Jeff Blair & Kevin Barker discuss Toronto’s 10-1 loss to the Orioles, notably Baltimore’s balanced offensive attack and Ryan Mountcastle continuing his Jays-killing ways. Chipper Jones chats about the changes he had to make mechanically when in a slump. With two games of four completed in the O’s series, Jeff & Kevin open up the Back Leg Line. Dan Shulman shares his point of view on the Jays and the series so far.
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0:00 – Jays Stomped by Baltimore
25:06 – Chipper Jones on Hitting Slumps
48:53 – Back Leg Line!
1:17:06 – Dan Shulman on Jays/Orioles
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[Music] pitches and if you’re throwing the middle of the Zone hoping for a good result is probably not going to happen against Ryan Mount Castle or against me if I’m hitting there you know what I mean so you have to execute and um you know we feel good about the plan going in and it’s up to the players to go out there and execute the pitches and if you don’t that’s what happens well you ever notice how like the last two weeks John Schneider’s been dropping F bombs well it’s off it’s like you know he’s had enough seen enough heard enough I mean I mean they’re running out of options right they’re running out of things to run out there I mean they’ve tried everything they can possibly try at the lineup you know who else who’s going to who’s going to be the fifth starter next time it’ be nice to have Trevor Richards today with Brio in his 15 starts being 10 10 and one against the Orioles there’s a good chance that he’s going to keep him in it you’d like to have that extra nice little Bullpen arm would you I just say I hate to throw that out there now but be kind of nice 10-1 the Blue Jays lost last night to the Baltimore Orioles they have been outscored 1723 oh boy by the Orioles uh the Orioles of course and I’m I’m convinced at this point they’re just trolling the Blue Jays they’ve called up their top pitching Prospect um although he’s he’s been put on the on on the taxi Squad so tonight we’re going to see Albert Suarez against Jose Brio tomorrow it’s scheduled to be Kyle bradish against say kuchi DJ’s lineup is as follows well the Daniel vogelbach magic looks like it’s worn off it’s like three games what’s happened po thought he was getting a run that’s right s is righty I think so yeah anyhow the lineup is uh Schneider varo Guerrero bashet Springer in the fifth slot hit a home run move up in the uh head out on velocity it’s what happens Turner Kirk ikf Kier Meer Jose Brios on the mound 707 first pitch on sportset 590 the fan and sportset uh we’re going to be joined by Chipper Jones later on in the show Dan Schulman as well that’s awes might even go to the back leg line today 416 413 395 show for the people why not show for the people exactly uh tomorrow well we’ll be doing Blue Jays talk following the game tonight tomorrow we’ll be doing Blue Jays talk on TV and radio following the after noon game and uh Blair and bark I think we on from 5:00 to 6:00 tomorrow so I they’re going to change the name of the show but we’re going to be in the same studio and basically any that’s that’s where it is there you go so uh that’s all the housekeeping uh all the housekeeping taken care of Ryan Mount Castle two home runs off uh Bowen Francis last night Connor Norby first major league hit was a home run a two-run home run off Nate Pearson it’s a bad slider that’s what they do to those and uh yeah I mean I’m almost out of stuff I’m almost out of stuff to say at this point yeah I I mean I I I just am you know I I like a week ago I was saying you know maybe in the very least the Jay should do something to their Bullpen everybody’s going need the bullpen they got bigger issues now we’re starting to hear everybody’s writing everybody’s saying you know maybe the Jays need to do something to their with their Bullpen because they’re on fumes um and and not three runs two je yeah I know and but the bullpen is awful the bullpen is not good right now their team right now a hole is not good yeah but you know what you’re not changing you’re not you’re not bringing anybody in to change the lineup that’s clear that’s clear I look at every other team they seem to be making moves of the in the margins of their pitching staff yeah the Orioles adding guys Braves are adding guys Phillies are adding guys I I don’t know I mean can’t be that hard for the seven homers they get they’ve given up the first two games of this series have come via the bullpen the bullpen has allowed 37 homers that’s the most in baseball so yeah the Orioles have 91 homers four four different players with 10 or more homers like that that’s if you’re Jose Brios you’re thinking to yourself how do I keep him in it how do I give the lineup a chance to have a decent one or two at bats I don’t even think against the Orioles it’s an inning I think it’s I think it’s one or two at bats like it was last night home run be nice you go like the second inning against Burns right it’s nothing nothing you got what Springer and VAR show coming up Springer has a seven seven pitch fly out and then varo you know again it gets back to that when Burns is in trouble and he got to make a pitch you know he’s adding and subtracting and sort of pulling the string and making that quality pitch when he has to make it again it gets back to that you know it’s me against you and a lot of the times you ain’t good as me yeah how about that that was pretty good how about that so yeah I think it’s I think this is sort of same the same old thing and with Suarez tonight you know again they always talk about game planning and then John even mention it there that’s why I played that one guy in the lineup for the Blue Jays has faced Suarez that’s Turner Turner sitting under 100 in like his last 20 games so what’s the plan I mean he throws a for seamer a cutter and a change up me I’d look right down the middle I mean nobody else can hit the cutter in the change up why would I look for him why would I look different quadrants I mean I’d look right down the middle he’s not perfect I mean he’s like a there’s nothing outside the norm when it comes to how he releases the baseball I mean he’s basically straight over the top going to get the sign he’s going to throw it to the location he’s going to change speeds I mean his his change UPS about 9 miles hour slower than his fast ball like it’s I don’t want to say it’s almost nothing special but he’s allowed one earn run in 15 and twoth thirds Innings on the road like he’s going to get after the Blue Jays right and it’s that fast ball the way what can they do with that can they take a pitcher’s pitch and just sort of sof serve that thing in right field and pass the Baton that way cuz this you know a lot of times this team’s not going to give a bunch of homer so that’s the thing you got to ask yourself and and Brios again I you know a lot of the times stats don’t really matter a bunch but when whenever you are as a pitcher in the 12 starts that Brios has made this year he’s received two runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts okay he has 10 quality starts out of his 12 starts that again gets back to and there’s one guy in that lineup adley rushman who is 12 for 19 with two doubles arm yeah he’s got a slugging percentage of over 1,200 so if you’re you thinking don’t let a guy beat you that’s probably where you’re starting so you know they got some they got some working around to do around that guy you got to think going into this thing if you’re John if you’re Pete Walker if you’re the lineup Jose’s going to keep you in it I mean the 15th starts against the or he’s 10 and one like he does some things against that team for whatever reason arm sides locating if he keeps the change up down and that little small window when he has to go in keep it in there and don’t sort of Let It leak out over past the window because that’s when he tends to get hurt is he tries to trick him by throwing it in there and he misses his spot and somebody Bridges him if he sort of stays in that window it’s just the fact Jeff how do they score runs like they scored one run I’ll due respect to John there I understand the game planning and you watch you’re asking a a bullpen and a and a rotation to do they scored two runs in the first game and one last night so basically what JN is trying to tell us is they go They’re going to try and win two to one and one nothing it’s almost impossible to do that so you know this this is I think sort of what you’re getting to your point it’s not like you know it’ be easier to add to the pen than it is to bring in a teoscar Hernandez to hit cleanup for the Blue Jays yeah that’s your point and you know I mean there’s nothing in the miners that’s going to help in terms of pitching but there just isn’t so it’s not like you bring somebody in and you’re blocking somebody yeah or you know you’re going to have to add Bullpen arms at some point over the next two years because you don’t have any you just don’t and um at this point I not even a matter of stopping the bleeding at this point it’s I think anyhow it should be all right we’re going to need Bullpen arms over the next two years let’s start collecting some gain some momentum a little bit not even that just just now just start collecting some dudes let’s start let’s start let’s start let’s start trying to find the next Tim Mesa let’s start trying to find the next Trevor Richards um you know and and and you’re going to have to do it at some point so so let’s start it now I I it’s so you know I understand nothing’s as easy as it as we make it sound I get all that but I also don’t think it’s as difficult as this front office makes it seem I I just don’t um because I’m seeing other teams do stuff I’m seeing other teams do stuff and these guys are getting paid good money to know more than you or I I mean they are they are getting paid a lot of money yeah to know more than you and I tons and these guys can’t even you know they get themselves Twisted in knots trying to figure out whether to bring up Spence or Horwitz bring him up bring him up who cares bring him up absolutely let him let him play and if he can’t hit send him down big deal I I I just I just don’t get it I mean I do get it because I’ve seen this now for six or seven years so I I do get it I do get it um yeah it’s a new day though I mean now now you got to go out and and what you do have try and win a baseball game and compete against a really really really really really good team like a a lot better team than you are it’s a new day but Ryan mountcastle still plays for the Orioles what Ian Kevin eight home runs here at the Rogers Center what did I say lot I I short changed him yes I think you said seven it was he has eight home runs at the Rogers Center this year uh 16 or 17 overall against the Blue Jays uh should we why I how do you approach a guy like that how do you approach a guy like that like to I would like to say try and make him uncomfortable but I’m not you know I’m not sure that’s bios’s thing I mean I don’t think there’s anybody in this team’s going to who’s going to move somebody’s feet I’m not even sure that works anymore like moving somebody’s feet does that really work like you know are they afraid of getting thrown at or or being hit probably not I mean he doesn’t wear all that stuff on him he I think he wears it on his leg I think you’re right that’s a good point I don’t think guys get they don’t well I know they as care they’re not afraid they’re they’re not afraid to be pushed back and you know it’s it’s more about aiming big and trying to strike you out and have the misses away be big enough that you know it’s Fanny out and you’re waving at the pitch and I just don’t think the inner part of the plate is is the thing anymore you’re not trying to set anybody up by throwing it in there like they’re just not afraid to not dive out over the plate so I just don’t think that’s going to work I do think he’s not perfect I think you got to make better pitches right I mean the home run that the the one he hit to Center I mean that’s a decent pitch that’s it’s sort of set up by what he threw the pitch before I just think a guy’s really comfortable here he sees the ball really well and for the most part A lot of the times the quality of the location to him you know I think if we obviously know these stats you know the khakis for the Blue Jays are just overwhelming every dude that goes out there that’s trying to get Mount Castle out the exact same stats and what to throw him and you know as well as anybody by Jeff when you know how somebody’s doing and how fine you need to be with your location what’s a lot of the times you do you miss location because you’re basically trying to guide it there and when you do that a guy’s very comfortable and you know is swinging the bat really well off you he hits the ball to the moon this uh I’m going to give you some some numbers on Ryan Mount Castle against the Blue Jays he’s H 88 career home runs 17 have come against the Jays his next closest is 10 against the Red Sox he’s at eight homers at the Roger Center no more than three at any other Road ballpark Roger Center is the only Road ballpark where where he has had multiple Homer games he’s done it twice and in his previous previous Series in Toronto last year he went 11 for 13 with six RBI reached base and 14 of his 18 plate appearances um of course he was asked after the game about um just you know why here he said I don’t know yeah a lot of the times that’s he’s pretty he’s a pretty plain he’s a pretty plain spoken guy he’s been asked is the backdrops pretty simple I’ve talked to some people that have played with him they say he’s got a very simple approach it’s like how do you do it I got no idea no idea yeah yeah you know it is almost like some of the times he knows what’s coming I mean I have noticed like the the takes that he has against the Blue Jays the swings on secondary pitches that you should never be having swings off of thatu you mentioned this this is like like the Gman a couple times he would take some split fingers and you know even that entire lineup against Kevin I don’t think it was so much of how hard they were hitting the ball it’s like the Santander couplet bats that Kevin was like man I set it up I threw it where I wanted to go and you still look like you knew it was coming I it’s I’m not saying they do but I’m sure they do like I it’s it’s almost like everybody else knows like it’s almost like there’s so many people that are honed in on what that certain guy is trying to do they’re looking for every certain little tiny advantage you know it’s could be just a littlest thing when he lands it’s here when it’s set up it’s not as high like it could be just an smallest of things almost looks like they know what’s coming and especially a guy like that right I mean it’s not like you can’t hit I mean no no it’s not a fluk I’m not saying that he’d be he’d look nice in the Jay’s uni hit third fourth fifth driving in some run I mean he’d look sort of nice but it’s better than Daniel VAB back I don’t know yeah I mean that’s I don’t know it’s so yeah look I I think it’s again Jose is going to have to be really good arms side he’s going to have to be really good with the slurve misses are going to have to be on point ain’t going to have to force the change up I know they talk about that a lot me sometimes I think they use it just because there they think they’re supposed to be using it no use it when you need to use it and if he does that and he keeps it down you would think with past experiences here and and past success that Jose has had he should could work through this lineup pretty well and actually give the Jays a chance that’s that’s where we’re at with this is a chance as a hitter um I’m going to ask you was there a particular ballpark you were really comfortable it could be minor league park it could be be any park and and why why was that it could be a minor league park normally it’s the backdrop and normally it’s which way the wind’s blowing okay that’s a big deal right I you know I was a I was a right center left Center guy I was not a Deadpool hitter I had a long swing I don’t like the ball close to me right the the plate awareness was a thing for me I wanted the ball away from me I could hit the home run to left field with the best of them and if the wind was blowing a certain way in certain parts and I had to adjust that I didn’t like that so you know it starts I think with that how how the backdrop looks how big it is how green it is or black it is if there’s any obstructions out there that you’re paying attention to that instead of you know sometimes you get guys that are tall the backdrops not tall enough right the arm is over the backdrop then you lose the baseball if I can’t see it I can’t hit it as hard as I want to hit it so you know a lot of that has to do with that most of the big league stadiums all have great I mean it’s rare that you’ll see a park that everybody’s like holy moly can’t see other than Shadows yeah Shadows a big deal has nothing to do with backdrop or time you know that has more to do with the time of the game and you know it’s that pitchers not in the shadow you are it’s sort of that to it in it out of it like it just has trouble seeing the baseball picking the baseball up but other than that most big league parts are on point guys talk about the mound having a certain feel yeah talk about the mound having it does Home Plate the home plate have a certain feel yeah I think so I different place softer harder I’m just wondering if I I think when I I was a guy that moved around a lot like most people stand in the same spot most hitters do you know it’s it’s rare that a hitter will stand dramatically away from where everybody else is standing right it’s like some most people stand in the big like there’ll be a hole there you’ll see people digging out most people stand in there some will stand a little in front of it some will stand a little behind it that’s why you see them they’ll be rubbing dirt into the hole so their foot is not a little you know offc centered to make the eyes look a little different to where you may be swinging at things you don’t want to swing at so yeah that’s that’s a big deal too I was a I was a guy that moved around a lot like I wanted to get a different feel I wanted a point of contact depending on how I was feeling and who was throwing somebody throw me breaking ball one time and I missed that thing by foot I’m scooting closer to you I’m scooting closer to you like I’m going to let him know that I needed a good batter box like that feel of you know I sometimes middle of the season I want to wear rubber spikes I didn’t want to wear you know the the metal spikes hard on my feet I Russ Martin talked about talked about changing spikes talked about bat I mean hard to dig in absolutely there’s there’s a lot of things that go into just the feel something that you don’t have to think about if I have to think about where I’m standing because it’s weird and there’s a hole there and I can’t fix it then I’m not thinking about that se ball hit ball thing and I needed to think SE ball hit ball it wasn’t curve one two three no it was seat ball out of hand in my zone put my best swing on it can I get to my big finish that’s it and I didn’t want to think about all that other stuff so yeah it would say all this things come into play right it’s you show up you just want to simplify it that much and be comfortable and I just think hope you go out there and right I just think it’s so funny that the batting practice we saw him take atro it’s the worst batting I told you that it’s the worst batting practice you ever seen in your life and then he destroys the Blue Jays it’s one of the things I’m always going to I’m always going to remember he was breaking bats it was horrible it was awful it was just guys were laughing at him people in the hotel rooms were laughing at him and screaming at him they were he was throwing his Bat in the stands and it was C it’s crazy but that’s the way it is right it’s just like you slow it down you look he looks like again sometimes it’s as simple as I have no idea yeah I just get my foot down and hopefully I get a good pitch to hit and because I’m a decent hitter and I can stay in the big part of the field you could tell he’s got a good finish you know he tries to stay in the big part of the field it’s not out and around it’s not faying it he’s not trying to force Inside Out swing it’s just I want to get it down and I want to try and get to my finish and stay in the big part of the field and if I do that because I’m a decent hitter and I got decent power really good things are happening I think he lets the Blue Jays throwing him one down the middle I I think that’s the key is don’t swing at their pitch if you let them they will throw you one down the middle but you got to let them and that’s what the Jay’s lineup don’t do like they you could go down the list one through nine of guys that chase and get themselves out more than that pitcher gets them out the frustrating part of it there was an at bat Yesterday by Bo where he kind of just flailed it was like an 81 I don’t even know it was 881 M the one before he got the single after you were you were trying to cause a stir because he wasn’t pinch hit for no I wasn’t trying to cause a s I was just wondering why why you pinch him it was a sar you tried I didn’t I just wanted to know why didn’t you want to know why not really okay I mean at this point I don’t think you can get too upset if you’re an offensive player on that team I wasn’t upset I just wanted to know why you pinch it and when I think when Bo honestly I think when Bo came around because there was there wasn’t there wasn’t another there wasn’t another right-handed hitter I mean they already used Kirk I think and uh Clement had been in the game so I just wondered that’s all I just thought it was interesting maybe maybe it was Ernie’s bad path played better against the guy than or it was 10 to one and they were punting that’s from how many uh little something how many games have we gone now without a first inning run are we up to 26 I think it is 2 I want to say it’s 26 26 I mean I stopped counting I stopped counting yeah I mean supposedly they’re really good in the second inning just it’s just the first inning they score they do score a lot of runs in the second inning they they they are very they are very what I’ve noticed since everybody’s making that a point and wants everybody to pay attention to the first inning of not scoring any runs is they are very aggressive outside the Zone like it’s again the pitching’s too hard they throw really hard they locate and tunnel secondary stuff off of the hard stuff to say that you have to Zone in and it’s no longer about mechanics anymore the the The Season’s too deep now for it to be a mechanical thing and most of the guys in in the lineup for the Blue Jays have been around a long time and Dave SN hasn’t but he understands who he is and what he needs to do to get the barrel out in front of the Zone it now it’s about what you don’t swing at not so much about what you do swing at about what you don’t swing at and they are way too aggressive like they swing at everything I think at times they look passive I mean again it gets back to that thing too it’s right it’s uh do swing it what you can do damage on and you know what it’s okay you’ve said it out loud you know the khakis for the other team have heard what they’re trying to do see if you can back spin a ball to right center and hit a home run see if you can do it I bet you can’t and that’s what they’re doing right it’s fast balls away it’s it’s sliders away it’s change UPS away it’s not a lot of stuff that’s close to them like it’s they’re trying to force them to string together a couple hits middle of the other way and you know it’s not the easiest thing for this lineup to do so it’s accumulation of a bunch of things and now they’re trying too hard like they’ve been trying too hard for quite some time but you know you add a bunch of that together and then you know just the quality of the person standing in in the Batters box they are what they are Jeff I’m with you I mean I I would think it might be a little easier to sort of solidify what they’re trying to do with their pitching and their and their Bullpen and yeah I think they like their defense but offensively I think that might be something they have to address in the off season yeah I think so fingers crossed that you know they they’re they’re not going to show up they’re not going to show up at the end of the season and go we believe in the core and the and the coaches again and you know sort of want to run this back again thinking that you know nine dudes or 13 guys can have career years that they’ve never had before like it’s so hopefully they turned the corner here and they figured some things out I was just looking at uh Chipper Jones’s career stats because we’re talking about Ryan mountcastle and how he owns the Jays and and really hits well in this Ballpark and I was thinking okay Chipper’s got to have a ballpark where he was really really good in and all I’m seeing is a bunch of 300s 308 326 304 three different ballparks kill pardon me he killed the Mets uh there yeah I’m just looking at uh sha St City Field he only hit 191 but sh but but but hang on now sha Stadium he hit 313 I I mean ask him he’ll know that to a point like he’ll know the exact part why he did it I could have told you this cuz saw a lot of this Olympic Stadium in Montreal eight home runs hitting 341 he had an Ops of 992 I mean he was uh had a couple of games in the Metrodome minute made Park in Houston destroy Swit switch H can’t be the easiest thing it’s hard enough to hit from one side yeah but we’re going to talk to Chipper Jones about hitting and I’m gonna ask him about what he thinks makes a particular hitter particularly comfortable against a particular team in a particular ballpark it’s a great question yeah we’re g to get particular with it spair and Barker on sportset 590 to fan on Sportsnet all right 416 413 3959 is the back leg line I feel like going to the back leg line today we’ll do it at 5:00 it’s your chance to leave us questions comments I’m going to throw a challenge out there can you call us about something other than firing Ross Atkins trade for KY Tucker whatever what what you take you what you want me to take so please just and if you can’t we won’t put you if you just can’t well I don’t know we’ll see depends how I feel 416 413 3959 we’ve got tickets to give away to see the Jays and the Cleveland Guardians at the Rogers Center on June 14th the uh Naylor family reunion as the uh two nailor return to Toronto boy that swing would look great here Josh Naylor he’s got he a free he’s a free agent in a couple of years slump and’s contagious I I I’ll say that to you got a bunch of guys who are all headed in the same direction a ain’t the easiest thing to stay out of Dan Schulman joins us and uh I said as I mentioned we will have Jay’s Guardians uh tickets to give away uh for the game of June 14th and we shall do that in the 5:00 hour as well well um our next guest when he joins us the Hall of Fame third third baseman um I mean on my short list of the best hitters I’ve covered absolutely like him Bond Gwyn want it bat for your life you could argue uh want to I he’s right there yes absolutely he’s absolutely right there yeah a good that’s tough question but yeah he is he I I mean I put him frankly he might be might be number one he might be number one because he could give me extra base hit bar Barry’s right there you Barry would except you know what’s gonna happen they’d walk they’d walk him exact they’d walk him that’s exactly right that’s exactly right um but anyhow uh without further Ado we’re very pleased to be joined by Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones chipper thanks for joining us on Blair and Barker today it’s always great to talk to you so um I was looking up your career numbers because we were discussing Ryan Mount Castle of the Orioles who I mean essentially he owns the Blue Jays and he owns the Blue Jays at at the Rogers Center he’s at like 18 home runs against them I think he’s 18 of his 77 home runs he’s hit off have come against the Jays nine of those eight of those sorry eight of those have been at the Rogers I was looking through your career numbers you I mean frankly it’s hard to find a ballpark you weren’t really comfortable in I mean there are a couple but uh what what what to you made you comfortable in a in a particular ballpark was there any any one thing that was kind of a Common Thread well it’s good to be with you guys uh yeah I think as a hitter you always um you look for hitters background um I think that was one of the biggest things for me that was why I liked hitting in sha stadium so much because night games there it was completely blacked out uh didn’t really even need a a batter’s eye per se um just really dark back there and you can pick up um rotation you know right out of the pitcher’s hand so always saw the ball well there other other places you know that maybe had didn’t have as good a hitter back ground but just uh I don’t know it was it’s hard to explain really um you know a lot of the old ball parks uh Wrigley Fenway um Dodger Stadium at night um obviously Candlestick or you know whatever their ballpark is called out there in San Francisco now uh at night uh when that Marine layer comes in it’s very tough to hit um yeah but then you you throw me at uh in Houston or Colorado or San Diego or obviously New York and uh it was about to get dangerous uh Olympic Stadium you hit 341 there they home runs 42 ribbies um your Ops was 992 was that another example and and that was kind of strange because like the you could see beyond the center field wall right in into that sort of that that big dark abyss of the the round stadium was that still a good batter’s eye for you though yeah really good B’s eye and anytime um anytime we played on Turf I loved hitting on Turf because you know I could with the back control I could steer balls you know away from the defense up the middle you know all you had to do like the worst Fielder on the team is what the pitcher and there wasn’t much of a shift back then uh maybe just a couple guys got shifted I was not one of them and if I could get the ball past the pitcher that was a base hit you know um so obviously I pick my spots to to try and jump Shi a little bit but um you know if I wasn’t really feeling um you know dangerous at the plate and we were on Turf I knew I was going to get one or two that day because I could I could steer the ball into the Outfield did you ever were on a bus at after you you know you flew in and you’re on the bus and and you were struggling and you just couldn’t you know see ball hit ball wasn’t a thing right you having trouble hitting the ball a te but I’m in this certain Park is that one of is that a thing chipper like is that something that you’re thinking man you know it’s not mechanical now because I’m feeling frisky and I see the ball well here yeah I mean uh trust me I you know I I went into sha stadium and went you know one for 11 a couple times too you know I mean it’s all about timing I mean obviously you want to be playing or at the top of your game when you’re playing uh within your division you want to be on top of your game all the time but those divisional games are so much more important because uh you know you you you play those guys the most they know you the most um you know them the most it’s comfortable you know it’s uh obviously you know for New York for example that was you know that was like playing the seventh game of the World Series during the middle of the summer every game was so important both the fan bases didn’t like each other both teams didn’t like each other um it was different with the other teams in the within the division New York just kind of they they they brought something out in us that uh that you know it it amped it up you know a lot more so I could see where you know a guy in y’all’s divion could really you know get comfortable couple times you know through the league now um he’s starting to figure out who he is as a baseball player and it’s just one of those those flute things where you know you’re going to run into a guy within the division that that owns you I’m sure there are certain guys in in in the division that absolutely despise facing the Blue Jays from you know because uh it always seems like a one for 10 series for CH but you had you had a bunch of home runs when you weren’t hitting a bunch of home runs was there a key that you internally or mechanically told yourself that would help you get back to driving the ball in the air yeah I had to go back to square one many times in my career um and that was the T for me the te never lied to me it always told me exactly what I was doing mechanically wrong um you know if I was landing hard on my front side and casting the bat back behind me and coming out and around stuff I’d hit ground Balls to the right side I’d come around it on the te it will tell you if you’re you know doing that big reverse C and and and have a a big loop uh on your way to to making contact you’re going to pop balls up into the top of the net and you know for me it was getting back to square one making sure that uh I could sit the ball on the T you know 10 swings in a row and hit nine or 10 line drives into the back of the cage without hitting the sides or the top and that’s when I knew my mechanics you know were were back and I think you know when you’re in the middle of a a one for 20 man you’re fighting and scratching and clawing for anything just give me anything that uh you know will give me just a little bit of confidence and you know before you know it you bleed one in you hit a a a rocket to left field and here we go you know you’re right back to you know starting to feel dangerous again chip what’s the difference in the offense for the Braves this year than last year um I think some guys are struggling with some some mechanics I think uh you know let’s let’s face it the the market was going to correct a little bit uh from last year they go out and they hit 307 home runs Tire Major League record they’re not going to do that again you know and I I would dare say that you know the market was going to correct I had no idea the market was going to correct this drastically uh with with the Braves they um obviously you know it was just kind of a a bummer from the very start of the season and that you know they lose Spencer Strider right off the G and then you know uh lose aunia uh a couple weeks ago and that’s a huge blow you know I think you could maybe overcome losing one of those guys but you lose your two best players your your number one starter and your and your leadoff and and reigning MVP uh within the first two months of the season and that’s that’s that’s a tough blow to to overcome and you know uh I just I see them struggling with consistency um you know they’ll go out and they’ll score eight like they did last night and then they come back out today and they go one for 28 and get one hit you know um it’s it’s been that kind of a roller coaster for their offense kind of all year and man I I I can’t imagine where this team would be without the contributions of Ronaldo Lopez and Chris S at the you know in the rotation I think we’ve grown accustomed to freed and Charlie Morton kind of doing their thing but um you know they’ve gotten some really solid starting pitching they’re their Bullpen has been good enough but uh you know eventually this club’s gonna g to need to start hitting more consistently than they are now to uh to you know be even considered a threat come October chipper in your mind when a team is scuffling uh when it’s just when things aren’t going well top the bottom which is essentially what’s happening with the Blue Jays right now um what did you want to see what did you want to see from your manager when that happened now I understand the Bobby Bobby Cox is not just any manager I get that but as a hitter as a player what did you want to see your hear from your manager when things weren’t going well I wanted to see consistency I wanted to see calmness uh I wanted him to keep uh reiterating to the club that if we keep coming in and working you know at our craft and uh doing our due diligence in the cage and getting our work in and keep showing up and playing hard every night that things would turn around and more times than not they did you know now there are certain things that I think players can do to uh help speed up the process whenever we were struggling you know once a once a road trip I would I would get all the guys you know we we get all the hitters in at at you know 1 or two o’clock in the afternoon and we’d sit in the batting cage and we just talk about hitting we’d talk about um things that we were feeling at the plate how you know guys asking each other questions to to to maybe get a feel for for what they see or what or you know what those guys are doing wrong and you’d be surprised how many times you know some guy will be talking about hitting and it’ll click for somebody in the room you know oh that makes sense to me let’s try it boom they’re out of they they they get it going and uh I think that was always a big help you don’t want to do it too much because then guys kind of get sick of it and whatnot but yeah once a once a home stand once a road trip we we all come in early eat lunch we go in the cage and we just talk HD and um more times than not it it it got one or two guys out of the funk that they were in jber you ever want to be a manager you said you sound like you got it figured out man like that’s I think that’s exactly way 2025 6 7 I mean You’ make a great manager well you couldn’t pay me enough uh I think I think hitting coach is about as far as I would go and I wouldn’t even say that I enjoy being home uh with the wife and kids too much to uh to miss everything that happens here on a daily basis but you know I go and once a home stand and and just kind of sit in the cage and we’ll throw around some ideas I’ll tell you know give kind of a third person account as to what I’m seeing on TV and you know sometimes it helps with those guys sometimes it doesn’t but you know at least I feel like I’m contributing a little bit hey chipper is there one guy in that team in particular that you love talking hitting with uh yeah I mean there’s there quite a few guys you know I mean I love talking with Marcel Ozuna um let me tell you something two spring trainings ago I’ve never seen a more gross spring training than that guy had I mean he couldn’t he was averaging about 48 miles an hour exit vlo in Spring train like the first three weeks of spring training and then all of a sudden we got him kind of uh swinging North you know and by that I mean to to center field trying to knock down the center field wall and then all the sudden man he just he caught fire and now he’s taken it to the to the point where he’s kind of he’s coaching these other guys you know I mean he’s lifting up other guys and you know it’s easy to do when you’re having the first half that he’s had but even when he was struggling the first two months of last year he was staying on guys he was being positive and lo and behold it turned around for him uh you know obviously the the Travis daros and the and the Matt olon I mean those guys are so you know they’re so good and and Travis really you know um he he goes from foul Pole to foul pole and I dig those kind of guys it’s easy to to coach those guys so those would be probably two that I would say would be my favorites awesome chipper real good stuff is always my friend terrific Insight thanks for doing this thanks buddy all right guys y take it easy all right you too this Chipper Jones Hall of Fame third baseman um yeah and like I said you could talk hitting with you could talk hitting with chipper forever yeah I think it’s simple I mean just listening to him I’ve been around some Hall of Famers and some sometimes they say things to you and it’s like you walk away from that more way more confused than if you had not had a conversation with him you know it’s it’s just one little word or two that somebody says that has been there and done it like he has that will have it click it’s not a bazillion things it’s not breaking it down till you can’t break it down anymore it’s not where’s your toes at when point of it’s not any of that like it’s just that one little simple thing it could be square shoulders it could be knocking the center field fence down like it could be just one little thing right I’m sure that’s adding length to his swing right it’s keeping him in the zone longer it’s keeping the shoulder square like it’s just that one little thing that a Hall of Famer would say that if somebody else said that you’d be like well you’ve never done it before but if he says it you’re like holy moly if he’s saying it he’s a Hall of Famer he did it from both sides of the plate man it must work so yeah I think that’s the key right is you got to be simple you got to be good listener you got to sort of you know sometimes take the advice that somebody else is given and sort of work it into making that as simple as possible and it’s not the easiest thing to do in 2024 I’m sure it’s not no it’s uh I would I would imagine it isn’t and that of course that Braves team the chipper was part of that was like baseball University with Bobby Cox and Liam maone they pitching coaching the pitchers yeah it’s not always about swings either I like that conversation part of it right where you just everybody gets into the into the cage and you have a conversation with your buddy what are you saying it’s one thing to hear from a coach it’s another thing to hear it from your buddy right that sees you know why you swinging at that don’t swing at that anymore like it’s just sometimes you need to hear it from your buddy then hear it from a coach and you know it’s pretty cool to hear a Hall of Famer actually have a conversation about just everybody sitting in a cage hanging out talking hitting yeah a it’s you know I I I’m trying to I think it was when Tim Wallock was with the Expos he would talk about how once batting practice and you might feel this way too once batting practice rolled around I mean it was work and guys had to get their work in and you couldn’t you know you got in the cage you did your stuff boom you had to get out of their you feel what you’ve been working on right but if you get together before the game and have lunch you know you can take as many maybe we’re not going to take any hacks in that cage with the other guys watching maybe you’re just going to sit there and talk but it’s like it it’s it’s more relaxed because it’s almost like you’re not on the clock right if you’re sitting around at 1:00 in the afternoon and you’re having lunch with the guy and three of you go into the cage and three guys are sitting there watching and making suggestions it’s almost like you’re not on the clock whereas boom once batting practice starts everybody worries about themselves during yeah like Turner’s face Suarez if I were anybody in the lineup today I’d walk up to Turner and go what’s this guy look like why what is his fast ball first inning the woses we all know what they are right you walk up if you’re hit if you’re facing him in the first inning you think first three or four guys in that order you walk up to Turner you go hey what’s it look like does this 95 look 95 can I let that travel how good’s this change up what what’s the cutter look like should I try and lay off of one of those does he throw the ball away from me a lot does he ever come in did he come into you like it’s just little things should I use a lighter bat should I stand closer to him should I stand closer to the plate like it’s little things like that that could give you an advantage so you could actually have a better chance of having success when you lock to the play I’m not saying they don’t do that right but it’s very hard to do that when you’re struggling as an entire team you know vat’s not struggling and David Snider’s not struggling as much and George Springer looks a little bit better so there are guys that are taking steps forward but for the most part they ain’t so it’s not the easiest thing to you know they’re grown men like it’s not the easiest thing to walk up to a guy that’s not struggling and ask him why he’s not struggling when you are struggling like that’s it sounds simple and it sounds like an easy conversation but it’s not I’ve been there it’s not an easy conversation so you know sometimes it’s not always about how much you’re doing it it’s about how much you’re talking about doing it and getting a perspective from other people that are having success doing it against a certain person so could be just using somebody else’s bat and you’ve always talked about when you played guys like Jeremy Bernett uh and Jeff Jenkins were yeah I can remember I one time in a cage just by myself after a game in Milwaukee I looked like I’d never hit before in a game ever like I never picked up a bath and I was in a cage and he flipped a photo of me and turned it around and said do you look like you can hit who said that Bernett Bernett do you look he was very straightforward and there was no joking around and you know it was he ain’t happy like it ain’t going to be like let’s have a powwow no no it’s more of a here look at yourself do you look like you’re hitterish and I didn’t and it’s little things like that right that can help you take it sort of to a different level and and you know they got more things now exit velocity and bat path and bat speed and that can sort of tell you what you’re doing in a cage whether it’s going to translate onto the field and you know it’s funny that chipper said exit velocity I mean that’s it’s a Hall of Fame right you know I’ve talked to chipper quite a few times well I would suggest that if you’re exit vlo is and I know he was but if it’s in the 40s that’s probably something maybe that’s the only time he talks about exit velocities when it’s in the 40s that that’s that’s probably something you might want to you know address yeah you may want to not in the 40s anymore but it’s funny you know because we hearing him talk about Marcel ozuno I don’t know if you remember we did an interview with Alex a couple of years ago and Marcel ozuna’s had some trouble obviously uh but you know and one of the points Al Alex anthopolos made was you know he didn’t really realize he being Alex didn’t really realize how important Marcelo Zuna was to sort of what goes on in that Clubhouse and then to hear chipper talk about Marcelo Zuna sort of learning from him and carrying it over into discussions with the other guys I mean forget about what kind of person is he’s a run producer like I they don’t grow on trees I you know I mean you can say what you want to say about the kind of person he is it’s the it’s the part when he steps in when he steps in the batter box and you know that guy standing at first in second and he’s in scoring position already like you know that’s the Jay’s lineup them growing trees apparently not if they are we’re not finding the right trees I’m sure there’s a computer that’s telling the the front office for the Jays that they’re here you just got to find them 416 413 3959 is the back leg line we will tap into your wisdom and your knowledge in a few minutes we’ll also give you Jay’s tickets and then we’ll be joined by Dan shelman all ah Hadad in Blair and Barker on Sportsnet 590 the fan it’s Sportsnet all right we are back thank you Mark a Dan shman joins us a few minutes 5:30 well 5:30 you don’t have to jump in I said a few minutes I’m quite capable of finishing that uh he will join us at 5:30 from the ballpark 707 will be the first pitch tonight we’ll be doing Blue Jays talk following the game from the ballpark there you go you’re buying me dinner too I’m definitely not buying you dinner you are too that will not you are too not a chance am I buying you dinner bring my wallet um we’re I’m not I’m just not it’s not going to happen and you know when I say I’m not going to buy a dinner you know I’m not buying dinner uh we’ve got Jay’s tickets to give away to see the Jays and the Guardians why don’t we do that now and then we’ll go to the back leg line 416 413 3959 is the back leg line oh this is really good it looks like a lot of you have uh stepped up and managed to ask questions that don’t involve firing the general manager way to go that’s I’m I’m sure I’m sure it was tough I’m sure we’ll end up talking about it anyhow but uh that does seem to be a thing so our last trivia question and answer was after stealing 40 bases with the Orioles this player signed with the Blue Jays in 2020 where he played 22 games with Toronto in the co shortened season name him Jonathan VR that’s a tough one yeah I forgot the Jonathan VR era um and again all you have to do is is text the correct answer to Our Daily Baseball trivia question to 590590 error error oh uh today’s questions to win to see tickets to to win tickets to see tickets it’s to win tickets to see the Jays and the Guardians at the Roger Center in June 14th can welcome the nailor boys back to Toronto after stin with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993 this veteran ended his career with Cleveland in 1994 this is a an insanely easy question again after stins with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 93 this veteran ended his career with Cleveland in 1994 text the answer to 590590 for your shot to Wi the rules at sportsnet.ca 590 that was an easy question that was rude 416 413 3959 is the back leg line your chance to leave questions comments observations recipes jokes directions for Kev we do some jokes seriously Chris in Toronto he reached out to us Chris hey my name is Chris I’m calling from downtown Garrison Creek King Street I want to know what your opinion is of these great piters that we have specifically Kikuchi buritos and Garcia what do you think we should do with these guys with the direction that the team’s going do we protect them or do we let them go and try to get something for them thank you very much trade two out of the yeah I’m with you you’re not trading Jose BOS not a chance um I wouldn’t think you would now okay if I’m an acquiring team that’s the first guy you’re talking that’s the first guy I want absolutely absolutely he’s predictable he’s predictable no question he Tak too this year he’s predictable he’s better I mean all the stuff that you want that you want in a star we had we had the remember we had the twins GM on like two days after they made the deal sad and he was sad he was what did I do basically by the time he was done talking yeah he said us I said yeah I said us I think I kind of talked myself out of this deal so no and and listen Jose BOS uh has got a nice contract it’s going to carry him through again he’s healthy he’s you knock on wood he’s consistent predictable he’s uh they don’t have anything in the matter tell you what man right now he’s a Cornerstone he is a Cornerstone for me uh you say kuchi trading him I’m trading him I I would think by now I know whether or not I have a chance of resigning him but I got to start getting some pieces in here and and those pieces have to come in I’m almost at the point where I don’t care if they’re going to help me this year I got to get pieces that are that I can use next year and they got to be and not guys that are going to be down in triple I need to get guys that are close enough to the majors like I need to get a guy like Connor Norby or something like just hon kirad guys that I can put in my lineup maybe they’re they’re not going to win a batting title for me maybe but I can put in my lineup for and Jimmy Garcia is a guy I’m trading at the trade deadline yeah I’d ask the Orioles he’s a guy I’m trading at the trade or looking for a guy because I gotta keep I got nothing in my Bullpen right now like I got nothing Jack Squat and I do have to play baseball games leading up to the trade deadline and so I’m hanging on to Jimmy Garcia kind of the one thing I got until the trade deadline okay now could he go south and will that affect his value the trade deadline perhaps that doesn’t matter to me right now I need to hang on to Jimmy Garcia and if he does keep it going i’ bet you right now somebody would overpay for Jimmy Garcia I don’t know what that’ be overpaying but no but I’m saying I think you you might end up getting more two guys instead of one guy um that that’s a good question it’s a very good question it’s a good question and you have touched on something Chris uh everybody will want Jose BOS you would think but they know they’d have to overpay to get him yes and um and I just I can’t and nor do I think again I’m going to give the front office some credit here I know people don’t like to do this but I I also I do think that’s a trade that worked out like if someone says to me what have you done that worked out we traded for Brios yeah they people can’t argue about the pitching it’s the offensive side it’s the guys Tom in Huntsville Tom my question is um they brought up uh Schneider and Clement from Triple A and they are not hitting as nearly as good as Horwitz is now and so I don’t know why they don’t bring up uh Spencer Horwitz um and I would like to have a comment on that if you think uh the Justin Turner would be offended if hwit came up yeah I mean Justin Turner wouldn’t be offended Spencer horz is I mean Lefty I mean you got you got to pay you got to pay Turner anyway so what difference about Turner’s not going to be off he’s 39 no he he’s he’s not going to be he’s not going to be offended at all I mean listen Snider and Clement made the team too by the way that’s that’s a bigger deal right making the team out of spring training is different than getting called up yeah that’s very well said that that that is true yeah that is true although again both of them last year when they had their chance they took advantage of there you go they took ADV it it is it is very odd that they are hanging their hat on sort of that if we call a guy up we got to take away a spot they do I mean this organization does treat every player they have as it’s the great they’re the greatest player that’s ever been a blue jay like I and I and I don’t I don’t pretend to know why that is I have no IDE Spencer Horwitz he should I mean he should have been up here a couple of weeks ago you know I Spencer horz instead of Daniel vogle back I again h i you could send Clement down you could do you could DFA somebody like you could do anything you really wanted the guy up here you could do anything to get him up if you’re that in love with with Daniel and listen I don’t have anything against Daniel vobach but what I’m saying is Spencer horz gives me something a little different that I don’t have right now based on what I based on what I’m seeing a triaa and what the hell’s a guy supposed to do I mean why do you happen in the organization he’s down he’s hitting he’s doing what he is supposed to do and you have a team full of guys who are doing what they’re not supposed to do maybe the organization is telling you what they think about him without telling you what they’re thinking about him and I’m sure they’ve got their checkpoints and and you know we look at Raw numbers got three homers bingo I was going to say does he still have three I looked last time it three I was going to say maybe there there there are some things they’re seeing that that doesn’t warrant getting rid of a guy that’s already on the roster for a guy that’s got three home I I’m shooting in the dark but that’s 2 plus two is what uh four this my favorite guy next I’m not even going to mention his name okay fellas now I know this is probably hard to quantify but given how the rest of the team has performed to this point how much better would they have been with Otani on it Clifton in a tobico uh they ain’t going be worse what they wouldn’t be worse no people come to watch yeah that there’s two reasons there’s two things would he I I know where Clifton’s going with this um would he make vlat and Bo better offensively maybe because all we’ve talked about with with vlat is he needs that guy around him that he can just sort of walk out there and be V instead of trying to carry think the blue JS I I think he would have there’s there’s something about bringing sh Otani into your organization that I think just absolutely galvanizes guys I I’ll say this and I I’ll flip it on its head a little bit for you Clifton if sh Otani was here do you think Bo bashet and vlat might be a little more interested in signing long term I I think I think that’s left to dock already yeah but but think about it no it has but but think about it got a chance to play with shotani for six or seven years um I think the organization the front office May how would I say may be more apt to start the conversation with a little higher number if Otani was here how’s that that’s a great Point that’s a great point because if you’re bringing sh Otani in you got a you’re going for it for a long periods of time absolutely and Vates and Bows don’t grow on trees I know what everybody you know sort of feels like them at about them at times but they don’t grow in trees if you bring sh Otani in it’s go time yeah and it’s go time as long as you have shoh Otani you’re not going to bring sh Otani in I don’t think you’re going to bring sh Otani in and then go to your uh management team next year and say great job now let’s hack payroll by 40 million first of all you won’t have to cuz this place would be this place would be Jam that’ be rocking crazy with SH be awesome but it it you know an interesting question I would think I would think the thing I don’t like that I’m seeing right now and I don’t always like looking at body language but I just man this team there are times are they I Ed the word dultery yesterday they just look like they’re kind of aimless like they they just and it’s not it’s not that they’re not trying hard I’m not getting at that I’m not getting at any of that stuff it just looks like they look like a bunch of guys that just don’t think they are going to win tonight and they’re in last place they’re in last place and boy it’s it’s an everyday sport they don’t get three days off you know they don’t get a day off to go away from the rink they got to be back at one or two o’ afternoon it is an individual sport yeah it’s a team result but it’s an individual Sport and when you’re stars that you’re counting on being Stars are struggling a little bit sort of a trickle down effect for everybody else and I do wonder I will say this I wonder when we start talking about attendance uh attendance is soft this year it’s down they had uh 23842 in vlat City connect bobblehead night two nights ago and we all know that I know that you all love your some bobbleheads I like them well I like them eventually they end up in the landfill but anyhow that’s that’s fine well I like them well that’s that’s okay I have no problem I wish I’d have gotten one I have no problem with that was never good enough I haven’t had problem with bobbleheads but that was the second smallest crowd of the year after April 10th which was 2296 day to see Seattle so um you know summer’s usually a a good time uh for tenants at the Ballpark the the ballpark looks great I mean you all the stuff we talked about thek Monday the traffic I mean there’s a lot going to Wi but I want I wonder I I wonder when we have to start looking at that and I guarantee you if sh Otani was here um you wouldn’t have to look at it you would Glenn from coldbrook Nova Scotia what a great name for Glenn the question I have is pertaining to the Jays is the lack of U depth in the minor league system this uh Management Group has had going on nine years of drafting and what is their philosophy to scouting drafting and developing players in the minor league level teams like the Braves and the Dodgers and the Rays and the Astros seem to be able to do it uh every year and they win more games every year than the Jays be interested to hear your opinions on this thank you you know it used to be that we’d say well it’s because unlike a lot of those teams the Jays didn’t have a run of four or five years where they were in last place and drafting first overall but we can’t say that anymore I mean the New York Yankees there’re it’s not like they’re drafting first over overall they seem to add guys they seem to have success with guys they make trades when they’re supposed to they make trades when they’re supposed to make trades absolutely um listen I I don’t know what this organization’s philosophy is I think they’ve gone through a couple of I was shy was here because we were just talking about this yesterday I think they’ve gone through a couple of scouting directors I could be wrong I mean they’ve had a certain amount of turnover there um I I I don’t know I do know this and this is I’m going to credit shy with this Bo bashet was a pretty good pick but they picked JB Woodman ahead of him yeah um so that’s Alec monoa Bo bashet those are kind of the guys that they’ve picked that have turned out um and and and I I don’t know I’m sure there is a philosophy I I have to admit that I I will put my hand up and say I’m probably one of the least interested people in the baseball draft you’re going to find I’ll watch a little college baseball um I keep track of Canadian guys but I tend to do I tend to keep track of the Canadians more when they’re in the minors yeah uh and that’s just that’s just the way it is so I’d be lying if I said I’ve done a deep dive into this into the Jay’s drafting uh I do know that the minor league system is not highly regarded by most baseball people take that for what it’s worth uh but you know we’ve we’ve talked about this ad in nauseum now I look at that minor league system and I say okay who can I put together who’s the guy I can put together to to finish off a package Tan’s hurt both of their top pitching prospects are hurt um you know RIS Martinez their top hitting Prospect he can’t hit a lick against right-handed triaa pitching the right-handed pitching he’s going to face and the majors are going to be a lot better and and and there are people who look at RIS Martinez and and leing yeah the guy that I have been really intrigued with is arjin Nela yeah the high school kid now they ke I would direct it to the athletic cuz Keith Law first of all Keith law has been all over n Heath law loves Nela and he made him I think he was one of his top 50 minor league minor league prospects in his latest rankings but he talked about how the Jays were really aggressive with him they probably should have left him in the complex a little longer I mean he’s he’s obscenely young y he’s a guy that a lot of people really really really really really like he’s an athlete and I think he’s probably their best Prospect no question you know regardless of where regardless of re Martinez is probably closer but everybody says this guy is the real deal everybody I’ve talked to says the exact same thing um you know I I tend to think I mean if I was running a team I would pay way more attention to the international market and I’ve been bringing more guys in and I don’t I don’t know if these guys necessarily do a great job in the international market they always seem to be signing guys I don’t know how how often how often we see them but um I mean I know this is long I just I I I don’t pay that that close attention to the the draft I don’t know what their philosophy is I just know that they haven’t had a great deal of success with it David Schneider was not a high draft pick no and I understand that’s good you want lower end draft picks to come up but I’m not certain if you’re doing your job right that David Schneider should be the prospect that’s here first does that make sense and I’m not I’m not saying that against Davis I’m believe me I’m not saying anything against David schne cuz he’s earned it I’m just saying where’s the number one guy where’s the number two they got to hit a home run yes a lot of the times Alec Mano was a home well yeah he seemed he seemed that way for a little while right yeah yeah absolutely I think everybody’s getting your point that that’s the thing right is when you’re picking higher in the draft in that first round that’s almost got to be your C Miss guy and then you sort of fill in the blanks with with everybody else because it’s almost impossible right for especially for you to predict the future I mean I know they’re trying but to predict the future and think that an everyday guy in the you know the lower rounds can come up and be that guy I mean that’s almost impossible to figure out but it’s those top rounds right it’s this first couple that you got to hit home runs on that when have they done that like that that’s the thing right and and the decisions they’ve made is I mean I I would think you would look is he athletic how athletic is he how fast is he how you know can he can he how good’s his first move you know what’s his route running in the Outfield like what all of those things that would you know sort of you just do it naturally I can teach him how to do all that other stuff like that’s the thing right you can teach him how to lay off a breaking ball or hunt the heater or you know figure out what you want to do with your lower half mechanically like you could teach them how to do all that you know be accurate from throwing from the left side of the infield to the first baseman like you know how do you th how do you Crow Hop from the outfit I can teach him all that but to be an athlete I mean who jumps off the page there Jee that’s the thing right I that’s the part of it that it’s almost like they try to predict the future so much that they forget that part of it go to Wayne and Ajax I I just want to know if it comes down to next year and Bo and flatty see that there aren’t any other players that can really help them they look like they’re auxiliary pieces if you help them they will perform they get a the Oscar they get other players they will perform as a team you get Simeon you get other players they will perform as a one and two guy even though they’re not performing now what makes you say that they even want to play here next year and that that means what are the J’s going to do after that like where are they going to turn thanks for your time bye I that that Wayne that that is a I mean whether they want the question whether they want to play here or not me and Jeff can’t answer that I mean let’s be we have no idea I mean I’m sure I’m sure you you dump enough money they’ll they’ll want was going to say they’ll be happy you can make you can make them you can make them want to stay here get big boy they may be happy yeah you can you can make them want you can make them want to stay here but I mean it’s a question I find myself kind of wondering about more and more now um it depends on I I think after this after this last off season where we saw so many guys signing late and guys who signed late have had issues this year you know Blake Snell for example I understand he’s a pitcher and these guys are hitters yeah I think and and I we talked about this for about three and a half hours yesterday in the show you know that these guys are going to be free agents at a very young age they’re going to be teams falling all over themselves for these guys that’s what I think um that might be a bit strong no I there’ll be guys falling all over themselves but I think I would be interested in seeing what happens this off seon to the market and that’s why the more I’ve thought about this I’m going to take Ross Atkins at his word here The more I’ve thought about this I can see a Way Forward where at the end of this year they make a real attempt to sign one or both of them because they will have more money available because there’ll be money coming off the books uh you know and and I’m thinking of Jansen Garcia Romano Kikuchi there will be money available now some of it will be eaten up by raises to other guys but you’ll have money coming off the books a couple of years later as those free agent pitches run out uh of of time here there is a path where I think the Jays and one of those two players can sit down and have a serious discussion this off season about a contract that binds the player to the team for five or six years at this point that’s what we’re talking about I think I don’t if you’re if you’re vlader Bo I don’t you’re not going to sign a a three-year deal you’re GNA either it’s either going to be six or seven years or I’m going to free agency I mean that’s how I would view it yeah so that is and when I hear Ross that can say that you know uh they still have value to us we’re not talking about trading them it wouldn’t make sense to trade them that’s how it doesn’t make sense to me that’s the only way it doesn’t necessarily make sense yeah uh I think I think if you’d have to if you’re the if you’re one of the two guys the next question out of your mouth would be what else you doing we’ve seen we’ve seen that the two of us only the two of us together not good enough like it’s there’s a big enough sample size here I’m not saying that they’re bad players it just seems like just the two of them trying to carry the load and get this offense to where it needs to be is just not good enough you need more what’s the other what else you doing maybe this maybe part of this comes from the fact that the Leafs are in the city as well but the thing that that I’m growing more and more concerned about is that absent postseason success which we haven’t seen you know there have been games this year where vat’s been booed not you know not vifly but I have seen Leaf’s teams get to the point where people just don’t like the players anymore like they’re just tired of they’re tired of hearing the same excuses they’re they’re tired of the lack of production they’re tired of no playoff success and and my fear is that we get to the point we get to that point with these two guys I hope it doesn’t happen I think it would be a shame if it happens but you know this is a city well I’ll ask we could have a bigger a wider discussion about this this is a city where it doesn’t always end well and you look at the big name athletes in this city I’m talking the bigname athletes doesn’t end well right Roy holiday was traded now there was no you know there there was know there weren’t any issues between him and the front of it he was traded but Carlos Delgado was let go um you know you look at the Raptors doesn’t always end well it’s very seldom in Toronto does a guy have a great career and it ends seamlessly look at Jose Batista and Edwin and kassion that kind of Muddy Water yeah yeah so it’s something that I I find myself thinking about more and more as I watch this team go about its business is is that um what happens if people just get to the point where they’re tired of it all and they’re not having fun and and that’s you know it’s a question that I I didn’t think I’d be I didn’t think I’d be dealing with at this point but more and more you know we talked of I’m out in about I talked to fans and that they’re they’re not happy I mean they’re just not happy with what they’re seeing and I think the idea that it’s all going to be okay because vlat and Bo will save the day I I don’t I don’t think a lot of people feel that way anymore so that that is something that that that does concern me I hate when it happens I’ve seen it happen so often in this city and it will be a a a real shame if if this is like if this is the way the end of the vlady and Bo era is going to play out that’s going to be a real shame it’s going to be no fun for anybody and that’s why I say that this front office this is the most important decision the Blue Jays as an organization will have made in a long time how they go about figuring out what to do with these two guys will determine the course of the next five or six years for this franchise meanwhile the Baltimore Orioles are going to be running rushad and you know Boston will probably be better in the New York Yankees or the New York Yankees so anyhow I know that’s a not necessarily an opt optimistic way to look at things but that I I’m just being I’m being completely truthful with you I find myself thinking about that more and more when I watch this team is I don’t want it to end this way I don’t want vlat and Bo to end this way I think we’ve put too much into these guys we’ve invested so much hope in these guys we’ve ridden vlat showed up he was too fat and he couldn’t play first base and they wouldn’t have a position form and bow made errors and you know uh uh he’s going to have to move position probably to second base all this stuff that we put up with all the stuff that we imagined about these two guys and we moved past that very quickly and that is a uh you know that is uh that’s something I think we need to uh think about Dan Schulman joins us next it’s Blair and Barker on Sportsnet 590 the fan at Sportsnet all right 707 will be the first pitch tonight from the Rogers Center Jose BOS on the mound for the Blue Jays Albert Suarez for the Orioles it is City connect backpack day nice tomorrow is a uh 107 first pitch and uh we will be on air following the game with blue jays talk and then for an hour after that with Blair and Parker and that will be on sportset 590 the fan of sportset don’t make that face well what I think they’re going to win tonight but Kyle bradish and you say not tomorrow like tonight bradish is pretty good Mr Optimus let’s bring in Dan Schulman our Blue Jays play by play boy on sportset Dan say something is going to make me optimistic W I got something for you let’s what I I don’t know if bradish is pitching tomorrow oh um yeah Brandon Hyde said yesterday uh that uh he uh that tomorrow was TBD based on how bradish was feeling after his last start they might give him another day or two I did not go see Brandon today I don’t know if he told the Baltimore media any firm plans so check on the old X and see what you find but I I I don’t know that he’s pitching tomorrow so that’s good that just means they’ll run that just means they’ll run up their top pitching Prospect start right uh probably yeah and uh Cody you know I don’t know that the Blue Jays have done great against guys they haven’t seen before and I don’t know who it’ll be but we know it’s Suarez tonight I don’t know who it’ll be but uh anyway so a little bit of mystery about tomorrow I believe yeah Kade uh Povich was the uh was the uh Prospect they brought up today so well there you go I mean that is optimistic that that’s certainly uh good news that’s my best optim myc bolt that I got for you right there all right Dan thanks for joining us we’ll see Parker’s got a question for you I’m sure no well Dan the first question I got is what’s next right they they’ve moved their first basem to third they don’t seem to like that I mean Vogal Box’s not playing tonight which is confusing I mean there’s righty throwing right swear is is is righty you would think you would keep that going sort of trying to play that out and seeing if a lefty can run into something and I I think that the question that everybody has is what’s next what could they do that is not what they’ve done so far go down to Buffalo and get some guys uh I think that’s next I mean they’ve juggled the batting order like remember the innocent days when it was just about boy should they move this guy down in the order or move that guy up in the order and you know that that does that’s not a cure um and then they you know playing time started changing obviously I mean David Schneider went from a part-time guy to a full-time guy other guys aren’t playing as often and you know now they’ve tried moving guys around defensively in an effort to get more offense in there and I think the next step is Buffalo um and there was a lot of talk not initiated by me although I’ve been on this uh bandwagon for a while but there was a lot of talk in John Schneider’s media availability today about Spencer Horwitz and the numbers are undeniable we just happen to have a Graphic that’s going to make air tonight about it but um I’ll tell you I’ll get a little sneak preview uh he’s played 162 games in Buffalo over the last two years so a full season hitting 335 with 51 doubles 14 homers and 120 Walks Like the numbers speak for themselves and I know there’s an inflated offensive environment at Triple A and I know there’s an adjustment coming to the majors but I I think it’s fairly clear that Spencer Horwitz is a major league player how good of a Major League player we don’t know is he a savior no should they expect him to be a savior no um but I think if this doesn’t change in the next 10 days 2 weeks I I think they go to Buffalo and and he might not be the only one um you know and and the standings are a big part of this as well right like the worse the standings look the more likely they are to be thinking about the future and not about contending this year they’re not there yet they’re not going to walk away from a $230 million payroll on June the 5th we all know that um a lot of people would like to see Blockbuster deals today it’s not going to happen but I think what’s next Kevin answer your question is they got to make a couple of changes on the roster and see if the the Buffalo boys doing nothing not an option Dan like that that’s I agree with you yes the um the the the the it’s like the old man trying to return what is it the soup at a deli like the um like every they’re angry right like they’re angry right now and I don’t know if that matters internally and I’m sure you guys have had that conversation and had that thought I don’t know if that matters it matters if not as many people come to the games that matters so um you know I think the fans are extremely unhappy and obviously they’d love the team to contend this year that’s always goal number one but if they aren’t going to be a contender this year then I think the next best thing for a fan is hope for the future and that’s where you got to um go try some things out but I I agree with you Kevin not I would like to believe a th% that what you say is true that doing nothing is not an option but it it’s hard to predict you know what is uh what is or isn’t done sometimes now I know that not one size fits all and not every organization has the same approach I I I get all that but then you know I see other organizations making moves around the edges when it comes to pitching when it comes to the bullpen I mean the Oriol sign Julio tyan now none of this moves the needle but what it does do is it gives a manager you know it gives him some options that he doesn’t currently have in in in place which to me is good it doesn’t mean it’s going to take you into the postseason but it does make things a little easier for your manager is why have they just been so content with this with with this bullpen in particular oh with the bullpen so um I mean I think they have made some moves like Zack Popp and Nate Pearson were not in the opening day roster and now they’re important guys in the bullpen now part of that is Jordan romano and part of that is Eric Swanson we all understand that I think on the uh on the relief in in the bullpen they’ve actually had some decent depth um and they listen Brendan little is here and they picked up Ryan Burr so I think I would gently push back on the bullpen narrative a little bit I think they’ve made some moves there um I mean I thought you were going to go back to the offense because do that H sure um uh I don’t know who I was listening it might have been Blake Murphy earlier today when he said other than the 13 position players on the roster right now I think something like 26 at bats have been taken by other guys and it’s like Addison barer 18 Brian serin 8 or something like that that’s it Bullpen there’s been some churn and some movement and I think there will be more obviously the top four spots in the rotation are locked in right now and they’re still trying to figure out the fifth spot um where I feel for John Schneider is writing out that lineup every day like again does it matter if this guy’s hitting third or fifth or seventh or you know the guys who got a hit got a hit it it it’s no more licated than that so uh and I heard I was listening to you guys on the way home and I think you said Jeff that one thing you’re noticing is over the last couple of weeks fewer and fewer people are calling in and screaming about John Schneider yeah um and I think that’s a good thing because I don’t think very much of this is John Schneider’s fault and and you know we can all have a quarrel with a bullpen move like it’s managing right everybody’s an armchair manager but in terms of writing out that lineup I don’t know what more he could be expected to do with the the pieces that got right now do you think they think George Springer is back um I think there have been some good signs and and I guess it depends what back means like last year he was a League average player had a 732 Ops you know the year before and the year before he was more like 820 and then 880 I I’m just I I I know my numbers are not accur exactly accurate but you don’t know what I mean so but if they could just get him back to League average contributor I think they’d be happy happy right now um again another subtle move if you will in the lineup if I’m not mistaken last night Turner hit Sixth and Springer hit seventh I believe Y tonight Danny janson’s not in the lineup and that always has a trickle down effect on everything below Turner’s still six George is five tonight like that’s a move they made a move right so um right now they’re saying we’d like to have Springer ahead of Turner in the order and I think the recent results um suggest that is the right move what I liked most about last night and I’m sure you did Kevin as well that was not a hanging slider that was a that was a 95 mph cutter I believe and he and he pulled it he turned on it and uh again as I say every time when I come on with you guys I will always defer to you Kevin about hitting but boy seeing George turn on a 95 mph pitch and hit it out to the pid’s really good yeah shorter and quicker I yeah this is what I think I I’m not trying to cause a stir here but after the game last night I heard John Snyder uh basically say that I think he was sort of talking to his pitching staff certain guys I’m I’m assuming it’s not the entire staff but the bullpen has given up Dan as you well know 37 homers which leads baseball and the Seven homers that you know out of the seven that they’ve given up in the last two games four of those are from the pin and basically John said we give the information it’s up to the player to execute it I don’t know how I feel about that like I don’t know how fans or players in the clubhouse should feel about that am I on to something or should I not care no no I I think it’s interesting and I’ve thought about it a little bit too because Schneider’s messaging in tone has been different over the last couple of weeks I do believe this and you know I’m around them a fair bit probably a little bit more than you guys are you guys come down to the field but you’re up in the studio a lot and obviously I’m with them on the road and that I cannot tell you how early those coaches get to the ballpark and you guys know this right and I mean 7:00 game like we’re in Baltimore or Kansas City or wherever we are and I’m I’m walking back from a sandwich place at 12:30 bringing my lunch and there’s four of them getting it in Uber to go to the ballpark for a 7:00 game so um I think what I think one part of what John Schneider’s trying to say is the coaches are doing everything they can and I believe the coaches are doing everything they can now yeah now now whether initially with the hitting they were too passive because it was too much about swing decision all that um but in terms are they giving them the information are they there you know Round the Clock to help the players and get them ready for the game I don’t know if fans want to hear it the answer is unequivocally yes the coaches are working their tails off and I will tell you cuz and you guys know this on the road there’s the player bus and the everybody else bus right and buck and I or Joe and I are on the everybody else bus and we sit right behind the coaches um kind of in front of the rest of the staff and we talk to them and we hear them and it’s eating them alive like these guy you guys know how you guys know these coaches it is eating them alive what is going on with this team right now so I think part of it and I’m just guessing I think part of it for Schneider is I think he feels for some of the criticism the other not necessarily him the other coaches have gotten um but also and and you know again Kevin you know this at some point it is just up to the players to do what the players are supposed to do um I I don’t know if Schneider said it exactly the way that he intended to say it so I don’t want to you know comment uh comment on that but when when things are going bad and you get asked the same questions every single day and he does I’m there every day and he does it’s hard not to it’s hard right and and he’s I think he’s doing a really good job and again I know people don’t want to hear hey John Schneider’s good with the media that’s not what people care about but he’s great I mean I’ve met I’ve met all 30 of them he’s great um but I I think he’s in a you know the proverbial rock in a hard place with some of the questions that he gets every day because if you say it this way it reflects poorly on that group and if you say it that way it reflects poorly on this group you know what I mean and so I think he’s doing the best he can there under very can’t win for losing is basically what you’re saying yeah yeah yeah yeah no that’s a great point and I thought I detected that too and he made the comment the other day about the Orioles and said they weren’t the 1927 Yankees but then he kind of immediately walked it back and I think people people need to or didn’t walk it back but yeah softened it a bit because he knew how it how it sounded and this is the thing that’s sometimes I think people forget about about about baseball like he’s being asked this every day it’s not an NHL coach where they have a day off or something like that or I mean he’s being asked this every he’s doing twice a day very negative it’s very negative you will know rarely positive um you you know you mentioned you are down there around the team a lot um is is uh what are you seen from Bo just in terms of how he is like I I I’ve thought the last couple of games and again I’m no expert in body language I just thought the last couple of games he looked I wouldn’t say defeated at the plate cuz I don’t think that’s the case yeah but just tried everything already yeah it’s like running out of things to try exactly I’m I know how that looks Dan I used to do that I used to be that person so I know how it looks right yeah uh I would say of everything that’s happened on this team the fact that he’s not hitting 290 you know with twice as many homers and doubles is probably the most surprising thing cuz all he’s done since he got to the big leagues is hit Y I I haven’t I might have talk it might have been two days ago was a last like I don’t talk to all 26 guys every day you guys know that right you know uh and I’m not a hang around in the clubhouse loitering for 45 like I have my three or four I want to talk to this guy about that I go get them and I and I move on because I respect their workspace so I haven’t talked to him in a couple of days I talked to him a couple of days ago and it was kind of two or three not connected little things I wanted to ask him um and he was fine like like Bo is not Bo’s not going to give you a Kevin kermier you know 2 and a half minute answer or something like that right he you know bo bo is speak softly and and and and shorter sentences and sometimes like I haven’t noticed much of a difference we have seen and you guys have seen it every now and again you know you do something in the Dugout or by the bat rack it’s on the camera it’s on cameras right so and every now and again that the the frustration comes out to be honest with you just knowing how competitive and determined and and all that that he is I got to believe like I said about the coaches eating him alive I got to believe whatever’s Beyond eating him alive I got to believe that’s how he’s feeling and I think he’s done a pretty good job not showing it but but it’s got to be a what in the world like did I you know I didn’t forget how to hit what’s going on here but he hasn’t been I would say maybe a little quieter you know a little just just just a little quieter than he normally is now and he’s always a fairly quiet guy too but um I haven’t noticed a um a big time change but to be honest with you I haven’t gone up to him that much on this home stand over the last um couple of weeks cuz you know some if I go up to him and say how you feeling in the Box I don’t know that he wants to answer that question right now AB you know what I mean maybe he would maybe if Kevin were there or Caleb were there you know what I mean like they get it you know what does big dorky Dan care like or not not what does he care like what’s he going to tell me you know what I mean like I don’t get it so um I haven’t talked to him in the last little while but I I I honestly C uh Jeff I think he’s grinding I think he’s probably grinding you know mentally more than physically right now and and I walk in you guys know where the batting cages are last two days he’s been in there and I got here like 230 both days and there he is in the cage Hitting off a te with Hunter men’s like again it it’s not for lack of trying right now Dan last one you’re smarter than I am uh 15 career starts Brios against the Orioles is 10 to one you have any idea why that is uh I don’t uh I hope it continues I also have looked at the Adalie Rutman numbers if you guys have looked at those so um uh it’s a good question because it’s not just like uh Toronto BOS and bad Baltimore from 3 four years ago it it goes way back to Minnesota so I I don’t have a a reason for that because the personnel has changed I do know every time um we do a game and BOS is facing the Orioles it’s like the first thing the Baltimore broadcasters talked about so like it’s in the room you know guys know about it and he’s had good success against Mount Castle he’s had good success against Henderson uh if they’re going to intentionally walk anybody tonight it should be Adalie rushman there’s no question about that 12 for 19 with three homers is um is no joke but you know it’s funny and I looked at bios’s numbers today and and this happens every year with him but if you look at his stat cast or his baseball Savant page like he doesn’t strike out a lot of guys he’s not a huge soft contact guy there is some hard contact but whatever he’s doing it works like like the numbers that we are seeing the Innings and the hits and the earned runs and all of that are better than what the underlying statcast numbers say they should be but it’s kind of like he does this every year it’s just who he is and and um I I would think with them what like what they are doing right now is punishing mistakes Absolut like they’re not they’re not hitting a a you know a soft liner to the opposite field on a mistake they’re hitting it in the bullpen right so I think you got to be really careful his he’s been so good against lefties and his change up has really helped him I’m a little worried about mistake change UPS to the left-handed batters tonight but down yeah keep it down it’s got to be down and Away um I think it could be a very and I’m a little worried about the two seamer coming back over the middle of the plate to the lefties I think it could be a very slvy evening for Jose B well said but what do I know I’m just DOR you’re not you’re not dorky Dan and if you are you’re our favorite dork thank you that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said get soft he’s getting soft yeah he is getting soft thanks Dan be well all right see you later see you thank you Dan Schulman Sports by the way uh Steve maloi of Masson who is in town with the Orioles Brandon Hyde said he is uncertain of bradishes next start asked if he will pitch in the Tampa Bay series which is the next series he said he’s not sure and they still are evaluating things hide conf confirms that uh Cade Povich their top pitching Prospect is here in the taxi Squad and that tomorrow is still TBA so I would imagine I would imagine that what he’s going to do is see how tonight goes with Albert Suarez and and and pivot off that je they score six runs a game buddy you’re walking adly rushman absolutely 12 for 19 two doubles three homers and slugging over 1200 I wish we had more I wish we had more even in early in the game absolutely see I’mma be real careful I’m GNA say this he ain’t beating me and he can beat me because of the way my offense is in the firsted B I got that’s a fact I don’t know question I got my Ace going to I don’t I don’t know how I feel about that sometimes I want to see my ace and I I’m throwing my best slve arm side my best change up down I walk him go over there and stand have fun because you get used to that base you’re going to be seeing it quatro absolutely yeah I may not do it on purpose but I’m going to do it on purpose that’s facts buddy all right well there you go I mean the Jay’s offense have you noticed how good it is yeah I know you can’t uh they can they can lose that thing four nothing in the [Music] third they’re backing that truck up buddy so you got to be real careful and again this gets back to what John was saying after the game last night about we only only thing we can do is give them the information well the information is dude’s 12 for 19 that is it for us today we will be on Blue Jay’s talk immediately following the game please please please make it a winning edition of blue jays talk just to change things up a bit we’ll be back we’ll be back tomorrow with postgame uh blue J talk as well and then Blair and Barker from 5 to I can’t cross my f see you have a great night
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I always enjoy you perspectives lads 💪🏽
230milion??