Host Nii Wallace-Bruce welcomes Keegan Matheson, an author and writer for MLB.com, to discuss his new book, 'The Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays.' Keegan shares insights on the process of writing the book (00:34), highlights some memorable chapters (02:42), including those about Jose Bautista (23:36) and Buck Martinez (05:43), and reflects on how the book has impacted his view of baseball.

Later, the discussion shifts to the ups and downs of the current Blue Jays season (15:40) and speculation on the future of the team's key players (20:23) and potential trades. Keegan also shares details about upcoming book signing events (26:40) and his plans for future writing projects.

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Opening and closing music courtesy of Jeremiah Alves - "Evermore".

Welcome back to another episode of PSP.

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am your host, Mr.

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Neal Spruce, and Summer is

officially here in Toronto.

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It's a beautiful, warm day across

the GTA and we have some warm vibes,

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and it's a great time to read a book.

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So on that note, let's bring

in an author from mlb.com.

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He's got a book out called The

Franchise Toronto Blue Jays, and he's

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gonna tell us a little bit about.

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The local baseball team that

is beloved Toronto Blue Jays,

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it is friend of the show.

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Keegan Matheson joining us.

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Keegan, how you doing?

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Keegan: I'm doing very well.

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Thank you for having me.

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It's good to be back here.

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PSP: Yeah, it's a pleasure to have you

on and previous few times the book was

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still in the development phase, but as of

today, we can now say it's published, it's

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out everywhere . independent bookstores,

larger bookstores online,, you'll be doing

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a few meet and greets around the GTA.

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How does it feel to

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Keegan: Okay.

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PSP: finish the process?

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I.

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Keegan: Very relieving.

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I have learned through this process,

I almost said I've learned patience.

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I don't know if I got all the way there,

but it's, it's been so different from

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my, normal day-to-day job, which is

strange because the topics are the same.

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But when I go to the stadium to cover a

game, , it's all very narrowly focused.

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There's normally one story

a day, maybe two, but.

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If news happens or a big win or

an ugly loss, that's the story.

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I write the story.

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It is online for people to read almost

immediately, and then by the time we all

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wake up in the morning, we all forget it.

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Myself included what I wrote the

night before, and that's okay.

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That's how it's supposed to

work day after day after day.

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But this has been

something far slower and.

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Far more intentional and patient

to, to go through it all.

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So God bless my agent and publishers and

the folks I've worked with who have told

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me when to calm down at certain points

through this process, which has been

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many, but it's been a really rewarding

process there at times last year.

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As I wrote the book throughout the

season there were certainly extremely

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high stress points and it added a lot

to my plate on top of my regular job.

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But now that I'm standing here and, and

looking back on it and feeling completely

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overwhelmed by the number of people

sending me pictures of the book it and

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who have picked it up already, it's, it's

so rewarding and this book has changed.

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This entire job for me, quite frankly,

in terms of how I relate to my job, but

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how I interact with my day-to-day job,

how I see the game of baseball, itself.

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So it's, it's all been worth it.

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Even though I may not have told you that

at a few points last, you know, July,

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August, September, it's been worth it.

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Absolutely.

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PSP: Now you'll have to go back to

asking players about more of the.

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Day-to-day stuff as opposed to having

a 10,000 feet view of the franchise.

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We'll get to that in a moment,

but as part of the release, you've

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also shared with us the chapters

that are on offering in your book.

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Are there any in particular that

stood out for you or you are

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really passionate about writing?

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Keegan: Yeah, my mind for that would

go to what I'm kind of calling like

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the fresh chapters, the newer chapters.

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And, and that was a really hard

part of the process of writing

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this book , was just determining

which stories I would tell.

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'cause this team is almost 50

years old now, so there's so much.

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To get into, and if you try to write

about everything you're writing

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about, nothing, it, it becomes an

inch deep and it doesn't matter.

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So I didn't want to spread it too thin.

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I didn't wanna make this a history

book that would bore people and

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being able to curate this a bit, I.

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Which is a, a fancy way of saying I got

to be picky and, and write the chapters

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and stories I wanted to write was the

most important decision in all of this.

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How to shape this.

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And there are some that you

have to cover no matter what.

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You cannot write a book about the

Blue Jays without writing about

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Joe Carter's Home Run or Jose

Battista's bat flip in those teams.

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You have to, it's the law.

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But on top of that, I

also wanted to include.

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Significant portions of the book

that were fresh and represented.

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My experience covering this team.

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And that's a difficult thing for me

because in my day-to-day job, I want

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to be completely out of my stories.

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You know, it's my name's on top of them,

but it's about the player or the team.

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And to insert myself a little bit in

writing was very uncomfortable for me.

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But at certain points I think it

added to it that would lead me to.

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The chapters I often point people

to, which are the Shohet chapter,

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which is where I got to finally share

a lot of stories I've been kind of

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holding onto and have not appeared

in my reporting or writing yet.

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It appears in the two chapters

that cover the COVID years.

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That's where I was able to lean on a

lot of my experience being on the road,

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covering this team and all of the things

that went into those strange years.

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And the event will comeback.

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And then even some more personal

stories about players' lives around

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this city, what it's like to come to

Canada, what it is like to be 25 years

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old and rich and famous in Toronto.

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I don't know how that feels, but

some other folks did and they

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told me about it, but it's was

really fun to balance those and.

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While some of these chapters had

to be written, you have to write

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Carter, you have to write Halladay and

Steve and Delgado, and those things.

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And I loved writing those.

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I, I did want some of the chapters

to be new and fresh and to kind of

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add to what's already been written.

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PSP: Yeah.

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And there's a lot in there.

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I'll never forget that, that Epic in

December, a couple of years ago, that

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was the, what, what do we call it?,

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It started off in the morning It

just whipped up into a frenzy.

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And by the afternoon, it seemed

like the whole city was waiting

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for a plane coming from Los Angeles

that was allegedly carrying Ani.

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Evidently it was not,

but it was an experience.

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It was a sad experience for Blue

Jays fans, but it was an experience

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nonetheless, and in time there'll be.

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Reverse experiences.,

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The yin to the yang, if you will.

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We'll get to the yin and yang later on

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But I wanted to touch on one of the

beloved members of the squad, not of

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the franchise, buck Martinez, he's

now a commentated with the team.

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He's also been a manager.

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you mentioned a special

part , of the book.

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That talks about him , in the 1980s.

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want us to take us through that?

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Keegan: Yeah, the Buck chapter might

have been my favorite to write, honestly

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out of the 31, and it's number 31 in

the book, the very last chapter because.

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Buck means a lot to me and he, he

means so much to baseball in this

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country, not just the Blue Jays,

but baseball in Canada, I think.

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And what fascinated me about Buck, and

this is kind of the approach I took

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to his entire chapter, is how much

these small moments kind of changed the

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course of history, changed lives, and.

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Buck and I, we went out for a long,

long lunch last spring training

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in Dunedin for this interview.

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And the stories he, he told are amazing.

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He remembers 40 years ago,

like I remember yesterday.

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But the story goes that 1981 Buck was

a backup catcher, hits a defensive

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value, wasn't a big hitter, and

the brewers had a deal in place

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to trade 'em to the Yankees and.

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Last minute that fell through

supposed to happen, didn't happen.

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So eventually he, the way he puts it, he

just kind of rode around on the bus with

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the brewers for a bit and eventually was

DF AED and was knocked off the roster and

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it was the Blue Jays he ended up going

to and Buck was completely unfiltered.

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And the quote he gave was a little

more colorful, but his reaction

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at the time was like, seriously,

that's the best they can do.

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They're sending me to Toronto.

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Can you believe it?

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And later on at the very end of our

conversation, he said, it's the best

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thing that's ever happened to me.

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And how much.

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So many lives would've changed

how much the Blue Jays we know

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today would've changed if Buck

had have ended up in the Yankees.

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And number one, he would've needed

to shave the tremendous mustache

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he had back in the early eighties.

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But his career as a player, a

manager, a broadcaster in this country

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likely never would've happened.

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So these little things along the way

that continue to make me appreciate.

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The potential of every day, every move.

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The next time the Blue Jays claim

a reliever with a seven ERA.

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Yeah.

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99% chance.

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It's a nothing move.

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Sure.

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It's probably dumpster

diving, but what if it's not?

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I.

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What if this guy sticks around?

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What if there's more to the story?

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And Buck was just so incredible as,

as a storyteller and so generous

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with his time for this book.

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Not only talking about back

then, but through his career,

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his early days working with a Dan

Schulman in that incredible booth.

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They have developed, going back to when

Dan tried out and Buck was a little pissed

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off because they were letting some young

radio guy try out for the TV broadcast.

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But thankfully his name was

Dan Schulman and it worked out.

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But right up through more recently,

his cancer diagnosis with that is

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meant to him coming back from that,

connecting with people over that, it's

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just a, it's a remarkable career and,

and the way he connects with people is

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really special and damn Buck belongs.

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On the level of excellence.

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I, I hope that's something that happens

soon and I will be so proud to be there

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and, and write that story that day.

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PSP: Absolutely.

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Yeah.

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So I didn't grow up in

Toronto, unfortunately.

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I know not everyone's perfect,

but hey, it is what it is.

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But I first heard Buck.

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He used to do , the International Feed

of the World Series Film V Network.

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So that was my first introduction to Buck.

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And Dan obviously did a lot

of ESPN broadcasts for Sunday

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night baseball back in day.

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So that's how I first heard about.

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Those two iconic voices.

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And then when I came to Toronto, I found

out that they're in the same booth.

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How can you pack so much greatness

into , the same commentary booth

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Keegan: it is ridiculous.

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Like I, I, I hope people understand how

nuts it is to have Dan Showman and Buck

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Martinez in the same booth and then having

my Guy Joes slide in there some days.

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Like it is unbelievable.

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It's, I, I think I wrote in the book

that it's kind of a golden era of

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the Blue Jays broadcast, and I really

believe that it is, it's just to have.

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Dan Schulman with what he does in the

United States with his time working in

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ESP and baseball and man, so many people

recognize him for college basketball too.

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I'm, I'm so separated from.

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United States NCAA sports culture

where, you know, two guys just

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walk past each other and say, roll

tide, and they're best friends.

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Like, I don't, it's weird to me.

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I, it, it doesn't compute with my

brain, but college sports fanatics,

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I mean, when, when they say See

Dan, it's like seeing a Beatle man.

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It's a, it's amazing.

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So to have both of them not just working

in Toronto because it was an open job,

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but choosing to be here and like really

embracing it, it's just what a gift.

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Man, man, it's blue Jays fans are spoiled.

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PSP: I gotta cosign that Now, Keegan, you

touched on the level of excellence there.

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. Will we ever see Toronto

Blue Jays build a statue?

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I know the Raptors

haven't talked about it.

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The make

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Keegan: Yeah,

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PSP: outside of

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the arena down the road.

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But have the Blue Jays ever broached that?

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Keegan: I am dying for them to do that.

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I hope they do that.

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Mark Shapiro was kind of hinted

and winked at a couple of things

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coming that I feel like we'll

learn about in the coming months.

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I don't know what that's going to mean,

but he's been asked about this and he's

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kind of in, in his own words, kind of

said like, ah, just give us a little bit.

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We have some, some plans,

so we'll see what's coming.

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I think a challenge that.

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I, I wasn't even fully aware

of this until more recently.

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Is that the land directly

outside the stadium?

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I'm talking like the sidewalks.

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Some of the areas along the

sides are not owned by the team.

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I'm not sure how far their official

property stretches or if it just

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ends at the wall of the building.

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So there's some considerations

with boring stuff like that.

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But no matter where it happens, if

it's outside, if it's inside, they've

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gotta do a better job of that.

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And I think they realize that.

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So I'm, for the time being, not

being too hard on them about it.

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'cause I think there are some

plans in place, but the Jays need

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to do a better job of recognizing

their history, not just with.

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Reunions and anniversaries.

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But with day-to-day, every single day

stuff an 18 or 25-year-old Blue Jays fan

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needs to know why Dave, Steve matters.

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They need to know why

George Bell matters and.

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Ernie Witt and a lot of those

core guys of the eighties,

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early eighties teams coming up.

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They need to know who Buck

Martinez was before he was the

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guy calling games on SportsNet.

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They need to understand

Roy Halladay and the story.

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They need to understand Carlos

Salgado, Tony Fernandez, how many

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times he came back and forth and

back and forth and what he meant and.

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Right now that's kind of

up to the fans themselves.

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If you want to, you know, read

a book or, Google it and learn

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a bit more yourselves, you can.

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But I don't think there's been

much done proactively to kind

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of educate or keep that alive.

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And it doesn't need to be

stuffed down people's throats.

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But if there were something

more permanent, I think that

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would go such a long way and.

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Baseball with statues is always

the perfect thing for me.

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You know, I, I, you can picture the

easy ones of Joe Carter skipping.

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You can picture Batista somehow they'll

find a way to suspend the bat in the air.

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I don't know how, but you, you

can picture those big, big moments

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that they could commemorate with

5, 6, 7 statues outside of stadium.

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I hope something's done there because.

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I, I, I kind of feel the history

of this team slipping a little bit.

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And that's dangerous because when,

when people care and understand the

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history of a team, that roots a team

deeper in people's souls, and that keeps

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people interested in a team, even if

they're 20 and 54, even if they suck.

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It's a team that you've always loved

and you understand it and it means

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something to you that forges that deeper

connection that I think the Blue Jays

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could really, really benefit from.

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Not just in terms of baseball, but if

they need a business case for it too.

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I think there's a business case, man.

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Just keep people caring about

the organization, not just in

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2025, but where it came from.

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PSP: Absolutely threading the past with

the present so that ideally, when it's

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all said and done, lad Guerrero Jr.

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Will get his own statue.

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Keegan: Hmm.

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PSP: It's gotta have,

that thread continuing.

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Keegan, you got me thinking about

a power rankings of statues.

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Now.

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Oh boy, this is gonna be fun to think

about when I sit in the sun later on.

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Anyway you're listening to PSP with

myself, Neil Willis Bruce, and our special

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guest, Keegan Matheson, writer@lv.com

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for the Toronto Blue Jays.

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And.

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Author of the franchise,

Toronto Blue Jays.

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So Keegan, I know that dust has

just settled, but do you think

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you have another book in you?

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Keegan: I, I think now I do.

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I would've said, hell no

a couple of months ago.

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But now that I have a better

understanding of how this works, it's

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something I would be eager to do.

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I.

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This is the type of book I

think you only write once.

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You know, I'm not going to write

the history of the Blue Jays again.

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I'm gonna need some stuff to happen.

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But in a perfect world, the Blue

Jays give me something over the

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next few years and give all of

us something that's book worthy.

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We'll see.

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I, I'd also be much more interested in

perhaps tackling an individual player or,

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or a smaller era of Blue Jays baseball.

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Even this current era, I've

wrestled with that a bit and.

300

I wondered, should there be a chapter

or a section on this era, the Shapiro

301

and Atkins era, since the last playoff

runs, but the era's not over yet.

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I don't know what it is and I.

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If I had have written that story,

they would've either blown the

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team up or won the World Series.

305

I'm not sure to, to really

make it look foolish.

306

But this era is still alive and

if they make a run that changes

307

how we view all of these years.

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So it's it's something I'm eager

to continue to do because it's a

309

different part of my brain than.

310

My night to night work covering

this team, and it's something

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that I really loved doing.

312

Like now that I hold it, now

that I see it, it's it got me

313

excited about the job again.

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It really changed my relationship with

this job, and I think I'm in a much

315

healthier place with that right now.

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So I'd like to keep that going.

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Maybe a, maybe a season or two off.

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We'll see.

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But I think I'd have a, a smarter

approach next time too, and

320

maybe not drive myself so nuts.

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PSP: It's all good.

322

It's baseball is a game of patience.

323

It's not a

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Keegan: Hmm.

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PSP: game.

326

So understand.

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Now you talk about

night to night to night.

328

talk about the, the 2025

iteration of said franchise.

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That is the Toronto Blue Jays.

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They, they swept the pad race.

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They reversed.

332

Proceedings in Tampa Bay.

333

When they went on the road,

had a mixed series in Texas.

334

Came back, swept the athletics, who

knows what will happen as Philadelphia.

335

But I guess what I'm getting at is there

seems to be a trend of hot and cold, which

336

is ironic 'cause Toronto's weather's been

like last weekend, felt like or winter.

337

And today's bonafide summer.

338

Much like this team, what are you seeing

lately, Keegan, and how do we solve it?

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Keegan: The answer is always offense

for when you talk about consistency.

340

It's the offense typically.

341

And while I'm a little worried about the

back end of the Blue Jays rotation with

342

Bowden Francis and how they continue

to fill in from Act Scherzer, I, I

343

think the rotation will be fine enough.

344

The bullpen looks a little

better than I thought it would.

345

I, I think pitching across the board,

it's not dominant by any means,

346

but I think it will be good enough.

347

The offense seems to determine.

348

What this team does, and we saw that

in the series against the a's it

349

exploded, they looked incredible.

350

But the series prior to that, against

Texas, against Tampa, it was dreadful.

351

So consistency needs to come from the bats

and it's always going to be about power.

352

In my mind, this team.

353

As much as they've tried to do it in

recent years, they are not built to hit

354

17 singles a game and win five to two.

355

It, it's so much easier when you hit

one over the wall, and we're seeing that

356

lately certainly with Addison Barger, but

with Flatty, Bobette looking much better.

357

That makes everything easier, and that's

what we need to see more of because

358

they've been stuck to 500 all year.

359

A game above a game below.

360

Back to it below.

361

If they can finally create some breathing

room, I think that changes everything.

362

It, it's kind of like a,

an individual game itself.

363

We saw it on Tuesday when Bowden Francis

allowed six runs in the first inning.

364

Oh, the air comes out of everything.

365

You're just trying to get through it.

366

The same goes for the broader

picture of the season.

367

If.

368

You're stuck to 500, you start

to feel that magnetic pull.

369

But if you can win another four or five

in a row, and suddenly you are five, six

370

games away from 500, you begin to leave.

371

Believe that you're never

going to touch it again.

372

And that's when you can start to set your

eyes on a division or perhaps the first

373

wild card spot, not just sneaking in the.

374

Third wild card spot, which

we've seen enough of in Toronto.

375

So it's been a confusing

team, A a very confusing team.

376

But the highs keep you pulled in.

377

They make you believe that they

can, they can do this if they

378

hit, they've just got a hit.

379

It's the same story three years in a row.

380

I know, but they've gotta hit.

381

PSP: Mm.

382

Yeah.

383

And unfortunately one of the guys

who was brought in to alleviate that

384

ongoing problem was Anthony Sanair.

385

He is now in the il.

386

Hopefully he comes back healthy

and good to go again, but if,

387

let's say he doesn't come back.

388

In the meantime, you see them

going out and making phone calls

389

to other teams to bring someone in?

390

Are they gonna do something at

their deadline to that effect?

391

Keegan: I think they will, and kind

of the corner outfield slash third

392

base felt like the place they could

make a big upgrade at this point.

393

It could even be more of a

backup first base DH type of bat.

394

We'll see a lot of this

depends on Addison Barger.

395

If he keeps playing like

this, everything changes.

396

If.

397

Pitchers adjust to him and

he kind of comes back down to

398

earth, then you still need a bat.

399

But I think a hitter will be added.

400

You'll see the normal

tinkering with the bullpen.

401

You always do for a contender.

402

My mind jumps more for the blue

jays towards their rotation.

403

That could mean a depth starter to help

them get by, but I think it would make a

404

ton of sense, and I think a lot of things

are lining up for them to try to pull

405

off something similar to the Jose Barrios

trade from a couple of years ago because.

406

Chris Bassett is a free

agent after this year.

407

So is Max Scherzer two more

years for Kevin Gossman?

408

Barrios has an opt-out

coming in a couple years.

409

This rotation's about to change a lot and

the Blue Jays have shown a willingness

410

and they have the ability financially

to go out and get a guy that still has

411

some money left on their contract and.

412

That's a big advantage because not

every team, even among contenders, has

413

money to spend next year and the year

beyond that the Blue Jays do because

414

contracts are coming off the books.

415

So whether that's going out and chasing

a starter that has two or three years

416

of control left or like Barrios with one

extra year and you try to extend them,

417

I really think that's the sweet spot

and I think it makes a ton of sense for

418

this front office and how they operate.

419

Trying to get a year ahead

of some business and.

420

It could help now as well because

this rotation, it's credit to the

421

three veterans Bassett Gossman.

422

Barrios always, but they can

only carry so much, and you need

423

all five spots to be rock solid.

424

PSP: Mm-hmm.

425

Now, in terms of doing business early

and being proactive, there is an elephant

426

in the room a formerly long-haired

elephant, but now a bit more buzz Cut.

427

His name is Bobette, and his

contract is coming up to expiry.

428

Do you see the team coming up?

429

with an extension with the Vette camp,

or do you think they might look to

430

potentially move him on at the deadline?

431

Keegan: I think this is so

much in the middle that Bo

432

just ends up in free agency.

433

I, I think the Blue Jays would have to

have a complete free fall to consider

434

dealing him and given how wide open the AL

is, I, I don't think that's gonna happen.

435

I, I think the, the wild card will

stay realistic for them and they'll

436

want to have Bo be part of that.

437

He's playing some really

good ball lately as well.

438

A couple of home runs

over these last week.

439

So you're seeing him be a bit

closer to his better version.

440

And quite frankly, right now, even if

the Blue Jays were to market bobette,

441

he's coming off of a terrible year,

and right now he's having a good year.

442

But I think that other teams would

look at this and say he's hitting 2 76,

443

close to a seven 50 OPS is a short stop.

444

Like it's, it's good.

445

But you're not giving up

your number one prospect.

446

It's not gonna be a

franchise changing move.

447

So I think that Bo is just part of

this stretch run for Toronto, and

448

then he hits free agency from there.

449

The Blue Jays need to try to

win the tiebreaker number one,

450

and that means convincing Bo

that he at least likes it here.

451

Money is always going to win a

hundred times out of a hundred.

452

But if the Blue Jays and one other

team are offering Bo a similar

453

contract, does he wanna stay

here or does he want to get out?

454

And I.

455

Something about Bobette really

brings out the body language experts.

456

I, I feel, and he is he

doesn't smile enough for folks.

457

He's not expressive enough for folks.

458

I don't care.

459

That's, that's just who he is.

460

This is not for the cameras.

461

It's the same bobette that I

get in the clubhouse each day.

462

He's.

463

A serious guy, and he is, he's

not not someone who is overly

464

expressive and that's just fine.

465

But when he speaks and when he says things

with a microphone in his face, he means

466

them and they are thought out, and I.

467

He's not just kind of

riffing off the cuff.

468

So when Bobette says that, you know, he's

told me this in spring training, he is

469

said it since that he and Vladi want to

play the rest of their careers together.

470

I don't think he's just

saying that for attention.

471

Bo does not want attention.

472

He doesn't want another reason for

me to be waiting at his locker.

473

So when he says these things.

474

My suggestion is for everyone to

believe him and as he continues to

475

say them, it gets more interesting.

476

Now, I also think that Bo is going

to be a really interesting case

477

where 10 different teams are going to

project him 10 very different ways.

478

If you think he's a shortstop who

will age well, that's a big contract.

479

If you think he eventually has

to move off short stop, and he

480

maybe won't age well athletically.

481

Way different.

482

So we'll have to see where the

blue Jays are in that financially.

483

But I do think that some of the body

language and interview analysis of

484

Boba yet has kind of tilted the, the

conversation too far in one direction.

485

I, I still think this is something

where it's, it's possible he

486

can find a way to stay here.

487

PSP: There we go.

488

Bo is definitely one that

lets his back do the talking.

489

I,

490

Keegan: Yes.

491

PSP: that.

492

I like that.

493

Personality.

494

Now, Keegan, one thing that

you mentioned at the start, and

495

you've also mentioned during our

interview is the name Jose Batista.

496

Keegan: Mm-hmm.

497

PSP: part of the 2025 Canadian

Baseball Hall of Fame induction

498

class that is happening in St.

499

Mary's.

500

Just for our audience, I'll list

the other members of the class.

501

So we have former Big Leaguer Eric Ard.

502

We have Canadian Junior

National Team Coach.

503

Hamilton, longtime Women's National Team

Star Amanda SA American All American

504

Girls, professional baseball legend

Arlene Noga and also . Jerry Schneider,

505

the Montreal City counselor who was

involved with bringing Major League

506

baseball to Canada for Toronto's purposes.

507

Jose Petista will forever be

defined by the back flip and.

508

How it got the Blue Jays back

to relevancy, if you will.

509

How important is his induction

into the Hall of Hall of

510

Fame for Canadian baseball?

511

Keegan: it's a huge moment for Jose,

just like his addition to the level

512

of excellence because he is for this

current generation of Blue Jays fans,

513

frankly, anyone that's under what,

under 35, who doesn't quite remember?

514

92 and 93.

515

Jose is your guy.

516

He is the face of Blue Jay's

baseball coming back and being

517

relevant again and being cool again.

518

Quite frankly, Jose Batista was

a very cool baseball player.

519

He made baseball in this city matter.

520

Again, he turned skydome into

a social destination again, and

521

that was not an easy thing to do.

522

Not at all.

523

And.

524

What I think people love about Jose

is the story of how he got here.

525

He, he was just another guy.

526

The Blue Jays acquired him when he

was already, what, 27, going 28.

527

He was just another guy bouncing

around the bottom of rosters.

528

He was not supposed to be special,

and then something clicked and

529

suddenly the blue Jays had the

one player everyone else wanted.

530

That most other people hated.

531

And that's what a lot of the connection

to Jose was because he had that

532

attitude, he had that edge, and

that set the tone for those teams.

533

That's why others who came in, like

Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin,

534

Marcus Stroman, when he came up, Troy

Tulowitzki, all of those guys who I, I

535

promise you had quite the edge to them.

536

They fit so well because it was on Jose

Bautista's team and those 15 and 16 teams.

537

We're so special.

538

Like they, they never went to the World

Series A-L-L-A-L-C-S and the A LCS.

539

But they still matter to people because

of the type of baseball they played

540

and the attitude they played with.

541

And Jose is one of the all time

greats for this organization.

542

Among hitters.

543

He is up there with the very best,

with Carlos Delgado and his longevity

544

with George Bell, the MVP season,

Jose is right there, and I think

545

people are gonna be chasing 54 homers.

546

I mean, maybe forever.

547

In this city.

548

So a great one for him and

Jose's still got it man.

549

When I talk to him for the book,

he's still just as confident.

550

He still has a swagger that you can only

pull off if you are Jose freaking Batista.

551

It's it's amazing.

552

He is one of a kind.

553

PSP: And yes, he's definitely , top

of the list for a statue when the

554

Toronto Blue Jays consider that.

555

Now, one thing we can read about

before that is your book, the

556

franchise, Toronto Blue Jays.

557

I'm probably gonna down to

the Sports Nett Grill to.

558

See you signing books and, and the like.

559

, Have you got any other events

coming up where you'll be doing

560

meet and greets with fans?

561

Keegan: I'll have books for sale

and to sign and I won't bore

562

anyone with speeches or anything.

563

I just wanna get folks together

and get Blue Jays fans together.

564

Then later in the month at another

story bookshop on Ancy, that's

565

June 26 at 7:00 PM so I'll share

that on, on socials as well.

566

And we should have another event or.

567

To hopefully in the East end try to spread

out the city a little bit coming up.

568

But I would I, I'd love to see people

out with those, even if they have a

569

book already, even if you just wanna

come hang out, have a drink, talk ball,

570

whatever is on your mind with this team.

571

But I'm looking forward to those.

572

PSP: Great.

573

Absolutely.

574

And I'm looking forward to seeing

what this book brings for you.

575

'cause , I really think you've done

a great job with this book and it's,

576

it's fantastic that you've been

able to tie in all the history.

577

, Into the many chapters that you have.

578

So congratulations once again on bringing

it to life and seeing it through.

579

We look forward to seeing

your writings on lv.com,

580

obviously for the, the

night to night work.

581

But when that next book comes

up, 'cause there will be another

582

book, I'm sure, definitely let us

know what that entails, Keegan.

583

Keegan: Absolutely.

584

I, I appreciate you having me to

talk about this one and yeah, I'll,

585

once I sleep for a week or two, maybe

we'll get on the second one there.

586

PSP: Fantastic, Kegan, appreciate your

time as always I've been nameless Bruce,

587

and this has been another episode of PSP