Gateway to Baseball Heaven: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

GTBH 9/17/18: It's All in the Journey

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  It was a rough week for the Redbirds (well, the major league version--Memphis is doing all right) as they blew their wild card lead and are now just hanging on to the edges of the playoffs.  Should we be worked up about where they are or appreciate where they've come from?  Adam Wainwright stopped the bleeding with a--hang on, I think we're contractually obligated to use "vintage" here--vintage performance on Sunday night.  Is that the new normal for Waino or a flash in the pan?  Then there's Kolten Wong talk, a look at Matt Carpenter, and a look forward at what is to come for the Cards.  Different night, same fun talk!

GTBH 9/9/18: It Doesn't Have to be Pretty

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  September has started out a little more gritty, a little tougher, than the results of that high-flying August.  The Cards went 3-3 and lost a series to a Tigers team that's already been eliminated.  Is this a sign of things to come?  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Birds on the Black, @tarawellman) talk about the young arms getting tired and what that might mean for the Cards' playoff hopes.  There's a new closer in town and our intrepid hosts discuss what that means for the bullpen in general and Carlos Martinez in particular.  Plus Marcell Ozuna's hot bat, Jose Martinez's cold one, and how little time there really is left.  Come join us, won't you?

GTBH 9/2/18: Laboring Through the Weekend

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  After a remarkable run, the Cardinals dropped two of three to the Cincinnati Reds this weekend to end their 10-series winning streak.  Is the sky falling now?  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Birds on the Black, @tarawellman) don't think that it is.  They talk about Mike Shildt being named the permanent (well, as permanent as managers are) manager of the Cardinals, what happened this weekend, the pennant and wild card races, and of course give Tara some time to talk about Kolten Wong.  Give us a listen as you are enjoying your holiday!

GTBH 8/26/18: Kolten's Korner

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  After expressing concern about how the Cards would handle a West Coast trip with so many playoff implications, Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) can only stand somewhat amazed over a 5-1 result.  The club even shook off a rout by the Rockies on Saturday and put up six runs in the first on Sunday.  Why does this team react differently now?  Why are they this seemingly unstoppable force?

The Cardinals also added Matt Adams to the mix this week, bringing back a popular Redbird.  How does he fit in and how important was it that he meshed well with the existing clubhouse culture?

Tara and Daniel also talk about the upcoming roster expansion.  All of this is, of course, after Tara spends a few moments....well, maybe more than a few....lauding her favorite player.  He deserved it!

GTBH 8/19/18: Cardinals Doing Work

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Redbirds are on a roll right now, winning five of seven this week even as they ended it with a loss to the Brewers and therefore out of the playoff picture.  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) are still pretty happy with this team and are excited about their run from "let's plan for October" to "wow, even the division is within reach."  Lots of great things happened this week and there's plenty of news as well.  So tune in to hear your favorite hosts talk about Greg Garcia, Luke Weaver, Carlos Martinez, Brett Cecil, and even more.  You know you want to!

GTBH 8/12/18: Feeling Like Royalty

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  It was an excellent week for the Redbirds--which, given how many Memphis folks are on the roster, may be a more accurate label than ever--as they took two of three from the Marlins and swept through Kansas City.  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) talk about the energy and vibe that this team is putting off, their charge up both the wild card and the division standings (if Washington would have done their part....), and the all-around excellence from the Cardinals.  We saw major league debuts from Adolis Garcia and Patrick Wisdom and a great Cardinal debut from Tyson Ross.  Plus there's a discussion about Mike Shildt's conversation with the umpire at the end of Sunday's game.  And stick around to the very end to hear a sadly accurate (well, almost) prediction!

GTBH 8/6/18: Winning Breeds Excitement

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  After a false start on their regular night, Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) get together after the Cards drop a tough one in Miami.  Still, it didn't feel like the same old Cardinals, especially after they took series from the Cubs, the Rockies, and the Pirates all in order.  The trade deadline also happened since we last got together and Tommy Pham is now an injured Ray.  Did that deal make sense?  Would it have been made had Dexter Fowler gotten hurt earlier.

Tara also spends time explaining why Tyson Ross could be as good for the Cardinals as Chris Archer would have been this season and talks about her trip to Peoria!

GTBH 7/29/18: The Shuffle Is Real

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  After weeks, months, maybe years of incremental changes, the Cards went big this week, completely reworking their bullpen with some internal moves Friday and a trade on Saturday.  What does this all mean for 2018 and beyond?  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) break it down for you in this episode.  Does the redone bullpen mean the Cardinals are making a push?  Are they done making changes?  Who will go off the 25-man roster before Monday's game?  Who will be gone and who will stay after the deadline?  All this plus some of what this team is looking like under Mike Shildt and more!

GTBH 7/22/18: New Manager, Same Results

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  After spending last week with Adam Butler on Conversations with C70, Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) return to their normal locale to talk about the first week of the Mike Shildt era.  While there seems to be a different energy, a more transparent approach, and a more consistent offense, the fact remains that the Cards lost three of five to the Cubs and now reside in fourth place.  What can this team do to be better?  What should this team do at the trading deadline?  Who has the answers that you seek?  It's not us--but we'll talk about the problems anyway!

GTBH 7/8/18: A Giant Hill to Climb

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  Well, not every week, but after a week off due to travel Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) are back at it talking about another frustrating week for the Cards, topped off by an ugly loss to the Giants.  Is this team anything more than a middling, .500 squad?  With the trade deadline coming up, what should the front office be doing?  Plus there is talk about John Mozeliak's comments regarding Dexter Fowler and the selection of Miles Mikolas to the National League All-Star Team.  All that and plenty more!