Maddie Landis

This squad has a lot of promise but they have yet to reach it. Maddie, Alex, and Adam try to wrap up two weeks of ups and downs including one terrible and one pretty good series against the White Sox. They talk about Trevor Story's hot streak, Tanner Houck's cold streak, and when we can expect Roman Anthony in the Red Sox lineup. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View full article

Dubbed “The Most Powerful Sports Agent in the World” by Forbes, long-time agent Scott Boras has a history of negotiating record-breaking contracts for his clients. Has he hit a cold streak? Over the past two weeks, several teams announced extensions with their young players. Among the six players and teams, Boras advised only one player, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed the most expensive extension. Kristian Campbell (Beverly Hill Sports Council), Ketel Marte (QC Sports), Jackson Merrill (KHG Sports Management), Garrett Crochet (CAA Sports), and Cal Raleigh (Excel Sports Management) are represented by different agencies. Looking further past 2025, other team-friendly extensions were negotiated by agents not named Scott Boras. As the phrasing suggests, team-friendly extensions tend to favor the team, paying below a player’s market value. Young players sign pre-arbitration contracts for a myriad of reasons, such as guaranteed financial security and loyalty to the team that drafted them. Teams offer the deals in order to save money. Team Player Agent Date Value Length AAV TOR Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Boras Corporation April 2025 500 14 35.7 BOS Kristian Campbell Beverly Hill Sports Council April 2025 60 8 7.5 ARI Ketel Marte QC Sports April 2025 116.5 6 19.4 SDP Jackson Merrill KHG Sports Management April 2025 135 9 15 BOS Garrett Crochet CAA Sports April 2025 170 6 28.3 SEA Cal Raleigh Excel Sports Management March 2025 105 6 17.5 KCR Bobby Witt Jr. Octagon Baseball February 2024 288.8 11 26.3 MIL Jackson Chourio Beverly Hill Sports Council December 2023 82 8 10.3 CIN Hunter Greene CAA Sports April 2023 53 6 8.8 ARI Corbin Carroll CAA Sports March 2023 111 8 13.9 SEA Julio Rodríguez Octagon Baseball August 2022 209.3 12 17.4 CLE Emmanuel Clase Nova Sports Agency April 2022 20 5 4 Extensions tend to buy out young players' arbitration years , when they're making more than the league-minimum salary but still woefully underpaid. Players make the minimum ($760,000 this season) until they have three years of service time. Afer that, the player and the club present salary offers and typically agree on a number, bypassing the need for an actual arbitration hearing. This past offseason the Red Sox avoided arbitration with Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, and Jarren Duran. However, if the two sides can't agree, they meet before a panel of three neutral arbitrators to present their arguments in an arbitration hearing. According to the 2022-26 MLB CBA, admissible evidence includes, “the quality of the Player’s contribution to his Club during the past season (including but not limited to his overall performance, special qualities of leadership and public appeal), the length and consistency of his career contribution, the record of the Player’s past compensation, comparative baseball salaries, the existence of any physical or mental defects on the part of the Player, and the recent performance record of the Club including but not limited to its League standing and attendance as an indication of public acceptance.” Afterward, both sides submit rebuttals, and the panel concludes by ruling in favor of either the player or the club’s number. This is typically announced within a day. Baseball’s salary arbitration process is unique. It can lead to strained relationships between players and the front office. Blue Jays shortstop, Bo Bichette voiced his opinion on baseball’s arbitration process: “Arbitration is an incredibly flawed process, one that isn't very good for the game. There's no reason to pit owners and executives against players. Just no reason. I just don't think that’s a good position for relationships… As players and as owners we should be striving to have a good relationship between boss and employee.” Teams win roughly about 57% of salary arbitration hearings various studies indicate that the number of MLB arbitration salary hearings has declined in recent years. If a team’s roster is loaded with expensive free agents, the front office will announce that it has little financial flexibility to make further improvements. I’ll pick on the Phillies here. After splurging in previous offseasons, they had limited spending power heading into the 2024-25 offseason. Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski shares a close relationship with agent Boras, who represents several key players on the team, including Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Garrett Stubbs, and Ranger Suárez. Unlike the Orioles or Tigers, the Phillies don’t have a robust homegrown core. However, they've also been one of the best teams in baseball over the past three seasons. Dombrowski and Boras represent a roster construction method that has fallen out of favor in recent years. When Dombrowski took the helm in Boston, the organization had a top farm system, ownership that was willing to spend, and top-to-bottom talent. The stars were perfectly aligned for his all-in, win-now mindset. His strategies the Red Sox earned a World Series ring, and I will always be thankful for that. The rub is that Dombrowski’s strategies only work if your team wins a World Series. The Phillies have not done so yet. Their young players (Bohm: -8 wRC+, Marsh: 38 wRC+, and Stott: 101 wRC+) are underperforming, and the rest of their roster is filled with aging, underperforming players (Turner: 93 wRC+ and Realmuto: 78 wRC+) signed to multimillion-dollar contracts. That said, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are blue-chip players who will always rake. Andrew Painter is a bright spot in the farm system and I think he’ll develop into a top-of-the-rotation arm. Still, it remains to be seen whether Dombrowski’s win-now approach can succeed in the long run, especially when compared to executives like Alex Anthopolous, David Stearns, and Andrew Friedman, who have emphasize building sustainable, successful franchises (though Sterns and Friedman, done establishing their ability to win on a shoestrong, now represent the game's two highest-spending teams). The Red Sox recently locked up Garrett Crochet and Kristian Campbell. Crochet agreed to a six-year, $160 million deal and Campbell signed an eight-year, $60 million contract. Crochet's deal is closer to his actual market value, while Campbell's is much lower. The Red Sox bought out Crochet’s prime years and his final arbitration year. Sixty million dollars is life-changing money for a young 22-year-old like Campbell. Although Campbell's deal does drastically lower the ceiling of his future earning potential, it does include escalators that could increase the deal to $100 million. If Crochet and Campbell were Boras’ clients, they almost certainly wouldn't have agreed to these extensions. Super-agents like Boras, not to mention the MLBPA, balk when players sign team-friendly deals. Bob Nightengale disclosed that attorneys from the union encouraged Jackson Merrill to reject the Padres’ nine-year, $135 million offer. Scott Boras loves to offer his opinion on virtually every aspect of baseball. Boras fixated on the partial no-trade clause in Merrill’s contract, “If a player signs a contract for team relationship purposes, the key provision is a full no-trade... Without it, the likelihood of remaining with one team is highly improbable, as the business of baseball supersedes all player preferences.” On the other hand, Merrill expressed his excitement about the deal, saying, “I think just hearing the opportunity to sign with the San Diego Padres was enough for me… You can't just sign for $700 million and expect everything to be perfect.” Not every player can wait six years to bet on themselves in free agency like Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, or Shohei Ohtani. For some players, team-friendly extensions might be their only real shot at securing life-changing money and future financial stability. These days, it's rare to see players stick with one team. Players can’t predict the future; injuries or a dip in performance can derail an athlete’s career at any time. At the time he signed it, Ronald Acuña Jr.’s eight-year, $100 million extension appeared to be a borderline expoitative underpay for a superstar-in-the-making. When healthy, Acuña is arguably the best player in the league. However, he’s torn the ACLs in both of his knees. He missed the second half of the 2021 season and was limited to just 49 games in 2024. If Acuña hadn’t signed an extension with the Braves in 2019, he would be a free agent in the upcoming 2024-25 offseason. Since Acuña’s skillset relies on his speed and the toll his injuries have taken (see his drop in sprint speed from 2021 to 2024), he likely wouldn’t have commanded the money he once expected in free agency, meaning that his deal wasn't quite as much of an underpay as it initially appeared. So far, I’ve written about positive team extensions. That’s not to say there aren’t any bad team-friendly extensions. After a monster 2018 spring training performance, the Phillies signed infielder (later a utility player) Scott Kingery to a six-year, $24 million contract. Matt Klentak, the Phillies GM, was supposedly inspired to extend him after he read an article titled, “Top Phillies Prospect Scott Kingery Is MLB's Next Dustin Pedroia.” Between 2018 and 2022, Kingery played in 325 games for the Phillies and amassed 0.1 WAR. In August 2014, Rusney Castillo agreed to a seven-year, $72.5 million deal, only for him to spend most of his contract marinating at McCoy Stadium. Wander Franco is another example of an extension aging poorly not for performance reasons, but because was charged with sexual abuse and human trafficking. Twenty-something players are a volatile stock. Their performance on the field is just one facet of their overall development. Male brains finish developing at age 30. Conducting due diligence on the potential face of a franchise is a pivotal step in long-term contract negotiations. In the Rays' case, omitting this step has led to monetary losses, a public relations scandal, and a blow to their team’s reputation. Intangibles are just as important, if not more important than a player’s pedigree and performance. A headstrong, pompous, five-tool high school prospect can evolve into an aggressive, emotionally immature player who is a clubhouse cancer. Conversely, a modest, teachable under-the-radar prospect who lacks a certain tool, say power, could flourish in an organization that teaches him how to tap into his power. While Wander Franco hasn’t deterred other teams from extending their young players, they will be more mindful of a player’s maturity going forward. Boras implied there’s a commonality among players and their agents who broker team-friendly extensions: Front offices 'look for agencies that are new or have few clients and are in need of money," he said. This leaves club executives “often surprised early, well-below market contracts are accepted.” While this has seemed like a pattern in some cases, especially for Anthopoulos and the Braves, it's not true for everyone. Established in 1984, the Beverly Hill Sports Council (Kristian Campbell and Jackson Chourio) has represented esteemed Hall of Famers including George Brett, Mike Piazza, and Trevor Hoffman. CAA (Garrett Crochet, Corbin Carroll, and Hunter Greene) is another powerhouse agency. Another point: some players remain loyal to their original agents, who work at smaller agencies. These firms agree to team-friendly extensions not for their financial gain, but because they’re focused on their clients' best interests. More professional athletes than you might think are motivated by factors beyond money. Some players just want to focus on their sport. Others might prefer to stay with the team that drafted them, where they feel most comfortable. In the free market, players have the freedom to choose any agency to represent them. Baseball players understand the terms when they decide to work with Boras. Boras’s clients are notoriously reluctant to sign team-friendly deals, as he encourages them to test free agency, which usually maximizes a player’s value. As a result, these players rarely return to their original teams. The Boras Four In the 2023-24 offseason, Boras clients Blake Snell, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, and Jordan Montgomery, also known as the “Boras Four,” signed late after not getting the large deals they expected to land, and their performances suffered. Snell, the incumbent National League Cy Young Award winner, signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants just nine days before Opening Day. Snell dealt with injuries during the first half of the season. He only pitched 104 innings, posting a 3.12 ERA (3.1 WAR) for the season. However, he found his groove in the second half. Half IP ERA K% BB% FIP First 35.2 6.31 26.6 10.8 3.78 Second 68.1 1.45 39.6 10.4 1.72 Snell’s story has a happy ending. The following offseason, Snell opted out of his contract and inked a five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers. Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers' former wunderkind, reportedly targeted a deal “in excess of $250 million” On February 27, 2024, about two weeks after position players arrived at camp, Bellinger agreed to a three-year, $80 million deal with the Cubs. Following his comeback season, Bellinger dealt with various injuries. He spent about a month on the IL and slashed .266/.325/.426 slash line with 18 home runs (109 wRC+, 2.2 WAR) in 2024. Before signing a three-year, $54 million contract with the Giants in the middle of spring training, Matt Chapman had previously declined two extension offers from the Athletics (10 years, $150 million) and Blue Jays (6 years, $120 million). Come September, Chapman’s contract evolved into a six-year $151 million extension. He delivered the strongest performance among the Boras four, yielding 5.4 WAR and earning his fifth Gold Glove Award in 2024. Jordan Montgomery sought to cash in after helping the Rangers win their first World Series. In his initial asking price, he reportedly was “aiming to top the $172 million that Aaron Nola received from the Phillies.” Comparing Montgomery to Aaron Nola was a questionable decision in itself. (Many Phillies fans believe Nola’s contract is an overpay, which I agree with. Living in the heart of Phillies territory, I catch their games now and then. Nola’s disastrous fourth innings are his Achilles' heel.) Teams weren’t biting and Montgomery remained a free agent after spring training had concluded. He eventually signed a one-year, $25 million deal with the Diamondbacks two days after Opening Day. Was Montgomery doomed from the start of his tenure with the Diamondbacks? Pitchers benefit from spring training, arriving earlier than position players, to get themselves acclimated to the marathon baseball season. Before his Diamondbacks debut (April 19th, 2024), he only pitched in one stimulated game and made two starts with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate. During this time, he also fired Scott Boras. Montgomery would go on to have a disastrous season. In early July, he was placed on the 15-day IL with right knee inflammation. The following month, he was demoted to the bullpen. His ERA jumped to 6.23 (3.20 ERA in 2023), and his strikeout rate dropped to 15.6% (21.4% in 2024). Montgomery’s tumultuous season can’t be solely blamed for the lack of spring training. Red Sox fans recall that the organization pursued Jordan Montgomery. The Red Sox needed a left-handed pitcher in their starting rotation and Montgomery’s wife resided in Boston for her dermatology residency. As a former Yankees pitcher, he was accustomed to pitching the American League East. The Red Sox and Montgomery felt like a perfect match. After an initial Zoom call, conversations between the Red Sox and Montgomery stalled. On March 28, the day before Montgomery signed with the Diamondbacks, Jon Heyman wrote “Montgomery didn’t love the Red Sox because he wants to win.” Later in the season, when the Diamondbacks were visiting Boston, Montgomery lamented over his unlucky offseason. His direct statement contradicts Heyman’s quote: “I had a Zoom call with (the Red Sox), that’s really all I know. It went good,” Montgomery said. “I don’t know, obviously Boras kind of butchered it, so I’m just trying to move on from the offseason and try to forget it.” The Red Sox (rightfully) faced criticism for their inactivity during the 2023–24 offseason. However, Montgomery didn’t blame the team for the deal falling through. He pointed the finger at Scott Boras. To be fair, Montgomery could have agreed to the team's offer. Boras might have suggested that other teams were willing to pay him more money and encouraged him to hold out. Who knows? The 2024-25 Offseason Boras’s most recent offseason produced better results for his clients. Juan Soto signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. Snell finally received his big payday with the Dodgers. Corbin Burnes agreed to a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks. Alex Bregman’s three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox is tied for the sixth-largest contract by AAV and features added value in the form of two opt-ous. This brings us to Pete Alonso. In May 2023, just one year before Alonso hit free agency, the Mets offered him a seven-year, $158 million extension. When this offer was made, Alonso was represented by Apex Baseball. He hired Boras during the 2023 offseason. Later, reports emerged that Alonso was targeting at least $200 million. He wound up with a two-year, $54 million contract with the Mets. Alonso is off to a hot start for the season. He’s ranked second in the league for barrel rate and he lowered his strikeout rate. Given his strong performance and desire to stay with the Mets, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Alonso’s contract reworked sometime during the season. Outmaneuvering Boras Earlier this year, I wrote about the Red Sox modeling the Braves’ strategy to extend their young core. Per Baseball Reference, the Braves notably do not have any players represented by Boras Corporation. This roster construction strategy begs the question: Do some teams avoid Boras clients entirely? Ken Rosenthal tackled this question over a year ago and the short answer is yes. Since Rosenthal’s article was published, the Dodgers now have three Boras clients on their team: Brudsar Graterol, Michael Conforto, and Blake Snell. Baseball’s elite players are no longer solely represented by Boras. Looking at the top ten hitters and catchers ranked by fWAR since 2022, only five players are Boras’ clients. Four (Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Tarik Skubal, and Corbin Burnes) are pitchers with Juan Soto being the only hitter. Shohei Ohtani, the face of baseball, is represented by Nez Balelo of CAA. Fangraphs WAR Leaders 2022-Present Hitters Pitchers Player Agent WAR Player Agent WAR Aaron Judge PSI Sports Management 28.2 Zack Wheeler Wasserman 15.9 Francisco Lindor Sportsmeter, LLC 20 Logan Webb ACES 14.3 Shohei Ohtani CAA Sports 19.9 Kevin Gausman Klutch Sports 13.9 Bobby Witt Jr. Octagon Baseball 19.2 Aaron Nola Paragon Sports International 13.2 Mookie Betts VC Sports Group 18.8 Dylan Cease Boras Corporation 13.2 Freddie Freeman Self-Represented 18.7 Framber Valdez Octagon Baseball 12.6 Juan Soto Boras Corporation 18.2 Zac Gallen Boras Corporation 12.3 José Ramírez Republik Sports 17.4 Tarik Skubal Boras Corporation 12.2 Dansby Swanson Excel Sports Management 16.3 Sonny Gray Bo McKinnis 11.7 Julio Rodríguez Octagon Baseball 16 Corbin Burnes Boras Corporation 11.7 Corbin Burnes, 30, is off to a rocky start with the Diamondbacks. Dylan Cease and Zac Gallen will enter free agency at age 30 during the 2024–25 offseason, while Tarik Skubal will reach free agency at the same age in 2027. According to Fangraphs, pitchers’ velocity peaks in their early 20s and declines after they turn 26. Starting pitching remains a premium, sought-after position for teams. Unless Cease, Gallen, and Skubal turn into pumpkins before they hit free agency, they’re likely to land massive contracts that will secure financial stability for themselves and their great-great-grandchildren. In the past, teams were more willing to hand out nine-figure contracts based on a player's past performance. Today, with the help of data analytics and hordes of nerds (including some former players), organizations use predictive models to estimate a player's future performance and assign a corresponding dollar value. Still, signing any player to a long-term deal is a risk. Signing Boras clients doesn’t always produce the most efficient return on investment. Consider the following contracts, which are broken down by value in million and the production the player provided both before and after signing their deal. I’m not going to delve into the specifics of each contract, but it’s clear that injuries and underperformance can limit any player's value, regardless of the contract they sign. Player Signed Value Length fWAR Before fWAR After Anthony Rendon 2020 245 7 30 3.8 Stephen Strasburg 2020 245 7 36.6 0 Javier Báez 2021 140 6 21.6 2.2 Xander Bogaerts 2022 280 11 34 6.8 Kris Bryant 2022 182 7 31 -1.7 *Trevor Story 2022 140 6 20.3 3.6 Masataka Yoshida 2022 90 5 N/A 1.4 Carlos Rodón 2022 162 6 18.2 1.8 *Nick Castellanos 2022 100 5 13.3 1.8 *Player dropped Boras after signing. Almost all the players listed above are hitters. As with pitchers, Father Time isn’t on their side, and their performance drops after their age 30 season, which is when they become free agents. Organizations are certainly aware of this trend for both hitters and pitchers. This is by design; players can't get paid what their worth during the years when they're worth the most. The Orioles are currently in a strange predicament (and yes, Scott Boras is involved). According to one uncorroborated report, GM Mike Elias is reluctant to spend money despite permission from owndership. After trading for Corbin Burnes in the previous offseason, they let him walk in free agency. Other than signing 41-year-old Charlie Morton didn’t do much to bolster their shallow rotation. Moreover, the organization hasn’t extended any of its homegrown core. Boras represents Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, and Gunnar Henderson. Holliday hasn’t played a full season in the majors and has yet to perform, so I understand the organization’s reluctance to extend him. The same goes for Westburg, though he has played in 187 games since 2023. Regardless, Gunnar Henderson is the best shortstop in the league, and keeping him in an Orioles uniform for the rest of his career should be a priority for the organization. Unlike Holliday, Westburg, and Henderson, Adley Rutschman is represented by Dan Vertlieb of Wasserman, so it’s more likely that he could be extended. The Tigers are in a similar situation. Boras represents Tarik Skubal, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, Jackson Jobe, Jace Yung, and Spencer Torkelson. The Tigers are currently leading the AL Central and managed to sneak into the 2024 postseason because of strong performances from their young core. If they keep playing well, fans will be pushing to extend these players. This brings me to my final question. Is Scott Boras a deterrent in the draft? With the second pick in the 1997 draft, the Phillies selected right fielder J.D. Drew. He was represented by Boras, who had explicitly stated Drew wouldn’t sign with any team unless he received $10 million. Nonetheless, the Phillies picked him and were firm on their offer of $3 million. The Phillies kept their offer on the table, thinking Drew would fold. Drew ended up playing a year of independent ball with the St. Paul Saints. The following year, he entered the draft again. He was selected by the Cardinals as the fifth pick, signing for $7 million. To this day, J.D. Drew remains a villain in Phillies lore. Luke Hochevar, Pedro Alvarez, Alex Rodriguez, and Jason Varitek are other examples of Boras clients who held out of the draft because they didn’t like the initial offer from the team that drafted them. High school baseball players who are drafted are allowed to have agents negotiate on their behalf without jeopardizing their NCAA eligibility. However, agents are not permitted to directly negotiate with MLB teams for college players. They can only advise student-athletes. Because of these rules, it’s almost impossible to discern who Boras could advise in the 2025 MLB Draft. I’ll admit that I don’t follow the high school/college baseball or the MLB draft closely as I should. While conducting research for this article, I learned about the Boras Classic. Beginning in 2013, the Boras Classic is an annual free high school baseball tournament held in northern and southern California, Arizona, and Texas. According to its website, over 300 MLB draftees and 1,200 Division 1 commits have played in the tournament. Its Instagram regularly posts photos from tournament games. High schooler, Ethan Holliday, the younger brother of Jackson Holliday is projected to be the first pick in the MLB Draft. One can assume that he’ll follow in his brother and father’s footsteps and have Boras represent him. Another potential top pick, Seth Hernandez, participated in the Boras Classic. However, playing in the Boras Classic doesn’t necessarily mean a prospect will be advised by Boras. The website lists Paul Skenes as a participant, but he Skenes represented by ISE Baseball. ISE Baseball (@isebaseball) • Instagram photo WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 14K likes, 74 comments - isebaseball on November 18, 2024: "🏆 Rookie of the Year 🏆 Congratulations @paulskenes on being named the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year! #TeamISE". From a business perspective, the Boras Classic creates a yearly opportunity for Scott Boras to connect with up-and-coming high school baseball players. As Boras’ clients age and retire, the tournament is a steady pipeline for new clients to emerge. While expensive prep baseball programs gain popularity, participation in Little League Baseball is dwindling. Once a cherished tradition for high school student-athletes, many now forgo playing baseball for their school, choosing to play exclusively for their private clubs. Three (Mater Dei, Oak Ridge, Chaparral, and Corona del Sol) out of the five high schools that host the Boras Classic are public schools, which reinforces the tournament’s mission to create opportunities for all youth and high school baseball players, no matter their socioeconomic background. Regardless of an organization’s stance on Scott Boras, avoiding drafting prospects associated with him is an extreme oversight. In a worst-case scenario, teams only have control over said player for up to six very underpaid years (if the prospect even makes it to the major leagues), before they lose them to free agency. A team could also trade a Boras client after failing to agree to an extension. This strategy worked well for the Nationals and Padres with Juan Soto. Whether you like him or not, Scott Boras does his job very, very well. At age 72, he’s showing no signs of slowing down. During the 2024-25 offseason, Boras negotiated contracts that totaled nearly $1.7 billion, a new record for an agent’s haul in a single offseason. As for Boras’ next mega contracts? He advises the Reds' speedster Elly de la Cruz, the previously-mentioned trio of Orioles blonde cherubs, and four players young Tigers. Team-friendly extensions are unlikely to be his forte, and that's perfectly fine. Year after year, Boras will continue to secure at least one A-list client a $100+ million contract, solidifying his place as one of the most influential agents in baseball. View full article

He made a quick pit stop at the Ben and Jerry's on Brookline Ave.

Diving into Kristian Campbell's red-hot major-league debut. The Boston Red Sox have only played 10 games in the 2025 season, and Kristian Campbell is already cooking. According to Elias Sports, Campbell is the first player in Red Sox history to record over 10 hits, more than six extra-base hits, and four walks in his first seven career games. Campbell's four doubles, two home runs, and eight walks all rank second on the team. His 0.7 fWAR ranks seventh among all position players. Campbell’s hot bat and ability to play multiple positions has helped cement his status as an everyday player for the Red Sox. Most coverage on Campbell discusses his power, exit velocity, and bat speed, but his sprint speed (28.0 feet per second, 80th percentile) is underrated. He's swiped one bag thus far and the athletic Red Sox lead the American League with 14 stolen bases. As the season progresses, Campbell's absurd 207 wRC+ will come down to earth. With only 10 games under his belt, Campbell’s defensive metrics aren’t substantial yet. However, he’s handled moving between second base to left field well. His arm is his weakest tool, but you don’t need a powerful throwing arm as a second baseman. More on Campbell’s power later. I would argue that there is an sixth tool for assessing a player's potential to succeed in the major leagues: plate discipline. While the classic five tools can be developed through training, plate discipline is a skillset that’s much harder to improve. Pitch recognition is a critical component of plate discipline. If a batter can’t identify pitches, they’ll make bad swing decisions, limiting their ability to make contact with the ball. Hitters with poor plate discipline like Ceddanne Rafaela strike out more. Conversely, hitters with elite plate discipline post lower whiff, chase, and strikeout rates, and have higher on-base percentages. If a player recognizes the specific pitches and their trajectory, they can modify their swing and adjust their bat path to make contact with the ball. They also can identify deceptive pitches that end up outside of the zone, thus improving their overall batting metrics. Throughout his baseball career, Campbell has displayed tremendous plate discipline. In high school, he struck out just 16 times in 155 PAs (10.3%) between his junior and senior years. As an under-the-radar redshirt freshman at Georgia Tech, Campbell ran a 7.8% rate, striking out just 17 times in 45 games. In two minor league seasons, he ran a 20.1% strikeout rate. Before the 2024 minor league season, preliminary scouting reports referenced Campbell’s smart swing decisions, bat-to-ball skills, and low strikeout rate. Power, notably, was excluded as Campbell only hit two home runs during his college career. In his MLB Draft 2023 Report card, Keith Law wrote the following about Campbell: “He was very tough to strike out, whiffing just under 8 percent of the time this year, but hits the ball on the ground way too often and has a short swing that isn’t conducive to harder contact.” The Red Sox got Campbell in a weighted bat program to improve his power, and they tweaked his batting stance and swing path to generate lift. These changes had an immediate effect on Campbell’s performance. He knocked a total of 20 home runs in his first full minor league season, starting in Single A+ with a brief stint in Double-A before being promoted to Triple-A in August 2024. Campbell’s hitting a variety of pitches. Many rookies typically deal with growing pains at the major league level, but Campbell hit his first home run (112.2 mph EV, 431 ft, HR in 29/30 parks) in his third game. Less than a week later, in the final game of the series against the Orioles, Campbell came up to bat in the top of the second inning with Wilyer Abreu on first base. Orioles pitcher Charlie Morton initially threw him a curveball that clipped the high inside corner of the strike zone and Campbell ducked out of the way of the pitch. Four pitches later, he launched the ball to the left field bleachers (104.1 mph EV, 388 ft, HR in 30/30 parks). Last Thursday was my first time seeing Campbell play in-person. Even now, he resembles a veteran at the plate. He has better plate discipline than most established major leaguers. He's composed, doesn’t get flustered easily, works the count, and adjusts his swing between pitches. Earlier this week, Mike Petriello dived into Campbell’s stats and noted, “You can feel confident that you know a hitter’s bat speed after only about six or seven swings.” Campbell’s bat speed (73.5 mph average, 76th percentile) currently ranks 4th among Red Sox players. Following Campbell’s strong start, Petriello suggested improving bat speed could be the primary hitting revolution to monitor, unlike the emergence of torpedo bats. Bat speed still remains a relatively new metric to follow. Yet, Fangraphs is almost always ahead of the curve when it comes to analyzing new statistics. In March 2022, Justin Choi pointed out, “It’s common to regard bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions as fundamentals. They’re what hitters must master before adding bat speed, suggesting a natural order of operations.” This has significant implications for scouts. Traditionally, players who can’t hit for power are often written off, limiting them to the role of contact hitters. According to Driveline: “Research by Dr. Alan Nathan demonstrates that for every 1 mph increase in bat speed, exit velocity increases by approximately 1.2 mph. This increase translates to an additional 4-7 feet of carry distance on perfectly hit balls, which can turn warning track outs into doubles or home runs.” Campbell follows the model of Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy, a player with elite bat-to-ball skills and smart swing decisions who successfully unlocked his ability to hit for power by improving his bat speed and launch angle. While he exemplifies the success of the Red Sox’s revamped hitting development program, Campbell is far from the only player benefitting. Last August, Roman Anthony launched a 458-foot home run with a 116 mph exit velocity. This was the hardest-hit ball across the entire organization in 2024, including the majors. Marcelo Mayer knocked a 115.2 mph double in Portland last year. With Anthony and Mayer are poised to make an impact sometime this season, the Red Sox will continue to reap the benefits of their new hitting development program. Power hitters are often recognized for their bat speeds and exit velocities rather than their defensive capabilities. Kristian Campbell, however, stands out not only for his impressive bat speed and exit velocities but also for his ability to play second base competently. At just 22 years old, Campbell is under contract through at least the 2032 season. As Campbell gains more confidence in each game he plays, his trajectory suggests that he’ll easily become a household name by the end of the season. Over the past year, various analysts have provided extensive coverage of the Red Sox player development overhaul. Read more at the following: With an awkward but powerful swing, Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell is hitting rockets at Portland by Alex Speier Kristian Campbell: Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year by Geoff Pontes Fast-rising Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell added ‘power,’ ‘bat speed’ by Christopher Smith How The Red Sox Overhauled Their Hitting Development Program In 2024 by Alex Speier How a Subtle Tweak Helped Kristian Campbell Become A Top MLB Prospect by J.J. Cooper Spring training: How Red Sox built MLB's best prospect trio by Jeff Passan View full article

What can Baseball Savant's new batting stance metrics tell us about Rafael Devers' struggles to start the 2025 season. Last week, Baseball Savant released its newest feature. Fans can now explore a batting stance leaderboard that offers insights on batters’ positioning within the batter’s box. If you want to learn more, Mike Petriello wrote a solid overview of different batting stances across the league. If you're just focused on the Red Sox, you won't be surprised to learn that Rafael Devers, the Red Sox’s newly-minted designated hitter, has arguably the most extreme batting stance in all of baseball. He sets himself up by extending his right leg behind his body with his left leg slightly crouched. From the pitcher’s perspective, Devers’ body resembles the letter K. Pre-swing, Devers steps forward with his right leg, placing it closer to the front of the batter’s box. Thereafter, he rotates his hips and shoulders simultaneously. His hand movement follows a horizontal J shape, starting at eye level before coiling back and moving with his lower body. At the end of his swing, his bat rests on his right shoulder. This clip offers a slow-motion view of his swing from the open side. The separation of Devers’ hips and shoulders and his rapid barrel acceleration generate a ton of power. In 2024, his 52.6% hard-hit rate put him in the 95th percentile, and his average 93.2-mph exit velocity ranked in the 96th. It’s evident that Devers’ batting stance has changed from last season. He is standing farther back in the batter’s box, closer to the umpire. His right foot is now positioned almost outside of the batter's box and his stance angle increased from 67 degrees in 2024 to 77 degrees in 2025. Devers stance is so dramatically open that only one other player in baseball is within 30 degrees of him. From left to right, the images below show 2023, 2024, and 2025. Devers is also holding the bat significantly higher. Previously, he held the bat knob at eye level. Now, it’s high above his head. Despite the higher positioning of his hands, Devers’ swing length has decreased by 4 inches. Moreover, his average bat speed dropped from 72.5 mph in 2024 to 69.0 mph in 2025. There's a good reason for this: Devers has been behind on everything. Statcast measures bat speed at the moment the bat is closest to the ball, and the bat accelerates through the hitting zone. Because Devers is constantly getting beat, his bat speed is being measured deeper, when his bat hasn't gotten going yet. The chart below displays Devers’ batting stats and swing mechanics since 2023. Year Whiff% wRC+ Bat Speed Swing Length Stance Angle VBA 2023 26 124 73.4 7.5 53° Open 27.9° 2024 31 134 72.5 7.4 67° Open 27.1° 2025 71 -84 69 7 77° Open 26.7° Suffice it to say Devers’ batting adjustments haven’t helped him so far. He struck out 10 times over the first three games of the season, a new record, and added two more in the fourth game. As of Monday morning, he was tied for the highest strikeout rate in baseball. My biggest takeaway from his adjustments is the shift in his timing. A wider stance can help a batter generate more power with a longer swing, but it also increases the margin for error, requiring more movement to get into a hitting position, which could make it harder to adjust to offspeed pitches. With his right foot positioned farther back, Devers has been late on fastballs and looks like a pumpkin against offspeed pitches and breaking balls. Last year, Statcast had him worth 13 runs against fastballs, but in 2025, he's whiffed on 74% of them. Despite his rocky start, Devers remains an elite batter. He won't be down forever. He spent the offseason (and some of spring training) recovering from shoulder injuries and might just need more time to get comfortable at the plate. He's one of the game's best, most consistent hitters, and he's accustomed to making adjustments at the plate. In each of the past three seasons, the Red Sox have recorded winning records in the first half of the season and losing records in the second half. If anything, I’d welcome a slower start to the season if it means that the Red Sox will finish the season strong. It’s worth noting that four games is a tiny sample size. That said, in their first series against the Rangers, the Red Sox stranded 32 runners. With the exceptions of Wilyer Abreu and Kristian Campbell, they struck out 38 times in 110 at-bats, and put up a measly .118/.192/.136 slash line, according to Ian Browne. If the Red Sox are going to succeed, Devers will need to keep adjusting until he gets his timing back. View full article

All, thank you for the kind words. I was working at the polls for a special election yesterday, so I finally caught up on reading the comments this morning. I initially was apprehensive about writing a politically themed article for the website. Throughout most of my adult life, baseball has been my escapism from politics. Now, politics are seeping into every aspect of our lives. Ironically, those who once urged the public to stop politicizing sports are now doing so themselves.

In an act of anticipatory obedience, Major League Baseball quietly deleted all references to diversity from its website. On his first day in office, Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” which implemented a sweeping prohibition against DEI programs in the federal government. Sec. 2. Implementation. (a) outlines, “Federal employment practices, including Federal employee performance reviews, shall reward individual initiative, skills, performance, and hard work and shall not under any circumstances consider DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements.” As of now, the order only pertains to the federal government, but many private companies are curbing their DEI initiatives. Retail has been under fire with politics, but other industries like banking, entertainment, and tech are turning their back on DEI commitments. MLB recently followed suit. Craig Calcaterra’s March 20th Cup of Coffee newsletter was the first to report that MLB changed its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion webpage, removing the word “diversity” from its MLB Careers page. A web capture from January 15 displays the page’s previous reference to diversity and inclusion. Various links to applications for MLB’s diversity programs are shown on a capture dated February 11th, 2025. The MLB Diversity Fellowship Program catered to young working professionals seeking to break into entry-level front-office positions. Its former URL now shows a scrubbed-down webpage that only references the Buck O'Neil Professional Baseball Scouts and Coaches Association. O’Neil was a legendary former Negro League player and coach who became the first major league African American coach. MLB issued the following statement to The Athletic: “As the commissioner stated, our diversity values remain unchanged. We are in the process of evaluating our programs for any modifications to eligibility criteria that are needed to ensure our programs are compliant with federal law as they continue forward.” Throughout history, baseball has enacted social change. In the nineteenth century, when anti-immigrant sentiment was prevalent, Italian-Americans like Joe DiMaggio, and Yogi Berra helped popularize baseball and subverted negative perceptions of Italian immigrants. On April 14, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to break the color barrier in professional sports. Earlier this week, the Department of Defense scrubbed an article commemorating his service in the army and reclassified it under the heading "DEI." Following public uproar, and without any public comment from MLB, the article was restored. Baseball was the first professional sport to encourage diversity in its hiring practices. On April 14, 1999, commissioner Bud Selig issued a memo instructing clubs to consider minority candidates "for all general manager, assistant general manager, field manager, director of player development and director of scouting positions." This memo would eventually be referred to as the Selig Rule. In 2023, the Selig Rule was revised to address internal promotions. Per the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), MLB’s 2023 Racial and Gender Report Card received an overall “C” grade. Despite attempts to promote diversity, baseball’s front offices and owners remain an old boys club. Both still conform to a certain model of prep school Ivy League graduates. After the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer, then Cubs president of baseball operations and former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein acknowledged biases in his hiring practices: "I've hired a black scouting director, [a] farm director in the past, but the majority of people that I've hired, if I'm being honest, have similar backgrounds as me and look a lot like me... That's something I need to ask myself why. I need to question my own assumptions, my own attitudes. I need to find a way to be better." Despite decreasing representation of Black Americans, baseball’s present-day player talent pool is more diverse than ever. In the 2024 season, MLB featured players from 25 countries outside the United States. Hispanic and Japanese players currently dominate the sport, but they face backlash for using translators. ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith claimed Ohanti’s decision to use an interpreter “contributes to harming” baseball. Steve Perrault of the Section 10 Podcast has criticized Rafael Devers for speaking Spanish in media appearances. English is notably a complicated language to learn. Translators help navigate language barriers and prevent foot-in-mouth moments. It’s dismissive and ignorant to insist that a foreign-born athlete should be fluent in a non-native language. The 2025 Red Sox are the perfect example of a modern globalized roster. Ceddanne Rafaela was born in Curaçao. Brayan Bello and Rafael Devers grew up in the Dominican Republic. Wilyer Abreu and Carlos Narváez hail from Venezuela. Masataka Yoshida is a Japanese-born fashion icon. Rob Refsynder was adopted from South Korea as a baby. The Red Sox didn’t sign these players to check off an intersectionality box. They were brought to the team based on their own merit. Even though they come from different backgrounds, they are united by their passion for baseball. As Donald Trump continues to pour gasoline on the culture wars, Pride Nights could become MLB’s next target. On January 29, he issued an executive order titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” The EO implies that school that support LGBTQ+ students are pushing “anti-American, subversive, harmful, and false ideologies.” This order addresses public K-12 schools' LGBTQ+ policies. It has nothing to do with private corporations. However, given the league's willingness to obey Trump in advance, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some teams (especially those with conservative owners) cut their Pride Nights in June. Back in February, Rob Manfred promised to uphold MLB’s diversity values, “When things get a little more settled, we’ll examine each of our programs and make sure that, while the values remain the same, that we’re also consistent with what the law requires… The best I can do for you right now is, our values on the issues of diversity remain unchanged.” The bottom line is that MLB is not affiliated with the federal government. They’re a private organization that benefits from an antitrust exemption. Manfred’s recent actions (or lack thereof) are sheer acts of cowardice. MLB’s clandestine erasure of its DEI programs will further entrench the real echo chamber in front offices, similar to the fictitious one referenced in “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” Without policies to prevent discriminatory hiring practices, private corporations and public entities have no incentive to expand their talent pools. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and its successors) had to be codified into federal law to ban discriminatory policies. April 15 marks Jackie Robinson’s major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. On this day, players honor Robinson’s legacy by wearing his number 42 on their jerseys. In light of recent events, the gesture feels self-righteous and performative. View full article

Although Red Sox fans will be excited to finally see new faces like Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman in action, they'll also get to see an old favorite. On Thursday, March 27, former Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi will face off against his old team as the Opening Day starter for the Texas Rangers. Garrett Crochet will pitch for the Red Sox. I’m not a betting woman by any means, but the Red Sox make solid contact when Eovaldi is on the mound. Eovaldi has a 4.07 career ERA, but over 10 starts against Boston, he's at 5.29 (although he does have a 3-1 record against the Red Sox). He's been even worse lately: over his three most recent starts against the Red Sox, Eovaldi has a 7.04 ERA. Much like Jon Hamm and Samuel L. Jackson, Eovaldi’s breakthrough came later in his career. As a 28-year-old journeyman, he cemented himself as a postseason hero in the 2018 World Series for the Red Sox. In his career-best 2021 campaign in Boston, Eovaldi ran a 3.75 ERA and led the American League with a 2.79 FIP, earning an All-Star nod, and finishing fourth in the Cy Young voting. In 2023, Eovaldi carried the Rangers in the postseason, helping them win their first ever World Series title. However, that’s not to say Eovaldi isn’t showing signs of regression. Last season, Eovaldi posted a 42.6% hard-hit rate, the 12th-highest amongst qualified pitchers. This metric alone doesn’t necessarily raise any alarms, as he’s typically had trouble avoiding hard contact throughout his career, but the trend isn't encouraging. What’s more concerning is his velocity drop. Eovaldi’s fastball functions as the backbone of his arsenal. Since 2020, his four-seamer’s velocity has steadily decreased. It sat around 95.6 mph last year. Though he’s fared well in his 30s, maintaining above-average velocity on his four-seamer, time isn’t on his side. Per Brooks Baseball, Eovaldi’s four-seamer clocked around 94 mph in two spring training outings this year. Eovaldi pitched 170 2/3 innings in 2024 and has undergone two Tommy John surgeries. All signs indicate future regression and his previous performance against the Red Sox favors an Opening Day dub for the team. Let's assume that the Red Sox run out an Opening Day lineup featuring Connor Wong, Triston Casas, David Hamilton, Trevor Story, Alex Bregman, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Rafael Devers. In both the regular season and the postseason, those nine batters have combined for 61 plate appearances against Eovaldi, hitting five homers and slashing .333/.394/.700 for an OPS of 1.094. Not too shabby, eh? With 32 PAs against Eovaldi, Bregman makes up more than half of the sample size, and he's batted .345 with two home runs. The Red Sox kick off the season with four games in Texas before traveling to Baltimore for a three-game series versus the Orioles. If you thought the Red Sox were dealing with injury issues with their rotation, the Rangers are in an even more precarious situation. Jon Gray and Cody Bradford are projected to start the season on the injured list. Former Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom is slated to be the team's fifth starter so it’s unlikely the Red Sox will face him. That's a good thing, as the starting lineup above has a combined .192 batting average and .530 OPS against deGrom. View full article

With the Japan Series beginning tomorrow, a look at how baseball has shaped and deepened the ties between Japan and the US. Walt Whitman, the preeminent American poet (and, briefly, baseball beat reporter) wrote, “I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us.” Whitman’s sentiments ring true - at least for the nineteenth century, when baseball was a provincial sport played in small rural towns. Today, baseball is a global sport. The World Baseball Classic features teams from six of the seven continents (Antarctica has thus far stubbornly declined to participate). Players hail from all over the world. The global spread of the United States' national pastime has benefited no country more than Japan. Baseball is a diplomatic tool in US-Japan relations, strengthening economic ties and fostering cultural unity through a shared love of the game. Despite his perceived inability to speak English, Shohei Ohtani, a foreign-born Japanese baseball player, is the face of MLB. His two-way skill set distinguishes him from virtually every other player in baseball’s history. After inking a record-breaking 10-year $700-million contract with the Dodgers, he capped his historic 50-50 season with a World Series ring. He’s a symbol of national pride. Since joining MLB in 2018, he’s inspired a wave of Japanese players to join Major League Baseball. 2019: Yusei Kikuchi, signed with the Mariners 2022: Seiya Suzuki signed with the Cubs 2023: Kodai Senga signed with the Mets, Masataka Yoshida signed with the Red Sox 2024: Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers, Yuki Matsui signed with the Padres, Shoto Imanaga signed with the Cubs, Shintaro Fujinami signed with the A’s 2025: Rōki Sasaki signed with the Dodgers, Tomoyuki Sugano signed with the Orioles, Kōyō Aoyagi signed with the Phillies, Shinnosuke Ogasawara signed with the Nationals These players have found success in America. Kodai Senga and Shoto Imanaga played as rookies in the All-Star Game and garnered the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award votes. Despite declining birth rates in Japan, the country continues to produce star-caliber baseball players. Munetaka Murakami, who broke the Nippon League’s single-season home run record in 2022, is expected to be posted in 2026. Ohtani’s influence extends beyond the baseball diamond. It usually takes some time to realize returns on long-term investments, but Ohtani’s contract is already paying dividends for the Dodgers, drawing Japanese sponsorships and increasing merchandise sales, viewership, and attendance. Justin Barnum of Forbes reported: “In 2024, the Dodgers added 12 Japanese-based partners and a total of $70 million in incremental sponsorship revenue thanks to the 30-year-old superstar, according to research firm SponsorUnited”. Below is an updated list of Dodgers partnerships with Japanese companies. Company Partnership Announced Company Partnership Announced All Nippon Airways April 1, 2024 THK May 9, 2024 Toyo Tires April 5, 2024 Yakult May 16, 2024 Kowa Company April 8, 2024 Tsukiji Gindaco May 20, 2024 Daiso April 22, 2024 AFEELA June 25, 2024 Kanzai Center April 25, 2024 ITO EN Ltd. January 23, 2025 Kosé Corporation April 29, 2024 Nokaido Shuzou Company February 19, 2025 Kinishota Group May 2, 2024 Hakkaisen Brewery Company March 13, 2025 The Dodgers are very nearly leading the league in promotional giveaways, holding 21 different bobblehead nights, while the the Red Sox only have eight total giveaway days . Japanese companies Kinoshita, Toyo Tires, and All Nippon Airways are listed as sponsors for multiple Dodgers giveaways. Approximately 97% of Ohtani's $700 million contract is deferred, meaning the Dodgers only pay him $2 million annually. The aforementioned incremental sponsorship revenue essentially paid for his salary and provided additional revenue for the team. After the conclusion of Ohtani’s contract, the remaining $680 million will be paid out at $68 million annually from 2034 to 2043, effectively making Ohtani's contract function as a defined benefit pension plan. Most of us could retire and live comfortably with $2 million alone. However, Ohtani earns $100 million annually in endorsements. Japanese sponsorship isn’t limited to the Dodgers. According to SportsUnited’s Marketing Partnerships Across North American Sports 2024 report, total team-sponsorship revenue increased 16% year-over-year, totaling $1.84 billion, with $300 million in new sponsorship revenue. MLB surpassed the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS in new sponsorship revenue. Leading the charge in 2024, Japanese companies signed 25 new sponsorships. These deals not only broaden their exposure but help promote baseball worldwide. Outside of Dodger Stadium, Japanese sponsorship’s presence is evident in backstop advertisements. Whenever Ohtani is on the mound or in the batter’s box at an away stadium, backstop ads display Japanese companies. During the first at-bat of Ohtani’s historic 50-50 game, you could see Cygames’ logo featured prominently behind him: Ohtani has led the league in jersey sales in both of the last two years. His Dodgers jersey set a new Fanatics record for the highest sales within 48 hours of its release. Prominent Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami recently collaborated with MLB for a special clothing collection to commemorate the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series. Ohtani’s Kanji Murakami jersey reportedly sold out within an hour after the drop. It’s currently listed at $480 on StockX, almost double its $250 asking price. Given the success of the Murakami collaboration, future merchandise collaborations with other Japanese artists seem likely. Personally, I’d love to see a Kenji Yanobe cat-themed installation installed somewhere in the Chavez Ravine. The 2024 World Series set global viewership records. Ohtani garnered attention to the World Series in Japan and the first two games yielded about 15.2 million Japanese viewers, a new Japanese record. Meanwhile, viewership in the US averaged 13.9 million viewers for the first two games. Total US viewership jumped 67% from the previous year. Much to the chagrin of diehard fans, Fox’s World Series Broadcast featured an omnipresent Shohei Ohtani graphic: The graphic was designed for casual fans attracted to Ohtani’s presence in the World Series, making it practical for those watching the games solely for him. Whether people like it or not, it benefitted the sport as viewership increased domestically and internationally. The Dodgers led the league in both home and road attendance by a wide margin in 2024. Their average home attendance was 48,657 fans per game, surpassing the Yankees, the second-highest team by 6,761 fans. On the road, the Dodgers' average attendance in 2024 increased to 36,253, up from 32,291 in 2023. Their 2024 road attendance exceeded the 2024 average home attendance of 25 teams. Japan is the largest foreign investment source in the United States. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has grown 50% since 2018, amounting to $783 billion in 2023. Coincidentally, Shohei Ohtani moved from the NPB to MLB in 2018. Chart courtesy of the Japan External Trade Organization’s report on Japan’s US Investment Dynamic FDI is cited as a key factor in the growth of the tourism industry. Following the launch of the “US-Japan Tourism Year” in November 2023, 2.7 million Americans visited Japan in 2024, marking an increase of 33% from the previous year. In 2022, 597,330 Japanese tourists visited the United States. In 2024, the United States welcomed 1,843,879 Japanese tourists, indicating a substantial 309% growth in just two years. Ohtani is recruiting droves of Japanese tourists to Los Angeles. In a CNN article, Adam Burke, the president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism, said, “In 2023, LA welcomed 230,000 visitors from Japan which was a 91.7% increase from 2022.” Los Angeles Tourism’s website has a Japanese translation to accommodate Japanese tourists. Little Tokyo, a forgotten Los Angeles neighborhood, has been revitalized by lifelong Dodgers fans and tourists interested in Japanese culture. The Dodgers host stadium tours in Japanese, and Dodger Stadium sells several Japanese food options including takoyaki, sushi, chicken katsu, and tempura. Food promotes cross-cultural exchanges in a fun and accessible way that transcends language barriers. A young American-born Dodgers fan could be introduced to Japanese culture through a simple takoyaki dish at a Dodgers game. Trying traditional Japanese street food broadens culinary horizons and creates an opportunity to engage with and gain appreciation for a different culture. Japan leverages soft power through cultural diplomacy to strengthen its reputation, disseminating Japanese culture throughout the world. Compared to Baby Boomers and Gen X, Japanese culture is consumed heavily among Millennials and Gen Z. Baby Boomers and Gen X’s parents were directly impacted by World War II. Memories of Japan’s wartime atrocities resonate among these groups, who had a more personal connection to the war through firsthand accounts from relatives who fought in it. America's post-war sentiments emphasized Japan as a defeated enemy, marred by atomic bombs in retribution for its wartime atrocities. In comparison, Millennials and Gen Z grew up with a generational divide from World War II. Their views of Japan are shaped heavily by cultural exports, including anime, video games, technology, and superstar athletes. Baseball is a nerdy sport with ever-evolving new analytical metrics for fans and players to obsess over. Statistics aside, nerd culture permeates clubhouses. Formerly a niche interest, anime has become increasingly popular among professional athletes. Mariners star centerfielder Julio Rodríguez is an outspoken fan of Naruto. Yankees infielder Jazz Chrisholm has custom Naruto and Black Clover cleats. Quinn Priester watches Dragon Ball Z. Dylan Cease, Pete Fairbanks, Matt Strahm, and Rhys Hoskins all collect Pokémon cards. In perhaps one of the nerdiest crossovers of 2024, Topps released anime-style baseball cards in its Bowman Series. Fiften to 20 years ago, professional athletes embracing their nerdy hobbies might’ve raised some eyebrows, but assumptions about the demographics of geeky interests and hobbies have changed. The Japanese are often credited with the ability to make things better. They emphasize continuous improvement in all facets of life. You can’t help but admire the Japanese demand for excellence and high standards. During the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Yuma Akatsu caught Shohei Ohtani’s first World Baseball Classic home run and graciously shared the ball with nearby fans who politely returned to him. If you head east across the Pacific, home run possession often brings out the worst in fans. Fans also noticed that the floor of Samurai Japan's dugout at LoanDepot Park wasn't covered in the usual layer of detritus: You also can find various compilations of Shohei Ohtani picking up trash on YouTube. It’s apparent that Japan is the market MLB is the most comfortable with. Over half of the league’s international national games have been played in Japan. This week the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will open the 2025 season with the two-game Tokyo Series at the Tokyo Dome. This marks the sixth Opening Day played in Japan. The series highlights five Japanese superstars - Shoto Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki for the Cubs and Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Rōki Sasaki for the Cubs. MLB recently released a promo video with the popular anime series “Demon Slayer”: Japan’s relationship with the United States must remain intact. Baseball has helped build strong economic ties between Japan and the United States. It breaks barriers, facilitates positive cultural exchanges, and creates domestic and international communities. Baseball embodies American ideals and has at times acted as a catalyst for social change. Groundbreaking technological advancements are highlighted in games. Baseball impacts the economy, creating jobs and fueling tourism. Contemporary globalized society is reflected in the diversity of its players. Japanese superstars support baseball. MLB must maintain and continue to build upon its global partnerships, otherwise it might become an obsolete sport. View full article

David Hamilton and Vaughn Grissom are battling for the second base job. Trevor Story is entrenched at short. Alex Bregman looks more and more likely to own third. Where does that leave Mayer, one of baseball's top infield prospects? Marcelo Mayer has made his presence felt at spring training. As of this morning, he’s played in seven games, posting a .294/.368/.588 slash line. He's running a 26.3% strikeout rate, 10.5% walk rate and 145 wRC+ with one triple, one home run, and five RBIs. Defensively, he’s split time evenly between shortstop and third base. Here's his game log: 2/22 vs Rays: DH 2/23 vs Blue Jays: SS 2/25 vs Braves: 3B 2/27 vs Tigers: 3B 2/28 vs Phillies: SS 3/2 vs Mets: SS 3/3 vs Orioles: 3B Before the meteoric rise of Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony, Mayer was Boston's number one prospect. Due to a left shoulder strain in 2023, he was restricted to 78 games. In the subsequent year, a lumbar strain limited his playing time to 77 games. These injuries, coupled with the breakouts of Campbell and Anthony, pushed Mayer down in prospect rankings. I’ll fully admit that at the start of spring training, I was a Mayer doubter. The injuries pushed him off my radar and I thought Campbell would break camp with a hot bat. However, Mayer’s performance in spring training has made me reconsider my previous beliefs. Mayer mashes fastballs, but has had some difficulty handling sliders and other breaking pitches. On February 27, the Red Sox played the Tigers in Lakeland. Mayer faced two major league pitchers, Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty. In the first inning, he knocked a triple off Flaherty’s slider. Later in the game, he hit a home run off a Maeda fastball. These aren’t minor pitchers who are at camp for a cup of coffee. Flaherty is coming off a World Series win with the Dodgers. His improved 2024 slider yielded a 36.3% whiff rate and 27.1% strikeout rate. Maeda may not be the same elite pitcher he was with the Dodgers or Twins, but he remains a major-league starter. Mayer’s 3-for-3 performance against advanced pitching highlights his improved pitch recognition and bat-to-ball skills. As for his defense, Mayer has recorded a 1.000 fielding average at shortstop across 13 innings and a 0.667 fielding average manning third base over 13 innings. Primarily a shortstop, Mayer only played two games at third between 2023 and 2024 in Double A, so the drop off in his positional fielding average isn’t shocking. If Mayer continues on his hot streak and manages to break camp with the Red Sox, where does he play? Ian Browne tweeted that Rafael Devers' anticipated spring training debut was pushed back. If Devers isn’t healthy by Opening Day, Alex Bregman will play at third. Drama aside aside, this is the best defensive alignment for the infield. Barring injuries, Trevor Story will be the team’s starting shortstop. Story has dealt with a ton of bad luck during his tenure with the Red Sox. I hope he can finally manage to stay healthy for a full season. If Story can provide a full season with a .250 batting average, sharp defense, and 15 stolen bases, his WAR should hover between 3.5 and 5.0. This brings us to second base. David Hamilton is putting on a strong performance as is Vaughn Grissom. Both arrived at camp stronger and their defense looks sharp. Joe Weil from WEEI tweeted the following breakdown of Red Sox second base starts: Kristian Campbell’s spring training performance has been the weakest amongst the second base candidates and the Big Three. He’s put up some good at bats, forcing high pitch counts and drawing walks, but has only mustered one hit in eight games. At times, Campbell looks uncomfortable at the plate. After being named Baseball America’s 2024 Minor League Player of the Year, he’s under a tremendous amount of pressure. On the other hand, Mayer looks comfortable at the plate and on the field. He exudes the energy of a fresh-faced boy band frontman. Roman Anthony has a je ne sais quoi and looks as cool as a cucumber. A part of me wonders if Campbell is getting the Blake Swihart treatment from the organization. Selected in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Swihart was a top-ranked catching prospect who was pushed into a utility role by Sandy Léon and Christian Vázquez. Drafted as a second baseman, Campbell underwent reps in the outfield, shortstop, second base, and third base last year. Moving around the field positionally didn’t affect his offensive performance in the minors. After Mayer went down with an injury, Campbell moved to shortstop so he only played two games at second base in Triple A. This indicates some sort of oversight on the organization’s end. Going into camp, it was heavily implied that second base was open for Campbell to take, despite the fact that he didn't spend much time at second in the previous season. Smart organizations value positional versatility, just look at the Dodgers. Manager Alex Cora is a huge proponent of versatility and athleticism. Campbell is only 22 and still has time to develop. All things considered, the arrival of Alex Bregman should alleviate some pressure to perform. There’s no harm in starting Campbell at Triple A to work on his infield defense and calling him up if and when an injury occurs. In a recent interview with Rob Bradford on the "Baseball Isn’t Boring" podcast, Mayer stated, “Wherever I get the opportunity to play, that’s where I’m willing to play.” His athleticism should make for a “smooth” transition to second. Talk Sox contributor, Nick John, posted some videos of Mayer taking some ground balls at second during practice. Transitioning from shortstop to second isn’t unusual. After the Phillies signed shortstop Trea Turner, shortstop Bryson Stott shifted to second base and was nominated for a Gold Glove in 2023 and 2024. Mayer is a decent comp for Stott. Both former first round draft picks are left-handed hitters with similar builds and minor league stats. The infield logjam of Hamilton, Grissom, and Mayer is a good problem to have. Last season, fans witnessed the team’s infield defense fall apart after Story went down early. Injuries happen, and you can’t have too much depth. If Hamilton, Grissom, and Mayer keep playing well over the next two weeks, I think it opens the door for a trade discussion. Looking at Hamilton’s splits from last year, his offensive production wasn’t consistent. Month AVG K% OBP SLG wRC+ April .211 31 .286 .316 69 May .333 19.6 .393 .490 147 June .247 25 .275 .429 91 July .197 31 .254 .258 40 August .258 20.6 .324 .468 118 Hamilton’s stats suggest that he may not be able to sustain this level of performance over the course of a 162-game season. While he’s valuable as a late-innings pinch runner, he’s not an everyday starter. A left-handed hitter, Hamilton has a career 43 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. With left-handed prospects like Mayer and Anthony making strides in camp, Hamilton could become the odd man out. If he continues to perform well during spring training, now would be the ideal time to sell high on him. The 2025 roster is supposedly set in stone, but there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding the pitching staff. Kutter Crawford likely will start the season on the IL and Brayan Bello is drifting in the same direction. Lucas Giolito is slated to make his spring training debut this Thursday, coming off his UCL repair surgery. Tanner Houck and Garrett Crochet have made solid outings, but are returning after career-highs in innings last season. Walker Buehler seems locked in and ready to pitch, debuting his new high socks. In the recent "Talk Sox" podcast, we discussed how the bullpen could be worse this year. The team lacks a go-to guy for the ninth. Aroldis Chapman showed his classic form versus the Twins. Liam Hendriks' performance was subpar. Justin Wilson gave up three earned runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Rays. Justin Slaten is a potential closer candidate, but he’s young and needs some more experience before becoming a closer. Bob Nightengale reported that the Padres are still open to trade offers for Dylan Cease and Michael King. I propose the following trade package: Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell, David Hamilton for Robert Suárez and Dylan Cease. Suárez solidifies the bullpen and alleviates the pressure for Hendriks and Chapman to perform. A six-man rotation of Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Dylan Cease, Walker Buehler, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito would be one of the best in baseball. There's no such thing as having too much pitching depth. Speaking of which, Quinn Priester and Richard Fitts look great in camp and could step up as spot starters when needed. I could also see Richard Fitts taking over Cooper Criswell’s long-innings reliever role in this scenario. Next year’s free agent starting pitching class is strong, but there’s no harm in being proactive. Notably, Cease is a Scott Boras client. The Red Sox aren’t averse to working with Scott Boras - newcomer Alex Bregman is represented by him. Over the past two offseasons, Boras has shown signs of slowing down. Pete Alonso and Corbin Burnes didn’t sign the megadeals that they initially targeted. For what it's worth, Cease is on record as saying Fenway is his favorite road stadium. Craig Breslow brokered a savvy deal with Alex Bregman and could do the same with a short-term, high AAV extension for Cease. Once Marcelo Mayer returns from his the stomach illness making the rounds through camp, it would be worthwhile to see him get some reps at second base. Campbell has played more games in left field than at second during spring training, so he might see additional time there in the minors, allowing Mayer to gain experience at second. If Trevor Story gets injured, Mayer’s path to the major league roster becomes clearer. Later in the season, a potential platoon between Grissom and Mayer at second could also be a possibility. There are a ton of permutations for the Red Sox’s infield this year. With Mayer, Grissom, and Hamilton making a strong case to join the major league roster, the infield depth presents a positive challenge for the front office. As spring training progresses, fans should have a better grasp on the infield’s alignment for Opening Day and beyond. 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Who's going to play second base? Alex, Adam, and Maddie speculate if there is any beef between Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman about the third base job or between Devers and ownership over playing time that was promised him. They discuss the competition for second base and why so many Red Sox players appear to be stronger than ever... except Wilyer Abreu. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View full article

Baseball analytics have evolved significantly since Bill James’ mail-order Baseball Abstracts. With technology producing up to seven terabytes of data per game, new data is readily accessible to teams. The influx of data and analytics has altered baseball, allowing players and fans to gain better insight into the game. Data helps players identify their strengths, examine weaknesses, and adjust their training regimes appropriately. Managers possess more knowledge and can adjust their in-game strategies. For example, on June 16th, 2024, the Red Sox took advantage of Yankees’ catcher Jose Trevino, who ranks in the 5th percentile for Caught Stealing Above Average and set a franchise record with nine stolen bases in a single game. They established a precedent for other teams to follow, and in a subsequent game, the Orioles stole four bases with Trevino behind the plate. Pitching technology has grown faster than batter technology. Trackman, MLB’s first ball-tracking system, debuted in 2015. Five years later, the league implemented the Hawk-Eye system. Previously unidentifiable metrics such as release point, extension, pitch velocity, and spin rate have helped pitchers elevate their game. Pitchers have welcomed advanced analytics with open arms, implementing improved mechanics and tinkering with pitches in pitching labs. At the detriment of offensive production, pitch velocity has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Twenty years ago, the league yielded a .264 batting average. Since then, it plummeted to a .243 average in 2024. Strikeouts are also on the rise. The league average strikeout rate jumped from 16.5% in 2000 to 22.6% almost a decade later. Red Sox beat writers posted several videos of players practicing during spring training. The following video (courtesy of Pete Abraham) shows a 9-Hole, a Designated Hitter®, a portable Trackman system, and several Edgertronic cameras. The 9-hole and Designated Hitter are more traditional pieces of equipment that help pitchers with their aim, while the latter stimulates pitching to a live batter. As its name suggests, the Trackman System is a ball-tracking technology that uses a Doppler radar to record advanced metrics, including pitch speed, spin rate, spin efficiency, release point, pitch location, bat speed, exit velocity, and launch angle. According to Trackman’s website, a Trackman B1 starts at $18,995. High-speed Edgertronic cameras can shoot up to 17,000 frames per second. Driveline lists an Edgertronic Baseball Development camera kit at $8,999. These cameras provide a biomechanical analysis of a pitcher or batter’s form. In a Foul Territory episode from January 2024, Adam Ottavino discussed using an Edgertronic camera to improve his pitches. The following video from the Red Sox shows Tanner Houck, Brennan Bernardino, and Zack Kelly pitching with an Edgertronic camera behind them and an image overlay of their pitch delivery. Jen McCaffrey posted a video of Garrett Crochet pitching to Roman Anthony. Trackman data is projected on the Fenway South scoreboard following Crochet’s pitches. It’s hard to identify metrics on the scoreboard, so I attached a similar photo taken during a Cincinnati Reds batting practice in April 2024. The scoreboard shows exit velocity, hit distance, and hit spin rate. Another piece of equipment to note is the Trajekt Arc. Self-described as “the greatest hitting experience in the world,” the technology projects a selectable pitcher on a video screen. Then, a pitching machine replicates the selected pitcher’s movement. The Red Sox have three Trajekt Arc machines throughout their system. In the middle of the 2022 season, the organization installed a Trajekt Arc inside the home batting cage at Fenway Park. The following spring, one was placed in Fenway South. Additionally, Polar Park houses a Trajekt Arc. The Red Sox pair their Trajekt system with HitTrax, a simulator that measures exit velocity, launch angle, and other advanced batted ball metrics. See below for a video of the Trajekt machine in action: What’s the price of a Trajekt system and a HitTrax machine? The Associated Press reports, "Each machine costs $15,000 to $20,000 a month as part of a three-year lease”. A HitTrax Pro will only set you back $14,900. Last spring, HitTrax posted a video of Triston Casas using their technology. HitTrax Baseball & Softball (@hittraxofficial) • Instagram reel WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 83 likes, 4 comments - hittraxofficial on February 13, 2024: "Red Sox first baseman, Triston Casas gearing up for the season at @thesystem8!! We can’t wait to see him in action during Spring... How can players use this technology to combat the ongoing pitching evolution? Let’s look at Jarren Duran, for instance. Last year, he struggled against changeups, yielding a 72 wRC+ and 25.0% K-rate. Cole Ragans has a dominant changeup, and Duran has struggled against it. Before facing Ragans in a Royals game, Duran could use a Trajekt machine to work on his approach versus Ragans’ changeups. Evolving technology helps players evaluate their skill sets and identifies areas of improvement, and the Red Sox have made substantial investments in these advancements. The organization is reaping the benefits of effectively utilizing these tools by pairing Trajekt, Edgertronic, and other cutting-edge technology with former Driveline personnel’s expertise. After revamping their minor league hitting development program, the Red Sox farm system ranks number one according to Baseball America. Keith Law placed them as the second-best farm system behind the Mariners. Investing in the major league roster is as important as building farm system depth. However, leveraging advanced technology to maximize players' capabilities and develop internal resources with a steady talent pipeline reduces the reliance on costly, aging free-agent acquisitions. During Chaim Bloom's era, fans complained that he neglected the major league roster. Bloom’s tenure will be viewed negatively depending on who you ask, but he poached several Driveline employees to join the Red Sox and modernized the team’s outdated analytics/research department. Craig Breslow inherited Bloom’s overhauled analytics department, hired additional Driveline personnel, and added impact pieces to the major league roster. The Red Sox currently stand in a good position with their state-of-the-art technology infrastructure, robust farm system, and young talent. View full article

The same goes for Yoshida. His right arm holds the bat at the end of his swing so his right shoulder, which underwent a labrum repair, bears the follow-through’s force. (Devers’ issues have primarily been with his left shoulder.)