Blue Jays 2026 Expectations with Caleb Joseph + Red Sox Preview

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Oh my god. We're still around for another hour. Ah, heck. Well, good thing we stayed here.

But we sent our producer up to get coffee who's limping around because he's got one foot.

Yeah. I didn't even care about it. It's a good exercise. It's got one foot. It's got back from

a doctor. By the way, I think you walked in front of the camera before the last. When did that

happen? Great. Well, when we broke. We're on for two hours. I just wanted to make sure you knew

that. It is Blair and Barker. And yes, indeed, we are on for two hours from pitiful. Although,

I believe it's Friday. It's Friday. The Friday were four to six. Can't wait. What? Yeah.

Drop that. That's those. That's what I'll let you know.

You don't have to know anything. You just show up. Look pretty in and talk, talk baseball.

That's all. You don't worry about anything else. You leave me take care of it. We just saw

our balls two before the show started. Never mentioned that because he knows that I know it.

And that he trusts me to pass it on to you as normally the case. I'm in charge of this thing.

And, you know, it's like hurting cats someday. It's how Barker to show up at a certain time. Yeah.

Um, this stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Wait till Friday though. I'm excited. You know what? This is

just think about this. Think about spring training this year.

Yeah. The news was that

Treyis Savage has a shoulder impingement as starting the year on the IL. So basically,

six weeks to figure out the Treyis Savage was going to break with the team.

And it's either going to be David Schneider, Leo Jimenez for the 26th final spot in the roster

or Chase Lee and Spence. We spent six weeks. Yeah.

And you and I could have, well, we could have, well, I mean, we did. We could have put the

entire roster together. I mean, I even thought I went off the, you know, I had the startle making

the team. So I figured I'd do something. I'd take a shot in the dark and put him in the team.

I mean, the only reason I'm saying is because I do remember at time where you go into spring

training, you go four or five spots. I'm for grabs. Well, this guy's got to have really

the spirit job. Me too. Like he's got a compete. I got a competition for years where David Schneider

has the spring that he had this year. He ain't making the team. Yeah. Well, I'm sure that's why

you know, there's other guys names, you know, grouped together with his name. But you know what?

I'm saying. Yeah. Not saying it's going to happen. But there'll be years where I don't know.

Anyhow. Yeah. I mean, they got some, they got some guys on their team that they can do some

heavy lifting. Yeah. That's not a, it's not a bad thing because it means they've gone out and,

and they've gone out and added smartly. Yeah. And, you know, after watching Max Shers or and

seeing what Max Shers has done, Chris. Yeah. It's, you know, and knock on wood. They got

few spring training by and large, healthy with the exception of, you know, used to average in

Barrios. Oh, I have some lost depth. I mean, the other guys need to step up.

Caleb Joseph is our Blue J Central analyst on sports. And he joins us on Blaring Barker. Hi,

dude. Caleb. Hey, buddy. Great. How are you guys doing? Doing well, getting ready to watch

the Blue J's win the AL East? How about you? Yeah. Why not? Why not? That's not a photo confidence.

Why are you so down on the jazz floor? No, no, I mean, look, me, I get this question a lot. And

it's amazing being here at Tennessee right now. How many J's fans there are in Tennessee now

watching them in the World Series and kind of watching them send to the playoffs and it's been

so fun seeing just old country folk asking about the J's. And look, I still think they might be a

bat too light. Yeah, I'm not as worried about the bullpen as I think I was at the start.

I like what some of the changes they have done in the bullpen in terms of pictures and their

repertoire and what they're doing to make adjustments guys like Brin and Little just making

an adjustment. I think that's going to pay off really well for him. Even flu already adding

like a little two seamer. He says it to change up to me. It is a two seamer because it's hard

and it moves inside the lefties. It's a little adjustment. I'm not as worried. I think the

addition of Rogers is excellent. I do think that a Hoffman's going to kind of settle in and be

more consistent. And I like where the rotation desk is with you. I do think that they,

they guess averages a bit of a bump. But I like just kind of where they're at in C's I think

is going to pick up some heavy lift in there. But to me, it's just being a bat short. And

replacing 200 hits is tough. And I like, I like the intrigue of what they've added in Sanchez

and being able to platoon. So guys here and there. But I'm interested to see how not having

shit, not having some time there and trying to continue to get elite production from guys like

Ernie Clement, maybe a break out year from Andre Smith as how that kind of stacks up over 162

versus 2025's input. Caleb, you mentioned Jeff Hoffman. And I'm wondering it. I asked Ben

Nicholson Smith this question. But then let's be clear, Jeff Hoffman is this team's closer.

It's pretty clear that John and Pete and the management team that that what they have decided

to do here is they've tried, they've tried to go out and introduce some predictability to the

guys leading up to Jeff Hoffman. So that maybe you're not asking him to pitch three days in a row

than then having four days off or pitching two days in a row, then having two days out, you know what

I mean? Now they've got Varlan, they've got Rodgers, an improved brand and a little flu hearty.

Yeah, have guys that might allow you to make regular use of Jeff Hoffman. Maybe even, you know,

it's smaller, smaller, smaller number of innings, smaller number of batters per appearance.

Is that going to be good enough, do you think, to get Jeff Hoffman to the finish line?

Yeah, I'm actually hoping so. I know he's been working on a couple of things in spring training

with refining a couple of his pitch shapes. Pete Walker was on with us a couple of games

ago, really love and where his shape was at. Of course, like he really hasn't pitched this spring.

If you look at it with that World Baseball Classic, that's a little bit scary to me too.

So there are some unknowns. I'm not as worried about his pitch shape as much as it is,

just straight up pitch ability. Like I think he's got to be a pitcher. I know he's got power stuff,

but like I really think he's got to actually pitch as a closer. He's got to use a two-seamer

on the inner half to a guy that likes the ball out over. He's got to be able to create a little bit

more depth with a guy with a certain type of swing shape versus just power power power.

I do think it plays in terms of regular usage. I just,

relievers always told me. They told me that they really hate going, you know,

three in a row and then sitting four in a row. They love the consistency of usage. And I think

John Schneider and quite honestly, the Blue Jays as a whole, they're coming off a really tough season

in 24. They had to win and win now and win early and you lose, Jimmy Garcia. And that kind of

could have been one of those spots in the bullpen where if Hoffman had pitched two in a row or

three in a row, Jimmy could have come in and John could have had trust in Garcia to close games out.

And quite honestly, I'm not sure he trusted anybody early in the season to get it done except for

Hoffman. And he just had to lean on him. He had to ride him. And so his usage became incredibly

inconsistent. And I think it really hurt him. Now with that being said, the last two months of

the season, they really used him properly. The question is, was the damage done already back in

the early part of the season? Because later in the year, he did have some consistent usage and he

did have a couple hiccups. And so I think that's where for me, it's it's combining consistent usage

with what you said, Jeff, getting some guys that are more predictable that he can he can

pitch certain guys in certain spots and trust the trust factors huge and opening up that trust

circle to a couple other guys that, well, just because you're in a lead, does it mean one guy has

the clothes every single game? A lot of it's scheduled dependent, scored dependent and just usage

dependent. So they're going to be a little bit different spot this year. I think they're not

going to feel as panic to win as early. So you might see a situation or two where someone else

is closing a game because they do want to get Hoffman, excuse me, that that extra consistency

early on the season to get him into the flow of things. How do you think, Kirk? He's going to

work in all the new pitches. You mentioned a bunch of guys working on a bunch of new pitches.

Like how does at least early in the season, right? You mentioned about winning and we all know

about how the schedule looks for the blue jays. And you know, a bunch of these guys are veteran dudes

like you talked about cease and there's got six pitches now with the change up that he's added

in the slower breaking ball and the sinker like there's a lot happening and you know,

God's with the tighter slider and the harder to change up. And if you're a Kirk yearly on when

you want to get everybody in the flow and you know, the flow means dominating. That's what that

means. Ain't time to tanker and flipping things in there and see if this thing will work. Is

a catcher? How do you work these things in because they've been working on them?

Yeah, spring training. It's really, you use spring training to do it and you're having those

conversations with pitchers day in day out and they come up to you, especially the veterans.

They come up to you and say, Hey, I really want to try and work 10 change ups in today and they're

going to gauge whether it's good or not and you're going to gauge whether it's good or not.

You're going to go back there. You're going to give them feedback. And what happens nine times

out of 10 is they come in with six pitches. You know, they probably have four and you end up only

throwing three during a game. It's just how it is. And unless there is a pitch that just

wows everybody and then it's just an absolute no brainer. The coaches are talking about it. We're

talking about it. And it's not just all he's working on. It's he's got this pitch and it is

absolutely filthy. I mean, I think that could be a pitch that you see flu hardy. Like flu

hardy came in with this change up. And I think flu hardy has the ability to throw this quote change

up way more often than just 25 times in spring training and still say cutter sweeper. I think he's

got that ability. Hoffman probably not sees probably not because like you guys at the end of the day,

their competitors, especially guy like cease, they're always trying to work on stuff to open

themselves to be more successful. At the end of the day, the game and the hitters will tell you

what's continuing to work. And look, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's always good to have like

weapons in your back pocket. But until they force you to really break out those weapons that are

unsure, you stick with your old bread and butter. And then from time to time, the season will

tell you, hey, man, like let's let's try and open up this spot over here because certain teams

are boxing us in. And they're we're becoming predictable because we don't have anything soft

moving away from a lefty. Let's try and work this in. And you've got a little bit of a foundation

during spring training. But again, that's an emergency situation. If you're really doing it and

you've got the arsenal to protect yourself, you're just keep going. And then you worry about execution

and sequencing. Whereas if you're thinking about that stuff, it's because you're probably struggling.

Caleb, when you when you hear John Schneider and Pete Walker talk about Dylan Seas throughout

the spring, you heard them talk about wanting to help him become more efficient. And as John Schneider

said yesterday, less predictable, how do you go about doing that with a guy who has been around

as long as Dylan Seas has been around? Yeah, you got to get by and you got to get by and you

got to create a really special relationship picture catcher. And it takes a lot of time. It takes a

lot of time around the lunch table. It's not just like in game. So I mean, this is like when you

see him sit at his locker, you go over there and you approach him and you start talking, you try

to get in their mind, okay? Because once you can convince them, if you think you've got something

good in terms of, hey, man, like, I know you're not really comfortable throwing that right on right

change up, but man, I love it. And this is why. And you start to build that repertoire and reputation

with them. And then every once in a while, you try and put them in a good position to throw it.

And then you've got that trust built up. And then you start to like jive and mix. And that's the

big thing with like pictures and catchers early on. You've got to use spring training so widely

it's so tough because you've got 25, 26 eyes that you're potentially going to catch during the

season. You're trying to give every one of them some time. But of course, a guy like Seas, he's

going to deserve a lot of time because he's a headline guy. So it's Pete Walker's the best. He

really is. I have many pitching coaching. He's just got such a great way about him that he

endorses buy and so fast because you just know as a player, he's got your best interest at heart.

And he is invested. You know, he lives and dies with it. And so he's not going to approach you with

something he thinks. He's going to approach you with something he knows can help you. And he's

going to go through that process. But I got like, see, just to get him back in the zone, you know,

if you can convince a guy that you have a great defense behind you and you can convince them

about certain pitches and certain counts that we do want to induce weak contact versus consistently

going for with. I think that's a big deal. And look, reality is he signed the big contract.

And the big contract is being chased via with. So he did all of his whiffing to not get the big

contract. Now it's like, hey, you've been paid. Now, let's be efficient by getting in the zone

and not nibbling and not trying to throw your absolute best two strike breaking ball in a one

o' count. Like you've got to leave behind you to be efficient. You've got to be in the zone

and then start to work outside of it. And so honing in not only his

shapes, but his aggressiveness in terms of chasing with. I think that's a big deal. And I think

a lot of guys chase with it because that's how they're paid. They're paid by strikeouts. If you see

it, you've got 14k per nine. Oh my goodness. 14k per nine. And that's what they're looking at.

So now that he's been paid, hopefully they can convince him to just back off a little bit and not

go after that and to let his defense work, which will make him more efficient and hit him in the

zone. And then he really starts to become like a pitcher versus a thrower. I just wrote down

Vlad for a thousand OPS in 2026. Am I shooting for the moon too much or am I spot on it?

Oh, how many times has he done in his career? One time, 2021. But I got to tell you,

I got to be honest with you, when I saw him up close and personal, I don't know what it is.

It just looks different. I just think it's coming off different. He's using the entire field.

His takes are different. His front foot is landing consistently on time.

Just when everything like that, I think mentally he's in a good spot when it comes to you know,

I'm picking my spots a little more than I used to pick my spots. Like just everything,

the way he walks, the way he acts, the way smiles, looks different. I mean, I want to,

I don't want to pencil it in. I'm going to put it in pen. I got a blue pen in my hand. I just

wrote down a thousand OPS. Tell me I'm wrong. I like this Kevin. I like this Kevin Barker.

Really? I love this. Hey, I see, look, you're convincing me. I'm getting behind you because you're

exactly right. And honestly, like, I'm just going to be really honest. Something about him being

the top dog, no doubt about it. This is my team. I've done it in the playoffs. Go look at my

playoff stats. I'm the man. Enough questions. I've got the contract. There's no question. This

is my team. I think that's really like setting in because he, he just so open and he plays with

such a carefree type of enthusiasm that we've all known. But it's even more this year. And you're

exactly right, Barker. Like it's even more something about the Moxie, something about the makeup,

something about his success, maybe in the offseason or even in the postseason has just like,

he's brought him in and he, he knows he's a dog. Like, I think, I really do think that like,

there was part of him that was pretty sure, but not 100% sure. And I think that that playoff

on really like solidified that he 100% knows he's the guy. And then they obviously hand in the key

to the castle. It's obviously his team. Even the additions they brought in, they're not replacing

Vlad. He's the people that exit the team. There's no question anymore whether or not it's Vlad. He's

team and he's just playing with that kind of carefree type of type of flow that he usually does. And

yeah, I would not be surprised one bit if he has a season that looks a lot like 2021. He's already

got a ton of game reps like he did in the World Baseball class that he looks great. It's going to

be fun to watch because honestly, they're going to need them. They're going to need them just

what I was saying earlier about the 200 hits. Like, he's going to have to pick it up a little bit.

I hate to put a ton of pressure on them, but like, I honestly think for the first time in his

career, he's truly ready to embrace the role of being a big dog. I don't know if I could have

said, I don't know if I could have told you that last year, but I really think he's walking around.

Like, he knows he's a dog. He is a dog and he's going to be a dog. Yeah, I'll tell you,

I also think watching him around that team from the Dominican Republic and the World Baseball

Classic, watching the way the fans reacted to Vlad. Yeah, I'm with you know, the guy that had

that great year, the guy that won home runder. He's in everything now. He's starting to see a little

bit of success, a little bit of team success. And I think he can equate the two. Right. Now,

I'm being good on a team that's being good. And I think that that you shouldn't feel bad about

the pressure. The manager did right out the gate, said, it's his team. He goes, we go, like,

it's okay to say that. Don't you think fly. Don't you think fly. Don't you think he's kind of

thought it was his team, though deep down for the last three or four years? I don't know. I mean,

yeah, he had 23 homers last year. Yeah, I mean, maybe, I mean, he drops 40 and 118.

Oh, yeah. His team, his organization, Caleb, his country, Caleb, you buying with Dalton

Varsho has been selling us a spring. There it is. Oh, that's a good question. It's hard not to,

I mean, yes, it's spring training numbers. And look, George Springer, I think he got like three

hits all spring last year. I was right at the DSA. I'm not going to lie off. I'll use the DSA

candidate. Then it goes out has best year of his life. Spring training is the biggest

spoiler of the ball. And I've seen guys have springs just like Dalton Varsho and then absolutely

stink during the year. But listening to him talk and finding out kind of what he was working on

and really staying consistent with that. He's kept the exact same routine. He's kept the exact

same thought process. He's watching his batting practice work. I'm really impressed because he's

not a down and across type of bat path anymore that he had one type of collision zone.

It was middle down, nestling down into him, usually a breaking ball hangage lighter or a hangage

change up, moving up and out, out over from him. He has actually a just ability. The biggest thing

I'm going to say, yes, Jeff that I'm buying it is because he's hitting the ball to the opposite

field with authority. He told me about five or six days ago, he said, look, I'm at the position

now where I truly, truly understand myself. I've been working so hard with Hopkins. I have

full and complete trust in him. It's taken a minute to get there, but I know that there are going

to be times throughout the season that I'm going to get James so bad and I'm going to hit a nine

hopper the second base or shortstop and it's going to look like I have no clue what I'm doing.

But it's going to almost be on purpose to realign myself and get myself locked in. I kid you not

four hours later, he was flying open on a hanging slider in the game. He made it one pitch adjustment.

He jammed himself to second base the very next step that he hit at home run to right field.

And that is the type of adjustment that you got to make to be an elite player in the big leagues.

It's not five games. It's not five weeks. It took me five years to make an adjustment. For

Dolph and Varsho, it was one at that and he knew exactly what he had to do to get to the next

form. That's next level stuff. Now it's just going to be a matter of, and he can just do it one

of the times. I think he's mentally there and I obviously think he's physically there.

Now I need to see some results. Continuing to see those results move into the season. I'm

telling you, every great player that I ever had that made that big contract the year before

in their free agency year going into free agency, they all went off and Dolph is just one of those.

He looks like he's about to do it. They all do it. They find a way to lock it all up, get everything

out of their mind, body, soul, spirit, whatever you want. And they put it into a season.

And man, he looks like he's about to really have one of those types of season.

Yep. Good stuff, Caleb.

Way to go, buddy. Appreciate you doing this.

Hit him straight. Hit him straight.

Yeah, hit him straight.

I wish it's beautiful weather here, but I'm feeding chickens instead.

Feeding chickens.

Hey, go.

You know it. You know it.

You have a favorite chicken? How many chickens you got?

I got eight of them. Man, they do the number two a lot.

So I got clean that stuff out.

Do you have you named them?

Oh, no.

Uh-oh. No, no.

It just, hey, they just whistle.

Hey, come here.

Get out of that.

You're a little bit of one of the different whistle.

You know, it's a little bit like me and Barker.

That's it.

You'll have a good time.

You too, buddy.

Do it, Caleb.

Enjoy the weather.

Take care.

All right, Caleb Joseph.

Blue Jays, central Blue Jays and let's feed into chickens.

You know, it is funny from where Dalton started offensively,

to where he is now.

It's basically you play 140 games.

You're going to put up major numbers.

I know that's basically where it's at.

You know, he played 71 games last year.

He doubles that.

He getting paid by somebody.

I don't know if it's going to be the Jays or not.

He get paid from somebody.

I got just think him using the entire field.

Now the entire field is basically left center over.

But for him to be able to kind of hit it where it's pitched

and be able to get to the elevated velocity, which,

you know, that stride separate word,

you know, he had lean back and had the big John uppercut in his swing

and everybody threw him an elevated fastball.

Now you got to be careful up there.

We've been seeing him get on top of those

and starting to drive that thing to left center.

So boy, if he could get something going

and, you know, be say hitting sixth with,

I don't know, 30-ish.

Driving 70 runs, man.

You can get him and largely,

you could do some left handed damage.

Yeah, I mean, there's a lot there.

Like a lot of guys got to turn the corner

and, you know, it's, you know, it's, you know,

it's right. I mean, this is a year to do it.

If you're going into a free agent,

and you're, and you're, you know,

you're represented by Scott Boris,

you're gonna get, you're gonna get paid.

Well, nobody wants to have a bad year.

Everybody wants to play all their games.

I think that for me is what it is.

It's, you know, I talk to some coaches that said

that he's kind of learned how to,

everyone's why you don't need to run through a wall.

Like, you know, it's more important you are on the field

than you're running through a wall.

Play the next play.

It's that kind of thing.

You know, no, when they're not give 115%

run it down the first baseline.

Like, there's little,

it's not the wrong with cell preservation

and basically to keep you on the field.

And, and you're going to be,

your team's going to be better because you're playing.

That's the ultimate goal there.

We've been giving you the chance to win Blue Jays tickets.

All season, a season hasn't started,

but we've been giving you the chance to win Blue Jays tickets.

Pretty much, I guess, all for the past two weeks.

They're in Blair and Barker's.

Yeah, just in here, he's going to be.

And we'll continue to do it throughout the year.

All you have to do is text the correct answers.

Look at that.

All you have to do is text the correct answer

to our daily baseball trivia question of 59590.

Standard message and data rates may apply.

There it is.

Miss that.

You like that music?

I did.

Our last question and answer.

Make me want to win something.

Okay.

Our last question and answer was,

you spent the majority of his career playing for the athletics.

His Blue Jays tenure was impressive,

but it was short-lived.

In 2026, he will suit up for a national league team

for the first time in his career, the answer.

Our semia.

That's amazing.

You just know because you wrote.

I wouldn't have got this one.

Today's question is also to win tickets to see the Jays

home opener against the athletics on Friday, March 27th.

Our ticket to get.

He spent six years in the major leagues,

formed them in Toronto.

The athletics were his second major league team.

And he arrived there via trade.

He was the first around pick in the MLB draft,

but never played a game in the majors for the organization that drafted him.

Again, he spent six years in the major leagues for them in Toronto.

The athletics were his second major league team and he arrived there via trade.

He was the first around pick in the MLB draft,

but he never played a game in the majors for the organization that drafted him.

You can text the answer to 59590 for your shot to win.

And you can see rules at sports and at thoughts, the A-slash 590.

Standard message and data rate.

Do you know how to, buddy?

May apply.

One not the Jeff.

I really would like you to do this.

I have no chance.

They don't pay me enough to do that.

Yes, they do.

No, no, yes, they do.

You told me just to show up and look pretty.

Now you want me to read stuff?

That's right.

Pretty talk-based.

That's it.

I do one out of the two.

How's it?

Tired today.

You are?

Tired.

But it's a good thing I'm here.

I don't know why you'd be tired.

I want it got up at 330.

Yeah, that is true.

I got on a plane, did some study.

You know what I wanted to say about studying?

Well, yeah, on the plane.

Did what I wanted to say?

Did you really send me a text from the plane while the plane was in the air?

I told you.

That's a league status.

That's what that is.

That's a league.

Oh, that's Wi-Fi.

Everybody on that plane gets Wi-Fi, but

Okay.

Yeah.

All right, I just wonder.

I just wonder.

Rob Bradford is W-E-E-I's Red Sox reporter.

He's host of the baseball isn't boring podcast.

He is one of our favorite contributors and we're going to start our look around the

American League East today by taking a deeper dive into the Boston Red Sox.

You like the Red Sox?

That could win the East.

It could.

Oh, without a doubt.

Yep.

Rob Bradford joined us next.

It's Blair and Barker on the SportsNet radio network, SportsNet.

Hey, it's Matt Marcazi.

And I'm Mike Fuda.

We're discussing the top stories of the day across the NHL and the hockey world.

Weekdays at noon.

It's the fan hockey show on SportsNet 590 to fan and wherever you get your podcasts.

All right, welcome back to Blair and Barker.

You shaking your head for it.

You better not be giving my phone number out to anybody that shouldn't be getting it.

Oh, they're okay.

Okay.

You know, I just send a text that I didn't know what your number was.

I'm not going to stop sending the text.

How long have you known me?

Yeah, but I don't remember numbers.

You should.

I'm halfway through the text.

I'm not going to stop sent.

You know, I'm not going to stop writing it so I can get your number when I can ask you.

Oh, Jesus, man, it's like hurting cats today.

Not really.

You're the tired one.

The Boston Red Sox finished third in the AL East in 2025.

They had an 89 and 73 record.

As Mr. Barker and myself said, Mr. Barker and me, Mr. Barker and myself.

As Mr. Barker and me said earlier today, and you look at the American League East,

you could probably pick four teams and say all of them could win the division,

all of them could finish fourth, and we're leaving aside the race.

Rob Bradford covers the Red Sox for WEEI in Boston.

He's also host of the baseball isn't boring podcast,

and he joins us on Blaring Barker.

Hello there, Mr. Bradford.

How you doing?

Well, first of all, I thought I was, I was grumpy after 43 straight days of spring training.

I mean, hey, let me, let me cheer you up, guys.

Let me cheer you up.

Okay.

Okay, I'm going to respect the moment.

Okay.

Look at that.

Well, you, we did.

There you go.

Baseball isn't boring.

A, that's a tea, that's a nice t-shirt.

That is.

They'll be afraid to send us a cup.

I don't be, yeah.

Double extra large for Barker.

Let it, let it be said, let it be done.

Okay.

Actually, I should probably take it.

Double XL too.

Yeah, that's just in case.

Not Schmadium.

So Rob, I think, look, I always feel guilty

about leaving the raise aside in any conversation.

But I'm just going to, I'm just going to do it just because we all know that they,

they could work their way in.

The, the other four AL East teams.

How do you, right now, you know, first game of the regular season has been played yet.

How do you see those four teams shaking out?

If I had to ask you to go one, two, three, four with those four AL East teams,

how would you, how would you rank them?

I understand.

Understanding Rob and Aaron Toronto.

By the way, you're discounting that Stephen Mats is probably going to win the Sy Young now

with, uh, with, with, with the, with a raise.

Yeah, that's true.

Junior Kamenero is going to hit 75 bombs.

I understand that there's a danger in doing that, but it just happens.

It does.

Um, I, I will, uh, because I love the Blue Jays.

I will say that that the good vibes, even with the injuries, will carry over.

I think that there's something to be said for knowing what it takes.

Learning what it takes, understanding that you can actually do it.

And then having the pieces and, and being able to turn over the roster a little bit and adding

like, listen, I, I try not to get caught up in spring training stats, but I'm sorry.

I get caught up in Dylan C's and not only because he's a friend of the program,

but because I just always think that Dylan C's is on the verge of being elite.

And so that's how I feel right now.

That's why I'll put the raise, uh, the Blue Jays at the top.

I'm going to put the red socks at number two because I've been here for 43 days.

I've been seduced by spring training.

I'm, I'm not seeing things clearly and they got a ton of pitching.

So I, I, I actually guys come away from the red socks much more optimistic than I was three,

three weeks ago.

And, and here's the reason why I think it's because not only what I saw in spring

training, but because what of the key guys did in the WBC.

I mean, it's hard to ignore when Roman Anthony will you abray you, uh, Brian Bale,

these guys do what they did on the biggest stage.

And Garrett, Garrett Whitlock, get this.

Garrett Whitlock had an inning where he struck out over a billion dollars worth of guys.

Yes.

So, so I would just put Yankees close.

I'm a little skeptical about where the, their bullpen's going to be, uh,

and the Orioles are the obviously the wild card in this.

They could completely turn everything over.

It could absolutely work differently.

But I still think maybe they're one alpha pitcher away.

You know, you've covered red socks teams that have gone to the world series in one.

I mean, we've covered red socks teams that have, that have gone on long post season runs,

um, in, in general.

Do you buy into the post season, hangover thing?

With teams like the, the, the, the JZ.

Yeah, they've got some guys who've gone to the world series before George bringing that,

but it's a team that hasn't hadn't gone to the world series as a group.

And in some cases, they're guys in the team that have never gone to the world series.

They're having even had post season success.

Is that such a thing going into the, the next season?

You know, Jeff, I think that the problem can become with the pitching, right?

If you have too much of a workload, if that gallon pitches 240 something innings,

that's a challenge, like that, that sort of thing.

I don't know if they have that problem.

I think that getting cease is a big reason for that.

And then there's the other side of it, which like I said, there's that feeling of,

you get that you have the Rudy on the sport stool speech

as a beginning of spring training saying, guys, we're going to do this.

We're going to do that. We're going to do this.

We're going to do that. And this is how it's going to work.

And then it doesn't work.

But when it doesn't work and you get to game seven,

and you understand that we can actually do this.

And the way that we're doing things actually can lead us to that final game.

I think there's something to be said for that.

You go back and I'm just trying to give examples.

Obviously teams that can routinely in the playoffs,

but the Kansas City Royals, this is a few years ago,

the Kansas City Royals were sort of that team I felt like.

Like, remember, we're okay.

You know, we got there and now we figure it out.

Now we have pretty much the same guys back.

We have just enough veteran leadership.

And now we go.

So I think there's that element with the blue jays.

Okay, Rob, with, you know, Alex Corris teams of past the last couple years,

defensively for whatever reason.

Red Sox, I haven't been real good.

I'm not telling you anything.

You don't already know.

Is this the year they fixed that there'll be a better defensive team?

It's funny, Kevin, because Corris keeps going.

He's like, he finally is giving up on saying,

oh, we're going to do it this way.

It is going to work.

He's like, listen, we've been saying this for five years,

and it hasn't worked one single time.

And I think what it comes down to is that it's just,

you have to have the players who can field the ball.

That's it.

I mean, I think that that's what it comes down to.

And I do think, listen, in the outfield,

there may be the best defensive outfield in the game.

And in the infield, you had to fix some things.

And I do think that Caleb Durban's really good at third.

Marcelo Meyer might struggle offensively,

but he's not going to struggle defensively at second.

And Wilson Contreras played really well at first.

So I think it all comes back to the players.

It all comes back to, did you improve the talent level instead of,

did you improve the ground ball machine?

And I think they did improve the talent level.

And I do think they'll probably take a step forward in that respect.

Third most important player on the team, besides Crochet and Roman Anthony.

We're going to throw Roman Anthony in there.

I know he was hurt last year.

I know the kind of WBC and just the stuff.

Who's the third most important player on the Red Sox team in your mind?

Well, you know, there's so many ways I can go with that.

I want to say Trevor's story because Trevor's story is a guy who

he had like a barely a 500 OPS for the first two months.

And then he just caught fire.

And then he was a good shortstop.

And then the last month, he fell apart defensively.

And you can't have that because they're alternative to Trevor's story isn't great.

And Marcelo Meyer is that guy.

And so I think Trevor's story is at the top of the list.

Another guy I'll give you is Geron Duran.

And Geron Duran is this guy, this fork in the road guy.

Because we've seen how good he can be.

But we've also seen when he can't hit lefties and he's not that good.

And guys, the biggest flaw with this team right now to me is that you've taken a Rob Ruff

starter. You're taking out Roman Gonzalez.

You can say what you want about them.

But they are.

They're a Shohei Tani-esque against lefty pitching.

They were legit weapons.

And they don't have that this time around.

Instead, they're going out and say,

a brave go get the lefties.

Anthony go get the lefties.

Meyer go get the lefties.

Duran go get the lefties.

That's a big leap of faith.

So that'll be a big, big challenge.

And Duran's at the top of that list.

What are your expectations for Roman Anthony this year?

And we talked about him.

And it was a start the world baseball classic.

And people around baseball are raving about him.

What are your expectations for him?

And I mean, I know he's awfully young.

But does he remind you of anybody that the Red Sox have had in the past?

You know, no, he has it.

And here's the reason why.

I haven't seen of this mature 21-year-old in the Red Sox existence, maybe ever.

And because, you know, I think of the good players we would come up.

Recently, the Devers, the Mookies, those guys, the Sanders,

they always had alphas around them.

Right.

They always have the other support.

They're saying to Roman Anthony, go be the alpha.

You're heading at the top of the order.

You're a guy.

And Alex Corris of this today is like, I'm not worried.

I am not worried.

There is a security knowing that this kid can handle this.

And maybe we're blinded by what he did in WBC.

Blinded what he did last year.

But I will say this, being around him, he is different.

He has that mentality where things aren't going to get to him.

And the WBC was a microcosm of that.

It was a great opportunity for him to show that he can be at this even keel.

And also, he can hang with the biggest of boys in baseball.

Is Cor on the hot seat this year?

Only if they fall apart.

Yeah.

He's got one more year left on his deal.

And I think he has such great support from ownership.

And they love him.

And they always love them.

That's why they brought him back.

That's why they gave him the extension.

But unless they fall apart, maybe the conversation creeps in.

But listen, they made the playoffs last year.

So that's a feather in his cap.

But before, if they didn't make the playoffs,

it would have been a different story.

But they made the playoffs last year.

I think there's no doubt that in-game, he's a really, really good manager.

I mean, if he was put on the market today or after the season,

he'd be number one on the list.

Because what you hear is all these players who played for him before

or are playing for him now, they are all saying he knows what he's doing.

Where's he's our guy and all that?

I mean, all of them.

So that goes a long way.

But it's a results business, right?

It's like Snyder.

Like, it's a results business.

If he didn't get the results, he wouldn't have got the extension.

He got the results.

He gets the extension.

Yep.

Is there any concern at all?

Concerns is a strong word.

But if I'm not mistaken,

Kora has said that Ranger Suarez was a little behind.

The other Red Sox pictures.

I guess he's going to be the fifth starter right now.

Any concern at all as to where he is this spring

and where they expected him to be?

Well, first off, it's the most innocuous $130 million

signing I've ever seen in my life, right?

It's almost like we're signing this guy to $130 million

to deal five years and just pitch 150 innings.

Just be ready for the playoffs where you know that you're really good

and we'll go from there.

It's almost Dodger S.

I'm sorry.

I said, it's almost Dodger S.

We'll sign you and just be ready.

You know what he wants to do now?

Sure is.

That's the blueprint.

How have the Yamamoto picture 170 innings

and everybody else just figure out a way

to get to the finish line?

Exactly.

And honestly, guys, like Suarez is part of that,

but this is the whole how this whole thing is set up.

The Red Sox, you are always careful saying,

oh my goodness, your embarrassment of riches with pitching.

But I've never seen this type of depth, potential depth.

Because after Ovietto right now,

it was probably their fifth starter.

After him, they have two top of the pitching prospects

in baseball and Toli and early.

And then on top of that, you have Cartacrosser

and Patrick Sandeval, who's not far off either.

So I think that they are equipped to do exactly that,

especially with a guy like Ranger Suarez.

And I think early on, that's what they will do.

They'll slow play him.

They'll get him out after four innings.

They won't worry about it.

And they'll have these other guys sort of picking

backing along the way.

Rob, really good to be able to join us, man.

I look forward to chatting with you.

I can't wait to be one of those shirts either.

Oh, I can't wait.

Two shirts, you know, a t-shirt's on the way.

I can't wait.

First, first on the mail.

Nice.

Thank you, man.

Be well.

Take care.

Thanks, Rob Bradford of WEEI in Boston.

And the baseball isn't boring pie cap.

Yeah, which is a, which is a lot of fun.

Yeah, I think the Red Sox are going to be a hoot.

This year.

And I said this last year, and I was a little,

I was a little surprised, but hearing Rob talk

about Patrick Sandevol and Cutter Crawford this year.

I wonder, Craig Brezlow, their general manager,

has been pretty cautious when it comes to moving young players.

But I wonder if this is in the year,

because I look at that starting rotation.

I wonder if this is in the year that maybe if you're the Red Sox,

you move one of those big, big, big prospects,

or maybe even a guy like Sharon Durand

to get at the trade deadline to get an arm

that takes you over the top.

Yeah, I don't know, are they all in?

That's a great point.

I don't know if Craig Brezlow is ever going to be all in,

because I think philosophically,

and I'm just working from stuff people say

and from stuff you read.

Philosophically, I think that he thinks

that you can win a division or go to the playoffs

without having to be all in.

You can do it and not sacrifice the next year.

And that's why with all these young players they have,

they just, I find them really intriguing.

Yeah, I think when you got Garrett Crochet,

I think when you have Ranger Suarez,

I think when you bring in Sonny Gray.

Yeah, I think when you got a superstar in Roman Anthony,

I just, you know, the Jaron Durand's,

the energy he brings, he's gotten a little bit better

in our sales now.

I heard a second Ace and Durbin at third and story it.

That left side of the infield kind of,

that concerns me a little bit.

Yeah, I mean, the back end of their bullpen,

I think, is good enough.

Like, yes.

You know, they get, they get some surprises in their offense.

Will your brother use really good?

I've liked him for ever.

I mean, he hit a big home run, a couple big home runs

maybe at least one.

The UBC, I'm a big fan of his.

You talked him up.

We saw him early in the regular season one year

and you're like Raven about this.

Oh, well, yeah.

I mean, he is.

Anybody can backspin something the other way is good in my books.

Yeah, he's a decent guy against lefties.

Hey, it's, again, I get back to that.

You got to play well.

Like, you got to beat the tapes.

You're supposed to beat them.

Those four times the American League,

you should go anyway.

Like, yeah, there's, they all have weaknesses.

It's just whenever you get in those ruts,

can you, can you control them?

Look, to work that and get out of control,

where other teams can run away from you.

I think that's the thing.

Here's where to me anyway.

To me, where it gets interesting with the Red Sox as well.

Okay, Rob told us that they've said Roman Anthony.

You're the alpha.

You're the guy.

Yeah.

Who's the Yankees Alpha judge?

Yeah.

Who's the J's Alpha?

Vladie.

Yeah.

Who's the Orioles Alpha?

Probably the other one.

Yeah.

Who's the Razel Alpha?

Yondi, do you guys maybe?

I mean, that's, that's a,

that's a lot of pressure to put in a 21-year-old kid

in Boston, in that market.

I would say Garrett Crochet is probably their alpha dog.

That, that, that's me.

I don't know if a pitcher can be.

Yeah, I think he can.

I, you know, I think just the way he throws,

which army throws it with,

how good he is when he throws it.

Like, I,

Roman Anthony was hurt last year.

His age, you know, you could bunch him together.

There's still a little window there where they feel like

he's got some room for improvement.

When Crochet takes them out, he's supposed to done it.

I will say this stuff.

He given a, he given the ball and closer.

I will say this about the Red Sox.

You talked about a window.

If you look at the American League East

and he asked yourself, okay, who's,

who's got the longest window?

The Red Sox and the Orioles are younger,

the Jays, the Yankees to me are the,

the team that,

well, you just keep on.

They got the greatest window.

I don't know.

I mean, as long as they have the,

the best hitter in the American League on their team

and the Yankees,

as long as it isn't September or October.

I, we're not talking about that.

We're not talking about winning the world series.

We're talking about winning the East.

Mr. August and the American League.

Not, not the world series.

Not, and not even in the playoffs.

They're not winning the American League.

But the East, the, the regular season,

it's going to be fun.

It's more fun when,

when more than one or two teams are good in the East.

Yeah, it's, it's just more fun that way.

And in the race,

we're going to be a pain in the butt

because they're going back home again.

They're going back home again.

Yeah, you know, there's a,

there's a big hose hooked up to the underground city

that they're all going to drink something

and be much better players.

There's going to be some guy

and nobody's ever heard of your Cam and arrows.

Yeah, he'll hit a bunch of homers.

He's looking to get the head out.

Yeah, I watched him the day

that Seas was throwing at, at TD Park.

Ballpark, it was, he looking to get the head out.

He's really only got one thing in his mind.

Yeah, it's nothing wrong with that.

I'm here to head 40.

He'll head 40, probably.

What's the biggest unknown in this division for you?

Anything, biggest on, biggest unknown.

I think it's the Orioles.

I don't, yeah, what about them?

Even with their, they're, they're pitching

as a whole, I think.

Yeah, I just don't think they have enough

to match up with their, with their lineup.

I think they'll play good enough defense.

In defense, the American lighies fiddle around.

They fiddle around with the outfield,

with the move defenses in and left field

to make the righties, you know, a little bit happier,

which is what you want to do.

Yeah, run scored, brings fans, puts fans in the seats.

That's what you want.

You don't want, you know,

nobody's scoring runs and winning games helps too.

So I think they're going to win more games.

It's a Lonzo, the biggest acquisition

any team in this division made.

He can hit 50.

So, yeah, no, anybody else,

it got anybody else that can hit 50.

I was thinking about that.

You look at the ads that all the,

that all the teams in this division made,

you know, and I include Dylan Ceasnus,

but to me, Peter Lonzo,

Peter Lonzo's been brought in there

to win a division title.

I mean, that, and to, to be the guy on a young team.

I love Dylan Ceas too,

but there's some unknowns there.

Like, you know, you could see some,

you know, four or five stinkers in a row.

Like, you know, you're not always the easiest thing to find.

It's not like the pitches per rating,

that kind of thing.

Like, you know, how many quality starts?

I don't know, I'm picking here,

but you pay to do a lot of money to pitch a lot.

And that means go deep in games.

That means basically it's Wednesday.

You got two horses at the top.

And then what you get from the other six that they got

is gravy.

Like, you're trying to figure it out, right?

But you're hoping and praying the first two guys,

like Gossmann's giving you 30 plus starts.

Ceas can give you a push in 20 quality starts.

That's, now you cook.

And then that, that I think is what they're hoping for.

At least the people that I talk to.

And then you try and figure out, you know,

the hours of the world are just going to go out there

and sort of methodically work their way

through any lineup that they are facing

to give the lineup a chance to win,

which is all you can do.

So, and the Jays are good.

The Yankees are good.

The Red Sox are good.

What's the last time we could say that?

The Orioles are good.

Or better.

Yeah, I mean, that's a bit of a while since we could say,

all four teams are at least good.

Yeah.

It's been a while.

I will put it differently.

I would say it's been a while since we can say

all those four teams are that close.

And then, yeah, we've always said about the race.

They're going to be there.

So I, the race are a separate category.

But I can't remember the last time we looked at those four teams.

Orioles, Jays, Red Sox, and Yankees and said,

man, they're that, they're that close.

Yeah.

It's going to, yeah, it's going to be winning.

And his division's going to be, yeah, you're going to,

you're going to earn your division title.

I like Jays Yankees Red Sox Orioles.

So I think it's all going to be bunched together.

That's me.

I just don't think the horror.

I don't think the, the Orioles have enough horses

in the pit on the pitching side of it to, to win the East.

But I think it's going to be close.

I think they're all going to win somewhere,

couldn't win above 85 games, which just makes that

to pitch it.

Boy, it's going to be crazy.

Makes it so much fun.

It's going to be crazy.

Yeah.

I wish it was Friday.

Me too.

Yeah, I like to see God.

Thank you for the ball.

It's tomorrow.

Tomorrow's Tuesday.

Oh, sure.

All right.

We'll be back tomorrow.

Same time,

due to four Eastern,

this force and that 590,

the fans' force.

And at Bartrow, try to be better tomorrow.

I promise.

Have a great day.