Baseball Central @ Noon

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker open the show discussing the Blue Jays’ third consecutive loss, accentuated by José Berríos struggles on the mound after allowing eight runs in 5.2 innings of work. Jeff and Kevin listen and react to Alex Verdugo’s candid comments on Alek Manoah, before welcoming MLB Network’s Ryan Dempster to the conversation (30:58). Royals analyst & former closer Jeff Montgomery looks ahead to game two between the Royals and Jays and shares what he noticed from Berríos from the series opener (49:31). To end off the show, the guys check the voicemail on the “Back Leg Line” (01:13:14). 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 break down the Blue Jays' opening series loss against the Cardinals; particularly Chris Bassitt’s rough debut on Sunday afternoon. “In The East” returns as the guys examine the play of Toronto’s division rivals, notably the Rays’ starting pitching looking strong in the early going (27:25). The Athletic’s Jayson Stark discusses Rob Manfred’s candid comments on the use of analytics and his takeaways from MLB’s opening weekend (51:10). Blue Jays manager John Schneider comments on his club’s play against St. Louis, Bassitt’s debut and the adjustments needed to be made, Daulton Varsho and Matt Chapman’s series at the dish, and looks ahead to José Berríos’ start against the Royals (01:18:13). 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' 10-9 Opening Day win over the St. Louis Cardinals and share their thoughts on the way John Schneider configured the batting order, Matt Chapman hitting to the opposite field, how the team operated on the base paths, and Bo Bichette’s overall game. Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner comments on what a healthy George Springer brings to the lineup, Daulton Varsho batting in the clean-up spot, and Alek Manoah’s use of PitchCom (29:58). MLB insider Jeff Passan discusses Shohei Ohtani’s dominance in the Angels’ latest hard luck loss, the Mariners and Astros in the AL West, Adley Rutschman’s amazing season debut with the Orioles, and MLB and the MLBPA reaching a deal on a CBA for minor league players (49:30).  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.

It’s Opening Day and Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker are ready for Blue Jays baseball! The guys open up the phone lines throughout the show for fans to weigh-in on the 2023 edition of the team. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (38:43) and Cardinals TV analyst Brad Thompson (50:38) join the show from St. Louis to preview today’s matchup with Alek Manoah and Miles Mikolas taking the hill. 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 are back to two hours, and start off the show with their predictions ahead of the 2023 MLB season! Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae previews the six-part series “Alek Manaoh: Obsessed” and discusses her main takeaways from covering the Blue Jays throughout spring training in Florida (30:25). Next up, the guys welcome Cardinals’ VP & General Manager Mike Girsch to the show for a deep dive on the Blue Jays first opponents of the season (49:36). To conclude the show, Blue Jays’ manager John Schneider talks to the guys about how he and the coaching staff decide how to configure the team’s lineup, José Berríos’ offseason and outlook for 2023, Bo Bichette’s defence, and more ahead of his first Opening Day as an MLB manager (01:14:22). 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss today’s breaking news that Nathan Lukes has made the Blue Jays over Otto Lopez, and react to Manager John Schneider’s comments about how he and the coaching staff arrived at the decision. The guys then revisit Monday’s Grapefruit League action against Philadelphia, notably Chris Bassitt’s comments about using PitchCom, how he fared against the Phillies’ hitters, and J.T. Realmuto’s bizarre ejection at the hands of umpire Randy Rosenberg. WEEI’s Rob Bradford concludes our 2023 AL East previews as he joins Jeff and Kevin to break down the Red Sox (26:16), before the guys head to the "Back Leg Line" to answer a question on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (41:42). 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the state of the Blue Jays bullpen; notably Zach Pop’s consecutive outings over the weekend against the Tigers and Yankees, and being encouraged by Yimi Garcia’s increased velocity throughout spring training. Jack Curry of YES Network continues our AL East previews as the guys dive deeper into the New York Yankees and the ceiling of top prospect Anthony Volpe (28:40). The guys end the show with two more questions from the Back Leg Line, and share why they aren’t worried about the trade sending Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for Daulton Varsho (43:27). 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.

Blair and Barker are reunited with Barker returning from his assignments in Florida to chat about why the Blue Jays have retired their home run jacket. MLB Network analyst Carlos Pena joins the show with his thoughts on the Blue Jays, players using spring training to experiment with different techniques, and why he’s not sleeping on Baltimore as a threat in the AL East (13:33). ESPN's MLB Insider Jeff Passan discusses why he likes the 2023 edition of the Blue Jays' bullpen, his expectations for Kevin Gausman, and his pick to represent the American League in the World Series (28:37). 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.

Jeff Blair opens the show solo discussing Jose Berrios’ latest effort against the Orioles, earning the win while pitching five innings of one-run ball. Speaking of the O’s, the 2023 AL East previews continue with MASN’s Roch Kubatko examining Baltimore's up-and-coming roster and if they can improve on last season's positivity (08:00). Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman joins the show from sunny Dunedin to talk about the team’s attitude in spring training compared to last year, if Alek Manoah or Kevin Gausman will be Toronto’s opening day starter against the Cardinals, and more (23:45)! 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 World Baseball Classic’s thrilling championship game where Japan defeated the United States 3-2; notably the final at-bat between Angels teammates and superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner joins the guys to preview Jose Berrios’ first Grapefruit League start since returning from the WBC (14:04). Kevin Gausman joins the show to discuss how he’s preparing for the upcoming season, adjusting to the pitch clock, his thoughts on players participating in the WBC during Spring training, and last season’s postseason exit against the Seattle Mariners (25:40). 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 kick off the show reacting to last night’s semi-final in the World Baseball Classic, where Japan prevailed 6-5 over Mexico. Next they focus in on the Blue Jays, in particular Kevin Gausman who pitched five shutout innings in his latest spring tune-up against Detroit. Rays TV analyst Brian Anderson begins our AL East previews to break down how Tampa Bay is shaping up for the upcoming season (28:35); before the guys end the show with a few questions from 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 affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker recap the Blue Jays’ weekend, notably Alek Manoah pitching six strong innings in a loss against the Rays. They also examine the recent struggles of Matt Chapman and Daulton Varsho at the dish, and the possibility of Whit Merrifield being an x-factor at the bottom of the lineup in 2023. Could Joey Votto be in Toronto’s sights around the trade deadline? They guys react to a tweet from Jim Bowden who spoke to Reds GM Nick Krall. Former Marlins President and CBS Sports analyst David Samson discusses the World Baseball Classic including the success of this year’s tournament, the timing of the games, and the concerns for teams sending players to participate (30:10). 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’ Pitching Coach Pete Walker who discussed Chris Bassitt working with Alejandro Kirk after previously throwing to Danny Jansen, José Berrios’ start at the World Baseball Classic, Alek Manoah adding a third pitch to his arsenal, Ricky Tiedemann, and Nate Pearson’s role in 2023 (14:50). Later on, Radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner checks in to share what he’d like to see from the Jays before camp breaks, before focusing in on minor-league signing Ernie Clement, Matt Chapman’s toe-tap at the plate, and how Toronto will manage Yusei Kikuchi’s starts (32:32). 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 open up the show discussing Edwin Diaz’s freak injury at the World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic (and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) not advancing to the second round, and Canada being eliminated by Mexico. Next up, the guys go to "Barker's Backleg Line" for an extended question and answer session on the Blue Jays. To end the show, Baseball Canada Coach and Head of the Junior National team, Greg Hamilton recaps the tournament from a Canadian perspective and discusses the bright future for the program with up-and-coming players like Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, and Edouard Julien (33:02). 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 Blue Jays prospect Otto Lopez starring for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic and if he has the leg up on the competition as Toronto's 26th man on the roster. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returning to the Blue Jays’ lineup this afternoon, the guys discuss if he will represent the Dominican Republic and react to John Schneider’s comments on the matter, before providing an update on Ricky Tiedemann. Sportsnet’s Caleb Joseph talks about why he likes Lopez for the final roster spot, if he’s concerned about José Berrios, Danny Jansen and Chris Bassitt getting comfortable with one another and PitchCom, and the positive signs surrounding Vladdy's return (28:17). 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 examine the Blue Jays 16-3 rout of the Red Sox: Alek Manoah’s latest start, Alejandro Kirk’s 2023 Grapefruit League debut, Bo Bichette staying hot at the dish, and what Nate Pearson’s role might be after his clean inning of work. Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez breaks down Canada at the World Baseball Classic following their 12-1 loss to the United States to set up an extremely important game against Colombia in Pool C (29:04). To end off the show, the fellas answer the "Back Leg Line" for Barker’s latest assignment from Dunedin (44:34)! 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.

Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker focus in on Jose Berrios’ performance for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic as he struggled lasting only one inning in a 9-6 loss versus Venezuela. Later they focus on the rest of the Blue Jays, who went 3-0 in Grapefruit League action over weekend; notably George Springer’s big weekend at the plate, Yusei Kikuchi’s latest outing, and how Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is progressing with his knee injury. Sportsnet's Shi Davidi checks in from the World Baseball Classic to recap Canada’s wild 18-8 mercy rule win against Great Britain, and looks ahead to their next game against Team USA tonight (28:18). Lastly, the guys head to "Barker’s Back Leg Line" for his latest assignment from Dunedin (43:56). 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 the Blue Jays’ top position player prospect Addison Barger, who discussed how he became a left-handed hitter despite being a natural righty, adding a leg kick to his swing, and learning from the Blue Jays' veteran players in camp (17:25). Barker reports back from his assignment on Don Mattingly and explains how “Donnie Baseball” has impacted Toronto’s players so far. Later on, Blue Jays radio voice Ben Wagner checks-in ahead of today’s Blue Jays-Red Sox game with his takeaways from Blue Jays camp; including who he believes should be the Toronto's 26th man on the roster (37:34). 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.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss Alek Manoah’s Grapefruit League outing against the Twins and how he is using the pitch clock to his advantage. Next up, Cal Quantrill talks about anchoring the rotation for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic, the team’s expectations, and how he has adapted to the pitch clock while in camp with the Cleveland Guardians (16:41). With Barker on assignment at the Blue Jays Player Development Complex, Jeff calls up former MLB umpire Dale Scott to hear his view on how umpires have done enforcing the new rule changes around the game (32:56). 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 Yusei Kikuchi and Ricky Tiedemann’s respective performances against the Pirates in Grapefruit League action, particularly where Tiedemann is at with his velocity. World Series-winning Manager and author of 'The Book of Joe', Joe Maddon joins Jeff and Kevin to discuss managing teams with high expectations, his experience working with Shohei Ohtani, facing the Blue Jays as manager of the Rays, and his view on the rule changes for the 2023 season (17:28). To end off the show, Blair and Barker head to the phone line to answer your questions on the shift and Hyun-Jin Ryu’s injury status (38:21). 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.