FanGraphs Audio: Joe Block Talks Pirates

Episode 913

This week on FanGraphs Audio, we are joined by a major league broadcaster, who brought stories from Florida and the booth with him, before we get excited about baseball’s most enticing player.

• At the start of the show, David Laurila sits down with Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Joe Block. David and Joe discuss how spring training is going so far, both for Joe and the Pirates, as well as the Blue Jays’ controversial plans for their radio broadcast this year. Joe also discusses the potential broadcasting futures of a few Pittsburgh players and shares stories about Ernie Harwell and Bob Walk. [2:19]
• After that, Jay Jaffe is joined by RJ McDaniel to talk about Shohei Ohtani mania. Jay and RJ each wrote earlier this week about how the two-way phenom still offers plenty to be optimistic about. They go over Ohtani’s own comments on his struggles, how his unique hype compares to that of Bo Jackson, and how his potential represents a bright spot after a long and challenging winter. [30:28]

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 55 minute play time.)

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