Podcast Summary: “Best of DLS: A Stocking Stuffer of Baseball Managers”

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Release Date: December 24, 2025

Episode Overview

On this special Christmas Eve episode, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Stan Van Gundy, and Chris Cody present a heartfelt and entertaining "stocking stuffer" collection of conversations with legendary baseball managers: Joe Torre, Joe Maddon, and Jim Leyland. The episode explores the pressures, philosophies, and behind-the-scenes dynamics of leading Major League Baseball teams, highlighting the human side of the men often regarded as icons and tacticians. The hosts bring humor, admiration, and genuine curiosity as they dive into what makes each manager unique, how they handle conflict, media scrutiny, and team culture, along with some delightful personal anecdotes.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Christmas Eve Reflections & Introducing the Stocking Stuffer (03:31–05:45)

• Hosts reminisce about family holidays: Stan Van Gundy shares the fun of combining Hanukkah and Christmas with his wife’s family.
• Introducing special interviews: Stan boasts there’s nothing better than listening to "Stan Van Gundy talk to former baseball managers," setting up interviews with Joe Torre (Yankees), Joe Maddon (Rays/Cubs), and Jim Leyland (Marlins/Tigers).
• Stan lauds Maddon for “predicting” modern baseball trends: “Everything that he says in this interview about, like, what they do differently is everything that everyone does in baseball now.” (04:40–05:16)

2. Joe Torre: Grace Under Pressure & Leadership Lessons (05:45–13:49)

Influences and Leadership Style (05:45–07:22)

• Torre credits Gil Hodges and Tom Coughlin as role models for their humility and focus on players:

  “...it wasn’t about him. It was about his players.” —Joe Torre (06:12)

Handling the Yankees’ Expectations (07:42–09:39)

• On the flip side of success:

  “You win four World Series in the first five years, and then when you go to game seven and lose in the ninth inning, they say, ‘Oh, you failed.’” —Joe Torre (07:49)

• Emphasizes making players “accountable to each other” and evaluating by “effort and preparation” rather than results.

Media Scrutiny & The New York Pressure Cooker (09:39–10:57)

• Addressing the harsh press ("Clueless Joe" headlines):

  “It didn’t bother me a bit because I was so thrilled to get this opportunity... I was blessed with some pretty special players.” —Joe Torre (09:55)

• On Steinbrenner: Torre saw him as “the boss,” but says, “I think I got George on the back nine…he never called me during a game.” (11:02)

Most Memorable Encounters (11:47–13:49)

• Dinner at Henry Kissinger’s—seated with “the president of the Czech Republic,” feeling small until Kissinger honored him as a baseball fan (12:06–12:44).
• Favorite cameo: “Analyze That” with De Niro and Billy Crystal.

3. Joe Maddon: Unconventional Wisdom & Clubhouse Culture (16:29–31:35)

Embracing “Weirdness” and Unconventional Approaches (16:54–21:19)

• Maddon celebrates his “weirdo” label:

  “If that’s the case, I love it...we’re willing to try new things and a lot of it has to do with just data.” —Joe Maddon (17:29)

• Challenges classic dogma, e.g., “you can’t make the first or third out at third base.” Instead, “I want our guys to get the third base with less than two outs as often as possible.” (18:06)
• Advocates for creative lineups (leadoff power hitters), heavy shifting, and in-game tactics based on granular data and “reverse splits.”
• Importance of ignoring outside criticism:

  “What matters is the people within the organization...and that your players buy in.” —Joe Maddon (20:34)

Managing Conflict and Player Relationships (21:19–23:51)

• On conflict: “Always stay ahead of your problems…confront it head on. Don’t let it fester.”

  “It’s praised publicly and criticized privately. When you do that, you get everybody on the same page.” —Joe Maddon (23:06)

Clubhouse Culture: Theme Trips, Attire, and Fun (23:51–27:39)

• Legendary for themed road trips (nerds, grunge, Miami Vice), poking fun at MLB suit norms:

  “If you think you look hot, wear it. That’s it.” —Joe Maddon (26:35)

• On dress codes:

  “Why you would think that I’m gonna gain discipline by forcing you to wear a $2,000 suit...makes no sense.” (24:03)

• On drinking with players: occasionally, especially after big wins, but prefers to keep the line between friendly and boss clear (27:42–29:17).

Effective Communication and The Human Touch (29:01–31:30)

• Trust built over a career enables Maddon to walk the boss/friend line.
• Angriest moment: blowing up in the clubhouse after a win, not a loss, choosing timing for maximum effect (30:08)
• Key to marriage/life: “Listening skills are among the most important things we can do as a human being.” (31:08)

4. Jim Leyland: Gruff Heart, Emotional Core & Managing Legends (34:57–48:50)

Reputation vs Reality (34:57–35:25)

• Leyland insists he’s not as “scary” as he seems:

  “I guess that’s the way some people perceive me, so that’s okay...” —Jim Leyland (35:14)

Emotional Moments & Player Relationships (35:25–41:04)

• Last major emotional moment: Mariano Rivera’s farewell at the All-Star Game. “There was a lot of people in the dugout with a little emotion.” (36:13)
• On greatest hitters: Bonds and Cabrera; Cabrera “hits like a little guy with big guy results.” (36:54)
• Favorite Marlin: “I really like Kurt Abbott…fun-loving guy…great personality.” Deep affection for role players and Darren Daulton, whom Leyland credited as a World Series difference-maker (38:09–39:29).
• Friendship line: “Secret is to be able to separate the two. You can have a friendship and still be the boss.” (39:43)
• “I’m proud to say after managing 30 some years, I could count on one hand the guys I just didn’t really care for.” (40:24)

The Hardest Part of Managing & Media Frustrations (41:13–42:30)

• “Probably the most difficult part is just dealing with the media twice a day...there’s some silly questions, and that’s aggravating.” (41:13)
• Suggests reporters should have to “cover a certain amount of games before allowed in the clubhouse.”

Smoking Stories, Great One-Liners, and Miami Memories (43:02–48:50)

• On smoking in the dugout: “I don’t smoke them in the dugout anymore. I have finally learned my lesson.” (43:02)
• On society’s anti-smoking stance: “We got other things in this country we should be worrying about more than Jim Leyland having a cigarette.” (44:55)
• Classic Greg Zaun story: “I’ll give you the sign [to steal a base] in the dugout when I jump up and don’t come down.” (38:09 & 47:24)
• Detroit casino as postgame “peaceful relaxation,” not an escape: “It’s really a peaceful relaxation for me...I really enjoy it.” (47:44)
• Miami memories: “Had a great time...it was kind of an odd place: half the crowd was to the other team, but we accomplished our goal.” (45:04)

Notable Quotes

• Joe Torre (On leadership):
  “Any of us coaches or managers who dilute themselves to think that they're the reason that these teams win...it's about the players.” (06:12)

• Joe Torre (On media and pressure):
  “You win four World Series...then when you go to game seven and lose...they say, ‘Oh, you failed.’” (07:49)

• Joe Maddon (On being a “weirdo”):
  “If that’s the case, I love it. Actually, I don’t want to be one of those normal, considered old school...people.” (17:29)

• Joe Maddon (On team dress code):
  “If you think you look hot, wear it. That’s it.” (26:35)

• Jim Leyland (On player discipline):
  “Superstars get away with comments that the 25th player can't get away with...might not be right, but that's the way it is.” (46:12)

• Jim Leyland (On emotional moments):
  “There was a lot of players that, you know, honored [Rivera]...I wasn’t the only one in the dugout with a little emotion.” (36:13)

• Jim Leyland (On Miami):
  “We accomplished our goal and I thought, you know, we had one of the greatest World Series of all time.” (45:04)

Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• [05:45] Joe Torre on handling New York pressure, leadership—and on being called "Clueless Joe."
• [12:06] Joe Torre’s surreal dinner with Henry Kissinger and Barbara Walters.
• [17:29] Joe Maddon’s celebration of being labeled a “weirdo” in baseball.
• [18:06] Maddon dismantling old baseball knowledge—“I want our guys to get to third with less than two outs as often as possible.”
• [24:03] Maddon’s philosophy on dress codes and legendary theme trips.
• [38:09 & 47:24] Jim Leyland’s legendary Zaun quotes: “I’ll give you the sign to steal a base when I jump up and don’t come down.”
• [41:13] Leyland and the daily grind of facing media: “Some silly questions, and that’s aggravating.”
• [45:04] Leyland’s nostalgia and truth about managing in Miami.

Tone & Language

The episode is friendly, honest, reflective, and often very funny. The managers speak candidly—sometimes gruff, sometimes tender, always authentic. Le Batard and crew mix respectful admiration with playful irreverence, asking both serious and silly questions that invite stories and laughter.

Summary

This “stocking stuffer” of interviews is a treasure for baseball fans and newcomers alike. Le Batard and company illuminate the wisdom, quirks, and humanity of elite managers—from Joe Torre’s calm grace in the Yankee crucible, Joe Maddon’s playful genius and challenge to tradition, to Jim Leyland’s tough love and emotional honesty. It’s a lively, insightful, and personal exploration of what makes a great baseball manager—and a celebration of the stories that make the game, and its stewards, endlessly fascinating.

Perfect for both fans nostalgic for baseball’s past eras and anyone eager to understand how legends manage not just games—but people, culture, and the ever-present weirdness of life at the top.