As Shohei Ohtani weekend comes to a close, we answer your questions about where the Blue Jays stand one month into the season. What’s wrong with the offence? Should Vladdy be given a few games off? How safe is Ross Atkins? What about the hitting coaches? Do clutch players exist? Are the Jays at risk of losing their fan base? All these and so much more!
Blue Jays win their home opener behind “Bad Dawg” Jose Berríos - we hear from him, Davis Schneider and John Schneider and take your email questions and comments!
The Blue Jays get no-hit, so you get a special bonus episode! My take on the Jays shooting blanks in Houston.
Guests: Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier, right fielder George Springer, reliever Tim Mayza, starter Bowden Francis, associate manager DeMarlo Hale It’s the Opening Day Extravaganza and we’ve got half a dozen Blue Jays checking in with their thoughts about the year to come! We check in with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer on how they plan to rebound from their worst offensive seasons, talk to Kevin Kiermaier about how good he thinks the Jays can be in 2024, chat with the longest-serving member of the team, Tim Mayza, and the newest member of the starting rotation, Bowden Francis. We also catch up with an old friend – DeMarlo Hale has been gone for five years, but he’s back to help return the Jays to the glory days of his first time around these parts.
Guests: "Kim’s Convenience" star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Andy Kindler ("Bob’s Burgers," "Everybody Loves Raymond") and Chris Calogero ("The Movie Guy") This week in "Deep Left Field," host Mike Wilner convenes "The Roundtable of Frustrated Fan Bases!" Paul Sun-Hyung Lee talks the Blue Jays, Andy Kindler talks the New York Mets and Chris Calogero talks the Yankees as we commiserate over each team’s disappointing 2023 on the field and off. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guests: Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt and outfielder/pinch-runner Cam Eden. This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to post-season veteran Chris Bassitt, who goes into his final start of the regular season looking to move into a tie for the American League lead in wins and we meet rookie Cam Eden, whose elite-level speed could play a very large role for the Jays in the playoffs.
Guests: Blue Jays 2B/LF Davis Schneider, former Jay and current Minnesota Twins pitcher Jay Jackson, Blue Jays mental skills coach John Lannan This week, we sit down with Davis Schneider, who has been one of MLB’s best hitters since coming to the big leagues last August, catch up with old pal Jay Jackson to see how he’s doing with a new team and to get an update on 10-month-old J.R., and introduce you to John Lannan, whose job it is to help out the Blue Jays between the ears. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guests: Once-and-future Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez, Dodgers reliever (and former Jay) Daniel Hudson plus your e-mail!!! This week in “Deep Left Field,” we dip into the mailbag to hear your thoughts on what’s been an incredibly frustrating couple of weeks in Blue Jay land, then we talk to two pitchers traded by the Jays on the same day back in 2019, Aaron Sanchez and Daniel Hudson. They’re both trying to bounce back from a rough last few years, and Sanchez is getting the opportunity to do it back in the Jays’ organization, having signed a minor-league deal this week.
Guests: Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano and starter Kevin Gausman, Los Angeles Dodgers/Baseball Canada slugger Freddie Freeman This week, we celebrate Markham’s own Jordan Romano joining the 100-save club, check in with Kevin Gausman for an in-depth look at the Blue Jays’ disappointing first month of the season and catch up with all-star Freddie Freeman, who honours his late mother by suiting up for Team Canada. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guests: Former Blue Jay pitcher Ross Stripling and Colorado manager and ex-Jay Bud Black This week, we give you “Long Toss With Ross” once again, as Ross Stripling joins us to talk about his tough start to the season with the Oakland A’s. We catch up with Rockies’ manager Bud Black, a Blue Jay for two weeks in the pennant race of 1990, and talk about the glory days and his part in breaking Jays’ fans hearts while with the 1985 Kansas City Royals. Also, a look back at the week that was, focusing on a couple of games the Jays gave away. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guests: Blue Jays DH Justin Turner, third base coach Carlos Febles, rehabbing starter Alek Manoah This week, we do a deep dive into the confluence of events that led to the Blue Jays using the bullpen the way they did in their series-ending loss to the Yankees — the first blown save for the Jays this season — and then check in with Justin Turner for his thoughts on the first home stand. We introduce you to new third-base coach Carlos Febles and hear from Alek Manoah on the lessons he learned from his terrible 2023. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guests: Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa and pitcher Paolo Espino; former Jays pitcher Trent Thornton This week, Kevin Kiermaier checks in for his regular visit despite a 3-for-31 start to his season. We talk to Isiah Kiner-Falefa about his first home opener as a Blue Jay and his strong start to the season, catch up with former Jay Trent Thornton, now a Seattle Mariner, and get to know Paolo Espino, who spent 11 years in the minors before making it to the big leagues. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guest: Gregor Chisholm, baseball columnist Spring training is over and before we bring you the opening day extravaganza, we are dipping into the “Deep Left Field” mailbag! Baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm and I answer your Toronto Blue Jays questions on this bonus episode of “Deep Left Field.” What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guest: Joseph Daniel Votto The greatest Toronto-born player in baseball history joins us to discuss his attempt to continue his career in his hometown, whether he’s got anything left and why he apologized once again for his anti-Baseball Canada rant of 2018.
Guests: Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, top prospect Ricky Tiedemann, slugger Daniel Vogelbach As we head into the final week of spring training, we take you back to the beginning with Kevin Gausman, who was scheduled to be the Blue Jays’ opening day starter. We check in with Ricky Tiedemann as he begins the season that’s likely to see his major-league debut and get to know Daniel Vogelbach, widely recognized across the game as an elite clubhouse presence. Plus, thoughts on the Santiago Espinal trade, the rash of Blue Jays pitching injuries and the Shohei Ohtani scandal. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Guests: Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano, catcher Danny Jansen, third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa and breakout pitcher Adam Macko This week in “Deep Left Field,” host Mike Wilner brings good pals Danny Jansen and Jordan Romano together to talk about their expectations for the Blue Jays in 2024, introduces you to one of the new Jays, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and gets to know Canadian lefty — by way of Slovakia and Ireland — Adam Macko, who will be pitching for the Jays in the Spring Breakout game on March 16. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
Joey Votto signed a minor league deal with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays. Votto has been the toughest hitter to get out in the 21st century, so if he's healthy, this could be a big deal. Mike Wilner gave his initial thoughts on the signing in this bonus episode.
Guests: New Blue Jays DH Justin Turner, Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho, Phillies manager Rob Thomson This week in “Deep Left Field,” we get to know the new guy, Justin Turner, who brings championship experience and an unflinching approach at the plate into the clubhouse. We catch up with Daulton Varsho, who knows what he has to do to win over Jays fans in his second year, and we talk to Phillies’ skipper Rob Thomson about one of his old teammates on the 1984 Canadian Olympic Baseball team, new Hall of Famer Rod Heisler. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.
BiPolaRMaN
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 😊