ben nicholson-smith

Déjà vu! Similar to 2022, this season of Jays Talk Plus starts amid some struggles for Toronto’s MLB team that continued into Game 1 at Tropicana Field Monday night. Blake Murphy breaks down what went wrong not only last night, but what hasn’t clicked for them so far this season. He sorts through the numbers to back it up with Sportsnet Blue Jays Producer, Chris Black (28:35). After that, Blake welcomes Robert Orr, a data analyst and contributor at Baseball Prospectus, to dive into his latest piece "How The Rays Raised Their Offensive Game" and share some quick thoughts on a few names familiar to Jays fans (47:10). Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Blake in-studio to chat about the Blue Jays' broken promise of attention to detail early on, and the state of the crowded AL East division (01:13:21).

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.

On Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith stops by to discuss Alejandro Kirk’s sluggish start to the season, the Blue Jays’ dormant offence, the organization's lack of minor-league depth, and Daulton Varsho’s offensive woes. Later, Justin and Brent are joined by E.J. Hradek, co-host of NHL Now on NHL Network, to discuss the Panthers’ thrilling 4-OT win over the Hurricanes, Sergei Bobrovsky’s dominant post-season thus far, Vegas’ winning blueprint, and the ongoing negotiations between Kyle Dubas and MLSE (28:58). 

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.

JD Bunkis starts off sharing how much he loves seeing the Blue Jays and Yankees rivalry heat up! Before diving into it, JD offers some quick thoughts on the NBA draft lottery and Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Final. Later on, he enlists the help of Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss everything that's transpired so far between Toronto and New York, what to expect in the last two games and how concerning Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s injury is, before dissecting the Jays' lineup and bullpen (12:34). As always, we wrap things up with JD’s best bet, sponsored by Betano (49:12).

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.

Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show kicks off with Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith checking in to discuss Chris Bassitt’s rocky Blue Jays debut, the Jays’ lack of offensive firepower over the last 2 games, first impressions of Daulton Varsho, and José Berríos making his first start on Monday against Kansas City. Later, Ailish and Justin are joined by William Lou, host of The Raptors Show, to chat about Nick Nurse’s comments regarding his future and the potential dissent between he and the Raptors organization (20:01).

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.

On Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Nicholson-Smith of At The Letters joins the show to discuss Canada’s showing at the World Baseball Classic, Otto Lopez’s impressive performance at the tournament, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returning from his knee injury, and some of the key standouts from Blue Jays camp. Afterwards, it’s time for the Wake and Rake (23:51)! Producer Daniele hops on to tee up Thursday’s slate of games. Then, Ailish and Justin preview tonight’s Raptors-Thunder matchup and assemble our daily Wake and Rake parlay.

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.

JD kicks off today’s episode recapping last night's action including the Maple Leafs' loss to the Sabres and Canada’s disappointing showing against the States in the World Baseball Classic (00:01). Co-host of At The Letters Ben Nicholson-Smith joins the fray to look back on Canada's loss and share his expectations for the team going forward. He and JD then measure their concerns for Jose Berrios following his rough start for Puerto Rico, before getting into their biggest takeaways from Blue Jays spring training (11:23). Later on, JD previews tonight's matchup between the Raptors and Nuggets and shares his best bets, brought to you by Betano! (38:12) Next up, Kevin Woodley of InGoal Magazine and NHL.com weighs in on Matt Murray’s play since returning from injury, what's behind his recent struggles, and who he believes Toronto should start in net for the postseason (53:21). The boys close out the show today with 'What we Missed'! (1:25:34).

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.

Hour 2 of The FAN Morning Show kicks off with Nick Kypreos, co-host of Real Kyper and Bourne, who discusses the Leafs’ loss in Edmonton, Sheldon Keefe's search for the right line combinations, his first impressions of Jake McCabe, if the Leafs need to shop for another goalie, Jonathan Quick as a possible trade target, and Auston Matthews’ recent inconsistency. Later, Ailish and Justin are joined by Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss the vibe down at Blue Jays camp in Dunedin, James Click’s hiring and his role in the front office, Yusei Kikuchi’s encouraging start to the spring, and Alejandro Kirk’s withdrawal from the World Baseball Classic (26:57).

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.

JD Bunkis opens the show reacting to this morning's breaking news that the New York Yankees have signed Aaron Judge to a 9-year $360 million contract, and looks into what the ramifications could be for the remainder of the free agent market (00:02). Host of Hockey Central Hailey Salvian look backs on the Maple Leafs' win over the Dallas Stars last night and talks about the fun of streaks, the surprising play of Matt Murray, and if we can take Toronto seriously going forward (11:32). Later on, JD, Josiah and Boffo preview Thursday Night Football between the L.A. Rams and Las Vegas Raiders and make their picks, presented by DraftKings. Next up, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith goes over the Blue Jays' plan for the offseason, how worried fans should be about it, and if Bryan Reynolds could be the answer to the team's outfield questions (54:16). JD and Josiah close out the day with the biggest stories we missed today including Andrew lucks retirement and Richard Sherman’s thoughts on Baker Mayfield (1:26:54). 

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 new Toronto Maple Leafs campaign couldn’t have started off in a more disappointing way. JD is joined by Nick Kypreos of "Real Kyper & Bourne" off the top to discuss the tough loss in Montreal last night highlighted by Matt Murray’s struggles, Jake Muzzin’s lack of pace, and the ineffective Maple Leaf power-play performances. Among the prominent questions after Game 1; what’s the ceiling for Ilya Samsonov this year? And why did Michael Bunting get benched? (4:32) After that, Pete and Josiah oin show to weigh in ahead of Thursday Night Football and share their picks for the game, presented by DraftKings! (37:20) Pivoting to baseball in the second half of the show, JD and Ben Nicholson-Smith, host of the "At The Letters" podcast (56:30), dive into Ross Atkin’s end-of-season press conference, John Schneider’s future, potential offseason changes, and the structure of the Blue Jays' roster ahead of 2023.

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.

Sportsnet.ca's Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Blake Murphy to weigh in on if the 2022 Jays took a step forward this season, how the front office could improve the roster, why he's not concerned with the bullpen core heading into next year, and Cavan Biggio's future with the team (00:42). Then, the guys debate if the hot seat is starting to warm up on Toronto's brass into next season, if the Wild Card result will affect the decision to remove the interim tag on John Schneider, potential changes to the coaching staff, Vlad Jr.'s next contract, and one question Ben would ask to Ross Atkins following the team's elimination (26:37). Afterward, The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath discusses the reaction within the clubhouse following their Game 2 loss to the Mariners, the biggest question heading into the offseason, why bolstering the starting rotation remains a priority, and and the value in investing in arms for the bullpen (49:49). Later on, FanGraphs' Michael Baumann jumps on to chat about the start of MLB's expanded playoffs, how Alex Anthopoulos constructed a winning organization in Atlanta in comparison to the Blue Jays current situation, and why he believes in Toronto's future (01:22:51). 

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.

Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Blake Murphy to look back at some history-making feats that happened at Rogers Centre in the past, before discussing Aaron Judge's continued push for the AL homerun record in a single season, if the Jays are feeling a sense of urgency to lock in home-field advantage for the playoffs, and if Nate Pearson has a chance to play in the final games of the regular season (05:23). ESPN's Joon Lee jumps on to discuss the limelight surrounding Aaron Judge on and off the field, and looks into any potential concerns with the Yankees' depth heading into the post-season (27:37). Later on, The Raptors Show's Alex Wong stops by to chat about his Toronto Star piece taking a deep dive into the Toronto Blue Jays' social media team, the diversity within sports media, the trust and comfortability between the social team and the players, and his personal experience witnessing playoff baseball in the city (50:44).

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.

The Athletic's Eno Sarris joins special guest host Ben Nicholson-Smith to chat about the consistency in José Berríos' outings, where he slots in a potential Wild Card series, his assessment of Ross Stripling's changeup release point, Stripling's next contract, and how the team should manage Alek Manoah's workload till the end of the season (03:09). Former Blue Jays First Base Coach Tim Leiper weighs in on what stood out from Jordan Romano's development into an elite closer, the balancing act of keeping players in the game after taking a hit in their at-bat, how much coaches and players pay attention to the scoreboard nearing the post-season, and his impressions on the new rule changes coming to the league in 2023 (26:14). Then, voice of the Fort Wayne TinCaps and the Jays this past weekend, Ben Shulman jumps on to share his takeaways from the series vs. Baltimore, George Springer finding his form nearing the playoffs, how to split the workload between Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen, and the magnitude of the next four series including the Rays and Yankees (48:47). Afterward, Former Jays Pitcher and Sportsnet contributor Ricky Romero discusses what impresses him most about how Manoah goes about his outings, how a pitcher takes care of their body through a long baseball season, and how he expects Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to perform in meaningful games down the stretch (01:12:22).

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.

Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca and At the Letters joins Blake Murphy in-studio to discuss Mitch White's short outing against the Orioles, how the Blue Jays could map out their starting rotation for the remainder of the season, the team's ideal seed in the American League, and the chances we'll see another Yusei Kikuchi start (01:45). Afterward, the guys weigh in on Bryan Baker's exchange with Teoscar Hernández, John Schneider vs. umpire Jeff Nelson, and the rising tensions heading into the series finale with Alek Manoah on the mound (32:07). Then, MLB.com's Zachary Silver stops by to chat about the history between the O's and Manoah, what Baltimore sees in pitcher Tyler Wells, and when we can expect Adley Rutschman to enter the conversation amoung the best players in the MLB (52:27). Finally, Blake sets up the series finale and how the Jays will line up against the Orioles without Hernández in the lineup (01:19:37).

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.

Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Blake Murphy to discuss an ideal road trip outcome against two division rivals in the Yankees and Red Sox, a positive start from José Berríos to begin the series, Yusei Kikuchi's offer to head down to the minors to work on his outings, and his first stint out of the bullpen (02:19). The MMA Hour's Ariel Helwani stops by to share his experience bringing his kids to Yankee Stadium to catch the Jays game, his interactions with Alek Manoah, the connection between baseball and MMA, his fandom of the Montreal Expos, and following both the careers of Vlad Sr. and Jr. (20:00). Afterward, MLB.com's Sarah Langs chats about who she thinks is the Statcast King between Vlad Jr., Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, if it was the right move to trade Joey Gallo away, and how to analyze the small sample size Bradley Zimmer gave to the Jays compared to what Jackie Bradley Jr. could bring to the team, (50:00). Then, ESPN's Joon Lee shares his experience working on a project covering second-generation MLB players, how much of a tough spot Yankees manager Aaron Boone is in during the team's tough stretch in August, how Bo Bichette would assess his performance this year, and the frustrations with the Red Sox' season (01:12:00). 

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 is joined by Sportsnet.ca's Ben Nicholson-Smith to share his reaction on the Blue Jays signing Jackie Bradley Jr. and discusses his fit with the team (00:15). Then, Blake recaps the series opener against the Orioles and Yusei Kikuchi's struggles, before we hear post-game comments from interim manager John Schneider (07:10). Ricky Romero of MLB Network and the "Spin Rate" podcast jumps on to discuss the lack of depth starters with Kikuchi continuing to search for a good outing, ways to build off a rough start, and what he expects out of Alek Manoah in tonight's matchup (25:28). Former catcher and current Sportsnet analyst Caleb Joseph weighs in on how much a catcher can help a pitcher who's not finding his groove, their ability to read how batters are adjusting from behind the plate, and how hot it gets at Camden Yards (51:00). Afterward, we check in on the Blue Jays prospects with Doug Fox, author of the "Summer Ontario Baseball Broke the Colour Barrier" and writer for Future Blue Jays. He shares his thoughts on Ricky Tiedemann's AA debut, where he's at in his development, and if Yosver Zulueta & Hayden Juenger are candidates to help the main roster's bullpen in September (01:10:12).

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 the final hour, Blake Murphy is joined by MLB Network's Jon Morosi in-studio to discuss Juan Soto moving on from the Nationals to the Padres, if the Blue Jays checked in on Soto's market price, the aggressiveness from the Padres' organization, how this will impact the landscape of the MLB moving forward, and where Toronto stands in the arm-race in the AL East (01:05). Later on, Sportsnet.ca's Ben Nicholson-Smith jumps on to chat about if the Jays have fallen short with acquisitions nearing the trade deadline, why their priority should still be aimed at bolstering the bullpen, how the team will manage George Springer's lingering elbow injury, and his expectations for the final hours of the deadline (26:27).

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 is joined by Chris Black and Joe Siddall for another edition of "Explain It Black" as they touch on Alek Manoah's first bad start of the season to begin Toronto's West Coast trip, if a drop in Manoah's velocity is a concern, catchers framing pitches, and if Yusei Kikuchi should continue to throw cutters within his pitching arsenal (01:53). Next, FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski discusses the race in the AL East being dominated by the Yankees, how Hyun-jin Ryu's injury affects the Jays' playoff projections, and how he would handle carrying three catchers at a time (27:52). Then, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith stops by to give out grades for the team at the halfway point of the season, look back at Alejandro Kirk's emergence, and discuss Jose Berrios inconsistency (50:14). Finally, the guys share their wish lists for the second half, who could be the biggest swing piece for the rest of the season and the top targets the team should eye ahead of the trade deadline (01:13:34).

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 is joined by Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca to recap the weekend Yankees-Blue Jays series, the state of the AL East, Toronto's starting pitching rotation, Yusei Kikuchi's lack of fastball execution, and potential targets for the front office to add to their pitching staff including A's pitcher Frankie Montas (01:41). Afterward, the guys take a deep dive on if the red jerseys are cursed, if the Jays should bring back the black jerseys worn from 2004-11, and the chances for the team to stock up on fielders before the trade deadline (25:30). Yahoo! Sports' Chris Cwik looks at what has surprised him about the Yankees' dominance this year, his confidence level on the Jays offence, why White Sox fans are pushing to fire manager Tony La Russa, and what has gone wrong with their season (51:17). To wrap up, Blake previews the Blue Jays series against the White Sox, the scouting report on Chicago's starting pitcher Lance Lynn, and Jose Berrios' history against the team (01:18:04:). 

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.

Blake Murphy hosts the first episode of Jays Talk Plus and opens the show by outlining what's on tap and sharing his baseball background, before getting into former Blue Jay catcher Russell Martin announcing his retirement, and what it takes to be a good game caller behind the mask. Ben Shulman, who made his play-by-play debut for the Jays this weekend, stops by to chat about his first experience working those four games, when he knew he wanted to get into broadcasting like his father, and calling games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps (26:25). Later on, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith shares his thoughts on Jose Berrios' latest outing cut short to just under three innings, the bullpen's weekend workload, if its time to carry three catchers with Gabriel Moreno's looming call up, and if Nate Pearson has a path to help out the pen (50:26). Finally, PUP guitarist Steve Sladkowski jumps on to discuss the creation of the Jays Talk Plus theme music, how he keeps up to date on his favourite sports team while touring on the road, and his encounter with former pitcher John Axford (79:47).

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.