Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker comment on the Blue Jays sweeping the Boston Red Sox after getting swept themselves in the previous series by the Texas Rangers. The guys discuss Toronto’s current standing in the Wild Card race and also examine Bo Bichette’s defensive play and if it has improved as the season has gone on. For this week’s edition of ‘Around the Wild Card’, Jeff and Kevin invite Mariners TV voice Aaron Goldsmith  (28:06) and Rangers reporter Kennedi Landry (37:23) on the show to focus on the recent play of Seattle and Texas respectively.

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 Manager John Schneider joins Jeff and Kevin following the Rangers series to discuss the state of the team post-sweep (1:22). Schneider touches on the ups and downs of his first season as manager and what he’s learned, his reaction to hearing fans boo, and Vlad Jr.’s series against Texas. The guys hear from Jose Berrios about the significance of Roberto Clemente and why he is celebrated before inviting Sportsnet’s Caleb Joseph on the show ahead of Jays-Red Sox this weekend (25:03).

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 start with overall reflections from the Jays’ disappointing series against the Rangers before moving on to tonight’s series opener against the Red Sox, Nate Pearson being called up for Bowden Francis, how the Jays bounce back and a look around the AL Wild Card race. Then, revisiting last night’s game, what - if anything - inspired optimism, Whit Merrifield’s outfield drop and if he should be starting in the outfield over Daulton Varsho. They are joined by WEEI Red Sox analyst Rob Bradford, who shares his thoughts on Chaim Bloom’s firing and if it was justified, how far the Red Sox are away from being serious contenders, the long-term plan for Chris Sale and the ascent of Triston Casas (30:15).

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, Kevin Barker, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan (3:17) discuss the Red Sox decision to part ways with Chaim Bloom, the Rangers dominance over the Blue Jays after three games of their series, and have a back and forth on the use of analytics in the game. To end the show, the guys go to the Back Leg Line to answer calls amidst the Blue Jays’ three-game losing streak.

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 kick off with Matt Chapman returning to the lineup before hitting on the Jays’ 10-0 loss to the Rangers last night, a new low in the Vladdy/Bo era, where the players are mentally at this point in the season and how finishing the season strong could set them up well for next year. They are joined by Rangers analyst & former Rangers outfielder David Murphy (17:26) who shares how Texas has woken up from their slump in time for this series, Jonah Heim back at full speed after his wrist injury and the Rangers’ X-Factors if they do make the playoffs. Later, president of baseball ops. and GM of the Braves Alex Anthopoulos discusses clinching the NL East title, the importance of power in the postseason and some unheralded Braves this season (31:16).

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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker kick off the second hour with Tim Kurkjian of ESPN who shares his thoughts on which team is under the most pressure to make the playoffs, the most disappointing team this season, who can stop the Braves and how an explosion in steals around the league changes the game. Later, MLB Network’s Bill Ripken shares his thoughts on the expectations around Vladdy Jr., the positives and negatives of off-days and Corey Seager’s unique but effective approach (28:48).

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 examine the Blue Jays dropping a second consecutive game against the Rangers, Texas now owning the tie breaker between the two clubs, and the breaking news that Max Scherzer is done for the year after exiting last night’s game. The guys turn their attention to game three of the series as they hear from John Schneider in his pre-game availability and welcome Dan Shulman on the show to discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s series so far and the performance of Toronto’s bullpen over the last few weeks (36:14).

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 start the second hour with Rangers analyst for the Dallas Morning News Evan Grant who breaks down last night's series opener between Texas and the Blue Jays, why he’s optimistic the team’s slump is coming to an end, what to look for from Max Scherzer tonight and the Bruce Bochy experience. Astros TV analyst Geoff Blum discusses whether Houston is the class of the American League, the significance of Christian Javier, and takes a look through the AL Wild Card race (13:23). Then, Mariners TV announcer Dave Sims shares his thoughts on Teoscar Hernandez’s contributions since the trade deadline, George Kirby’s recent post-game complaints and if they’ll be a distraction, and how the team is dealing with excessive travel and workload at this point in the season (27:13). They end the show with your calls on the Back Leg Line!

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 Toronto’s 10-4 loss to the Rangers in game one of their important four-game series; notably Chris Bassitt’s performance and the mound disengagement that led to Texas’ first run before examining Vladimir Guerrero’s numbers vs. the fastball. Sportsnet’s MLB insider Shi Davidi checks in from Rogers Centre  (23:48) to share his thoughts on game one and provide an injury update on Brandon Belt and Matt Chapman. Blair & Barker discuss Max Scherzer and his strikeout total in the latest edition of “Between the Lines”.

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 kick off the second hour with host of Loud Outs on MLB Network Radio & Rangers’ TV analyst CJ Nitkowski, who explains the underlying factor behind Texas’ skid, what to expect out of recent top prospect call-up Evan Carter, and he shares his thoughts on George Kirby’s recent, controversial post-game comments. Later, radio voice of the Blue Jays tees up the series between Texas and Toronto, discusses Alek Manoah’s complicated, season-ending situation, whether the Jays are worried about Alejandro Kirk’s workload behind the plate and how game management might change down the stretch (25:03). Finally, Mike Trout trade rumours and the Angels’ offseason plans.

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.