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 his last theme of 2026, BIP Wealth Chief Investment Officer Eric Cramer explains why energy prices touch every investor. Host Nolan Alexander and Kyle Schmidt of the BIP Wealth Baseball Division tie together the year's themes, from rising rates to new trade deals, and show what they mean for pro ballplayers heading into the offseason.

• Fixed income gets riskier

◦ Why the "safe" part of a portfolio may hold hidden risks

◦ The federal government owes more than $40 trillion, and about $10 trillion comes due in the next 12 months

◦ Why government borrowing and the AI build-out could push rates higher

• Trade deals without the U.S.

◦ Canada and other big economies sign deals that leave out the U.S., which could add to inflation

• Using math to your advantage

◦ Locking in returns above inflation as rates rise

◦ Tax-free municipal bond strategies for high earners

◦ Taking some gains after three strong years to build a cash cushion

• The midterms and the post-Trump era

◦ Prediction markets put the odds of a Democratic Senate at about two-thirds

◦ How a shift in power could change spending, debt, and policy

• Why diesel drives inflation

◦ Low fuel stockpiles heading into winter

◦ Why global markets set U.S. prices, even though the U.S. makes extra diesel

◦ Diesel near $6.25 a gallon, with a possible climb toward $7

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 MLB postseason is here, and on this episode of Ahead in the Count, host Nolan Alexander pulls back the curtain on the money side of October baseball. Joining him are two members of the BIP Wealth Baseball Division based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and fellow Stanford baseball alumni: former MLB catcher John Hester, CFP®, and Brendan Domaracki, who spent 17 years in MLB front offices with the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Together they break down how postseason rosters are set, how the MLB playoff player pool is funded and split, why clubhouses vote on playoff shares, and what the "championship season" clause in player contracts means for bonuses. They also discuss how a breakout October can turn into a bigger contract, and what back-to-back massive player pools could signal for the game's financial health heading into collective bargaining talks this offseason.

• The September 1 eligibility rule that determines who can make an MLB postseason roster

• How teams reset their 26-man rosters between postseason series

• Why specialists earn spots on playoff rosters

• Where the postseason player pool comes from and how playoff shares are divided by round

• How players vote on full and partial playoff shares inside the clubhouse

• Why front offices stay out of the playoff share vote

• Why most performance bonuses stop at Game 162, and which award bonuses still apply

• How postseason heroics become leverage in free agency and contract talks

• What record-level player pools could mean for the upcoming MLB CBA negotiations

John Hester, CFP® is a former Stanford baseball player and Major League Baseball catcher who now advises professional players and their families in the BIP Wealth Baseball Division from the firm's Scottsdale, Arizona, office.

Brendan Domaracki is a wealth consultant in the BIP Wealth Baseball Division. A Stanford baseball alumnus, he spent 17 years in MLB front offices with the Seattle Mariners (2016–2026) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2009–2016), working with players across every level of an organization before joining Hester in Scottsdale.

Inside the MLB Playoff Pool with Jeremy Hermida and John Hester : https://traffic.libsyn.com/bipwealth/editsplayoffpoolnew_atic_template_mixdown_01.mp3

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.

• Brendan's path from Tampa travel ball to Stanford baseball, and what a cross-country recruiting decision taught him about evaluating opportunities
• Earning Stanford's Most Inspirational Player award and a trip to the 2008 College World Series in Omaha
• Breaking into pro baseball with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 and climbing into amateur scouting
• Life inside the MLB Draft war room with boards, logistics, and high-stakes decision-making
• The move to the Seattle Mariners and a decade as Director of Player Personnel under Jerry Dipoto
• How draft-day pressure and short decision windows mirror the financial decisions players and families face
• Lessons on communication, relationships, and simplifying complexity on the field and with client finances
• Why Brendan left the game for BIP Wealth's Baseball Division, and what "why now" means for players weighing big life and career decisions
• Balancing a front-office career with fatherhood, and how that shapes his approach to client families

Brendan Domaracki joins BIP Wealth's Baseball Division as a Wealth Consultant after nearly 20 years in professional baseball. A Stanford University alum, he began his front-office career with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 before spending the past decade with the Seattle Mariners, most recently as Director of Player Personnel. He works alongside longtime friend and fellow Stanford alumnus John Hester, CFP®, in BIP Wealth's Scottsdale, Arizona office.

Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. To get in touch with a member of today's show, visit bipwealth.com.

CONTACT For more information: jhester@bipwealth.com, kschmidt@bipwealth.com, cmurray@bipwealth.com, jhermida@bipwealth.com Visit: BIPWealth.com