Baseball And Bbq

Sr. Manager of Social Media at the MLBPA, Emily Kless and Future of Q Writer, Raymond Sheehan Make This a Bright Episode Emily Kless is the senior manager of social media at the Major League Baseball Players Association.  Her job involves handling the social media presence for the MLBPA.  The job immerses her in the wonderful world of baseball which she loves.  Prior to this she was the marketing communications manager for The Topps Company.  She talks all about her experience in baseball which, while with Topps included being part of the Ripping Packs show.  Ripping Packs featured Emily and former Major League Baseball players opening a pack of Topps baseball cards from a year in which the player played and talking about some of the players in the pack.  For baseball lovers it appears that Emily has a dream job and she realizes how fortunate she is, but she has worked very hard to get to this point. Raymond Sheehan may have barbecue sauce flowing through his veins.  As the son of pitmaster, Ray Sheehan he ha

The Future of Q with Barbecue News Magazine Publisher, Kell Phelps and Sons of Baseball with Author, Mark Braff Kell Phelps is the publisher of the Barbecue News Magazine as well as running the National Barbecue Association (NBBQA).  He does all of this with his wife, Miss Janet. They have a new endeavor, The Future of Q which is an online magazine written by youths and aimed at the next generation of pitmasters.  Go to https://www.futureofq.com/ for more information.  If you have an interest in barbecue in any form then you need to subscribe to Barbecue News Magazine.  Kell is an avid Atlanta Braves fan and we discuss both baseball and barbecue. Mark Braff is a diehard baseball fan. The idea for a book about the sons of former major league baseball players had been rattling around Mark's head for more than a decade before he began working on the project. It sprung from the thought of baseball as a bonding experience between so many fathers and sons, from talking about the game to tossing a ball around the ya

World Series Winning, Los Angeles Dodgers Third Baseman, Ron Cey and ThermoWorks  Consumer Marketing Manager, Kyle Halvorson Ron Cey was a six-time All-Star third baseman and an integral part of the Los Angeles Dodgers as they won four National League pennants in an eight-year span. Cey, also known as The Penguin, capped a 17-year Major League Baseball career with World Series MVP Award honors when the Dodgers won the 1981 World Series. He was a member of the longest-running infield (Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes, and Steve Garvey) in MLB history. He joined us to discuss his incredible career which he writes about in his new book, Penguin Power: Dodger Blue, Hollywood Lights, and My One-In-A-Million Big League Journey. Cey takes us behind the scenes of playing for the Dodgers, being managed by Tommy Lasorda, and winning a World Series Championship. Kyle Halvorson is the Consumer Marketing Manager at ThermoWorks, the industry leader in temperature devices.  He joins us three years after his last appearanc

We Hit It Out Of The Park With New York Yankees MLB.com Beat Reporter, Bryan Hoch and Hoodoo Brown Barbeque's, Alan Stinson Bryan Hoch is the New York Yankees MLB.com beat reporter.  Covering the team on a daily basis has provided Bryan a chance to witness many great moments and seasons.  One of the greatest individual and season long accomplishments of recent memory was last year when New York Yankees slugger, Aaron Judge chased the American League's home run record which was held for 61 years by another Yankees great, Roger Maris who in 1961 had broken Babe Ruth's record of 60.  On October 4, 2022 Judge entered the record books as he hit home run number 62.  Hoch was there to witness this momentous moment and the other home runs leading up to it.  He documents it all in his new book, 62:  Aaron Judge, The New York Yankees, And The Pursuit Of Greatness.  The book details all of the home runs, but offers a much deeper look at baseball's history and many other players who are a part of it.  Bryan's impressions

Chatting with The Grill Sisters, Irene Sharp and Desi Longinidis and Baseball Bat Manufacturer, Kurt Gross of Overfly Sports with Guest Co-host, Doug Scheiding Irene Sharp and Desi Longinidis are The Grill Sisters and they join us from halfway around the world, Australia to be exact, to discuss their cookbook, The Grill Sisters' Guide To Legendary BBQ:  60 Irresistible Recipes that Guarantee Mouthwatering, Finger-Lickin' Results.  Irene and Desi are grilling enthusiasts, recipe developers, food stylists, and photographers who have appeared on Australian television, competing against the best BBQ experts in Australia.  Irene and Desi created the cookbook's outstanding recipes, took the beautiful photographs, and designed the book's layout.  Get the book and elevate your cooking skills to another level. Kurt Gross is passionate about manufacturing baseball bats.  His El Paso, Texas bat manufacturing company, Powerbull Bat Company was recently purchased by Overfly Sports.  Doug Scheiding pinch hits for Leonard a

Pulitzer Prize Winning Author, Ira Berkow and Snap-O-Razzo Hot Dogs Creator, Ralph Perrazzo Ira Berkow is a sports reporter, columnist, and writer. He shared the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting awarded to the staff of The New York Times for his article, "The Minority Quarterback", which was part of the series, How Race Is Lived in America.  He has written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Art News, Seventeen, Chicago Magazine, The Chicago Tribune Magazine, National Strategic Forum Review, Reader's Digest, and Sports Illustrated, among others.  He is the author of 26 books and his latest is Baseball's Best Ever:  A Half Century of Covering Hall of Famers.  It is a collection of many of Ira's columns which are insightful and meaningful views of the lives and careers of some of the greatest who have played the game.  These player are so much more than what they are on the field and that is provided by Ira's wonderful writing. Ralph Perrazzo is a chef.  His restaurant, BBD's (Beers, B

Former Toronto Blue Jays Manager, John Gibbons and Barbecue Lover and Ship Captain, Dayne Brady Pack the Episode with Stories Not to be Missed John Gibbons is known as Gibby to countless baseball fans who either knew him for his play as a catcher with the New York Mets or for his two time multi-year stints as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.  He joins us to discuss his latest project, his memoir, Gibby:  Tales of a Baseball Lifer which he co-wrote Greg Oliver.  It is extremely entertaining with tons of stories detailing his youth prior to baseball and continues through his time with the World Series winning 1986 New York Mets all the way to his very successful managerial career with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Gibby has strong opinions which we were glad he shared, but the best thing he shared are his exceptional stories. Dayne Brady loves cooking barbecue and it helps him to relax.  Whether he is cooking in the Cayman Islands or at his current Florida home, Dayne is always looking for foods to which he can add

Newly Elected Barbecue Hall of Fame Inductee, Darren Warth and Award-Winning Author, John Rosengren Darren Warth has become one of competition barbecue's most decorated pitmasters since his barbecue competition debut in 2003 which, as Darren recalls, Mother Nature almost destroyed.  In 2006, Darren and his wife, Sherry, founded Smokey D’s BBQ catering company, cooking in their driveway as a side hustle.  The catering business success, a love of cooking barbecue, and an intense work ethic lead the team to open their first Smokey D's BBQ restaurant.  Darren is often referred to as "The GOAT" and he shares many stories of his barbecue journey which brought him to this point, becoming a 2023 inductee into the Barbecue Hall of Fame.  More information on Darren and the restaurants is available at https://smokeydsbbq.com/ John Rosengren is an award-winning journalist and author.  He joined us on episode 134 and is back to discuss his latest project, The Greatest Summer in Baseball History:  How the '73 Sea

Yogi Berra's Granddaughter, Lindsay Berra Discusses It Ain't Over and Gloria Chabot Gives Us a Delicious Taste of Working In the Food Industry Lindsay Berra is a journalist who has spent more than two decades covering sports and fitness for ESPN Magazine, MLB.com, MLB Network, Sports Business Journal, The New York Times, Baseball America, Fast Company, Men's Health, and other outlets.  As the granddaughter of the legendary Baseball Hall of Famer, Yogi Berra, Lindsay has a new project which serves as a beautiful tribute to Yogi's incredible life, both on and off the playing field.  Lindsay is the narrator and executive producer of It Ain't Over which chronicles the life of a very special man who she was fortunate to call her grandfather.  Gary Mack of the Mets Musings Podcast and The Baseball Talk Radio Show joins Jeff and together they get a special look into the movie.        Gloria Chabot has spent over 40 years in the food industry.  We met her at the 3rd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit at Pig Beach and fe

Baseball, Barbecue, and Good-Natured Trash Talking with Dan Schlossberg, Author of Baseball's Memorable Misses and Tearl Dunlap of TD's Brew & BBQ Dan Schlossberg is a former Associated Press sportswriter and one of the country’s premier baseball experts.  During a 50-year award-winning journalism career Dan has been a true renaissance man as he has worked as a broadcast analyst, commentator, writer, and author.  Dan has written or co-authored 40 baseball books and his latest is Baseball's Memorable Misses:  An Unabashed Look at the Game's Craziest Zeroes.  The book is a fascinating look at things that never happened in Major League Baseball.  Some things that never happened will shock you and others will thoroughly amuse you.  One thing that that is not missing from this discussion is how much Dan loves baseball and the knowledge he posseses for the sport he has spent his long and illustrious career covering. Tearl Dunlap is the "TD" behind the extremely popular award-winning sauces and rubs of

Baseball, Barbecue, and Music with Sterling Ball and International Baseball with Shane Boettcher   Sterling Ball is a true renaissance man.  He can speak eloquently about the music world, where he is a perfectly played note as a legendary and award-winning bass designer and musician who has performed with many music industry greats.  Saucy, spicy, and exceptional barbecue talk is also something Sterling offers as a world-champion pitmaster with over 30 years of cooking experience and the founder of Big Poppa Smokers, an industry leader for high-quality grills, smokers, rubs, sauces, fuels, and accessories.  Doing those two things exceedingly well might be enough, but Sterling is a baseball lover too, and that love along with his passion and ability to discuss the sport make him a "five-tool guest."  Add Doug Scheiding to this conversation and this becomes not to be missed listening. Shane Boettcher demonstrated his baseball passion the moment he joined us from Israel, where it was 2:30 am and Shane

Baseball Broadcaster and Author, Tim Hagerty and Several of the Jeff Michner Foundation / Pig Beach BBQ 2023 Participants Tim Hagerty is the broadcaster for the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres Triple-A affiliate) and an award-winning writer and author. Tim was voted El Paso Sportscaster of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Baseball America named him an MLB broadcast prospect in its Best of the Minors feature.  He has written hundreds of baseball history articles for Baseball Digest, Sporting News, The Hardball Times, and other publications.  Tim's work has been honored with the national Edward R. Murrow Awards and by the Alabama Associated Press, Idaho State Broadcasters Association, Vermont Associated Press, the Society for American Baseball Research, and the Society of Professional Journalists. He joins us to discuss his wonderful career and his very funny book, Tales from the Dugout:  1,001 Humorous Inspirational & Wild Anecdotes from Minor League Baseball.  In the off-season, Tim has provided national on-a

Prolific Baseball Author, Erik Sherman and Willow Seasonings & Blends, David Slade Erik Sherman returns for another triumphant appearance to discuss his latest book, Daybreak at Chavez Ravine: Fernandomania and the Remaking of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Erik is a prolific baseball book author and his latest work is exceptional.  The book "retells Valenzuela’s arrival and permanent influence on Dodgers history, while bringing redemption to the organization’s controversial beginnings in LA. Through new interviews with players, coaches, broadcasters, and media, Erik Sherman reveals a new side of this intensely private man and brings fresh insight into the ways he transformed the Dodgers and started a phenomenon that radically altered the country’s cultural and sporting landscape."  Eric is being honored in 2023 with his induction into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.  For more information on Eric, go to https://www.erikshermanbaseball.com/ David Slade is a US Navy Veteran and the creator of

Baseball and BBQ are well represented with World Series Champion, Jeremy Affeldt and Barbecue Enthusiast, Jon Solberg Jeremy Affeldt is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants.  His teams have played in four World Series; one on the losing side with the Colorado Rockies and three winning efforts with the San Francisco Giants.  He thrives under pressure and with ice in his veins was more suited to pitching out of the bullpen in high pressure situations. Jeremy shares lots of stories, many baseball related, such as the honesty he demonstrated when he gave back a significant sum of money to San Francisco Giants ownership which legally he could have kept due to a clerical contract error.  However, other stories involve his life outside of baseball including saving his dog's life, his multiple philanthropic endeavors and his newest project, Free Roam Brewing Company, a brewery with a significant buffalo related theme.

It's a Tale of Two Robs with Baseball Writer, Rob Neyer and Rob Rainford, Cookbook Author and Host of the TV Show, License to Grill Rob Neyer is a baseball writer known for his use of statistical analysis or sabermetrics.  He started his career working for Bill James and joined ESPN.com as a columnist and blogger from 1996 to 2011.  He was National Baseball Editor for SB Nation from 2011 to 2014 and Senior Baseball Editor for FoxSports.com in 2015 and 2016.  He has written freelance stories for Yahoo Sports, FiveThirtyEight, and The New York Times.  He is an accomplished  author or co-author of several books, including The Umpire Is Out:  Calling the Game and Living My True Self which he wrote with our episode 137 guest, former Major League Baseball umpire, Dale Scott. In 2018 his book, Power Ball: Anatomy of a Modern Baseball Game won the prestigious Casey Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year.  Rob is also the host of the extremely entertaining podcast, SABRcast.  You can find more information on Rob at

Barbecue connoisseur, Meathead, Yogi Berra's son, Larry Berra, and Guest Co-host, Doug Scheiding make this a Hall of Fame episode. Meathead is the founder and publisher of the immensely popular BBQ and grilling website AmazingRibs.com.  He is a member of the Barbecue Hall of Fame and the author of Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling, a New York Times Best Seller, and named one of the “100 Best Cookbooks of All Time” by Southern Living.  He first joined us on episode 55, and we have been eager to have him back.  The first person to call him Meathead was his dad after watching the groundbreaking television show, All in the Family.  Now he is known to millions as Meathead, and his knowledge and advice on food is highly sought after.  We are joined by Doug Scheiding as we talk about baseball, hot dogs, and of course, barbecue.  Go to https://amazingribs.com/ and prepare to be amazed. Larry Berra was an attendee at the 2022 New York State Baseball Hall of Fame Dinner sporting a tie with his dad, N

Do You Believe In Magic?  Author, David Krell and BBQ Connoisseurs, Sean Ludwig, and Ryan Cooper Make Us All Believe In Magic David Krell is an author and baseball historian.  His latest work is, Do You Believe In Magic?:  Baseball and America In the Groundbreaking Year of 1966.  We were fortunate to be asked to preview the book and offer a blurb and this is what we said, "David Krell weaves a magnificent tapestry of the year 1966; using baseball as the central thread, he magnificently combines the year's biggest events to make us all feel we are front and center and experiencing every moment."  David first joined us on episode 129 to discuss his book,1962:  Baseball and America in the Time of JFK which is a fascinating look at a year when two new baseball franchises, the New York Mets and the Houston Colt .45s had their first seasons and NASA was launching men into space.  In Do You Believe In Magic? David once makes history exciting. Ryan Cooper and Sean Ludwig are back and providing information o

We have a baseball guest, Dr. Paul Semendinger, a barbecue guest, Christie Vanover, and a rant from Jeff.  Those three things make for a very entertaining episode. Dr. Paul Semendinger was leading a double life, one as an educator with a career that culminated in his last position as a middle school principal, from which he recently retired.  The other is as an author of several books and as the Editor-in-Chief and writer for his New York Yankees news and opinion blog, Start Spreading the News https://www.startspreadingthenews.blog/   His latest project is Roy White: From Compton to the Bronx which he co-authored with Roy White.  The stories from Roy White, former New York Yankees left fielder, are wonderful and Paul was the perfect person to help get them on paper and into a book.  Even the story of how Paul got the opportunity to assist Roy with telling these stories is an entertaining classic.  Dr. Semendinger is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA).  Go to https://drpau

2023 is the year that the Barbecue Hall of Fame should induct Greg Rempe and give him the honor he deserves.  Do not just take our word for that, but listen to what our ten guests, Malcom Reed, Ben Arnot, Christie Vanover, Ryan Cooper, Sean Ludwig, Michael Savino, Rusty Monson, Jon Solberg, Meathead, and Doug Scheiding have to say about Greg and his contributions to barbecue. Greg Rempe is the creator and host of the longest-running, most listened to, and extremely entertaining shows dealing with live fire cooking, The BBQ Central Show.  He has been extremely supportive of our show with advice, support, and encouragement.  His presence and what he provides to the barbecue community are immeasurable.  His show can be heard live every Tuesday night from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm and is released in podcast format; the first hour on Wednesday and the second hour on Thursday.  Then on Fridays you can catch up on parts of past episodes, listening to The Best Moments of The BBQ Central Show in 10 Minutes or Less.  You can

Baseball and BBQ Episode #179: Celebrating baseball's opening week with a rare triple play from Loserville author, Clayton Trutor, The Grillin' Fools, Scott Thomas, and Spring Training Correspondent, Gary Looney Clayton Trutor joins us to discuss his latest book, Loserville:  How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta-and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports.  It is a fascinating look at Atlanta, Georgia and the four professional sports teams it brought in to try and make them a "Major League Town."  Trutor holds a PhD in U.S. history from Boston College.  He writes about college football and basketball for SB Nation.  Trutor is the Vermont state chairman of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and is a regular contributor to the SABR Biography Project.  Loserville is a 10 year project for Trutor, and it was a decade well spent as it is truly fascinating.   Scott Thomas is the originator of the Grillin' Fools.  After thousands of failures, and quite a few successes, more than two decades