Hallowe'en to Valentine's Day: the exact duration from the end of the 2024 World Series (October 30th) to 2025 Pitchers and Catchers Report/Spring Training (February 12th).

For normal humans, that's not too long a stretch. Truthfully, it flies by too quickly. One night, you're partying on Hallowe'en, next day you're drowning in apple cider and planning Thanksgiving fun; then you're Christmas shopping, now drowning in egg nog, singing along to Mariah Carey and watching all the Christmas Vacation and Elf you can possibly bear; suddenly you're deconstructing Xmas décor and listening to anything but Christmas music; then, smash-cut to … looking for a cute V-Day dress.

For baseball-humans though, this proves a nearly unbearable stretch. Clearly, The Holidays soak up a good deal of this period. Still, after those aforementioned, happy, Holiday diversions, Old Man Winter is the last one to leave and he is soooo bo-ring: lingering around the house, making gross noises when he eats, answering questions with grunts, never up for any activity, hates going out, drinks only decaf coffee and refuses to take the hints that it’s all enough already. So, what time's your flight?

As with any houseguest overstaying his welcome, you need some distractions to keep yourself cheerful and sane, you know, so nobody gets hurt. Thankfully, there exist just enough stimuli throughout Winter, like jangling keys for a fussy baby, to keep fussy baseball addicts, like Yours Truly, calm and breathing deeply until Spring Training arrives.

 

As a snotty teen, I'd observe Dear Old Dad watching old, really old, games in the off-season. Uhh, Dad. You know who wins. This is, like, twenty years old. You know there's loads of other things to watch, right?

He'd simply reply, Pitchers and Catchers Report is coming soon.

Pitchers and Catchers Report, I thought then, was an actual report: player stats and such. It was not until my own obsession with the game - notably transfixing on the Boston Red Sox- did I realize Pitchers & Catchers is not paperwork, but the annual portal to glory. Until that portal opens, though, what's a girl to do?

If I may be so bold as to offer a little assistance, just a taste, to get any fellow baseball-junkies to Spring Training? Like Methadone, I would like to give you some “synthetic” options to help treat your (& my) chronic, baseball addiction. So, follow Moi down the rabbit hole as we learn how best to cope.

*Note: This is primarily tailored to the baseball-centric sports fan. I mean, if you like football, hockey, golf, whatever, you're fine. I do like golf; but that's not cutting it, not even (or, especially not) the new TGL/Boston Common Golf league play.

So, merchandise helps. A girl can never have too many RS caps and cute tees. After all, different seasons, events and fits call for a variety of colours, styles and patterns. It's silly, but, it helps one feel closer to the season/city/team.

Apropos of shopping, discovering the world of baseball collectibles can be a remarkably immersive expedition. As the proud owner of a new, Jarren Duran-signed baseball and an authentic, red Fenway seat, also signed by Duran (#16 OF Boston Red Sox), I can attest there are hours of obsessive joy just waiting for the right nutter.

 

 

 

Podcasts help, like Section10: a well-connected, deeply-informative, raucous convo on all-things Red Sox, from player interviews and trade speculations to blue diatribes on club management and Boston sports gossip.

Baseball-writers keep the eyes alert and darting. To paraphrase George Will in the 2010 introduction of his book, “Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball”, I have an “unslakable thirst,” not simply for “writings about the game," but also writing about the game.

There are so many wonderful writings on all aspects of the game: from management logistics to League standings; from current Farm League stats to the history of the game; from last season's heartbreaking fails to next season's potential victories. Sarah Langs, Ian Browne, Alex Speier, Katie Manganelli, George Will and Joel Sherman are all worthy reads. If you're a writer (esp an aspiring baseball-writer, comme Moi), penning about the game is beyond rewarding.

Baseball films are aplenty to get one through the off-season. As well, for this Red Sox girl, any film shot at Fenway Park and/or in any of Moi's fave, adjacent bars (i.e. Cask & Flagon, Game On, The Bleacher Bar) serves my needs exceptionally well.

 

 

 

Learning to keep score? This is a challenging endeavour and quite time-consuming, but so fun! It's not simply counting runs with strike-marks; it's bonkers more intricate. A well-filled scorecard should give such a detailed play-by-play account of a game and every player, that the reader can visualize exactly what transpired. (Yes, there will likely be a post on scorekeeping this season. Still learning.)

Planning attendance to next year's games is an excellent activity: Red Sox @ Angels (x2), Red Sox @ Padres, and Anybody @ Red Sox in September and, of course, October (aka Playoff Season).

Following your fave players on social media is a helpful bridge to every baseball fanatic's pressing queries. Let's just use, say, Jarren Duran (aka Goldenboy) as an example: I wonder what Goldenboy does in the off-season? Or, I wonder what Goldenboy’s off-season workout entails? Or, I wonder if Goldenboy has any signing events or public appearances nearby? Oh, look, he does. Hmm, I suppose I could find the time.

See? Stalki … I mean, studying takes a good part of the off-season.

Now, all the above-mentioned diversions are very satisfying, like candy; but, they're not a meal. A girl can't survive on just Swedish Fish and grape Jolly Ranchers. Thankfully, MLB Network is here with some pretty nutritious substitutions. MLB knows its audience and, as dealing with any addict, doing its best to give us just enough of what we need right now.

MLB's 24hr, off-season programming includes films (known as Bleacher Features), documentaries, interviews and player-retrospectives (MLB Network Presents, Studio 42 with Bob Costas and My Best Game, respectively). There is a persistent airing of Ken Burns’ Baseball (an epic, 10-episode docuseries) and repeats of November's MLB awards shows. There's also on-site coverage of December's Winter meetings (the annual congress of team execs, owners and managers). Oddly, no repeats, that I've seen, of that.

There are replays of the previous year's World Series (2024 NYY/LAD … yea, Doyers!), older World Series and various historic and memorable games, often of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s. For the pleasure of all Red Sox Nation, there are myriad retellings of the magical 2004 Boston Red Sox ALCS and World Series victories. Go, Sox!! (If you're unaware of the greatest playoff-season comeback in sports history, look it up.)

There are replays of All-Star Games: the exhibition, mid-season contest between the American League and the National League. Starting with the previous year (2024 in this case), they broadcast back to, well, I don't know, yet. Currently, I am watching the 2016 All-Star Game as I write: Petco Park, San Diego; top of the 8th, 4-2 AL; Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and David Ortiz (aka Big Papi) repping the Red Sox for the American League.

Need some countdowns? MLB's Top 10 Players Right Now, MLB NetworkCountdown and MLB's Greatest give your mania the appearance of order. How about Top 10 catchers, pitchers, left fielders, center fielders, right fielders, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, relief pitchers, DH of all time? Top 100 plays of the year? Top 10 longest homeruns? Top 20 Pitching Velocities? Electrifying Moments of 2023? Electrifying Moments of 2024? Top 10 Stats and Oddities? Top All-Star players? Top 10 Bat-flips? Why the heck not? Have you watched a good bat-flip?! It's pretty freaking cool. Nothing hotter than confidence.

Finally, there's always topical, regular programming (Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, MLB Network Breakdown, Play Ball): all atuned to the Winter business of America's Pastime. True, the hosts are really stretching air-time with a lot of contrived hokum: dorky spin-the-choice games, mystery callers, free-agent speculation and players in alternating team-uniform graphics. Regardless, I'm clearly still watching. Junkie is as junkie does.

“In the absence of real, hard news … we're brokering in the speculative today.”

- Matt Vasgerian, Hot Stove, 12 January 2025

This time of year, MLB news and talk shows focus on the most pressing matter-at-hand: transactions. Player-movements, trades, free-agent watching, negotiations and contract chatter fill the cold January air. Most astoundingly this Winter is OF Juan Soto's movement from the New York Yankees to the New York Mets for an historic, behemoth contract of 15yrs/$765M + $75M signing bonus … and a suite. The Yankees offered, to retain him, 16yrs/$760M … no suite.

For reference, prior to Soto's pot o’ gold, Shohei Ohtani (RHP/DH) had broken the record in 2023 with a contract of 10yrs/$700M moving from the Los Angeles Angels of Orange County to the Los Angeles Dodgers. (To be clear, there is no such thing as a Los Angeles anything from Orange County. The Angels are in Orange County, Anaheim, always have been.)

Ohtani opted to defer $680M/$700M over the next ten years: taking only a $2M annual salary and deferring the remaing $68M/yr.

Soto has no deferments … and has a suite.

For further, historical reference, in 1919, Boston Red Sox owner and theatre producer, Harry Frazee, sold Babe Ruth (LHP/OF) to the New York Yankees, for seasons 1919 - 1921, for $100K, payable in four $25K installments, at 6% interest, for a final amount of $108, 375.00: the greatest amount ever paid for a player at that time. Additionally, Frazee negotiated for himself a $300K loan, to produce a musical: “No, No, Nanette”. To-date, no self-respecting Red Sox fan will view this musical in any form. Word.

Most fans have eyes on player-transactions, extensions and contracts as January spans ahead. It can be an axious period, hearing news, speculation and, worst of all, rumours about your fave guys. “Rumours” is a lofty word for gossip, and gossip hurts people. I realize the press must fill in time during Winter. However, please stop speculating one of my fave Red Sox might be traded, even after Craig Breslow (Red Sox’ Chief of Baseball Operations) comes out and addresses a specific rumour and says, we're not shopping [him]. I mean, why would Player-X appear at Fenway Fest, if he weren't sticking around past fifty games this season? So, you know, stop it. (Yes, naivete at work here, I admit.)

*Now, if Breslow lied, I'll have something to say to him, and will apologize to the correspondents.

Pertaining to contract-anxiety, Thursday January 9th was the arbitration deadline for 2025 contracts: meaning players and clubs eligible for arbitration did not come to salary agreements in time. This year, seventeen players are now headed to arbitration hearings between January 27th and Valentine's Day, in St. Petersburg, FL, just ahead of Spring Training. That's five fewer players than last year, and about half of the 2023 record-year, with thirty-three players.

*Full disclosure: Of particular note to Yours Truly, one of those seventeen is Red Sox’ Jarren Duran: the only arbitration-eligible player with whom the RS did not settle by the deadline.

 

“MLB Trade Rumors (MLBTR) predicted Duran would take home $4.9 million in 2025, and after his MVP-caliber season, he's due for a handsome raise. The outfielder made $760,000 in 2024, and slashed .285/.342/.492 with a .834 OPS, led the league in doubles, tied for the lead in triples and earned his first All-Star nomination.”

- Katie Manganelli, BoSox Injection, 9 Jan 2025

Jarren Duran took Major League Baseball by storm in 2024. He led all batters in both doubles and triples, won All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, and set the tone for the Red Sox all year out of the leadoff spot. He finished with an astonishing 8.7 wins above replacement, third among all outfielders.

Duran's second half had some peaks and valleys, but the numbers looked excellent at the end. He slashed .286/.343/.506, with 21 doubles, four triples, and 10 home runs. He shined the most in the second half of August, at one point leading off four straight games with extra-base hits.

- Jackson Roberts, Sports Illustrated, 30 Sept 2024

“Jarren Duran and the team weren’t able to come to terms on a deal for the 2025 season prior to the arbitration deadline, the Red Sox confirmed late Thursday. Boston and Duran were $500,000 off on their arbitration figure submissions on Thursday. Duran filed a $4 million salary request for the 2025 season while the Red Sox filed a $3.5 million salary for Duran in 2025, The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reported.”

- Connor Roche, Boston.com, 10 Jan 2025

MVP All-Star Duran started 160/162 of RS games in ’24, with 111 runs, 48 doubles, 14 triples, 21 HR, 75 RBIs and 34 stolen bases.

Do the right thing, Boston. Give Goldenboy what he’s asking. I'll probably end of covering some of that $500K difference, you know, in cute, Duran tees and jerseys.

In general, the baseball world is doing its best for us diamond-junkies. MLB Network is jangling a lot of keys and I'm a relatively happy baby. Podcasters are giving my curiosities and musings the raw catharsis and validation I need: if only to know, that I know what I'm talking about, kind of.

As noted above, all the teams and most players are on social media. It is the simplest, most transparent view of the sport and its workings: official, casual, professional and personal. Cheers for all the interim club-news, charity reports, golf fits, doggo pix (love love LOVE pix of a boy & his dog!) and workout inspo, aka #danceinspo. (An Irish dancer, I am forever gobsmacked by the vertical that Major Leaguers achieve when fielding. Share with me all your Spidernan secrets, boys!)

Everyone's off-season efforts are quite pacifying. Like appeasing a toddler on the verge of tears, pulling down that box of Lucky Charms from the high shelf will stave off an embarrassing, Baby Down moment … for the moment.

As for Methadone options, I must proclaim, simply writing this piece was a great coping mechanism. I hope you feel more calm, too.

Now, I'm off to score my next hit. I believe MLB Network Presents is airing “Mr. Padre” again: a doc on San Diego Padres’ Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn. Superstar right-fielder, possibly the best player the Padres have ever had (and that's saying a lot when you look at past and present rosters) and namesake of San Diego’s own AleSmith Brewing Company's “.394 San Diego Pale Ale”: a deee-lish tribute to America's Finest City and Gwynn's career-high batting average, achieved in 1994. It's a damn fine beer and a damn fine city.

 

“San Diego. Drink it in. It always goes down smooth.”

- Ron Burgundy, Anchorman

Only thirty-two days to Pitchers and Catchers Report 2025 …

 

JennyPop's Top 20+ Baseball Films

(In no particular order … excepting the top five)

• Fever Pitch

• Moneyball

• Ted (not a baseball film, but an xlnt Fenway film)

• The Game That Changed Everything: Yankees vs. Red Sox ‘04 ALCS

• Ken Burns’ Baseball (10-ep docuseries)

• 61*

• Eight Men Out

• Ferrell Takes the Field

• Major League

• Major League II

• The Bad News Bears

• A League of Their Own

• Trouble with the Curve

• The Sandlot

• The League

• No-No: A Dockumentary

• Field of Dreams

• The Comback: 2004 Boston Red Sox (3-ep Netflix doc)

• Bull Durham

• The Natural

• 42

• The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox (release date: 8 April 2025 … but, of course, you know it will make my list: sneak peek!)

JennyPop's Top 5 Baseball Books (thus far)

• “Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball” by George Will

• “Summer of ‘49: The Classic Chronicle of Baseball's Most Magnificent Season as Seen Through the Yankees-Red Six Rivalry” by David Halberstam

• “Baseball” by George Vecsey

• “Baseball Field Guide” by Don Formosa and Paul Hamburger

• “Story of the Red Sox” ed. by The Boston Globe

   

Did I forget anything? I'm no baseball expert, for sure! (Although, I can dream.) LMK your fave films, books, players, teams, seasons, games, etc. Help me learn more and more and more, kittens!

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Follow Moi @JennyPopCom (IG) or on Substack for all the year-round baseball fun you need: plus, loads of other topics like cocktail recipes, style and fashion, media, pop-culture, rando poetry, Irish dance, Irish pubs, Irish travel … well, I am an Irish dancer and St. Patrick's Day is only sixty-five days away, after all. Sláinte!!