On this episode of Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak checks in with Heath Bell as he reports from Mets (...really?) Fantasy Camp in Florida. The hosts break down the Padres’ unexpected decision to hire former reliever Craig Stammen as their next manager and explore how his long-standing organizational ties and respected clubhouse presence could shape the team heading into 2026.

Alex and Heath also dive into key roster developments: Dylan Cease and Michael King receive qualifying offers, Yu Darvish is officially ruled out for the season, and the Padres lock in outfield stability by exercising Ramón Laureano’s team option. Awards season brings more good news to San Diego as Manny Machado claims another Silver Slugger and Fernando Tatis Jr. secures his second Platinum Glove. The episode also spotlights a meaningful civic tribute—the renaming of a block near Petco Park as Peter Seidler Way.

The show wraps with a reflective conversation on the Netflix documentary Who Killed the Montreal Expos?, sparking memories from both hosts about Montreal’s storied baseball past and the franchise’s lasting imprint on the game.

Chapters:

00:00 - Heath Bell... Live from Florida? 02:52 - Padres Introduce Craig Stammen as Manager 07:46 - Padres Updates: Dylan Cease, Michael King, Yu Darvish, Ramón Laureano 10:44 - Silver Sluggers, Gold Gloves, and Platinum Gloves... Oh My! 12:23 - City of San Diego Dedicates Peter Seidler Way 13:36 - Florida vs. Arizona Training Facilities 15:36 - Reel MVPs: Who Killed the Montreal Expos? (Netflix) 19:25 - Gary Carter Memories...

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Today on Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star Heath Bell open up a pack of nostalgia and free agency insight. Heath takes listeners behind the curtain of his own 2011 offseason — when he left San Diego for Miami — revealing what it’s really like to weigh offers, choose between fit and money, and navigate the stress of the open market.

From there, the guys turn their focus to Cooperstown and the Contemporary Baseball Era Player Ballot, featuring legends like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, and former Padres Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela. The duo debates who truly belongs in the Hall of Fame and why baseball’s “steroid era” deserves to be part of the game’s story.

To close things out, they crack open a few vintage Fleer and Score packs for the latest Padres Junk Wax Gem, finding memories far more valuable than the cards themselves. Alex’s pick of the week — a 1990 Score Bruce Hurst — may only fetch a buck, but it’s rich in stories and sentiment.

Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome to Bleav In San Diego Baseball; 01:22 - It's Free Agent SZN; 02:17 - What Was Heath Bell's Free Agent Experience Like?; 07:37 - Would Heath Have Made a Different Decision Today?; 10:41 - Mo' Money, Mo' Problems; 11:26 - Baseball Hall of Fame's "Contemporary Baseball Era Player" Ballot; 13:31 - Heath Names His Choices for the Hall; 16:40 - Alex's Picks for the Hall of Fame; 18:50 - Padres Junk Wax Gem: Bruce Hurst 1991 Score; 20:36 - Heath Rips a Vintage Pack of 1991 Fleer

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The World Series may be over, but the drama hasn’t cooled off. On this Hot Stove edition of Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak and Heath Bell relive Toronto’s heartbreak in Games 6 and 7, from the bizarre ground-rule double to Miguel Rojas’ shocking homer that flipped Game 7 on its head. Heath explains how even the smallest baserunning hesitation might have cost the Blue Jays the title, while Alex points out how the series solidified Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as a superstar.

With the Dodgers claiming back-to-back titles — the first since the ’98–’00 Yankees — the duo agree this was one of the best World Series of the century. Then it’s time to turn the page: the Padres’ offseason begins. Alex and Heath walk through San Diego’s free agents and opt-outs, and weigh who they’d bring back.

Off the field, Heath reveals a surprising holiday hobby: he’s a gingerbread-house craftsman! The episode wraps with a look at the Padres’ teaser for their 2026 City Connect uniforms, possibly inspired by Día de los Muertos themes — marigolds, sugar skulls, and all.

Chapters:

00:00 - From Halloween to Hot Stove Season;
01:30 - World Series Game 6: Dead Ball on Halloween;
04:06 - World Series Game 7: Extras Haunt the Jays Again;
08:47 - Reflections on This World Series;
12:08 - Turning the Page to Padres Free Agency;
13:38 - Who Would You Want to See Back in a Padres Uniform?;
16:12 - Heath Bell, Halloween, and... Gingerbread Houses?;
19:22 - Padres Release City Connect 2.0 Teaser;

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The World Series is living up to the hype — and then some. Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star Heath Bell are back to break down the Dodgers–Blue Jays showdown — including an 18-inning marathon that tied a World Series record — all by the numbers.

The conversation shifts to San Diego, where the Padres’ managerial search is heating up. Albert Pujols, Nick Hundley, and Ruben Niebla headline a final round of candidates, and Alex and Heath weigh in on who they think fits best. Could the Padres go bold with Pujols, stick with continuity in Niebla, or trust the leadership pedigree of Hundley? Heath even makes the case for why pitchers can make great managers in today’s game.

Then, the show debuts a new offseason segment — Padres Junk Wax Gems — as Alex digs into his box of vintage Padres cards, pulling an ’89 Donruss Garry Templeton for the inaugural pick. From nostalgia to burrito talk, this episode has everything that makes Bleav in San Diego Baseball a must-listen.

Chapters:

00:00 - Breeders' Cup in San Diego: Look the Part! 02:30 - World Series Game 3: By the Numbers; 05:26 - World Series Game 4: Blue Jays Battle Back; 07:57 - Should the Ghost Runner Be Used in the Postseason?; 09:56 - Game 5: Blake Snell Shelled... Again.; 11:57 - Looking Ahead to Games 6... and 7?; 18:42 - Introducing... Padres Junk Wax Gems!; 22:38 - Alex's New Favorite Burrito

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Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star Heath Bell dive into the World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, breaking down Games 1 and 2 of what’s shaping up to be the seven-game battle they predicted. From Addison Barger’s pinch-hit grand slam — the first in World Series history — to Yamamoto’s complete game gem, the guys celebrate great baseball on both sides and share a few laughs about the “Curse of the Colonel” after spotting a mysterious Colonel Sanders behind home plate in Toronto.

The episode takes a more personal turn as they salute Martin Maldonado’s retirement after 15 MLB seasons. Heath opens up about what it’s really like to walk away from the game after playing your whole life — the emotional transition, finding purpose afterward, and why many players struggle with that change.

Back in San Diego, Alex and Heath celebrate Padres postseason award nominees — Fernando Tatis Jr. (Gold Glove), Manny Machado (Silver Slugger), and Jake Cronenworth (Silver Slugger utility) — with Alex raising a Harland “Crone Zone” Lager in Jake’s honor. Heath caps it off by showing off his Rolaids Relief Man Awards, the final two ever given, proving once again he’ll always have a place in baseball history.

Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome Back to Bleav in San Diego Baseball!; 01:04 - World Series Game 1: Blue Jays Bats Come Alive; 03:10 - World Series Game 2: Pitching Showdown; 06:04 - The Curse of Colonel Sanders??; 09:01 - Padres Catcher Martin Maldonado Retires; 10:09 - The Tough Transition for Player to Retirement; 15:21 - Where Could Players Get a Final Hurrah?; 17:57 - Padres Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Nominees; 19:16 - Will Alex Shotgun a Crone Zone Lager to Celebrate?; 20:46 - Heath Has Hardware Too!

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The World Series is set — Dodgers vs. Blue Jays — and Alex and Heath break it all down. Thanks to George Springer’s clutch gene, they revisit a wild ALCS Game 7 that sent Toronto back to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993.

Then, the guys dive into the Giants’ surprise managerial hire: Tennessee’s Tony Vitello. Can a college coach make the jump straight to the big leagues? Heath explains why the move could reset the way MLB teams think about leadership — and why trust matters more than résumés.

And in true Bleav in San Diego Baseball fashion, the conversation takes a turn toward game-day food — featuring Heath’s vintage popcorn machine, chicken wings, and the eternal debate: dry rub, sauced, or… naked?

Finally, Alex and Heath make their World Series predictions — one rolling with Toronto in seven, the other leaning Dodgers by a hair. Either way, they agree: this could be one of the best Classics of the century.

Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome to Bleav in... Toronto Baseball?; 01:47 - Recap of ALCS Game 7: Mariners at Blue Jays; 04:18 - Giants Hire Tony Vitello: Can a College Coach Make the Leap to the Bigs?; 07:14 - But College is Closer to the Upper Minors Now...; 08:33 - Vitello Already Familiar With Some in the Giants System; 11:24 - Are the Giants Zigging While Everyone Else is Zagging?; 14:12 - Heath's Snack Show; 16:11 - World Series Predictions and Analysis;

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Shohei Ohtani just authored one of the greatest games in baseball history — three home runs, ten strikeouts, and a stat line that defied logic — and Alex Miniak and Heath Bell break down every jaw-dropping detail. Comparing him to Babe Ruth, Bob Gibson, and Bo Jackson, the guys explore how Ohtani is redefining what’s possible on a baseball field.

Back in San Diego, the conversation shifts to the Padres’ managerial search, with surprising developments around Albert Pujols and Nick Hundley. Heath offers a player’s perspective on why some candidates might stay put, while Alex shares why he’s heading back to Petco Park this week — not to announce, but to help produce The Links at Petco Park, where the outfield transforms into a golf course. The guys share laughs and remind fans that even in the offseason, there’s still plenty happening in San Diego baseball.

Chapters:

00:00 - The Dodgers in the World Series... again; 02:02 - NLCS Game 4: Shohei Ohtani's Historic Performance; 11:46 - Who Do We Compare Ohtani To?; 13:51 - Are Specialized Positions Ruining Baseball?; 15:49 - Managerial Updates from Across the League; 19:20 - Happenings at Petco Park: The Links and Bananas!;

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In today's Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star Heath Bell break down all the drama from both League Championship Series — from bizarre double plays to dominant pitching performances.

In the NLCS, the Dodgers and Brewers delivered one of the wildest postseason plays in recent memory — an 8-6-2 double play that had everyone, including the broadcast booth, scratching their heads. Heath explains the rarely seen rule behind it before shifting to Blake Snell’s vintage Cy Young-level outing and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s complete game response for LA.

The duo also dives into the ALCS between the Blue Jays and Mariners — an all-or-nothing slugfest filled with home runs, road wins, and a vintage Max Scherzer performance that had Heath raving about old-school pitching grit.

Then, the conversation turns personal. Alex asks Heath what it feels like when the season suddenly ends — the locker room silence, the long flight home, and how players process that instant finality. Heath’s answer? Raw, honest, and revealing — a look inside the mindset of a player whose season just ended one game short.

Chapters:

00:00 - Heath Bell is the Man... dalorian. 01:12 - Analyzing the NLCS: Brewers vs. Dodgers 01:44 - An 8-6-2 Double Play?!? 05:07 - Blake Snell and the Yamamoto Show 07:12 - Heath's Highlight: Bell Breaks Down Game 3 of the NLCS 11:00 - ALCS Overview: Blue Jays vs. Mariners 11:12 - To the ALCS we go! Blue Jays and Mariners Games 1-3 12:39 - Heath's Highlight (Part Deux): Bell on Game 4 of the ALCS 14:39 - "Mad Max" Scherzer Back to Form for Toronto 16:02 - The Emotional Toll of Playoff Elimination 20:00 - Life After Elimination: Players' Perspectives 22:50 - Vote for Your Favorite Moment of the 2025 Season at BleavInSD.com! 23:56 - Heath Bell -- Future Padres Manager?

Stay in the lineup — follow Bleav in San Diego Baseball on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content and follow us on Instagram, X, and TikTok for more Friar Faithful fun!

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