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Season 13 Episode 24 Who Was Hot and Who was not with Sandlot Radio – Episode 24 of 25 (2026 Season) This week on Sandlot Radio we’re wrapping up the regular season with a classic “Who Was Hot & Who Was Not” breakdown of the 2026 MLB campaign. Spilly joins us to run the numbers on the pitchers and hitters who lit it up all year — and the ones who struggled — plus the teams that exceeded expectations and the clubs that fell short. It’s a full look at the standout performances and the disappointments before we close the season next week with our Best of Sandlot special. In the second half of the show we’re joined by Michael Hughes of The Kinetic Arm (thekineticarm.com). Kinetic Arm is the company behind the world’s first dynamic dual-joint arm stabilizer. Their flagship K2 BioKinetic Sleeve uses multi-patented MuscleWeb® technology to deliver motion-responsive support to both the shoulder and elbow at the same time — without restricting range of motion, velocity, or natural mechanics. Backed by more than a decade of biomechanics research (including studies showing reduced elbow varus torque and shoulder stress while maintaining throwing velocity), it’s designed for baseball players and other overhead athletes looking to manage arm stress, support recovery, and stay healthier through heavy workloads. Michael sits down with us to talk about the product, the science, and how more players are using it to protect their arms. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season13 Episode 21 features generational Talent Mike Trout, plus Angels Ace Lefty Reid Detmers and their bullpen coach former MLB star reliever Mike Wertz and three franchise owner in the Australian Baseball League, Cole SherertzThis episode of the Sandlot Radio Network brings together a powerhouse mix of Angels stars, coaching insight, and global baseball entrepreneurship. Generational talent Mike Trout joins the conversation, sharing stories from his journey as one of the most electrifying players of his era and reflecting on what it means to carry the Angels franchise through the highs and challenges of a career already etched in baseball history. Joining him is the Angels’ top left-handed pitcher from Central Illinois, Reid Detmers. The Nokomis native discusses his path from the Illinois sandlots to the big leagues, his development as a starter, and the mindset that has kept him battling for the Angels rotation. Also on the show is the Angels’ new interim bullpen coach, former major-league reliever Michael Wuertz. The longtime Angels organizational pitching coach and ex-Cubs/A’s right-hander talks about stepping into the big-league bullpen role, working with the current staff, and the lessons he carries from his own eight-year MLB career. Rounding out the guest list is Cole Sherertz, owner of multiple Australian Baseball League franchises (including the Sydney Blue Sox and Perth Heat) and founder of Black Pearl Sports Group. Sherertz shares how he got involved in Aussie baseball, his vision for growing the game Down Under, and the unique challenges and opportunities of building sustainable franchises on the other side of the world. From Anaheim star power to Illinois roots, bullpen strategy, and international ownership—this is a full-circle Sandlot episode packed with stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Aloha, baseball fans… let’s talk about one of the strongest family pipelines to come out of the Big Island. In Hilo, Hawaii, Kaha Wong built more than just a household—he built a baseball factory. Kaha was a solid college player at USC, then spent a couple of seasons in the minor leagues with the Reno Silver Sox in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He could’ve chased the dream a little longer, but he chose to come home, raise his kids, and pour everything into teaching the game. No steady 9-to-5. Just odd jobs that gave him time to work with his sons in the backyard, the batting cages, and even chopping down trees with an axe to build power. That old-school grind became legend on the Big Island. His oldest son, Kolten Wong, took that foundation and ran with it. After starring at Kamehameha-Hawaii and then the University of Hawaii—where he became one of the program’s all-time greats—Kolten was a first-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He went on to play 11 major-league seasons, win two Gold Gloves at second base, and establish himself as one of the best defensive middle infielders of his era. Smooth, tough, and always playing with that Hawaiian fire. Five years younger is Kean Wong. Same left-handed swing, same second-base roots. Kean was a fourth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays straight out of Waiakea High School. He reached the big leagues in 2019, appeared in 39 games across stints with the Rays and Angels, and kept grinding in the minors for years after. Not the long career his big brother had, but still a major-league player—another Wong who made it from Hilo to the Show. And the heart of it all? Their mother, Keala, who passed away from cancer in 2013. She was the loudest cheerleader in the stands and the steadying force at home. The family still plays for her. From backyard cages in Hilo to Gold Gloves in St. Louis and big-league at-bats for both sons… the Wong family story is pure Hawaiian baseball: hard work, family, and never settling for second place. That’s the Wong legacy. Mahalo. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13 Episode 19 Features a 40 year professional as a player, manager, scout and coach but started in the Sandlot with Barry Bonds. Rob leary grew up playing Sandlot and little league, all the way through High School , with Barry Bonds and Barry's Dad Bobby being a frequent fixture at the games. Played for the local JUCO, turned down the draft, went to LSU and the College World Series. Played in the expos minor league system, became one of the last player coaches in the minors, then managed in the minors. Won a World Series with the Marlins in 97 and then two more with the Red Sox. Went into to scouting with the Backs before landed back on the field as a coach for the Atlanta Braves. He has now spent 40 years in the professional baseball game in many rolls. Rob even spent time as a coach for the Sydney Wave in the Australian Baseball League . Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season13 Episode18 Who's Hot and Who's Not In MLB, Plus Salvador Perez a Future Hall of Fame Catcher and his Royals protege, Carter Jensen. The Hero and the protege, this is a great baseball dream story come true  for both Salvador and Carter.  Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season13 Episode17 Features 40 year pro as a player and coach, Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Champ, Lester Strode, tells his small town Tennesse Sandlot, his College baseball experience, Minors leagues as player at all levels and then becoming a minor pitching coaching for the cubs. Lester then became the minor league pitching coordinator for the Cubs entire minor leagues. The majors leagues as the Eye in the Sky for the cubs evaluating MLB players and eventually the Cubs MLB bullpen coach. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season13 Episode16 with the original Sandlot Crew from Lincoln Illinois.The Original Sandlot Crew: Where It All Began Long before careers, businesses, college degrees, championships and retirement, there was a group of kids in Lincoln, Illinois, who shared something much more important—the Sandlot. They didn’t have organized baseball every day. They didn’t need perfect fields, expensive equipment or even a full team. They simply found a place to play. Within roughly a mile radius of their neighborhood, the original Sandlot crew turned backyards, front yards, open lots, elementary school fields, junior high fields, high school fields and college fields into baseball diamonds. They played wherever they could, whenever they could, with however many people showed up—and they played for as long as they could. Those games became more than baseball. They became a classroom. The Sandlot taught them how to compete, how to solve problems, how to be creative, how to work with different personalities, how to handle winning and losing, how to lead, how to communicate and, perhaps most importantly, how to figure things out on their own. Decades later, the members of that original Sandlot crew took those lessons into very different lives. Kendal Hurley spent 35 years at State Bank of Lincoln. Starting as a teller and working in bookkeeping and virtually every aspect of bank operations, Kendal eventually became Assistant Cashier, then IT Director, and ultimately Vice President and Cashier. One of his proudest accomplishments came long before most people were thinking about computers: using one of the bank’s two Apple III computers, he taught himself how to automate financial reporting, create worksheets and improve inventory and operational systems—all without formal training. Ty Miller took a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Missouri and turned it into a successful career in medical-device sales and sales leadership. Along the way, he built a 36-year marriage with his wife Bonnie, raised two sons, Ben and Max, and became a father-in-law to Morgan and Alexia. Now, Ty and his family are preparing to welcome the next generation, with Max and Lex expecting their first child—and Ty and Bonnie’s first grandchild. Phil Bowers went on to become a successful Central Illinois business owner, building a career around entrepreneurship and business. Caleb Miller became an entrepreneur and business builder, developing businesses, products and new opportunities while maintaining a focus on family, personal growth, fitness and making an impact beyond simply making money. Stan Werner took his competitive instincts from the Sandlot to Division I college basketball and later built a successful career in sales before retiring at just 53. Chris Gober continued the athletic path professionally as a collegiate baseball player and then spent two decades at St. Charles Community College in St. Charles, Missouri. He served as head baseball coach for 15 years while also serving as Athletic Director, making athletics and leadership a central part of his career. Bill Hurley spent 27 years serving the State of Illinois as a correctional officer, ultimately reaching the rank of Lieutenant. On paper, their careers could hardly be more different. Banking. Broadcasting. Business. Entrepreneurship. Sales. College athletics. Baseball coaching. Law enforcement and corrections. But underneath all of it is a common foundation. They learned to compete on the Sandlot. They learned to improvise when there weren’t enough players. They learned to create a game when there wasn’t a game scheduled. They learned to settle arguments, make their own rules, accept responsibility and keep playing. And they learned that you didn’t need much to create something memorable. All you needed was a few kids, a ball, a place to play and the freedom to imagine what was possible. That’s the story of the original Sandlot crew from Lincoln, Illinois. Their greatest accomplishment may not be what they did after they left the Sandlot. It may be what the Sandlot helped them become. **The Sandlot wasn’t just where they played baseball. It was where they developed the character, creativity, passion, competitiveness and skills that followed them for the rest of their lives.** Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13 episode 15 Features Dodger WS champs Mookie Betts and Migeul Rojas, Astros Closer Josh Hader, Rockies media man Ryan Spilborghs and WPBL founder/owner Justine Siegal. Mookie and Migeul from the launch of Mookie's new baseball glove brand LGND, Astros Closers Josh Hader's Sandlot Story. Spilly on the trades at the deadline and how they may or may not affect the playoff races. The Latest standings including the wild card races and Justine Siegel, the first women to ever be part of an MLB coaching staff and her new WPBL inaugural season in Springfield Illinois. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13 Episode 14 features more from Sergio Romo and his college coach Chris Hanks, The coach and the player, these two guys tell the rest of the story of the amazing journey for Sergio and the coach and his sandlot story and 1,168 wins later. Angels Broadcaster, former 20 game winner, Mark Gubiza, from stick ball in Philly to the minors, to the big leagues and winning a World Series with the Royals and life after baseball as a broadcaster. Budding star Angel's Vaughn Grissom central Florida Sandlot, little league to high school along side of one of the nations top prospects which helped push Vaughn and brought the scouts to all of his games. His minor league journey and three MLB clubs already in his young career. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13, Episode 13 features Angels manager Kurt Suzuki, the 16-year Major League veteran catcher who walked on at Cal State Fullerton. There, he earned College Catcher of the Year and Player of the Year honors before leading the Titans to the 2004 College World Series title. Suzuki’s remarkable journey began on the sandlots of Hawaii, took him through Fullerton and the Oakland A’s minor league system, and continued across multiple big-league teams before he stepped into the role of Angels skipper this season. The episode also welcomes another proud native Hawaiian, veteran reliever Kirby Yates, as he shares his own sandlot-to-big-leagues story. Additional guests include Angels coach and self-described “director of good times” Tim Buss—former Cub and Dodger, now wearing Angels red—and Cardinals coach John Jay. A 12-year MLB veteran with Cuban heritage, Jay rose from the sandlots of Miami to become a World Series champion with the team that drafted him. He now serves as the Cardinals’ bilingual outfield and base-running coach. This episode celebrates resilience, cultural roots, and the diverse paths that lead to the Major Leagues. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Sandlot Radio Network Season 13 episode 12, Feature Angels Coach Tim Buss. Tim was a huge part of the cubs for many years and was instrumental in helping the cubs break the 108 year old curse the Billy Goat put on the cubs when his owner wasn't aloud to bring his pet Billy Goat into the game. Tim as the director of Fun and Positive Vibes for the cubs, from the direction of Cubs manager Joe Madden, created an environment, that aloud The cubs to relax and have fun during the times when the3 pressure of the ;long season start to effect the clubhouse. The cubs were a true team that had each others back through thick and thin and that's what it took to break such a powerful and long last spell. Tim talks about sandlot days in Iowa and his journey as a strength coach and beyond, his time with the cubs in the minors , the big leagues , time with the dodgers and now with the Angels. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13 Episode 11 Features Three Time World Series Champion and Major League All-Star Sergio Romo together with his college coach at Colorado Mesa, Chris Hanks. Sergio Talks about his Dad and Grandpa teaching him to love the game and the Dodgers, his 4 college experiences, the minor league journey and his unbelief experiences in three World Series Championships, plus teammates and opponents. Coach Hanks has won 1,164 games as a head coach and in 25 years he has been National Coach of the Year 3 times, RMAC coach of the year 15 times, has won the RMAC conference 21 times, made 23 NCAA Div II appearances, Played pro ball with the Red Sox and grew up in the rural mountains of Colorado. Two guys that have lived out baseball dreams. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13 Episode 10 Features First Ballot Hall of Famer Jim Palmer,MLB All-Star Taylor Ward and Left Handed Releiver and Baseball Funny Man Brett Suter. Who's Hot and Who's not half way through the long MLB season. Jim Palmer reflects on childhood sandlot days, plus his amazing career and the stars and hero's he player with and against. Taylor Ward and his Sandlot and transitions in the minors and time with the angels and the trade to the O's. Brett Suter talks about growing up in the mid west and his journey to the big league. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13 Episode 9 Former MLB Atlanta Braves Lefties John Rocker and Damian Moss share stories from the Sandlot, the minors and the Big Leagues. These to Unlikely friends from two very different backgrounds met in 1993 as 16 and 18 year old kids and are still friends today. Stories from their Sandlots, their minor league journeys, and Big league experiences, plus life after baseball as a player. The R rated version can be heard on Rumble. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network

Season 13, Episode 8 of the Sandlot Radio Network is now available. This episode features an impressive lineup of guests, including: - Logan O'Hoppe (Catcher, Los Angeles Angels) - Wade Meckler (Outfielder, Los Angeles Angels) - Adam Frazier (Utility, Los Angeles Angels) - Adam Eaton (First Base Coach, Los Angeles Angels) - Camm Smith (All-Star, Houston Astros) - Troy Johnston (All-Star Outfielder, Colorado Rockies) Each guest shares their unique "Sandlot story" and discusses their professional journey to the Major Leagues. Inside Baseball from a different perspective. Only on The Sandlot Radio Network