Blair & Barker

Opening Day has finally arrived and Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined in-studio by Caleb Joseph to set the stage for the Blue Jays' 2024 opener against the Rays. They discuss the lineup, José Berríos' outlook and who will need to step up in the pen with Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson out. Then, Rays TV analyst Brian Anderson weighs in on Tampa's pitching depth, how they stay competitive after significant losses in the offseason and what to expect from Zach Eflin today (22:30). Next, Jayson Stark of The Athletic looks into the uptick of pitcher injuries, how teams adjust to the rise of stolen bases, pressure on the Dodgers and his expectations for the Blue Jays (46:45). Finally, the fellas reflect on how things ended last season and how the team moves forward into 2024 (01:12:56). 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 Kevin Gausman’s outing against the Pirates as he impressed in his only start of the Grapefruit League season. Later, they discuss how important Yimi Garcia will be in the back of the Blue Jays' bullpen amidst the unknown status of Erik Swanson and Jordan Romano. MLB analyst David Samson shares his thoughts on Shohei Ohtani’s press conference and where he thinks the Blue Jays will finish in the AL East (26:18). The Athletic’s Sam Blum shares more on Ohtani and the fallout of this gambling story after covering the superstar’s availability yesterday (49:36) Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux talks about taking the mound on opening day, the importance of switching speeds on the mound, his brother Mike’s work with the World champion Texas Rangers, and the potential of Las Vegas as an MLB city (01:15:26). 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.

The Blue Jays opening day roster is beginning to take shape as the team prepares for their final Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss Kevin Gausman’s prognosis as he makes the start, Bo Bichette potentially moving around the batting order, and John Schneider announcing Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, and Daniel Vogelbach will break camp with the team. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins the guys (20:45) with the latest on Gausman ahead of his start, who’s making the team, and Joey Votto’s status. Jeff and Kevin end the show talking about why Jordan Montgomery makes a ton of sense for the Baltimore Orioles as he remains on the FA market.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.

Kevin Barker makes his return from Dunedin and joins Jeff Blair to discuss Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro’s comments to reporters about pursuing Shohei Ohtani in free agency and doubling down on the belief in their own players after he signed with the Dodgers. The guys also talk about Bowden Francis being named to Toronto’s starting rotation and Ricky Tiedemann impressing in his latest tune-up against Pittsburgh. It’s Friday so the guys open up the Back Leg Line before welcoming MLB Network Radio’s CJ Nitkowski on the show (30:13) for his Blue Jays thoughts and where Jordan Montgomery will sign as the last remaining Scott Boras client on the market.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. 

It’s Barker’s last day in Dunedin as he and Jeff Blair comment on the Blue Jays parting ways with Santiago Espinal after he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds for P Chris McElvain. Later they discuss Kevin Gausman’s timetable after he threw on Wednesday, and Barker outlines his concerns going into the season after covering the team throughout his time in Florida. To end the show, Blair is joined by MLB insider Jeff Passan (32:51) to discuss two major off-the-field stories: Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara being implicated in an illegal gambling investigation, and the division within the MLBPA and the future of its Executive Director Tony Clark.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 examine the state of the Blue Jays bullpen, mentioning Chad Green and Nate Pearson as pitchers who could be relied upon to step up in the absence of Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson. The guys also wonder about Kevin Gausman’s readiness for the season, and Barker explains why Daulton Varsho is the hitter who has impressed him most in Dunedin. Blue Jays Central’s Joe Siddall joins Jeff (28:21) to share his thoughts on Green, why Ernie Clement is making his Opening Day roster, where Cavan Biggio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa slot in defensively, and the need for Danny Jansen to build up his arm strength following his latest injury.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 discuss the latest news out of Spring Training as both Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are dealing with arm issues, and why this team can't afford to be without their top two relievers for too long. With the Orioles in Dunedin to face the Blue Jays, analyst Ben McDonald breaks down Baltimore’s exciting young lineup and if he thinks 20-year-old phenom Jackson Holliday can make the team out of camp. Later, Blair and Barker react to Chris Bassitt’s comments on pitching velocity before welcoming Buck Martinez to the show (30:38). Jeff and Buck talk about today’s Jays lineup and how it could resemble the one we see on opening day, Justin Turner’s impact in the clubhouse, and Alejandro Kirk’s positive Spring.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 is joined by Kevin Barker, who is currently on-site in Dunedin. The guys discuss Kevin Gausman’s ongoing rehab process when the Blue Jays’ ace might be ready to rejoin the team’s starting rotation, Alek Manoah’s current injury timeline, Yariel Rodriguez’s intriguing Grapefruit League debut, Joey Votto’s performance in his brief outing on Sunday, and the Blue Jays’ encouraging offensive trends this spring. Later, Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com prospects writer, stops by (32:04) to discuss the fallout from MLB’s inaugural Spring Breakout series, the possibility of MLB adopting a tournament-style format in future years, and the current depth of talent within the Blue Jays’ farm system.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 open the show discussing Friday’s breaking news that Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen will miss time with a fractured pisiform bone. Jays manager John Schneider then joins the guys with more on Jansen’s prognosis, Kevin Gausman’s availability for the start of the season, and the decision-making into who makes the opening day roster. The guys head to the Back Leg Line for a few calls before Jeff welcomes former catcher and Sportsnet analyst Caleb Joseph (31:41) on for his Jansen thoughts and Spring Training observations.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 open the show discussing Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s admission that he would like to see the Blue Jays’ home run jacket return in 2024 - will he get his wish? Later they transition to Joey Votto after his minor-league debut and the importance of Bowden Francis going into the season. In the second segment, Blair welcomes former MLB executive and host of ‘Nothing Personal’ David Samson (31:31) to talk about the Padres reversing course and trading for SP Dylan Cease after parting with Juan Soto, dealing with medical reports and team doctors from a front office perspective, and the number of pitching injuries that have occurred so far in Spring Training.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.