When Baseball Was Still Topps - Phil Coffin

Author & Judge Lou Schiff joins Mat & Mark

28 years on the bench

Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Upcoming book: Attorneys in the Baseball Hall of Fame

Plans for Marlins games in LA and Milwaukee

Visits to Japan and LA

World Baseball Classic

Caribbean baseball fans & attendance comparison with the Marlins

Past Marlins stars (Yelich, Ozuna, Stanton, Realmuto) & team-building challenges

Ownership lack of long-term commitment affecting fan engagement

The importance of consistency in building a franchise

Pitching depth concerns f(Yuri Pérez’s return, Sandy Alcantara’s status)

Junior Caminero’s dramatic home run

Building a Competitive Team – The importance of a strong general manager and financial strategy. Discussion on past Marlins trades and franchise decisions.

Reflections on Derek Jeter, Kim Ng, and Don Mattingly's tenure. Why Kim Ng was the best thing to happen to the Marlins and the controversy surrounding her departure.

MLB’s Financial Landscape – impact of ownership decisions on team success, the need for a salary floor, and the debate over trade equity.

Should MLB Penalize Team Owners when their teams lose?

Ownership Models in Baseball – Comparing private vs. public ownership, with examples like the Atlanta Braves and the Green Bay Packers

Dodgers, Contracts, and MLB’s Future – Examining deferred contracts like Shohei Ohtani’s and how they might push MLB toward a salary cap & floor.

Rule Changes Under Rob Manfred – The pros and cons of pitch clocks, bigger bases, and the controversial "Manfred Man" in extra innings.

The Fan Experience in Japan vs. the U.S. –

World Series Predictions & Hopes

Mat Germain predicts the Red Sox could be the next World Series winner.

Hopes for early elimination of the Dodger

Would love to see the Pirates or Brewers in the World Series.

Proposed Rule Changes in Baseball

Lou Schiff wants to eliminate the (DH) and bring back pitcher batting, bunting, and small ball.

Modern baseball has too many strikeouts and misses the era of stolen bases and more strategic play.

Mat Germain argues keeping the DH is an equalizer for small-market teams, allowing them to bring in veteran hitters like Nelson Cruz to compete with wealthier teams.

Automated Umpiring & Replay System Changes

Automated strike zones are gaining traction, with MLB experimenting by measuring players’ strike zones individually

Believes bias could affect decisions, even unintentionally, due to relationships or experience levels.

Suggests an approach, where calls are reviewed without prior knowledge of the on-field ruling.

How does bias influences umpiring decisions

Attorneys in the Baseball Hall of Fame" is Co-authored by Lou Schiff & 10 other contributors, covering 11 Hall of Fame members who were also lawyers.

The book Includes players, owners, commissioners, & managers with legal backgrounds.

Lou wrote the chapter on Tony La Russa, the only living attorney in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

La Russa’s signed as a "bonus baby" with Kansas City but later pursued law later

Attended law school and passed the bar exam but never actively practiced law.

Lou interviewed several people connected to La Russa, including:

Prof. Charles Earhart (his law professor), Scott Tozian (law school friend), Judge Robin Fuson (former player under La Russa), Mike Veeck (his first managerial job connection), Bill Dooley (his former boss)

Appendix includes statistics on Hall of Fame lawyers: Net worth, marriages, law schools, and more
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