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

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

#Sports #Baseball #Toronto Star #Gregorchisholm #Lauraarmstrong #Majorleaguebaseball #Mikewilner #Toronto #Torontobluejays #Torontostar #MLB

51:57

On the Season 2 debut of Lost Cultures: Living Legacies , we travel to Bermuda, an Atlantic island whose history spans centuries and continents. Once uninhabited, Bermuda became a vital stop in transatlantic trade, a maritime stronghold, and a cultural crossroads shaped by African, European, Caribbean, and Native American influences. Guests Dr. Kristy Warren and Dr. Edward Harris trace its transformation from an uninhabited island to a strategic outpost shaped by shipwrecks, colonization, the transatlantic slave trade, and the rise and fall of empires. Plus, former Director of Tourism Gary Phillips shares the story of the Gombey tradition, a vibrant performance art rooted in resistance, migration, and cultural fusion. Together, they reveal how Bermuda’s layered past continues to shape its people, culture, and identity today. You can also find us online at ⁠travelandleisure.com/lostcultures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

about a year ago 1:07:15

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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.

190 episodes

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

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

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published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Guests: Former Blue Jays Communications Director, current Niagara Ironbacks owner Mal Romanin

190 episodes

#Sports #Baseball #Toronto Star #Gregorchisholm #Lauraarmstrong #Majorleaguebaseball #Mikewilner #Toronto #Torontobluejays #Torontostar #MLB

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Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Chair Jeremy Diamond on Jose Bautista and other inductees, plus Padre Tim Leiper and ump Steven Jaschinski 1:18:00

1 day ago1:18:00

1:18:00

Guests: Former Blue Jays/current San Diego Padres coach Tim Leiper, major-league umpire Steven Jaschinski, Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Board Chair Jeremy Diamond This week in Deep Left Field is all about the true north strong and free! Tim Leiper joins us to reminisce about his Jays days and talk about Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Jose Bautista and Greg Hamilton. Leiper, a southern California native who now makes his home in Huntsville, Ont., was coaching first base when Bautista flipped his bat in 2015 and has coached third base for Canada's senior men's national team for more than two decades. Jaschinski made his major-league debut as an umpire on May 16 when the Jays hosted Detroit and the Burlington, Ont. native tells us how he got to the bigs all the way from Aldershot School. And with the CBHOF induction weekend coming up, Jeremy Diamond checks in to tell us what to expect in St. Marys.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays centerfielder Daulton Varsho, third baseman Addison Barger, Buffalo Bisons manager Casey Candaele and more 1:01:05

9 days ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Guests: Blue Jays centerfielder Daulton Varsho, third baseman Addison Barger, Buffalo Bisons manager Casey Candaele This week, we talk to two of the players most consequential to the Jays' recent turnaround that has seen them win eight out of 12 games going into their May 22 series finale against the San Diego Padres. Daulton Varsho leads the team with seven home runs despite only having been active since the end of April. He joins us to talk about his power prowess, his ongoing recovery from shoulder surgery and his advice to his teammates who had been struggling offensively when he arrived. Addison Barger got a chance to play every day when Andres Gimenez got hurt and been one of the Jays' best hitters since then. He talks about his time on the shuttle back and forth from Buffalo, his power potential and his record-setting day in right field back in April. Also, we get the word on the Jays' to minor-league affiliate and the players down there who are on the verge of helping the big club from Bisons skipper Casey Candaele.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty, pitching coach Pete Walker and our very own Gregor Chisholm 1:09:32

16 days ago1:09:32

1:09:32

Guests: Blue Jays reliever Mason Fluharty, pitching coach Pete Walker, Toronto Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm This week in Deep Left Field, we introduce you to rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty, who came within six outs of throwing a "perfect game" out of the bullpen. As the Jays hit the one-quarter mark of the season, we catch up with pitching coach Pete Walker for his thoughts on how the pitching has held up so far, with a focus on the starting rotation, and Gregor Chisholm and I share our thoughts about the controversial MLB decision to remove all deceased players - including and especially Pete Rose - from baseball's Permanently Ineligible list.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, Director of Position Player Development Eric Duncan, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt and more 58:11

23 days ago58:11

58:11

Guests: Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, Director of Position Player Development Eric Duncan, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt The Jays might be in freefall, but we’ve put together a tremendous show for you regardless! Kevin Gausman joins us to talk about the aftermath of his 53-pitch inning in New York, his dominant outing against Cleveland and his family’s off-day adventures in Toronto. We get to know Eric Duncan, who is in charge of position player development throughout the Jays’ farm system and catch up with Cleveland skipper Stephen Vogt about his former teammates and current Jays Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays home run leader Anthony Santander, reliever Brendon Little, 1B/OF coach Mark Budzinski and more 1:01:55

30 days ago1:01:55

1:01:55

Guests: Blue Jays home run leader Anthony Santander, reliever Brendon Little, 1B/OF coach Mark Budzinski The Blue Jays miserable April is over and it ended with a massive comeback win against the Boston Red Sox. No one might be happier to turn the page to May than Anthony Santander, who is hitting just .175 as the calendar flips. The switch-hitter joins us for a frank and open discussion about his early-season struggles and how he and the team hope to turn things around. After the interview, Santander hit a game-tying three-run homer to help the Jays to victory on April 30. We also speak to Mark Budzinski, who knows Santander better than anyone, having managed him in the minor leagues, and we also get insight into the incredible circus catch made by Daulton Varsho – on one knee and with his back to the plate – in Varsho’s first game back. Plus, get to know the Jays’ top left-handed reliever, Brendon Little!…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays outfielders George Springer and Nathan Lukes, pitcher Easton Lucas and more 1:11:56

5 weeks ago1:11:56

1:11:56

Guests: Blue Jays outfielders George Springer and Nathan Lukes, pitcher Easton Lucas Coming off a sweep in Houston where Blue Jays hitters were almost completely shut down for three games, we go over an agonizing “week that was,” one in which the Jays only won once and one that finished on a tear-your-hair-out frustrating five-game losing streak. One of the only players on the team who is hitting at the moment is the resurgent George Springer, and he joins us to discuss his unexpectedly hot start as well as his charity bowling event in support of The Stuttering Association for the Young. We talk to Nathan Lukes, who welcomed a new baby boy last week, though he wasn’t able to make it home to Arizona for the birth. We also chat with left-hander Easton Lucas, the day before his second straight rough start got him optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia, catcher Tyler Heineman, Atlanta 3B coach Matt Tuiasosopo and more 58:46

6 weeks ago58:46

58:46

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Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Forever in Blue Jays history: Pat Hentgen and Vernon Wells discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and their time in Toronto 1:01:36

7 weeks ago1:01:36

1:01:36

Guests: Blue Jays icons Pat Hentgen and Vernon Wells With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. putting pen to paper on the second-largest contract in baseball history, one that will keep him with the team until 2039, when he’s forty years old, and could very well make him the first “Forever Blue Jay,” we are joined by two of the greatest players in club history. Pat Hentgen, who won 19 games for the 1993 World Series champs and picked up the team’s first Cy Young award in 1996, was a Blue Jay for 10 years and in the organization for 15. Vernon Wells, who is in the top five of almost every offensive category in the Jays’ all-time record book and still holds the team’s single-season record with 215 hits (2003), spent 12 years with the Jays and was in the organization for 14. They’ll talk about what it means to play in Toronto for a long time, to be stars here, and what the future could hold for Vladdy as a fellow iconic Blue Jay who will rewrite the team’s record book and may well be headed for Cooperstown by the time he’s done.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Happy birthday Jays, and nice $500-million gift: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a forever Blue Jay 26:36

8 weeks ago26:36

26:36

Overnight, the news broke that the Jays and their superstar slugger have agreed to the second-largest contract in baseball history. Guerrero will be a Blue Jay through his age-40 season with a 14-year, $500 million (U.S.) deal that kicks in beginning next season. We threw down a special bonus episode of Deep Left Field for you, sharing our thoughts about what this means, why it happened now and who could have been behind the final push to get a deal done nearly two months after Guerrero’s deadline passed. We also took your questions and comments on Bluesky!…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays second baseman Andres Gimenez, outfielder Alan Roden and more 1:09:00

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1:09:00

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Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays Opening Day Extravaganza 1:08:48

9 weeks ago1:08:48

1:08:48

Guests: Blue Jays 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., closer Jeff Hoffman, OF Anthony Santander, starters Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman, manager John Schneider The 2025 season is finally upon us and so we bring you the Opening Day Extravaganza! The fifth season of Deep Left Field begins with a star-studded roster of guests to get you ready for the season. You’ll hear from star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. about his spring, his thoughts on the off-season changes and his future with the team. You’ll meet new Jays Anthony Santander and Jeff Hoffman, both of whom will be playing critical roles in the success (or otherwise) of this season. 40 percent of the starting rotation joins us in Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman, and manager John Schneider sits down for a conversation about his long tenure with the organization, his thoughts on Bo Bichette and Vladdy and his expectations for the coming year. The Opening Day Extravaganza is here!…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis, hitting coach David Popkins and more 55:35

10 weeks ago55:35

55:35

Guests: Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis, hitting coach David Popkins, Vancouver Canadians 1B Peyton Williams Spring training is over and the Blue Jays are back home in Toronto, coming off their Grapefruit League title, getting set to open their season on March 27 against the Baltimore Orioles. We go over the season-opening 26-man roster for you, which includes a few surprises, then hear from last year’s breakout star, Bowden Francis, who has to wait until March 31 to make his first start of the season. The Jays revamped their hitting department over the winter, and you’ll meet new hitting coach David Popkins, who has the players buying what he’s selling, at least so far. Also, they call him The Iowa Meat Truck – we chat with up-and-coming young slugger Peyton Williams.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Jordan Romano, Jays' pitcher Nick Sandlin, plus going through Mark Shapiro's spring training media session 56:19

10 weeks ago56:19

56:19

Guests: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jordan Romano, Blue Jays pitcher Nick Sandlin Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro held his annual spring training session with the media and we take you through what he had to say in painstaking detail. His confidence that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would re-sign with the Jays, despite their failure to make a deal all winter, the state of the farm system, whether players like Daulton Varsho, Andres Gimenez and Alejandro Kirk need to hit better for the Jays to succeed and much more. Also, we head over to Phillies camp to check in with “the one who they let get away.” Jordan Romano is thriving in his new digs. And meet the new guy – Nick Sandlin!…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Max Scherzer, Alan Roden, Trey Yesavage and more 40:32

11 weeks ago40:32

40:32

Guests: Blue Jays outfielder Alan Roden, starter Max Scherzer, top pitching prospect Trey Yesavage Deep Left Field is back in Dunedin as the Blue Jays move into their final week of spring training leading the Grapefruit League with a 14-9-1 record! This week, we talk to the story of the spring – young Alan Roden, who is trying to hit his way onto the team and doing a spectacular job so far, batting .409. We also hear from Trey Yesavage, the Jays’ first-round pick in 2024 who made his pro debut in this weekend’s Spring Breakout game with two shutout innings, and starter Max Scherzer, whose spring has been derailed by thumb soreness.…

Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner

1
Deep Left Field opens up the mail bag 1:12:22

11 weeks ago1:12:22