Q&A Exclusive with “Named Redacted” and “Baseball is Dead” podcast producer Jake Yasi
Yasi on his biggest influence, his grandmother: “She was the biggest Red Sox fan I’ve ever met and was a huge influence on my sports fandom in general.“
Jake Yasi is the producer for two of the largest baseball podcasts available and is beloved among Red Sox Nation.
From his Blue Moon ad reads, Sox sweep predictions and funny but accurate thoughts on the Sox on Twitter, Yasi is a rising star in the Boston media space.
Yasi talks about his experience in the booth with Will Flemming, his grandma’s influence on him as a Sox fan, how he feels about David Ortiz, a day in the life and more!
Q: Favorite Red Sox player of all time and why?
A: It sounds cliché but David Ortiz. The amount of happiness in my life that that man is directly responsible for is unbelievable. I still remember my whole body shaking after his grand slam in the 2013 ALCS. We were so f-cking done in that series if that doesn’t happen. That moment, especially coming off the heels of the Bruins Game 7 comeback against the Leafs earlier that year, truly taught me that it’s never over until it’s over.
He changed the way I watch sports.
Q: Favorite childhood memory (15 years or younger) involving the Red Sox?
A: Going to and watching Red Sox games with my Grandma. She was the biggest Red Sox fan I’ve ever met and was a huge influence on my sports fandom in general.
We went to the Jon Lester no-hitter together.
My Mom always tells me the story of when she came over to babysit me. She put her purse down on the kitchen table and four beers rolled out. My Mom asked her why she brought them and she responded, “Pedro’s pitching tonight.” I know she’s looking down smiling at everything I’m doing with the Sox today.
Q: Tell us something you are looking forward to most about the 2024 MLB season?
A: I’m super excited to watch the 2024 Red Sox go 162-0 and win the World Series.
Q: Which Red Sox player are you most excited to see in 2024?
A: Triston Casas. I know he came in third in AL ROY voting but I still think he’s slept on around the league because of his slow start to the season. I think with a year of experience under his belt he’s poised to be one of the best hitters in the league next year and I’m excited for him to get the national attention he deserves.
Q: How surreal was your experience watching the game from the booth last year at Yankee Stadium with WEEI play by play announcer Will Fleming?
A: What is there to say about Will Motherf—cking Flemming, man.
It wasn’t enough to completely embrace being part of the podcast and give us some of the best moments of the season, the guy had to invite me to watch the game from the broadcast booth in the Bronx.
I was visiting my buddy in the city and we went to the games on Friday and Saturday. I was planning on leaving Sunday morning but got a text from a random number back at the hotel on Saturday night. It was Will offering me tickets and a press pass for Sunday’s game.
Walking through the press box at Yankee Stadium was definitely another “what the hell am I doing here” moment but the second I saw Will he made it feel like I belonged as much as anyone else. I was chillin’ in the WEEI booth just listening to him and Joe call the game. I’ll never forget how he would casually pop the headset off in between innings and chat with me like we were just grabbing a beer, and then pop it back on and go right back to play-by-play mode. A true professional.
The fact that it ended with a Red Sox sweep and I got to do the Klark’s Ketchup Series MVP in the booth with Will and Lou was just icing on the cake.
Q: What has been your “favorite” or “coolest” moment so far as the producer of “The Name Redacted Podcast”?
A: Probably walking onto the field at Fenway for the first time. I still remember thinking I was going to get tackled by security the second I stepped foot on the dirt even though I had a media credential. You grow up your whole life going to Fenway and never step foot on the field, so when you’re actually allowed to it doesn’t make sense in your brain. I walked toward the dugout and saw Jared talking to Bobby Dalbec. He was like “hey, I’m Bobby” and I was like “I know.” Xander introduced himself too, but I don’t remember what he said because I pretty much blacked out. I was just trying to stay out of the way and not do anything stupid while at the same time trying to process what was happening. It’s cool nowadays because I’m more familiar with everyone and how everything works, so I can relax and appreciate the moment more.
I’d also say my first episode producing Section 10. Even just getting on a Zoom call with Jared and Coley for the first time was a surreal experience. It happened so quick. I was doing freelance videography two weeks prior and all of a sudden I was producing Section 10, my favorite podcast about my favorite sports team. It’s like watching a tv show for years and all of a sudden you’re on the show.
I’ll always be grateful to Coley for giving me a shot, and to Jared for introducing me to this world and giving me the keys to the pods. It’s surreal to be a part of it to this day and it still feels like we’re just getting started.
Q: What’s a day in the life look like for Jake Yasi during baseball season?
A: It really depends on the day of the week. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday we have Baseball Is Dead so on those days it’s wake up, record the pod, edit the pod, publish the pod. We have Name Redacted after every Red Sox series which usually ends up being Sunday and Wednesday nights, so I’m usually up until 2 or 3am making sure those pods go up before the morning commute. When the Red Sox are home on Friday’s, I usually go to Fenway with Jared and we’ll try to secure an interview to drop in the podcast the following week. When I’m not recording, editing, or shooting I’m watching the Red Sox game and running social. It’s an absolute grind especially on double pod days but at the end of the day we’re getting paid to talk ball and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Q: Any Off season hobbies or plans?
A: Lot of Mario Kart and Netflix. My favorite part of the offseason is the general understanding that we worked like 80+ hour weeks during the season so we’re given the freedom to rest and recover for a couple months. DraftKings is great about that.
We still do Baseball Is Dead on Monday’s and Name Redacted on Wednesday’s so that’s not to say we aren’t putting out content, but it’s a lot less strenuous than during the season.
We’re making a push to do more offseason content outside of the podcast so keep a look out for that as well.
Follow Zack on Twitter: @162zack
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