MLB Pipeline reporter and prospect analyst Jim Callis returns to the Jack Vita Show to discuss a mix of football and baseball on this fine Tuesday. NFL season is in full-swing, the World Series stage is set, and the Arizona Fall League enters its third week of play. Jim is here to break it all down!
First, Jim and Jack chat about their Pittsburgh Steelers. Just days ago, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made a bold decision to bench quarterback Justin Fields in favor of veteran Russell Wilson, despite his team opening the season with a 4-2 record with Fields behind center. The move was met with much criticism, as Wilson was booed Sunday by Pittsburgh fans at Acrisure Stadium. Wilson, however, turned in a successful outing, passing for 264 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, taking just one sack, as the Steelers hung a season-high 37 points in a 37-15 victory over the New York Jets. What do Jack and Jim make of all of this, and what was their reaction to Tomlin's decision? (0:00 - 14:00).
Then, Jim and Jack pivot to baseball. The World Series stage is set, with Aaron Judge's New York Yankees taking on Shohei Ohtani's Los Angeles Dodgers. The matchup should make for one of the most star-studded Fall Classics in recent memory. Jack and Jim recap the ALCS and NLCS, and preview a World Series, featuring two historic franchises, that should certainly deliver in the ratings department (14:00 - 23:50).
Later, Jack and Jim get you caught up on the later from the Arizona Fall League. The AFL is a developmental league for some of baseball's best minor league prospects, which runs for six weeks each fall (23:50 - END).
The biggest headline from this year's AFL season thus far is without a doubt the return of top Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Andrew Painter. Painter tore his UCL in early 2023, needing Tommy John surgery. The hard-throwing righty hadn't pitched in a game since 2022, prior to his start ten days ago in Scottsdale. Jack covered Painter's first start for the Philadelphia Inquirer!
Painter made his second start last Friday, mixing in more pitches from his pitch arsenal. Jim and Jack discuss Painter's return, his recovery, his timeline and how he's looked thus far. They also highlight other prospects that have impressed through the first third of the AFL season, and discuss why they love the Fall League so much!
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(Photo via Gail Verderico)
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