Beat The Shift Baseball Podcast · Alex Uy, Alex Roude, Farbod Markazi, Ray Estrada

Cross Town Episode 1: Farbod Airs His Grievances

·1 hr 17 min·5 clips

Ray and Farbod launch Crosstown, a Southern California sports podcast focused on crosstown rivalries.

This inaugural episode of the Beat The Shift baseball podcast's new series, "Crosstown," features hosts Ray Estrada, a Dodgers fan, and Farbod Markazi, an Angels fan. The episode serves as an introduction to their new venture focused on Southern California sports rivalries. The primary reason for creating this show is the hosts' opposing baseball allegiances within the same region. Farbod Markazi explicitly states the show will cover Los Angeles and Orange County teams, deliberately excluding the San Diego Padres from its scope. The format begins with personal icebreakers, likened to a first day of class, to establish the hosts' backgrounds. Ray Estrada notes that Farbod frequently airs his grievances about the Angels on their main show. Farbod jokingly refers to the main "Beat The Shift" podcast as a form of therapy for his fan frustrations. The conversation establishes the foundational rivalry between the Dodgers and Angels as a central theme for future episodes. The hosts plan to discuss other sports beyond baseball, though the core focus remains on Southern California teams. They express long-standing excitement about launching this specific podcast project for their audience. A key insight is the hosts' use of their fandom to create relatable, team-specific content for local listeners. The dynamic reveals that Farbod's more vocal complaints about his team contrast with Ray's comparatively quieter Dodgers fandom. The episode structure is informal, starting with introductory banter before outlining the show's broader purpose. Their camaraderie suggests debates will be friendly rather than hostile, rooted in a shared regional identity. The tone is consistently lighthearted and conversational, as evidenced by their joking about therapy and class icebreakers. The style is casual and digressive, beginning with personal anecdotes before defining the show's parameters. This episode is ideal for fans of the main podcast or Southern California baseball enthusiasts interested in local rivalries. Listeners with no affinity for the Dodgers, Angels, or the broader Los Angeles and Orange County sports scene might find the subject matter too narrow.

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