But what in the overall has been the biggest reason for the Blue Jays finding a little semblance of what we expected them to be this year?

Yeah, I mean, it was the longest hangover in the history of baseball, it felt like.

Shameless plug, but I have a story in today's Toronto Sun in which I spoke with John Schneider about that, why it took so long to sort of shake off the cobwebs of that magical run last fall.

And, you know, I think the true turning point, to your point, Dan, was... was at the trade deadline.

You know, you could sort of see, and it's like this in any dressing room or clubhouse as a trade deadline approaches, especially with a team that is a potential seller.

There's a lot of tension.

There's a lot of worry about who's going to be gone and who's not.

Is there someone other than Alejandro Kirk who's really risen to the occasion and been that leader for the Blue Jays this month or this past month?

Yeah.

You know? It's like, I mean, you, you, you hear the, you hear the commentary and you hear John Schneider, the manager, every once in a while saying he's one swing away, although he doesn't say that very, very often anymore.

Uh, I, I mean, it's obvious to me that there's, there's, there's something wrong, whether it's, whether it's a timing issue.

Um, you know, his swing, like his, his swing does have moving parts to it, like, like most, and he's never been able to be in sync all season.

And, you know, there, there are many theories out there, one being that, um, there are too many voices in his head.

You know, there's so many hitting coaches now and, and he has his own people.

His uncle has been a big factor in, in, in, in coaching him during his career.

Hmm.

Yeah.

You know, it's like, I mean, you, you, you hear the, you hear the commentary and you hear John Schneider, the manager every once in a while saying he's one swing away, although he doesn't say that very, very often anymore.

Uh, I mean, it's obvious to me that there's, there's, there's something wrong, whether it's, whether it's a timing issue.

Um, you know, his swing, like his, his swing does have moving parts to it, like, like most, and he's never been able to be in sync all season.

And, you know, there, there are many theories out there, one being that, um, there are too many voices in his head.

You know, there's so many hitting coaches now and, and he has his own people.

His uncle has been a big factor in, in, in, in coaching him during his career.

Yeah.

And just a universally beloved figure, which at times with the Blue Jays can be hard to find, Rob.

Yeah.

So a few things with him, right? First of all, I mean, w- before he came here, him and his wife did, like, this was the m- the big contract of his career, right? It was gonna be a five-year deal.

It was gonna be likely the most money he, he was ever gonna make.

Um, the longest time.

They're starting a family.

They wanted to go to a place where they liked everything about it.

Mm

Now, Bate, now, look, without, without turning over state secrets here, Rob, 'cause you're down there a lot more than us, has Vladi around the batting cage changed this year in comparison to last year? Has Vladi in the clubhouse, when media avail is allowed and you're in there, has it changed from this year compared to last year? Have you seen anything off?

Not really, you know? I mean, I, I give him credit for that.

He's, he's, he's general- generally the same personality as, that he's always been.

Now, I mean, there's obvious frustration at times and, and, and you'd probably be upset if you were a fan and there wasn't, uh, c- you know, if he, if he wa- if he was happy-go-lucky.

He's matured over the years, um, for sure, as I mentioned earlier.

Um, you know, I- if there was one thing that maybe has changed and, and perhaps not to the good is that he's maybe working harder than he ever has.

Like, I've seen him, um, there's indoor batting cages of course at, at the Rogers Centre down in the bowels there, and I've seen him in those cages after games, like trying to r- trying to find the, the, the key to solve this mystery of why he, he can't hit one out.

If the Jays, Rob, get offered something for Kirk, is it something they need to investigate?

Mm-hmm.

And to my eyes anyway, I mean, the games I've been to, the three matches in Toronto so far, and the atmosphere in each of them was, was just sensational and, and different in every way.

You had the Canada game, so obviously you had the, the patriotic side to that one.

Um, you had Panama and, Panama and Ghana, and it was just a great, lively, singing, dancing, kind of entertaining show that way.

And then you had Germany, um, you know, with, with a dramatic comeback o- on the weekend, uh, to win their match.

So, uh, uh, and then you watch what you're seeing in, in, in, in the US stadiums.

You know, stadiums where you see NFL games all the time, and you really wonder how that's gonna translate to, to the World Cup, and they all look spectacular.

How, how big, i- if Canada can win this grouping, how big would it be for, for the program, soccer in the country, fans? I think there's, it's starting to create a wave already, but we might turn into a tsunami or a tidal wave here.

Mm-hmm.

And to my eyes, anyway, I mean, the games I've been to, the three matches in Toronto so far, and the atmosphere in each of them was, was just sensational and, and different in every way.

You had the Canada game, so obviously you had the, the patriotic side to that one.

Um, you had Panama and- Panama and Ghana, and it was just a great, lively, singing, dancing, kind of entertaining show that way.

And then you had Germany, um, you know, with, with a dramatic comeback o- on the weekend, uh, to win their match.

So, uh, uh, and then you watch what you're seeing in, in, in, in the US stadiums.

You know, stadiums where you see NFL games all the time, and you really wonder how that's gonna translate to, to the World Cup, and they all look spectacular.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah

... i- in spring training, um, because of the year, the breakout year that he had last year.

And, you know, when pe- when people ask me prior to the season, you know, who I thought might be a br- big breakout offensive player this year, I thought it might be him.

I thought that he might be able to continue what he did last year.

Um, instead, un- and unfortunately for him and for the Jays, he's looking a little bit more like he did in 2024, um, when he really struggled when he got his first opportunity with the big team, and then they had to send him back down to Buffalo.

Came up last year and proved himself as, you know, a, a close to everyday big leaguer, a guy who could handle, uh, most of the, the pressure situations as required, and then, you know, started this season sort of regressing.

And I think, you, you mentioned what, what John Schneider said about him and, and it was kinda like maybe he was just trying to force things a little bit too much, and Schneider's message was, you know, "Just, just take it easy, Addy.

Right

So like, what are we supposed to do with this matchup?

I think we do a lot with it.

I mean, let's start with the fact that it's the most important game that this team has played in almost a year since the world championships.

And then let's go down the road that they've lost six games in a row to the Americans.

It got swept in the, in the rivalry series late last year, lost twice at the world championships last year.

and basically have, and they've heard all the talk.

They've heard all the talk that the Americans are the favorites for the first time in the Olympic games.

Did it feel like things felt different when the NHL superstars arrived and Austin Matthews and the American team? Was there a different feel to these games now that the NHL players are there?