Inside the 'Name Redacted Podcast' and 5 reasons why Red Sox fans enjoy it

With the tools and resources available today within the digital realm, it's truly never been easier for people to reach large audiences. You can post on social media, or record a how-to video and upload it to YouTube in a matter of minutes. One of the most prominent and widely used mediums for sharing content and reaching those large audiences is through podcasts. Those same tools and resources that are seemingly available to anyone and everyone, can present challenges for some trying to get their message out. In fact, recent data shows there are roughly 3 million active podcasts that exist today.

Under the umbrella of professional sports, those same challenges amplify themselves tenfold. With a topic so popular, the pursuit for media relevancy and hard-hitting content has only accelerated as the world of podcasting gains in popularity.

When it comes to the Boston Red Sox, specifically, there's one podcast in particular that has always stood out to me: The Name Redacted Podcast hosted by Jared Carrabis and Tyler Milliken and produced and edited by Jake Yasi.

The three release new episodes following each Red Sox series, and truly go beyond the mundane box-score style recap. Carrabis, Milliken, and Yasi, all diehard Red Sox fans themselves, bring passion, joy, intellect, and excitement to every episode. They've cultivated a following of Red Sox fans from around the country who are glued to their phones following each Red Sox series in anticipation for thoughts, reactions, and insight from the podcast. The show has grown in following over the years and is only getting more popular.

I recently exchanged social media messages with Carrabis about Name Redacted, his career, and his endless love for the Red Sox.

"The show [Name Redacted] is special to me because it provides an outlet to connect with Red Sox fans," Carrabis said. "I started my first Red Sox blog when I was 16 years old and I remember answering messages from Red Sox fans and responding to comments all day, every day. The podcast has been my favorite way to connect with the fans because tone is so important. They can laugh with us, vent with us, celebrate with us, and cry with us. When you build a large community of people who all passionately care about the same thing, it's really special."

Through unorthodox, fun, and often hilarious segments within the show, Carrabis and Milliken bring content that no other Red Sox podcast brings, and have formed outstanding connections with those closest to the Red Sox.

Segments of the Name Redacted Podcast that will have you dialed in, laughing, and excited

1. Tyler's Haikus

In the middle of the 2023 season, Carrabis challenged Milliken to write a poem, one step further - a haiku - after every Red Sox victory and post it to X (Twitter). What started off as a fun social media challenge, quickly became Milliken's claim to fame and an absolute staple to the show. Fans almost instantly started flooding Twitter to rate Milliken on his latest Haiku follwing each Sox victory.

2. The Klark's Ketchup Series MVP

Almost unanimously the favorite segment of the show is the Klark's Ketchup Series MVP award given out to one Red Sox player, voted on by a panel, following each Red Sox series win. The theme song to the Klark's Ketchup MVP segment is a hilarious death metal intro that screams one word repeatedly, you guessed it - KETCHUP!! What makes this segment so fascinating is the panel. The panel of voters features Red Sox manger, Alex Cora, NESN and WEEI personalities such as Tom Caron, Kevin Youkilis, Will Middlebrooks, Lou Merloni, Dave O'Brien, and Jahmai Webster.

3. Jake's Ad Reads

Of course with any good podcast you have to stop along the way and pay some bills with a few ads. Instead of just crossing it off the list and flying through it, the show's producer, Jake Yasi, turned a simple ad read for Blue Moon into a hilarious opportunity to jokingly roast Milliken any chance he gets. Yasi's ad reads have become an instant favorite to the show and provide a fun, unique way to liven up ads within the podcast.

An example of Jake's ad read can be found 55:26 - 56:53

4. The Stop & Shop Look Ahead

After recapping the previous series and talking about performances, stats and analytics, the three of course then come together to discuss the upcoming series. More than just a glossed over preview of who the Sox are up against on the schedule, they dive in and break down pitcher matchups for each game of the upcoming series, talk about key injuries and IL stints, lineup implications and predictions, and break down and analyze the opposition. Toward the end of each episode, the three bring a fun, competitive close that features series predictions -- sweep, split, series win, etc.

It helps create a sense of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming series, and a curiosity of which Name Redacted member will accurately predict the series. Yasi has become notorious and a fan favorite for confidently picking a Red Sox sweep, virtually 100% of the time.

*Stop & Shop Look Ahead - Carrabis hysterically tries to pronounce Diamondback pitcher, Brandon Pfaadt's name 1:18:37 - 1:19-24

5. Guest Appearances

The Name Redacted crew understands the importance of going directly to those closest to the team to offer an intuitive approach and a behind-the-scenes look into some of the most well-known names within Red Sox scope. The show has featured guys like David Ortiz, Brock Holt, Lou Merloni, Will Flemming, and many others.

The interactions with former players, media personnel, among others, allows listeners an unprecedented opportunity to see and hear people like those mentioned above outside the lights of Fenway or beyond the broadcast booth, creating a deeper appreciation, understanding, and connection with those who help make Red Sox Nation one of the strongest fanbases in all of professional sports.

Bottom line? I was never a big podcast guy. At all. My short attention span paired with my inability to listen to people talk for hours always provided a roadblock to find and enjoy any podcast. But ever since discovering the Name Redacted Podcast, my appreciation for not only podcasts, but the Red sox has amplified to a level never reached before. I find myself more connected to this team than I've ever been, and this show truly makes you feel as if you're a part of the action, and a part of something bigger than yourself. The way Carrabis, Milliken, and Yasi also engage with their listeners, fans, and supporters is unlike anything I've ever seen.

"Connecting with the audience is something that I've been doing just about every single day for more than half of my life," Carrabis said. "We're just a few baseball fans who love their team and want to provide entertainment to fans like us. I'm really, really lucky that I've been able to make a career out of talking about my favorite team. I've never lost sight of that. I've never taken that for granted. My job will always mean the world to me and I'm very grateful for it."