Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open with a look at all the players picked up from waivers today, Randal Grichuk going unclaimed and the wider issue of players being waived en-masse after the trade deadline. Then, a preview of the Jays’ series against the Rockies starting tomorrow in Colorado, the impact of the altitude, and Kevin maps out the difficult path for the team to get back into an AL Wild Card spot. They are joined by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (28:14), who delves into the waiver claims from today, how each player will fit in their respective landing spots and if the Angels might trade Mike Trout in the offseason now that it seems likely that Shohei Ohtani will not return.

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 kick off the second hour with MLB Network analyst Mark Derosa, who shares his thoughts on the LA Angels waiving Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, Reynaldo López, Hunter Renfroe and Randal Grichuk, how Shohei Ohtani might react to the move, flaws with teams that rely heavily on pitching and why the Blue Jays are still dangerous if they can squeak into the playoffs. They close the show with your calls on the Back Leg Line! (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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker start with last night’s Blue Jays game before touching on today’s top story; Bo Bichette will once again be shelved on the 10-day IL with a quad strain, and Mason McCoy getting the call up. They welcome Washington Nationals TV analyst Kevin Fransden to tee up game 2 in the Nats’ series against the Jays, how close they are to being competitive in the NL East and look ahead to the team’s offseason plans. Later, Blue Jays’ general manager Ross Atkins stops by (27:42) to clear up some of the Jays’ injuries, why McCoy was elevated over younger prospects like Orelvis Martinez or Addison Barger, his thoughts on Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s mechanics and his expectations down the stretch with the schedule easing up.

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 start the second hour with Blue Jays’ radio voice Ben Wagner, who shares an update on the sightings of Vlad Guerrero Jr. warming up at third base, the Jays’ backup plans for third with Matt Chapman on the IL and Daulton Varsho’s turnaround at the plate. Later, former GM and MLB Network radio analyst Jim Duquette (24:44) shares his thoughts on Vladdy's mechanical struggles against velocity, the strength of the Orioles’ bullpen without Félix Bautista and how to handle Shohei Ohtani’s free agency from an Angels’ executive’s perspective.

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 (back from vacation!) get right into last night’s Blue Jays’ loss to the Cleveland Guardians in extras to drop the series, the big mistakes, necessary lineup changes and possible solutions to reignite the team and get back into a Wild Card spot. Afterwards, is it time for the Jays to look at promoting a top prospect with Matt Chapman hitting the IL and Bo Bichette heading for an MRI? Later, with the postseason approaching, a brand new segment looking at the latest ‘In the Wild Card!’ (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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair opens the second hour with radio play-by-play voice of the Guardians, Tom Hamilton, who shares his thoughts on the career and character of manager Terry Francona who has hinted at an imminent retirement, his marked legacy in Cleveland and tees up the Guardians’ series against the Blue Jays starting tonight. Then, your calls on the Back Leg Line! Afterward, ESPN insider Jeff Passan stops by (25:18) for his weekly hit to weigh in on whether or not the Blue Jays could be in on Shohei Ohtani this offseason, what type of money Ohtani could still command after his injury and how significant a surgery he will likely have to undergo. Jeff closes the show by checking in with Ben Wagner from the Rogers Centre ahead of the Jays’ series opener against the Guardians!

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 starts with last night’s rubber match between the Blue Jays and Orioles, a 5-3 loss for Toronto where the offence was once again bottled up. Then, reaction and analysis on Jays’ GM Ross Atkins’ press availability from earlier today. Later, Jeff is joined by Blue Jays TV analyst Buck Martinez (23:20) who shares his expectations for the team’s next 5 weeks, why ‘urgency’ might not be the best approach for Vladdy at the plate, and he assesses Terry Francona’s year with the Guardians in what could be his last season as a manager.

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 starts the second hour with MLB Network insider Jon Morosi for a deep dive into Shohei Ohtani’s torn UCL. They chat about how it changes the offseason landscape changes for all Ohtani, the Angels and the MLB, his open-market value if he cannot pitch in the long term and which teams would still buy big on him. Later, from his UnderTheKnife sub stack, Will Carroll gets down to the nitty gritty on the exact nature of Ohtani’s injury (24:52), rehab options and the lack of longevity for pitchers throwing over 100 MPH. Jeff closes 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 affiliate.

Jeff Blair opens with Blue Jays Central's Madison Shipman in studio to go over the Blue Jays’ 7-0 loss to the Orioles last night, but first, Shohei Ohtani’s torn UCL, how it changes his free agency landscape and how his role may change when he returns. They then get into the game, Kevin Gausman’s post-game comments about playing with a ‘sense of urgency,’ Genesis Cabrera’s long-term role and Alek Manoah finally heading to Buffalo. Later, play-by-play voice of the Blue Jays Dan Shulman shares his thoughts on the Manoah development, how the Jays respond to being shut out and the Orioles’ impressive depth (21:01). Jeff closes the hour 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 affiliate.

Jeff kicks off the second hour with Anthony Castrovince from MLB Network and MLB.com to give his take on the Blue Jays this season and why the Orioles season was a surprise to everyone. Next up, Jeff answers your calls in the Back Leg Line before being joined by Orioles reporter Roch Kubatko (24:50) to give his insights on the decision of scratching Jack Flaherty hours before the game, what was the most surprising part of the Orioles season, and what the team’s future in the infield could look like. 

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.