Claim OwnershipDeep Left Field with Mike Wilner
Subscribed: 240Played: 11,754
Subscribe
© Toronto Star
Description
Longtime Toronto Blue Jays radio voice Mike Wilner hosts Deep Left Field, a baseball podcast from the Toronto Star. With great baseball coverage, opinion and analysis from Mike and other Star sports journalists including Laura Armstrong and Gregor Chisholm, as well as MLB players and others in the game, Deep Left Field has everything you need to know about the Jays, specifically, and baseball in general.
222 Episodes
Reverse
Guests: Second City alumni Sandy Jobin-Bevans and Pat Smith, Actor/Director Stu Stone 2024 was a rough year for the Toronto Blue Jays and their fans, and the way this off-season has gone so far, it doesn’t seem as though 2025 is going to be much better. For our final episode of the year, we convene a roundtable of Canadian stars of stage and screen, in front of and behind the camera, to discuss where the Jays stand as the calendar flips and what it means that the fanbase seems to have completely lost faith in the ability of the front office to get the team back on track.
Guests: Former Toronto Blue Jay and current Philadelphia Phillie Jordan Romano and new Jay Andrés Giménez Now that he has signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, former Jays closer Jordan Romano joins the podcast for his first one-on-one interview since the Jays cut him loose. He goes in-depth about his time in Toronto and signing with a National League contender. We also hear from new Blue Jay Andrés Giménez.
Guests: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm, Sports Info Solutions Mark Simon The Blue Jays had their busiest Winter Meetings in years: making a trade, signing a free agent and grabbing a pitcher in the Rule 5 draft. Gregor Chisholm joins us to discuss all the Jays’ doings in Dallas, and whether it’s the right move to continue to drill down on run prevention at the expense of run creation. They made the best defence in MLB even better by picking up Andres Gimenez, but did they make a below-average offence worse? And we drill down on Gimenez – the best defensive infielder in the game – with Fielding Bible guru Mark Simon.
Guests: Jack Graney Award winner, legendary Toronto Star columnist Dave Perkins; Pittsburgh Pirates hitting coach Matt Hague The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame has handed out its annual media award, and we’ve got this year’s winner, Dave Perkins, to talk about his extraordinary career covering baseball for three decades for the Toronto Star. Matt Hague joins us as well, to talk about his year as the Blue Jays’ assistant hitting coach, his decision to leave for Pittsburgh and how much of an effect coaches can actually have at the big-league level.
Guests: Kim’s Convenience star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Baseball Prospectus Editor-In-Chief Craig Goldstein, Comedian Chris Calogero (“Husky Boy” stand-up special on YouTube), Andy Kindler (Everybody Loves Raymond, Bob’s Burgers) This week, we bring together an all-star panel to make their pitch for superstar free agent outfielder Juan Soto. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee represents Blue Jays fans, Craig Goldstein stumps for his Dodgers, Chris Calogero makes the case for the Yankees and Andy Kindler argues that Soto should cross town and come play for his Mets. Who will land the off-season’s biggest prize? We get you closer to the answer!
This week, we talk to one of the outstanding young Canadian players working his way to the major leagues. Owen Caissie was named minor-league offensive player of the year by the Canadian Baseball Network for his terrific season with the AAA Iowa Cubs. We celebrate both that award and his being placed on the Cubs’ 40-man major-league roster with the 22-year-old from Burlington, Ontario. We also look ahead to the deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players and see which Blue Jays are on the bubble, and fill you in on the newest member of the Jays front office.
Listen here or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribingmatters. Guests: Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm The Hot Stove season is upon us and the Blue Jays have a whole lot to do in order to get back into playoff contention. Gregor Chisholm joins me to discuss the task ahead of them. Will they sign Juan Soto? Will they extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? What other big bats are available for them this winter? Is this the right front office group for the job? We answer these questions and more in this Deep Left Field Off-Season Primer!
Guest: Former Blue Jays CF Kevin Kiermaier This week, Kevin Kiermaier gives his final interview as a player, and he has come to Deep Left Field to give it to us! Kiermaier, who is about to retire, talks about going out on top – winning the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers – and finishing his career the way he started it, as a late-inning defensive replacement. He also reflects on his year and a half with the Blue Jays, what this season was like as the Jays sold off at the trade deadline, and how the Dodgers do things differently (and better) than they’re done in Toronto.
Guests: World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Mark Simon of Sports Info Solutions The off-season begins as the Los Angeles Dodgers are crowned World Series champions with a five-game victory over the New York Yankees, led by Freddie Freeman’s four home runs and World Series-record-tying 12 RBIs! When the champs were in Toronto to play the Blue Jays earlier this season, we spoke to Freeman about his love of playing for Canada to honour his late mother and to Roberts about being a teenager in San Diego when the Padres traded Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar to Toronto for Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff. You’ll hear those conversations, as well as a great chat with Mark Simon about Daulton Varsho winning two Fielding Bible Awards, including Defensive Player of the Year, and much more!
Guests: Blue Jays outfielder George Springer, creator of Dynasty League Baseball Powered by Pursue The Pennant Mike Cieslinski Coming off the worst season of his major-league career George Springer joins us to talk about his personal disappointment, the Blue Jays’ terrible season and also the positives he managed to pull out of it. On the eve of the first Yankees-Dodgers World Series in over four decades, we reveal the results of a heart-pounding simulation run with Dynasty League Baseball and discuss the ins and outs of the game with Mike Cieslinski. Also, a look at the Jays’ new hitting coach and unexpected scouting director vacancy plus a pre-emptive rant about the Fielding Bible Awards.
Guests: Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, Dodgers 1B coach Clayton McCullough This week in Deep Left Field, Kevin Gausman – who had his worst season in five years – joins us to reflect on what went wrong with the Blue Jays this year, how he turned his season around in July and how badly he wants to not just get back to the playoffs but to go on a deep run. We also talk to Clayton McCullough, who spent seven seasons managing in the Blue Jays minor-league system and now may be headed to the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. All that, plus a look at the Jays’ Gold Glove finalists and a peek into the Deep Left Field mailbag (deepleftfield@thestar.ca)!
Guests: Blue Jays 2024 Team Award Winners Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jose Berrios, Spencer Horwitz and Bowden Francis Every year, good or bad, we poll the Blue Jays’ clubhouse to ask players, coaches and support staff to vote for the Jays’ end-of-season awards. This week, we bring all the winners into Deep Left Field! You’ll hear from unanimous MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr., pitcher of the year Jose Berrios, rookie of the year Spencer Horwitz and unsung Hero Bowden Francis with thoughts on their terrific seasons (and of course, the disappointment in the team’s results overall) and the promise, they hope, for a return to contention in 2025.
“Ross needs to get better.” Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but Blue Jays’ president/CEO Mark Shapiro reiterated – word for word – the same thing he said last year while saying that Ross Atkins will remain in his position as general manager. We go through Shapiro’s end-of-season media conference as well as Atkins’ appearance that followed shortly after, sharing their comments and our interpretation of them. It wasn’t as much of a debacle as last year, but it certainly wasn’t good.
Guest: Blue Jays manager John Schneider The Blue Jays season ends with a whimper, swept at home by the 100-loss Miami Marlins. In this special bonus edition of Deep Left Field, we sit down with John Schneider to discuss what led to one of the most disappointing seasons in club history and what needs to be done to fix things to get the team back on track for a 2025 season in which it expects to be a playoff contender once again.
Guests: Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen, Blue Jays associate manager DeMarlo Hale and relief pitcher Dillon Tate The Blue Jays final homestand of the season opened with Danny Jansen coming home, but playing for the Red Sox, after the long-time Jay was traded to Boston at the deadline. We renew acquaintances with the fan favourite to talk about the warm reception he got at Rogers Centre and how strange it is to see him in a different uniform. Also, DeMarlo Hale joins us to discuss his first season back on the Jays’ bench after a five-year absence, what led to the Jays’ last-place finish and what he thinks needs to happen to fix things. Plus, we get to know Dillon Tate, one of a boatload of relievers the Jays have claimed on waivers over the past month, but the one with the most big-league experience and one who is not far removed from having had serious success.
Guests: Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, infielder Ernie Clement, Baseball Canada legend Stubby Clapp With the Jays’ worst season in years winding down, Chris Bassitt joins us to talk about where the blame lies for the disappointment and to discuss being the Jays’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. We catch up with Ernie Clement to go over his first full season in the big leagues and what positives to take from among the negatives and chat with an honest-to-goodness Canadian baseball hero as Stubby Clapp stops by on his way through town with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Guests: New York Mets bench coach John Gibbons, Blue Jays catcher Brian Serven and outfielder Nathan Lukes John Gibbons, who returned to Rogers Centre in uniform for the first time since being fired as Jays manager after the 2018 season, joins us to talk about his time in Toronto, his great (and not-so-great) Jays squads, playoff runs and trade deadlines. We also get Brian Serven’s perspective on Bowden Francis’ near no-hitters, both of which he caught, and chat with Nathan Lukes about finally getting an opportunity for real playing time after doing nothing but hit in Buffalo for almost three years.
Guests: Blue Jays shortstop Leo Jimenez and reliever Ryan Yarbrough; Jays’ prospects Josh Kasevich and Alan Roden The Blue Jays are playing much more entertaining baseball lately with the influx of youth around the trade deadline, and we catch up with one of the youngsters, Leo Jimenez, who has seamlessly fit into the middle infield after the injury to Bo Bichette and the trade of Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Ryan Yarbrough, the only veteran added at the deadline, talks about going from being a thorn in the Jays’ side to wearing their uniform, and we introduce you to a pair young up-and-comers who were already in the Jays’ system when the deadline dealing began – shortstop Josh Kasevich and outfielder Alan Roden started last season in A-ball in Vancouver and are now knocking on the door of the major leagues in Buffalo.
Guests: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Kevin Pillar and infield coach Ryan Goins, Blue Jays prospect pitcher Jake Bloss This week in Deep Left Field, we catch up with a couple of former Blue Jays who are now working together on the west coast. Kevin Pillar talks about contemplating retirement and Ryan Goins, already onto the next chapter of his baseball career, looks back on his days as Pillar’s teammate on those great Toronto teams of 2015-16. Also, we introduce you to right-hander Jake Bloss, the only piece of the Yusei Kikuchi deal who has yet to appear with the major-league team. For now.
Guests: New retiree Joey Votto, Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis, Jays infielder Will Wagner, Cincinnati Reds infielder Santiago Espinal This week, we share highlights of the impromptu scrum that Joey Votto did at Rogers Centre just hours after announcing his retirement from baseball. Also, we sit down with reigning American League player of the week Bowden Francis, introduce you to hot-hitting rookie Will Wagner and catch up with a beloved former Blue Jay, Santiago Espinal, who was in town with his new team.
Top Podcasts
The Best New Comedy Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best News Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Business Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Sports Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New True Crime Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Dan Bongino Show Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Mark Levin Podcast – June 2024
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
Wilner you are doing such a great job. Your pacing and rhythm you have in your interviews and the way you speak is just fantastic. Though what I love most is how you listen. It’s such a great quality in an interviewer. To let space happen, let thoughts happen and then wind them together in a great response that adds to your listeners enjoyment. As a songwriter and someone with Bipolar and ADHD I end up hyper focused on minute small things that others might not pay attention to. Pacing and space is one of them. Since leaving your last gig and then starting this podcast you’ve improved remarkably in that manner. I think the platform helps with that. Please keep up the great work and know that the people that listen keep listening because they can’t pull away. Much love and respect BiPolaRMaN Ps. If you like new music our group Special Agent Sunshine is on the come up in the Canadian seen. Feel free to check us out. Stay awesome 😊