At The Letters
Episodes
Is This The Calm Before The Storm For The Blue Jays?
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Blue Jays are in on everyone, but signing no one — yet. After covering the virtual Winter Meetings, Ben and Arden explain why they still expect ...
What We’ve Learned About The Blue Jays This Winter
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a quiet off-season around baseball, but that’s never stopped ATL from reading between the lines. Once Ben and Arden get started with the...
Decoding What The Latest Jays Rumours Really Mean
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Blue Jays are positioned to make some big moves this winter, but what’s real and what’s conjecture? Ben and Arden pull back the curtain on the...
How Far Off Were Our 2020 Over/Under Predictions?
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Every year we make predictions, and every year we’re reminded that you really can’t predict baseball. With some help from OG ATL producer Sam McKe...
Scouting The International Market With Andrew Tinnish
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
First, some thoughts on Mark Shapiro’s latest comments. Then, Blue Jays VP Andrew Tinnish joins Arden and Ben to share some international scouting s...
The Blue Jays’ Many Off-Season Decisions
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After an early playoff exit, it’s time to plan ahead. Arden and Ben discuss everything from club options to non-tenders to trade targets in this wid...
Missed Opportunity Ends Memorable Jays Season
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Just like that, it’s all over. Arden and Ben look back at a missed opportunity against the Rays and review some of the moments and decisions that le...
How Can The Jays Upset The Rays?
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The playoffs are here — and the Blue Jays have a huge opportunity in front of them. Arden and Ben look ahead the series against the Rays, making sen...
Tactical Decisions Await Jays As Playoffs Near
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How much will Alejandro Kirk catch? Who would start Game 2? With the Blue Jays on the brink of the playoffs, Arden and Ben look ahead at some decision...
Struggling Jays Still Positioned Well – For Now
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After some ugly losses, defensive woes and injuries, the Blue Jays certainly have their issues. But as Arden and Ben explain, this team’s still in a...
Big Decisions Await The Blue Jays Down The Stretch
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Blue Jays lost two more big bats to the injured list, but some reinforcements are coming, too. With that in mind, Arden and Ben break down the big...
How A Busy Deadline Impacts The Blue Jays Roster
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It wasn’t quite a Padres-level shopping spree, but the Blue Jays were busy on deadline day. Arden and Ben break down all of the Blue Jays’ moves d...
Why The Blue Jays Can Say More By Playing Less
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Arden and Ben begin with a discussion that goes beyond baseball to the boycotts and postponements happening across sports. Then, they turn their atten...
Well-Timed Hot Streak Means The Blue Jays Are Buyers
22 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After their best week yet, the Blue Jays are undeniably in contention. Arden and Ben discuss what that means ahead of the trade deadline and assess th...
No One Ever Said Major League Baseball Is Easy, Right?
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Arden and Ben analyze the struggles of some of the young Blue Jays before discussing Charlie Montoyo’s moves and looking ahead to the trade deadline...
Blue Jays Hitters Have To Step Up Sometime Soon
06 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Blue Jays keep pitching well, but what happened to their bats? Arden and Ben take stock of Toronto’s struggling offence and wonder about a way t...
Pearson Excels But Things Get Much Weirder For The Jays
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nate Pearson’s debut couldn’t have gone better, but suddenly the Blue Jays have no weekend opponent. Arden and Ben discuss a wild debut week for T...
The Homeless Blue Jays and 2020 Over/Unders
24 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Opening Day for the Blue Jays and they still don’t know where their home schedule will be played. Arden and Ben discuss the implications of a...
Dan Shulman Talks Broadcasting During A Pandemic
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fresh off a two-game stint calling intrasquad contests, Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman joins Arden to chat about preparing to broadcast game...
New Kind Of Jays Camp Off To Complicated Start
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Blue Jays made it to Toronto — but around MLB concerns over COVID-19 persist. Arden and Ben discuss the latest Blue Jays news and look ahead at ...
Assessing The Path To The Majors For Pearson
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Now that the minor-league season has been cancelled, prospect development looks completely different. Arden and Ben discuss what that means for Nate P...
Anticipating A One-Of-A-Kind Blue Jays Season
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It took a while, but baseball’s back. Arden and Ben discuss what the return-to-play plans mean for the Blue Jays and the many remaining questions fa...
Scott MacArthur Talks Coming Out, MLB Labour, Blue Jays
19 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One year after coming out publicly, Sportsnet 590 The FAN radio host Scott MacArthur joins Arden and Ben to talk Pride, MLB labour and the Blue Jays’...
Could Austin Martin Be The Jays’ Next Core Player?
13 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
By drafting Austin Martin, the Blue Jays landed a player some considered the best prospect in the draft. Arden and Ben discuss the surprising circumst...
Blue Jays Facing Challenges Ahead Of Shortened Draft
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In less than two weeks, the Blue Jays will make their highest draft choice in decades. Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline and Shi Davidi join Arden and Ben to...
The Jays Have A Lot At Stake As The 2020 Season Is Negotiated
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As players and owners continue negotiating the terms of the 2020 MLB season, the Blue Jays have a lot at stake. Arden and Ben discuss it all – from ...
How Blue Jays Pitchers are Preparing for the Year Ahead
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Two months after the season was suspended, Blue Jays pitchers have learned a lot about working from home. Bullpen coach Matt Buschmann joins Arden and...
Planning For A Season Like None Other
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Getting the 2020 baseball season going will be nothing if not complex. Shi Davidi joins Arden and Ben to discuss the latest plans and the many ways th...
If Baseball Returns In 2020, What Will It Look Like?
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As discussion about a potential 2020 MLB season intensifies, Arden and Ben weigh in on some potential structures for a shortened season while also exa...
Fielding Your Questions
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week Ben and Arden turned to ATL listeners for questions on everything from the 2020 season, past Blue Jays teams, sportswriting and food. #AskAT...
Matt Shoemaker on rehab, leadership and Mike Trout
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Before the MLB season went on pause, Matt Shoemaker joined Arden and Ben at spring training for a wide-ranging conversation about injury rehab, the Bl...
Introducing Sports On Pause
11 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to Sports On Pause at https://sprtsnt.ca/3e7nTAZ or search and subscribe in your podcatcher. COVID-19 is impacting the world unlike anything we...
Randal Grichuk’s State Of Mind
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What does physical distancing look like for the Toronto Blue Jays? Randal Grichuk joins Arden and Ben to discuss his workouts and state of mind with t...
Jamie Campbell Is Burning Up The Phone Lines
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With no baseball on the schedule, Blue Jays Central host Jamie Campbell has been making plenty of calls. This time he phones Ben and Arden to talk abo...
Talking Next Steps And Revisiting Some Blue Jays History
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With uncertainty still surrounding the start of the 2020 MLB season, Arden and Ben wonder what’s next before discussing some of the classic Blue Jay...
A New Reality Emerges For The Jays, And All Of Us
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A few days ago, the COVID-19 outbreak led to the indefinite suspension of the MLB season. What now? Arden and Ben discuss the implications of the paus...
Nate Pearson
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How does baseball’s top right-handed pitching prospect prepare himself? Nate Pearson joins Arden and Ben in Dunedin, Fla. to talk tech, food, sleep,...
What We’ve Learned At Blue Jays Spring Training
07 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
All of a sudden opening day’s not all that far off. From the Blue Jays’ spring training home in Dunedin, Fla., Ben asks Arden for his Grapefruit L...
Stealing The Show
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Arden and Ben discuss ongoing Astros scandal and the ways it’s impacting the Blue Jays before moving on to the latest on-field news. “Who is the B...
Winter Wins and What They Will Mean
11 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While the Blue Jays still have work to do, Hyun-jin Ryu could be a difference maker. Arden and Ben take stock of what the recent additions mean for a ...
Nov. 8: Blue Jays’ off-season work just getting started
09 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chase Anderson’s a Blue Jay now. What’s next? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith explain who is (and isn’t) a free agent fit before consider...
Oct. 18: Mark Shapiro on what’s next for both the Jays and himself
18 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With the regular season over, it’s time to zoom out a little. Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith ask Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro ab...
Oct. 4: Reviewing some contentious Blue Jays over/under predictions
04 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With some much-needed help from Shi Davidi, Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith review their annual over/under predictions. As always, past assumpt...
Sept. 27: John Schneider’s observations from the dugout
27 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Few people have seen as much of Vlad, Bo and Biggio as John Schneider. The Blue Jays coach joins Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss the...
Sept. 19: Assessing the debut seasons of Vlad, Bo and Biggio
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How would you grade the Blue Jays’ rookie infielders? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith weigh in on Vlad, Bo and Biggio while also discussing t...
Sept. 13: Discussing the evolution of pitching with Blue Jays’ Pete Walker
13 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine obsessing over every last pitch thrown by the 2019 Blue Jays. That’s Pete Walker’s job. As a tough season winds down, Walker joins Arden Z...
Sept. 5: Call-ups add intrigue as losses pile up for Blue Jays
05 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Remember when the Blue Jays won games for a while? Those days are over. As September call-ups arrive in Toronto, Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smit...
Aug. 28: Assessing the Josh Donaldson trade one year later
28 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Donaldson’s back and he’s hitting again, so Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith assess last year’s trade before discussing Rowdy Tellez’...
Aug. 21: Will Pearson be next top prospect to join Blue Jays?
21 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Now that Nate Pearson’s just one step away from the majors, how soon could he make his MLB debut? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith discuss bef...
Aug. 14: Ross Atkins on the Blue Jays’ present and future
14 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
GM Ross Atkins joins Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling for a big-picture discussion about where the Blue Jays are now and what has to happen for ...
Aug. 9: A new era of Blue Jays baseball arrives
09 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bo Bichette can’t be stopped, so Arden and Ben discuss his historic stretch, what the Blue Jays can do to address their pitching, and Mark Shapiro’...
Aug. 1: A closer look at the Blue Jays’ decision to trade Sanchez
02 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With Sanchez, Biagini and Hudson all traded, Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith make sense of the Blue Jays’ decisions and assess the return com...
July 30: Did the Blue Jays get fair value in Stroman trade?
30 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Stroman and Eric Sogard have been traded. Did the Blue Jays get enough back? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith make sense of the moves and...
July 24: Last episode of the Stro Show?
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is this it for Marcus Stroman and the Blue Jays? And if so, what happens next? Shi Davidi joins Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith in studio to ma...
July 17: Weighing in on Blue Jays’ top trade chips with Mike Wilner
18 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Just like that, we’re only two weeks away from the trade deadline, so Blue Jays play by play voice Mike Wilner joins Ben Nicholson-Smith at Fenway P...
July 12: Applying lessons in player development to the Blue Jays
13 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What if there was no such thing as a ceiling for MLB players? This week, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh joins At the Letters to talk about the MVP Machi...
July 3: Gurriel Jr. showing star-level potential for Blue Jays
03 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What if Lourdes Gurriel Jr. can be a star for this team? This week Arden and Ben discuss Gurriel Jr., marvel at Cavan Biggio’s plate approach and br...
June 26: What Would The Blue Jays Get For Marcus Stroman?
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Shulman returns to Sportsnet’s podwaves by pinch-hitting for Ben this week. Dan and Arden discuss why the Yankees seem like a good fit for Marcu...
June 20: Raptors’ success brings back Blue Jays memories
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After covering the NBA Finals, Arden returns to talk Raptors and Blue Jays with Ben. Plus, discussions about Marcus Stroman and Ross Atkins. “I thin...