Red Sox Fans Call in To Discuss Upcoming Season (2024)
Welcome back, Red Sox fans. This is Tony Balboni. It may be 37 degrees on this Friday afternoon in Somerville, Mass in my hovel of an apartment, but this Sox fan wants to warm up with some baseball talk. The Sox open up in the Emerald City in less than a week. This offseason…the team’s moves have been…well…mostly forgettable. But every spring we await another 162-game marathon with some optimism, right?
First caller, Sammy from Brookline:
“Hey Sox fans! I just drank four espressos, had two energy bars, and drank a green smoothie…but I can’t muster the energy to give a — — “ (call cut-off)
Okay — — let’s pull the plug on Sammy before the F-bombs explode! Let’s find another caller and get off on the right foot here….
Lois from Framingham, you’re on:
“Hel — lo? Can you….hear me?”
Yes, Lois! You’re live:
“Well I’d like to talk for a minute…about being…91 years old. I like to do things…at my own….pace. I don’t wake up…early…unless I have….to travel. And…I only travel…on the…Amtrak…and…only on Thanks…giving…and only down to Connecticut…and…my 64 year-old niece Sassy picks me up.”
Okay, Lois. Do you have an opinion on this Red Sox season?
“Oh, Tony. This team is garbage. I just hope Brayan Bello pitches well. I bought my niece and grandnieces his jersey on the computer and I sent it to them for the holidays. It would be a shame if he wasn’t any good or if he got traded.”
Thanks, Lois! Here’s to a great season from Mr. Bello!
Eduardo from Portland, Maine:
“I just want to see the kids play. Let Rafaela play center. Put Grissom in at second. Let Abreu play left. Put Yoshida at DH for good. See what happens. Wait for Mayer and Teel next year. Just forget about the wins and losses right now. This team ain’t going anywhere. But we might go somewhere next year. Don’t get down, Sox fans. Can’t win the whole thing every year. That’s all I got.”
Thank you, Eduardo from up in Maine. Feel that warmth? I knew we’d get some positive vibes going. The future is bright, my friends. Keep our heads up.
Next caller, Trish in Lynn:
“Hey, Tony. This Fenway Sports Group has gotta go. This Henry guy is — -“ (call is cut-off)
Okay, Trish! Let’s keep it PG for the kids.
Up next, George in Worcester:
(silence)
George? You’re live. How’s Worcester right now?
“Hey, Can I get two large cheese pizzas and a small pepperoni? And a side of wings. What’s the damage?”
Ah, George…this is Tony Balboni’s Sox Talk Live. I don’t have any pizza, but good luck sir.
“Oh, really?! Well damn, sorry about that. Thought this was Otto’s. You actually gettin’ people to talk about this Sox team? I thought Giolito might be okay, but then his elbow thing. It’s like nothing works out for these guys lately. Good luck to you!”
Thanks, George. Yes, people always want to talk about the Sox.
Alrighty, how about Zoey in Great Barrington:
“Hey Tony. The only way to watch this team is to bake a nice big batch of pot brownies and eat one before you turn on Joe Castig. Also…only listen to the first two or three innings and that should be enough. Go Sox.”
Oof! Not a terrible idea, Zoey. Sad to think we’re all conjuring up ways to cope before this team has played a single regular season game.
Up next, Bobby in Arlington:
“I play in this fantasy league that has a bunch of minor leaguers and I was wondering if anyone has any scoops on Single-A or newly drafted Red Sox prospects.”
Thanks, Bobby. I can name the top three or so. Everyone loves Teel at catcher, Mayer at Shortstop and Roman Anthony in the outfield. Some have hope for the new pitcher they got from KC for Schreiber. Anyone want to call in with other guys?
Next caller, Ron in Saugus:
“Yeah, my fourth grade kid can hit better than half this team! I can’t take this shit anymore. Sell the goddamn…”(phone call is cut off)
(Audible sigh)
Sorry, folks. I open up the phone lines and I can’t afford to pre-screen these calls. I never know what’s coming. Let’s keep going for a couple more and call it a show.”
Saul in Wareham:
“Hey Tony. I’m Saul. Been watching this team since 1972 when I moved here for college. Came here to Boston from Chicago. Grew up going to Wrigley in the 60s. Ernie Banks. Terrible teams. Team never even finished .500, not until 1967. Never made the postseason. Just awful teams. Ernie Banks. That was it. I gotta say, these last couple years and now this upcoming year…it just feels familiar. I thought the Sox in the 80s were pretty awful. You know, about ’80-’85? Just mediocre team after bad team after another. Forgettable years. Until that October run in 1986 and that ground ball to that poor guy at first base…you know, the guy everyone always railed on, even though he was a damn good hitter, had a bad knee at that point, I think, anyway that 1986 World Series against the Mets, you know I was supposed to go to Game 5. Series was tied at 2 and Hurst was on the mound. Sox ended up getting the win. Was supposed to go, but I had an accident at work and couldn’t make it. Watched the game from a hospital bed on one of those little hospital tiny black and white TVs that were popular back then in the 80s.
Anyway, Tony, those were tough years. Lean years. Not so much fun. I’m getting old, Tony. I don’t want to waste another season like those early 80s years. They need to pay for some pitching and let the young kids develop around them. I like Casas and this Rafaela kid can really run down some fly balls. Need two more starting pitchers and some good luck and this team can be dangerous next year. This year? I don’t know. Okay, Tony. That’s it. I gotta take my nap.”
Thank you for that history lesson, Saul. And with that…we’re out. Go Sox.
