It’s a new day and yet another drama at the Boston Red Sox! The Red Sox’s top prospect and outfielder, Roman Anthony, despite having an impressive 2024 record, has been criticized for his defensive skills. Since he’s been drafted by the Red Sox, Anthony has been under scrutiny; however, a Boston Sports Radio insider’s criticism of the 20-year-old prospect has received flak, demanding immediate termination of the insider. Do you think that makes sense?

Well, Roman Anthony had an impressive 2023 season, followed by an equally good 2024 season, where he posted .344/.463/.519 slash line in 35 games while hitting 15 home runs at.856 OPS. His impressive record not only sets him apart from other young players in the league but also helped him to secure a position as the number 1 prospect, just behind the Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki. So, what’s the actual reason behind the expletive call?

First things first, Roman Anthony is currently the preferred top prospect for the Red Sox given that Wilyer Abreu has been out due to a GI virus. While he shared his love for the organization and did not want to leave it, Boston radio insider Tony Massarotti called him a ”bust” during the early years of his career, and frankly, it isn’t at all good. Anthony, despite possessing batting prowess, has been constantly criticized by Massarotti, who considered him an average outfielder and questioned his defensive ability as a top prospect. In response to such a humiliating statement, on March 1 during “The Cam Show,” Cam Smith lambasted Massarotti, saying, “You F*ck*ng Idiot. Like, how do we even go past the fact that he’s 20 years old.”

The sense of dissatisfaction is evident, as Anthony is just 20 years old, and without even playing a single major league game, Massarotti expected him to be a big player. How ridiculous, isn’t it? Well, it seems that everyone is having too high expectations from Roman Anthony, and that’s the reason they even considered him a designated hitter. Cam Smith even cited how, by watching just a single game, the Boston Sports Radio people started judging him, and he burst out his anger on them: “Fire these guys into the f*cking sun.” 

The reason for this expletive call is to prevent bias, where the radio hosts will not keep praising popular players and coaches while criticizing young talents. Cam even requested the Boston Sports Talk to bring back the glory days and maintain authenticity. Well, maybe or maybe not; however, amid these talks and criticism, Roman Anthony is keen to showcase his skills and prove every other wrong, who may have questioned his mettle.

Roman Anthony is ready to shut the ongoing criticism with his strong offense

While a lot of criticism Roman Anthony faces has nothing to do with how he wants to play. But surely he is ready to challenge the critics who questioned his defensive strengths. The 20-year-old has posted .333/.500/.917 in the five games that he played, hitting one double and three runs along with four RBIs. While his defensive skills remain the main topic of criticism, his strong batting power makes him a great bet for the Boston Red Sox, especially amid the ongoing criticism, indicating his dedication and commitment to do his best. But that’s not all!

Although Tony Massarotti touted him as not so great, in terms of fielding, it doesn’t seem to matter to him much. But why? Well, he is too young to judge who is right or wrong, and his main focus will be on putting his best feet forward to make his presence count. However, despite being an average fielder and runner, he still has the potential to steal some bases, and putting him in a corner might just strengthen the defense furthermore.

Anthony is ready to take challenges and is super excited to be a part of the team, where he can learn and gradually prove the critics wrong. What, according to you, could be the area that Anthony could improve upon, amid the speculations surrounding his inclusion in the opening-day roster? Let us know in the comment below.