Diamond Dreams Miami Up & In

In this episode of Diamond Dreams Miami Up & In, with Armando Alvarez and Mike Quintana break down a number of topics in the world of sports.

Mike recaps his recent trip to Cooperstown with his 12U team—what the experience meant, how the kids grew as teammates and competitors, and the lessons they’ve already applied since returning.

The guys then shift gears from baseball to golf. What’s it like transitioning from the di...

Up & In is back with Episode 113.  Mike is back from his Cooperstown tournament trip, and tells us a bit about his experience.  He will give us the full details on episode 114.  

On 113 we talk about the upcoming MLB trade deadline.  Will the Marlins be sellers, or buyers? Has Sandy Alcantara pitched his last game in Miami?

The Yankees have made a couple of trades, and some have indicated they could trade Spencer Jones for a st...

Up & In is back with Episode 112.  Yankees are struggling, should they finally fire Boone? Anthony Volpe has had a rough time at shortstop.  Will the Yankees be in the market to replace him at the trade deadline? We will tell you who makes sense.

Paul Skenes is one of the best young arms in MLB today, and may turn out to be a Hall of Fame worthy pitcher.  He has one of the lowest ERAs, but his team is offering very little run s...

In Episode 111, we talk MLB—Jasson Dominguez launches a huge home run, Juan Soto continues to struggle, and the Orioles are hitting a rough patch. We break it all down and talk about what’s ahead.

Plus, we dive into the surprising release of Pope Leo XIV’s Topps “rookie card” and the fan response to the Pontiff’s cardboard debut.

And we wrap up with a conversation on some of the greatest Cuban players to ever play in the big league...

Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson are officially reinstated by MLB. Should this be celebrated or frowned upon—and does this mean Pete finally belongs in the Hall of Fame? We break it down.

We also revisit the steroid era, when MLB reaped the benefits while the players who used PEDs may never get into Cooperstown. Fair or foul?

Plus: The Godfather and the Pope. What’s next for Pat Riley and the Miami Heat? And our thoughts on Pope ...

Armando and Mike talk about Aaron Judge's historic stretch on Episode 109 of Up & In.  The Yankees superstar is in the midst of another stellar, MVP type season, and the numbers he's put up the last few years have been mind boggling. 

Ohtani was back in Miami, and playing as if he were home.  If only the Marlins paid their players...Speaking of the Marlins, we talk about Sandy Alcantara's situation what may be up next for him, ...

In this episode of Up & In, Mike and Armando talk about something a lot of parents deal with—kids around 8 to 10 years old deciding they’re done with a sport they’ve been playing and want to try something new. We get into what drives those decisions and how you can be supportive without pushing too hard.

Then it’s on to baseball: bad umpiring is back, and we’re wondering how some of these obvious home runs are getting called fo...

On Episode 107 of Up & In, Mike and Armando talk about the "controversy" with the torpedo bats.  Is it really an issue, or a nothing burger?  We also talk about the placebo effect when using new equipment.  

The Marlins are off to a decent start.  Can they show us all something and become buyers instead of sellers this season? 

The Mike Trout/Mickey Mantle comparison, life talk regarding memories and stress, healthy lifestyle, ...

In this episode, we break down the Marlins' 2024 bobblehead giveaways and which ones fans are most excited about. Plus, MLB’s latest blunder—the logo on top of logo hats—what went wrong, and why the Texas Rangers' version stole the show.

The Yankees take a major hit with Gerrit Cole’s injury—how can they fill the void in their rotation? We also dive into the latest buzz from NFL Free Agency and the wild world of college sports brea...

Spring Training is back, and so is Up & In! In this episode, we break down all the biggest baseball storylines as the season gets underway. Will the Marlins move on from Sandy Alcántara? What should fans expect from Mike Trout this year? And who should take over as the Yankees' full-time shortstop in the near future? We also dive into early World Series contenders.

But that’s not all—John Cena’s shocking heel turn has the wrest...

In this episode of Diamond Dreams Miami: Up & In, we’re joined by special guest FIU Head Baseball Coach Rich Witten as we gear up for the 2025 college baseball season, set to begin Friday, February 14. Coach Witten gives us an inside look at the Panthers’ offseason preparations, the players to watch, and his expectations for the team this year. We also talk about FIU teams of the past, including the squads Mike Quintana played ...

For Episode 103 we hang out with Jonathan Escarza.  We talk about opening day at Diamond Dreams, and bringing the little back to little league.  Also, why our kids can't truly enjoy the Marlins. Is this situation worse than 1998 and 2004? The Super Bowl is set. Who is our favorite to win, and how far are the Dolphins from getting themselves to a position to make the big game.  We dive into boxing and how the stacked cards are makin...

Happy 2025 everyone! We are back with Episode 102.  We talk about the Marlins spending $0 in free agency, and what we can expect from the team this season.  Also, should the Yankees trade for Luis Arraez?  If you've been listening to this podcast, you know the answer to that.

In the NFL, will the Chiefs repeat?  Will this be the Lions year? We talk NFL Playoffs, and we talk about the Dolphins.  What that can do differently to turn ...

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays from the Up & In family!  On Episode 101 Mike and Armando talk about the unexpected death of Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest of all-time, and a favorite of the both of them.  Also, what are the Marlins doing? Will the A's do better, and have better attendance than the fish? With each passing day, the non-signing of Juan Soto is looking good on the Yankees. The NBA and th...

Up & In hits the century mark! 100 , and first off we want to thank the loyal listeners who have supported us from day one.  It means so much to us every time some of you reach out to tell us about an episode you just listened to, or with an opinion about a certain topic.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!   On episode 100, we talk about Juan Soto signing with the Mets over the Yankees.  Will this move hurt the Yankees, or will ...

Up & In is back with episode 99.  We are one shy of the century mark.  We talk about Aaron Judge and his second MVP award.  Will he mentally recover from his slow postseason, and costly error in the World Series?  We also dive into Juan Soto and where he may end up.  Will the Yankees pay up?  Will be head over to Queens?  The Dodgers strike again with a deferred contract.  Who else will they sign?

Armando says he's done with Mi...

It's Election Day in America.  We will know who the 47th President of the United States is tonight...maybe.  We talk about the election, and what to expect tonight.  Also, World Series talk.  What went wrong for the Yankees?  What changes should they make?  Will they keep Juan Soto? Will fans remember Aaron Judge's season as a success, or a failure?

The Dodgers are champs. We talk about what they did correctly.  The offseason is he...

Mike and Armando preview the World Series that MLB was dreaming about this entire season, The New York Yankees vs. The Los Angeles Dodgers.  The old school rivals are squaring off in the Fall Classic once again, and for the first time since 1981.  This World Series features some of the biggest stars in baseball, including the two biggest in Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.  This is a battle between two juggernauts of the sport, and t...

Welcome to Episode 96 of Up & In.  Mike and Armando talk about both league championship series: Yankees-Guardians and Dodgers-Mets.  While it looks like the Yanks and the Dodgers have the upper hand after three games, do the Guardians and Mets have it in them to stage a comeback and make the World Series? 

We also present six potential future hall of famers.  Find out who we think is a shoe-in, and who surprised us with their s...