Episodes
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...
Published 03/28/24
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.
Published 03/26/24
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.
Published 03/23/24
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...
Published 03/21/24
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...
Published 03/14/24
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.
Published 03/09/24
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,...
Published 02/29/24
Guests: Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and manager John Schneider   Spring training has begun in Dunedin, Florida, and Mike Wilner is down there to give you the goods on what’s going on at camp. He’s also there to have incredible conversations with Bo Bichette and John Schneider.  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.
Published 02/22/24
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher José Berrios, Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli This week in “Deep Left Field,” we are live from the opening of Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training in Dunedin, Florida! We kick off the 2024 season with a look back at how ’23 ended, talking to José Berrios, who started the Jays’ final game of the post-season, and Rocco Baldelli, who managed the Twins to the series victory. Also, the Jays sign Eduardo Escobar and I give my thoughts on the team’s newly-announced...
Published 02/16/24
Guest: Toronto Star Baseball Columnist Gregor Chisholm   On the eve of spring training, as host Mike Wilner prepares to join the Blue Jays in Dunedin, we bring you a special bonus episode featuring your questions! Mike and Gregor Chisholm, the Star’s baseball writers, answer your Jays questions about Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alek Manoah, Ross Atkins and his quiet off-season, potential further additions before the season starts and many more! What you would like to hear on Toronto Star...
Published 02/13/24
This week in “Deep Left Field,” we talk to two members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Class of 2024 — Ashley Stephenson, current Vancouver Canadians coach and the greatest female baseball player in Canadian history, and Paul Godfrey, who is largely responsible for Toronto getting a major-league baseball team and for SkyDome being built. We also discuss new homes for old pals Jay Jackson and Ross Stripling and talk about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s arbitration win.
Published 02/08/24
Guests: Blue Jays pitcher Mitch White, former Jays 3B Rance Mulliniks This week in "Deep Left Field," host Mike Wilner talks about the Jays’ signing of Justin Turner with Mitch White, who was his teammate with the Dodgers from 2020-22. They also talk about the strides White made at the end of last season and his outlook for 2024. As well, Rance Mulliniks joins us to remember former Jays’ manager Jimy Williams, who passed away at age 80 last week, and to relive the ups and downs of the glory...
Published 02/01/24
Guests: Baseball Canada Wall of Excellence member Michael Saunders and Blue Jays Assistant Hitting Coach Hunter Mense This week in "Deep Left Field," we talk to Michael Saunders about being honoured by Baseball Canada, suiting up for his country and his 2016 season with the Blue Jays. We also take a deep dive into the 2023 Jays’ hitting woes with Hunter Mense. 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.
Published 01/25/24
Guests: Washington Nationals manager/former Blue Jays and Expos outfielder Dave Martinez; Ken Carson, former Jays trainer. This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to Dave Martinez about the incredible start to his brief Blue Jays' career back in 2000, and about playing for the Expos then leading the Washington Nationals to the franchise's first-ever World Series title in 2019. We also catch up with Ken Carson, the Jays' trainer for the first decade of the franchise's existence.
Published 01/11/24
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...
Published 01/04/24
Guests: Blue Jays centrefielder Kevin Kiermaier, free agent pitcher Jay Jackson. This week in Deep Left Field, host Mike Wilner talks to Kevin Kiermaier about returning to the Blue Jays for another year of Gold Glove defence and chats with Jay Jackson on the former Jay's experience in Toronto, his free agency this winter and baby JR coming home for Christmas.
Published 12/28/23
Guests: New York Post columnist Jon Heyman, Injury Expert Will Carroll of Under The Knife. This week in "Deep Left Field," Jon Heyman joins us to express his bewilderment as to why anyone would be insulted when he wrote that Shohei Ohtani signing with the Blue Jays would have been bad for baseball. Also, Will Carroll talks about the health status of Rhys Hoskins, a free agent who could be a good fit in Toronto, and the Jays’ success with keeping their 2023 starting rotation healthy. What...
Published 12/21/23
Guests: Blue Jays past and present all-stars Ricky Romero, Jordan Romano and Vernon Wells. This week in "Deep Left Field," we convene an all-star roundtable with Vernon Wells, Jordan Romano and Ricky Romero, who combined to make six all-star teams as Blue Jays, to discuss what it's like to play in Toronto and how much opposing players enjoy coming here. The table also pushes back against some recent opinion columns from south of the border that suggested having Shohei Ohtani sign with the...
Published 12/14/23
Guests: Arkells’ bassist Nick Dika; Drew Fairservice, former host of Spin Rate; Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, star of "Kim’s Convenience" This week in "Deep Left Field," it’s all about Ohtani. Host Mike Wilner convenes a "Shohei Fever" Roundtable with Nick Dika, Drew Fairservice and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee to discuss the Blue Jays pursuit of the reigning American League MVP, the likelihood of Ohtani actually choosing to sign with the Jays and what his arrival — or spurning of the Jays — could mean to the...
Published 12/07/23
Guests: Blue Jays reliever Chad Green, Reds catcher and former Jay Luke Maile This week in "Deep Left Field," we dive into Shohei Ohtani’s chances of coming to Toronto and talk about Cito Gaston’s possible election to the Hall of Fame this weekend as well as Ben Wagner’s dismissal from Jays’ radio broadcasts. Then Chad Green talks about his first year with the Jays, the playoff disappointment and the intricate, creative contract he signed last winter and Luke Maile joins us to talk about his...
Published 11/30/23
Guests: Blue Jays infielders Davis Schneider, Spencer Horwitz and Ernie Clement This week in “Deep Left Field,” host Mike Wilner gathers The Buffalo Bunch! Davis Schneider, Spencer Horwitz and Ernie Clement get together to discuss their time with the Blue Jays and Bisons this past season, watching each other succeed in the big leagues, their mutual admiration for each other and the impact they had on the playoff race.
Published 11/23/23
Guests: Blue Jays Bench Coach/Offensive Co-Ordinator Don Mattingly, Jays prospect and Baseball Canada Outfielder Dasan Brown This week in Deep Left Field, we talk to Donnie Baseball himself about his new role, what needs to change about the Jays’ offence and the addition of DeMarlo Hale to the coaching staff. We also chat with Dasan Brown, coming off an Arizona Fall League championship with the Surprise Saguaros.
Published 11/16/23