Maddie Landis

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.)

Hitters and instructors have gone all-in on chasing bat speed. Now that Statcast allows us to quantify it, we'll be able to determine its value. Last May, Major League Baseball introduced bat speed metrics for the 2024 season to Baseball Savant. Like exit velocity, bat speed is another data point for evaluation, and this week, Baseball Savant unveiled bat speed metrics for the second half of the 2023 season. Triston Casas’ average bat speed ranked in the 94th percentile (75.8 mph) in 2023 but dropped slightly in 2024 (74.6 mph). Casas’ modest bat speed decline isn’t surprising. On April 20, 2024, he sustained a left rib cartilage tear, later describing his pain, “[The doctor] pretty much chalked it up to me being so big, rotating so fast, so many times that I created a car crash within my body.” It’s commendable that Casas recovered from a dramatic injury in four months and improved his bat speed upon his return. His injury was a primary factor in his bat speed decline, but he made a few adjustments. A baseball swing is a kinetic chain transfer. Various body parts work together to generate energy to hit a baseball. Power flows from the ground up, starting in the pelvis and transitioning to the hips, torso, arms, hands, and its final destination - the bat. The kinetic chain creates power. Upon the bat’s contact with the ball, the ball goes boom. Efficient swings produce the most power. Sox fans are aware that Casas frequently adjusts his approach/stance at the plate in between pitches. On a two-strike count, he adopts a wider stance. In a 2023 FanGraphs interview, he discussed his different swings: For the sake of this article, I'll be analyzing Casas' swing in instances where he hit a home run. Pre-swing, he looks cool and collected. Casas utilizes a bottom-hand-dominant grip directly above the bat knob with a small leg kick. Tension explodes upon contact with the ball. His shoulders rotate abruptly and his wrists snap in his follow-through. Speaking of which, Casas’ follow-through is violent. Check out his first home run from last year. His hips and shoulders rotate hard enough that he's forced to catch himself with his left leg. Because of this, his abdomen bears the load of his powerful swing. The force of his swing brings the bat to his shoulders, coiling his abdomen before dropping it at his hips. You see this violent follow-through again before his injury in April. Vertical bat angle (VBA) refers to the angle of the bat, relative to the ground, at the moment of contact. VBA correlates to launch angle, so a swing with a higher VBA will usually yield a higher launch angle, because the bat connects with the ball on an upward trajectory. (For more on VBA, read this in-depth article from Driveline Baseball.) Higher launch angles result in fly balls so a hitter’s ideal launch angle varies on their exit velocity and individual power. Casas’ VBA has jumped 3.9 degrees since his major league debut. 2022: VBA: 33.1 (.197/.358/.408, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 20 wRC+, 24.2 K%) 2023 VBA: 36.1 (.263/.367/.490, 24 HR, 65 RBI, 139 wRC+, 25.1% K%) 2024 VBA: 37.0 (.241/.337/.462, 13 HR, 32 RBI, 119 wRC+, 31.7% K%) Proper mechanics ensure the most effective power generation. Making contact with the ball at a degree forces Casas’ abdomen to carry the force of his swing. The gradual increase of Casas’ VBA, combined with the inefficient energy transfer in his swing indicates his injury was a ticking time bomb. In the Statcast era, it’s easy to get caught up in minute details like bat speed, exit velocity, and VBA. The primary question remains - did Casas’ drop in bat speed affect his performance? Let’s take a closer look at his stats. Month Bat Speed HR K% BB% wRC+ HH% EV Jul 2023 75.9 7 24.7 14.3 216 48.9 91.9 Aug 2023 75.9 5 22 14 145 44.4 90.4 Sep 2023 75.7 3 26.3 14 132 44.1 88.2 Apr 2024 74.4 6 28.9 13.3 132 42.3 89.9 Jun 2024 72.7 0 66.7 33.3 40 Aug 2024 74.4 2 33.9 8.1 110 37.1 89.3 Sep 2024 75 5 31.8 13.6 114 54.2 91.2 Note that Casas played just one game in June 2024, so those cells aren't included in the color-coding. These don’t metrics highlight any significant drop in his production. From July 2023 to September 2024, his average wRC+ was 127. He grades above the league average in exit velocity and hard-hit rate so his overall power wasn’t affected by the reduction in bat speed. Moreover, Casas’ injury didn’t happen suddenly. His cartilage gradually deteriorated until it ultimately tore, meaning he played while dealing with pain in April, during which time he posted a 132 wRC+ and hit six home runs. In September 2024, his bat speed improved to 75 mph, while his VBA dropped to 34.8 degrees, contributing to a significant increase in his fly ball rate (28.6% to 47.9%) and hard-hit rate (22.9% to 41.7%). Casas hit three home runs in his first three at-bats against the Minnesota Twins on September 22, 2024. Compared to earlier in the season, his follow-through appears to be smoother and he’s not stumbling in the batter’s box anymore. Bat speed is just another statistic to measure a hitter’s performance. It remains a relatively new metric for analysis, so more information will follow as additional data becomes available. With sprint speed, pitch velocity, exit velocity, and now bat speed, chasing speed is the new trend in contemporary baseball. The Red Sox farm system overhauled its hitting development program in 2024, placing a greater significance onbat speed, bat-to-ball skills, swing decisions and ball flight . They now rank No. 1 in Baseball America’s Farm System rankings. A pitchers have continued chasing velocity, UCL injurieshave continued to rise. Year-round baseball, with its repetitive motions, puts strain on an athlete’s body. Players push themselves to the human body’s maximum limit, sometimes hurting themselves in the process. Freddie Freeman played through the 2024 World Series with a sprained ankle and broken rib cartilage. Last year, Braves catcher Sean Murphy faced a setback with a strained oblique and it negatively affected his offensive production. At times, Triston Casas appeared to be in noticeable pain before he was officially placed on the injured list. As new metrics spark the demand for “peak” performance, the wear and tear on baseball players has never been more drastic. View full article

Baseball is back! Pitchers and catchers have arrived in Fort Myers. The Red Sox have had one of the strongest offseasons in the American League and acquired several players. Here’s a quick guide to the new faces in the organization. Baseball is back! Pitchers and catchers have arrived in Fort Myers. The Red Sox have had one of the strongest offseasons in the American League and acquired several players. Here’s a quick guide to the new faces in the organization. Starting Pitchers LHP Garrett Crochet How they were acquired: On December 11th, 2024, the Red Sox traded Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman Gonzalez to the Chicago White Sox for Garrett Crochet. Alex Cora provided a cheeky physical description of Crochet, "Big dude... Hopefully, Chris doesn’t take it personally, but he looks like Chris Sale, but stronger". Likelihood of staying: Crochet is under team control through the 2026 season. Since he joined the team, he’s been the subject of extension talks, but he recently articulated that he wants a full season under his belt before any potential extension. RHP Walker Buehler How they were acquired: The Red Sox signed free agent Walker Buehler to a one-year $21.05 million contract with incentives in December 2024. Buehler earned two World Series rings with the Los Angeles Dodgers and recorded the final out of the 2024 World Series. Likelihood of staying: Unless the Red Sox are playing poorly through the trade deadline, Buehler will remain a Red Sox for the season. LHP Patrick Sandoval How they were acquired: The Red Sox signed free agent Patrick Sandoval to a two-year $18.25 million contract in December 2024. Sandoval previously pitched for the Los Angeles Angels as a reliever before transitioning to a starter. He suffered from a season-ending UCL tear in June 2024 and is expected to return to the major league roster in the second half of the season. Likelihood of staying: Sandoval will probably stay with the team for the next two years. Since he’ll be returning from a major surgery, he has little to offer in trade value. RHP Yhoiker Fajardo How they were acquired: The Red Sox traded Cam Booser to the Chicago White Sox for Yhoiker Fajardo. Likelihood of staying: Fajardo, an 18-year-old pitching prospect, played in the Dominican Summer League last year. He’s a young player with no incentive to rush his development. Relief Pitchers RHP Matt McShane How they were acquired: The Red Sox traded Chase Shugart to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Matt McShane. McShane was a 13th-round 2024 draft pick and previously played college baseball for St. Joseph’s University. Likelihood of staying: Sox Prospects anticipates McShane will start the season in Low-A. LHP Aroldis Chapman How they were acquired: Aroldis Chapman signed a one-year $10.75 contract with the Red Sox. Likelihood of staying: Chapman is a veteran relief pitcher expected to be one of the core bullpen pieces for the season. RHP Joe Vogatsky How they were acquired: The Red Sox traded Emmanuel Valdez to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Joe Vogatsky, a former James Madison University relief pitcher. Likelihood of staying: Vogatsky was a late-round 2024 draft pick. He’s another young pitching prospect to bolster the team’s pitching depth - Sox Prospects projects he’ll make his organizational debut with the Single-A Salem Red Sox. LHP Jovani Morán How they were acquired: The Red Sox traded Mickey Gaspar to the Minnesota Twins for Jovani Morán. Likelihood of staying: Morán is a relief pitcher who pitched 91 innings for the Twins in three seasons. He could be a candidate for one of the remaining bullpen spots, but he’ll likely be a depth piece in Triple-A if any relievers come down with an injury. Position Players C Seby Zavala How they were acquired: Seby Zavala signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, and Chicago White Sox. Likelihood of staying: Zavala is one of the three catchers the Red Sox acquired after Kyle Teel was traded to the White Sox. He’s another positional depth piece that the Red Sox can turn to in an emergency. C Carlos Narváez How they were acquired: The Red Sox traded Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and Future Considerations to the New York Yankees for Carlos Narvaez. Likelihood of staying: Narváez had a brief cup of coffee in the majors last season but was blocked by Austin Wells. During spring training, Zavala, Narváez, and Blake Sabol will fight for the backup catcher spot. UTL Abraham Toro How they were acquired: Abraham Toro signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox. Likelihood of staying: Toro is a utility infielder who previously played for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, and most recently, the Athletics. Toro is yet another minor-league depth piece. C Blake Sabol How they were acquired: The Red Sox acquired Blake Sabol from the San Francisco Giants for international bonus pool space. Likelihood of staying: Sabol is a catcher and an outfielder, albeit a left-handed hitter. As mentioned, he’s another depth piece for the team and will be battling for the backup catcher position. 2B Alex Bregman How they were acquired: Alex Bregman signed with the Red Sox on February 12th, 2025. Likelihood of staying: Bregman has two opt-outs in his contract, so he could leave after one season with the Red Sox to sign a higher, long-term deal with another team. Craig Breslow’s niche is finding obscure pitching prospects, and it’ll be interesting to follow Fajardo, McShane, Vogatsky, and Morán’s development as they work their way up the Red Sox’s farm system. Farm system depth is just as important as depth on the 40-man roster. Post-Bregman signing, it’s apparent that Breslow found a balance for both. Bregman shores up the infield defense and doesn’t put immediate pressure on Kristian Campbell and the other young guys to start producing immediately. Rafael Devers had Xander Bogaerts to mentor him, Dustin Pedroia took Mookie Betts under his wing, and now Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer can turn to Alex Bregman. Position players will host their first workout on February 17th, and the Red Sox will play their first spring training game against the Northeastern Huskies on February 21st. Barring any additional last-minute moves, these are the newcomers. Welcome to the Red Sox! View full article

The Red Sox can't seem to wait for spring training to actually get started. It’s typical for boomers to make an early appearance at events. (We all have that one relative who comes at least five hours early for holiday functions, right?) Millennial and Gen-Z workers are notoriously late to work, but this isn’t the case for young Red Sox players! The first workout for pitchers and catchers is scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, and many players have arrived at JetBlue Park earlier than expected. Last Friday, Pete Abraham reported, “Brayan Bello, Brennan Bernardino, Kutter Crawford, Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, Romy Gonzalez, Justin Slaten, and Greg Weissert also were at Fenway South. In all, there were about 25 players on the field Friday.” Abraham lists an interesting mix of players, primarily made up of pitchers. The Red Sox are considering utilizing a six-man rotation for the start of the season. Bello, Crawford, Crochet, and Giolito are automatic fill-ins as rotation pitchers. Tanner Houck and Walker Buehler are the two remaining rotation pitchers who have not yet reported to Fort Myers. Cressey Sports Performance, located in Palm Springs, Florida, posted several videos of Tanner Houck training at their facilities over the offseason. The current 26-man roster rules stipulate that teams can carry a maximum of 13 pitchers from Opening Day through August 31 and the postseason. With Garrett Whitlock joining the bullpen, Liam Hendriks' return, the Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson signings, and Slaten’s strong rookie year performance, only two remaining bullpen spots remain, and Bernadino and Weissert will be competing for one of them. At the end of the 2024 season press conference, Alex Cora emphasized the need for stronger conditioning to manage the season workload, “We’ve been talking to the players….We’ve been talking about physicality….This is a good time for us to address that….September has been a challenge for us the last few years. Is it physical or mental? We’ll take a look at that.” He also referenced the Guardian’s bullpen as a framework to follow, “Take a look around the league right now and the best bullpens they got horses out there, you know? They’re freaking big and strong and they sustain the season. Look at Cleveland. All those guys they have 60-something appearances and they were really good”. (Note: Cora’s statement about the Guardians’ was made before their bullpen fell apart during the American League Championship Series.) Rafael Devers has been in Fort Myers since mid-January. Reporters also saw Kristian Campbell, Masataka Yoshida, and Romy Gonzalez in camp. As the team’s highest-paid player, Devers showing up to camp early encourages other players to do so. Kristian Campbell, Baseball America’s 2024 Minor League Player of the Year, will soon be battling for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Yoshida spent most of his offseason in Boston, away from his home country, recovering from labrum-repair surgery. Romy Gonzalez, who primarily was used as a utility platoon bat last season, is also vying for the starting second-base job. Competition breeds success. Given that players will be fighting for spots on the 26-man roster, they will be putting forth their best effort in spring training. Showing up for spring training early conveys a positive message. The players seem ready to get to work and are just as excited as the fans about the season's start. View full article

The cover photo is fitting for the Lunar New Year!

Major League Baseball has enjoyed a legal monopoly for over a century. Now, its chosen licensing partner is gobbling up competitors like there's no tomorrow while lowering quality and raising prices. The lack of quality options in the licensed sports market is increasingly frustrating for fans, especially as apparel prices continue to rise and quality declines. One company is at the heart of this discontent. If you’ve spent any time on social media in the past year, you’ve probably seen complaints about the quality of Fanatics products. Has this hurt the company's revenue? No. Sportico recently reported that Fanatics' revenue jumped to $8.1 billion in 2024, a 15% increase from the previous year, and broke down the company's revenue: Fanatics dipped its toes in the collectibles market, acquiring Topps in 2022, as well as online sports betting, with the creation of Fanatics Sportsbook in 2023. Most of its revenue comes from Fanatics Commerce, which designs, manufactures, and distributes its merchandise and other companies' products. Despite the grievances, people are still buying Fanatics products, but not necessarily because they want to. There aren’t many other options to purchase from, and that's by design. Over the past eight years, Fanatics secured long-term licensing deals with all four major US sports leagues, in addition to Major League Soccer, Formula 1, an ever-growing list of NCAA teams, and the Australian Football League. More recently, it has been buying up competitors. In December 2020, Fanatics bought WinCraft, another licensed sports goods company. The company acquired Mitchell & Ness, a prominent vintage sportswear apparel company, in early 2022, and last year, they became the majority holder of Lids, a major hat retailer. Fanatics isn’t limited to consumer sportswear apparel; it also has an exclusive partnership with Nike to distribute player uniforms for the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. Following the official rollout of the new MLB uniforms in 2024, Fanatics faced a wave of scrutiny from players (and fans) due to the subpar quality. Red Sox reliever Zack Kelly stated, “The numbers look like iron-ons….A big-league uniform should be special. It was hard for me to get here and for other guys, too. I think there will be some changes. I hope so.” MLB is reportedly transitioning back to the older uniform templates this year with larger player names and numbers, the older fabric, and customizable pants. NHL fans have had similar complaints. Cornell's Legal Information Institute provides a definition of a monopoly: “When a single company or entity creates an unreasonable restraint of competition in a market….In essence, the term monopoly may be used any time that a market for a good is controlled by a limited number of actors.” Getting more specific, case law has established precedents to identify a firm’s monopoly power. United States of America, v. Dentsply International held that “Absent other pertinent factors, a share significantly larger than 55% has been required to establish prima facie market power.” Market research firm Mordor Intelligence estimates the size of the licensed sports market a $37.51 billion. In December 2022, Fanatics' valuation reached $31 billion. With an expansive portfolio that includes Fanatics Collectibles, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Fanatics Collect, and Fanatics Events, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact contribution of Fanatics Commerce to their valuation. Given that Fanatics Commerce generates 77% of the company’s revenue ($6.1 billion in 2024), it’s evident that the division holds a dominant market share. During the nineteenth century, powerful robber barons like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Cornelius Vanderbilt to create monopolies in their respective industries through ruthless anti-competitive tactics and currying favor from pro-business with politicians. Carnegie Steel Company controlled the steel industry’s supply chain. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil oversaw 90% of the United States’ oil pipelines and refineries. Vanderbilt dominated the shipping and railroad industry. Facing public concerns over the power of large corporations, Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 and Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 to protect consumers from unfair monopolistic practices. Despite those practices, Major League Baseball enjoys a legal monopoly. The league's antitrust exemption has been upheld by the Supreme Court three times in the past century. Federal Baseball Club v. National League (1922) unanimously ruled that “Organized Baseball is not interstate commerce and does not constitute an attempt to monopolize within the Sherman Act.” Toolson v. New York Yankees, Inc. (1952) upheld Federal in a 7-2 vote, basing their decision on stare decisis. Once again, the Supreme Court reaffirmed Federal’s ruling in Flood v. Kuhn (1972). MLB is currently facing an antitrust lawsuit. Plaintiff Casey Distributing, a licensed sports hard goods seller, alleged that MLB and Fanatics breached the Sherman Act: “MLB, Fanatics, and certain horizontally competing licensees and retailers have entered into various agreements that serve to severely limit Fanatics’ and Defendants’ competition on TPOMs.” The case currently remains open. Its most recent update was in August of 2023 when MLB requested additional time to submit briefs in support of its motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Fanatics isn’t slowing down. In October 2024, Fanatics Sportsbook signed a nonexclusive deal with the MLBPA to use MLB player names, images, and likenesses in advertising. The deal emerged a couple of weeks after the MLBPA sued FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, and Underdog Fantasy for unauthorized use of names, images, and likenesses. Fanatics Collectibles, whose portfolio includes Topps, Bowman, and the English Premier League, will open its first flagship European store in London this spring. Antitrust law is very complicated and very political. Casey’s outcome is yet to be determined. Since MLB and the MLBPA hold financial stakes in Fanatics, it’s improbable that they would want the company to face antitrust penalties. The Department of Justice is currently engaged in a lawsuit with Ticketmaster. Once this case is settled, the DOJ could potentially shift its focus to Fanatics. Consumers deserve a broader range of choices when purchasing licensed sports apparel. Fortunately, platforms like eBay and Depop offer quality vintage options free of the ubiquitous Fanatics logo. Additionally, 47 Brand remains independent — at least for now. However, as Fanatics aggressively expands its presence, avoiding it has become nearly impossible. View full article

Aside from Fried, the Braves initial wave of prospects from 2017-2021 didn't include many pitchers. Their second wave of prospects contains more pitchers, ex. Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder (2022), AJ Smith-Shawver (2023), Spencer Schwellenbach (2024) and Hurston Waldrep (2024). The Red Sox drafted 14 pitchers last year so I think the pitching prospects will come in time, possibly a couple of years after this current group. I agree though that the pitching side is significantly lighter than the Braves... Amongst our current group of pitchers, we don't have big names that jump out like Strider or Fried. However, many frontline pitchers (Tarik Skubal and Zac Gallen off the top of my head) were drafted in later rounds.

Thanks to team-friendly extensions and a willingness to move on when before fan favorites hit their decline phase, Atlanta is now six years into a sustained run of excellence. Can the Red Sox follow their lead? From 2014 to 2017, the Braves were a mediocre team, mustering losing records in four consecutive seasons. The 2017 Atlanta Braves finished third in the National League East with a 72-90 record. The following season, they reversed their record to 90-72 and claimed their first division title in five years. Under the helm of their new general manager, Alex Anthopolous, the Braves ushered in a new era of sustained success, netting six division titles from 2018 to 2023, including back-to-back 100-win seasons in 2022 and 2023. The Braves have utilized three key strategies to achieve sustainable success: A strong core of prospects emerging in subsequent seasons. Sustainable financial management. A demonstrated willingness to part ways with homegrown talent. Talent Pipeline The Braves have built a consistent pipeline of talent that’s been a key factor in their sustained success. In 2017, Ozzie Albies and Max Fried made their big league debuts. In 2018, the league witnessed Ronald Acuña Jr.'s meteoric rise to stardom. In 2019, Austin Riley broke into the major leagues. In 2022, Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II joined the Braves roster. In 2024, Spencer Schwellenbach stepped up and made his mark in the big leagues, contributing to the Braves injury-laden rotation. Looking at 2026 and beyond, Jose Perdomo (SS), Hurston Waldrep (RP), and Drake Baldwin (C) are amongst the next wave of prospects to contribute to the team. The steady influx of homegrown impact talent gives the team valuable internal resources, reduces the need for free-agent signings, and provides financial flexibility. Financial Sustainability Despite being a large market team, the Braves spend their money wisely. According to Cot's Contracts, Atlanta's 2025 payroll is currently the ninth-highest in baseball. The Braves' core has been built around buying out their homegrown players' arbitration years and retaining them during their prime. Only 2.1% of the Braves' 2025 roster is arbitration-eligible, the lowest percentage in the league. 2B: Ozzie Albies (28), seven years, $35 million from 2019-2025 with 2026-27 club options 3B: Austin Riley (27), 10 years, $212 million from 2023-2032 with 2033 club option OF: Ronald Acuña Jr. (27), eight years, $100 million from 2019-2026 with 2027-28 club options OF: Michael Harris II (23), eight years, $72 million from 2023-2030 with 2031-32 club options SP: Spencer Strider (26), six year, $75 million from 2023-2028 with 2029 club option When you consider these players' performances, their contracts look like bargains. Generally speaking, MLB players reach their peak performance between the ages of 27 and 29, with a typical decline starting around age 30. The Braves' core is secured through their prime years, and their extensions also account for potential aging curves. Factoring in club options, Albies' contract ends at age 30, Acuña's at age 30, Harris's at age 31, and Strider's at age 30. Moreover, the Braves are quick to pounce on extensions with players they acquired via trade. 1B: Matt Olson (30), eight years, $168 million from 2022-2029 C: Sean Murphy (30), six years, $73 million from 2023-2028 with a 2029 club option SP: Reynaldo López (31), three years $30 million from 2025-2027 RP: Raisel Iglesias (35), four years, $58 million from 2022-2025 Aside from shortstop and one or two outfield positions, their starting nine and rotation have been set since 2022. Since their core is retained throughout the next decade, the Braves aren’t connected to premier free agents in the offseason. Who needs Juan Soto when you have Acuña at home? The Braves have shown a demonstrated willingness to part ways with homegrown talent either via free agency or trades. Consider the following moves: March 2022: Traded Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers, Joey Estes, and Ryan Cusick for Matt Olson (27) March 2022: Freddie Freeman (33), signed a six-year, $162-million contract with the Dodgers December 2022: Dansby Swanson (29), signed a seven-year, $177-million contract with the Cubs December 2022: William Contreras (25), acquired Sean Murphy November 2024: Travis d’Arnaud (35): signed a two-year, $12-million contract with the Angels December 2024: Max Fried (30): signed an eight-year, $218-million contract with the Yankees The Braves have a history of letting homegrown talent walk, but they consistently fill those spots with younger, often comparable (if not better) players. They were happy to let Freddie Freeman walk with the younger, cheaper Matt Olson available. Dansby Swanson was another key departure, but the Braves were able to redirect resources toward extending players like Olson, Austin Riley, and Sean Murphy. In December 2022, the Braves moved William Contreras, who they viewed more as a designated hitter, for Sean Murphy, a defense-first catcher. Subsequently, the Braves had the best catching tandem in the league with Travis d’Arnaud and Sean Murphy. Going into the 2024 season, the Braves needed an everyday outfielder. They traded Jackson Kowar and Cole Philips to the Mariners for Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzalez, and Evan White. This wasn’t the flashiest move for the Braves, but it filled a need for the team, and they secured a young, cost-controlled outfielder for the future. This offseason the Braves chose not to pursue Travis d’Arnaud and Max Fried. Both players are aging, and they have a considerable number of pitching prospects and Drake Baldwin who can take over d’Arnaud’s role as backup catcher in the future. Is it possible for other teams, like the Red Sox, to mimic the Braves' sustained success? The Red Sox' current roster construction model closely aligns with the Braves' strategies, suggesting that a similar approach could lead to long-term success. Talent Pipeline Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell are expected to make their major league debuts this year. If he has an outstanding year in Worcester, Marcelo Mayer could also see some big-league action later in the season. Beyond 2025, David Sandlin (friend of the Talk Sox podcast) and Jhostynxon Garcia could join the team in 2026. Though he isn’t a homegrown prospect, Grissom is akin to a new player for the Red Sox this year. While conducting research for this piece, I noticed that Braves infielders usually have one to two “bad” seasons before finding their stride: Dansby Swanson slashed .246/.322/.348, 77 OPS+, and 0.9 bWAR during his first two seasons. Ozzie Albies’ WAR jumped from 1.3 in 2017 to 4.1 in 2018. Austin Riley had a negative WAR from 2019 to 2020 before he produced a 6.3 WAR season in 2021. Given the trend of Braves infielders taking a couple of seasons to fully develop, Grissom could be the key difference-maker, potentially turning the team from a .500 record into a wild-card contender. At the very least, he should have a shot to be the starting second baseman this year. He partook in the annual Story camp and looks healthier than he did last year. Some players face growing pains at the major league level. Many Red Sox fans wrote off Jarren Duran before his breakout 2024 season. During his rookie year, Casas looked like a lost cause before posting monster numbers during the second half of the season. Sustainable Financials The Red Sox currently have a cost-controlled core to build around. Rafael Devers (28): 10-year, $313.5 million from 2024-2033 Brayan Bello (25): 6-year, $55 million from 2024-2029 with a 2030 club option Ceddane Rafaela (24) - 8-year, $50 million from 2024-2031, with a 2032 club option Factoring in club options, Devers' contract ends at age 37, Bello’s contract ends at age 31, and Rafaela’s at age 32, so the Red Sox have control of these players through their prime. The team has a plethora of young talent that can be signed to reasonable cost-controlled deals. Triston Casas, Tanner Houck, and Garret Crochet are extension targets. If Roman Anthony hits the ground running after he’s called up, he’s also in the mix for an extension. Since the Red Sox haven’t gone after premier free agents, such as Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, this offseason, they have money to allocate toward extending Crochet. The Red Sox spent money for the sake of it and are now stuck with Masataka Yoshida, who doesn’t fit with the team’s current roster construction. Signing Alex Bregman might lead to another Yoshida conundrum. The Red Sox have a lot of right-handed second-base depth with Vaughn Grissom, Romy Gonzalez, and Kristian Campbell. All of whom hit left-handed pitchers better than Bregman in recent years. Money is finite, and I’d rather see the Red Sox leverage their second base depth for the 2025 season rather than commit to a long-term contract with Bregman. The funds for his contract could be better spent on player extensions. Parting Ways With Homegrown Talent The Red Sox traded Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman González to the White Sox for Crochet. Amongst this group of prospects, Teel is the closest to his major league debut. Meidroth was blocked by the aforementioned group of second baseman and Montgomery and González’s major league ETA isn’t imminent. Starting pitching, especially a left-handed option, was a known need for the team, and the Red Sox nabbed the frontline trade target of the 2024-2025 offseason. On the same day the Red Sox traded Teel, they acquired Carlos Narváez, a defense-first catcher, to help offset the loss. Jarren Duran is set to become a free agent in 2033, at the age of 33. The Red Sox should keep him during his arbitration years, but let him walk once he hits free agency. As he ages, his speed is likely to decline, and it's a huge piece of his game. It’s more prudent to invest in younger players instead. The Braves are the perfect model for roster construction, demonstrating controlled, sustainable success, and the Red Sox have the opportunity to emulate their approach. There’s a wave of prospects ready to join the Red Sox in the upcoming years. They have the financial flexibility to extend young talent like Crochet, Casas, and Anthony, allowing them to build upon their core of Devers, Bello, and Rafaela. The Red Sox should continue to spend their money wisely and avoid large free-agent signings when they have a ton of talent knocking at the door. However, that doesn’t mean they should refrain from investing in the team. After all, they’re one of the most valuable sports franchises. Locking up their young talent and filling roster holes with shrewd free agent signings is the best way to follow the Braves. View full article

After returning from the holidays and New Years, Adam, Alex and Maddie discuss the Red Sox signing Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval. They answer questions like: Should Boston go with a six man rotation? If not, which starter pitcher do you leave out of the mix? Should the Red Sox trade Masataka Yoshida? Triston Casas? Wilyer Abreyu? And what is the deal with Roki Sasaki? 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

December is upon us! Can you believe it? The holidays are right around the corner and pitchers and catchers will be reporting before we know it. Looking for the perfect gift for a Red Sox fan, but don't know where to start? Check out Talk Sox’s Holiday Gift Guide. Apparel New Era and the Boston-based '47 offer a wide selection of Red Sox clothing for adults and children to showcase their team spirit with modern and retro designs. Whether you’re looking for a new hoodie, hat, t-shirt, or jacket, both stores have you covered. Fanatics sells official MLB jerseys. Not a fan of the new Fanatics jerseys? You can find vintage ones from Majestic, Russell Athletic, and other brands on eBay. How about a 1975 Bill Lee home jersey? The Dream Shop and City Colors can customize jerseys if you want something particular. Personally, I'm not a fan of the replica home jerseys with player's names on the backs that are sold online. Bill from The Dream Shop is a pleasure to work with and helped me make a custom Casas jersey. (Note: If you place an order with him now, it probably won't arrive in time for the holidays, but he also sells gift cards.) If you're looking for something less formal, BreakingT might be more up your alley. They've got a wide selection of Red Sox t-shirts celebrating players from the team's past and present. Fenway Dirt Fanatics also sells collectibles and memorabilia, including dirt from Fenway Park. What better way to tell that special someone you care than a shaker full of dirt? It's better than a lump of coal. Dugout Mugs Made from wooden baseball bats, Dugout Mugs are a unique addition to any mug collection, and they have a wide variety of Red Sox mugs . Dugout Mugs has also collaborated with Tanner Houck’s charity, Pitch for Adoption. A portion of the proceeds from Houck's Mug will benefit the Caritas Family Solutions. Wall Art Etsy sellers, CozyBurrowStudio and HomeArenaDesigns, sell tasteful, handmade art that celebrates the Red Sox, Boston, and all of Massachusetts. The sign below is from HomeArenaDesigns. Books Red Sox Century: The Definitive History of Baseball's Most Storied Franchise, Expanded and Updated by Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson If you want a general overview of Red Sox history from its establishment in 1904 to the 2004, this is the go-to book. Spanning 544 pages, this book is filled with photographs and well-written articles, making it a great coffee table accent for a subtle touch of Red Sox flair. Francona: The Red Sox Years by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy Francona outlines Francona’s playing career to the start of his managerial tenure in Cleveland. If you haven't watched it yet, this book is a great segway into Netflix’s “The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox” documentary (though 2004 only encompasses a small portion of the book). Francona will manage the Cincinnati Reds next year, and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the team. Homegrown: How the Red Sox Built a Champion from the Ground Up by Alex Speier Speier is a phenomenal writer, and Homegrown follows the journeys of the 2018 World Series core. It’s a bittersweet read, knowing these players sport other team’s uniforms in the present-day. The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players by Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik The MVP Machine is an insightful read about modern baseball player development and technology. Lindbergh and Sawchik aren’t solely sports journalists, and you can tell their take on the sport differs from a “traditional” writer such as Dan Shaughnessy. Tickets Nothing beats watching a baseball game at Fenway! Even though the 2025 Red Sox schedule has already been released, single-game tickets aren’t available yet. However, 2025 season tickets are available now. The Tenth Man Plan is the smallest package with tickets to 10 games (as its name suggests). If you want to be notified when single-game tickets are on sale, sign up for the Red Sox email newsletter. Memorabilia Are you looking for some game-used memorabilia? MLB Auctions has a wide range of game-used memorabilia from signed baseballs, bases, and bats. The Jersey Street Store also features a sizeable collection of baseballs signed by current and former Red Sox players and yearbooks/media guides from the past. Do you have any additional Red Sox gift recommendations? Let us know below in the comments! View full article