The second iteration of the MVP Award was mostly the current form with one important caveat: player managers and previous winners were ineligible for future awards. This form lasted from 1922 through 1929. The result of this is that Babe Ruth was only able to win it once, otherwise he likely would have several MVP Awards to his name. The award was voted on by one writer per city with a team in the league. No Red Sox player won the award as this was an extremely dark time in Red Sox history. Several players did receive votes though.
PLAYERS RECEIVING VOTES
IKE BOONE
T-20th, 2 points
.337/.404/.497, 13 home runs, 98 RBIs, 164 hits, 72 runs
Boone was a great hitter, but his atrocious fielding cost him a long Major League career. The Red Sox though needed a hitter and generally only had flawed players in the 1920's. Boone led the team in home runs (fifth in the league), all three slash categories and OPS (seventh in the league) and walked substantially more than he struck out. He was born in the wrong time. He would have made a great DH.
1925
T-27th, 1 point
.330/.406/.479, nine home runs, 68 RBIs, 157 hits, 79 runs
His power numbers dipped a little bit, but the average remained high. Boone again led the team in all three slash categories and OPS, and he was second on the team in home runs, hits, runs scored and doubles while walking more than three times as many times as he struck out. On the downside, he led the league in errors by a right-fielder and found himself sold to a minor league team the next year. He never again played regularly in the Majors.
GEORGE BURNS
T-21st, 2 points
.306/.341/.446, 12 home runs, 73 RBIs, 171 hits, 71 runs
A star with the Tigers, A's and Indians, Burns was Boston's top home run hitter in 1922. No one else hit more than half as many as Burns's 12, and he was eighth in the league in that category. He was also second on the team in average and slugging and fourth in on-base percentage. He was acquired prior to the season in a deal with Cleveland for Stuffy McInnis. The deal included Joe Harris, who will be discussed below.
1923
10th, 8 points
.328/.386/.470, seven home runs, 82 RBIs, 181 hits, 91 runs
Burns was even better in 1923, though his home runs dropped. He had Boston's highest finish in the 1923 AL MVP voting and was second in the league with 47 doubles. Burns led the team in runs scored, hits and RBIs and was second in stolen bases (nine) and all three slash categories. Burns also performed an interesting personal feat by turning an unassisted triple play. After the season, he was dealt back to the Indians for a package including Bill Wambsganss (another player who turned an unassisted triple play) and Steve O'Neill.
HOWARD EHMKE
1923
T-11th, 7 points
20-17, 3.78 ERA, 121 strikeouts in 316.2 innings pitched
Boston acquired Ehmke in a package with the Tigers prior to the 1923 season for Del Pratt and Rip Collins. Ehmke was one of Boston's best pitchers during the decade and finished fourth in the league in wins and strikeouts and second in complete games (28). He led the team in most major pitching categories. He also threw a no-hitter against the A's in September.
1924
T-15th, 5 points
19-17, 3.46 ERA, 119 strikeouts in 315 innings pitched.
Though Ehmke led the league in losses, he was still a very valuable and durable starter who also led in innings pitched and batters faced. He again led the team in most major pitching categories, except ERA, where he was second. He was fifth in the league in wins, fourth in strikeouts, ninth in ERA and second in complete games (26).
1925
T-24th, 2 points
9-20, 3.73 ERA, 95 strikeouts in 260.2 innings pitched
Despite a very bad record, Ehmke still received a couple of votes for the MVP. His record was much more a function of the fact that he pitched for a team with 47-105 record, as his 2.97 FIP will attest, he was actually still quite good even though his innings pitched dived. Ehmke led the league in complete games with 22. It was his last full season in Boston as he was traded partway through the 1926 season for a package including Slim Harriss and Baby Doll Jacobson, who will both be discussed below.
IRA FLAGSTEAD
T-15th, 5 points
.307/.401/.421, five home runs, 43 RBIs, 172 hits, 106 runs
Flagstead tied Howard Ehmke in the MVP vote in 1924. He was likely Boston's best player throughout the 1920's and was one of the few Red Sox players of the time period that showed ability in all five tools. He was a particularly good fielder and finished among the league's leaders in putouts (third), assists (fifth) and fielding percentage (fourth, .975). Flagstead led the team in runs and was second in hits.
1925
T-7th, 10 points
.280/.356/.385, six home runs, 61 RBIs, 160 hits, 84 runs
I am not sure how Flagstead finished seventh in the MVP vote in 1925, for a 47-105 team, when he had arguably the worst year of his Red Sox tenure. He was still decent enough, but he was not among the league leaders in any offensive category. He did lead the league in assists (25) and was among the league leaders in other defensive categories, but his slash numbers were down from the year before. he did lead the team in doubles (38).
1926
T-23rd, 2 points
.299/.363/.429, three home runs, 31 RBIs, 124 hits, 65 runs
Flagstead played in just 98 games in 1926, so this is another surprise. He was second on the team in all three slash categories and ended up being the team leader in OPS (.792) and OPS+ (110). He was also third on the team in doubles (31) and tied for second in home runs. He led the league in assists and was fourth in fielding percentage (.976).
1927
T-18th, 3 points
.285/.374/.401, four home runs, 69 RBIs, 133 hits, 63 RBIs, 12 stolen bases
Healthy again, Flagstead put up another good season in 1927. The Red Sox offense was horrific in 1927 so Flagstead ended up leading them in OBP, runs scored, RBIs and stolen bases and came close in virtually every other offensive category. He led the league in fielding percentage (.985). By OPS (.775) and OPS+ (104), Flagstead was easily Boston's best player.
1928
14th, 5 points
.290/.366/.392, one home run, 39 RBIs, 148 hits, 84 runs
Flagstead's final full season in Boston saw him receive MVP votes, just like every other full season he spent in Boston. He topped the team in runs scored and doubles (41, a career high). He was actually sixth in the league in doubles. He was also again in the top five in each major fielding category, including fourth in fielding percentage (.971). The next season, he started strong, but was placed on waivers as he was 35. They tried to trade him, but couldn't and ended up releasing him. He was never again as productive.
JOE HARRIS
T-18th, 3 points
.335/.406/.520, 13 home runs, 76 RBIs, 162 hits, 82 runs
Harris was acquired in the same deal that brought George Burns to Boston. Like Burns, Harris was a terrific hitter, even though he was in his early 30's in an era in which most players declined significantly at his age. He was ninth in the league in average, fifth in slugging, sixth in OPS (.925) and eighth in home runs. He led the team in home runs and triples (eleven) and was second in hits and runs.
1924
T-20th, 2 points
.301/.406/.430, three home runs, 77 RBIs, 148 hits, 82 runs
Moving to first base to take over for the departed Burns, Harris again had a quality season in 1924. He led the team in OBP, triples (nine) and walks (81). He took to first base well defensively and finished in the top five in a number of fielding categories, including finishing third in fielding percentage (.993). Harris started the 1925 season in Boston but was traded to Washington for Roy Carlyle, who was a decent hitter.
SLIM HARRISS
25th, 1 point
14-21, 4.18 ERA, 77 strikeouts in 217.2 innings pitched
I do not really understand how Harriss got a vote here. He was top on the team in wins, strikeouts and ERA, though neither number was particularly impressive. He finished ninth in the league in strikeouts and led the league in losses. He was a decent pitcher for a really bad team (Boston was 51-103 in 1927) and he was better than his ERA (3.31 FIP), but still, his MVP vote is not really warranted. Harriss was acquired in the deal that sent Howard Ehmke out and was eventually traded for Alex Gaston and Russ Scarritt.
BABY DOLL JACOBSON
26th, 1 point
.299/.337/.436, eight home runs, 89 RBIs, 172 hits, 62 runs
Owner of one of the more colorful nicknames in baseball history, Jacobson started the 1926 season with the St. Louis Browns, for whom he played most of his career. He was traded to the A's and then the same day traded again to the Red Sox in the Ehmke/Harriss deal. Jacobson hit .305/.344/.447 with six of his home runs and 68 of his RBIs for Boston. He was fourth in the league in doubles (51) and tenth in RBIs. Jacobson was sold to Cleveland during the 1927 season.
ED MORRIS
T-15th, 4 points
19-15, 3.53 ERA, 104 strikeouts in 257.2 innings
Morris won 19 games for a team that went 57-96-1. He was sixth in the league in wins, eighth in strikeouts, eighth in complete games (20) and seventh in innings pitched. Morris was also credited with five saves when the stat became official. He had an ERA+ of 115. Morris was a really good pitcher for a bad team. He would die suddenly in 1932 due to a mishap at a party in which he was stabbed. Some reports state that he tried to swim away from his attacker and contracted an infection which led to his death.
BUDDY MYER
9th, 11 points
.313/.379/.390, one home run, 44 RBIs, 168 hits, 78 runs, 30 stolen bases
The longtime Senators star was early in his career when he was traded to the Red Sox for Topper Rigney. Myer played primarily third base and topped the team in average, OBP, hits and runs scored. He led the league in stolen bases. He was also among the league leaders in most defensive categories. After the season, the cash-strapped Red Sox traded Myer back to the Senators for a package of five players, none of whom came close to Myer's productiveness. Myer is a borderline Hall of Famer.
DEL PRATT
T-13th, 7 points
.301/.361/.427, six home runs, 86 RBIs, 183 hits, 73 runs
Boston made a lot of one-sided trades with the Yankees in the 1920's. One that actually worked out okay was getting Pratt, along with Muddy Ruel for a package including Waite Hoyt. Obviously Hoyt went on to a Hall of Fame career, but Pratt was a very good player. He was second in the league in doubles (44) and led the team in hits, runs and RBIs. Pratt was traded after the season in the deal that brought Howard Ehmke to Boston.
BILL REGAN
T-22nd, 2 points
.274/.315/.408, two home runs, 66 RBIs, 128 hits, 43 runs
Regan was a very good defensive second-baseman who also managed to be reasonably decent with the bat. He was actually second on the team in slugging percentage as a result of leading the team in doubles (37, ninth in the league) and second in triples (ten). He was in the top five in the league in putouts, assists and double plays.
1928
T-25th, 1 point
.264/.296/.387, seven home runs, 75 RBIs, 135 hits, 53 runs
Though his offensive numbers slipped a little bit, Regan still notched 30 doubles (third on the team), six triples (third on the team) and was third on the team in home runs. He was also once again third in the league in putouts, assists and double plays. His .963 fielding percentage also ranked third in the league. Regan played a couple more years in Boston, but his offense declined in 1930 and he was eventually waived and caught on with Pittsburgh.
TOPPER RIGNEY
T-21st, 3 points
.270/.395/.377, four home runs, 50 RBIs, 142 hits, 71 runs
The rare player who Boston purchased in the 1920's, Rigney rode his 108 walks (third in the league) to a team high in on-base percentage and runs scored. Rigney was also second on the team in hits, doubles (31) and stolen bases (six). He led the league in assists and was in the top five in putouts and double plays. He played in just eight games with Boston in 1927 before being sent to Washington for Buddy Myer, a deal that worked out better for Boston.
JACK ROTHROCK
T-22nd, 2 points
.259/.302/.360, one home run, 36 RBIs, 111 hits, 61 runs
At just 22 years of age and in his first full Major League season, Rothrock received MVP votes for the only time in his career. He played every infield position in 1927 and was second on the team in runs scored and third in triples (eight). Rothrock did not play often enough at any position to rank among the league leaders in any category, but he was well-regarded defensively. He played several more seasons in Boston before being traded to the White Sox in a deal for Bennie Tate, Smead Jolley and others.
PHIL TODT
T-27th, 1 point
.278/.343/.439, 11 home runs, 75 RBIs, 151 hits, 62 runs
In his first full season in the Majors, Todt led the Red Sox in home runs, RBIs, triples (13, fourth in the league) and was third in doubles (29), OPS (.782) and OPS+ (98). He also finished second in the league in double plays and fielding percentage (.991) and third in assists and putouts. At some point, Todt was nearly traded to the Yankees for Lou Gehrig, but Boston, reeling from bad trade after bad trade with the Yankees, turned it down.
1926
T-16th, 5 points
.255/.306/.362, seven home runs, 70 RBIs, 153 hits, 56 runs
Todt's numbers declined a fair amount in 1926, but he still received some votes. He was ninth in the league in triples (12) and led the league in putouts and assists. He was fourth in fielding percentage (.988). He led the team in home runs and RBIs, though neither number was particularly impressive. His OPS+ was just 77 and most of his value was due to his defense.
1927
T-25th, 1 point
.236/.280/.337, six home runs, 52 RBIs, 122 hits, 55 runs
Once again Todt led the Red Sox in home runs with just six. He was third on the team in RBIs, runs an doubles and fourth in hits and triples. He was second in the league in putouts and assists and third in fielding percentage (.991). It was not a good year for Todt.
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