#531: Tri-City manager Dann Bilardello

December 5, 2025·1 hr 6 min·5 clips

Dann Bilardello gets emotional after his 900th win, revealing how age has changed his perspective on baseball.

This episode of the Minor League Baseball Podcast, hosted by Tyler Rohn, Sam Dykstra, and Benjamin Hill, focuses on offseason developments in the minor leagues and features an interview with a veteran manager. The hosts discuss recent team identity changes and preview the upcoming Rule 5 draft. The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes have changed their color scheme from blue to red after switching their Major League affiliation from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Los Angeles Angels. Their new alternate logo features a lowercase "q" with a halo, referencing the classic California Angels look. The Modesto Nuts, now a Pioneer League team, rebranded from the initially announced "Glow Riders" to the "Modesto Roadsters," a name inspired by local car culture and the film *American Graffiti*. The Beloit Sky Carp introduced a new alternate identity for 2026 called the "Wisconsin Supper Clubbers," featuring a "Grasshopper" dessert cocktail logo. Benjamin Hill shares a previously unaired interview with Tri-City Dust Devils manager Dann Bilardello, who recently earned his 900th career minor league managerial win. Bilardello, a former Major League catcher whose career began in 1978, reflects on the milestone and his lengthy career in baseball. He discusses how player management has evolved, emphasizing the need for honesty and adaptability with younger generations. Bilardello recounts hitting his first Major League home run off Hall of Famer Tom Seaver and later getting Seaver to autograph the ball. Sam Dykstra previews the Rule 5 draft, explaining its purpose and highlighting several eligible players, including Blue Jays outfielder Johandric Penango and Tigers pitcher RJ Pettit. The hosts also analyze the Toronto Blue Jays' aggressive offseason, noting their signing of pitcher Dylan Cease to a $210 million contract and the acquisition of former KBO MVP Cody Ponce. They connect this activity to the team's recent American League championship run and its growing appeal to free agents. The tone is conversational and informational, blending lighthearted banter between the hosts with detailed baseball reporting and a reflective interview. This episode will appeal to dedicated minor league baseball fans who enjoy deep dives into team branding, prospect analysis, and stories from baseball lifers. Listeners seeking breaking Major League news or those with only a casual interest in the minors might find the niche topics less engaging.

As heard by us

Plainspoken baseball talk that feels like clubhouse conversation, not a polished recap.

This episode stays in plainspoken baseball territory. A manager talks about the tough, direct coaches who shaped how he leads now, and about the lesson in being corrected and then passing that honesty along to players.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for a baseball conversation that feels like clubhouse talk after hours.

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