Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other podcast-listening apps. This episode can also be found on Minor League Baseball's official YouTube page. Send questions or feedback to podcast@milb.com, and follow hosts Sam Dykstra (@samdykstramilb.bsky.social) and Tyler Maun (@tylermaun.bsky.social) on Bluesky and Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) on X.
Intro/Ben's Biz Banter (0:00)
Ben, Sam and Tyler open this week's show by previewing Ben's first road trip of the 2025 season. He'll head to Double-A Reading on Saturday. The guys also take a quick spin around the Minors for other noteworthy off-the-field news items, including Lansing's Olive Burgers alternate identity.
Syracuse's search for Jim Morrison (35:45)
The Syracuse Mets held a promotion on Thursday, April 3 as part of their "search" for The Doors frontman Jim Morrison, who a recent documentary posited is still alive in the New York city. General manager Jason Smorol chats with Ben about how the promo came together.
Early prospect standouts (47:05)
Sam and Tyler discuss which Top 100 prospects are off to fast starts entering the second half of April.
Name that Dude/Wrapping up (1:03:35)
Before concluding the show, the cohosts look back at the Minor and Major League career of a Red Sox legend.
Five Run Second Provides the Fireworks, Peschl Sparkles, Kernels Top Bandits 6-3
Cedar Rapids, IA - The Kernels sparked a five-run rally in the bottom of the second, and pitching took them the rest of the way in Cedar Rapids’ fifth straight Fourth of July win, 6-3, over Quad Cities. After coming up short on Thursday night, the Kernels' offense got hot
Quad Cities gets Four Early Runs, Tops Kernels 4-3
Davenport, IA - Quad Cities grabbed an early 4-0 lead and never looked back Tuesday night, topping Cedar Rapids 4-3 in game three of the series. After dropping game two, the Quad Cities’ offense got started in the bottom of the first inning in game three. Erick Torres led off
Cedar Rapids Ninth Inning Rally Usurps Quad Cities, Kernels Beat Bandits 6-5
Davenport, IA - After Quad Cities gets four runs in the eighth inning to take the lead, the Kernels rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to snatch game two from the River Bandits 6-5. After a combined eighteen runs on twenty-four hits Tuesday night, there was
Quad Cities Tops Cedar Rapids in Shootout 10-8
Davenport, IA - The River Bandits and Kernels combined for eighteen runs on twenty-four hits Tuesday night, but it was Quad Cities that held on to take the back-and-forth contest 10-8 in the series opener. After a late rally in the series finale against South Bend on Sunday, the Kernels’
Kernels Bullpen Shuts Down Cubs, Cedar Rapids Tops South Bend 6-1
Cedar Rapids, IA - The Cedar Rapids bullpen tossed 6.1 scoreless innings, including three shutout from Kade Bragg, and the offense tacked on three runs late to pull away to in a 6-1 win in the series finale over South Bend Sunday Afternoon. For the sixth consecutive game in the
Late Home Run Pushes Cubs Past Kernels 5-4
Cedar Rapids, IA - A Cameron Sisneros go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning proved to be the difference as the Cubs knocked off the Kernels 5-4 to clinch a series victory over Cedar Rapids Saturday night. After scoring twelve runs on Friday, the Cubs' offense
Kernels Comeback and Win Suspended Game 6-2, Drop Game Two 12-4
Cedar Rapids, IA - The Kernels came back to win the continuation of a rain-suspended contest from Thursday, 6-5, but dropped game two to South Bend 12-4 at Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday night. To begin game three of the series on Thursday night, South Bend struck for three runs in
Cubs Pitching Quiets Kernels' Offense, South Bend Tops Cedar Rapids 4-1
Cedar Rapids, IA - Tyler Schlaffer punched out ten across seven scoreless innings, including six no-hit frames, and the Cubs' offense rallied for four late runs to knock off the Kernels 4-1 Wednesday afternoon. After sixteen combined runs Tuesday evening, pitching shined early on Wednesday. Kernels starter Chase Chaney began
Five-Run Sixth Inning Propels South Bend to Victory Over Cedar Rapids, 10-6
Cedar Rapids, IA - South Bend plated five runs in the sixth inning, which proved to be the difference in a 10-6 victory in the series opener over Cedar Rapids Tuesday night. After losing five of its six games in the first series in Cedar Rapids, South Bend got on
Kernels Struggle with Runners in Scoring Position, Fall in Beloit 3-2
Beloit, WI - Cedar Rapids went 2-15 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base, falling to Beloit 3-2 in the series finale Sunday afternoon. After scoring nine times in the win on Saturday, the Kernels struck first again on Sunday. Andy Lugo singled to begin the top
Kernels Crush Four Home Runs, Power Past Sky Carp 9-3
Beloit, WI - Cedar Rapids struck for four home runs, matching a season-high, and got great starting pitching from Jose Olivares en route to its first victory in the second half, 9-3 over Beloit Saturday night. After dropping the first game of the half on Friday, the Kernels came out
Kernels' Seventh-Inning Rally Not Enough in 6-5 Loss at Beloit
Beloit, WI - Cedar Rapids eased a four-run deficit with a five-run seventh inning, but two Sky Carp runs in the bottom of the eighth inning proved to be the difference in the Beloit 6-5 win over Cedar Rapids Friday night. After the Sky Carp finished the first half on
Playoff Bound Again! Kernels Sweep Doubleheader in Beloit, Win First Half Title
Beloit, WI - Cedar Rapids shut out Beloit 2-0 in game one and rallied from behind to win game two 5-4, sweeping the doubleheader in Beloit to clinch the Midwest League West Division first half title and a spot in the 2025 postseason. After coming from behind in the series
Kernels Rally in Beloit, Best Sky Carp 5-4 in 10 Innings
Beloit, WI - Trailing by a run in the eighth, Brandon Winokur tied the game with a home run, then with an RBI single in the tenth put Cedar Rapids on top 5-4, a lead it would not lose in the 10-inning win Tuesday evening. After dropping the series finale
Cedar Rapids’ Late Rally Falls Short, Peoria Takes Series Finale 4-3
Cedar Rapids, IA - The Kernels scored runs in the eighth and the ninth innings but couldn’t overcome a late three-run deficit as the Chiefs grabbed the series finale 4-3 on Sunday afternoon. After scoring eight runs on Saturday, the Kernels opened the scoring in the bottom of the second
Hall’s Seven Shutout Innings Lead Kernels Past Chiefs 8-0
Cedar Rapids, IA - Tanner Hall’s seven scoreless innings led the way, while the Kernels' offense provided eight runs to topple the Chiefs 8-0 Saturday evening. After the Kernels plated six runs Friday night, the offense picked up right where they left off on Saturday. Kaelen Culpepper was hit by
Kernels Lead Wire-to-Wire, Knock Off Peoria 6-2
Cedar Rapids, IA – The Kernels took an early lead in the third inning and never looked back Friday night, besting Peoria in game five of the series 6-2. After splitting the doubleheader on Thursday, the Kernels got the scoring started Friday evening. Poncho Ruiz singled to lead off the
Kernels and Chiefs Split Thursday Doubleheader 3-0 and 4-3
Cedar Rapids, IA - Chase Chaney tossed seven strong innings in a complete game shutout as part of a 3-0 Kernels win in game one, but Peoria came back to take game two 4-3 in a split of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon. After back-to-back wins to begin the series, the
Langenberg is Lights Out, Kernels Blank Chiefs 6-0
Cedar Rapids, IA - Ty Langenberg tossed six shutout innings, striking out three for his first win of the season, while the Cedar Rapids offense picked up ten hits in a 6-0 victory Wednesday afternoon. After taking the series opener in ten innings on Tuesday, the Kernels got on the
Kernels Rally From Down Three, Walk-Off Peoria 7-6 in Ten Innings
Cedar Rapids, IA - Trailing by three runs in the seventh, Cedar Rapids battled to send it to extra innings and walked off the Chiefs on a Rayne Doncon sacrifice fly in a 7-6 victory in ten innings Tuesday night. Entering the series on a five-game winning streak, Peoria got
Kernels' Late Rally Falls Short, Wisconsin Tops Cedar Rapids 7-5
Appleton, WI - Cedar Rapids scored runs across four straight late innings, but it was not enough to complete the comeback victory as the Timber Rattlers held off the Kernels 7-5 Sunday afternoon. After walking off the Kernels in back-to-back games, Wisconsin hopped on the board first on Sunday. Singles
Wisconsin Walks-Off Cedar Rapids for Second Straight Night, 3-2
Appleton, WI - With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, pinch runner Luiyin Alastre scrambled home to score on a wild pitch to score the game-winning run for Wisconsin in a 3-2 walk-off win over Cedar Rapids Saturday night. After a comeback win in game four of
Chaney’s Seven Innings Not Enough, Rattlers Walk-Off Kernels 3-2
Appleton, WI - Chase Chaney allowed just two runs across seven innings of work in the longest start by a Kernels pitcher this year, but it was not enough as Wisconsin walked off Cedar Rapids 3-2 Friday Night. After the Kernels struck for 10 runs in the win on Thursday,
Kernels Score Four Times in the First Inning, Drop Timber Rattlers 10-6
Appleton, WI - Cedar Rapids struck for four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back in a 10-6 win over Wisconsin Thursday night. After scoring 15 runs in game two of the doubleheader Wednesday afternoon, the Cedar Rapids offense got right back to work in
Kernels Score 15 Runs in Game Two, Split Wednesday Doubleheader in Wisconsin
Appleton, WI - After the Timber Rattlers won game one 8-2, the Cedar Rapids offense exploded for 15 runs in game two to grab a 15-2 win and a split of the Wednesday afternoon doubleheader. Entering on a five-game winning streak, it didn’t take long for Cedar Rapids to get