Blue Jays Talk
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667 episodes
Blake Murphy is joined by Jonah Birenbaum to discuss how the 2024 Blue Jays compare to other teams in recent franchise history along with what a Blue Jays sell looks like this season. David Laurila discusses the Guardians and why some players feel the MLB is juicing baseballs. Bisons hitting coach Ryan Long gives his thoughts on how he has grown as a coach and Orelvis Martinez. In the final segment, Jim Rosenhaus details key adjustments Josh Naylor has made to help his hitting.
Blake Murphy is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith to recap the Blue Jays getting swept by the Red Sox and what the front office’s appetite to sell may be. Matthew Ritchie discusses the history of Rickwood Field and Willie Mays’ connection to fans. Eno Sarris breaks down Kevin Gausman’s struggles and why he’s intrigued by Bowden Francis. In the final segment, Chris Nowlin shares how he’s teaching pitchers the lost art of the knuckleball.
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-3 loss vs. the Red Sox, completing the Boston sweep at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get to the offence failing to produce yet again - even if the team did DFA or trade multiple players, who else can possibly be called up? Is this roster something that can be fixed in-season? They also get into the in-game adjustments made by John Schneider, and debate the manager's role in the decision making process.
Blake Murphy is joined by Kaitlyn McGrath to recap a loss to the Red Sox. WWE Wrestler Sami Zayn joins to discuss where his love for comedy started leading up to his show in Toronto on July 4. Jon Morosi outlines the tough decisions ahead for the Blue Jays front office. In the final segment, Brandon Wile looks at future MLB rule changes, specifically the challenge system that will likely come to the MLB in the coming years.
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the passing of Willie Mays at the age of 93, one of the game's greatest players, and share some thoughts on his Hall of Fame career. Afterwards, they break down the Blue Jays' 4-3 loss vs. the Red Sox to lose the series at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get into the pinch hit decisions of John Schneider, the bullpen usage, and the start from Chris Bassitt.
Blake Murphy is joined by Sportsnet Blue Jays analyst Madison Shipman in-studio to recap Monday's loss to the Red Sox, while Ben Clemens of FanGraphs accesses Bo Bichette’s market and what makes Danny Jansen a unique catcher (25:15). Afterwards, The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey touches on why the Red Sox are in the midst of a season-defining stretch (50:00). In the final segment, radio voice of the Blue Jays Ben Shulman looks at how the team should deploy their bullpen and Ernie Clement's recent groove at the plate (01:15:24).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-3 loss vs. the Red Sox to open the three-game series at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get to the lineup decisions - was it right to not have two lefty bats in the lineup vs. Victoria BC native Nick Pivetta? They get into Yusei Kikuchi giving up four home runs, including two to Maple Ridge BC native Tyler O'Neill - was there something more there, or just an off night? Plus, they discuss the decisions needing to be made with the bullpen, following Yimi García being put on the IL - is Tim Mayza's time on the team close to being done?
Blake Murphy is joined by Chris Cotillo to get the latest on the Red Sox ahead of a crucial 3-game series. Chris Black discusses Ernie Clement’s big weekend and Daulton Varsho’s grand slam on Sunday (24:23). Geoff Pontes provides the latest on Adam Macko, Alan Roden and other Blue Jays prospects (50:05). In the final segment, Davy Andrews explains what he learned after going deep into baseball’s new hitter tracking data (1:39:47).
Sho Alli and Jesse Rubinoff break down the Blue Jays' 7-6 win over the Guardians to take the series on Father's Day! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the offence finally breaking through courtesy of a monster fifth inning of work - how great is it to see Daulton Varsho crush a grand slam? They discuss how the Jays needed every last piece of offence to hold on after an apparent arm injury to Yimi García - if he is forced to miss any time, how does that re-order the bullpen? Could Brendon Little or Zach Pop step up? Plus, they get into the Buffalo Boys showing out in the win - do all of Ernie Clement, Spencer Horwitz, Addison Barger, and Davis Schneider need to play every day going forward?
Sho Alli and Daniele Franceschi break down the Blue Jays' 5-0 win over the Guardians to even the series at one game apiece! They take your texts, and get right to the performance of all six relievers including both Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis. How has Francis' splitter allowed him to pitch more to lefties? What will the plan look like when Yariel Rodriguez returns, potentially by the next turn of the rotbullpeation? They also get into the offence, including another strong second inning, and discuss Isiah Kiner-Falefa's continual strong play. Plus, how does the 40-man roster get moved around when Joey Votto eventually makes his way back from injury?
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss vs. the Guardians in the series opener down at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to the offence no-showing once again - what's it going to take to get them going, if an opposing starter who has an ERA of 5.57 isn't going to do it? They discuss the 5.1 IP from Kevin Gausman, the Guardians bullpen not allowing a hit over four innings of work, and the year from George Springer, who continues to struggle at the dish.
Blake Murphy is joined by Maurie Sherman to discuss Pride Night at the Rogers Centre. Erik Kratz discusses the Guardians and why this upcoming stretch will inform the rest of the Blue Jays season (17:59). Doug Fox discusses Addison Barger, if Adam Macko is ready for the next jump (49:47) and other prospects in the Blue Jays system (1:08:54).
Blake Murphy is joined by Keegan Matheson to recap the Blue Jays’ rally falling short vs. the Brewers. Kiley McDaniel discusses the state of the Blue Jays front office (25:14). In the last hour, Blake and Chris Black dive deep into the Brewers’ double steal (55:06) and what’s behind Bo Bichette’s odd season (1:16:32).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss vs. the Brewers to wrap up a series loss in Milwaukee. They take your calls and texts, and get right to the offence - after sputtering for most of the game, were all the right decisions made when the team made a comeback bid in the ninth inning? What was up with Alejandro Kirk's throw in the sixth inning, or Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s pinch-hit usage late in Milwaukee? They get into the outing from Chris Bassitt, and also discuss a variety of roster decisions, including Cavan Biggio's trade to the Dodgers earlier in the day.
Blake Murphy breaks down the win vs. the Brewers and is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss how Blue Jays management could approach the trade deadline (49:46). Pitching prospect Adam Macko comes on to elaborate on how he learned he was becoming a Blue Jay (28:59) and why he’s exactly where he wants to be. In the final segment, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels discusses what he’s trying to create with NXT, memorable moments in his career and the upcoming 3-day WWE/NXT event coming to Toronto from July 5-7 (1:13:58).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-0 win over the Brewers to even the series in Milwaukee! They take your calls and get right to the outing from Yusei Kikuchi - he battled all night, but still allowed no runs over five innings of work. How impressive were those efforts given that he had thrown 50 pitches midway through the second inning? They discuss the bullpen, including Yimi García grabbing the four-out save - any chance he's an All-Star this year? Plus, they get into the offence, as Spencer Horwitz and Danny Jansen both collect some hits and RBI.
Blake Murphy opens the show alongside Sportsnet's Joe Siddall to discuss the lack of power in the Blue Jays lineup. Next up, Derek VanRiper of The Athletic gives his take on the Blue Jays and provides the state of the Brewers (28:50). Later, Sportsnet's own Shi Davidi outlines how Alek Manoah reacted to the news he required season-ending surgery and looks into his timeline for recovery (50:00). In the final segment, former Blue Jay Eric Thames joins the show to discuss chugging beers at Brewers’ games, his time in Toronto, playing baseball in Korea and plenty more (01:15:10).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss vs. the Brewers to open the three-game series in Milwaukee. They take your calls, and get right to the anemic offence - outside of the Alejandro Kirk home run, how did Colin Rea shut down the offence? Why does it continue to struggle? They get into the 5.2 IP from José Berríos and his pitch mix - was it another case of the pitchers being forced to walk the tightrope? Plus, they discuss the top of the order - does the lineup need another adjustment?
Blake Murphy is joined by Kaitlyn McGrath & Caleb Joseph to discuss the weekend series vs. the Athletics, Yusei Kikuchi’s blunder and Cavan Biggio getting DFA’d (29:57). Tim Dillard comes on to discuss the Brewers and his transition from the mound to broadcasting (49:48). In the final segment, 2024 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ashley Stephenson discusses how she’s feeling ahead of a big weekend for baseball in Canada (1:15:13).
Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 6-4 win over the Athletics to grab a series win in their final ever trip to the Coliseum in Oakland! He takes your calls and texts, and gets to the five RBI knocked in from Isiah Kiner-Falefa - should he be moved up in the order, or is he good where he is? After Shohei Ohtani, is it fair to say IKF might be one of the better off-season signings? Plus, Sho discusses outings from Bowden Francis, Zach Pop, and Chad Green, and looks ahead to the probable pitchers in the Brewers series as well.
Sho Alli and Jesse Rubinoff break down the Blue Jays' 7-0 win over the Athletics to even the series at one game apiece! They take your calls and texts, and get right to the dominant performance from Kevin Gausman, who throws his first nine-inning complete game, and his first career shutout as well, all coming in his 273rd career start. They discuss the offence snapping the first-inning scoring drought in a very Blue Jays way, the offence stringing together some hits in the fifth inning, and all the relievers getting some important rest ahead of a bullpen day on Sunday.
Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 2-1 loss to the Athletics in Oakland, a walk-off defeat at the hands of JJ Bleday. He takes your calls and texts, and discusses the offence getting shut out - how did they get baffled by Hogan Harris for six innings? He gets into the eight innings of one-run ball from Chris Bassitt - as great as it was, can the team afford to keep wasting these efforts? Plus, Sho discusses the day of breaking news, including Cavan Biggio being designated for assignment, Spencer Horwitz getting the call-up, and Alek Manoah being scheduled for UCL surgery. Was it the right move for Biggio to be dropped over other players?
Blake Murphy is joined by Keegan Matheson to discuss why Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t comfortable with where the Blue Jays sit and splitting the Orioles series. Justin Choi explains why the ‘kitchen sink’ is back for pitchers (30:38) and Pat Malacaro provides the latest from the Buffalo Bisons, including the chances of Spencer Hortwitz getting called up (49:55). In the final segment, Melissa Lockard sheds some light on the state of the Oakland Athletics ahead of the series opener Friday night (1:14:57).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 6-5 win over the Orioles to wrap up a split of the four-game series at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls and texts, and get to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashing a three-run shot - are things turning around for him? They get into the team's ability to string together hits, Vladdy included, and also discuss what's going on with Bo Bichette. They discuss the outing from Yusei Kikuchi, who let up one run over six innings of work, and get into the rotation at-large when it comes to a position of strength. Plus, with MLB All-Star balloting now open league-wide, they debate the potential All-Stars on the roster.
Blake Murphy is joined by Jonah Birenbaum to recap the win vs. the Orioles. Tanner McGrath explains what he learned while researching hitters who sustain low strikeout rates despite high whiff rates (31:35). In the final segment, Dr. Meredith Wills discusses what she has learned about baseballs through the lens of astrophysics (1:14:08).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 3-2 walk-off win over the Orioles at the Rogers Centre! They take your calls, and discuss the Isiah Kiner-Falefa game-winner - has he actually been one of the team's better hitters lately? They discuss the six innings of two-run ball from José Berríos to keep the team in it, and get to the bullpen usage, as the arm barn held it down late. Plus, with the Rogers Centre (formerly known as SkyDome) celebrating its 35th birthday, Jeff shares some of his favourite memories of the stadium.
Blake Murphy is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith in-studio to discuss the loss to the Orioles and the front-office decisions each team has made over the past few seasons (26:34). Afterwards, Hannah Keyser discusses the Yankees (49:49) and changes she wants to see to the MLB All-Star festivities. In the final segment, Blake Murphy speaks to Trevor May about his decision to retire and begin his career as a media personality, baseball analytics, the intricacies of throwing a splitter and more (1:12:16).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 10-1 loss to the Orioles at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and get right to the offence getting shut down by Corbin Burnes - was anyone surprised given the apparent pitching mismatch? They discuss the opening stint from Trevor Richards - has he earned his spot as a trusted member of the bullpen? They also get to Ryan Mountcastle, who banged two home runs - why does he always do 'damage' against the Jays? Plus, they discuss John Schneider - does he take an unfair amount of criticism given how the roster is constructed?
Blake Murphy is joined by Dan Shulman to recap the loss to the Orioles and the lack of options for the Blue Jays to get consistent hitting. Jake Mirtz gives his thoughts on the state of the Blue Jays (30:27) while Shi Davidi discusses the urgency inside the clubhouse and what the loss to Baltimore showed (49:55). In the final segment, Geoff Arnold gives his thoughts on the potency of Baltimore’s lineup and how they’re built for success (1:15:28).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' 7-2 loss to the Orioles to kick off the four-game series at the Rogers Centre. They take your calls, and discuss the outing from Kevin Gausman - any cause for concern after he gave up six earned runs vs. the Orioles? They also get into the offence largely no-showing once again - can a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home run be celebrated despite only two total runs scored all game?
