jeff blair

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.

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning kick off Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox to go over Saturday’s game, as well as the season as a whole for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They look at Auston Matthews’ play through 22 games, the amount of over "extra hockey" the team has played this season, and if that additional ice team could be taking a toll on their top stars. Next, Ben and Brent pivot back to the Blue Jays with the help of Sportsnet’s Jeff Blair (26:21)! He shares what makes the most sense for Toronto over the off-season, what kind of “splash” the fanbase is expecting, and the latest on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto.

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 and Kevin Barker are joined by Blue Jays Central’s Caleb Joseph ahead of Mark Shapiro’s end of season media availability to discuss what they expect to hear from the Jays’ President and more on how the season ended. After Shapiro addressed the media and announced GM Ross Atkins will be returning in 2024, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins Blair and Barker with his thoughts on how Shapiro handled the questioning (01:07:50).

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 Blue Jays Central’s Caleb Joseph ahead of Mark Shapiro’s end of season media availability to discuss what they expect to hear from the Jays’ President and more on how the season ended. After Shapiro addressed the media and announced GM Ross Atkins will be returning in 2024, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins Blair and Barker with his thoughts on how Shapiro handled the questioning (01:07:50).

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 show discussing the Texas Rangers sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in their American League Division Series, to cap off a disappointing postseason for A.L. East teams with none of them having won a game. Host of ‘Nothing Personal’ and former Marlins President, David Samson joins the guys to discuss Baltimore’s exit, the current postseason format, why Arizona is a better team than the Dodgers at this moment, and what he is expecting to hear from Mark Shapiro tomorrow (11:14). To end the show, Blair and Barker focus on the remaining series with three games on the schedule today (28:08).

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 react to Ross Atkins’ media availability from this past weekend and wonder if there is a scenario where Atkins and John Schneider can continue to work together. The guys outline how there were whispers of dissatisfaction throughout the season talking to some of the players, and wonder what President Mark Shapiro will say and do on Thursday when he is scheduled to speak with the media. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi shares a national perspective on the Blue Jays predicament, before looking at the remaining postseason series, notably Houston-Minnesota and Texas-Baltimore which continue tonight (31:12).

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 Jeff Blair, co-host of Blair and Barker, stopping by to discuss the Blue Jays’ confounding season, Cavan Biggio’s ugly bunt attempt in the ninth inning, the team’s fading playoff hopes, Davis Schneider’s sound approach at the plate, John Schneider’s job security, and the team’s biggest lineup flaws. Later, Ailish and Justin are joined by Joe House, host of the Fairway Rollin’ and East Coast Bias podcasts, to chat about Viktor Hovland’s victory at the Tour Championship, his remarkable FedEx Cup playoff run, and the large contingent of players currently on the bubble for the Ryder Cup (25:44). Then, Ailish and Justin close out the show with our daily Wake and Rake parlay (41:55)!

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 were off yesterday, but Major League Baseball may have seen its greatest day in history; thanks (of course) to Shohei Ohtani, just as his Angels come to Toronto to play the Jays. Host Blake Murphy welcomes Sportsnet’s own Jeff Blair for a Blue Jays trade deadline primer, highlighting what the organization's focus should be and the importance of, not only getting it done but, the urgency to do it. Next up, Zach Crizer of Yahoo! Sports’ The Bandwagon Podcast identifies some teams who may be a bit more aggressive at the deadline given how big (or small) their winning windows are (31:00). To start the second hour, Angels TV play-by-play voice Wayne Randazzo stops by to discuss the state of the Halos on the heels of some major trades, before teeing up this weekend's pivotal series in Toronto (50:20). Blake’s last guest today is the editor-in chief of Baseball Prospectus, Craig Goldstein, who offers a more analytical look at the deadline and discusses what scouts look for in prospects (01:12:15).

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.

After winning the double dip in Chicago yesterday to sweep the series against the White Sox, Jays fans quickly turn their attention to tonight’s game against the Tigers with Alek Manoah taking the mound. Host Blake Murphy brings on Sportsnet’s own Jeff Blair of Blair and Barker to share his takeaways from this most recent series, before taking a step back to revaluate the team's entire month of June. Next up, Baseball Prospectus contributor Russell A. Carleton takes us through his recently released book "The New Ballgame", before diving into some sabermetrics around the league (33:18). We then turn our attention to the upcoming MLB Draft with Carlos Collazo of Baseball America and the Future Projection podcast, who shares why this year's crop of prospects might be the deepest one in over a decade (51:12). Blake also checks in with friend Eric Koreen, writer at the The Athletic live from Las Vegas, who discusses his view on the Blue Jays heading towards the All-Star break (01:15:08). To close today's show, Blake gives his take on what to watch for in Alek’s start tonight in hopes of seeing signs of the former Cy Young finalist (01:31:42).

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 final hour of The FAN Morning Show kicks off with Jeff Blair stopping by to discuss Alek Manoah’s impending return to the Blue Jays’ rotation on Friday, the external pressures that factored into the decision to recall Manoah, the possibility of Toronto adopting a six-man rotation once Hyun-Jin Ryu returns, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s role in determining the Jays’ ceiling this season. Later, Ailish and Justin are joined by former NHL head coach Claude Julien to discuss his experience coaching Max Domi in Montreal, his maturation over the years, why his personality is a perfect match for the Toronto market, his time in Boston, and his memories from the Leafs’ notorious 2013 Game 7 collapse against the Bruins (24:30). Later, we close out the show with our daily Wake and Rake parlay (43:21)! 

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.

Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show kicks off with Jeff Blair stopping by to discuss the Blue Jays’ struggles in May, the team’s glaring roster flaws, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s current slump, the organization’s lack of meaningful trade chips, Bo Bichette’s evolution since breaking into the big leagues, and early returns on Daulton Varsho. Later, Ailish and Justin are joined by theScore’s Joseph Casciaro to chat about Boston’s comeback against Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals, Derrick White’s remarkable buzzer-beating putback in Game 6, Kyle Lowry’s struggles, the Raptors’ patient approach with their coaching search, and the Bucks’ hiring of Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin (27:15). Afterwards, we close out the show with our daily Wake and Rake parlay (41:49)! 

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 the weekend that was at Rogers Centre as the Toronto Blue Jays came away with an impressive sweep over the NL East leading Atlanta Braves! The guys break down the series, notably Danny Jansen’s clutch at-bat in the finale, Whit Merrifield on the basepaths, and Chris Bassitt pitching a complete game in the opener. Afterwards, they examine Toronto’s division rivals in the latest installment of ‘In The East’ (30:06). Later on, Yankees radio analyst Suzyn Waldman previews the upcoming series down at Rogers Centre and discusses New York’s season to date (50:05). Jeff and Kevin open up the 'Back Leg Line' to end the show.

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 and Kevin recap the Blue Jays’ extra innings loss to the Phillies and discuss Bo Bichette’s error to end the game, Kevin Gausman’s bounce back performance, and Alejandro Kirk’s recent struggles at the plate. Braves President & GM Alex Anthopoulos looks ahead to the weekend’s TOR-ATL series and talks about Spencer Strider’s early-career success, making trades in a competitive division, and Mike Soroka’s progress as he returns from injury (26:32). The guys open up the Back Leg Line, before welcoming Jays’ prospect Brandon Barriera to the show following his second professional start with Single-A Dunedin (01:17:08).

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 react to the Blue Jays taking two of three against the Seattle Mariners and share their thoughts on: the bullpen, Chris Bassitt showing emotion in the dugout, Alejandro Kirk behind the plate, and Alek Manoah battling on Friday night. Afterwards, the guys present the latest edition of ‘In the East’ an examine how the weekend went for the Rays, Yankees, Orioles, and Red Sox (25:07). The Athletic’s Jayson Stark discusses the first month of the MLB season, Jacob deGrom’s health, and Bryce Harper returning to the Phillies (49:53). Rob Bradford of WEEI previews the Red Sox-Blue Jays series and looks ahead to Manoah vs. Alex Verdugo after Verdugo made comments about the Jays’ starter on Rob’s “Baseball Isn’t Boring” Podcast (01:15:14)

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 ahead to this weekend’s series against the Seattle Mariners where Teoscar Hernandez will make his return to Rogers Centre. Hall of Famer and hitting consultant Chipper Jones joins the show to discuss what he did to break out of hitting slumps and how it relates to the current Blue Jays (28:19). Former Mariners All-Star and podcast host Bret Boone talks about how Hernandez has fit in with Seattle, losing Erik Swanson to Toronto, and his experiences as a hitter (49:25). Blue Jays Manager John Schneider re-visits his decision-making in last season’s postseason loss to Seattle and talks about the recent success of Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi in the rotation (01:12:40). 

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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the Blue Jays’ 7-0 win over the Chicago White Sox; particularly José Berríos’ strong start and Danny Jansen’s big game at the plate. Former White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham provides his thoughts on the series so far and what the Blue Jays can expect from Michael Kopech in the finale (26:21). Blue Jays pitcher Erik Swanson talks about his routine, role in the bullpen, and facing his former team this weekend when the Mariners come to town (49:42). White Sox pitcher and author of A Damn Near Perfect Game: Reclaiming America’s Past Time, Joe Kelly discusses why he chose to write a book while still playing, if Rob Manfred is the right person to be the commissioner of MLB, and interacting with Blue Jays’ fans in the new bullpens at Rogers Centre (01:15:48).

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 recap Toronto’s 5-2 win over the White Sox as Cavan Biggio provided the offense with a three-run HR in the fourth inning, before going to the ‘Back Leg Line’ to answer a few listener questions (32:48). MLB Network’s Jon Morosi discusses the Rays continuing their winning ways, who could be selling at the deadline, and the Pirates surprising the baseball world as they sit in first place (49:32).

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 recap the Blue Jays' series win over the New York Yankees as starters Yusei Kikuchi, Alek Manoah, and Kevin Gausman were all on their game; especially Gausman who pitched seven shutout innings with 11 strikeouts. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins the show to discuss Manoah's bounce-back start and the starting rotation settling in (28:36). Following Shi, the guys examine how the Blue Jays’ division rivals fared over the weekend in the latest edition of ‘In The East’ (49:31). White Sox TV voice Jason Benetti previews the upcoming Chicago-Toronto series, provides a scouting report on the team’s starters, and discusses Liam Hendriks' journey working his way back after announcing that he is cancer-free (01:18:40).
 

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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by 30-year MLB umpire Brian Gorman who discussed Max Scherzer’s suspension after the Mets’ ace decided not to appeal (25:30). MLB Network reporter Mark Feinsand looks ahead to the Yankees-Blue Jays series, before discussing if this is Gerrit Cole’s best run as a Yankee and Shohei Ohtani’s visit to New York when the Angels were in town earlier in the week (50:00). Blue Jays Manager John Schneider breaks some news about Matt Chapman hitting cleanup against Domingo German tonight, and looks ahead to this weekend against the Yankees (01:17:11).

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.