Sources Tell Jeff Passan

Baseball has always been a game of routines, rituals, and maybe a little bit of magic. This week on Sources Tell Jeff Passan, Jeff explores the fascinating world of baseball superstitions.

Former MLB pitcher Turk Wendell—one of the most famously superstitious players in baseball history—joins the show to discuss the routines that defined his career and why he never considered them superstitions at all.

Then, psychologist and author Dr. Stuart Vyse breaks down the science behind superstition: why athletes cling to rituals, why we believe certain behaviors can influence outcomes, and what those habits reveal about the human mind.

From the mound to the mind, this episode examines why superstition has remained such a powerful part of baseball culture for generations.
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Keith Hernandez joins Sources Tell Jeff Passan for a wide-ranging conversation about baseball, broadcasting, and life after the game.

First, Keith is joined by his longtime friend and former Mets teammate Ed Lynch to revisit the unforgettable 1980s Mets—sharing stories from the clubhouse, memories of the personalities that defined the era, and what made those teams so special.

Then, Gary Cohen joins the show to discuss his decades-long broadcast partnership with Keith, why Keith's authenticity resonates with fans, and how the legendary broadcaster has become one of baseball's most beloved voices. Plus: the rise of Hadji, Keith's social-media-famous cat.
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Johnson County Community College isn’t just the best junior college baseball team in the country — they’re building one of the greatest seasons the NJCAA has ever seen. Jeff Passan sits down with JCCC Head Coach Eric Horner alongside players Colin Coonradt, Ryan Bradford, Liam Roche, and Victor Christal as the Cavaliers continue their run through the NJCAA World Series.

JCCC entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed with an astonishing 63-3 record after putting together a program-record 41-game winning streak. At the center of the story is freshman phenom Ryan Bradford, who shattered the NJCAA single-season home run record with 42 homers.

From record-breaking performances to championship expectations, this episode dives inside one of the most remarkable teams in the country.

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Jeff Passan is joined by Jacob Misiorowski for a deep dive into one of MLB’s biggest clubhouse obsessions: Pokémon cards. Trevor May and Jameson Taillon stop by to talk favorite pulls, legendary cards, visiting card shops they’ve found on the road, and how collecting has become a way for players across baseball to connect. Plus, Jeff opens packs with the guys and finds out just how competitive MLB players can get over Pokémon.
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Aaron Boone and legendary umpire Joe West join Jeff Passan to break down one of baseball’s greatest traditions: the ejection.

From Boone’s iconic “Savages in the Box” meltdown to Joe West tossing Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, and countless others, this episode dives into the relationship between managers and umpires, the psychology behind arguments, and whether there’s truly an art form to getting tossed.

 

(0:00) The art of the ejection

(2:09) Aaron Boone and Joe West join the show 

(2:22) Relationship between Managers and Umpires

(3:36) What makes a good umpire?

(4:45) Joe West’s first ejection victim Joe Torre

(7:40) Umpire’s jobs during the game

(9:45) Aaron and Joe’s ejection records

(11:15) More on Joe Torre

(12:25) Growing up in a big league clubhouse

(14:28) Speeding up guys at the plate

(15:30) Joe West insulting Big Papi

(17:00) Boone ejected in 1st MLB game

(20:33) Umpires fining players & equipment violations

(22:50) Ejecting Bobby Cox from WS

(24:10) Savages in the box ejection

(26:25) Calling and arguing balls and strikes

(29:35) Is there an art form to the ejection?

(31:45) ABS affecting Boone’s ejection rate 

(33:03) Have you ever intentionally tried to get ejected

(34:34) Everyone’s ejected, see you next time

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