Running the Bases

“Loserville” Author Clayton Trutor, Plus an Atlanta Braves Victory Lap! (12/20/21) – Podcast

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Author Clayton Trutor joins Tucker and Coach to talk about his new book “Loserville: How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta – and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports.” In the time period between the early 1960s through the late 1970s in Atlanta, city government and local business leadership created the mold for bringing sports franchises to a new city (4:51). A cautionary tale of “Too Much, Too Soon”, Clayton examines the circumstances and actions that led to Atlanta having zero major professional sports teams to all four in less than a decade (31:20). The lack of success and support gave Atlanta the moniker of “Loserville”, a struggle later experienced in cities like Phoenix, Tampa and San Diego (39:53). Finally, Tucker and Coach take a long overdue victory lap on the Braves’ improbable 2021 World Series Championship (54:46).

Pre-order your copy of “Loserville” on Amazon. Available everywhere books are sold February 1st, 2022.

RTB 2021 MLB Season Preview (4/01/21) – Podcast

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Coach and Tucker preview the 2021 MLB Season: Predictions for every team in every division, starting in the AL West (2:38) where the villain Astros are favored once again. Is this make or break time for the Angels and Trout? Can the A’s pull out another moneyball trip to October? The AL Central (9:58) features a stacked White Sox team, and a Twins team ready to go toe-to-toe with the South-Siders. In the AL East (17:57), it is once again the Yankees to lose, but you can’t count out the Rays.

In the National League, the Dodgers and Padres are the class of baseball in the West (30:21), and might be the best present-day rivalry in baseball. The Cardinals are loaded in the NL Central (39:52), but start the year with serious pitching issues. The Brewers may have the best manager in baseball, and could grab hold with a hot start. Finally, the strongest division in baseball in the NL East (51:53), where the top four (Braves, Mets, Phillies, Nationals) could finish in any order. All the individual awards and postseason predictions for both leagues, everything from Opening Day until the end of October.

2021 Baseball is Here! Plus, Remembering “The Hammer” and Surviving the 2020 Season (2/19/21) – Podcast

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Available on Spotify

Running the Bases is back for the 2021 season! Out of the box, Coach and Tucker look forward to (hopefully) a full summer of Baseball (1:30), specifically what changes to expect moving forward. In “1st to 3rd”, Coach gives His proper tribute to the colossal Henry Aaron, as someone who witnessed Aaron first hand from Day One in Atlanta (20:26). From Home Run 715, all the way to his final game at Fulton County Stadium, we remember a legend so great that he had three different nicknames. Coming into home, Coach and Tucker reflect on the surreal 2020 season that was- The 60-game sprint, ever-changing Covid protocols, and where baseball fit amid the strife and chaos within the United States (47:36).

Baseball in Limbo, Goodbye Mr. Tiger (4/28/20) – Podcast

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Tucker is joined by Coach via phone for the first Coronavirus podcast for RTB. Out of the Box, Coach and Tucker discuss MLB’s different strategies to try and have a 2020 baseball season (3:12). The CPBL in Taiwan offers a baseball fix to the masses with a bizarre new approach (20:26), what permanent changes to MLB will result from COVID-19 (42:12), and what gets lost in a lost season (51:23). Coming into Home, remembering the great Al Kaline, “Mr Tiger” and one of the great elder statesmen of baseball (54:58).

“The Natural” – RTB Book Club Ep. 1 (3/31/20) – Podcast

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Originally recorded in 2018, Tucker and Coach are joined by author Clayton Trutor to discuss Bernard Malamud’s seminal baseball work, “The Natural” (2:45). Written in 1949, Malamud had no prior knowledge of baseball history. He crafts the character of Roy Hobbs to be the “Great American Monomyth” (5:05). Filled with lush poetic imagery (Wonderboy and the Wasteland), Malamud weaves the Vegetative myth, Arthurian Legend and the mode of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero with a Thousand Faces”, to pen the standard for baseball fiction (15:00). From the book came the beloved 1984 film starring Robert Redford, featuring an A-List cast, Oscar-winning cinematography, and Randy Newman’s iconic score. However, the ending is pure Hollywood and a far cry from the book (50:00).

Podcast available for download at Soundcloud.com or on iTunes. Find all RTB Podcasts on the Podcast page.

“The Art of Fielding”, Hall of Fame 2020 and Hot Stove Chatter (1/16/20) – Podcast

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For the first RTB Podcast of 2020, Coach and Tucker discuss the 2019-2020 Offseason (2:00), the best players still available and the team that won the Hot Stove. Going 1st to 3rd, they give their Hall of Fame predictions for the Class of 2020 (24:30), with respect for Marvin Miller (41:54) and Ted Simmons. Coming into Home, Coach breaks down Chad Harbach’s beautiful baseball novel “The Art of Fielding” (46:22) as part of the RTB Book Club. Please note that this podcast was recorded before MLB ruled on the cheating Houston Astros, Alex Cora, et. al.

Podcast available for download at Soundcloud.com or on iTunes. Find all RTB Podcasts on the Podcast page.

Wild October 2019 (10/2/19) – Podcast

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Coach and Tucker talk MLB Postseason predictions for 2019. Out of the Box (2:00): A recap of key storylines as the regular seasons’ end, including Maddon and the Cubs parting ways, and send offs for Bochy, MadBum and King Felix. First to Third (17:35): All the predictions for October baseball, with the Astros as a juggernaut that would give the ’27 Yankees the shakes. Cardinals strike fear in the hearts of the Braves, Yankees and Twins slugfest, and can the Dodgers avoid becoming the Buffalo Bills of baseball? Coming into Home (52:30): Awards Predictions and our Prep-Star Shout Out.

Podcast available for download on SoundCloud and on iTunes.

Braves Summer of ’69 (8/29/19) – Podcast

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Coach and Tucker give thoughts on the 2019 MLB regular season heading into the stretch run. The Terrifying Cardinals have returned, the Twins are a delightful surprise, while the Rockies make us sad. Who will be playing in October, and a fond farewell to the worst uniforms ever. Going 1st to 3rd, Coach recalls the experience of the Braves first ever division title 50 years ago (37:32), a bow to Aaron and Niekro, and surprisingly disappointing. Coming into home, our first Prep-Squad Shout Out to a star at Hampton High School in Georgia (55:03).

Podcast available for download on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Cincinnati Reds: State of the Franchise (7/22/19) – Podcast

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Premiere episode of the Running the Bases “State of the Franchise”, breaking down a team in rebuilding. Coach and Tucker take a deep dive into the Cincinnati Reds, the oldest team in MLB, but far removed from the days of the Big Red Machine. Going back to the “Nasty Boys” championship team of 1990, the Reds have stepped out from under the cloud of Marge Schott (3:30), while current ownership has failed to build a contender outside of 2010-2013. We rate farm system health (12:00), “Worst Move of the Decade” (16:50), “Best Move of the Decade” (23:30), and “Time Until Competitive” (32:00). Finally, the ballpark factor, rating the game-day experience and fan support, and what changes we would make to the Great American Ballpark (40:00).

Podcast available for download at Soundcloud.com and on iTunes.

“WhatifSports” Special Edition with Ozomatli (5/27/19) – Podcast

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Coach invites “WhatifSports” superstar Ozomatli on the podcast for a second installment on Simulation Baseball Leagues. Ozomatli shares his strategies on drafting a team (19:30), setting Player Hierarchies (41:00), the difference in managing a sim league versus daily fantasy baseball (54:30), and a memo to all the rookie managers (59:00).

Podcast available for download on SoundCloud or iTunes.