Episode 8 - Is Andy McCullough The Greatest Baseball Beat Writer of the Royals/Dodgers Of All Time?

The GOATcast with Ryan Patrick Dolan

Andy McCullough was The Kansas City Star beat writer for the Kansas City Royals during their two-year World Series run in 2014 & 2015. He's now covering the Dodgers' for the Los Angeles Times. Andy joined me via phone before heading down to Spring Training in Arizona, where the Dodgers kick off their 2017 practice this week. We talked what it would take for him to hunt with Ned Yost, his dislike for KC BBQ, and writing. He's a very enjoyable follow on Twitter @McCulloughTimes
If you're going to read one piece of his on the Royals, you should read his recap of their epic Wildcard game in 2014: The Night Kansas City Baseball Came Back to Life
0:00 - Intro
4:00 - Andy's discussion of the meaningless of spring training games
6:45 - Andy starting cover the Mets for the New Jersey Star-Ledger at the age of 22.
7:45 - Typical Day of a Sportswriter during the season
10:00 - Differences/Similarities between Dodgers and Royals Clubhouses
11:00 - Andy hates KC BBQ which makes him public enemy #1 in KC
15:45 - Andy's take on Royals' missing Jarrod Dyson who was traded to the Mariners
17:00 - The impact of Yordano Ventura's death. (Interview took place before Jason Hammel signing with Royals)
19:30 - Andy's relationship with Bob Dutton and Rustin Dodd (the two beat writers that preceded and followed him.)
20:45 - Andy's transition to L.A.
22:30 - Difference between Dodgers and KC fans during their recent playoff runs
24:25 - Andy on Vin Scully, who retired at the end of 2016
24:45 - Andy's GOATMission
26:47 - Andy's tempestuous relationship with Ned Yost
31:15 - Andy's take on the 2017 Dodgers
33:30 - Can Yasiel Puig rebound for the Dodgers this year?
36:00 - Corey Seager "The Dodgers' Corey Seager doesn't act like baseball's top prospect"
37:30 - Andy on Clayton Kershaw and his work ethic. Andy wrote this great profile on him in October before the 2016 Playoff Run: Modest but proud, "Clayton Kershaw gets another chance to polish his October legacy"
40:15 - Kershaw, Alex Gordon, and various players' work ethics.
42:00 - We talk about Andy's essay on his father who passed away when Andy was in high school It originally appeared in the Star-Ledger. You can read it here.
46:45 - Andy's thoughts about baseball writing and other projects he'd like to take on in the future
48:45 - Proust GOAT-Tionnaire
49:40 - Royals' Danny Duffy is Andy's favorite baseball interview "A Bear Suit, Joel"
52:40 ANDY MCCULLOUGH'S THE GREATEST BASEBALL BEAT WRITER OF THE ROYALS/DODGERS EVER! I forgot to tell him.