Jays Journal Podcast Exclusive: Tao of Stieb.

Jays Journal Podcast Exclusive: Tao of Stieb.

Hot on the heels of a crippling extra-inning loss, the Blue Jays limped out of Detroit with their feathers firmly between their legs. As the dust settled, one couldn't help but feel an uneasy sense of deja vu which invariably comes with losing a completely winnable series against a vulnerable team on the road; highlighted profanely by a final out which came down to a battle between a superstar generational hitter and a hastily, thrown-together, patchwork quilt battery which defied the imagination. With perennial rivals Boston and Cleveland up next, the team finds itself in desperate need of momentum and victories. 

We're thrilled to offer you an exclusive interview with Sportsnet writer Tao of Stieb (@Taoofstieb), one of the most prolific and highly respected baseball minds across Canada, who sits down with host Ari Shapiro to share his candid and intimate thoughts on this team, their murky future, and other wildly philosphical diamond musings, including:

Tao's genuine impressions of the 2017 Toronto Blue Jays baseball team (3:30); envisioning a Beeston-Anthopoulos alternate reality (8:41); will Bichette and Guerrero jr. become the game-changers fans need them to be (12:14); projecting the 2019 roster and if the team will survive a rebuild (19:16); on Escober, Carpenter, and Halladay (20:36); rationalizing the impact of player regression and weighty contracts (23:01); the dilemma that is Tulowitzki and an uncertain future (28:22); where this club could end up over 1-2 months of continued futility (31:41); how guaranteed contracts and seemingly frugal moves changed this team (37:21); and how a season rife with shenanigans, injuries, and player regression foiled most pundits (41:01).  

Check out: http://www.sportsnet.ca/author/tao-of-stieb/.