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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hey, everyone. Sho Ali here with you. Welcome back to another edition of Jace Talk Field Access on the Sportsnet Radio Network. These are our conversations with players and coaches from your Toronto Blue Jays, whether it's myself or Ben Schulman, who are conducting these chats. We'll be bringing these to you twice a month. Yeah.
roughly let's say until the end of the season again if you're a frequent listener to us on the network again thank you it's not a lot of point in doing this if you guys aren't there to listen but if you do join us on the radio you'll probably have heard some of these already chats that we've aired live on the pregame shows on the network or otherwise so
A place for these chats to live in perpetuity is what this will be. I had mentioned this before in the last couple of these episodes, but if there are any players you want us to try and speak with, shoot me or Ben a DM or two. Maybe the easiest way, actually, is the Fan590 Twitter or Instagram account, and someone will pass that along to us ASAP. But in any case, let's get to those chats.
Now, we have a whole bunch today, largely because I missed publishing the ones from early May. So here are... four for you today, all of them courtesy of Ben. First, we'll hear from Jay's outfielder, Miles Straw. This was from a few weeks ago from earlier in the month.
Trey is Savage, also sitting down with Ben in the away dugout while he was with TV to speak a little about his journey through the various minor league levels. Ben also had a sit-down chat with Tommy Nance, who of course, as we know right now, is on the IL, but he had a lot to say. So I'll get that full chat in there for you. And then while the Pirates were in town, we'll
Prior to this day off, Ben also spoke with former Blue Jays infielder Spencer Horwitz, now with the Pirates, of course, about being traded and about his new team. So, in order, here's Straw, Yassavage, Nance, and Horwitz on the latest edition of JSTOCK Field Access.
Coverage of Blue Jays baseball continues on the Sportsnet Radio Network. I'm Ben Shulman alongside Blue Jays outfielder Miles Straw. Miles, thanks so much for the time. How are you doing? I'm doing good. How are you? I'm doing well myself. Fun to talk to you today. Wanted to get to know a little bit about your role that's talked about a lot within the team dynamics and inside of the clubhouse.
John Schneider had mentioned a couple times how important he felt you were to the culture of the team. In your eyes... What is your role or what is your spot in the dynamic of this group of players and staff?
Just honestly, just trying to help the team win, whether I'm a pinch runner starting that day or pinch hitting off a lefty. You know, as the season progresses, I just feel like every day more and more, it's like it's always a different opportunity for me. So however I can help the team, you know, contribute is, you know, it's kind of a, it's become kind of fun.
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Chapter 2: What insights does Myles Straw share about his role in the Blue Jays team dynamics?
What was that experience like when you found out that you were going to be a Toronto Blue Jay in that whole day?
It was insane and I was just waiting for my name to be called and even said I was the Blue Jays are taking me I could be more excited. Who did you or where did you spend that time? Were you waiting at home? Were you with grandparents or family? Yeah, I was at home, surrounded by a bunch of family, a bunch of friends, coaches throughout the years, a whole bunch of people.
Were the Blue Jays a team on your radar that you thought might pick you? Did you go in with an idea of who might take you, or were you kind of blind going into it?
Honestly, no. They were not on my radar. I kind of slid a little bit in the draft, but down to home.
So you end up in the Blue Jays organization, and then in 2025, started Dunedin, you hit every level of the system. Just from a life standpoint, what is that like? I mean, you were in five different cities across two countries. You bounced back and forth into Canada, out of Canada again, and you're a pretty young guy. What was that like for you moving apartments and doing everything like that?
It was insane just living out of the same suitcase, just having to repack, unpack, repack, unpack. It was wild. So it kind of slowed me down from accumulating a lot of stuff because I knew I had to take it with me wherever I went. But it was weird. Hopefully I never experience something like that again. But yeah.
When you got to Vancouver, did that, Vancouver and Toronto are very different cities, but did that give you any sort of idea or indication of what Canada was like? Did you have much of an idea about the country before you ended up coming there?
Yeah, Vancouver is a really cool city. I only spent one week there, so I caught a small glimpse of it. But I mean, I would say Toronto and Vancouver are kind of different, just kind of with the nature around and whatnot. I don't know. I just felt like it was a little bit different.
Kind of a West Coast feel as it goes to Toronto, a little bit more of like an East Coast kind of feel. You do then, not too far from where we are right now at Tropicana Field, you make your Major League debut at Steinbrenner Field. That's a unique experience for a Major League debut. What do you remember from that day and that whole experience?
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Chapter 3: What does Myles Straw say about the importance of team culture?
Would you be willing to be a recruiter walk on and I live like 10 minutes from the school and like I grew up going to dirtbags games and I always wanted to be a dirtbag. So I jumped at that opportunity because I didn't really have anything else. So played my freshman year there. I almost actually quit baseball after that that year.
I didn't have the greatest experience, and I just was like, you know, I'm tired of doing this. Like, it's just kind of the politics of the sport kind of wore me down a little bit. And a buddy of mine was like, oh, come out to this junior college I play at. You know, I guarantee you'll start loving the game again. So I did that.
I was going to school still at Long Beach State and then commuting over for practice to this junior college. Then I had to transfer for the season, obviously.
yeah like jumping into after that you know went to Santa Clara for a couple years I was starting I was a Friday guy my junior year um didn't really put up the best numbers in college honestly I had some some flashes of really good games um my last college start I pitched a complete game shutout against Stanford everyone was like you just got drafted like after that game I'm like okay cool like this is exactly what I want um
Ended up not getting drafted. I got called a couple times my junior year and senior year. Nothing came about. Ended up getting TJ after my senior year. I was throwing a bullpen, getting ready for like a tryout or, you know, and blew out. Went back to school, finished my degree, got healthy, went and played indie ball.
I mean, there's so many avenues of my story I could go down, but not to take up too much time. It's been a wild ride. getting to pro ball, like, affiliate ball, first year at 25, way older than everybody. They basically were, like, the Cubs were, like, we're going to throw you in the fire and see how you do it. Like, if you stick, cool. If not, at least we gave it a shot.
So then, like, you know, my journey through the Cubs, battled injuries, a ton of injuries, and then debuted at 30. It's kind of a crazy story, but, like, I never wanted it to just be, like, a cool story. Like, guy debuted at 30. Like... Awesome. Like that in itself is a cool story, but I wanted more. And, you know, my career has definitely evolved since then.
And I'm still continuing to get better even at 35 years old, especially lately. feels like vintage me, like even compared to last year. Like I feel like my stuff, my mountain presence, just everything is even better than then. So yeah, I'm in a good spot and I love being here with Toronto. They've given me amazing opportunities.
I want to go back for a sec. What was your degree? What did you end up graduating with?
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Chapter 4: How does Tommy Nance discuss his training and preparation for the season?
And I think what I did last year definitely helped. put me in a position to still make this club and, and show that I belong here and continue to belong here. And I think part of it too, like Toronto specifically, like I've loved playing here the last, you know, two and a half years. And I had so much fun last year that like making this opening day roster, like was even more special.
And then on top of that, just like, you know, with my dad's passing last year in April, you know, it's kind of like for him as well. You know, obviously it's like for me and my family and my career, but I know that he would be so proud of all the work that I put in to get to that point and all the times that he was driving me to that tryout and to practices when I was a kid. And, you know, it,
like getting to the point where like now I'm making an opening day roster and now that that's happened it's like the world's my oyster like what what what can I do next like what do I want to do next and you know and that's I think just continue to go out and do my thing and play this game as long as I as long as I can and I feel like
If I can still spin it the way that I spin it at 35 years old and continue to do that, then I think I'm in a pretty good spot, and I'm in a really good spot here in Toronto, and I really do love playing here.
Well, Tommy, it's been great to talk with you. I feel like I could do a whole other hour, but I'll save you the time. You've got a game coming up. Thank you very much for the time.
Yeah, thank you. Appreciate it.
Coverage of Blue Jays baseball continues on the Sportsnet Radio Network. I'm Ben Schulman alongside former Blue Jay infielder and current Pittsburgh Pirate first baseman Spencer Horowitz. Spencer, thanks so much for joining me.
Of course, yeah.
How are you doing? How has it been to be back in Toronto? I know you played against the Blue Jays last year, but this is your first time as of yesterday when you hit a sack fly to start the scoring. First time you've been back playing on this field again.
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