The Book of Joe with Joe Maddon & Tom Verducci

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci look back at Padres/Dodgers and pitchers hitting players.  Is having this be part of the game worth risking an injury to a star player? Joe explains why he's in favor of keeping this move. Looking at the College World Series, why did we see so many headlines around the managers of these teams? Tom highlights the young pitchers coming into the game quickly and why sometimes it makes sense!

The ...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci weigh in on the Red Sox trading Rafael Devers to the Giants. Was there a way to avoid this or handle the situation better? Joe explains why this might have been doomed at the start. Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound for one inning.  How does the team handle his continued pitching rehab?  Plus, Joe's playlist this week will be full of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson's music.  

The Bo...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci look at the 'best' in the game right now starting with Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony's debut at Fenway Park.  Has the approach changed for bringing players up from the minors? Tom asks Joe how the young prospects should be handled.  What shows Tom that Pirates Ace Paul Skenes could be the greatest young pitcher EVER?  The Dodgers are supposed to be the best team, but why aren't they...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci highlight the Braves changing their 3rd base coach and how rarely you see that happen.  We touch on the Knicks moving on from Tom Thibodeau and Joe explains why he doesn't understand the move.  Was the rundown with Orioles rookie Coby Mayo just bad base-running or was it a dirty play?  Joe thinks this could show the importance of spending time in the minor leagues.  Why does Tom...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci notice the pace of the season picking up! Shohei Ohtani has been on a tear and why has Juan Soto gotten slower?  Joe explains what he's seeing with Soto and why he doesn't agree with the approach being taken.  Tom wants Jose Ramirez on the Hall of Fame radar immediately!  Players are talking about a change in the strike zone.  Why are we seeing it happen? Plus, what are the bigg...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci start with changes in Baltimore as the Orioles fire Brandon Hyde.  What can you do when a bad team isn't getting better?  Joe walks through the steps of changing a manager.  Jose Alvarado is suspended which leaves the Phillies looking for bullpen help. Do the Rangers have the next two-way player in MLB and could it become a growing trend in baseball?  Plus, did Joe lose any pull...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci explore the managerial changes with the Rockies firing Bud Black and the Pirates letting Derek Shelton go. Joe looks at the best way to handle the situation while Tom explains why it's so tough to win in Colorado. Onto the new inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  How music has changed so much in 30 years and why Joe thinks things are so different now.  Plus, we had an old-fashi...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci try to explain the success Aaron Judge is having right now.  When someone is this hot at the plate, Joe explains how he would approach each at bat.  Tom looks at the slower start for Juan Soto as he prepares to return to play in the Bronx.  Kyle Schwarber continues to hammer the ball and sits 3rd in home runs over the last two years.  Tom has some questions about the Marlins pit...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci dive in with the Yankees changing closers after just 8 innings for Devin Williams.  Joe explains the timing and reasoning for making such an early switch.  Tom is floored by the start of the Rockies and sees a trend with bad teams getting worse.  We switch gears to soccer and a new head coach doing things a bit differently and Joe loves it!  What happened in baseball that's more...

Almost a month into the season, Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci are in awe of the performance from Aaron Judge.  Tom shares some of the early eye-popping numbers from the Yankees.  Joe has been shocked by the Cubs offense and praises Kyle Tucker as the reason. Tom highlights Braves' manager Brian Snitker being called out by his own player and Joe reflects on his own experiences to explain how this is handled. ...

How much can you believe from the baseball being played in April? 

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci recap The Masters with the 'relief' from Rory McIlroy to finally win the tournament.  Joe saw the same relief from the Cubs when they won the World Series, so we look at where Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber are now. 

Tom highlights the starts of the Rockies, the Marlins, and the Padres....all with uniqu...

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci prepare for The Masters with a visit from NBC Golf Analyst John Wood.  Watching baseball work its way through the 'torpedo' bat, John helps us compare golf's head first dive into technology assisting player performance.  We explore how the game has changed through equipment and course construction. Has golf experienced the same increase with injuries that we've seen in baseball?  Mov...

There's a lot of news for the first week of the season!  Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci compare the use of 'torpedo' bats in baseball to a golfer trying different clubs.  Joe explains how a batter finds a bat that works for him and how analytics are once again changing the game.  Tom notes the rough start for Rafael Devers while Joe offers up some drastic changes to turn things around.   Atlanta has also strug...

Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci welcome every team to the 2025 season!  What trends are we seeing on the field and could it be affecting the integrity of the game?  Tom looks at the changes that teams have made and how it will affect their outcome in 2025.  Joe and Tom compare their picks and share which teams they're a bit skeptical of out of the gate.  Which teams will make it to the World Series?  Plus, we r...

Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci open the 2025 MLB Season with the Dodgers and Cubs in Tokyo.  LA wins both games, but what can be taken from the series? Tom discusses seeing Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in action. Joe reveals his approach to opening and planning for a season.  How hard is it to shape your roster and tell someone that their MLB dream is over?

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Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci discuss the danger of pitching injuries in Spring Training.  The first big news coming with Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole needing TJ surgery.  What other pitching stories have we seen this Spring?   Tom shares an idea fom Max Scherzer to try and have pitchers go more often and pitch longer.  Why is Barry Bonds talking about Shohei Ohtani?  Tom honors a couple baseball legends ...

Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci discuss the decline of middle-class players in the league and the challenges they face as the sport evolves.  How has training in the Spring changed for athletes?  We're surprised Anthony Rizzo still isn't on a team, but what does that say about how rosters are being built?  Joe stresses the importance of a balanced lineup of youth and experience. Tom reflects on 'baseball-lifers' and the ...

Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci discuss Opening Day being around the corner and teams still looking for controlled velocity despite the impact on injuries.  Which teams are the favorites to land former Cy Young pitcher Sandy Alcantara?  We reflect on the team policies of George Steinbrenner and how things are changing with the Yankees updated rules on facial hair.  Plus, Tom remembers the career of knuckleballer Eddie Fi...

Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci discuss Spring Training getting underway and how teams set the right tone.  We'll be watching Mike Trout moving to right field, Shohei Ohtani back on the mound, and Rafael Devers with the Red Sox. Tom explores the potential trade prospects for Vlad Guerrero while touching on the heartbreak felt by Aaron Judge after the Yankees' World Series loss.  When it comes to financial strategy, are you be...