1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Everybody. Welcome to another episode of Moster Territory, brought to 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: you by the Foul Territory Network. We have a very 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: special guest here today, former Red Sox executive Zach Scott. Zach, 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: I believe you were with the Red Sox sixteen years. 5 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: Sorry if I'm wrong on that is that sounded. 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 2: About right seventeen but close enough. Yeah. 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: So you worked in quite a few different things. You're 8 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,159 Speaker 1: heavy in the analytics, baseball operations. You're the VP of 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: Baseball Research and Operations at one point. Lots of time 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: with the Red Sox. That is a long tenure. I 11 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: got to ask you know, it's been a few years now, 12 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,959 Speaker 1: you know, what are your reflections overall from just your 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: time with the Red Sox and considering how long of 14 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: a tenure that was. 15 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: Well, it was an incredible experience. I'm so grateful for 16 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: all those years. Obviously we had a ton of success 17 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: with four championships during that time, but we also had 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 2: there's a lot of opportunities to learn. I had four 19 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 2: different gms I worked for. Unfortunately, we also had a 20 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 2: lot of last place finishes, so there are a lot 21 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: of ups and downs we had, you know, being I 22 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 2: enjoyed being in a big market because you're always in 23 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 2: the mix with all the different player pools. You can't 24 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 2: sit anything out, so you have to be involved. So 25 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 2: it was it was really fun, and you know, I 26 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 2: kind of grew up in the industry. I started in 27 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: my mid twenties, and really at that time under thiu Epstein, 28 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 2: everyone was pretty much in their twenties and single and 29 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: no children yet, and it was just a fun place 30 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: to be and to grow and learn, and you know, 31 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: it's just spent so much of my life, so I've 32 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: just really enjoyed it, really grateful for the experience. 33 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, what an incredible time there. I mean like seventeen years. 34 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 1: I mean that's you know, you see, you know, so 35 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: much turnover in the baseball world today. To be in 36 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: one organization for that long, I mean, that's incredible. 37 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 3: You know. 38 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: You look at I think it's an underrated aspect of 39 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: someone like Brian Cashman where he's been in that role 40 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: for I mean how long now, I mean goodness, since 41 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: ninety eight, you know, and even before he was with 42 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: the Yankees at that point. So yeah, incredible. But uh, 43 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: you know, looking at the Red Sox offseason, we'll touch 44 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: on this real quick. They've made a lot of moves 45 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: this offseason. I've traded Figuerett Crochet, signing Alex Bragman, just 46 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: recently signing Walker buell Er, you know, making a couple 47 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: other little moves. You know, a world as chatman for 48 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: the back end of the bullpen, you know, Justin Wilson, 49 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: Carlos Nebias. I've I had to ask you real quick, 50 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: you know what's a you know, what's a great you 51 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: would give this Red Sox offseason, especially after you know, 52 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: considering how long you were in the Red Sox front office. 53 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 2: Well, I'm uh, I'll say I'm with the caveat that. 54 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: I'm a tough grader. Probably I'd say, you know, B 55 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: plus is probably the grade. You know, what could they 56 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 2: have done better? It's hard to say. I mean, there's 57 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: there's always things you could do better. But I really 58 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 2: like a lot of what they did. I love the 59 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: Crochet trade. I think that's one of those trades that 60 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: makes a lot of sense for both teams. They you know, 61 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 2: they're still considered a top farm system even though they 62 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: moved a lot of good young talent in that deal. 63 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 2: So I think they had I think they had a 64 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: really solid obviously, and I like the Bregman signing a 65 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 2: lot too. 66 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, it's fun. I'm glad you mentioned the 67 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: Crochet trade because I love it for the Red Sox obviously, 68 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: but I love it for the White Sox too. They 69 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: got a pretty solid package in return. They got Kyle Teel, 70 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: you know, one of the top prospects in the game, 71 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: one of the top catching prospects in the game, a 72 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: guy that just a dirt dog kind of a player. 73 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna miss him very much, you know, getting a 74 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: guy like Bradon Montgomery, high upside bat coming out of 75 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: college last year, would have gone higher in the draft 76 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: if he didn't get an ankle fracture in the College 77 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: World Series. I think the White Sox did very well there. 78 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: I'm pretty excited for their future, you know, getting that. 79 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: But you know, Crochet obviously huge addition for the Red Sox, 80 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: a sorely needed ace at the top of the rotation. 81 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: But yeah, I'm kind of right with you. I'm kind 82 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: of like an A minus. I guess, depending on my mood, 83 00:03:58,080 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: some days i'll say an A. I don't think I'll 84 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: go A plus. I would have liked to have seen 85 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: some kind of an extension, possibly for maybe Crochet. Hopefully 86 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: they can get that done. But I think we can 87 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: all agree it was a pretty good off season, at 88 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: least for the Red Sox. Now there's been some some 89 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: news over the last week or so. You know, it's 90 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: funny because I'm sure you would agree with this where 91 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: over the years, you know, for as long as someone 92 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: who's been a Red Sox fan, they know very well 93 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: you can have good times and then all of a 94 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: sudden the next morning, you know, it's not. 95 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 2: So good of a day. 96 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: That day, there's some bad news followed up, and you know, 97 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: I think of a good example where you win the 98 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: World Series in two thousand and four, theo Epstein's in 99 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: a guerrilla suit in two thousand and five. So that's 100 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: kind of how it is in Boston. And unfortunately after 101 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: the Alex Bregman signing, very happy Tims and then Raphael 102 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: Devers he's sitting on the bench in Fort Myers. Asked 103 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: if he would get off a third base and he 104 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: said no, And uh, it's it's been a rather interesting 105 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 1: conversation the past few days. I mean, I got to 106 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: ask you here based off your own experience in the 107 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: front office when you had something like this with a 108 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: player where they you know, didn't want to. 109 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 2: Move off a position. 110 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: You know, maybe you bring in a guy you know 111 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: kind of what what do you think about this situation 112 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: and how do you think would be the best way 113 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: to handle this moving forward? 114 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: Well, I'm not sure what was going on behind the 115 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: scenes there, but I think in general you want to 116 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 2: try and get ahead of these things as much as 117 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: you can, so as soon as you know. You can't 118 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 2: do it too early because you may not sign Alex Bregman. 119 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 2: And so once you do, though, I think you immediately 120 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: need to have a conversation with the key players involved 121 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 2: and that's your really your infield, but especially Raffie Devers. 122 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 2: I would have thought, and maybe this is true, that 123 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: you'd have a plan. You'd have the GM and the 124 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: manager on the same page about kind of what the 125 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 2: plan is in that Bregman would be informed as to 126 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 2: what the expectation is for him position wise. I think 127 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 2: you go into it with a with a plan. A. 128 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 2: Obviously you can change those things as you learn more 129 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 2: about the players involved in spring training or whatnot, and 130 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 2: things can change with health and other things that happen 131 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 2: but I think you want to already kind of know, 132 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: like we're bringing in Alex Bregman to play position, you know, 133 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 2: second base or third base, and have a plan in 134 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: mind and already immediately communicate what that plan is to 135 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: the players. It affects like Casses and Devors, and maybe 136 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: you sheet it like trying to have that conversation. They 137 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: may have had that conversation and then you know, guys 138 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 2: just kind of go rogue with the media. I tend 139 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,679 Speaker 2: to be pretty laid back about how how players handle 140 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: things in the media. I'm a broken record for people 141 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: that have worked with me that I'm always saying, like, hey, 142 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: this is entertainment. We're not you know, it's not Pentagon's secrets. 143 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 2: If things leak out, I never really freak out. If 144 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 2: players kind of say the suboptimal thing to the media, 145 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: that's not a huge deal. You know. In some ways, 146 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: you want your your big money player like Devors to 147 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 2: want to be the third baseman, you know. I think 148 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: it was something that you know, with Bogarts at short 149 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: it was one of those conversations that sometimes I think 150 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 2: there was fear that he we may want him to 151 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: move at some point, and I think you have an 152 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: open dialogue about those things, and you know understand the 153 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: players not always going to want to do it, but 154 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 2: you have to have good communication to get to where 155 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 2: you want to be as an organization. 156 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think you bring up a good point 157 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: there where you know there's ifs in this situation. A 158 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: big if is Christian Campbell right now for the Red Sox, 159 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,679 Speaker 1: one of the top prospects in all of Major League 160 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: Baseball according to reports you know from you know, the 161 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: guys in Boston, they seem to be very high on him, 162 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: and it seems like they're giving him every bit of 163 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: a lane to try and win the job out of 164 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: spring training. You know, if you were to kind of 165 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: go into this, you know, when you have a young 166 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: player like that, even though you might think he's ready, 167 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: do you feel like he really needs to If you 168 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: were in this situation, do you think he would really 169 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: need to just knock your socks off? No pun intended there, 170 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: but do you think he would have to have an 171 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: incredible showing, you know, in spring training check off all 172 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: the boxes to kind of you know, step in here 173 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: to where you would cause that position change or do 174 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: you think it would be better off for everyone involved 175 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 1: to where maybe he goes down to Triple A to 176 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: start off the year, you know, for a little bit 177 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: of time, and then come up when the time is right. 178 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I'm not a big fan of young 179 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 2: players breaking with the team out of spring training. I 180 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 2: think when you do that, you're almost removing your safety 181 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: net throughout the long course of one hundred and sixty 182 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 2: two games. Him being in Triple A is a good thing, 183 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 2: and he's gonna come up and play like this guy. 184 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 2: They should be excited about this player. Obviously, they're trying 185 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 2: to figure out what is what best position fits for him, 186 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: and it sounds like, you know, from what I understand 187 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: that they're pretty positive about him being able to play 188 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 2: second base, play the outfield, and think he'll work hard. 189 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 2: He's got the right makeup to do it. So, you know, 190 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 2: that's not so much the issue. But if you look 191 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: at it, he's really only had about six hundred plate 192 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 2: appearances in the minors, which is really low. You know, 193 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: I know, he's a college guy. You know, Dustin Pedroia 194 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: had twice as many play appearances in the miners before 195 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 2: coming up, and he came up at a relative quick 196 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: you know, cycle kookiets Hig school player, so it's little different, 197 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 2: but he had twice as many play appearances in the minors, So, 198 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 2: you know, I remember this kind of reminds me of 199 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 2: twenty thirteen spring training with Jackie Bradley had a ridiculous 200 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 2: spring training, and you know, we were coming off a 201 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 2: tough twenty twelve. We brought in some you know, a 202 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 2: plus makeup character guys, brought out a bunch of free agents, 203 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 2: trying to really change the culture in there, and then 204 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: to have him play so well, and if he didn't 205 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,839 Speaker 2: make the team out out of spring training, it would 206 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: almost seem like be sending possibly the message to the 207 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 2: clubhouse that we don't care about winning. You know, we're 208 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 2: not going to break camp with the best players. Now, 209 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 2: we had an injury to David Ortiz, so that kind 210 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 2: of what led to him coming up, and he obviously 211 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 2: struggled right away, which is a cautionary tale on spring 212 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 2: training performance. Right, he had an outstanding spring, but you know, 213 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 2: he wasn't he was in the early He hadn't had 214 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 2: that many play appearances when he came up, so it 215 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 2: probably wasn't ideal, but we did it because of messaging 216 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,599 Speaker 2: that we were saying, hey, it's important to win, and 217 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 2: we're going to reward players that come out and perform. 218 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 2: I don't think it really works usually that well now 219 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: he you know, Christian Campbell will be maybe an exception 220 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 2: to that. But I think the best outcome, long term, 221 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: meaning even just the long term of this season, not 222 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: even talking beyond years, is to have him start, probably 223 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 2: in Triple A, regardless of how well he performs in 224 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 2: spring training, because you have you know, as Tristan Costa said, 225 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 2: you have grown men for those positions. You have guys 226 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 2: that are pretty that are very good players. I mean, 227 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 2: you could be top five at third and second base 228 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 2: with Devers and bragmant so at each of those positions. 229 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 2: So why not do that, and then you'll have this 230 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 2: depth piece. You have him play the outfield and second base, 231 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 2: play around the field and the triple A. Have him 232 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: ready to go when you have a need that comes up, 233 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: because you can't predict what needs you're going to have. 234 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 2: There's going to be injuries, and you'll have him ready 235 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 2: to go when the time's right. 236 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's kind of the way. That's kind of where 237 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: I'm at. Well, I think the good thing here for 238 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: the Red Sox is like you said, they have that 239 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: flexibility here to where you don't need to necessarily, you know, 240 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: put your pieces in place right away. And that's kind 241 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: of the beautiful thing about baseball is every single time 242 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: it tends to work itself out, usually in the end. 243 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: But I got to ask you, you know, you were 244 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: with the organization I believe at least a few years 245 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 1: while Raffi was in the organization. You know, what are 246 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: your thoughts on him moving forward? 247 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 2: Uh? 248 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: You know, obviously he's had his struggles at third base 249 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: over the years. Now when you're looking at the advanced metrics, 250 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: whether that's ou it's above average, or fielding run value 251 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: or you know, range, whatever it may be. Uh, he 252 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,319 Speaker 1: does not rank very well in those areas. You know 253 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: during your time did you did you guys, have you know, 254 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: these thoughts, these question marks when it came to Raffi 255 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: long term at third base and if so, like, where 256 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: do you think would be the best position for him 257 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: or best spot for him moving forward? 258 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was definitely part of the conversation with him. 259 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 2: It was, you know, the weakest part of his game 260 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: in the area where he needed to really work to improve. 261 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 2: And you know, I remember some conversations, conversations when we had, 262 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 2: you know, Raffi and Bogarts on the left side of 263 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 2: our infield, talking about at some point that may be 264 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 2: the right side of her infield, and I think, you know, 265 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 2: at some point, he's very young still, he's what twenty 266 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 2: seven years old, twenty eight years old. Yeah, he's still 267 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 2: pretty young. A defensive peak tends to be a little earlier. 268 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 2: It tends to be in your mid twenties, so that 269 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 2: does decline faster than your bat. But he's such as 270 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 2: he's not a good defensive third baseman, and that's okay 271 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: because he's such a good offensive first baseman. He's probably 272 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 2: third baseman. He's probably still a top three third baseman 273 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 2: in the game. But you know, for me, I do 274 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 2: think of probably in the future the move is to 275 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 2: first base. I think he could be an average first 276 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 2: basement defensively, and I think he's too young to move 277 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 2: to d H. I don't think that's really ideal for him. 278 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: I still think he'd be one of the top five 279 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 2: first basemen in the game all around. So you know, 280 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 2: I do think that's probably the future, but there's no 281 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 2: need to do it right now. Yeah. 282 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's actually been a talking point this offseason because, 283 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: you know, Tristan Cassas, he was in the trade rumors 284 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 1: at one point, he was on the trade block talking 285 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: about with the Mariners possibly being a destination, and people 286 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: thinking like, oh, no, Raffi, he he there's no way 287 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 1: he should play first base. I mean, he's he's so 288 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: bad at third and I mean, my goodness, he's gonna 289 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: he's gonna pull a hammy at first base or whatever. 290 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: But I've always looked at it thinking, you know, I 291 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: think back to Kevin Nucleus, who was a better defender overall. Uh, 292 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: but he was like an average third baseman, but then 293 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: he became a gold Glove first baseman. And I think 294 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: with Raffi, I kind of look at the way he 295 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: moves around out of third base. You know, he has 296 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: a good arm as well, and I think he would 297 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: fit fine at first base if that's the direction they 298 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: ended up going. You know, in the future, who knows 299 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: what happens, you know with Casus or maybe even Flagg 300 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: Junior next off season. We'll have to wait and see. 301 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: But uh, it's gonna be interesting moving forward with Raffi. 302 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: But speaking of cassas Uh. There were also some comments 303 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: this past week where it actually seemed like people were 304 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: they got to you start to see the flames come 305 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: down a little bit with Raffi, and then all of 306 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: a sudden, Tristan hops on the bench, and then the 307 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: flames just reignited again. I gotta ask you your thoughts 308 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: on his comments. You know a lot of people out 309 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: there saying, you know, he's he's like coming off like 310 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: he was the manager, right or coming off as the 311 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: chief baseball officer. I think even someone in the media 312 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: asked him like, oh, are you the CBO or something 313 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: like that. From a front office perspective, you know, you 314 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier like yes, you like these guys talking. But 315 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: when it came to Tristan's comments about you know, how 316 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: he thinks the lineup should be or you know, what 317 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: they should do organizationally, he was saying, you know, like 318 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: you brought up earlier in the grown men comment where 319 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: these guys should go down to the minors, kind of 320 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: like from a front office point of view, do you 321 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: feel like maybe he went a little too far with 322 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: that or kind of where where are you at with that? 323 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean you never when you when you're in 324 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 2: a market like Boston or New York where there's a 325 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 2: lot of media attention, you really just don't want to 326 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: have to deal with more noise. And so when a player, 327 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 2: when Cosa said that, you know, my initial reaction was 328 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 2: ohn Man like, just say, that's not my job, that's 329 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 2: the manager's job. I'm and I'm just gonna do it. 330 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 2: But I don't think it's the end of the world. 331 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 2: I don't understand when people get angry about that and 332 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 2: start like get rid of him. He's a you know, 333 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 2: not a team player. If that's if that's what people 334 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 2: how they respond, that doesn't make sense to me. He 335 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 2: clearly is a quirky personality. There's some other things that 336 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 2: I've always obviously come up over the years, and that's okay, 337 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 2: but I you know, again, it goes back to what 338 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 2: I said at the top, which is being proactive in 339 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 2: getting on the same page about your communication. They may 340 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 2: have done that, and he may have just said what 341 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 2: he wanted to say, but I do have some concerns 342 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 2: with that and with you know, some of the stories 343 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 2: earlier talking about Bregman, and you'd hear that like, well, 344 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 2: Bresla doesn't necessarily want him, but Cora and Sam Kennedy 345 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 2: want them. Those are not great stories to be out there. Again, 346 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 2: not the end of the world. It's baseball, it's entertainment, 347 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 2: it's sports. But I you know, you start reading between 348 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 2: the lines, I wonder what's going on, Like why can 349 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 2: we get on the same page. Is this something that 350 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 2: you know Craig being someone that's relatively new to this 351 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 2: role and relatively new to front offices, maybe that's a 352 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 2: learning experience where it's like, Okay, I need to be 353 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 2: more proactive and making sure we're all aligned on even 354 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 2: if we don't agree, we have alignment on what we're 355 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 2: doing and how we want to approach things publicly with 356 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 2: the players and just have that dialogue in those conversations. 357 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 2: That's why it's important to make sure you're talking to 358 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 2: keeping open lines of communication all the time. Yeah. I 359 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 2: wanted to ask about that too. 360 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: Where you know, it seems like all off season and 361 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 1: even coming into spring training, it seems like everyone wants 362 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: to be successful, everyone wants to win, everyone wants to 363 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: do the best they can. But it feels like you're 364 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: I don't want to say too many cooks in the kitchen, 365 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: but it feels like you almost like there's a lot 366 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: of differing opinions going on. Was there ever a moment 367 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: when you were with the Red Sox where it felt 368 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: like things got I don't want to say chaotic, but 369 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,679 Speaker 1: where it just felt like things weren't really on the 370 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: same page. 371 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: Well, I think in the competitive industry you're in, especially 372 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 2: in a place Boston, where you want to win all 373 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 2: the time and you're spending a lot of money. It's 374 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 2: high stakes, right, so you have highly competitive people that 375 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 2: really want to succeed, and so it's always coming from 376 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 2: a good place. It's coming from we want to win. 377 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 2: But you know, you've got to just make sure again 378 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 2: that word alignment is key. You know, you don't always 379 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 2: have agreement, and you don't want to have agreement. I 380 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 2: think it's healthy to have, you know, good respectful debate 381 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 2: and disagreement, but you want to keep it in house 382 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 2: because it's only going to cause distractions. So I think, 383 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 2: you know, making sure you kind of have those conversations 384 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 2: where you when there is a plan of what you're 385 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,120 Speaker 2: going to do and it's coming from you know where, 386 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 2: if that's the chief baseball officer or whoever, it's okay 387 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 2: I respect that you disagree with me, but can I 388 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 2: have your support on this as we move forward. Those 389 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 2: are the key things that may or may not be happening, 390 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 2: but you need to have happened, and they need to 391 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 2: mean it when they say yes I do, and not 392 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 2: kind of just go and vent to a media member 393 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 2: or someone else saying like I really want to get 394 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: this guy, but so and so doesn't, and you just 395 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: don't want to have that because it really seems like 396 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 2: there isn't alignment, which could lead to other issues down 397 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 2: the road. 398 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 3: Hey, real nutrition has the power to make a real 399 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 3: difference in people's lives. 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Do you think 421 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: you know, there's always the old phrase, you know it 422 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: always success or failure, always trickles from the top. Do 423 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,360 Speaker 1: you think this could be, you know, possibly something with ownership, 424 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,160 Speaker 1: you know, communication from there or do you think it's 425 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,199 Speaker 1: just really a lot of guys in the front office 426 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: that are you know, just passionate about what they're doing 427 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: and maybe they're just not fully seeing eye eye You know, 428 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 1: where do you think this? You know, I don't say 429 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: I don't say chaos, that's not the right word, but 430 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: you know you're seeing these disagreements coming out into the public. 431 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 1: You know, how do you think wherehere? Where do you 432 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: think this is coming from. 433 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 2: I think it comes with pressure, right. The Red Sox 434 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 2: have been disappointing, you know, fairly mediocre for a while now. 435 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 2: There's a lot of frustration within their fan base of 436 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 2: not being aggressive enough. And I'm sure some people wanted 437 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 2: to be aggressive and so if they felt like, well, 438 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 2: I wanted to be aggressive and I don't want to 439 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 2: wear this criticism. That's where I think this stuff comes from, 440 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 2: is people trying to separate themselves from maybe other people 441 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 2: that were more conservative and how they wanted to approach things. 442 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,199 Speaker 2: You know, they made a lot of public They kind 443 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 2: of shot themselves in the foot sometimes by making public 444 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 2: statements to set not managing expectations, well, setting expectations really high. Obviously, 445 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 2: the full throttle comment from a couple of off season ago, 446 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 2: even this off season, saying we're going to spend We're 447 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 2: going to go over the luxury try. There's no real 448 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 2: upside to saying stuff like that because you can't control how, 449 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 2: you know, the off season goes. You could offer one 450 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 2: soda seven hundred million dollars and another team can offer 451 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 2: them sixty five million more than that, and you know 452 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 2: you can't control it. It's not fully in your control. 453 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 2: And that's what makes those jobs difficult. So there's no 454 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 2: reason I think they could do a better job of 455 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 2: managing expectations. I guess that's what I would say to that. 456 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I completely agree. I want to also touch on 457 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: that too, where you know, do you think that there's 458 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: been a bit of a switch, a bit of a 459 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: switch flipped this offseason where you know, they kind of 460 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: it seems like they've turned the page at least a 461 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 1: little bit when it comes to their aggressiveness. Do you 462 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: think that, you know, possibly came from, like you said, 463 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: maybe the pressure from the public, or do you feel 464 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: like maybe they just like where they're at as an organization, 465 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: or maybe a little bit of both. You know, what 466 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: do you think caused that switch right there? 467 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know for sure. I would think the 468 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 2: pressure had a lot to do with kind of getting 469 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 2: over the finish line with some of the deals, like 470 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 2: the crochet trade being you know, I think that took 471 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 2: a while. My understanding is that it took a while, 472 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 2: and who knows what kind of forces push it over 473 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 2: the edge. But when you hear the rhetoric that we've 474 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 2: heard in some of the reports of disagreement, like to me, 475 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 2: that says there are other voices trying to push things 476 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 2: for you. You also have the dynamic of theo Epstein 477 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 2: being back in the organization and him being very close 478 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 2: with Sam Kennedy, him being someone that I obviously worked 479 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 2: for and would say is on the more aggressive side 480 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 2: of the spectrum, and that probably has something to do 481 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 2: with it too. It's a tough The industry has changed 482 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 2: a lot in my time, and a lot of that 483 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 2: is maybe someone would say the fault of people like 484 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 2: me with the analytics backgrounds, but a lot of how 485 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 2: decisions are made. There's a lot of analytical tools that 486 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 2: are used to do this. And while I think that's 487 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 2: great because their frameworks to help you make decisions, sometimes 488 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 2: people see them more as formulaic and then it's like, well, 489 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 2: this is the value of this player, and if we 490 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 2: go over that value, then we're doing something bad. And 491 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 2: to me it's like, well, if you're the Boston Red 492 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 2: Sox or the New York Yankees of New York Mets, 493 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 2: you're not in the business of You're not getting a 494 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 2: trophy for having the most efficient payroll. You don't have 495 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 2: the constraints of a Tampa Bay so By definition, you're 496 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 2: going to be overpaid for some players. That doesn't mean 497 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 2: there's no limits. It doesn't mean you just go crazy, 498 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,120 Speaker 2: because that's how you could, you know, get yourself into 499 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,199 Speaker 2: a trap like we did before the Daughters build us 500 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 2: out in twenty twelve with Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. 501 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 1: Me to this day, I still yeah, I was like wow, what. 502 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, we were the same way when it was when 503 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 2: they approached us about it. But you know, I think 504 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 2: you want to maintain flexibility. You have to look at 505 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 2: your roster and say where are we Are we in 506 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 2: a place to compete? They are? They have still have 507 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 2: three of the best prospects in baseball even after that 508 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 2: big trade. So you're going to have young talent integrated 509 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,120 Speaker 2: coming into your roster that's going to be making far 510 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 2: less money than what they're going to be producing if 511 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,360 Speaker 2: they turn out as to be as good as they 512 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 2: you know people think they are, and so you can 513 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 2: take those bigger risks. We could sign a David Price 514 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 2: to the deal that we signed them to because we 515 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 2: had Mookie Bets and Jackie Bradley and Andrew Ben and 516 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 2: Tandi and Raphael Deevers. We had this talent pipeline that 517 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 2: was going to be quote unquote underpaid right for what 518 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 2: they're producing because of the system. So, you know, I 519 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 2: think that's kind of the mindset that needs to be there. 520 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 2: I don't think it was always there over the last 521 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 2: several years. I think it was you know, sometimes in 522 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 2: this happens with a lot of teams, you're you're kind 523 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 2: of you're trying to win deals, whatever that means to you, 524 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 2: rather than win games. And so I think it's important 525 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 2: that if you try so Andrew Freeman has said this publicly, 526 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 2: if you try to win every free agent deal by 527 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 2: a dollar, you're never You're going to finish third all 528 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 2: the time. You're never going to sign the guy. So 529 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 2: it's uncomfortable, but you have to get uncomfortable to get 530 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,120 Speaker 2: the guys that you need to make your team better. 531 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I'm glad they took that step abit this offseason. 532 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: You know, And when you look back over the years 533 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: of John Henry under the ownership, where this off season 534 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,640 Speaker 1: it kind of falls right in line with how it's 535 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: been in the past, where you know, he doesn't like 536 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: giving the long or he doesn't like signing off on 537 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: the long term deals for guys over thirty Bregman. That 538 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: ended up being a good example there where they went 539 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: with the higher AAV and then I can go back, 540 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:09,160 Speaker 1: you know, to pass if past. With the organizational farm system, 541 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: they've always been in a pretty good place. You know, 542 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 1: payroll has usually been in a tidy place when they 543 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: get aggressive. Do you feel like they followed that blueprint 544 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: here of this offseason. 545 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I do. I think it's all contextual when you're aggressive. 546 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:28,160 Speaker 2: And you know, it made sense when Higham came aboard. 547 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:29,679 Speaker 2: I was only with him for one year, but it 548 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 2: made sense at that time given the outlook of our 549 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 2: team and the timing of where our prospects were and 550 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 2: where our farm system was, that that wasn't the time 551 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 2: to be aggressive and going into twenty twenty and so, 552 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 2: but at some point it is, and I think, you 553 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 2: know some one of the things that mixed those plans 554 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,360 Speaker 2: up a little was that they had a surprisingly good 555 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 2: season in twenty twenty one and made it almost got 556 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 2: to the World Series. And I think they had a 557 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 2: lot of good fortune. They were like the healthiest team 558 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,239 Speaker 2: in baseball. A lot of things went right, and that 559 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 2: probably was an unrealistic expectation that kind of made ended 560 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 2: up leading to some of the pressure down the road 561 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 2: when they didn't meet those expectations again. So but yeah, 562 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 2: I think that's definitely part of it. I mean, look, 563 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 2: John Henry's not wrong if he thinks that these long 564 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 2: term deals are bad. They are. I mean, you're it's 565 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 2: the riskiest part of the market, but you have to 566 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 2: construct a roster that allows you to take those kind 567 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 2: of risks. But yeah, I've I've always said to people 568 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 2: that work with me, you know, it's like a really 569 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 2: the free agency is like a really robust housing market 570 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 2: where it's a bidding you're getting into biding wars, but 571 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 2: you're buying. You're buying cars, not houses. You're buying depreciating 572 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 2: assets if you're going to you know, past age thirty three, 573 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 2: thirty four, whatever, And so they're high risk deals, but 574 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 2: sometimes there are context where it makes sense to do it. 575 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. And I also want to bring up too. 576 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,880 Speaker 1: You mentioned Theowebstein earlier, and you know he came back 577 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: to the Red Sox or to the Family Sports Group 578 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: last year, and Sam Kennedy touched on theo Epstein being 579 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: a bit of a i'd say a mentor for Craig Breslow. 580 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: He actually made these comments I want to read them 581 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: to saying THEO was really really helpful and provided counsel 582 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: along the way that helped us think about different deal 583 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,360 Speaker 1: structures and also ripping up different deal structures when they 584 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: don't work. I really think it helped Brez in terms 585 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: of you're talking about perhaps the best negotiator in the 586 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: history of baseball agents in Brez is still a year 587 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: and a half, two years on the job, you know, 588 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: thinking back to your time with THEO, obviously a highly 589 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: successful executive in the front office with both the Red 590 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 1: Sox and the Cubs. Do you think what do you 591 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: think he brought to the table, you know, other than 592 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: what we just read here, you know, talking about different 593 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: deal structures and whatnot. How big of a role do 594 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: you think he's been with Breslo since coming back to 595 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: the Red Sox. I know, obviously you don't know, you 596 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 1: know exactly, but based off of your you know, experience 597 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: with THEO, how do you think he, you know, could 598 00:28:57,920 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: have helped Breslo here. 599 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 2: Well, it's it's amous. He's a tremendous resource to really 600 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 2: anyone there. THEO is a deal maker. He is someone 601 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 2: that's how I always viewed him. He's someone, like I said, 602 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 2: he's on the aggressive side, but he's not. You know, 603 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 2: if I was to kind of look at the four 604 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 2: gms I worked for, Dave Dombrasko probably the most aggressive 605 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 2: when it comes to those types of deals, and and 606 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 2: THEO would be kind of closer to the middle, but 607 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 2: on the aggressive side, and maybe the other guys would 608 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 2: be a little bit more conservative, with him being farther 609 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 2: left on the conservative part of that scale. But you know, 610 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 2: THEO is a deal maker, so that's the perspective he's bringing. 611 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 2: But he's also very smart. He's not just going to 612 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 2: make deals to get deals done. It's going to be 613 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 2: very targeted. But he you know, there's a ton of 614 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 2: experience there obviously negotiating deals. And like you said, Craig's 615 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 2: you know, relatively new to front offices in general, right, 616 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 2: Like he went pretty he rose pretty quickly after his 617 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 2: playing career. Good for him. But you know, there's a 618 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 2: database there in Theo's mind of all the experience he's had. 619 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 2: And he's also very creat to help think through things, 620 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 2: so that he's a great resource to have. And and 621 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 2: I'd say overall, you know, there's still some relative inexperience 622 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 2: at the top of baseball operations there. So I think 623 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 2: having him there as someone who's obviously very seasoned is 624 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 2: just great for a lot of people. Yeah, for sure. 625 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: And it kind of the what I've been thinking with 626 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: Craig because he's so new, it's so you know, I've 627 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 1: seen people say, oh, he's not doing enough for you know, 628 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 1: whatever it may be. But I've been kind of thinking here, 629 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 1: you know, going back the last year or so. You know, obviously, 630 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: you know, it depends on where they're at aggressiveness wise, 631 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 1: you know, when it comes to pursuing these guys. But 632 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: it kind of feels like, you know, THEO coming back 633 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: into the fold, it almost like it feels like he's 634 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: you know, kind of nudged him a little bit. Would 635 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: you say, you know, THEO could have possibly give him, 636 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: you know, gave him that insight to where you know, 637 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: maybe don't hold back so much. Or do you think 638 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: he was you know a guy that say, you know, 639 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: could say to him like, hey, it's okay. 640 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 2: To be a little aggressive here. Yeah, I think he'd 641 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 2: probably won't be more the latter right to push a 642 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 2: little bit and say, hey, you know you can start 643 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 2: getting into these three four player trades and really start 644 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 2: persevering on player number three in that deal, and really 645 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 2: what a lot of experienced GMS like FL like Davi 646 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 2: Debreski will say, like, you know, most of those a 647 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 2: lot of the players aren't going to work out, but 648 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 2: there's going to be probably you know, who are the 649 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 2: players that potentially impact stars and focus on that and 650 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:36,719 Speaker 2: then in the context of your current team and the 651 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 2: farm system that you have, kind of look at it 652 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 2: that way because the Red Sox, when you have a 653 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 2: top farm system and you have so many prospects, there's 654 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 2: a surplus there. Right. It's not just looking at each 655 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 2: player in a vacuum, it's looking at it in context. 656 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 2: And I think to be able to have someone there 657 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 2: that can kind of give you that perspective to say 658 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 2: it's okay to be aggressive in this situation and not 659 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,120 Speaker 2: let you know, the third player and a deal be 660 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 2: the thing that holds it up. I don't know if 661 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 2: that's what happened, but I'd say that's an example of 662 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 2: what I could see him doing, is to kind of 663 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 2: give you that confidence to move forward. These are hard decisions. 664 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 2: It's it's you know, it's not like you're working in 665 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 2: the accounting department at the Boston Red Sox, where the 666 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 2: team performance has really nothing to do with your job security. 667 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 2: You know, other than theo Epstein maybe some other Hall 668 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 2: of Fame executives, you know how your job ends. When 669 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 2: you're in that seat, you know you're going to lose it. 670 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 2: Even Dave Nembrowski has been fired multiple times and he 671 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 2: will be a Hall of Fame executive. So you can't 672 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 2: be afraid. And you know, THEO has always talked about 673 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 2: the advice his father gave him when he got the 674 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 2: job at age twenty eight was to be bold, and 675 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 2: that is always something that's always stuck with me. It 676 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 2: doesn't mean to be reckless. It means to be unafraid 677 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 2: to do what you think is best for your organization 678 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 2: and not to care about how what risk you put 679 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 2: yourself into. You're always trying to do what's best for 680 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 2: the organization and sometimes you got to make some tough decisions. 681 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think with Craig, you know, I'll give 682 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: him a lot of props because you know, he came 683 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: to run the show in Boston after being you know, 684 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: when people think back prior to that him coming back 685 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: to Boston. You know, they had good memories of him, 686 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: you know, helping win the World Series in twenty thirteen, 687 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 1: and you know, people were like, oh, cool Craig. You know, 688 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: he's run the show now, and but then you have 689 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 1: the pressure cooker side of things, and you know, I 690 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 1: give him a lot of props to coming back into 691 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:26,640 Speaker 1: this fire, I would say, And uh, you know, and 692 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: I'd say overall, had a pretty good off season and 693 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: I think THEO definitely helped there. But one more question 694 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: before we wrap things up here. You know, based off 695 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: kind of what you've seen this past offseason, you know, 696 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: getting the Bregban deal done, making the big Crochet trade, 697 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: you know, and also along with kind of seeing what's 698 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: happening so far in spring training, you know, kind of 699 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,719 Speaker 1: what are your thoughts on the Red Sox moving forward? 700 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 1: Would you say they're in a much better place now, 701 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: you know kind of where you're where are you at 702 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 1: now with the Red Sox? 703 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 2: I do think they're in a much better I think 704 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,200 Speaker 2: the challenge for them, I think they should compete for 705 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 2: a playoff spot. You know, can they win the division? 706 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,319 Speaker 2: That's gonna be tough, but Baltimore and New York are tough, 707 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 2: although Baltimore hasn't really added a whole lot this offseason, 708 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,360 Speaker 2: and the Yankees obviously Los Soto but added some other pieces. 709 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 2: So it's gonna be tough, but there's no they can 710 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 2: compete for the division. I just think, you know, given 711 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 2: the playoff structure and how it's changed over the last 712 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 2: few years, they have a good shot to make the postseason. 713 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,479 Speaker 2: I expect them to be in it all year. Long term, 714 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 2: the challenge for them will be, you know, on the 715 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 2: one hand, you know, long term deals are risky, but 716 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 2: when you have some short term situations, like you know, 717 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,799 Speaker 2: Crochet is only a couple of years. Bregman could opt 718 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,839 Speaker 2: out after if he has a good year. Now you're 719 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:46,839 Speaker 2: looking at, you know, potential roster churn, and that may 720 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 2: be fine for the Bregman situation because of someone like 721 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:52,320 Speaker 2: Campbell ready to be an everyday guy at that point perhaps, 722 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 2: but maybe a little tougher with some other guys. So 723 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 2: that could be tough, Like kind of rebuilding your team 724 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 2: every year can be tricky, but you you know, it 725 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 2: gives them a lot of flexibility. So there's pros and cons, 726 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 2: there's trade offs there. But I think they're in a 727 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 2: good spot. They obviously still have three really good young 728 00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:11,360 Speaker 2: prospects that are getting closer to being ready. I assume 729 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 2: Roman Anthony will be probably getting significant bats by the 730 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 2: end of the season. He should be in on that 731 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:20,880 Speaker 2: path if they need it, and then you know, a 732 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:24,400 Speaker 2: couple other guys, obviously Campbell and Mayor there's they're in 733 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 2: a good spot. I think they're in a very good 734 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:29,800 Speaker 2: spot going forward. And they haven't spent all their dollars 735 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:32,359 Speaker 2: long term, so they still have financial flexibility. 736 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:34,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, that is definitely a good thing, you know, I 737 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 1: you know, I the goal from you know what I've seen, 738 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:39,759 Speaker 1: you know and have heard, you know, people in the 739 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 1: front office says they want to be like the Dodgers. 740 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: Well that's that might be a hard goal at this. 741 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 2: Point because they're just doing so many good things. But yeah, 742 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:47,760 Speaker 2: I agree. 743 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 1: I think they're definitely in a good spot moving forward. 744 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 1: Hopefully there's no guerrilla suits or anything moving forward that'd 745 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 1: be that'd be pretty nice. But zach Man, I want 746 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 1: to thank you for joining Today. Has been a great conversation. 747 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: It's cool to hear the kind of the front office 748 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: side of things, especially with stuff like this. Let the 749 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:09,879 Speaker 1: listeners know at home, what do you got going on? 750 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 1: I believe you have a podcast going on. Now, what 751 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 1: can you tell the viewers at home? 752 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:17,680 Speaker 2: Well, the podcast has been on an extended hiatus, but 753 00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 2: I I did start one last year called Deconstructing Champions 754 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,239 Speaker 2: the Art and Science of Winning, and I am going 755 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 2: to get back to that. I'm actually working on kind 756 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:29,319 Speaker 2: of a bigger content strategy right now. But you can 757 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 2: find me on all social media at at Zach Scott's 758 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 2: Sports really across every channel. And you know, other than that, 759 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:40,680 Speaker 2: I'm doing a lot of consulting at for my company 760 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 2: for Rings Sports, and I'm also I've been recently started 761 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 2: to do a lot of leadership coaching as well. Awesome. 762 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,359 Speaker 1: Well, hey, man, appreciate you coming on and let's have 763 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,879 Speaker 1: some fun this season. Hopefully we can have some good 764 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 1: things to talk about, and. 765 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:55,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, it should be a fun one. 766 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:58,800 Speaker 1: But Zach, thank you so much. Appreciate your time. But everyone, 767 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,840 Speaker 1: thanks for joining today for this episode. Hit the subscribe 768 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: button if you're here on YouTube and if you're listening 769 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:07,320 Speaker 1: on podcasts format, give us a five star review. Helps 770 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 1: out with the Altgarth. But everyone, cover yourself a good 771 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:11,120 Speaker 1: rest of your day and i'll talk to you next time.