The secret behind elite wooden bats is not just craftsmanship—it’s patience, obsession, and a willingness to learn the hard way. John Vullo of Vullo Bat Company shares how a backyard hobby became an MLB-certified bat business trusted by pros, including the Chicago Cubs, and why the torpedo bat conversation has put his shop right in the middle of baseball’s latest evolution. Inside the Foul hosts Chris and Ethan dig into John’s full journey—from watching his dad build a local softball community in Newport, Washington, to coaching his son, to realizing he needed a new way to stay connected to the game. That search led to a lathe, a dust collector, and a first bat he still keeps as a reminder of where it all began. You’ll discover how John taught himself the craft through pure trial and error, why tracking every billet, model, and ounce by hand has become part of his process, and how he built custom models like the VC 815 by turning performance into a numbering system that actually means something. He also breaks down the subtle differences that separate a 271 from a 116, what makes a torpedo bat work, and why the billet you choose at the very beginning can determine everything that follows. John also opens up about what changed when the company moved from hobby to full-time operation, how his wife Lori joined the business and helped scale production, and what it really takes to keep a two-person company personal while meeting pro-level demand. Despite MLB licensing, audits, and growing attention, he stays committed to one thing above all: making a bat that feels right in a hitter’s hands. This episode goes beyond bat specs and shop talk. It’s about family, legacy, and the emotional weight of building something with your name on it. If you love baseball, craftsmanship, or the kind of story where passion slowly becomes a life’s work, this one is essential listening. John Vullo is the founder of Vullo Bat Company, an MLB-certified wooden bat maker based in Newport, Washington. What began as a hobby grew into a family-run operation producing game bats, training bats, and custom models for professional players and organizations. Perfect for baseball fans, coaches, players, and anyone who loves stories about turning a lifelong obsession into a craft that matters. Turn this into a graphic with this logo make look professional and clean

October baseball is all about the teams that survive, not the teams that merely looked best in April. Chris and Ethan break down the 2026 playoff picture, the clubs nobody wants to face, and the stars most likely to decide a World Series run when 162 games suddenly stop mattering.From the Rays’ small-ball identity to the Brewers’ October upside, from the Yankees’ pressure cooker to the Dodgers’ relentless championship expectations, this episode lays out exactly why postseason baseball feels like a different sport. Chris and Ethan dig into byes, bullpen management, short-series strategy, and why getting hot at the right time can matter more than having the best record in baseball.You’ll hear bold takes on the AL and NL races, including why Tampa Bay, Boston, Cleveland, the White Sox, the Cubs, the Phillies, the Padres, Arizona, and Houston all have very different paths to making noise. They also break down which arms and bats are built for October, why some rosters collapse under pressure, and which managers and lineups can actually survive a five-game or seven-game series.

The World Baseball Classic might be creating a hidden cost no one wants to talk about—and the numbers around some of baseball’s biggest names are impossible to ignore. From Cal Raleigh’s offensive drop, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s lost power, and Aaron Nola’s brutal season to the velocity concerns around Paul Skenes and the injury questions surrounding Tarik Skubal, this episode asks a simple but uncomfortable question: is March baseball leaving players carrying a hangover into the 162-game grind?Chris and Ethan break down the stats, the injuries, and the patterns player by player, separating coincidence from something more serious. They dig into whether playoff-intensity games in spring training are disrupting routines, overloading pitchers too early, and throwing hitters out of rhythm before Opening Day even arrives. Along the way, they look at standout WBC performances too—including Logan Webb, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Seiya Suzuki—to test whether the tournament is actually helping some players while hurting others.

Inside the Foul sits down with Luke and traces the road from Georgia youth ball to River Ridge High School, Georgia Southern, Walters State, South Carolina, and eventually the Reds and Astros systems. Along the way, Luke opens up about injuries, the yips, the pressure of climbing the minor league ladder, and the moment he realized baseball development is as much about mindset and trust as it is about arm strength and metrics.You’ll discover how a catcher earns pitchers’ trust, why pitch selection became survival when his shoulder kept popping out, and what it really felt like to be traded while eating lunch and checking his phone too late. Luke also shares what it was like to compete in spring training alongside stars like Justin Verlander, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Nelson Cruz, plus the routine, discipline, and competition that separate Triple-A from the big leagues.But this episode goes far beyond baseball. Luke also recounts the moment music became part of his identity, how he turned a song into his walk-up music, what it was like to hear his own voice blast through the ballpark, and why worship music and faith now anchor his life after baseball. From minor league chaos to gospel songs, Luke’s story is about reinvention, resilience, and learning who you are when the uniform comes off.

Willie Wilson was fast, but speed was never the whole story. The Royals legend and 1982 American League batting champion reveals the baseball IQ behind 668 stolen bases, 41 career homers, and a career built on reading pitchers, taking pressure off his team, and knowing exactly when to run, hit, or hold.He also opens up about the overlooked details that made his game work: the tiny lead-off steps that kept him from getting picked off, the chin and heel tells he watched from the dugout, and why base stealing is about timing and patterns far more than raw wheels. If you think speed alone makes a great runner, Willie makes the case for something much smarter.We also get the stories that only a 19-year veteran can tell. Willie breaks down what it was like playing with and against Ricky Henderson, Bo Jackson, George Brett, Amos Otis, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, and the Yankees teams he loved to beat. He shares the real difference between being quick and being fast, the prank that nearly got him in trouble with Bo, and how veteran leadership shaped championship baseball in Oakland, Chicago, and Kansas City.Willie also talks about the grind behind the glamour - moving from Alabama to New Jersey, learning the outfield after starting as a catcher, switching to switch-hitting in the minors, helping his mom with his first pro paycheck, and surviving the pressure of playoff baseball by refusing to let the moment own him. His perspective on today’s game is just as sharp, especially when he explains why hitters need to trust their eyes, shorten up, and let the ball come to them.

In this episode of Inside the Foul, Chris, Ethan, and our buddy Christian Colon dig into one of the biggest debates in baseball right now: MLB’s plan to “level the playing field.” The conversation breaks down the proposed salary cap, salary floor, revenue split, and draft changes, but it also goes deeper into what those moves really mean for players, teams, and fans.he hosts discuss the trade deadline fallout, the business side of baseball, and the human side of being traded — from uprooting your life to proving yourself in a new city. Along the way, they debate whether competitive balance can actually be created by limiting opportunity, or whether the game’s success depends on rewarding smart front offices, player development, and long-term team culture.If you care about baseball, labor, competition, or the future of the sport, this episode is a sharp, passionate look at the tension between ownership, players, and the fans caught in the middle.

Brian Fletcher’s story proves the best baseball journeys do not end when the uniform comes off. From being one of Georgia’s most exciting high school prospects to starring at Auburn, climbing all the way to Triple-A, and then reinventing himself as artist Fletch, this episode is about what it really takes to keep going when the dream changes.Inside the Foul goes beyond the box score with Brian as he breaks down the mindset that carried him from Stars Mill and East Cobb to Auburn, the Royals organization, and a first AAA at-bat that ended in a home run. He opens up about the lessons his father, former big leaguer Brian Fletcher Sr., drilled into him early - pride in your work, emotional balance, and never going through the motions.You’ll discover how he handled the pressure of elite travel ball, the surprise of college recruiting while pro scouts were still circling, and why Auburn felt like the right fit even with major league interest on the table. Brian also shares what separated that special Auburn team, how confidence shifts when you start proving you can compete against the best, and why the small window of college baseball taught him not to take a single day for granted.We break down the reality of the minor league grind too - the cold Midwest nights, the everyday wear-and-tear, the struggle to stay patient in Triple-A, and the mental discipline required to survive a game built around failure. Brian explains how success and failure both shaped him, why simplifying the game matters, and how the same resilience that helped him on the field now fuels his music.Then the conversation takes a sharp turn into the creative world of Fletch. Brian talks about writing songs since middle school, using music as an escape, and learning that songwriting can be even more vulnerable than stepping into the batter’s box. He connects baseball and music through flow state, authenticity, and the need to express the parts of himself fans never saw.This one is essential listening if you love baseball stories with real depth, athlete identity, and comeback energy - or if you’re curious how a former pro ballplayer turns pressure, doubt, and joy into a new creative lane.

Mitch Harris proves the impossible is often just improbable. The former Navy officer and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher shares how he spent five years serving his country, then fought all the way back to the majors and made history as the first Naval Academy graduate to appear in a MLB game since 1921.Inside the Foul hosts Chris and Ethan unpack the full story behind the two uniforms Mitch wore with pride, from his childhood Braves obsession to the drafting drama, the flight-deck bullpen sessions in the Persian Gulf, and the brutal reset of trying to rediscover his arm after years away from baseball.You'll discover how Mitch navigated the tension between military service and professional sports, why the Cardinals gave him the shot no one else would, and what it really takes to rebuild confidence when your timeline looks nothing like everyone else's. He also opens up about the discipline, leadership, and mental toughness that connected life in the Navy with life in the clubhouse.Mitch shares the mindset behind his book My Private War, including the difference between impossible and improbable, why vulnerability matters, and how identity can get lost when the uniform comes off. It's a conversation about delayed dreams, relentless preparation, and finding purpose in a path that refuses to go straight.