New Cardinals reliever Andrew Kittredge, less than 72 hours after the trade that brought him from Tampa Bay to St. Louis, talks with the Best Podcast in Baseball and host Derrick Goold about the move, and why it wasn't entirely unexpected. Kittredge also details the slider that got him to the majors, and how the Rays and their creative and collaborative pitching culture accelerated his career and gave him the opportunity to pitch in the majors, in high-leverage situations, in the playoffs, and in the All-Star Game. Kittredge details his approach to pitching and dives into some of the analytics behind his pitch use. During the podcast, the Cardinals readied to announce Chaim Bloom as a new advisor within the front office, and Kittredge discusses how Bloom played a big part in bringing him to the Rays. Kittredge joined the BPIB from Washington and while he did not sport the beard he often does on the mound, he did wear a Huskies cap as the NCAA national championship football game approached. So, of course, the hat and lack of a beard is discussed. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and baseball writer Derrick Goold.

It's the Best Podcast in Baseball Holiday Episode: Part 2. Comedian Greg Warren, an All-American wrestler at Mizzou, considers a question posed by Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson: What current Cardinal would make the best wrestler? The physical skills and mental strength necessary propels the discussion in this is second part of the holiday BPIB, recorded at Sunday Best, a restaurant in St. Louis' Central West End. BPIB host and baseball writer Derrick Goold poses the question about holiday shopping for Cardinals fans and whether the timing of the Cardinals' moves have as much to do with their criticism as the actual moves themselves. Warren's new special, The Salesman, is available on YouTube, and he will appear at the Funny Bone in St. Charles in April. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

It's the Best Podcast in Baseball Holiday Episode: Part 1. Comedian Greg Warren, a St. Louis native and devoted Cardinals fan, took over as entertainment for his friends at ballgames this past year when the results on the field were hardly a laughing matter. If that meant waving off the t-shirt slingshot or spiking his hat in frustration when the ball wasn't under the cap he guessed, then so be it. Warren, whose new special 'The Salesman' is available on YouTube, joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson and baseball writer Derrick Goold at Sunday Best, a restaurant in St. Louis' Central West End, to discuss his beloved Cardinals, what it's like being a fan this winter after a 91-loss season, and much much more, including the nightmare of seeing an actual can of corn hurtling toward you in right field. Part 2 of the discussion will appear shortly after this one drops. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

The Cardinals have 11 World Series titles, most in the National League. Just ask them. But the Dodgers are coming for that crown the Cardinals cling to -- only four behind with 10 years of Shohei Ohtani ahead. "That's the mission statement," says Los Angeles Times baseball writer Bill Shaikin as he joins the Best Podcast in Baseball from the epicenter of Major League Baseball's biggest news of the offseason. Ohtani, the best player in baseball and a two-way superstar unlike any before him, agreed to a radical, record-setting contract that both made him the highest-paid professional athlete ever and also deferred so much money that he will be one of the lowest-paid players on the Dodgers. How is this possible? When is $700 million not really $700 million? Shaikin, who covers the business of baseball for the LA Times and has covered MLB for decades, discusses this with BPIB host and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

The Cardinals entered the offseason with optimism they could make American League Cy Young Award runnerup Sonny Gray a compelling offer to come to St. Louis and lead, from the mound and clubhouse, a revamped rotation. In the span of 3 minutes, 9 seconds -- which you'll hear in this brand new episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball -- Gray revealed what the Cardinals saw in him and what he saw in the Cardinals that forged a three-year, $75-million guarantee that gives the veteran right-hander a chance to become the team's first $100-million free agent pitcher. KMOX/1120 AM's Kevin Wheeler pinch-hits as the host for this episode and joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss whether Gray is an ace, whether Gray is enough, and whether the Cardinals have earned a sunnier outlook already for 2024. Also discussed: The need for two relievers to really retool the pitching staff and the art of one-knee-down catching. It radically changed a young prospects place within the Cardinals' organization and put him on the brink of the majors. What does that mean for the defensive ability of the three catchers -- starter Willson Contreras, backup Ivan Herrera, and prospect Pedro Pages -- currently on the Cardinals' 40-man roster after Andrew Knizner was permitted to become a free agent. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

When it comes to the Cardinals' needs for pitching, this is not the offseason to fixate on one name or one solutions, argues St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson. This is the winter to deal in volume -- most Costco, less Hublot. Frederickson takes over hosting duties for a brand new BPIB featuring Derrick Goold, the usual host and usual Post-Dispatch baseball writer. The two writers discuss the pitching options for the Cardinals, the pitching approaches, and just what Cardinals officials mean when they talk about adding "2 1/2 pitchers." What's a half pitcher? Why is it taking so long for the market to move? Goold offers the view of the Cardinals from the GM Meetings, where the industry noted how motivated the Cardinals and executive John Mozeliak appear to be and how the Cardinals and ownership must still prove they're willing to back that motivation with the finances necessary to be a player in the free-agent marketplace for pitchers. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold, who is gradually getting his voice back.

What has to happen for the 2023 World Series to put an exclamation point on a remarkable year for Major League Baseball and its new rules to invigorate (and shorten!) the game? Well, it starts with Arizona. Texas Monthly contributor and longtime baseball writer Richard Justice joins the Best Podcast in Baseball and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss the two teams headed to face each other in the World Series: Does the Texas Rangers and their mighty (expensive) lineup have staying power? Are the surprise Arizona Diamondbacks the produce of the new rules? Justice details how D-Backs rookie Corbin Carroll has the ability to become a World Series star due to his knack for disrupting teams -- and, yes, MLB's new rules make that more possible than in recent Octobers. Justice and Goold also discuss two of the oldest pitching coaches in the game leading their staffs to pennants and what that says about the importance of trust in an industry driven by cold, hard analytics. And, speaking of trust, has the vibrancy of the game and enjoyable postseason meant Commission Rob Manfred, who championed and orchestrated the new rules, has earned some? Or, are Arizona and Texas still just playing for a "piece of metal." The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of StlToday.com, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Derrick Goold. 

Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies are putting the PH in fun once again this October, right down to his Phanatic cleats, a teammate's foul mouth, and a fun-filled, phenomenal atmosphere at home games. If more players in 2024 don't use walk-up songs that invite crowd participation, that's not A-Oh, A-OK. How can the Cardinals capture what the Phillies have on the field -- and is there something they can take away from another October run by the Phillies? Even literally? New York Times bestselling author Tyler Kepner, now a national baseball writer for The Athletic, rejoins the podcast to discuss his recent article that is an appreciation of Phillies' right-hander Aaron Nola, a free-agent this winter. Kepner and BPIB host Derrick Goold also discuss a trend in pitching and whether or not it should be concerning, and just how far the Cardinals must go to close the gap on NL standouts. Kepner makes the point that the Cardinals may be squandering the peaks of two all-time greats in the same way some haloed American League club did. The Best Podcast in Baseball, brought to you by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of StlToday.com, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and baseball writer Derrick Goold. 

News team, assemble! The Post-Dispatch's baseball writing team gathers to discuss what moves the Cardinals can make quickly and need to make assuredly to race away from the results of 2023 and toward a better 2024. Lynn Worthy explores his first year on the baseball beat at StlToday.com and the Post-Dispatch, and Daniel Guerrero relies on his expertise about the minor-league system to first detail a statistics change and then map where prospects can help, and how soon. Worthy and Guerrero gathered with colleague and baseball writer Derrick Goold, host of the Best Podcast in Baseball, to discuss how the Cardinals got stuck in the muck of a 91-loss season, but more importantly -- how and how quickly they can move out of it once the offseason begins. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

Entering September, the Cardinals had an offense that ranked in the top eight in the majors, was producing runs 7% better than the average lineup, and that was with two of its centerpieces struggling. They had the bats to carry a contender. Their arms let them down. The solution is obvious, to quote an executive: "Pitching. Pitching. Pitching." That does not make easy. Frequent contributor Kevin Wheeler, part of the The Dave Glover Show on KMOX/1120 AM, joins the BPIB to discuss the fallout from the 2023 season and the pitching plans that will create a quick turnaround for 2024. He also discusses the defensive spectrum and tries to stay one step ahead of BPIB host, St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. Welcome to the offseason.

As the minor-league season nears its end -- some Cardinals affiliates are in the postseason, others are completing their schedule -- a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball discusses the performances at every level and "leapers" who have bounded into the conversation for top-prospect rankings with their production in 2023. Daniel Guerrero, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer and beat writer for the minor-league system, details what players have made an impression on him and where significant strides must still be made within the system. Prospects discussed include Thomas Saggese, Victor Scott II, Tekoah Roby, Ian Bedell, Chase Davis, Won-Bin Cho, Edwin Nunez, Gordon Graceffo, and several more. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Lous Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and its host, Derrick Goold. 

As they meander to their first losing season since 2007, the Cardinals have identified a shopping list for the 2023-24 offseason. To quote the executive who will lead the spree: "Pitching. Pitching. Pitching." John Mozeliak said it thrice on purpose. They intend to add three pitchers from the outside. Will that be enough? Who better to ask than Gordon Wittenmyer, the longtime baseball writer and first-year Reds beat writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer. He covered the Cubs at the start of the season and now is on the daily beat as the Reds make a push for a playoff berth. Both teams are ahead of the Cardinals in the standings. Is there one move that the Cardinals can make to retake control of the NL Central, and what is the move that could give the other teams, like Milwaukee, a longer rain. Is the answer for each team the same -- pitching, pitching, pitching? A brand new Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is produced by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

So, how did the Cardinals do at the deadline with their acquisition of handfuls of minor-league pitchers? Smart, wrong, or lucky? Maybe a bit of all three. MLB Pipeline prospect guru Jonathan Mayo joins a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss the Cardinals new additions and his new book, 'Smart, Wrong, and Lucky: The Origin Stories of Baseball's Unexpected Stars.' He details which one the Cardinals were when they selected Albert Pujols in the 13th round. Mayo shares stories about teams scouting Pujols as a Missouri high schooler and for a Kansas City-area junior college, and how at least one team forever changed how it runs a draft because it missed on Pujols. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

What happens when a team that prides itself on always been a contender turns the final two months of the regular season into extended spring training? That's what the Cardinals are going to find out. After the Cardinals' latest drubbing by the New York Mets at Busch Stadium, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson takes over a brand new BPIB and talks with host and baseball writer Derrick Goold about the trouble with trying to have it both ways -- keeping the sense of urgency to win while also auditioning young players for future roles and accepting their growing pains. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

On the same night Matthew Liberatore makes his first start against Tampa Bay, the team that identified his talent and drafted him 16th overall in the 2018 draft, the Best Podcast in Baseball visits with Tampa Bay Times' baseball writer Marc Topkin, the longtime baseball writer who covered big-league baseball in this area before there was a big-league team. With BPIB host Derrick Goold, Topkin details how the Rays have rebuilt, replenished, and retooled a pitching staff each year to contend in the robust American League East. Can the Cardinals as they revamp their rotation learn anything from the Rays' commitment to pitching and willingness to experiment? The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In a game that started on Sept. 11, 1974, the Cardinals beat the Mets 4-3 in the longest non-tie game in Major League history. Here is our original report from that game.

The Futures Game is approaching and with it the 2023 MLB Draft -- which gives BPIB an excuse to discuss if any talent is racing the Cardinals way and whether it's possible they run the table on their 2020 draft picks. (They won't.) It also is a chance for the Best Podcast in Baseball to introduce a new, regular feature for the podcast: Expanded coverage of the Cardinals minor-league system with St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Daniel Guerrero, co-host of the former BPIB spin-off shot, Best Podcast in the Minors. Guerrero joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss Tink Hence and Victor Scott II representing the Cardinals at the 2023 Futures Game in Seattle, and revisit some past draft selections, including how bountiful the 2020 draft could be. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

From Mondo Beer + Pizza on the southbank of the Thames, a 5-minute walk from Shakespeare's Globe Theater on one side and London Bridge on the other, the Best Podcast in Baseball visits with Cardinals and baseball fans in London to discuss how they became Cardinals fans and how they chase the game with the time zones against them. You'll hear from, in order, Scott Seamons, Matt Benson, and Russell Eassom, one of the hosts of the podcast Bat Flips & Nerds, a UK-based baseball podcast. It's not Mark Twain, an Missouri innocent abroad, but there is witty banter. Promise. They talk with BPIB host and baseball writer Derrick Goold over pints about what the London Series could mean for baseball's profile in Britain. We also learn some new words. The podcast was organized with the help of the founders of Mondo Brewing in London. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

What begins with KMOX/1120AM broadcaster Kevin Wheeler's disclosure that he's fascinated by aliens and perhaps Bigfoot turns into a discussion about something that is just as elusive to see at this point: The Cardinals' chances of contending in 2023. Wheeler joins Best Podcast in Baseball host and baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss areas where the Cardinals have seen erosion, from defense to development, and whether there is enough time left on the schedule, talent in the system, and depth on the roster to pull off one of the biggest turnarounds ever by a Cardinals team. And who has to lead it. Sasquatch isn't walking through the door. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

Cincinnati Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz, less than a week into his big-league career and already a certified sensation, makes his first visit to St. Louis for his first series against an NL Central rival. And he just might tilt the race in a division where no team has stood out, and the favorite to win, the Cardinals, has been down at the bottom. The Athletic baseball writer C. Trent Rosecrans rejoins BPIB to discuss the Cruz Factor, the awe other big-leaguers have in the 6-foot-5 shortstop who is hitting cleanup for the Reds, and whether a weekend series at Busch Stadium comes at a time when Cincinnati is heading up in the division race and the Cardinals are trying to stop sinking from contention. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closet by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

Note: The planned Best Podcast in Baseball episode with author Will Leitch, of New York Magazine and MLB.com, begins at 18:20. While recording a conversation with Leitch about his new novel, the cameo in it by the Cardinals, and his beginnings as a sportswriter, Best Podcast in Baseball host Derrick Goold had to step aside to write a tribute and obituary for Hall of Fame journalist and longtime St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Rick Hummel. This episode begins with a memorial of Hummel from two people have shared a page in the newspaper with him -- one for a brief wonderful time as a Cardinals fan and forever reader of the Post-Dispatch and the other for 20 years as a colleague and sidekick at the ballpark. The previously recorded episode about Leitch's new novel, how sports writing influences his storytelling, and his view of the 2023 Cardinals, Willson Contreras, and if the recent upswing in their success is real -- or, like any novel, a red herring. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Sit back and let Rick Hummel spin a yarn. In 2021, as Rick Hummel celebrated his 50th year at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and neared what would be the 41st of 42 consecutive Major League Baseball All-Star Games, the giant of baseball journalism was a guest on the Best Podcast in Baseball. Few writers appeared as often or were quoted as much on the podcast through its first decade, and it is an honor to represent this episode. From earlier: What started at a bicycle race and put him on the road with the Cardinals and in an elevator with the champ continues today in a press box carrying his name: Rick Hummel. The Hall of Fame baseball writer and member of just about every Hall of Fame for sports and sportswriting in the greater St. Louis area, Hummel began his career at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch 50 years ago this July 3. And he hasn't stopped. He'll cover his 41st Major League Baseball All-Star Game that same month and be back on the road to Pittsburgh soon after that. In a brand new edition of the Best Podcast in Baseball, recorded in the Bob Broeg/Rick Hummel press box at Busch Stadium, baseball writer Derrick Goold talks to his longtime colleague about his favorite stories, how his writing as changed, and just what changes the 2021 Cardinals need to break loose from the middle of the standings and .500. The Best Podcast Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

In a first for the Best Podcast in Baseball, digital baseball producer Carter Chapley joins the show to introduce a new format. Chapley takes reader questions from the STLToday.com Monday live chats and asks lead baseball writer Derrick Goold. This week, the questions highlight the Cardinals' need to sign a pitcher, the Cardinals way and the future of business in baseball. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of StlToday.com, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Derrick Goold.

Where better to go for background and informed viewpoints on the Cardinals decision to reduce All-Star catcher Willson Contreras' time behind the plate than to two of the people who covered him the longest as the man behind the mask for the World Series champion Cubs? Patrick Mooney, baseball writer at The Athletic, and Gordon Wittenmyer, longtime Cubs beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere, join the Best Podcast in Baseball, hosted by St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold, to discuss the Cardinals' choice, how the Cubs developed and managed Contreras at catcher, and how this while kerfuffle feels familiar around Wrigley Field, like a Cubby Occurrence. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of StlToday.com, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Derrick Goold.

About to start a long road trip out west, the Cardinals have already encountered some jarring potholes at the beginning of their season, from a split series vs. Pittsburgh to a botched series opener vs. Arizona. Pitching is the leading culprit. The rotation's contribution of two quality starts in the first 17 games has compromised a bullpen. The recent handling of Jordan Hicks spotlights another question: How and why have the Cardinals struggled recently to develop pitching, particularly power pitching? Alex Reyes is gone having never reached his potential. Dakota Hudson is in Class AAA looking for his. Hicks is in a mopup spot. And now Andre Pallante is optioned. With highway traffic as both a soundtrack and a metaphor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss the speed bumps behind and the road ahead. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

The season-opening home stand ended with sweep by Atlanta and the first true stress tests of the Cardinals -- one long predicted and the other completely unexpected. Once the cars had been returned to their sales lots and the Clydesdales to their stable, the Cardinals flashed a deep, persistent offense, as advertised. Jordan Walker, the 20-year-old rookie, punctuated his strong debut with his first career MLB homer. The Cardinals also had abbreviated, choppy, and messy starts from the rotation. The Cardinals leave for their first road trip of the season with rotation ERA higher than 7.00. They allowed 42 hits, and that includes five no-hit innings from Jack Flaherty. And that's not the only question lurking. Manager Oliver Marmol questioned Tyler O'Neill's effort on a pivotal play that yielded an out at the plate, and O'Neill was not in the lineup for the series finale vs. Atlanta. O'Neill defended himself, insisting it was not a lack of hustle, and he's eager to prove differently. It's not the first time Marmol has questioned a player's effort publicly, but it is the first time this season and it's earlier than ever, leading to a two-pronged test of the Cardinals: Who will lead the rotation through turbulence, and how will the clubhouse react to the O'Neill decision? St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joins baseball writer Derrick Goold at Busch Stadium to discuss. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

The pitch clock introduced this year by Major League Baseball has the potential to radically change the pace of games, the pulse of pitchers, and even how games are covered by broadcasters. Who better to talk about it than a former pitcher who is now a broadcaster -- and never had an issue working fast? Brad Thompson, Bally Sports Midwest color commentator and a regularly contributor to 101.1 FM/WXOS in St. Louis, joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to talk about the rule changes from a pitcher's perspective and how the countdown might stress relievers and alter the effectiveness of pitches. Thompson also discusses his own spring training experience as an example of how a player can make an impression on the back fields and ride that to the majors. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of StlToday.com, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and its host, baseball writer Derrick Goold.

Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn have been standouts of the Cardinals' spring training, and there have been other young players who have impressed. But if spring training has been a showcase for the future of the Cardinals, what about the present and the pressure to compete for a World Series championship now? Tom Ackerman, sports director at KMOX/1120 AM, joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss what he's seen so far in spring training from the young players and what that means for the window to contend with a powerful nucleus of Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt. Is this collection of standout players in jeopardy of falling short what other strong cores have accomplished in St. Louis? The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.com, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Entering spring training, the Cardinals promised competition. No really this time. Seriously. And maybe top prospect Jordan Walker is an example why. Manager Oliver Marmol and John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, acknowledged that in past springs they've said there is competition but they start February with an idea of the roster. Actions are going to have to say otherwise this spring. St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports Ben Frederickson makes the case that there is competition this spring, while baseball writer Derrick Goold suggests it's the same verse, different spring. They've had competition in the spring before and yet find themselves circling back to the same situation. They perpetually open up ways for young players in the outfield, and annually look to the next generation to seize the job the previous players with opportunity did not. Walker could flip the script, and he is off to a powerful start. And he's not alone. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

In his new book 'Winning Fixes Everything,' author Evan Drellich details the corporate culture that led to the Houston Astros sign-stealing quagmire and probes how many of the leading executives got their start in baseball with the Cardinals. Drellich joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss new insight into the hacking scandal that will forever bind the Astros and Cardinals, the baseball operations approach that former Cardinals exec Jeff Luhnow created in Houston, and how organizational arrogance may have led to negligence. Drellich, a senior writer at The Athletic who along with Ken Rosenthal broke the story on Houston's trashcan caper during the 2017 season, explores the reporting on that story and the fallout from it, including how baseball clubs are reluctant to talk about their "trade secrets" and why that's bad for the game, bad for storytelling, and yet ignored because without the sign-stealing the Astros' winning would have lacquered over everything. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

One of the game's greatest bards and gentleman, Tim McCarver made his big-league debut at 17, played for the Cardinals, won with the Cardinals, and in his final tour as a Hall of Fame broadcaster returned to the Cardinals to call games. McCarver died Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. He was 81. Back in May 2016, while on a road trip to Washington, McCarver sat in the stands with St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to talk about his return, the role John Mozeliak played in it, and why there is still power in storytelling in baseball, even in a world accelerated by Twitter. This is a special rebroadcast of that episode that first aired May 31, 2016. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Recorded in Jupiter, Fla., on the eve of the Cardinals' opening their 2023 spring training with the first official workouts, the 11th season of the Best Podcast in Baseball begins as it traditionally does: with 10 (or so) questions facing the Cardinals as spring blooms. St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold and sports columnist Benjamin Hochman go question by question in a preview of the decisions and dilemmas welcoming the Cardinals to Florida, from who plays center field to who wins lefty relief roles in the bullpen, who can make the most of the World Baseball Classic opportunity to what to make of prospect Jordan Walker's chances. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. When Lou Brock first came to the Cardinals in 1964, a lot of St. Louis fans were unsure about the trade. But he made a splash in his first game with the Cardinals. Today we go to June 16, 1964, when Brock made a great first impression, and Ken Boyer hit for the cycle.

After a discussion of Scott Rolen's election to the Hall of Fame and the coming parade of third basemen to Cooperstown, the Best Podcast in Baseball dives into a topic looming (huge) on the horizon. As spring training nears, one of the biggest storylines in Major League Baseball is how the game will be played. The bigger story may be how the game is watched. There are rising issues with the current broadcast model. Streaming has to modernize. And the gambling industry is becoming a major presence in professional sports -- and could be at any point for the teams in Missouri. That means betting, even micro-betting on individual pitch outcomes, could be part of the near future. There's a lot of money at stake. To make sense of this, Mark Saxon, baseball writer and former Cardinals beat writer and now reporter at Better Collectiv, joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss how the increasing presence of the gaming industry at games and on broadcasts of games will shape how fans watch games and how reporters cover the games. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Another year, another Hall of Fame debate. Each winter, the Hot Stove gives way to the Hall of Fame, and while there is a limited number of voters, there are numerous opinions for how they should vote. Continuing an annual episode here at Best Podcast in Baseball, host and baseball writer Derrick Goold discusses his ballot for the 2023 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductions -- the votes, the close calls, the concerns, and hopefully the consistently. Kevin Wheeler, host of drive time at KMOX/1120 AM, joins to share the ballot he put together for MLB Network Radio and quiz Goold on his choices with both questions and criticisms. A crux of the conversation is what to do with great players who were suspended for positive PED tests and whether it's possible to be a fan of a small Hall but a voter with a big ballot. Closing out its 10th year, the Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of StlToday.com, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Derrick Goold. 

In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. On June 10, 1944, 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall became the youngest person ever to play Major League Baseball when he pitched in a game for the Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals pounded out 21 hits and walked 14 times in the 18-0 victory, including five runs off Nuxhall.

The New Year begins on the baseball beat at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch with a major acquisition -- Lynn Worthy, the former Royals beat writer for the Kansas City Star and a veteran baseball writer with years of experience covering minor-league ball, joins the Post-Dispatch and StlToday.com constant Cardinals coverage at the beginning of the 2023 season. In St. Louis to meet with other baseball writers (and scout out a place to live), Worthy joins baseball writer Derrick Goold on the Best Podcast in Baseball to talk about how he became a baseball fan, how he became a fan of baseball writer, his time playing football in college, and what appeals to him about coming to St. Louis and plunging into the Cardinals beat. Alas, the days of long debates about double switches in the Busch Stadium press box are over. But there is something that St. Louis assures that Worthy is eager to see. Oh, and there's talk about St. Louis pizza. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StLToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Looking ahead to 2023 with Kevin Wheeler, of KMOX/1120 AM, and how what must happen for the Cardinals to challenge for a championship in the next year has its roots in one of the most remarkable things to happen in the past year. The biggest story of 2022 for the St. Louis Cardinals was an obvious one: Albert Pujols' homecoming and successful quest for 700 home runs. So captivating was Pujols' second half production that it surpassed an MVP season from Paul Goldschmidt and a division title as the leading highlight of 2022, but it leaves the Cardinals with a strikingly familiar offseason question: How do they fill Pujols production? It's 2011 all over again. Except it's not. It's 2022, and this is Steve Cohen's National League. The Mets' owner stunned Major League Baseball by continuing his free-spending and reportedly signing Carlos Correa to a massive, $300-million deal shortly after a massive, $300-million deal with San Francisco Giants dissolved due to the physical. This podcast was recorded before that news. But the comments and evaluations still apply. Just change the teams. And heighten the description of the Mets' spending.  The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Keith Costas, a senior researcher at MLB Network and part of the network's weekday morning 'Hot Stove' show, visits the South Grand neighborhood in St. Louis for a slice of pizza, a cup of coffee, and a conversation about the Cardinals' pitching and their place in the National League. Costas, a St. Louis native, joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to also talk about their first visits to ballparks, their fascination with robust spending by National League pennant favorites, and how fans can tell the difference between offseason speculation and entertainment for what teams should or could do and reporting on what teams will do. Costas also introduces the podcast to the term "aircraft carriers" and it will be used regularly henceforth. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Willson Contreras, a three-time All-Star and long-time Chicago Cub, joins the Cardinals, ready, he says, the takeover for Yadier Molina at catcher and possibly hit fifth, where Albert Pujols last did. No pressure, right? How the Cardinals went from exploring trades to committing nearly $100 million to Contreras at catcher is the subject of a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball, featuring St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson and baseball writer Derrick Goold. The two discuss the ways Contreras impressed the Cardinals, the first impression he made at his press conference, and how he changes the look of the team, from behind the plate as well as at the plate. There is also a brief tangent on how pitch-framing isn't going anywhere in baseball, even with an automated strike zone. What the signing means for the Cardinals and what the Cardinals must do next is also covered. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. On May 2, 1954, baseball's "Perfect Knight" sent three baseballs over the wall at Busch Stadium in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Giants. Stan Musial munched on a sandwich between games, washed it down with a glass of milk, then went out and hit two more in the nightcap. Never considered a prototypical slugger, Musial became the first player in major-league history to club five homers in a doubleheader. Modest to a fault, Musial said afteward: "I still can't believe it. You mean real sluggers like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ralph Kiner — men like them — never hit five homers in a doubleheader?" Nope. Eighteen years later, San Diego's Nate Colbert duplicated the feat with five homers in a twin bill in Atlanta on Aug. 1, 1972. Here's the rest of the story: Colbert, a St. Louis native and Sumner High graduate, was in the stands as an eight-year-old that day in 1954 when Musial hit his five at Busch.

In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Don Denkinger didn’t have the cushion of an instant-replay review on that October night when the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning at Royals Stadium, just three outs away from the championship. Pinch-hitter Jorge Orta led off with a slow bouncer to the right side. First baseman Jack Clark ranged wide to field the ball and flipped a high throw to reliever Todd Worrell covering the bag. Orta was still in the air on his final stride when the ball beat him by a half-step. Denkinger recounted he was standing too close to the play — by the time he saw Worrell catch the ball and looked down, Orta’s foot was on the base. Denkinger ruled him safe. “I wish I would’ve gotten it right,” he said. “But I didn’t.” The rest, as Denkinger said, is part of baseball lore.

The Best Podcast in the Minors, the weekly show produced for StlPinchHits.com, invited Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to talk about the minors, review the season, and discuss development within the Cardinals system. In other words: Crossover podcast! BPIB is proud to give its listeners a peek at its cousin podcast, available at StlToday.com's StlPinchHits, and the conversations co-hosts Daniel Guerrero and Carter Chapley have weekly. In 30 episodes this past summer, they've had on coaches and prospects and given updates on top performers throughout the Cardinals' organization. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

What does it take to turn a World Series or a World Series champion into a Fall Classic? Well, Lance Berkman sure helps. New York Times national baseball columnist and New York Times bestselling author Tyler Kepner joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss his new book, "The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series." In it, Kepner plunges into the stories generated by World Series, revealing the history of Major League Baseball's championship through themes and personalities, not a linear retracing of box scores. With Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold, Kepner discusses the Cardinals prominent place in World Series history, how this year's Astros fit with the all-time World Series teams and tales, and what to make of Jeff Luhnow's influence over their run of pennants under the shadow of a sign-stealing scandal. Oh, and Berkman's role in the 2011 World Series is not to be overlooked. Plus, stay to hear Kepner capture the risk the Cardinals run of not responding to fan pressure and then wow with one of his talents -- instant recall of the final outs of World Series. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

Should the Cardinals roll the dice on Willson Contreras? Should they hold to their defensive wishes at catcher? NBC Sports Chicago baseball writer Gordon Wittenmyer joins St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss the direction the Cardinals could go at catcher, including the former Cubs backstop. Plus, a discussion on NL Central competition and rising payrolls, and how the Cardinals can aim higher than a division chocked with rebuilding teams. They can play at the $25 tables. Oh, and Wittenmyer plays the slots. Whether it was the setting (Las Vegas), the proximity to the World Series, or the firsrt chance for executives and agents to meet after the cancellation of the 2021 MLB Winter Meetings, this year's GM Meetings had a different vibe. It was active. Or, at least, it felt like a prelude to action. The Cardinals went looking for options at catcher, and came away with a better sense of the trade market and a conversation with at least the representatives for free-agent Christian Vazquez. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

In this bonus episode of the Best Podcast in Baseball, we bring you PlayBacks, an audio series that brings to life the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It was at Ebbets Field and with begrudging respect that Brooklyn Dodgers fans began referring to Musial as "The Man." 

When asked at the end-of-season preview/review press conference whether he had any frustration with the Cardinals lack of wins and appearances in the National League Championship Series since 2014, John Mozeliak pushed back: "That's your narrative," the president of the baseball operations told St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Benjamin Hochman. So, let's discuss narrative. In a brand new edition of the Best Podcast in Baseball, Hochman joins baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss the facts behind his "narrative" and what Mozeliak's comments about adding a catcher, adding a bat, and adding payroll say about the Cardinals' willingness to augment their time-tested strategy in order to hang with the high-spending contenders in the National League. One answer? Add a "shirsey-seller," says Hochman. That is a player who will sell merchandise the day after he joins the team. Is there a "shirsey worthy" player out there? BPIB takes a look before concluding with a conversation about the coming changes at coaches and whether it's a trend that should alarm the Cardinals. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.  

What begins as an analogy for how a new rule punishes a team and players who use data, savvy, and athleticism to find an edge jumps into a much larger discussion on how a game guided by huge sample sizes tries to entertain on the small scale. Kevin Wheeler, co-host of The Show midday on KMOX/1120 AM, joins the Best Podcast in Baseball and baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss the new rules that Major League Baseball will have for 2023. Which one is substantive? Which one is creative? Which one is cosmetic, at best? And what rule would make more of an impact. Also discussed is the beauty of baseball's "sustained tension" and how anecdotal style -- what a fan sees that one game they attend or 20 games they watch on TV -- maybe more valuable for selling the game than what two lifelong baseball think when focusing on the larger season. A new way to sell the game is also discussed, but is it snappy enough? The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.

A season that contained such wonder (Albert Pujols' 700th home run) and such unexpected storylines (Albert Pujols' 700th home run) finished where so many seasons have recently for the Cardinals -- flat. Swept out of the postseason by the lower-seeded Philadelphia Phillies, at home, the Cardinals have an early start on the postseason. But will it be any different? Must it be? The retirement of Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols leave the Cardinals with significant holes to fill -- on the field, in the clubhouse, and as part of the offense. St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joins a brand new Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss with baseball writer and host Derrick Goold what went awry in the National League Wild Card series, what separates the 100-win behemoths in the National League from the Cardinals, and what to do next, other than just wait and "hope-cast." The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold. 

"And there isn't a Chris Carpenter walking through the door." A playoff preview with KMOX/1120 AM host Kevin Wheeler and St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold. After 11 years, the Philadelphia Phillies are back in the playoffs and awaiting them -- why it's the same team that eliminated them in 2011 and changed the course of that franchise. The Cardinals welcome the Phillies for a best-of-three wild-card series all played at Busch Stadium in the first weekend of Major League Baseball's expanded postseason. Wheeler and Goold discuss the top-end pitching edge the Phillies have with tandem right-handed aces and whether the Cardinals can counter with pitching depth. What are the matchups to watch? And what brutal rounds await the team that advances with Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers looming as some of the best teams the NL has seen since, well, that 2011 Phillies team was really good, too. The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. Louis, is a production of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, StlToday.com, and Derrick Goold.