- 3 months ago
Chad Tracy joins the show to discuss John Henry’s presence around the team, what to expect at the trade deadline, updates to Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet’s injuries, and the team’s inconsistencies at the plate.
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00:00Chad, that was a tough one, huh, last night?
00:03Yeah, I could have done without the replay.
00:05I gotta, listen, we just...
00:07I didn't get, at least having watched it, I didn't have to hear the commentary on it,
00:11but yeah, it was tough.
00:12Yeah, that's, you know, and it's interesting too,
00:14because it was obviously not expected with, you know, Aroldis Chapman.
00:18You know, he's been just so good outside of the last couple of games,
00:23or uncharacteristic, I guess, is the best way to classify how he's been.
00:27So, you know, obviously, him not being his usual self,
00:30what can you tell us about his hamstring injury,
00:33and do you think that that could be contributing to,
00:37as his uncharacteristic performance the last few games?
00:40No, I mean, really, uncharacteristic performance, I'd say last one game.
00:45Like, don't forget the game at Fenway, he was throwing bullets,
00:48and looked very locked in, and a pop-up behind the plate
00:52that ended up blowing about 40 feet the other direction,
00:54and dropping foul, and then a fly ball to left
00:57that wasn't hit all that hard up in the air, and it clips the wall.
01:02I wouldn't necessarily characterize that as it didn't really, you know,
01:05wasn't his best performance.
01:06If we catch the pop-up, we're out of the inning,
01:07and we're hitting in the bottom of the ninth with a chance to win.
01:09So, crazy stuff happened that day.
01:12And then yesterday, you know, if you guys would have said,
01:16hey, you're going to be up 2-0 going into the eighth,
01:19and Whitlock and Chapman are going to come in and throw 19 pitches,
01:23and 18 of them are going to be strikes,
01:24I think you sign the dotted line on that every single day of the week.
01:27So, for whatever reason, they were swinging early and swinging often
01:32and able to put some barrels on balls and hit them to the opposite field.
01:35It happened fast, and it's one of those things that's when you look back at the end,
01:40it's very difficult to explain what you just watched,
01:42but you just tipped your cap.
01:44Hey, Chad, over the last couple weeks,
01:45what concerns you the most about your team,
01:47and then also on the other side,
01:49what is giving you confidence that you can turn it around?
01:51Well, I mean, I think the confidence part's easy, right?
01:54Like, you watch the pitching that continues to roll out there,
01:57like some of the starts we had dating back to the last game at Fenway and Seattle.
02:02The start that Jake Pennant gave us last night,
02:04he was absolutely tremendous.
02:07So, like, just continuing to move into these games
02:11and get to the later part of the game,
02:12and you're right there with a chance to win.
02:14Like, that's encouraging.
02:15And knowing, you know, minus a blip last night,
02:17that you do have a very strong back end,
02:19and Tyron Guerrero, Tyron Guerrero's become a part of that equation
02:23with Slate and Witt and Chap.
02:26That's a really nice thing to have, the way we're throwing the ball.
02:30And I think we're just still searching for consistency.
02:34You know, we had games.
02:35We had two games in Seattle against very good pitching
02:38where we were able to score six and five respectively.
02:40And, you know, even if it was wanting to string things together,
02:44so just searching for, you know, a string of consistency offensively
02:50because there are still a lot of good things happening.
02:52Chad, last week the Boston Globe reported that Kyle Boddy left the team
02:56and that he had been – he'd recently left the team to pursue other opportunities
03:00in pro baseball.
03:01There was talk about sort of a conflict with another job that he had.
03:04I was just wondering from your perspective, how much was he around?
03:07How much did you interact with him, and did they come to you
03:10and tell you that he wasn't going to be with the team anymore?
03:13I didn't interact with Kyle much.
03:15I mean, keep in mind I was in the minor leagues the last four years
03:17and Kyle's been here, and it's not like a role – it was more of a consulting role.
03:21It wasn't like Kyle was hanging out down in Worcester all the time.
03:24I think it was more in the front office, made a lot of friendships
03:27in the front office, provided his insight with people up there.
03:31And so, no, I was just told about it, but it wasn't –
03:34I think it was more of an opportunity for him that conflicted with his responsibilities here
03:38from what I was told, and he had to go his separate ways to go pursue that.
03:43So nothing as far as like, you know, oh, my God, was he very present,
03:49like down in the locker room or in Worcester?
03:51No, it was more of a consulting in the front office role.
03:54Chad, speaking of people who have been lurking around the team,
03:56there are reports that John Henry has been spending a decent amount of time,
04:01I guess more than usual according to some of the reporters,
04:04with the team, sometimes on the road, sometimes at home.
04:08Like, where do you see him?
04:09Like, how would you classify his presence around the players this season?
04:14I can't – I guess for me, you guys can understand,
04:16I can't really comment on, oh, John's around more because I wasn't here before.
04:19So I have no idea how much John's around.
04:22I know he's been around Fenway Park a few times.
04:26I've gotten to chat with him.
04:27He was in New York, and it was, you know, him and Bres and I got to sit there
04:31and chat a little bit before the game.
04:33That was nice.
04:34So there's, you know, if people say he's around more, I'll leave that up to them
04:38because I wasn't here before, but I know he's been around a bit
04:41and mostly has been in there and just been present and been supportive,
04:44and we've had some good conversations, that's all.
04:46What does he talk to you about?
04:47Oh, anything.
04:49We just, you know, we talk about, you know, the team.
04:51We talk about baseball.
04:53We talk about Yankee Stadium and Monument Park.
04:55There's nothing excessively there that people think.
05:00I think it's mostly his visibility and people make a deal out of it,
05:04but there's been, you know, nothing more than small talk you might have
05:08with people you know.
05:09Does he seem upset with how the team is performing?
05:13I'm not.
05:13I wouldn't.
05:14I'm going to stay away from commenting on how John Henry may or may not feel
05:19other than just to say we've had good conversations.
05:21That's all.
05:22Okay.
05:22Well, I mean, I guess kind of along those lines, but, you know,
05:25as far as you've got the trade deadline is a little bit down the road.
05:29Just has ownership or management told you what their ideas might be
05:34for the trade deadline, or are you kind of managing in the dark,
05:37wondering if, you know,
05:38the guys that you're playing might be gone next week?
05:42I don't think I'm – I wouldn't classify anything as managing in the dark.
05:45I think, you know, when you go out to manage a baseball game,
05:48you have a 26-man roster.
05:50That's not in the dark.
05:51I got 26 guys to go out and manage this game tonight and try to win this game
05:54in front of me.
05:54Like, as far as what happens at the trade deadline, like,
05:59that is at the current moment, like, the furthest thing from my mind when
06:03you're managing a baseball game on that night.
06:05It's like, here's the players you have.
06:06I think nobody's in the dark.
06:09I think broadly everybody in the locker room understands as you move closer
06:14to the deadline in July, like, if there isn't a run at some point that gets
06:19you closer and makes them think about it and you're falling in the wrong
06:22direction, that those things happen in baseball.
06:24I think we have veterans in there that understand that,
06:26young guys that have learned from veterans that understand that.
06:28So nobody feels in the dark.
06:30You just feel like we have a job to do tonight and that's what we have to go do.
06:33Yeah, and Chad, I don't envy you because this is going to be obviously your
06:37first as a major league manager trade deadline, and I can't think of a more
06:41stressful, I mean, as far as, like, when you're a manager, I got to think this
06:45is probably one of the most stressful times where, especially when you have
06:48players that you know whose names are being bantered around in the press,
06:51like, how do you keep the clubhouse from completely checking out when they
06:54know they might be traded at the deadline?
06:56I think you just keep encouraging them.
06:58Like, even after a game like last night, you touch base with guys and let them know,
07:03I'm right there with you.
07:04And, you know, anything you can do, and I think we've done that,
07:07is making sure they know that you're in the trenches with them and you're
07:10feeling the same things they are, and you just keep pushing them.
07:13That's all.
07:14And I think our veteran guys have handled that noise well, you know,
07:18with their own comments, and I don't think any of them, they answer the
07:21questions and they get back to work, you know, and nobody's making that a
07:27distraction amongst, you know, what has to happen here on a day-to-day basis.
07:30So, I think from our standpoint, it's continuing to push.
07:36Like, even after a game like last night, like, we have a job to do.
07:39We've got to come in tomorrow.
07:40We've got to, you know, get ourselves in order, do our advance work,
07:43who we face in, get ready to play the game, and try to go out and win a
07:45baseball game.
07:45Like, that is the focus on a daily basis.
07:48Chad, I know you mentioned earlier the offensive consistency you're looking for.
07:51Now that you've had a chance a couple months to be under the hood, like,
07:55why has the team struggled beyond, you know, just consistency?
07:58Why are you last in runs?
07:59What's wrong with the offense?
08:01That's a good question.
08:03I think, you know, I think the answer to that, you know, there isn't a single
08:08answer.
08:08There's times where, you know, where you look at the early part of the Seattle
08:12series and you feel like, man, this was good.
08:14There was a lot of quality at-bats against really good pitching.
08:18I think at times it's been very clear that it has not been a situation of not
08:22being able to get people on base, that it was more a case of, man, we can't,
08:26we're struggling to get a hit with our good hits with runners in the scoring
08:29position.
08:30I think at other times it's been, you know, a stretch of three or four innings
08:33if we don't string together quality at-bats.
08:36And then inevitably there's two or three days where it looks really good.
08:39So I wish I could give you a clear answer.
08:42Like it's one specific thing, but like we've gone through a lot of different
08:45things.
08:47You know, like I just mentioned, we've gone through injuries.
08:50We've lost players.
08:51We get guys up to speed.
08:53They get here.
08:53So we're battling a lot of things, you know, and, and onboarding new people at the
08:58same time up from AAA.
09:00So we're batting a lot of things and it's not just one thing.
09:02It's just striving for, you know, everybody consistency and the quality on a
09:06night-to-night basis.
09:08Romy Gonzalez might be one of those guys you're onboarding here.
09:11I know he's already been with the team, but in terms of,
09:12with you, I know he's in Worcester tonight and a strong right-handed bat when
09:17he's in there.
09:18What can you tell me about Romy and his path back to the majors?
09:21Yeah, he's going to DH tonight, which is good.
09:23You know, like he had a little hip tightness the other day.
09:26So a little scary, like, oh, he's going to be okay.
09:28And everything checked out.
09:29So he's back to DH tonight, which means he should be able to accrue some at-bats.
09:34Not a, don't have a timetable yet on when he'd be able to get back.
09:38But if we can keep him out there for a string of games and at-bats, like I can at
09:42least say
09:42we're getting closer.
09:43And yes, you guys have seen him and know him and all of our players know him.
09:47Very strong, powerful right-handed bat that certainly will help, you know, with the current
09:52state of things.
09:53And so we got to get him through the rehab first and make sure that everything checks
09:57out.
09:57He obviously has not played in a while.
09:59So make sure that he physically feels good, that he's got enough A-Bs.
10:02And then if we're able to get him, get all through, get through all that and get him here
10:07healthy, he would be a nice addition to the lineup.
10:09Chad, have you ever been part of a team or an organization that was able to turn things
10:14around from a spot this bad?
10:17Like what, like if you were, like what did it take to do that?
10:22It's, it's not easy, you know, because I think in your mind, you know, looking at it,
10:27like it's going to take a, you know, it's going to take some type of a stretch to get
10:33you started and then a run of consistency, you know, for a period of time.
10:38That, that being said, there'd be other seasons where you'd look at our record and where we're
10:43at in the American league right now.
10:44And you'd be like, oh my God, there's 15 games out.
10:46And because the American league continues to, hasn't performed well, like it's not an
10:50outrageous thing to think about.
10:52Well, way less outrageous to think about right now than it would be in other seasons.
10:58So, but our, we're in a day-to-day mindset right now.
11:02It has to be that way.
11:03Like we have a lot to get squared away and like, it should be about go out there and
11:07win today.
11:08And then after you do that, you got to go out there and try to win tomorrow and have
11:11a winning road trip.
11:12Like that's a start, right?
11:13So you can't get too far ahead of yourself, but you can at least look at it and say like,
11:18you know, if there was a year to come back from where we're at right now and make something
11:23happen, this would be the year to do it just based on what's happening around us.
11:26How's Roman Anthony doing, Chad?
11:29Better, improving, you know, we're still, we're still not at full bore swinging, but
11:33he's, he's swinging, you know, light bats and fungal bats a little bit more frequently
11:38and experiencing less discomfort.
11:40So we're getting there.
11:42But again, guys, like, you know, I keep saying with him, like when there's new, you know,
11:46actually news, you know, I'll, I'll let people know.
11:49For me, news is like when he picks up a real baseball bat and he's able to start swinging,
11:54you know, off the machine and stuff, that would be news.
11:56But we are, we're moving in the right direction more quickly than we were before.
12:00Is the pain audible when he like swings?
12:02He's like, ah, does he feel like that?
12:04How do you judge?
12:06I don't judge.
12:07I mean, we're going off of, you know, I don't judge.
12:08Like I always say with injuries, you know, and this is like, I'm very careful about, you
12:14know, people with injuries and discomfort and pain.
12:16Like I say, unless you can jump inside their body and experience what they're feeling, it's
12:21very difficult to say anything.
12:23You know what I mean?
12:24Like, so we could jump inside his body and swing, go, damn, that hurts.
12:27You know, like we don't know.
12:29So, but we don't want him playing hurt.
12:32I know that.
12:32So for me, it's, you know, like, let's get him to the point where mentally in his own
12:37head, he feels really good about, you know, moving faster.
12:40And when he feels that way in his own mind, then we know, all right, we're in a good spot
12:43right now because, you know, he believes he can go.
12:47So we have to just wait, you know, and at least we're making, we're making better progress,
12:51which is good news.
12:52How about injured superstar number two, Garrett Crochet?
12:54How's he doing?
12:56Similar.
12:56He's, he's also making improvements.
12:59They're monitoring strength numbers in his shoulder as they continue to go through this stuff.
13:02And then still doing testing on, you know, if anything's provocative, he's definitely
13:07improving, but, you know, with him especially and the long-term that he's going to be here,
13:11it's like, we want to make sure that everything checks out, not only on the numbers with shoulder
13:16strength, but that he feels very good and then he'll resume.
13:19So he is moving his arm, throwing plyos, doing some plyo routine stuff just to keep, keep
13:24the arm moving.
13:25But we're not quite ready to pick up the ball in the glove and go throw, do a throwing program
13:29just yet.
13:30What's it like managing in front of about 40,000 Scots all singing Seven Nation Army by
13:34the White Stripes?
13:36That was pretty cool, actually.
13:39That was, I have never been personally been to a soccer game in person.
13:43I've watched a ton of them on TV and you can hear the, you know, hear the fans in the
13:47background.
13:48It certainly felt like a soccer game, the way they were chanting and stuff.
13:50But, and cool, interestingly enough, even the games after, that was the one that was advertised,
13:55but they were there for most of the week.
13:57There was quite a few of them there, the subsequent games after that, and they were just as loud.
14:01So it was a, it was a cool, you know, cool week for Fenway and to see them there.
14:06Well, in my opinion, you experienced the best part of the soccer game, the crowd, because
14:09the game itself, at least with me, I end up like catching the one that's like nil-nil.
14:14Oh, hey, we, you know, so I, I think you're watching mostly defense, right?
14:18Right, right.
14:19It's all defense.
14:20It's all defense.
14:20Yeah.
14:21All right, Chad.
14:21Well, listen, as I said, as I've been saying lately, I mean, we're obviously hoping the
14:25best for you guys.
14:25I mean, it helps us as much as it helps you, I think.
14:29But, but, but listen, I mean, hopefully you guys can go on a run.
14:32That would be nice.
14:33And, and, and good luck on the rest of the series.
14:37Thank you, guys.
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