Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker bring in Vancouver's mayor, Ken Sim (13:50), to chat about how far along the city is in their plan to bid for an MLB franchise, why he is pushing for a bid now, the Vancouver market's interest, and the council's role in the bid. Then, Milwaukee Brewers TV play-by-play voice Brian Anderson joins the guys (32:49) to weigh in on the fans booing their pitcher Trevor Megill, the team's history of postseason berths, Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez's presence in the clubhouse, Christian Yelich's injury, and if William Contreras has become the perfect catcher for the Brewers. 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 back on the Toronto Blue Jays' series-opening win over the Milwaukee Brewers. They discuss Jeff Hoffman's blown save, Louis Varland's reliability, Kazuma Okamoto's defensive mistakes at third base, and Kevin Gausman's shakiest start of the season. Later, Blue Jays radio analyst Chris Leroux (27:28) shares his thoughts on whether Hoffman should remain the team's closer, Varland's viability as a ninth-inning guy, what Dylan Cease needs to adjust ahead of his fourth start, and his concern levels for Max Scherzer. 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.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi (0:54) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to share his thoughts on the Vancouver mayor Ken Sim calling to launch a bid to bring an MLB team to the city, if he's more worried about the Blue Jays or Red Sox, which teams in the National League he'd buy stock in with their performance to start the year, what's gone wrong for the New York Mets, and Lenyn Sosa's addition to the Blue Jays. Then, Milwaukee Brewers TV analyst and former MLB pitcher Tim Dillard (29:00) stops by to discuss Jacob Misiorowski's reverse splits, the team's identity heading into 2026, who the Brewers rely on just like the Jays with Vladdy, and Gary Sánchez's usage at first base. 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 Toronto Blue Jays' series against the Milwaukee Brewers. They discuss whether the Jays should mix up the batting order and move Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the two-hole, the outfield defence, and Kazuma Okamoto's play at third base. Later, Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker (27:00) stops by to discuss the team's depleted rotation, how they can get the most out of Max Scherzer, whether they'd consider using an opener, Kevin Gausman's strong start to the season, Jeff Hoffman's stability, 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.

Host of Baseball Today and Dugout Discussions, Chris Rose (1:10) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about the slow starts from American League's star players, who's the second best team in the league, Shane Bieber's decision to return to the Blue Jays, Fernando Tatís Jr. playing at second base, why Oneil Cruz needs to be the centrepiece of the Pirates' offence, and how he projects his Cleveland Guardians for the rest of the season. Then, Blue Jays legend Buck Martinez (27:24) returns to the show to discuss the team's growing list of injuries to start the season, if the World Series hangover is real, Kazuma Okamoto's adjustment to the MLB, why Dylan Cease benefits from working with Pete Walker, how he would manage Max Scherzer's outings, and the team's erratic defence. 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 back on the Toronto Blue Jays' weekend series against the Minnesota Twins. They discuss concerning starts from Max Scherzer and Eric Lauer, George Springer's injury, the Jays' trade for infielder Lenyn Sosa from the White Sox, and positive signs from Daulton Varsho, Andrés Giménez and Louis Varland. Later, Jays' radio voice, Ben Shulman (28:42), joins the show to share his thoughts on the Sosa trade, Kazuma Okamoto's play at the plate, and how Nathan Lukes can get back on track. 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.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (2:25) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about the outcome from their series rematch against the L.A. Dodgers, his argument with home plate umpire Dan Merzel on calling Kevin Gausman's balk, conversations with his coaching staff handling mental mistakes from their players early in the season, his upcoming podcast conversation with ESPN's Jeff Passan and Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts, Daulton Varsho's struggles after a strong Spring Training, injury updates on his pitchers including Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios, how Kazuma Okamoto is handling the swing and miss at-bats, and the path for Davis Schneider to play more games. Then, Blair and Barker head to the Back-Leg Line ahead of the weekend! 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' weekend series against the Minnesota Twins. Dan Shulman stops by (3:31) to discuss how the Jays can build off their win against the Dodgers, Tyler Rogers' efficiency, Kazuma Okamoto's offensive ceiling, his expectations for Patrick Corbin, and much more. Later, Twins manager Derek Shelton (27:45) shares a Minnesota perspective on the upcoming series, their unorthodox bullpen hierarchy, their goals for this season, and his growth as a manager since his stint in Pittsburgh. 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.

Sean Casey, former big leaguer and host of The Mayor's Office podcast, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about finding your rhythm as a hitter in April, dealing with fan criticism, the Automated Ball-Strike system, and his favourite player to watch as a fan. Later, New York Post columnist and author of The Bosses of the Bronx, Mike Vaccaro (26:50) joins the guys to discuss his new book about George Steinbrenner and the history of Yankees ownership, along with thoughts on the 2026 team! 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 off-day edition with a look back on the Blue Jays' win over the Dodgers to avoid a sweep and snap a six-game losing streak. They discuss Daulton Varsho's slow start, Shohei Ohtani's 'special treatment', and their impressions of Dylan Cease after his third start. Later, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan (23:58) joins the show ahead of the debut episode of his new podcast, Sources Tell Jeff Passan. He discusses an upcoming episode featuring John Schneider and Dave Roberts reflecting on the World Series, the Jays' slow start, the biggest surprises so far this season, the Brewers' culture, and the Astros' ceiling. 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 open today's pregame show in a sour mood following the Blue Jays' 4-1 loss to the Dodgers to extend their losing streak to six games. The boys discuss the Jays' dismal offensive output of late, the importance of tomorrow's off day to reset, and the balk call on Kevin Gausman that resulted in John Schneider's fiery ejection. They also dig into the statistics to find some positives from the first two weeks, identify some players that need to step up in order to right the ship, and chat about Andy Pages' hot start to the year. Ryan Howard (26:27), World Series champion and 2006 MVP, joins to discuss how the Phillies overcame fatigue from October baseball, battling through early season struggles, and the pressure to perform in a major 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker kick off this episode chatting with Caleb Joseph, former MLB catcher and Sportsnet analyst. They dig into the issues behind the Blue Jays' five-game losing streak, Max Scherzer's road back to the mound after exiting Monday's game with forearm tendinitis, expectations for Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Kevin Gausman tonight, the options behind the plate in Alejandro Kirk's absence, and the lingering emotions from the 2025 World Series. Later, Jayson Stark (24:45) of The Athletic discusses the mediocrity early in the American League, storylines to watch in this week's Blue Jays vs. Dodgers series, and his impressions of the Automated Ball-Strike 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back on the Toronto Blue Jays' 14-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and stretching their losing streak to five games. They discuss the residual animosity between the two teams after the World Series, Max Scherzer's early exit, and what adjustments Kevin Gausman must make to get a better result this evening. Later, Dodgers Pitching Coach Mark Prior (26:17) discusses his role, what Jays hitters can expect from tonight's starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, what Shohei Ohtani's pitching workload might look like this season, 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.

Host of Nothing Personal and former MLB President David Samson (0:28) joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about how teams navigate a slow start after playing in the World Series, Roman Anthony's outspoken comments around the Boston Red Sox's start to their year, what Konnor Griffin's long-term contract indicates to fans, players and owners around the league, why the Cleveland Guardians have surprised him the most, and Carter Jensen being pulled from the Royals lineup after sleeping through an alarm. Then, L.A. Dodgers reporter Katie Woo stops by (26:35) to discuss Freddie Freeman's longevity, Shohei Ohtani's 2026 pitching plan, if any manager can manage the current Dodgers roster, who is the second-best player on the team and how Kyle Tucker has fit in. 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 check in with the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of their World Series rematch against the Dodgers after being swept by the Chicago White Sox. They discuss the team's early-season offensive woes, Brendon Little being DFA'd to Triple A, the Jays' plan in Alejandro Kirk's absence, and Addison Barger's underwhelming start. Later, Sportsnet MLB insider Shi Davidi (27:44) stops by to share his impressions of the Jays through three series, the implications of the Patrick Corbin signing, Kazuma Okamoto's adjustments, and Barger's usage. Finally, Jeff and Kevin share expectations for Max Scherzer in the Jays' opener against the Dodgers. 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.

Chicago White Sox's Director of Player Development, Paul Janish (0:26) joins Jeff Blair and his former teammate Kevin Barker to chat about his role with the organization, how they approach players' goals season-to-season, if they've considered 'out of the box' methods of playing like the Colorado Rockies calling pitching from the dugout, how younger players are learning compared to when Paul and Kevin played, the evolution of scouting with analytics, how he would define a successful season for the White Sox, and ABS' implementation. Then, ESPN's Jeff Passan stops by (29:32) to discuss the Rockies' method of calling pitches from the dugout, the most surprising and disappointing teams to start their year, his expectations for the Blue Jays vs. Dodgers for the first time since the 2025 World Series and the flurry of contract signings and extensions for prospects on long-term deals. 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 begin the off-day edition with some Blue Jays takeaways through the first two series of the season. They discuss reasons to be optimistic with Jeff Hoffman, why they're not concerned with the team's offensive struggles with runners in scoring position, who fits best in the clean-up spot, and Kevin Gausman's stellar start. Later, MLB Network's Jon Morosi (29:56) shares his early-season Blue Jays thoughts, including his concerns for the rotation's health, Brendon Little's struggles, Hoffman's resilience, 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker begin the show discussing how John Schneider could navigate the pitching rotation with Cody Ponce's status up in the air, the best way forward for Brendan Little after strong Spring outings and two rocky relief stints to start the regular season, why Kazuma Okamoto's second career MLB home run was impressive, and Ponce's first pitches in the Majors. Then, the guys bring on play-by-play voice of the Buffalo Bisons Pat Malacaro (27:00) to chat about potential options for the main roster to call up if Ponce misses time, Josh Kasevich's popularity among the managers and coaches, and Josh Rivera's growing potential. 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 co-host of VSiN By The Books and former MLB pitcher Jensen Lewis (0:58) to chat about the first weekend of ABS' implementation, his takeaways from the Blue Jays' pitchers successful weekend with the strike zone, why he's not overreacting to Jeff Hoffman's first blown save to the year, and Rōki Sasaki's 2026 debut after a rocky Spring Training. Then, Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro (25:40) stops by to discuss the World Series' effect on the 2026 roster and organization, how he would define a successful season, what Kazuma Okamoto brings to the team on and off the field, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s growth into a leader and his ceiling, the Jays' pitch to Dylan Cease, and maintaining a high-end minor league teams. 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 back on the Toronto Blue Jays' first series of the 2026 season - a three-game sweep over the Athletics. They discuss the rotation's early statement, as Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, and Eric Lauer combined for 32 strikeouts, share their first impressions of Jesús Sánchez and Kazuma Okamoto, and express early concerns for Brendon Little and Jeff Hoffman in the bullpen. Later, ahead of the Jays' series opener against the Rockies, Colorado TV analyst Ryan Spilborghs (27:25) joins the show to discuss the Rockies' goals this season, Ethan Holliday's progression, and his expectations for Cody Ponce's first start of the 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.