1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,479 Speaker 1: The Boston Red Sox are calling up Roman Anthony Christopher 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: Smith saying that a source told him that is the case, 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: seeing some rumblings from some other writers as well. Big 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: smile on Jeff's face. What do you have for us? Man? 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: It's just hilarious that we're on air as this happens. 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 2: It's like we're wrapping up the interview with Brody, one 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 2: of my favorite pitching prospects in the game, and I'm 8 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: like like looking at my phone, like asking questions, like 9 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 2: as Roman Anthony is getting called up, So it looks 10 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 2: like this is probably going to be official. I heard 11 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: of Bray you was injured. I don't know. I mean, 12 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 2: what else can we say at this point, We've been 13 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 2: waiting for this to happen, seemingly since before the season 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 2: even started. Just continues to dominate in Triple A. And 15 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: I don't think that's hyperbole either. One of the best 16 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 2: hitters at the level, regardless of age. There's a lot 17 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 2: of former Major leaguers at that level. Five hundred foot 18 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: home run, showing off the power, doing you know, heroic 19 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 2: type of stuff. So, you know, just talking to some 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 2: of the folks within the organization over the last couple 21 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: of weeks is I think this has kind of been 22 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 2: bubbling and boiling over. They think he's an impact player, 23 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 2: and I tend to agree. I think this is a 24 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: guy that's going to come up and you know, will 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 2: be one of the few hitters over the last few 26 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 2: years that doesn't have those initial struggles. We'll see, you know, 27 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 2: I may have to eat these words, but truthfully, I 28 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: think the bats of ball skills, the power, the approach 29 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 2: just so Outlie you can do a lot of things 30 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 2: to the plate that most guys can't. 31 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: He's twenty one years old, Jeff, and yes, people are excited, 32 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: as they should be for the top position player prospect 33 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: who also was leading minor league baseball and average exit velocity. 34 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: So what do you think could hold him back? 35 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: Right? 36 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: I think a lot of us are expecting him to 37 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: have a lot of success early on. The on base 38 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: percentage that he's putting together down there is also pretty promising. 39 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: I think the strikeout to walk numbers add up to 40 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: someone who you would hope would be able to convert 41 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: right into a major league ballplayer with a nice played approach. 42 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: But again, I'll cap this with what I started it with. 43 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: He's twenty one years old. He's going up to the 44 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: show best pitchers in the world. Minor league's two Major 45 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: league jump is as wide of a gap as maybe 46 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: we've ever seen in terms of talent level. What could 47 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: hold him back? 48 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 2: I think it's, you know, ultimately probably going to be 49 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 2: you know, quality of stuff that he hasn't seen before. 50 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 2: I don't worry about the velocity. This is a guy 51 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: that just murders fastballs like that's that's not a concern 52 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: of mine. Could the ground ball rate be a little 53 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 2: bit high because the angles aren't always perfect, Sure, But 54 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: I think we see a lot of guys like this. 55 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: James Wood is like that, Junior Camon Narrow is like that. 56 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 2: These guys with super high end evs tend to top 57 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 2: spin some stuff more often than not. Right, But they're 58 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 2: also guys that hit the ball so hard sometimes when 59 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,399 Speaker 2: they mishit it it turns into production. So I think 60 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 2: the concern probably would be like quality breaking balls from 61 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 2: left handers and just different looks that he hasn't seen consistently, 62 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 2: even at Triple A. But I don't know. I tend 63 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: to look at a player like this and I think 64 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: in the same way that Gunnar Henderson checked all the 65 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 2: boxes in the same way that Julio Rodriguez or Bobby 66 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 2: Witt Junior or these kind of guys, whether it's you know, 67 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 2: just the eye test or the underlying data or the performance, 68 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 2: they kind of check all of them. So I would 69 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 2: be really shocked if he struggles. But if it happens, 70 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 2: it's going to because he has to make an adjustment 71 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: just to certain areas that they're going to be pitching him. 72 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 2: I've heard left on left breaking balls away, but that 73 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 2: seems like such a very specific thing that everyone's gonna 74 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: have to be able to do, and not everyone's left handed. 75 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, that's not gonna be the poison that's going 76 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: to get him. Oh there's left on left breakers twenty 77 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: four to seven. But I do remember, you know, I'm 78 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: looking back to late April when the Red Sox, I 79 00:03:58,160 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: don't remember who it was, someone in the front office 80 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: was talking about it, maybe Brian Abraham, and yeah, that 81 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: they wanted to see him face more left handed pitching 82 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: makes sense for most prospects, especially those that are that young, 83 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: and also that they did want to see him unleash 84 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: even more of the pull power that he has. Jeff, 85 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: you follow this team closely. They have a very specific 86 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: way of developing position players right now. That really worked 87 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: for Christian Campbell for him to turn into a pretty 88 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: highly rated prospect and a major leaguer. And of course 89 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: he's gone through his struggles over the past month. But 90 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: somebody who I think has exceeded expectations so far if 91 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: you told him a couple of years ago where he 92 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: would be right now, can you describe what that is, 93 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: how that's working for some of the Red Sox players, 94 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: because I think Roman Anthony did go through some revamped 95 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: swing situations as well. 96 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 2: Right yeah, I think you know, there's bits and pieces 97 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 2: with all these position players that are sort of coming 98 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: through the pipeline over the last couple of years that 99 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 2: have gone through sort of this bat speed train hitting 100 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: training that they've been doing. It's consistent at all levels. 101 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: We've talked a little bit in the off season. I 102 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 2: rode a little bit in the off season of they're 103 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 2: used to technology, whether it's the trajet machines to really 104 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,559 Speaker 2: challenge these guys from the minute they step foot into 105 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 2: sort of their major league training camps after being drafted 106 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 2: or signing or coming stateside. You know, all the way 107 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 2: through at all these different levels, and you know, the 108 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 2: off the field work is really intense and really specific 109 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 2: and rigid and you know, focused, And I think that's 110 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 2: one of the reasons that we're starting to see so 111 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: many guys make a significant jump. And it's it's not 112 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: just Roman Anthony. We've seen Marcela Meyer, who was a 113 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 2: very gifted prep hitter when he was drafted, somebody that 114 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 2: you know, had a beautiful left handed swing, nobody questioned 115 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,239 Speaker 2: that he would hit. We've seen him add significant impact 116 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: over the last couple of years. Franklin Arius is, depending 117 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 2: on you know, which site you read or who you 118 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,239 Speaker 2: talk to, is one of the top prospects in baseball 119 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 2: at least probably a top one hundred prospect consistently across 120 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: the board. Another guy who's you know, grown by leaps 121 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: and bounds over the last couple of years. And you 122 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 2: look at, you know, a guy like the Password who's 123 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 2: now a top one hundred prospect for US, a guy 124 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 2: who's really performing in Triple A. And you can even 125 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 2: look down to somebody like Blaze Jordan, who I think 126 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 2: a lot of people wrote off, has had a tremendous 127 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 2: season this year. Walking more than he's striking out in 128 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 2: double A, has made a really successful jump up to 129 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 2: triple A. Made the hot sheet actually for us this 130 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 2: week in his first or second week in triple A. 131 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: So I think overall, you look at all these guys, 132 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 2: and you look at what the team is doing, and 133 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 2: they've just had a lot of success running out this 134 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 2: program and getting the most out of their hitters. 135 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: Here's the other part of the equation. The Red Sox 136 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: are firmly in fourth place in the American League East. 137 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: As they call up Roman Anthony with the hype that 138 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: he has been receiving, will he be expected to be 139 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: a savior for a team that actually has been okay 140 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: on offense? I mean, I think at the top five 141 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: offense and run scored. So it's not like you're going 142 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: to look at them and be like, man, the socks. 143 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: They can't put put days together, consistent days together of 144 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: putting up offense. Here's Carlos Colazo. By the way, power 145 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: increases your margin for Aaron Nis when you can still 146 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: mishit a ball out of the park. 147 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: Very true. 148 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: I think that's the case for Jack ac Leone as well, 149 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: who got called up about a week ago. By Kansas City. 150 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: Do you think there's going to be a ton of 151 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: pressure on him and the youngsters? Right? The three remaining 152 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: of the four one got traded Kyle Teel and the 153 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: Guyer Crochet deal nailed that so far, he's a cy 154 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: young contender for the Red Sox. The other three are 155 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: now all up and could be playing every day at 156 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: least for now, in Marcelo Meyer, Christian Campbell, and here 157 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: comes Roman Anthony. Do you think that's going to be 158 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: a lot on them to try and turn around Boston season. 159 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,239 Speaker 1: Even though offense isn't the problem, defense is a huge 160 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: problem actually, and that's been an issue for Campbell for sure. Yeah. 161 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 2: And I mean it's it's funny because I think I 162 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 2: saw a graphic from TJ Stats as a great job 163 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: on Twitter with all the stuff that he puts out. 164 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 2: Their infield defense is really bad. Their outfield defense has 165 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: actually been I think, like exceptionally good, one of the 166 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: better outfields in the league. So Romanette kind of jumps 167 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 2: into that. It doesn't solve the problem that they have 168 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 2: in the infield. We'll see, you know, if Meyer obviously 169 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 2: can do that when he gets more consistent playing time. 170 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 2: I think That's what's been kind of frustrating early on 171 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 2: with him is they kind of haven't given him the 172 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 2: reins fully and Campbell has been up and down at 173 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 2: the plate. I think, you know, we're starting to see 174 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: him adjust a little bit more to the league adjusting 175 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: to him. The defense though still leaves a little bit 176 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 2: to be desired at times. The reactions some of those 177 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 2: things aren't great. So I think we're going to see 178 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 2: a lot of these guys. I think ultimately this is 179 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: probably the right play for the Red Sox and we'll see, 180 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 2: you know what other moves are made over the next 181 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 2: two months, because right now this is not a team 182 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 2: that's probably going to compete for a playoff spot, let 183 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 2: alone a World Series, et cetera. So I think at 184 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 2: this point it's time to ride the kids. And there's 185 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 2: even some more names that could potentially come up, whether 186 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 2: it's you know, just Nixon Garcia, whether it's Blaze Jordan, 187 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 2: some of the pitchers we've seen come up already, as 188 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,079 Speaker 2: well as some of the guys that are in the pipeline. 189 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 2: It's kind of an exciting time if you're into the 190 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 2: minor leagues for the Red Sox because this could kind 191 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 2: of be the true youth movement breaking point with Anthony 192 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 2: coming up. 193 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: This is cool. This is really fun in a time 194 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: period where suddenly some of the biggest names and some 195 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: of the biggest power names which usually stands out in 196 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: our sport are getting called up at the same time. 197 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: Roman Anthony is next for Boston.