Blue Jays Morning Brew: Podcast Episode 60 and extras

The Blue Jays Morning Brew returns with some Tuesday goodness, including episode 60 of the Jays Nest Podcast and the stories you need to read

The Jays Nest Podcast Ep. 60  –  Shaun Doyle of Jays From the Couch and I put our made-for-radio heads together for another episode of the Jays Nest Podcast, which you can subscribe to and download on both iTunes or Stitcher for Android devices.

The recent signing of Gavin Floyd took centre stage this week, especially given the unexpected major league deal handed to him and the possibility that he could become the Liam Hendriks of 2016. The Crocodile’s shoes are big ones to fill, admittedly, but after spending some of 2015 with Floyd, Shapiro and Atkins surely know something we don’t.

We also tackle the topic that is quickly becoming the hot-button “thing” of the Blue Jays 2016 season. Who bats leadoff? Shaun and I discuss Troy Tulowitzki, Kevin Pillar, and even Russell Martin.

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

Along with an honest attempt to wrap our heads around Gregg Zaun‘s front office aspirations and some Blue Jays odds and ends, we take your listener questions. Have one for the next episode? Hit me up anytime on Twitter @KeeganMatheson.

Donaldson lends a helping hand  –  A fun story here from Adrian Garro of FOX Sports, as Josh Donaldson sent former Oakland Athletics teammate Brett Anderson one of his bats to use during the 2016 season. “Your model better have more than 4 hits in it,” Anderson tweeted, referring to his 4-for-47 line from the past season.

Who’s left on the market  –  Here’s a great look at five potential free agents the Blue Jays could still entertain courtesy of Kevin Papetti at Blue Bird Banter. Despite the presence of Edwin Encarnacion, Justin Smoak, and Chris Colabello, I still refuse to give up on my dream of seeing Justin Morneau play in his home country.

Gibbons vs. Wedge  –  Shaun and I discussed the “manager in waiting” tag slapped on Eric Wedge during the podcast, and we agree that it’s a bit much. Jeff Blair of Sportsnet disagrees, however, in his Monday column. Which, heck, is just fine! Where do you stand on the presence of Wedge and how it impacts Gibbons in 2016?

Slotting Pillar  –  Some quality analysis as always from Nick Ashbourne of Sportsnet, where he suggests that Kevin Pillar is best utilized towards the bottom of the lineup where his speed can be maximized. Batting leadoff, Ashbourne suggests, would limit his potential running opportunities, while batting ahead of someone like Ryan Goins would allow him to take far more risks and push the envelope more often.