OverDrive - OverDrive - October 24, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson/Steve Phillips

Episode Date: October 24, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss Auston Matthews and William Nylander playing on the same line, the Canadiens calling out officiating and the Penguins' playoff potential this season. TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips joins to discuss the Blue Jays and Dodgers in the World Series, Dear Hayesy-B and Hayes and Bro and O'Win Willson hand out their selections for Week 8.

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Own your home, need a loan. Alpine credits can help. Alpine credits where homeowners get approved. Just for license 12616. Hour 2 Overdrive continues, powered by Fandoil, bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score. Brian Azeo, Doug, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennan, game one of the World Series tonight. Home opener for the Raptors. It's going to be crazy downtown tonight, crazy downtown.

And the Leafs are in action down in Buffalo, and the Leafs are action in action tomorrow at Scotia Bank. Well, the Jays are playing game two tomorrow night. Five o'clock game, though, right? Yes, busy, busy weekend. Busy weekend. Easy weekend. Didn't they change the game to it? It's 5 o'clock for the Leafs tomorrow?

Yes, they did. Yep, 5 o'clock start. Which is a quick turnaround. I mean, not a long commute. Obviously, Buffalo to Toronto, it's the shortest travel you can find. But you play a regular time tonight, and then tomorrow it's a, yeah, quick turnaround, 5 o'clock start. Caden, Primo, is he going tomorrow, I believe? Is that the plan is always going tonight?

I have not seen who started tonight. Yeah, I didn't check the projector. but I would assume that, let me look at goaltunners. Yeah, Stolars is confirmed for tonight and Alex Lyon for Buffalo. Okay. That's what I'm seeing. So that'll be Primo's second start. You know, big opportunity for him.

He'll be is, you know, sitting in the background. I'm sure waiting for an opportunity. And Joseph Wall was announced today who's going to return to the team. Yeah. As early as tomorrow. And I can't imagine. Yeah, good for him. Yeah, I didn't know.

I don't know what's up. It's his own personal deal. But I was scared because I thought something was. I don't know. I just thought there could have been something wrong. So the fact that he came back, I think, is a positive thing. And hopefully he's working things out, and he can be, you know, enjoying himself and enjoying playing hockey relatively soon. When that is, I'm not sure.

Well, yeah, I mean, you know, you don't know the behind the scenes factor, but it's as long as he feels like he's in shape and, you know, he can hit the ground running. But I don't believe it said, didn't they say in the press release, it's a process to get back? I can't remember the wording, but it was something as to, like, you know, resume skating and in the step ladder to get back. I'm paraphrasing. It's going to take him a while. He's not playing for a couple weeks. That's what I mean. Like, you probably get him back.

He might have to play a weekend with the Marley's, get some game action into him, all that type of stuff. And then, listen, they've got nothing by resources. The Leafs have, it seems like 75, you know, player development people. I think they've got at least a dozen. so he'll be on one of those pads at MasterCard Center or whatever it's called now and he'll be he'll be work for it was it Ford Performance Center performance center the house that Johnny built man Johnny went for Walter Cronkite down there skating around I think that's where it

was no bucket hey absolutely no bucket no bow tie here's our TSN hockey analyst joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline here's Mike Johnson what's up Johnny tremendous pull well done and i'm glad you mentioned bow tie because someone did remind me via social media that you promised to wear a bow tie at the jays made the world series so is that is that happening yeah well i think so no i'm not doing it today or tonight it's you know i'm not doing it when i'm down at the game i did originally say that i was being a hero but i will do it on the show i will wear a bowtie on the show monday things have to go well this weekend and he might do it monday but if he's miserable. He ain't pulling out the bowtie on Monday. He's not doing it.

I'll do it at some point. But I can't do it on SportsCenter down there. It's not fair to Hedge and Keegan and like all the producers and people that work hard. And Kenny Rosenthal. And Kenji Rosenthal. You know, everybody just can't do it, man. Can't do it. So, you know, I'm a man of integrity, John. Fair enough. Yeah, man of integrity. All right. Your job above all else, above the schick. I can appreciate that. That's right. Exactly. I'm a serious guy. Is this the right or wrong time to have a home and home with Buffalo if you're the Maple Leafies?

I think it's the right time. I think they've had a couple days off other than their injuries. All of a sudden, you know, a couple of guys are Nick Tenev and Riley are not playing and that's not ideal. But I think they're not happy with how it's going. They're trying new line combinations. While Buffalo certainly has played better, they're not Colorado, which would be much more difficult.

and a real opportunity to get some momentum. They're going to be in Buffalo tonight. We know that is going to be half to three-quarter Maple Leaf fans, bring that energy, that sort of fun environment to play in. And they have a chance to go two for two. And with what's going on in this division, if they go Buffalo, Buffalo, Calgary,

they might find themselves in first place, which doesn't really matter. But, you know, they'll pick up points and they'll be right there sort of psychologically in the standings where they want. So I think it's a good opportunity. Now, I guess because it's Buffalo, if it goes the other way,

It's not ideal, but I look at it optimistically, a chance to really have a great weekend. Johnny, what do you make of Austin Matthews? And we talked about him without Mitch Marner, kind of having to drive the line himself and do a bunch of things. And now he's with William Neelander. What do you think of that happening as almost the necessity because of how little the line was doing and basically how much time the line has been spending in their own zone? So now Neelander's up there. what's going to be happening on the ice when that line leaves the ice?

Well, so, I mean, the first part of it, oh, is it's not ideal that you have their two best players on the same line. You'd like to split them up and have them each help A-line on their own. But I do think we talked about the ability to transport the puck, the ability to gain possession of the offense's own and allow Austin to try to find open spaces to shoot. Willie can do that. Willie's the best on the team at that. And so in that sense, I get why they made that switch. So one thing we never talked about when we put Willie up on that line was taking Matthew Nyes off of it. And maybe that second line becomes more of a cycle and possession and just, you know, wear down the other team.

They won't be racing up and down the ice. But they'll be a little bit more lean on them in the offensive zone. But yeah, I mean, this is the challenge. You have to trust now that Matthews and Nylander will absolutely score every game virtually. and then you hope you just sprinkle in stuff from below them and the power play, and that would be enough. Oh, but yeah, like, if Neelaner on a line is not helping them score consistently, and Matthews on a line is not helping that line score consistently,

a line without either one of them is going to be hard-pressed to score consistently. So just to follow up on that, is McMahon the right guy on that left side? Because, you know, you look at it, the strengths of what each of them do, right? you know, Matthews, Neelander, McMahon, pretty straight-line guy, but tremendous speed, right? So is that maybe the thought process there, why you don't have Nyes there, or you wanted Tavares to play with somebody who is stable and would probably be the third or fourth best player, right, in Nyes? Yeah, I think Nive is probably there to support Tavares, right?

That kind of cycle, big physical puck protection game. And McMahon, you're right, he doesn't make necessarily, you know, fine passes and Qutti plays. He's a straight line guy, but I think he leads the team in hits. He's one of the leading hitters amongst all forwards in the NHL. So if they do dump the puck in, he's got enough speed to go get it. Like when you watch them play Jersey, whenever that was a couple games ago, the guys that looked best were Nealander and McMahon. And I think that's because they're the two fastest guys.

Like actual physically at skating up and down the ice. So, noodles, I think McMahon will get in there. He'll stir it up. He's fast enough to turn it over and then get out of the way. and he can finish. He can shoot really well and trust that the other guys will make the plays

that are necessary to make to get the offensive chances, but probably better than maybe Machelli there because I think they need a little bit of a size, a little bit of strength on that line to make it go.

Might have buried the lead, Johnny, we're talking about the forward lines mixing it up, but two of their top defensemen are out. How concerned are you about that? I'm very concerned, oh, very because the way they're playing now, they're asking so much from their defensemen.

It's one thing if you have the puck in the offensive zone, then I can stand there with the blue line and be proficient. But if you're going to play in your own end, 55 or 60% of the time, which is what they did against Jersey, that's going to put that much more on Bleep Myers and Dakota Murmiss and new pairings and no Tanneth and O'Reilly. That's going to attack that group big time.

So if they play the same way, very concerned. If they play better, if these new lines work, if the opposition has them in the offenses and more, then it of course won't be nearly the same problem because they won't be asked to do as much. So I think the forwards absolutely have to help the defense by not forcing the defensemen who defend that much. And if they do that, then they'll be able to handle however long maybe rallies out in tandem, hopefully not much longer than that.

with Mike Johnson or TSN Hockey Analyst who has to, if you could pick one guy to have a great night tonight. Best game they played all year, who would you pick for the Leafs? I mean, I can't keep going to the well, but isn't it Austin?

I mean, it's got to be Austin Matthews. Like, it has to be. Like, he's been fine. He's been good. He's because he is good. But he hasn't been great. He hasn't been dominant. And he hasn't been dangerous,

consistently dangerous at five on five. Even if he doesn't score, He needs a night where, you know, it's seven shots and it's good chances in tight, and he's got that hole in drag release and it's popping around the defenseman and getting to the net and feeling like, oh, there is that sort of energy and that pace, that offensive juice that has been absent at times this year for him? I think it's him, 100%. And then, I don't know, if Stolar is even playing tonight, I'm assuming he is.

Yeah, I believe he was fine, yeah. It'd be a good day for Stolars. They're like, all right, whatever happens, they're not getting more than one, so we're going to win the game. regardless. So, you know, their best forward, their goaltender. Both those guys have a great game. I think that would do wonders for the psyche of the team. So,

you know, the haves had that last night, then the refs got involved, and I've noticed, Dugie was pointing this out, that online, because the haves were not happy after the game. I think Caulfield made comments. I think Marty St. Louis actually made some very pointed comments, and understandably because some of the calls were terrible.

But there's this belief that the haves always get hooked up by the rep, so who are they to be complaining? And I always thought that was how people felt about the Maple Leafs, that the Leafs always get hooked up, so who are you to ever complain? Is that your sense that, like, the rest of the country looks at the HABs or the rest of the league looks at the HABs, as the team that somehow gets hooked up with calls?

Because I've never been a bit... I never understood that. Yeah, I didn't quite get that. I always thought it was the Leafs that had that impression, whether it's true or not, because the Leafs never actually draw any penalties. It's completely bogus that narrative. But everything's, well, it's Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto. I've not heard that about Montreal, but I will say around the league, it is 100% true that the perception is the Leafs do get all the calls, do get all the breaks, the league is favoring them.

Oh, the office, the war rooms in the Leafs building, of course they want the Leafs to win. When you look at the numbers, you just said it hates, it is absolutely untrue. The Leafs are always in the bottom of the league and penalties drawn, even though they've been one of the best teams that have the puck more. than anyone else that create chances more than anyone else, but they get no penalty. So I think that is part and parcel with the anti-leaf sentiment that some of the country carries when it comes to hockey. But I don't know about the Toronto or about the Montreal side of things. I mean, when I play it for Montreal, when I cover Montreal, I don't get that sense.

But last night, that was tough. That was really tough because the Slavkoski penalty, they first called, it's a terrible call. Okay. Sometimes you miss it. Sometimes you make a mistake. but awful oh right terrible but when you recognize that and they would have seen on the jumbotron they would you know they would have realized even in real time apparently they admitted it apparently they admitted it joe yeah they said we yeah we missed it bad call sorry they said that to brendon galliger okay so they know that if evanson scores on that powerplay which they did josh anderson should be able to do everything but love a referee in the head with his stick before he gets an enforcement like penalty like recognize the situation There is no words you can say.

There is no foul language you can use. There is no expletive you can utter that would warn an unsportsmanlike in that situation. And generally the refs get that. Like when they mess up, they take the heat. I hear it. I'm between the benches. They take it when it's warranted and they get that. I don't know what happened there.

I don't know what he said. I know what he did. But given what had just happened with Slopkoski, that was a egregious sequence for Montreal. That was just terrible. And they came at the short end of it. It's sensitivity of the refs, too. You know what I mean? Again, I'm dating myself, but we all go back to refs where you have nose-to-nose.

It'd be like screaming at each other, and there would be nothing. I don't know. This looked like a gesture. A veteran guy that's been around a long time just tapping a stick on the ice and then the ref tees him up, I don't know. That's what I mean, though. I'm sure Billy McCurry back in the day would have to be so pissed off to give you. He would just skate the other way. I don't know

But I've noticed guys just doing the games And it seems like there's a lot of new refs in the league Isn't there guys like you guys are between the benches There's a certain amount of yeah isn't there a lot of new faces That are wheeling around out there Because some of them I don't recognize There is Yeah Johnny

Yeah you could speak to it too There's a lot of new guys Guys are retired guys get injured hunters at all There's probably I don't know Six or eight new guys Rolling through the league And then some of them are up and down So they do some games in the American League

some games in the NHL. But I would almost think those guys would be less inclined to make such a bold call. Like, you know what? I'll just take it. I'm not going to be... I would expect this, the veteran guy to say, that's enough on T&Y up or whatever. I'm going to give you that on sportsman like, but that was

awful, awful, awful sequence. And the HABs to this morning have every right to be upset. That was brutal. Yep. They had that game, man. They had that game and they're off to a great start and everything's moving in their direction. And, you know, we were talking about Pittsburgh last hour, and they went into Florida and beat Florida again or beat them last night. They're six and two.

Sid looks great, you know, like you would expect. But, Gino. Gino looks great. What do you do, though, Johnny? What do you do, Johnny? That was my question for the guys, though, Johnny. They're six and two. They were the only team that seemed to be open for business in the offseason, basically saying, you know, trade for Russ, trade for Raquel, trade for whoever.

Carlson, you name at Jari, we're open for business. Does six and two change Kyle's mind, or do you have to wait for them to be another month from now? The old, by accident, we're good. Yeah, right, right against our best laid plans. I mean, yeah, I think they probably wait because, obviously, the big guys who have trade protection, I think even Raquel and Russ have some trade protection. If you're winning and playing well, then those guys aren't going to be very inclined to

want to wave. And certainly the big boys will not want to wave if they're winning and piling up points. So, yeah, they got to wait to see if they flatten out, if they come back to Earth, like maybe Detroit is coming back down to Earth a little bit. Like Boston has come back down to Earth a little bit after their good start. Things have a way of equaling out

and, you know, teams end up where they are supposed to be. Give them credit. Pittsburgh's playing really well. They're beating the teams. Jari's been really good. Chilas have been really good. Justin Bragg-Doh, looks like Jeff O'Neill out there, sniping left and right. Like, it's just wild what they're doing right now.

So I don't know if it's all sustainable. But, yeah, I think if they get off to a good start, 10, 15 games, that it might take 10 or 15 more games for them to level out and then reality to set in and then maybe those conversations might happen. All right, Johnny, game one of the World Series tonight. Big night. Big night for the Js, the Leafs are playing, the rappers are playing. What a night.

Enjoy yourself. Johnny, quickly give us a World Series prediction. I'm going to go J's in seven again. And when the games they lose, they're going to lose bad, and the games they win are going to be nail biters. That means you don't believe it. And they're going to lose tonight. Do you think they lose tonight and still win in game seven?

Yeah, Blake's, Blake's just too much. Blake's hell is too good. That means you don't believe what you just said. I'm sorry. If you say they're going to lose tonight, Gary players. And the games they lose, they're going to get crushed. I just don't feel that you really believe that the Js are going to win the World Series.

I'm not a baseball. I don't care if they. I mean, I want that to win, but, yeah, no, I think they're going to win. Not confidently. It's a 50-50 toss-up. Listen, if they win, I'll wear a bow tie on the show. Yes. Now we got something going.

That's a team player right there. Kenji Johnson. Kenji Johnson. Kenji Johnson. All right, Kenji. Great catching up with you. Enjoy your weekend. We'll do it again early next week.

Enjoy it, guys. There he is. Kenji Johnson joining us here on the Maple Toyota hotline. Get in and go where adventures take you. And I new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland. And the Maple Auto Mall visit mapleto.com. You know, I played with a Kenji. When I played in Japan, our defenseman, our number one defenseman and our captain was named Kenji Ito.

He was awesome. That guy could drink and smoke like you've never seen. He was a champ, man. That's leadership. Karaoke. He was an absolute beauty. Kenji I love that guy. Kenji Ito, the captain that just loved to have a great time.

I love to have a time. And this guy was like a rock star, man. He was awesome. It's the best description ever when you say that guy loves to have a good time. Loves to have a good time. Everyone knows exactly what you mean. Yeah. Exactly. That doesn't mean reading books or puzzles or going to... That means full blast at karaoke getting destroyed.

Yeah. Loves to have a good time. That's awesome. Well, maybe he's root for the Jays tonight. Maybe he feels like Jays and 7 is a, you know, reasonable choice. I could see that. I could definitely see that. Listen, Blake's Nell has been a machine, but that's why they've got, you know,

they've got to find a way to get him out of the game. You just, you've got to be, and what the Jays have done, better than anyone this year is they don't strike out much, they go deep in accounts, they make you fight, they make you battle, and they have to have that approach tonight. They've got to make them battle. They chewed up some lefty Yankees pitchers. Yes. Freed.

They smoked freed, yes, Rodon. They smoked them out of the game. That's right. I've got to correct myself, it's Kengo, Edo, not Kenji. I screwed up. That's disappointing, man. We didn't need to know that. We didn't even need to know.

People are going to good. Google him, it'd be like, it wasn't Kenji. It was Kenji to us, man. Cango doesn't, maybe that was his nickname. That's maybe what I called him. This is probably why people there were like, what's wrong with this guy? He probably called him by the wrong name for five months. Cango Edo.

He was awesome. Not for us. He's not for us. Melodin Friday brought you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a side and a drink, and you get it all in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. see you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston pizza. I might jump in

to the Boston pizza down on front before the game tonight. Get in there. Pop in and just take care of business. Watch the Leaf game a little bit, the Raptor game a little bit, and then head down to the park. All right, Steve Phillips coming up. Full primer on the World Series. How do the Blue Jays find a way to win this?

How do they get after the starting rotation? What does you make of Boba Shett? Not only in the lineup playing second base and hit and clean up tonight. That more coming up with Steve. Our best Best But Still to come. Dear Hazie B, we'll sneak in a few of those. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. Alpine News Network is here live with one of our superheroes.

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All right, Best Bud's coming up and they will be the revealed picks of Owen Wilson and Haysenbro. We had some tech issues last hour. So you guys are on the clock. We've got a few games to pick for Sunday. We'll get to those after a big Hazenbro win last night, plus four. Luke claiming technical issues because he's afraid to come on the show.

Doesn't want you to tune him up. Yeah, he doesn't, exactly. He doesn't want to face the music. That's, you know, a milly-vanilly type of move from a milly-vanilly type of guy. I think he's just fell up, fed up with your partner. That's probably the extent of it. Possibly that is accurate as well.

Everybody needs a break once in a while. He's probably just had enough. Very possible. So we'll reveal our picks. We'll get to those for our best bets a little bit later in the hour. Steve Phillips coming up here in a moment. Yeah, Blake's now up against Trey is Savage, and it's going to be a challenge.

It's going to be a challenge for the Jays. But the Dodgers, they have this aura to them, and it's so important for the Blue Jays to get past that immediately. And that's a part of the story going into the series. is how do you treat this team like they're just 26 guys in baseball uniforms that are immensely talented? You have to respect them. You understand it's going to be a challenge.

But if mentally you feel like you can't do it, you've lost before you've even started. I'll give you the only hockey example I can think of. Back in the day when you were taking on Pittsburgh and they were loaded and their top line was Mario, Yager, and Ron Francis, And you were like, guys, you just, you have to manage those guys. They're amazing. They're destroying the league. But if they get hot early and we take a bunch of stupid penalties and they start zipping it around,

it's going to be a gong show. And when you're first seeing it, you're like, okay, younger guys in the team. And you go out there and you give up a couple early and then you take penalties and you're watching them zip it around. They get five or six points. Yeah. You're really screwed. Like early on in the game, if you let them.

them do their thing like you were at such a disadvantage because you're like those are the guys that we thought they were not to kind of quote denny green but if you want to let them go out there and do their thing man it's scary stuff because you're watching it you've watched them do it to other teams and then you're you're witnessing yourself scary stuff you can respect them but don't show too much respect that's the thing respect your opponent but don't feel like oh well they're you know that guy's better than me so i there's no chance you got to go at him like that's the way i would see be aggressive i'd much rather they go down you know it's saying go down swinging type of thing than being passive and and and being walked all over yeah they just

don't give you a breather man like it's just they're so deep and then when they get off the field their monster pitcher gets on the mound and it's like okay now we've got to deal with that guy there's no time to take a breath yeah and it's not going to be easier in game two or game three or game four it's just the nature of things that that's the way it goes and you know tonight you It's now on the mound into Otani, Betts, Freeman, Smith, Tay Oscar. You know, that's a big side story. Tay Oscar's coming back to town, right?

And he's doing damage. He's mashing. He's mashing right now. Here's Steve Phillips or TSM Baseball Insider. How much of this for the Jay, Steve, is, you know, a mental grind and a psychology of not building up the Dodgers as this, you know, unstoppable force. And if you're John Snyder, how do you get that message across that? they're just 26 baseball players in ball uniforms,

and they're going to try to play ball just like you're playing ball. Yeah, I've got to tell you, I think that we all feel that. I honestly don't believe the players feel it at all. I mean, I really don't. I think that they feel like, you know what, why can't we beat this team? I mean, we're as good as anybody, and, you know, what they did to the Yankees and what they did to Seattle,

where I think you could have made a case that many people, thought they'd lose to the Yankees and to the Seattle Mariners, I think they'd just go out and play. Now, I will say that they'll have a level of confidence, but it's not like they don't hear the chatter, right? The noise that's out there of, you know, how good they are. Are they going to sweep you? You know, it's going to be a short series.

Everyone's predictions are Dodgers in four, Dodgers and five, and they hear it. But that's why I think game one is really important. Now, you know, it's important anyways. Like in the history of seven-game series, the World Series, winners of game one, go on to win 63% of the time. However, in this wild card era,

it's 24 of the last 30 winners of the World Series one game one. So it's really important. I think it's important for the Js. Just to go out there and show, like, we know who we are, and we just play the game like we play and we won, so why can't we win this series?

And it's interesting because four other times there have been matchups since 1985 in the World Series where one team swept the LCS the other one went seven games and in all four cases the team that went seven games

won the World Series two of them were sweets and two of them ended in five games they were lopsided in favor of the team that played seven games that the layoff hurt that other team the team that swept

and so we'll see whether it's small sample size We'll see if it impacts this series, but I don't think that, like, I ended up picking the Dodgers in six, but I think it's not going to shock me if the Blue Jays win this series at all. And I think, you know, games one and two are going to be really critical. If the Jays are going to win, Steve, how, like, put it in the importance list of bow working out going into the lineup? Yeah, so I, you know, I'm a little surprised that he's playing in the field. I thought that they would force Springer out to the outfield

and they would D.H. Bo. What I've seen from his workouts is that I don't know how he's going to do this. I agree, man. Yeah, he's been right. I mean, he's been able to swing, but watching him run. Like, it's never been at a game speed, not even at a full speed. It's been a jog. And, you know, the biggest challenge I see with a PCL is deceleration, is the abrupt

stop and and you know where he ranges over to try to feel the ground ball he's got to plant his leg and throw to first base and can he do that you know you're running on first base and you know you're taken off you think the ball's going to go in the gap the outfield that runs it down you got to stop quickly and turn around go back can he do that and so but you know it may be that that it's what they have to do to be able to get his bat in the lineup and there are some who believe that even if it will, you know, diminish them defensively, the plus-minus in hockey terms will be a plus just because you've got Springer and Bichette in the lineup, and, you know, yes, you might suffer a little defensively, but it might still be worth it.

How much of an adjustment is it for him to play second base, something he's never done at the major league level? Well, I think it's a big, I mean, I was an infielder, and, I mean, it's different. He's never played. He played once, I think, at the minor league level once. And so I think it's a big deal, but, you know, because they can't go in barreling on double plays anymore, you know, it's a little bit safer because, you know, you're blind turning the double play from second base, but getting the double play was the reason that they won one of the games, Yassavage's game, in the league championship series. He pitched himself in the jams, bases loaded twice, and got double play balls, and then got a third, double play. He's third, fourth, and fifth innings.

He's got three straight innings of double plays, and, you know, kind of Fylaffa can turn it. Clement can turn it. So we'll see. I mean, again, it may be something that it costs them in some area, and they just have to hope that it's worth the offense. Kind of the way I look at it, though, is honestly, Tenter Folef, I think, was five for 15 in the last series, and Clement swung the bat well.

and Jimenez swam that they all sort of have been playing like Bo Bichette. You know what I mean? Like they've played great defense, and they've swung the bat like you would expect Bichette to swing the bat. So, you know, I don't know. I'm a little dubious about him in the field, but, you know, they've seen him work out, and there's got to be some comfort level that they think he can do it. Because, you know, and they must have seen more than what I watched on all of the, you know, the ballpark cam video that I saw that made me really concerned.

heard about it. Were you surprised that you Savage got the ball game one, or did you think it was going to be Gosman? No, I actually wasn't shocked. I thought there was a chance they might push Gosman having Pits for Relief on Monday this late the year. And so, you know, it doesn't bother me at all. You know, they're both going to get two starts.

And, you know, and I wouldn't be shocked maybe if they win game one, if they push Gosman to game three. You know, Joe Torrey, when his manager for the Yankees, said, you know, he said, you know, they were in so many of these series that he always believed game three was the most critical game in a seven game series. And so I think if the Jay's win, I wonder if they

push Gosman and pushing the game three and fill in with Bieber or Scherzer in game two. We'll see. But he has intimated that would probably be Gosman and two. But I'm okay with that.

You know, the split, they're different-looking guys. And in some ways, Gosman is so different than Yosev, Savage, that the split fingers aren't the same. Really, they're categorized the same way, but they're two very different pitches. Gosman drops off the table, and Yosevic's acts more like a change-up that drifts away from the hitter. And so there won't get any advantage if they're back-to-back for the Dodgers or disadvantage for the Blue Jays. Steve, how do you handicap the chances of Vladdy stealing some of the spotlight and we're not just talking about Otani?

It's difficult to think that in this platform, the biggest stage of baseball, that Otani is just not going to go crazy and everyone's going to say, wow, look at this guy again. Like, you think Vladdy can chisel into that or what are your thoughts on it? Yeah, oh, for sure. I mean, really, he's got a 1440 OPS. He had a 1330 OPS in the league championship series and his, postseason numbers went down.

I mean, right? I mean, it's crazy. Like, it's because he was been so good. It comes down to winning. If Vladdy's great and the Blue Jays win, even if Otani's great, it won't matter. It'll be about Vladdy. It will be about, you know, the $500 million contract.

He's living up to that. He's leading this team. He's leading in this country. And, you know, guys, the other thing that really has struck me is that, you know, I was there in 2015-16. this team feels the most connected to representing all of Canada of any team that I've experienced. Maybe it's just my lack of experience, but they feel so committed to doing it for the country. They all speak in that language, and, you know, they all believe in that.

And I think that rallying cry for them is extra motivation for sure. Well, and Vladia will have to be at the forefront of it. And, you know, we've been obviously pumping the tires of Blake Snell, which is deserved, but he has not faced a guy like Vlady yet. You know, there was no one in the previous series he faced that is dialed in. That's a right-handed hitter like Vlady and the way that he's been playing. And I feel like, you know, we've been kind of building towards that first battle. Tony will step up first, take on you Savage, boom, first pitch, World Series off and running.

But Snell is going to see Vlady quickly. Like, Vlady's coming up in that first inning as well. I feel like you can't over-emphasize, you know, one at bat in a long series, but I feel like that's a big platform at bat. And if you want to send a message quickly to this rotation that is so elite in L.A., I could see Vlady stepping in and making that statement. And if he does, that allows the whole place to breathe. Like, Vladi's carried it over.

He's still alive. He's still confident. Look out. Yeah, and I think Springer can't, too. You know, the one thing, so Snell is the one guy. He throws 53% first-pitch fastballs, and none of their other pitchers are even over 40% on the first pitch. The Blue Jays have the highest swing percentage on the first pitch of an at bat. So if you're going to ambush somebody, Snell's kind of the guy, because you're going to go up looking for a fastball, and typically you can get it from him.

But I think the other thing to remember, yes, Snow was awesome. He was so good. right, in his last start. Faced the middle of their first two games. They didn't face a single runner in scoring position. Dave Roberts was sitting on the bench instead of on the top step of the dugout to tell you how easy it was.

But those guys, that was the best I've seen Snell ever. And we saw Cam Schlittler throw his best game ever against Boston, and he struck out like 13, and then he faced the Blue Jays, struck out two, and he jumped all over him. We saw Tray of Sevens, throw five and a third shot. no hit innings against the Yankees, but his next start wasn't great.

The last start is not necessarily an indicator of the next start, and it's all fresh, it's all new, it's a different lineup, different energy, and, you know, this is a team that doesn't strike out, and if Snell thinks he's going to go for strikeouts, this is a team that lays off the breaking ball in the dirt, they'll foul off the change-up and stay alive during a bat, and they'll put it in play, and I really would love to see them make Blake Snell field his position. Did he get a couple on? I want to see him feel the bunt and turn and throw to first base.

I want to do the same when Glass Now is in the game. Let that 6'7 lanky guy get off the mound, have to bend over, field the ball, stand up, make an accurate throw. I think there's some things that Jays can do to be aggressive out of the shoot and disrupt the flow. I also think that, you know, so for the Jays, you know, they've primarily, they've got obviously what they're going to do against the starting pitching for the Dodgers is the most important thing. Secondly, they've got to keep the Dodgers in the ballpark.

Don't give up home runs. If don't care if they give up a double, don't care if they get a single run in an inning. Avoid the crooked numbers. And here's the thing, the Blue Jays hit 20 home runs in the first 11 games of the postseason. The Dodgers hit 13. All right. The Blue Jays, by the way, they hit every single pitch and slug over 500 on every pitch in the postseason this year.

So, you know, we say, oh, they're going to throw, Yama Mom's going to throw split. Okay, well, you know what? The Blue Jays in the postseason are out of their minds offensively hitting against off-speed pitches, change-ups and splits. Snell wants to throw us change-up. Okay, they've hit change-ups throughout this entire postseason. And good pitch, you can neutralize good hitting, but there's good hitting, and there's what the Blue Jays do by putting it in play. And so there is a pathway for the Blue Jays to win this series.

This is not a slam dunk. I keep here, people, oh, Dodgers this. There's absolutely a pathway for the Blue Jays to win this series. Run prevention, critical, keep it in the ballpark, and you've got to find ways to keep the line moving offensively, which is what they've done this entire postseason. Yep, they have. They were the top team in the American League, you know, and they have not looked back for the most part, and they've been through the ringer.

Like it was somewhat easy for them against New York. It wasn't against Seattle. They had to show, you know, a lot of, you know, fortitude to pull that off. So I think they're ready for the moment as well. It's obviously, you know, a bit of an uphill battle, but that's why you play the games, and it starts tonight. Cannot wait for it. Enjoy it. Steve. We'll do it again soon.

Thank you for this. You got it, guys. Can't wait to talk to you next week, see where we are. the series. You got it. Steve Phillips or TSM Baseball Insider. Should point out, Cito Gaston, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch tonight. Joe Carter tomorrow.

Great call. Cito into Joe Carter, first two games, you can't beat that. Can't beat it. Outstanding call. After that, though. What do you? Like, those guys. Well, I think, I wonder Paul Molliter's an option, like I said.

I wonder if, you know, pack borders. Bring them back out again if they win games one and two. If you need them again, bring them out again. It's an interesting call. If you get two wins with those two guys, ceremonial first pitch, find a way to get it back up. Yeah, that's a good goal. Double down on it?

Have we ever seen that? It is kind of a weird thing, though, because it's so unique to throw out the first pitch where everyone's like, I don't want to see that guy again, no matter who it is, but who knows. It's just one of those things. There's such important figures in baseball in Toronto. It's like, where do you go after that? It's not easy.

It's not easy. But you worry about it when you get there. If you're in game six, that's a win. You know, it's that deep into the series. You're in it. You're a winner two away from winning the World Series. You know, bring anyone out. It doesn't matter at that point.

People are going to be ecstatic down there. Exactly. All right. So we've got some Deer Hays who will be coming up. Our best bet's coming up. And again, we're going to tee up a crazy weekend here in Toronto. Like, it's all three teams playing tonight. And you've got the Leafs and Jay's both at home tomorrow.

It's going to be crazy. There's probably some big, something going on downtown where the highways are close. Yeah, well, it's got to be, right? DVP will be closed tonight. Something's coming. Yeah, there has to be a marathon downtown or something. Who knows. We'll see.

There'll be something that it pissed people out. 100%. 100%. All right, overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSNF. Breaking story from Alpine News Network. Ron is a teacher helping bright minds, but this time he needed help. Alpine credits and a cosmic superhero with a debt consolidation loan.

She conjured a magic book. Debt Consolidation 101. One. Lesson one. Consolidate debt into one low monthly payment. Lesson two, nothing. It's a short book. Own your home, need a loan. Alpine credits can help. Alpine credits where homeowners get approved. This were licensed 12-616. From tariffs to trade deals, the markets are changing. Is your portfolio ready for what comes next? For all your questions, you need a money guy. Calvin the money guy will help you develop a financial plan that includes the right, levels of diversity. The best way to navigate uncertain times. With strategic advice from Kelvin, you can not only protect your investments, you can grow them. Don't wait. Call 416-457 plan or visit ask kelvin.cai. Mail it in Friday is brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree a site and a drink and you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a 15

dollar fast lunch at your local boston pizza people send in a tweet they write us for our professional advice on life things dear hazy b every morning my boiler has a gasoline my wife thinks it's the baby dear hazy b if you want to come to hazy b i need honesty from you hazy you got dumped a lot tell tell me tell them grown adults with birthdays it's assana all right dear hazy b brought to you by boston pizza Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy a $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a side and a drink, and you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less,

so fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch of your local Boston pizza. This one is like just, it's under an umbrella of all things that happen with the J's ending up in the World Series, and you never would have guessed it,

you never would have thought it, and you had something that was going on, and you're kind of torn, Dear Hazy-B, our good friends invited us to a destination wedding months ago. The wedding night falls on what would be game seven of the World Series. Do I watch on my phone? Do I sneak away? While the dancing goes on, potentially burn a bridge or miss the biggest Jays game of my lifetime.

I don't see how you miss the game. I just don't see how you can miss it. It's totally reasonable and understandable that if it's game seven of the World Series, is your favorite team. You're taking the three hours to kind of find a way to watch that game. I'm telling you, as soon as they say yes, you go up to them and make sure they see your face. Like you looked them both in the eye when there's no drinking going on. And when that game starts, you find a sports bar, whatever island you're on.

They'll never know. Right, exactly. No one knows. We've all been married. No one knows. No one knows what anyone else is doing. Unless you're like really famous or something. No one's going to say, oh, where's so-and-so?

Right. And by the way, you might have 10 other people with you. I was just going to say, don't you think that your friends, somebody in that wedding party, people who are attending are all in the same boat? Yes. It happens all the time in the GTA. People that get married on a Saturday night during the winter, they have the leaf game on at their wedding.

I was just going to say, I feel like have we not been at a wedding or somebody? I don't know if it was the grapplers or something. and there was like a big game on. Like I feel like we were like tracking it or it was on or they put it on in a TV in the corner for people to watch. Like I swear I've been at one recently in the last three, four years. Am I wrong on that? No, I remember that too. And it's the issue you have is, you know, you've got to hope that the bride and groom are kind of cool with that.

The issue is if they're on alert and it's like no one's supposed to be doing this, that's when it gets awkward. When there's like a statement issue, like, we're here for us, not for the Blue Jays. And you're like, ah, they have some kind of like Congo line and all these different things planned and no one's interested. They'll go nuts. That is the problem because for them, it's the big, it's the big night. It's the big event. And exactly that. If they have things planned, we have games planned, you know, and we need everyone at their table.

And like half the people aren't even at the table. Throwing the flowers to no one. Yeah. No one's there. Exactly. Like it's the bottom of the ninth And she's about to take the garter off And everybody's in the corner like

Watching you savage or whatever Trying to close it out Could not care less about what is happening at that wedding Yeah, I mean ultimately I think You just you got to bite the bullet And if they're pissed they're pissed But it's the world series It could be 32 years before you see another one

Yeah So take advantage Right take advantage All right There you go I like that, because you know, a lot of people are dealing with it right now. A lot of people. Like, this is a weekend in particular.

You've got a lot of people going to the game. If you're not going to the game, you're going to try to find a way to track the games. You're tracking the leaves, the raptors. You've got other stuff going on. Just think about how many people booked away something this weekend, and they had no idea, man. Exactly. Well, here's, I can tell you what the Deer Hazy Bee is going to be for next Friday, because it's Halloween. And I have already had this conversation.

Game 6 is Halloween. Game six, Halloween. I just want to know what the response you got was. It wasn't understood, but it was like, well, what are we going to do? Who's going to be at the house? You know, like, because the kids want to go, but then you've got to have someone at the house. No, you don't. Honestly, you shut the lights off.

Sorry. It's either that or get Billy over there. Get Billy to sit on the front porch. But he's going to want to watch. Yeah, he's exactly. Although by the time for his pitch, it's 8.08, lights are off by 8 o'clock anyway. Yeah. You know, Halloween's like 6 to 8 p.m.

Maybe 9. Maybe I'll push nine. Maybe the lights are on. The older kids come and knock. Fine, I'll come back out in between innings. But, you know, for the most part, it's for younger kids. They're done by 8 o'clock, I would think. But, yeah, I can tell you, the lights off house not being engaged is not an option.

Dude, you live near Dregs. Dregs doesn't care about Halloween at his house. Tell him to come over and sit on your porch. He's done. Yeah, exactly. Tell him to come and sit at your house for two hours. He'll do it. Hey, sweetie.

Yes, Dregs is on his way over. I'm going down to the game. Why is it Dregs? Exactly. Call Aaron and be like, hey, Dregs is coming over. He's going to sit at the door. I'm calling it Dregs. I'm calling in Dregs.

Dregs is coming over. Why would Dregs come over? Why would Dregs want to do that too? His kids don't care. But I think he meets his buddies on Friday night. He does. I know what his routine is. He's not coming over.

And it's not, do you know, awkward that would be Dregs is just sitting there? Like, it's not, it's not going to have. happen. All right, best bets powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assemble the same game, partly in seconds on the Fandole Sportsbook app. These are the official picks Hazenbro versus Owen Wilson. All right, official picks

powered by Fandual. Owen Wilson, you guys are taking the Bears. Ravens coming off a buy. Lamar's playing. Ravens laying six and a half. You guys are actually taking the bear. Is it up to seven now? Of course it's up to seven. Magicly Dugie has it. Doogie has

it. Dugie Patel pushes it to seven. Shockingly. All right, we're on the Broncos. Let me guess. This is, what, a seven-point spread now? Laying the points, Denver minus three and a half against the Cowboys. And the nightcap, what a Sunday night or this is going to be. I love that the World Series is not on. Packers, at Steelers, Aaron Rogers versus his old team.

You guys are taking the points. Steelers plus three at home. All right? Picks are official. Picks are in. Best of luck to Owen Wilson. Best of luck to Hayes and Bro. Best of luck to the Js, the Raptors, home overall. opener, which is tipping off in half an hour. The Leafs, what a weekend it's going to be? What a weekend it's going to be? Good stuff. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out.

We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast, web, and up on YouTube live on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy your weekends. We're back Monday at... Get Kenji on on Monday. 4 p.m. We'll chat. Your Hasey B is brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a site, and a drink,

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