Baseball Beat: Friday, October 31st

Here is the rundown for the Friday, October 31st edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner live from Los Angeles, California.  All times Eastern.

1:05 p.m.
Guest: Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Brewers Beat)
1:45 p.m.
Guest: Juan Rodriguez, Sun-Sentinel (Marlins Beat)
2:05 p.m.
Guest: Paul White, USA Today Sports Weekly
2:25 p.m.
Guest: Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune
2:45 p.m.
Actual Calls – Actual Listeners
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Guest Summaries:
à Verducci discussed national headlines including World Series recap, how the suspension of World Series Game 5 will bring about rule changes before next season, questioning Joe Maddon’s managing tactics in the second half of Game 5, hot stove preview, free agent destinations for Manny Ramirez, Mark Teixeira, and C.C. Sabathia.  Haudricourt discussed the Milwaukee Brewers including new manager Ken Macha, reviewing his last managing position in Oakland, why Doug Melvin chose Macha, Dale Sveum returning, and whether Mike Maddux will be back, and club is interested in signing Sabathia.  Rodriguez discussed the Florida Marlins including Mike Jacobs being dealt to the Kansas City Royals, preparing for arbitration raises with several players, replacement at first base, and Leo Nunez acquisition.  White discussed national headlines including the start of the hot stove season, Commissioner Bud Selig’s use of the “best interest of the game” rule, and FOX unclear on ending of Game 5 during the rain.  Rogers discussed national headlines and Chicago baseball including the Cubs trying to resign Ryan Dempster, belief Kosuke Fukudome might be a lost cause, and latest on sell of the Cubs.

Tunes Summary:
1:25 p.m.
Tommy Can You Hear Me by The Who
1:45 p.m.
Money Honey by Delbert McClinton
2:25 p.m.
Where Do We Go From Here by The Band
2:45 p.m.
You Talk Too Much by Joe Jones

Baseball Beat: Thursday, October 30th

Here is the rundown for the Thursday, October 30th edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner. The show returned today to its original time slot of 1pm to 3pm. All times Eastern.

1:05 p.m.
Guest: Chris Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Jim Salisbury, Philadelphia Inquirer
12:45 p.m.
Guest: Ken Davidoff, Newsday
2:05 p.m.
Guest: Jerry Crasnick, ESPN
2:25 p.m.
Guest: Marc Topkin, St. Petersburg Times
2:45 p.m.
Actual Calls from Actual Listners

Guest Summaries:
Wheeler talked about how strange it was to call the partial game, yet it turned out to be thrilling and exciting. Salisbury talked about how excited the city is to have won the championship and how special it is for Charlie Manuel.  Davidoff second-guessed some of the moves by Joe Maddon resulting in the loss last night.  Crasnick talked about the exciting win last night and how Philadelphia has been eager for this championship for some time.  He also talked about how the Rays played well but just not well enough.  Topkin talked about how Maddon executed his plan last night well, but Philly just spoiled it with great hitting.  He also discussed how great a run it was for Tampa Bay regardless of losing the Series.

Tunes Summary:
1:25 p.m.
Song: Happy by The Rolling Stones
1:45 p.m.
Song: I Should Have Known Better by The Beatles
2:25 p.m.
Song: I’ve Got Dreams to Remember by Otis Redding
2:45 p.m
Song: You Talk Too Much by Joe Jones

Baseball Beat: Wednesday, October 29th

Here is the rundown for the Wednesday, October 29th edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner. The show aired today with a special time of 12 noon to 2pm and will continue to air at that time all week. All times Eastern.

12:05 p.m.
Guest: Tim McCarver, Broadcaster, Fox Sports
12:25 p.m.
Guest: John Donovan, Sports Illustrated
12:45 p.m.
Guest: Rick Hummel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
1:05 p.m.
Guest: Buster Olney, ESPN
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe
1:45 p.m.
Guest: Troy Renck, Denver Post

Guest Summaries:
McCarver talked about how this World Series has been high-quality baseball, how Selig has essentially already changed the suspended game rule, how he would have been okay with starting the game over instead of picking it up in the 6th, and why he would not put David Price in to start tonight’s game.  Donovan discussed how tonight’s game is like baseball Cliffs Notes, as if you had recorded the game on Tivo and you are skipping to the exciting end.  Hummel argued in support of the Phillies pinch hitting for Cole Hamels, as scoring a run quickly would get the crowd involved and immediately bring the suspense and anticipation back to the park. Olney discussed how exciting tonight’s game will be as it is sudden death, how prepared David Price is on a daily basis to handle pressure situations, how it all comes down to the bullpens tonight, and he started his campaign for a World Series Week held at a neutral location with 7 games in a row and even the GM meetings being held at the same time, making it a Mecca for fans of every team, not just the final two teams.  Cafardo thinks Tampa’s bullpen is a little suspect at the moment with Balfour being a little shaky lately and David Price could succumb to pressure at any point.  Renck was out and about in Philly so he spoke to the very windy and cold weather there that will make playing tonight’s game very uncomfortable for the players.  He also touched on possible Rockies offseason moves.

Tunes Summary:
12:25 p.m.
Song: Start Me Up by Rolling Stones
12:45 p.m.
Song: Starting Over by John Lennon
1:25 p.m.
Song: Here We Go Again by Ray Charles and Nora Jones
1:45 p.m
Song: Do It Again by The Beach Boys

Baseball Beat: Tuesday, October 28th

Here is the rundown for the Tuesday, October 28th edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner. The show aired today with a special time of 12 noon to 2pm and will continue to air at that time all week. All times Eastern.

12:05 p.m.
Guest: Bob Nightengale, USA Today Sports Weekly
12:25 p.m.
Guest: Tyler Kepner, New York Times
12:45 p.m.
Guest: Paul Hoynes, Cleveland Plain-Dealer
1:05 p.m.
Guest: Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Howard Bryant, ESPN.com
1:45 p.m.
Guest: Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times

Guest Summaries:
Nightengale talked about the history being made with last night’s suspended game and how Selig did what he could. Kepner talked about how the conditions last night were the worst he has been in at a World Series game and how he thought Selig did an okay job handling the situation. Hoynes agreed with Selig’s decision to not shorten the game, but thought the game when on a bit long as the conditions were really bad. Ratto talked about how the suspension helps Tampa Bay in the short term but helps Philadelphia in the long term, with TB not having to lose the game in bad weather yet Philly being able to pitch Cole Hamels in a game 6 or 7. Bryant believe Bud Selig should have postponed the game before it even started, as all sources that he saw internet and otherwise showed a big storm that was guaranteed to prevent a 9 inning game. Shaikin talked about how Selig endangered the safety of the players by letting the game go on that long in poor weather.

Tunes Summary:
12:25 p.m.
Song: Fixing a Hole by The Beatles
12:45 p.m.
Song: Who’ll Stop the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival
1:25 p.m.
Song: Think by Aretha Franklin
1:45 p.m
Song: Raindrops by Dee Clark

Baseball Beat: Monday, October 27th

Here is the rundown for the Monday, October 27th edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner. The show airs today with a special time of 12 noon to 2pm and will continue to air at that time all week. All times Eastern.

12:05 p.m.
Guest: Hal Bodley, MLB.com
12:25 p.m.
Guest: John Romano, St. Petersburg Times
12:45 p.m.
Guest: Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle
1:05 p.m.
Guest: Thomas Boswell, Washington Post
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Jim Salisbury, Philadelphia Inquirer
1:45 p.m.
Guest: Buck Martinez, Host, Baseball This Morning

Guest Summaries:
Bodley talked about how surprised he is with the Phillies’ success and how Tampa Bay might have one last turnaround left. Romano talked about the struggles of Longoria and Pena and how that is uncharacteristic for those two and it affects the whole team. Justice talked about how the Phillies have great stories like the Rays, such as Charlie Manuel, Pat Gillick, and Jamie Moyer. Boswell talked about how sloppy the Rays have been and how young at heart Jamie Moyer is these days, telling a funny story proving so. Salisbury talked about Ryan Madson being the unsung hero for PHI by solidifying that bullpen and how the Phillies are by no means a great team, but got hot at the right time and are maintaining that through the post-season. Martinez talked about his impressions of the World Series thus far and how Cole Hamels will most probably be dominating again tonight.

Tunes Summary:
12:25 p.m.
Song: A Ray of Hope by The Rascals
12:45 p.m.
Song: When The Battle is Over by Delaney and Bonnie
1:25 p.m.
Song: Last Time by Rolling Stones
1:45 p.m
Song: Real, Real Gone by Van Morrison

Baseball Beat: Friday, October 24th

Baseball Beat is pre-empted on Friday, October 24th due to the entire baseball world flying to Philadelphia for World Series Game 3.  Baseball Beat will return next week.  Thanks for listening!

Baseball Beat: Thursday, October 23rd

Here is the rundown for the Thursday, October 23rd edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner, live from Los Angeles, CA. The show aired today with a special time of 12 noon to 2pm. All times Eastern.

12:05 p.m.
Guest: Scott Miller, CBSSports.com
12:25 p.m.
Guest: Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com
12:45 p.m.
Guest: Ben Shpigel, New York Times
1:05 p.m.
Guest: Paul White, USA Today Sports Weekly
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Dick Vitale, ESPN
1:45 p.m.
Actual Calls from Actual Listeners

Guest Summaries:
Miller talked about the Rays seeing tonight as a must-win, the futility of Ryan Howard, and the amazing performance of Cole Hamels.  Crasnick talked about Jamie Moyer perhaps being a positive influence on Cole Hamels, how Cole baffled the PHI lineup with his changeup, and how he sees the Series going a full 7.  Shpigel talked about how Hamels’ performance hid a dreadful performance by the Phillies with runners in scoring position and how limiting 1^st inning damage and controlling his emotions is the key for Brett Myers tonight.  White talked about how Tampa Bay will need to figure out Hamels much like they had to figure out Jon Lester earlier (lots of video study), how Ryan Howard looks like the Ryan Howard of the first half of the season which is not good, and how the composition of the TB bullpen is unique and only workable in the playoffs.  Vitale talked about rooting for his ALCS Champion Tampa Bay Rays and how it has been a pleasure to watch the team grow over the years, baby!

Tunes Summary:
12:25 p.m.
Song: Down the Road Tonight by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
12:45 p.m.
Song: Bright Side of the Road by Van Morrison
1:25 p.m.
Song: Hey Baby by Bruce Channel
1:45 p.m
Song: James Dean by The Eagles
Song: You Talk Too Much by Joe Jones

Baseball Beat: Wednesday, October 22nd

Here is the rundown for the Wednesday, October 22nd edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner, live from Los Angeles, CA. The show aired today with a special time of 12 noon to 2pm. All times Eastern.

12:05 p.m.
Guest: Ken Rosenthal, XM MLB Insider / Fox Sports
12:25 p.m.
Guest: Chip Caray, Broadcaster, TBS / Atlanta Braves
12:45 p.m.
Guest: Paul Hagen, Philadelphia Daily News
1:05 p.m.
Guest: Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Marc Topkin, St. Petersburg Times
1:45 p.m.
Guest: Dan Graziano, Newark Star-Ledger

Guest Summaries:
Rosenthal previewed Game 1 of the World Series tonight, how TB players are going from prospects to starts quickly, and how Tropicana Field is a huge home field advantage. Ken’s World Series Prediction: Rays in 7. Caray talked about the end of an era with Pete Van Wieren retiring as a Braves broadcaster, the experience calling the ALCS, and his outlook on WS game 1 tonight. Chip’s World Series Prediction: Rays in 7. Hagen talked about the Tropicana Field roof being an advantage for TB and the DH being an issue for the Phillies. Paul’s World Series Prediction: Not given, but he thinks it will be a good series and could go either way. Brown talked about the home field advantage being present at the Trop, the Phillies probably being a bit rusty with the layoff but that rust shaking off quickly, and how this is going to be a great series. Tim’s World Series Prediction: Rays in ??. Topkin talked about the rise of David Price, how Joe Maddon was criticized all year re: bullpen management but made the right moves in ALCS Game 7, and how this World Series is the biggest sporting event in Tampa history. Marc’s World Series Prediction: Not given, but warns of Philadelphia being dangerous. Graziano talked about the surging enthusiasm for baseball in Tampa with the team’s success and how the Phillies always have had the market enthusiasm but have to compete for attention with basketball, hockey, and football. Dan’s World Series Prediction: Rays in 5.

Tunes Summary:
1:25 p.m.
Song: Magic Mystery Tour by The Beatles
1:45 p.m.
Song: Drive South by John Hiatt
2:25 p.m.
Song: Heaven by Talking Heads
2:45 p.m
Song: Hey Tonight by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Baseball Beat: Monday, October 20th & Tuesday, October 21st

Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner will be prempted on Monday, October 20th and Tuesday, October 21st as we provide coverage of the World Series workouts.  The Beat will return at a special time of 12 noon to 2 p.m. (eastern) before Game One of the World Series on Wednesday.

Baseball Beat: Friday, October 17th

Here is the rundown for the Friday, October 17th edition of Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner, live from Los Angeles, CA. The series the guest is covering is in parentheses. All times Eastern.

1:05 p.m.
Guest: Gordon Edes, Yahoo! Sports (ALCS)
1:25 p.m.
Guest: Marc Topkin, St. Petersburg Times (ALCS)
1:45 p.m.
Guest: Ken Gurnick, MLB.com Dodgers Beat (NLCS)
2:05 p.m.
Guest: Jayson Stark, ESPN.com (NLCS/ALCS)
2:25 p.m.
Guest: Chris Wheeler, Broadcaster, Philadelphia Phillies (NLCS)
2:45 p.m.
Actual Calls, Actual Listeners

Guest Summaries:
Edes discussed the turning points in last night’s game, the historical comparisons, the atmosphere of fans leaving in the 7th and then coming to life in the 8th, and what it means for the rest of the series. Topkin talked about the TB bullpen being beaten down by long Red Sox at-bats, what it means for the bullpen going forward, and the attitude of the Tampa Bay clubhouse following the game. Gurnick looked at the Dodgers’ prospects of keeping Manny Ramirez in LA, as well as the quantity of familiar faces that will be gone from the Dodger clubhouse next year. Stark talked about the historical context of last night’s comeback, and what mistakes made by Tampa Bay contributed to the defeat, including a crucial one by Joe Maddon. Wheeler discussed the run of the Phillies to World Series and how last year’s playoff results affected the team’s mindset this year. Wheeler also discussed how important the bullpen has been to the team’s success this year.

Tunes Summary:
1:25 p.m.
Song: Baby Come Back by The Equals
1:45 p.m.
Song: I Love LA by Randy Newman
2:25 p.m.
Song: Wait by The Beatles
2:45 p.m
Song: You Talk Too Much by Joe Jones