Blair & Barker

Jim Bowden, former MLB executive and current CBS Sports analyst, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to share his impressions from the first month of the season. Jim weighs in on when it's time to shake up an unproductive lineup and John Schneider's decision to keep Kevin Gausman on the mound during a tumultuous third inning, before taking a look around the league to discuss the state of the Orioles, Tigers, and Yankees. Buck Martinez (23:50), former Blue Jays catcher and current Sportsnet broadcaster, joins the boys on an off day ahead of Toronto's upcoming homestand. Buck chats about the value of changing the batting order, the signs that a player need more time to develop, what was behind Gausman's poor outing, and how Yariel Rodriguez has reinvented himself in 2025. 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 this week expressing their frustrations after the Blue Jays' series loss to the Yankees, capped off by a sweep of Sunday's double-header. The guys dive into Kevin Gausman's rough start and subsequent ejection, the team's ongoing offensive struggles, and how to address the lineup. Later on, Ryan LaPensee and Paul Lamantia (24:40), co-founders of Backyard Bats, join the show. The pair chat about the origins of their company, the challenges that come with breaking into the professional market, how the relationship with Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos developed, their thoughts on the new "torpedo bats", 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.

John Schneider, Manager of your Toronto Blue Jays, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker live from Yankee Stadium. Skip shares an update on Daulton Varsho, Nick Sandlin and Erik Swanson as they work back from injury, before getting into where Varsho would likely slot into the lineup when he returns and what went wrong for his team in Houston. John also weighs in Anthony Santander's slow offensive start, Alejandro Kirk at the plate, Paul Goldschmidt's impact in the Bronx, how to contain Aaron Judge, the state of Kevin Gausman's splitter, and the idea of George Springer returning to the leadoff spot. After the break, former MLB pitcher and current YES analyst, Jeff Nelson (28:48), chats about Judge's incredible start to 2025, the early returns on the Yankees' off-season moves, and what to expect from Carlos Carrasco on the mound tonight. Jeff and Kevin wrap up the week with thoughts on how the Jays' bats can wake up this weekend and beyond. 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 Friday's episode teeing up this weekend's series in the Bronx. The pair break down José Berríos' keys to success against the Yankees' sluggers and how to navigate New York's lineup, before discussing Daulton Varsho's pending return and the idea of Bo Bichette batting fourth in the order. ESPN's Jeff Passan (23:28) checks in on the Cubs' red-hot start to 2025, what's wrong with the Phillies, the sustainability of Aaron Judge's .415 average, and Kevin Gausman's work refining his splitter. 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 MLB Network analyst, kicks off the second hour alongside Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker! "The Mayor" weighs in on the Blue Jays' offensive shortcomings, the contagious nature of hitting, signs that a "slow starter" is heating up, what constitutes a mechanical change, and his most-underrated batter in baseball. Later on, former MLB backstop and Blue Jays Central analyst, Caleb Joseph (23:25), joins the conversation. He talks about which Jays hitter is nearing a breakout, Bo Bichette's identity at the plate, the volume of home runs given up by Toronto's pitching staff, and more! Jeff and Kevin wrap up with your calls on the "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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are back on the airwaves following the Blue Jays' sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros. The boys are fed up with Toronto's offensive drought and voice their concerns over the lack of quality at bats in Wednesday's series finale, along with the absence of slugging throughout the lineup. They then take some time to open up the "Back Leg Line" to respond to your questions and comments. Jon Morosi (27:50), MLB Network insider, stops by to share what's different about this year's version of the Chicago Cubs. Jon takes a look around the league to chat about the Mets' positioning in the NL East, Jordan Romano's struggles in Philadelphia, and Bo Bichette's performance in a contract 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.

Casey Candaele, Manager of the Buffalo Bisons, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to share the latest news from Sahlen Field! Skip breaks down Orelvis Martinez' work at the plate, how Daulton Varsho is progressing in his rehab stint, early standouts from the Triple-A roster, and Jake Bloss' upside on the mound. Later, David Schoenfield (31:42) takes us through his latest piece for ESPN detailing some early trade deadline targets for all 30 teams, along with his 2025 MLB watchability index! Jeff and Kevin wrap up with thoughts on who the Jays should look at to help bolster the lineup. 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 program recapping another quiet night for the Blue Jays' bats at Daikin Park. The guys dive into Chris Bassitt's six innings of work, Daulton Varsho's status as he continues to rehab his shoulder, and where Toronto's centre fielder should slot into the lineup when he returns. Later, Jeff and Kevin zoom out to share their view on how to fix the batting order as the team's losing streak stretches to four games. Ben Shulman (26:00), radio voice of the Blue Jays, checks in after the break live from Houston! The trio chat about Bassitt's post-game comments surrounding the team's upcoming stretch, how to fix to the team's the stalled offence, what to expect from Bowden Francis on the bump tonight, the state of the bullpen, and who's next in line to heat up. The boys wrap up with thoughts on Will Wagner's ideal position in Toronto's infield, along with Alan Roden's first month in the majors. 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.

Joe Siddall, former MLB catcher and current Sportsnet Blue Jays analyst, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to help diagnose Toronto's offensive issues following yesterday's 7-0 shelling. Joe shares his view on potential lineup changes to come, before sifting through the performances of Anthony Santander, George Springer, Alan Roden, and Alejandro Kirk. Later on, Astros analyst Steve Sparks (28:22) previews Ronel Blanco's start in Houston tonight. The trio also chat about what's changed in Josh Hader's approach in 2025, the aftermath of Alex Bregman's departure, what's behind Jose Altuve's move to the outfield, Jeremy Peña's development, 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open today's show rehashing their debate about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s lack of home run power early on this season. After agreeing to disagree, the guys move on to discuss the Blue Jays' 7-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Houston Astros. They chat about what they saw from Kevin Gausman on the mound Monday night, how to fix Toronto's sputtering offence, and what to make of limited production from the top of the batting order. Ryan Dempster (29:06), World Series champion and co-host of Intentional Talk on MLB Network, shares what it's like pitching for a team without an offensive punch. Ryan weighs in on Anthony Santander's slow start and the challenges that come with pitching in different ballparks, before taking a look around league to discuss the crowded N.L. West and the state of the Cubs. 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.