BringJoy

This Week in Baseball: All Fields Covered (March 2025)

• Joy Nulisch • Season 5 • Episode 49

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Baseball season has arrived, and with it comes the stories that connect major league diamonds to high school fields across America. The heartbreak of Yankees fans learning that ace Gerrit Cole requires season-ending Tommy John surgery stands in stark contrast to the jubilation of Key West Conchs High School baseball securing dramatic walk-off victories against powerhouse programs.

The podcast takes you into the stands with Lisa Dibias as she shares her experience witnessing Cole's final spring training appearance in Tampa before the devastating injury news broke. 

Beyond the professional game, we celebrate the achievements of hometown heroes making their mark in collegiate baseball. From Jacob Burnham making his Boston College debut to Kai Smith batting .485 with his first collegiate home run.  These success stories reflect how baseball creates pathways for young athletes while maintaining ties to their communities. Perhaps most compelling is  that former Conch players now coach powerhouse high school programs throughout Florida, including Joey Wardlow (St. Thomas Aquinas) and Miguel Menendez (Tampa Jesuit), demonstrating how baseball knowledge and tradition flow through generations.

From dramatic game-winning moments—"Roman rounds third like a semi coming down 95"—to the pure joy of watching youth baseball players develop their skills, this episode captures why baseball remains America's pastime. You'll be transported to the ballpark and reminded that baseball isn't just a game but a powerful vehicle for community connection. Share your own baseball stories with me and subscribe to catch every inning of baseball coverage throughout the season!


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Joy:

Thanks for tuning in to the Bring Joy podcast. We're in season five and it's all about baseball. I'm talking big leagues to the little leagues, yankees to the Conchs and everything in between. I'll share my joy for the game with you and, whether you're a fan of baseball or good storytelling, you'll be entertained and each episode will bring a little joy to your day. So sit back and relax. Let's do this thing. Each episode will bring a little joy to your day. So sit back and relax. Let's do this thing. Let's do another this Week in Baseball bit looking back at the first week of March 2025. And I'm going to go Austin Wells and get things started right out of the gates with a hit. The scoreboard showed bottom of the seventh. Two outs Conks down by one. That high sun was baking the field and the fans all day.

Joy:

We don't typically do day games, but there was nothing typical about this week for the Key West Conch varsity program. We'd already played two games by this point, earning a huge road win against state powerhouse and rival St Thomas Aquinas. The Conk boys put on a show banging out 10 hits, playing big league defense and gutsy pitching by Christian Koppel and JC Lampus-Gormley. The fan cam spotted Conk alumni Martin and TJ Niles watching little cousin Jackie and his team play ball. On the contrary, friday night we looked flat against Westminster Christian who, well, let's just say there's no love lost but much respect between the programs. High school baseball fans across the country marked their calendars for this matchup Well.

Joy:

Taking the field Saturday afternoon, our boys understood the assignment we must win this game and split the series for the standings and Kong Pride. We jumped out early with a run in the first and two in the second off the bats of Caden Pichardo and Nelson Ong. But the Warriors came to play and put five on the board and had the lead going into the bottom of the seventh Five to four. There were runners on the corner for Pichardo Jackson Bernhard at third, Roman Garcia at first. Bass Rapier scores one and we tied Anything harder. Who knows? Sammy Harlan was on deck and call me foolish newish if you want, but my money likes my chances right here, because this team can play.

Joy:

Kanan takes ball one high in the wave and he rips the next pitch. The left fielder dives to make a play on the ball but he can't come up with it. Jackson scores, roman is trucking around. Second, the center fielder gets the ball on the warning track. Roman is gathering steam. The coach is waving him home hard. Roman rounds third like a semi coming down. 95. The cutoff man makes a bad throw. Roman dives headfirst to the plate. The catcher lunges in the other direction to catch the ball. Roman crashes into the catcher and the plate Umpire signals safe, conks, win, conks, win. Ha ha ha. The press box reminds us fans that this game two of the doubleheader Gets underway at 730.

Joy:

Meanwhile, in the major leagues the Yankees are signing more players to the injured list than the starting roster. Pitcher Luis Hill, last season's American League Rookie of the Year, is out indefinitely with a lat or shoulder injury. And Big G Giancarlo Stanton has severe elbow pain in both arms that may require seasoned injury. Superstitious types tell us these kind of things come in threes and with that the cold train. Gary Cole, the yankees ace and former Cy Young winner, is out for the year. Cole pitched two games in spring training, the last being last week in tampa. My good friend and fellow yankee fan, Lisa Dibias, was at the game. Hello, lisa, thanks for jumping on the podcast with me. Sure, no problem, joy, excited to be here. Yeah, I was hoping to have you on an episode where we could celebrate the Yankees together. But unfortunately, breaking news today, march 10th, our ace Garrett Cole is having season-ending Tommy John surgery later this week in Los Angeles.

Lisa:

Yep, that is not what we wanted to hear today or any day. Awful, just awful.

Joy:

Yeah, it's crushing, really right.

Lisa:

Yep, our ace.

Joy:

Our ace is done for the year. Yeah, I was. I just recorded an episode last week with my friend Cookie, who's another big Yankee fan, and we were talking about how much better we've gotten and and obviously needing Garrett Cole to lead the way. And now what? Four or five days later, it all changes. So what's interesting? One of the reasons why I wanted to talk to you also is that you're living now in Central Florida, so you're close to spring training facilities, and you went to Tampa to see the Yankees play last Thursday.

Lisa:

Yes, we sure did. And let me tell you, I was so excited when I saw his name on that roster to be pitching I was like, oh my gosh, it it's gonna be Garrett Cole that we're seeing. What a treat. So, yeah, we were, yes, we were, we were excited, yep, yep, it was all it was awesome. Well, not the score so much, but just to be able to see him in action, you know yeah and uh.

Joy:

How did he look? I mean, was there any signs? Because I know obviously we lost you, you referred to that. But how did he look? I mean, was there any signs? Because I know, obviously we lost, you referred to that. But how did he look? Was there any signs that he was struggling, you know?

Lisa:

we really didn't think so. I mean, it was unusual for him to give up so many hits and so many runs. You know he was throwing the ball in there and I just kept saying, well, he must be putting it right down the middle because they're hitting it, you know, yeah, but no, nobody. You know there was no word of anybody thinking anything. And you know they took him out, I think in the second inning and we were like, well, that's that. But then in spring training, you know, you can bring a pitcher back in. So we were shocked when he came back in in the third. We're like, oh, like, oh, okay, come on Garrett. And you know, I think the first or second guy homered off him again. So it just it wasn't good. But nobody really had a clue, you know, and I don't think he did either, from from what I heard him say afterwards, until the next day.

Joy:

So it was all a big shock for sure yeah, I remember, uh, last season we we started this season without him, didn't we?

Lisa:

yep, yes, we did. I think we went like a third of the season without him. I think he pitched about 13 games for us last year and he.

Joy:

He was so good during the playoffs yep, he sure was I thought he's gonna have another cy young type of year and uh, so so here we are. Here, we are here we are we'll probably need to do a whole, a whole separate episode just talking about the Yankees, right, and what this means, but um still really exciting that you're you're um able to go to spring training game. What's it like going to spring training game? I haven't been since I was a kid uh, it's awesome.

Lisa:

Um, I keep telling sue, it's like we hit the spring training jackpot here because, um, we're in clearwater and so that's where the phillies play in spring, in springtime, right here in clearwater, so you know, 10 minute drive. And then the blue jays are in dunedin, which is another 10 minute drive. So we we saw them a couple weeks ago against the yankees, and then the Blue Jays are in Dunedin, which is another 10-minute drive, so we saw them a couple weeks ago against the Yankees, and then, of course, the Yankees are in Tampa. So we've got three teams, all you know, all close by. So it's been awesome. And you know, you get to see the guys really up close because you're right down there on the ground level, you know, right close to them, and just seeing all, all you know, all the guys that you sit there and watch, watch on tv, it's just, it's amazing. I feel like a little kid all over again, you know, just in awe, with my eyes wide open and my my phone camera's shaking, because I'm just so excited.

Joy:

And it's been, it's been really great no, I love that, and I think that's one of the things I love so much about baseball is that it makes me feel like being a kid again yes, yep, for sure, and even even out there when I'm watching the boys at the recs I when they have a big game, I still get autographs I got sammy holland so far this year and caden pichardo on a hat two seniors, so that's pretty cool.

Joy:

And actually actually we got augie davila's signature. I was. I was just gonna tell you you better get that augie next. Yeah, we actually good yeah, we had him sign one of our caves that we hang up. Nice, that's awesome. So, yeah, that was really cool. Did you get any autographs when you were at the game?

Lisa:

um, no, we did not. But speaking of autographs, a friend of mine that used to live in Key West, way back in the day back in the 80s, we were just at her house this past weekend and so you know I'm telling about, you know, we've been to the baseball games and her and her husband they're not into baseball at all. So she's just kind of sitting there and I'm going on and on, you know, all excited about the game that we just saw, and she just kind of casually says, well, you've heard of Joe DiMaggio, right? I'm like, well, yeah, of course. And she says, well, I got something for you. So she goes back, seriously, comes back into the room with an autograph on a little coaster from the pier house.

Lisa:

Wow, an autograph on a little coaster from the pier house, wow, and it's in a frame. There's like a little small, you know, clear frame. And she says, oh, I was in the pier house, you know, back in the 80s, and my friend was bartending and he just walked in and so I got his autograph and so here you go, you can have it. Oh, my goodness, I got the chills right now, right. Yeah, oh, my goodness, I got. I got the chills right now, right and, and what a classic autograph on a pier house coaster yes, it couldn't be any more yankee fan key west yeah you gotta frame that thing.

Lisa:

Oh, yes, for sure, yep, that. So that was really cool, that was exciting, yeah pretty wild, very special.

Joy:

So are you going to catch any more spring training games before they head back for the regular season, unless something?

Lisa:

pops up Right now we don't have any set plans to, but you never know. Every now and then we just jump online and we're like, oh, you know what, let's do it. So you never know, we'll see, we're what. I guess we're about two weeks out, two and a half weeks out from the season.

Joy:

So, yeah, so yeah, I guess that's one of the advantages of leaving the Keys is now living on the mainland.

Lisa:

You're not three or four hours away from baseball or any other big event. Yeah, and the funny thing thing is we didn't even know that when we moved here. You know, obviously we knew we were close to Tampa, but I had no idea about the Blue Jays being so close and the Phillies, you know, they're literally. The Blue Jays are a 10-minute golf ride away. Golf cart ride, you know. Hop in the golf cart and go to the Blue Jays games.

Joy:

That's really cool. You know there's a Key West connection with the Blue Jays, Billy Wardlow works for the Blue Jays, he's one of the equipment managers.

Lisa:

Oh, I didn't know that. Okay, I know the name. I don't know him, but I know the name.

Joy:

Yeah, big Wardlow family, big in conch baseball. Okay, for sure, and he's had. I think he's got 25 plus years with the organization, so pretty cool story. Wow, I'm hoping to get him on the podcast with me, but he knows I'm a Yankee fan, so now maybe you could see him up there and put in a good word for me.

Lisa:

I'll have to do that. I'll look for him Definitely.

Joy:

So listen, I want to talk to you more about the Yankees, but, like I said, we'll, we'll. We'll probably need to do another episode after after the season gets started and we see how the rotation uh plays out but, before I let you go, I'm creating a list of the best baseball movies. So what's your favorite baseball movie? Lisa?

Lisa:

all right, I'm gonna have to say field of dreams oh yes, that's a good one you know, especially because then they went and they played it out. You know they, they played it out in real life, kind of in iowa, yeah you know I missed it last year, but oh, okay, yeah, I think they're gonna do it this this year. I don't think they did it last year, but I know a couple years ago they did that so that's pretty pretty cool that is a classic.

Joy:

That's got kevin costner who did one of my other favorite baseball movies bull durham oh okay, yeah, have you ever seen that one?

Lisa:

I think I have I think so a long time ago.

Joy:

Yeah yeah, look that up, and when we talk again we'll we'll put a list of baseball movies together all right that sounds great joy. Hey, well, listen. Um, I know we're all gonna have to get over this. Um, you know losing cole for the season, but I've got confidence that the Yankees will show up strong and win the East.

Lisa:

That's right. Next, man up. You know, that's all you can do Next man up.

Joy:

That's it. It's somebody else's opportunity to shine.

Lisa:

For sure, for sure.

Joy:

All right, Lisa, thanks for joining me. Take care, I'll talk. I'll talk to you soon.

Lisa:

Sounds good.

Joy:

The bad news will travel fast and I'm sure many will count the Yankees out, including my boy, haig Smith, who is part of the Red Sox Nation. He's been telling me the Sox are going to make a run this season. I don't want to hear about the Red Sox right now, haig, but I do want to hear about your boy, kai Smith. In his junior year at CIU in South Carolina he's off to a hot start, batting .485 with 16 hits, including his first collegiate home run. It could go, it will go all the way, hey. And how about Jacob Burnham making his first collegiate appearance with Boston College on March 1st? I was happy to be tuned in and streaming the game. My neighbors might have thought I lost my mind cuz I was hooting and hollering with every pitch, just like he was back at the Rex. And Lucky Barroso is dealing on the mound early this season with three wins and 12 strikeouts. K-crew's throwing up caves for you, fellas, keep dealing. The Noles and the Gators are ranked in the top 10, behind teams like LSU and Tennessee. My guy, victor Gallardo, tells me we better keep an eye out for the Vols freshman sensation, Levi Clark, who's tearing things up already. He's got six home runs, 23 RBIs, batting over 500 already, and he earned SEC player of the week. I'm thinking seriously about going to the College World Series this year. Spend a week in Omaha. Last year me and my nephew Clay went to Tallahassee for the regionals to cheer for the hatters. We had a great time. I can't imagine how the World Series would be. Lady Conch alumni Scarlett Niles and Marina Goins are making a name for themselves with their colleges. Scarlett's in the Ivy League lineup with Dartmouth and Marina's showing that scrappy Conch spirit. At Linn University in Boca, the K-Crew is tracking Conk Batboys Lincoln and Cam over there on Kennedy Drive. We see you striking out the batters. Let's go. And how about that 12U Conk baseball team? They hit the road for batting practice I mean another tournament and brought back the winner's trophy. The boys scored 71 runs against 12 over the weekend and are undefeated this spring. Cooperstown get ready. We coming in hot this summer. And the JV Conchs, coached by by Frank Fernandez, is playing good ball. Trent Thomas is tough on the mound and at the plate. And how about Daryl Tremenio and Caden Serveda? The Conch batters are stacking hits. They better stay hot because I see the Marathon Dolphins on the schedule soon and Coach Joey Gonzalez will have the Finns ready to compete, as he's committed to building a winning program at mile mark of 50. And just up the road at Coral Shores, high Donovan Theory grandson to my mentors Ken and Frankie, St James, is a dominant player on the Canes roster. Come South, kid. Let me and the crew hang some Ks for

Joy:

you. Remember I said the Conchs had another game to play after the thrilling walk-off win against Westminster Christian. Well, what's better than one win two. And why not make it dramatic, give the fans something to talk about. During the week, the Spanish River Sharks rolled into town ready to play and the scrappy team out of Boca put four on the board. With clutch hitting and aggressive base running. The Conchs had chances, scattering hits and free passes, but none crossed the plate through five. For a minute it looked like the Sharks would defeat the Conks I'm just kidding, you know my boys don't quit and had two more bats to get it done. Cruz Holmes had started the game and went 5-2, any which, if memory serves, is the longest outing by a start of the season. That's one of those victories that doesn't show up on the scorecard but pays off down the

Joy:

road. Holmes was relieved by shortstop Augie Davila making his first appearance of the regular season. The Sharks were leading by four, two outs and two runners on base. Auggy sits the batter down looking on a nasty pitch, firing up his team, the Conch fans and the Conch bats. Caden Maltz singles and scores on a hit by Pichardo. Sammy Holland drives a walk. Auggy steps up and lines a single, scoring Pichardo. Sammy Holland drives a walk. Auggy steps up and lines a single, scoring

Joy:

Pichardo. Let the comeback commence. It's 4-2. Now you heard that. That's the Conks knocking on the door. Javi Perez drives a walk to load the bases for action. Jackson Bernhardt, who sends a fly ball down the left field line, scoring two 4-4. We got us a ball game folks. Jackie Niles and Nelson Ong knocking a run apiece. The Conks are leading the Sharks 6-4 and heading to the 7th. Davila closes it down like a salty veteran getting a pop up and two strikeouts. Conks win, conks win, conks win. That's three huge wins in four games for the week. For the good guys and folks, all I can say is this team is

Joy:

special. Before I wrap, let me tell you a little story about Conchs pride and how this week in baseball it was overflowing. You see that St Thomas Aquinas team is coached by Joey Wardlow, a Conch and star player of the 1984 state championship Conchs team. His mama and daddy, dennis and Ann, still live in Key West and never miss a Conchs game, unless, of course, they're in Fort Lauderdale watching their boy lead one of the top programs in the state. Well, joey tipped his hat to his mentor, coach Ralph Henriquez, and shook off the loss quick because he had to get his team ready to face the nationally ranked Tampa Jesuit Tigers, coached by another Conch alumni and 1995 state champion, miguel Menendez. Son of my good friends and fellow Conchs, jose and Monica Robbie, is off to a solid start in his senior year. His dad, known to most as Bubba Joe, was a standout on the tough 1982 Conch team that fell just short of the state tournament. Pretty cool, right. Conch's own baseball on and off the island and it's baseball that connects so many of us and it's with Conch pride that we recognize and celebrate those

Joy:

connections. Baseball season is just getting underway. There's plenty of baseball ahead. So wherever you're tuned in from, go catch a game in your hometown. Cheer for the kids. I bet you a ticket. You'll be glad you did, as Mel Allen used to say that's all for now. Folks See you next week for this Week in Baseball. I'm Joy Nulisch and I appreciate you tuning in to my podcast. My purpose is to bring joy into my life and the lives of others. If you enjoyed this episode, drop a review, share and subscribe, because there's a lot of good stuff on tap. You can also follow Bring Joy on YouTube and Instagram and check my website at joynewscom. Now go bring joy to the people in your world. Until next time, much love.

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Joy Nulisch

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