
Portside Pod
By Stockton Ports

Portside PodApr 06, 2023

3.6 - Melissa Lockard
On the eve of Opening Night at Banner Island Ballpark, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic joins the show to break down the Stockton Ports' 2023 roster.

3.5 - 2023 Ticket Plans & Promo Schedule
The Ports' new General Manager Jordan Feneck and Direction of Baseball Communications Chris Zavaglia join Alex Jensen and share information on 2023 ticket plans and the promotional schedule, plus more!

3.4 - Brandon Puffer
Brandon Puffer, former Major League reliever and author of "From the Bullpen to the State Pen", shares his story

3.3 - Kyle Virbitsky & Blake Beers
Two members of the Ports' 2022 season-opening rotation join the show to talk about their offseasons, what 2022 gave them, a little Big Ten college football and much more!

3.2 - Danny Bautista
Ports outfielder from the 2021 & 22 seasons Danny Bautista joins the show to discuss his time in Stockton, offseason training regimen, and more!

3.1 - Pat Filippone
We kick off the offseason with a visit from President of the Stockton Ports, Pat Filippone! Pat discusses things that worked in 2022, the Ports' new General Manager, the MLB playoffs and much more!

2.11 - Melissa Lockard on Ports' Opening Day Roster
With Opening Day coming in just days, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic joins the show to discuss the Ports' roster coming out of Spring Training 2022

2.10: 2022 Promos & More with Kieran McMahon
With baseball season just a month away, Ports' GM Kieran McMahon joins the show to share some of the promotional schedule, game day experience in 2022 and much more!

2.9: Pierre Crockrell II
It's time for our monthly visit with Pierre! He shares his thoughts on the Pacific Tigers' stretch run, the NBA All-Star festivities, and gives a sneak peak into what's happening with the Ports in the community during the leadup to the season.

2.8: Andrew Lorraine
Pirates scout Andrew Lorraine joins the show to provide a look through the lens of his profession. He also shares stories of his own playing career and involvement with Team Israel.

2.7: Chris Smith
Former Ports pitching coach Chris Smith joins the show and talks about his time in Stockton, particularly the 2021 season, his own career, and much more!

2.6: Pierre Crockrell II
Pacific Tigers point guard Pierre Crockrell II makes his January stop by the Portside Pod and talks about the Tigers' season, what awaits Pacific students at a Ports game, and much more!

2.5: Scott Emerson
Oakland A's Pitching Coach Scott Emerson joins the show to talk pitching, recalls his time in Stockton, discusses some of the experimental rules in Low A West this past season and much more!

2.4: Kumar Nambiar & Jake Walkinshaw
2021 Ports pitchers Kumar Nambiar and Jake Walkinshaw join the show to discuss their time in Stockton, offseason training programs, thoughts on the rules changes in Low-A West last season and much more.

2.3: Get To Know Pierre Crockrell II
At the beginning of the month, the Ports signed Pacific Tigers point guard Pierre Crockrell II to a NIL deal. In his first of several appearances on the Portside Pod, we get to know Pierre! He shares a bit about his background, his excitement level in partnering with the Ports, who he tries to emulate on the court, and much more.

2.2: Kieran McMahon
Get to know the Ports' new General Manager Kieran McMahon! Kieran shares some details about himself and helps us look forward to the 2022 season at Banner Island Ballpark.

2.1: Pat Filippone
On the first episode of the 2021 offseason, Ports President Pat Filippone joins the podcast to reflect on the 2021 season and look ahead to 2022 and the rest of the offseason

Ep 57: Garvin Alston
The Ports' pitching coach in 2007-08 joins Alex Jensen and shares his extensive knowledge of pitching and how it has evolved over the years, plus much more!

Ep 56: Rico Brogna
Time to meet the Ports 2021 manager! Rico Brogna joins Alex Jensen for a conversation about his background, how technology is impacting the game, what excites him about being a part of the A's organization and much more!

Ep 52: Jordy Feneck
Ports Community Relations Manager Jordy Feneck joins the show to talk about what life has been like in the Ports front office in 2020, react to the A's invitation to the Ports to remain an affiliate, and coffee, among other things

Ep 55: Jesse Goldburg-Strassler
Alex Jensen joins longtime Voice of the Lansing Lugnuts Jesse Goldburg-Strassler for a get-to-know-you chat: broadcasting, learning more about the A's new affiliate in Lansing, some stories from the Midwest League, and much more!

Ep 53: Dave Feldman
A's historian and official scorer at the Coliseum Dave Feldman joins Alex Jensen. The two give their opinions on the new rules in baseball, recap the 2020 A's and look forward to 2021, and Dave lists his top 5 players to have played both in Stockton and Oakland since the Ports became an A's affiliate in 2005.

Ep 51: Mathew Burns
Mathew Burns of mappingthepath.com joins the show to share stories of his travels, particularly his California Baseball Roadtrip in the summer of 2019 in which he visited all 15 professional ballparks in the state in just 18 days

Ep 50: Zack Bayrouty
Zack is back for the 50th episode of the Portside Pod! He and Alex chat about college hoops, the new rules in baseball, and which former Ports stood out to him during the MLB playoffs.

Ep 49: Shane Keough
Former Ports outfielder Shane Keough joins Alex Jensen for this episode and talks about his baseball background, life after baseball, the mental side of the game, and much more!

Ep 48: Scott Bush
Back in 2007, Scott Bush made the move to Stockton to work for the Ports. Now the CEO of SABR, he joins the Portside Pod to talk some analytics, his time in Stockton, and much more!

Ep 47: Mickey McDonald
2019 Ports outfielder Mickey McDonald joins Alex Jensen for this episode of the Portside Pod and shares what he's gotten out of 2020, his strengths as a player, and much more!

Ep 46: Bobby Crosby
The Ports would-be manager in 2020 stops by to break down what it was like at the A's alternate site in San Jose, some standouts there, and what's next for him

Ep 45: Owen Hopkins
Ports Ticket Sales rep and Merchandise Executive Owen Hopkins joins the show to share his role with the club, what Ports fans can look forward to in 2021 and much more!

Ep 44: Nick Highberger
The 2019 Ports reliever Nick Highberger joins the show and shares how he's evolved as a pitcher, the mindset needed to come out of the bullpen, playing in Stockton and much more!

Ep 43: Ray Fosse pt II
Part Two of Alex Jensen's conversation with A's analyst and 2x World Series Champion Ray Fosse covers the 2020 A's and some stories from Ray's career, including his days in the Cal League

Ep 42: Ray Fosse pt I
The A's lead analyst, 2x All-Star, and 2x World Series Champion Ray Fosse joins the show to discuss broadcasting during the pandemic, the 2020 rule changes and much more in the first of a two-part conversation.

Ep 41: Alex Espinoza IV
Alex Espinoza IV has covered the A's for MLB.com and The Athletic and currently runs The Rickey Henderson of Blogs as well as the Greatest Of All Podcasts (G.O.A.P.), where he's had guests such as Dallas Braden, Dave Stewart, and Dave Kaval. Alex joins the show to talk about the recent boycotts in pro sports, the 2020 A's, and more!

Ep 40: Katie Schulz
Stockton Ports Marketing Manager Katie Schulz joins Alex Jensen on the show to talk about the world of Minor League marketing and promotions, what Ports fans can look forward to for the rest of the year and 2021, and more!

Ep 39: Connor Hughes
The Ports 2020 would-be Strength & Conditioning Coach Connor Hughes joins the show to discuss his job responsibilities, the ever-evolving nature of the industry and more!

Ep 38: "Commander" Cody Elias
A's Cast has been a huge hit, and producer Cody Elias is a big reason why. He joins Alex Jensen on this episode of the Portside Pod to discuss A's Cast, the "unwritten rules" of baseball, and much more!

Ep 37: Amazin' A's Craze
Drew Jones - the man behind the social media hit Amazin' A's Craze (@AmazinAsCraze) - stops by to share how he started this project, the 2020 A's, how he became an A's fan growing up in Arkansas, and much more!

Ep 36: Christine Bowling
The Stockton Ports Director of Ticket Operations Christine Bowling joins the show and shares what she misses most about baseball season, while also sharing what fans can expect in 2021

Ep 35: Zak Basch
The A's Director of Minor League Operations takes the time to explain his job, the A's satellite camp, what makes a good affiliate, and much more!

Ep 34: Bryan "Kingpin" Johansen
Odds are if you're an A's fan who's active on Twitter, or is a frequent watcher of the big club, you know who Bryan Johansen (@SandLot408) is. "The Kingpin" is my guest on this edition of the Portside Pod, where we talk pins, cardboard cutouts, and a very highly anticipated first pitch at Bannder Island Ballpark.

Ep 33: Oakland A's UK pt II
In part two of my conversation with Matt Smith and Dom Clarke of Oakland A's UK, we cover the content they produce, what they're looking forward to about the 2020 A's, and the trip the boys will be making to Stockton in their next visit to Northern California

Ep 32: Oakland A's UK pt I
Matt Smith and Dom Clarke of Oakland A's UK stop by for a long conversation on the A's and what it's like to be a fan in Great Britain. Here's the first part of that conversation that outlines how they follow, road trips to watch the A's, and baseball's popularity across the pond.

1.31: Nick Voelker
Nick Voelker, who was set to be in his first season as the Ports' Athletic Trainer in 2020, stops by to talk about his career and job description. Interesting conversation about a field you don't hear about too often

Ep 30: A's Fan Radio pt II
More of the Cpl and Bauce Man of A's Fan Radio! Talking Howard Terminal, favorite A's memories at the Coliseum and much more

Ep 29: A's Fan Radio pt I
The Cpl and Bauce Man from A's Fan Radio join the show for the first of a two-part conversation to talk about life without baseball, the history of their show and much more

Ep 28: 2020 Update with Pat Filippone
The President of the Stockton Ports Pat Filippone joins the show to share what the Ports have been up to since the official cancellation of the 2020 Minor League season back on June 30

Ep 27: Mike Conway
Longtime Ports public address announcer "Iron Mike" joins Alex Jensen to share some stories from his 12 years behind the mic at Banner Island Ballpark

Ep 26: John Hickey
John Hickey, who covers the A's for SI.com, is my guest to discuss the shortened 2020 MLB season and how it affects the A's, the A's player pool and more

Ep 25: Ken Korach pt II
In part two of my conversation with A's broadcaster Ken Korach, we cover his broadcasting career, including his time in Cal League, favorite memories with the A's, and some Bill King stories

Ep 24: Ken Korach pt I
The radio voice of the Oakland A's Ken Korach joins the show, and in the first of a two-part conversation we discuss the upcoming shortened MLB season

Ep 23: Melissa Lockard on the MLB Draft
Melissa Lockard of The Athletic makes her return to the show to get us caught up on the A's 2020 Draft class and how soon we might see each prospect in Stockton

Ep 22: Will MacNeil
Self-described baseball junkie "Right Field Will" is a constant presence at Ports and A's games and joins the show to give the fan's perspective on life without baseball, rank his favorite MLB ballparks and much more

Ep 21: Darren Bush
Former Ports Manager and current A's Hitting Coach Darren Bush is our guest. We talk hitting and the A's lineup, and relive the Ports' last Cal League championship season in 2008

Ep 20: Bill Moriarty pt II
Part two of my conversation with A's Farm Editor-in-Chief Bill Moriarty covers some prospects who just missed his A's Top 10 list, guys who might be wearing a Ports uniform when play resumes, a quick preview of this week's MLB Draft, and much more

Ep 19: Bill Moriarty pt I
The Editor-In-Chief of A's Farm Bill Moriarty joins the show for a two-part conversation. Bill in part one describes how A's Farm got started almost two decades ago, talks potential minor league contraction, and gets into some strengths of the A's system

Ep 18: Ben Ross
Associate Producer at NBCSports Bay Area Ben Ross joins the show to discuss the possibility of the 2020 MLB season getting underway and relive his 2019 night at Banner Island Ballpark covering Jesus Luzardo and AJ Puk

Ep 17: 2020 Update with Luke Johnson
Ports Assistant General Manager Luke Johnson joins the show to provide as many updates as he can regarding the 2020 season, ticket information, promotional items, and much more

Ep 16: Paul Muyskens
Ports official scorer Paul Muyskens joins the show to take a walk down memory lane discussing his time as a mascot, as well as the ins-and-outs of scorekeeping

Ep 15: Martin Gallegos
MLB.com A's beat writer Martin Gallegos joins the show to discuss the prospects of the 2020 season, his story on Stockton native Dallas Braden and much more

Ep 14: Trace Loehr
2018 & 2019 Ports infielder Trace Loehr joins the show to talk hitting, sneakers and everything in between, including which A's Hall of Famer dominates locker room ping pong games

Ep 13: Chris Lampe
The California League's historian Chris Lampe joins the podcast to talk about Ports and Cal League's storied past

Ep 12: Anthony Aliotti
A's area scout and first baseman for the 2011 Stockton Ports Anthony Aliotti stops by to discuss evaluating players during the pandemic and share some stories from his playing days.

Ep 11: Rick Magnante pt II
Part 2 with former Ports manager Rick Magnante who shares some Ports memories discusses some players that will don a Ports uniform in the near future

Ep 10: Rick Magnante pt I
Former Ports Manager Rick Magnante joins the pod and discusses player evaluation, his thoughts on Banner Island Ballpark and much more in part one of this two-part conversation

Ep 9: Bobby Crosby pt II
In the second of our two-part conversation with the Ports' new manager, Bobby Crosby relives his call up story, discusses the athleticism in the A's system and much more.

Ep 8: Bobby Crosby pt I
In the first of a two-part conversation with the new Manager of the Stockton Ports, Bobby Crosby shares how he got back into coaching, his passion for teaching and managing style and much more.

Ep 7: Vic Zapien
A conversation with Stockton native and longtime Ports Clubhouse Manager Vic Zapien

Ep 6: Melissa Lockard part II
In the second of our two part conversation with Melissa Lockard of The Athletic, we discuss some A's prospects that may don a Ports uniform in the near future, what the 2020 A's might look like and much more.

Ep 5: Melissa Lockard part I
The first of our two-part conversation with Melissa Lockard of The Athletic focuses on the potential effects of COVID-19 to the upcoming baseball season, MLB's proposed changes to Minor League Baseball, new Ports Manager Bobby Crosby, and much more

Ep 4: Bryce Conley
On July 22, 2019, Bryce Conley was the starting pitcher in the first no-hitter thrown by the Stockton Ports in nearly 30 years. The right-hander is our guest for this episode, and he takes us back to that day in July, how he's staying ready during the layoff, and much more.

Ep 3: MiLB At Home Opener
Minor League Baseball's Opening Day has come and gone without a game being played, but that didn't stop the Stockton Ports celebrating the start of baseball with their fans on social media. On this episode, Ports Assistant General Managers Luke Johnson and Gary Olson stop by and discuss the club's online opening day festivities.

Ep 2: State of the Ports with Pat Filippone
"State of the Ports": A conversation with the President of the Stockton Ports, Pat Filippone, who discusses how the club is preparing for the 2020 season and shares some new features fans can expect at Banner Island Ballpark when baseball resumes

Ep 1: Zack Bayrouty
The inaugural edition of The Official Podcast of the Stockton Ports features former Ports broadcaster Zack Bayrouty, who takes us on a walk down memory lane including some of his favorite moments during his 14 seasons at Banner Island Ballpark