Foul Ball Area

David Driver, Will Hass

Tune in to today's episode of the podcast as I talk with David Driver, who covers the Washington Nationals for Federal Baseball (1:48-19:26). We talk about what's changed from last season to this year, the team's biggest weaknesses, how fun it is to watch Juan Soto and the Nats' farm system. 

 

Plus I chat with Will Hass of the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks and Randolph-Macon (20:20-31:00). We talk about the 2020 college season getting canceled, his stellar RCBL season, what it's like to play with Tanner Morris and what to expect for the upcoming NCAA baseball season. 

 

Tune in to hear both of these great interviews today!

Trade Deadline Recap

Tune in to today's episode of the podcast as we go over the biggest moves at the 2020 MLB Trade Deadline and tell you which team we think won the deadline. (Hint: It's a Southern California team with the most exciting young player in baseball.) 

 

Plus, we talk about which team is the most exciting team in the league, and it's pretty much narrowed down to the Padres and White Sox. 

 

Finally, we end the show with some discussion on jersey numbers, playoff bubbles and what's going on with Gerrit Cole. Tune in for all that and more on today's episode of Foul Ball Area!

Mornings with Matt: Aug. 31, 2020

Tune in to today's episode of Mornings with Matt as I go over some of the biggest moves we could see today at this year's trade deadline! Who will end up getting Lance Lynn? Will the Padres make any more moves? Will Mike Clevinger end up getting dealt? I go over all of those scenarios in this morning's podcast.

 

Plus, MLB went one day without any postponements, but that ended on Sunday as the A's and Astros had to push their game back due to a positive COVID-19 test. Now we'll have to wait and see how long this outbreak lasts and how it impacts the 2020 season. Tune in for all of that and more on today's edition of Mornings with Matt!

Kevin Rush, Broadway Bruins

The Broadway Bruins are your 2020 Rockingham County Baseball League champions! The Bruins won their first league title since 1938, sweeping the New Market Shockers in the Championship Series. 

 

While JMU players such as Chase DeLauter and Travis Reifsnider certainly played a big part in Broadway's historic season, there are plenty of players who have been a part of the team for years. Guys like John Judy, Bryce Strawderman and Kevin Rush have been building this program up for the last couple of seasons, and their efforts finally culminated in a championship. 

 

On today's episode of the podcast, I talk with veteran Kevin Rush about how it feels to win a championship with Broadway, his past experience winning in the RCBL and his future plans in the league. 

Trade Deadline 2020

The 2020 MLB Trade Deadline is rapidly approaching, so Trey Lyle and I are here to take you through everything you need to know about this year's deadline. We go through some of the potential deals that could happen, talk about wild blockbuster trades, and put ourselves in the shoes of a GM to see what we would do if we had the decision-making power. 

 

Tune in to this week's episode of Foul Ball Area for all the trade deadline talk and more!

Mornings with Matt: Aug. 24, 2020

Tune in to the second episode of Mornings With Matt as we recap the weekend in baseball. 

The Chicago White Sox put on a power display against the Cubs this weekend, with one player setting a franchise record. The Padres have given their city a new nickname, and they're the hottest team in baseball right now. Plus, a Mike Trout rookie card set a new record when it was sold at auction on Saturday. Find out just how much the buyer paid for it. 

 

Grab your coffee and bagel, and tune in for all of that and more on today's episode of Mornings with Matt!

Chase DeLauter, Broadway Bruins

Chase DeLauter of the Broadway Bruins joins Matthew Atkins for a special Friday episode of the podcast. DeLauter was a Freshman All-American in 2020 at James Madison University, and played with the Broadway Bruins in the RCBL during the summer of 2020. 

 

DeLauter led the RCBL in batting average (.545), home runs (13) and RBIs (39), among many other categories. He was named league MVP and Rookie of the Year, and has played an integral part in leading the Bruins to their first pennant since 1931. 

 

We talk about DeLauter's first season at JMU, his experience with the RCBL this summer and what it was like getting to play at his collegiate home ballpark throughout the RCBL season. 

We Like Grand Slams on 3-0 Pitches

Tune in to the latest episode of Foul Ball Area as we discuss Fernando Tatis, Jr.'s hot start to the season, whether or not it's okay to swing at a 3-0 pitch and other unwritten rules.

 

Plus, we take a look back at this day in baseball history, talk about the Yankees' injuries, and take a look around the league to see how each team is doing as we pass the 20-game mark. Finally, we discuss what would happen in the world if the Orioles and Marlins both made the postseason, which is very possible this year. 

Mornings with Matt: Aug. 17, 2020

Tune in to the first edition of Mornings with Matt, a new Monday morning edition of the podcast designed to bring you up to speed on the weekend's news, and get you ready for the week ahead. 

 

Today Matt talks about some of the biggest injury news from this past weekend, the big star power we've seen around the league this year and some of the top series to watch this coming week. 

Mike Burtner, Valley Baseball Scout

Tune in to a special episode of the podcast today as Mike Burtner joins us to talk about his journey helping local high school players get noticed.

 

Mike runs Valley Baseball Scout, which you can find on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. He posts videos of local players, showcasing their pitching, hitting and other skills. He's helped numerous players put together quality video to help them get noticed by college coaches. 

 

Mike and I talk about how he started Valley Baseball Scout, some of the players he's worked with, and how COVID-19 has made things more difficult.