Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show Postgame Show

Episode: The Pitch Clock Goes Under the Knife
Date: September 25, 2025
Guests: JuJu Gotti, Jane Leavy

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" is a lively, multilayered postgame show, blending sports banter, comedic poll updates, fantasy football, and a special focus on baseball. Broadcasting from Miami's Elser Hotel, the group highlights the regular season finale of their "Pitch Clock" baseball segment, featuring nostalgia-driven trivia and an in-depth interview with acclaimed baseball writer Jane Leavy. The show captures the crew’s quirky perspective on current sports narratives, along with thoughtful insights on baseball’s past, present, and future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fantasy Football & Thursday Night Hype

starts at 00:41

• JuJu Gotti’s Thursday Night Bets:
  • Picks: Over 6.5 catches for Jackson Smith-Njigba, over 3.5 for Marvin Harrison Jr., Seahawks -1.5 spread.
  • Tone: Confident, humorous—"Maserati Marvin more looking like a Honda Accord, Marv. But I like that Miata, Marv." (Juju, 01:54)
• Debate on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Performance:
  • Crew reflects on player expectations and media pressure.
• NFC West Analysis:
  • Tony lauds Arizona’s uniforms and division rivalry authenticity.
  • "I love football. I'll watch a bad football game over starting a new show." (Tony, 02:55)
  • Jeremy and Juju riff on streaming shows vs. live sports.

2. Ray Hudson Segment Fan Feedback

starts at 04:00

• JuJu relays enthusiastic audience requests for more animated reactions during Ray Hudson segments.
  • "When that Ray Hudson come on, we need to see some fist pumping. We need to see some break dancing." (Juju, 04:00)

3. Lightning Round: Audience Poll Results

starts at 04:38

• Work When Sick: 73% say stay home (Juju, 04:38)

• Buster Posey Poll: 60% say “Buster Posey ruined baseball.”

• Valet-Car-Stealing Hypothetical: 78% say it isn't stealing.

• Pointing Culture Poll: 94% say pointing is rude in some cultures.

• Famous Eyebrows: Eugene Levy wins over Anthony Davis.

  Juju supports Jeremy’s Marlins board work and nudges for more sports/boxing literacy:

  • "Just be reminded we're giving you that patience and that grace. Learn who Terence Crawford is." (Juju, 07:04)

4. Baseball Talk—The Pitch Clock Regular Season Finale

starts at 08:10

• MLB Playoff Race Rundown (Jeremy, 08:12):

  • AL Wild Card: Tigers, Astros, Guardians, Mariners

  • NL Wild Card: Mets, Diamondbacks, Reds, Cardinals, Marlins ("technically alive")

  • MVP Debates: AL - Cal Raleigh ("should win MVP over Aaron Judge"), NL - Shohei Ohtani, but praise for Kyle Schwarber.

  • "What he's done with the Phillies has been really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really amazing." (Jeremy, 08:32)

• Preview of the Pitch Clock Segment:

  • Mix of trivia (postseason home run leaders since 2000) and an extended Jane Leavy interview.

Baseball Trivia Game: Postseason Home Run Leaders (since 2000)

starts at 11:15

• Hosts and Ethan compete to match top players with postseason HR totals and teams.

• Notable exchanges:

  • "Jose Altuve is the number one postseason home run hitter since 2000. A remarkable 27 home runners." (Ethan, 21:26)
  • Jeremy and Chris jockeying over players like David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Kyle Schwarber, Freddie Freeman, and more.

• Unexpected names that stumped: Jason Werth, Kike Hernandez, Justin Turner, Nelson Cruz.

Jane Leavy Interview Highlights

starts at 13:34; key content through 34:22

Baseball’s State & Teams Worth Watching

• Jane reflects on her fandom:
  • NOT rooting for Yankees ("How do you start a season without a third baseman?"), nor the Mets.
  • "His last words to me ... were, Oy. The Mets." (Jane Leavy, 15:35)
• Praises Guardians and Brewers for their attention to fundamentals and team play.
  • "Their teams, they play like teams. And I don't think you can accuse the Mets of that this year." (Jane, 17:07)

On Defensive Brilliance

• Raves about Nationals' Jacob Young:
  • Miracle outfield catch—kick-save into glove.
  • Pushes back against “Savannah Banana” showmanship comparisons:
    "That's a major league play. That's what happens when you don't give up on a ball ... that's the skill and the craft of the game that I grew up loving." (Jane, 19:07)

The Koufax Ethos

• Shares stories about Sandy Koufax’s integrity and humility:
  • Refused All-Century Team honor unless Spahn also included.
  • "He waited for Warren and gave him his arm and helped him up the dugout steps and they walked arm in arm up the ramp." (Jane, 25:41)
  • "He's as good a human being as he was a pitcher." (Jane, 26:54)

Advice for New Postseason Baseball Viewers

• Jane’s advice: Emphasize details—catcher framing, base running, defense.
  • Critique of modern opener usage:
    "If any manager starts a World Series game with an opener ever again, he should be banned from baseball." (Jane, 28:07)
  • Highlights subtle, high-leverage moments:
    "Look for the guy who knows how to play the ball off the wall, make that throw. Look for the catcher who knows how to frame pitches." (Jane, 29:17)

Top 5 Greatest Ballplayers—Jane Leavy’s List

• Babe Ruth—"Invented the home run and the power game that is now way out of hand."
• Hank Aaron—"Did it with extraordinary class, forbearance and grace."
• Mickey Mantle—"He generated that expectation ... was he going to injure himself yet again?"
• Sandy Koufax—"The ball came out of his hand differently than anybody else."
• Mariano Rivera—"One pitch, you know, I don't know, could he pitch today? ... that's been obviated by the way pitching is now aligned."
  • "Quality, not quantity." (Jane, 34:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 01:54 | JuJu | "Maserati Marvin more looking like a Honda Accord, Marv. But I like that Miata, Marv." | | 02:55 | Tony | "I love football. I'll watch a bad football game over starting a new show." | | 04:00 | JuJu | "When that Ray Hudson come on, we need to see some fist pumping. We need to see some break dancing." | | 15:35 | Jane Leavy | "His last words to me ... were, Oy. The Mets." | | 19:07 | Jane Leavy | "That's a major league play. That's what happens when you don't give up on a ball ... that's the skill and the craft of the game that I grew up loving." | | 25:41 | Jane Leavy | "He waited for Warren and gave him his arm and helped him up the dugout steps and they walked arm in arm up the ramp." | | 28:07 | Jane Leavy | "If any manager starts a World Series game with an opener ever again, he should be banned from baseball." | | 29:17 | Jane Leavy | "Look for the guy who knows how to play the ball off the wall, make that throw. Look for the catcher who knows how to frame pitches." | | 34:03 | Jane Leavy | "Quality, not quantity." |

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• 00:41 – Fantasy Football, Thursday Night Game
• 04:00 – Ray Hudson Segment Audience Feedback
• 04:38 – Lightning Round Poll Results
• 08:10 – Pitch Clock Introduction & MLB Rundown
• 11:15 – Postseason Home Run Leaders Trivia Game
• 13:34 – Jane Leavy Interview (baseball state, stories, advice)
• 34:22 – Post-interview trivia wrap-up & full list reveal

Takeaways & Tone

This episode blends the show’s trademark irreverence with heartfelt, affectionate baseball discourse. Jane Leavy’s contributions evoke the timeless grandeur and subtlety of baseball, while the panel’s polling, trivia, and comedic banter ensure the show remains distinctly Le Batard: a place for sports, humor, and genuine insight.

Perfect for listeners seeking:

• An entertaining snapshot of sports opinion and analysis
• Accessible but deep baseball wisdom from Jane Leavy
• Fun, low-stakes trivia and game-play
• Reflections on fandom, memory, and the quirks of modern sport