First Pitch Arizona 2025 - Program
Updated: 8/22/25
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6
| 2:30-5p | Registration/Check-in | BaseballHQ staff |
| 3:00-4:00p | Session TBA | - |
| 4:15-5:15p | Thursday breakouts #1 - CHOOSE ONE | |
| Session TBA | - | |
| Session TBA | - | |
| First Time at First Pitch? A Weekend Q&A Get your bearings—and your questions answered | BHQ staff | |
| 5:30-7:30p | Welcome Reception (at Sloan Park) | |
| 6:30-9:00 | AFL Game - Scottsdale at Mesa | |
| Thursday Evening Hangouts - CHOOSE FROM: | ||
| 8:30-9:30p | Session(s) TBA | - |
| 8:30-10:30 | Attendee Gladiator Draft 1 NFBC 15-team 2025 draft-and-hold competition | - |
| 8:45-10:00p | Podcast Room Slot #1 | - |
| 9:30-10:30p | Session(s) TBA | - |
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7
| 8:00-8:10a | Welcome and Introductions | Brent Hershey, Ray Murphy |
| 8:10-9:00a | Opening Address | Ron Shandler |
| 9:00-10:15a | Arizona Fall League Scouting Report AFL players you need to know this weekend | Eric Longenhagen, TBA |
| 10:30-11:30a | Engaging AI for Fantasy Baseball Decisionmaking | Jason Collette, TBA |
| 11:45-12:45p | Friday breakouts #1 - CHOOSE ONE | |
| Only-Leagues Focus: AL Experts leagues (Tout+LABR) recap; what we learned | Steve Gardner, TBA | |
| Session(s) TBA | - | |
| Lunch on your own | ||
| 1:30p | AFL Game - Scottsdale at Glendale (attendee game) AFL Game - Mesa at Peoria | |
| 1:30-3:45p | (Tentative) Excel and Fantasy Baseball Workshop | Ariel Cohen |
| 2:15-3:30p | Podcast Room Slot #2 | - |
| 3:45-5:00p | Podcast Room Slot #3 | - |
| 5:15-6:00p | Session(s) TBA | |
| 6:30-9:00p | AFL Game - Salt River at Surprise | |
| Friday Evening Hangouts - CHOOSE FROM: | ||
| 7:00-8:15p | Podcast Room Slot #4 | - |
| 7:00-8:30p | The Arizona Challenge A timed, whole-room auction 2025 retro league where a panel chooses player nominations. More to come .. | |
| 8:30-9:45p | Podcast Room Slot #5 | - |
| 9:40-10:30p | Session(s) TBA | - |
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8
| 8:00-8:10a | Saturday intro/Housekeeping | Hershey/Murphy | Canyon Ballroom |
| 8:10-9:10a | Player Spotlights: Hitters | Panelists: Jeff Erickson, Vlad Sedler, Justin Mason, Tristan Cockcroft; Moderator: Ryan Bloomfield | Canyon Ballroom |
| 9:20-10:20a | Player Spotlights: Pitchers | Panelists: Paul Sporer, Nick Pollack, Alex Chamberlain, Chris Towers; Moderator: Ryan Bloomfield | Canyon Ballroom |
| 10:30-11:45a | Live Podcast: Rates & Barrels | Derek VanRiper, Eno Sarris | Canyon Ballroom |
| 12:15p | AFL Game - Mesa at Salt River (Lunch provided at ballpark — Cremily Deck; 1B side) | Salt River Fields | |
| 2:30p | XFL Draft | Ballroom F | |
| 3:30-4:30p | An Introduction to Bat Speed Metrics | Andy Andres, Kyle Bland, Alex Chamberlain, Max Bay | Canyon Ballroom |
| 3:30p | AFL Game - Peoria at Surprise (optional) | Surprise Stadium | |
| 3:45-5:00p | Podcast Room — FTN Fantasy Baseball Podcast | Vlad Sedler, Joe Orrico | Ballroom C |
| 4:45-5:30p | Saturday breakouts #1 - CHOOSE ONE | ||
| The Importance of Pitch Mix Changes 2024 movers; why it's important; future candidates | Eric Samulski | Arroyo | |
| Cheapers Keepers (Where'd You Get Those Buys?) Optimizing your keeper list to account for inflation and real value | Patrick Davitt | Agua Fria | |
| Bring-your-own Roster Analysis | Madera | ||
| 6:30p | FIRST PITCH ARIZONA DRAFT NIGHT | ||
presented by:  | NFBC Draft Champions #1 | Ballroom F | |
| NFBC Draft Champions #2 | Ballroom D | ||
| NFBC Best Ball | Arroyo | ||
| Mixed Auction | Madera | ||
| Scoresheet | Ballroom B | ||
| 6:30-7:45p | Podcast Room — Pull Hitter Podcast | Rob DiPietro | Ballroom C |
| 8:15-9:30p | Podcast Room — On the Corner | Nick Pollack, Eric Samulski | Ballroom C |
| 9:30-10:30p | FPAZ Rookie Draft 2025 | Participants: James Anderson, Chris Clegg, Eric Cross, Jeffrey Paternostro, Tim McLeod, Sara Sanchez, Jesse Severe, Brian Walton; Moderator: Chris Blessing | Agua Fria |
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9
| 8:30-9:15a | Sunday breakouts - CHOOSE ONE | ||
| Balancing Formats, Fairness & Fun An interactive discussion of keeping your league enjoyable and competitive | Ariel Cohen, Tristan Cockcroft, Jason Collette | Agua Fria | |
| Community Conversation: When Your Season Goes South | Led by Brian Feldman | Madera | |
| Finding the Next Jurickson Profar Post-30-year-old hitters who could surprise in 2025 | Jeff Zimmerman, Brian Entrekin, Steve Gardner, Peter Kreutzer | Arroyo | |
| 9:20-9:30a | Sunday Housekeeping | Hershey/Murphy | Canyon Ballroom |
| 9:30-10:10a | Injuries: Facts and Analysis Who is healing … and who might not be | Matt Cederholm | Canyon Ballroom |
| 10:15-10:55a | What's Behind Process+ A look at a new batter metric | Kyle Bland | Canyon Ballroom |
| 11:00-11:55a | Scout talk | Moderated by Derek VanRiper | Canyon Ballroom |
| 11:55-12p | Final Wrap-up | Hershey/Murphy | Canyon Ballroom |