Talking About Birds: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

Jumping Jehoshaphat Wetherholt

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

The Cardinals are off to a hot 4-2 start 🔥 as early storylines take shape. We break down extension buzz around JJ Wetherholt, roster moves, and what we’re seeing from a revamped Jordan Walker—big exit velos, better launch angles, and real signs of a breakout. Plus Burleson staying hot, Gorman/Urías flashing power, McGreevy has a strong start, and debuts from Ryan Stanek and Dustin May. We preview upcoming series vs Detroit and Washington, then hit league news with a wave of extensions and Jason Heyward calling it a career.

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(We Hope) The Kids Are All Right - Opening Day 2026! (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

Opening Day is HERE 🔥 and we’re joined by Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) to break it all down. JJ Wetherholt makes the club, Matthew Liberatore gets the Opening Day start, and the roster is officially set. We dive into surprises like Nathan Church stepping in, Fermin and Saggese cracking the roster, and Nelson Velázquez getting left off, plus bullpen decisions and key IL moves for Lars Nootbaar and Hunter Dobbins. We preview the opening series vs the Rays and Mets, then hit league news including Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cristopher Sánchez getting PAID.

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You Don't Raise Heroes, You Raise Nelsons

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

We break down a scorching start from Nelson Velázquez and whether it actually matters, plus the latest on Lars Nootbaar’s status as Opening Day looms. We dive into standout Spring Breakout names, Jordan Walker questions, and a loaded camp featuring JJ Wetherholt and the next wave. On the mound, Dustin May flashes triple digits, Andre Pallante tweaks his pitch mix, and George Soriano quietly dominates. We wrap with NL Central preview talk (Cubs) and Team USA falling short in the WBC final.

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Got More Stupider 2026

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

We went to Florida for Cardinals spring training and brought back plenty to talk about. We break down the messy outfield situation, Lars Nootbaar’s uncertain Opening Day status, Josh Baez’s monster spring (and potential for the big league club), and strong performances from Matthew Liberatore, Packy Naughton, and JJ Wetherholt. Then we continue our NL Central preview series with the Pirates and wrap with league news, including Team USA’s WBC outlook, Jesús Luzardo’s extension with the Phillies, and Hunter Greene’s upcoming elbow procedure.

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Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and join our private discord server at: www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.

Get More Stupider 2026

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0800

We break down early impressions of the ABS system, Oli Marmol’s contract extension, and key Cardinals injury updates before diving into spring training standouts like JJ’s hot start and some live arms flashing big velocity. Then it’s NL Central preview season with the Brewers and a spin around league news, including a major PED suspension, big-name pitching deals, and WBC matchups.

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After Dark, Prospects! (w/ Kyle Reis)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0800

Kyle Reis of The Cardinal Nation joins the show for a deep dive into the Cardinals’ farm system and what’s coming soon to St. Louis. We talk realistic MLB roles for Nathan Church (praise be), Victor Scott II, Fermin, and JJ, and whether Blaze Jordan is truly a big-league player. Plus: Deniel Ortiz hype, prospect ranking disagreements, why Chase Davis and Yairo Padilla might be flying under the radar, we start our NL Central previews with a deep dive on the Reds, and the latest league news.

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Graph Fans (w/ Ben Clemens)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0800

Ben Clemens of FanGraphs joins the show to break down where the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals are headed, from win expectations and outfield needs to Chaim Bloom’s “down to the studs” rebuild and the strategy behind recent trades and draft-pick flexibility. We dive into the upside-heavy approach highlighted by Jurrangelo Cijntje and other recent additions, react to FanGraphs’ updated Cardinals prospect rankings, see a sneak preview of a new feature on Fangraphs, and wrap with a quick spin around the latest league news.

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Swing Thots

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0800

Pitchers and catchers are officially in camp, and we’re breaking down the early storylines — including Jurrangelo Cijntje throwing from both sides, a bullpen swap that brings George Soriano to St. Louis, and Bryan Ramos joining the infield mix. We also dive into Victor Scott II’s revamped swing, the possibility of a six-man rotation, a fresh Top 53 prospects list from FanGraphs, and a look at the Cardinals’ massive new spring training complex. Plus, league news featuring Corbin Carroll’s surgery and the state of the free agent market.

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Amphibious Pitcher

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:00:00 -0800

The Cardinals get it done, trading Brendan Donovan in a blockbuster that brings switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, outfielders Tai Peete and Colton Ledbetter, plus extra draft capital to St. Louis. We break down what the deal means for the Opening Day lineup, discuss Bloom’s search for an outfield bat, Miguel Andujar landing in San Diego, and the Cardinals moving to an MLB-run broadcast model in 2026, along with rumors, World Series talk, and the latest league news.

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Picture Pages (w/ Dan Szymborski)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0800

ZiPS creator Dan Szymborski joins us to break down the Cardinals projections, biggest surprises, cats, funny voices, and what the data says about the rebuild. We discuss Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt, McGreevy, and the catcher logjam, plus one bold ZiPS miss to watch for 2026, along with rumors, World Series notes, and league news.

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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More Molinas, More (Catchers Not Being) Problems

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0800

We react to Nolan Arenado’s candid comments on his exit from St. Louis and what they reveal about the Cardinals’ reset, plus Yadier Molina’s return to the organization in a key developmental role. We also dive into the farm system with Josh Baez’s rising stock and a closer look at Deniel Ortiz. In rumor season, we break down reported Cardinals interest in Griffin Canning, Miguel Andújar, and Austin Hays, then wrap with a busy league news roundup including massive deals for Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, a Luis Robert Jr. blockbuster, Realmuto reuniting with Philly, and an injury update on Ha-Seong Kim.

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Nevertheless, Our Nolans Are Less

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0800

The Cardinals officially close the book on the Nolan Arenado era, trading the longtime third baseman and cash to the Diamondbacks (Butts'n'cracks) and ushering in a new phase for the franchise. We break down what Arenado meant to St. Louis, what the Cardinals are paying to move on, and what they’re getting back in hard-throwing right-hander Jack Martinez. Plus, we hit the rest of a busy offseason with new bullpen additions, growing trade buzz around Brendan Donovan, and a rapid-fire look at major league moves around baseball.

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JJ Wetherholt, Cardinal Jesus

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0800

The Cardinals make yet another bullpen pitching move, but the spotlight stays firmly on JJ Wetherholt as league executives anoint him the early NL Rookie of the Year favorite and the organization’s most important position player since Yadier Molina. We debate whether St. Louis needs a veteran bat to support the youth movement, break down major upgrades coming to spring training facilities in Jupiter, and dive into the growing uncertainty around the Cardinals’ TV future as FanDuel’s financial troubles loom. Plus, jersey-buying dilemmas, Joe Kelly’s retirement, and a round of league news as the offseason keeps delivering.

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What Actually is a Rumor Mill

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0800

The Brendan Donovan trade saga takes center stage as the Cardinals slow-play their best asset, hoping to turn patience into a real prospect haul while the market shifts around them. We break down why Contreras moved first, how Arizona’s Ketel Marte situation could reshape Donovan’s value, and where teams like the Mariners, Giants, and Red Sox fit in. Plus, the Arenado market remains frozen as St. Louis waits on bigger dominoes to fall, the offseason clock keeps ticking toward Spring Training, and league news includes Anthony Rendon’s Angels exit, a long-term deal in Oakland, and Team USA loading up for the WBC.

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200 Losses

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 22:43:20 -0800

In this historic, recorded live and in person, 200th episode, we discuss how the Cardinals make another major offseason move, sending Willson Contreras to Boston in a cash-assisted deal headlined by right-hander Hunter Dobbins. We break down what St. Louis is getting in Dobbins — his injury, stuff, and fit under Chaim Bloom — plus minor league depth additions and the team’s search for a right-handed outfield bat. Around the league, O’Hearn lands in Pittsburgh, Murakami heads to Chicago, and we check in on the World Series as the hot stove keeps moving.

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May He Be Good

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:00:00 -0800

The Cardinals make a big pitching bet, signing Dustin May and betting on a reshaped arsenal after one of the strangest injury arcs in recent MLB history. We break down what’s changed in his stuff, velocity, and pitch mix — and what it means for 2026. Plus, trade chatter is heating up around Brendan Donovan, JoJo Romero, and Willson Contreras as the offseason market takes shape, while Arenado’s situation remains a waiting game. And around the league: Polanco, Kelly, García, Kim, and more find new homes as the World Series conversation rolls on.

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Don't Play the Lottery

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 02:00:00 -0800

We’re talking Cardinals news as St. Louis grabs Zak Kent off waivers, weighs growing trade interest in Brendan Donovan, drops in the 2026 draft lottery, and continues exploring a 2026 role for Yadi. Then we dive into Jordan Walker’s big Driveline overhaul and what Fangraphs sees as the path to unlocking his elite raw power. Plus: all the latest league chaos — massive contracts for Schwarber and Alonso, Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers, a flurry of trades across MLB, and Jeff Kent heading to Cooperstown.

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Thrilling Milestone

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 02:00:00 -0800

The Winter Meetings are here, and the Cardinals might actually be ready to move Willson Contreras — with reports he’s now open to waiving his no-trade for the right fit. We dig into what that means, what happens with Donnie, Lars, and Nado, plus the Cardinals landing the No. 4 Comp Balance A pick and early extension talks with Oli Marmol. Then we break down Ryan Helsley’s big deal with Baltimore, Jordan Walker’s “earn it” spring ahead, and the wild news that the Cardinals will be revenue-sharing recipients for the first time in decades. And around the league: Devin Williams gets paid, Alek Manoah finds a new home, and the Blue Jays hand out another big contract.

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Fitts and Starts

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 02:00:00 -0800

The Cardinals kick off the offseason with a blockbuster: Sonny Gray is shipped to Boston in a restructured deal that guarantees him $41M for 2026, while St. Louis brings back young arms Richard Fitts and top prospect Brandon Clarke. We break down what the new rotation pieces bring, plus the Cardinals’ smaller moves with Yohel Pozo, Scott Blewett, and Sem Robberse. Trade chatter heats up around JoJo Romero and Ryan Helsley, and we check in on early World Series action and the latest league news, including Ohtani heading to the WBC and a surprising Semien/Nimmo trade.

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Donnie From the Block

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 02:00:00 -0800

The St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up for a busy offseason, planning for JJ Wetherholt to debut in 2025 and preparing potential trades involving Arenado, Gray, Donovan, and even Nootbaar. They protected four prospects on the 40-man, DFA’d Jorge Alcalá, and left Blaze Jordan unprotected. We break down the growing trade buzz, the potential options St. Louis is exploring, the Hall of Fame ballot, and big league news including Grayson Rodriguez’s blockbuster trade and several major qualifying-offer decisions.

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fUtility

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Burly brings home the Silver Slugger (and yes, it totally counts). We talk Cardinals roster shuffles, Sonny Gray rumors, and what the offseason could hold for St. Louis pitching. Plus, we dig in on the gambling scandal and what it means for MLB, discuss new managers taking over, and finally say goodbye, thank god, to Kyle Hendricks.

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I Love Goooooold

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 02:00:00 -0800

The offseason is here and the Cardinals are already making moves. We talk Masyn Winn’s Gold Glove, new front office hires, and which Cards might be on the trade block. Plus, a quick World Series wrap-up and league news.

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Bats... BATS!!!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0700

The Cardinals’ surgery list is SO SPOOKY! Brendan Donovan, Ivan Herrera, and Lars Nootbaar all go under the knife, and Joe McEwing vanishes into the night. We dig up the cursed stat lines of former Cardinals haunting other teams (Helsley’s Mets ERA will chill you to the bone) and ask if Busch Stadium itself is cursed against home runs. Plus, Shohei Ohtani is an unstoppable monster in the World Series, and the Giants and Orioles summon new managers from the crypt.

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More Like Twenty-Twenty-BYE

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0700

We’re wrapping up the 2025 Cardinals season and taking a hard look at what the numbers got right — and what they completely whiffed on. ZiPS nailed Sonny Gray’s ace-level season, Alec Burleson’s breakout, and Masyn Winn’s rise… but missed big on Jordan Walker and Nolan Arenado’s decline. We break down the biggest projection hits and misses, the disappointing –5 win gap from expectations, and the players who kept this team afloat. Plus, we share three things we actually liked about the 2025 Cardinals — because even a chaotic year has its bright spots.

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I'm Too Old For This Shildt

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0700

The Cardinals’ offseason rumor mill is heating up — could Ivan Herrera or Pedro Pagés be on the trade block? We break down Derrick Goold’s latest insights, arbitration projections, and what Mike Shildt’s surprising retirement says about his exit from St. Louis. Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II headline the Gold Glove finalists, while former Bird Tommy Pham makes another appearance. Plus, we check in on the NL/AL CS, Alex Bregman hits free agency, and Emmanuel Clase’s is fired into the sun.

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Hey, I'm Farmin' Here!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Chaim Bloom is already making moves — the Cardinals’ new president of baseball ops plans to add a leadership role to reshape the front office and sharpen pro scouting after recent trade misses. St. Louis also lands seven prospects on FanGraphs’ updated Top 100, tying Seattle for the most in baseball. We pick our 2025 team MVP, look at who’s heading to the Arizona Fall League, and check in on a red-hot Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Plus, Skip Schumaker heads to Texas, and a fan pulls off one of the greatest moments of all time. Also, a champion appears to play a game.

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Like Pete Crow Armstrong, sometimes just forgets the basic principles of how this whole thing works.

In the End, It Doesn't Even Batter

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0700

John Mozeliak officially says goodbye, Chaim Bloom steps in as Cardinals president of baseball ops, and Oli Marmol will return in 2026. Willson Contreras wants to stay in St. Louis, while Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado are open to waiving their no-trade clauses—potentially clearing over $86 million from the payroll. We dig into what that means for the roster, the offseason, and the team’s future direction. Plus, playoff chatter and a wild week of league news as the Mets collapse, multiple managers are out, and MLB viewership climbs.

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Wheels Up

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nolan Arenado gets his possible farewell at Busch, Masyn Winn heads into knee surgery, and Ivan Herrera preps for offseason elbow work. Meanwhile, Herrera’s bat is scorching in September, Burley and Donnie are swinging it well, and even José Fermín is looking like a machine. Sonny Gray might’ve thrown his last start as a Cardinal, and we gear up for the season finale against the Cubs. Plus: automated strike zones, David Fry’s scary injury, and our World Series predictions.

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The Nates and the Bens (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Ben and guest Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) break down the latest St. Louis Cardinals news as Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn hit the IL, Nolan Arenado returns, and Thomas Saggese heats up. Plus, what’s next for Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker and a preview of upcoming series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs. We wrap with league news — the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies clinch, and Cal Raleigh makes history — plus our World Series picks.

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Relatively Regular

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 02:00:00 -0700

We discuss Masyn Winn’s upcoming offseason knee surgery, Willson Contreras’ return, and Brendan Donovan’s rehab assignment, along with notable roster moves including Garrett Hampson’s DFA and Nick Raquet’s remarkable journey back to the majors. On the field, Nathan Church has been the Cardinals’ hottest player in September, while Jordan Walker continues to struggle through a difficult season. With 12 of the next 15 games against NL Central opponents, the upcoming stretch against the Brewers and Reds looms large for the Wild Card race (lol yeah right). Plus, we cover league news including injuries to Trea Turner and Alec Bohm, Anthony Rizzo’s retirement, the NL Wild Card picture, and… “Home Run Karen.”

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Homework is For Nerds

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 02:00:00 -0700

We discuss Brant Brown’s comments on Jordan Walker’s preparation and what it says about the Cardinals’ hitting approach as a whole. Injury updates include Riley O’Brien, Alec Burleson, and Yohel Pozo, while César Prieto and Jimmy Crooks join the big league roster and Victor Scott II returns from the IL. On the field, Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pagés are carrying the offense, but Masyn Winn’s health and struggles at the plate raise concerns. Down on the farm, Joshua Baez, JJ Wetherholt, and Won-Bin Cho are all putting up impressive numbers as the system keeps producing. We preview series against the Giants and Mariners and cover league news from Boston’s Chapman extension to MLB’s ongoing betting investigation and Atlanta’s claim of Ha-Seong Kim.

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Pallante the Unpalatable

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0700

We discuss the latest Cardinals news, including Willson Contreras’ six-game suspension, updates on Donovan, Scott, Arenado, and Winn’s recovery timelines, and what it all means for the rest of the season. On the field, Nolan Gorman is having one of the best months of his career, Nathan Church is making his case, and the “Pallante Problem” has become impossible to ignore. We highlight McGreevy and Leahy as the team’s most reliable arms since the break, and preview upcoming series against the Reds and A’s. Plus, league news covers Zack Wheeler’s major health setback, the Orioles’ Basallo extension, Cal Raleigh’s home run milestone, and Ron Washington’s return to the Angels.

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Respondle

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0700

We discuss the latest Cardinals roster shuffles with Donovan and Scott hitting the IL, Arenado’s progress toward a return, and Mozeliak’s public backing of Oli Marmol. We look at standout performances from Svanson, McGreevy, and Pagés, while breaking down the team’s troubling offensive trends in August. Plus, we preview the Rays and Pirates series and dive into league news, from MLB’s shifting media deals to Victor Robles’ suspension and realignment chatter.

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Please Stop Looking at Me, Yadier Molina

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0700

The Cardinals are clinging to life in the Wild Card race, and we’ve got updates on Yadier Molina’s involvement, Lars Nootbaar’s bruised knee, and Nolan Arenado’s shoulder recovery plan. St. Louis also picked up RHP Jorge Alcala off waivers, and somehow… they’re still in this? We break down Quinn Matthews’ hot streak, Jordan Walker’s encouraging offensive signs, and Kyle Leahy’s potential leap forward. Then, we preview the upcoming Yankees and Marlins series, plus check in on league news as the Brewers keep rolling and the Twins’ sale falls through.

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Gorman Rising, Again (Please ((please(((oh please)))

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode, we discuss the Cardinals placing Nolan Arenado on the IL and the return of a red-hot Nolan Gorman. We break down the trade deadline moves, including deals involving Steven Matz and Phil Maton, and wonder why the team held onto their lefty bats. With several new arms in the bullpen, we talk about what to expect from the reshuffled pitching staff. We preview the upcoming homestand against the Cubs and Rockies, and ask the important questions—like whether it’s time for JJ Wetherholt and time up for Garret Hampson. Plus, we cover a wild week of league news, including Jen Pawol making history and the Padres acquiring half the league.

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Ask ChatGPT

It's a Packed Show (w/ Jake Wood)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0700

The Cardinals made deadline noise, sending Ryan Helsley to the Mets and Erick Fedde to Atlanta, while Brendan Donovan and JoJo Romero continue to draw heavy interest. Sonny Gray is staying put, but Tekoah Roby is out with Tommy John surgery. The team has just four wins since the break and now sits 10 games back in the Central—so what should the rest of the season look like? We preview the upcoming road trip to San Diego and Los Angeles and ask if Ivan Herrera in the outfield makes any sense. Plus, a flurry of league trades, Bryce Harper goes off on Manfred, and we remember Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.

Optimizing Optimal Optimization

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0700

This week, Nate and Ben talk Canada and the Savannah Bananas, then it’s all Cardinals: Gorman hits the IL, trade chatter heats up, and the rotation continues to fall apart while the bullpen thrives. They break down Pallante’s Jekyll-and-Hyde sinker, discuss Fedde's DFA as the news breaks, and preview the upcoming Padres and Marlins series. Plus, league news, Rich Hill makes history, and a Wrigley fan goes all in for a souvenir.

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"Doyle Rules!" Would Be a Lazy Title For This Episode (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0700

It’s All-Star week! Nate is joined by Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) to talk Brendan Donovan’s big night, Liam Doyle’s surprise selection at No. 5, and what the next two weeks need to look like for the Cardinals to be legit buyers. Plus: the bullpen is locked in, the Birds head west, Cal Raleigh swings for the crown, and the Rays have a new owner incoming.

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Hey Don, You're an All Star

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Brendan Donovan is officially an All-Star! We talk about what that means for the Cardinals and dive into Mozeliak’s comments on ownership’s willingness to invest. Arenado’s battling shoulder pain, Fedde’s mechanics are a mess, and we wonder if it’s time to trade Helsley. We preview the Braves series before the All-Star break and look ahead to the D-Backs. Plus, big moves around the league, a sad farewell to Bobby Jenks, and much more!

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Ghost in the Pod

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Jordan Walker hits the IL with appendicitis, but the Cardinals cling to a wild card spot as July kicks off. We talk José Fermín’s hot start, Masyn Winn’s star turn, and Sonny Gray’s dominant outing. With a soft schedule ahead, what should the Cards do at the deadline? Plus, a Diamondbacks fan gets banned and the Women’s Pro Baseball League announces its first-ever tryouts.

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Beefy Boys are Back

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Iván Herrera hits the IL with a hammy strain, and Thomas Saggese gets the call-up. The Cards also snag Garrett Hampson off waivers while DFA’ing Jose Barrero. On the field, Burly is crushing June with a 161 wRC+ and just 8 Ks in 88 PAs—but Gormy’s even hotter, slashing .289/.385/.607 with 5 bombs. Libby and Fedde are locked in, Maton’s untouchable, and Andre Granillo grabs his first MLB win and save. We preview the road trip to Cleveland and Pittsburgh, shout out Cal Raleigh’s historic homer binge, and check in on the latest from around the league.

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Rotation Rotation

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Ben almost blew up, Jordan Walker’s back, the rotation’s a mess, and we’re wondering if Quinn Mathews will be our new favorite Cardinal by July. Lars Nootbaar can’t hit a fastball, Pallante’s ERA is climbing, and McGreevy might be on the way. We preview a big week with the Reds and Cubs coming to town. Plus: Devers gets shipped to the Giants, Civale and Vaughn swap teams, and—wait—Shohei Ohtani pitched?!

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Are We Gorman, or Are We GormOut?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben open with some Blogger Day talk and then dive into Cardinals news. Brendan Donovan is out with a toe injury, Jordan Walker is progressing well, and Matthew Liberatore is showing signs of fatigue. Zach Plesac signs a minor league deal after pitching well in independent ball. Nolan Gorman is heating up, and McGreevy had a solid six-inning outing. Victor Scott breaks a hitless streak but is still struggling at the plate. They close with series previews and league updates, including Corbin Burnes' Tommy John surgery and several prospect promotions.

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Road to Regression

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Talking About Birds, the hosts recap a tough week for the Cardinals, who placed Jordan Walker on the IL and called up Ryan Vilade, while also signing Tyler Matzek to a minor league deal. The pitching staff continues to struggle—Pallante’s arsenal lacks effectiveness, Leahy isn’t generating strikeouts, and Mikolas’s fastball ranks among the worst in MLB. Offensively, Nolan Arenado is slumping, raising questions about rest versus defensive value, while Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson help keep the team afloat. The episode also previews upcoming series against the Dodgers and Blue Jays, and covers league news including injuries to Corbin Burnes and AJ Smith-Shawver, the Royals promoting Jac Caglianone, and troubling reports about threats made against Lance McCullers.

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Put More Kids in the Seats

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 May 2025 04:00:00 -0700

In this episode of 'Talking About Birds,' Nate and Ben dive into the latest happenings around the St. Louis Cardinals, including a recap of recent games and series. They provide insights into key players like Miles Mikolas and Jordan Walker, discuss the Cardinals' dynamic with other teams in the league, and share thoughts on potential trades. Are the Cardinals good this year? It sure seems like it!

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Mission ImBaseballible

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 May 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss the St. Louis Cardinals' recent performances, including their winning streak and upcoming series against the Diamondbacks (butts'n'cracks) and Orioles. They dive into Nolan Arenado's candid comments on his struggles and the rise of new stars like Victor Scott and Ivan Herrera. The hosts also explore recent roster updates, league news, notable player performances, and much more!

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Bad Divisions (and Bad Decisions)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 May 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Join Nate Heininger and Ben Simorka on 'Talking About Birds,' the only podcast that cheers on the Cardinals' winning streak like they do. In this episode, they discuss the Cardinals' impressive week of wins, the significance of Wilson Contreras and Nolan Arenado's performance, and the state of the Cardinals' defense. They delve into major MLB news, including Pete Rose's Hall of Fame eligibility posthumously, the Yankees' player injuries, and team management changes. Tune in for in-depth analysis, listener engagement, and much more!

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Erick Fedde Wap

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 08 May 2025 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode of 'Talking About Birds,' hosts Nate Heininger and Ben Simorka cover a range of topics centered around the Cardinals' recent performances and developments. They discuss standout defensive plays, potential trade scenarios, and the performances of key players like Willson Contreras, Matthew Liberatore, and Michael McGreevy. Injuries, including Mike Trout's, and the impact on team dynamics are also covered. The episode includes light-hearted segments such as a pun game involving current Cardinals players, interactions with listeners, and upcoming game previews against the Nationals and Phillies.

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Fishing for Dongs

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 May 2025 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Nate Heininger and Ben Simorka discuss their recent fishing trip at the Lake of the Ozarks, where they performed as expected. They transition into talking about the St. Louis Cardinals, including their continued struggles, key player performances, and potential trades involving Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton. They also touch on MLB league news, such as potential moves for the Tampa Bay Rays and the performance of other teams.

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I Need A Hug

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss 5k rainouts, fishing tournaments, Coachella, good food, the Cardinal bullpen, Masyn Winn returning, the Siani decision, building a lineup with the current roster, what to do with Burleson, Miles Mikolas, the Liberatore breakout continuing, Matz being good, bear hugs as medical procedures, JJ Wetherholt and Chase Davis, the terrible no good very bad weekend in New York, concerns about Pallante, and much more!

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Slinger Dogs

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Cardinal 5k, Slinger Dogs, French Toast Dips, food truck ideas, the expansion to the 6 man rotation, what a .500 team looks like, the offense is GOOD, the defense is GOOD, the pitching is WE DONT KNOW YET, weed easter, Masyn Winn on the IL, the hopeful return of Gormania, Cooper Hjerpe, Matt Svanson, a ridiculous week of Cardinal starters, Liberatore's breakout, Willson's breakout, and much more!

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Pedro and Pozo: Bash Bros

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss morning brown, french toast, Rockies opening day, Ivan Herrera's injury :(, Pages being good and the long term options at catcher, every catcher can rake, Saggese, the offense being good, the pitching maybe being bad, what to do with Miles Mikolas, the ascension of Matthew Liberatore, and much more!

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You Can't Have Any Dessert, Until You Eat Your Grip Tape

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Savannah Bananas, torpedo bats, bowling pin bats, favorite nautical bombs, the Cardinals fun start to the season, the offense being good (maybe, hopefully), Nootbaar's ascension, VS2, Jordan Walker being fun, bat speed, not worrying about Winn and Contreras, the good and the bad of the pitching, not overreacting to small samples, overreacting to small samples, eating grip tape, and much more!

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Opening Day, 2025: Victor Scott II, too

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss OPENING DAY!!!!! And, the conclusion of Spring Training, the surprising end to the Centerfield battle, the return of VS2, what to do with Siani, the losers of the decisions, the rotation, a Nolan Arenado bounceback season?, JJ Wetherholt, the Jupiter complex, the upcoming series against the Twins, the series against the Angels, and much more!

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Get Your Phil (Maton)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben disuss surviving a half marathon, delicious treats vs hot eats, foot injuries, the final spring training battles, what to do with Walker and Gorman, the clunky roster construction, starting a 6 man rotation, being hyped for some pitchers, being HYPED for Herrera, the Cubs, BASEBALL IS BACK, and much more!

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Pitchers Missed (w/ Nick Pollack)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben are joined by Nick Pollack (PitcherList.com) to discuss the Cardinals offseason (lol), what to expect from the Cardinals rotation, finding some hope in the young guys, figuring out what to do with Steven Matz, bad fantasy baseball strategy, who the next man up in the rotation is, can Liberatore find it?, Ben's upcoming half-marathon, and much more!

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Spare Jordan

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the Oscars, Wicked, GotHam city, Marvel Rivals, two part movies, Jordan Walker's injury (with a mid-episode update!), Zack Thompson's injury and the life of a pitcher, players being mic'd up during games, pitching prospects starting to po, and much more!

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Dongs Have Been Doinked

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss going to a Blues game, the start of the MLS season, the problem with ties, the new ABS testing and the impact on the game, more Arenado news (kinda), trading Eric Fedde, Hit Cookies, Real Cookies, the VS2 power surge, JJ's strong start and keeping calm about JJs strong start, Quinn's excellent start, getting excited about Roby again, Jordan Walker, and the start of our NL Central breakdown with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Hunks Are Back

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss going to NBA games, music in sports, humans getting taller, Spring Training starting!, embracing Arenado and moving on, still roasting Mozeliak, how the Cardinals manage their roster with Arenado still here, what to do with Alec Burleson, who gets the at bats, Willson Contreras the Hunk, dreaming on Contreras at 650 PAs, the Rockies compared to the Cardinals, baseball back on TV!, and much more!

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Casa Birdnitas

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the boring, bad Super Bowl (except Kendrick), skiing, Casa Bonita, singing seals, the Michael Helman trade, the Nick Anderson signing, the worst off-season ever, arbitration outcomes, being frustrated with Mozeliak (still), Arenado (again, again, again), Willson moving to first, and PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORTING!!!

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unZIPped with Dan (w/ Dan Szymborski)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben are joined by Dan Szymborski (Fangrahs, ESPN, ZIPs) to discuss the 2025 ZIPs projections, what to expect from Jordan Walker, where the Cardinals sit in the NL Central, being stuck in the middle, how the rotation could evolve, what to make of the Arenado situation, skiing, spelling words, and much more!

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Spring Training: the Battle for Middle-Earth (Centerfield)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the Savannah Bananas, ZIPs projections, Birdscord Movie Night, getting excited about Spring Training, the BATTLE for Centerfield, where does Gorman play?, what about Luken Baker?, who will be the 5th (or 6th?) starter?, how the catcher position breaks down, players we are excited to see get a chance at Spring Training, and much more!

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Winter Manage Expectations

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the Savannah Bananas, filling up Busch Stadium, using press passes, Nate's experience at the Winter Warm-up, statements from player interviews, being shushed, Mozeliaks position, feeling some hype for 2025, being realistic, the Dodgers and the state of the game, the Hall of Fame, and much more!

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Menagerie of Potentiality

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Winter Warm-Up, interviewing players, not making a fool of themselves, making a fool, Bryce Harper, banana bread, wanting more from players personality, arbitration, Helsley, the remaining arbitration cases, extending Donovan, highlights from 2024, staying positive as a Cardinal fan, being hyped for 2025, and much more!

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Everyone Wants Everything

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the Harlem Globetrotters, the Bananas, twerking on the field, Boston's off-season and how it could align with the Cardinals, good reporting and bad reporting, the Cardinals and why acquiring a FA reliever makes and/or doesn't make sense, the case for David Robertson, Pujols v. Molina, pitching labs, the HoF Ballot, and much much more!

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It's 2025, and We're Still Doing This

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss New Year's Eve, Pizza, bad orders, new years rizzolutions, what we want to see from the Cardinals in 2025, and much much more!

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All I Want for Christmas is for the Cardinals to Make a Meaningful Move This Winter

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben talk about technical difficulties, recording in person, slapping five, Christmas presents, Detroit style pizza, Fernando Tatis, Christmas presents, Nolan Arenado (again), understanding his decision making, trading Ryan Helsely, trading Matz and Fedde, and much more! Have a question or comment for the show?

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AstNO's

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Christmas, going to the twin cities, twins, Target Field, bad stadium names, MORE ARENADO, breaking Arenado news mid-pod, trading Fedde, the death of the rebuild, Nolan Gorman the future third baseman, the Cubs, trading Helsley in the wake of the Devin Williams trade, and much more!

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It's Our Intention to Try

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss a minor procedure, a suddenly hot stove, Arenado's preferences, a surprisingly direct Mozeliak, dumb baseball players, a trade to the red sox?, the 5th pick in 2025!, Yadi's return?, Oli Marmol, Miles Mikolas, David Freese, Sasaki, being tired of Mozeliak, and much more!

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Golden Fool

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the Golden At-Bat, severe flesh wounds, Tommy Get the Bags Edman, Matt Pierpont and the new direction, actually having Directors, Ryan Vilade, trading Steven Matz, Prieto, Gastelum, the winter meetings, the two Kims, and much more.

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GOBBLE GOBBLE

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Ultraman, callsigns, joining the military, gobble gobble, buckles on hats?, Nolan Arenado and his stance on trades, gobble gobble, the likelihood of a trade, where a trade makes the most sense, DudeWaffles and the Dodgers, gobble gobble, hot tubs, Alec Bohm, the non-tendered list and how they could fit on the Cardinals. 2022, and much (gobble gobble) much more!

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Protect Our Matts

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Megalopolis, Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, Matt Koperniak, Matt Svanson, Drew Rom, Masynn Winn living in Snub City, marinating before cooking, Ryan Helsley winning the Hoffman award, Bob doin' a Bob, Brent Rooker, the RoY, MoY, and much more!

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Which Baseball Player Shall Be Playing Third?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss drinking tea, being old, things maybe changing or maybe not changing at all, deciphering John Mozeliak, what to do with Arenado, envisioning a world without Arenado, the Cardinals new TV deal, Saggese's imressive AFL, Max Scherzer?!?!, the top free agents, and much much more!

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Catcher Me If You Can (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben are joined by Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) to discuss Halloween, our favorite sweet treats and ballpark eats, Blogger day's future, Willson Contreras the new Cardinals 1B, Sonny Gray's future, Arenado's future, the Gold Glove SNUBBING, all the payroll cuts, who to trade, all the catchers, Packy Naughton!, the World Series conclusion, and much more!

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Haunted By the Ghost of Tommy Two Bags

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Halloween, clowns, Chicago, the art institute of chicago, the evolution of player development and player performance organizations, not being mad about the Cardinals anymore (or at least trying to), expanding the coaching staff, the world series, Lance Lynn, what to do with Gibson, the possibility of trading Mikolas and/or Matz, and much more!

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ALL RISE, AGAIN

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss favorite horror films, make a few recommendations, the return of Jon Jay (all rise!), Chaim Bloom's start to re-populating the coaching staff and front office, new hitting coach, new player dev, so much new, excitement for the future, Gold Glove nominees, living in SnubVille with Siani, the World Series, and much more!

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Let Jimmy Crook

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss little choo-choos, zombie road, our Cardinals zombie survival squads (yes, it's 2009 again), Terrifier, the Wild Robot, the fact that we don't have a ton of Cardinal news to discuss, the Arizona Fall League and who the Cardinals have sent, Saggese's role in 2025, the rise of Jimmy Crooks, what to do with all these catchers?!?!?, Dirty "the clutch" Daniel Descalso, and much much more!

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Turned Ward Off

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss race weekend, Turner Ward, Jeff Albert (who?), trading Ryan Helsley and the potential return, gorillas, bringing back Matt Carpenter?!?!?, Diamond Sports, MLB.tv, Bloom's upcoming hiring spree, what to do with Gibson and Lynn, and much more!

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Is it Mo'ver, Yet?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Charlie Blackmon, Polar Pasta (again), dying on pike's peak (again), the MO' Cowbell race, Katie Woo's article and Mo's legacy, the coaching staff, being mad and frustrated at all of that, the press conference, hope and optimism about Chaim Bloom, what to do this offseason, who to trade, the playoffs, and much more!

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Pickle Pals

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Ben's travels, little dune buggies, hot sauce, living that beach life, Sonny Gray, Quinn Matthews, the 2025 rotation, dropping attendance, end of season press conference and what we expect, Chaim Bloom's role, Brendan Donovan being awesome, Masyn Winn being awesome, extending young players, what to do with Arenado :(, McGreevy's nice start, and much more as we wrap up the 2024 regular season!

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He's the Edman Now, Dog (w/ Kelsey Burd)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate is joined by Kelsey Burd (@kburdtweets, "Peace, Love, and Baseball) to discuss moving to Philly, loving the sport, appreciating Roberto Clemente, diving deep into the award nominations, what to do with our beloved Paul Goldschmidt, head fans and heart fans, why we keep watching, how bad mlbtv is, Arenado being stung by a bee, Matt Adams triumphant return, and much more!

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Suh Jay See

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Pacific Northwest, traveling to islands, the call up of Thomas Saggese and what to do with him, how you find ABs for everyone, what the Cardinals priority should be, VS2 and bad communication, sore throats, the return of Lance Lynn, the Cardinals HoF, Gary LaRoque's departure, what to do with Miles Mikolas, Nolan Gorman, Chase Davis, and much more!

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Where the Gold at?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss riding a choo-choo up a mountain for a cheeseburger, predicting Juan Soto because of a card shark, staying positive and enjoying baseball, what to do with Steven Matz, enjoying Michael Siani, it was a catch, the return of Jordan Walker, bye bye Pham, Goldy's hotness, a glimmer of hope, and much more!

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Please, just, please, never tell me the odds

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss learning to surf, traveling from the future, dealing with the fact that the Cardinals season is essentially over, ROB, Shawn Armstrong, Carlson, where we go from here, stadium attendance, and much more!

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Radical Positivity (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0700

Ben is joined by the PodFather himself, Daniel Shoptaw while Nate is off galavanting in Bali. Ben and Daniel try to find something positive to talk about in the face of the Cardinals recent struggles and place in the standings. They discuss the recent roster churn as the Cardinals send Walker back to AAA and kick Cardinals Legend Brandon Crawford to the curb. We explore the idea of the Cardinals FO and player staff being gutted, like a fish and if the team is eliminated from contention will Oli be eliminated from his job? All this and a lot more!

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The Rise of J-Walker

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the thrilling conclusion of the summer race, Matt Carpenter's "injury" and his future, the return of Jordan Walker and whether that's a good idea or not, the return of ROB and the loss of Robertson, Goldy and Arenado starting to heat up?, how the Cardinals return to relevancy, winning the central, and much much more!

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Hate to Siani You Go

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss their upcoming race, lake meat, shorts, more about shorts, just a lot of shorts talk, Siani's injury and the impact, the return of VS2, Lance Lynn and the future of the rotation, Fedde, Armstrong, Matz(?), ROB (Riley O'Brien), and much, much, more!

Phamily Matters

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss visiting a ren fair, playing D&D, the anti-climactic trade deadline (league-wide), the huge deal Mo' pulled off, loving Tommy Edman, being excited about Fedde, the return! of Tommy Pham, how the trade deadline went for the rest of the NL Central and the teams competing for the Wild Card, and how the playoff race IS ON!!!!

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Trader Mo's

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss a new exciting food item, fixing the extra innings rules, the upcoming trade deadline, which pitchers would make the most sense for the Cardinals to acquire, who they will likely trade to acquire said pitchers, why we will be wrong about it all anyway, and much much more!

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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None Star Week

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss NEW YORK CITY, taxi colors, MARGE the greatest woman ever, pizza!, the home run derby, the all star game, the draft!, JJ Wetherholt the cowboy and future star, how hyped we are for JJ, JJ projections, some of the rest of the draft, Helsley walking the red carpet, the joy of Masyn Winn, Sonny Gray's Cy Young candidacy, first half MVPs, biggest question marks in the second half, and much much more!

Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: 848-48BIRDS (848-482-4737)

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Are My Bones Bones

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Ben's first MLS game, Rapid Man!, Adam Wainwright's country music takeover, feeling good about the St. Louis Cardinals?, Ryan Helsley and the All Star Game, going to NEW YORK CITY!, a division race, Willson Contreras and being awesome, Chris Roycroft's emergence, the return of NOOOOOT, what to do with Tommy Edman, and much much more!

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UnLuken the Baker!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the 4th of July, respecting the doggies and the kitties, Wonka, CALLING UP LUKEN BAKER, finding ABs for Luken Baker, the best centerfielder in baseball, not giving up home runs, not hitting a ton of home runs, Alec Burleson, Donny, Graceffo's promotion!, Jacob Bosiokovic, the return of Noot, the futures game, Tink Hence and Quinn Matthews, and much much more!

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....Tommy Deadman?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss A CHALLENGE, the recent Cardinals success, the return of Willson, feeling okay about the Cardinals, feeling uneasy still, the trade deadline, the mysterious entity known as Tommy Edman, Matz' setback, Nootbaars return and what it means for the team, winning games, the trade deadline, and much more!

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The Three Catcher Problem

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Dads & Grads, Ben's race, Pikachu sliders, Pedro Pages, staying positive, not being positive, Miles Mikolas' stretch of dominance, the quieted offense, how the offense can get loud again, the return of Willson and the curse of too many catchers, what to do with Steven Matz, what to do with Tommy Edman, the Rickwood game, Willie Mays, and much more!

Mo Cheese Please

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss ben's upcoming Pokemon car race, visiting Busch Stadium for Blogger/Podcaster day, hugging other podcasters, eating too many hot dogs, burning hands with hot cheese, asking Mo "great questions," Mo's eventual obvious retirement, pitching labs, the return of Willson, Miles Mikolas being good, what to do with Steven Matz, and much more!

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Doinking Dongs

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Ben's first 5k, trying to water sky, the upcoming Bloggers + Podcasters day at Busch Stadium, the loss of Nootbaar, Gio DudeWaffle's return, Jose Fermin's role, Pallante the starter, a very strong offensive May, the sadness that is Arenado, Masyn Winn on the rise, the dominant bullpen and it's path to being not dominant, solving the 5th starter, and much more!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and join our private discord server at: www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.

Cooked Cardinals? (w/ Dan Szymborski)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 30 May 2024 04:15:05 -0700

Nate & Ben are joined by Dan Szymborski (Fangraphs, ZIPs) to discuss cats, Arby's, video games, the creation of ZIPs, adjusting projections as the game evolves, how teams utilize internal metrics vs what the rest of the world uses, the long term problems with the Cardinals and the overall issue with how baseball is set up, more video games, and much more!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and join our private discord server at: www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.

Bad Fastballs w/ Kyle Reis

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 May 2024 01:00:00 -0700

Nate is abroad for this weeks show and friend of the show Kyle Reis joins Ben! They discuss the rough start to the season, Sonny Gray and the death of the machismo baseball player, what the Cardinals are doing well and not so well when it comes to developing pitchers. They also chat about rising and falling prospects in the system, why the future may be brighter than we thought and if cereal is a soup? #breakfestsoup

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BBL Baseball

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 May 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss starting a feud like Drake and Kendrick, going to a White Sox game, Star Wars & Star Trek, the confusing situation the Cardinals find themselves in, the potential resurgence of the offense, remembering its against the the Angels, how bad the Angels are, bring back Jordan Walker, Dylan Carlson vs Siani, Matt Carpenter the Professional Hitter, how quickly the rotation became bad again, the Cardinals dwindling playoff odds, considering the future, the trade deadline, and much more!

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We Got No Food, We Got No Jobs, Our Catcher's Arms are Falling Off!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 May 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Cinco de Mayo, the millennial event of the year, the injury to Willson Contreras, Herrera and Pages as backups, Gallegos (dudewaffles) a d the mysterious case of should impingements, Roycroft, Mycroft Holmes, Dylan Carlson's return, the terrible series against the White Sox, the return of mCarp, Matz and his replacement, fixing the home run problem on both sides, why we can still have hope, the series against the Brewers and the series against the Angels, and much more!

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Chief Beef is Here

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 May 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the fishing trip, falling out of boats, BEES, SO MANY BEES, the Cardinals mediocre April, the rise of Alec Burleson (CHIEF BEEF), Goldy and his always bad April, the Cardinals overall lack of power and how to fix it, the killer trio at the end of the bullpen, Dylan Carlson's imminent return, the starting pitching and possible upcoming collapse, regressing to the mean, the upcoming series against the White Sox, the upcoming series against the Mets, and much more!

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JordAAAn Walker

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss 2024 Coachella, the upcoming fishing tournament, going to Busch Stadium, Paul Goldschmidt's characteristically slow start, Jordan Walker's demotion, Zach Thompson, Jose Fermin, Andre Pallante and the maybe just starting to crumble rotation, Nick Robertson and the probably really good bullpen despite John King, the complete lack of power, the Cardinals maybe starting to show some power, the upcoming series against the Mets, the upcoming series against the Tigers, and much more!

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Muad'Dib Winn

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Cardinal 5k, Dune 2, RIP WHITEY HERZOG, the return of NOOOOT, Sonny Gray's dominance, Nolan Arenado waking up, Masyn Winn ascending, the two catcher combo, Lance Lynn, Tommy Edman's return, saying no to taxpayer funded ballparks, the upcoming series against the Brewers, the series against the DBacks, and much more!

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Doctor Baseball

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss going to live baseball games, hot dogs, the upcoming Cardinals 5k, sleeping through a 5k, Sonny Gray's debut, the overall pretty okay Cardinal starting pitching, the overall pretty good bullpen, the young guys stepping up, the old guys not looking great, the ghost of Tommy Edman's eventual return, platelet rich injections, the Diamondbacks, the Athletics, and much more!

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Stupid Sexy Dodgers

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the START OF THE 2024 SEASON!!!!!, Chip Caray's terrible voice, the sweaty see through jerseys, the fucking Dodgers, feeling good about the start, Mike The Turtle Shildt, why we are happy with the pitching, why we aren't happy with the pitching, VSII's comfort at the bigs, Donovan's continued surge, and much more!

Great Scott II

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben celebrate opening day!, discuss opening day traditions, a trip to driveline, going for the hole, the sad reality of Dylan Carlson, the joy of VSII, Jordan Walker's big scary body, Michael Siani and the no good very bad bench, or maybe the bench isn't bad, Zach Thompson's rise to the rotation, the confusing case of Matt Liberatore, a breakdown of the series against the Dodgers, the series against the Padres, the fact that we have series to talk about, and much more!

Double Stuff Plus

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:41:54 -0700

Nate is back! and joins Ben to discuss Mediterranean food, horse, A League of Their Own, the Oliver Marmol extension, Lars Nootbaar's ribs, Keynan Middleton's forearm, Sonny Gray's hamstring, Miles Mikolas, a breakdown of Stuff+ and why you can still be excited about Cardinal pitching, a preview of the 2024 Cubs, league news, and much more!

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It Felt Normal (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0700

Ben is joined by the PodFather, Daniel Shoptaw, while Nate is off in Europe. They discuss Dune, the various health related problems the Cardinals are facing and the Dylan Cease trade. Shoulda, coulda the Cardinals matched the haul the Padres sent to the White Sox? Will Nate make it back from his trip? Robo umps are coming!
Ben and Daniel also break down the Brewers, catch up on league news and play a game!

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Speak the Words That You Want to See in the World

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss IT Bands, speaking at college classes, Albert Pujols as a manager, Sonny Gray's injury what it means for the rotation, feeling hyped about some of the rotation options, Tommy Edman's return and Carlson's role on the team, Steven Matz, Lance Lynn, Brandon Crawford, an overview of the highly talented and highly volatile Reds, and much more!

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Where the Crawfords Sing

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the terrible Oakland A's, Mo' saving the off-season with the greatest FA signing of all time, where Brandon Crawford fits in, Winn's development, Sonny Gray as opening day starter, Nolan Arenado, who is standing out in early Spring, the Cardinals vs LHP, NL Central Preview focused on the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cody Bellinger, and much more!

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Season 3: The Cardinals Strike Back, the Rise of a New Hope

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the start of our 3rd year as a podcast!, Cardinal baseball being on TV THIS WEEKEND, the end of a very interesting offseason, the battle for the rotation and bullpen, the deathball, who we are most excited about, extension candidates, Tommy Edman's injury, Matt Carpenter's role on the team, Anthony Rendon and loving the sport, our annual Free Agent draft, and much more!

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Sonny Skies Ahead

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss surviving the ski trip, doing the splits, the START OF SPRING TRAINING!!!, Sonny Gray, the potential six man rotation, who makes the bullpen cut, one last shot at a rotation addition, city connect jerseys, shitty jerseys, Adam Wainwright, and much more!

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Keynan & Hels

Keynan & Hels — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the upcoming ski trip, the triumphant return of Casa Bonita (Pretty House), the Keynan Middleton signing and why we really like it, the DFA'ing of Zuniga, Moises Gomez, Fangraphs & Pecota standings projections, Ivan Herrera, Masyn Winn, the Corbin Burnes trade, the Athletics Ownership vs a Teacher's Union, and much more!

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Not in the Best Shape of Our Lives

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss going to a hockey game, falling on ice, the fact that SPRING TRAINING STARTS THIS MONTH, Alfsonso Rivas and Moises Gomez, Josh James, the deathball, deadball, and multiball!, non-roster invitees to spring training, Xavier Scruggs and his interview with Oli Marmol, finding the love for Marmol and the Cardinals again, Alec Burleson, beefy boys being beefy, and much more!

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Episode 100! (w/ Kelsey Burd, Kyle Reis, & Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben are joined in this extra special episode by Kelsey Burd (@kburdtweets), Kyle Reis (@kyler416), and Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) to celebrate episode 100 of the podcast and to discuss Deadball, the return of Matt Carpenter, Tommy Edman's contract, our personal Mount Cardmores, prospects, vibes, birds, and much, much, more!

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The Only Pro Tommy Edman Podcast

The Only Pro Tommy Edman Podcast — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Ben's birthday celebration, opening day tickets, Masyn Winn and Jordan Walker getting BIG(ger), Goldy and his extension situation, the value of bulk innings vs quality innings, the (maybe) fight between Contreras and Flaherty, the international signing period and more big beefy boys, the Baseball America Prospect List, Tommy Edman and his wrist, arbitration, the Bally Sports situation, and much more!

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Bloom Goes the Dynamite

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Victor Scott 2's rap career, STL drinkin' beer, greedy owners (again, always), the hiring of Chaim Bloom and why it is probably the most important signing this offseason (and maybe of the decade), the Richie Palacios trade, Andrew Kittredge, Tommy Two Bags Edman and the case of the hurt wrist, Imanaga, and much more!

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Your ZIPSer is Down

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss New Year's Eve, David Ortiz and the hilariously bad gender reveal, food based gender reveals, the 2024 Cardinals ZIPs projections and why we should be hyped about 2024, the ZIPs projections and why 2024 may be another rough year, our thoughts on lineup construction, and news from around the league.

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Time to Fly to 2024

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 02:02:00 -0800

Nate & Ben are together, in the same room! with shiny lights! to discuss Ozzie Smith, Adam Wainwright's country foray, our new years plans, the Yamamoto signing and why the Cardinals were never really in it, Matsui and why it's good the Cardinals didn't beat the Padres deal, some quick Steamer observations, news from around the league, and much more!

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Mo! Mo! Mo! Merry Christmas!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Matt Carpenter's time as a Cardinal, Yuki Matsui, Josh Hader and how to improve the bullpen, Yamamoto, why the Cardinals should sign Blake Snell?, the rise of Victor Scott 2, Jeffery Bezos, Nick Robertson, and much more!

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I'm Lifting Up to Boston

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss favorite Christmas movies, the hype machine around Ohtani and its absurdity, Tyler O'Neill's career as a Cardinal and the trade, Nick Robertson and his place with the team, why the Cardinals should absolutely obviously and immediately extend Goldschmidt, rotation depth, Yamamoto, the Cardinals bench, Ohtani's contract and why its both totally fine and also terrible, and much more!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and join our private discord server at: www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.

COLD STOVE (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben are joined by Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) to discuss Christmas decorations, Mo's confidence, Yadi's return, the new rotation, Tyler O'Neill's trade value and potential, Ryan Fernandez and his slider, Phil Maton and the rumor mill, the draft lottery :(, the very cold stove, and much more!

More Like (Sonny) Gray Hairs, Am I Right?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the Japanese GQ, baseball memorabilia, famous horses, Sonny Gray!, hurray Sonny Gray!, where the Cardinals go next, finding another ace and balancing upside, still chasing Yamamoto, our Hall of Fame picks, cheaters who win, Jason Heyward, and much much more!

You Can't Have Any Dessert Until You Eat Your Innings

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Thanksgiving favorites, the return of Dirty "The Clutch" Daniel Descalso, Joe McEwing, the ros and the cons of the Lance Lynn & Kyle Gibson signings, where the Cardinals go next with pitching (sign Brandon Woodruff), the Ivan Herrera era, the Noot factor, the return of Wilking, Mike Schildt, the stupid sexy Braves, and much more!

Hits and Giggles

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the winter meetings (lol gross), awards week, a reliever winning the mvp and cy young, Riley O'Brien (sorry riley), the Rule 5 Draft, Wilking, Bedell, lesser discussed FA options, Alek Manoah, the manager shuffle, the trouble with Las Vegas, and much more!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and join our private discord server at: www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.

Someone Please Look at My Insides

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Mario vs Spider-Man, Jordan Montgomery and Derrick Goold's article, trusting articles and the insanity of the off-season, Jared Young, Chaim Bloom, augmenting the front office, trade candidates, rotation vs closer help, the World Series, Craig Counsell and the lolBrewers and ohnoCubs, and much more!

The Bad Pitch Project

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss halloween, our favorite candy, Waino in the broadcast booth, player personalities, Tommy Edman's gold glove candidacy, the recent DFA's and future DFA's, a potential SP contract or 3, fixing the bullpen that maybe doesn't need fixing, the World Series, and much more!

Bring Me a Nasty Boy

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben talk about grocery store sushi, missing jury duty, getting arrested, Adolis Garcia, the pitch clock in the playoffs, Mike Shildt, the now almost confirmed return of Yadi, the upcoming winter meetings, the World Series, the great Championship series, GM and POBO/CBO/Po'Boy/BOGO movements, and much more!

Everybody Got a Virus

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the STL CITY Western Conference victory, the apparently impending Yadi reunion, how the Cardinals need to do a lot more than just re-hire Yadi, the coaching staff, Goldy and why they should extend him NOW, early AFL results, the future is Victor Scott II, Aaron Nola's small but important fix, Tyler O'Neills trade value, the league championship series, and notes from around the league.

Eat at Arby's

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the upcoming spooky season, hitting golf balls on the moon, Coors Light, the cancelled end of season presser, how the Cardinals should handle the pitching staff, who to DFA, the playoffs, and much more!

The Nightmare is Over? FOR NOW?!?!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Nate's trip to Budapest, running a half marathon, the final record of 2023, how the Cardinals faired against the NL Central, bad defense and how to fix it, Adam Wainwright and the front office's mismanagement of him, mid-season predictions, the playoffs, and much more!

Emotional Haircut (w/ Kyle Reis)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Ben is joined by Kyle Reis (@kyler416) to discuss their feelings about the 2023 season, a break down of players received by the Cardinals at the trade deadline, we check in on the farm and much more!

Wain-Yes!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss an upcoming trip and a half-marathon, Waino getting to 200 wins (hurray!), the 2024 organizational changes, how Mozeliak can fix this, alllll the injuries, and much more!

The St. Louis Cardinals Deserve the First Overall Pick

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 05:47:06 -0700

Nate & Ben talk about the Lemons race, what is Grimace, a deep apology, Liberatore's role in the bullpen and beyond, Jordan Walker's defense, Nolan Gorman's evolution against LHP, the last 16 games and what to look for, the available pitching coming over from the NPB, the NL Central, and much more!

Jordan Slam Dunks a Home Run

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss terrible car races, Jordan Walker's breakout, Masyn Winn's future, the return of Ryan Helsley, Matthew Liberatore's return to the bullpen, Dakota Hudson and his magic show, Taylor Motter the forever Cardinal, Tommy Edman's role in 2024, load management, and much more!

Folds for Evil

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss still enjoying the 2023 Cardinal season, Adam Wainwright (again!), the now dead offense. not prioritizing winning, Jordan Walker's future, blowing up mailboxes (BAD, ILLEGAL), blowing up construction cones (GOOD, FUN) the near return of Ryan Helsley (!!!), the return of Gorman!, Tekoah Roby's debut, Mozeliak being good at something, Moises Gomez, Chip Caray and Brad Thompson, Edmonds, the Paul DeJong interview and whether Oli/Mo are bad, THE REVOLUTION, and much more!

Super Palacios Bros

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss doofus Pete Alonso, Masyn Winn's promotion and what to realistically expect, Drew Rom, the Palacio bros, Saggase, Roby, alllll the recent injuries, the dynamic duo of Contreras and Knizner, how to handle catching in 2024, and much more!

Where Did You Go, Adam Waino?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 06:57:41 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Pirates long running defeat at the hands of the Cardinals, Adam Wainwright and the no good terrible very bad year, Mozeliak's upcoming "aggressive" approach to pitching, Dylan Carlson, Luken Baker, Casey Lawrence, the series against the Mets, and the upcoming series against the Pirates!

Suck Week

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:00:01 -0700

On this very special episode, coming to you LIVE from the San Francisco Airport, Nate & Ben discuss Masyn Winn, all our birds on other bird teams (and the Rangers), Willson Contreras, the new look starting rotation, Lars Nootbaar is once again Juan Soto'ing, Drew Rom and some other recently acquired players, on field brawls, the shitty Orioles ownership, and much more!

Birds, On Birds

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss ((on a slightly laggy connection)) Nate's first golf trip in 25 years, the trade deadline from a broader perspective, each individual trade and why it was both a great deadline and also kind of underwhelming, the new look roster and where each piece could fit, the NL Centrals overall lack of ambition, and much more!

The Most Important Week of Our Lives

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben are back together and ready to talk about Ben's time in Canada, the wave (again), Scott Rolen, Jordan Hicks and his possible extension, the Trade Deadline and the many-many-many possibilities, Willson Contreras' on the trade block, the rest of the NL Central's approach to the Trade Deadline, and much more!

The Vibes are Confusing (w/ Kelsey Burd)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate is joined by Kelsey Burd (@kburdtweets) to discuss her trip to the London series, the wave, Dylan Carlson, Marmol's leadership, the upcoming trade deadline, the current hot streak, preparing for 2024, and much more!

Trade My Team into Pieces

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss fishing in Canada, the Home Run Derby, the All Star Game, well dressed Arenado, what the Cardinals should do now that they are officially "sellers" (NOT REBUILDERS!!!!), the 2023 Draft & Chase Davis, the comically bad outfield defense, some bold predictions for the second half, why do we even call it the second half, and much more!

Why Don't They Make the Whole Team Out of the Black Box

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben talk the sad reality of the Cardinals 2023 playoff chances, the upcoming trade deadline and what it means to sell, Adam Wainwright, the return of Ivan Herrera and other roster moves, Arenado's All Star bid, the home run derby, the collapsing bullpen, and much much more!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon.
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Mind the Gap, in the Standings (w/ Akira O'Connor)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 02:00:00 -0700

On this very special episode, Nate and Ben are joined by Akira O'Connor to discuss his trip to London to watch the Cardinals play in the very famous, very well known, Trafalgar Square. Nate and Ben also discuss the recent Ken Rosenthal piece, how the Cardinals should handle the trade deadline, what to do with Tyler O'Neill, the upcoming series against the Yankees, the upcoming series against the Marlins, and Nate tries to debut a new segment.

Oops, All Ben!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 02:02:00 -0700

We are good at planning, and this week it shows! Ben is hosting SOLO as Nate is out of town (or is he?). Ben discusses Jordan Walker's return and his excellence, the continued confusion of Edman in Center, Dylan Carlson's return, Lars Nootbaar's return, the upcoming series in London, and much more!

We're Streaking, and We Hate It!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 02:00:00 -0700

It's bad, man. Real bad. But, is there still reason for optimism? Can the Cardinals pull themselves out of the basement and compete in a terrible division? Is a resurgent Arenado, Donovan, and Montgomery enough to get the team going again? Should the Cardinals sell, buy, or do a bit of both? We are nearing the halfway point of one of the worst Cardinal seasons in memory, but don't worry, we still have a ton of very real, normal, bird facts to talk about!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon!
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Penguins Can Jump as High as Nine Feet

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 02:00:00 -0700

The Cardinals are struggling again, but Jordan Walker IS BACK. What should the Cardinals do with their roster? What is your sparkbird? Luken Baker is Luken Baker-ing! Carlson is coming back, but what should the outfield actually be? Flaherty and Mikolas are looking good (whew) but is that enough? If the Cardinals are "moving talent," who do they move? It's rough out there right now for Cardinals fan, but maybe some interesting facts can lighten the mood?!?!

Mo' Problems

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 05:30:41 -0700

The 19 day stretch of games has come to end and the Cardinals are in a better place, though that may still be barely above last place. Still, with Mikolas and Flaherty starting to turn it around and the offense staying strong, it's hard not to feel at least a little optimistic about the team. Of course, the shitty division helps. Is Knizner the captain now? Will Contreras get it going again? How long will Liberatore stay in the rotation? What do we do with Waino? It's June, the Cardinals are in 4th place, but their pythag hints at better things to come!

Stormin' Norman Nolan Gorman

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 25 May 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Is Paul DeJong for real, for real? What can we reasonably expect from Oscar Mercado? What the heck are the Cardinals doing with Matthew Liberatore? Why are they so good at messaging, all the time? LUKEN BAKER IS KING AND CHANDLER REDMOND IS LUKEN BAKERING. How good is Nolan Gorman? Will he continue this absurd production? Spoilers: It sure seems like it!

The Cardinals are slowly dragging themselves out of the basement of the NL, and as always we've got a ton to talk about!

Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon!
www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds

Adjustment Not Required (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 18 May 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Is it too soon to call this a turnaround? Are the Cardinals back? What will we see from Jack Flaherty going forward? How lucky are we that the NL Central is straight trash? How long will we see Mercado in the majors? The Cardinals are on a bit of a heater, and Daniel Shoptaw (@c70) joins to break it all down!

Mo and O say No

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 May 2023 02:00:00 -0700

The losing streak may be over, but has the losing actually stopped? Is Busch Stadium ripping us off? What are the odds of the Cardinals still making the playoffs? Should Hicks still be on the team? What the fuuuuuu is going on with the front office and could they have handled this situation any more poorly? How many roster moves will it take before this team is good? Can the Cardinals continue turning it around in Boston, or at home against the Brewers? Times are tough, but there is still a lot of baseball to play!

Arenad-OH NO

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 May 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben are back from the fishing trip and ready to dig in to another week of mediocre baseball. How annoying are the new ads on the jersey? Is Mike Shannon the GOAT? Why did the Cardinals send down Jordan Walker? Do they have an actual plan? Can Zack Thompson and Matthew Liberatore save the rotation, or what's left of it? Why is Arenado slumping so hard, and how can he turn it around? Is the pitching bad, unlucky, or both? With an upcoming series against the struggling Tigers and the upswing Cubs, the Cardinals need a turnaround, and they need it fast.

Sega Genesis

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Paul DeJong is back and will his new approach stick? Waino is returning, can he pull us out of this slump? Jordan Walker is struggling (kinda), whats next for him? Is Genesis back for good, and what does this mean for the bullpen? How excited are you for the Nolan Gorman breakout? Ben is back from Coachella, we have a fishing tournament coming up, and the Cardinals are playing terribly - let's talk about it!

Talking About Burd (w/ Kelsey Burd)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:13:41 -0700

Can the Cardinals bad luck offense turn it around? Is the pitching also facing just a bunch of bad luck? Would we care so much if this was the middle of the season? Are you scared of birds, especially those that fly? What's your velo? Will the Mariners and Giants series go better? Kelsey Burd (@kburdtweets, Host of Peace, Love, and Baseball & Babe's Babes) joins (from her original Busch II seats) to discuss these things and much more!

Note: The sound issues era continues as Nate's daughter cries loudly in the background during parts of the episode. But, you wouldn't get mad a baby, would you?!?!?

Jordan Walking On Sunshine

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 02:00:00 -0700

NOTE: This episode was recorded live and in person, so the sound is a bit off at times. Thanks for your understanding!

The uneven pitching continues but the offense is looking up. How long can Jordan Walker keep this up? Is Flaherty turning a corner? Is Montgomery the best pitcher in the rotation? Will our Gormania ever calm down? Do we even want that? Is Nate going to survive the rest of the trip in Denver? Why is this town so close to the sun? We talk about our time in the speed cage at Coors Field and much, much, more!

Gormania Rising

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Week one of the 2023 season is in the books and it's almost exactly as we expected. The offense is good! The pitching might be a problem! Walker is great! O'Neill is in a fight with Marmol? UGH. The Braves and the Blue Jays were a tough way to start the season, but will the Brewers and Rockies be any easier? How fast can Nate and Ben throw a pitch? Baseball!

Opening Yay!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 02:00:00 -0700

BASEBALL IS BACK! WE DID IT! YOU DID IT! Happy Opening Day everyone! Is Jordan Walker the best player in baseball? Should we reset expectations on how good Walker will be? NO. How excited for Woodford are you? Will Mikolas retire a Cardinal? How long before Yepez (we say Yay-pez) gets another shot? How will the Cardinals do against such a strong opening set of teams? We breakdown the upcoming series and generally freak out about the start of the 2023 season, and much more!

I Can't Touch My Toes

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Is the World Baseball Classic the best thing to happen to baseball, ever? Is Jake Woodford finally getting some respect? How good is Shaq at making chicken? Will the Brewers keep it close in the NL Central this year? The WBC is over, Japan is king, and the regular season is about to start!

Team America!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 02:00:00 -0700

Did the Cardinals just make room for Jordan Walker? Why let Pacheco go? Will team USA advance to the next round of the WBC? How much fun are Arenado, Goldy, Waino, and the rest of the Cardinals having? Could the Cubs be good this year? The WBC is going strong, Spring Training is nearing an end, and we are getting ready for REAL BASEBALL!!!

(whispers) jack's back, baby (whispers)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Is Lars Nootbaar having the best offseason of all time? Will Ohtani take his pepper grinder to STL? Do we dare to dream? Besides Jordan Walker, who else has impressed this Spring? Are all of these power explosions real? We discuss these questions, continue our coverage of the NL Central, and begin our coverage of the WBC!

Lack of Class

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 05:14:41 -0800

Is the pitch clock creating a better experience? Is CB Bucknor a petty coward? Is Donovan a power threat? Can we find a way to relax a bit about Jordan Walker? NO. NO WE WON'T. Box scores are piling up and Spring Training is fully underway as we begin a new segment breaking down every NL Central team, and try, try, try to not overreact too much to the early results... EXTEND JORDAN WALKER!!!

Spring My Bell

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Spring training has started and we have a full week of news! It's the podcasts 1 year anniversary! Tyler O'Neill is somehow even more buffed out of his mind, pitchers are bringing in new pitches, and we have our first Best Shape of his Life report. Could it get any better than that? Should baseball change its arbitration system? (YES). Are we super excited that Rolen chose STL as his hat for the HOF? (YES) Are we weirded out by Emo Night at Busch? (YES) Baseball!

The Beef Boys are Back

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 02:00:00 -0800

BASEBALL PLAYERS ARE DOING BASEBALL ACTIVITIES. The Cardinals have a sudden abundance of Beef Boys™ and we are ready to see how they do in 2023. How does everyone feel about the Mozeliak trade? Who are we excited about this Spring, and should we believe Oliver Marmol when he says it's an open competition? Will the Cardinals put a TAB logo on their jerseys? Is Bally Sports dead, and why is that a good thing? We're about to have actual box scores to talk about, and it's time to get ready for the 2023 season!

The Blogfather Part III (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 02:00:00 -0800

What should the Cardinals do with Paul DeJong? Can they survive without him? Why does it seem suddenly like he is a very important part of 2023? How has this podcast made it to episode #50? Should we stop doing it? How much more can we complain about Chip Caray? What is going on with Bally Sports? Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) joins this week to discuss these topics and much more as we inch towards the 2023 season!

Rules Are Meant to Be Broken, Resulting in a Walk

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the fact that baseball is starting,SOON, the WBC, Willson Contreras, rooting for TEAM USA USA USA, top prospects lists, being hyped about Walker, Winn, Hence, and Graceffo, the Cardinals mediocre off-season, the new rules, Jazz, how dumb the Rockies are, and much more!

Holy Cow! Scott Bruce Rolen.

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss theater popcorn, Alamo Drafthouse, Scott Rolen and what hat he should wear, Chip Carey and the problems with hating your own sport, the ZIPS projections and how they project the 2023 Cardinals, The Royals, baseball movies, and much more!

Talking About Birds is supported on Patreon. Join our Patreon and join our private Discord server! www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.

I've Got a Nolan Ticket!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss all the various Winter Warm Up interviews, the DeWitts telling everyone they won't spend more money, Mozeliak making a very pedantic point about spending more money, Arenado's decision to stay, Paul DeJong's leg kick, Matt Holliday resigning and the Joe McEwing hire, the WBC, all the exciting no-roster invitees, the bevy of international signings, Tommy Pham's continued revenge tour, and much more!

Ace of Baseball

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss David Lynch films/TV, Jack Flaherty, the Marlins and their depth of great pitching, Jim Bowden and the no good very bad tweet, Edwin Rios/Tyler Naquin, Aaron Goldsmith, Correa (at home with the Twins!), love to Liam Hendriks, and much more!

Break Me Off a Piece of that Noot Noot Baar

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the New Years, TEQUILA!, Bollywood, Lars Nootbaars hot offseason, the pros and cons of bat speed, Drive Line, the Cardinals broadcaster situation, the City Connect jerseys, vexillology, the dumb Braves and their amazing lineup, the Cubs, Rich Hiil (dick mountain), Trevor Bauer (ugh), and much much more!

Talking About BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Chris Sale, Correa, Profar, La Stella, and a bunch of other stuff that won't matter as much as BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL. Check out the wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_Baseball for more info.

All I Want for Christmas is Reliable Starting Pitching

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss watching crazy baseball movies (join us next week as we watch Battlefield Baseball!), the Rodon deal, the current remaining starting pitching, the trade market, acquiring a relief pitcher (or two), the Cubs recent moves, bird names, and much more!

Wilking Kong (w/ Kyle Reis)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate, Ben, and Kyle discuss the Sean Murphy trade, the Willson Contreras signing, the Cardinals approach to the trade market and free agency, the rule 5 draft, hyped and unhyped prospects, large men and children, Arby's, Jim Beam advent calendars, all the recent moves across the league, and much much more!

Big Will(son)y Contreras Style

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Aaron Judge, Willson Contreras, next steps, Zuniga, Rodon, who else plays catcher, Herrera, Knizner, John Mozeliak's muppety tenor, the NL Central, the biggest moves so far, and so much more!

Winter Beatings

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss the upcoming winter meetings, the Thanksgiving holiday, trading for Jesse Winker, the best parts of the 2022 season, the worst parts, and everything in between!

Goldy Locks

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss Thanksgiving, Goldy winning the MVP, Pujols winning Comeback Player, Alex Reyes :( :( :(, Stratton, Mercado, NOOTBAAR and the WBC, Maddux joining the Rangers (???), the starting rotation and Quintana, the Angel's surprisingly smart start to the offseason, ownership collusion, and much more!

Catcher In Our Eyes

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss adopting stray cats, Connor Thomas, Platinum Arenado, Donovan, Jordan Walker, the catcher position, adding more outfielders, and all the various moves that have happened around the league. Also, a familiar aquatic foe returns!

Holliday Hamm

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 02:00:00 -0800

Nate & Ben discuss hating the Astros because they cheated, hating the Astros because of long held rivalries, hating the Astros because of tanking, hating the Astros because of the Correa/Luhnow shenanigans, hating the Astros because they are a dynasty, and also a whole bunch of other interesting Cardinal news and updates!

Keep Nolan, Nolan, Nolan

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss scary movies, the Oscars, Nolan Arenado's contract, what the Cardinals should do with the extra cash, lol at the Rockies, Donovan's Gold Glove, Edman's deserved Gold Glove, the Phillies surprising (and fun) continued run, Dusty Baker, semi-robo umps, and much more!

doggonit, mad dog gone

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Skip Schumaker's new job, Arenado's upcoming decision, Waino's return, the gold glove nominations and who should/will win, the World Series, how the Phillies could win, climbing slippery streetlights, and much more!

Nobody Wins

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss Bruce Sutter (RIP), finish the climactic conclusion to the Heroes and Hatchlings draft, Waino's return, Arenado's contract situation, Albert's new girlfriend, Yadi coaching, Flores/Girsch extension, the catcher market, starting pitching, the current playoffs, and so much more!

Numb, Dumb, and the Season Done

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the shocking ending to their Heroes and Hatchlings game, the true flukiness of game one, Quintana's great start, Yepez' big moment, questionable Marmol decisions, game two and the incredibly boring offensive output, Harper's dinger, Goldy's struggles, March predictions, Periwinkle Van Winkle, and much much more.

The City of Brotherly Flub or: How I Learned to Laugh at Bad Defense

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the end of the season, the Brewers (lol), the strengths/weaknesses of the Phillies, the Cardinals rotation, the lineup, Albert Pujols, the terrible schedule, frustration with day playoff games, the terrible broadcast booth, Gallegos exciting contract, the AL playoff bracket, and much more!

Beers, Baseball, Balbert Bujols

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss the 2022 NL Central Champion St. Lous Cardinals, Pujols 700th home run, Arenado and Goldy, Quintana, Monty, Waino, Mikolas, the playoff rotation, injury updates, Aaron Judge, and try to remember the 2019 Cardinals.

Gorman? I Hardly Know Man!

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben celebrate Ben's recent wedding, talk about the Gorman demotion and its implications, the return of Yay-Pez!, O'Neill's frustrating season, Bader's return, Jordan Hicks tired arm, Matz' return, the outfield dilemma, old man Waino, immaculate Helsley, the playoffs, and much more!

Don't Even Get Me Started

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss Albert Pujols making history, Quintana's success, Monty's success, the Cardinals approach to pitching, Yadi, Tommy, and Donovan's success, Alec Burleson, the new rules, and famous baseball wives.

Jack Out of the Box

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 04:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Helsley's new hellish intro, Jack Flaherty's exciting return, Jordan Hicks and his slider, the return of Matz and what to do with him, Dak Hudson's strong start, ALL THE PITCHERS ARE PITCHING WELL, speedy Ben DeLuzio, Waino and Yadi on the cusp of history, the AL Central, AL MVP, the MLBPA, Kimbrel, and much much more!

Waino's World (Sounds Real Good To Me) w/ Daniel Shoptaw

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 04:45:17 -0700

Nate, Ben, and guest Daniel Shoptaw (@C70, Meet Me at Musial, Gateway to Baseball Heaven) discuss the recent series against the Cubs, the series against the Braves, Tater Tots, Lars Nootbars breakout, Tyler O"Neill's return to form, Wainwright's big night at the mic and on the mound, Carlson's struggles, Albert's chase, Flaherty's return, and much more!

Monty's Pythag

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Machine, Knizner, Dickerson, Fiery Oli Marmol, Jordan Montgomery, Bader, the Cardinals run differential and pythag record, TJ McFarland, Yadi's great escape, the Dodgers, and so much more!

MV2

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 02:02:00 -0700

Nate and Bend discuss Nolan Arenado's MVP candidacy and offseason plans, Edman's decline, the series against the Rockies (ugh), the series against the Brewers (woop!), Ryan Helsley!, Montgomery, the Brewers and their offensive collapse, Jack Flaherty's imminent return, Tink Hence and Alec Burleson, TLR's sleepy approach, and much more!

Rocky Mountain Sigh (w/ Tara Nichols)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben are joined by Tara Nichols (Birds on the Black, Gateway to Baseball Heaven) discuss a dumb watermelon challenge, the FIRST PLACE ST LOUIS CARDINALS, the very strange Hader trade, the Cardinals boring/predictable/bad/good trade deadline, Matt Carpenter's return to Busch, Paul DeJong's triumphant comeback, Quintana. & Montgomery's early impact, and much much more!

Bader Deflator

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the Juan Soto trade, Mozeliak's approach, the additions to the rotation, Bader, the Brewers strange move and the rest of the NL Central, the Rockies (lol), Vin Scully (RIP), and much more!

Cantankerous County

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss heroics in Chicago, the Arenado/Goldschmidt situation, Yadi's return, Matz' injury, the uncertainty of the rest of the IL, the upcoming trade deadline and WHY THE CARDINALS SHOULD TRADE FOR SOTO, adding pitching, the recent HoF inductees, and so much more! Also, Ben fights off a familiar aquatic foe.

Power Down the Machine

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben talk baseball movies, the home run derby, Albert's cry for help, the JRod Show, Juan Soto and why he should be a Cardinal, Juan Soto and why he won't be a Cardinal, the All Star game, and the college heavy draft.

Tommy Snubman and the King Albert Derby

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Packy Naughton, the all stars and scrubs, participating in all star voting, the Cardinals all stars, whether the all star game is good, competing in a home run derby, the mid-season slump and tiny surge, the upcoming trade deadline, and much much more!

Don't Talk About the Children (w/ Kyle Reis)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben, along with Kyle Reis (Birds on the Black), discuss the collapsing Cardinal bullpen pitching staff, Tyler O'Neills near return, the overexposure of recent callups, the mystery of Jake Woodford, the recent Fangraphs top 34 prospects list, favorite prospects, and much more!

Waino, Forever (w/ Daniel Shoptaw)

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 03:00:00 -0700

Nate, Ben, and guest Daniel Shoptaw (@C70) discuss Paul Goldschmidts MVP run, Jack Flaherty's reinjured shoulder, Bader's foot injury, new MLB debuts, Cabrera's mystery injury, Paul DeJongs unlikely future, the future of the Cardinals catcher position, Waino's new look curveball, and much much more!

Fenway Freaks

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 05:32:42 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss their trip to Boston and Fenway, Paul Goldschmidt's MVP run, should Edman win it instead?, how fun this team is, the youth movement, Hudson's new look, Flaherty's slow return, and much more!

Thomas Edman, King of Kings

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss the FIRST PLACE ST LOUIS CARDINALS, Miles Mikolas' incredible near miss, Tommy Edman and just how sorry we are, Paul Goldschmidt (MVP), O'Neill!, Donovan!, Seth McFarland, TJ McFarland, Matz, Hicks, Yadi and Knizer (sad face), Matt Carpenter, and much more on this episode of #TAB!

Oli Marmol and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Strike Zone.

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss Oli Marmol's wanton fury, the future of umpiring, pitching 4 innings and the men who do that, the return of Tyler O'Neill and hopeful return of Flaherty, some fun Gorman stats (spoiler, he good), Hudson's slider-fueled breakout, two buds, two gone Joe's, a judge, and Cardinal closers.

Slap me, fam.

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss Paul Goldschmidt's insane run, Gorman's break out, shoulder juice, Liberatore and his place in the rotation, the SWEEP of the Padres, the upcoming FIVE GAME SERIES against the Cubs, and much more!

Bluff City Buff Boys

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 26 May 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss how frustrating the streaming service expansion has been, how exciting the recent call up of Gorman and Liberatore was, the consistent resurgence of the Cardinal offense, Donovan's hot start and whether it will maintain, alllllll the injured Cardinals and what it means for the rotation, Alex Reyes (:(), Flaherty (:)), and much more.

Old Man Smiles

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 19 May 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate & Ben discuss the recent fishing trip (and its many failures...), the resurgent Cardinal offense, watching baseball on airplanes, old men and their great smiles, the rise of Brendan Donovan, O'Neill's continued struggles and how shitty of a system arbitration is, and try to answer a great question about having a good time in STL.

Juan YAY-pez

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Wed, 11 May 2022 20:55:40 -0700

The Juan Yepez era has begun! Nate and Ben discuss goin' fishin', the explosion of Yepez, the demotion of Paul DeJong and what that means for the rest of the lineup, the LACK OF GORMAN, Tyler O'Neills elite underlying metrics, the scary underlying the metrics for the rest of the offense (pop ups, are they bad?), some Cardinal trade rumors?!?!, and some other bird-related material.

Stubby Strikes Back

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 05 May 2022 01:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss chugging beers for the jumbotron, Helsley and the incredible fastball, Yepez's debut, the problems at shortstop (and the outfield...), the brawl with the Mets, STUBBY CLAPP, Jordan Hicks!, a few guys who don't get to play baseball anymore, and try to pick out some of the galaxies best names.

Home(r)ward Bound

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Where have all the homers gone? Are we worried? Are you worried? No, not really. Nate & Ben discuss the league-wide offensive decline, Miles Mikolas' surge, the impressive bullpen, the sadness in the outfield, them cheatin' Yanks, finding a cure to Gormania, and try to remember a not too distant Cardinal team.

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Living the Dream: Put Me In Coach, A Foul Ball Story

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Another week of baseball is done and there is so much to talk about! Nate and Ben breakdown some key highlights from the series in Milwaukee, the old man squad and their early success, the baby birds mashing in AAA, Edman's early power surge, and dedicate a fair amount of time to making fun of Cubs fans and the Reds organization. Plus, Ben had a very special moment and a familiar foe returns!

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Fan Bucks and Flat Screens

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss home openers, tiny flat screens, spending your fan bucks, Arenado, Matz's blisters on his fingers, early signs of a good offense, Pujols lookin' tall, Hicks move to the rotation (!!!), Aaron Judge, the owners (AND THEIR GREED), and much more!

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Dinger Smell

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 02:00:00 -0700

The 2022 season has begun! Nate & Ben wrap up the final news and outcomes from Spring Training, share some bold predictions for 2022, talk about bat licking and smelling(?), discuss some last minute league moves, and have a little draft of their own.

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Bobblehead Lane

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 02:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss the triumphant return of Albert Pujols, what to expect from Albert Pujols (IT'LL BE GOOD IT MUST BE), Oli Marmol's bullpen and DH management, who won or lost the off-season, and also some wildlife off the coast of England.

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Frayed and Confused

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 04:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss the early results from all the new and returning pitchers, the confusing Flaherty situation, the disappoint Reyes situation, pizza peels (what do they do, anyway?), the adorable and bittersweet return of YADI, the end of the Story story, the absolutely bonkers Correa story, and also deal with some aquatic predators.

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Little Buds

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 04:00:00 -0700

Nate and Ben discuss the RETURN OF BASEBALL, the destruction of the NL Central, the sad reality of baseball returning and injury reports, rockem sockems or soccer rockers or whatever they are called, FA movement, ridiculous ballpark food, and much more.

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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Baseball for Ghosts

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 13:30:28 -0800

Nate and Ben discuss the lockout, upcoming rule changes, Spring Training, why 2022 will be great for Cardinals or terrible, ghosts (spoooky), and play another round of "Who Is This Guy?"

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Guess Who's Back?

Nate Heininger & Ben Simorka — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 11:22:28 -0800

Talking About Birds is back! Nate Heininger and Ben Simorka discuss the return of the podcast, the 2021 season and the 17 game win streak, Mike Shildt and Olie Marmol, Matz, and free agency.

Talking About Birds is supported via Patreon. Become a Patron and join our brand new Discord!

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