About a year and a half ago, I took to cataloging the various podcasts around that focus on the St. Louis Cardinals. Like in blogging, the scene changes rapidly in podcasting. Three of the shows listed in the post don’t update anymore and a couple have changed voices while keeping the same title. There are new entrants into the marketplace, as it were. So, with the dead part of the winter coming on, it seemed a good idea to revisit this idea and update where things needed to be modified.
Before we get into the shows, I want to reiterate something I said last time out:
Also, every show on here would love to hear your feedback, whether positive or negative. (Well, if it’s negative, at least couch it as constructive criticism, will ya?) It’s a tough thing to broadcast to the winds of the Internet, so knowing someone is listening can make a huge difference. Plus, rating podcasts on iTunes can help them get exposure and found by other folks of a like mind. Consider writing a review and letting them (and those browsing) know what you like about it. Drop them a Tweet and let them know you’ve subscribed. Especially if you like the show, give occasional encouragement. It’ll never go amiss and it might be what keeps them doing the show or doing it more regularly.
Seriously, especially if you enjoy these shows, give some feedback, whether it’s an iTunes rating (which would help the show reach others) or a Tweet or an email. Hearing from the listeners that they like what’s going on is a wonderful boost, especially since the majority of the folks listed are not professional by any means. They aren’t getting paid to do this and most often they don’t have a sponsor to defray their costs either. They are doing it because they love the Cardinals and they have some opinions, so knowing that someone is out there is a very helpful thing. You might disagree with their points, you might want to argue some ideas, but pretty much everyone on here is up for a civil discussion and exchange.
All right, this time around, let’s take them in alphabetical order. Please note that you can find a number of these on our dedicated Cardinal podcast blog.
Brad Straubinger has been involved in the Cardinal media scene for some time, producing things at FOX Sports Midwest as just one part of his resume. He’s used his contacts to create an interview-based podcast with some incredibly great guests, sitting down with players like Vince Coleman and Ozzie Smith, recently talking with Jack Buck, and even going back into his archives to put up interviews with folks like Kirby Puckett. I’ve listened to a few of them and I’ve found them quite enjoyable with the subject having a casual chat with Brad and therefore being able to be open and expansive on the various topics. If you just want to know about baseball and Cardinal history, these are some great shows to listen to.
Best Podcast in Baseball (iTunes)
Obviously, this is the heaviest hitter in the podcast lineup, pairing Post-Dispatch scribes Derrick Goold and Benjamin Hochman in a free-wheeling hour-long (usually) discussion of the Cardinal news of the day. As I noted last time out, there’s a very different style and dynamic from the original BPIB with Goold and Bernie Miklasz. Goold has shifted into the host chair and now has the somewhat unenviable task of trying to keep Hochman on the path that they started down. Let’s just say many rabbits are chased these days, but there’s still a lot of good Cardinal information in here as they tackle whatever is going on with the Redbirds from the perspective of folks that are at the ballpark every day and have access and information the rest of us don’t have.
You’ll see Tara Wellman’s name on this list quite often, but Bird Seeds is her solo outing, done on YouTube as the only real Cardinal video blog that is out there. Just because it’s got that visual component doesn’t rule it out here, especially since Tara just recently won the Best UCB Podcast award in the Cardinal Blogger Awards. Tara uses her TV background to put out a great product, usually focusing on one or two issues in her 10-15 minute show. With graphics and background music, you’d swear that this was a professional product, not one done from the comfort of her own home.
Cardinals Radio Podcast (iTunes)
I can’t tell you much about this show, since I just found it as I was putting together this post. Looking over the archives, though, it looks like it’s a show that comes out after every series, which is a strong level of dedication that most on this list aren’t tackling. Shows appear to run about 20-30 minutes and I look forward to checking this one out and seeing how it fits into my listening schedule. (Edit 4/24/17: After listening to an early 2017 episode, this show is heavy on recap and sounds of the game, using game audio for big plays and key moments.)
Cards on Cards (iTunes)
This is a show that I stumbled across late in the season last year and, as it appears that they’ve taken the winter off, I’ve not listened to much of it. That said, the conceit of the show is something unique–the podcast is recorded while a group of Cardinal fans plays poker, thus the Cards on Cards handle. The clinking of chips and the checking on who the action on could either be a distraction or endearing background noise, depending on your point of view. I’m looking forward to hearing more of this one in 2017. (EDIT 4/24/17: The first episode in 2017 was Cardinal related in a different way–a Catholic podcast. Waiting to see if that has been completely changed or was a one-off.)
Conversations With C70 (iTunes)
One of the three podcasts I’m somewhat involved with, Conversations is my solo effort that comes out…well, whenever I feel like it coming out. (With the regular schedule of Meet Me At Musial, that’s pretty limited in-season.) The idea behind Conversations is similar to Baseball and Beyond, where I have an interview (or, shall we say, a conversation) as the centerpiece, but instead of famous players or names, I’m usually talking with another blogger. Often those bloggers aren’t Cardinal-related, but sometimes they are, and it usually allows for a new look at some things going on.
Podcasts usually need some sort of inspiration to come into being, some sort of thing that differentiates them from everyone else. Dan and John have a great one, in my opinion. Dan is a Cardinal fan that lives in Chicago, while John is a Cubs fan that lives in St. Louis. The two get together to talk about how the week of each team went with only the general ribbing that goes along with Cubs and Cardinals in the same space. I don’t think any chairs, physical or metaphorical, have been thrown, in other words. I didn’t get to listen to this one much this year, though I’m sure the Cubs success has made it very interesting (or painful, depending on your point of view) and next year should be a very interesting listen as well!
The Double Birds Podcast (iTunes)
Chase Woodruff, who runs the Double Birds blog, and El Maquino, who many know from Twitter and his days of writing as well, came together last year to put together a show that, if nothing else, probably is less reverential toward the club than any other. That’s not to say that it’s a bash-fest by any means, but Chase and Maq bring the critical eye that they are known for on Twitter and their blogging to the airwaves in this one. I don’t always agree with what they say or their angle on things, but I always enjoy listening and I know that their points of view are well thought out. I’m hopeful the winter doesn’t kill off the show and they’ll return for season 2 in the spring. (EDIT 4/24/17: Season 2 is a go!)
This is one of the Lineup Media.fm podcasts on this list. I came across this one via Two Birds on a Bat (see below) but Paul Eppy and Alex Schneider approach their podcast a little differently than those guys do. There’s plenty of Cardinal talk here as Paul and Alex look back over the most recent activity, but they’ll also spread their focus outside of the boys in red, looking at what’s going in other parts of baseball as well. They profile each Cardinals series coming up, breaking the season down into those smaller chunks. Both guys are college students, so they have a different perspective on things than even the other relative youngsters on here or the old fogeys like myself.
Gateway To Baseball Heaven (iTunes)
Most every Sunday night, Tara Wellman and I get together to talk about the week that was in Cardinal baseball. What started as a 3o-minute show on the Seamheads Podcasting Network over at Blog Talk Radio now is a 30-40 minute podcast on Podbean, but it’s still a quick way to catch up on the news and the opinions floating around the team. The mood and tone gets heavily affected by however the Cardinals did that afternoon (or, on those times where they are on Sunday Night Baseball, how they are playing while we’re talking) but it’s still a great way to have a quick hit of Cardinal baseball. I enjoy teeing up the questions for Tara and seeing her knock them out of the park.
The Intrepid STL (iTunes)
Brendan Schaeffer, who writes for KMOV and works at 590 The Fan, is a great Twitter follow and has inspired a lot of conversations on the medium. He’s moved into podcasting with Podcast To Be Named Later and then finally named it when his new site, The Intrepid STL, went live. I honestly can’t wait until he gets his show imported into iTunes so I can listen to it more conveniently (Edit: It’s there now. Will get a link soon.). What I have heard from his original Soundcloud site and now at his new location is very well done, very articulate, and basically all the things you’d expect from following him on Twitter.
This is where you are going to hear me on a regular basis. (Whether that’s a blessing or a curse I leave to your personal point of view.) Dan Buffa and I started out this one (then called Best Dans in Baseball), but when he moved into real radio, John Nagel stepped in and I don’t think we’ve missed a beat. We usually talk about an hour each week during the season about what’s happened, the big topic of the day, and of course we couldn’t miss out on John’s specialty, the minors. We have a lot of fun doing the show and I hope that it shows. (EDIT 4/24/17: With John’s schedule pretty crazy, Allen Medlock has been joining me regularly. Still a lot of fun!)
While STL Cards Cards is quite the Twitter follow, he doesn’t always keep the podcast as active as some of these others. However, he’s dusted it off recently and he brings his trademark sarcasm, hot takes, and general Cardinal knowledge to the airwaves. If you like him on Twitter, you’ll probably really get a kick out of him being unrestrained by 140 characters. (If you aren’t a fan, well, probably should skip this one.)
If you’ve read much of my stuff, especially when I get talking about podcasts, you know how much I enjoy Holly and Laura’s regular chats. The show is easily digestible–around 20 minutes–but they do a great job of looking at each game in a series in a way that you don’t often see written about much these days. They aren’t saber-unfriendly by any means, but they are much more likely to highlight the human aspects of things, to love the Cardinals fiercely while still seeing their flaws. Their tagline of “totally biased baseball” fits, but in a good way. I really can’t recommend this one enough.
St. Louis Cardinals Podcasts (iTunes)
If you like your audio imprinted with that official logo, this one is for you. MLB.com produces this one and, usually, it’s Jenifer Langosch on answering questions for 5-10 minutes about the state of the Cardinals. Most recently, however, the Hot Stove League show from KMOX has been in the feed, which has Chris Hrabe and others and runs for a little over an hour. (It’s the same show you can hear over the air on Wednesday nights, I believe, without the commercials.) No matter which you are listening to, though, you’ll get a lot of interesting information, even if it comes with the caveat of having more of an official feel.
Along with the CardGals, this might be the show at the top of my personal list (even though, as I say, I really enjoy listening to all of them!) Nate and Ben usually break down the week that was with some good insights, some jocularity, and most likely a slam at Mike Leake. They’ve had me on their show a couple of times and I thorougly enjoyed the conversation, feeling like I was one of their old friends. TAB usually runs in the hour, hour-plus range but it’s a fun listen that doesn’t really seem that long.
This is another fairly new show, but you couldn’t tell it by the production values. Not only are they part of Lineup Media.fm’s roster, which gives them access to an actual studio to record in, but they also have Benjie Molina on the show every week and their call-in line is sponsored by Yadier Molina’s M4 line of clothing. They’ve also started a feature where they have a “Fan of the Week” as a part of their show (I got to be the FOW one week early on and it was a great time.) These are just three regular guy (four, if you count Benjie) sitting around talking Cardinal baseball, the same way you would at any sort of gathering. They argue, they have different takes, but it’s a lot of fun to listen to and you well may find yourself talking to them when you agree or disagree. (Am I the only one that does that? OK, never mind then…..)
The UCB Podcast (iTunes)
UCB Radio is the oldest of the podcasts, having been on Blog Talk Radio since about this time in 2008. With some new BTR rules, though, modifications had to be made. The show still premieres here on Blog Talk, but then can be found stored at the linked location afterwards. When it’s clicking, UCB Radio gives you the most looks as a different team of bloggers take the reins each week, allowing you to hear about the Cardinals from a wide variety of viewpoints. (You’ll also hear me every once in a while, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from checking it out.)
Viva El Birdos (iTunes)
VEB, which of course is tied to the largest Cardinal blog out there, is another one that has gone through a bit of a change since the last time I put out one of these posts. Ben Humphrey retired from the blog and with current site editor Craig Edwards also busy at Fangraphs, John Fleming and Heather Simon took on the hosting duties full time. A set host team allows for some chemistry to develop and it’s always a lot of fun to hear John and Heather interact. (Hearing Heather try to come up with the answers to John’s latest trivia questions is amazingly great to listen to, if only because she gets into it so much.) Obviously Cardinal news is filtered a bit through an analytical lens here, as would be expected, but it’s not usually overwhelming when the stats come out. VEB won the “Best Non-UCB Podcast” award in the most recent Cardinal Blogger Awards, so that could be reason enough to check it out.
If you are a Cardinal fan and you want to dig deeper in your fandom, to learn and hear different opinions, or just need something for background noise while you work or drive, there is definitely a podcast up here that you’ll enjoy. Again, rate and review them if you can, because that’s just big. (I would really like MMM to get enough reviews to get a star rating to show up on iTunes, for instance!) Sample some of these and find one that fits you just right. Enjoy!
Edits as noted, Gateway, UCB, Cardinals Radio and Intrepid modified, and podcast 11th Inning Stretch added 4/24/17.
