Le Batard & Friends Network

And now it's time for Coca Friday! We chat about MLB Trade Deadline! ABS! Replay! A lot of baseball talk! You can follow me on Twitter @matthewcoca !!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘whirlwind’ as in so many trades as in deadline as in mayhem as in Padres as in Astros as in buyer as in sellers! What a day it was! Let’s kick things off with the San Diego Padres. AJ Preller has done it again. Trading away one of the top prospects in all of baseball for a reliever and a starting pitcher. Wow. (8:40) Carlos Correa is back with the Astros! And the Twins are paying big money in order to save money. The Astros are going for it again. (11:00) The Twins have traded everyone. 11 players traded away. 40% of the roster switched over. (20:00) It’s time for a Front Office Roundup. So many GMs and team presidents spoke yesterday. These were our favorites. (39:30) Review: On Swift Horses. (42:00) NPPOD. (47:00) Wait to see updates! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Fuentes recounts his days as a 19 year old movie theater manager drunk with power. Later, Izzy debuts a new game of "Are you ok?" with the group, Jessica brings attention to the flood of AI video content on the internet and Tony wants to know how Robert Downey Jr. is going to end up playing Dr. Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our semi-regular roundtable on sports business reconvenes for expertise from the boardroom: David Samson takes Pablo behind the scenes of Ichiro's viral joke about him at the Baseball Hall of Fame, then John Skipper translates the math from the ESPN negotiating table to the Unrivaled cap table the looming strike over WNBA salaries — and team valuations at large. Plus: foreskin, poppycock, psychedelic pastel paisley, pandering to the people, talking with your eyes... and a haberdashery version of pre-determinism. • Subscribe to Nothing Personal with David Samson https://www.youtube.com/@NPDS • From Pablo's Substack: We're One of the 100 Best Podcasts of All Time (Allegedly) https://www.pablo.show/p/were-one-of-the-100-best-podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The great, the legendary, the broadcast God, Bob Costas joins us! We talk hall of fame, we talk Ryne Sandberg, we talk hall of fame voting, we talk the state of baseball! (30:30) Max Scherzer is a funny guy. He said he can’t wait to have a face-to-face with Rob Manfred. Why? You have his number! (37:00) Shannon Sharpe is out at ESPN. Done. Finished. Just weeks after his lawsuit was settled. (45:00) Gilbert Arenas was arrested for hosting poker games. Here’s why he can’t do that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the NFL returns, Pablo and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio are back with more secret documents, a federal investigation, new government names, billions of union dollars, an O.J. Simpson parking space, the world’s largest strip club... and one big "clusterf*ck." Does the OneTeam Partners saga connect to a Game of Thrones-style power play by the NFLPA's shadow boss? Or could the feds be on the trail of an even bigger scandal? • Part One: The NFL's Secret Collusion Case, Revealed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42Wq3fmTYg • Part Two: We Got Another Secret Union Document — and Smoked Out Another Cover-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42Wq3fmTYg • Read our latest NFL document on Pablo's subscribers-only newsletter: https://www.pablo.show/subscribe • Pre-order "Big Shield" by Mike Florio https://www.amazon.com/Big-Shield-Mike-Florio-ebook/dp/B0FGH43V6D • Ex-NFLPA boss Howell's strip club expenses sent to investigator (Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler) https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45703132/nflpa-nfl-agreed-keep-collusion-findings-secret • "If he failed, their process failed": Inside the NFLPA meltdown (Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler) https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45800610/inside-nflpa-executive-director-lloyd-howell-tenure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘arms race’ as in trades as in flurry as in Mets as in Phillies as in Mariners as in buyers as in sellers! Let’s start with the slugger. Eugenio Suarez is back to the Mariners. Big pop. Joins Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez. (13:00) The Mets and Phillies is the real arms race. The Mets trade for a bullpen arm. The Phillies trade for a closer. The Mets then trade for another bullpen arm! That’s how it goes. The divisional race then the bullpen race. (26:00) The Reds have traded for Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates. He is an elite defensive player. He is so bad at the plate. (32:50) The Red Sox traded for Steven Matz last night. He’s a starter that’s been in the bullpen. (35:30) Review: Field of Dreams. (40:00) Shohei Ohtani was pulled from his start for cramping in his hip. It was the first time he went into inning 4 this year. He stayed in the game as DH. (44:00) NPPOD. Let’s talk about the Yankees and Anthony Volpe. The errors won’t stop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you want to leave a voice: 631-377-4869 It’s another So You Wanna Talk to Samson Wednesday! Let’s go! First up is about Tom Brady and his comments about Scottie Scheffler and fatherhood. Hmm. (13:40) How much control does the manager have during and before a game? Does a manager like Bruce Bochy get more control? (26:30) Does the Yankees ownership cave to fans? (33:45) Why doesn’t MLB have a RedZone channel? Is this something they will do? (42:00) How do teams authenticate that trade proposals are real? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘Fleetwood Mac’ as in rumors as in trade deadline as in the Miami Marlins as in sellers as in buyers! The Marlins have two of the biggest trade chips in the sport right now with Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. What calls are they taking? Are they holding out for more? (12:00) The Giants have the worst record in baseball since the trade for Rafael Devers. Oh boy. What will Buster Posey do? (16:40) We have a rare trade! A trade in-between a doubleheader! (23:00) The Minnesota Twins are finished. Byron Buxton is hurt again. Horrible. (25:30) Ronald Acuna is hurt again. This is a sad one. He’s missed so many games due to injury. (28:30) Framber Valdez was not happy with his teammate. (35:00) Review: The Accountant 2. (38:45) There’s been updates on the shooting in NYC the other day. The man had a suicide note about his brain, and CTE, and how much he hated the NFL. (43:35) Jimmy Haslam had some more quotes that need to be discussed. He’s the owner of the Cleveland Browns. (49:40) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Bogert joins us! We have soccer talk! Thomas Muller transfer to MLS? Messi is mad at MLS? Tom will break it all down! (29:00) Steph Curry thinks he’s underpaid. Here is why. Equity. (37:00) NPPOD. (40:00) NFL players are in big trouble for selling Super Bowl tickets. Uh oh! (47:00) The NFLPA is still going through it. Every week is a new story. This time its a criminal investigation into funds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘sadness’ as in just a terrible morning for so many of us. Ryne Sandberg died last night after a long battle with cancer. Sadness because of a mass shooting in New York City yesterday after a gunman stormed a building and killed four people. What are we doing? What is this country? (9:00) Trying to honor Ryne Sandberg on a day like today is hard, but he deserves it. (16:30) Bryce Harper and Rob Manfred got into it. Wow. Harper cussed out Manfred over a meeting that the commissioner was having with the Phillies. Manfred stood his ground. This CBA negotiation will be ugly. (29:50) Review: Sovereign. (39:40) Eugenio Suarez was hit on the hand yesterday. Uh oh. X-rays were negative, sigh of relief. (41:00) Emmanuel Clase is under investigation for gambling. Here we go again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The viral commercial has a mysteriously simple message: sportsmanship. The child actor has gotten dunked on by NBA Twitter for more than a decade. Correspondent Zach Schwartz untangles a web from Madison Avenue to the Supreme Court to Damian Lillard, in search of a boy named Alex — and the meaning of perseverance. (This episode originally aired January 7, 2025.) • Subscribe to Pablo's Substack for exclusive access, documents and invites https://pablo.show/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long before the viral Coldplay concert, there was another — and even wilder — affair caught on camera. Two pitchers for the Yankees agreed to the wildest trade in sports history: They switched wives. And children. And furniture. And pets. David Mandel laments his big-screen adaptation that never was... even though the ultimate passion project could have starred Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. (This episode originally aired April 30, 2024.) • Subscribe to Pablo's Substack for exclusive access, documents and invites https://pablo.show/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aaron Judge is hurt. Horrible. Having one of the best offensive seasons we’ve ever seen, and now a flexor strain and straight to the IL. (15:30) The Astros got swept by the Athletics. So many injuries for Houston. How will they respond? Are reinforcements coming? (23:00) The Atlanta Braves are finished. All five Opening Day starters are on the IL. That’s how fast things end in MLB. (28:00) Seth Lugo is signing an extension with the Royals. One of the biggest trade chips is now off the market. (34:10) Review: Stick. NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘surreal’ as in what a weekend as in Hall of Fame as in Ichiro Suzuki as in CC Sabathia as in Billy Wagner as in Dave Parker as in Dick Allen. An unbelievable weekend. I’m still a bit speechless with what happened in Cooperstown. This first hour is all about the Hall of Fame. There’s just too much to cover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are back with another Coca Friday! It has yet to crack the Top 100 Podcasts of All Time list, but I'm sure we were 101! As always (IF YOU'RE EVEN READING THIS) you can yell at me on Twitter @matthewcoca Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘induction’ as in Hall of Fame as in Ichiro as in CC as in the best of the best as in Cooperstown! The weekend is finally here! My guy! Our guy! Ichiro Suzuki! What a weekend it’s going to be and I’ll be there! (12:00) The trades are starting! The Arizona Diamondbacks traded Josh Naylor yesterday to the Seattle Mariners. Seattle desperately needed to make that move. (24:00) The Washington Commanders still need a stadium. Despite President Trump’s threats, the D.C. Council still needs to vote. The clock is ticking if the city wants a new stadium on the Commanders timeline. (33:30) Review: KPop Demon Hunters. (37:00) Austin, Texas wants baseball. It’s trying to get a Major League Baseball team. It really doesn’t have a chance. (42:00) Hulk Hogan has died at 71. What a life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Mystery Crate, the show travels back to their senior high school days to discuss the times they did, or did not, skip class and what pranks their senior classes pulled off. Also, Mike Fuentes wants to revive a classic show bit, Jessica was made to feel bad by athletic children and Billy finds himself in a pickle over group chats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim Bowden joins us today! He’s an MLB Insider for CBS Sports, The Athletic, and you can hear him on SiriusXM. Let’s get into the trade deadline. The Diamondbacks and Twins are the two teams that have to sell! What other teams should we be paying attention to? (28:45) Messi didn’t play in the All-Star Game yesterday. Wow. For rest? (39:00) NFL isn’t going anywhere. The Packers financials came out. And MONEY! But that’s not all. More NFLPA drama. (48:00) A concession strike! No food or drink for you at Fenway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘defensive’ as in the Yankees as in Aaron Boone as in ejected as in the Blue Jays as in errors. The Yankees defense has been bad. Anthony Volpe has been bad. The Yankees are now 4 games back of the Blue Jays and lost the tiebreaker if the season ends tied. Let’s talk about Boone and his comments postgame. (9:50) Automated ball-strike system is coming to baseball. It’s a guarantee. The union is going to do what it can to make the transition as difficult as possible. Tony Clark wants a buffer-zone? WHAT!? (21:40) Would you trade for Dylan Cease? That’s the big question for teams right now. Why are the Padres selling? (28:15) Shohei Ohtani is magic. Everything he does is magic. Are you paying attention? (36:00) Review: RRR. (39:00) Review: Part 2: One Night in Idaho. (45:00) NPPOD. (48:30) Mets got a sweep of the Angels. Are they back? Is the team ready? But let’s talk about Mike Trout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices