00:00:00
Speaker 1: All right, everybody, welcome back to Monster Territory. We have one of our friendly friends back on the show, Chris Catillo.
00:00:05
Speaker 2: How you doing, my friend, I'm good. Are you?
00:00:08
Speaker 1: We're doing good? You know, obviously it would be a lot better of the team was performing well. I've been meeting to ask this. It's been a little while since we spoke. We spoke before the season, giving predictions and whatnot. Over the last few years, you've had some bad luck when it comes to having a nice meal somewhere and then it gets interrupted by breaking news. When Alex Korra got fired. Did any meals get interrupted?
00:00:32
Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, I was out. Yeah, I had gone out for postgame in Baltimore. I had just ordered beer and was going to meet. This was the ultimate. There's this Italian place called La Scala that's like famous there that all of the broadcasters loved to go, and I was going with Dave O'Brien, Lumerloni, Cooper, boardman Jami, the whole group, and they went. I did not. I closed out my tab without taking a step yet again, and I was down at the four Seasons for the rest of the night. So it was a very eventful type of situation. But yeah, I just can never leave the house or the hotel room ever again, I guess.
00:01:20
Speaker 1: I mean, that's basically how it is with me. You know, in the off season, I can't have any fun. I can't go anywhere because if something, if a big signing happens or whatever, I gotta be ready for it. It's yeah, it is, Yeah, it is.
00:01:31
Speaker 2: Yeah. My track record a restaurants and airplanes is pretty pretty legit. I do also spend a lot of time at those two places, so it's bound to happen.
00:01:42
Speaker 1: Well, hopefully one day you get to enjoy a meal somewhere for crying out loud. Yeah, but obviously, like I said, it's been a rough start for the Red Sox. You know, they've been playing a little better at least offensively lately, but overall the twenty three and thirty one they ranked bottom ten in most of the offensive categories up to this point, and a lot of attention is now turning to Craig Breslo. He's starting to get some heat from the fan base. It's only getting louder. And you actually spoke with Craig yesterday in the dugout and he gave a few quotes that I thought were pretty interesting. This first one, when asked about job security, he said, I worry about making sure I'm doing what I can to help the team. That is the truth, because the second you start thinking about other things, you're not doing the best for its organization, its players, or our fans.
00:02:31
Speaker 2: Well.
00:02:31
Speaker 1: Based off this answer, which I do think you know, at least from a public relations standpoint, this is the right answer here. But with where they're at, with all the struggles up to this point, do you get the sense that his seat is getting hotter.
00:02:46
Speaker 2: I do, and I just think it's a product of the expectations and the fact that the roster is dysfunctional. I mean, I think he got out from he got out from under Kora, probably getting an ownership's ear and forcing him out in a way that he did to Heim Bloom three or four years ago by firing Quorum. So that was kind of a preemptive strike. But at the end of the day, this team doesn't win games and the offense is so bad, then you know, ownership it's gonna look at Craig Breslow as well. So I think they're in a really kind of weird spot because you probably don't want to do that before the trade deadline and throw everything into flux. But at the same time, do you have him do the trade deadline to be fired and say September or whatever it is. They did that with Bloom and Dobrowski in pat previous years, So they're in an interesting spot. There's just in terms of you know, big pictures, so much turnover. If you do this again, you're now looking at yet another GM search, which they've done over and over and over again over the last ten years. But the performance is the performance. The roster is not a functional one. And I think the interesting part of that answer was that he kind of vowed there and we'll see if this holds true, to not make reactionary moves and an effort to save his job. I mean, that's kind of what he was saying, you know, between the lines where maybe if his seat's getting hot and he's got nothing to lose or everything to lose, he goes out and start spending like crazy right now and getting players and trading prospects and you know, throws caution to the win. I don't think he's going to do that. I still think he's going to be kind of convicted in his process, but he needs him to start winning games, no question about it.
00:04:26
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:04:26
Speaker 1: I mean, you know, even go back to this past offseason. You know, while he did make moves, I feel like he didn't make enough moves to cover his butt, especially when it comes to the lineup. You know, you had all the outfielders in the mix. He did get the big bat that you were talking about going into the offseason, and obviously you've seen the results, and you just brought up the trade deadline, and that is a very interesting topic. And obviously it's May twenty eighth at the time of this recording, we're still very far away. You know, we are getting closer to the one year anniversary of Raffie Devers getting traded. So who knows, maybe something could happen over the next few weeks. But I do think this is a big time And he did touch on this, saying we've been aggressive in terms of outreach and trying to identify players that we think can help us. Now we've had some reports lately from other outlets saying, you know, they are maybe out there making phone calls and preferably a right handed bat for the lineup. Who knows, maybe someone like Zach Netto and the Angels. He saw paratus. There's been connections there with the Astros going back to the offseason. But when hearing him say these kind of things, and based off of conversations you've had, things that you've heard, are you getting the sense that he is trying to go for the big fish.
00:05:39
Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, I don't think it really matters because they're just the likelihood that something gets done now when no team is really selling, to me, is is pretty low. I mean, it's just it's good in theory to oh, we're trying, we're trying, We're trying. But at the end of the day, there's not a lot of teams that are out of it, and there's not a lot of teams that have already declared that they're going to be We've seen in a really bunched up league some teams make the decision to buy or at least stand pat Those decisions aren't going to be made until the All Star break, which we're, you know, six plus weeks away from. So I also don't like to you know, not saying you, but other people talk about how he you know, set the market with an early trade involving Devers on June fifteenth last year. That wasn't a product of oh, let's do this to make that was just the two sides couldn't stand each other and the situation had gotten untenable. And that's just it happened in May and to June, and if it happened in you know, March and April, which it kind of did, I guess, but then it would have probably been an earlier trade. So the market is the market. You know, these things, as we talk about every off season, don't happen in a vacuum. The Red Sox in theory, could use a right handed bat, so they can't. You know, it's they can in theory sign one in the off season if they just meet the price. With trades. It's trickier because you know, a team who would be selling right now is waiving the white flag to their clubhouse on May twenty eighth, and that's a hugely bizarre, you know, signal to send. I mean, think about how people reacted to in a different set of circumstances last year, the Red Sox doing it with Devers. So it's going to be I think a seller's market where there's going to be. If it stays bunched up, there's only going to be like five or so teams that are really going to go all in and selling. You're going to get a premium for those players. And that's just kind of the product of a league in which, you know, there's a lot of teams that had really low expectations that are kind of outperforming them. I mean think about you know, the A's obviously are right there, the White Sox, actions Tampa in the American League some of them, yeah, right, and all these teams you'd think would be intentional seller. It's going to take a lot because they invested so much in their clubs for them to sell. So we're kind of in bizarre world that way. We'll see if it evens out before July thirty. First. I just think, you know, in a year where things were more separated in the standings, maybe the chancers would be a lot little higher. Right now, to me, pretty low.
00:08:03
Speaker 4: It's getting hot out there, people. Let's talk Mack Weldon fashion show real quick. AJ's got the Pima crew neck T shirt. Froth heeather isyes.
00:08:12
Speaker 3: Frost heeather. It's it's got little pieces of gray heather in there. It's nice, it's soft, it fits really well. It's great for summer down here in Florida. And I got a couple of linen shirts and linen pants that are gonna look nice when I go to Europe here in a couple of weeks.
00:08:26
Speaker 2: Oh. Very nice.
00:08:27
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's very smooth, very thin. I'm wearing the eighteen hour Jersey short and Heather gray. I'll leave that down here for you. And the Pema short sleeve Henley. The color on mine is desert spring, but it really resonates it. It fits in, kind of matches with everything in the wardrobe too. It's the classic look. They know what they're doing here, so check it out. We've got the code for you to get moving with mack Weldon Comfortable anywhere. Go to mack Weldon dot com get twenty percent off your first order of one hundred and twenty five bucks or more with promo code foul. That's ma AC W E L d O N dot com code foul.
00:09:03
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:09:04
Speaker 1: And I think you bring up a great point with RAFFI. You know, there were other things at play anytime I think of like a big June trade, the one that always comes to my head right away, is the Carlos Beltron one from two thousand and four with the Royals and the Astros that that was late June, you know, so even then, you know, you're still really far away. I gotta ask you, though, And who knows what ends up happening here over the next few weeks. Maybe they could catch fire. We'll see. But if things do continue to get rough here, do you think there is a maybe even a decent chance of them maybe turning the keys over to someone else in the front office to maybe handle the trade deadline.
00:09:43
Speaker 2: It's just it's such a tough decision to make. I mean, they've fired Dobrowski and him kind of on the same timeline where those moves were in September, you know, when Dobrowski took over for Charrington, that was after the deadline as well, So they don't have a history of doing that. But that being said, they don't have a history of firing manager in April either, and they just kind of pulled that lever. So I think these next four or five weeks are very important for the organization and a lot of people in it in a variety of ways. I think what's tough for the Red Sox adding to the long list that the schedule is very difficult too, and obviously they could you know, after the Braves Cleveland over the weekend, they have three divisional opponents. Then with Baltimore, the Yankees and Tampa. It just in Texas when they get back, who's very talented team. I mean, it's not going to get much easier. Obviously, the reinforcements are going to help in the form of Anthony and Crochet in the next couple of weeks. But you know, these are kind of make or break weeks and make or break months in terms of the direction of the organization.
00:10:44
Speaker 1: Right you know, and you know, of course, you know, I don't want anyone to be losing their jobs obviously, but you know, you do go back to the last couple of trade deadlines they haven't worked out. You know, your your big right handed bat was Danny Jansen. You know, I remember scratching my head that one. I'm thinking, oh, okay, and then you look at dustin May last year, and look at what James Tibbs is doing over with the Dodgers right now. But let's say, you know, everything is still kept together, you know, the front office and everything, but the team continues to do poorly, who knows what things look like at that point. But if they were to go the selling route, do you see more of maybe like a hybrid kind of an approach where maybe they do a little bit of both buying and selling, similar to twenty fourteen, you know, trading away John Lester, Andrew Miller, John Lackey bringing in some pieces that ended up helping you win in twenty eighteen. Or could you see maybe you know, even the head Honk shows thinking, you know what, maybe we really just got to maybe start over here.
00:11:41
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think there's some obvious older guys on the team that you could probably get a lot for. You know, Chapman is the big name there because he you know, has been so good and teams always want relievers at the deadline. The downside there as you would potentially have you know, control over him with that vesting option for next year. Gray is a straight up free agent, so he's a guy that definitely would be on the move in that scenario. And then I think you get you know, into the how much do you want to punt? Do you want to just punt on the rest of the season, or do you want to take away from your team in twenty twenty seven. That's where the Contreras's decision is an interesting one. It's not like they have a first base prospect that they're waiting on there, and you know you can't trust costas at this point. Obviously Contreras is under control for two years after this one. People think it's one, but there's a team option there too, so that's a big deal. And then it kind of you know, where where's the value You probably at that point better off holding on to unless he gets really hot Duran until you know the off season maybe especially if you know there's an outfield or herd or something like that. You know you're not going to trade obviously Ranger Sworez in year one, you're not going to trade Crochet. You're not going to trade early or totally in the scenario like that. So, uh, you know, maybe Whitlock. I don't know. There's just there's a few pieces, but it's there's a lot of guys that are, you know, under long term control, and that'll be an interesting type decision. But as we talked about on our pod the other day with Sean McAdam, and he was saying He doesn't see them, you know, going out and getting you know, twenty year old prospects. He sees them going out and making that type of Leicester for Cesspitus type of deal or whatever it would be. So maybe a hybrid type thing, because they do still have that core and theory intact. But we'll get there, and we get there in two months.
00:13:28
Speaker 1: We'll see what ends up happening. But it is going to be an interesting next few weeks. But Chris, I want to thank you for coming on here today. Just a few things to talk about. I mean, we'll see if they can get this turned around. But in the meantime, let the people at home know where can they find you?
00:13:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, most of Twitter unfortunately, Chris Catillo and then mass Live and the Fend My Rundown podcast.
00:13:47
Speaker 1: All righty, thank you, my friend for coming on here today. We'll be chatting soon.
Speaker 1: All right, everybody, welcome back to Monster Territory. We have one of our friendly friends back on the show, Chris Catillo.
00:00:05
Speaker 2: How you doing, my friend, I'm good. Are you?
00:00:08
Speaker 1: We're doing good? You know, obviously it would be a lot better of the team was performing well. I've been meeting to ask this. It's been a little while since we spoke. We spoke before the season, giving predictions and whatnot. Over the last few years, you've had some bad luck when it comes to having a nice meal somewhere and then it gets interrupted by breaking news. When Alex Korra got fired. Did any meals get interrupted?
00:00:32
Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, I was out. Yeah, I had gone out for postgame in Baltimore. I had just ordered beer and was going to meet. This was the ultimate. There's this Italian place called La Scala that's like famous there that all of the broadcasters loved to go, and I was going with Dave O'Brien, Lumerloni, Cooper, boardman Jami, the whole group, and they went. I did not. I closed out my tab without taking a step yet again, and I was down at the four Seasons for the rest of the night. So it was a very eventful type of situation. But yeah, I just can never leave the house or the hotel room ever again, I guess.
00:01:20
Speaker 1: I mean, that's basically how it is with me. You know, in the off season, I can't have any fun. I can't go anywhere because if something, if a big signing happens or whatever, I gotta be ready for it. It's yeah, it is, Yeah, it is.
00:01:31
Speaker 2: Yeah. My track record a restaurants and airplanes is pretty pretty legit. I do also spend a lot of time at those two places, so it's bound to happen.
00:01:42
Speaker 1: Well, hopefully one day you get to enjoy a meal somewhere for crying out loud. Yeah, but obviously, like I said, it's been a rough start for the Red Sox. You know, they've been playing a little better at least offensively lately, but overall the twenty three and thirty one they ranked bottom ten in most of the offensive categories up to this point, and a lot of attention is now turning to Craig Breslo. He's starting to get some heat from the fan base. It's only getting louder. And you actually spoke with Craig yesterday in the dugout and he gave a few quotes that I thought were pretty interesting. This first one, when asked about job security, he said, I worry about making sure I'm doing what I can to help the team. That is the truth, because the second you start thinking about other things, you're not doing the best for its organization, its players, or our fans.
00:02:31
Speaker 2: Well.
00:02:31
Speaker 1: Based off this answer, which I do think you know, at least from a public relations standpoint, this is the right answer here. But with where they're at, with all the struggles up to this point, do you get the sense that his seat is getting hotter.
00:02:46
Speaker 2: I do, and I just think it's a product of the expectations and the fact that the roster is dysfunctional. I mean, I think he got out from he got out from under Kora, probably getting an ownership's ear and forcing him out in a way that he did to Heim Bloom three or four years ago by firing Quorum. So that was kind of a preemptive strike. But at the end of the day, this team doesn't win games and the offense is so bad, then you know, ownership it's gonna look at Craig Breslow as well. So I think they're in a really kind of weird spot because you probably don't want to do that before the trade deadline and throw everything into flux. But at the same time, do you have him do the trade deadline to be fired and say September or whatever it is. They did that with Bloom and Dobrowski in pat previous years, So they're in an interesting spot. There's just in terms of you know, big pictures, so much turnover. If you do this again, you're now looking at yet another GM search, which they've done over and over and over again over the last ten years. But the performance is the performance. The roster is not a functional one. And I think the interesting part of that answer was that he kind of vowed there and we'll see if this holds true, to not make reactionary moves and an effort to save his job. I mean, that's kind of what he was saying, you know, between the lines where maybe if his seat's getting hot and he's got nothing to lose or everything to lose, he goes out and start spending like crazy right now and getting players and trading prospects and you know, throws caution to the win. I don't think he's going to do that. I still think he's going to be kind of convicted in his process, but he needs him to start winning games, no question about it.
00:04:26
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:04:26
Speaker 1: I mean, you know, even go back to this past offseason. You know, while he did make moves, I feel like he didn't make enough moves to cover his butt, especially when it comes to the lineup. You know, you had all the outfielders in the mix. He did get the big bat that you were talking about going into the offseason, and obviously you've seen the results, and you just brought up the trade deadline, and that is a very interesting topic. And obviously it's May twenty eighth at the time of this recording, we're still very far away. You know, we are getting closer to the one year anniversary of Raffie Devers getting traded. So who knows, maybe something could happen over the next few weeks. But I do think this is a big time And he did touch on this, saying we've been aggressive in terms of outreach and trying to identify players that we think can help us. Now we've had some reports lately from other outlets saying, you know, they are maybe out there making phone calls and preferably a right handed bat for the lineup. Who knows, maybe someone like Zach Netto and the Angels. He saw paratus. There's been connections there with the Astros going back to the offseason. But when hearing him say these kind of things, and based off of conversations you've had, things that you've heard, are you getting the sense that he is trying to go for the big fish.
00:05:39
Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, I don't think it really matters because they're just the likelihood that something gets done now when no team is really selling, to me, is is pretty low. I mean, it's just it's good in theory to oh, we're trying, we're trying, We're trying. But at the end of the day, there's not a lot of teams that are out of it, and there's not a lot of teams that have already declared that they're going to be We've seen in a really bunched up league some teams make the decision to buy or at least stand pat Those decisions aren't going to be made until the All Star break, which we're, you know, six plus weeks away from. So I also don't like to you know, not saying you, but other people talk about how he you know, set the market with an early trade involving Devers on June fifteenth last year. That wasn't a product of oh, let's do this to make that was just the two sides couldn't stand each other and the situation had gotten untenable. And that's just it happened in May and to June, and if it happened in you know, March and April, which it kind of did, I guess, but then it would have probably been an earlier trade. So the market is the market. You know, these things, as we talk about every off season, don't happen in a vacuum. The Red Sox in theory, could use a right handed bat, so they can't. You know, it's they can in theory sign one in the off season if they just meet the price. With trades. It's trickier because you know, a team who would be selling right now is waiving the white flag to their clubhouse on May twenty eighth, and that's a hugely bizarre, you know, signal to send. I mean, think about how people reacted to in a different set of circumstances last year, the Red Sox doing it with Devers. So it's going to be I think a seller's market where there's going to be. If it stays bunched up, there's only going to be like five or so teams that are really going to go all in and selling. You're going to get a premium for those players. And that's just kind of the product of a league in which, you know, there's a lot of teams that had really low expectations that are kind of outperforming them. I mean think about you know, the A's obviously are right there, the White Sox, actions Tampa in the American League some of them, yeah, right, and all these teams you'd think would be intentional seller. It's going to take a lot because they invested so much in their clubs for them to sell. So we're kind of in bizarre world that way. We'll see if it evens out before July thirty. First. I just think, you know, in a year where things were more separated in the standings, maybe the chancers would be a lot little higher. Right now, to me, pretty low.
00:08:03
Speaker 4: It's getting hot out there, people. Let's talk Mack Weldon fashion show real quick. AJ's got the Pima crew neck T shirt. Froth heeather isyes.
00:08:12
Speaker 3: Frost heeather. It's it's got little pieces of gray heather in there. It's nice, it's soft, it fits really well. It's great for summer down here in Florida. And I got a couple of linen shirts and linen pants that are gonna look nice when I go to Europe here in a couple of weeks.
00:08:26
Speaker 2: Oh. Very nice.
00:08:27
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's very smooth, very thin. I'm wearing the eighteen hour Jersey short and Heather gray. I'll leave that down here for you. And the Pema short sleeve Henley. The color on mine is desert spring, but it really resonates it. It fits in, kind of matches with everything in the wardrobe too. It's the classic look. They know what they're doing here, so check it out. We've got the code for you to get moving with mack Weldon Comfortable anywhere. Go to mack Weldon dot com get twenty percent off your first order of one hundred and twenty five bucks or more with promo code foul. That's ma AC W E L d O N dot com code foul.
00:09:03
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:09:04
Speaker 1: And I think you bring up a great point with RAFFI. You know, there were other things at play anytime I think of like a big June trade, the one that always comes to my head right away, is the Carlos Beltron one from two thousand and four with the Royals and the Astros that that was late June, you know, so even then, you know, you're still really far away. I gotta ask you, though, And who knows what ends up happening here over the next few weeks. Maybe they could catch fire. We'll see. But if things do continue to get rough here, do you think there is a maybe even a decent chance of them maybe turning the keys over to someone else in the front office to maybe handle the trade deadline.
00:09:43
Speaker 2: It's just it's such a tough decision to make. I mean, they've fired Dobrowski and him kind of on the same timeline where those moves were in September, you know, when Dobrowski took over for Charrington, that was after the deadline as well, So they don't have a history of doing that. But that being said, they don't have a history of firing manager in April either, and they just kind of pulled that lever. So I think these next four or five weeks are very important for the organization and a lot of people in it in a variety of ways. I think what's tough for the Red Sox adding to the long list that the schedule is very difficult too, and obviously they could you know, after the Braves Cleveland over the weekend, they have three divisional opponents. Then with Baltimore, the Yankees and Tampa. It just in Texas when they get back, who's very talented team. I mean, it's not going to get much easier. Obviously, the reinforcements are going to help in the form of Anthony and Crochet in the next couple of weeks. But you know, these are kind of make or break weeks and make or break months in terms of the direction of the organization.
00:10:44
Speaker 1: Right you know, and you know, of course, you know, I don't want anyone to be losing their jobs obviously, but you know, you do go back to the last couple of trade deadlines they haven't worked out. You know, your your big right handed bat was Danny Jansen. You know, I remember scratching my head that one. I'm thinking, oh, okay, and then you look at dustin May last year, and look at what James Tibbs is doing over with the Dodgers right now. But let's say, you know, everything is still kept together, you know, the front office and everything, but the team continues to do poorly, who knows what things look like at that point. But if they were to go the selling route, do you see more of maybe like a hybrid kind of an approach where maybe they do a little bit of both buying and selling, similar to twenty fourteen, you know, trading away John Lester, Andrew Miller, John Lackey bringing in some pieces that ended up helping you win in twenty eighteen. Or could you see maybe you know, even the head Honk shows thinking, you know what, maybe we really just got to maybe start over here.
00:11:41
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think there's some obvious older guys on the team that you could probably get a lot for. You know, Chapman is the big name there because he you know, has been so good and teams always want relievers at the deadline. The downside there as you would potentially have you know, control over him with that vesting option for next year. Gray is a straight up free agent, so he's a guy that definitely would be on the move in that scenario. And then I think you get you know, into the how much do you want to punt? Do you want to just punt on the rest of the season, or do you want to take away from your team in twenty twenty seven. That's where the Contreras's decision is an interesting one. It's not like they have a first base prospect that they're waiting on there, and you know you can't trust costas at this point. Obviously Contreras is under control for two years after this one. People think it's one, but there's a team option there too, so that's a big deal. And then it kind of you know, where where's the value You probably at that point better off holding on to unless he gets really hot Duran until you know the off season maybe especially if you know there's an outfield or herd or something like that. You know you're not going to trade obviously Ranger Sworez in year one, you're not going to trade Crochet. You're not going to trade early or totally in the scenario like that. So, uh, you know, maybe Whitlock. I don't know. There's just there's a few pieces, but it's there's a lot of guys that are, you know, under long term control, and that'll be an interesting type decision. But as we talked about on our pod the other day with Sean McAdam, and he was saying He doesn't see them, you know, going out and getting you know, twenty year old prospects. He sees them going out and making that type of Leicester for Cesspitus type of deal or whatever it would be. So maybe a hybrid type thing, because they do still have that core and theory intact. But we'll get there, and we get there in two months.
00:13:28
Speaker 1: We'll see what ends up happening. But it is going to be an interesting next few weeks. But Chris, I want to thank you for coming on here today. Just a few things to talk about. I mean, we'll see if they can get this turned around. But in the meantime, let the people at home know where can they find you?
00:13:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, most of Twitter unfortunately, Chris Catillo and then mass Live and the Fend My Rundown podcast.
00:13:47
Speaker 1: All righty, thank you, my friend for coming on here today. We'll be chatting soon.
