Is This A Great Game, Or What?

Our hilarious guest is Kent Mercker, former MLB pitcher who spent 18 seasons in the big leagues and shared clubhouses with 17 Hall of Famers throughout his remarkable career. We dive into his experiences with Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine, getting an inside look at what made each of them such extraordinary players, competitors, and teammates.
Plus, we’re never going to pass up a great Bobby Cox story, and Mercker has plenty of them. He threw a no-hitter, was part of a combined no-hitter, and accomplished something else that makes him the only player in baseball history to achieve all three. Find out what that unique distinction is in the interview.
He’s also a proud girl dad, a role he considers one of his greatest accomplishments. He shares a memorable moment with Mark McGwire that we’re willing to bet you’ve never heard before, along with a Vin Scully story that absolutely gave us chills.
Thanks for listening or watching, and thank you always for being a part of our family!
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Spend Father’s Day with your favorite father-son baseball podcasting duo, Tim and Jeff Kurkjian!
We cover all the latest happenings across Major League Baseball, but first, we kick things off with a Kurkjian Quandary about golf (yes, we love these).
The Marlins are playing great baseball, and so is Bryce Harper. Harper and Manny Machado both reflect on how different the game is today, especially when it comes to facing pitching compared to when they first broke into the majors.
Plus, the commissioner of the podcast, Mike Schur, shares a Quirkjiian that will have you thinking about unassisted triple plays in a whole new way.
And on this date, we celebrate baseball legends Bobby Cox, Babe Ruth, and Willie Mays. We'd say that's a pretty strong lineup.
Then we spin the Wheel of Kurkjian and talk all things baseball—it's kind of the perfect segment.
Thanks so much for listening or watching, and thank you for being part of our family!
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Jeff is back, Tim is visiting his new grandson, and life is good here on Is This A Great Game, Or What? A huge thank-you to Kelly Kurkjian for stepping in on our last episode—she was an absolute superstar!
We start with Cal Raleigh, because he's simply the best. After a slow start to the season, he looks like he's finding his groove again. Nothing will top last year, of course, but it's great to see him back on track. We also discuss Jeff Hoffman's puzzling season and take a look at what baseball could look like in Las Vegas after getting a sneak peek of what's to come.
Colt Keith leads off the Quirkjians segment, and a Hopp, Skip and Jump is finally complete—much to Tim Kurkjian's delight. In Three Cards in the Bathroom, Jeff shares a few favorites from his card collection, featuring some names that are sure to bring back memories.
On This Date and Alphabest both turn into a celebration of Willie Mays. The legendary Hall of Famer is almost impossible to put into words, but we do our best—including sharing what Johnny Bench once said about him, a remarkable testament to Mays' character and impact.
We wrap up the episode with an all-Team Tim lineup featuring the greatest pinch hitters of all time, inspired by Kelly's outstanding pinch-hitting performance earlier in the week.
Thanks so much for listening and watching, and as always, thank you for being part of our family!
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Mike Schur is a TV writer and producer best known for creating Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Good Place. He also worked on The Office and played Mose, Dwight's delightfully odd cousin. Impressive credentials, of course—but most importantly to us, he's a massive baseball fan. That may even be underselling it. Mike joins Tim Kurkjian and Jeff to talk baseball, including the fact that both he and Tim were at Pedro Martínez's legendary 17-strikeout game against the Yankees. Was that the greatest pitching season ever?
The three also dive into their shared love of storytelling and why the best baseball stories often stick with us as much as the games themselves. Is it any surprise that one of television's great writers appreciates a great story?
Schur also praises the Brewers for their knack for pulling off incredible trades and shares his deep admiration for Shohei Ohtani, encouraging everyone to appreciate just how remarkable a player he is. And, of course, there's Mike's new book, Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love, co-authored with sportswriter Joe Posnanski. Released in May 2026, the book explores fandom across sports, music, and beyond, celebrating the passion that brings people together. Pick up a copy online or wherever books are sold.
One quick editorial note: this episode was recorded on June 10, just one day before Jeff and his wife, Emily, welcomed their son, Bodie, into the world. Thanks so much for watching and listening, and thanks for being part of our family.
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Kelly Kurkjian makes her show debut! She joins her dad, Hall of Famer Tim Kurkjian, as a special guest host given Jeff's excused absence. Tim will never stop talking about Kelly's free throw shooting prowess.
Tim names his All-Childbirth team and names a new show commissioner. Plus, remembering awkward car rides with dad when Hall of Famers are on the phone! One glove wasn't enough to replace Tim's beloved A2000.
Houston Astros star Yordan Álvarez's incredible first inning leads Takeaways. Milwaukee Brewers stud Jacob Misiorowski tees how Tim took up Pokemon cards.
On This Date: Johnny Vander Meer's second no-hitter, and a couple important birthdays. Plus, hear how Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench warmly celebrated Tim and family in Cooperstown.
Kelly drops her team "Pop Pop's Home Team"
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