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2022 MLB All-Star Picks, Bryce Harper OUT, Mariners-Angels Brawl

Chad Vautherine returns to the Jack Vita Show to share his MLB All-Star selections with Jack. Jack and Chad debate over many positions, while Jack shares his picks as well. But first, Chad and Jack discuss Bryce Harper's thumb injury and how it will impact the Phillies' playoff hopes this season, a crazy brawl between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Seattle Mariners from the weekend, and Ole Miss winning its first college baseball national championship. Make sure to cast your votes for the All-Star Game before phase one of the voting closes Thursday!
Jack was without his usual microphone for this episode, so our apologies in advance for the audio quality. We'll do better next time.

Bob Nightengale On Managerial Changes, Players with THE MOST Trade Value and Utility Men in the All-Star Game?

USA Today veteran baseball writer Bob Nightengale visits the Jack Vita Show to discuss the latest from the world of baseball, and answer the question, should there be a category for utility players on the MLB All-Star ballot, as Buck Showalter suggested over the weekend? Bob and Jack discuss whether adding a utility man column to the ballot would make sense. Bob also adds what he would change about the All-Star Game. Should we be making a bigger deal of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina's farewell tours? Was Bob surprised by the firings of Joe Girardi and Joe Maddon, and which manager could be out next? Is Tony La Russa's job safe? Bob and Jack discuss the importance of defense. Should we buy stock in the red-hot Cleveland Guardians? Which player in Major League Baseball currently has THE MOST trade value? Bob and Jack run through some names. They also discuss the current state of the Cubs and White Sox, and the Dodgers' injuries piling up, and some early thoughts on what kind of moves we could see at the trade deadline.

Former MLB Outfielder Michael Huff Talks 2022 Home Run Famine, Pitch Clock, White Sox’s Early Struggles

7-year Major League Baseball outfielder and Northwestern and New Trier product Michael Huff visits the show to reflect on his big league career and break down the latest news from around the league. Michael discusses his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, telling stories from his playing days and reliving some of his favorite experiences from 90s MLB - such as his first big league at bat (vs. Tom Glavine), playing on the 1993 AL West Division champion White Sox and leading the White Sox's team chapels, being in a Bible study with Blue Jays' teammates Paul Molitor, Joe Carter and John Olerude in Toronto, getting picked up by the Cleveland Indians (and receiving a call from assistant general manager Dan O'Dowd), training Michael Jordan and much more! Later, Michael and Jack discuss the White Sox's early season struggles (standing at 19-20 on May 21) and what needs to happen in order for them to win the AL Central for the second straight year, MLB's lowest home run per 9-inning rate since 2015, the league's lowest K/9 rate since 2018, and a return to "old school" contact-first baseball. They also discuss how the pitch clock is making a difference in minor league baseball and how it could improve (or worsen) the game at the Major League Baseball level next year. Michael and Jack take a look at the standings as of May 21, and assess where teams stand right now. How many teams are in true contention right now?Check out Michael's work as the director of youth baseball with the Chicago White Sox and find out how to get involved at whitesox.com/play.

Brian Urlacher Talks 2006 Chicago Bears, Best Bears Quarterbacks, Hall of Fame Career

NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and Chicago Bears great Brian Urlacher visits the Jack Vita Show to reflect on his 13-year Hall of Fame career with the Bears, and take a trip down memory lane. Brian shares his pick for best Bears quarterback of the new millennium, shares stories from playing on one of the greatest defenses of all-time, and shares his thoughts on the franchise now, the modern NFL and modern college football. Brian answers a wide variety of questions submitted by the listeners. He talks playing for Lovie Smith, living in Chicago, retirement, autograph signings, Jack's idea to get Brian on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, his interactions with Chicago-born celebrities, where the Bears have gone wrong, his love for movies and TV shows, and much more!

Scot Pollard on 2000s NBA, 2002 Lakers-Kings Game 6, Malice at the Palace, Survivor: Kaoh Rong

11-year NBA player and 2008 NBA champion Scot Pollard visits the Jack Vita Show to talk his time with the Kansas Jayhawks, the new Big 12 (and Kansas' future in the Big 12), dealing with internet trolls, his hilarious "Kids, do drugs" joke from 2007, his time on Survivor's 32nd season (Survivor: Kaoh Rong), his time playing with the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers, as well as many other topics along the way and stories from his time in the NBA. Scot fouled out of game 6 of the 2002 NBA Finals, a game that was accused by disgraced NBA official Tim Donaghy of being "fixed" by the league. What are Scot's thoughts on what may or may not have gone down that night in Los Angeles? Scot was also on hand for the 2004 'Malice at the Palace' as a member of the Indiana Pacers. Hear Scot's thoughts on the melee that ensued and the 2021 Netflix documentary on one of the worst nights in professional sports history. How does Scot feel about the reputation of the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers that went to the NBA Finals? Panned by many as "one of the worst teams to reach the Finals, that was carried by LeBron James", Scot was a member of the team. What are his thoughts? Scot shares about playing with the 2008 Celtics, after playing with Paul Pierce at Kansas, and much more!

Marquee Sports Network’s Elise Menaker Talks Cubs, New Trier, Seiya Suzuki, Miggy’s 3,000th Hit, Pujols’ Retirement Tour

Elise Menaker (@EliseMenaker on Twitter and Instagram) is a reporter, analyst and host on the Big Ten Network as well as the Chicago Cubs' television network, Marquee Sports Network. She played softball professionally in Sweden, is a member of the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame, and last year made history as a member of the second-ever all-women Major League Baseball broadcast, when she, Melanie Newman and Alanna Rizzo called the Cubs-White Sox game on YouTube last summer. Elise also attended New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois, the same high school Jack attended! Elise and Jack talk New Trier (which happens to be the high school Mean Girls was based off of), Elise's broadcasting career, women in sports broadcasting, the Cubs' start to their season, the emergence of Seiya Suzuki, Miguel Cabrera getting his 3,000th hit, Albert Pujols' final season, the Mets' impressive start, an ugly scene from Saturday's Yankees-Guardians game, and plenty more baseball along the way!

2022 MLB Preview Series — AL Central and World Series, Playoff Picks (Feat. Jake Paliga)

We've reached the final leg of our six-part MLB Preview Series! In the final chapter, Jake Paliga and Jack preview the AL Central and share their playoff and World Series picks, as well as their bold predictions for the 2022 season. The Minnesota Twins finished dead last in the Central a year ago. After a very active offseason that brought in Carlos Correa, Sonny Gray, Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela, will the Twins turn it around in 2022 and go from worst to first (0:00 - 21:40)? The Kansas City Royals haven't put together a winning season since 2015. With top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. opening the season with the Royals' big league club, will Kansas City finally buck that trend (21:40 - 31:55)? The Detroit Tigers also improved their team, adding Javier Baez, Austin Meadows and Eduardo Rodriguez to their promising, young nucleus. Will the Tigers turn a corner in 2022 (31:55 - 43:40)? The Cleveland baseball team enters its first season as the "Guardians"? The Indians won 80 games last year, but didn't do much to improve their lineup. What exactly is the plan in Cleveland, and how will the team perform (43:40 - 1:00:55)? The Chicago White Sox won the AL Central in 2021. Now, with a healthier roster, the Sox look to repeat as division champs and make a move towards an AL pennant. How far will they go in 2022 (1:00:55 - 1:11:20)? Finally, Jake and Jack share their playoff picks, Jack's win total revisions (from earlier in the preview series), Division Series, Championship Series and World Series picks. They also share some other bold predictions along the way. Episode complete with win total projections for each team in the AL Central!

Final Four + NCAA Men’s Championship Game Recap with Coach Jason Karys

The 2022 NCAA Tournament is over, and with it, we have a champion. The Kansas Jayhawks are world champions for the first time since 2008! Stonehill College assistant basketball coach Jason Karys calls in to the Jack Vita Show from the Final Four in New Orleans, primed to discuss the weekend's games, including Kansas-North Carolina, a Duke-North Carolina game for the ages, the 2022 NCAA Tournament as a whole, One Shining Moment, the Valparaiso basketball alumni competing in The Basketball Tournament, and more!