Chapter 1: What are the Blue Jays' performance highlights from May?
All right, welcome back to Blair and Barker, brought to you by Capital One. Capital One giving credit to over 4 million Canadians and counting. It is just myself here today. Barker's currently moving, lifting boxes. Is that where he is? That's where he is. That, ladies and gentlemen, that voice is lovely and talented. Sho Ali, who is host of Blue Jays Talk, producer of Blue Jays Talk.
I mean, basically does everything. Anything that's on this station has his fingerprints on it, even though. He won't always admit to it. I try not to. You got to pick your spots. So, yes, Barker's moving. He'll be back on Monday, rest assured. Hopefully he's in shape and doesn't put his back out or anything like that. Oh, boy, I did that the other day, Jeff.
That's how you know you're getting old. Pull my back out? Not great. I got news for you. That's not how you know you're getting old. But we'll leave that aside. We'll leave that aside for the time being. The Jays and Orioles will continue their four-game series tonight at Camden Yards. Adam Macko on the mound against Trevor Rogers. And we've asked a question on the back leg line, 416-413-3959.
Just a general question as to your thoughts on this team as we approach the end of May. who your MVP is, how significant it might be for this team to get the 500. They are currently a game under. They haven't been a 500 since April 4th, which, you know, I looked at a two-way show. One, that's a long time to be under 500. But then I looked at the Jays' record in May. It's 14-12.
And I even asked John Schneider this. It doesn't seem like their record in May is 14-12 because it seems like we've kind of gone from issue to issue to issue to issue to issue along the way they have managed to win series. But... It just doesn't feel like a month where they're two over 500. So you mean it feels like it's worse or better?
I think it feels like it's worse. Yeah, I think you're probably right. I think, too, you mentioned the last time they were approaching 500, and there was a point, too, where I think there was a four-game set against the Twins that might have been in Minneapolis, and then they went after that to play the Rays, and I think they had split that series against the Twins.
I want to say they lost the first one, lost the last one, won the middle two, and then you thought, okay, you know what, they're getting a little closer, and then they go out and face the Rays and get swept by the Rays at the Trop for the first time in over a year since the Rays haven't been back there, and it does feel like they've been battling a lot because, you know, one step forward, two steps back to a certain extent with a lot of these injuries, but
Yeah, it's funny you mention Adam Mako because I was thinking about this in the drive-in today. Well, I do agree it's been a slog. It is really interesting to think that this time last year, record-wise, wins-loss-wise, they're not too far off where they were this time last year. But last year, they were significantly healthier at this exact point of the season.
And this year, they're being buoyed by guys like Mako, Johendrik Pignango, Spencer Miles, Brandon Valenzuela. And it's also really fascinating to think about how a lot of these guys got on the team in the first place.
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Chapter 2: How important is a .500 record for the Blue Jays?
One, there's a trade deadline when you're a contending team. But two, it's a trade deadline when you're not a contending team. And the idea, and the thing, this organization has done very well. The idea is to get players in who, even if they don't, ultimately don't play for you, can be turned around into something else.
And, you know, Mitch is like, where would this team be without Sanchez, Penango, Valenzuela? Yeah, gosh. I mean... I don't know. I don't know. And again, Sanchez came for Joey Loprafito, so the Jays got Loprafito. Flipped him to Jesus Sanchez. So yeah, that 2024 trade deadline is kind of the gift that keeps on giving if you are the Toronto Blue Jays.
Well, and I forget how they acquired Kendry Rojas, but he was one of those prospects that went to the Twins for Louis Varland, right? So you have a lot of... And I know Varland was acquired last year, not the year prior, but you've essentially seen this team...
use their prospect capital pretty wisely, which is also kind of what makes me wonder, you know, in an American league like you're having right now. And I do think at some point here, I know it's where the end of may at some point, Jeff, in the next couple of months, a team, two teams, and you're hoping one of those teams at the blue Jays will pull themselves out of this quagmire.
That is the entire American league outside of what New York, Tampa and Cleveland, essentially. And you, while you hope it's the blue Jays,
I do think when we get to the deadline this coming season that I would be surprised, and we talked about this before, that beyond just relief help, which every team will look to do, I would be surprised if the Jays didn't package at least one of their top five, top ten prospects to make some kind of improvement, even outside of the bullpen, I would think.
Yeah, I mean, we've talked about this.
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Chapter 3: What insights did John Schneider share about Adam Macko?
I think, you know, the Jays showed us by what they did or what they tried to do in the offseason that they, you know, that they think they need another impact bat in here. And I just ā it can be awfully hard. It can be awfully hard to get that commodity. You know, pitching is ā everybody's going to add pitching at the deadline. I think what really needs to happen here is ā
If you look at the American League in particular, National League not so much, but it's like I have a hard time right now differentiating the buyers from the sellers. Yeah. Because, you know, and that happens, right? Whenever there's a log jam or whenever teams are close to each other. So I'm hoping maybe June will give us a little bit of separation there and maybe...
you know, a team that is still on the cusp might decide that now is the time to move. Now is the time to, you know, to maybe make some changes. I mean, I look at a team like the Astros, although they've kind of come back now. And again, you might be able to win the ā American League West with a 500 record. That's just how bad it is. But I look at a team like the Astros.
The Red Sox interest me. I mean, they certainly seem to be a team that would be considering moving some of their position players. One of their position players, San Francisco. I keep waiting for that to happen. But, yeah, further to Brandon's ā to your point and Brandon's point, 2024, the Jays traded eight veterans for 13 minor leaguers.
Four of those players are on Toronto's ā and four players on Toronto's current roster have direct or indirect ties to that deadline. And, you know, we went through the list. And that is ā You know, again, when people talk about this organization, they talk about the money they spend in free agency and that.
But, you know, if you want to leave aside the, you know, Teoscar Hernandez deal or to a certain degree, if you want to leave aside the Gurriel Moreno deal. Sure. You know, Ross Atkins has made some really, really nice acquisitions. A lot of them are sort of low-key acquisitions, but they're acquisitions that have really helped this team kind of stay afloat.
I like when you look back at last year's team. Some of the decisions, some of the players they held on to. I talked to John about this. Nathan Lucas. They held on to Nathan Lucas for a long time. Nathan Lucas has become an important part of this organization. They've really done a nice job in putting this team together. And it really, you know, it hasn't just simply been spending money.
It's been making some shrewd acquisitions as well. Do you think...
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Chapter 4: How are injuries impacting the Blue Jays' pitching strategy?
Do you feel better about this team now at the end of May than you did at the end of April? Even though there's still injuries, obviously. We know Kirk could be playing games next week, later next week at the minor league level. Shane Bieber continues to progress. But do you feel a little better about where this team is right now than you did at the end of April?
Yeah, I think I do, right? Because, and again, you can't, I said this a couple of times, Jeff, you can't ignore how the team has played when they've played poorly and certainly the offense scuffles more than you'd like. But even, and again, you can't ignore how they played against the Rays in particular, one and five against the Rays so far this season.
But just for the sake of this conversation, you take that out of the equation, they've actually played pretty good baseball, things considered from a win-loss perspective in the month of May. So I kind of, I have liked where they're going. I mean,
schneider had said down at the rogers center a little while ago that you know when we were looking at the 50 game mark of the season which was about you know a week and a bit ago that if you were if he was asked to evaluate how the season has gone through 50 games that it's inconsistent was the word he would use to describe the team season but trending positively and it does feel like that's the best possible way to describe it and again i mean tyler rogers takes the peter lonzo ball off his
foot yesterday, and you have Dylan Cease and Vladdy leave the game at the same time. It does sometimes feel like there's an inordinate amount of bad luck that sometimes can afflict this team, but I don't know.
At the same time, it feels hard not to feel optimistic because, again, what we were saying earlier, relatively same win-loss record year over year at this exact moment, but you have a team that's far less healthy with reinforcements on the way, and you just said it, right? Kirk, Bieber, et cetera. I mean, you know, it's probably not...
ideal that you have to keep running out bullpen days as much as i've liked spencer miles and we'll see what the what the plan is for tonight will be really interesting past adam macko when you're already running another bullpen day but uh yeah it's going to be going to be really interesting how they kind of try and survive i guess between now and what the return of bieber or the return of kirk for example well uh arden's walling saying that john schneider
said ahead of the game tonight that Adam Macko, that it may not be a traditional opener. He said he may go multiple innings, though I think John's quote was certainly not five innings. So you may see Adam Macko go three or four innings, you know, as long as the team is competitive and then go from there.
Just to give people, just to touch base, give people an idea where the standings are, because we really haven't talked about it that much. The Rays are still setting the pace at 34-19. They've lost four in a row, though. The Yankees have won four in a row. They're 34-22. The Jays are eight back. They're 28 and 29. Baltimore's 26 and 31. Boston's 23 and 32.
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Chapter 5: What factors contribute to the Jays' MVP discussion at this point?
Just what kind of situations does that put you in today with those guys all being on back-to-back?
Yeah, it puts other guys in position to step up and pitch some innings that they usually don't pitch. It's kind of the nature of the beast when you're playing 17 in a row. You know, you operate with a bullpen game, so I like that it worked out in our favor last night with the bullpen. They did a great job and opportunity for guys today to step up.
How much are you keeping Sunday in mind as well, assuming that's likely to be opener in miles? A little bit. You know, you're trying to balance, you know, Corbs outing and then Trey tomorrow a little bit and kind of see what they're doing. Off day on Monday definitely helps. You know, we've been looking at that off day, I feel like, for a while.
But the way Spencer's throwing the ball, too, you feel pretty good about what, you know, he's going to give you in terms of consistency and length. So I think you kind of focus on today a little bit more than you do on Sunday.
With all this uncertainty and upheaval, this pitching staff in the month of May has been still one of the top five in any stat you look at.
What's that got to say about the job these guys have done? Yeah, man, they've stepped up. Starters and relievers. I think we've obviously shuffled the deck a little bit in terms of roles and when guys are pitching, and I think everyone's kind of responded really well. But teams are going to battle injuries.
When you look at guys that we have under contract as starters that aren't here, it puts a little pressure on everyone. And I think that both the guys that we have that have been here and that are new and the staff were a little bit more well-equipped to kind of handle this. So they've been great, man.
You need them to kind of stabilize some games, and they've been doing it really, really consistently for about a month.
And you've got like this rotation built around guys who take the ball. Like you've three out of Scott's been, Scherzer, Bassett. How much of that is like a culture that's been kind of instilled over the last few years? And now you see it this month where guys are just like, what do you need me to do all day?
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Chapter 6: Who are the standout players for the Blue Jays this season?
And him and the catchers have done a great job. You know, I don't think he's going to be, you know, the Sergio Romo type where it's all sliders, you know, if you will. But it's a pitch that has performed well. And when you're executing it, it's going to be pretty good.
teams are obviously, they have to be aware of this if we're talking about it, if I'm talking about it. So, I mean, why is it still being so successful? And surely it's made it to the scouting reports.
Yeah, I mean, that's where the kind of the cat and mouse game comes into where you have to just, you know, you have to throw the other pitches to split the heater at the right time and in the right spot. I think... It just comes down to location. It comes down to executing it. And it's a tough pitch to lay off of when it's going to strike the ball.
And he's done a really good job of keeping it that way for a couple of weeks now. So again, man, I think every team kind of knows the guy's stuff. And it's just a matter of going out and executing it.
All right, that was the manager, John Schneider, just a few minutes ago from his media availability, giving us a little more detail on Adam Macko, who will start tonight.
So it sounds very much a show as if we may be looking at once through the lineup for Adam Macko, and then bearing in mind that there is a bullpen game scheduled for Sunday, which we're led to believe will be more a traditional bullpen game with an opener and then Spencer Myles Spencer Miles providing the bulk of the pitching after that.
So we do get that sense that Adam Matko could be used for multiple innings. It won't just be the pure one-inning opener thing. Love John Schneider's line about his pitching staff. Flexible, available, and effective. And they certainly had to be given all the injuries and all the changes we've gone through.
No question. I got to imagine we'll see, whether it's today or Sunday, we'll see Connor Seabold at some point. That was a guy, I mean, he was with the Jays in the spring. And even then, I think he'd pitched, over his career, he's pitched multiple innings. So I'm going to guess he's available for more than an inning.
So yeah, hopefully between Mako Seabold and someone else, you can cobble together four four innings and then go from there at the very least, right? But yeah, you're right. I mean, flexible is definitely the right word to describe this pitching staff. I mean, Spencer Miles, you were asking the question about MVP.
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Chapter 7: What challenges does the Blue Jays' lineup face currently?
Must love dogs. This guy must love birds. In addition to the Blue Jays and Orioles, he also played for the Cardinals. He was named an All-Star three times in his career. Each of those appearances came as a member of the Blue Jays. He's a World Series champion and a Cy Young Award winner. He is the one and only Pat Hentgen.
Today's question is to win tickets to see the Jays and Orioles on June 7th at the Rogers Centre. He made his MLB debut with the Orioles and is a two-time All-Star. He has reached the postseason for every team he's ever played for except for one. That would be the Cincinnati Reds. He has made 137 starts for the Toronto Blue Jays. Name him.
Again, for tickets to see the Jays and Orioles at the Rogers Centre on June 7th. Made his MLB debut with the Orioles. He is a two-time All-Star. Reached the postseason for every team he's played for except for one. That would be the Cincinnati Reds. He has made 137 starts for the Blue Jays. Name him. You can text the answer to 590590 for your shot to win. See rules at sportsnet.ca slash 590.
Standard message and data rates may apply.
Tell you what, Jeff. Boffo told me who this was. I did not remember that this person played for the Reds. Honestly. It's like I memory hold that or something.
Actually, you know what? I didn't think of it. No, I didn't. I just read it. I didn't really think of it. I just can't picture it, which is kind of funny. Couldn't have been memorable. No, probably not. A very short stint, or a short stint, as Mark Boffins does. Joe, thanks so much for doing this. We'll be doing Blue Jays talk following the game tonight.
Hopefully a winning edition of Blue Jays talk. It'll be a winning edition, Jeff. Really? There you go, yeah.
Pulling a Barker.
Well, the guy that sits in that chair isn't usually that optimistic, but I'll take your word for it. Thanks for doing this show.
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Chapter 8: How does analytics influence player performance in baseball?
I've been, I threw out the question as to who the, who you think the Jays MVP is as we roll through the month of May and into June. We'll get to that in a minute. But first, let's take a look at the Jays lineup. There is an interesting lineup. item to this lineup, not just Adam Macko starting, but you'll notice Charles McAdoo is hitting sixth and will be at second base tonight for the Blue Jays.
The lineup is Springer, Clement, Guerrero, Okamoto, Varshow, McAdoo, Straw, Penango, and Brandon Valenzuela with Adam Macko on the mound. The Jays coming off a 2-1 win last night. Over the Orioles, old friend Chris Bassett pitched pretty well. Patrick Corbin pitched very well. Managed to pitch around some...
Shaky, inconsistent defense on the part of Kaz Okamoto and Dalton Varsha in center field. The Jays going on to win that game 2-1 and take the first game of the series. So without further ado, let us go to the back leg line. Ryan and Markham, get us started.
Hey, Jeff. So to answer your question, I'm going to go off the board a little and say Spencer Miles, a Rule 5 draft pick, does not usually play an important role on a team, but he's been really important. I don't know where we'd be without him. So my question is, when something like that happens, do we just say Pete Walker?
Because, like, yeah, I'm really impressed, and hopefully he keeps it up for the rest of the year. And love your show. Thanks a lot. Take care.
Yeah, thanks for the question. I mean, look, I don't pretend to know the entire process through which the Jays go about selecting players for the Rule 5 draft. I would tend to believe that it would be not necessarily a committee situation. I'm sure the scouting department compiles a list of players or pitchers they think may be available.
And if that player or pitcher is available, you know, the Jays make the selection. So I don't know if ā I've got to think probably Pete Walker saw a video of Spencer Miles ā and, and, you know, was at least given some input into it, uh, in terms of his development as a pitcher, you have to credit, you know, uh, Pete Walker, but you've also got to credit his pitching assistance that he has.
You know, I think sometimes we have a tendency to, uh, When we talk about the Jays pitching staff, we have a tendency sometime to just sort of focus on Pete. And not that that is necessarily a bad thing because Pete obviously sets the tone. Pete Walker's track record certainly speaks for itself. But there's some other folks who have their hands in this right when it comes to that.
Graham Johnson, Sam Green, those are bullpen coaches and assistant pitching coaches. There are other people in the organization as well who are pitching strategists who have a role in the development of the players as well. Yeah, it is a great point. And, you know, the Jays have had me. George Bell was famously a Rule 5 pick. People forget. I think Aquilino Lopez was a Rule 5 pick.
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