The Show Before the Show: Episode 76

Check out the latest episode 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 The Show Before the Show on iTunes. The podcast is also available via the Stitcher app. Send your questions and feedback to [email protected]. You can follow hosts Tyler Maun (@TylerMaun) and Sam Dykstra (@SamDykstraMiLB) on Twitter.

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Episode 76:

Three Strikes (2:20)

• Tyler and Sam start this week's podcast with a discussion of the newly crowed champions in the Florida State League (Bradenton), New York-Penn League (State College) and Northwest League (Eugene). (Myrtle Beach had not yet captured the Mills Cup in the Carolina League at the time of recording.)
• Both Triple-A circuits started their championship series this week, so our two co-hosts present their picks in the International League and Pacific Coast League and predict who will be win next Tuesday's Triple-A National Championship in Memphis.
• While they're known mainly for trophies, the playoffs give prospects one more chance to improve their stocks before the offseason. Tyler and Sam talk about which names have been prominent in the Minor League postseason.

Mitch Keller interview (30:17)

• Pirates No. 5 prospect Mitch Keller called into the show right after helping Bradenton win the FSL title to discuss his late move to the Marauders, his breakout 2016 season as a whole, how he was able to overcome injury concerns in 2015 and who would win in arm-wrestling contest between him and his brother Jon, a pitcher in the Orioles system.

Ben's Biz Banter (43:43)

• MiLB.com's Benjamin Hill joins the podcast for his weekly segment to talk about his stories on Stockton's claim to fame in the poem "Casey at the Bat" and what it's been like for Visalia pitching coach Jeff Bajenaru to balance baseball and family while roaming the Minor League landscape. Ben also touches on the intrigue of the California League Finals that pit a cursed Visalia franchise against a soon-to-be-contracted High Desert club.

Wrapping up (1:02:08)