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A metal ring on a bat and a lefty with a screwball don’t sound like they belong in the same story, but they do and both changed how baseball feels. We start with a piece of baseball history you’ve seen a thousand times: the batting donut in the on-deck circle. Who invented it, how it spreads through Major League Baseball, and why the “heavier warm-up makes you faster” idea might be more myth than measurable truth. We also get into the psychology: if a hitter feels locked in, does the donut still do its job even when the stopwatch disagrees?

From there, we bring back our friend of the show, Edwin Noland, for a timely MLB playoffs 2026 check-in. We talk matchups, momentum, and why some teams win October by simply refusing to beat themselves. Edwin makes his World Series picks, and we lay out what we’re watching as the field narrows.

Then we go deep on Fernando Valenzuela, Fernandomania, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. We walk through the Chavez Ravine backstory, the scouting moment that lands Fernando in LA, and the breakout 1981 rookie season that turns him into a national phenomenon. It’s not just stats and highlights. It’s culture, identity, and how one player helps reshape a fan base for generations.

If you’re into baseball trivia, Dodgers history, and the real stories behind the sport’s rituals, hit subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review. What’s one baseball tradition you love even if it “doesn’t work”?

Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com