Blair & Barker
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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss to the Tigers and discuss Ricky Tiedemann’s nine strikeouts through three innings in his season debut with AA New Hampshire, before looking ahead to this weekend’s big series against the 13-0 Tampa Bay Rays! Rays GM Peter Bendix talks about what’s behind the team’s exceptional start, key contributors like Brandon Lowe being healthy, and the new MLB rules encouraging athleticism and working well with his team’s skillset (26:10). Former Rays outfielder and current studio analyst Matt Joyce shares his view on the 13-0 streak and being teammates with Kevin Kiermaier (49:28). MLB insider Jeff Passan sends us into the weekend with his assessment of tonight’s starter José Berríos, and share why the Mets and Dodgers could be front runners if Shohei Ohtani hits free agency (01:19:24).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays’ 4-3 win in extra innings over the Detroit Tigers, notably Kevin Gausman’s strong outing and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s defence. Blue Jays Manager John Schneider joins the show with his club having won seven of their last eight games to discuss the positive signs he’s seen from José Berríos, Alek Manoah gradually building up his velocity, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. becoming a gold glover at first-base, and the current platoon situation at second base (28:11). Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch looks ahead to the final game of the Jays-Tigers series and talks about managing a developing young team and the new bullpen configurations at Rogers Centre for opposing teams (49:33). We wrap up with Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman, who comments on Matt Chapman’s hot start and how the new rules can effect the team on the base paths (01:14:13).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker share their takeaways from the Blue Jays’ 9-3 win over the Tigers on a night where Kevin Kiermaier stole the show with an incredible highlight reel catch and home run! The guys discuss what they saw from Alek Manoah’s 4.1 innings of work, the bullpen pitching scoreless innings the rest of the way, and Brandon Belt who had three hits in the win. Blue Jays radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner weighs in on the home opener, nobably Manaoh’s velocity from start to start, the Jays’ platoon at second base, and Kiermaier’s big game (30:48). Later on, MLB executive Morgan Sword discusses how excited they are that the league has transitioned and adjusted to the new rules so smoothly, and why they'll keep letting fans lead them for any future rule adjustments down the road (49:28). Jeff and Kevin end the show with questions on the ‘Back Leg Line’, before examining Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s contract status, and looking ahead to Kevin Gausman’s start in game two of the series (01:14:20).
The final home opener of the 2023 season takes place tonight at Rogers Centre as the Blue Jays host the Tigers! Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss what they’re looking for from Alek Manoah tonight, the run differential of the American League East teams, Matt Chapman winning AL Player of the week, and the Orioles' new home run celebration. Later on, the fellas head to the phonelines to answer some of your questions on the 'Back Leg Line' (27:15). Next up, Chris Rose, host of , weighs in on the Blue Jays and José Berríos’ start to the season, before projecting if Aaron Judge can repeat his MVP-performance (47:37). We wrap up with Tigers analyst Craig Monroe, who previews the upcoming series from a Detroit perspective and takes us through the mix of youngsters and veterans on the roster (01:16:05).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays' weekend in L.A. as they took two of three against the Angels. The guys focus on Toronto's starting pitching in the series, while Matt Chapman and Kevin Kiermaier stayed red-hot at the plate. Later on, the guys examine the Jays’ division rivals in the latest installment of ‘In The East’ (31:44). Former Marlins President David Samson talks about how front offices handle players who are underperforming with big contracts and where Miguel Cabrera stands all-time ahead of the Tigers' visit to Toronto (51:15). With the Rays continuing their winning ways, the guys call up Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times to discuss the club’s perfect 9-0 start to the season (01:20:54).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the Blue Jays taking four of three against the Kansas City Royals, as Kevin Gausman didn’t allow an earned run in his second consecutive start. The guys empty out the 'Back Leg Line' and answer questions on Brandon Belt, Yusei Kikuchi, and no hitters (27:26). MLB Network Radio’s C.J. Nitkowski shares his thoughts on the early part of the season, notably the competition in the AL West, the Cardinals, and what he’s seen out of José Berríos (49:27). Angels TV analyst Mark Gubicza previews this weekend’s series between the Jays and Halos, before offering his perspective on the future of Shohei Ohtani in Southern California (01:18:39).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays’ 3-0 win over the Kansas City Royals, highlighted by Alek Manoah's seven innings of one-hit ball and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s first HR of the season. Former MLB player and father of Daulton, Gary Varsho, joins the guys to discuss his son’s path to the major leagues and why he felt that Daulton would be a good fit on the Blue Jays (25:32). MLB insider Jeff Passan shares his thoughts on the Rays’ hot start, Grayson Rodriguez’s debut with the Orioles, Shohei Ohtani’s pitch clock violations on the mound and in the batter’s box, and José Berríos’ struggles against the Royals (50:03). Jeff and Kevin wrap up today's show listening to your calls on the 'Back Leg Line' (01:20:53)!
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays' 4-1 win over the Royals, as Yusei Kikuchi and the bullpen’s solid performance snapped the team’s three-game losing streak. Former MLB catcher and co-host of Erik Kratz discusses the early part of the MLB season and comments on Chris Bassitt and José Berríos’ first starts (27:49). Later on, Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez checks-in from Kansas City ahead of Alek Manoah’s start in the rubber match of the series (49:22). Jeff and Kevin react to Oli Marmol and Tyler O’Neill’s post-game comments from Tuesday night, before wrapping things up with a few questions from the 'Back Leg Line' (01:20:45).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show discussing the Blue Jays’ third consecutive loss, accentuated by José Berríos struggles on the mound after allowing eight runs in 5.2 innings of work. Jeff and Kevin listen and react to Alex Verdugo’s candid comments on Alek Manoah, before welcoming MLB Network’s Ryan Dempster to the conversation (30:58). Royals analyst & former closer Jeff Montgomery looks ahead to game two between the Royals and Jays and shares what he noticed from Berríos from the series opener (49:31). To end off the show, the guys check the voicemail on the “Back Leg Line” (01:13:14).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down the Blue Jays' opening series loss against the Cardinals; particularly Chris Bassitt’s rough debut on Sunday afternoon. “In The East” returns as the guys examine the play of Toronto’s division rivals, notably the Rays’ starting pitching looking strong in the early going (27:25). The Athletic’s Jayson Stark discusses Rob Manfred’s candid comments on the use of analytics and his takeaways from MLB’s opening weekend (51:10). Blue Jays manager John Schneider comments on his club’s play against St. Louis, Bassitt’s debut and the adjustments needed to be made, Daulton Varsho and Matt Chapman’s series at the dish, and looks ahead to José Berríos’ start against the Royals (01:18:13).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays' 10-9 Opening Day win over the St. Louis Cardinals and share their thoughts on the way John Schneider configured the batting order, Matt Chapman hitting to the opposite field, how the team operated on the base paths, and Bo Bichette’s overall game. Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner comments on what a healthy George Springer brings to the lineup, Daulton Varsho batting in the clean-up spot, and Alek Manoah’s use of PitchCom (29:58). MLB insider Jeff Passan discusses Shohei Ohtani’s dominance in the Angels’ latest hard luck loss, the Mariners and Astros in the AL West, Adley Rutschman’s amazing season debut with the Orioles, and MLB and the MLBPA reaching a deal on a CBA for minor league players (49:30).
It’s Opening Day and Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker are ready for Blue Jays baseball! The guys open up the phone lines throughout the show for fans to weigh-in on the 2023 edition of the team. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (38:43) and Cardinals TV analyst Brad Thompson (50:38) join the show from St. Louis to preview today’s matchup with Alek Manoah and Miles Mikolas taking the hill.
Jeff and Kevin are back to two hours, and start off the show with their predictions ahead of the 2023 MLB season! Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae previews the six-part series “Alek Manaoh: Obsessed” and discusses her main takeaways from covering the Blue Jays throughout spring training in Florida (30:25). Next up, the guys welcome Cardinals’ VP & General Manager Mike Girsch to the show for a deep dive on the Blue Jays first opponents of the season (49:36). To conclude the show, Blue Jays’ manager John Schneider talks to the guys about how he and the coaching staff decide how to configure the team’s lineup, José Berríos’ offseason and outlook for 2023, Bo Bichette’s defence, and more ahead of his first Opening Day as an MLB manager (01:14:22).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss today’s breaking news that Nathan Lukes has made the Blue Jays over Otto Lopez, and react to Manager John Schneider’s comments about how he and the coaching staff arrived at the decision. The guys then revisit Monday’s Grapefruit League action against Philadelphia, notably Chris Bassitt’s comments about using PitchCom, how he fared against the Phillies’ hitters, and J.T. Realmuto’s bizarre ejection at the hands of umpire Randy Rosenberg. WEEI’s Rob Bradford concludes our 2023 AL East previews as he joins Jeff and Kevin to break down the Red Sox (26:16), before the guys head to the "Back Leg Line" to answer a question on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (41:42).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the state of the Blue Jays bullpen; notably Zach Pop’s consecutive outings over the weekend against the Tigers and Yankees, and being encouraged by Yimi Garcia’s increased velocity throughout spring training. Jack Curry of YES Network continues our AL East previews as the guys dive deeper into the New York Yankees and the ceiling of top prospect Anthony Volpe (28:40). The guys end the show with two more questions from the Back Leg Line, and share why they aren’t worried about the trade sending Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for Daulton Varsho (43:27).
Blair and Barker are reunited with Barker returning from his assignments in Florida to chat about why the Blue Jays have retired their home run jacket. MLB Network analyst Carlos Pena joins the show with his thoughts on the Blue Jays, players using spring training to experiment with different techniques, and why he’s not sleeping on Baltimore as a threat in the AL East (13:33). ESPN's MLB Insider Jeff Passan discusses why he likes the 2023 edition of the Blue Jays' bullpen, his expectations for Kevin Gausman, and his pick to represent the American League in the World Series (28:37).
Jeff Blair opens the show solo discussing Jose Berrios’ latest effort against the Orioles, earning the win while pitching five innings of one-run ball. Speaking of the O’s, the 2023 AL East previews continue with MASN’s Roch Kubatko examining Baltimore's up-and-coming roster and if they can improve on last season's positivity (08:00). Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman joins the show from sunny Dunedin to talk about the team’s attitude in spring training compared to last year, if Alek Manoah or Kevin Gausman will be Toronto’s opening day starter against the Cardinals, and more (23:45)!
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the World Baseball Classic’s thrilling championship game where Japan defeated the United States 3-2; notably the final at-bat between Angels teammates and superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner joins the guys to preview Jose Berrios’ first Grapefruit League start since returning from the WBC (14:04). Kevin Gausman joins the show to discuss how he’s preparing for the upcoming season, adjusting to the pitch clock, his thoughts on players participating in the WBC during Spring training, and last season’s postseason exit against the Seattle Mariners (25:40).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker kick off the show reacting to last night’s semi-final in the World Baseball Classic, where Japan prevailed 6-5 over Mexico. Next they focus in on the Blue Jays, in particular Kevin Gausman who pitched five shutout innings in his latest spring tune-up against Detroit. Rays TV analyst Brian Anderson begins our AL East previews to break down how Tampa Bay is shaping up for the upcoming season (28:35); before the guys end the show with a few questions from Barker's Back Leg Line!
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays’ weekend, notably Alek Manoah pitching six strong innings in a loss against the Rays. They also examine the recent struggles of Matt Chapman and Daulton Varsho at the dish, and the possibility of Whit Merrifield being an x-factor at the bottom of the lineup in 2023. Could Joey Votto be in Toronto’s sights around the trade deadline? They guys react to a tweet from Jim Bowden who spoke to Reds GM Nick Krall. Former Marlins President and CBS Sports analyst David Samson discusses the World Baseball Classic including the success of this year’s tournament, the timing of the games, and the concerns for teams sending players to participate (30:10). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Blue Jays’ Pitching Coach Pete Walker who discussed Chris Bassitt working with Alejandro Kirk after previously throwing to Danny Jansen, José Berrios’ start at the World Baseball Classic, Alek Manoah adding a third pitch to his arsenal, Ricky Tiedemann, and Nate Pearson’s role in 2023 (14:50). Later on, Radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner checks in to share what he’d like to see from the Jays before camp breaks, before focusing in on minor-league signing Ernie Clement, Matt Chapman’s toe-tap at the plate, and how Toronto will manage Yusei Kikuchi’s starts (32:32).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open up the show discussing Edwin Diaz’s freak injury at the World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic (and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) not advancing to the second round, and Canada being eliminated by Mexico. Next up, the guys go to "Barker's Backleg Line" for an extended question and answer session on the Blue Jays. To end the show, Baseball Canada Coach and Head of the Junior National team, Greg Hamilton recaps the tournament from a Canadian perspective and discusses the bright future for the program with up-and-coming players like Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, and Edouard Julien (33:02).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss Blue Jays prospect Otto Lopez starring for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic and if he has the leg up on the competition as Toronto's 26th man on the roster. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returning to the Blue Jays’ lineup this afternoon, the guys discuss if he will represent the Dominican Republic and react to John Schneider’s comments on the matter, before providing an update on Ricky Tiedemann. Sportsnet’s Caleb Joseph talks about why he likes Lopez for the final roster spot, if he’s concerned about José Berrios, Danny Jansen and Chris Bassitt getting comfortable with one another and PitchCom, and the positive signs surrounding Vladdy's return (28:17).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker examine the Blue Jays 16-3 rout of the Red Sox: Alek Manoah’s latest start, Alejandro Kirk’s 2023 Grapefruit League debut, Bo Bichette staying hot at the dish, and what Nate Pearson’s role might be after his clean inning of work. Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez breaks down Canada at the World Baseball Classic following their 12-1 loss to the United States to set up an extremely important game against Colombia in Pool C (29:04). To end off the show, the fellas answer the "Back Leg Line" for Barker’s latest assignment from Dunedin (44:34)!
Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker focus in on Jose Berrios’ performance for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic as he struggled lasting only one inning in a 9-6 loss versus Venezuela. Later they focus on the rest of the Blue Jays, who went 3-0 in Grapefruit League action over weekend; notably George Springer’s big weekend at the plate, Yusei Kikuchi’s latest outing, and how Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is progressing with his knee injury. Sportsnet's Shi Davidi checks in from the World Baseball Classic to recap Canada’s wild 18-8 mercy rule win against Great Britain, and looks ahead to their next game against Team USA tonight (28:18). Lastly, the guys head to "Barker’s Back Leg Line" for his latest assignment from Dunedin (43:56).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by the Blue Jays’ top position player prospect Addison Barger, who discussed how he became a left-handed hitter despite being a natural righty, adding a leg kick to his swing, and learning from the Blue Jays' veteran players in camp (17:25). Barker reports back from his assignment on Don Mattingly and explains how “Donnie Baseball” has impacted Toronto’s players so far. Later on, Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner checks-in ahead of today’s Blue Jays-Red Sox game with his takeaways from Blue Jays camp; including who he believes should be the Toronto's 26th man on the roster (37:34).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss Alek Manoah’s Grapefruit League outing against the Twins and how he is using the pitch clock to his advantage. Next up, Cal Quantrill talks about anchoring the rotation for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic, the team’s expectations, and how he has adapted to the pitch clock while in camp with the Cleveland Guardians (16:41). With Barker on assignment at the Blue Jays Player Development Complex, Jeff calls up former MLB umpire Dale Scott to hear his view on how umpires have done enforcing the new rule changes around the game (32:56).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker break down Yusei Kikuchi and Ricky Tiedemann’s respective performances against the Pirates in Grapefruit League action, particularly where Tiedemann is at with his velocity. World Series-winning Manager and author of 'The Book of Joe', Joe Maddon joins Jeff and Kevin to discuss managing teams with high expectations, his experience working with Shohei Ohtani, facing the Blue Jays as manager of the Rays, and his view on the rule changes for the 2023 season (17:28). To end off the show, Blair and Barker head to the phone line to answer your questions on the shift and Hyun-Jin Ryu’s injury status (38:21).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show discussing Barker’s observations at the Blue Jays Player Development Complex, notably Brandon Belt looking strong doing drills at first base. The guys also examine Yusei Kikuchi’s velocity as he prepares for his latest Grapefruit league start, Zach Pop’s role in 2023, and how Toronto is equipped with better options in the bullpen than a year ago. MLB Insider Jeff Passan talks about spending time around the Blue Jays in spring training, which players could be ex-factors for the team in 2023, and what a contract extension could look like for Matt Chapman at season’s end (29:51).
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap a victorious weekend for the Blue Jays as they picked up wins against the Rays, Tigers, and Phillies; and break down the most recent outings from Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, and Chris Bassitt. The guys also discuss the status of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s knee injury which has forced him to skip the World Baseball Classic, who will be the 26th man on the roster, and the Blue Jays’ deciding to get rid of their home run jacket. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi previews the World Baseball Classic, how the Dominican Republic will offset the loss of Guerrero, and which teams he thinks are being overlooked and could surprise (31:10). To end the show, Blair & Barker check their voicemail and send Barker on assignment (45:10)!
