- 11 hours ago
Red Sox Manager Chad Tracy joins the show and shares his thoughts on the team’s turnaround, what the team needs to do to keep the momentum moving forward, Willson Contreras being added to the All Star Game, and talks about his favorite baseball movies.
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00:00Hey, Chad, thanks for joining us, man.
00:01It's been a, as I was saying, a hell of a ride the last couple of weeks.
00:06What's up, guys?
00:07How we doing?
00:07What's up, Chad?
00:08So what is the difference?
00:11I know that's a very generic question to start with, but, I mean, we're seeing hitting now.
00:17We're seeing wins.
00:18We're seeing wins against good teams.
00:21Like, I mean, the Sox obviously have been, you know, one of the hottest teams in baseball, the White Sox.
00:26And, you know, then there was the Yankees series.
00:29Can you, have you noticed, is there anything noticeable that you believe has changed that has kind of put this
00:35team on a different trajectory over the last couple of weeks?
00:38I think, I don't know, I think in big, big picture terms, probably we're doing some things now consistently that
00:44we weren't before.
00:46And, you know, such as, you know, the offensive part, it's not just the run scoring, but it's the, you
00:51know, some of the swing decisions and, you know, not swinging at everything and taking our walks when they come.
00:57Scoring early against opposing starters has been a big thing and something we weren't doing before.
01:02So when you, when you start to pile up some games where you, where you're doing some things that you
01:07weren't before, it makes you feel as a group.
01:10It gives you some confidence knowing like, okay, this is something we weren't doing before.
01:13We've now done it for a stretch of games in a row and we see the results it's giving us.
01:17So I just think that there was a lot of different things, you know, that were, that were going on
01:22offensively that we kept attacking, kept attacking.
01:25And we're, we're seeing the fruits of the labor now.
01:27So that being said, we have to maintain it.
01:29Chad, it's been a wild ride for Wilson Contreras over the last couple of weeks.
01:33Obviously there was the skirmish and the suspension that was given out.
01:39And then he found out he's going to be in the all-star game.
01:40And now we're finding out he's going to be in the home run derby, which I think was just announced.
01:43Let me just start with, with his status, as far as the suspension is concerned.
01:49What's the latest on that?
01:50What have you heard about his suspension and, and where, where that stands?
01:56I haven't heard anything, to be honest with you.
01:58I know they're, they're working through that.
01:59I know there's been results on a couple of the players that were involved on their end.
02:05I think, you know, you don't hear a lot on that stuff until it actually comes.
02:09Obviously we're preparing ourselves for if, and when that happens.
02:13But, you know, usually you don't, you don't get much word on that until they've reached a final verdict.
02:17So don't know what it's going to be.
02:19We're definitely preparing for potentially having to be without Wilson, but we, we're still waiting to hear.
02:25There's, it's gotta be tough as a manager, you know, when, when something like that, that fight happens on the
02:30field, because, you know, obviously there's some things that you don't want your players to do.
02:34But at the same time, you also, you understand just how valuable Wilson Contreras is to this team.
02:40What kind of discussions did you have afterwards, as far as that situation was concerned?
02:46Not a lot.
02:46I just, to be honest with you, after that happened, I left the game with him.
02:49I was ejected.
02:50And I just, I just sat with him, you know, I mean, for about the last inning and a half,
02:55watched the game on TV and just sat with him.
02:56And, um, understanding of, you know, outside of just the circumstances of baseball, all the other things that were going
03:03on in his life in that moment with the stuff going on in Venezuela.
03:06And, um, you know, yeah, yes.
03:08Like having Wilson on the field for our team is very important.
03:11Um, but in, in that particular moment, um, trying to see things through a lens of like everything else that's
03:18going on, uh, in addition to what just happened.
03:20Um, so just sat with him and just made sure he knew that we were there to support him.
03:24And, um, we'll get through it one way or another, but, um, you know, haven't had many other conversations around
03:30it.
03:30He's been absolutely amazing on this road trip, not just what he's done on the field, but the, the leadership
03:35he's taken and, uh, how engaged he's been on the bench and, and helping guys.
03:39And he's just been incredible.
03:40So, um, keep riding that wave as long as we can.
03:43And then, and then, uh, as a group figure it out, if we have to play some games without him.
03:47How do you feel about him being selected for the home run Derby and any, uh, trepidation at the Derby
03:51curse at the end of it?
03:54No, I think it's cool.
03:55I think it's good for him.
03:56First of all, you know, we had to wait for him to get into the all-star game.
03:59I'm, I'm very, very happy about that.
04:01I felt like that was when you look at the numbers, um, not only what he's meant to our team,
04:06but you just look at the numbers in the league.
04:07And, um, regardless of position, he's got some of the best offensive numbers in the American league.
04:12And you just felt like this has got to happen eventually.
04:14So I'm pumped about that.
04:15And then obviously the Derby, um, you know, it's, it's a cool thing.
04:20It's a cool thing for baseball.
04:21It's one of the most watched events and, and if, uh, you know, he's wanting to do that and gets
04:25to be on that big stage, that's amazing.
04:27Amazing opportunity.
04:28So, and I think they're changing the format this year, if I'm not mistaken.
04:31I haven't looked all the way into it.
04:33Um, I'm, I'm, this is me as a, as a, my own opinion, not a fan of that other format
04:38where it's just take as many swings as possible in a two minute period.
04:41Um, I think it's exhausting.
04:43So, uh, I think it, uh, in, if they're going back to the old format, it allows, allows you to
04:48really enjoy watching each individual home run and a little bit less taxing on the player.
04:53But, um, so I'm a more, more of a fan of that format, but broadly, I think if he wants
04:58to do it, I think it's great for the game.
04:59And what are the chances that Sonny Gray might get a nod?
05:02Is there, have you heard anything about that still being a possibility?
05:06I haven't heard it.
05:07It's another one you don't hear a lot on.
05:08I sure, I sure hope that the, to answer your question, I sure hope that the odds are good.
05:14Um, you're talking about a 10 and one pitcher with a two point, whatever ERA, one of the best, uh,
05:19you know, one of the best pictures in the American league, you know?
05:21So I, I'm hopeful, um, remaining hopeful over the next, you know, couple of days, handful of days that, uh,
05:28with all the things that happened.
05:29And in the league with whether it's injuries or players that pitch on Saturday or Sunday, that can't participate and
05:34drop out or whatever it is, hopeful that he ends up where he belongs as well.
05:39So Chad, this has obviously been a, uh, a season where there's been a, you know, there's been some highs
05:45like the Yankees series.
05:46And obviously this last win last night was a great one.
05:49And there's obviously been some lows too.
05:51And I know that Bill Belichick famously used to use bulletin board material.
05:55There was the famous story about how, you know, when they're about to play in the Superbowl, he found the,
06:00um, uh, the Superbowl, a parade for the Eagles and like, like read the parade route in front of the
06:07team before they actually played and got them motivated.
06:10Ted Johnson's talking about that a lot.
06:12Is there, do you guys, I mean, with all the stuff that's been said in the media, you know, when
06:16things were going bad, did you, do you ever use any of that?
06:20Is there any kind of bulletin board us against them material that you introduced to the guys to get them
06:26motivated?
06:28I don't think so.
06:29No.
06:29I mean, I think the, the, the closest we've come is I know that flow and, um, some of the
06:34group and Tyler, uh, you know, one of our guys that works in our video, like put, they actually, believe
06:39it or not, we put together a video with some of the guys and showed them what Fenway is like
06:43when the team is playing.
06:45Well, like at the end of last year, um, more so because of, you know, over a month ago when,
06:50when we were playing so poorly at home and there was a lot of booze raining down and different things,
06:54wanted some of the guys that hadn't been here to get a glimpse of like, Hey, if we can turn
06:57this thing around, this is what it looks like at this place.
07:00When the team embraces you, you know, and you start playing the game the way you should.
07:04Um, so no, I don't think it was any us against anybody.
07:06It was just like, this is what it'll turn into.
07:08But as much as they get frustrated, like they'll, they'll back you when the team plays well.
07:13So we did some of that.
07:14Um, but outside of that, no, I mean, you bring up Belichick, my favorite Belichick moment ever was, uh, I
07:20think it was Cincinnati, right?
07:21On to Cincinnati.
07:22Yeah.
07:23Oh yeah.
07:23Yeah.
07:23Of course.
07:24That one for me, for me, if you're going to give me a mantra, like I just kept saying to
07:28the guys and I think I've said in the media a lot is we're worried about today.
07:34Right.
07:34Like they keep mentioning how, if we do this over the next two weeks, I'm like, we're worried about today.
07:38Like when you're in our position, the position we were in, um, and the position we're still in,
07:42you don't have the luxury of thinking about, okay, if we get to September, no, it's just, we have to
07:46like today, we have to go out today.
07:48And our job is to go out and play a good baseball game and try to beat the White Sox
07:51today.
07:52And then we'll take care of tomorrow, tomorrow, and the next day, the next day.
07:55And, and that's been, uh, kind of what we've been focusing on here lately.
07:58And we have to continue to do that.
08:00That's a great story.
08:00Who was it?
08:01Who made that video of, of, uh, the Red Sox winning and showed it to them?
08:04I think it was, uh, Flo had brought it to Tyler, Tyler Forgione's, uh, works in our video.
08:08He's in there with Brindley and, uh, you know, all the time.
08:10So, um, brought it to him.
08:12He does really good work.
08:13And, and it was, it was like a quick two minute video.
08:16And I think some of the, some of the veteran guys that had been here through that last year spoke
08:20in it.
08:20And, um, so to, and more to answer your question, no, it's not us against anybody.
08:25It's more like, let's, let's give these people some baseball that, that they can be proud of, you know?
08:29And, um, we've done that here for a couple of weeks, but, uh, but everybody in here knows to like,
08:34um, a day at a time.
08:36And we still have 70 some odd games to go and we have to continue to do this for a
08:39period of time.
08:40That's cool.
08:41Cause we had talked about that.
08:42And there were guys in the team who would never know what it feels like, you know, to do that.
08:44And Fenway is a great place.
08:46And now they've got a taste of it.
08:47And, and, you know, it's like, I'm sure it's, it's a couple of weeks ago.
08:50And to your point, like the, the, you know, I think everybody, uh, to a man like that hadn't been
08:54here,
08:55they got a taste of it in the New York series.
08:56Cause that was as electric as Fenway has been all year.
08:59It was incredible, uh, the environment that the fans put forth during that series.
09:04And obviously we won all four games, but, um, for, for the guys that haven't been here to get to
09:08experience that.
09:09And I had seen the video before like, Oh, that's true.
09:12That is what that, this feels like when, when you start to play good baseball here.
09:15Chad, what are the chances?
09:17Brian Baio's back in the mix here.
09:18If you need a spot start coming up.
09:21Uh, we'll see.
09:22We're, we're, we're talking about a lot of different scenarios, obviously getting down to the end of the all-star
09:26break, uh,
09:27or getting down to the end of the half or getting close to the all-star break.
09:30So there's a lot of things in play there.
09:32Um, obviously Brian's down there working hard.
09:35That's an option.
09:36There's, there's long length relief options if we need to piece something together.
09:39So we're, we're, we have not decided yet on what we're going to do.
09:42Also, we have to see how Ranger feels tomorrow.
09:45If he goes and throws aside, how does he feel?
09:47Are we even going to need a starter or not?
09:49Like there's just so many balls up in the air with that still that we'll, we'll, we'll make the best
09:52decision we can once we know what we're going to have to do.
09:54And with Peyton totally yesterday, who had a terrific bounce back for you, he called it the, you know, the
09:58recalibration.
09:59How do you decide when in a game like that is, is the right time to pull him?
10:04I think he was at 91 pitches as the season gets on.
10:06Will you let some of your starters go deeper?
10:09Uh, you know, for me, first of all, like six innings and no runs is pretty deep, you know?
10:14Um, and I think when you're dealing with a guy like tolls, who's like, you're still, you're still mindful of,
10:19you know, um, young pitchers and workloads.
10:22Right. So, um, you're mindful of that and you're mindful of like, when we get six innings and we have
10:27a four to nothing lead, um, do I really need to, do I, do I need to push this guy
10:32well north of a hundred pitches, which we have done hardly at all the whole season.
10:36Um, and, or you add a number where you feel like, how much am I asking to do here?
10:40And, you know, if I have only about eight to 10 pitches of breathing room, am I just asking to
10:44go out there and put two runners on base just to yank him out of the game?
10:47Um, so you have to factor all of those things in when you're making a decision like that.
10:51Um, and also factor in a player in his first full season, um, and being mindful of, of the load
10:57on him too.
10:58So, um, you know, I think, I think if, if we're being fair, like, I think, you know, at least
11:03in, in the time I've been here have shown that, you know, uh, I'm not afraid to push starters.
11:08You know, I think the evidence by the 13 or whatever in a row quality starts that we had, and
11:12the number of those went into the seventh inning, sometimes the eighth, um, but each situation is different, you know,
11:19and where you're at in the schedule.
11:20And when you see it, uh, a four day break coming up and, you know, and trying to maintain load
11:25throughout a full season, all that stuff comes into play when you're making decisions like that.
11:29All right, Chad, you, you mentioned a Ranger a second ago.
11:31Like what is, what, once again, can you just clarify his status and how he's doing and what you guys
11:35are expecting of him in the next couple of days?
11:37Yeah, he, he had a, um, you know, a, a little, uh, adductor, the adductor tightness, groin tightness.
11:43So, um, obviously he was removed from the game, uh, was able to go out and play catch yesterday.
11:49And really today he's going to be very light with nothing.
11:52And then we'd have a scheduled normal day where he'd throw a little bit more intent and be off a
11:56mound tomorrow.
11:57Um, so, well, everything's on hold right now until he gets off the mound tomorrow.
12:01And we'll see after that, you know, that 72 hours of, of time where he healed, uh,
12:06is he, how is he feeling during a side?
12:09Um, and then it gives us a, a better, a little bit better information to make an informed decision on,
12:15is he going to be able to make this start or not?
12:17Um, and we'll, we'll see how he feels tomorrow, uh, and go from there.
12:21And anything back, Chad, from the Roman hand specialist that he was going to see today?
12:25No, he's seeing one today.
12:26I have not heard back on that yet, but he is seeing the specialist today, uh, in Atlanta.
12:30Um, and then just continuing the rehab process and the things he was doing here.
12:35He's doing that in Florida, was on his way down to Florida, uh, and he got to Florida,
12:39went to the specialist down South there in Atlanta, and he'll continue his rehab,
12:42but have a better idea, uh, with images today.
12:46Um, if, if everything's progressing, you know, and are still looking good.
12:50So we'll, we'll have more answers on that after we hear.
12:52All right.
12:52Uh, so Chad, finally, I was having a discussion with my friend and I didn't realize that my take on
12:57this
12:57would have been so controversial, but, uh, I was telling him that major league is the best
13:02baseball movie of all time.
13:04Uh, and, and he came back at a movie that I absolutely despise and I will not spoil it
13:08for you or taint your opinion, but in your mind, what is the greatest baseball movie that's
13:13ever been made?
13:14Uh, so you said major league, but which one though?
13:17There's three of them.
13:19Back to the minors.
13:20The third one that didn't have any terrible.
13:22That's one of the worst baseball movies I've ever seen.
13:25Um, the other, the other, uh, first couple are up there.
13:29Um, I'll tell you, uh, one of the most realistic baseball movies I've seen that I love.
13:35It was actually on TV last night for love of the game.
13:38Oh yeah.
13:39That is, that's a combination, really good baseball movie slash love story.
13:44Um, but the baseball portrayal of actual baseball in that movie is as good as I've seen.
13:49I thought that was really cool movie just because the way they were able to make it so realistic.
13:54Um, but the major leagues are up there for me.
13:57Those are, those are a must watch anytime they're on TV.
14:00No question.
14:01I got to get your opinion on field of dreams.
14:04I like field of dreams.
14:06Uh, another Kevin Costner movie, baseball guy.
14:09Um, I like field of dreams a lot.
14:12I think it's, uh, I think it's a great movie.
14:16You had to think about it.
14:17You had to think about it.
14:18You had to justify it being good.
14:19Cause that movie is not good.
14:20It's like, there, there is a lot, there is a lot of, um, there's a lot of, of a large
14:26chunk of that movie, um, that isn't really baseball, you know, like there, there are spots
14:32of it that are obviously, it's obviously based around baseball.
14:34Right.
14:35But there's a lot of chunks of it that aren't, but, um, I think the ending is cool, you know,
14:40playing catch with dad under the lights.
14:41I like the movie a lot.
14:43You know, I'd like to move it a lot.
14:44I think there's other ones I prefer over there.
14:46There was a, uh, who is it?
14:47John Mulaney does an amazing bit where he talks about that movie and he's like, so then that
14:51one guy like literally has attempted murder, throwing the kid off the stands, the kid's
14:56injured.
14:56And then, uh, one of the players comes out in order to help him.
14:59But because of ghost baseball rules, he's not allowed to go back into the game because
15:03ghost baseball rules say that it's completely forbidden.
15:06It just, it's, and like every time the music would like get like drive up, like they're trying
15:10to put lemons in your eyes to get you to cry.
15:13I don't know.
15:13That was the debate I had where he was trying to tell me field of dreams is better than
15:17major league.
15:17And I'm just like, come on, man, major league.
15:20Let's go.
15:20I thought I knew you, my friend.
15:23Major leagues made the two, the major league movies are the combination of the baseball
15:27and how funny they are.
15:29Those are hard to, hard to beat.
15:31No, no question.
15:32As long as you don't complain that Wesley Snipes out of nowhere was replaced with Omar Epps in
15:37the second one.
15:40Don't look.
15:41No one will notice.
15:42All right.
15:42Well, well, Chad Tracy, a good stuff, man.
15:45Hopefully this keeps up.
15:46You're making it interesting.
15:48As I said, it's been so weird how the American league has been.
15:52And, you know, despite the way things started, I mean, you're just a couple of games, like
15:56four games now out of the wild card.
15:58And if you continue to beat good teams, that makes it even better.
16:01So good luck.
16:02I think it's important.
16:03That's important.
16:04That part's important.
16:05And the part about it, at least, you know, reinvigorating interest, you know, like I
16:10think, you know, as of a few weeks ago, people were pretty down on us.
16:14But reinvigorating interest on the team is important, too.
16:16But like you said, you were going to wrap, but we have to keep doing it.
16:19We have to keep doing it for a period of time.
16:21Yeah, definitely.
16:22And it's been, as I said, it's been entertaining to watch as well.
16:24Well, awesome.
16:25Thank you, Chad, for coming on with us.
16:27We'll talk to you again next week.
16:28You got it.
16:29All right.
16:29See you, Chad.
16:29All right, guys.
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