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“I know it felt weird. It was the first inning with two outs, but I had to go out there and do it.”
Kevin Millar has worn many hats during his baseball career.
A dependable first baseman with pop for the Red Sox and three other MLB franchises, Millar’s knack for reeling off constant commentary made him a key clubhouse presence — and a natural for on-air and other broadcast opportunities once he retired.
But the 51-year-old Millar might have a far more lucrative career as a fortune teller, given the impressive prediction he tossed out on Monday night.
Stepping into the Red Sox broadcast booth for Boston’s road series against the Houston Astros, Millar offered up an optimistic outlook for Sox outfielder Adam Duvall as he stepped into the batter’s box in the top of the first inning.
“He’s going deep,” Millar said of Duvall. “This is not a good matchup for [Houston starter Christian] Javier. I’m telling you, Duvall — this is that last six weeks [of the season] where he gets going and gets homer-hot. But I’m gonna call right now, early in the game, I know with two outs … we’re doing it right now. Duvall is going deep.”
“Alright, you’re a brave man,” Red Sox play-by-play man Dave O’Brien said of Duvall’s prediction.
Duvall, who stepped to the plate with runners on the corners and two out in the inning, entered Monday with 174 home runs on his resume, including three seasons with 30+ dingers.
“It is cozy out there to left [field] in those Crawford boxes,” O’Brien said to Millar. “I know you’re eyeing those right now.”
“It makes you want to go get a bat, OB. I’m telling you,” Millar responded.
Just two pitches after Millar’s initial prediction, Duvall deposited a pitch from Javier well beyond the Crawford boxes in left field.
Duvall’s three-run shot traveled 408 feet, giving Boston an early 3-0 lead and creating a frenzy in the Red Sox broadcast booth.
Check out Millar’s call below:
“What!?” Millar said as soon as Duvall made contact.
“Kevin Millar – stick around! Red Sox lead it, 3-0,” O’Brien added as Duvall rounded the bases. “And Millar called it seconds before it happened!”
“I’m telling you, OB, that’s just not a great matchup,” Millar said. “We get a big pull right-handed power in Adam Duvall. … I know it felt weird. It was the first inning with two outs, but I had to go out there and do it. It just felt right at that time.”
During his playing days, Millar’s comments helped inspire the “Cowboy Up” mantra in 2003 and the Red Sox’ confident mindset during their early deficit against the Yankees during the 2004 ALCS.
As the 2023 Red Sox look to climb back into playoff contention, maybe the team should keep Millar in the booth for more good luck over the last five weeks of the season.