On today’s episode of Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak — the Voice of Petco Park — and three-time All-Star Heath Bell return to the mic to process the Padres’ early postseason exit and dive headfirst into October baseball.

The show opens with some humor and honesty as Alex and Heath compare their “stages of grief” following San Diego’s playoff elimination, before shifting gears to break down the Division Series matchups across MLB. They touch on everything from Jackson Chourio’s historic start for the Brewers to Blake Snell’s vintage dominance with the Dodgers and Toronto’s offensive outburst against the Yankees.

Then, the duo reflects on the Padres’ 2025 campaign, celebrating the moments that defined it — from a 15–4 start and Manny Machado’s milestone 2,000th hit to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s jaw-dropping home run robberies and Mason Miller’s immaculate inning. The guys close by picking their favorite highlights of the season while throwing support behind a couple of the Postseason’s remaining contenders.

Chapters:

00:00 - Navigating the Stages of Grief in Baseball
01:48 - Postseason Highlights - NLDS: Cubs at Brewers
03:06 - NLDS: Dodgers Take Two in Philly
04:30 - ALDS: Blue Jays Belting the Yankees
05:49 - ALDS: Tigers and Mariners Go Toe-to-Toe
07:06 - Out of Who's Left in the Postseason... Who Are We Rooting For?
10:51 - Reflecting on the 2025 Padres Season: A 15-4 Start
13:21 - Manny Machado's Home Run and Hit Milestones
14:04 - Fernando's Right Field Robberies
15:03 - Mason Miller - The Immaculate Inning
15:55 - Back-to-Back 90 Win Seasons and 4 Postseasons in 6 years
19:51 - Alex and Heath's Favorite Moments from the 2025 Padres
21:58 - Vote for Your Favorite Moment of the Season at BleavInSD.com!

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On this week’s Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star Heath Bell react to the Padres’ early playoff exit at Wrigley Field. With raw emotion and candid reflection, they break down what went wrong against the Cubs, from the struggles of the team’s biggest bats to the impact of losing Laureano’s hot bat at the worst possible time.

The duo give credit to the pitching staff and defense for keeping the series close, while acknowledging that the offense just couldn’t deliver on the road — a theme that lingered all season. They also discuss the controversial strike call on Xander Bogaerts, and why the Cubs may have the momentum to advance further.

Despite the disappointment, Alex and Heath emphasize the bigger picture: four postseason trips in six years, back-to-back 90-win seasons, and a fan base that continues to show up in record numbers. With trades and core pieces in place for the future, they close the episode looking ahead to the offseason, hot stove chatter, and why the Padres’ window to win it all is still wide open.

Chapters:

00:00 - Emotional Reflections on the Season
00:37 - Great Showing By the Friar Faithful at the Watch Parties
02:07 - Heath Bell's Take on NL Wild Card Series and the Season
05:56 - Did the Cubs Beat Us? Or Did the Padres Beat Themselves?
07:27 - We Really Missed Ramón Laureano...
08:10 - Padres Pitching and Defense Were Solid
09:57 - Jeremiah Estrada Handles a Tough Task at Wrigley
11:39 - The "Strike Three" Call on Xander Bogaerts
13:19 - How Far Will the Cubs Go?
14:32 - What About the AL Side of the Bracket?
16:01 - What We'll Cover This Offseason!

The playoffs might be over for our Padres, but the pod continues all year long! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart! Get bonus content on our Substack! And check us out on the socials at Instagram, X, and TikTok!

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Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star (and birthday boy) Heath Bell kick off the postseason with plenty of energy — and a few laughs about Heath’s family’s famous birthday hat. The guys celebrate a record-setting year at Petco Park, spotlight standout performances from Tatis, Bogaerts, Machado, Sheets, Pivetta, and more, and reflect on what makes this era of Padres baseball so special.

They dive into the Wild Card showdown at Wrigley Field — from the Padres’ hot finish to echoes of the 1984 NLCS, the last time these clubs met in October. Heath shares stories from pitching at the Friendly Confines, while Alex recalls his surreal audition to be the Cubs’ PA announcer. And because Chicago baseball talk isn’t complete without food, Alex brings in a Chicago dog for the “Hometown Eats” segment, sparking a lively debate over hot dog toppings.

The postseason is here. The Padres are hot, the Friar Faithful are fired up, and Alex and Heath break down what it’ll take to advance.

Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome and Celebrating Birthdays
01:41 - Padres Break the Franchise Attendance and Sellouts Record
03:04 - A Remarkable Era of Padres Baseball
05:06 - Player Accomplishments and Team Performance
07:48 - Historical Context: Padres vs. Cubs
08:24 - Alex Miniak Introduces the 1984 "Cub-buster" Padres
11:40 - Heath's Experiences Pitching in Chicago
13:56 - Alex Was Almost the Voice of Wrigley Field?!?
19:07 - Hometown Eats: Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria - (@leftyschicagopizzeria)
23:27 - NL Wild Card Predictions

Follow Bleav in San Diego Baseball on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart for postseason Padres fun, and check us out on Substack for more bonus content! Get social with us on Instagram, X, and TikTok.

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