I only made it through this one because of Russell Horton. I love to listen to him, but this episode is ridiculous and a big disappointment.

‘The Devil’s Brew’ is pretty weak, though decent performances by Russell Horton who plays slumping baseball star Ducky Lane, and his Manager (also the twangy narrator) make the episode worth a listen – but just barely. It’s almost like someone decided that Mystery Theater needed a baseball-themed episode and Ian Martin had some far-reaching idea to work into a hokey reveal near show’s end. Horton, his girlfriend, and his Manager are all endearing characters, but the story is vapid. There are confusing dream sequences seemingly put in to extend the story to fill 45 minutes and the episode touches slightly upon the fate of the human soul. For a superior message regarding the ever-after listen to Elspeth Eric’s excellent story ‘Death and Desire.’ I give ‘Brew’ one and a half stars. – JUROR #4

I don't agree with the above comments. Though this is far from being a favorite episode, it isn't terrible either. It might have been influenced by the 1950's movie Angels in the Outfield, but I was thinking it is more of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky which came out a year or so before this radio episode. Just picture the Rocky theme playing at the climax of this episode. The young up and coming baseball (instead of boxing) athlete has a stumbling block when he lands up in the hospital after being beaned by a wild pitch. He experiences a dream of a conjuror who I take is a demon from hell because of the allusion he has died and has to play for the team Hellcats. Naturally this experience robs him of his confidence because he is a very religious fundamentalist Christian. So the manager gets the use of his girlfriend and the use of some snake oil to give the boy back his confidence, and his hitting arm and (cue the Rocky theme) make him the baseball king of the world! Not a bad listen.

I don't see any editing option, so in my above post "manager gets the use of his girlfriend" should read manager gets the help of the girlfriend. I did not intend to imply anything else more eye raising.