Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker touch on another blowout win for the Blue Jays over the Royals, led by Alejandro Kirk's offensive outburst with four hits! Should Gabriel Moreno be called up from AAA Buffalo with fellow catcher Danny Jansen hitting the IL? The guys pose this question to Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman who also discussed Alejandro Kirk’s emergence, how Jansen might have avoided a longer-term injury, and Kevin Gausman not getting swings and misses with his splitter during his last start (17:27).

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.

Kansas City Royals TV analyst & friend of the show Rex Hudler shares his view on the Blue Jays and Royals series so far, rookie phenom Bobby Witt Jr, and outfielder Andrew Benintendi’s availability before the deadline (06:28). No deGrom, no Scherzer, no problem for the New York Mets. SNY analyst Jerry Blevins discusses New York leading the National League, Buck Showalter pushing the right buttons as manager, and the improved defence behind the pitching staff (26:24). To wrap up, Kevin recalls his encounters with the media as a player on today's "Barker's Back Leg Bits" (40:50).

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 the Blue Jays' 8-0 win over the Kansas City Royals in the opening game of the series. The guys focus in on Ross Stripling’s quality start, the Jays' bats getting to KC's starter Daniel Lynch, and the team’s ability to stay ready for the game after its start was delayed. MLB Network insider Jon Morosi examines the market for relief pitching, if the Blue Jays or another contending team should have interest in FA Trevor Rosenthal, and the cost for Toronto to bolster their bullpen (30:05).

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.

Former MLB executive David Samson discusses why he still feels the Blue Jays are the team to beat in the East, if the Yankees pitching will be good enough for October, Joe Girardi’s firing, and how front office executives evaluate their managers (03:51). Blair & Barker complete the show with the latest installment of “Barker’s Back Leg Bits” (32:05) and discuss what they expect tonight out of Ross Stripling when Toronto opens up their series against Kansas City (43:34).

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 recap the Toronto Blue Jays weekend series against the Minnesota Twins; in particular Sunday’s 8-6 loss in the rubber match. Jeff and Kevin comment on Kevin Gausman’s outing and the possibility of him tipping his pitches, Toronto not being sharp defensively in the game, and Jose Berrios’ best start of the season with his 13 strikeout performance against his former team. Afterwards, the guys examine how the Blue Jays' rivals fared over the weekend for “In The East” (30:41), and share their thoughts on Yusei Kikuchi getting pulled on Friday, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. coming together on an infield pop-up, and how it was handled afterwards by both players (40:23).

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.

Minnesota Twins Senior VP & General Manager Thad Levine joins the show to discuss who isn’t making the trip to Toronto, Carlos Correa’s status after being placed on the COVID-IL, Byron Buxton’s impact on the team, and Gio Urshela and his postseason experience being on the roster (02:38). Finally, Blair & Barker head into the weekend with an extended cut of Barker’s Back Leg Bits (31:43).

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 the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays who have now won eight straight games following their second consecutive series sweep and another strong outing from Alek Manoah. The guys also look at the upcoming Twins series and who will be missing for Minnesota after being placed on the restricted list. Afterwards, they open up the phone lines for fans to have their say on the Blue Jays’ best stretch of the season to date (30:44).

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.

Blue Jays announcer Dan Shulman comments on the Blue Jays' recent winning streak, the team’s improving offence, Toronto’s shopping list ahead of the deadline, and Bo Bichette drawing three walks in yesterday’s win (02:29). Next up, White Sox closer and friend of the show Liam Hendriks discusses his evolution as a closer, his personal experiences using PitchCom, and how he’s fit in with the Tony La Russa-managed White Sox since signing with the team as free-agent (22:50). We wrap up by fielding your questions on a quick edition of Barker's Back Leg Bits (40:40)!

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.

Danny Jansen continued his hot streak at the plate as he belted a three-run home run to lead the Blue Jays to a 7-3 win over Chicago. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the team’s seventh straight win, commenting on Jansen’s productivity, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s encouraging game at the plate, and the job Ross Stripling and the bullpen did in relief of Hyun Jin Ryu. Later on, White Sox Play by Play voice Jason Benetti shares his thoughts on the series, today’s starter Johnny Cueto, and the use of PitchCom ahead of the series finale (29:37).

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.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman joins “Blair and Barker” to recap his start against Chicago. He discusses his arsenal of pitches, working with Pete Walker, the Blue Jays finding their rhythm offensively, and the starting rotation supporting one another and watching each others bullpens (06:26). To wrap up today, Jeff and Kevin address questions on the trade market for left-handed bats and bullpen help in the latest edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits (32:34). 

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.