Blair & Barker

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the reported signing of Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodriguez - what could his role look like, either in the starting rotation or the bullpen? Baseball America's Kyle Glaser (5:55) joins to discuss his Rodriguez scouting report from both the World Baseball Classic with Cuba and from the NPB's Chunichi Dragons. Afterwards, they dive into the Back Leg Line (20:27) and answer some listener questions, including who comprises 'the core' of the team, why the off-season has gone slowly across the league, and where power hitting answers can still come from.

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 what it really means to 'defer money' when it comes to major free agent paydays, and bring on David Samson (3:30) to help them break it down. What do teams have to show financially to complete contracts with massive deferrals? Plus, they get into what could potentially still lie ahead for the Blue Jays' offseason. Afterwards, ahead of Baseball Canada's awards banquet, Twins second baseman Edouard Julien (26:36) stops by to discuss his breakout season with Minnesota, his thoughts on José Berríos getting pulled in the playoffs, the toughest pitcher he's faced so far, and what it means to play for Canada on the international level.

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 break down the Toronto Blue Jays’ off-season so far and what else could lie ahead; notably the organization re-signing Kevin Kiermaier to patrol centre field and agreeing to terms with utility-man Isiah Kiner-Falefa on two-year contract. The aforementioned IKF joins the guys to discuss why he prioritized the Blue Jays in free-agency, his love for the city, the market being held up by Shohei Ohtani’s decision, and how the coaching staff plans to use him around the diamond in 2024 (29:04).

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.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the biggest name left on the free-agent market. Why are so many teams enamoured with the Japanese pitcher, and reportedly willing to sign him to a contract that could cost around or over $300M? Jeff and Kevin call up five-time MLB all-star Adam Jones (6:41) to discuss being teammates with Yamamoto in Japan and why the hype is real when it comes to the right-hander. Following Adam, Jeff and Kevin wonder if Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays’ front-office will provide a holiday gift to fans in the form of a signing or trade, and share their thoughts on the latest rule changes approved for the 2024 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 break down Shohei Ohtani’s decision to sign with the Dodgers over the Blue Jays and how the process played out. Were the Blue Jays ever legitimately considered or was he always going to the Dodgers? The guys then get into the next steps for the Blue Jays this off-season, the direction of the team, potential targets, whether they should look for a trade and the state of the team's competitive window. Can change come from within the organization?

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.

Blake Murphy and Jeff Blair react live to the breaking news regarding superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the Jays were believed to be a finalist. They welcome Sportsnet MLB Insider Shi Davidi (6:55) to discuss how the Jays' front office will approach the rest of free agency. Then, Bill Shaikin (36:12) of the L.A. Times shares what the Dodgers are getting in Ohtani, what led to the decision, and more. Next, Ben Nicholson-Smith (51:25) joins the show to discuss which free agents the Jays could look towards next. Finally, Blake and Jeff talk about the creativity we could see from the Jays front office. 

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 return to share their thoughts on the prospects of Shohei Ohtani reaching a decision on his free agency and potentially joining the Blue Jays, how the club was structured heading into the offseason and their track record attracting free agents. Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi (11:25) joins the show to chat about the saga surrounding "Ohtani watch", how his signing could affect any MLB organization both on the field and behind the scenes and what other needs the Jays need to fill around their roster. Then, Breakfast Television's Sid Seixeiro (27:38) weighs in on the social media reaction surrounding Shohei, how he would feel if Toronto doesn't land the superstar and how much pressure would be on the front office to make changes to the 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.

In their first podcast of the off-season, Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the Blue Jays ahead of the Winter meetings in Nashville; notably their pursuit of Shohei Ohtani. How realistic are Toronto’s chances at signing the phenom in free agency? Later on, Jeff and Kevin chat with Hall of Famer & FOX Sports analyst David Ortiz about his charitable endeavours, what players look for in free-agency other than the money, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 2023 season, and how he views Vlad Jr. as a hitter going forward (30:44).

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 wrap up the World Series and look ahead to MLB’s offseason and who could be on the move with insider Jeff Passan. Later, they focus-in closer on the Toronto Blue Jays with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (33:40).

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.

The Rangers have won their first World Series in franchise history after defeating Arizona 5-0 in the deciding game. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and The Athletic’s Jayson Stark to discuss Corey Seager’s MVP performance, Bruce Bochy’s return to managing leading to a championship, and Chris Young getting credit for putting the team together, while briefly touching on the offseason…get ready for the Winter of Ohtani! (33:41)

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.

After their 11-7 win in game four over Arizona, the Texas Rangers are one win away from their first World Series in franchise history. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the Rangers’ offence breaking out without Adolis Garcia before being joined by ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian who shared his thoughts on the series and Corey Seager’s historic postseason for Texas. Two-time World Series Champion and MLB analyst Hunter Pence (24:58) talks about what it’s like playing for Bruce Bochy in crucial postseason situations and how he’s managing his Rangers’ ballclub now that they’re up 3-1 with a chance to win it all.

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 break down the Rangers' 3-1 win in game three over the Diamondbacks while focusing on the injuries sustained to Adolis Garcia & Max Scherzer and the questionable strike zone throughout the game. The guys hit up Barker’s Back Leg Line for a few thoughts from listeners before welcoming Sportsnet’s Caleb Joseph (27:17) to the show to discuss the strike zone during Gabriel Moreno’s crucial AB and Texas being fortunate to win the game with their injuries before looking ahead to game four of the World Series.

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 share their thoughts on the World Series being all tied up as the Rangers and Diamondbacks head to Arizona for Game 3. Former MLB closer and radio host Brad Lidge discusses how the managers have used their bullpens and pitching with adrenaline in the postseason. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (28:40) looks ahead to Max Scherzer’s start in Game 3 and shares why Arizona has the pitching advantage at this point in time. 

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 are joined by MLB host & analyst Ryan Spilborghs ahead of his call of the World Series: can the Diamondbacks continue to play spoiler? Later they are joined by MLB insider Jeff Passan (29:54) to discuss Dusty Baker’s tenure in Houston, the defensive prowess of both the Rangers and Diamondbacks, and Max Scherzer going up against his former club.

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 are joined by MLB Network Radio Host and Rangers analyst CJ Nitkowski to discuss Texas’ run to the World Series, Arizona’s Cinderella postseason and which version of Max Scherzer will show up when called upon. Legendary Blue Jays Manager Cito Gaston (29:57) joins the guys to talk about potentially being named to the Hall fo Fame in Cooperstown, managing in the postseason and how it differs from his era, his good friend Dusty Baker’s retirement, and to re-visit the 1993 World Series win on the week of its 30th anniversary.

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.

The World Series is officially set after the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the NLCS. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss Arizona’s remarkable and unexpected run, starter Brandon Pfaadt’s performance, Gabriel Moreno’s series, Ketel Marte winning MVP, and take a look ahead at the Rangers-Diamondbacks matchup. Phillies analyst and former MLB catcher Ben Davis (27:59) talks about what went wrong for Philadelphia, how Torey Lovullo managed his bullpen, how Moreno profiles as a catcher long-term, and Bruce Bochy’s experience managing in big games. To end the show, the guys go to Barker’s 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 and Kevin Barker discuss the Texas Rangers victory over the Houston Astros to advance to the World Series; notably Adolis Garcia’s MVP performance and Cristian Javier’s struggles in the deciding game. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale touches on Dusty Baker’s potential retirement before concentrating on Arizona’s game six win in the NLCS to force a game 7 against the Phillies. Former Marlins President and host of 'Nothing Personal’ David Samson (29:51) shares his latest thoughts around the game, notably Texas advancing, how the Astros lineup could look next year and his understanding of what happened with Kim Ng and the Marlins.

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 & Kevin Barker discuss Texas and Houston’s series going the distance and look ahead to Game 7 with Max Scherzer and Cristian Javier taking the hill for their respective clubs. Later, the guys recognize the Blue Jays’ 1993 World Series win on its 30th anniversary before welcoming Turner Sports’ Brian Anderson (25:01) to the show to focus on the NLCS. BA discusses preparing for big calls, the fanbases in Philadelphia and Arizona, the level of trust in Craig Kimbrel and more ahead of tonight’s pivotal Game 6 from Philly.

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 Arizona winning Game 3 of the NLCS over the Phillies; notably Torey Lovullo pulling starter Brandon Pfaadt after 5.2 innings and turning it over to the bullpen, and the Astros tying up the ALCS. 2013 World Series champion and host of 'Intentional Talk' Ryan Dempster comments on yesterday’s postseason action, how bullpens are being deployed, and what Mike Maddux and Bruce Bochy have unlocked with Jordan Montgomery. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi checks-in (27:53) from Arizona to talk about how the press box wasn’t surprised when Pfaadt got pulled, the Diamondbacks organization being enamoured with Gabriel Moreno, and whether or not Jose Altuve is a first-ballot hall of famer.

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 & Kevin Barker discuss Houston winning game three of the ALCS over the Rangers, how the pitch clock is keeping players on their toes defensively, the pace of play making games more fun to watch, and if the Phillies can sweep the Diamondbacks. Before the break, they take two calls on the back line as some still aren’t over the Blue Jays postseason exit. Astros analyst and 2005 World Series champion Geoff Blum joins the show (30:45) and tells the guys why Houston has been such a strong road team all season long and why there was no panic in the clubhouse with the team down 0-2 headed to Arlington.

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.