During these baseball free times, minor league baseball teams are being forced to generate new content while still adhering to social distancing guidelines. It's an uphill battle for sure, but it's forced teams to get really creative. I've enjoyed seeing some of these new efforts, and I think that some of these new ideas will stick when things start moving again.
Today, I'd like to share with you a podcast from Eugene. The Cubs A affiliate has been producing High and Inside, with Andrew Brown. They cover all sorts of interesting baseball related stuff like minor league ops, and interviews with other Emeralds front office members. It's a lot of solid deeper content that really gets into the core of the minor leagues. If you are as starved for baseball as I am, it will feed you.
There are a couple of cool callbacks to things I've written before.
Back in February, I wrote a love letter to Chris Singleton. He's the former Cubs farmhand who lost his mother is a racial motivated mass shooting. Since his playing career ended, a speaking career took off where he spreads the timely and relevant message that love is stronger than hate. Given the shootings and protests that have happened since then, Chris's peaceful message has taken on new life. As a former Eugene Emerald, he brings a fitting perspective.
When we first started up minor league Mondays, one of the first people I talked with was Matt Dompe. He was a featured guest on episode 2. He shared a bit more about his story, particularly his time in the Australian Baseball League.
I highly recommend High and Inside. After going through Ian Happ's The Compound, High and Inside has become a nice supplemental piece, getting me through some of these tougher times. I hope you enjoy it as well!