Today on Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak and three-time MLB All-Star Heath Bell open by recapping San Diego’s successful road trip to Colorado, spotlighting how the starting rotation—Pivetta, Vásquez, Cease, and Darvish—seems to be finding its rhythm again. With the Padres just a game back in the NL West and firmly in the Wild Card mix, they debate the importance of home-field advantage in October and what it will take for the team to make a deep playoff run.

The conversation then shifts to Banana Ball at Petco Park, where Heath suited up in the iconic yellow uniform and took the mound for the Savannah Bananas. He relives the surreal experience of pitching in front of 40,000 fans, while Alex shares his behind-the-scenes role on the production side—and explains why the Bananas’ baseball-meets-entertainment style instantly won him over.

Finally, the hosts unveil their latest Friar Fave Award nominee: rookie pitcher David Morgan. A local SoCal product and lifelong Padres fan, Morgan’s improbable journey from undrafted infielder to dependable bullpen arm has quickly made him a player worth rooting for.

Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome to Bleav in San Diego Baseball!
01:35 - Reading the Box Scores: Padres Rotation Getting Its Groove Back
03:08 - The Race for the NL West Pennant is Still On
05:11 - Heath Bell's Day as a Savannah Banana
09:17 - Alex Miniak's Day from Behind-The-Scenes in Bananaland
13:47 - Was Heath Nervous to Take the Mound?
16:09 - Friar Fave Nominee: David Morgan - Vote at BleavInSD.com!

Go bananas year-round with Alex and Heath by following this podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart. You can also find us on social media via HAIL! Sports on Instagram, X, and TikTok!

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