Shot Heard ‘Round the World

This week is Giants‘ week with our podcast featuring the San Francisco Giants being released on Friday, September 3rd.  You can’t talk about the Giants without knowing about the Shot Heard ‘Round the World. October 3, 1951, the Giants are playing the Brooklyn Dodgers in a best of three playoff series.  The winner goes to the World Series to play the Yankees, the loser stays in New York to watch.

Bottom of the 9th, the Giants are trailing by 2.  Enjoy the video.

Ernie Hallway and Red Barber – Shot Heard ‘Round the World

Tampa Bay Rays

Our PhD Committee is in Tampa analyzing why the Tampa Bay Rays are an elite franchise that wins without spending foolishly.  Ed, Farley and Mark explore all things Tampa (and St. Pete)  while Ed interviews super fan, Bill Dunstone.  Ed and Mark then head to the mountains to watch pure baseball heaven – the Little League World Series.  The Wise Guys get in the action as they battle out another episode of baseball history.  Our PhD Committee packs up for their last West Coast road trip of the season.  It’s time for all of us to get ready to leave our hearts in San Francisco.

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Tampa

This week is Rays‘ week with our podcast featuring the Tampa Bay Rays being released on Friday, August 27th.  Tampa is on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The Rays play in St. Petersburg, 24 miles to the south.

Tampa is a delightful city (and former home to Yankees late owner George Steinbrenner).  The Rays home, Tropicana Field has a dome and is a great place to watch a game and as you can see from the video below – make friends.

Travel Guide – Tampa

Raymond vs. Wally  - “Why Can’t We Be Friends”

2010 Little League World Series – Day 2

This week is Rays‘ week with our podcast featuring the Tampa Bay Rays being released on Friday, August 27th.  This podcast will also cover the 2010 Little League World Series.  Ed Kasputis and Mark Rantala attended this event of Saturday, August 21st and they’ll be giving their insight during our next podcast. The Wise Guys also attended Day 2 of the Series and we’ll get their kid perspective about this grand event.

This is the 64th year of the Little League World Series.  The first Little League World Series took place in 1947.

This year, more than 7,000 teams started the tournament.  The United States had approximately 6,500 of those teams.  Sixteen teams make it to the Little League World Series.  Eight are from the United States and eight are from abroad.

“Every Baseball PhD needs to come to this event” said Ed Kasputis.  ”There is no charge for parking or tickets and it’s pure baseball heaven.  I can’t believe that these kids are 11 and 12.  They play like little big leaguers already.  What I would give to be 12 again!”

Hope from Hawaii

Little League World Series video game

Florida Marlins

Our PhD Committee is in Miami, checking out Sun Life Stadium and Miami Marlins Ballpark which is currently under construction.  Ed interviews Greg Sherlock from Populous.  Greg is the lead designer for the new ballpark.  Ed shares his story about Little Billie and the PhD Committee talk about chivalry in baseball. Ed then interviews Steve Barr from Little League as the Little League World Series starts today. Ed also shares his experience at the SABR convention that just ended in Atlanta.  Lastly, our PhD Committee gears up to move from the east coast to the west coast of Florida.  Goodbye to Miami and hello to Tampa, home to those dynamic Rays.

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Baseball PhD meets Little Billie

One of the great things about baseball road trips are the people you meet.  Little Billie is no exception.  Ed Kasputis was walking outside Sun Life Stadium on August 4th when he met Little Billie.

Little Billie is excited that the Miami Heat added LeBron James and Chris Bosch to their roster.  Please LeBron, don’t quite on Little Billie.  He still thinks that you are more than a Scottie Pippen.

Little Billie at Sun Life Stadium

Miami Marlins Ballpark

The Florida Marlins are counting the days until they move into their beautiful new ballpark in 2012.  The Marlins currently play in Sun Life Stadium which is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens.  In 2012, the Marlins will be moving to Miami and playing in a ballpark with a retractable dome.  No more rain outs or rain delays!

Ed Kasputis will be interviewing Greg Sherlock, lead designer for this project during our podcast featuring the Florida Marlins.  This podcast will be released on Friday, August 20th.

Sneak Peak at Miami Marlins Ballpark

Fan Opinions

2010 Little League World Series

The 2010 Little League World Series starts on Friday, August 20th in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Ed Kasputis will be interviewing Steve Barr, Director of Media Relations for the Little League.  This interview will be released with our podcast featuring the Florida Marlins on Friday, August 20th.

The Little League World Series consists of 16 teams with 8 teams being from the United States.  The World Series will take place from August 20 -29.  Ed Kasputis and Mark Rantala will be reporting live from Williamsport on Saturday, August 21st.

Fairfield American to represent New England at Little League World Series.

Auburn, Washington and Hamilton, Ohio advance to Little League World Series.

Web Gems from the 2009 Little League World Series

1997 World Series

The Florida Marlins won their first World Series in 1997 in just their 5th season.  The Cleveland Indians were one strike away from winning their first World Series since 1948.  The Marlins rallied and scored one run in the bottom of the 9th.  Two innings later, the Marlins scored the winning run and brought South Florida its first World Series Championship.

This week is Marlins’ week with our podcast featuring the Florida Marlins being released on Friday, August 20th.

Scenes from Game 7

Toronto Blue Jays

This week our PhD Committee get their passports stamped as they cross the border and head north to the world class city of Toronto.  Ed tells about his experience in a bi-level suite at the Toronto Renaissance while Farley and Mark explore the rest of Toronto especially Brantford.  Ed then interviews Michael Smolders about the state of both the Blue Jays and Canadian Little League.  Andre Ethier sings Oh Canada from Dodger Stadium and Baseball Bob (the smartest man we know) makes an appearance and throws out his trivia question of the podcast.  Our PhD Committee says good bye to Toronto and instructs their pilot to head to Little Cuba aka Miami for next week’s podcast.  Our PhD Committee declines a trip to Big Cuba once Baseball Bob advises us that the US embargo against Cuba is still in effect.

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