Passed Ball Show John Pielli

6-13-2024 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program talking about how Jerry West was a top five (5) Los Angeles Laker player of all time and is surprised many do not understand how good a NBA player he was. John thinks the Tennessee Titans will regret not retaining running back Derrick Henry, feeling that it was not financially impossible for the organization to do. He then acknowledges the Stanley Cup as the most prestigious award, trophy, and championship in all of professional sports. At the end, he asks his viewers and listeners a question he very much values the answer to.

6-5-2024 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program explaining why Josh Gibson deserves the all time cumulative batting average record in Major League Baseball history. While John stops short of claiming you are a racist if you do not accept the updated records are the real records, he feels those that are the most bothered, insulted, and angriest over the changes are doing so with racial undertones. John references the Marcus Stroman durag comment made by Bob Brenly as an example where racial undertones exist even in a person who is not a racist person. John finishes this discussion by questioning the players of pre- 1947. John feels in 2024 people could get together to support a cause by why not pre- 1947? Even those players who were not considered racist have to own the fact that nobody stepped up to make a case that black players should play on the same field as white players. Recognizing Josh Gibson as the all time career batting average leader does nothing to change what was done to him and the other black players of his time. John once again questions why Negro Leagues history is not recognized as predating 1920 and calls John Donaldson one of the top ten starting pitchers of all time.

5-15-2024 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program giving the exact reason attendance is down for the New York Mets this season. It is not as simple as the team is under .500. It is not as simple as anything that can be attributed to the field play this season. John speaks about this after he once again asks the listeners (and viewers) what they want to hear about.

5-9-2024 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program expressing how he believes the New York Knicks need to expand their rotation to achieve their postseason goals. Using Jericho Sims, Alec Burks, and others for even bits of time is a better option than playing the remaining six players unmaintainable minutes. John believes the rust needs to be taken off these players as opposed to them being forced in while rotation players are in foul trouble. John also believes it is a joke when teams refuse to players that are healthy while on a roster, especially when injuries start to mount. John then talks about MLB teams that were expected to he bad and end up performing well. That always comes at the expense of a team that was expected to do well that is performing poorly.

4-28-2024 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program talking about the charade that has become position players pitching mop up relief in MLB games. John cites two examples of BOTH teams using such a player in the same game as his reason to suggest something must be done to change this. He discusses the impact of MLB stats and wonders if soon we can track how hitters do against non-pitchers. John suggests two possible changes to make this situation better. He then suggests that MLB umpires have colluded together because they have grown tired of New Yotk Yankees manager Aaron Boone's antics which have led to several ejections from games over the past handful of seasons. John finishes off this show talking about the Quarterbacks selected in this year's NFL draft and how the record amount of first round selections (in the first 12 picks) may have led to teams staying away from the position for almost the rest of the draft.

4-20-2024 Passed Ball Show. John opens up the program by making an interesting point over the last name Jacquez. He then talks about how the Houston Astros slow start will be pinned by the media and fans on new manager Joe Espada, but believes the Astros will revert back to its 2017-2023 form before too long. John then questions why MLB has not implemented the ball/ strike challenge system that has proven to be successful in Triple- A this season. John gives his respect to Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog before applauding him for having the balls to stick with his intention to rebuild the 1980’s St. Louis Cardinals in spite of winning the 1982 World Series. He then wonders aloud whether the 1970’s New York Mets would have had better fortune if they had hired Whitey instead of Yogi Berra in 1972 to replace the decreased legendary manager Gil Hodges.