Summary: The Windup – Starkville | Former GMs Ned Colletti & Steve Phillips Preview the Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series

Podcast: The Windup: A Show about Baseball – Starkville
Episode Title: Former GMs Ned Colletti & Steve Phillips Preview the Upcoming Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series
Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
Guests: Ned Colletti (Former Dodgers GM), Steve Phillips (Former Mets GM)

Episode Overview

This World Series preview episode features insightful analysis from hosts Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville—joined by former MLB general managers Ned Colletti and Steve Phillips—on the upcoming Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series. They break down each team’s strengths, reflect on Shohei Ohtani’s historic NLCS performance, examine roster-building conundrums, discuss George Springer's epic ALCS homer, the unique pressure of postseason baseball, and broader questions of competitive balance in Major League Baseball.

Main Themes and Key Discussion Points

1. Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series Matchup (Starts [02:13])

• Star Power Abounds: Stark frames the showdown as “the Death Star Dodgers against Canada’s team” ([03:18]).

• Blue Jays’ Threat: Despite the Dodgers' dominance, both hosts agree the Blue Jays possess the depth, offensive aggression, and mix-and-match ability to make the series competitive. Glanville emphasizes their pressure baseball style and the resurgence of George Springer and Vlad Guerrero Jr.

  “They put the ball in play… very aggressive… there’s a little Brewers to them, right? First to third, pressure baseball. But then you have guys like George Springer just playing like he’s 23… they're really good at [the] mix and match…”
  — Doug Glanville ([03:47])

• Dodgers’ Dominance But Not Invincible: Stark and Colletti note the Dodgers’ relentless lineup discipline but also highlight that consistent challenges in the postseason have been lacking, which may leave them vulnerable to Toronto’s relentless attack.

2. The Shohei Ohtani Game: Greatest Performance in Baseball History? ([05:01])

• Recap of Historic NLCS Game:
  Ohtani hit three home runs (including one out of the stadium), threw six-plus shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in a clinching game. Stark argues no player has ever achieved this collection of feats on such a stage.

• Widespread Awe: All four panelists marvel at Ohtani’s performance.

  “He hit three home runs. One of them left the stadium. Right? Ten strikeout, no run, two-hitter… And oh, by the way, his team is going to the World Series.”
  — Jayson Stark ([07:14])

• Science Fiction, Not Reality:
  Glanville frames the feat as “science fiction”:

  “You say based on a true story… The finale is going to be this dude who goes 6 for 6, hits 3 home runs, steals 2 bases… So that is Shohei Ohtani every single time… I think you have something to say because this probably is the greatest game ever played by one person.”
  — Doug Glanville ([10:08])

• General Manager Perspective:

  • Colletti: “Not even Babe Ruth did it like this… for the moment in time, I don’t know how you get better than that.” ([14:56])
  • Phillips: “Not even Babe Ruth did this with the consistency level that we’re talking about… He can do anything he wants on a field.” ([15:27]; [17:24])

3. Ohtani, Two-Way Player: Organizational Challenges & Valuation ([19:46])

• Roster Construction Issues:
  Phillips discusses how Ohtani’s unique schedule (pitching once a week) demands creativity in roster building, and how he essentially “runs the show” due to his value ([20:09]).

• Financial and Cultural Value:
  Colletti and Phillips both agree the Dodgers’ investment in Ohtani might be underpaying him, once marketing and international impact are factored in.

  “They probably had this in mind a year before they signed him… the financial end of this has been a great boom for Shohei, probably even better for the LA Dodgers… he has exceeded expectation.”
  — Ned Colletti ([24:16]) “He’s underpaid… The Dodgers… This was a great financial decision.”
  — Steve Phillips ([25:55])

4. ALCS Game 7: George Springer's Homer and Mariners’ Decisions ([26:30])

• Springer’s Heroic Home Run Comparison:
  Phillips sees it as a hybrid of Kirk Gibson and Joe Carter moments, citing the “elimination game, game seven home run,” and emotional gravitas.

  “He is the heart and soul of that team… 23 career postseason home runs, nine go-ahead…”
  — Steve Phillips ([26:53])

• Managerial Second-Guessing:
  Glanville, Ned, and Steve debate the Mariners’ pitching choices (removing Kirby, using Bizardo vs. Munoz, etc.), agreeing Munoz should’ve faced the heart of the order.

  “Once Wu walked Barger … Munoz, for me, when it gets to Springer and the top of the lineup right there, it’s got to be Munoz … not Pizzardo.”
  — Steve Phillips ([30:21])

5. The Pain of Losing With Everything on the Line ([32:05])

• Emotional Fallout:
  Colletti and Phillips describe the unique agony of postseason defeat, focusing on the abruptness and “physical pain” of elimination.

  “You remember that more than you remember the victory because it’s such a hollow feeling… It is a painful situation… I remember the defeats far more than the victories, 100%.”
  — Ned Colletti ([32:46]) “There is nothing enjoyable about it... It’s miserable… It’s physical pain.”
  — Steve Phillips ([35:37])

6. World Series X-Factors: Layoff, Bullpen Usage, “Ruining Baseball” Narratives ([36:06])

• Layoff vs. Battle-Tested Team:
  Phillips notes that, historically, the team with the longer series before the World Series often wins, suggesting Toronto shouldn’t be underestimated.

  “In all four of those series the team that went seven games… won the World Series. That layoff has been a factor.”
  — Steve Phillips ([37:04])

• Bullpen as Wild Card:
  Glanville is curious how the Dodgers’ lightly-used bullpen will perform when tested by the Jays’ approach ([38:47]).

• “Ruining Baseball” with Dodgers' Spending:
  Roberts’ tongue-in-cheek comment (“Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball”) prompts discussion about payroll disparity.

  “If the Dodgers win another World Series, are people just going to conclude that they ruined baseball?”
  — Jayson Stark ([39:58]) “It creates an unfair balance… I hope they don’t win because I don’t want that to be the narrative as we go into a negotiation. I think it’s a lose-lose for everybody…”
  — Steve Phillips ([40:23])

7. International Star Power, Keeping Up With the Dodgers, & “Super Team” Dynamics ([46:03])

• Blue Jays’ Pursuit of Japanese Stars:
  Phillips compares Dodgers to the NBA’s super teams:

  “They built the dream team there... It’s not just the money, it’s also the ability to win and the star players that are there.”
  — Steve Phillips ([46:03])

8. Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s “Lifetime” Contract and Responsibilities ([47:53])

• Emergence as a True Leader:
  The panel celebrates Guerrero’s transformation from a talented but unpolished prospect to a Gold Glove first baseman and team anchor.

  “The transformation in Vladdy… the way he has stepped up to be a true leader is something that I don’t know that I saw coming.”
  — Jayson Stark ([47:53]) “He has become what they hoped he would be.”
  — Ned Colletti ([50:15])

  Phillips details Vlad’s increased maturity, leadership, and commitment:

  “The level of growth and maturity… is really unparalleled… He makes a play and worries about the next play, and he celebrates everybody else. He plays the—he’s a winner. If I’m going to give $500 million to somebody, I want to give it to a winner.”
  — Steve Phillips ([51:08])

9. Memorable Trade Between Guests ([53:00])

The group reminisces about a 2001 trade (Sean Estes for Tsuyoshi Shinjo and Desi Relaford):

“Shinjo was the coolest dude I’ve ever seen in a major league uniform… but after the trade, he said it was his life’s mission to slay the Mets.”
— Steve Phillips ([53:48])

10. Strange But True: The Two “Strikeouts by Absent Batters” ([56:00])

The episode ends with a quirky “Strange But True” postscript:

• Twice in the same postseason, a batter technically struck out while not on the field (once due to a cramping injury, once due to pinch-hitting mid-at-bat).

• Celebrated as a statistical and rules oddity:

  “The rules say the guy who rolled up those first two strikes gets the credit for the strikeout… It’s so crazy—baseball is inherently deep and meaningful.”
  — Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville ([59:16]-[63:27])

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Ohtani, Greatest Game Ever:
  "He hit three home runs… threw 100… his team is going to the World Series. No matter what game people bring up, nobody has done that."
  — Jayson Stark ([07:14])

• “Not even Babe Ruth did it like this… I don’t know how you get better than that.”
  — Ned Colletti ([14:56])

• “He’s underpaid. The Dodgers… This was a great financial decision for them.”
  — Steve Phillips ([25:55])

• “I remember the defeats far more than the victories, 100%.”
  — Ned Colletti ([32:46])

• “The level of growth and maturity [in Vlad Jr.]… is really unparalleled. If I’m going to give $500 million to somebody… it's to a winner.”
  — Steve Phillips ([51:08])

Conclusion

Rich with first-hand executive insights and playful banter, this episode delivers an in-depth preview of the Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series and the broader narratives shaping modern MLB. The panel lauds Ohtani’s unprecedented two-way postseason heroics, scrutinizes roster and contract strategy, and champions Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s growth. They also candidly discuss baseball’s financial landscape while reveling in the game’s unpredictable, sometimes bizarre wonders. Even the lighter “Strange But True” segment reinforces the complexity and joy that make baseball, and this show, irresistible for fans.