June 13, 2026 • 9 mins
Tricia Whitaker is the sideline reporter for Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV. Before she worked Reds/D-Backs on Friday night, the IU alum joined us on ESPN1530.
Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Apple TV has a reds d bags tonight seven to fifteen.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
First Pitch.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Red's coming off an extraordinarily sobering road trip getting walked
off on Wednesday right after we got off the air,
so hopefully they can bounce back tonight seven to fifteen
First Pitch. Gab p Trisha Whitaker is with us working
the dugout tonight for Apple TV The Pride of IU.
We have not had Tricia on yet this season, so
(00:25):
this is the first time she's been on our show.
Since her beloved Indiana Hoosiers won the national championship in
college football. I would imagine you are still riding high.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Well, yeah, that's the way to make me smile that
I am still on cloud nine. So I live in Bloomington, Indiana.
I teach at Indiana University. I grew up an IU fan,
and when they won the national championship, I mean I
think I could have died happy that day. It was
unbelieveab all unbelievable and it will never I'm going to
(00:56):
be insufferable about it until the end of time. But
I feel as if I have earned that as an
IU football fan for my entire life, so.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I can relate to you.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
And here's why I am a huge New York Knicks fan,
right and obviously the in Cincinnati, the Knicks are a
win away from the NBA title. I've had folks tell
me like, oh, yeah, you just jumped on board. I
know you dealt with that during IU's title run.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Oh, everybody was like, you're such a bandwagon fan. You
weren't a fan before this. I'm like, are you kidding me?
Like I used to go to games with my dad
when I was ten years old and we'd sit there
and watch them get their butt absolutely kicked by Wisconsin,
like sixty to nothing. It was insane. And then when
I was a student reporter, my first job was covering
IU football and they went one and eleven, one and eleven.
(01:43):
It was horrible. So no, we earned it. We earned it. Hey,
And how about this og Anobi m where you go
to college?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Yeah, I was going to bring that up, but I
kind of felt like you would do that for me.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
You know, you knew we're on suffer. We're in SUFFERABALLU fans,
we are insufferable.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Well you I want to be this way as a
Reds fan one day, and I feel like earlier the
season when Apple was here, you were here, things were
going better than they are right now.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Can you can you provide any hope?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, well they were going better, And honestly, they were
going better when we had we had the Reds on
Apple in Pittsburgh like a month ago, and things still
weren't going this poorly. But I mean, yeah, this is
a really tough stretch for the Reds. And I'm a
big Tito fan and so you know, I've been watching
all of his his pep talk to the team, you know,
where he's like when it's the hardest to believe, you
(02:33):
have to when there's doubt, You've got to believe in
each other, that type of thing. But you know, you
really look at it, and the bullpen is obviously a
really really big issue right now, the injuries and a
fluctuating roster that certainly doesn't help for consistency in the lineup.
And the Reds are also, you know, kind of finding
out to start the month of June, what we know
(02:54):
how how valuable Ellie day La Cruise is like. But
I mean you really find it out when he's when
he's in which which for him, he's kind of been
the iron man so that hasn't really happened. So it
is a very tough stretch for this team. I hope
that they can get it together later in the season.
It's a long year. We know they're not going too
the postseason last year. You know it's possible, but I
(03:16):
really hope they get it together because I mean, deep down,
I mean, don't tell anybody this, you know, but I'm
kind of a closet Reds fan because I live so
close to Cincinnati. So I mean, I'm hoping that Tito
and the Reds can can get a little bit better
here in the at least in the second half when
some of these injuries pass them.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So you know, typically Apple TV comes to town and
you get the Reds or you go get him in
a place like Pittsburgh. And even if things aren't going great.
You mentioned Ellie, you can spotlight Ellie de la Cruz.
I know you guys are going to talk about him tonight,
but in his absence, who you focus on?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, one, we are going to talk about him tonight,
but you know, we also are going to talk about
McClean and and I think one of the things I'm
gonna you know, ask Tito, is I mean, I think
it's fair to say that McLean has looked a little
bit more like the player the Reds expected him to be.
(04:08):
And I think what he had a couple of home
runs if I'm not mistaken against the Cardinals this weekend,
So we're definitely going to be talking, you know, about
him and what he might be able to do for
this team. And I know that a lot of the
other guys in the lineup you kind of look at
them and you're like, Okay, who really is there to
talk about? But of course we're gonnapens just because he's
(04:28):
a good teammate, and I know everybody here loves them,
but you know, they really have to figure something out
here and pick each other up through this stretch without
Daily Cruz. So we'll talk a lot about probably McLean,
and I'm I'm probably you know, Edwin and Royal will
talk about him a little bit too, So there's gonna
be a lot of good things that we talk about
(04:50):
and we're going to try to provide some optimism.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
What's your take on the National League Central, which so
far has been the best division in the sport.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
It has been the best division in the sport. I'm
I'm a big NL Central fan, and I I Okay,
so this might not win me any fans in Cincinnati.
I know, you know what I'm gonna say. What do
you think I'm gonna say? Say it?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
You're gonna talk about the Cardinals.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
No, I don't know, I know. I actually I grew
up I will say I grew up with Cubs fans,
but I but I think the NL Central is an
interesting and interesting division right now. And I really enjoy
covering the NL Central. Not just because I grew up
around some of these teams, you know, growing up in
(05:34):
the Midwest, but I really think that the baseball is
better when the NL Central is better, because it's kind
of like the heart of America, you know what I mean,
Like those teams have that. And I know that makes
me sound so Midwest, but I can't help it. I obviously,
I'm a big fan of of the Brewers. I've covered
them a lot, great relationship with Pat Murphy. I think
(05:56):
that the Cardinals are a better team than people give
them credit for. Obviously, the Pirates started the season on
a tear. They've since cooled off a bit. But I
do think that the Cubs are in my opinion. If
you're asking me down the stretch who the team is
to watch, I think it's the Cubs and the Brewers.
I hope that the Reds can make a run. I
really hope they can. But if you're asking me who
(06:18):
the teams are to watch, I think down the stretch,
I would say the Cubs and the Brewers.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I want you to.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Talk about the Brewers for Metrita Whitaker from Apple TV
is with us. They have Reds d Backs tonight at
Great American Ballpark. Because I've talked about this a lot
over the last couple of weeks. The Milwaukee Brewers, it
doesn't matter who they lose, it doesn't matter if there's
a managerial change, it doesn't matter if they trade away
established players. They're always good. Won ninety seven games last year.
(06:43):
This year, I think a lot of us were like,
all right, at some point it has to end. And
yet there they are at the top of the National
League Central As somebody who's covered them and been around them,
what organization? What do they do that I need the
Reds to do here?
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I mean, they prioritize depth, and they prioritize player development.
I think over you know, some of the high priced
superstar talent. And and perhaps that's because they have to write.
You know, they're one of the low payroll lower payrolls
in baseball, but they really maximize their roster and and
and when you really look at it, they they outperform
(07:20):
a lot of the times. I know in the postseason
that didn't exactly happen, but a lot of times they
outperform some of the more expensive teams. But they do have,
you know, some pillars of success that are important. I
think Pat Murphy is definitely one of those pillars right now.
But I think the front office does a really really
good job. You know, they acquire pitchers that have kind
(07:40):
of like, you know, that raw talent, and and they
they they kind of turn some of the diamonds into
rough arms into you know, those heart throwing guys, which
I think is a really valuable thing to do. And
and they consistently lead the majors defense and I think
(08:01):
that's something that is probably overlooked nowadays. And I think
another word that comes to mind is just like how
relentless they are and the culture that they've created under
their GM and Pat Murphy, they just seem so you know,
aligned with each other and the clubhouse environment is awesome.
(08:23):
And I think last year, what was their phrase, there
were just a bunch of average jos, is what Pat
Murphy kept saying. And you know what could possibly appear
to appeal to people in the Midwest more than a
slogan like that, right, But I do think that that
is kind of their mo and they all buy into it.
In the front office has done some really good things
with their organizational philosophy.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
I'm embarrassed to say that I've only been to Bloomington twice.
Once when I was in college, which was years before
you were.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
In college in the nineties.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
And then I went five years ago for a Cincinnati
I You game and we won that one.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
That was before you guys got good, uh, And I
was it was awesome. We had a great time. It
was parents weekend, it was September.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Baseball was still going on, and I was trying to
figure out its Bloomington Reds, Cardinals, or maybe it's Cubs.
Who is its Cubs and bloody Cubs.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
It's Cubs, but then it's a little red, so it's
not fully Cubs. But I would say I would say
for the majority of Bloomington is Cubs. But but I
but you know, you got some Reds fans there too,
for sure. But if I'm talking the majority, I would
say Cubs for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
All right, Sorry whatever, w g N, I I get it.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Apple TV Tonight, Reds and Diamondbacks. Trisha Whitaker on the call,
along with Alex FEUs and Ryan Spilbourg's seven to fifteen
tonight at GABP.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Tricia, I appreciate the time.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, anytime. Good chat with you.
Apple TV has a reds d bags tonight seven to fifteen.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
First Pitch.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Red's coming off an extraordinarily sobering road trip getting walked
off on Wednesday right after we got off the air,
so hopefully they can bounce back tonight seven to fifteen
First Pitch. Gab p Trisha Whitaker is with us working
the dugout tonight for Apple TV The Pride of IU.
We have not had Tricia on yet this season, so
(00:25):
this is the first time she's been on our show.
Since her beloved Indiana Hoosiers won the national championship in
college football. I would imagine you are still riding high.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Well, yeah, that's the way to make me smile that
I am still on cloud nine. So I live in Bloomington, Indiana.
I teach at Indiana University. I grew up an IU fan,
and when they won the national championship, I mean I
think I could have died happy that day. It was
unbelieveab all unbelievable and it will never I'm going to
(00:56):
be insufferable about it until the end of time. But
I feel as if I have earned that as an
IU football fan for my entire life, so.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I can relate to you.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
And here's why I am a huge New York Knicks fan,
right and obviously the in Cincinnati, the Knicks are a
win away from the NBA title. I've had folks tell
me like, oh, yeah, you just jumped on board. I
know you dealt with that during IU's title run.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Oh, everybody was like, you're such a bandwagon fan. You
weren't a fan before this. I'm like, are you kidding me?
Like I used to go to games with my dad
when I was ten years old and we'd sit there
and watch them get their butt absolutely kicked by Wisconsin,
like sixty to nothing. It was insane. And then when
I was a student reporter, my first job was covering
IU football and they went one and eleven, one and eleven.
(01:43):
It was horrible. So no, we earned it. We earned it. Hey,
And how about this og Anobi m where you go
to college?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Yeah, I was going to bring that up, but I
kind of felt like you would do that for me.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
You know, you knew we're on suffer. We're in SUFFERABALLU fans,
we are insufferable.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Well you I want to be this way as a
Reds fan one day, and I feel like earlier the
season when Apple was here, you were here, things were
going better than they are right now.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Can you can you provide any hope?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, well they were going better, And honestly, they were
going better when we had we had the Reds on
Apple in Pittsburgh like a month ago, and things still
weren't going this poorly. But I mean, yeah, this is
a really tough stretch for the Reds. And I'm a
big Tito fan and so you know, I've been watching
all of his his pep talk to the team, you know,
where he's like when it's the hardest to believe, you
(02:33):
have to when there's doubt, You've got to believe in
each other, that type of thing. But you know, you
really look at it, and the bullpen is obviously a
really really big issue right now, the injuries and a
fluctuating roster that certainly doesn't help for consistency in the lineup.
And the Reds are also, you know, kind of finding
out to start the month of June, what we know
(02:54):
how how valuable Ellie day La Cruise is like. But
I mean you really find it out when he's when
he's in which which for him, he's kind of been
the iron man so that hasn't really happened. So it
is a very tough stretch for this team. I hope
that they can get it together later in the season.
It's a long year. We know they're not going too
the postseason last year. You know it's possible, but I
(03:16):
really hope they get it together because I mean, deep down,
I mean, don't tell anybody this, you know, but I'm
kind of a closet Reds fan because I live so
close to Cincinnati. So I mean, I'm hoping that Tito
and the Reds can can get a little bit better
here in the at least in the second half when
some of these injuries pass them.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So you know, typically Apple TV comes to town and
you get the Reds or you go get him in
a place like Pittsburgh. And even if things aren't going great.
You mentioned Ellie, you can spotlight Ellie de la Cruz.
I know you guys are going to talk about him tonight,
but in his absence, who you focus on?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, one, we are going to talk about him tonight,
but you know, we also are going to talk about
McClean and and I think one of the things I'm
gonna you know, ask Tito, is I mean, I think
it's fair to say that McLean has looked a little
bit more like the player the Reds expected him to be.
(04:08):
And I think what he had a couple of home
runs if I'm not mistaken against the Cardinals this weekend,
So we're definitely going to be talking, you know, about
him and what he might be able to do for
this team. And I know that a lot of the
other guys in the lineup you kind of look at
them and you're like, Okay, who really is there to
talk about? But of course we're gonnapens just because he's
(04:28):
a good teammate, and I know everybody here loves them,
but you know, they really have to figure something out
here and pick each other up through this stretch without
Daily Cruz. So we'll talk a lot about probably McLean,
and I'm I'm probably you know, Edwin and Royal will
talk about him a little bit too, So there's gonna
be a lot of good things that we talk about
(04:50):
and we're going to try to provide some optimism.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
What's your take on the National League Central, which so
far has been the best division in the sport.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
It has been the best division in the sport. I'm
I'm a big NL Central fan, and I I Okay,
so this might not win me any fans in Cincinnati.
I know, you know what I'm gonna say. What do
you think I'm gonna say? Say it?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
You're gonna talk about the Cardinals.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
No, I don't know, I know. I actually I grew
up I will say I grew up with Cubs fans,
but I but I think the NL Central is an
interesting and interesting division right now. And I really enjoy
covering the NL Central. Not just because I grew up
around some of these teams, you know, growing up in
(05:34):
the Midwest, but I really think that the baseball is
better when the NL Central is better, because it's kind
of like the heart of America, you know what I mean,
Like those teams have that. And I know that makes
me sound so Midwest, but I can't help it. I obviously,
I'm a big fan of of the Brewers. I've covered
them a lot, great relationship with Pat Murphy. I think
(05:56):
that the Cardinals are a better team than people give
them credit for. Obviously, the Pirates started the season on
a tear. They've since cooled off a bit. But I
do think that the Cubs are in my opinion. If
you're asking me down the stretch who the team is
to watch, I think it's the Cubs and the Brewers.
I hope that the Reds can make a run. I
really hope they can. But if you're asking me who
(06:18):
the teams are to watch, I think down the stretch,
I would say the Cubs and the Brewers.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I want you to.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Talk about the Brewers for Metrita Whitaker from Apple TV
is with us. They have Reds d Backs tonight at
Great American Ballpark. Because I've talked about this a lot
over the last couple of weeks. The Milwaukee Brewers, it
doesn't matter who they lose, it doesn't matter if there's
a managerial change, it doesn't matter if they trade away
established players. They're always good. Won ninety seven games last year.
(06:43):
This year, I think a lot of us were like,
all right, at some point it has to end. And
yet there they are at the top of the National
League Central As somebody who's covered them and been around them,
what organization? What do they do that I need the
Reds to do here?
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I mean, they prioritize depth, and they prioritize player development.
I think over you know, some of the high priced
superstar talent. And and perhaps that's because they have to write.
You know, they're one of the low payroll lower payrolls
in baseball, but they really maximize their roster and and
and when you really look at it, they they outperform
(07:20):
a lot of the times. I know in the postseason
that didn't exactly happen, but a lot of times they
outperform some of the more expensive teams. But they do have,
you know, some pillars of success that are important. I
think Pat Murphy is definitely one of those pillars right now.
But I think the front office does a really really
good job. You know, they acquire pitchers that have kind
(07:40):
of like, you know, that raw talent, and and they
they they kind of turn some of the diamonds into
rough arms into you know, those heart throwing guys, which
I think is a really valuable thing to do. And
and they consistently lead the majors defense and I think
(08:01):
that's something that is probably overlooked nowadays. And I think
another word that comes to mind is just like how
relentless they are and the culture that they've created under
their GM and Pat Murphy, they just seem so you know,
aligned with each other and the clubhouse environment is awesome.
(08:23):
And I think last year, what was their phrase, there
were just a bunch of average jos, is what Pat
Murphy kept saying. And you know what could possibly appear
to appeal to people in the Midwest more than a
slogan like that, right, But I do think that that
is kind of their mo and they all buy into it.
In the front office has done some really good things
with their organizational philosophy.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
I'm embarrassed to say that I've only been to Bloomington twice.
Once when I was in college, which was years before
you were.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
In college in the nineties.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
And then I went five years ago for a Cincinnati
I You game and we won that one.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
That was before you guys got good, uh, And I
was it was awesome. We had a great time. It
was parents weekend, it was September.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Baseball was still going on, and I was trying to
figure out its Bloomington Reds, Cardinals, or maybe it's Cubs.
Who is its Cubs and bloody Cubs.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
It's Cubs, but then it's a little red, so it's
not fully Cubs. But I would say I would say
for the majority of Bloomington is Cubs. But but I
but you know, you got some Reds fans there too,
for sure. But if I'm talking the majority, I would
say Cubs for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
All right, Sorry whatever, w g N, I I get it.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Apple TV Tonight, Reds and Diamondbacks. Trisha Whitaker on the call,
along with Alex FEUs and Ryan Spilbourg's seven to fifteen
tonight at GABP.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Tricia, I appreciate the time.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, anytime. Good chat with you.
Mo Egger News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
iHeartRadio 24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com