the San Diego Padres are now being broadcasted by MLB itself. This is good news for fans that have long wanted rid of local TV blackouts and is a sign of things to come.

Aaron Judge hurt his toe running through the Dodgers Stadium outfield and the AL Central could end up being decided by a wild pitch. Hannah and Zach touch on both of those stories before moving on to this week’s game.

While thinking about what Albert Pujols is going to do now that he’s retired from baseball, Hannah came up with a game about players who had famously different post-playing careers. Let’s see how many Zach can guess!

Hannah and Zach use the new Built Different segment to call out some preseason predictions they made that are both going well, thanks to the Diamondbacks and Rangers.

Zach has been studying pitch types, new and old, and learning everything there is to know. He gives us a peek into that very interesting topic before we welcome Natalie Weiner onto the show to preview the women’s college softball championship series between Oklahoma and Florida State.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

MLB Post-Memorial Day check-in: Are the Rangers ready to dethrone the Astros? May 30, 2023

Show notes

Some say you can't even think about MLB standings till after Memorial Day weekend. With that benchmark behind us, it's finally time to determine what's real and not so real so far this baseball season.

On this week's Bandwagon, Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer begin the pod discussing if base stealing has gotten out of control with the new rules and which mid-season returns could have the biggest impact on contending clubs.

The two then play a game of 'real or not real' on some of the biggest storylines that have developed so far this season. Keyser believes this may be the wildest and most tightly packed NL Wild Card race we've ever seen. Crizer believes the Texas Rangers are ready to dethrone the Houston Astros in the AL West.

Keyser ends by imploring managers to challenge close plays more than they're currently doing and calls out two underperforming teams in the process.

3:02 - Why the Rays-Dodgers series displayed baseball's stolen base silliness

16:14 - The Reds might have the next superstar on their hands

18:40 - Chicago White Sox's Liam Hendricks makes inspirational return

27:29 - Trivia game: Atlanta Braves Michael Soroka has been out for HOW LONG?!

34:49 - Post-Memorial day: What's real, what's not so far this MLB season?

36:45 - Real or not real: The Nationals batters leading the league in strikeout rate

43:25 - Real or not real: Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez becoming an ace*

47:24 - Real or not real: The NL Wild Card race being a logjam of mediocrity

55:23 - Real or not real: The Rangers being a threat to Astros in AL West

1:00:58 - Bandwagon: Managers need to be challenging close calls way more than they are

*Podcast recording took place prior to Rodriguez's injury update

Padres slumping, Cards’ cheeseburger phone & chatting with Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder May 23, 2023

Show notes

Hannah and Zach are back with more baseball fun and games, as well as a long conversation with Tampa Bay Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder about the frequency of pitcher injuries in today’s MLB.

01:20 Cardinals cheeseburger phone

06:50 The Padres are bad

15:00 Andrew McCutchen wants more rule changes

20:50 Hannah’s Game: Walk-up music

35:51 Tampa Bay Rays Pitching Coach Kyle Snyder

66:51 Bandwagon: Ronald Acuña Jr.

This week’s Bandwagon kicks off the best way possible: With a long conversation about the St. Louis Cardinals finding a cheeseburger phone and turning their season around in the process.

Zach argues that the San Diego Padres, the biggest disappointment in MLB as of right now, could use a cheeseburger phone of their own. Or maybe they are just lacking the depth needed to compete after making so many big trades the last few years.

Andrew McCutchen proposed another rule change, while MLB is considering rule changes, but Hannah and Zach are pretty sure they know what his motivation is for this one.

Hannah came up with a fun game about the walk-up music players use for their at-bats and coming out to pitch, and Zach learns that MLB players tell you a lot about themselves with the music that they pick.

Before Zach gets to his bandwagon of the week, this one highlighted by Ronald Acuña Jr. stealing a base after a walk, Hannah sits down for a long conversation with Tampa Bay Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder to talk about how he got into coaching and how he balances trying to get the most from his pitchers with the likelihood of them injuring themselves.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Aaron Judge’s side-eye, AL East supremacy & bandwagoning Zac Gallen May 16, 2023

Show notes

Hannah and Zach go through the news of the day, including Aaron Judge looking sideways during an at-bat and causing controversy in the process, before playing a game and then discussing how great the entire AL East has been so far this season.

01:30 Aaron Judge’s side-eye

14:05 Wilson Contreras is catching again

14:20 A’s buy (other) land in Las Vegas

16:45 ZACH’S GAME: Non-Shortstops that have played shortstop

25:40 AL East supremacy

30:15 Baltimore Orioles’ Bird Bath Splash Zone

37:00 Is it too easy to win the AL Central?

41:00 AL East predictions

44:35 BANDWAGON: Zac Gallen

49:30 What we’re watching this weekend

Hannah and Zach kick off the podcast by addressing the storm that Hannah walked into last night when she posted a gif of Aaron Judge looking out the side of his eye during an at-bat that ended in the HR. Was it cheating? What was he doing?

They quickly skip over the news of Wilson Contreras moving back to catcher and mostly dismiss the news about the Oakland A’s purchasing yet another plot of land in Las Vegas that could potentially be their future home.

Zach is intrigued by Mookie Betts playing SS for the Los Angeles Dodgers, so he quizzes Hannah on some famous non-shortstops that have played the position in the majors.

The AL East is really good. There’s an argument that the entire division is better than even the best team in the AL Central. As such, Hannah and Zach try to talk their way through the division but get distracted by “Mr. Splash” and the Baltimore Orioles’ Bird Bath Splash Zone.

Finally, Hannah’s bandwagon this week hits close to home. South Jersey’s own Zac Gallen has been bandwagoning himself, and is even better this season after being great last year, so Hannah is jumping on board and hoping that this is another Sandy Alcantara-like season in the works.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Contreras vs. Cardinals, Juan Soto’s trip to the pet store & Craig Goldstein defends umpires May 09, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Bandwagon, Hannah and Zach try and figure out how Juan Soto ended up in a Petco for his calendar shoot, explore the already tumultuous relationship between Willson Contreras and the Cardinals, and chat with Craig Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus about appreciating umpires.

00:40 Juan Soto & the fish tank

06:11 Cardinals-Wilson Contreras situation

20:00 GAME: Actually Angels or Tungsten Arm O’Doyle?

27:15 New MLB Rules / State of Play

43:15 BANDWAGON: Umpire! (feat. Craig Goldstein)

This week’s Bandwagon starts with a bang, with Hannah and Zach going deep to try and figure out how Juan Soto ended up getting his picture taken in a Petco near a fish tank for his “Padres Puppies Calendar”.

They then discuss the news of the week, which is the St. Louis Cardinals moving newly-acquired catcher Willson Contreras to the outfield and then deciding they’d rather teach him how to play catcher instead. It’s all very weird and is another bad look for the Cardinals in the midst of a bad season.

It was Hannah’s turn to come up with a game and she showed up with “Actually Angels or Tungsten Arm O’Doyle?” This game is meant to show off Zach’s memory and also the greatness of Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout (while the Los Angeles Angels struggle to win games).

A little more than a month into the regular season, Hannah and Zach look into the numbers to see if the new rules have had a huge impact on MLB and what that impact might be. Stick around for Hannah’s own ideas for new MLB rules, they’re very outside-the-box.

Finally, Baseball Prospectus Editor-in-Chief Craig Goldstein joins the show and bandwagons for umpires. Yes, baseball’s cops. Craig says they’re better than they get credit for and that we should be empowering them instead of tearing them down. It’s a controversial take, but one with some merit.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Josh Gondelman hates the Yankees, Max Scherzer hates the rain & MLB’s sticky situation May 03, 2023

Show notes

Hannah and Zach talk about Bryce Harper’s very quick return to baseball after Tommy John surgery, Max Scherzer waiting for the rain to return from suspension, and baseball’s issue with sticky stuff before chatting with writer and comedian Josh Gondelman.

01:00 Bryce Harper’s return

09:30 Jacob deGrom to the IL

13:30 The near no-hitter that nobody saw

14:10 Aaron Judge to the IL

16:20 ZACH’S GAME: Scherzer & Verlander’s award-winning teammates

25:15 MLB’s sticky stuff enforcement

45:00 Josh Gondelman on the Red Sox / Yankees rivalry

56:30 BANDWAGON: Unionizing Baseball

The Bandwagon podcast starts off with Hannah and Zach talking about Bryce Harper returning to the Philadelphia Phillies just 160 days after Tommy John surgery, setting a new MLB record, and discuss how his legacy has changed over the course of his career.

They also discuss Jacob deGrom’s trip to the IL and how he reminds them of Punxsutawney Phil (yes, the groundhog) before discussing Aaron Judge’s injury and the New York Yankees’ faulty roster construction.

Zach is enamored with just how many Cy Young Award winners Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander have had as teammates, so he made a game out of it and Hannah has to try and weed out the fake ones from the real ones.

Speaking of Max Scherzer, he’s still serving a suspension for using “sticky stuff” to help him pitch. It’s a sticky issue and one with no obvious solution, so Hannah and Zach try their best to talk through the situation and what MLB is trying to do to solve for it.

Writer and comedian Josh Gondelman joins the podcast to talk about loving the Boston Red Sox, hating the New York Yankees and the importance of unionizing for minor-league players and (maybe) MLB front offices.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

The (Las Vegas?) A’s, promising young Pirates & Orioles’ team celebrations Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

00:45 - Pirates extend OF Bryan Reynolds

11:00 - Drew Smyly lost his perfect game after being tackled by his catcher

14:20 - Sticky stuff! Max Scherzer & David Cone

20:30 - HANNAH’S GAME: The 1st month of the MLB season

28:20 - DISCUSSION: The Oakland A’s buy land in Las Vegas

48:30 - BANDWAGON: Baltimore Orioles’ team celebrations

Hannah and Zach talk their way through some (surprisingly) good news for a Pittsburgh Pirates team that is seeing results from building a young core of solid players and extending them before catching up on Drew Smyly’s lost perfect game and the stickiness of rosin (as demonstrated by David Cone).

After the news, Hannah has come up with a game to show that April results are both valuable and not valuable at all. Zach is surprisingly good at it.

Dan Moore, who has recently written about the Oakland A’s pursuit of a stadium (both in the Bay Area and now in Las Vegas), joins the show and talks about the long journey it has been for fans of the team and where they might actually end up playing (long-term and short-term).

Finally, Zach decided this week to bandwagon the very fun team celebrations that the Baltimore Orioles have displayed this season. First, there was the “dong bong”. Now, they have unveiled “the sprinkler” for guys hitting doubles with men on base. This is wildly entertaining, every team should do it, and it’s just one more reason to watch the young Orioles team.

Referenced in this episode:

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Tatis Jr. set to return, the Rays’ winning streak is over & a possum in Oakland Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

02:45 - Fernando Tatis Jr. set to return

07:00 - Juan Soto and the Padres lineup order

16:00 - Oakland’s possum & MLB animals

26:50 - The Rays winning streak is over (but did it mean anything?)

53:40 - Bandwagon: Toronto Blue Jays

67:10 - Mets, Angels calling up top prospects

Several players will be joining MLB teams in the coming week, including Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. and a couple of top prospects for the Mets and Angels. Hannah and Zach talk their way through that news while also spending quite a bit of time talking about MLB animals (thanks to the possum living in the A’s ballpark), the no-longer-streaking Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays, who have a very bright future ahead.

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