Category Archives: Our Podcasts

INSIDE CHINA BASIN: CBS Sports Director Bob Fishman On His Career, Vin Scully & Sandy Koufax

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast 

Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!

CBS Sports Director Bob Fishman, who is a Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, joins Inside China Basin to talk about his illustrious career which includes directing 2 World Series. His resume is highlighted by 37 NCAA Final Fours, 27 US Open tennis championships, 20 Daytona 500s, 3 Olympic Winter Games and numerous NFL, NBA playoffs and college football games. A diehard Dodgers fan, Bob tells great stories about his time in network television including opportunities to develop friendships with childhood idols Sandy Koufax and Vin Scully.

Fishman on why baseball is the hardest sport to direct: 

“Every other major sport is played left to right or right to left. So, basically you are on one  camera to document the play…Baseball is the only sport where you are making internal camera cuts in the middle of the play…You may have five or six cuts within a single play. ”

Listen To Bob Fishman

Check out our other Giants Podcasts throughout the season.

Subscribe to INSIDE CHINA BASIN for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify through

BLEAV Podcast Network

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Jerry Hairston, Jr.-MLB “Missing A Huge Opportunity” To Start Season Soon

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast 

Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!

Former Major Leaguer, now Spectrum Sports Net LA analyst Jerry Hairston, Jr. joins us to cover a variety of topics including his experience in the Giants/Dodgers rivalry. 

Jerry on racial prejudice he experienced early in his career in the minor leagues: 

“I had some run-ins playing in Winston-Salem I was called a lot of things. Playing in Vegas in a tournament I was called a couple of names. I understood that it’s nothing like what Jackie Robinson (and others) had to go through…or what my grandfather (Sam, who played in the Negro Leagues and the Major Leagues) had to go through. I was able to handle it because my father (Jerry, Sr. who also played in the Majors) prepared me for that. ”

On MLB not having an agreement yet to start the season: 

“I think baseball is missing a huge opportunity. I thought we’d be playing by July 4th. I’m just shocked the owners haven’t been able to come to an agreement. The players have proven that they want to play.”

On former Giants manager Dusty Baker being the Astros manager after the cheating scandal:

“I was hoping he wouldn’t get that job because Dusty really deserves better. Dusty is probably the best manager I ever played for, the most prepared manager I ever played for and probably the best communicator…He’s going to handle (the aftermath of the Astros issues) because he’s a people person and he’s going to be able to kind of shield his players the best he can.” 

We also chat with Annie Maciel, the manager of the Facebook group SF Giants Gamer Babes to get a fan perspective on missing Major League Baseball.

Listen To Jerry Hairston,Jr and Annie Maciel

Even in a shortened season, it’s shaping up to be a long year for the Giants. Every site reviewed on My Top Sportsbooks with divisional futures on offer has San Francisco with the longest odds to win the NL West, ranging from +5000 (2% chance) to +8000 (1.2% chance). FanGraphs projections had them finishing 20 games below .500 in a full season, six games behind the next-worst team in the division (Colorado).

Check out our other Giants Podcasts throughout the season.

Subscribe to INSIDE CHINA BASIN for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify through

BLEAV Podcast Network

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Ray Woodson on MLB and USA, HOF Mike Schmidt on Barry Bonds

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast 

Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!

Today we revisit a March conversation we had with Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt on the Inside China Basin podcast. He was asked if Barry Bonds should go in the Hall:

Accomplishments on the field, absolutely. The whole steroid thing, we all have our opinions and the only opinions that matter are the sportswriters that do the voting. We don’t know, all we know is what we see. We look at somebody and how big they are and wonder sometimes how someone could get that big just by working out…I know he had a great deal of respect for me. We talked a lot when we played against each other. I would hope that some day it all gets ironed out and he and Roger (Clemens) and all of the people in the Hall of Fame can come together and give them their just reward.”

Now in early June, MLB players and owners are negotiating proposals to have a 2020 season. Former KNBR Talk Show host Ray Woodson give his thoughts on that and makes a statement about the current situation in the United States with protests occurring all over the country:

“This is a tipping point in our history…White people have to do some of the work now, maybe most of the work to bridge gaps.”

Listen To Ray Woodson and Mike Schmidt

Check out our other Giants Podcasts throughout the season.

Subscribe to INSIDE CHINA BASIN for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify through

BLEAV Podcast Network

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Former Giants LHP Jeremy Affeldt and KCBS Anchor Steve Bitker

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast 

Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!

Today we revisit a March conversation we had with former Giants LHP Jeremy Affeldt on the Inside China Basin podcast. He talked about the Giants not being favorites when they were winning World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014:

“People look at power and the home runs they have. I would always laugh. Good pitching will break down good hitting any day of the week.”

Now in late May, MLB players are reviewing a proposal to have a 2020 season. KCBS radio sports anchor Steve Bitker isn’t on board:

“I’m a big sports fans, I love watching games, but I would prefer it if MLB, the NBA, the NFL and the NHL didn’t return this year at all. I just think it’s way too early.”

Listen To Jeremy Affeldt and Steve Bitker

Check out our other Giants Podcasts throughout the season.

Subscribe to INSIDE CHINA BASIN for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify through

BLEAV Podcast Network

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Giants 1B/OF Chris Shaw Perseveres, Former SF LHP Scott Eyre Reflects

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast 

Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!

Giants 1B/OF Chris Shaw joins the SF Giants Inside China Basin podcast. He’s put up big numbers in the minor leagues, but has yet to prove himself in the bigs. Here’s his message to fans wondering about his future:

“STAY TUNED. I’M NOT DONE AND I’M NOT GOING TO QUIT.  I CAN’T EVER PICTURE MYSELF GETTING TO A POINT WHERE I’M WILLING TO WALK AWAY HAVING LEFT A STONE UNTURNED. I JUST WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF IF I DIDN’T GIVE IT EVERYTHING I HAD. THAT’S KIND OF HOW I’VE BEEN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I HAVE BEEN AGAINST ODDS FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF MY LIFE BASEBALL-WISE AND I’VE ALWAYS REALLY LOVED THE CHALLENGE OF GOING OUT AND BEING ABLE TO PROVE EVERYBODY WRONG.”

Former Giants reliever Scott Eyre talked about the team’s reaction to the 2002 World Series game 6 loss to the Angels:

“I THINK WE WERE IN AWE OF WHAT HAPPENED. IT WAS LIKE A 12-PITCH AT BAT TO (SCOTT) SPIEZIO THAT FINALLY PUT THE NAIL WITH THE HOME RUN…I THINK A LOT OF US SUNK. THERE WAS NOT A WORD SPOKEN IN THE CLUBHOUSE AFTER THE GAME. I DON’T REMEMBER EATING FOOD AFTER THE GAME. THE NEXT DAY WHEN WE GOT TO THE FIELD ALL I EVER HEARD FROM ANYBODY IN THE CLUBHOUSE WAS POSITIVITY. WE HAD THIS, WE WERE GOING TO WIN AND THEN WE GOT SHUT DOWN BY JOHN LACKEY. CRAP HAPPENS.”

Listen To Chris Shaw and Scott Eyre

Photos courtesy of NBC Sports, Bradenton Juice and the San Francisco Chronicle

Check out our other Giants Podcasts throughout the season.

Subscribe to INSIDE CHINA BASIN for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify through

BLEAV Podcast Network

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Former Giants Reliever George Kontos Reflects On His Career In SF

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast 

Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!

George Kontos joins the SF Giants Inside China Basin podcast to talk about his 8-year Major League career which has included 300 appearances over 6 years with the Giants. His journey is a story of perseverance which includes Tommy John surgery and surprisingly getting selected on waivers by the Pirates. In this podcast, Kontos talks about the thrill of being a 2-time World Series champion and the emotions of playing against his favorite childhood team, the Chicago Cubs. 

Listen To George Kontos

Check out our other Giants Podcasts throughout the season.

Subscribe to INSIDE CHINA BASIN for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify through

BLEAV Podcast Network

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Ahmed Fareed From NBC Sports Reminisces About His Bay Area Days

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast

Updated once a week on TheSportsVirus.com!

Today we catch up with former NBC Sports Bay Area Giants pre-game/post-game host Ahmed Fareed, who is currently with NBC Sports Network.  We talk about his career and his San Francisco memories. “I really miss” covering the Giants, says Fareed. 

Listen To Ahmed Fareed

Watch this podcast as a Webcast on Facebook too! 

Our next guest is former Giants reliever George Kontos. This podcast will be the first Inside China Basin podcast available on the Bleav Podcast Network!

Check out our other Podcasts all year long. INSIDE CHINA BASIN is also available on ITUNES. 

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Author Joan Ryan and Ray Woodson Talk Baseball Chemistry

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast

Updated once a week on TheSportsVirus.com!

Today we talk about baseball team chemistry with Joan Ryan, who authored the book Intangibles. Ryan is a former sport columnist who interviewed a lot of players and managers on the subject and drew some interesting conclusions. We discuss how team chemistry had a great impact on Giants teams over the last 30 years.

Former KNBR Radio Giants post game show host Ray Woodson also gives his take on the subject. 

Listen To Joan Ryan and Ray Woodson

Watch this podcast as a Webcast on Facebook too! 

Join us again next week when Ahed Fareed from NBC Sports is our guest.

Check out our other Podcasts all year long. INSIDE CHINA BASIN is also available on ITUNES. 

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Shawn Estes (NBC Sports Bay Area), Michael Duca (Author)

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast

Updated once a week on TheSportsVirus.com!

Today former Giants LHP Shawn Estes joins us to talk about his career as an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area and he tells some great stories from his playing career. Michael Duca, who is the co-author of the book The Baseball Codes is also our guest.

Listen To Shawn Estes and Michael Duca

Watch this podcast as a Webcast on our YouTube channel too! Live every Tuesday then archived later in the week. 

Join us again next Tuesday when author Joan Ryan joins us to talk about her new book Intangibles and Ray Woodson will be our guest as well.

Check out our other Podcasts all year long. INSIDE CHINA BASIN is also available on ITUNES. 

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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INSIDE CHINA BASIN: Hall Of Famer Mike Schmidt On Kapler/Bonds/Astros Scandal

Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast

Updated once a week on TheSportsVirus.com!

Today we have a special edition of our podcast as we catch up with the great Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. We chat about Mike’s illustrious career which included 3 MVP awards, 12 All Star Games, 10 Gold Glove awards and 548 career home runs. He talks about the emotions of facing retirement (he played his last career game in 1989 in San Francisco at Candlestick Park), his 500th career home run and winning the 1980 World Series MVP.

We also discuss the Hall of Fame candidacies of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens and we get to hear Mike’s thoughts on new Giants manager Gabe Kapler and the Astros cheating scandal. 

Listen To Mike Schmidt

Watch this podcast as a Webcast on our YouTube channel too! Live every Tuesday then archived later in the week. 

Join us again Tuesday when NBC Sports Bay Area Analyst and former Giants pitcher Shawn Estes is our guest! Plus we will discuss the book The Baseball Codes with co-author Michael Duca.

Check out our other Podcasts all year long. INSIDE CHINA BASIN is also available on ITUNES. 

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This podcast is sponsored by (Click each image to visit the sponsor’s website):

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