Baseball Radio: Pitch Clock, No Shifts, Braves Peak, Yankees Slump, Giants Turn

After a week off for Labor Day and schedule switcheroos, we’re back for a baseball segment on Asheville’s WISE Sports Radio. And we’re just in time to discuss new rules changes in baseball, including a (much-needed) pitch clock, getting rid of the defensive shift, and larger bases on the field.

Our conversation also includes asking whether the Atlanta Braves peaked too early in their surge up the National League East standings, the New York Yankees’ recent struggles, the downward turn of the San Francisco Giants, and the future of Tony La Russa as Chicago White Sox manager.

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Baseball Radio: Minor League Union, Mantle Card, Ichiro and Willie Mays Honored

Topics on this week’s WISE Sports Radio baseball segment include a 1952 Mickey Mantle card going for $12.6 million, Justin Verlander’s calf injury, Ichiro being honored by the Seattle Mariners, a surprise number retirement for Willie Mays, and Paul Goldschmidt’s MVP-caliber season for the St. Louis Cardinals.

We also discuss the Major League Baseball Players Association giving minor-league players the opportunity to join their union, a benefit that is long overdue for a labor force that is woefully underpaid.

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NFL Radio: Sam Darnold Trade Prospects, Tom Brady Absence, Lions on ‘Hard Knocks’

After being off a few more weeks than expected, our NFL segment is back on WISE Sports Radio. (However, we’ll be doing it every other week until November so Pat Ryan can save his energy for high school football season.)

This week, we ask if the Carolina Panthers could trade quarterback Sam Darnold after he lost the starting job to Baker Mayfield. Should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been more transparent about Tom Brady’s absence from training camp? And how fun is Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell on HBO’s Hard Knocks?

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Baseball Radio: Marcell Ozuna, Josh Hader, Noah Syndergaard, Paul O’Neill

After getting arrested for the second time in approximately 15 months, the Atlanta Braves have a Marcell Ozuna problem. With DUI charges following a domestic violence arrest, would the Braves prefer to move on from Ozuna? Probably, but Atlanta might also need him, as much as that might pain the team.

On our WISE Sports Radio baseball segment, we also chat about reliever Josh Hader’s struggles with the San Diego Padres, Noah Syndergaard apparently avoiding his former New York Mets teammates, and whether or not Paul O’Neill truly deserved to have his No. 21 retired by the New York Yankees.

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Baseball Radio: Fernando Tatis Jr. Suspended, Al Avila Fired, Jacob deGrom Returns

We’re back on WISE Sports Radio after a break that went longer than planned, due to a vacation that was unfortunately eventful for host Pat Ryan. From a Bowls Media standpoint, we’ll still be doing Major League Baseball segments on Mondays. But NFL spots will be every other Thursday while Pat saves his energy to focus on the local high school football season.

This week, we chat about Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 80-game suspension for PED use, the Detroit Tigers firing general manager Al Avila, and star pitcher Jacob deGrom rejoining a New York Mets team that’s already playing excellent baseball.

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Baseball Radio: Braves Injury, David Ortiz, Shohei Ohtani, Hall of Fame Inductees

Our WISE Sports Radio segments will go on a two-week hiatus while Pat Ryan takes a vacation. Unfortunately, that means we won’t be talking baseball leading up to and after the Major League Baseball trade deadline. But hey, a summer break is welcome. The show returns Aug. 8.

Going into that break, we discuss how Adam Duvall’s season-ending injury could affect the Atlanta Braves, David Ortiz’s enormous popularity, Buck O’Neil finally getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Shohei Ohtani’s trade value, the collapse of the Boston Red Sox, and two St. Louis Cardinals stars whose refusal to be vaccinated could be costly.

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Baseball Radio: Midseason Surprises and Disappointments, Juan Soto’s $500 Million Quest

Major League Baseball has reached its virtual midseason point, the All-Star break. That presents an opportunity on WISE Sports Radio to look back at the first half of the season. Which teams have surprised? Who are the disappointments?

And Juan Soto has become the talk of baseball by turning down a $440 million contract offer from the Washington Nationals. If he wants to be a $500 million man, which team will pay up? And who might offer a trade for the 23-year-old sensation?

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Sports Radio: Blue Jays Fire Montoyo, Daniel Snyder Dodges Subpoena, RIP Heinz Field

It’s a slow time in the NFL with training camps set to open during the next seven to 10 days. So we began our WISE Sports Radio segment with some baseball talk, thanks to the Toronto Blue Jays’ surprising midseason firing of manager Charlie Montoyo.

On the football side, most of the news is off the field with Brett Favre continuing to be named in a welfare fraud lawsuit against the former governor of Mississippi, Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder avoiding a House Oversight Committee subpoena, and the Pittsburgh Steelers taking a big payday from a new corporate sponsor for their stadium.

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Sports Radio: Baker Mayfield, Orioles’ Turnaround, 2022 MLB All-Stars, Thor: Love and Thunder

After a week off for the July 4 holiday, we’re back on WISE Sports Radio with some NFL and movie talk mixed in with our usual baseball chatter.

The Carolina Panthers get Baker Mayfield after waiting until the Cleveland Browns couldn’t wait to trade him any longer. Are the Baltimore Orioles on the rise? Which players were snubbed from the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game rosters? And a quick review of Thor: Love and Thunder. (Longer version here, if interested.)

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NFL Radio: Texans Enabled Watson, Baker Moving On, McLaurin Gets His Payday

Deshaun Watson has been facing trouble for quite a while with 24 civil lawsuits (20 now settled) and a likely season-long suspension from the NFL. But his former team, the Houston Texans, might still have to answer for enabling the sexual misconduct allegations resulting from his “massages.”

On WISE Sports Radio, Pat Ryan, Mike Gore, and I discuss the Texans getting sued, Baker Mayfield saying he and the Cleveland Browns have moved on, and Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin getting a top-10 salary for his position.

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