Baseball Joy: The 2025 Post Season (039)

Join the Bell Boys for their annual season preview show where brotherly banter and bold predictions are made. Scott introduces modern technology to his prognostications and Brad's special guest brings a younger perspective to the show. The show opens with a time of reflection of players from our fandom days who have recently passed and includes an insightful discussion on this year's MLB rule changes. We cover some ground here, enjoy the show!

A random Facebook post of the San Francisco Giants former Spring Training haunts in Casa Grande, AZ leads to a great episode of Baseball Journeys. Listen in as we meet former Giants farmhand Gary Ledbetter talks about meeting legends Mays, McCovey and Marichal at the very beginning of his stint as a pro ballplayer. Though his minor league tenure was short, Gary's love of the game never wavered and he continues to impact young players and future stars decades later.

The son of Greek immigrants, John Scolinos was a legendary Southern California college baseball coach for 43 years. His Cal-Poly Pomona teams won three NCAA Division II College World Series titles. He is a 2020 inductee to the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Coach Scolinos' nephew Mike Scolinos, a member of the 1983 championship team and a long-time college coach who has forged his own legacy in the game. Listen in as Mike weaves the life lessons and legacy of his beloved uncle that guided him and countless others through their baseball journeys.

A not too timely but quite spirited discussion about the 2025 MLB Post-Season which unabashedly highlights the incredible run to the championship by the Los Angeles Dodgers. While Baseball Journeys is quite ecumenical in most of its episodes, the So Cal based Bell Boys are and always will be Dodgers fans no matter where they are. In this episode the whole band is back with the addition of other family members to liven the conversation about their shared experience of a thrilling baseball journey.

Fewer than 150 players in the history of major league baseball have won three World Series rings, Dick Tracewski is one of them. He added a fourth as a coach for the 1984 champion Detroit Tigers. "Trixie" won titles with the Dodgers in 1963 and 1965 and with the 1968 Tigers. From a coal mining town in the hills of Pennsylvania, to the bright lights of the iconic Dodger and Tiger Stadiums, Dick shares his baseball life, playing and winning alongside legends Sandy Koufax, Al Kaline and Sparky Anderson. Dick participated in some of the most memorable baseball moments over is 40 plus years in the game.

Local journalist Joe Blackstock shares the stories he has chronicled of "long gone" baseball journeys while recalling his coverage of Fernando Valenzuela's epic 1981 World Series win and fondly recalls his favorite player of all-time, a Southern Californa Ruthian legend who lives on as long as Joe (nd others) remembers his name.

Listen in with Doug Kurkul the author of "It's a Beautiful Day For Baseball - The National Pastime in the 1960's." Doug provides an insightful glimpse of the last decade in which baseball was in fact, the National Pastime. His book chronicles the baseball journeys of 250 players during that era. From super stars to one-game wonders. Doug's and the Bell Boys baseball paths crossed through the 1967 season providing ample fodder for interesting connections and a great conversation about the transcendent nature of the National Pastime.

Think you know Dave Roberts? Guess again, the San Diego Padres made this Dave Roberts the first draft pick in the nation in 1972, a "one/one' in baseball parlance. He was drafted, signed and in a major league game on the same day! Dave played more than 10 years in the majors with or against many of the stars from the 1970's, including his idol Henry Aaron. Listen in as Dave shares about his career in baseball and the importance of his faith in a journey that lasted for a half century.

The Bell Boys are baseball fans first, then loyal Dodger fans. Needless to say 2024 ended well for LA and the Boys are back with an unplugged post season session to put a big blue bow on things...and to collect some Whoppers from big brother Scott whose sensible World Series prediction came up against a battle-tested team that simply would not be denied. 

Hot off the press! Join the Bell Boys for a fast-paced jam session highlighting the 2024 season, road trips, ball park jobs and more, including real-time prognostications as we head into the League Championshiip Series. Recorded an hour before the start of the Dodgers - Mets series.