00:00Joining us is the president of the Boston Red Sox, Sam Kennedy.
00:05Good morning, Sam.
00:07Morning, guys.
00:08Happy opening day to everybody.
00:10Yes, sir.
00:11I feel like there ought to be, we had the governor on earlier,
00:13there should be a law somehow we should legislate that the home opener
00:19has to happen on a Friday.
00:20There's nothing better than the home opener on a Friday.
00:24I'm sure you'd agree.
00:26Couldn't agree more.
00:27Let's make it happen.
00:28It's a little gloomy out here at Fenway right now and a little wet,
00:34but I know the fans are going to bring the energy and we're ready to go.
00:38It's always the best day of the year.
00:40Have you tried the lobster poutine yet?
00:44You know, anything to hit the reset button on last week, I'm willing to try,
00:50even lobster poutine.
00:52Yeah.
00:52I mean, last season started one and four, and we know how that ended up.
00:59So, obviously, it's early.
01:02But I'm sure you guys look at this and, I don't know, maybe you scratch your heads.
01:09Maybe you say it's, that's the way it goes sometimes early on here.
01:13But this team is struggling a bit.
01:15No, I think, look, it was, as our players said, I mean, all of them, to a man,
01:23talked about it Wednesday.
01:24You heard their frustration voice.
01:26It was an unacceptable week.
01:29It was incredibly frustrating, but we got to turn the page and look forward.
01:34But it's certainly not the start we wanted.
01:36So, now we got to hit the reset button and go from here today.
01:40And being home will be a great way to hopefully turn the page on the frustrating week
01:45and just look forward now.
01:47When you look at how the rotation performed with your pitching group,
01:52how hopeful are you that you're going to see something drastically different early in the season?
02:00We remain hopeful on that one.
02:03I mean, this is a season group, guys, that we have a lot of confidence in.
02:07So, again, didn't get out to the start we wanted,
02:10but confidence level remains high as early as this afternoon with Sonny on the hill.
02:16And hopefully we see different results as we go the second time now through the rotation.
02:22Sam, one of the players that, you know, has been struggling a little bit
02:25that I think a lot of people had high expectations for is Roman Anthony.
02:29How do you balance on wanting him to get to a level where those expectations can be accomplished,
02:38be a leader, but he's such a young kid.
02:41How do you kind of balance the two of those?
02:43Yeah, it's a good question.
02:45And, you know, he brought that on himself given his performance last year and what he did
02:52and obviously the World Baseball Classic and the like.
02:55People have high expectations, and that's the result of the early signs of what we've seen from this guy.
03:03As you guys know, he is incredibly mature for a young guy emerging as a leader on the team already.
03:11It's quite extraordinary.
03:13So we don't worry about him, but you're right.
03:18The expectations are really, really high, and it's a function of the early success he's had.
03:23So he needs this, like the rest of us, he needs to reset and just go, as they say in
03:29baseball,
03:29one at bat, one day at a time here as we go forward.
03:33When it comes to some of those leadership qualities that you mentioned with Roman Anthony,
03:36he credits Alex Bregman.
03:39I'm wondering if, when it comes to some of the younger guys on this team,
03:44if you feel like they have the veteran leadership available to them that they had with Alex Bregman,
03:53or is that something, is that a void on this ball club so far?
03:58I don't think so.
04:00Trevor Story is a longtime important voice, important leader for this team.
04:05He's someone that our players trust and respect greatly.
04:11Wilson Contreras, obviously a new face, new addition,
04:14someone that brings a real competitive edge and experience.
04:20And Sonny Gray coming in as a veteran guy who's seen a lot provide leadership.
04:24So I think that that element is there in this clubhouse,
04:29and hopefully we'll be the beneficiary of it as we go forward here.
04:33Sam, is it at all concerning that it appears there was some form of a disciplinary action
04:38made by the manager towards Mr. Narvaez in the first road trip of the season?
04:44Is that something?
04:45We were down there at spring training.
04:46We talked to you.
04:47It seemed like an impeccable vibe.
04:48Everything seemed to be going in the right direction.
04:50And it seems pretty quick for something like that to have occurred.
04:54Yeah, I mean, look, we're keeping things in-house, and everything is, as you heard from both guys,
05:04everything is in a good spot.
05:06So I think the most concerning thing is the start of the play on the field,
05:11and things get magnified when that doesn't go our way.
05:15So it's a good group.
05:18They enjoy each other.
05:19We've got a great coaching staff, and I think we'll be just fine.
05:22Yeah, I just, for me, though, Sam, there's a way that Alex Cora could have done that,
05:27and nobody knows.
05:29Like, he could have sent a message that, you know, his back was acting up,
05:32or just say anything that baseball or athletes say all the time.
05:35It was just noteworthy, at least to me, that it was done in a way that others could have read
05:40into it that way.
05:42Yeah, I mean, there was transparency, which is what people want and ask for.
05:49And Alex, you know, we'll take his record of right decisions and leadership as our guy for the last many
06:00years.
06:01So, look, it's done, it's dealt with, we're moving on.
06:06Sam, right now I know everybody's adjusting to the ABS Challenge system.
06:10You guys have, I think, about a 45% success rate with the challenges so far.
06:15How do you see it working out in terms of players being empowered to call for the challenge
06:21and the adjustment that your team is going through with that?
06:26Yeah, it's a great question because it's such a big change and a new innovation in our game.
06:36I think it's great.
06:38And I think our fans like it.
06:40They've really taken to it.
06:41It makes it exciting, you know, whether you're at the ballpark or at home.
06:44And most importantly, the process is quick.
06:47It doesn't add to any unnecessary delays or anything like that.
06:52In terms of how we're deploying it and using it, you've seen us use it with success,
06:58and you've seen us mess it up.
07:01So people are adjusting to it, and I think it's something that is a really great addition.
07:08But it does present a whole new set of challenges for strategy and in-game decision-making,
07:16which, you know, we'll get better with time as we go forward.
07:20Sam, one of the areas where I felt like you guys, you know,
07:24could have took advantage of this offseason is the power bet.
07:28You know, there was talks about what you were going to do.
07:31You don't have that.
07:32And when you start to look at your margin of error being so small,
07:36how important is it you don't have mistakes in the game?
07:40You're not, you know, whether it's getting picked off at first base, costly errors.
07:43How important is that for your baseball team to not make those mistakes,
07:48knowing that you're not going to be able to maybe have that guy that can get you 30-plus home
07:54runs a season?
07:56Yeah, I mean, look, the lineup was sort of publicly talked about as the biggest question mark entering the season.
08:04And it's definitely not the start we wanted offensively.
08:09That said, we trust the talent that we've got in this lineup.
08:14Willier obviously picked up right where he left off from the WBC.
08:18He's been driving the ball all over the place and out of the ballpark.
08:23And we think the production from the rest of the group is going to come.
08:27You know, we read into everything that gets said,
08:30and so it would be helpful to just clarify from a strategy or approach point of view.
08:36Craig Breslow was on with us.
08:39Maybe it was, well, two weeks ago, a week and a half ago,
08:43talking about being focused on pitching and on improving the defense on the baseball team.
08:52Was it, did you guys go into this season and say,
08:55listen, we believe that we can be very successful, get ourselves to the World Series,
09:03not necessarily hitting the long ball, but focusing on pitching and improving defense.
09:09Was that kind of a strategy thing that you guys went into the season thinking?
09:14Well, we certainly, you know, we just covered the offensive side of the ball.
09:19In the offseason, we certainly did have an affirmative strategy to bolstering the rotation
09:25and shoring up the back end of the bullpen.
09:28But when you play sloppy baseball and you go off to a slow start offensively,
09:35you know, it hasn't borne out here in the first week.
09:40But, yes, to be clear, starting pitching, especially in a very, very competitive American League East,
09:49playing clean baseball defensively absolutely is going to be a key for our success this year in 2026.
09:58And it was a huge priority in the offseason, and it's a huge priority for us now to clean things
10:04up.
10:06The 86 team will be honored today at Fenway Park, Sam.
10:11Those are my guys.
10:12You know, for those of us of a certain age,
10:16that was really the team that connected our generation to the Red Sox, to Fenway Park.
10:22We had an amazing dinner last night.
10:26About 20, 25 of the guys were there.
10:29Oil Can, Wade Boggs, Dwight Evans, Rich Gedman, on and on.
10:33So it's a group – it's an amazing thing that that group went through what they went through.
10:41You know, who will ever forget the Angels series and the comeback.
10:44And to be one strike away and not get it done and the pain and agony associated with that,
10:51I think really connected so many of us to the team.
10:56And then what's happened in the 39 years, 39 seasons beyond that very, very painful but memorable year
11:05has been, I think, in large part due to the incredible fan support and love and passion for this team
11:12really trying to lift up the Red Sox to achieve great things.
11:16So that group is as much a part of everything that's happened here over the last couple of decades
11:22as anybody else, and I'm glad they're going to get their due today.
11:27And it's hard to believe it's been 40 years from my perspective anyway.
11:32Well, you and I are old.
11:34Yeah, that's for sure.
11:36I only wish Bill Buckner were able to be here because he – you know, it was heartbreaking.
11:41He had his moment.
11:43Yeah, he did.
11:44Yeah, he did.
11:45Bounced back.
11:45But it was –
11:46As long as Oil Can Day, I'm happy.
11:48As long as Oil Can Boys.
11:50Oh, I love Oil Can.
11:51I absolutely love him.
11:54Oil Can was there last night, and he's great.
11:58And to Chris's point, the 2008 ceremony, you know, of all the memories the last couple of decades,
12:06that was, for me, one of the just absolute highlights.
12:11Awesome.
12:11What our fans did for Bill Buckner and his family and the issues and challenges that he experienced in his
12:20life
12:20post-86 World Series were horrific, and our fans – that was an amazing moment.
12:25I think, obviously, outside of the obvious with the Red Sox winning championships, people here are happy.
12:30But one of the great elements of the championship era that we have been a part of recently is it
12:35has allowed teams to be celebrated in a way that they should have been,
12:38but were not because the ultimate goal wasn't achieved.
12:43You're so right.
12:45And, you know, we had the 75 teams last year.
12:48And to follow it up with the 86 team, pretty special.
12:53And, of course, the team that started it all, maybe only Greg remembers them, the 67 team.
12:58But, you know, you're right.
13:00And there was a lot of heartbreak for a lot of years.
13:03And that's why we take these low lows, these dips in pally so harshly because we know how much it
13:13means.
13:13So let's get back on track today.
13:15And big news in Fenway, I don't know if it's a shot directly at Greg, but he has been deemed
13:20low energy.
13:21And on the Monster, we'd have a new Monster Energy drink.
13:26So I don't know whether, Greg, are you going to be a part of any promotional venue with that?
13:30I mean, if asked, I would be obviously willing to.
13:33Whatever Sam wants, whatever the organization wants, I will do it as long as we want.
13:38We like high energy, Greg.
13:39So let's maybe pound one at the back of the Dell Technologies bar there, Greg.
13:45Yes, I will.
13:46Get going.
13:46Right about noon, 1215, you can take one down, okay?
13:50I mean, is John the greatest bartender in Fenway history?
13:53I mean, there's no argument.
13:54He's the best.
13:55There's no argument.
13:55He's the best.
13:56There is no argument.
13:57John Henry's bartender?
13:58Not that I would know anything about that.
13:59I don't drink at work, but he is the best.
14:03All right.
14:03Any luminaries?
14:05Any info on the, what are we getting Star Spangled banner-wise today?
14:10Well, we've got an incredible local connection, Boston native Nick Walker, who was, I believe,
14:19a Broadway actor and a part of the Hamilton production and local guy, super talent.
14:26So that's going to be fun.
14:27And then we've got members of the Vermont, excuse me, Army National Guard, the Massachusetts
14:32Army and Air Force National Guard from Hanscom.
14:35So really appreciate their service and glad to have them at Fenway today.
14:40Awesome.
14:41Did Kid Rock arrange a flyover?
14:45Yeah, the alternate opening day is at an undisclosed location somewhere else in New England.
14:51All right.
14:52Well, can't wait to be there in a few short hours.
14:56And let's turn it around.
14:58Let's turn this thing around, Sam.
15:00Let's turn it around, guys.
15:02We'll see you today.
15:03All right.
15:03That is Sam Kennedy, the president of Boston Red Sox.
Comments