FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS
Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar had a huge year in 1999. He won his first batting title after hitting .357/.418/.603 for a 1.022 OPS and was voted the starting shortstop in the All Star game. He also hit 27 home runs, drove in 104, and stole 14 bases. He was a terrific all-around player and finished seventh in the MVP vote.
Pedro Martinez
As good as Nomar was, Pedro was better. Martinez finished second in the MVP vote and probably deserved to win. He did win the Cy Young unanimously as he had one of the best pitching seasons of all time, winning the pitching Triple Crown with a 23-4 record, 2.07 ERA, and 313 strikeouts in 213.1 innings. Amazing.
Troy O'Leary
O'Leary was the big power hitter for the Red Sox in 1999. He lead the team with 28 home runs and finished second to Nomar with 103 RBIs. His line was .280/.343/.495. He also had 36 doubles and four triples.
Jason Varitek
Tek became the starting catcher in 1999 and had a big season. The switch-hitting catcher hit .269/.330/.482 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. He also hit 39 doubles. Not bad for a catcher.
Tim Wakefield
1999 was one of Wakefield's most versatile seasons. He started 17 games and finished 28. He actually was one of two pitchers on the Red Sox staff to save 15 games and spent a chunk of the season as a knuckleballing closer. He finished at 6-11 with 15 saves and a 5.08 ERA.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Mike Stanley
Stanley did not slow down at all at 36 years old. He hit .281/.393/.466 while splitting time between first base and designated hitter. He also crushed 19 home runs and drove in 72. Stanley also provided veteran leadership.
Rich Garces
El Guapo had a terrific season in 1999 and showed that he belonged in the Major Leagues for good. In 30 games as a middle reliever Garces had an ERA of 1.55 and struck out 33 while walking 18 in 40.2 innings. His record was an impressive 5-1 and he picked up two saves.
Bret Saberhagen
Saberhagen followed up his Comeback Player of the Year 1998 season by spending a chunk of 1999 on the disabled list. When he was healthy though, he was good. He finished the year at 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA with 81 strikeouts and an incredible 11 walks in 119 innings pitched.
FAVORITE ACQUISITION
Jose Offerman
After Mo Vaughn departed as a free agent, there was some question of what Boston would do to make up for the loss of his offensive production. Boston signed Offerman in a move that was widely mocked. However, Offerman had a decent All Star season hitting .294/.391/.435 with eight home runs, 69 RBIs, 11 triples, 37 doubles, and 18 stolen bases. He struggled late or his numbers may have been better.
FAVORITE MIDSEASON ACQUISITION
Butch Huskey
With a name like that, you expect a power hitter. And Huskey was a power hitter. The designated hitter was acquired to add some extra offense and he did well enough, hitting .266/.305/.484 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 45 games down the stretch after being acquired from Seattle.
Rod Beck
Boston had some bullpen problems so they engineered a trade for former closer Beck late in the season. Beck pitched in just 12 games for the Red Sox but had a 1.93 ERA and three saves.
FAVORITE ROOKIES
Brian Daubach
Daubach was a scrap-heap pickup, but he finished the year fourth in the Rookie of the Year vote. Daubach hit .294/.360/.562 with 21 home runs and 73 RBIs. He showed a strong ability to deliver clutch hits but was pretty streaky. The 27 year old rookie helped the team move on from Vaughn.
Trot Nixon
Nixon was one of Boston's top prospects and finally got the chance to play every day. The results were decent but not eye-popping. He hit .270/.357/.472 with 15 home runs. Decent, but not exceptional numbers. But the best was yet to come.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
Mark Portugal
Pitching was a big problem for Boston in 1999. Mark Portugal was signed to help the rotation but he was pretty brutal. He finished the year 7-12 with a 5.51 ERA.
Ramon Martinez
Pedro's older brother was once a terrific starter for the Dodgers. Those years were long over by the time he showed up in Boston. Ramon was injured most of the season and only made it into four games at the end of the season. He pitched well though, going 2-1 with a 3.05 ERA.
Tom Gordon
Coming off his remarkable 1998 season, Gordon struggled in 1999. He saved 11 games but had an awful 5.60 ERA and was 0-2.
PLAYOFF HEROES
Pedro Martinez
After pitching just four innings in Game 1 of the ALDS, Martinez had to leave the game with an injury and Boston's playoff hopes diminished. However, he returned in Game 5 with the Red Sox tied with the Indians at two games apiece and pitched six hitless innings, striking out eight to help the team win the ALDS. He followed that up by outdueling Roger Clemens in the ALCS, striking out 12 in seven innings.
Troy O'Leary
My clearest memories of the 1999 postseason are of Martinez and O'Leary in Game 5 of the ALDS. O'Leary came to the plate twice after the Indians intentionally walked Nomar. One time, the bases were loaded, the other time, there were two runners on base. Both times O'Leary homered. He had seven RBIs in that decisive game. He also hit well in the ALCS.
Showing posts with label garciaparra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garciaparra. Show all posts
Friday, April 19, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Season in Review: 1998
Boston returned to the playoffs in 1998 after winning the Wild Card at 92-70. Unfortunately they were knocked out in the ALDS by the Cleveland Indians i four games. The big change was the acquisition of 1997 NL Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS
Nomar Garciaparra
Coming off a fantastic rookie season, Nomar was even better in 1998. He moved down into more of a run production spot in the order and responded with another great season. He finished second in the AL MVP race and probably should have won it. He hit .323/.362/.584 with 35 home runs and 122 RBIs. His stolen bases dipped to 12 and hits to 195, but otherwise he had better numbers than his rookie season.
Mo Vaughn
The Hit Dog had his last great season of his career in 1998. It was also his final season in Boston, which was fairly heartbreaking. Vaughn crushed 40 home runs and drove in 115. He also finished second in the AL batting race to Bernie Williams, ending with a season line of .337/.402/.591. He also had a strong performance in the ALDS.
Tom Gordon
Flash's first full season as closer was a resounding success. He accumulated a team season record of 46 saves and set a Major League record in consecutive save opportunities converted. He also made the All Star team and won the Rolaids Relief Award winner in a no-brainer. He also had a 7-4 record, 2.72 ERA, and 78 strikeouts.
Tim Wakefield
The knuckleballer had a very good season in 1998, finishing second on the team with 17 wins which would be a career high. His overall numbers were 17-8, 4.02 ERA, and 146 strikeouts in 216 innings. He was once again a workhorse for the Red Sox.
John Valentin
Valentin had a tough season in 1998, but he did finish with some decent numbers. Unfortunately it would be his last good season with Boston as injuries would start to take their toll. Valentin hit .247/.340/.442 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs. He was also very good defensively in 1998 at third base.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Bret Saberhagen
Saberhagen won the Comeback Player of the Year in 1998 as he finished with a very successful season. He had a record of 15-8 with a 3.96 ERA and 100 strikeouts versus just 29 walks in 175 innings.
Troy O'Leary
The only outfielder with a decent season, O'Leary developed into a fairly potent middle of the order bat with his first 20 home run season. O'Leary hit .270/.314/.468 with 23 home runs and 83 RBIs. It was his first season in left field.
Reggie Jefferson
Dealing with injuries most of the season lead to Jefferson playing in only 62 games in 1998. He hit well in those games, as he typically did. Jefferson finished with a line of .306/.374/.520 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs.
FAVORITE ACQUISITIONS
Pedro Martinez
There is no doubt that Pedro Martinez was the best pickup of the year for the Red Sox in 1998. The right-hander solidified the rotation and gave Boston the ace it had been lacking since Roger Clemens. Martinez finished second in the Cy Young race after finishing second to Clemens in the three main pitching categories. He went 19-7 with a 2.89 ERA and 251 strikeouts in 233.2 innings.
Dennis Eckersley
It was Eck's final season of his Hall of Fame career. He was brought in to serve as a mentor for Gordon in his conversion from starter to closer, which was something Eckersley himself did. Eck went 4-1 with a 4.76 ERA and one save. He was dominating, but he got the job done.
Darren Lewis
Lewis was brought in to infuse some speed into Boston's lineup and defense into the outfield. He succeeded on both fronts stealing 29 bases and playing well in the outfield. He also had a decent year at the plate, hitting .268/.352/.362 with eight home runs and 63 RBIs out of the leadoff spot.
Damon Buford
Acquired in a trade with Texas, Buford performed very well as a backup outfielder. He hit .282/.349/.523 with ten home runs, 42 RBIs, and five stolen bases. It was his best season in the Major Leagues.
FAVORITE MIDSEASON ACQUISITION
Mike Stanley
Stanley made his second stint with the team after being traded in 1997 to the Yankees. This time he was acquired in a deadline deal with the Blue Jays for Peter Munro and Jay Yennaco, neither of whom did anything for the Jays. Stanley helped after the injuries to Jefferson hitting .288/.388/.500 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 47 games.
FAVORITE ROOKIE
Jason Varitek
It was the second consecutive year that Boston had an impressive rookie catcher. Varitek essentially took the starting role from Scott Hatteberg by the end of the season after hitting .253/.309/.407 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
Donnie Sadler
Sadler was supposed to be the next great middle infielder Boston developed after Garciaparra. He was billed as being a good contact hitter with blazing speed. Sadler started on Opening Day but proved he was not ready yet after hitting just .226/.276/.395.
Jim Leyritz
I really liked the acquisition of Leyritz, even though it cost Aaron Sele who had a great year for Texas in 1998. Leyritz even hit well for his time in Boston with a line of .287/.385/.519 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs. But Leyritz was not happy with his role. He was brought in to platoon at first base, catcher, and designated hitter. But Varitek developed into a good player, squeezing Leyritz out of one position. He complained and was eventually traded to San Diego.
Mark Lemke
This was more of a personal disappointment for me as I always liked Lemke when he played for the Braves. He was brought in as depth if Sadler disappointed. He did, and Lemke took over until he went down with a concussion. His career was over.
PLAYOFF HERO
Nomar Garciaparra
Garciaparra hit .333/.333/1.000 in the ALDS with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
PLAYOFF GOAT
Tom Gordon
Gordon had some difficulties with nerves in the postseason and it showed. He blew a save and took the loss in the final game of the series.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS
Nomar Garciaparra
Coming off a fantastic rookie season, Nomar was even better in 1998. He moved down into more of a run production spot in the order and responded with another great season. He finished second in the AL MVP race and probably should have won it. He hit .323/.362/.584 with 35 home runs and 122 RBIs. His stolen bases dipped to 12 and hits to 195, but otherwise he had better numbers than his rookie season.
Mo Vaughn
The Hit Dog had his last great season of his career in 1998. It was also his final season in Boston, which was fairly heartbreaking. Vaughn crushed 40 home runs and drove in 115. He also finished second in the AL batting race to Bernie Williams, ending with a season line of .337/.402/.591. He also had a strong performance in the ALDS.
Tom Gordon
Flash's first full season as closer was a resounding success. He accumulated a team season record of 46 saves and set a Major League record in consecutive save opportunities converted. He also made the All Star team and won the Rolaids Relief Award winner in a no-brainer. He also had a 7-4 record, 2.72 ERA, and 78 strikeouts.
Tim Wakefield
The knuckleballer had a very good season in 1998, finishing second on the team with 17 wins which would be a career high. His overall numbers were 17-8, 4.02 ERA, and 146 strikeouts in 216 innings. He was once again a workhorse for the Red Sox.
John Valentin
Valentin had a tough season in 1998, but he did finish with some decent numbers. Unfortunately it would be his last good season with Boston as injuries would start to take their toll. Valentin hit .247/.340/.442 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs. He was also very good defensively in 1998 at third base.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Bret Saberhagen
Saberhagen won the Comeback Player of the Year in 1998 as he finished with a very successful season. He had a record of 15-8 with a 3.96 ERA and 100 strikeouts versus just 29 walks in 175 innings.
Troy O'Leary
The only outfielder with a decent season, O'Leary developed into a fairly potent middle of the order bat with his first 20 home run season. O'Leary hit .270/.314/.468 with 23 home runs and 83 RBIs. It was his first season in left field.
Reggie Jefferson
Dealing with injuries most of the season lead to Jefferson playing in only 62 games in 1998. He hit well in those games, as he typically did. Jefferson finished with a line of .306/.374/.520 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs.
FAVORITE ACQUISITIONS
Pedro Martinez
There is no doubt that Pedro Martinez was the best pickup of the year for the Red Sox in 1998. The right-hander solidified the rotation and gave Boston the ace it had been lacking since Roger Clemens. Martinez finished second in the Cy Young race after finishing second to Clemens in the three main pitching categories. He went 19-7 with a 2.89 ERA and 251 strikeouts in 233.2 innings.
Dennis Eckersley
It was Eck's final season of his Hall of Fame career. He was brought in to serve as a mentor for Gordon in his conversion from starter to closer, which was something Eckersley himself did. Eck went 4-1 with a 4.76 ERA and one save. He was dominating, but he got the job done.
Darren Lewis
Lewis was brought in to infuse some speed into Boston's lineup and defense into the outfield. He succeeded on both fronts stealing 29 bases and playing well in the outfield. He also had a decent year at the plate, hitting .268/.352/.362 with eight home runs and 63 RBIs out of the leadoff spot.
Damon Buford
Acquired in a trade with Texas, Buford performed very well as a backup outfielder. He hit .282/.349/.523 with ten home runs, 42 RBIs, and five stolen bases. It was his best season in the Major Leagues.
FAVORITE MIDSEASON ACQUISITION
Mike Stanley
Stanley made his second stint with the team after being traded in 1997 to the Yankees. This time he was acquired in a deadline deal with the Blue Jays for Peter Munro and Jay Yennaco, neither of whom did anything for the Jays. Stanley helped after the injuries to Jefferson hitting .288/.388/.500 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 47 games.
FAVORITE ROOKIE
Jason Varitek
It was the second consecutive year that Boston had an impressive rookie catcher. Varitek essentially took the starting role from Scott Hatteberg by the end of the season after hitting .253/.309/.407 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
Donnie Sadler
Sadler was supposed to be the next great middle infielder Boston developed after Garciaparra. He was billed as being a good contact hitter with blazing speed. Sadler started on Opening Day but proved he was not ready yet after hitting just .226/.276/.395.
Jim Leyritz
I really liked the acquisition of Leyritz, even though it cost Aaron Sele who had a great year for Texas in 1998. Leyritz even hit well for his time in Boston with a line of .287/.385/.519 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs. But Leyritz was not happy with his role. He was brought in to platoon at first base, catcher, and designated hitter. But Varitek developed into a good player, squeezing Leyritz out of one position. He complained and was eventually traded to San Diego.
Mark Lemke
This was more of a personal disappointment for me as I always liked Lemke when he played for the Braves. He was brought in as depth if Sadler disappointed. He did, and Lemke took over until he went down with a concussion. His career was over.
PLAYOFF HERO
Nomar Garciaparra
Garciaparra hit .333/.333/1.000 in the ALDS with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
PLAYOFF GOAT
Tom Gordon
Gordon had some difficulties with nerves in the postseason and it showed. He blew a save and took the loss in the final game of the series.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Season in Review: 1997
The Jimy Williams era did not start off well at all. Of course the biggest issue was the departure of Boston icons Roger Clemens and Mike Greenwell and the trade of Jose Canseco. GM Dan Duquette did not do a whole lot to make up for those losses either, choosing to pick up a bunch of reclamation projects and low-risk players. Two rookies came through though so it was not all doom and gloom. Just mostly. Boston finished in fourth place at 78-84.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS
Mo Vaughn
The Hit Dog had another big year for the Red Sox in 1997, but some cracks were beginning to show in his image. He dealt with injuries for a big chunk of the year, got in some trouble with the law, and there were starting to be serious concerns about whether he would stay with the Red Sox. Nevertheless, he hit .315/.420/.560 with 35 home runs and 96 RBIs.
John Valentin
Valentin was the subject of trade rumors coming into the season as he was set to lose his starting shortstop job to Nomar Garciaparra. Eventually he agreed to move to second base. Then after Tim Naehring went down for the season, he moved to third base where he played much of the rest of his career. He very quietly put together a good season, hitting .306/.372/.499 with 18 home runs and 77 RBIs.
Tim Wakefield
Wakefield had moments where he looked like the 1995 version of himself. He ended up with only a 12-15 record, but his ERA was a decent 4.25 and he pitched more than 200 innings. He struck out 151 and pitched four complete games with two shutouts, both leading the team. He was the definition of a workhorse and that was something Boston sorely needed in 1997.
Tom Gordon
Flash started the season as the team's ace by default. He was the most consistent starter for the Red Sox but ended up with a losing record due to a lack of offensive support when he was on the mound. After the trading deadline, Gordon was moved to closer, a role in which he flourished, as will be seen in 1998. For the season, Gordon was 6-10 with a team-leading 3.74 ERA and 159 strikeouts. He also chalked up 11 saves after moving to the bullpen.
Reggie Jefferson
Jefferson had the highest batting average in the league for quite awhile but did not qualify for the title since he was platooning with Mike Stanley for most of the year. By the time he started to get enough at-bats to qualify, his average had dropped quite a bit. He still ended up hitting .319/.358/.470, leading the team in average. He also hit 13 home runs and drove in 67. He had a 22 game hitting streak in 1997 as well.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Aaron Sele
Sele showed flashes of brilliance but for the most part was very inconsistent. He ended up leading the team with 13 wins, against 12 losses, but his ERA was an unsightly 5.38 and he ended up with 122 strikeouts in 177.1 innings.
Troy O'Leary
After a bit of a down season in 1996, O'Leary came back to be the most consistent Red Sox outfielder, which really is not saying much when the outfield consists of Darren Bragg and Wil Cordero. Still, he hit .309/.358/.479 with 15 home runs and 80 RBIs. Acceptable numbers for an outfielder, but nothing horribly impressive.
Tim Naehring
Naehring was having a breakout season in 1997, hitting .286/.375/.467 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs through 70 games. Then he went down with an injury. He never played again.
Jeff Frye
Frye came into the season as a jack-of-all-trades utility man and played every position but pitcher and catcher at some point in the season. He quietly put together a very nice season and ended up winning the starting second base job after Naehring got hurt and Valentin moved to third. He ended up hitting .312/.352/.433 with three home runs, 51 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases.
FAVORITE ACQUISITIONS
Jim Corsi
This is how bad Boston was at picking up new players. Their best acquisition was a middle reliever who pitched in 52 games. Corsi was pretty decent in the little work that he did, ending up with a nice 3.43 ERA and a 5-3 record, and he struck out almost twice as many hitters as he walked, but there is not much else to say.
Shane Mack
I remember reading some analysts calling this a potential steal. Mack played in Japan the prior season. He ended up with a nice batting line, but only played in 60 games due to injuries. He hit .315/.368/.438, but only hit three home runs and drove in 17.
Bret Saberhagen
The biggest name acquisition the Red Sox got coming into the season was former two-time Cy Young winner Saberhagen. But due to an injury the prior season, he was not able to make his debut with the Red Sox until very late in the season and only ended up pitching in six games the entire year. How's that for making people forget about Roger Clemens?
FAVORITE MIDSEASON ACQUISITIONS
Derek Lowe
Boston made one trade at the deadline, trading off closer Heathcliff Slocumb who was getting bombed a lot to the Mariners for Lowe and Jason Varitek. It was one of the greatest trades the team ever made, though neither player did much in 1997. Lowe ended up pitching in eight games out of the bullpen, taking two losses, but with a decent 3.38 ERA.
Jason Varitek
Varitek had one at-bat and singled.
FAVORITE ROOKIES
Nomar Garciaparra
Could it be any one else? This is one of the greatest rookie seasons ever. Garciaparra was the leadoff hitter in 1997 and ended up hitting .306/.342/.534 with 30 home runs, 98 RBIs (a leadoff hitter record), and 22 stolen bases. He lead the league in at-bats, hits, and triples and finished second in runs and total bases. It was an incredible rookie season that ended up with him winning Rookie of the Year unanimously. He was also the team's lone All Star.
Scott Hatteberg
Hatteberg actually had a somewhat impressive rookie season as well that was completely overshadowed by Nomar's incredible season. He ended the season taking over the starting catcher job from Bill Haselman by hitting .277/.354/.434 with ten home runs and 44 RBIs. He actually drew more walks than the dangerous Garciaparra, an ability that would serve him well in his career.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
Steve Avery
Like Saberhagen, Avery was a former star pitcher Boston picked up as a reclamation project. Avery was mostly healthy though, he was just really bad. The left-hander ended up going 6-7 with an awful 6.42 ERA and 51 strikeouts versus 49 walks in 95 innings. He also got paid a lot of money to do it, then managed to have his contract for 1998 vest, meaning Boston was stuck with him for another year.
Wil Cordero
Cordero had been moved to left field where his fielding was actually decent for the first time in his career and he was hitting relatively decently for awhile too, that is until he was arrested for domestic assault, then gave a thoroughly embarrassing interview about it. That was it for Cordero with the Red Sox. He did hit 18 home runs though, so there is that.
John Wasdin
Seriously, this is all Boston could get for Jose Canseco after a very good 1996? Wasdin was at least versatile, but he ended up with an ugly 4-6 record and a 4.40 ERA. He did pitch 124.1 innings and was used as a starter and reliever, even finishing ten games. His versatility was the lone good thing about him though. He coughed up 18 home runs, leading to the nickname "Way Back" Wasdin.
Robinson Checo
Another pitcher picked up on the cheap to help Boston fans forget Clemens. Checo had previously pitched in Japan and was expected to be a decent long-term investment. It did not work out that way. He ended up making it into only five games but did have a 3.38 ERA and struck out 14 in 13.1 innings. Unfortunately this was the high point of his career.
Rudy Pemberton
Like Dwayne Hosey in 1996, Pemberton came off an incredibly strong September the year before to win a starting outfield job. Also, like Hosey, he tanked. Pemberton was the starting right-fielder and ended up hitting .238/.314/.365 with two home runs in 27 games. He was done as a Major Leaguer.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS
Mo Vaughn
The Hit Dog had another big year for the Red Sox in 1997, but some cracks were beginning to show in his image. He dealt with injuries for a big chunk of the year, got in some trouble with the law, and there were starting to be serious concerns about whether he would stay with the Red Sox. Nevertheless, he hit .315/.420/.560 with 35 home runs and 96 RBIs.
John Valentin
Valentin was the subject of trade rumors coming into the season as he was set to lose his starting shortstop job to Nomar Garciaparra. Eventually he agreed to move to second base. Then after Tim Naehring went down for the season, he moved to third base where he played much of the rest of his career. He very quietly put together a good season, hitting .306/.372/.499 with 18 home runs and 77 RBIs.
Tim Wakefield
Wakefield had moments where he looked like the 1995 version of himself. He ended up with only a 12-15 record, but his ERA was a decent 4.25 and he pitched more than 200 innings. He struck out 151 and pitched four complete games with two shutouts, both leading the team. He was the definition of a workhorse and that was something Boston sorely needed in 1997.
Tom Gordon
Flash started the season as the team's ace by default. He was the most consistent starter for the Red Sox but ended up with a losing record due to a lack of offensive support when he was on the mound. After the trading deadline, Gordon was moved to closer, a role in which he flourished, as will be seen in 1998. For the season, Gordon was 6-10 with a team-leading 3.74 ERA and 159 strikeouts. He also chalked up 11 saves after moving to the bullpen.
Reggie Jefferson
Jefferson had the highest batting average in the league for quite awhile but did not qualify for the title since he was platooning with Mike Stanley for most of the year. By the time he started to get enough at-bats to qualify, his average had dropped quite a bit. He still ended up hitting .319/.358/.470, leading the team in average. He also hit 13 home runs and drove in 67. He had a 22 game hitting streak in 1997 as well.
Aaron Sele
Sele showed flashes of brilliance but for the most part was very inconsistent. He ended up leading the team with 13 wins, against 12 losses, but his ERA was an unsightly 5.38 and he ended up with 122 strikeouts in 177.1 innings.
After a bit of a down season in 1996, O'Leary came back to be the most consistent Red Sox outfielder, which really is not saying much when the outfield consists of Darren Bragg and Wil Cordero. Still, he hit .309/.358/.479 with 15 home runs and 80 RBIs. Acceptable numbers for an outfielder, but nothing horribly impressive.
Tim Naehring
Naehring was having a breakout season in 1997, hitting .286/.375/.467 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs through 70 games. Then he went down with an injury. He never played again.
Jeff Frye
Frye came into the season as a jack-of-all-trades utility man and played every position but pitcher and catcher at some point in the season. He quietly put together a very nice season and ended up winning the starting second base job after Naehring got hurt and Valentin moved to third. He ended up hitting .312/.352/.433 with three home runs, 51 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases.
FAVORITE ACQUISITIONS
Jim Corsi
This is how bad Boston was at picking up new players. Their best acquisition was a middle reliever who pitched in 52 games. Corsi was pretty decent in the little work that he did, ending up with a nice 3.43 ERA and a 5-3 record, and he struck out almost twice as many hitters as he walked, but there is not much else to say.
Shane Mack
I remember reading some analysts calling this a potential steal. Mack played in Japan the prior season. He ended up with a nice batting line, but only played in 60 games due to injuries. He hit .315/.368/.438, but only hit three home runs and drove in 17.
Bret Saberhagen
The biggest name acquisition the Red Sox got coming into the season was former two-time Cy Young winner Saberhagen. But due to an injury the prior season, he was not able to make his debut with the Red Sox until very late in the season and only ended up pitching in six games the entire year. How's that for making people forget about Roger Clemens?
FAVORITE MIDSEASON ACQUISITIONS
Derek Lowe
Boston made one trade at the deadline, trading off closer Heathcliff Slocumb who was getting bombed a lot to the Mariners for Lowe and Jason Varitek. It was one of the greatest trades the team ever made, though neither player did much in 1997. Lowe ended up pitching in eight games out of the bullpen, taking two losses, but with a decent 3.38 ERA.
Jason Varitek
Varitek had one at-bat and singled.
FAVORITE ROOKIES
Nomar Garciaparra
Could it be any one else? This is one of the greatest rookie seasons ever. Garciaparra was the leadoff hitter in 1997 and ended up hitting .306/.342/.534 with 30 home runs, 98 RBIs (a leadoff hitter record), and 22 stolen bases. He lead the league in at-bats, hits, and triples and finished second in runs and total bases. It was an incredible rookie season that ended up with him winning Rookie of the Year unanimously. He was also the team's lone All Star.
Scott Hatteberg
Hatteberg actually had a somewhat impressive rookie season as well that was completely overshadowed by Nomar's incredible season. He ended the season taking over the starting catcher job from Bill Haselman by hitting .277/.354/.434 with ten home runs and 44 RBIs. He actually drew more walks than the dangerous Garciaparra, an ability that would serve him well in his career.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
Steve Avery
Like Saberhagen, Avery was a former star pitcher Boston picked up as a reclamation project. Avery was mostly healthy though, he was just really bad. The left-hander ended up going 6-7 with an awful 6.42 ERA and 51 strikeouts versus 49 walks in 95 innings. He also got paid a lot of money to do it, then managed to have his contract for 1998 vest, meaning Boston was stuck with him for another year.
Wil Cordero
Cordero had been moved to left field where his fielding was actually decent for the first time in his career and he was hitting relatively decently for awhile too, that is until he was arrested for domestic assault, then gave a thoroughly embarrassing interview about it. That was it for Cordero with the Red Sox. He did hit 18 home runs though, so there is that.
John Wasdin
Seriously, this is all Boston could get for Jose Canseco after a very good 1996? Wasdin was at least versatile, but he ended up with an ugly 4-6 record and a 4.40 ERA. He did pitch 124.1 innings and was used as a starter and reliever, even finishing ten games. His versatility was the lone good thing about him though. He coughed up 18 home runs, leading to the nickname "Way Back" Wasdin.
Robinson Checo
Another pitcher picked up on the cheap to help Boston fans forget Clemens. Checo had previously pitched in Japan and was expected to be a decent long-term investment. It did not work out that way. He ended up making it into only five games but did have a 3.38 ERA and struck out 14 in 13.1 innings. Unfortunately this was the high point of his career.
Rudy Pemberton
Like Dwayne Hosey in 1996, Pemberton came off an incredibly strong September the year before to win a starting outfield job. Also, like Hosey, he tanked. Pemberton was the starting right-fielder and ended up hitting .238/.314/.365 with two home runs in 27 games. He was done as a Major Leaguer.
Monday, March 18, 2013
My Top 15 Red Sox Starting Lineup Figures
I was pretty late to the Starting Lineup craze. I think the first time I picked one up was in 1997, just a few short years before they were discontinued. And of course by that time they were releasing fewer and fewer figures. When I discovered Ebay though I was able to go back and get a bunch of figures that I never was able to get before.
I liked the figures themselves, but it's the fact that they included cards that really sold them for me. I could add a card to my collection and display a figure.
So without further ado, these are my Top 15 Red Sox Starting Lineup figures.
15. PEDRO MARTINEZ (1999)
This was one of my most anticipated pieces. It was the first one of Pedro with the Red Sox. There is not much to the pose, but it was Pedro. And he was quickly becoming the greatest pitcher in the game. I have three pieces of Pedro. Always on the lookout for more.
14. MO VAUGHN (1998)
It is kind of a neat pose and it was a nice piece of one of my favorite players. But that is about all I really have to say about it.
13. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (2000)
It is really the pose that makes this one interesting. I am pretty sure there are others out there like it, but this is the only Red Sox one like it. It definitely stands out in my collection.
12. CARL YASTRZEMSKI (1998 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
This one made it this high because it was my first special edition SLU. The pose is kind of boring unfortunately but it is the only Yaz I have. He does have some other pieces in other special edition sets, but I have not gotten around to getting any of those.
11. JOHN VALENTIN (1996)
This one has a couple of things going for it, helping it to place so high. For one, this is the only John Valentin figure released by Kenner. Secondly, and most importantly, this was my very first SLU. The pose is not anything to write home about, but it was my first. I remember seeing it on the wall of a local card shop with a low price tag, and I decided to take the plunge.
10. SCOTT COOPER (1995)
Again, the pose is not all that interesting, but this was the only Scott Cooper figure issued. I remember hearing about its existence from a Beckett magazine, but I never actually saw it until I got on Ebay. What makes this one particularly interesting is that Cooper is not actually pictured on the card, instead it is Damon Berryhill.
9. MIKE GREENWELL (1989)
Much of the reason for this placement is the pose. I prefer the fielding poses personally over the hitting poses. There just is not all that much you can really do with the hitting poses. This is the only Greenwell figure I have, but I am aware of a few other figures in existence.
8. NICK ESASKY (1990)
Again, I love the pose on this one. Esasky stretching to make the catch from another infielder. This is the only Esasky SLU showing him in a Red Sox uniform, obviously since he only spent one year with the team. The only downside to this one is that one of the cards shows Esasky with the Reds. I would almost consider picking up the Todd Benzinger SLU just to switch the rookie year cards. Benzinger has the same pose.
7. WADE BOGGS (1990)
I have a couple of Boggs SLUs, he was my first favorite player after all. But this one is my favorite because of the fielding pose. The others all show him hitting. I also love the two cards along with it. This is one that I searched for for a long time. I almost bought it at the store when I bought the Valentin, but someone else grabbed it when I set it down for a moment. It was years before I saw it again.
6. CY YOUNG (2000 ALL CENTURY TEAM)
I do not have a lot of the special edition figures, but this Cy Young was one I had to add. I love the vintage uniform and the old-style glove and pitching pose. Plus, it's Cy Freaking Young. There actually are a couple of other Cy Young figures out there, but this is the only one I have managed to get.
5. TED WILLIAMS (1999 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
One of the other few special editions I have. I had to add one of the best hitter in Red Sox history. I do like this hitting pose and the uniform and card both look great here. Williams has another piece and one day I might pick it up. It has been awhile since I bought one.
4. ELLIS BURKS (1990)
Ellis Burks has some nice SLUs, but none of them come close to matching the awesomeness of this one. This is the only Red Sox SLU I have seen where the player is on the basepaths. That added to the fact that there are two cards included and you have a great piece.
3. BABE RUTH (1994 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
How could I possibly pass up The Babe in a Red Sox uniform? There just is no possible way to do it. Plus the great pose that I have never seen on another piece and of course the card. It's Babe Ruth, come on.
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998)
It is a great pose and also Nomar's very first SLU piece. This was a little expensive when it first came out, but my grandparents bought it for me for my birthday when I turned 17. It was a great gift.
1. LEE SMITH (1989)
I really do not know what it is about this one. The pose is not terribly exciting. Maybe it's the fact that it's Lee Smith, and maybe it's because there are no other Red Sox closers who had SLUs. I am a big fan of Smith's even though I never actually got to see him pitch for the Red Sox since I started watching the team the year after he was gone. He is one of those players I just try to pick up as much Red Sox stuff as possible. And this was definitely a goal.
I have just a couple of disappointments from these. One, they stopped making them. Two, Boston never got a catcher. There was a large team piece that had Rick Cerone, but no individual pieces. And I don't think the team piece had any cards. If it had gone longer, we might have gotten a Carlton Fisk Cooperstown collection or a Jason Varitek. It would have been nice if Tony Pena had gotten a piece, but no. So no catchers, and that is a shame. It also would have been nice if the Bruce Hurst figure had been released. Prototypes exist but are hard to find. That was the only southpaw SLU made for the Red Sox.
I liked the figures themselves, but it's the fact that they included cards that really sold them for me. I could add a card to my collection and display a figure.
So without further ado, these are my Top 15 Red Sox Starting Lineup figures.
15. PEDRO MARTINEZ (1999)
14. MO VAUGHN (1998)
13. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (2000)
12. CARL YASTRZEMSKI (1998 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
11. JOHN VALENTIN (1996)
10. SCOTT COOPER (1995)
9. MIKE GREENWELL (1989)
8. NICK ESASKY (1990)
7. WADE BOGGS (1990)
6. CY YOUNG (2000 ALL CENTURY TEAM)
5. TED WILLIAMS (1999 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
4. ELLIS BURKS (1990)
3. BABE RUTH (1994 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998)
1. LEE SMITH (1989)
I have just a couple of disappointments from these. One, they stopped making them. Two, Boston never got a catcher. There was a large team piece that had Rick Cerone, but no individual pieces. And I don't think the team piece had any cards. If it had gone longer, we might have gotten a Carlton Fisk Cooperstown collection or a Jason Varitek. It would have been nice if Tony Pena had gotten a piece, but no. So no catchers, and that is a shame. It also would have been nice if the Bruce Hurst figure had been released. Prototypes exist but are hard to find. That was the only southpaw SLU made for the Red Sox.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Hall of Fame Worthy? Pt. 14: Nomar Garciaparra
The Hall of Fame has inducted many players who were borderline choices, and many players who deserve induction have been on the outside looking in. I want to look at some players to determine if they deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA
Is Nomar Garciaparra a future Hall of Famer? I personally believe that he should merit induction, and it's not just because he was one of my favorite players when I was growing up. Garciaparra was easily one of the best hitting shortstops ever at his peak. He was also one of the best players in the game from 1997 through 2003. The downside is obvious, he really did not play particularly well from 2004 on to the end of his career, and he did not stick at shortstop.
Garciaparra came up at a time when the American League had three great young shortstops. Garciaparra was a great hitter at his peak and put out one of the all-time greatest rookie seasons. He won two batting titles in 1999 and 2000 and was a good bet to hit 25 home runs and drive in 100 runs every year. Pretty lofty numbers for a middle infielder.
During the seasons 1996 through 2004, when Garciaparra was playing for the Red Sox and was universally considered one of the greatest players in the game, he hit .323/.370/.553/.923. He also hit 178 home runs during that time.
Garciaparra did falter after being traded to the Cubs in 2004 and was never again the same hitter. He did hit 20 home runs for the Dodgers in 2006, but that was the only time after leaving Boston that he hit more than nine. It is this steep decline that makes his Hall of Fame candidacy questionable.
For his career, Garciaparra hit .313/.361/.521/.882, numbers that are better than his contemporary, Derek Jeter. However, Garciaparra had a shorter career and only spent the first nine seasons at shortstop. Will his status as one of the best shortstops in the game for those nine seasons be enough to put him in the Hall? It should, but looking at the voting record for players like Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker does not fill me with confidence.
THE VERDICT
I do think Nomar belongs in the Hall, but there are some serious issues with his candidacy.
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA
Is Nomar Garciaparra a future Hall of Famer? I personally believe that he should merit induction, and it's not just because he was one of my favorite players when I was growing up. Garciaparra was easily one of the best hitting shortstops ever at his peak. He was also one of the best players in the game from 1997 through 2003. The downside is obvious, he really did not play particularly well from 2004 on to the end of his career, and he did not stick at shortstop.
Garciaparra came up at a time when the American League had three great young shortstops. Garciaparra was a great hitter at his peak and put out one of the all-time greatest rookie seasons. He won two batting titles in 1999 and 2000 and was a good bet to hit 25 home runs and drive in 100 runs every year. Pretty lofty numbers for a middle infielder.
During the seasons 1996 through 2004, when Garciaparra was playing for the Red Sox and was universally considered one of the greatest players in the game, he hit .323/.370/.553/.923. He also hit 178 home runs during that time.
Garciaparra did falter after being traded to the Cubs in 2004 and was never again the same hitter. He did hit 20 home runs for the Dodgers in 2006, but that was the only time after leaving Boston that he hit more than nine. It is this steep decline that makes his Hall of Fame candidacy questionable.
For his career, Garciaparra hit .313/.361/.521/.882, numbers that are better than his contemporary, Derek Jeter. However, Garciaparra had a shorter career and only spent the first nine seasons at shortstop. Will his status as one of the best shortstops in the game for those nine seasons be enough to put him in the Hall? It should, but looking at the voting record for players like Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker does not fill me with confidence.
THE VERDICT
I do think Nomar belongs in the Hall, but there are some serious issues with his candidacy.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Feature: Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups
Link.
This is one of my favorite baseball books. I can spend a long time on any given day just pouring over it. Unfortunately, it's a little out of date. It was released during the 2003 season and some of the information is even a little older than that. That said, it is a valuable resource.
Well, I recently dug it back out and reviewed the Red Sox information. Since it may be awhile before it gets updated, if ever, I figure I will add to it. I also have a couple of minor quibbles that I wanted to touch on.
ALL-TIME TEAM
DH: Neyer listed Jim Rice. At this point, I think the All-Time DH has to be David Ortiz. The most obvious reason is that Ortiz has played nearly twice as many games as Rice at DH. Of course, Ortiz being a regular DH for his entire career with the Red Sox also means that he has had his best seasons at DH, compared to Rice. I do not even need to discuss stats here, it is just obvious that Ortiz has taken over here.
RP: Neyer listed Dick Radatz here and I will make the argument that with Jonathan Papelbons first five seasons as a closer, that he may be taking over, assuming he continues to pitch well. Last year was not a good year, but Radatz was not nearly as good his last couple of years either. Papelbon was still at least decent last year. Provided he is not traded or continues to decline, it may be time to put Papelbon in this spot.
NUMBER TWO TEAM
DH: Neyer listed Carl Yastrzemski. Since Jim Rice fell off the All-Time Team, he will push Yaz back a spot.
C: Neyer listed Wally Schang. Schang was a great catcher, but played for a short amount of time for the Red Sox. I would list Jason Varitek, who has the Red Sox all-time record for games by a catcher and has beaten Carlton Fisk's club record for home runs by a catcher. Fisk was a better all around hitter and better defender, but Varitek is reasonably close, at his peak.
2B: Neyer listed Pete Runnels. Runnels was a better contact hitter than Dustin Pedroia, but Pedroia is pretty great himself and is a better fielder. I think Pedroia takes over here, due in major part to his 2008 AL MVP.
RP: Neyer listed Ellis Kinder. If Papelbon dethrones Radatz on the All-Time Team, then Radatz moves to the No. 2 team and knocks Kinder down a spot.
SINGLE-SEASON TEAM
DH: Neyer listed Jim Rice 1977. Pick a David Ortiz season. I think I will go with 2006, when Ortiz hit 54 home runs and drove in 137 RBIs. His slash line was .287/.413/.636/1.049. 2005 and 2007 are also great choices.
RP: Neyer listed Ellis Kinder 1953. I am inclined to go with Jonathan Papelbon's 2006. 0.92 ERA. Rookie year. Enough said.
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
2B: Neyer listed Jody Reed 1988. Boston has not had a ton of great rookie second-basemen, but Pedroia did win the Rookie of the Year in 2008 and clearly deserved it. Automatically qualifies based on that.
SS: Neyer listed Johnny Pesky 1942. I have always considered this a bit of a mistake. Pesky had a great 1942, hitting .331 and leading the league in hits with 205. But Nomar Garciaparra also lead the league in hits in 1997, his rookie year, with 209. He also lead the league in triples and whereas his .306 average was not nearly as high as Pesky's, Garciaparra hit 30 home runs, drove in 98 runs, and stole 22 bases. Garciaparra's 1997 season was one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time, it should have been listed.
HOMEGROWN TEAM
2B: Neyer listed Jody Reed. For obvious reasons, Dustin Pedroia has taken over here.
RP: Neyer listed Sparky Lyle. I think Papelbon could eventually knock Lyle off the list. I am not sure he is there quite yet though.
TRADED AWAY TEAM
I do not have any changes to this team.
GOLD GLOVE TEAM
RF: Neyer picked Trot Nixon. I never agreed with this one either. I think Dwight Evans was one of the greatest defensive right fielders ever, and Nixon did not have nearly the arm strength Evans had. I think even Neyer has come to change his mind on this.
IRON GLOVE TEAM
I do not have any changes to this team.
ALL-BUST TEAM
C: Neyer listed Marc Sullivan. I am not sure Sullivan was a bust. He was never really expected to be a great player. John Marzano was selected in the first round of the 1984 draft, 14th overall, and never developed into even a regular catcher. Javy Lopez was brought in during the 2006 season to bring some stability to the position after Varitek went down with an injury and tanked. I think Marzano should be listed here because of the big expectations and near total letdown. Sorry Mr. Marzano. R.I.P.
CF: Neyer listed Carl Everett. I do not totally disagree, as Everett had a world of talent, but he was great in 2000. He was bad in 2001 and traded for Darren Oliver due to his personality clashes with management. However, Coco Crisp looked to be a big star when he was acquired and never came close to matching his expectations. At least Everett was great one year. Crisp was never even a good player for Boston, outstanding catches notwithstanding.
USED-TO-BE-GREAT
LF: Neyer listed Al Simmons. I have to go with Rickey Henderson here. Simmons was also a Hall of Famer, but Henderson was one of the greatest of all time.
ALL-NAME TEAM
2B: Neyer listed Pete Runnels, whose first name was really Thomas. Poor Runnels has been completely driven out of this book, because I am going with "Laser Show" Dustin Pedroia.
This is one of my favorite baseball books. I can spend a long time on any given day just pouring over it. Unfortunately, it's a little out of date. It was released during the 2003 season and some of the information is even a little older than that. That said, it is a valuable resource.
Well, I recently dug it back out and reviewed the Red Sox information. Since it may be awhile before it gets updated, if ever, I figure I will add to it. I also have a couple of minor quibbles that I wanted to touch on.
ALL-TIME TEAM
DH: Neyer listed Jim Rice. At this point, I think the All-Time DH has to be David Ortiz. The most obvious reason is that Ortiz has played nearly twice as many games as Rice at DH. Of course, Ortiz being a regular DH for his entire career with the Red Sox also means that he has had his best seasons at DH, compared to Rice. I do not even need to discuss stats here, it is just obvious that Ortiz has taken over here.
RP: Neyer listed Dick Radatz here and I will make the argument that with Jonathan Papelbons first five seasons as a closer, that he may be taking over, assuming he continues to pitch well. Last year was not a good year, but Radatz was not nearly as good his last couple of years either. Papelbon was still at least decent last year. Provided he is not traded or continues to decline, it may be time to put Papelbon in this spot.
NUMBER TWO TEAM
DH: Neyer listed Carl Yastrzemski. Since Jim Rice fell off the All-Time Team, he will push Yaz back a spot.
C: Neyer listed Wally Schang. Schang was a great catcher, but played for a short amount of time for the Red Sox. I would list Jason Varitek, who has the Red Sox all-time record for games by a catcher and has beaten Carlton Fisk's club record for home runs by a catcher. Fisk was a better all around hitter and better defender, but Varitek is reasonably close, at his peak.
2B: Neyer listed Pete Runnels. Runnels was a better contact hitter than Dustin Pedroia, but Pedroia is pretty great himself and is a better fielder. I think Pedroia takes over here, due in major part to his 2008 AL MVP.
RP: Neyer listed Ellis Kinder. If Papelbon dethrones Radatz on the All-Time Team, then Radatz moves to the No. 2 team and knocks Kinder down a spot.
SINGLE-SEASON TEAM
DH: Neyer listed Jim Rice 1977. Pick a David Ortiz season. I think I will go with 2006, when Ortiz hit 54 home runs and drove in 137 RBIs. His slash line was .287/.413/.636/1.049. 2005 and 2007 are also great choices.
RP: Neyer listed Ellis Kinder 1953. I am inclined to go with Jonathan Papelbon's 2006. 0.92 ERA. Rookie year. Enough said.
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
2B: Neyer listed Jody Reed 1988. Boston has not had a ton of great rookie second-basemen, but Pedroia did win the Rookie of the Year in 2008 and clearly deserved it. Automatically qualifies based on that.
SS: Neyer listed Johnny Pesky 1942. I have always considered this a bit of a mistake. Pesky had a great 1942, hitting .331 and leading the league in hits with 205. But Nomar Garciaparra also lead the league in hits in 1997, his rookie year, with 209. He also lead the league in triples and whereas his .306 average was not nearly as high as Pesky's, Garciaparra hit 30 home runs, drove in 98 runs, and stole 22 bases. Garciaparra's 1997 season was one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time, it should have been listed.
HOMEGROWN TEAM
2B: Neyer listed Jody Reed. For obvious reasons, Dustin Pedroia has taken over here.
RP: Neyer listed Sparky Lyle. I think Papelbon could eventually knock Lyle off the list. I am not sure he is there quite yet though.
TRADED AWAY TEAM
I do not have any changes to this team.
GOLD GLOVE TEAM
RF: Neyer picked Trot Nixon. I never agreed with this one either. I think Dwight Evans was one of the greatest defensive right fielders ever, and Nixon did not have nearly the arm strength Evans had. I think even Neyer has come to change his mind on this.
IRON GLOVE TEAM
I do not have any changes to this team.
ALL-BUST TEAM
C: Neyer listed Marc Sullivan. I am not sure Sullivan was a bust. He was never really expected to be a great player. John Marzano was selected in the first round of the 1984 draft, 14th overall, and never developed into even a regular catcher. Javy Lopez was brought in during the 2006 season to bring some stability to the position after Varitek went down with an injury and tanked. I think Marzano should be listed here because of the big expectations and near total letdown. Sorry Mr. Marzano. R.I.P.
CF: Neyer listed Carl Everett. I do not totally disagree, as Everett had a world of talent, but he was great in 2000. He was bad in 2001 and traded for Darren Oliver due to his personality clashes with management. However, Coco Crisp looked to be a big star when he was acquired and never came close to matching his expectations. At least Everett was great one year. Crisp was never even a good player for Boston, outstanding catches notwithstanding.
USED-TO-BE-GREAT
LF: Neyer listed Al Simmons. I have to go with Rickey Henderson here. Simmons was also a Hall of Famer, but Henderson was one of the greatest of all time.
ALL-NAME TEAM
2B: Neyer listed Pete Runnels, whose first name was really Thomas. Poor Runnels has been completely driven out of this book, because I am going with "Laser Show" Dustin Pedroia.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Baseball Card Spotlight: Food Issues
In the last couple of decades, food issues have been decreasing dramatically. There was a time when you could get baseball cards in virtually any product, from magazines to frozen pizzas to pop to cereal to dessert cakes, baseball cards were everywhere. Unfortunately, that time has passed for the most part.
Also unfortunately, I was never really all that much into baseball cards at the time that you could find them virtually anywhere. I do remember getting some cards from Tombstone pizzas and other places, but for the most part, I missed out on it.
However, for a couple of years in the early 2000's, food issues were back. These five cards in the above scan are the only Red Sox I remember getting as food issues. All of these were easier to pick up due to working at Target at the time.
2001 TOPPS POST PEDRO MARTINEZ
Two cards came in a box of Post cereal brands. Luckily, one of them could be seen in a cutout on the front of the box. So, I knew exactly which box of Honey Grahams to get to get my Pedro Martinez card. The other card was the player who stole the AL MVP from Pedro in 1999: Texas's Ivan Rodriguez.
2001 TOPPS CRACKER JACK PEDRO MARTINEZ
When I noticed that baseball cards could be found in Cracker Jack packages, I decided to try them out. Well, it's a good thing that I found out that I liked the caramel popcorn and peanuts because it was several packages before I finally found this Pedro Martinez card. I don't remember who else I went through, nor do I know where the hell the rest of my cards went.
2002 UPPER DECK TWIZZLERS NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (2)
You could see these cards somewhat through the packages of Twizzlers. So I went through packages to find the two that had these two different versions of Nomar Garciaparra cards. Each package only had one card.
2002 TOPPS CRACKER JACK PEDRO MARTINEZ
I think I found this in only the second or third package I opened. So, I lucked out this time. I don't know of any other food issues out there at this time. I hope one day they make it back, because it's such a good feeling to open up a food item and find a Red Sox card staring at me.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Favorite Pack Pulls: Non Game-Used/Autograph Edition
I wanted to start with this one. There is nothing quite like the feeling of finding an elusive Red Sox card in a pack, well at least when it comes to this hobby anyway. There are definitely better feelings out there in the world, but not within this hobby. Anyway, I'm rambling and hopefully my fiancee is not fuming mad right now.The feeling is even better when the card is an insert or a parallel. Those are often my favorite pulls. I have pulled a handful of game-used or autograph cards of the Red Sox, but not nearly as many as inserts and parallels. The game-used and autograph cards will get their own post at a later date. We are here today to talk about the inserts and parallels. Here, in chronological order, are my ten favorite inserts and parallels I have gotten in packs:
1. WADE BOGGS: 1992 DONRUSS DIAMOND KINGS
I have previously mentioned my affinity for Diamond Kings. This was the first year the Diamond Kings were an insert set, and not a part of the base set. This was the very first insert card I ever pulled. It was also in my first pack of 1992 Donruss. I also got the base card of Boggs in the same pack. THAT is a good pack.
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 1999 HOLOGRFX STARVIEW
This is just a cool looking card. It was also one of the first decently valuable Red Sox cards I had pulled from a pack. The pack only had three cards in it.
3. SANG-HOON LEE/TOMO OHKA: 2000 ULTRA GOLD MEDALLION
I remember being initially disappointed with this. I saw the back first after buying this pack at the same time that I bought a bunch of Red Sox singles, including the Lee/Ohka base card. I thought I was going to pull a double. It turns out this was the parallel version of the card I previously bought. Sigh of relief. The Red Sox efforts at scouting in Asian countries will be a topic soon, I promise.
4. PEDRO MARTINEZ/NOMAR GARCIAPARRA/TROY O'LEARY: 2000 PACIFIC DIAMOND LEADERS
Do I really need to discuss why this card was so cool to pull from a pack?
5. RICH GARCES: 1998 INVINCIBLE GEMS OF THE DIAMOND
I bought packs and packs and one box of this stuff looking for this card in particular. I was a big fan of Rich Garces during his time with the Sox. Look for a post on that too. Anyway, I finally pulled it in the retail box. Oddly, the Gems of the Diamond came four to a pack while the base cards only fell one to a pack.
6. ANASTACIO MARTINEZ: 2002 TOPPS CHROME TRADED REFRACTOR
To date, this is the only Red Sox refractor I have ever pulled from a pack.
7. JOHNNY DAMON: 2003 TOPPS 205 SOVEREIGN GREEN
I really like the Topp 205 sets, particularly the minis. I have pulled several decent minis. This is my favorite because it is a parallel to a parallel.
8. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2004 LEAF SECOND EDITION EXHIBITS 1939-1946 BEST WISHES RIGHT
These were odd cards. There were about 60 variations on this. Still, this is a pretty cool card, and it came from a retail blaster.
9. JAMIE BROWN: 2004 UPPER DECK ETCHINGS FUTURE ETCHINGS
Not really an insert or a parallel. This one gets mentioned because it is the only rookie serial-numbered short print I have pulled in a pack. It was also from an expensive pack that I only bought one of. Getting a good Red Sox pull usually means I do not continue to try my luck.
10. CARL YASTRZEMSKI: 2005 STUDIO THROWBACK THREADS SEPIA
Similar to #8 above. There were lots of variations in this. I pulled it from a hobby box. It is also the lowest serial-numbered Red Sox card I have ever pulled from a pack.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
CARLOS QUINTANA: 1993 PACIFIC JUGADORES CALIENTES
Only an honorable mention because I got it in a blister pack and it was showing on the front of the packaging, so I knew I would be getting it. That takes out a little bit of the surprise.
PEDRO MARTINEZ: 2000 INVINCIBLE ACES OF THE DIAMOND
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2000 INVINCIBLE KINGS OF THE DIAMOND
Two cards from the same pack. There was only one other card in the pack. THAT is a great pack.
1. WADE BOGGS: 1992 DONRUSS DIAMOND KINGSI have previously mentioned my affinity for Diamond Kings. This was the first year the Diamond Kings were an insert set, and not a part of the base set. This was the very first insert card I ever pulled. It was also in my first pack of 1992 Donruss. I also got the base card of Boggs in the same pack. THAT is a good pack.
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 1999 HOLOGRFX STARVIEW
This is just a cool looking card. It was also one of the first decently valuable Red Sox cards I had pulled from a pack. The pack only had three cards in it.
3. SANG-HOON LEE/TOMO OHKA: 2000 ULTRA GOLD MEDALLION
I remember being initially disappointed with this. I saw the back first after buying this pack at the same time that I bought a bunch of Red Sox singles, including the Lee/Ohka base card. I thought I was going to pull a double. It turns out this was the parallel version of the card I previously bought. Sigh of relief. The Red Sox efforts at scouting in Asian countries will be a topic soon, I promise.
4. PEDRO MARTINEZ/NOMAR GARCIAPARRA/TROY O'LEARY: 2000 PACIFIC DIAMOND LEADERS
Do I really need to discuss why this card was so cool to pull from a pack?
5. RICH GARCES: 1998 INVINCIBLE GEMS OF THE DIAMOND
I bought packs and packs and one box of this stuff looking for this card in particular. I was a big fan of Rich Garces during his time with the Sox. Look for a post on that too. Anyway, I finally pulled it in the retail box. Oddly, the Gems of the Diamond came four to a pack while the base cards only fell one to a pack.
6. ANASTACIO MARTINEZ: 2002 TOPPS CHROME TRADED REFRACTOR
To date, this is the only Red Sox refractor I have ever pulled from a pack.
7. JOHNNY DAMON: 2003 TOPPS 205 SOVEREIGN GREEN
I really like the Topp 205 sets, particularly the minis. I have pulled several decent minis. This is my favorite because it is a parallel to a parallel.
8. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2004 LEAF SECOND EDITION EXHIBITS 1939-1946 BEST WISHES RIGHT
These were odd cards. There were about 60 variations on this. Still, this is a pretty cool card, and it came from a retail blaster.
9. JAMIE BROWN: 2004 UPPER DECK ETCHINGS FUTURE ETCHINGS
Not really an insert or a parallel. This one gets mentioned because it is the only rookie serial-numbered short print I have pulled in a pack. It was also from an expensive pack that I only bought one of. Getting a good Red Sox pull usually means I do not continue to try my luck.
10. CARL YASTRZEMSKI: 2005 STUDIO THROWBACK THREADS SEPIA
Similar to #8 above. There were lots of variations in this. I pulled it from a hobby box. It is also the lowest serial-numbered Red Sox card I have ever pulled from a pack.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:CARLOS QUINTANA: 1993 PACIFIC JUGADORES CALIENTES
Only an honorable mention because I got it in a blister pack and it was showing on the front of the packaging, so I knew I would be getting it. That takes out a little bit of the surprise.
PEDRO MARTINEZ: 2000 INVINCIBLE ACES OF THE DIAMOND
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2000 INVINCIBLE KINGS OF THE DIAMOND
Two cards from the same pack. There was only one other card in the pack. THAT is a great pack.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Baseball Card Spotlight: Pacific Brands
Pacific lasted, as a major trading card company, about eight years from 1993 to 2001. The company had released sets since the 1960's, but only in the 1990's did it become a major brand. It was never one of the major companies, and, as such, had to do something in order to keep going. Pacific is one of the brands primarily responsible for multiple different parallel sets to make player and team collecting a bit more of a challenge.
Of course, the brand had its own niche market, and that is part of the reason I enjoyed it. Pacific focused on marketing to the Latin American community and featured Spanish language on its cards and printed cards of Latin players. Many of these players were not regulars and did not get cards in other sets. This was why I liked the cards. As a team collector, I enjoy getting cards of as many players as I possibly can. By the mid 90's, sets were not as large on average, so only a handful of players had cards. Pacific was a company that would put out cards of these lesser players.
Let's look at just some of the Red Sox players I would not own cards of, if not for Pacific:
Sergio Valdez (1995 Pacific Crown Collection)
Esteban Beltre (1997 Pacific Crown Collection)
Alex Delgado (1997 Pacific Crown Collection)
Mike Benjamin (1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Jesus Tavarez (1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Jim Corsi (1998 Online)
Butch Henry (1998 Online, 1998 Pacific Crown Collection Silver)
Mark Lemke (1998 Online)
Brian Shouse (1998 Omega Rising Stars, 1998 Online)
Midre Cummings (2001 Pacific)
...and some other players who would be much rarer:
Jose Melendez (1993 Pacific, 1994-1995 Pacific Crown Collection)
Carlos Rodriguez (1995 Pacific Crown Collection, 1995 Pacific Prisms)
Rich Garces (1997-1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond, 1998 Online)
Bill Haselman (1997 Invincible Gems of the Diamond, 1998 Pacific Crown Collection)
Mike Maddux (1997 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Shane Mack (1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Damon Buford (1998 Online)
Pat Rapp (2000 Pacific, 2000 Pacific Gold)
Pacific also had some nice inserts, such as the In The Cage inserts.
And, of course the parallels, such as the 2000 Prism series.
So, I was a pretty big fan for awhile.
Of course, the brand had its own niche market, and that is part of the reason I enjoyed it. Pacific focused on marketing to the Latin American community and featured Spanish language on its cards and printed cards of Latin players. Many of these players were not regulars and did not get cards in other sets. This was why I liked the cards. As a team collector, I enjoy getting cards of as many players as I possibly can. By the mid 90's, sets were not as large on average, so only a handful of players had cards. Pacific was a company that would put out cards of these lesser players.
Let's look at just some of the Red Sox players I would not own cards of, if not for Pacific:
Sergio Valdez (1995 Pacific Crown Collection)
Esteban Beltre (1997 Pacific Crown Collection)
Alex Delgado (1997 Pacific Crown Collection)
Mike Benjamin (1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Jesus Tavarez (1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Jim Corsi (1998 Online)
Butch Henry (1998 Online, 1998 Pacific Crown Collection Silver)
Mark Lemke (1998 Online)Brian Shouse (1998 Omega Rising Stars, 1998 Online)
Midre Cummings (2001 Pacific)
...and some other players who would be much rarer:
Jose Melendez (1993 Pacific, 1994-1995 Pacific Crown Collection)
Carlos Rodriguez (1995 Pacific Crown Collection, 1995 Pacific Prisms)
Rich Garces (1997-1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond, 1998 Online)
Bill Haselman (1997 Invincible Gems of the Diamond, 1998 Pacific Crown Collection)Mike Maddux (1997 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Shane Mack (1998 Invincible Gems of the Diamond)
Damon Buford (1998 Online)
Pat Rapp (2000 Pacific, 2000 Pacific Gold)
Pacific also had some nice inserts, such as the In The Cage inserts.
And, of course the parallels, such as the 2000 Prism series.
So, I was a pretty big fan for awhile.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Boxscore: August 9, 1999 Red Sox vs. Royals
August 9, 1999.
This was the third Red Sox game I attended and, like the previous two, this was also in Kansas City. The Royals seemed to have Boston's number at times, and they won this game as well, 5-2. The Red Sox apparently could not do anything against former Sox prospect Jeff Suppan. It did not really help that they had Mark Portugal on the mound who was suffering through a terrible season. Portugal did pitch six decent innings this time out though, giving up all five runs, four were earned and struck out one and walked one. Jermaine Dye hit two home runs off of Portugal in the game.
Well, le's start with the good things that happened in this game, and there were not very many. Trot Nixon and Troy O'Leary each hit home runs, of course no one was on base when they did. Brian Daubach and Reggie Jefferson both hit triples. And that was all the hits Boston had. Pretty weird when a team only has four hits, two of which were triples, and two were home runs. Jose Offerman, Darren Lewis, and Nomar Garciaparra each reached base on walks. Lewis threw out a runner at second. Bryce Florie only gave up two hits in two innings of relief and struck out one.
Other than that, Jason Varitek and Donnie Sadler were the other players to play in the game, neither of whom did much. Most of the Royals offense was supplied by Dye, but Johnny Damon had three hits and drove in a run, and Mike Sweeney drove in the other run. Just another failed Red Sox/Royals game.
This was the third Red Sox game I attended and, like the previous two, this was also in Kansas City. The Royals seemed to have Boston's number at times, and they won this game as well, 5-2. The Red Sox apparently could not do anything against former Sox prospect Jeff Suppan. It did not really help that they had Mark Portugal on the mound who was suffering through a terrible season. Portugal did pitch six decent innings this time out though, giving up all five runs, four were earned and struck out one and walked one. Jermaine Dye hit two home runs off of Portugal in the game.
Well, le's start with the good things that happened in this game, and there were not very many. Trot Nixon and Troy O'Leary each hit home runs, of course no one was on base when they did. Brian Daubach and Reggie Jefferson both hit triples. And that was all the hits Boston had. Pretty weird when a team only has four hits, two of which were triples, and two were home runs. Jose Offerman, Darren Lewis, and Nomar Garciaparra each reached base on walks. Lewis threw out a runner at second. Bryce Florie only gave up two hits in two innings of relief and struck out one.
Other than that, Jason Varitek and Donnie Sadler were the other players to play in the game, neither of whom did much. Most of the Royals offense was supplied by Dye, but Johnny Damon had three hits and drove in a run, and Mike Sweeney drove in the other run. Just another failed Red Sox/Royals game.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
20/20 Seasons for the Red Sox
As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been very interested in years where players exhibit power and speed. Obviously 40/40 and 30/30 seasons would be ideal here, but the Red Sox have never had one. So we'll have to settle for 20/20 and see how close the players came to the more elite groups. The Red Sox have had six 20/20 seasons in their history. Only one player has done it twice.
Nomar Garciaparra (1997): 30 home runs, 22 stolen bases. Further demonstrating how amazing his rookie season really was. Truly one of the best all-around seasons for a rookie ever. Too bad he could not stay healthy later on.
John Valentin (1995): 27 home runs, 20 stolen bases. I said it before, this was a great season that everyone somehow forgot about.
Ellis Burks (1987): 20 home runs, 27 stolen bases. Another player in his rookie year. Burks was not nearly the equal of Garciaparra at the plate though and the team eventually grew tired of his inability to perform up to his talent, which of course he finally achieved after leaving as a free agent.
Carl Yastrzemski (1970): 40 home runs, 23 stolen bases. A bit of a fluke, Yaz had decent speed, but never stole more than 13 in any other season.
Jackie Jensen (1959): 28 home runs, 20 stolen bases. See below.
Jackie Jensen (1954): 25 home runs, 22 stolen bases. Jensen is not a well-remembered player for some reason but he was an excellent all-around player in the 1950's. He retired too soon however. He was just 34 when he hung it up for good, and still a good player, but his fear of flying became too much for him to keep going. Jensen was the AL MVP in 1958, a three time All Star, and won a Gold Glove. If he could have tackled his fears, he could have been in the Hall of Fame. Who knows?
So yes, Jackie Jensen was the only Red Sox player to have two 20/20 seasons. I expect Dustin Pedroia to join this list soon, and it could have been this year, if he had not been lost to injury. Prior to going down with injury in June, Pedroia had 12 home runs and 9 stolen bases, he stole 20 each of the last two seasons. His career high so far in home runs is 17, but he looked to be well on his way to passing that this year.
I would love to see a 30/30 season in Boston.
Nomar Garciaparra (1997): 30 home runs, 22 stolen bases. Further demonstrating how amazing his rookie season really was. Truly one of the best all-around seasons for a rookie ever. Too bad he could not stay healthy later on.
John Valentin (1995): 27 home runs, 20 stolen bases. I said it before, this was a great season that everyone somehow forgot about.
Ellis Burks (1987): 20 home runs, 27 stolen bases. Another player in his rookie year. Burks was not nearly the equal of Garciaparra at the plate though and the team eventually grew tired of his inability to perform up to his talent, which of course he finally achieved after leaving as a free agent.
Carl Yastrzemski (1970): 40 home runs, 23 stolen bases. A bit of a fluke, Yaz had decent speed, but never stole more than 13 in any other season.
Jackie Jensen (1959): 28 home runs, 20 stolen bases. See below.
Jackie Jensen (1954): 25 home runs, 22 stolen bases. Jensen is not a well-remembered player for some reason but he was an excellent all-around player in the 1950's. He retired too soon however. He was just 34 when he hung it up for good, and still a good player, but his fear of flying became too much for him to keep going. Jensen was the AL MVP in 1958, a three time All Star, and won a Gold Glove. If he could have tackled his fears, he could have been in the Hall of Fame. Who knows?
So yes, Jackie Jensen was the only Red Sox player to have two 20/20 seasons. I expect Dustin Pedroia to join this list soon, and it could have been this year, if he had not been lost to injury. Prior to going down with injury in June, Pedroia had 12 home runs and 9 stolen bases, he stole 20 each of the last two seasons. His career high so far in home runs is 17, but he looked to be well on his way to passing that this year.
I would love to see a 30/30 season in Boston.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Evolution of My Favorite Players
I became a fan of the Red Sox when I was about ten years old. Since that time, I have had five favorite players. My favorite player changes when the player leaves the team. Unfortunately, in baseball today there is not a lot of loyalty. That does not mean that it was always the player's fault in leaving, sour relationships with management have often lead to them leaving. That's one of the frustrating things about baseball sometimes. It is a business, and the Red Sox are run like a business.
WADE BOGGS (1991-1992)
My first favorite player was the Red Sox third-baseman. I am not exactly sure what made me decide Boggs was mu favorite player. He was a phenomenal hitter, but he was mostly a singles hitter. Boggs was often criticized for caring too much about his own statistics and not enough about the team. I am not sure that is true, I recall vividly seeing video of him crying in the dugout after the Red Sox lost the 1986 World Series. Nevertheless, Boggs did not have much power, but was one of the best contact hitters in the game and was extremely adept at taking a walk, leading to astronomical on-base percentages. He did not have much power, but was decent in the field after some conditioning. Boggs suffered through a miserable 1992 and was stolen away from the Red Sox by the Yankees (one of my early memories of despising the Yankees). It did not seem Red Sox management was terribly interested in bringing him back though, he was never very popular in Boston, and they handed the job off to Scott Cooper, who was an All Star the next two years, albeit undeservedly.
ROGER CLEMENS (1992-1996)
Roger Clemens inherited the favorite player position after Boggs left for pretty obvious reasons. He was the longest tenured player and biggest name on the team. Even before Boggs left, Clemens was the star of the team. One of the best pitchers in the game, not only in his generation, but all-time. Clemens was a three-time Cy Young Award winner and could have won a couple more by that point. He already looked well on his way to Cooperstown. Of course, Clemens had a couple of subpar years, suffering through injuries and ineffectiveness. By the end of 1996, he looked to be back to his old self and even capped the season off with a 20 strikeout game, tying his own record set ten years earlier. Of course, Boston's GM refused to meet Clemens on his contract demands and stated that he was in the twilight of his career. Clemens signed with Toronto as a free agent for the 1997 and promptly won the Cy Young Award each of the next two years.
MO VAUGHN (1996-1998)
Mo Vaughn became the big name player on the team after Clemens left. A larger-than-life figure, Vaughn was a beast of a player with tremendous power, great contact hitting ability, and the ability to take a walk. Vaughn had lead the team in home runs and runs batted in each of the seasons since 1992. He won the American League MVP in 1995, although he did not really deserve it. As big as his bat was, Vaughn's heart was even bigger. He was the emotional core of the team and he engaged in a lot of charity work in the offseasons. The big burly first baseman himself looked to be headed to Cooperstown, but he did not age well after leaving Boston. He left after then GM Dan Duquette insulted him with a low offer. Vaughn went off to play for the Angels.
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998-2004)
Vaughn's replacement was also already on the roster. Garciaparra came on strong with a magnificent rookie season and then followed that up with an even better year in 1998. Garciaparra had good power, better ability to hit for contact and was one of the better all-around players the Red Sox had ever produced. The shortstop was not great defensively, but had a knack for making spectacular plays on occasion. His throwing arm was one of the best at the position. Garciaparra also had decent speed. He would go on to win the batting title in 1999 and 2000, even flirting with the magic .400 number late into summer in 2000. However, in 2001, injuries started taking their toll. He never again hit for the ridiculously high batting averages of 1999 and 2000, but his power did come back. Garciaparra also began sulking in 2004 after he was part of a rumored trade to Chicago for Magglio Ordonez, if the Red Sox managed to trade Manny Ramirez to Texas for Alex Rodriguez. He did not play much in 2004, citing ankle injuries and was traded to the Cubs at midseason in a four-team deal that brought Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins and Orlando Cabrera from the Expos to the Red Sox.
JASON VARITEK (2004-present)
Jason Varitek quickly became my new favorite player. Although not the dynamic offensive player that some of his peers were, Varitek still had very good power and was a fine defensive catcher. I always liked catchers and it was good to see the Red Sox finally had a good one long-term. Varitek had already been an All Star in 2003 and finally looked to be living up to his expectations after having some injury problems early on. 2003-2005 were great years for the catcher, as he was named the starter on the 2005 All Star team, and won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. He was brought back to Boston as a free agent after the 2004 season and was named the team captain, wearing a "C" on his jersey from that point on. Varitek's leadership skills and work with the pitching staff remains top-notch even as his offensive abilities have diminished. Varitek even took to being relegated to backup duty this past year graciously, continuing to show the characteristics of strong leadership and a team-first attitude that he has become synonymous with. Varitek is a free agent this year. I am worried that he may not be back next year, if that does occur, I am not sure who will take his place as my favorite player.
WADE BOGGS (1991-1992)My first favorite player was the Red Sox third-baseman. I am not exactly sure what made me decide Boggs was mu favorite player. He was a phenomenal hitter, but he was mostly a singles hitter. Boggs was often criticized for caring too much about his own statistics and not enough about the team. I am not sure that is true, I recall vividly seeing video of him crying in the dugout after the Red Sox lost the 1986 World Series. Nevertheless, Boggs did not have much power, but was one of the best contact hitters in the game and was extremely adept at taking a walk, leading to astronomical on-base percentages. He did not have much power, but was decent in the field after some conditioning. Boggs suffered through a miserable 1992 and was stolen away from the Red Sox by the Yankees (one of my early memories of despising the Yankees). It did not seem Red Sox management was terribly interested in bringing him back though, he was never very popular in Boston, and they handed the job off to Scott Cooper, who was an All Star the next two years, albeit undeservedly.
ROGER CLEMENS (1992-1996)Roger Clemens inherited the favorite player position after Boggs left for pretty obvious reasons. He was the longest tenured player and biggest name on the team. Even before Boggs left, Clemens was the star of the team. One of the best pitchers in the game, not only in his generation, but all-time. Clemens was a three-time Cy Young Award winner and could have won a couple more by that point. He already looked well on his way to Cooperstown. Of course, Clemens had a couple of subpar years, suffering through injuries and ineffectiveness. By the end of 1996, he looked to be back to his old self and even capped the season off with a 20 strikeout game, tying his own record set ten years earlier. Of course, Boston's GM refused to meet Clemens on his contract demands and stated that he was in the twilight of his career. Clemens signed with Toronto as a free agent for the 1997 and promptly won the Cy Young Award each of the next two years.
MO VAUGHN (1996-1998)Mo Vaughn became the big name player on the team after Clemens left. A larger-than-life figure, Vaughn was a beast of a player with tremendous power, great contact hitting ability, and the ability to take a walk. Vaughn had lead the team in home runs and runs batted in each of the seasons since 1992. He won the American League MVP in 1995, although he did not really deserve it. As big as his bat was, Vaughn's heart was even bigger. He was the emotional core of the team and he engaged in a lot of charity work in the offseasons. The big burly first baseman himself looked to be headed to Cooperstown, but he did not age well after leaving Boston. He left after then GM Dan Duquette insulted him with a low offer. Vaughn went off to play for the Angels.
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998-2004)Vaughn's replacement was also already on the roster. Garciaparra came on strong with a magnificent rookie season and then followed that up with an even better year in 1998. Garciaparra had good power, better ability to hit for contact and was one of the better all-around players the Red Sox had ever produced. The shortstop was not great defensively, but had a knack for making spectacular plays on occasion. His throwing arm was one of the best at the position. Garciaparra also had decent speed. He would go on to win the batting title in 1999 and 2000, even flirting with the magic .400 number late into summer in 2000. However, in 2001, injuries started taking their toll. He never again hit for the ridiculously high batting averages of 1999 and 2000, but his power did come back. Garciaparra also began sulking in 2004 after he was part of a rumored trade to Chicago for Magglio Ordonez, if the Red Sox managed to trade Manny Ramirez to Texas for Alex Rodriguez. He did not play much in 2004, citing ankle injuries and was traded to the Cubs at midseason in a four-team deal that brought Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins and Orlando Cabrera from the Expos to the Red Sox.
JASON VARITEK (2004-present)Jason Varitek quickly became my new favorite player. Although not the dynamic offensive player that some of his peers were, Varitek still had very good power and was a fine defensive catcher. I always liked catchers and it was good to see the Red Sox finally had a good one long-term. Varitek had already been an All Star in 2003 and finally looked to be living up to his expectations after having some injury problems early on. 2003-2005 were great years for the catcher, as he was named the starter on the 2005 All Star team, and won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. He was brought back to Boston as a free agent after the 2004 season and was named the team captain, wearing a "C" on his jersey from that point on. Varitek's leadership skills and work with the pitching staff remains top-notch even as his offensive abilities have diminished. Varitek even took to being relegated to backup duty this past year graciously, continuing to show the characteristics of strong leadership and a team-first attitude that he has become synonymous with. Varitek is a free agent this year. I am worried that he may not be back next year, if that does occur, I am not sure who will take his place as my favorite player.
10-10-10-10 Seasons in Red Sox History
I was curious about some of the big power/speed seasons in Red Sox history, I will have a post about 20/20 seasons soon (Boston has not had a 30/30 season), so I did some more research. Today however, I was more interested in how many players have had a season in which they had ten or more doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen bases. The triples part is the hard part. You have to have decent power to drive the ball and speed in order to move all the way to third base. So, I formulated a hypothesis as to which players I would see and then did the research.
First Trivia: There are two players that had two such seasons. Who are they?
My hypothesis: I expected to see Nomar Garciaparra, Jackie Jensen, one of the three of Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, or Johnny Pesky, Tris Speaker, and at least one other Dead Ball Era player.
The Results:
Nomar Garciaparra (2003): 37 doubles, 13 triples, 28 home runs, 19 stolen bases.
Johnny Damon (2002): 34 doubles, 11 triples, 14 home runs, 31 stolen bases.
Nomar Garciaparra (1997): 44 doubles, 11 triples, 30 home runs, 22 stolen bases. And it was his rookie year.
Jackie Jensen (1956): 23 doubles, 11 triples, 20 home runs, 11 stolen bases.
Bobby Doerr (1940): 37 doubles, 10 triples, 22 home runs, 10 stolen bases.
Billy Werber (1934): 41 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 40 stolen bases. Largely forgotten great player in the 1930's.
Tris Speaker (1912): 53 doubles, 12 triples, 10 home runs, 52 stolen bases.
Jake Stahl (1910): 19 doubles, 16 triples, 10 home runs, 22 stolen bases. Ah, the Dead Ball Era.
Buck Freeman (1902): 38 doubles, 19 triples, 11 home runs, 17 stolen bases.
Buck Freeman (1901): 23 doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, 17 stolen bases.
Trivia Answer: As you can see both Nomar Garciaparra and Buck Freeman did it twice.
Results: It's pretty rare to see these seasons. Most players do not hit a lot of triples. It's weird that there were four seasons in the first twenty years of the franchise's existence, then after 1956, there was not another one for over forty years. Garciaparra was an incredible player in his rookie season. My hypothesis was correct, although I did not guess that it would be 1956 that Jensen did it. Also, I was surprised that Doerr was the only player who did it. Pesky did not have much power, but I thought he may have hit ten home runs. I am very surprised that DiMaggio did not do it. Four Dead Ball Era players is surprising.
First Trivia: There are two players that had two such seasons. Who are they?
My hypothesis: I expected to see Nomar Garciaparra, Jackie Jensen, one of the three of Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, or Johnny Pesky, Tris Speaker, and at least one other Dead Ball Era player.
The Results:
Nomar Garciaparra (2003): 37 doubles, 13 triples, 28 home runs, 19 stolen bases.
Johnny Damon (2002): 34 doubles, 11 triples, 14 home runs, 31 stolen bases.
Nomar Garciaparra (1997): 44 doubles, 11 triples, 30 home runs, 22 stolen bases. And it was his rookie year.
Jackie Jensen (1956): 23 doubles, 11 triples, 20 home runs, 11 stolen bases.
Bobby Doerr (1940): 37 doubles, 10 triples, 22 home runs, 10 stolen bases.
Billy Werber (1934): 41 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 40 stolen bases. Largely forgotten great player in the 1930's.
Tris Speaker (1912): 53 doubles, 12 triples, 10 home runs, 52 stolen bases.
Jake Stahl (1910): 19 doubles, 16 triples, 10 home runs, 22 stolen bases. Ah, the Dead Ball Era.
Buck Freeman (1902): 38 doubles, 19 triples, 11 home runs, 17 stolen bases.
Buck Freeman (1901): 23 doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, 17 stolen bases.
Trivia Answer: As you can see both Nomar Garciaparra and Buck Freeman did it twice.
Results: It's pretty rare to see these seasons. Most players do not hit a lot of triples. It's weird that there were four seasons in the first twenty years of the franchise's existence, then after 1956, there was not another one for over forty years. Garciaparra was an incredible player in his rookie season. My hypothesis was correct, although I did not guess that it would be 1956 that Jensen did it. Also, I was surprised that Doerr was the only player who did it. Pesky did not have much power, but I thought he may have hit ten home runs. I am very surprised that DiMaggio did not do it. Four Dead Ball Era players is surprising.
Monday, October 25, 2010
My Second Red Sox Game
This was my second Red Sox game. On May 10, 1998, my parents, my friend and I went to Kansas City once again to see the Red Sox take on the Royals. This one went much better as the Red Sox won 3-1.
Tim Wakefield started the game and was great. He had a no-hitter going for a few innings and ended up pitching almost the entire game. Tom Gordon got the save for getting one out at the end. Wakefield struck out five and gave up only two hits.
This game is notable as Jason Varitek hit his first ever major league home run in the game, a two run shot in the fifth inning. Also, this was the major league debut of Boston fan favorite Lou Merloni, who came in to fill in for the injured Nomar Garciaparra. Mike Benjamin drove in the other run on a sacrifice. Damon Buford hit a triple in the game and scored a run. Mo Vaughn and Darren Lewis each had a single in the game.
On the downside, the only Royals run scored in the ninth and helped chase Wakefield. John Valentin had an error and Lewis was caught stealing. Valentin, Merloni, Troy O'Leary, and Jim Leyritz all went without a hit.
Tim Wakefield started the game and was great. He had a no-hitter going for a few innings and ended up pitching almost the entire game. Tom Gordon got the save for getting one out at the end. Wakefield struck out five and gave up only two hits.
This game is notable as Jason Varitek hit his first ever major league home run in the game, a two run shot in the fifth inning. Also, this was the major league debut of Boston fan favorite Lou Merloni, who came in to fill in for the injured Nomar Garciaparra. Mike Benjamin drove in the other run on a sacrifice. Damon Buford hit a triple in the game and scored a run. Mo Vaughn and Darren Lewis each had a single in the game.
On the downside, the only Royals run scored in the ninth and helped chase Wakefield. John Valentin had an error and Lewis was caught stealing. Valentin, Merloni, Troy O'Leary, and Jim Leyritz all went without a hit.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Underrated Seasons: John Valentin 1995
Pb1H!BGk~%24(KGrHqZ,!j!Ev1%2B0GyWZBMMnWOrteQ~~_12.jpg)
In 1995, a Boston Red Sox player won the MVP. That is the way it should have been, but the wrong player was the winner. Controversial theory: John Valentin should have been the 1995 AL MVP. Instead, he finished ninth.
I have seen arguments for Albert Belle and Edgar Martinez over Vaughn, but I have not often seen an argument for Valentin, who is a better candidate than all three of them.
My evidence: John Valentin's Major League-leading 8.5 WAR (Wins Above Replacement). He didn't just lead the league that year, he had a higher WAR than any National Leaguer, including NL leader Barry Bonds. That's crazy.
Valentin was a highly effective hitter in 1995 and a great all-around player. He scored 108 times, with 27 home runs, 103 runs batted in, 20 stolen bases, a .298 batting average, .399 on base percentage, and a .533 slugging percentage, for an on base plus slugging of .931. On top of that, he played a sterling shortstop. He did commit more errors than other shortstops, but that was more of a function of his range and having the hopeless Mo Vaughn at first base to take throws. Valentin was also one of the few Red Sox who did much of anything in the postseason, hitting one home run and one double against Cleveland.
The most amazing thing is that you do not hear much about this season when talks turn to great seasons by shortstops. That's because Valentin's season came just before Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Derek Jeter started having historic seasons at shortstop. It's a shame, because Valentin really was incredible in 1995. He did win the Silver Slugger, but he deserved so much more.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Unknown Heroes
I have a feeling there may not be a ton of posts on here until next season starts. This post is just a preview. When I became a fan of the Red Sox, I tended to root for the lesser-known players. Don't get me wrong, my favorite players were usually superstars. Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Mo Vaughn, and Nomar Garciaparra have all been favorite players, but after Nomar was traded, my favorite player became Jason Varitek and he remains my favorite today. Mixed with the stars though, I have been big fans of less well-known players, not players in the second tier like Mike Greenwell, Ellis Burks, John Valentin, and others, but players even below that. I will have a series that I will start which will introduce some of these players that I came to really enjoy watching, for sometimes inexplicable reasons.
Monday, October 18, 2010
My First Red Sox Game
I went to my first Red Sox game in Kansas City in 1997 on August 2nd. Unfortunately, the team was not particularly good in 1997.
Aaron Sele started the game and he was going through a ridiculously uneven year. You never knew which Aaron Sele you were going to get on any given day. Unfortunately, the bad Aaron Sele showed up at this game and he lasted less than three innings. He was relieved by Mark Brandenburg, Butch Henry, Kerry Lacy, and Ron Mahay, none of whom were terribly impressive or lasted long with the Red Sox.
Looking back at this box score, one thing really strikes me. I had no idea Shane Mack stayed with the Red Sox as long as he did. He was in this game, although he didn't do much. Nomar Garciaparra, Darren Bragg, and Mike Benjamin all had multi-hit games. Benjamin and Reggie Jefferson each hit doubles, and the runs were all driven in by Jefferson and Mike Stanley, towards the end of his tenure with the Sox. Mike Benjamin committed two errors.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
I remember seeing Tom Gordon playing long toss before the game, and it was not long before he was converted into a reliever.
Wil Cordero took some abuse from the crowd as this was soon after he was arrested for domestic abuse.
Walt McKeel, Jesus Tavarez, Troy O'Leary, and Jeff Frye all saw some action as well.
Aaron Sele started the game and he was going through a ridiculously uneven year. You never knew which Aaron Sele you were going to get on any given day. Unfortunately, the bad Aaron Sele showed up at this game and he lasted less than three innings. He was relieved by Mark Brandenburg, Butch Henry, Kerry Lacy, and Ron Mahay, none of whom were terribly impressive or lasted long with the Red Sox.
Looking back at this box score, one thing really strikes me. I had no idea Shane Mack stayed with the Red Sox as long as he did. He was in this game, although he didn't do much. Nomar Garciaparra, Darren Bragg, and Mike Benjamin all had multi-hit games. Benjamin and Reggie Jefferson each hit doubles, and the runs were all driven in by Jefferson and Mike Stanley, towards the end of his tenure with the Sox. Mike Benjamin committed two errors.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
I remember seeing Tom Gordon playing long toss before the game, and it was not long before he was converted into a reliever.
Wil Cordero took some abuse from the crowd as this was soon after he was arrested for domestic abuse.
Walt McKeel, Jesus Tavarez, Troy O'Leary, and Jeff Frye all saw some action as well.
Glimpses Into My Red Sox Obsession
I was thinking about this recently. Since I just started the blog, I wanted to give some insight into how my Red Sox obsession started out. Which I did on Saturday. Today, I want to show you how deep my obsession goes. It has seeped into almost every fabric of my being. I have tons of Red Sox paraphernalia at home and even more baseball cards.
But this is where it gets a little strange. In my education, I have done four, yes four, school projects involving Red Sox players. That's bizarre.
1. In fifth grade, we had to do research reports. I can't remember if it had to be a biography or just a general report. Anyway, my report was on Ted Williams.
2. In seventh grade, we had to write a biography on a famous person. We then had to dress up like that person in order to do a presentation to the class in that persona. I already did Ted Williams, so this time, I chose Joe Cronin. My memory of this is that since I did not own a Red Sox jersey at the time, I had to take a gray t-shirt and put the words "Red Sox" on using red electrical tape.
3. In my senior year of high school, in Spanish class we had to do a presentation, all in Spanish, of a famous living person of Spanish heritage. My choice this time was the somewhat ambiguous Nomar Garciaparra.
4. Finally, in my senior year of college, I took Conflict Resolution. We had to do a research paper in that class as well. My subject was Kevin Millar. You see, at the time, there was a big controversy because the Florida Marlins had sold Millar's contract to the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. In order to clear the major leagues though, Millar had to be put on waivers and it was an unwritten agreement among the clubs that other teams would not put in a waiver claim on a player being sold to a Japanese League team. Theo Epstein however, decided to put in the claim and bring Millar to Boston, so there was some animosity between Chunichi and Boston.
So there you have it. Not even my education was safe from my Red Sox obsession. At least I got A's on all of those projects.
But this is where it gets a little strange. In my education, I have done four, yes four, school projects involving Red Sox players. That's bizarre.
1. In fifth grade, we had to do research reports. I can't remember if it had to be a biography or just a general report. Anyway, my report was on Ted Williams.
2. In seventh grade, we had to write a biography on a famous person. We then had to dress up like that person in order to do a presentation to the class in that persona. I already did Ted Williams, so this time, I chose Joe Cronin. My memory of this is that since I did not own a Red Sox jersey at the time, I had to take a gray t-shirt and put the words "Red Sox" on using red electrical tape.
3. In my senior year of high school, in Spanish class we had to do a presentation, all in Spanish, of a famous living person of Spanish heritage. My choice this time was the somewhat ambiguous Nomar Garciaparra.
4. Finally, in my senior year of college, I took Conflict Resolution. We had to do a research paper in that class as well. My subject was Kevin Millar. You see, at the time, there was a big controversy because the Florida Marlins had sold Millar's contract to the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. In order to clear the major leagues though, Millar had to be put on waivers and it was an unwritten agreement among the clubs that other teams would not put in a waiver claim on a player being sold to a Japanese League team. Theo Epstein however, decided to put in the claim and bring Millar to Boston, so there was some animosity between Chunichi and Boston.
So there you have it. Not even my education was safe from my Red Sox obsession. At least I got A's on all of those projects.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)