Blair & Barker

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker ahead of Game 4 in the Jays' and Yankees' Divisional Series (3:20). He shares his thoughts on Louis Varland getting the start after giving up a big home run to Aaron Judge in Game 3, whether the Jays use Trey Yesavage or save him for a potential Game 5, Vladdy Jr. and Judge turning around their postseason reputations, and the rise of the splitter. Then, Jeff and Kevin listen in on John Schneider's pre-game availability. Later, former MLB catcher and host of 'Foul Territory' Erik Kratz stops by (35:30) to discuss the Jays' defences lapses in Game 3, whether Yankee Stadium atmosphere made an impact, catching a bullpen day, and much more.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show discussing Aaron Judge's clutch homerun to help the New York Yankees take Game 3, Louis Varland and Alejandro Kirk's approaches to pitching Judge, and the expectations for Varland making his second start for the Blue Jays. Then, Northeastern University Baseball head coach Mike Glavine joins the guys (9:30) to chat about recruiting Yankees rookie starter Cam Schlittler, why he could be a perfect fit to pitch in an elimination game, Cam's pitch mix with his size, and what Mike has learned from his brother Tom Glavine passing on the knowledge to his current pitchers. Afterwards, former MLB pitcher and MLB Network analyst Jake Peavy (29:35) shares his thoughts on switching mindsets from game to game in the postseason, pitching to Aaron Judge, why the Yankees are getting comfortable with being on the other side of an elimination match, and the difficulties of a bullpen day as a pitcher. 

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.

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Blue Jays TV analyst Buck Martinez joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to discuss the Jays' keys to completing the ALDS sweep in the Bronx (1:48). He shares how the lineup must approach Yankees starter Carlos Rodón, his expectations for Shane Bieber off 10 days' rest, the key to Vladdy's postseason success, and how the Jays can manage the hostility of Yankee Stadium. Then, Jeff and Kevin listen in on Aaron Boone's and John Schneider's pregame availability. Finally, they reflect on Schneider's growth as a manager and share what has them worried and what gives them confidence going into Game 3.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker lookahead to Game 3 between the Blue Jays and Yankees in New York, the keys to victory for Toronto's hitters, the importance of scoring first at Yankees Stadium, what to look for with Shane Bieber's post-season start after a 10-day rest period before looking at the L.A. Dodgers taking a 2-0 series lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. Then, Yankees beat writer Erik Boland stops by (23:35) to discuss the fanbase's and team's view on being down two games to start the ALDS, Carlos Rodón's leash in an elimination game, Aaron Judge's search for his defining moment, and if Aaron Boone's job is on the line if the Yankees fall out of the postseason. 

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by former Blue Jay and Sportsnet analyst Kevin Pillar (1:04) to share impressions from the Blue Jays' scorching start to the ALDS over the weekend. He discusses Daulton Varsho's growth at the plate after a four-hit outing on Sunday, the keys to winning at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees' focus on identifying pitch-tipping, and his nerves on the mound when throwing the first pitch. Later, Jeff and Kevin take a look at the other Divisional Series and discuss Teoscar Hernández's elevated postseason play, Seranthony Domínguez tipping his pitches, the Jays' commitment to defence, the 2025 finalists for the Hank Aaron Award, and Aaron Boone's comments on Vladdy Jr.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker follow up on the Blue Jays' dominating opening weekend of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, and Vladdy Jr. leading the offensive showcase. Then, they break down Trey Yesavage's historic postseason debut, the effectiveness of Trey's high release into a downward angle against the Yankees hitters, Aaron Judge's comments on facing the rookie and why John Schneider made the right call to pull his starter through a commanding no-hitter. Then, former MLBer and current ESPN MLB analyst Eduardo Pérez (28:30) speaks on the Jays leaning on their power, the difficulties of facing Yesavage's arm, John Schneider learning from his first managerial postseason in 2023, and Vlad Jr. stepping up as a leader on the Toronto baseball club.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker welcome Hall of Famer Chipper Jones to kick off the final hour of the week. He discusses the potential impacts of the Jays' 5-day layoff, how Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can be a 'tough out,' the key to managing playoff nerves, and his thoughts on the AL MVP between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. Later, Fox Sports' Joe Davis (26:26), who will be on the call for the Jays' and Yankees' series, joins the show to share his expectations for Game 1, the postseason's pitching showcase so far, why George Springer is the Jays' x-factor, and the Dodgers' keys to victory against the Phillies. Finally, Jeff and Kevin review the Jays' media day.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker chat about the New York Yankees advancing to the ALDS over the Boston Red Sox, locking in a date against the Blue Jays. They get into New York's pitching, including Cam Schlittler's 12-strikeout masterpiece in Game 3, what else they've learned from the Yankees during the Wild Card series, and John Schneider officially declaring Kevin Gausman as the Game 1 starter. Then, ESPN analyst and two-time World Series winner Hunter Pence (12:21) stops by to discuss New York's performance over Boston, the blueprint for the Jays to take down the Bronx Bombers, and the impacts of the 5-day layoff. Afterwards, Blue Jays radio analyst Chris Leroux joins the guys (34:12) to weigh in on the two teams' velocity, game planning with pitch-tipping, who he expects to start in Game 2, and how Kevin Gausman should attack Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Apple TV & MLB Network analyst Ryan Spilborghs (0:58) to share some thoughts on the Wild Card thus far. He weighs in on the Dodgers' decision to start Shohei Ohtani in Game 1 against the Phillies in the NLDS, Mookie Betts' reinvention, the Jays' keys to a deep run, and whether the Yankees' and Red Sox's fielding will come back to bite them. Then, MLB Network analyst Sean Casey joins the show (13:52) to share his advice for young starters making their postseason debuts, why the Jays' final regular season stretch sets them up well for playoff baseball, and the pressure on Aaron Judge to turn around his postseason reputation. Finally, Jeff and Kevin tee up the Red Sox and Yankees' Game 3, discuss how the Jays will roll out their rotation in the ALDS, and weigh in on where Max Scherzer fits in.

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.

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Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker begin their discussions on the New York Yankees tying the Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers punching their ticket to the NLDS over the Cincinnati Reds and Shohei Ohtani making the start for Game 1 against the Philadelphia Phillies before bringing on Seattle Mariners' bench coach Manny Acta (12:02). He chats about his team's intrasquad games including Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, the positive and negative effects of a long layoff before the first round of post-season games, what people don't know about Cal Raleigh, and Josh Naylor's contributions to the Mariners this year. Then, Jeff and Kevin catch up with World Series champion and former Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle (27:30), who talks about life after baseball, the 2015 Jays' squad, the difficulties of pitching a postseason game, and the game's transition to using the pitch clock. 

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.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.