In today's episode of Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak checks in on preparations at the “Heath Bell Gingerbread House Factory,” where the 3x All-Star is gearing up to bake and build as many as 20 homes for friends, family, and a New Year’s celebration. It’s peak festive chaos in the Bell household!

From there, the discussion turns to meaningful baseball moves. Former Padres manager Mike Shildt is heading “home” to the Baltimore Orioles organization, taking on a player-development role that reconnects him with the franchise he grew up with. The conversation then shifts to Toronto’s massive commitment to Dylan Cease — seven years and $210 million — and what that says about durability, value, and the evolving expectations for starting pitchers in today’s MLB landscape.

Finally, the guys have some fun with Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, debating which era of baseball they’d most want to play in — from the Golden Age to the pitcher-dominated ’60s to the wild expansion era of the ’70s and ’80s. It’s a nostalgic, imaginative finish that brings baseball history to life.

Chapters:

00:00 - Holiday Cheer and Gingerbread Houses at Casa de Heath;
02:09 - Mike Shildt's New Role with the Orioles;
04:39 - Is it Hard for Someone Like Shildt to Stay Retired?;
06:57 - Dylan Cease's Record Contract with Toronto;
07:32 - Is Cease's Durability Worth $26M a Year?;
11:07 - December 8th is Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day;
12:16 - Exploring Baseball Eras: A Time Traveler's Dream;
17:16 - Did Heath Bell Enjoy Hitting?

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