Episode 25 feat. Connor O'Halloran

We interviewed Mississauga native Connor O'Halloran talking about his life as a Blue Jays Prospect. We talked about his father being in the Jays system and being a 2nd generation baseball player, his high school years and taking his talents to Michigan, the day he was drafted, aspirations for playing for Team Canada, and more!

Where you can find Connor O'Halloran:

1. Instagram: connorohal

Episode Transcript

(00:30):
Welcome to another edition of the Blue Jays Ave.
Podcast. We have a special guest in here
today and we're going to interview him today.
He is one of the Blue Jays prospects in the Jay system.
Connor or Helen, welcome to the show, man.
We appreciate you doing this. Yeah, I appreciate it.
Thanks for having me. That we're excited, man, we're

(00:52):
really excited to have you. It's being your birthday too.
Happy birthday and and you know that you're willing to do this
on your birthday is just awesome, man.
So thanks for joining us today. Yeah, and of course, no problem.
Happy to be here. Absolutely.
So I want to talk about your father, Greg O Halleran, who was

(01:14):
also a Major League player who was in the Jay system Once Upon
a time. Like talk, talk a bit about your
father on how he started his whole career and knowing that,
you know, he he was, he was played for the Marlins, I think
for a brief amount of time. Uh, yeah.
I mean, from everything I've heard, he's told me like a lot

(01:38):
of kids, you know, is between hockey and another sport growing
up. And for him, that other sport
was baseball. I mean, I think he was just
always pretty like a naturally good athlete.
Ended up really liking baseball,uh, use only the Canadian junior
national team, got to go to somecool places, played in some big

(01:59):
tournaments, even once the Olympics, I think in like 1988,
I want to say yeah. And you know, from there, he was
at a junior college out in Southern California and then he
got drafted by the Jays. And I I think he's with the Jays
for about five seasons or so. Yeah.

(02:21):
Yeah, all the Miners and then, yeah, gotta went to the Marlins
and ended up playing a few gamesthere in the big leagues, but
said it was a great ride. When did when did you find out
that your dad was was a baseballplayer?
Like when? When you were young?
Like what? Like what age did you find out
that your dad was an actual professional baseball player?

(02:45):
I'm gonna be honest, that's likea question like I've never
honestly thought about. It's always just something
that's been in my head. Like I've honestly, I've never
been asked that one before, which is pretty interesting, but
I think it's just something that's always been like as far
back as I could remember. I mean, just like knowing like
he was always our coach and everything for me and my older
brother, uh, for, it's for all of our teams.

(03:08):
So he's always running from one of our teams to another.
But I think I always just knew he had a really good knowledge
of baseball. And it was just like a common
thing where it's like, well, your dad played like he would
know. Like, ask him to ask him
questions, ask him about, you know, whatever is on your mind
about baseball. Like you would know he's, you
know, done every, you know, level from the lowest ones to

(03:29):
the highest ones, right. So it's just kind of something
that's always been there, I guess.
But it was I never really thought about it until other
people would bring it up and be like, man, that was awesome.
Like your dad played the Big lies and then, you know, stop
and be like, Oh my gosh, like they're they're right.
Like he's not just my dad, like you, you're the big league
player himself. So it's definitely cool to kind
of think about it. So being a a second generation

(03:50):
player and you know, growing up in Canada, where where primarily
when you grow up hockeys kind ofthe first thing you learn, when
did you pick up a baseball for the first time?
What what, what age was that andwhat was that like?
Poor. I mean, probably three years
old, I want to say I was, you know, playing, playing catch in

(04:11):
the backyard with my mom. You know, dad was at work.
Me and my mom actually, she was the one putting the ball in my
left hand. So major props to her on that.
And yeah, like me and my brotherwould play wiffle ball.
My neighbor, like we'd all get together, play wiffle ball games
like far back as I can remember.I mean, we carried playing, you
know, just baseball in the backyard with ball, whatever we

(04:31):
can do until we were ready in like high school, Like we were
having a good time just hanging out, having fun doing that.
But yeah, no, it's baseball fromabout pretty much once I started
walking, saying with hockey though too how it is up there,
same thing. Just as soon as you could walk,
you would learn how to skate as well.
So it was just one from one season to the other for about 10

(04:53):
or 11 years there. Who were your teams growing on
watch? I assume it's a Blue Jays, but
if not, if there's another team you could mention and who are
your favorite players watching and and was an influence to you
to say like I I want to be a baseball player growing up.
Yeah, I mean, the Jays were definitely the team.
I mean, was going to games all the time.

(05:15):
Like I still remember going withlike my dad and brother to games
and whatnot. I was also, my mom is American,
she's from New York State. So I did grow up with a Jeter
mural on my wall too at the sametime.
And I know that conflicts the whole AL East rivalry, but there
was a little bit of both. But for sure the Jays were like

(05:36):
the team that I watched. I mean, they're all over TV up
in Toronto and Vernon Wells was my guy.
I love Vernon Wells. I had his jersey and I remember
I even got to meet him one time.I had like some convention when
I was a kid and I like couldn't even talk, like was just
starstruck. Like, I loved everything about
him, but that was my guy. Let me ask you this, so you know

(06:01):
that that run the Jays had in 15and 16, like, was there any
like, captivating moments? Did you have any favorite
players at the time? Like guys, you're like, oh, wow,
like this is my guy. Like was there any moments on
that? Oh man, I mean, that whole team
was just special. Like that was.

(06:21):
Yeah, kind of makes me think of like the same as like the
Raptors run when they, I mean, they ended up winning it all.
But like just where like everybody on the team was doing
something right. That's how I felt about that
Jays team. Like it felt like just everyone
was contributing. I remember literally when
Bautista hit the home run, I hadmy hockey bag on my shoulder
standing in my living room getting ready to go to practice

(06:41):
when he hit. And I like dropped my sticks in
my back, started celebrating. I remember we were all talking
about it right when we got to the hockey practice.
But I mean, yeah, I mean, I was definitely a big Stroman guy.
I know that was kind of right around like his start of being
in Toronto there. I mean, I was in like a big guy
either. I always played appear too, so I

(07:03):
was always on the smaller end. So just seeing him do his thing
and, you know, having a certain swagger to, to doing it kind of
was something that, you know, I wanted to emulate.
So So what were your high schoolyears like playing at Saint
Martins Secondary School and didyou play any other positions or
were you always a pitcher? I mean, I like to move around

(07:25):
like the one thing that like, you know, my dad is like my
coach always stood by. I was like, you know, being
athlete first, you know, if you can one day, you know, you're
gonna have to choose at a certain point between, you know,
if you want to, you know, pitch or hit.
So you might as well enjoy both of them as long as possible.
So, you know, I, I screwed around all the positions that
are left. You could play.

(07:46):
I was at first base. I was in the outfield positions.
I mean, I even from a younger age, like my dad was a catcher.
I loved catching, uh, that they told me I wasn't allowed to do
that one anymore at a certain point.
But pitching was honestly something I picked up like
later. Like, it wasn't probably till
like early in high school that Iactually embraced pitching and

(08:07):
just kind of kept working at it.You know, I had a lot of good
people that were helping me out,kind of picking their brains and
whatnot. Whether it was, you know, other
guys that I played with or you know, some guys that my dad knew
from his playing days that had pitched and, you know, were able
to give some info and some help on it.

(08:27):
So the coaches you worked with during your high school years,
like who were the mentors that you worked with?
And also, do you still keep in touch with them?
Um, I mean, yeah, like one of mybiggest, I mean, aside from like
my dad, of course. I mean him being a catcher had a
lot to do with, you know, just pitch calling and how to throw

(08:48):
in a game. You know, sometimes in high
school is, you know, I can throwa fastball by this guy and, you
know, go 6 innings or whatever. But he was kind of adamant on,
hey, like at a higher level, it's going to even out a little
bit. And you got to learn to be a
little uncomfortable throwing this pitch right now for later
on down the road and, you know, build confidence, whether it was

(09:09):
the change up or is the curveball.
So I think that was definitely abig help.
But my coach at the Ontario Terriers, where I played
throughout high school, Ian Ballet, he was, he was my man.
Me and him, like I still keep incontact with him to this day.
He was just like the coolest guy, laid back, but knew his

(09:30):
stuff about pitching, kind of a guy, you know?
And it's like your dad's tellingyou something.
You're like, alright, yeah. So I'd go to him.
And then he basically reiterated, and it was just
another person I could turn to and, you know, trust their
information that they're giving me was right.
So what was the moment like whenwhen you decided to commit to

(09:51):
Michigan University? Tell us about that experience as
a whole and how you what made you choose Michigan?
I mean, it was something I just didn't expect.
Like I, I got to play there one time and I thought the campus
was awesome and like a travel tournament.
Never would have dreamed I wouldhave gone there.

(10:12):
My dad went to a JUCO when he played.
My brother had gone to a JUCO right before me, the same one
that my dad had actually gone to.
And so I just kind of assumed like I would go to a junior
college myself. But you know, things I got
better throughout the years and just got really fortunate that I
went to a PBR event in the Michigan pitching coach was

(10:32):
there Chris Fedder, who's now with the big league team for the
for the Tigers. And he was awesome.
And I talked to him along with some other schools there that
had just seen me, and we ended up just talking.
I loved everything you had to say just about pitching, about
the school. I loved him and all the rest of
the coaches just as people as well.
And, you know, I went on that visit and I mean, it's, it's

(10:55):
hard not to love it once you go there.
So I remember just going on thatvisit, like they, you know, they
showed me everything and broughtme down to the football game and
what not. And it was just a cool place.
I met some of the other recruitsthere and they were all really
good guys. There's only four hours from
home, which I really enjoyed andI wasn't afraid of like all the
cold weather, which you know, some guys are.

(11:15):
And I literally remember I actually, they told me they sent
me home after my visit and they were like, you know, just think
about it like, you know, like the offer is there.
Like we know you had some other ones lined up and we're just
think talking to some other schools and whatnot.
And I literally remember I was watching March Madness nice from
Michigan won a game and I was like, you know, what, like what
am I waiting for? Like I loved it there and like,

(11:37):
that's where I want to go. So I literally remember right
after the March Madness game that Michigan was playing and
finished, I just called up coachpackage and I was like, hey, I
wanna, I'm, I'm ready to come. Like just sign me up.
Were there any other? Schools.
That, that you were interested or they, they, they try to
recruit you. Like I know that Michigan was,

(11:59):
was the primary school, but I'm pretty sure there was other
schools. But if so, if you can mention
it, that'll be great. I like Purdue was one of the
first ones, another Big 10. There was quite a few Big 10
ones that I had talked to like Ihad a talk with, like I think
the Illinois coach at one point,uh, the Purdue guy or coaches.
I had a scheduled trip to Baylorplanned, but then I ended up

(12:25):
just committing to Michigan. Like Ohio State, even I had
talked to their coach a little bit, um, trying to think if
there was any more Like there was, there was definitely a few.
I'm having a hard time. I'm kind of blinking on some of
them now. It's been so long it feels like.
But it is honestly Michigan fromthe start, like everything else.

(12:45):
Like after I heard Michigan, I was like, well, I wanna go here
so. Like where the program that did
the programs made you more comfortable going to Michigan,
the coaches did they feel like it was like open hospitality
like compared to the other schools?
Because obviously when you look at the way these recruitments

(13:06):
are, they're going to try to make a sales pitch and you
decide Michigan, like what? What put Michigan over the top
over everything else? It's just everything in general.
Is that? Is that what it was?
Yeah, like they had the facilities, they had like the
actual schooling piece of it. The campus was beautiful.
But for me, like, I think like the the piece that kind of put

(13:29):
it all together was just the people like Coach Eric Bakich
and Chris Fetter, like meeting them.
They were just awesome. Loved everything they had to
say. They were just like down to
earth, genuine, good dudes, goodbaseball minds as well.
And I just felt that they wantedto do something special.
And really right after I committed that was when they
made their run to the World Series finals.

(13:50):
So that was pretty cool to watchas someone who is, you know,
ended up committing there. Tell us about your first couple
years there and what was it likeas a difference from your
freshman season, your sophomore season?
Um, I mean, for freshman year, we still had a lot of like the
COVID, you know, limitations. So I didn't even show up to

(14:15):
campus until January of 2021. And I think our season started
like a month and 1/2 after that.So I mean, it wasn't like, you
know, get there in September, you know, mom and dad kiss you
and wave you goodbye. You're sitting with like a
roommate. Like I remember only one person
was allowed with you over the border.

(14:35):
So like me and my dad went and all that and it was just like
your own dorm room. It was like barren, you know,
dorm and all that. But the guys, like the older
guys, you know, took all of us in.
They did a great job of like making sure we were still doing
stuff as a team, like within, you know, all the guidelines and
whatnot. But it was kind of like being
thrown into the fire. Like it was like you get there,

(14:57):
you practice for a little bit and it was like freezing cold
and out in the snow and whatnot,clearing off the snow for
batting practice. And then all of a sudden we
were, you know, playing the University of Iowa, I think down
in Carolina or something, one ofthe Carolinas to start the year
or Texas or something like that.So it's very quick turn around.
We're going from like, I'm playing against, you know,

(15:17):
teenagers. So then it felt like I was
playing against grown men. And you know, I've learned a lot
that first year. It was definitely a humbling
experience to go, you know, in high school, you know, going to
like a, a good D1 school. You think like you're the man,
you're all that. And then you get, you know, down
there and you realize, hey, likethere's a, there's a totem pole,

(15:38):
you know, I mean, like you have to, you don't just show up and
start right away. Like you gotta show and reprove
yourself. And I, I really did enjoy that.
Like I enjoyed the competitive aspect of that.
But having such good teammates, good coaches and like a good
group around me, it made me feelconfident what I could do.
And I think after like 6 inningsmy first year, all in blow

(16:00):
games, snowing or yeah, like raining sideways, snowing, 4
hour long games. So those were like my innings
and I got hyped up for them. But definitely in the sophomore
year, I mean, I think I threw over 100 innings or something
like that. So it was definitely a big
change. So in between those times, you

(16:22):
also went to summer leagues too,right?
You went to Bismarck and Hyenas,I believe 21 and 22 different
years. So like you said, like you saw
the experiences, you saw the differences.
What benefited you going to summer leagues?
Because I know a lot of pitchersdo that and some, some of them

(16:42):
do get benefited from different coaches and different
aspirations. Like how, how how did it work
for you? Of I mean, the first year in
Bismarck was huge. I mean, I got a chance to, you
know, to actually pitch like a quality amount of innings after,
you know, not really throwing all my freshman year.
So I think just going there doing well, you know, I had a,

(17:06):
our coach was Will Flint, who was actually my dad had played
with back when he was playing. He was the head coach of our
team and a former pitcher himself.
So, you know, picking his brain a little bit, um, about stuff
definitely helped. And I think just doing well
there and showing myself like, Hey, just because, you know,
you're on the younger end, like you can still compete with these
guys and, you know, not just compete, but, you know, it's

(17:29):
like succeed and against them. And I think that just made me
really feel ready for my sophomore year and I know I'd
have a chance to prove myself and get innings, and it ended up
working out that way, so I was definitely fortunate for that.
So in your junior year at Michigan and you put up some
pretty stellar numbers. So you had a 1.12 WHIP with 110K

(17:52):
and like you said, you threw 103innings at yours.
So tell us about how that seasonwent and, and what you worked on
and and and how you improved to get even better so you could put
up those type of numbers. Oh yeah, I had gone to the Cape.

(18:15):
I had seen, you know, a lot of, I mean, the best around, like,
that's what that league is, right?
And I think that was another humbling experience.
You know, I thought it was just good enough to start for a top
D1 team and then, you know, I went to Hyannis.
I struggle a little bit. I finished pretty strong with a
couple outings and I think that was just kind of like a good

(18:36):
wake up call of like these are the best of the best.
Like you have to compete every pitch, every batter, like, you
know, hit your spot. So you gotta do the little
things right to succeed overtimeand be consistent.
And I think being consistent wasthe one thing that I really need
to work on going from that sophomore, junior jump sophomore
had had success early. And then I felt like I almost

(18:58):
fell into a rut by the end of like, you know, I'd have some
good innings, give up some runs.And then all of a sudden it was
a mangled kind of box score for myself at the end.
So that was just something that I really focused on, you know,
competing this pitch, whatever Ihad to do, whether it was, you
know, taking a breath in betweenon a big pitch, just getting my
mindset right and, you know, really locking in for those big

(19:19):
moments that ended up the littlemoments that become big at the
end of the game of. And I feel like I did a pretty
good job of that by junior year.I mean, definitely saw a lot of
improvements and you know, it was it was it was something that
we kind of all decided as a team.

(19:39):
You know, we had our coach leavefrom my sophomore to junior
year. So I think that was a a pretty
good bonding experience, even though it was a tough moment for
a lot of us that had been there with the previous coaches gone.
Like, no, we're going to stay here.
We're not going to all, you know, leave and go to different
schools. Like we want to win.
We want to win from Michigan. So I think that was definitely a
driving force too. Well, do you ever reflect back

(20:02):
to your time with Michigan? Because look, with your stats, I
mean, even even the Twitter, theMichigan baseball count even
said that pure legend. I'd be back-to-back 100
strikeouts, first in history, never been have been done
before. 222 career strikeouts, 10th of all time, 110th season
strikeouts, 6th of all time and Big 10 pitcher of the year,

(20:25):
third, third winner in Michigan history.
Like do you ever always look back and say like, man, you
know, I made that decision for areason And look what the outcome
came in. That's the results of that that
was shown. Yeah, I mean, the personal
athletes, like they're always, you know, fun and like they're

(20:45):
flashy. I mean, the best thing for me
was just, you know, winning with, you know, guys that have
become my best friends and winning for like our school that
we all, you know, we're so proudto represent.
Like winning that Big 10 championship my sophomore year,
like that was by far better thanany individual moment.
And I think after doing that software, you're that really

(21:06):
motivated for junior year because I just wanted to have
that feeling again, do my part to help out.
The next question I want to ask you here is the moment you
finally got the call from the Toronto Blue Jays and looking
back and looking at where you got picked.

(21:28):
You were fifth round pick, 157thoverall in the 2023 draft.
And it's every player's dream tobe in the big leagues one day or
being drafted to an organization, especially the
team you grew up watching. So what was that moment like
when you got that call and who'swho's the one?
Who's the person that called youand gave you that moment?

(21:54):
Of I mean, it was the greatest moment of my life.
Yeah. No, it was.
It's just as good as it sounds on, you know, TV and, and all
the posts and stuff you see on Instagram.
Like it's, it really is like thebest feeling in the world,
especially being drafted by the Jays.
Like there's nobody else I wouldhave rather been drafted by.
Um, but I was actually, I was inmy college house.

(22:14):
My family had come down and my brothers and my sister and all
of my friends were there. My girlfriend was there.
So it was like a really cool experience just to, you know, we
were all watching the draft there on Day 2 and I had
actually been in contact with myagent and he had called me about
around the fourth round and said, hey, like there's this

(22:36):
team, maybe there's this team, keep your phone on and whatnot.
So I knew the time was coming. You know, my heartbeat was
going. I had like the TV on.
I had like the computer with like the draft tracker on
because I think they're like a couple seconds difference
between them. And then I got a call from my
agent. I like sprinted outside and
picked up and he's, I remember he was like the Blue Jays have

(22:56):
this pick and like, like they'reup in three like 3 picks.
Like would you, you know, would you sign?
I was, it was the quickest, yes,I think I've ever said in my
life, I mean, I was so excited. But I mean, just to hear that.
And then he's like, alright, we'll stand by like
congratulations. And you know, I put down the
phone, I went inside, I told everybody.
And then, you know, it got really quiet because we all knew

(23:17):
that the Jays were coming up. And, you know, just to hear your
name announced like that, it was, it was just the greatest
feeling in the world. Like so happy I could share with
all the people that were there, my family, friends, my
girlfriend. So couldn't have asked for a
better experience and a better team to be drafted by.
Who who was The Who was the the guy from the Jades organization

(23:38):
that that the first person you spoke to in the Jades
organization throughout the process?
Um, OHP man, and I think that. Was it Gil Kim?
Was it, I don't, I don't know who's in the organization, but
like. I'm not sure who Paul.
Would defrost Atkins, Mark Shapiro?

(24:01):
Was it James Click? I'm trying.
It was, I, I believe it was the area scout for OK to cover that
area. And I think I, it's honestly
kind of a blur. Like I was just so excited.
But I remember they were like, you know, we gotta get you down
to Toronto. Like we have some, you know,
tests to do and whatnot. Like we want to get some just

(24:21):
like medical stuff cleared up. Then like we're going to fly
down to Florida. Like you'll be there by this
time next week. And I like, it was all just kind
of like a blur and I was just trying to write it all down.
I remember like when everything was, but it happened so quick,
like the turnaround of like, youknow, hearing your name, you
know, having fun, celebrating with all your family and stuff.
And then actually being down there was only a matter of a few

(24:42):
days. So it was a crazy time though,
for sure. It was awesome.
So what was your first professional season like with
the Blue Jays? Um, which coaches worked with
you? How did that go?
What was that experience like just pitching in your first
games with the Jays organization?

(25:05):
Oh, I mean, it's definitely a little nervous.
Like I was excited and nervous, you know, kind of hand in hand
with those two, but really just eager to get started.
Like I had played with Team Canada at the TD Stadium, so and
that's where Duncan was playing where I made my my first
appearance. So that was really awesome just

(25:27):
playing in there. But coaches, I think my first
pitching coach would done Eden, where I started was a Cory
Riordan And you know, he was just, he had played for a long
time himself, really knowledgeable, knew how to have
fun with all of us. But he also, you know, got down
to business and, you know, really helped us out when we
needed it. So he was definitely a big help

(25:49):
of just my introduction to pro baseball.
And still, even when I see him around, like I'm definitely
picking his brain and ask him questions because I think he's
just got a lot of good information.
Talk about year 2IN Dunedin and the promotion of Vancouver.
I know that the the number statethat you had a better second

(26:11):
year and like you said like going to Vancouver's and it
never easy transaction. What was that like?
I mean, it was definitely a big jump.
I mean, it's all the way across the other side.
It was nice to be back in Canada.
I mean, I like Vancouver is awesome.
Like the fans are crazy. It definitely felt like a a pro

(26:33):
baseball game for the first time, just because you know,
there's 6000 people a game therewhen the weather got really nice
and just having like that support from all the fans.
Great from baseball standpoint. I mean, I think every level you
move up, uh, it's just guys you'll see that are really good,
are just a little bit more consistent, I'd say and like

(26:55):
their game, their routine, uh, and their approach, whether it's
pitching or, you know, at the plate.
So I think just kind of seeing that jump was was cool to see as
somebody who just loves the gameof baseball.
And you know, I definitely struggled at points in
Vancouver. I had some some good times too.

(27:17):
But I think that was like a good, again, humbling
experience. Just kind of like how like in
college and whatnot and then, you know, summer ball and
whatnot. I think that is just another
good stepping stone, you know, hopefully for next year when I'm
back and healthy and ready to go.
What would the level competitiontransitioning from Dunedin to
Vancouver? Because obviously some people

(27:39):
think over there playing it for the Canadians and in that
Northwestern League, it's it's one of the toughest leagues in
minor League Baseball. Like how how big of a shift it
was. Um, I mean, the good thing about
baseball, I mean, like, it staysthe same game.

(28:00):
I think a lot of it comes down to mental.
Yeah. You know, you, you think too
much out there. You know, things aren't always
gonna go your way. You got to slow the game down.
It's still, you know, 60 feet, 6inches, 90 feet base to base.
So I think at times I definitelygot speed up up there.
But I think that was like a goodlearning moment, But definitely

(28:21):
just the competition gets a little bit better and better
each level you go up. And it was cool to see.
Like, it was definitely a littlebit of a change from Dunedin.
Dunedin is more, you know, local, shorter bus rides and
whatnot. And then when you go to the
Northwest, it's, you know, some of those places are like 8-9
hours away. You gotta cross the border,

(28:42):
which you know, adds a little bit of time and whatnot.
So it's a little bit less sleep some nights when you're
traveling. But it was, it was really cool
to be out there. I mean, it was all beautiful,
all those cities, and it was just a really good time.
After a strong start in Vancouver, after I think you
pitched in two games and then you you left with some short

(29:04):
with some elbow tightness, soreness and you couldn't pitch
to the injuries. How did that occur and what was
that? What was that like for you to
find out your season was over? I Duffy shock.
I mean, I was so excited, you know, coming off last season,

(29:24):
having a little bit of a tough time in Vancouver, I was
excited, you know, come this season and, you know, prove
myself and, you know, get it back on the right track.
So to have, you know, an injury that ends your season, it's,
it's pretty devastating, you know, for the first moments and
you feel bad for yourself. But, you know, you realize
pretty quick that you can't just, you know, sit around and

(29:46):
feel bad for yourself. Like, you gotta, you know, deal
with the reality of it and, you know, kind of get back on to,
you know, recovering and doing all the right things.
And, you know, that's what I've been doing here for the last
little bit since, you know, since getting my surgery.
So I mean, from now it's just putting all the hard work and do
the right things and, you know, really reflect on, you know,

(30:09):
what I improved on going into the season.
How can I make that even better when I'm back and healthy?
So give us an update on like where your where, where your
rehab recovery is at and what isyour ETA to return to baseball
activities or and when, when could what is the time frame you

(30:31):
think that you could pitch againin the in the Miners?
Well, right now I'm just workingon, you know, trying to get some
strength back in my arm, right. You know, trying to straighten
it right now is the big, big deal of the day.
So it's getting better though every day.
Like just, you know, we have such a great staff and great
trainers and great help at our facility here in Dunedin.

(30:54):
So, you know, they're just really a big help and you know,
we couldn't, none of us that areinjured could do our job without
them. So just props to them for
everything they're helping with right now.
But uh, I mean, hopefully I'll be back early next year sometime
and ready to go 100%. So talk about your arsenal and

(31:17):
some of the pitches that you employ.
You think you use a fastball slider change up and and if
there's any other pitches and and what you feel like your best
pitches. Yeah, it is the fastball slider
change up and there is a curveball.
That's when I was working on at the end of last year and working
on it this year as well. I mean, I love throwing

(31:39):
fastballs by guys like like everybody else who pitches.
I mean, I don't throw the hardest, but you know, I've been
working on that and it's been getting a little bit better here
before the injury. So hopefully I can get back to
that once I'm healthy. But definitely throwing a
fastball by a guy and seeing himswing and miss or freezing him
on one of his great feeling. But honestly, I love just
whatever gets a guy out that day.

(32:01):
Some days it's the change out, some days it's the slider.
I think just maybe you can figure out early on what's
working that day and just stick to it.
I think that's, you know, the more success you'll have.
What do you feel like your best pitch is?
If you had, if you had to pick one of your pitches that you
feel is like the most efficient pitch you've got and the guy

(32:23):
that you used to get the hittersout the most, well, what would
you say that is? I'd say mostly it's the slider.
Like, I think I definitely feel very confident in that one.
It's something that, you know, I'm not afraid to throw behind
in counts ahead of counts, you know, get one for a swing and a
miss or for swinging the ball inplay.

(32:45):
That's definitely been 1, you know, over the past few years.
That's then my go to. What would you say is your most
memorable game? Because there's one game that
that you had against Tampa in Dunedin and I believe you had
like 6 and a third, six and a third, three hits, 9 strikeouts.

(33:07):
I mean, you were pretty much dominated.
Is there any other game that youcould recall and what worked for
you that day in general for you?Yeah, no, the the one against
Tampa was good. That was that was just one of
those days. I mean, some times it's like
you're you don't expect it. Like, you know, you throw your

(33:30):
pregame bullpen and sometimes I feel like the best starts are
the ones where you have bad bullpens.
I have no idea the signs behind that, but I think that was one
of those days where I came out of the bullpen.
I was like, man, that wasn't great, but here we go, I guess.
And, you know, you just gotta clear, you know, that that's
just you warming up and there's no indication of when a hitter
steps in. And I just, all I can remember

(33:52):
about that game was, you know, just hitting spots early on,
getting ahead. That always helps, you know,
with all pitchers and you know, I just got fortunate with some
good defence and some good pitches when I needed them.
So who? Who would you say if you had to
choose? Choose someone that you would
emulate your game after? Or who would you compare

(34:15):
yourself to being a southpaw? Or do you just try to be the
best Connor or healer and you can be?
I mean, yeah, I'd, I'd say so. I mean, I really enjoyed
watching Cole Hamels growing up.Like, I wouldn't say we're
similar, but that was just a guy.
Like I loved his composure on the mountain.
CC Sabathia as well. I really liked watching CC and I

(34:38):
thought what was cool about him was just he went from being like
a power pitcher to more of a guywho had to use all this stuff to
get guys out. And I just really respected the
fact that he could be so good atboth of those things, which is
really hard to be good at one thing, right?
So for him to be a good power pitcher and then to be a guy,
you know, that didn't throw his hard, but you know, had to hit
spots and really compete out there and grind out, you know,

(35:00):
outs and wins and, you know, do such a good job of it.
Those were guys that I really, you know, in my mind wanted to
be like whether or not my I physically looked like them.
With mechanics, I mean, for me, I just kind of feel like I've
thrown the way I've thrown mechanically and, you know, I've
tried to clean some things up and listen to changes, but I
don't really know if there's anybody specifically that like,

(35:22):
I can pinpoint that I'm like, yeah, that looks like me on the
mound. Besides from you recovering from
Tommy John and rehabbing it all,what's been your biggest
challenge is so far in your career?
Um, I mean, I think just, a lot of, you know, baseball in

(35:44):
general is just mental. I mean, you know, whether you
were in high school or in college, I think at the end of,
you know, especially when thingsare going tough, you know, you
got to go home, you could see your family, you got to hang out
with your friends. And I think a lot of times in
pro baseball, it can be a littlelonely sometimes, you know,
coming back from a bad game, yougotta go on a bus ride or
something, or you're staying in a hotel.

(36:04):
So I think, you know, just, you know, finding other things that
can, you know, keep your mind off baseball, you know, after,
you know, a tough outing or evena good outing, just something
outside of baseball. I think that's something that's
become really important. You know, whether it's reading,
I've gotten big on, you know, playing video games, watching a

(36:24):
movie or, you know, something else.
So I think that's definitely a big part of it.
So I wanna ask you this last question here, being a Canadian,
do you do you have any intentions of playing for Team
Canada or has anybody reached out to you in regards to that?
I mean, I was fortunate enough to be with Team Canada when I

(36:46):
was on the junior team for a fewyears.
And I mean, that was by far the best along with, you know,
playing for Michigan and, you know, representing the Blue Jays
now, like being able to represent my country is, you
know, the greatest honor I thinkI could ever have.
I mean, I love my time with the national team.
Greg Hamilton, who was the coachof the junior national team.
And he he also is a coach on thesenior team.

(37:07):
I mean, he just couldn't think of a better guy, a better as a
person and as a baseball coach. Um, I mean, I would love to one
day represent my country, you know, World Baseball Classic
and, you know, other competitions.
So hopefully they just keep going that day I'll come.
Well, Connor, we thank you for being here and it was an honor

(37:30):
and pleasure for you to interview.
And by the way, happy birthday once again.
Where? Where could we find you?
In social media and everywhere else.
I have Connor Ohal. Is this on Instagram?
Instagram. Instagram.
It's awesome, man. And then this interview's been

(37:52):
really cool, man. It's been cool to have you, cool
to talk to you and get to know your story and stuff.
So thanks for joining us, man. It was awesome.
Yeah. Thank you guys so much.
I appreciate it. Glad I could be here.
Hopefully we could have you backagain.
We will place your description below where you can find Connor
Helen and keep track of his timeline.
Till next time, take care, be kind to each other.

(38:14):
Signing off and the Blue Jays Ave. podcast on Monday,
September 1st. Runner or Hollering day?

(38:50):
Yeah.