Jones & Keefe: The reasons for optimism surrounding the Red Sox

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Transcript

00:00Biggest reason for optimism, Keefe. We'll start glass half full. Red Sox 3 and 4, right at the ship.

00:06What's your biggest reason for optimism?

00:08I'm gonna give you two. That's how optimistic I am.

00:10I'm gonna give you two. Biggest implies one, but you got two.

00:12Biggest is two in this case because it's the two guys that signed their extensions.

00:16It's both Garrett Crochet and it's Christian Campbell.

00:19So Crochet comes in with a mountain of expectations for thinking he's gonna be,

00:23I mean I predicted him to be the AL Cy Young winner.

00:26First start, very okay. Even by his own accounts, not the best start.

00:31He then comes out and has his first 8-inning appearance since he was in college.

00:36And just mowing guys down. 100 pitches.

00:40Inks this extension, which you and I both think long term could be pretty team friendly.

00:45He also could have maybe gotten a little bit more money.

00:47But he looks like an ace. I know it's only two starts, but he looks like an ace.

00:50And then the other one would be Christian Campbell.

00:52Does not have a great spring at the plate. Makes the team out of camp.

00:55Starts right away. One of the minor league guys that we're all excited about

00:59that actually breaks camp with the team.

01:01And he's hitting the snot out of it. Early on it was just him and William Bray.

01:04Now other guys are heating up, but he's staying hot.

01:07So for one of your top prospects, it's a week into his career.

01:12But for him to look the way they did and signing another team friendly contract.

01:16I think it's been a great week for the Red Sox despite their record being what it is.

01:20500. But those two guys in particular are the main reasons for optimism.

01:25Those extensions might just be reason for optimism in and of themselves.

01:30John Henry is not going to have the top payroll in baseball.

01:34I think we can kiss that goodbye. Dodgers are running away with it.

01:37The Yankees are tapered off in their spending.

01:39But okay, fine. The Red Sox won't be number one.

01:42They should be high up there. They should never be outside the top five.

01:45But let's say you're closer to five than one.

01:47How are you going to manage that payroll and still be competitive?

01:50Get to these guys early. Get to Crochet with two years left on his deal.

01:54Get to Christian Campbell when he has five games under his belt and get him paid.

01:59Do the same thing with Meyer. Do the same thing with Anthony.

02:01There's no reason to drag this out and lose a guy or have to trade away a guy

02:06for pennies on the dollar like you did with Mookie Betts when you're the boss in Red Sox.

02:10So getting to these guys early might be its own reason for optimism.