Blair & Barker Sportsnet

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker comment on Thursday’s session of labour talks between the league and the players. Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah reflects on his rookie season, picking the brain of new acquisition Kevin Gausman, and takes the guys inside his offseason routine (10:44). Afterwards, Jeff and Kevin discuss the Atlantic League and the changes they plan on making as part of its partnership with Major League Baseball (28:25).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker discuss the plans to upgrade Rogers Centre (2:20) before getting into the gift-giving mood for the holiday season! Jeff and Kevin dole out presents tailored to the American League teams (9:51), National League teams (29:39), and the Toronto Blue Jays (42:08). Afterwards, they end the show with another edition of 'Barker's Back Leg Bits!'

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker look back to 1994, the last time there was a labour stoppage in baseball. The Expos were never the same after the 1994 strike; but could there be positive news on the horizon for baseball fans in Montreal (0:20)? John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times discusses the Rays’ stadium plans, its discussions with local government, and the concept of splitting home games between Florida and Montreal going forward (15:10). Next, Hall of Fame pitcher and former MLBPA representative Tom Glavine joins the show to talk about his role during the 1994 strike, why he suggests players stay off of social media during the lockout, and if he foresees free-agent slugger Freddie Freeman re-signing in Atlanta (33:25). To end the show, Kevin answers listeners’ questions for 'Barker’s Back Leg Bits!' (49:55).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker return to discuss the interest the Toronto Blue Jays had in signing Corey Seager before he agreed to his ten-year pact with the Texas Rangers, the Mets’ level of interest in Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker, and if a first-time manager is what the Mets need right now (1:00). Next, Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano talks about his offseason and continuing his conditioning without the team’s facilities during the lockout (12:30). To finish, longtime MLB agent Barry Axelrod talks about how an agent’s role is impacted by the lockout, when players start to get antsy about returning to work, and when he ultimately sees the stoppage coming to an end (30:00).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker are joined by ESPN’s Jeff Passan to discuss all things regarding MLB’s lockout, including the respect level between adversaries Rob Manfred and Tony Clark, how commissioner Manfred is perceived by fans of the game, and when the he foresees MLB and the MLBPA ultimately reaching an agreement (16:44).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

What do MLB general managers do during a lockout? Former Dodgers GM and current TV analyst Ned Colletti joined Jeff and Kevin to break down the stoppage, and to give some inside info on how organizations handle their internal discussions during a labour dispute (1:45). Later on, former MLBPA Communications Director Greg Bouris shares some thoughts on if games will be missed, getting both sides back to the negotiating table, and the players wanting to see an economic shift (30:20).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.