

Blair & Barker
Sportsnet
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker talk all things Blue Jays and MLB. Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN weekdays from 4-6 PM ET during the baseball season.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 26, 2024 • 50min
Jays' Last Series of 2024 + Schneider's Closeout Chat
Ahead of the Blue Jays' final series of the season against the Marlins, Blair and Barker are joined by former MLB pitcher and Marlins analyst Jeff Nelson (4:36) to discuss the Marlins' identity and a playoff outlook for his former team, the Yankees. Then, a chat about John Schneider's future following Shi Davidi's season-closing conversation with him. Finally, Jeff & Kevin review the returns of the 'new' Jays and discuss who the organization needs to prioritize 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.

Sep 26, 2024 • 50min
A Lens Through Ohtani's Coach + Doubleheader Implications
Blair and Barker briefly share their thoughts on the Blue Jays' series-ending win over the Red Sox and Kevin Gausman's final start of the season. They are joined by Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel (8:58) to discuss who Shohei Ohtani is as a person and player, his mentality approaching the 50-50 mark and his evolution since entering the MLB. Afterwards, Atlanta Braves TV analyst C.J. Nitkowski (28:15) chats about the upcoming doubleheader against the New York Mets with massive postseason implications and whether fans will be content with potentially being bounced considering their abundance of bad injury luck.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.

Sep 25, 2024 • 50min
Final Week Wind Down + Jeff Passan
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan (2:19) joins Blair & Barker to discuss the 50th anniversary of the first Tommy John surgery, whether or not the Dodgers should be panicking, the A's final games in Oakland and why the Rays are poised for a bounce back in 2025. Later, TV play-by-play voice of the Jays Dan Shulman (25:55) weighs in on which bullpen arms to bring back next season, positive takeaways from the 'new' Jays and which player has the most to prove 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.

Sep 25, 2024 • 50min
Bo's Injury Update + Padres Clinching in Style
Blair and Barker react to the San Diego Padres clinching a playoff spot following a triple play to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers before diving into the Blue Jays' second straight loss to the Red Sox at home, an update on Bo Bichette's injury and Alejandro Kirk's hitting streak. Then, Ben & Woods' host Ben Higgins (25:43) stops by to explain why the Padres are a complete team for the post-season, Mike Shildt's managerial impact, Manny Machado's influence and the strength of their pitching 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 affiliates.

Sep 24, 2024 • 50min
Wild Card Walkthrough & Jays' Fastball Problem
MLB Network's Chris Gimenez joins Blair and Barker (2:17) to look at MLB's playoff picture with less than a week to go in the regular season. He shares why to buy in on the Guardians, who has the edge in the AL Wild Card race and why he's picking the Padres to win the 2024 World Series. Later, Jays analyst Joe Siddall (29:31) weighs in on Kirk's improved play with an increased workload, Bassitt's blowup in his possible final start last night and why the team's bats have struggled against the fastball.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.

Sep 24, 2024 • 50min
Playing to the Contracts + Legendary Broadcaster Joe Castiglione
Blair and Barker share their ideal World Series matchup based on the 2024 season, discuss the Pirates DFA'ing Rowdy Tellez to avoid his contract incentive and which players aren't playing to their contracts. Then, long-time radio voice of the Boston Red Sox Joe Castiglione (27:34) jumps on to chat about his decision to retire from the booth, if the game of baseball is in a good state, how Red Sox fans viewed their team after the Curse of the Bambino was broken and whether Boston has had a successful year. 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.

Sep 23, 2024 • 50min
Focusing on the Regular Season's Final Week
Blair and Barker are joined by former MLB executive David Samson (1:30) to chat about the Athletics' final home games in Oakland, a front office's focus entering the final week of the season, the importance of home field advantage in the post-season and Shohei Ohtani's future in pitching. Then, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi (29:47) stops by to discuss Tampa Bay's hopes to compete next year, Vlad Jr.'s third base ambitions, why there might not be many changes on the Jays' coaching staff and front office, and who starts at centre field in 2025 with Daulton Varsho set to miss the start of the campaign. 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.

Sep 23, 2024 • 50min
Rays Sweep Jays & Orioles' September Slide
Blair and Barker look back on the Jays' weekend series where they were swept by the Rays, and share concerns for the team's enduring issues when facing fastballs. Then, they reflect on Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s season and his unexpected bid for a batting title. Later, MASN Orioles analyst Roch Kubatko (29:20) weighs in on who's to blame for Baltimore's September skid, Jackson Holliday's playoff role and Adley Rutschman's second-half fall-off.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.

Sep 20, 2024 • 50min
Inside Shohei's Superstar Season
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan (2:15) joins Blair and Barker to dive deep into Shohei Ohtani's 2024 campaign. Then, he reflects on what part ownership played in the White Sox' embarrassing year, the Tigers' streak and how serious to take the Guardians in October. Later, Blue Jays TV play-by-play voice Dan Shulman (26:21) sets the stage for the Jays' weekend series against the Rays in Tampa, what to expect from Jonatan Clase's debut and rotation questions ahead of 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.

Sep 20, 2024 • 50min
Ohtani's 50-50 Club + Bowden's Pitch Mix with John Schneider
Blair and Barker begin the show by sharing their thoughts on Shohei Ohtani establishing MLB's 50-50 club before checking in on the Back Leg Line with listeners' voicemails. Then, Blue Jays manager John Schneider (27:32) joins the guys to discuss Bo Bichette's unfortunate end to his 2024 season, Bowden Francis' transition to throwing with a different catcher, Davis Schneider's mid-September turnaround and expectations for recent call-up Dillon Tate.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.


