As the MLB season appears to arriving on time and players get set to report for Spring Training, the evolution of sports is reaching new heights. This week on Caught Listening, Christian Heimall talks about the next age of player input when it comes to the game. We've seen it in the NBA and the NFL, but MLB could soon be on its way to having a 'Player-General Manager'. Someone who impacts the daily box score while also impacting the makeup of the rest of the team he plays for. Christian will tal...
Feb 11, 2021•22 min
With nobody being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time since 1960, Christian Heimall has some choice words for the voters of this years ballot. Join him as he clears the air and offers his thoughts on who should and shouldn't be enshrined in Cooperstown. You'll hear his insight on the importance of on the field accolades, the stupidity of some writers "reasoning", and his take on the all encompassing 'character clause'. Plus, how does he see the 2022 Class being treated? Tu...
Jan 29, 2021•20 min
Being enshrined in a Hall of Fame marks the peak of any athlete's performance. That is no different in baseball. The sport will announce next week the 2021 Class that will be inducted into Cooperstown later this summer. But what goes in to being remembered as one of the all-time greats? This week on Caught Listening, Christian Heimall talks with one voter about how he judges those on the ballot who wish be known among the games immortals. Brian Heyman, who has been a voter for over a decade, dis...
Jan 21, 2021•30 min
Kicking off a new year of Caught Listening, Christian Heimall talks about a lesson that Major League Baseball can learn from the NFL: marketing. While the NFL and NBA continue to see a rise in young fans, MLB's demographic traditionall trends older. So, how can MLB learn from the NFL? By watching what they did during Super Wild Card Weekend with Nickelodeon. Christian discuss the positives of the kids-centric broadcast and how easily it can be done by the Major Leagues. From giving the stars of ...
Jan 14, 2021•23 min
On the final episode of 2020, Caught Listening continues it's "In Memoriam" series by remembering a larger than life figure that put an entire franchise on the map early in his career. Tom "The Franchise" Seaver is the New York Mets to a lot of fans and members of the organization and his legacy on the field is one that extends decades after his final pitch. Honoring "Tom Terrific" by discussing his impact on baseball and the Metropolitans is Neil Best, sports columnist for Newsday. He recounts ...
Dec 23, 2020•25 min
Caught Listening continues it's "In Memoriam" series by remembering the life and legacy of two legends of the game who passed away in 2020. Don Larsen and Whitey Ford are synonamous with the New York Yankees franchise but their lives and statsheets could not be more different. Helping us remember these two giants of baseball, and the differences between them, is longtime New York Times sports columnist George Vescey. From how Larsen's perfect game in the World Series defined his career, to his m...
Dec 17, 2020•24 min
As 2020 comes to a close, Caught Listening takes a look back at the legendary figures who passed on this year. A member of the fearsome Big Red Machine in the 1970's, Joe Morgan is considered one of the greatest second basemen of all-time. His contributions to the game have been felt for decades, not just in Cincinnati, but across the baseball landscape. Joining Christian Heimall to commemorate the life and legacy of "The Little General" is Reds MLB.com reporter Mark Sheldon. Take a listen as we...
Dec 03, 2020•22 min
Ever wonder all the intricacies that go in to purchasing a Major League Baseball team? What about the process of covering such a transaction? Well, this week on Caught Listening, Christian helps shed some light on these kinds of monumental buys.
Nov 19, 2020•26 min
As the calendar flips to November and the baseball world turns to free agency, it's never too late to look back on what was a historic season in Major League Baseball. Join Christian Heimall on Caught Listening as he discusses the biggest storylines from the year and how historians will eventually look back on this truncated year.
Nov 05, 2020•28 min
On the heels of the 2020 World Series, this week's show takes a look back at one of the most talked about fall classics in history. The 2000 World Series was the last time the New York Mets and New York Yankees duked it out for the Commissioner's Trophy and the 20th Anniversary creates an opportunity to look back at one of the more compelling championship rounds in recent memory. Joining Christian Heimall is Jerry Beach, author of the new book The Subway Series: Baseball's Big Apple Battles and ...
Oct 29, 2020•41 min
This week on Caught Listening, Christian Heimall dedicates the entire show to listener questions! From analytics and sabremetrics, to Clayton Kershaw's legacy as a postseason pitcher, he heads to the listener line for topics to discuss.
Oct 22, 2020•26 min
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the United States, one of the most unanswerable questions is how long will it last? With that question comes the potential impact of early 2021 sports, including collegiate baseball. This week on Caught Listening, Christian dives in to the topic and how some programs are preparing for the unknown. Joining Christian is John Russo, head baseball coach at Hofstra University in New York. The two discuss how COVID-19 has impacted the Pride baseb...
Oct 15, 2020•37 min
As Major League Baseball enters the postseason, the sport itself is entering uncharted waters. For the first time since 1993, there is no Professional Baseball Agreement between the MLB and it's Minor League Affiliates. However, that hasn't stopped Commissioner Rob Manfred from moving forward on his vision for MLB to control much of the sport of baseball in America. This week on Caught Listening, Christian Heimall is joined by Baseball America's Executive Editor, JJ Cooper, to discuss Manfred's ...
Oct 01, 2020•35 min
Our four-part series on baseball's unwritten rules wraps up by talking to the one player this subject seems to revolve around: the pitcher. Join Christian Heimall on Caught Listening as he talks with a former Major Leaguer on how and when certain rules are broken and the discussions that happen in the dugout. It's not just any Major Leaguer either joining the show. The 1987 World Series MVP, and 1988 Cy Young Award winner, Frank Viola is on the program to give his thoughts on this controversial ...
Sep 17, 2020•40 min
The discussion on baseball's unwritten rules continues as Part 3 gets insight from a former Major Leaguer, and current professional player, on Caught Listening. Christian Heimall is joined by former Oakland Athletics infielder Tyler Ladendorf, who is currently playing for the Chicago Dogs of the independent American Association. As one of the few pro baseball players able to get on the field in 2020, Christian starts off asking what kind of differences there are this year compared to prior seaso...
Sep 10, 2020•29 min
This week on Caught Listening it's part two of our four-part series on baseball's unwritten rules. In part two, Christian Heimall sits down with a manager with more than 20 years of experience leading the guys who have to abide by those missives. Joining him is Jamie Keefe, professional baseball manager and former Minor League player, who has almost 30 years of experience in professional baseball. The two talk about how the rules have changed, how and where they get taught to young players, and ...
Sep 03, 2020•32 min
Every year in baseball a hitter flips his bat or admires a home run and is admonished for breaking one of baseball's "sacred" unwritten rules. These rules have been challenged by many and spark a fire in most, but what really are these rules? Join Christian Heimall as he begins a four-part series on Caught Listening all about these polorizing rules of the game. Joining him for Part One is Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com and MLB Network. The veteran reporter wrote down some of these unwritten requ...
Aug 27, 2020•26 min
We can all agree that 2020 is a strange year. The evidence is even available in Major League Baseball games where doubleheaders are seven innings and runners start at second base in extra innings. But how much weirder can MLB rules get? This week on Caught Listening, Christian explores just that. Joining him is Ryan Fagan of Sporting News who is bringing some slow-pitch softball rules in to the mix. Everything from even more bizzare extra inning rules to scoring more runs for longer home runs, i...
Aug 20, 2020•34 min
Following last week's discussion on the idea of bringing Major League Baseball to Nashville, Tennessee, Caught Listening explores other possible areas of MLB Expansion. Take listen as Christian Heimall chats about seven other potential locations for a new MLB team to surface. Joining him this week on the show is Daniel R. Epstein, writer for Baseball FYI, Baseball Prospectus, and Off The Bench Baseball. Together two two discuss the merits of cities such as Portland, Oregon, Montreal, Quebec, Can...
Aug 13, 2020•28 min
As the Major League Baseball season gets in to full swing, one city in America has been putting on an all out assault on garnering rights to a new MLB franchise. This week on Caught Listening, learn more about the efforts to bring Major League Baseball to the budding sports city of Nashville, Tennessee. Christian Heimall is joined by Bob Kendrick, President of Negro League Baseball Museum and a member of the Board of Directors of Music City Baseball, to talk about the potential franchise. Music ...
Aug 06, 2020•27 min
"It's been a strange year for everyone. However, with the return of Major League Baseball, many have found a new love for the sport. Join Christian Heimall this week on Caught Listening as he shares how he became as passionate a baseball person as he is. From his first MLB game to the newfound joys of working for minor league teams, Christian is constantly reminded of why he loves the game. Even through the ups and downs, the sport has always been a bright light for those who long for the days o...
Jul 30, 2020•20 min
"We have reached what would have been the halfway point of the baseball season but, alas, there is no baseball. How is this impacting those who have spent their life in the game? This week on Caught Listening we talk with two such professionals. Join Christian Heimall as he chats with Jamie Keefe, Field Manager for the High Point Rockers, and Billy Horn, Bench Coach for the Rockers. With more than 40 years of combined coaching and playing experience in professional baseball, 2020 has certainly b...
Jul 16, 2020•43 min
"July marks the hopeful beginning of the 2020 baseball season. With players reporting to camp in their respective cities this week, it begs the question on just how this year will work in the era of COVID-19. This week on Caught Listening, it's all about how baseball could look during the coronavirus pandemic. Joining Christian on the show is Dr. Amir Barzin, a family medicine physician at UNC Health and Incident Commander for the UNC Respitory Diagnostic Center, to discuss the challengers the v...
Jul 02, 2020•28 min
"As the month of July approaches and still we yearn for professional baseball, Christian Heimall takes a moment to breakdown the botched attempts at a 2020 season for Major League Baseball. This week, Caught Listening is a vent-session for Christian as he gives his thoughts on all of it. From why the players are wrong, to why the owners are wrong, and who is the most ""right"" in all of this. He also gives a little backstory to why the Commissioner isn't as powerful as he could be and explains w...
Jun 18, 2020•26 min
"After breaking down the fan experience at the Major League level, it's time to drop things down to the ""grass roots"" of the sports: the minors. The grind of the players is one thing, but the fans and the cities that host them create a much different experience. This week on Caught Listening, Christian Heimall dives in to the excitement of that kind of ballpark environment. Joining him on the show is a man who has lived the minor league experience for the past decade, Benjamin Hill. Through hi...
Jun 11, 2020•38 min
As we enter the month of June, we continue our conversation on fan experiences at the ballpark; this time with science! What makes a great fan experience and how do you measure each aspect of that experience? Well, we've figured it out. This week, Christian Heimall is joined by Asa Beal and Michael Wentworth, creators of the #FanExperienceIndex on FanGraphs in 2018 as they ranked all Major League Baseball teams and their experiences. The guys break down what went into the rankings, how their own...
Jun 04, 2020•42 min
After two weeks of talking about fan pet peeves, it's time for some positivity on Caught Listening! This week, Christian Heimall dives in to discuss one of the most important aspects of a franchises brand, and one of the fan's favorites: mascots! Joining him is the "Emperor of Fun" and the original Phillie Phanatic, Dave Raymond. Tune in as the guys discuss how Dave got started in his career, what about it he's so passionate about, and the importance of a mascot to any franchise. Plus, here the ...
May 21, 2020•39 min
Last week, Christian Heimall and Ted Berg discussed some of their biggest baseball pet peeves. This week on Caught Listening, the two are back to cover more of the things that can hinder the fan experience. One of the most controversial topics about a stadium experience is The Wave. How do Christian and Ted feel about it and what are the best practices for doing it? Tune in to find out! Plus, are there other pet peeves that they didn't discuss on the previous show? The two once again play "Peppe...
May 14, 2020•26 min
"With no live baseball in America and the talk of baseball without fans in the future, now is the perfect time for patrons of baseball games to brush up on their etiquette. Christian Heimall is committed to improving the fan experience and Christian Heimall is here to help. Join him this week as he chats with baseball writer Ted Berg about some of their biggest issues they see in the stands at ballparks across the country. Everything from leaving early to wearing the wrong jersey and more, this ...
May 07, 2020•35 min
When does a legend become reality? How did a lifetime minor-leaguer become immortalized by Hollywood? This week on Caught Listening, Christian answers those questions and dives deeper into the life and career of Steve Dalkowski. If you don't know the name, you may know who he inspired: Nuke LaLoosh, the vivacious fireballer featured in the movie Bull Durham. Helping recount the career of the ""Fastest Pitcher Ever"" is longtime New York Times sports columnist, George Vescey. From watching Dalkow...
Apr 30, 2020•35 min
