Joining me to discuss the shame and humiliation of the broken national sports pastime that is Major League Baseball is acclaimed sportscaster and legendary TSN reporter Tony Ambrogio (@Tony_Ambrogio), country music star and Blue Jays blogger Chris Henderson (@baseball4brains), and former minor league basketball player and lawyer Mick Sloniowski.

Together we discussed: how to adequately deal with the hubris and hypocrisy of a sport gone to rot, what a suitable punishment should be for players directly involved with these shenanigans since 2017, why Rob Manfred is a pitiful excuse for a league commissioner, what MLB should do with advanced technology governing the extent of rampant greed in the sport, how Jose Altuve went from an inspirational human being to a bucket of second-grade used pine tar, and why the Houston Astros as an organization deserve a special place in baseball hell.

Don't forget to subscribe to jaysjournal.com and follow all our excellent writers on a daily basis!

Five takes on the nature and quality of the Toronto Blue Jays rebuild during the 2019 MLB campaign.

Special guests: Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame), Richard Birfer (@richardbirfs), Hayden Godfrey (@haydengodfreyy), Marshall Auerback (@Mauerback) and Chris Henderson (@Baseball4Brains).

Visit Jays Journal (jaysjournal.com) on the FanSided network and subscribe to arishapiro.ca today to receive future Take 5 episodes straight to e-mail and on your cell phone.

Enjoy the latest Toronto Blue Jays round table recorded on May 20th, 2019 and brought to you by Jays Journal and arishapiro.ca.

Settle in and join host Ari Shapiro and his guests: country musician star and site expert Chris Henderson (@baseball4brains), scouting director and minor league expert Richard Birfer (@richardbirfs), and celebrated writer and public speaker Hayden Godfrey (@haydengodfreyy).

Together, they tackle the issue of resting Vlad Guerrero Jr. hot on the heels of winning AL Player of the Week and in front of a national holiday crowd, how to analyze the reported 25% decrease in attendance over last year and what baseball is doing to combat diminishing interest in the sport, evaluating the fourth year of the Shapiro/Atkins era, why the fourth largest market in baseball has an actualized payroll of $65 million dollars, what to do with Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez as the only legitimate trading chips on the roster, looking back at Roberto Osuna and the price that was paid for making a "moral" baseball trade, and their general speculation on the quality and nature of this enigmatic rebuild.

Be sure to visit jaysjournal.com and arishapiro.ca for your latest in Blue Jays insights, editorials, and analysis.

This latest baseball round table includes guests Jesse Golderberg-Strassler (@jgoldstrass; author and voice of the Lansing Lugnuts), Marshall Auerback (@Mauerback; writer and research analyst at the Levy Institute), and Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame; co-founder of Prospects Live and host of The Scouts Have Eyes podcast).

We discussed: Anthony Alford's great and final crusade, the sumptuous reclamation projects that is Teoscar Hernandez, a strange recurrence of the Shapiro vs. Anthopoulos paradigm, what Alex and his legacy was truly all about, Woodell's favourite under-the-radar Jays prospects, dreaming of 200+ innings from Stroman and Sanchez, why the most important rookie on the team isn't a player, how to properly grade the efforts of Charlie Montoyo, and the power of self-prescribed intellectual exercises in management versus old-school vanilla rebuilds.

Be sure to check out jaysjournal.com and arishapiro.ca for all the latest news, insights, and editorials on all things Toronto Blue Jays.

The latest Jays Journal round table featuring Chris Henderson (@baseball4brains; musician and site expert at Jays Journal), Geoff Falbo (@gfalbo13; writer/blogger formerly with Deep Leagues), and Eric Rosenhek (@TheHek; writer and host of Definitely Not Jays Talk).

We discussed: Vlad Guerrero's oblique strain and the issue of personal conditioning, the glorious renaissance of Bo Bichette, Anthony Alford's quest for true baseball redemption, Bud Norris and the issue of veteran influence in the dugout, what happens if Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez put their pitching woes behind them, the future of the starting rotation, when this team officially becomes Mark Shapiro's baby, and what happens if the bottom falls out early and all we're left with is a minor league product at major league prices during August.

2018 Toronto Blue Jays Player in Review: Kevin Pillar

Join podcast host Ari Shapiro as he takes a moment to reflect on the season that was for center fielder Kevin Pillar and what fans should expect in the days ahead. Featuring article and social media quotes from: Hayden Godfrey, Clayton Richer, and Chris Henderson of Jays Journal.

Be sure to tune in regularly for new player reviews from the year that was, and check out the latest work from the writing crew over at Jays Journal. Subscribe to arishapiro.ca today and receive the latest daily reviews straight to your e-mail inbox and on-demand with your phone.

2018 Toronto Blue Jays Player in Review: Marcus Stroman

Join podcast host Ari Shapiro as he takes a moment to reflect on the season that was for starting pitcher Marcus Stroman and what fans should expect in the days ahead. Featuring article and social media quotes from: Chris Henderson, Jon Morosi, and Marcus Stroman's twitter feed.

Be sure to tune in regularly for new player reviews from the year that was, and check out the latest work from the writing crew over at Jays Journal (@JaysJournal).

Subscribe to arishapiro.ca today and receive the latest daily reviews straight to your e-mail inbox and on-demand with your phone.

2018 Toronto Blue Jays Player in Review: Justin Smoak

Join podcast host Ari Shapiro as he takes a moment to reflect on the season that was for first baseman Justin Smoak and what fans should expect in the days ahead. Featuring article quotes from: Hayden Godfrey, Chris Henderson, and Clayton Richer.

Be sure to tune in regularly for new player reviews from the year that was, and check out the latest work from the writing crew over at Jays Journal (@JaysJournal).

Subscribe to arishapiro.ca today and receive the latest daily reviews straight to your e-mail inbox and on-demand with your phone.

2018 Toronto Blue Jays Player in Review: Russell Martin

Join podcast host Ari Shapiro as he takes a moment to reflect on the season that was for catcher Russell Martin and what fans should expect in the days ahead. Featuring article quotes from: Clayton Richer, Chris Henderson, Hayden Godfrey, and Steve Buffery.

Be sure to tune in regularly for new player reviews from the year that was, and check out the latest work from the writing crew over at Jays Journal (@JaysJournal).

Subscribe to arishapiro.ca today and receive the latest daily reviews straight to your e-mail inbox and on-demand with your phone.

Jays Journal Podcast - Episode 77. "There and Back Again."

(0:00-4:02) Opening Monologue
(4:05-23:31) Ben Nicholson-Smith, National Baseball Editor at Sportsnet
(23:31-47:14) Chris Henderson, Site Expert at the Jays Journal
(47:15-65:01) Richard Birfer, Regional Supervisor at the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network

First, I spoke with Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) of Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) about his thoughts regarding the lingering rumours surrounding Mark Shapiro and the New York Mets, how fans should reconcile an absolutely brutal year of baseball, his candid takes on the most promising rookies for 2019, selecting an MVP from the underachieving hot mess before him, if the organization is comfortable enough with their starters next year to find any semblance of real competition, which old guard veterans he feels won't be around for the rebuild, the lasting influence of potential player-coach Russell Martin, and how fans should truly feel about the way the Josh Donaldson saga reached its conclusion.

Next, Chris Henderson (@Baseball4Brains) of Jays Journal (@JaysJournal) dropped in to offer his perspectives on the surprising play of the recent crop of Blue Jays rookies in September, thoughts on the young and unpredictable starting rotation for next year, his impression of Randal Grichuk replacing Kevin Pillar moving ahead, why he thinks Kendrys Morales is worth keeping, on the brilliant future of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., an opinion on Devon Travis as likely the best reclamation project of all, dealing with the veiled threat of a lowered payroll in the future, if Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins can rebuild their credibility with fans, and his opinion of the value and influence of Ken Giles as the team's closer.

Finally, Richard Birfer (@richardbirfs) from the Collegiate Scouting Baseball Network (@CBScountingNet) joined me to help digest and interpret the media hype surrounding a future based almost entirely on youth and prospect promise, how to contextualize the third best farm system in organized baseball, his earnest evaluation of Ryan Borucki-Bo Bichette-Danny Jansen-Lourdes Gurriel Jr., thoughts on a future without Kevin Pillar, which outfield prospects could end surprising the faithful, and why he feels that Vlad Guerrero Jr. needs more time to develop.

(0:00-2:55) Shapiro's Monologue
(2:56-25:15) Women At Bat (Ainka Jess/Dana Bookman/April Whitzman/Alexis Brudnicki)
(25:16-45:07) Tony Ambrogio
(45:08-1:20:13) Round Table (Bryan Hatt/April Whitzman/Marshall Auerback)


Don't forget to subscribe to www.arishapiro.ca to receive all the latest episodes of the Jays Journal podcasts.

(2:30-32:47) Tao of Stieb
(32:48-59:40) Ian Hunter
(59:40-90:33) Round Table: Chris Henderson, Cole Shelton, and Richard Birfer

With the Mid-Summer Classic firmly in our rear-view mirrors and a sprawling road ahead with 68 games left to play, the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves fighting for respectability as the second half of the season begins. All that remains now is a glorious opportunity for a beleaguered management group to demonstrate leadership in finding value for players who aren't part of their long-term future. In essence, one could make the case that this is the most important trade deadline in years, and will likely end up having a significant impact on their blueprint for 2019 and beyond.

On this episode of the baseball show, I'm pleased to be joined by April Whitzman (@Alleycat17), former Blue Jays digital marketing manager, whose wisdom and expertise on the subject of connecting with the fanbase is put on display as we (existentially) discuss: how she feels about the way the current Blue Jays leadership group is representing itself in the face of lingering on-field/of-field adversity and if this front office is modernized enough in their thinking to prioritize the fans before the price of doing business. We also explore what she would do in managing such and established and coveted brand while looking to the future with unheralded optimism.

Next, we're visited by Geoff Falbo (@gfalbo13), former writer for DeepLeagues.com, who drops by for a quick segment I like to call: "Five Minutes with Falbo" - a new addition to the show which features brutally candid truth mixed with incendiary resolve that only a diamond purist like Geoff was born to produce. He looks back at the first three months and what it would conceivably take to one day re-conjure those powerfully indelible feelings from September. 2015.

Finally, writer and blogger Hayden Godfrey (@haydengodfreyy) from the Jays Journal sits down to talk about a season of underachieving efforts and catastrophic injuries, true disappointments from the first half, his official projections for the remainder of the season, and how much responsibility should fall squarely on the shoulders of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins.

Normally, I would name an episode of the show after a certain sentiment or inspired thoughts based on how the team is playing – especially after dropping a transparently winnable series against the New York Yankees. But given the circumstances of what has been a season to forget, I decided to settle on a title that’s reflective of the cold, hard reality of numerical facts – that this is in fact the seventy-third episode of this podcast’s venerable history, and that the 2018 Toronto Blue Jays are steering into the 89th Midsummer Classic with a team which doesn't have a single starter with an ERA under 4.00 and nary a hitter to be found who isn’t hitting below a .260 batting average. Dark times indeed, my friends.

To celebrate such ignominious realizations comes a fresh and exciting audio deliverance that promises to keep you temporarily distracted from the unbearable lightness of baseball being. I’ve cobbled together precisely the kind of organized diversion that will leave the listener with plenty of room for romanticized optimism and abundant idealism wrapped gently between layers of stone-cold sobering realities.

First, it's my pleasure to bring forth an exclusive interview with the incredibly talented and always indefatigable Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) of Sportsnet magazine, who was patient enough to withstand a volley of some substantial “on the spot” style questioning related to the return of Roberto Osuna, the employment status of John Gibbons, and how this season will be looked upon by future generations of fans. (0:00-29:12)

Next, Charlie Marshall (@cwmarshall98) and Hayden Godfrey (@HaydenGodfreyy), two of our most prodigious writers at the Jays Journal, take a few moments to answer my obvious question that’s on the lips of most of the fanbase: how does one stay inspired to write about these woefully underachieving Blue Jays? Not surprisingly, they left me charged with youthful enthusiasm amidst all my cantankerous inquisitiveness with a hearty dose of good ole' fashioned prospect projections. (29:13-34:10)

And finally - and this one’s a doozy, I was able to rally three razor-sharp minds and equally loquacious voices to my grand round table; celebrated blogger and writer Tao of Stieb (@TaoOfStieb), the voice of the Lansing Lugnuts and author of The Baseball Thesaurus, Jesse Goldberg-Strassler (@jgoldstrass), and uber producer at the Fan590 and co-host of The Southpaw Slice (@Southpaw_Slice), Jon Reid (@JonReid590), all hunker down with me to slay the cynicism, outrage, and remains of the day with endless dosages of soothsaying wisdom that’s likely the best ointment you’ll ever find. (34:11-73:29)

With the baseball trade deadline fast approaching and the Toronto Blue Jays producing daily efforts on the diamond which range from surprisingly competitive to predictably mediocre, you can't blame fans for feeling a profound sense of deja vu intertwined with what we can best described as the inevitability of foreboding, necessary change. The kind of change that may leave this team looking nothing like their former selves, and thus ushering in a new era that will most certainly be referred to as the "official" Mark Shapiro rebuild.

Joining me to help further dissect the intricacies of what's most likely to unfold over the next few weeks is baseball writer Chris Henderson (@baseball4brains), one of the site experts at Jays Journal, who takes a deeper underlying look at how recent struggles have truly reflected on the character of this team, and why Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s injury might end up being the best thing for everyone involved: fans, management, and the player himself. (6:08-11:31)

It's also my distinct pleasure to welcome motivational speaker and mental health conditioning expert Riley Tincher (@RileyTincher), who shares his thoughts on the challenge behind treating depression and social anxiety in the sport of baseball. Riley's assessment of Roberto Osuna is particularly compelling, along with his personal reasons behind writing a book (Pitching Against Myself) detailing his emotional private battles that led him to become a public inspiration to those in need of help, compassion, and guidance. (11:42-31:02)

Last but not least, I'm joined by comedian Bryan Hatt (@BryanHatt) and producer Matthew Leslie Burke (@mttbrk13) in a lovely discussion on baseball philosophy, childhood reflection, and podcasting existentialism. You'll get a real kick out of hearing what the talented team behind Chatting Practice (@chattingpod) has to offer for audio enthusiasts of sports comedy podcasts that respect the listener, keep you consistently entertained, and always get it right the first time. (31:11-57:09)

The Blue Jays find themselves facing American League East opponents over the next nine days beginning with a six-game soiree against the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Although the season has proven to be a colossal disappointment to many, I invite you to check out my latest intrepid foray into the hearts and minds of faithful bloggers, writers, and true baseball experts whose wizened perspectives may help mold the way you'll perceive the future of this team.

Joining me on this episode is one of the most esteemed and dynamic baseball writers across Canada, the Tao of Stieb (@taooftstieb) from Rogers Sportsnet, who offers up exclusively candid takes on a multitude of pressing Blue Jays issues: his thoughts on the team’s gruesome May, if Vlad Guerrero Jr. is on borrowed time in the minors, thoughts on the real legacy of John Gibbons, if the chemistry in April could be bottled and replicated in June, on the surreal rise and fall of Joe Biagini, why Kendrys Morales and Russell Martin remain stalwarts in a struggling lineup, and how Randal Grichuk is his choice for true cavalry salvation. (0:45-38:10)

If that doesn't whet your palate enough, I urge you to keep listening for an action-packed round table consisting of podcaster Sam Mendelsohn (@Mendy_Island), producer Jon Reid (@JonReid590), and sportscaster Colin Teskey (@TeskeyRadio). Together, we explore if the Blue Jays season is salvageable, what really happened to Marcus Stroman, why Pete Walker and Brook Jacoby are still employed, if the criticism being levied against Gibby is fair, why delaying a rebuild may come back to haunt Mark Shapiro, and the growing dilemma that is Josh Donaldson's horrific season. (38:10-90:19)

As the Blue Jays continue their road trip against quality teams like the Phillies and Red Sox, it's becoming abundantly clear that something's got to give when it comes to preserving the fleeting sanity of their concerned fanbase. Specifically, how close the team is to making a decision regarding their mercurial prospect (Vlad Guerrero Jr.) and their equally mercurial disappointments (Kendrys Morales, Randal Grichuk, Marcus Stroman) through the early stages of the season.

Joining me to explore all possibilities are true baseball soothsayers and raconteurs; first, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) drops in and offers a closer look at the differences between the 2017 and 2018 teams, how much of this recent stretch can be attributed to sheer bad luck, what John Gibbons has to do to motivate his slumping players, if the Blue Jays can compete with teams like the LA Angels and Seattle Mariners, and how quickly he'd bring up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to join this year's struggling edition of the team.

Next, I'm joined by three writers and bloggers whose expertise on the game of baseball needs to be heard in order to be enjoyed; Marshall Auerback (@mauerback) from the Levy Institute (@LevyEcon), Diamyn Hall (@DiamynHall) from Wright State Baseball (@WSUbaseball), and Ian Hunter (@BlueJaysHunter) from The Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb). Together, we discuss: if fans should be panicking at this stage in the season, their candid thoughts on the struggles of Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez, musings on contending and rebuilding aka being half-in and half-out, and how to manage expectations when it comes to the elevation of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the big leagues.

Out-hit, out-pitched, out-scored and out-classed; some long weekends aren't worth their salt when it comes to anticipating a pleasing and worthwhile baseball experience in this city. As the Oakland Athletics battered the home faithful into oblivion with a team that resembled the Bad News Bears rather than the Toronto Blue Jays, it's abundantly clear that most fans are reaching their boiling point when it comes to unconditional loyalty and surreptitious faith in this franchise. Since we know it's always darkest before the dawn (and that there's 115 more games to play in a ridiculously long roller-coaster of a bloated season). let's turn our attention to more constructive musings and auditory pleasures to inspire immediate optimism.

In what is perhaps one of the most jam-packed editions of the podcast ever produced, I'm thrilled to start the show with an an exclusive one-on-one interview with former Blue Jays second baseman and World Series Champion, Homer Bush (@BushHomer). Together, we discuss his experiences as a player in the pre-sabermetric era and how the transformative nature of the game conspired against his career and his perception of baseball long after retirement. You’ll definitely want to check out his latest book available on Amazon and Google Books: “Hitting Low in the Zone: A New Baseball Paradigm.”

Next, Alexis Brudnicki (@baseballexis), formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays and now with the Great Lake Canadians (@GLCanadians), joins me to discuss her fond memories of the Lansing Three and why Joey Votto's inexplicably bizarre comments were interpreted in more ways than one. She also offers us a powerful indictment on the state of amateur baseball in Canada and why it's absolutely vital to support the game at the grass roots level.

Finally, I'm thrilled to round out the show with a boisterous round table discussion featuring Richard Birfer (@richardbirfs) from the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (@CBScoutingNet), Brendan Panikkar (@Panikkar37) from Baseball Prospectus (@BProToronto), and Chris Henderson (@Baseball4brains) of Jays Journal. Topics covered include: Robinson Cano’s dreadful suspension, if Joe Biagini might be irreparably broken, the merits of calling up Vlad Guerrero Jr. sooner rather than later, why Alex Anthopoulos can do no wrong in Atlanta, and their deep thoughts on Joey Votto.

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays can be forgiven if they feel as though this past week has aged them considerably. In what could best be described as a journey through baseball purgatory, the franchise found itself losing a red-hot minor-league prospect to a freak injury, witnessed their elite closer placed on administrative leave, were astonishingly no-hit by a rival Canadian player who was originally drafted by them, and suffered a inevitable series loss to the best team in the American League.

Join us on this episode of the Jays Journal podcast as host Ari Shapiro brings you an exclusive one-on-one interview with the voice of the Lansing Lugnuts and the author of the Baseball Thesaurus - Jesse Goldberg-Strassler (@jgoldstrass). Together, we tackle a wide variety of undeniably existential and truly philosophical Blue Jays perspectives, including:

His thoughts on regressing to the mean with players such as Kendry Morales, Randal Grichuk, and Russell Martin, what the future holds for Marcus Stroman and if he's really his own worst enemy, if the unflappable and burgeoning ERA of the starting rotation is a legitimate concern, why Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not an option for the foreseeable future, how he felt about the recent calamities and woes which seemingly haunt the Rogers Centre, Roberto Osuna and the personal nature of baseball, candid thoughts on the Alan Trammell/George Bell archetypes of the 1980's, his brutally honest take on the Mark Shapiro/Ross Atkins regime, and who the next minor league call-up should be in the pecking order of talent.

Don't forget to check out Jesse's brilliant minor-league perspectives on the Around The Nest Podcast (@Around Nest), and be sure to buy your copy of The Baseball Thesaurus on Amazon today.

After a pleasantly surprising start to the 2018 campaign, the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves ahead of the grade and yet seemingly always behind the bend in the American League East. With the twin juggernauts (Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees) asserting themselves as the "super teams" they truly are, one can only hope that a solid April will turn into an even more prosperous May - one that will see the club facing an unprecedented level of quality competition and genuine baseball adversity. 

Join us on this episode of the Jays Journal podcast as host Ari Shapiro brings you a compelling and immersive round table discussion featuring two exceptionally savvy and renowned scribes: Tao of Stieb (@TaoofStieb) of Rogers Sportsnet and Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame) of Prospects1500.com.

Their thoughts on how the Blue Jays have cooled off after their red hot start, why certain players are struggling mightily (Grichuk, Morales) while others are succeeding almost inexplicably (Solarte, Granderson), how to reconcile a lack of hitting discipline and burgeoning strikeout rates in the days to come, if the team is prepared to be patient with a scuffling and dreadfully one-dimensional Kendrys Morales, their predictions on the likelihood of an earth-shattering Vlad Guerrero Jr. sighting before the summer, on the Shapiro-Atkins paradigm and their aversion to high-risk/high-priced talents, and what it ultimately means when this team demonstrates it can win without Josh Donaldson in the lineup. (4:48-44:51)