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Chapter 1: Who has surprised and disappointed the Blue Jays at the quarter mark?
Wave of the people. Wave of the people. Come on. No, no, come here. Mark Popper, our producer.
He's the guy that makes this thing work.
He is. Well, I don't know about that. I make it work, but anyhow. Welcome back to Blair and Barker, brought to you by Capital One. Capital One, giving Canadians credit for 30 years. I mean, I like to, you know, come here.
It's just as much his show as it is ours.
I told you about it. Well, you know, I met Russ from New Jersey yesterday. He was in studio. The Jays are 1-0. There it is. Russ from New Jersey paid us a visit. Paid me a visit. Didn't pay you a visit. I was busy. You were busy, allegedly. So I gave Russ. Russ from New Jersey is a regular caller. It's almost like. And I gave him a grand tour of the Rogers facility.
It's almost like when you say bad things about me, I'm not even sitting here.
You're really comfortable. Well, I mean, I've had like seven different co-hosts in my life.
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Chapter 2: What is Yohendrick Piñango's future on the main roster?
Well, the only one that matters is sitting right beside you. So let's be fair about it. Okay. There it is.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
416-413-3959. The back leg line. I threw out a question. Did anybody answer the question that I asked? I don't think they did. Oh, yeah. Thank God. Louise and Moncton always comes through. Scott and British Columbia is pretty good, too. I asked the question about the Jays at the quarter mark. Not the quarter pole, by the way. The quarter mark. Jays at the quarter mark.
Yeah.
What or who you've seen that has surprised you pleasantly or negatively?
Okay, one player who you got before we get into this.
Based on what I thought, I mean, I'm going to go with Okamoto just based on the fact that, yeah, Okamoto for me.
Brandon Valenzuela I think for me is the one that kind of stands out to where he's a young guy. They're struggling, looks the part, can hit homers from both sides of the plate. I got to be honest, the homers from both sides of the plate, You know, I knew he had a strong arm. I knew he's a big target.
But the hitting homers from both sides of the plate, that's how you get rid of other people that are already here.
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Chapter 3: What are Vlad Jr.'s early-season struggles?
You know what I'm saying? I would say he would. So that's the guy for me. He would be. And the other thing for me, too, is just Dylan Cease. Yeah. what we've seen from him. But no, Okamoto. Yeah, you should apologize right now to Okamoto. You've made me. I've apologized a thousand times. Not once.
I only heard one time. Once.
Well, you just said not once, and then you said once. I only heard one time. So you automatically backtrack. I've said several times. I'm on the Okamoto Express. I'm doing the Okamoto. That's a good one.
Do the locomotion with me.
I'm doing the Okamoto.
Sometimes it's almost like you forgot that I used to try and play baseball. I wasn't very good at it. And whenever these guys are going through things and they don't look like they're very good at it, I'm the right guy to ask about that.
All I was concerned about was how much he was hurting the team defensively. That has been addressed, and he has been their best hitter. How has that been addressed? I think he's better defensively. Why is he better? I think because he's hitting. There it is, Jeff. And also, I think because he's adopted in general to the game.
Just because he's hitting, that doesn't explain why he's not playing in the bullpen and left field anymore defensively. That's not just because he's hitting.
That's a big deal. A lot to do with it. Get to Scott in British Columbia. Scott in British Columbia.
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Chapter 4: How has Don Mattingly impacted the Phillies' success?
He also appears to have a stronger arm. Yeah. He's cheaper. Not that that would make any difference to this organization. Not anymore. And I will say this. One thing about Tyler Heinemann, he goes on waivers. I mean, he has been picked up on waivers by other teams before. So the question for the Blue Jays is, are you willing to move on from Tyler Heinemann? Yeah. But from my point of view,
Well, here's the thing. Alejandro Kirk comes back. If he's healthy, you know, Barger comes back. If the lineup's together and things look a little better, then I think you can keep Heinemann. But if you're still scuffling and, you know, you look up and Valenzuela, how many home runs you got now? Five? Four?
If Valenzuela at some point ends up with, I don't know, eight home runs halfway through next month, Nine home runs, and Pignango's doing what he's doing. I mean, at some point, you've got to go, Uncle, these guys are taking advantage of opportunities. And with Valenzuela, like, are you concerned that it will hurt his development?
Probably not, because he's not going to be your everyday catcher as long as Alejandro Kirk is here. Unless, I had someone point this out to me, and I, you know, had not thought of this. Had not thought of this. I made that point that, well, you keep Brandon Valenzuela, and Kirk, he's going to be your catcher for the next three years. He goes, uh-uh. George Springer leaves as a DH.
If George Springer leaves next year, you're going to see... Kirky possibly used as a DH more often, in which case you can get Brandon Valenzuela more bats.
I don't know if you can do that. Kirky's a pretty good catcher. He calls a pretty good game. He bucks really well. Just seems the flow of the staff looks better optically with Kirky. I was just saying it. I mean, I'm not disagreeing with you a little, but I would think next year that position will be a revolving door. when it comes to the DH spot.
But there are going to be days where... So you're saying three days a week instead of five days a week, Kirk. That's... I mean, next year might be a little bit early for that. Kirk is still young enough that his body can handle that.
And they're just a better team when he catches. And they've also got... You've got to know the guy. And I'm sure they know... I mean, I don't know. Nobody ever really likes to be sent back to the minors, so I shouldn't say it. But I mean, if you're Brandon Valenzuela, you could probably read the tea leaves and go, I've kind of like, I've cemented my status here.
with them, even if they do send me down.
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Chapter 5: Can the Atlanta Braves maintain their top spot in the NL East?
So we'll see. Let's go to Doc in Lockport, New York.
Yeah, it is a good question. Good question.
I had the opportunity of meeting Kevin on Sunday around the bottom of the seventh inning. Awesome. And quite a gentleman. I'm a big fan of his. There's someone else. You just keep doing what you're doing. You do an outstanding job. Awesome. Thanks, though. You and Blair together, fantastic. Listen every day. I am a season ticket holder for the Buffalo Bisons. They're from most games.
And, yes, Pena is the real deal. From time to time when they figure him out, he's going to slow down a little bit. But he can do the job out there, and he should be with the ball club for the foreseeable future. Some other guys to look at. Shrek has had an awesome week, done fantastic work. And I am going to say, Little has been lights out since being sent down to Buffalo.
So a left-handed alternative down the road. Let's not count him out. And finally, a big shout-out to Owen Gregg from Oakville, who is up with the Dunedin Blue Jays and is more than holding his own. After two games in the FCL, he was promoted. And at 19, kid looking good. Have a great day. Thank you very much.
Way to go, Doc. Thanks, Doc.
That's a great call.
That is a great call. We love hearing from folks who go to Buffalo Bucs. Again, if you get a chance, tell people this. Fun day out.
Well, it's summertime. Don't go in the wintertime. It's the worst place in the world in the wintertime. I mean, Jeff, don't lie. I played there for – Well, okay. Go July, you're right. You have nailed it. The fans there, they sell it out. They're having so much fun. They're barbecuing.
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Chapter 6: How has ABS affected the game this season?
No, I got to make a run. I got to make a run to my guy.
Come over. I got a couple.
No, I got to make a run to my guy and get it.
Okay.
At some point. But, yeah, it's a good cigar.
Yeah, hey, with Panyango, you know what? You could close your eyes when everybody got back and see that guy somewhere eight, nine hole kind of turning your lineup over, getting on base for guys to run into something and you're looking at some three-run homers, that kind of thing. Yeah, I mean, he just looks like a big leaguer. Maybe I just hadn't been paying enough attention to him.
You know, spring training and when he was in the – maybe just the quality of his at-bats. The stuff he takes, the stuff he gets, and when he gets it, he doesn't miss it. He just looks the part, man. Sometimes that's what it's more about sometimes when you're struggling is how you look. John says that a lot, right, man? He looks the part.
He looks like a big leaguer, and he looks like he can catch the ball on the outfield. I mean, he's probably not going to make the great play, but he makes the plays he's supposed to make, which is a big deal.
Yeah, he does not appear to be – He does not appear to be overwhelmed by the major leagues. He seems quite comfortable.
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Chapter 7: What changes have occurred with the strike zone this year?
That could be nothing.
Well, fastball command is normally his thing. Lately, it hasn't been his thing. You know, that sets up the two different breaking balls. So there's reasons for everything, Jeff. Get ahead. Pitch ahead. You pitch ahead, you can get people out.
Wayne in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia. Just call him Vlad. I'm just wondering why everybody seems to be giving him, you know, this extended grace period right now. I mean, the guy has two home runs and almost 200 plate appearances. I mean, yeah, he's hitting 300, but, I mean, that doesn't cut the mustard, does it?
I mean, I remember back in 2015, we had a guy that batted 300 with little power, and he pretty much helped save the season, and his name was Ben Revere. Pretty sure at the end of that season, he didn't even get offered a contract, but yet we've got Vlad here hitting with about the same kind of production with less speed, less defense, and he's getting paid $35.7 million a year.
It's just frustrating watching them play a team like the Rays and the Jays have a $300 million payroll and the Rays have a $100 million payroll. It just seems backwards. Imagine if the Rays had a $300 million payroll and the Jays had to cut back down to $100 million. Just think how much better the Rays would be and how much worse the Jays would be right now.
It really seems like a bit of asset mismanagement to me. It would be like if my girlfriend gave me $100 and said, make supper, and I made spaghetti. She'd be wondering, you know, where the rest of the money went, right? Well, that's kind of how I feel like this. It's like I feel like we're paying for filet mignon and we're getting spaghetti. It just seems a little bit ridiculous.
Anyways, guys, I just want to know, you know, how long do we give Vlad before he comes out of this slump, or do we pretty much just have to live with it now? Anyways, love to hear your thoughts. Cheers. You guys are doing a great job. Bye now.
Thanks, Wayne. That's the greatest call we ever had.
Well, Vladdy will be here way longer than me and Jeff will ever be here. I will say that the gentleman to my left has been often criticized for being critical of Vladdy. Many times. Not in this room. I don't think he's been getting a pass. Here's the thing. You pointed out. You point out that he isn't doing, that he isn't hitting for power. We point that out all the time.
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Chapter 8: How could these changes affect pitchers long-term?
I don't know. I don't know if they have the same kind of blueprint.
You see, I think that's – well, here's the thing. People don't realize this, but the Dodgers and the Yankees have more analytics folks than the Rays do. They've got big payrolls. So the idea that teams with big payrolls aren't spending in analytics, the Yankees are spending more in analytics than anybody.
Yeah. I think the Jays are way up there, too. Yeah.
So there's this idea that... You know, lean and mean is – the Rays' success goes beyond the fact that they don't spend a lot of money. They've got really smart analytics guys. They do a certain thing well. They identify – they take guys with one strength and say, okay, how can we maximize that and give you another tool?
Yeah, that's well said. I think, Wayne, if you're a Jays fan, you start rooting as hard as you possibly can for Vlad. Don't ever stop because – You know, you would think with what they don't have here, a lot of this is he's going to have to do something.
Vladdy's contract only becomes an issue if they're not paying anybody else. And that's just not going to happen.
I mean, they got to consistently make the playoffs, too. That would help, right, when he's making this amount of money and they're spending the money that they're spending around him.
I also think, Vladdy, I will make this point time and again, whether or not people realize it, I think Vladdy's a good salesman for this organization.
I think winning is. I think the owners are really good salesmen by the amount of money he's spending on his players.
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