Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

4.6 (605)
BASEBALL
UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

6 DAYS AGO

Legendary Toronto Star columnist Dave Perkins and former Blue Jays coach Matt Hague

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.

1h 31m
NOV 28

What team should sign superstar free agent Juan Soto?

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!

1h 14m
NOV 21

Team Canada outfielder and Chicago Cubs prospect Owen Caissie

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.

50 min
NOV 14

Off-Season Primer: Blue Jays need to shake it off and fill blank spaces after cruel summer

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!

57 min
NOV 7

World Series champ Kevin Kiermaier, in his final interview as a player

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.

59 min
OCT 31

Freddie Freeman on his Canadian roots, plus Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and the Fielding Bible Awards

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!

1h 4m
OCT 24

Blue Jays outfielder George Springer and Mike Cieslinski, the creator of Dynasty League Baseball

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.

1h 6m
OCT 17

Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman on his season, plus the Deep Left Field mailbag

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)!

59 min

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Mike Wilner

Host

4.6

out of 5

605 Ratings

A must for Blue Jays and baseball fans

Nov 30

IcRezzer

This is a wonderful pod for Jays fans and Canadian baseball fans. The round table on the Juan Soto sweepstakes is perfect tonic for us as we wait to have our snow tires installed. A very entertaining discussion even for Jays fans who will once again be on the outside looking in. Mike you always deal in fact while you also acknowledge the emotion we fans feel for our teams. Your segments and interviews with players like KK, Votto, and Long Toss with Ross give us unique insight to the players layers and the locker rooms. Keep it up Mike. I’m listening.
Love for KK and this podcast!

Nov 22

Violet Mike

Incredible interview with Kevin Kiermaier! We love you KK! I am enjoying your podcast Mike and especially your casual interview style. Makes for easy listening and provides interesting insights into the lives of the players and the great game of baseball. Laura in Washago
Brian Bradley

Nov 22

WynnBr

Hi Mike. This is about Brian Bradley, would you please ask him if he has any connection to Georgetown & Oshawa. I’m trying to find my paternal family & he has the last name. Thank you on advance. Bev
Best Jays Podcast

Nov 21

Patrick43215

I listen to several Jays podcasts but Deep Left Field is my favourite because it goes all year long. That being said, would love to see a round table episode with Mike, Arden Z, Ben NS, Blair and Barker

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.