Chasing Baseball Moments: Baseball Storytelling with Brooke and Joel

Celebrating Baseball Passion: A Jay Bird Watching Interview with Brooke and Joel

Toronto Blue Jays fans tuning into the latest Jay Bird Watching Podcast were treated to something special—a wide-ranging conversation with Brooke and Joel, two dedicated baseball storytellers whose love for the game and commitment to the culture of baseball shine through every word. Their insights on fandom, baseball storytelling, and the underappreciated magic of the Blue Jays season offer a refreshing look into why baseball continues to captivate so many across the country.

The Magic of Blue Jays Baseball

Brooke brings a neutral but passionate perspective, celebrating the Blue Jays’ unexpected success. “It’s a rollercoaster of a week. I’m very excited to be here though. I'm excited to see just so many different games coming up, which makes me very excited. As you all know, I just love good baseball. So if I can see that, then I'm happy,” Brooke shared, encapsulating the thrill of following a team with unpredictable highs and lows. Joel echoed these sentiments, remarking, “I think any time that you can be in contention in September and then being the first AL team to lock up a playoff spot...that has been a really big factor on why this team was able to take that step. You know, Bo healthy is...he just comes off as a winner to me”.

Storytelling at the Heart of the Game

Brooke’s approach to baseball goes beyond stats; she’s a collector of narratives. “As far as what type of stories I want to tell, I'm always looking for something that has really good narrative. I appreciate good storytelling, so I come from more of the narrative space, and I try to keep the stories general enough so that my platform can be more broad and encompassing to all teams, but I want to make sure that there’s still that human interest piece in it as well,” she said, highlighting her mission to share the human moments that make baseball resonate with fans of every age.

Joel pointed out how memorable baseball movies have shaped generations of fans—and revealed that he and Brooke are developing a movie about the story of Tommy John, whose legacy impacts every team in baseball. “It’s not just a story of one team or player, but the story of baseball, especially pitching. Fifty percent of pitchers go down from that injury...it would be great to have the backing of Major League Baseball itself,” he explained. Their focus is on connecting the drama of the game with its impact on real lives, both on and off the field.

Inspiring the Next Generation—On and Off the Field

Brooke also stresses the importance of representation and community. “What I want this page to also help do is just be an opportunity to showcase, you're right, like that female voice within a more men driven sport. And it's been an opportunity to be a platform to showcase that just because it might be a male dominated sport does not mean that we cannot make a mark for ourselves in it,” she said. She shared touching stories of fathers connecting with their daughters through her content, as well as coaches who show her videos to their little league teams at every practice.

The pair’s advocacy extends to promoting safer youth sports, especially in the wake of young pitchers pushing their arms to dangerous extremes. Joel and Brooke caution against chasing velocity at the expense of health, emphasizing the importance of strategic pitching and longevity. “There’s actually more youth and non-professionals that get Tommy John every year than there are professional baseball players. That is so sad to me because you should not be putting your body in jeopardy for something like take it from someone that has had two knee surgeries...” Brooke remarked, underscoring her commitment to healthy development and mentoring in youth sports.

The Enduring Community Around Baseball

For Brooke and Joel, baseball is more than numbers and wins—it’s connection. Brooke reflected, “Baseball is a game of moments and magic...it lends itself well to storytelling because you cannot run the clock. You have to do the things. You’ve got to get the outs. And baseball is a game of moments and magic, right? It’s just like you’re like, what’s going to happen next? Because things have to happen for you to end the game”.

Their work, whether in podcasts, social media, or future film projects, brings together the diverse community surrounding the Blue Jays and the broader baseball world. As co-host Liz summed up, “You're a nonpartisan baseball lover, right? And you find, you bring out in your storytelling the magic that is baseball. Even in the moments where there's nothing happening, that is still, it gives you a minute to just sit in the moment, right? It's being very present. And it's also about community and being there together”.