Speier - Homegrown: how the Red Sox built a champion from the ground up

I N 1982, MY COUSINS THE GOLDNERS took me to a minor league doubleheader in Rosenblatt Stadium to see the Triple-A Omaha Royalsthe first baseball games Id ever attended. I had no idea where the hell I was or what the hell I was watching. John Goldner, my fathers first cousin, proved immensely patient in answering an endless array of questions to try to give me some semblance of a clue about the action taking place in front of us.

Thirty-seven years later, I have a somewhat improved understanding about what transpires on a baseball field, thanks chiefly to the people who have continued to humor my interest in and curiosity about the sport and who have remained patient in the face of a well of questions that has yet to reach its bottom. This book is a reflection of the thousands of people who have taken the time to explain the game to me: players, managers, coaches, scouts, executives, fellow reporters, broadcasters, and baseball lifers, particularly those who have allowed me to understand the game as a developmental process. More important, it is a reflection of the family members, friends, teachers, and colleagues who supported and nurtured me in more ways than I can delineate.

I would need another book, longer than this one, to thank all of you. To those of you whom I do not thank by name: my bad, but please know that Ive thought of all of you during this six-month journey to the remote mental region of Dagobah.

Nick Amphlett of HarperCollins, my book editor, was a veritable Yoda during these months: calm, reassuring, and encouraging. At a couple of instances in which I was close to losing my mind, he restored my tenuous grasp on sanity. For that, and for the willingness of William Morrow Books to publish this book, Im grateful.

The original idea for this book was coaxed out of me by Joy Tutela of the David Black Literary Agency, who assured meas I talked with her about the 2015 Greenville Drivethat a long-term examination of an elite group of prospects could indeed yield a worthy topic for a book. Joy then helped me recast the idea for the book when it appeared that the events of 2018 warranted doing so.

The support offered by my bosses at the Boston Globe Matt Pepin, Joe Sullivan, and Brian McGroryhas been little short of astounding, as has the collegiality of the incredibly talented writers, editors, and photographers at the Globe . Dan Shaughnessy offered much-needed and invaluable counsel for a first-time book writer and the reassurance that I could actually finish the project. The indefatigable Peter Abraham kept volunteering to assume an enormous workload on the beat, without which I never would have had time to finish this book. Those are just a few of the people who have made clear that I am extremely fortunate to work at the Globe a remarkable institution, with remarkable people.

One of those remarkable people, Nick Cafardo, passed away this spring. During the heartbreaking months since then, Ive been grateful to reflect on the examples set by Nick and the late John Martin of NESN, both of whom exhibited pride in their pursuits of excellence and, more important, unabashed delight in all that they did both on and off the job.

As Ive done so, Ive been able to appreciate the exceptional people and colleagues around me on the Red Sox beat. Every day that I go to work, I am surrounded and supported by friendswhile also pushed to exhaustion by the need to keep up with the tremendous work being done by my coworkers and competitors. I wish Id told Nick more often how much I appreciated working with him; I will not make the same mistake with all of you.

In particular, John Tomase and Rob Bradford have mentored me from the time that I arrived on the Red Sox beat with absolutely no formal training as a journalist. As appreciative as I am for the incredible guidance offered by John and Rob, I am even more grateful for their friendship.

Ian Browne, my fellow alum of the third row of the Fenway press box, Mike Silverman, a five-star driver to J.P. and a veteran of the 4 train, Julian Benbow, Tim Britton, Steve Buckley, Evan Drellich, Chad Jennings, Scott Lauber, Brian MacPherson, Chris Mason, Jason Mastrodonato, Sean McAdam, Jen McCaffrey, and Jonny Miller are among the many amazing peers who have offered me wisdom and encouragement, particularly during the months spent working on this book.

Keith Law, a pub quiz force, offered a vast array of scouting and player development lessons. So, too, have the colleagues whom Ive encountered through the years at Baseball America , whose passion for minor league coverage and constant discovery of new layers of it led me down this path. Peter Gammons delivered constant reminders about the human dimensions of young players on their trajectories, and why its more enjoyable to examine the world through a prism of possibility. Howard Bryant and Seth Mnookin offered time, wisdom, and perspective that made the book better.

Chris Price and Vin Sylvia gave me my earliest opportunities as a baseball writer, when I was entirely unqualified for the task, to which I say: Thanks, and what were you thinking?!

I am overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people who offered their time and insight for the book. Many of them are named somewhere in the pages of this book; many are not. But to all whom I have had the pleasure of interviewing over the years, I thank you for the opportunity to learn.

Many of those interviews occurred only because of the tireless efforts of media relations staffs: foremost the Red Sox media relations staff members who have been exceedingly helpful over the years, with particular gratitude to Kevin Gregg, Abby Murphy, Justin Long, and Daveson Perez for their assistance this spring, as well as those with all of the minor league affiliates who somehow manage to find time to lend a hand to curious writers while juggling a million other tasks. Good luck with your tarp pulls.

Of course, before I had the good fortune of encountering so many wonderful people in this professional field, I had family members who, despite only a passing interest (and at times an avowed disinterest) in baseball, stoked my passion for the game, tolerating the invariable detours during summer vacations to get to ballparks around the country. What were diversionsthe long drives accompanied, suitably enough, by the soundtrack of books on tapebecame a destination.

I treasure the memories of those times with my parents, Richard Speier and Sandra Speier, and my sister, Susanna Speier, all of whom provided unfailing support for me even as they challenged me to grow and learn, and even on those occasions when I behaved like a jackass (hopefully fewer now than on some of those road trips). Mathilde Speier has encouraged me as a writer virtually from the moment that we met. Sharon Knotts has put the ama in amazing, and I have no idea how our family would have functioned without her during this time.

My sons, Max Speier and Gavin Speier, displayed remarkable patience with me during the months of work on this bookand offered more encouragement, enthusiasm, and joy than I could have dreamed, as well as inspiration with their boundless energy, creativity, thoughtfulness, and love. I am such a proud, lucky father.

Most important, Alyssa Speier is a delight, a wonder, a marvelthe best person and partner I could imagine, someone with whom I am so lucky to share so much. Despite my sesquipedalian predilections, I have yet to find words that adequately capture my appreciation and love for you, but Im happy to consider it a lifes mission to keep looking for them.

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