The Over The Monster Podcast - Episode 53 - We're Papelbonic With Excitement

You know it, you put up with it, it's the OTM Podcast.

This week is our 53rd episode, meaning we're starting our second year of doing this thing. If you go waaaaay back into the dusty OTM archives (don't forget to bring your pass, the security guard doesn't mess around) you'll find that our first guest was Sam Miller, then of the OC Register. I'm now honored and lucky enough to call Sam a colleague, as he works with me at Baseball Prospectus. In fact, this seems like a good time to say a quick thanks, if you'll permit me to do so. I'll be quick, I promise.

Thanks first to Marc Normandin whose insight, keen understanding of baseball, and ability to put up with yours truly makes the podcast worth listening to each week. I couldn't ask for a better podcast partner.

Thanks to all our guests who have graciously given their time and expertise often at a very late hour (darned fascist time zones!). I can honestly say we haven't had one even mediocre guest on the podcast.* Special thanks, if I may, to Jason Wojciechowski, who has been a repeated (and awesome) guest, as well as sitting in Marc's co-host chair on a couple of occasions. Also to Chad Finn for coming on and talking Red Sox last September even though it was probably the last thing he wanted to do. We've been graced by some of the biggest names in baseball writing in Jonah Keri, Colin Wyers, Ben Lindbergh, Dave Brown, Craig Calcaterra, Jeff Sullivan, Steven Goldman, Jay Jaffe, Carson Cistulli, the excellent journalists Chad Finn, Brian MacPherson, and Tim Britton, the great writers at minor league Red Sox blog Sox Prospects Chris Mellon and Chris Hatfield, the terrific crew at the Platoon Advantage Cee Angi (also of OTM as you know) and Bill Parker, and just a ton of other great people who generously gave of their time and knowledge.

* The episode we recorded with our cats not withstanding.

Lastly, I should take a second to thank my beautiful wife, Stephanie, for her support, kindness, and understanding.

I won't speak for Marc, but I hope you've had as much fun as I've had doing this crazy thing. So yeah. Anyway. On to this week's episode which focuses on the Red Sox starting rotation. Marc and I discuss:

• the rotation's early struggles
• the recent good stretch and what it means (are they rounding into form?)
• what to do with Daisuke Matsuzaka and Aaron Cook
• Clay Buchholz's struggles
• what the hell Jonathan Papelbon is talking about (spoiler: we have no idea).
  

It's an exciting, word-inventing, 53rd Episode of the Over The Monster Podcast!!!

You can subscribe to and/or download the podcast at iTunes and/or listen and/or download at our hosting site, Podomatic. Email us with your stuff OTMPodcast@gmail.com. Thanks as always, to Kahoots, the official band of the OTM Podcast, and of course thanks to you for listening.