Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Erik Kratz (0:45), host of Foul Territory and former major leaguer, to discuss clubhouse dynamics for young teams, Clay Holmes' closing struggles for the Yankees, the Orioles 'getting too cute' and who he's got for the final NL Wild Card - Mets or Braves. Later, Sportsnet MLB insider Shi Davidi (28:25) from Atlanta shares some injury updates on Bo Bichette and Jordan Romano before teeing up the Jays' weekend series against the Braves. 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.

Blair and Barker begin the Friday edition checking in on the Back-Leg Line - discussing if Juan Soto is worth signing to a long-term contract in free agency, why bringing in talent to the roster is more important to the Blue Jays than changing the coaching staff and addressing the bullpen issues. Jays' skipper John Schneider (26:13) stops by for his weekly chat to discuss the Atlanta Braves and lefty Max Fried, his team's recent trends against left-handed pitchers, his assessment of Will Wagner, Spencer Horwitz' outlook at second base and whether we'll see Jake Bloss by the end 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 ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan (1:35) to break down Matt Chapman's 6-year extension with the Giants and how it might impact Alex Bregman's market in the offseason. Then, he shares why the Astros are the team to beat in the AL and puts Shohei Ohtani's historic 2024 campaign in perspective. Later, Mets bench coach and former Jays manager John Gibbons (28:02) discusses his role in New York, Francisco Lindor's turnaround and his approach to analytics. 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.

Blair and Barker begin the show sharing their to-do list of what they want to see from the 2024 Blue Jays with only 21 games remaining including playing time for Addison Barger in different positions, Bo Bichette's availability and Yariel Rodriguez's pitching. Then, TV play-by-play voice for the Atlanta Braves Brandon Gaudin (25:34) stops by to chat about the importance of their lead-off hitter, Chris Sale's return to form and how manager Brian Snitker has navigated his team this 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 get set for the Blue Jays' two-game series against the Phillies with Phillies TV analyst Ben Davis. He digs into potential reasons for Philadelphia's late-season skid, what lessons they can take away from their last postseason run and the team's X-Factors heading into October. Blue Jays' play-by-play voice Dan Shulman (26:05) discusses the Jays' roster uncertainties they need to sort out in the final month of the regular season - Barger's upside, Horwitz's ideal position, Will Wagner's role and 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.

Blair and Barker begin the show projecting which of the younger Blue Jays players will become mainstays in the lineup heading into the next season including Spencer Horwitz at second base, starting rotation and Jordan Romano's closer role. Then, The Athletic's Jayson Stark (27:01) stops by to chat about the Wild Card races ramping up as we enter September, if the AL East has weakened as a division, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series hopes and whether the Philadelphia Phillies shifted their focus to October too early. 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.

Blair and Barker are joined by ESPN's Jeff Passan (7:23) to reflect on the teams' performances one month after the trade deadline, if it's worth it for Bo Bichette and the organization to play some of the remaining games of the season, projecting Japanese star pitcher Rōki Sasaki's chance of playing in the MLB, and what Corbin Burnes and Juan Soto could be eyeing for ahead of entering free agency. Then Twins Senior VP & GM Thad Levine (29:18) jumps on ahead of the Blue Jays' meeting in Minnesota, the challenges his baseball club has gone through while fighting for a spot in the post-season, and how Simeon Woods Richardson found success 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.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker from Minnesota as Toronto gets ready to face the Twins. The guys discuss the club’s recent play, notably Bowden Francis’ last few impressive starts after he pitched another gem Thursday night against the Red Sox. It’s Friday so Blair & Barker open up the Back Leg Line and answer some questions from fans of the show! 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 Royals TV analyst Rex Hudler (0:40) to discuss KC's transformative 2024 season after their 100-loss 2023 campaign - specifically, Bobby Witt Jr.'s superstar jump and the unsung heroes of the Royals' push for an AL Central lead. MLB Network's Mark Feinsand (26:25) shares his thoughts on the different directions the Jays could go in free agency, Aaron Judge running away with AL MVP and the chances that Juan Soto stays in the Bronx. 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 3-0 loss against the Boston Red Sox and concentrate on Chris Bassitt’s bounce back performance in a tough luck loss. Blue Jays’ infielder Ernie Clement (26:38) joins the guys ahead of the series finale at Fenway Park to discuss his 2024 season so far particularly his defensive play. 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 look at the tight race in the AL Central between the Guardians, Royals and Twins and project which might come out on top. Former GM and MLB Network's Dan O'Dowd (9:01) shares how he evaluates a team down the stretch, the sustainability of Vladdy's hot stretch, off-field concerns around Bo Bichette and more. Former MLB executive David Samson (29:10) weighs in on the proposed minimum-innings-pitched rule, the Jays' biggest needs in the offseason, the problem of building through free agency and how Toronto's management's contract situation complicates their future spending 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss Yariel Rodriguez’s latest outing after picking up the loss at Fenway Park. Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine (25:00) discusses the run the Braves have been on despite their numerous injuries, Chris Sale’s Cy Young-calibre season, and shares his thoughts on the state of pitching in the game today and the importance of a starting 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by Jays TV analyst Buck Martinez (6:15) from Boston to share some team storylines to watch with 29 games remaining in the regular season. He gets into the future of the rotation, the plan for Bo Bichette when he returns, their young players with the highest upside and more. WEEI's Rob Bradford (28:32) helps tee up the rest of the Jays' series against the Red Sox and discusses Boston's defensive issues, their offseason plans and his takeaways from his recent interview with Kevin Gausman. 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 discuss the Blue Jays recent play as they attempt to get back to .500 on the season and react to Justin Verlander’s comments on Sunday Night Baseball regarding the state of starting pitching in the game. Later on, ESPN baseball insider Kiley McDaniel (31:18) examines the tiers of the upcoming free-agent class and how Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are perceived by front office executives across the majors. 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 Jays' recent offensive surge before they are joined by Jays' pitching prospect at Triple-A Buffalo, Jake Bloss (6:32). He shares what it was like getting traded at the deadline, how he's settled in with the organization and what he's been working on as he awaits a call-up for his Jays debut. Seattle Times' Ryan Divish (28:07) discusses what's next for the Mariners after cutting ties with manager Scott Servais. To close the week, Jeff & Kevin go back to 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.

After some time apart, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are BACK! After catching up they open up the Back Leg Line for a few calls and are joined by Blue Jays manager John Schneider (27:45) coming off of Toronto’s 5-3 win over the Angels. To end the hour, the guys discuss how much time Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could see at third base in 2025. 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 welcomes Red Sox & former Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen (1:10) to share how he's settling in with the Sox since he was traded at the deadline, catching a different pitching crew and his chance to become the first player to play for both teams in the same game. Then, Jeff reacts to the Mariners firing manager Scott Servais and reflects on where it went wrong for them. Finally, radio voice of the Blue Jays Ben Shulman (23:53) - ahead of the team's series against the Angels - shares his thoughts on Joey Votto's career and legacy, what to expect from a Ryan Burr opener tonight, when Jake Bloss might get called up 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.

Jeff Blair discusses Joey Votto’s retirement and his potential for reaching the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Padres analyst and former player Tony Gwynn Jr. (15:02) shares a story of Votto reaching out to his dad, arguably the best hitter of all-time, before examining the wild card race in the National League, AJ Preller’s moves throughout the season and at the deadline, and if Fernando Tatis Jr. will re-join the team before the postseason. Votto’s longtime teammate (and the only person Joey follows on Twitter/X!) Devin Mesoraco (29:40) talks about playing with him in Cincinnati and what made him such a great teammate and prolific hitter. 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 is joined by ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan (1:40) to make his now weekly projection for a potential Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension and how his recent play at third base can impact negotiations. Then, they go around MLB - whether the Orioles did enough at the deadline, parity around the big leagues and what's next for the Cardinals after releasing Brandon Crawford & optioning Nolan Gorman. Later, Jays radio analyst Chris Leroux (29:21) evaluates Toronto's pitching this season, what he and the team are looking for from each arm down the stretch and what's up with Davis Schneider. 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 recaps the Blue Jays' 10-3 beat-down on the Reds in the second game of the series, including another stellar outing from José Berríos. Coach & Director of National Teams at Baseball Canada Greg Hamilton (11:10) joins Jeff to discuss the next World Baseball Classic and Team Canada's outlook following today's announcement of pools, dates and formats for the tournament in 2026. TheScore's Travis Sawchik (28:14) dives deep on the Orioles - why they've struggled recently, whether they did enough at the deadline and how they've gotten the most out of Jackson Holliday in his second stint in the majors. 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.