I don’t write here very much anymore. In fact, I probably haven’t put anything up here since the Top Cards on Twitter series at the end of December. However, I’ve been thinking about putting up a guide to Cardinals podcasts and I was afraid it would be too unwieldy for my Substack. (Which, hey, if you want to read that, you can find and subscribe here.)
This isn’t my first stab at something like this, though. It’s my fourth time to tackle podcasts, though the last one was back in 2018 and a lot of things have changed since then. (I also did some looks at the blogosphere when that was a thing, but it really isn’t anymore.) Podcasting has become the new blogging, with a plethora of different voices and approaches out there talking about the Cardinals and all the issues around them.
I’m going to be fair up front–I don’t listen to all of these. It’s pretty much impossible to keep up with so many, especially since my podcast listening is usually when I am in the car (which usually isn’t an extended time) or mowing the yard. There are some that are my old favorites and some I’ve never really meshed with. However, if you are looking for some new voices to listen to, there are plenty of options below and I encourage you to sample as many as you can. You never know, you might find a new favorite. There are many ways to sort these but let’s see if we can do it alphabetically. I’ll include their Apple Podcast and Spotify links assuming they have them. Most of these are also on other podcast platforms, such as YouTube, so if you have a favorite place to listen, search for these and you may just find them. I’ll list out a release schedule, but realize that some 1) have a different approach in the off-season and 2) don’t always drop an episode exactly on that schedule.
This list is, I’m sure, not exhaustive. I searched Spotify and Google for shows but I’m sure I missed some. If you have an active show that needs to be in here, let me know and I’ll edit. Also, there are some other podcasters–Kelsey Burd comes to mind–that are involved with the Cardinals community but their podcasts are more general baseball than focused on the team. You should definitely check those shows out as well even though they are not listed here!
B-Schaeff Daily
Host: Brenden Schaeffer
Releases: Daily
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
There are a number of things Brenden can’t do. The man has no clue on nicknames, as you can tell from the show title. He’s got to work on the facial hair. What he can do, though, is put together an entertaining look at the last game soon after it wraps. He’s got access to the clubhouse and he’ll break down everything he saw and heard. Our relationship is such that we give each other a ton of grief but he does a fine job here.
Best Podcast in Baseball
Host: Derrick Goold
Releases: Weekly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
It’s the big fish in this big pond. The beat writer for the paper of record covering all the topics is always going to draw the ears. Derrick is the host but he has a guest every time out so it’s not just a monologue. It might be a writer that covers a team the Cards are playing or about to play, it might be Ben Fredrickson or another Post-Dispatch writer, it might be another person in baseball or journalism. No matter who joins him, it’s going to be a good conversation that looks a little deeper about the team and what’s surrounding it.
Birds on a Blue Note
Hosts: Zack and RJ
Releases: Twice a week
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
I just recently became aware of this one as it seems to have started around the beginning of the baseball season. There aren’t too many podcasts that focus on both of St. Louis’s major sports teams (well, two of three with City there now, I guess) but that’s going to give these guys content year round. It’s also one of the rare shows that dives straight into things with no theme music or intro. A new one to keep an eye and ear on!
Broadway and Clark
Hosts: Mark Recca and Duncan
Releases: Irregularly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
This is another fairly new show with about 40 episodes under their belt. Mark and Duncan break down the issues of the day as they go back and forth talking about the club. You have to love a show with a nice reference to the location of the stadium as a title, don’t you?
Cardinals Off Day
Hosts: Ben Godar and Ben Humphries
Releases: Irregularly (every off day)
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Two Bens, both former writers at Viva El Birdos and both possessing such classic Iowa accents, come to you when you really need them, days when the Cardinals aren’t playing. They’ll tell you what they’ve learned since the last show, dive into some of the issues around the club, and usually leave you with a recommendation for something to do, read, or listen to in the time between shows. It’s an intelligent approach to what’s happening on and off the field.
A Clubhouse Divided
Hosts: Will and Ryan Armstrong
Releases: Irregularly
Spotify
Two brothers. One that fell to the dark side and became a Cub fan, one that stayed with the light and the Cardinals. I haven’t had a chance to listen to this one, having just found it, but I can imagine these discussions could get intense. Nobody gets under your skin like your brother, right?
Dealin’ The Cards
Hosts: Josh Jacobs, Sandy McMillian, Andrew Wang
Releases: Twice a week
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
The crew of Redbird Rants comes together to host this podcast that used to be called Noot News. The shows usually drop after a series, looking back at what happened and discussing the topics that came out of the last three or four games. There’s also shows that are built around topics that have traditionally been blog posts, like mid-season grades or trade proposals.
Gateway to Baseball Heaven
Hosts: David Jones and myself
Releases: Weekly (Sunday)
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Sunday night’s a good night for podcasting, allowing for a real wrap-up of the week. I toss up the softballs and David hits them out of the park, bringing some solid analysis and thoughts on what has happened for St. Louis over the last few days. We try for half an hour but sometimes the discussion gets going and we run a little long.
The Hard Nine
Hosts: Caleb and Mike Noble
Releases: Weekly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
There’s something about hosts being related that brings an extra layer of flavor to a podcast. Caleb and Mike are not afraid to disagree and mix things up when it comes to discussing the Cardinals, though no harm is done to their relationship. Good, solid Cardinals talk–who could ask for anything more?
Locked On Cardinals
Host: JD Hafron
Releases: Daily
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
I am amazed at the people that can put out a show every day. (Well, not Brenden Schaeffer, but anyone else.) That’s the hook of the Locked On network, though, and JD puts out about 1/2 an hour of content looking at what happened the night before and what might happen today. If you’ve got a regular commute, this might be one that works for you on your way in to work to stay caught up on the club.
Meet Me at Musial
Hosts: Allen Medlock and myself
Releases: Weekly (Friday)
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
The second of two shows that has the handicap of having me as a co-host. Thankfully, Allen brings the good analysis and discussion, though his day job as a high school baseball coach does keep him away through the first half of the season. I’ve been fortunate to rotate some really good guests the last few years when Allen is out so the quality doesn’t drop to just me rambling into a mic.
OnlyCardsFans
Host: OnlyCardsFans
Releases: Irregularly
Spotify
While his creativity did not extend to a catchy podcast title, the person behind the Twitter handle occasionally records his Cardinals thoughts and rants instead of putting them out there 280 characters at a time. You might get a little history, especially since he’s writing up the 1964 season right now, and you’ll definitely get his strong and snarky take on the Redbirds.
Playing Catch
Hosts: Richard and Truman McGill
Releases: Irregularly
Apple Podcasts
Nothing says baseball like a father and son taking in the game and talking it over. Richard and Truman are also rare in the fact that they record in the same room instead of via the internet. There’s a lot of good discussion and there’s also that back-and-forth that only a dad and his boy can have (and occasionally the exasperation of a teenager with his pop). The plan is always to record weekly but their busy lives tend to put a wrinkle in that plan.
Rains on the Cardinals
Host: Rob Rains
Releases: Weekly
Podbean, YouTube
I couldn’t find Mr. Rains’s show on the normal outlets but didn’t want to go without any links at all. There’s plenty of content at his STL Sports Page, including a page for this show. Rob has been covering the Cardinals for decades and he brings that knowledge (and his sons!) to this show. You’ll also find raw audio from interviews after games on the Podbean feed as well, which is always interesting.
Rambling Redbirds
Host: Jake Wood
Releases: Irregularly
Spotify
This is a fairly new addition to the Cardinal podcast universe. Jake has 19 shows under his belt since starting back in November but he’s staying active, locking down guests like Jeff Jones and Kyle Reis (and, if rumor is correct, soon Katie Woo). Jake was also at the recent event at Busch Stadium for bloggers and podcasters so he’s probably not going anywhere for a while.
Seeing Red
Hosts: Bernie Miklasz and Will Leitch
Releases: Weekly (Monday)
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Most everyone that is active in the Cardinal fan base knows Bernie, the longtime Post-Dispatch writer. I guess there’s probably a younger cohort of fans that don’t remember him there but know him from his radio show and his writing on Dan McLaughlin’s site. Bernie still has his finger on the pulse of the team (and the phone number of Bill DeWitt Jr.) and plenty of takes to go along with it. Will writes a lot of places on a lot of things (most of his baseball is at MLB.com) but here he can let his inner Cardinal fan come out.
St. Louis Cardinals Podcast
Host: Varies
Releases: Irregularly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
This feed includes episodes of The Chatter’s Box, a show of player interviews hosted by Kyle McClellan, and Cardinals Insider, interviews done as part of the regular TV show. This is coming from the club, so don’t expect breaking news or deep analysis, but if you want some access that no other show has or want to hear from former or current players, this would be the feed for you.
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF – Saluting Unsung Heroes
Hosts: Thomas Nance and Jonathon Krost
Releases: Irregularly
Spotify
Here’s a twist: instead of a show about the current state of the Cardinals, Thomas and Jonathon get into the deep and rich history of the St. Louis Cardinals. There are a lot of names from the past that more recent fans of the club may not know about and these guys try to fill that gap. There’s only been five episodes so far but there’s material for almost an unlimited run.
St. Louis Cardinals UK
Host: Big Dave
Releases: Irregularly
Spotify
While there are a lot of podcasts that come from out of the St. Louis metro area, nobody comes from farther away than Dave, who is across the pond in the United Kingdom. Dave often talks with other Cardinals fans, finding how how they got into the team and their baseball memories. He’s not recorded in a while but hopefully that will change soon.
Talking About Birds
Hosts: Nate Heininger and Ben Simorka
Releases: Weekly (Thursday)
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
This may be the most unique podcast on the list. Ben and Nate, who are actually cousins and also actually admit it, may go a bit far afield when talking about what’s gone on in the past week personally, but their thoughts on the Cards are always worth listening to. They’ve got a good structure to the show, including touching on news from around the league, and they always end with a game that ranges from silly to extremely silly. Even though they joke around, it’s a good look at what’s happening with the Cardinals. Fair disclosure: they have me as a guest semi-regularly.
Team of Rivals
Hosts: Ron Nuttall, Pete, and Elliott
Releases: Weekly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
If the Cardinals are going well, this show is easier to listen to than if they are not. That’s because Ron somehow managed to get mixed up with two Cub fans to put together this podcast and, for me, there’s nothing worse than listening to Cub fans talk about the problems of the Cardinals. Seriously, though, two very different perspectives collide as the guys talk about their teams and baseball in general and that always allows for some good conversation.
That’s a Winner
Host: Ryan Jenkins
Releases: Irregularly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
There’s a team of folks that put out this show and you’ll get a different mix of voices just about every time out. They are in their third season and have built up quite the following, helped in part by streaming on the Cardinals 24/7 Facebook Page. They’ve also been able to line up sponsors and have giveaways, which is a nice bonus as well.
There IS Crying In Baseball
Hosts: Hayley and Rachael
Releases: Irregularly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
There’s not just a ton of women in the podcasting realm but this show helps make up for that. Hayley and Rachael bring their unique perspective to things that are going on not only with the Cardinals but also around baseball and other sports as well. They are also always going to find a baseball moment that made them cry recently, whether in happiness or sadness. Definitely a different vibe to this one!
Viva El Birdos
Host: J.P. Hill
Releases: Irregularly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
This one’s not out on a regular schedule but it’s always worth a listen when it comes out. J.P. usually has some combination of the quality writers at the site to address questions proposed from the site and hit some of the important topics of the day. There’s not too many shows that regularly have four or five people in a roundtable but here it never gets confusing or unwieldy.
Wednesdays with Walton and Newberry
Hosts: Brian Walton and Blake Newberry
Releases: Weekly (Wednesday)
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
A note about those links, they take you to the entire Scoops network so there are a lot of different shows about a lot of different sports. If you want to just listen to these guys talk about not only the major league squad but the important stuff coming out of the minors, you should bookmark the page over on their website, TheCardinalNation.com. You are not going to find better minor league coverage than from these guys and putting them together to talk about it is a winning idea.
THE Worst Fans in Baseball
Hosts: Josh and Tom
Releases: Weekly
Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Usually Cardinal podcasts emphasize the other end of the superlative spectrum but this isn’t your regular Cardinals podcast. The Cardinals are the main topic of conversation, of course, but subject matter can range far from the birds on the bat. If you like your Cardinals talk flavored with some other topics of the day, this one may be for you!
