Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

4.6 (625)
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, Deep Left Field has everything you need to know about the Jays, specifically, and baseball in general.

2 DAYS AGO

Former Blue Jays Communications Director on how teams deal with crises. The Jays have had a few this winter

Guests: Former Blue Jays Communications Director, current Niagara Ironbacks owner Mal Romanin With spring training games underway, many Blue Jays fans are still having a hard time getting the taste of a rough winter out of their mouths. The failure to lock up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Roki Sasaki debacle will be the biggest stories of the Jays’ off-season, and have just added to the fury of the fanbase that seems to be close to boiling over, if it hasn’t already. Mal Romanin, who was a member of the Jays’ communications team from the J.P. Ricciardi era through the 2015 resurgence and into the beginning of the Mark Shapiro-Ross Atkins regime, joins us to talk about how baseball’s public relations teams deal with crises, whether they’re generated by the front office or the players, and shares stories of some of the fires he had to try to help put out when he was with the team.

1h 7m
FEB 20

Blue Jays columnists discuss the good, the Vlad and the ugly

Guests: Toronto Star Baseball Columnist Gregor Chisholm Spring training is underway in Dunedin, Florida, and Gregor Chisholm has been there since the first day, which means he was there when the news broke that the Blue Jays had failed to come to a long-term contract agreement with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Gregor joins us to discuss all the goings-on from camp, first and foremost the how and why Guerrero is moving into a walk year that nobody wanted. Aside from the Vladdy story, we talk about what he’s seen and heard during the first week of spring. Baseball is back!

1h 6m
FEB 12

Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Inductees Jose Bautista and Greg Hamilton

Guests: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Inductees Jose Bautista and Greg Hamilton This week, we celebrate the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame as it announces the newest honoured members who will take their place among the immortals at the Hall on Induction Day, June 7 in St. Marys. Jose Bautista headlines the class and he joins us to talk about his career with the Blue Jays, from the beginning to the BatFlip and beyond, and to reflect on becoming a Hall of Famer. Greg Hamilton, the Director of National Teams for Baseball Canada for a quarter-century, also stops by to talk about his career, his impact on baseball in Canada and his well-earned recognition from the Hall.

51 min
FEB 7

Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, Canadian actor Aaron Abrams and more

Guests: Aaron Abrams, star of CTV’s “Children Ruin Everything,” plus clips from Max Scherzer and Ross Atkins’ news conference and we bring you clips and analysis of that news conference. Scherzer talks about his health, the hows and whys of his coming to Toronto, his motivations in finally coming to the AL East and his feelings about baseball’s data revolution. Ross Atkins avoids a question about a possible contract extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Also, TV star and huge Jays fan Aaron Abrams joins us for a Jays vibe check as they get set to head to spring training.

1h 13m
JAN 31 · BONUS

The Blue Jays add Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer

The Blue Jays Add A Hall of Famer A busy January on the free agent front came to a close with the Blue Jays snagging Max Scherzer, the 40-year-old eight-time all-star who will bring his three Cy Young awards and two World Series rings to town with him. With five trips to the injured list in the past two seasons, and only having been able to make nine starts in 2024, what does Scherzer have left to add to a decent Jays rotation? Can he stay healthy, and if he does how much should be expected of him? Does the big right-hander help the Jays in their quest to get back to the post-season?

27 min
JAN 30

Blue Jays 1B coach Mark Budzinski, former Baseball Canada slugger Scott Thorman and more

Guests: Blue Jays 1B coach Mark Budzinski, former Baseball Canada slugger Scott Thorman Not too many people in the Jays’ system know their new acquisition, Anthony Santander, better than Mark Budzinski, who managed Santander at two levels of the minor leagues. We get the goods on the new guy from his ex-skipper, who is very excited for the reunion. Also, we catch up with Cambridge, Ontario’s Scott Thorman, a Baseball Canada standout and Joey Votto’s inspiration growing up.

51 min
JAN 23

Toronto Maple Leafs pitcher Ayami Sato, Anthony Santander, Ross Atkins and more

The Blue Jays introduced Anthony Santander, their first major offensive acquisition in four years, and we bring you clips of his media availability and interpret Ross Atkins’ attempts to sidestep criticism for the Roki Sasaki debacle and the Jays’ failure (so far) to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a contract extension. We examine the Cooperstown Class of 2025, as well as those who fell just short in the voting, and talk to Ayami Sato, the greatest female baseball player of the modern era, who will become the first woman to play pro ball for a Canadian team when she suits up for the Intercounty Maple Leafs this summer.

58 min
JAN 20 · BONUS

Finally, some good news as the Blue Jays sign slugger Anthony Santander

Only days after the Roki Sasaki debacle, the Blue Jays finally added a significant power bat, the first time they’ve done such a thing in four years. Anthony Santander, a switch-hitter who clubbed 44 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles last season, got a five-year deal worth a reported $92.5 million to come to Toronto, and his slugging stylings are desperately needed for a team that finished 26th in the majors in home runs last season. The addition of Santander bolsters a lineup that only had one hitter with as many as 20 home runs last year, and was definitely a significant enough move to warrant a special bonus episode. Finally, some good Blue Jays news.

15 min

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Mike Wilner

Host

4.6

out of 5

625 Ratings

Jamie from Belleville

2 days ago

Yeozie

Hey Mike. Great interview with Mal. So insightful!
Incompetent front office

Jan 19

Tamen10

I think the Jays should fire Shatkins and hire you. You seem to know exactly what the Blue Jays need unlike the front office. Your assessment of the Jays and their needs is bang on. I thoroughly enjoy listening to all your podcasts. Keep it up!!
Blue Jays Fans need to Listen to this Podcast

Jan 18

Marlin5353

Hey Mike, very few sports journalists are as honest as you are. The latest podcast with the Sasaki sums up how we all feel about our team. Thanks for your work, not only on this podcast but for the last decades. Don’t always agree but love your work. Mark k
Right on the mark

Jan 18

The one1980

The Roki Sasaki bonus episode was right on the mark. Mike, your take is centred entirely on truth and the disbelief of how badly this front office has operated. As a fan of the Blue Jays for the past 40 years I am right there with you. I really enjoy the show and your work.

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, Deep Left Field has everything you need to know about the Jays, specifically, and baseball in general.