Big Decisions Await The Blue Jays Down The Stretch

July 24: Last episode of the Stro Show?: Is this it for Marcus Stroman and the Blue Jays? And if so, what happens next? Shi Davidi joins Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith in studio to make sense of the Blue Jays ahead of the deadline. “One of the great things about Blue Jays fans is that Blue Jays fans obsess over these tiny transactions (Dalton Pompey) and I think that’s great. I love that. I mean, when Ryan Goins was let go, that was a big deal. When Danny Valencia versus Chris Calabello in August of 2015. That was a big deal. That’s great. We like those discussions. I think it’s cool when fans do too. But ultimately, I just think the amount of hand wringing that happened around Dalton Pompey getting taken off the roster — like this is not someone who has shown he belongs on a big league roster.” -Ben Nicholson-Smith This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 F by At The Letters

47 min listen

Nate Pearson: How does baseball’s top right-handed pitching prospect prepare himself? Nate Pearson joins Arden and Ben in Dunedin, Fla. to talk tech, food, sleep, workload and the high hopes he has for his career.This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. Special thanks to Maria St. Aubin for archival support.Audio Credits: Toronto Blues Radio Network.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. by At The Letters

36 min listen

Winter Wins and What They Will Mean: While the Blue Jays still have work to do, Hyun-jin Ryu could be a difference maker. Arden and Ben take stock of what the recent additions mean for a new-look Toronto roster. This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters also on YouTube. Watch it here. This episode, our video producer is Will Farquharson. Audio Credits: ARIRANG NEWS and Sportsnet. 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. by At The Letters

49 min listen

Springer A Huge Addition For Ascending Blue Jays: Well, the Toronto landed its top target after all. George Springer is a Blue Jay, so Ben and Arden break down what his deal means, how it impacts the roster and what comes next. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. Our video and social media producer is Mike Tassone. 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. by At The Letters

61 min listen

July 3: Gurriel Jr. showing star-level potential for Blue Jays: What if Lourdes Gurriel Jr. can be a star for this team? This week Arden and Ben discuss Gurriel Jr., marvel at Cavan Biggio’s plate approach and break down Aaron Sanchez’s struggles. “Don?t forget about the elite left field defence that you are getting (from Lourdes Gurriel Jr.). Don’t forget about the fact that nobody can run on him. The assist numbers that he’s put up having played the outfield for a month and a half are absurd.” -Arden Zwelling This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford -The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet and Sportsnet 590 the FAN. 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. by At The Letters

42 min listen

Sept. 5: Call-ups add intrigue as losses pile up for Blue Jays: Remember when the Blue Jays won games for a while? Those days are over. As September call-ups arrive in Toronto, Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith discuss the club’s struggles and recent additions. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Shoaib Alli, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet At The Letters is also on YouTube, you can watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIo-bCF7STE. This week, our video producers are Anthony Memme and Drew Livingstone. 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. by At The Letters

36 min listen

June 26: What Would The Blue Jays Get For Marcus Stroman?: Dan Shulman returns to Sportsnet’s podwaves by pinch-hitting for Ben this week. Dan and Arden discuss why the Yankees seem like a good fit for Marcus Stroman, the Blue Jays minor-league pitching depth, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s improvement as a fielder and hitter, Cavan Biggio’s plate discipline and a surprisingly upbeat clubhouse. “It’s the young guys’ clubhouse right now. I mean Smoak is still there. Sogard, Galvis, Clayton Richard. They have value as leaders in that clubhouse in my opinion. But who is making noise when we walk into the clubhouse And I think the young kids, it’s still new enough that they are having fun and I think they know it’s going to get better. How much better? How quickly? We don’t know. But it is going to get better.” -Dan Shulman This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Arden Zwelling and Dan Shulman. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – T by At The Letters

63 min listen

July 17: Weighing in on Blue Jays’ top trade chips with Mike Wilner: Just like that, we’re only two weeks away from the trade deadline, so Blue Jays play by play voice Mike Wilner joins Ben Nicholson-Smith at Fenway Park to discuss the team’s top trade chips. “The Blue Jays are going to be good next year. They’re going to be very good in a couple of years. And in three years, they’re going to be looking for Marcus Stroman or a Marcus Stroman type. So if you are not going to get back a whole bunch of good stuff (for Marcus Stroman), and I don’t necessarily mean like five players or three players. Even one guy can be a whole bunch of good stuff. Why not keep him? Why not extend him?” – Mike Wilner This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are by At The Letters

36 min listen

Nov. 8: Blue Jays’ off-season work just getting started: Chase Anderson’s a Blue Jay now. What’s next? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith explain who is (and isn’t) a free agent fit before considering Toronto’s options in centre field. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is also on YouTube. Watch it here. This episode, our video producer is Anthony Caminiti. Audio Credits: Sportsnet and Sportsnet 590 The FAN. 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. by At The Letters

58 min listen

July 30: Did the Blue Jays get fair value in Stroman trade?: Marcus Stroman and Eric Sogard have been traded. Did the Blue Jays get enough back? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith make sense of the moves and Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline weighs in on the return. “This would be a really big story (Bo Bichette called up) if it hadn’t happened on the day that Marcus Stroman was traded and blew up in the clubhouse, and Shelley Duncan was removed from the coaching staff, and nobody was allowed in the clubhouse after the game …. and Eric Sogard is in the mixed zone in neutral territory between the two clubhouses.” – Arden Zwelling This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet and Sportsnet 590 The FAN. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are t by At The Letters

48 min listen

Sept. 13: Discussing the evolution of pitching with Blue Jays’ Pete Walker: Imagine obsessing over every last pitch thrown by the 2019 Blue Jays. That’s Pete Walker’s job. As a tough season winds down, Walker joins Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith for a big picture discussion about pitching. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun.https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ 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. by At The Letters

40 min listen

The Blue Jays’ Many Off-Season Decisions: After an early playoff exit, it’s time to plan ahead. Arden and Ben discuss everything from club options to non-tenders to trade targets in this wide-ranging off-season preview episode. This episode is produced and sound designed by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. Our video and social media producer is Mike Tassone. 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. by At The Letters

82 min listen

July 12: Applying lessons in player development to the Blue Jays: What if there was no such thing as a ceiling for MLB players? This week, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh joins At the Letters to talk about the MVP Machine, the book on player development he co-authored. “He knows he’s going to be traded. That was really my takeaway from talking to Stroman on the Monday (at the All-Star Game). How clear it is for him that his days in Toronto are numbered barring a further set back on the health front. And he’s come to terms with that.” -Ben Nicholson-Smith This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: ESPN and Sportsnet. 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. by At The Letters

41 min listen

June 20: Raptors’ success brings back Blue Jays memories: After covering the NBA Finals, Arden returns to talk Raptors and Blue Jays with Ben. Plus, discussions about Marcus Stroman and Ross Atkins. “I think Stroman has known since last year it was a possibility. Over the winter it was something the Blue Jays were openly talking about that they would listen to offers on Stroman and Sanchez.” -Ben Nicholson-Smith This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: ABC and Sportsnet. 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. by At The Letters

60 min listen

Sept. 27: John Schneider’s observations from the dugout: Few people have seen as much of Vlad, Bo and Biggio as John Schneider. The Blue Jays coach joins Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith to discuss the development of those rookies and what he watches for from the dugout. “He (Bo Bichette) thinks he’s going to be Mickey Mantle — Mike Trout. There’s no hesitation.” -John Schneider This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun.https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: ESPN and Sportsnet 590 The FAN. 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. by At The Letters

47 min listen

Talking Next Steps And Revisiting Some Blue Jays History: With uncertainty still surrounding the start of the 2020 MLB season, Arden and Ben wonder what’s next before discussing some of the classic Blue Jays games now airing on Sportsnet. Listen to our interview Andrew Albers HERE. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. 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. by At The Letters

30 min listen

Aug. 21: Will Pearson be next top prospect to join Blue Jays?: Now that Nate Pearson’s just one step away from the majors, how soon could he make his MLB debut? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith discuss before turning their attention to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s knee and the Jays’ use of the opener. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Shoaib Alli, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Buffalo Bisons, MLB.com 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. by At The Letters

39 min listen

Aug. 9: A new era of Blue Jays baseball arrives: Bo Bichette can’t be stopped, so Arden and Ben discuss his historic stretch, what the Blue Jays can do to address their pitching, and Mark Shapiro’s recent media availability. “I don’t know if the Blue Jays are going to win in two years or three years. None of us know if they are going to go to the postseason or win a championship. But if they do, these are the players that are going to get them there. This is going to be the core of that team. You can say — hey, I remember when Bo Bichette debuted! I remember watching Cavan Biggio hit that screaming home run to right at the Trop. You can get in on the ground floor of this and watch it.” -Arden Zwelling This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet and by At The Letters

53 min listen

What We’ve Learned At Blue Jays Spring Training: All of a sudden opening day’s not all that far off. From the Blue Jays’ spring training home in Dunedin, Fla., Ben asks Arden for his Grapefruit League impressions and a discussion about Nate Pearson follows. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. Audio Credits: Blue Jays Radio Network. 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. by At The Letters

57 min listen

Scott MacArthur Talks Coming Out, MLB Labour, Blue Jays: One year after coming out publicly, Sportsnet 590 The FAN radio host Scott MacArthur joins Arden and Ben to talk Pride, MLB labour and the Blue Jays’ chances in 2020. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. 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. by At The Letters

74 min listen

Oct. 4: Reviewing some contentious Blue Jays over/under predictions: With some much-needed help from Shi Davidi, Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith review their annual over/under predictions. As always, past assumptions about the Blue Jays prove questionable in time. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet 590 The FAN. At The Letters is also on YouTube. You can watch the episode here. This week our video producer is Drew Livingstone. 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. by At The Letters

60 min listen

Aug. 1: A closer look at the Blue Jays’ decision to trade Sanchez: With Sanchez, Biagini and Hudson all traded, Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith make sense of the Blue Jays’ decisions and assess the return coming to Toronto. “I just don’t think you can criticize the front office for, you know, oh — they don’t now what they are doing. No! They’re doing what every other team is doing. They’re doing what all baseball front offices are doing. It’s where its been going for a while now. It’s like baseball teams went from mom and pop shops — they went from Joe’s Hardware and Beth’s Fine Goods to Google and IBM.” – Arden Zwelling This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet and Sportsnet 590 The FAN. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are by At The Letters

59 min listen

Planning For A Season Like None Other: Getting the 2020 baseball season going will be nothing if not complex. Shi Davidi joins Arden and Ben to discuss the latest plans and the many ways the Blue Jays will be impacted. This episode is recorded and sound engineered by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. 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. by At The Letters

55 min listen

Sept. 19: Assessing the debut seasons of Vlad, Bo and Biggio: How would you grade the Blue Jays’ rookie infielders? Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith weigh in on Vlad, Bo and Biggio while also discussing the Toronto bullpen and Trevor Bauer’s next team. “Cavan Biggio is having a better rookie season than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.” -Arden Zwelling This episode is produced and sound engineered by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford — The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet and Sportsnet 590 The FAN At The Letters is also on YouTube. This week our video producer is Drew Livingstone. Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/GGIzhw0xdrs 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. by At The Letters

47 min listen

Aug. 14: Ross Atkins on the Blue Jays’ present and future: GM Ross Atkins joins Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling for a big-picture discussion about where the Blue Jays are now and what has to happen for them to contend. This episode is produced by Steven Coyle and Ryan Walsh, sound engineered by Shoaib Alli, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet 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. by At The Letters

56 min listen

Stealing The Show: Arden and Ben discuss ongoing Astros scandal and the ways it’s impacting the Blue Jays before moving on to the latest on-field news. “Who is the Blue Jays top outfield prospect?” -Arden Zwelling This episode is produced and sound designed by Amil Delic, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is also on YouTube. Check out this episode here, produced by Will Farquharson. Audio Credits: Fox Sports West and Sportsnet. 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. by At The Letters

58 min listen

Aug. 28: Assessing the Josh Donaldson trade one year later: Josh Donaldson’s back and he’s hitting again, so Arden Zwelling and Ben Nicholson-Smith assess last year’s trade before discussing Rowdy Tellez’s production and previewing the Blue Jays’ September call-ups. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Shoaib Alli, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. At The Letters is also on YouTube. This week, our video producer was Drew Livingstone. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_1fizfXMA At The Letters is presented by the All-New 2019 Ford Ranger. Ford – The road less travelled has way more fun. https://www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/ Audio Credits: Sportsnet, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, MLB Network 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. by At The Letters

44 min listen

Randal Grichuk’s State Of Mind: What does physical distancing look like for the Toronto Blue Jays? Randal Grichuk joins Arden and Ben to discuss his workouts and state of mind with the 2020 baseball season on pause. This episode is produced and recorded by Amil Delic, sound engineered by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. 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. by At The Letters

35 min listen

A New Reality Emerges For The Jays, And All Of Us: A few days ago, the COVID-19 outbreak led to the indefinite suspension of the MLB season. What now? Arden and Ben discuss the implications of the pause in play for society at large and for the Blue Jays. This episode is produced and sound engineered by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. 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. by At The Letters

50 min listen

If Baseball Returns In 2020, What Will It Look Like?: As discussion about a potential 2020 MLB season intensifies, Arden and Ben weigh in on some potential structures for a shortened season while also examining some of the remaining obstacles. This episode is recorded and sound engineered by Christian Ryan, and hosted by Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling. 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. by At The Letters

44 min listen

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Big Decisions Await The Blue Jays Down The Stretch

Big Decisions Await The Blue Jays Down The Stretch

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