Starkville | TBS Broadcasters Lauren Shahadi & Brian Anderson Discuss the Crazy Double Play in Game 1 of Dodgers–Brewers

The Windup: A Show About Baseball / The Athletic (October 14, 2025)

Episode Overview

This lively Starkville episode (from The Athletic’s flagship baseball podcast, The Windup) brings together host Jayson Stark, co-host Doug Glanville, and guests Lauren Shahadi (MLB Central, TBS) and Brian Anderson (play-by-play voice of TBS) for a deep-dive on the wild and unprecedented double play in Game 1 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers. Through humor, insight, and deep baseball nerdery, the group explores the chaos caused by the play, how it looked and sounded from various broadcast booths and the dugout, and why baseball’s postseason reliably delivers the never-before-seen. The conversation expands into the art of postseason broadcasting, the quirks of modern baseball, and the very human side of working in the game.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unprecedented 8-6-2 Double Play: Breakdown & Chaos

(03:47–11:12)

• The Play in Question:
  Max Muncie hits a 400-foot shot that’s almost a grand slam. Center fielder Sal Frelick appears to make (and then bobble) the catch; the ball glances off his glove, hits the top of the wall, and chaos ensues as runners are confused about whether to tag up or advance. The ultimate call: a double play, scored 8-6-2 (center field to shortstop to catcher)—a scoring sequence virtually never seen in MLB history.

• Total Confusion:
  All parties—players, coaches, umpires, broadcasters—were stunned in the moment. The booth teams on both TV and radio struggled to identify who made which call, what runners should do, and how to describe the play as it unfolded.

  • “If you're scoring at home, I hope you're not. It's an eight, six two ground ball double play. Even though as I pointed out in my column, there was no ground involved.” — Jayson Stark, 04:45

• Broadcast Chaos:

  • Doug Glanville describes watching it live, not knowing if it was caught, and the runners’ confusion.
  • Jason Stark is viewed by the press box as baseball’s chaos magnet:
    • “Everyone in the entire press box looks at me. I'm innocent. Okay?...You know, this only happened because you were here.” — Jayson Stark, 09:47

• Notable Stats:

  • Jayson Stark confirms through his research:
    “There's never been an 8, 2, 6, double play like...that in the modern history of baseball, regular season or postseason, never.” — Jayson Stark, 11:12

2. The TBS Booth Perspective: Anderson & Shahadi

(13:13–20:53)

• Brian Anderson’s Call Experience:

  • “I did not see the ball graze off the wall. So I thought it was a catch. That's a long way from the booth. Our instinct is always to look at the second base umpire. He didn't call anything. And so now all hell's breaking loose, runners are everywhere, the ball's coming in, the ball still live.”
    — Brian Anderson, 14:45
  • Explains TV’s behind-the-scenes chaos: tracking who made the call, managing replays, coordinating with production on whether to cut to commercial, etc.

• Lauren Shahadi in the Dugout:

  • Lauren recalls the Brewers side’s bafflement:
    “I was in the Brewer's side...I was completely confused. And I know the rule. But I had no idea in the moment what was going on...Sal Frehlick...he goes, ‘What the [expletive] just happened?’ That was what he said. He mouthed those words, and so now it's become a meme. Yeah, Sal, we're all with you.” — Lauren Shahadi, 23:46

• Broadcaster Relatability:

  • All agree: No one on the field or in the booth had ever seen anything like it, and the play’s uniqueness even stumped the professionals.

3. Defending the Players: The Human Element

(24:22–28:31)

• The Twitter/Armchair Quarterback Effect:
  Brian notes fan reaction:

  • “There's a group of people that are just, you know, so angry. Like, how could Teoscar, how could Will Smith, how could Brian Anderson...How could they...yeah, because this has never happened before ever, ever, ever.”
    — Brian Anderson, 24:24

• Basement Instincts & the Umpires:
  Doug and Brian review why even experienced base runners like Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith got it wrong—the confusion was justified by how unfamiliar and visually complicated the play was, despite the rules.

  • “If Chad Fairchild does not make that safe call...I'm not sure how they adjudicate that.” — Brian Anderson, 26:27

4. Ninth Inning Drama & The Art of the Sideline Reporter

(28:58–30:26)

• Preparing for Postgame Interviews:
  Lauren describes juggling interview prep for both possible outcomes as the game’s momentum swings dramatically.
  • “It was super loud, and I was just hoping that I could collect my thoughts after and ask the right questions in the moment.” — Lauren Shahadi, 30:15

5. The Manager Meetings: Roberts & Murphy’s Leadership Styles

(33:30–41:02)

• Pat Murphy’s Unique Approach:

  • “He’s constantly curious and asking and wanting to know this, that and the other...He can be that—like, his 15 minutes can turn into 30 quick...It allows him entry points that can...diffuse, prop up, or tear down with humor if needed.”
    — Brian Anderson, 35:30

• Dave Roberts’ Star Management:

  • Doug admires Roberts’ ability to “manage the stars” and philosophies for keeping such a powerhouse roster happy and motivated.
    • “I’m blown away at how well he does manage the stars and how much he has to acquiesce to their desire to not get bored almost, right?” — Doug Glanville, 38:36

• The Human Side:
  Lauren:

  • “It's not just managing a baseball game...they are managing people and families constantly. It's not just the season, it's over the winter, too.” — Lauren Shahadi, 35:23

6. Postseason Broadcasting and Its Unique Thrill

(43:11–46:29)

• Emotional Impact:

  • Brian: “When you’re in those biggest moments, it really is...the easiest part of the job but also the most pressure you feel. But the execution...when every pitch matters...is the easy part. The hard part is when it doesn’t.” — Brian Anderson, 43:11

  • Lauren: “I dreamt of these days...but it’s not about us and, you know, it’s about the game...we just want to do right by the players and the sport.” — Lauren Shahadi, 46:09

7. The Strange But True Segment: Baseball’s Mathematical Oddities

(51:32–63:58)

• Quirky Facts:

  • Stark and Glanville discuss the very first two-pitch strikeout in postseason history, brought about by a pitch clock violation (Brandon Marsh, Phillies). Without new rules, it would be mathematically impossible.
    • “How many two pitch strikeouts do you think there have ever been in postseason history other than this one? ...Zero. Zero is right. Only in baseball.” — Jayson Stark/Doug Glanville, 56:49

• OPS and Batting Average Gaps:

  • Listener question about lowest batting average with a .900 OPS in a season. Stark lists the short (and very recent) roster, with Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber setting historic marks.
    • “How many had ever done it before that? 0. 0. ...these two guys did it in the same year.” — Jayson Stark, 63:00

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Oh, my God. You got all that? How could you?”
  — Jayson Stark, 04:45

• “The catchers get paid the big bucks? Because, like, yeah, I had no idea. Base runners had no idea. Umpires were like, I think I got this.”
  — Doug Glanville, 09:36

• "My hair was on fire for like four hours. You know, I'm the official worldwide curator of strange but trueness for some reason."
  — Jayson Stark, 05:26

• "We say that all the time. We love this game like we do. And I've never seen that play. And obviously nobody has ever seen that play in the history of baseball."
  — Brian Anderson, 14:04

• "I was in the Brewer's side...I couldn't tell what happened. I was completely confused. And I know the rule... But I had no idea in the moment what was going on."
  — Lauren Shahadi, 22:24

• “My Instagram feeds are just, like, being bombarded...It's comical today. Like the Monday morning quarterbacks: ‘This is easy...he should have done this.’”
  — Brian Anderson, 24:22

• "Jason, Brian and I had a conversation, I think it was in the division series and I said, can you believe we get to do this?"
  — Lauren Shahadi, 45:36

Essential Timestamps

• 01:44 — Hosts open with greetings from Milwaukee, setting the postseason scene
• 03:47 — Wild 8-6-2 double play breakdown begins
• 12:20 — Guests Brian Anderson and Lauren Shahadi join the show
• 13:46 — Brian Anderson describes calling the play
• 18:18 — How radio/TV reflected the chaos to listeners/viewers
• 22:24 — Lauren Shahadi explains the confusion in the Brewers’ dugout
• 24:22 — Social media/fan blame & broadcaster relatability
• 28:58 — Ninth inning prep, intensity, and the loudness of the stadium
• 33:30 — Manager meetings: what it’s like off-camera with Roberts & Murphy
• 41:02 — How sideline questions are prepared and prioritized
• 43:11 — Postseason broadcasting compared to other major sports
• 51:32 — “Strange but true”: pitch clock violation & two-pitch strikeout
• 59:41 — Listener question: lowest BA with .900 OPS; Raleigh/Schwarber set records

The Podcast’s Unique Tone & Takeaways

True to Starkville form, the episode is filled with wry humor, affectionate ribbing, and a sense of wonder at baseball’s capacity for the unprecedented. The hosts and guests relish the moments when the sport defies explanation, and their candid, behind-the-scenes perspectives shed light both on the human side of broadcasting and the beautiful, baffling complexity of postseason baseball.

Summary: Why This Episode Matters

This episode is an instant classic for any fan who loves the nerdier and weirder side of baseball. The team’s honest, sometimes baffled reactions to a play that “nobody—ever—has seen before” provide a window into what it’s like to cover the game as both an entertainer and historian. The juxtaposition of high chaos on the field with cool-headed research and empathy for all involved makes for a rich, deeply engaging listen. The threads of respect and love for the game are clear—from the off-air manager talks to meticulous research on absurd new records—making this both a celebration of baseball’s quirks and a masterclass in top-tier sports journalism.