Episodes
Monday Jul 13, 2020
The Wax Pack With Brad Balukjian
Monday Jul 13, 2020
Monday Jul 13, 2020
On a very special episode of Tri-State at the Plate, Andy speaks to Brad Balukjian, author of the LA Times Best selling book 'The Wax Pack'. Brad's book takes readers on an 11,000 mile trek across the country in an attempt to meet all of the players from a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards. Brad talks about his life as a scientist, professor, and Duke alumni and how his life helped prepare him to write this book. At the 27:30 minute mark, he discusses specific elements of his book, so spoilers will be from that point on. From there he talks about Pittsburgh fan-favorites Lee Mazzilli and Richie Hebner, Steve Yeager's mindset, Jaime Cocanower's career trajectory and post-career plans, and Don Carman's mental approach to life and baseball. Brad wraps up the interview discussing his literary decision to include personal details in the story and their importance to telling The Wax Pack tale.
If you don't have a copy of 'The Wax Pack', you can pick up a copy at any of the sites below:
Buy The Wax Pack on bookshop.org
Buy The Wax Pack at Nebraska Press
Follow Brad on Twitter @waxpackbook
Sunday May 10, 2020
Baseball in the Time of COVID
Sunday May 10, 2020
Sunday May 10, 2020
Could you have picked a better time to return to podcasting about baseball than right now? Probably. But the gang at Tri-State of Mind Baseball isn't going to let a lack of baseball stop them from podcasting about baseball. On this week's episode, Andy, Bob, and Jason talk about what baseball during a global pandemic might look like. Jason and Bob then recap the last three years of baseball in Cleveland and the complexity of the decisions that were made for a World Series contending team. Andy then analyzes the same time frame for the Pirates, which is an honest - and often heartbreaking - look at what front office decisions were made over the last few years. The team then finishes up the episode by discussing the current state of Minor League Baseball and how MLB's decisions are affecting their operations.
Monday Jan 23, 2017
Edwin Encarnacion's Interesting Attendance Bonus
Monday Jan 23, 2017
Monday Jan 23, 2017
On this week's episode, Bob, Andy, and Jason are all back together and starting off the episode by talking about the 2017 Hall of Fame vote. In the least controversial hot take possible, the trio decide that they're mostly just okay with the Hall of Fame. After that, Bob and Jason dig into the newest Cleveland Indian contract, which is full of fun surprises and belongs to former Toronto slugger Edwin Encarnacion. Then they discuss some Rule 5 draft action in Cleveland, Terry Francona's status as manager, Carlos Santana's future with the club, and finish up with a panic-stricken discussion about Michael Brantley's shoulder. Andy then digs into the news in Pittsburgh, highlighted by the signing of Ivan Nova. He talks at length about the Pirates' farm system, first baseman Josh Bell reporting to winter workouts in the best shape of his life (already!), what could have been with Tyson Ross, and the departure of front office quantitative analyst Mike Fitzgerald and the potential impact on the club.
Saturday Nov 19, 2016
Tinkering Tito and Twenty-Six Man Rosters
Saturday Nov 19, 2016
Saturday Nov 19, 2016
On this week's episode, Andy and Bob lament their long absence from the podcast recording universe before talking about Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement negotiations and the potential impact of a 26-man roster. Then they unwittingly create an advertisement for the Australian Baseball League and talk about how it can be viewed for free during the cold, winter months leading up to Spring Training. The duo then dig into the 2016 post season that was for the Cleveland Indians and talk about making trades using hindsight. Next, they look towards 2017 and beyond for the Pittsburgh Pirates as it pertains to Andrew McCutchen, the starting rotation, and first base. They talk about the incredibly thin free agent market and wrap up with a fun fact about former Erie SeaWolf and current American League Rookie of the Year, Michael Fulmer.
Friday Apr 01, 2016
Hypothetical Tags
Friday Apr 01, 2016
Friday Apr 01, 2016
On this week's episode, Andy and Jason discuss the merits of Major League Baseball changing the rules of tagging runners out; the laces on your mitts are now excluded from the tag. Once their heated debate cools, Andy discusses the end of the Pirates' spring, including, but not limited to: Juan Nicasio nailing down the fifth starter spot and whether to be optimistically optimistic or cautiously optimistic, the Pirates' bullpen construction, and how the Pirates' roster is going to cut down from 30 men to 25 before Sunday. Jason then transitions flawlessly into talking about Trevor Bauer's career and how it's led him to the bullpen. He also talks about Tyler Naquin in center field, Michael Brantley and Lonnie Chisenhall on the disabled list, and he finishes up with discussing Paul Dolan's recent interview in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The gang finishes with a SeaWolves Shoutout, taking a look at when the Tri-State teams are coming to town as well as waxing poetic about Minor League Baseball.
Monday Mar 28, 2016
A Fireside Chat with Out of the Park Baseball's Richard Grisham
Monday Mar 28, 2016
Monday Mar 28, 2016
Do you like baseball? Do you like video games? If you answered yes to either of those questions then this is the podcast for you!
Friday Feb 05, 2016
Neal Huntington Goes to Confession
Friday Feb 05, 2016
Friday Feb 05, 2016
"Forgive me father, for Jason Bay is my one sin."
Saturday Jan 30, 2016
Who's in Right? No, Cowgill's in Right.
Saturday Jan 30, 2016
Saturday Jan 30, 2016
On this week's podcast, the Big Red Machine, Bob Finkbeiner, makes his return to the podcasting world. Andy and Bob first talk about the potential baseball series in London before Andy discusses the Pirates' jersey situation, Jung-ho Kang's rehab, Francisco Cervelli's contract desires wanting to stay in Pittsburgh, and finally, Andy predicts doom for the Pirates after the departure of pitching big-wig Jim Benedict to Miami. Bob then waxes poetic about the Cleveland Indians' 2016 Hall of Fame Class, he talks about Michael Brantley's rehab, Josh Tomlin's contract, and the enigma that is the outfield in Cleveland without Brantley. The duo finishes up answering Tweetmails about how to bring fans who have left the game back.
Sunday Aug 02, 2015
The 2015 Trade Deadline That Was
Sunday Aug 02, 2015
Sunday Aug 02, 2015
The 2015 trade deadline has come and gone so you get an hour and twenty minutes of podcast goodness today, but before Jason and Andy discuss things with the Tribe, they first discuss an appropriate age to bring your child to a baseball game. Once they finish with that discussion at the 12:45 mark, they then dive into the Cleveland Indians. Jason gives his thoughts on the Brandon Moss trade, the Carlos Carassco trade that never was, Jason Kipnis and leadership in the Indians' clubhouse, and Andy waxes poetic about Francisco Lindor's recent production at the plate. Then around the 44:00 minute mark, Andy and Chris Bradley dig into the Pirates' trade deadline: they first hit on the Aramis Ramirez homecoming, Joe Blanton and the least sexy trade ever and the rest of the Pirates trades before finishing up talking about A.J. Burnett's elbow (or what's left of it) and Jung-ho Kang's hot streak the last month. Andy then finishes with a quick SeaWolves shout out and talks about going to meet former Pirates manager Jim Leyland this week!
Friday May 01, 2015
The Indians and Pirates Ups and Downs
Friday May 01, 2015
Friday May 01, 2015
On this week's Tri-State at the Plate, Andy and Jason talk about Edinboro Elementary student Jacob Haugh, who has raised nearly $3,000 for the Pirates charity Wins for Kids. You can donate to the charity here and make sure to add 'Jacob Haugh' to your donation.
The show starts with Andy and Jason talking about the least controversial controversial topic that they can think of: the National League adopting the DH. Andy then talks about the ups and downs of the Pirates' season so far: Starling Marte hitting for power, but not taking any walks. The hitting not doing much of anything, but the pitching's stellar start. Melancon's velocity is down and... well, there's no real upside to that. Jason then makes some tater tots before he chimes in to discuss Cleveland's slow start and how the fans shouldn't be panicking. Yet. The duo finish up with a SeaWolves shout out that is Dean Green heavy this week.