Episode 114: Before the Me-Star Break
Matthew and Toby touch base on the latest cases of COVID in the clubhouse, continued drama for the Clevelands, scams that involve Curt Schilling, and the final throes of baseball’s unwritten rules.
Episode 113: An Item of Some Controversy
Matthew and Toby take a hard look at the Democratic ticket and the teams Joe and Kamala root for, and then go Three Up, Three Down on the A’s-Astros pandemic brawl, the Cleveland pitchers’ pandemic gall, incidents of maybe-accidental white supremacy, Tito’s TMI health issues, a troubling fantasy baseball pitcher profile, and criminal charges in Tyler Skaggs’ death.
Episode 112: A Second Run Batted In
Matthew and Toby record a special episode on the heels of some big breaking news: A second team has players test positive for COVID-19, and the best in the game goes on the paternity list.
Episode 111: Decimate Means One in Ten and This Is Worse Than One in Ten
Matthew and Toby get together for another bound-to-be-immediately-outdated chat about the new baseball season and try not to “get all political” about what the Marlins outbreak means for the entire enterprise.
Episode 110: Spring Training for Babytime
It’s Opening Day! Matthew and Toby prepare for the first pitch of the 2020 MLB season and celebrate with the annual tradition of listening to YOUR Preseason Predictions. What a time to be alive!
Episode 109: Ready to Be Up All Night
Matthew and Toby touch base shortly before the abbreviated baseball season begins (and shortly before Matthew becomes a dad for the second time). Entries for the 2020 Preseason Prediction Contest are due by 3p ET on Wednesday, July 22nd. To enter, just fire up your Voice Memo app, and answer these six questions:
1. Who are you?
2. Who's your team?
3. How many games will your team win in 2020?
4. Will they make the postseason?
5. Which two teams will play in the World Series?
6. Which team will win it all?
Then, and this is important, send that audio file to thebatterymates@gmail.com by 3p ET on Wednesday, July 22. You’ll be entered to win and get your prediction featured in the annual Opening Day episode.
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The ad for this episode is about Kate Stayman-London’s brand-new novel, One to Watch, which you should buy right now.
Episode 108: The Please Leave Bell
Matthew and Toby discuss the apparent return of the baseball season, and all the ways it’ll be a weird one. But more excitingly, Matthew is joined by the Hon. Alex Norris MP—an actual real-life Member of Parliament representing the seat of Nottingham North who also happens to be a huge Orioles fan—for a Half-Hearted Attempt at Empathy.
Episode 107: I Had to Buy a DVD Player
Matthew and Toby are joined again by Kate Stayman-London for a long-awaited discussion of the enduring film Major League, which is about the redemption of the Clevelands and therefore is forgiven for all of its flaws.
Episode 106: We Should Have Kept These Teams in Quarantine
This is not your typical Battery Mates episode. Matthew and Toby play a round of coin-toss baseball and invite you to listen in. So you really have to ask yourself: Are you really that desperate for baseball? Do you like listening to grown men flipping coins (which Toby is somehow very bad at)? If you answered yes twice, this one’s for you. In this simulated game, some very good pitchers get hit around, lots of runs are scored, and it’s a nail biter to the very end. You’ll have to listen to the episode to see how it turns out…
Episode 105: Any Punishments Handed Out for This Year Just Seem Sarcastic
Matthew and Toby somehow have quite a bit to talk about. The boys go around the horn on the Nationals book Matthew is featured in, the prize for last season’s preseason prediction contest winner, the fallout from the Red Sox cheating scandal, and MLB’s Operation: Restart.
Episode 104: The Value of a Walk
Matthew, Toby, and Kate Stayman-London are back for another edition of Battery Mates at the Movies to unpack the 2011 Academy Award-nominated film Moneyball, the statement it makes on feminism in hiring practices, and the fact that they stole a key line for Brad Pitt directly from Jennifer Aniston.
Episode 103: Dogs Cannot Get the Pandemic
Matthew, Toby, and Kate Stayman-London dip their toes into some current events before diving into the extremely second-screenable 2001 HBO film, 61*, for another segment of Battery Mates at the Movies.
Episode 102: Leg Ashtray
Matthew and Toby touch on the latest agreement among players and owners before diving deep into Bill Veeck, Steve Dahl, and the disgraceful disaster that was Disco Demolition Night.
Episode 101: C'est Fromage, N'est-ce Pas?
Matthew and Toby (and Kate Stayman-London!) engage in some casual pandemic chat, discuss some baseball deprivation coping mechanisms, and then settle in for a Battery Mates at the Movies deep-dive on Eight Men Out.
Episode 100: Let's Blame the Astros
Weird times, weird episode. Matthew and Toby try to unpack what’s going on without getting too depressed or freaked out. In lieu of a new baseball season to cover, the program is taking requests for topics (epic games, memorable moments, etc.) to discuss during the shutdown.
Episode 099: Like One of Those Calmness Apps
Matthew and Toby catch up on the Spring Training haps, the latest on who’s hating the Asterisks, MLB’s very, very dumb proposal to expand the playoffs, the new three-batter minimum rule, the Battery Mates upcoming Texas roadshow, and a plug for your preseason predictions.
Episode 098: Nacho Is Also Upset with the Astros
In a very special Valentine’s Day episode, Matthew and Toby interview known Houston fan Ross Morales Rocketto about the Asterisks—and, in the meantime, stumble upon a pretty compelling rumor about Bryce Harper.
Episode 097: Dik-Dik Jokes
On the eve of pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, Matthew and Toby discuss the latest developments with the Houston Asterisks, the impact of the Mookie trade on Mitt Romney’s behavior, and USA Today’s predictions for the 2020 season.
Episode 096: The Trash Can is Going to End Up in Cooperstown
Matthew and Toby drop everything to discuss the breaking news of the MLB report on Houston’s “banging scheme” and unpack the ensuing fallout.
Episode 095: Happy to Grab a Pitchfork with the Rest of You
Matthew and Toby wrap up the fourth season of Battery Mates with a check-in on our teams’ offseason, including a fan-demanded look at what’s up with the Kansas City Royals, with special guest James Hupp.