Best Benjamin Hochman Of The Post Dispatch Podcasts (2024)

1
Taking hacks to determine if Cardinals' frostbit offense is a warning sign or small sample size 1:03:02

19h ago1:03:02

1:03:02

As the Cardinals head west for the second time in the first month of the regular season, they do so lugging the baggage from one of the least productive lineups in the majors. The Cardinals' rank in the bottom five for many significant offensive categories. Four of the team's home runs have come from the catcher position, none from third baseman No…

1
Cardinals starter Lance Lynn joins BPIB to discuss returning home, baseball's 'sense of humor' 38:47

7d ago38:47

38:47

A World Series champion, a two-time NL pennant-winner, and a two-time All-Star, Lance Lynn has done a bit of everything as a Cardinal and since he was a Cardinal. But on April 4, 2024, the burly, right-handed starter will do something he never has. He will start the home opener at Busch Stadium for the Cardinals. And that might mean doing something…

1
Welcome to the mosh pit of parity: Some team (by rule) must win the NL Central, so how? 41:00

14d ago41:00

41:00

From the back fields and press box at Sloan Park, the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball Derrick Goold and Cincinnati Enquirer baseball writer Gordon Wittenmyer survey the National League Central and discuss ballpark factors, dead zones, and whether any of these teams is actually going to win the division, or…

1
What did Cardinals learn from disastrous '23 that they can already apply to early '24 challenges? 1:02:55

18d ago1:02:55

1:02:55

The 2023 Cardinals, on their way to 91 losses and a last-place finish, diagnosed the rotation, an inconsistent outfield, and a difficult schedule at the start of the season as reasons for the fist last place finish in more than 30 years. Well, deja vu. The Cardinals near the start of the 2024 regular season with injuries in the rotation, uncertaint…

1
Cardinals near the breakpoint. How will mid-spring injuries strain roster, reveal new talents? 39:00

1M ago39:00

39:00

Within the first 90 seconds of his camp-opening comments, Cardinals executive John Mozeliak said one of the "critical" questions of spring was whether the team could stay healthy. He noted that is something he has probably said in all 17 years of addressing the media on the first day of official workouts. Injuries, after all, are part of the game, …

1
10 Cardinals prospects, 2 minutes each on how they're poised for a leap year in 2024 33:51

1M ago33:51

33:51

Ten prospects. Two minutes each. Start the clock. St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball writer Daniel Guerrero, one of the few staff writers at a daily paper dedicated to covering minor-league affiliates of the city's major-league team, joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss 10 prospects who are set to have a leap year in 2024. Building off of Gu…

1
Seeking the 'Legend of Sonny Gray' and how spring can be the season of storytelling 34:25

1M ago34:25

34:25

"See a Different Game" was the motto of The Sporting News for a long time, and for a long time The Sporting News was known as the Bible of Baseball. Like everything, The Sporting News has changed, baseball coverage has changed, but more and more the best coverage remains true to that directive, "See a Different Game." And the best season for tellin…

1
Hello, 2024. What way is the wind blowing as Cardinals open pivotal spring for top players, management? 41:48

2M ago41:48

41:48

On a windy day on the back fields of Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., Mike Claiborne, one of the radio voices of the Cardinals, joins baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss how maybe Flag Day is too late in the schedule to determine where the club is headed in 2024. So it's time for an earlier Claiborne appearnce. It's a Leap Year. It's after…

1
What tone must Cardinals set during spring training? Follow the leaders 1:05:50

2M ago1:05:50

1:05:50

As Cardinals prepare for the official opening of spring training, what tone must be set early and what lessons from last year's losing season and curious spring will inform this year's camp? St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joins baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss how more than just the Cardinals' spring training faci…

1
New Cardinals reliever Andrew Kittredge talks trade, slider, and his Huskies 37:26

3M ago37:26

37:26

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 collabor…

1
Comedian Greg Warren wrestles with Cardinals moves, MLB gifts (Part 2) 45:02

4M ago45:02

45:02

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…

1
Comedian Greg Warren checks the sizzle and substance on Cardinals' Hot Stove (Part 1) 1:00:24

4M ago1:00:24

1:00:24

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 b…

1
How Shohei Ohtani's unicorn contract stokes Dodgers' threat to Cardinals' historic NL reign 39:01

4M ago39:01

39:01

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 epicen…

1
Welcome to the Sonny side of the Cardinals' winter spruce-up 51:00

4M ago51:00

51:00

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 …

1
Crank up the volume! Cardinals need to deal in bulk for pitching 48:09

5M ago48:09

48:09

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 …

1
New rules the World Series: What's now for Rangers & Diamondbacks? What's next for Astros? 54:16

6M ago54:16

54:16

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 …

1
What can Cardinals take from Phillies' ongoing, outgoing October vibes? 41:58

6M ago41:58

41:58

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 th…

1
With Cardinals' winter off and running, Post-Dispatch's baseball writers set the pace 52:03

6M ago52:03

52:03

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 exper…

1
After being lapped, how can Cardinals catch up in MLB's arms race? 53:34

6M ago53:34

53:34

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." Tha…

1
Catching up on Cardinals' minor-league 'leapers' with StlToday.com's Daniel Guerrero 51:00

7M ago51:00

51:00

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. Lou…

1
How quickly can Cardinals close NL Central gap? How much will it cost? 51:00

7M ago51:00

51:00

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 Gor…

1
Talking Cardinals prospects, deadline adds with 'Smart, Wrong and Lucky' author 41:28

8M ago41:28

41:28

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 Baseb…

1
As summer heats up, Cardinals turn dog days into extended spring training 51:31

8M ago51:31

51:31

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 bra…

1
What can Cardinals learn, borrow, take from Tampa Bay's pitching approach? 30:51

8M ago30:51

30:51

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-leag…

1
Sept. 12, 1974: The Cardinals get the longest win in National League history 9:47

9M ago9:47

9:47

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. See omnystudio.com/…

1
A glimpse into Cardinals' future through present prospects, past drafts 54:38

10M ago54:38

54:38

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 cov…

1
A baseball writer in King Arthur's Court 48:02

10M ago48:02

48:02

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, …

1
How 'small things' add up to big problems for Cardinals 38:33

10M ago38:33

38:33

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 wher…

1
Can Elly De La Cruz raise Reds vs. Cardinals, vulnerable NL Central 35:16

10M ago35:16

35:16

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. Th…

1
'The Time has Come' author Will Leitch talks Cardinals, writing, and the dean of Cardinals writers 1:15:48

11M ago1:15:48

1:15:48

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 ob…

1
It all started at a bicycle race. Let Post-Dispatch great Rick Hummel tell you a story 59:03

11M ago59:03

59:03

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 …

1
Answering reader questions on pitching, the Cardinals way and salary caps 36:04

11M ago36:04

36:04

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…

1
Cardinals catching heat for Willson Contreras decision, a Cubs view 39:59

11M ago39:59

39:59

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 …

1
Potholes on the expressway of pitching development: Best Podcast in Baseball 39:28

1y ago39:28

39:28

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 re…

1
Opening acts: Tyler O'Neill's bind, Jordan Walker's debut, and pitching glitches 1:06:09

1y ago1:06:09

1:06:09

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…

1
On the clock with former Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson 39:52

1y ago39:52

39:52

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 com…

1
Spring showcases Cardinals' future. But what about the present? 33:24

1y ago33:24

33:24

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…

1
Cardinals promise competition this spring (again). Enter Jordan Walker. 58:30

1y ago58:30

58:30

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. Actio…

1
Author Evan Drellich on Houston's sign stealing & Cardinals connections 1:09:35

1y ago1:09:35

1:09:35

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 hackin…

1
Cardinals Hall of Famer Tim McCarver and the power of storytelling 48:51

1y ago48:51

48:51

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 …

1
BPIB's 11th season starts with 10 questions challenging Cardinals 59:12

1y ago59:12

59:12

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 Benj…

1
June 16, 1964: Boyer hits for the cycle, but Brock steals the show 6:33

1y ago6:33

6:33

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, 19…

1
How baseball fans watch games is changing. Bet on it. 56:15

1y ago56:15

56:15

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 i…

1
Small Hall, but big ballot? Discussing, disclosing 2023 votes for Cooperstown 1:14:27

1y ago1:14:27

1:14:27

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 Bas…

1
June 10, 1944: The day the Cardinals beat up on a 15-year-old pitcher 5:56

1y ago5:56

5:56

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 a…

1
Catching up with new Post-Dispatch baseball writer Lynn Worthy 42:51

1+ y ago42:51

42:51

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 s…

1
New Year, Big Question: Can Cardinals compete in a Steve Cohen National League? 1:01:29

1+ y ago1:01:29

1:01:29

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…

1
Getting a grip on Cardinals' pitching with MLB Network's Keith Costas 50:59

1+ y ago50:59

50:59

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 baseba…

1
Can a new man behind the mask, Willson Contreras, change the face of Cardinals? 57:37

1+ y ago57:37

57:37

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 …

1
May 2, 1954: The day Stan Musial hit five home runs 6:54

1+ y ago6:54

6:54

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 sand…

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Benjamin Hochman Of The Post Dispatch Podcasts

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