Blair & Barker

Jeff & Kevin react to the Blue Jays’ wrap-around series with the Boston Red Sox that concludes tonight at Fenway Park, notably the offensive explosion from the lineup in Sunday’s 18-4 win. The pair also touch on the recent performance of the Jays’ bullpen and Charlie Montoyo making the best of a bad situation with its numerous injuries. Finally, they look ahead to tonight’s series finale with Boston and what they’re expecting from Alek Manoah on the mound.

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 & Kevin examine the Blue Jays’ series loss to the Chicago White Sox, Hyun-Jin Ryu’s performance in the finale, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s success at the plate at home (in minor-league stadiums) & the difference on the road. Blue Jays prospect Riley Adams talks about the advice he received for catching Hyun-Jin Ryu, the learning curve for a catcher making the leap from the minors to majors, what part of his offensive game he’s working on, and how his practise of martial arts helps him on the field.

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 & Kevin recap the Blue Jays’ 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox and discuss Alek Manoah’s start and his approach staring down hitters on the mound. Austin Martin talks about his experience as part of the Jays’ organisation this year vs. 2020, what aspect of his game he conscientiously worked on, the biggest adjustment when moving from 3rd base to shortstop, switching from an aluminum bat to a wooden one, if there’s a particular player he would like to model his game after, and the camaraderie on his squad.

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 & Kevin examine what went wrong in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 6-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox in the first of their three-game set. The pair point to Trent Thornton’s performance in the eighth inning, the Blue Jays’ offence going dry in support of Robbie Ray, and Marcus Semien getting picked off with Teoscar Hernandez at the plate. The guys then share their thoughts on the increased spin-rate and doctoring of baseballs in the game, and discuss Josh Donaldson’s comments calling-out Gerrit Cole for cheating as the two get ready to square off in the Twins-Yankees series. To end the show, Jeff & Kevin open up the phone lines for Walk Off Wednesday!

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 & Kevin look ahead to the Blue Jays’ series against the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox, and examine the impressive seasons so far from Lance Lynn & Liam Hendriks; two pitchers that the Jays had interest in. Former Chicago infielder and NBC Sports analyst Gordon Beckham talks about whether the White Sox are where he thought they would be at this point of the season, Carlos Rodón’s impressive outings, how Liam Hendriks has fit in, the job done by Tony La Russa, and how to pitch to the 5’7″ Nick Madrigal.

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 & Kevin examine the Blue Jays’ series loss to the Houston Astros. The duo break down the Jays’ defence, notably the play where Randal Grichuk and Marcus Semien collided under a pop fly. They then discuss what currently separates Houston from Toronto: homegrown pitching. Later, Jeff & Kevin talk about Rowdy Tellez’s recent struggles at the dish, and what to expect out of Nate Pearson for the rest of season. To conclude, a discussion of the Jays catchers after Danny Jansen exited Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury.

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 & Kevin preview the Blue Jays’ weekend against the Houston Astros and Kevin shares why he thinks the series will come down to bullpen vs. bullpen. The pair then examine the trade market and Jeff shares who he would rather hang onto in trade talks if he were Toronto: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. or Jordan Groshans. Astros TV analyst Geoff Blum touches on why Houston looks more like their 2019 form than what we saw in 2020, if Kyle Tucker’s current performance is sustainable, what Carlos Correa has to do to be the Astros’ shortstop in 2022, how good Dusty Baker’s rotation can be, how Zack Greinke still strikes out batters, and Luis Garcia’s unusual delivery.

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 & Kevin examine the Blue Jays’ 6-5 comeback win over the Miami Marlins, notably Bo Bichette’s approach at the plate and game-tying triple, and Alek Manoah’s performance in his second career start. After the break, the pair continue their conversation on the bullpen after yesterday’s announcement that AJ Cole is on the injured list. 2006 American League MVP & Blue Jays Central analyst Justin Morneau provides his perspectives on the type of hitter he sees Bo Bichette developing into, how the young Jays stars may handle being shifted in the batting lineup, and whether pitchers using foreign substances on the ball is a significant issue.

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 & Kevin Barker react to the Blue Jays’ 5-1 win over the Miami Marlins and the city of Buffalo taking care of the Jays at Sahlen Field. With Marcus Semien being named AL Player of the Month, the pair discuss his contributions to date, making up for George Springer’s lost bat, and if Toronto should be looking to re-sign the second baseman. The guys then address Toronto’s bullpen, why certain pitchers haven’t been used lately, and not having a designated closer & going by matchup. Throughout the show, Blair & Barker take calls for Walk Off Wednesday!

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 Blue Jays begin their next series tonight against the Miami Marlins, which are their first home games at Sahlen Field in Buffalo. Robbie Ray will take the mound in the opener, Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker discuss his recent appearances and why he may find success against the Marlins’ hitters. Blue Jays great Vernon Wells talks about where Marcus Semien should hit once George Springer returns, the great leap Vlad Guerrero Jr. made this season, if there’s such a thing as a team-wide approach to hitting, and if MLB has an issue with pitchers using foreign substances on the ball. After the break, Jeff and Kevin examine which Jays have had the most success hitting at Sahlen Field.

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.