Blair & Barker

The Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves will meet in the World Series. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back at the ALCS & NLCS, Eddie Rosario’s MVP performance vs. LA and the Red Sox and Dodgers’ high-priced rosters going home (0:54). Later in the hour, Jeff and Kevin discuss if the Dodgers’ loss makes them feel different about last year’s World Series win in a shortened season, if Justin Verlander would be an intriguing pitcher for the Blue Jays to pursue in free agency, and the roster decisions looming for both teams in the “Fall Classic”.

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.

Dodgers analyst and former GM Ned Colletti talks about the organization finding key players like Chris Taylor and Max Muncy, how Joe Kelly’s injury effects the Dodgers’ bullpen, Cody Bellinger’s play in the postseason and much more (6:24). ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan is covering the ALCS and discusses how long the leash should be on Astros’ starter Luis Garcia in Game 6 and how if he’s Astros’ manager Dusty Baker he’s doing everything he can to win tonight and avoid a Game 7 against the Boston Red Sox (32:18).

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.

Blair & Barker discuss the Dodgers extending the NLCS after their 11-2 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 5. The guys break down Chris Taylor’s phenomenal game where he became the first player in MLB history to hit three-home runs in the postseason while facing elimination, Albert Pujols’ significance to the club, and what Brian Snitker and the Braves must do in Game 6 with Ian Anderson on the mound to avoid a Game 7 (0:50). Later, the guys concentrate on the ALCS: can the Houston Astros end the series tonight (33:50)?

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.

Mark Shapiro, President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays, discusses his thoughts on next season and the potential for full capacity at Rogers Centre, the off-season plans for the Blue Jays and how he hopes to improve the ballclub, the negotiation process with the Jays’ pending free agents, the future of third base, the competition in the AL East and the potential in the Jays’ minor league system (2:19). To wrap, Jeff and Kevin take your calls on the state of the Blue Jays and the pace of play in this year’s postseason games (32:57).

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.

The Astros and Braves both won big on Wednesday night and now have Boston and the World Champion Dodgers facing elimination. Jeff and Kevin examine the NLCS particularly Julio Urias’ performance in Game 4 and the Dodgers not having a set starter and using their bullpen in a must-win Game 5 (1:37). Later, they transition to the ALCS to discuss Alex Cora’s use of Chris Sale and how the Astros back-to-back wins in games 4 & 5 were that much more impressive coming on the road at Fenway Park (12:00). Finally, World Series champion and Astros TV analyst Geoff Blum comments on Houston’s hot-hitting roster, the importance of Yuli Gurriel to the lineup, and Framber Valdez’ start in Game 5 (33:45).

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.

Blair & Barker lookahead briefly to the MLB offseason, the market for shortstops and the main thing that separates Marcus Semien from other top targets like Corey Seager and Carlos Correa: health (1:20). Later in the hour, 2018 Hall of Fame Inductee and Atlanta Braves coach Chipper Jones talks about his role working with Atlanta’s hitters, the Braves’ 6-5 loss to the Dodgers in Game 3, the issues that come with utilizing a bullpen game mid-series, fellow third baseman Austin Riley’s breakout season, and how he expects the Braves to improve going forward after Ronald Acuna Jr. and Mike Soroka return from injury (24:55).

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 Game 4 of the ALCS where the Astros’ bats came alive for a 9-2 win to tie the series at 2-2 (1:20). Jeff and Kevin break down Nathan Eovaldi’s pitch to pinch hitter Jason Castro that was called a ball before the go-ahead base hit, umpire Laz Diaz’s strike zone, Zack Greinke’s shaky start, and the impressive performance from Houston’s bullpen (14:25). “The Mayor” Sean Casey joins the show to reminisce with the guys about their first cars before sharing his thoughts on Cody Bellinger coming alive after his tough regular season, players choking up on the bat more in the postseason, who should start at catcher in Game 5 for the Astros, and electronic strike zones (29:31).

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.

Three-time World Series champion and Astros analyst Mike Stanton discusses Houston’s 12-3 loss in Game 3 of the ALCS, what we can expect from Game 4 starter Zack Greinke, and reflects on his time pitching in the postseason over his 19-year career (2:28). MLB Network’s Dan O’Dowd reflects on today’s breaking news that manager Aaron Boone has reached an extension with the Yankees before touching on the ALCS and NLCS between the Dodgers and Braves (27:50).

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.

Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro spoke to the media where he addressed all things related to the organization including payroll perimeters, renovations to the Rogers Centre, and the offseason ahead (2:16). Blair & Barker have their say before opening up the phone lines (35:27).

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.

With Game 3 of the ALCS on tap at Fenway, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by WEEI’s Lou Merloni to discuss how the cold weather could potentially impact this game, Kiké Hernández’s defence as well as his stellar offence, what’s going on with Rafael Devers at the plate, and Eduardo Rodriguez’s aggressive mindset paying off down the stretch of the season and in the playoffs (2:01). Afterwards, they discuss the news that Major League Baseball teams will provide housing for minor league baseball players starting in 2022, and Barker shares some thoughts on his experiences as a minor league prospect (23:16).

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.