Baseball Central @ Noon

Blue Jays' Bench Coach John Schneider joins Blair and Barker to discuss the club's hitting with runners in scoring position, the work the players are putting in with the coaching staff, and Danny Jansen’s hot bat since coming off the IL (15:55). Later on, Angels General Manager Perry Minasian comments on his club’s impressive 27-19 start, what Noah Syndergaard has brought to the starting rotation, Mike Trout’s greatness & more (30:27)! To wrap up, we head to Twitter and the text-line for Barker's Back Leg Bits (41:31). 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.

Despite his success against right-handed hitters in 2022, the Blue Jays were able to attack the reigning AL-MVP Shohei Ohtani as they won the opener against the Angels 6-3. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss George Springer’s success batting leadoff, Danny Jansen’s hot bat, and the impact of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s hitting drills off of a tee. Later on, Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times talks about the Angels and the latest news surrounding their stadium after city council voted to kill the sale (35:07). 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 welcome ‘Big Time Baseball’ host and Padres analyst Tony Gwynn Jr. to the show! He discusses the mentality of overcoming struggles throughout a long season, how to deal with unlikeable teammates, the NL West, and the job Bob Melvin has done as San Diego’s Manager (04:52). Later on, former ace and current Angels radio analyst Mark Langston shares his thoughts on the team’s starting rotation being a strength, and the standout seasons from the likes of Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Taylor Ward (31:21). The guys concentrate on the Blue Jays' lineup configuration in the latest edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits (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.

The Blue Jays prepare to face the L.A. Angels in a four-game series. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker examine the matchup, particularly Shohei Ohtani’s season so far on the mound and his success against right-handed hitters. Later on, Buffalo Bisons Manager Casey Candaele discusses the latest news around the Blue Jays’ AAA affiliate including the emergence of Adrian Hernandez, Gabriel Moreno, Jordan Groshans, and how Cavan Biggio has performed during his stint with the club (28:56). 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.

World Series Champion and Marquee Sports Network analyst Ryan Dempster discusses Fergie Jenkins being honoured at Wrigley Field last weekend, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. going up against Shohei Ohtani, and different rallying points for struggling teams during a season (02:29). Afterwards, NESN’s Tony Massarotti talks about the surging Red Sox and Trevor Story turning his season around after an abysmal start (28:18). We wrap up by answering your questions with a quick edition of Barker's Back Leg Bits (41:05)! 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' 8-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, where the team’s offense mustered 12 hits including home runs from Danny Jansen and Vladimir Guerrero Jr, and remark on how loose and more relieved the dugout looked. Later on, Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman comments on Danny Jansen’s big two-HR game, left-handed outfielders on the trade market, and if the Blue Jays could carry three catchers with Jansen, Kirk, and prospect Gabriel Moreno (29:19). 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.

Longtime MLB Umpire & Crew Chief Dale Scott joins Blair and Barker to share his point of view on why the fake strike zones on MLB telecasts create more problems for umpires and the challenges of implementing an Automatic Ball/Strike System (06:02). Later on, former Blue Jays' catcher and current St. Louis Cardinals radio analyst Bengie Molina discusses the longevity his brother Yadier has enjoyed throughout his career, his view on the Blue Jays, and why he is not concerned at all about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s production (27:14). 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 recap the Blue Jays' 7-3 loss in extra innings to the St. Louis Cardinals. The guys delve into Jose Berrios’ solid start, the usage of the bullpen in the 10th inning, and the lack of production offensively throughout the lineup. Blue Jays Central analyst Joe Siddall shares his thoughts on Ryan Borucki getting into the game, what he’s noticing from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the plate, and weighs in on Santiago Espinal's pivotal at-bat in extra innings (31:38). 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.

Former Cardinals pitcher and current analyst Brad Thompson previews the short two-game series between St. Louis and Toronto. Thompson discusses the season so far for tonight's starter Miles Mikolas, the stability that Paul Goldschmidt brings to the lineup, and the job Oliver Marmol has done as the youngest manager in MLB (06:30). Later on, Blue Jays infielder Santiago Espinal discusses his impressive season to date and the work he has put in to be better both offensively and defensively (26:28). 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.

Joey Votto spoiled a potential series sweep for the Blue Jays over the Reds. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss how the Blue Jays took two of three against Cincinnati, the team continuing to squeak out one and two-run victories, Alek Manoah’s outing on Saturday, and the team sitting at 19-22 a quarter into the season. Afterwards for In The East, the guys examine the Tim Anderson-Josh Donaldson saga, the Red Sox heating up, and Adley Rutschman making his MLB debut for the Orioles (31:29). 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.

Cincinnati Reds TV analyst and former Major League pitcher Chris Welch previews this weekend’s CIN-TOR series at Rogers Centre and discusses Joey Votto’s tenure and future within the organization, if SP Luis Castillo will be traded before the deadline, and if rookie Hunter Greene’s ceiling will live up to the hype surrounding him (03:53). To end of the show, Blair and Barker head into the weekend answering your questions on another edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits (38:59)! 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 open the show examining Pete Alonso of the Mets’ post-game comments about his approach and compare it to what they’re seeing from the Blue Jays at the plate. Afterwards, they discuss how former Blue Jays Brandon Drury, Connor Overton, and Jeff Hoffman are off to strong starts for the Reds as they visit Rogers Centre this weekend, and preview the Blue Jays starters for the series: Ryu, Manoah, and Kikuchi (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.

Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman joins the guys with his thoughts on the team’s recent stretch of games, the bullpen, and if he expects Toronto to be active on the trade market as the season goes on (01:22). The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal discusses his recent feature on how the Blue Jays decided to draft Alek Manoah, before shifting his attention to the trade market and who Toronto could pursue as they search for a lefty bat and Juan Soto’s future in Washington (28:28). 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 unable to earn a sweep against the Seattle Mariners as they dropped the final game of the series 5-1. Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker assess Kevin Gausman’s outing, the bullpen’s performance in relief, and the Blue Jays' top hitters continuing to struggle with runners in scoring position. World Series Champion and radio host Rob Dibble joins the show to share his views on the Blue Jays, the Yankees impressive season to date, and how the mechanics of young pitchers have evolved over the years from when he played (28:41). 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 affiliates.

Manny Acta, longtime MLB Manager and current Mariners' third-base coach, discusses the Toronto-Seattle series from his point of view, what he did as a manager when his teams were struggling at the plate, what Robbie Ray has brought to the rotation, and gives a scouting report on tonight’s starter Marco Gonzales as Toronto looks for the series sweep (02:35). We wrap up with an extended edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits concentrated on the Blue Jays’ need for left-handed bat and if the Washington Nationals could be forced to deal phenom Juan Soto if he doesn’t agree to a long-term extension with the club (30:36). 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 kick off the show discussing the Houston Astros' 13-4 rout of the Boston Red Sox before moving on to the Blue Jays’ 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners, led by Jose Berrios’ seven strong innings and George Springer’s base-clearing triple. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi joins the guys to talk about Springer’s impact to the Blue Jays’ clubhouse both on and off the field and addresses who needs to step up in the bullpen with Tim Mayza’s injury (26:49). 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 and Kevin open the show with an extended edition of Barker’s Back Leg Bits and discuss what they need to see out of Jose Berrios in his start tonight against the Mariners after an inconsistent beginning to the 2022 campaign (01:36). Next up, Mariners' analyst and former MLB infielder Mike Blowers comments on how the Jays matchup with tonight’s starter Logan Gilbert, his impressions of Yusei Kikuchi during his stint in Seattle, and how Robbie Ray has started the season with his new team (27:10). 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 break down the Blue Jays' 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners, which featured another quality start from Yusei Kikuchi. The guys discuss the adjustments Kikuchi has made on the mound, the batting order returning to how it was, and concerns about Tim Mayza’s injury and who will step up in the bullpen. Later on, MLB Network analyst Bill Ripken discusses how great players break out of hitting slumps and what he’s noticed from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette offensively and defensively a month into the season (27:44). 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.

Former Seattle second baseman and current podcast host Bret Boone talks about the 2022 edition of the Mariners ahead of the team’s three-game series against the Blue Jays. The former All-Star also shares his views on the Blue Jays and how his brother Aaron has managed the Yankees to a 25-9 record to this point in the season (01:52). Dunedin Blue Jays Manager Donnie Murphy joins the show to recap an epic performance from his pitching staff after they struck out 24 batters in a game over the weekend (28:24). 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 assess the Blue Jays' series loss against the Tampa Bay Rays, where they dropped two of three games at Tropicana Field. The guys discuss Alek Manoah’s first loss of the 2022 season, the returns of Danny Jansen and Hyun-Jin Ryu, and the changes to the Blue Jays' batting order, notably with Guerrero Jr. hitting second and Bo Bichette being dropped to the cleanup spot. Later on, the guys look at how the other teams In The East fared over the weekend, and discuss how the Reds managed to lose to the Pirates, despite not allowing a hit (29:08). 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.