Blair & Barker

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).

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 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).

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 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).

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 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).

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 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).

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 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)!

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 and Kevin concentrate on Yusei Kikuchi following his second consecutive successful Grapefruit League start. With Toronto facing Pittsburgh this afternoon, the guys call up Pirates Manager (and former Blue Jays coach) Derek Shelton to chat about why he and Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde decided to play a half-inning without umpires, and the veterans his club brought in this offseason including Carlos Santana, Rich Hill, and Andrew McCutchen (15:30). Later on, former Blue Jays and Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett catches up with the guys and reflects on his time in Toronto, being teammates with Barker, keeping things loose in Spring Training, and fitting-in with new organizations after being dealt (28:30)

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 assess the performances from a few of the most talked about pitchers in Blue Jays’ camp: Jose Berrios’ outing against the Phillies, along with new addition Chris Bassitt and top prospect Ricky Tiedemann who both faced the Tigers. With a few days of sample-size, Major League Baseball’s Vice President of On-Field Strategy Joe Martinez discusses the feedback he has received on the new rules and quicker pace of play from players, managers, and executives around the game (27:55). Blair and Barker end the show with the debut of their new phone line! They chat about if the Blue Jays should have signed a depth catcher after trading away Gabriel Moreno (44:47).

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 share their early reads on the Blue Jays' batting order, before discussing Alejandro Kirk skipping the World Baseball Classic after the birth of his daughter, expectations for Matt Chapman in 2023, and significant injuries around baseball (Joe Musgrove, Tyler Glasnow, and Gavin Lux). With Jose Berrios & the Blue Jays facing Philadelphia in split squad action this afternoon, the guys welcome Phillies analyst and former catcher Ben Davis on the show to break down the Phillies’ potent lineup, the addition of Trea Turner, Bryce Harper’s injury status, and how he feels catchers will adapt to the new pitch clock (29:18).

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 kick off this week discussing MLB's new rules being put on display and share their takeaways from the Blue Jays' opening weekend of Grapefruit League action. Later, they break down Toronto's hiring former Houston Astros GM James Click as their VP of Baseball Strategy. Later on, MLB Insider Jeff Passan chats about the early feedback on the pitch clock and rule changes, Manny Machado’s massive contract extension with the Padres, and the Jays' decision to add Click to the front office (29:35).

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.