Latest news with #FoulTerritory
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Ex-MLB GM Sounds Off on Craig Breslow as Red Sox Season Heads Toward Disaster
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Boston Red Sox likely came into the season hoping to compete to win the American League East. They signed Alex Bregman and had promising young players who were expected to contribute to winning. However, the Red Sox have traded Rafael Devers and are below .500 through 82 games. The Red Sox's handling of Rafael Devers' position change and communication has been put under a microscope after a long saga that resulted in the team trading its franchise player. Former MLB general manager Dan O'Dowd had some strong words for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow as the Red Sox's season continues to derail. "He doesn't act like (a former player) to me," O'Dowd said on "Foul Territory." "It's perplexing to me. He acts like a lot of current general managers, which is thinking players are part of a portfolio that you buy and sell. (Devers) didn't handle it maturely, but I don't think the expectation was that you should have expected him to handle it maturely." BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 2: Craig Breslow speaks as he is officially introduced as Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference on November 2, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston,... BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 2: Craig Breslow speaks as he is officially introduced as Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference on November 2, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. More Maddie Malhotra/Boston"They screwed themselves with their comments after the Rafael Devers deal," O'Dowd continued. "I don't think they're a good team. I think the sum of their parts does not equal the bigger part. I think they should be sellers at the deadline. When you come out publicly and say, 'Listen, we are not taking a step back with the Devers deal,' your credibility begins to erode to the point that may not be salvageable if you keep going back on the things that you promise." O'Dowd managed the Colorado Rockies from 1999-2014. He helped lead them to the 2007 World Series, where they lost to the Red Sox. According to MassLive's Christopher Smith, Devers was asked to play first base by Breslow when Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury. Devers had already been reluctant to give up playing third base for Bregman. Devers was upset when Breslow requested him to change positions again and went on a rant to reporters. Now the Red Sox are fighting to make the postseason without Devers, while Bregman is also hurt. If they cannot turn things around by the July 31 deadline, it may be in their best interest to sell and give up on the season. More MLB: Dodgers Positioned to Trade for Sandy Alcantara After Roki Sasaki Setback?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cameron Maybin Believes Rafael Devers Is Happier with Giants
Cameron Maybin Believes Rafael Devers Is Happier with Giants originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Frustration was central to Rafael Devers' departure from the Boston Red Sox in mid-June. Devers headed into the most recent offseason as the Red Sox's starting third baseman before the club signed Alex Bregman, who played the same position for the Houston Astros. The acquisition forced Devers to move to the designated hitter position, which took some adjusting to. Advertisement Then, Devers was requested to take grounders at first base after Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury. That request went unfulfilled, and a few days later, on June 15, he was sent to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for a package of four players. Since being dealt to the Giants, Devers has demonstrated a willingness to play anywhere, including some places he initially did not want to with the Red Sox. According to former MLB player Cameron Maybin, communication was the key to getting Devers to be more flexible position-wise. San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (right) douses teammate Rafael Devers following their victory over the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park.D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images "All of a sudden now, all we're hearing is 'Devers is willing to do whatever the Giants want him to do. He'll play first, he'll DH, he'll mix in at third.' Isn't it funny how just a little communication goes far with guys?" Maybin said on Foul Territory. Advertisement "The narrative is totally changing when you talk about how he's acting in a Giants uniform. We'll see how long that lasts, but all of a sudden, he's back to that happy-go-lucky guy that we always heard that he was." That happiness may not have turned into production just yet, as he is hitting .217 with one home run, three RBIs, and a .699 OPS in 23 at-bats with the Giants. But as he settles into his new home, he will return to form – and with a little less baggage on his shoulders. Related: Red Sox Urged to Pick up 53 Home Run Slugger in Free Agency This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Analyst reveals lengths MLB went to make sure Padres manager Mike Shildt didn't contact dugout during suspension
Former big leaguer and 'Foul Territory' podcast co-host A.J. Pierzynski gave an eye-opening description about the lengths MLB went to ensure Mike Shildt wouldn't manage the San Diego Padres from afar while serving a one-game suspension. Shildt was suspended for his role in a benches-clearing incident after Fernando Tatis Jr. got hit in the hand by a pitch last Thursday during the Padres' 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Shildt went onto the field to check on Tatis, he started yelling at Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who came out and went back at Shildt. Both benches and bullpens cleared to separate the two managers. Shildt and Roberts were both ejected from the game and given one-game suspensions. Advertisement Shildt served his suspension during Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals, and Pierzynski revealed what MLB officials did to prevent the Padres manager from interacting with his staff. 'Did you all know that he was locked in his office, OK, for the game? And there's MLB people that sit in there with him to make sure he doesn't pick up the phone to call down to the dugout,' Pierzynski said on the podcast. 'He can't leave his office… MLB people are watching him everywhere.' The Padres lost that Friday night game to the Royals 6-5 but won the next two contests. San Diego sits a half-game behind for the last NL Wild Card spot and five games back of the first-place Dodgers. Advertisement Related Headlines
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Just hit him?' Former Red Sox debate whether Boston should throw at Rafael Devers
Things ended on a sour note between Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox. But did things get so back that the team would opt to hit their former star with a pitch when they meet this weekend? That was the topic tossed around by a pair of ex-Red Sox players on the show, 'Foul Territory.' Advertisement Appearing as a guest, former Boston closer Jonathan Papbelbon said he doesn't expect any smiles and handshakes with Devers when his old team comes to town to face his Papelbon on Friday. 'I think that they've cut the ties and I think all relationships are severed between everyone in that dugout, in the clubhouse and the front office with Raffy Defers,' Papelbon said. 'So I don't think there's going to be any smiles at all.' Co-host A.J. Pierzynski, who played for the Red Sox in 2014, took it a step forward by asking if Boston would consider plunking Devers with a pitch. Papelbon didn't think it would happen – not in today's game at least. Advertisement 'They don't do that anymore. Guys don't do it,' Papelbon said. Pierzynski and Papelbon agreed that, in years past, the possibility of the Red Sox throwing at a former disgruntled player would be on the table. Pierzynsky said that, if Red Sox Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez was around, then there 'would have been some action.' Papelbon said he'd been part of that type of scenario himself. The former closer said that then-manager Terry Francona told him to throw at Manny Ramirez after the slugger had been traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2010. 'I don't know if it's gonna happen or not. Maybe Alex Cora calls in somebody to drill him or not. I don't know, but I highly doubt it,' Papelbon said. Advertisement Pierzynski, who had a reputation for stirring the pot as a player, floated a scenario where the Red Sox 'accidentally' hit Devers in his first at-bat against his old team. Both players agreed that it would trigger a brawl, regardless of whether it was on purpose. 'Even if it's not accidental or not, (it) just hit him. Maybe on purpose or maybe not,' Papelbon said, We'll see how Devers and the Red Sox handle their reunion when the team takes on San Francisco Friday night. More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.
New York Post
20-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees flameout Clint Frazier decries ‘too many rocket scientists' running franchise
The Yankees' math never really added up for Clint Frazier. Frazier, who famously couldn't stick with the big league club after years as a top prospect, seemingly has lingering beef with the franchise and its analytically driven focus. 'I do feel like they hired a few too many rocket scientists to try to like make the lineup,' Frazier said on 'Foul Territory' on Thursday, 'instead of just like letting a former player or a guy that has more experience write the lineup.' Advertisement Foul Territory/ YouTube. He recalled to fellow ex-Yankee and podcast host Erik Kratz being told by one analyst that there is no such thing as 'players getting hot.' 'I could 55-for-55, and they would be like, 'he's not hot, he's going to cool down.' They believed you were what you were,' he said. 'And in my mind, I was like, that's not using your eyes… you gotta run with that sometimes.' Advertisement Frazier was a polarizing presence for the Yankees upon his arrival as a 21-year-old prospect from Cleveland in 2016 as part of the Andrew Miller trade — in part due to his flowing red locks. The Yankees relaxed their hair policy this season, giving Frazier one more qualm with his former franchise. Clint Frazier as a Yankee. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Advertisement 'I was just highly offended man,' he said. 'I felt like I was one of the guys there trying to push the envelope. That felt personal.' Frazier never realized his potential over parts of five MLB seasons with the Bombers, struggling with multiple concussions and getting released in 2021 and bouncing from the Cubs to the Rangers to the White Sox, seeing his last MLB action in 2023. Advertisement Once the No. 53 prospect in top 100, Frazier's MLB days ended with a .235 batting average, 29 home runs and 101 RBIs over parts of 7 MLB seasons. Frazier officially retired last season after a run with the Charleston Dirty Birds in the Atlantic League.
