Ben, Darius and Rob join forces to talk through each of the current postseason contenders and their level of confidence... with a pokemon twist.

00:00-01:40 - Intro
01:41-06:40 - Hackney Bridge chat
06:41-11:09 - Ray S and Segway chat
11:10-13:50 - GB U23s win the Euros
13:51-57:45 - The AL Contenders
57:46-01:27:21 - The NL Contenders
01:27:21-01:29:40 - Outro

Ben, Rob and John hop on the microphones to discuss MLB's announcement of a Hackney Bridge takeover event in August and the teams we could be seeing on our shores in 2026.

They then dive into discussion of All-Star selections, the greatness of Tarik Skubal and which teams ought to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline!

00:00-01:45: Intro
01:45-19:00: MLB London chatter
19:01-27:55: All-Star Game snubs
27:56-36:33: Tarik Skubal is good
36:34-52:20: You buying or selling?
52:21-01:02:35: Erie Seawolves, Wander Franco and outro

In this episode of Bat Flips and Nerds, host Ben is joined by Rob and Russell to discuss the recent Rafael Devers trade from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants, the implications of this trade, and the ongoing performance of various MLB teams. The conversation also covers Rob's recent trip to San Diego, the experience at Steinbrenner Field, and the return of Shohei Ohtani to pitching. The hosts share their thoughts on the unpredictable nature of the AL Central and the quirks of baseball fandom.

Russell, Darius and Ben hop on the microphones to briefly chat latest MLB news before sinking their teeth into a discussion around the breakout stars at each position so far in the 2025 season.

There are shoutouts for multiple Tigers, a high-flying Cub and.. dear god.. two separate Rockies players?!

00:00-05:57 - Intro and latest MLB news
05:58-14:20 - Catchers
14:21-21:56 - First Basemen
21:57-29:13 - Second Basemen
29:14-32:53 - Third Basemen
32:54-37:51 - Shortstops
37:52-57:09 - Outfielders
57:10-01:06:40 - Pitchers
01:06:41-01:12:06 - Disappointments and outro

In this episode of Batflips and Nerds, Russell, John and Ben discuss various topics in baseball, including the ongoing situation with Raphael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, the surprising revelation that the Pope is a Chicago White Sox fan, and the recent firing of Rockies manager Bud Black. They also share their experiences watching baseball on the West Coast, the excitement of college baseball, and the latest player injuries. The episode concludes with a segment on the highs and lows of the week in baseball, and the controversial reinstatement of Pete Rose.

Ben and Darius are joined by Nick of LA Angels UK, Halfway Around the Halo and MLB UK Clubhouse to breakdown the top 10 players in Major League Baseball! The trio also discuss some hot teams (Mariners, Mets, Tigers, Royals) and some not-so-hot teams (Angels, Rockies, Orioles) as well as the latest news from across the game.

00:00-01:55: Intro
01:56-04:27: GB Baseball hire of Brad Marcelino
04:28-07:17: Pirates fire Derek Shelton
07:18-13:31: The Rafael Devers Discourse
13:32-26:28: Good Baseball Teams - Mariners, Mets, Tigers, Royals
26:29-42:01: Bad Baseball Teams - Angels, Rockies, Orioles
42:02-01:13:35: Ranking MLB's Top 10 Players
01:13:35-01:15:49: Outro

The guys mark a very unusual Jackie Robinson day in Major League Baseball before reflecting on the disaster zones that are the AL Central and NL Central and the bin fire Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox.

Come for the baseball, stay for the incredibly strong food opinions.

Ben, Darius and Rob come together to discuss some early season storylines, including Devers' struggles, the Dodgers winning start and the Braves spring slump. They then get on to torpedo bat chat (which now has a new name...) and of course finish with 2 Good, 2 Bad!

0:00-17:45: Early season storylines
17:45-24:15: Torpedo bat chat
24:15-39:12: Extensions, extensions, extentions
39:12-1:02:15: 2 Good, 2 Bad

Russell and Ben get together for a rare in-person podcast at the first watch party of 2025, joining fellow fans at Moonshot Social in London1 George from MLB UK Clubhouse joins them too, discussing event plans for the season, ways fans can get involved and of course, his beloved Houston Astros.

00:00-04:00: Intro
04:00-18:30: Chat with George of MLB UK Clubhouse
18:30-25:05: Yankees bats chat
25:06-31:43: Additional Opening Weekend chat
31:44-34:33: Outro

John, Tom, Darius and Ben perform their annual ritual in the form of discussing 30 MLB teams and filling out a spreadsheet. Will they be right? No. Will they let that stop them? Also no.

Rob, Gav and Russ are back to destroy the "A-team" once again with their outstanding knowledge of baseball and predict the win totals for all 30 teams.This is a lively discussion about their predictions for the 2025 baseball season and a fun tiebreaker game for when they don't agree.

In this episode of Bat-Flips and Nerds, host Russell Eason interviews Liam Carroll, the manager of the High A Greenville Drive and a prominent figure in British baseball. They discuss Liam's journey from British baseball to coaching in the minor leagues, the impact of data and analytics on coaching, and the cultural differences between coaching at the national team level and in minor leagues. Liam shares insights on player development, the importance of individualized training, and the exciting changes in the Red Sox system. The conversation also touches on the new rules in baseball, the significance of the pitch clock, and Liam's aspirations for the future as he transitions to a new role with the Greenville Drive.

Ben, Russell and Darius combine forces to discuss Spring Training news (RIP Gerrit Cole's elbow), potential 2025 breakout candidates (and what even is a breakout?) plus some classic Spring Traning statline overreactions (panic!!!!)

Time Codes:

00:00-02:00: Intro
02:00-18:30: Spring Training stories: Gerrit Cole, Dave Roberts, New Era caps
18:30-46:00: Breakout candidates
46:00-1:02:00: Spring Training statline overreactions
1:02:00-1:05:00: Outro

In this episode, Jay Jackson shares his journey through baseball, discussing his experiences in the MLB and NPB, the challenges he faced with injuries, and the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. He reflects on his book, 'Nine Innings to Living Your Best Life,' and how his personal experiences shaped his outlook on life and baseball. Jay emphasizes the need for support systems within the sport, particularly for young black players, and shares valuable lessons learned from his son, JR. The conversation also touches on the cultural differences in baseball between Japan and the U.S., and Jay's aspirations for the future.

In this episode of Batflips and Nerds, the hosts discuss the arrival of spring training, exploring the optimism it brings, the downsides such as injuries and media clichés, and the impact of new rules on player performance. They delve into the significance of small sample sizes in evaluating player performance during spring training and share their thoughts on the media's coverage of the event. The conversation wraps up with final thoughts on the season ahead and the importance of player health.

Ben and Russell are joined by a baseball legend: former player and manager Clint Hurdle.

Clint talks the pair through his playing career, his coaching career and his two stints as a manager of a Major League ballclub, in a fascinating discussion of the highs and lows of professional sport!

Timestamps:
00:00-04:30: Intro and 'Hurdle-isms', Clint's new book
04:30-07:05: His role as special advisor
07:05- 19:48: Draft, SI cover and playing career
19:48-28:44: Coaching and becoming manager
28:44-39:50: Rocktober and the Rockies era
39:50-52:09: The Pirates era
52:09-59:03: Final questions

Pitchers and catchers have reported! Russ and Ben get together for a brief offseason recap in the form of an awards show, taking a look at the good, the bad and the wonderful of winter.

John and Russell are joined by current Seattle Mariner, Will Klein.   They chat through his debut year in which he was traded twice and moved house 8 times, they talk about pitching development and how it is changed over Will's career. There's also a smattering of Chelsea talk as the boys find out Will is an ardent Chelsea fan.

John and Russ are joined by Zack Scott, the former Acting GM for the New York Mets and Assistant GM for the Boston Red Sox. We get a bit of John fan girling over Koji Uehara to the man who brought him to Boston before they get on to the main topic of how a front office works in the offseason.

Russell is joined by Darius and Rob to look back on 2024 and decide some things which should be binned and things that should be kept. Then they look into 2025 and determine what they think will continue on and what new things will happen.