Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker kick off the show discussing Blue Jays top prospect Ricky Tiedemann and what we can expect out of him from Spring Training. The guys are then joined by Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (30:23) from Dunedin and open up the back leg line for fan questions ahead of the Blue Jays’ first Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker react to comments from the Blue Jays yesterday at Spring Training; notably Bo Bichette discussing the work players are doing with Don Mattingly and John Schneider looking ahead to Toronto’s early season schedule. Foul Territory host and former MLB catcher Erik Kratz (27:42) shares his thoughts on the new MLB jerseys which have been a controversial topic amongst players, Spring Training being a good time for coaches and players to have honest conversations, and the expectations on Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2024.

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 affiliate.

With everyone in camp, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker turn their attention to the free agents who remain unsigned; notably super agent Scott Boras’ clients: Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, JD Martinez, and Jordan Montgomery. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale checks-in from Spring Training in Arizona with his free agency thoughts (27:47) and Mike Trout’s future with the Angels. To end the show, the guys discuss Montgomery further and why they’re surprised he’s still available to sign with any team.

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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are back on-the-air five days a week as full teams have now reported to spring training! The guys look back to last season and agree that internal improvements from players like Alejandro Kirk, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alek Manoah will go a long way to the Blue Jays’ overall success in 2024. Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez joins the show (27:50) from Dunedin with his early impressions from camp, notably players buying in by showing up early and the emphasis on attention to detail from the Jays’ coaching staff.

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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker (0:22) from Florida, as they discuss the state of the starting rotation, how they're aiming to repeat the successful (and healthy) season the starters had last year, where Alek Manoah is at in his 2024 preparation, and what Yariel Rodriguez might contribute as one of the newest pitchers on the roster. Plus, Walker discusses the bullpen, including a fully healthy start to the season for Chad Green - is the Jays bullpen being slept on? Afterwards, Blair and Barker chat the process of getting ready for exhibition games over a month before meaningful games begin, and Barker shares his experience on what it's like trying to prove yourself at this stage of the season.  

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 Justin Turner (3:40) - live from a batting cage - as he preps for a rapidly approaching spring training. Turner discusses what free agency was like during the offseason, what he would like to see from new teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the plate, where he might play both on the diamond and in the order, and briefly gets into his Dodgers career.

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 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. winning his arbitration hearing vs. the Blue Jays - what does that mean for the relationship between player and team? They debate if it could have an impact down the road, and bring on David Samson (13:03) for some expert advice, as someone who has been involved in player-team negotiations. Samson chats about the arbitration process, and afterwards they discuss the ongoing Vegas-Oakland saga and the Orioles being sold to a pair of venture capitalists. Plus, Blair and Barker open up the Back Leg Line and take your questions!

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 Blue Jays' reported signing of Justin Turner - do we have Bo Bichette to thank for that? They get into what position Turner is most likely to play on the field and chat about his plate discipline - to get into the kind of player he is in the clubhouse, they bring on WEEI's Rob Bradford (12:01). Rob discusses seeing Turner play for the Red Sox, and the kind of effect a 39-year old veteran bat has on other guys when things aren't going well. Afterwards, they chat about what this might mean for the rest of the roster - who else is out there?

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 bring on Bo Bichette (16:26) to discuss his off-season (including a January appearance at UFC 297 in Toronto) - what has the star shortstop been up to? He chats working on his game, being invested in the Shohei Ohtani saga along with the fans, what it means to be a part of the leadership group, and his continual improvements on defence. Blair and Barker also discuss the MLB's announcement of the 2024 Hall of Fame Class, and dive into the different perspectives between writers and players when it comes to filling out a ballot.

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 reported signing of Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodriguez - what could his role look like, either in the starting rotation or the bullpen? Baseball America's Kyle Glaser (5:55) joins to discuss his Rodriguez scouting report from both the World Baseball Classic with Cuba and from the NPB's Chunichi Dragons. Afterwards, they dive into the Back Leg Line (20:27) and answer some listener questions, including who comprises 'the core' of the team, why the off-season has gone slowly across the league, and where power hitting answers can still come from.

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.