Mid-Year Market Update with Eric Cramer, CIO of BIP Wealth
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this quarterly market update episode, Eric Cramer, Chief Investment Officer at BIP Wealth, along with...
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Finding Your Number: How NIL and Revenue Sharing Are Changing the MLB Draft Calculus (Part 2)
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. How do you decide between signing a professional contract and playing college baseball? In Part 2 of this...
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Finding Your Number: How NIL and Revenue Sharing Are Changing the MLB Draft Calculus (Part 1)
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. What's Covered in This Episode How NIL and revenue share have changed the "find your number"...
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2026 MLB Draft Preparation Guide
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this essential episode, two former professional baseball players, Chase Murray and Jeremy Hermida,...
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Ep. 122 - Should Baseball Players Sell a Percentage of Their Future Earnings?
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. What if someone offered you millions of dollars today in exchange for a cut of everything you earn for...
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Ep. 121 - Early MLB Contracts: Should Young Players Sign or Bet on Themselves?
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this episode, former pros Kyle Schmidt and Jeremy Hermida break down one of the hottest...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 120 - CIO Eric Cramer's Q1 QMR: Shifts, Volatilities, and Opportunities
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. The opening quarter of 2026 was anything but quiet. With a war in Iran reshaping the geopolitical...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 119 - Private Credit Bubble & AI Disruption: Mark Flickinger Answers FAQs
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. This episode hits on three critical financial market challenges shaping 2026: the private credit bubble,...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 118 - Fitting Into a New Clubhouse
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this Opening Day episode of Ahead in the Count, former professional baseball players Chase Murray and...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 117 - Baseball Tax Prep with Allie Powell
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. Tax season is here, and for professional baseball players, the stakes couldn't be higher. This...
info_outlineWelcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth.
This episode features a comprehensive discussion about Major League Baseball's potential realignment and expansion plans, featuring insights from former professional players Kyle Schmidt and Jeremy Hermida.
Key Topics Discussed
MLB Realignment Plans
- Commissioner Rob Manfred has been discussing realignment for approximately a decade
- Plans potentially tied to the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expiration in December 2026
- Balancing tradition and history with modernization needs
- Recent rule changes (pitch clock, bigger bases) have been well-received, suggesting fans can adapt to changes
Expansion Possibilities
- Potential new cities mentioned:
- Nashville (most frequently discussed)
- Salt Lake City
- Raleigh
- Montreal (return)
- Two additional teams would create 50 new roster spots
- New teams would require complete farm system development
Player Perspective on Travel & Schedule
- Current 162-game schedule creates significant wear and tear
- Cross-country flights after late games (finishing at 10:30-11:00 PM) followed by 2:00 AM departures
- Potential schedule reduction to 156 games being considered
- Geographic realignment could reduce travel burdens
Collective Bargaining Implications
- Realignment may be a negotiating tool for owners ahead of 2026 CBA talks
- Salary cap discussions:
- Players' opinions
- Would potentially hurt middle-tier players most
- Baseball's historically strong players union
- Revenue sharing and competitive balance
Tax Implications for Players
- Players taxed based on where games are played (prorated basis)
- Realignment could significantly impact players' take-home pay
Financial Considerations
- Franchise valuations at all-time highs
- Revenue sharing already addresses some competitive imbalance
- Tax implications could influence free agent decisions
- Middle-tier players most vulnerable under potential salary cap
Please like, subscribe, and rate this podcast episode of Ahead in the Count!
To contact the hosts, send an email to jhester@bipwealth.com, kschmidt@bipwealth.com, cmurray@bipwealth.com, or jhermida@bipwealth.com