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Chapter 1: What key moments led to the Blue Jays' comeback victory against the Orioles?
Well, Caitlin, a wild game for us to get to. today. A 4-0 deficit after the fifth inning. The Jays turned that into a 6-4 win after they score five in the sixth inning on the backs of some mistakes and some good fortune as well, certainly. Valenzuela absolutely hammering a baseball into the seats for an add-on run there in the eighth, his seventh home run of the season.
Jays come all the way back, not just in this game, but from a 13-3 demolition in the opener of this series to win this series. They are 32 and 34 on the year. Great stuff today from the Jays.
Yeah, I think that's what I'm most impressed with. The fact that the Blue Jays were really able to put the Friday game behind them and come out this weekend, Saturday, Sunday, and put together really great performances. Today was, you know, especially a winning performance because they were down early. And, you know, they didn't get the best start from Kevin Gosman today.
you know really was just like one one bad inning from him but you know that's sometimes all it can take and so for the blue jays to again uh not let that get them two down and fight back and as you say they were they had some lucky bounces they had some plays go their way they had some calls go their way um but they took full advantage of that like you know sometimes you get a little bit of luck in in in baseball but uh you can also make your own luck sometimes and they put the ball in play and and so they did all the right things
And they were able to come back and yeah, very impressive series win for the Blue Jays because this was an important one, I think, even though we're still fairly early in the year, I think beating the Baltimore Orioles at home, a team that you are kind of neck and neck with in the standings right now.
So you want to put your stamp on it and getting that series win, I think today was very important.
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Chapter 2: How did Brandon Valenzuela and Yohendrick Piñango impact the game?
That is Caitlin McGrath. I'm Sho Adly. You're listening to Jay's Talk here on the Sportsnet Radio Network. We're also streaming on Sportsnet.ca and on the Sportsnet app. You can give us a call, 416-870-0590, 1-888-666-0590, star 590 on your cell. You can text us as well, 590-590, name and location. The People's Text Line is always open. Standard messaging and data rates may apply.
I mean, I agree with you, Caitlin. A huge win because you're now 4-3. against the Orioles in seven games, four-game series at Camden Yards, three games here at the Rogers Center this weekend. You won't see them again until September. It's a long time between games with the Orioles. So you kind of put that out of your mind now with a winning record against them so far.
And then in this win in particular, you have the youngsters leading the way in Brandon Valenzuela, who was the walk-off with Hazel.
Chapter 3: What challenges does the Blue Jays' roster face with player returns?
You have Johandrik Pignango going yard as well. I believe that was the longest home run of his career, 423 feet, which is just a monster shot from Pignango. That guy has some real power. I mean, Tyler Rodgers and Louis Varlin doing Tyler Rodgers and Louis Varlin things for much of their outings, at the very least, in this game. To your point, I think the only thing
we didn't get today was a crisp start from Kevin Gosman. But, I mean, even he was cruising going into that fifth inning. So, yeah, look, it's a lot of good to discuss here, certainly, today. I think because it's fresh on our minds. And we talked about this in the Pretty Game Show, and Rubinov and I talked about this yesterday, but... There's no way Valenzuela's getting sent down.
There's just no chance. I mean, I think I was already there. Yeah. But I mean, he punished that baseball.
Chapter 4: How did the bullpen perform in this game and what were the late-game strategies?
I think it was just a second home run. Rico Garcia, who was effectively the closer for the Baltimore Orioles. He's been gross this year. for the most part. I think that was just one of the very few home runs of the Leafs he's given up all season. And I mean, Valenzuela kind of pimped it too, right? He took a couple steps and then watched it fly and then went around.
You're starting to see his personality a little more. I know that personality thing doesn't really matter whether or not a guy gets sent down or kept up with the majors, but it was pretty fun to see. Third home run for Valenzuela in his last four games. He's now second on the team in home runs with seven.
I mean, just look, having him on the roster simply gives you the best chance to win on a daily basis, right? That's just where we're at in the season now, right? Less than 100 games to go, which is still a lot of baseball, no question, but... We're well past its early part of the season, for me at least at this point.
Chapter 5: What was the significance of the Blue Jays' series win over the Orioles?
So you just need, as we've said ad nauseum, you need the guys who give you the best chance to win on a daily basis. And, I mean, look, just figure it out with Heinemann when Kirk comes back probably at the end of this coming week. Like, whatever you have to do, I think that catching tandem kind of has to be Kirk alongside Valenzuela.
Yeah, I would agree with you, and it's funny, because as you were saying, we were talking about this before the game, and we have kind of been evolving in this conversation about the catching situation, and when we started, it was sort of, you know, you've got to roster manage, and you can't let Heinemann go, and, you know, he's going to get picked up, and so this is the things that you have to juggle when you're
uh leading a major league team and now we've moved all the way over to you cannot let valenzuela go anywhere he is a key piece of this team he really has become that in a short amount of time uh and you know it's it's not just the offense as well we saw him look really good defensively especially today with that play um getting the out at third which was a you know you know it was a great play and it
proved to be very important. I think, you know, I mean, you never know what could happen, what could have happened in that inning. Um, and so I think that he's, he's doing it on both sides of the ball. And as you say, he looks to be coming into his personality a bit. He looks like he's having a good time. He's been a real lift for this blue Jays team.
And at a time where they're looking for an offensive lift, uh, and he's been able to deliver that. And so I think that, uh, We've heard some clues from Schneider, John Schneider, in terms of, you know, him saying that he doesn't mind the idea of Valenzuela only playing two or three times a week. And so, like, you know, that's one clue that sort of gives you insight into what they may be thinking.
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Chapter 6: What concerns exist regarding Kevin Gosman's performance during the game?
And maybe they've moved off of the stance that he needs as much playing time as possible. Now they're at a place where they maybe just want him around the Major League team and he can contribute. And, you know...
he can come in and be a pinch hitter maybe or you know situations where he can help the team in different ways and so as much as Heinemann is an important piece of this team was incredibly important last year you know you talk about last year I mean maybe Heinemann was the Valenzuela of last year like he hit incredibly well last year obviously different circumstances not being a rookie and everything but
I just think that you have to kind of stay with the hot hand a little bit if you're the Blue Jays. And at this point, I mean, I don't see a future in which Valenzuela is not on this team.
Yeah, I think I would be. I would be pretty surprised if at this point, to what you're saying, he gets sent down. Yeah, we talked about the youngsters. Pignango hitting the home run today as well, which we can get into. And with the other guys as well, Okamoto would be a part of this, right? But Blue Jays' second... in rookie home runs only to the Chicago White Sox, which is pretty impressive.
So you're getting a lot of production out of guys who were not a part of the team last year, as much as the offense has been a conversation this year for the entire team and how it's scuffled for good chunks of the year so far.
That is a positive note for some of the young guys, whether it is, and again, Okamoto, I wouldn't, I mean, he's not old by any means, but he's not like a fresh-faced rookie in a traditional sense, right?
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Chapter 7: How is the Blue Jays' catching situation evolving with Alejandro Kirk's return?
Yeah, he's not your traditional rookie. I mean, he came over from Japan and, Still counts, you know, he could still get Rookie of the Year votes.
Look, same with the White Sox. I mean, I think a big part of the heavy lifting for them being number one in rookie home runs is the fact that Munataka Murakami is destroying baseballs in Chicago. So, yeah, but that's really good for both these teams. And, yeah, it's really, really fun to see.
I mean, a lot of text on the text line about Valenzuela, 590-590, John and Oshawa with Valenzuela playing so well, especially on the offensive side of things, is Tyler Heinemann's Time with the Blue Jays numbered. Simon and Shelburne, Valley again, game after game, doing exactly what he needs to do to stay up in the majors. How do you send this guy down? Keenan from Winnipeg.
I know I have personally felt Valenzuela was likely being sent down when Kirk was back and accepted it, but he's on pace for 20-ish home runs if he played most of the season, and in a season when you feel you are lacking power, he keeps making the decisions right. harder. And yeah, Mike and Victoria, Heinemann is a number three catcher on this team with Valenzuela's progress.
Chapter 8: What are the implications of the upcoming games against the Phillies and Yankees?
I see the problem isn't going to be whether to send him down, but how many games to take away from Kirky? I envision a 1A and 1B like having two really good goaltenders in the NHL. Yeah, it's true. That's a good analogy for sure. And I mean, look, maybe if the bat for Kirk isn't where I mean, he's going to look, if you want him to catch, he's going to catch and he'll still hit regardless.
But if you, if you feel like both sides of Kirk's game are not exactly where you want it to be. And I mean, you know, long layoff for him, broke his thumb, even if they feel he's doing well, it might take him a little while to get up to speed. Maybe you do just have a scenario in which catcher and DH, especially now that George Springer kind of continuing to scuffle.
Right.
And that continued today to a certain extent. Not to put all of it on George, right? And they won today, obviously, so we don't have to do that too much. But it's not like that changed in a huge way over this series, right? So if that's the case, you probably could find yourself in some kind of Kirk Valenzuela catcher DH spot. At least some games. I don't think you'll do it every single game.
You're not going to sit Springer permanently, but I wonder if he sits a teensy bit more.
Yeah, no, it's totally possible. And we've seen them give him the occasional off day. He's at that point in his career, and they want to keep him healthy and all these things. And we're not that far removed from a couple years ago when the Blue Jays did kind of have a 1A and 1B catcher scenario when they had Jansen and Kirk.
And Kirk was younger a little bit then, and so he was still kind of finding his way in the majors. But I think the Blue Jays kind of treated that tandem as more or less a 1A and 1B. There was...
you know sometimes it depended on who was starting there was guys that typically threw to Jansen there were guys that typically threw to Kirk so you kind of worked it out that way sometimes you go with the hot hand or whatever it may be but yeah I mean it's not unusual for teams to have a situation where they have two good catchers it's usually a nice luxury to have and so if the Blue Jays find themselves in that position again it's like you know somewhat familiar territory they've
they've navigated that before. Obviously, different roster and all these different factors. But yeah, I think it's a good problem to have. So again, I think that there's just too much that Valenzuela has done well.
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