Rays-ing Their Ceiling

Rays-ing Their Ceiling

Author: Sportsnet July 31, 2020 Duration: 17:47
The Tampa Bay Rays are both respected and overlooked. Year after year, they have one of the smallest payrolls in baseball. And year after year, with just the odd exception, they’re one of the better teams in baseball. So how do they do it? And is the truncated 2020 season exactly the kind of campaign in which they can thrive? No one knows better than their longest-serving player, Kevin Kiermaier. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Dan Shulman. Jim Whyte provided archival support. Audio Credits: YouTube.com/MLB; YouTube.com/Rays The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

In the world of Major League Baseball, the conversation never stops. A Swing and a Belt with Dan Shulman is a space for those deeper dives, moving beyond the daily scores and highlights. Each episode, Dan selects a single compelling thread from the vast MLB tapestry-be it a developing trend, a pivotal historical moment, a pressing front-office issue, or an under-the-radar story gaining momentum. He then sits down with a guest, someone with unique insight or firsthand experience, to unpack it thoroughly. This isn't about rapid-fire hot takes; it's a focused, thoughtful exploration designed for fans who crave more substance. You'll hear nuanced discussions that connect the dots between past and present, strategy and personality, the data and the human element of the game. The rhythm of this podcast is deliberate, built on conversation and analysis that respects the complexity of baseball. It’s for those moments when you want to settle in and really think about the sport, guided by one of its most trusted voices and the experts he brings to the microphone.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 78

A Swing and a Belt with Dan Shulman
Podcast Episodes
“A Cruise Ship Scenario” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:54
Despite two significant coronavirus outbreaks and a lot of concern, we are now in baseball’s stretch run. MLB has reportedly planned for postseason bubbles — of sorts. Two ballparks in Texas for the National League and t…
The Swing Path [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:09
Dante Bichette enjoyed an outstanding 14-year big league career. Part of the feared ‘Blake Street Bombers’ in Colorado, Bichette was a four-time All-Star who finished with a .299 batting average and 274 home runs. During…
Ol’ Roy And The Mick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:08
North Carolina Tar Heels coach Roy Williams is a legend in the college basketball world; a Hall of Famer who has achieved everything there is to be achieved in the sport. But Williams has never lost his inner child — the…
Prospects Are Cool. Parades Are Cooler. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:14
As hard as it is to believe, it’s September. Baseball is still here, and we have pennant races. Today, in Part 2 of our chat with MLB Network Radio’s Casey Stern, we look back at the trade deadline and discuss which team…
What A Mets! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:38
Imagine loving a team so much, it consumes you. Now imagine that team provides you with more anguish than joy, to the point where you wish that you never loved it to begin with. A case can be made that nothing in basebal…
And The Winner Is… [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:20
This year no one knew quite what to expect at the trade deadline, but it felt strangely… normal. Deals were made; contenders bulked up; the scene was set for the push to October. Dan and MLB Network’s JP Morosi break dow…
Walking The Walk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:01
Cavan Biggio has a keen eye, both between the white lines and beyond. Whether it’s forcing a pitcher into the strike zone or having a great sense of what is right and wrong in the world, he has quickly become of the most…
Live From Bristol, It’s Sunday Night Baseball [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:16
Jeff Dufine got the promotion of a lifetime over the winter when ESPN gave him the chance to produce Sunday Night Baseball. And then the pandemic shut everything down. When baseball started back up and it was time to get…
Fun On The South Side [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:42
The Chicago White Sox are often overlooked — the “second team” in their own town. Now, they’re forcing people to take notice about what’s happening on the South Side. So, who is this team? And why is it having so much fu…
A Katz And Dogs Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:45
Any other year, if player agents are fortunate enough to have a few major league clients, things go smoothly. They negotiate contracts, look for client endorsement opportunities — everybody’s happy. But in 2020, nothing…