Red Sox in Cooperstown Pt. 33: Pedro Martinez

PEDRO MARTINEZ
Years in Boston: 1998-2004 (117-37, 2.52 ERA, 1,683 strikeouts)
Best Year in Boston: 1999 (23-4, 2.07 ERA, 313 strikeouts)

Oh man, Pedro Martinez.  What a terrific pitcher he was, quite possibly one of the most dominant starting pitchers I have ever seen.  Every game he pitched in Boston was an event.  He was simply incredible.  And the greatest thing about him was that he was doing this in the Steroid Era.

Martinez came up in the Dodgers system, like his brother Ramon, before being traded to Montreal for Delino DeShields, a trade that did not work out well for Los Angeles.  He became an All Star with the Expos and won his first Cy Young Award in 1997.  After the season, Montreal dealt him to Boston for a couple of pitching prospects: Carl Pavano and Tony Armas, Jr.  The deal did not work out great for Montreal either.

Boston, on the other hand, got a great pitcher in his prime.  1998 saw Martinez finish second in the Cy Young vote to former Red Sox Roger Clemens with a 19-7 record, 2.89 ERA, and 251 strikeouts.  But in 1999, he became the legendary dominant force at the top of the Red Sox rotation.  That season he was a unanimous selection as the Cy Young Award winner and finished second in the MVP vote as well.  I still think he should have won it.  He won the pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (23), ERA (2.07), and strikeouts (313, a team record).  He was the All Star Game MVP that season when he struck out five of six batters he faced in the first two innings.  He was also electrifying in the postseason, coming on in relief in the decisive Game 5 of the ALDS against the Indians with six no-hit innings, and winning his only start against the Yankees in the ALCS. 

He might have been even better in 2000.  He was again a unanimous Cy Young winner, going 18-6 with an incredible 1.74 ERA and 284 strikeouts.  Unfortunately, Martinez missed a significant chunk of the 2001 season and only pitched in 18 games, going 7-3 with a 2.39 ERA and 163 strikeouts.  He made a complete comeback in 2002 though, going 20-4 while leading the league with a 2.26 ERA and 239 strikeouts, and probably should have won the Cy Young Award again.  2003 was Martinez's last great season with Boston as he went 14-4 with 206 strikeouts and a league-leading 2.22 ERA.

Martinez was becoming ever more injury-prone as the seasons wore on.  He entered the 2004 season, the last under his seven-year deal with Boston, as no longer the sole focus in the rotation.  The Red Sox had acquired Curt Schilling in the offseason and Schilling was getting a lot of attention.  Martinez was no longer dominating in 2004, he was just very good.  He finished his final season in Boston at 16-9 with an un-Pedro-like 3.90 ERA.  He did strike out 227 batters though.

Pedro Martinez left the Red Sox a World Champion though.  He pitched well in one game against the Angels in the ALDS, but had some trouble with the Yankees in the ALCS.  His final game in a Red Sox uniform came in Game 3 of the World Series against the Cardinals.  He pitched seven strong innings, giving up just three hits and two walks while striking out six and winning.  After the season, Martinez moved on to the Mets and had one last great season before injuries started really taking their toll on his career. 

Martinez was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first attempt in 2015.  He wears a Red Sox cap on his plaque.  Boston fans were lucky to be able to see him in his prime and his Red Sox career consists of two Cy Young Awards, four All Star appearances, an All Star Game MVP, and a World Championship ring.

Unknown Heroes: Totally Random Rookie Edition

Every once in awhile, a player gets called up from the minors that I immediately take a liking to, with no real rhyme or reason.  Sometimes that player is not even really all that good.  Yet I like them anyway, and I try hard to find cards of them, when they are available.  I won't be talking about any star players here.  Some of these guys were top prospects, but most were just depth options.  I may do more of these posts at some point, this is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are just five players that I really enjoyed watching despite their careers never really taking off.

DEVERN HANSACK

I have covered Hansack before.  The Nicaraguan pitcher had a long and winding path to the Major Leagues that saw him actually leave baseball for a few years.  He was seen by a Red Sox scout and moved quickly, finally making his Major League debut at 28 in 2006.  In his second game, he was in the midst of a no-hitter on the final day of the season, before rain ended the game early.  He made short stints in the next two seasons as well.  Hansack finished his Major League career 2-2 with a 3.70 ERA, striking out 18 and walking seven in 24.1 innings.  It wasn't much, but it was more than a lot of other players.  Hansack was an interesting story at the least.

RYAN LAVARNWAY

Ryan Lavarnway was smart.  He attended Yale University and was working towards a degree in Philosophy (one of my minors) when he was drafted by the Red Sox.  Lavarnway was actually one of Boston's top prospects at one point.  The catcher was much better at the plate than behind it and hit more than 20 home runs in a season three times in the minors.  Lavarnway was called up to the Majors in 2011 and had a somewhat successful stint, hitting two home runs in the second to last game of the season.  He had a longer shot in 2012, but did not hit well.  He came back again in 2013 and was a little better, but he was starting to run out of time to make an impact.  He started bouncing around after 2014 and did not play in the Majors in 2016.  His final numbers in Boston over 97 games were .201/.249/.315 with five home runs and 34 RBIs.

ANASTACIO MARTINEZ

My first Red Sox refractor that I pulled from a pack was Anastacio Martinez.  At one point, the Red Sox were trying to corner the market on pitchers named Martinez in the Majors and Minors.  Anastacio Martinez, another Dominican pitcher, signed as an international free agent in 1998 and had some electric stuff in the minors.  Martinez was traded to the Pirates in 2003, but was sent back less than two weeks later when Brandon Lyon's injury was discovered.  He pitched three games in the Pirates system.  Martinez finally made his Major League debut in 2004.  Now a reliever, Martinez was 2-1 with an 8.44 ERA.  He bounced around for several seasons after that, but left the Red Sox system after the 2005 season.

JERMAINE VAN BUREN 

Van Buren is the only player on this list that actually made his Major League debut with a team other than the Red Sox.  He played in six games for the Cubs in 2005.  The Red Sox purchased his contract from the Cubs in December of 2005.  He had been utilized primarily as a closer in the minors and saved 25 games for the Iowa Cubs in 2005 and had 16 saves for the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2006.  Van Buren pitched in ten games for the Boston Red Sox in 2006 and was 1-0, but with an 11.77 ERA.  He was not terribly impressive at the Major League level.  After the season, he was sold to the Washington Nationals.  He never made it back to the Majors.

ERIC WEDGE

Like Lavarnway, Eric Wedge was once a top prospect as a catcher.  He did not have as much power, but he was a more well-rounded catcher.  He made his Major League debut in 1991 and singled in his only at-bat.  The next season, he played in 27 games and hit five home runs and drove in 11 runs.  But Boston had a number of catchers, both at the Major and Minor League level.  Wedge was left unprotected in the expansion draft and was selected by the Rockies.  He did not play much for Colorado in their inaugural season and was back in Boston for two games in 1994.  Wedge has since gone on to have some success as a Major League manager. 

In Honor of Pedro Entering the Hall with the Red Sox...

I promised some time ago that I would show off some Pedro Martinez cards.  On Thursday it was announced that Pedro would be depicted with a Red Sox cap on his Hall of Fame plaque.  It was kind of an obvious selection, but at any rate, I figured in honor of that announcement I would show off some Pedros:

 

In this first scan, you can see my very first Pedro Martinez card, the 1998 Fleer Tradition.  Sure that is actually him in an Expos uniform, but I still felt I should show off the card that started it all.  I got that one in a pack and was very excited.

The third card in the scan is from the 2001 Post set, possibly the last time cards appeared in boxes of cereal.  It was not much of a surprise as this card was visible on the box.

The fourth card was my first Pedro game-used card, only my third game-used Red Sox card overall.

The second card in this scan is one of the rare bat cards, also with teammates Manny Ramirez, Trot Nixon, and Shea Hillenbrand.

The seventh card was my first patch card of Pedro.

The next one shows the massive size difference of the two most dominant pitchers of the late 1990's.

Here we have a couple of very low-numbered Pedro relics.  The Diamond Kings bat/jersey is numbered out of 25 and the Playoff Honors patch is numbered out of 10.  I love those Leaf Exhibits cards in the first row.

We have some unusual items in this scan.  The first card is a game-used ball card and the second card features two game-used base pieces.  I think I like those Sportscasters inserts even more than the Exhibits.  

So there you go.  Some of my favorite Pedro Martinez cards.  Now that he is a Hall of Famer, I suspect we will see even more cards of him this year.

Season in Review: 1999

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.

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.

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.

Catchers

I have always been partial to catchers. It's probably due to the fact that a catcher's job is markedly different and much more difficult than perhaps any other position. A catcher is in charge of calling the pitches and keeping an eye on the baserunners. He is also the last obstacle between a baserunner and scoring a run. It could also be the cool equipment.

Anyway, as a Red Sox fan and a fan of catchers in general, I always keep a close eye on the player behind the plate. I have been paying close attention since 1991. In that time, Boston has had a number of different starting catchers and backups. Out of pure boredom, I wanted to look at them.

THE STARTERS:
TONY PENA
Tony Pena was the Red Sox starting catcher when I first started paying attention to baseball. Pena was not much with the bat, but he was a tremendous defensive catcher with a strong throwing arm. Beyond that, he had such an interesting catching stance that it was hard not to be intrigued by him. Pena won the Gold Glove in 1991 as the best fielding catcher in the league that year.

DAVE VALLE
Dave Valle was brought to the Red Sox for the 1994 season. Pena was allowed to leave as a free agent the prior year and Valle was supposed to be his replacement. Valle had a reputation as having a decent bat, but not being a real great defensive catcher. But in Boston, he was not able to contribute on either side of the plate. He was ultimately traded to Milwaukee after 30 games for Tom Brunansky.

DAMON BERRYHILL
Damon Berryhill, like Dave Valle, was acquired for the 1994 season. Unlike Valle, Berryhill was able to stick through the year. He was also not a great hitter, although he did bat .263/.312/.416/.727 with six home runs. Adequate numbers for a more defensive position. Berryhill was not a terribly effective defensive catcher though and did not hit well enough to make up for it. He was gone after the year.

MIKE MACFARLANE
Longtime Royal Mike Macfarlane was the next player brought in to be the starting catcher. Macfarlane also lasted only one year with Boston, but he brought significantly more home run power. His 15 home runs in 1995 were the most by a Red Sox catcher since Rich Gedman hit 16 in 1986. Unfortunately that was about the only part of his offensive game that was an improvement. He did catch 35% of runners attempting to steal, the best mark by a Red Sox catcher since Pena.

MIKE STANLEY
Next up was Mike Stanley who was one of the best players the Red Sox took from the Yankees in decades. Stanley had been an All Star with New York when he hit 26 home runs in 1993. He almost matched his power numbers in his first year with Boston, hitting 24 home runs with a slash line of .270/.383/.506/.889. Unfortunately, he was not nearly as impressive behind the plate and the next year became a first-baseman/designated hitter.

SCOTT HATTEBERG
Scott Hatteberg was the first starting catcher developed by the Boston Red Sox since Gedman. Hatteberg came up at the end of 2006 and became the starting catcher in 2007. Hatteberg had the rare ability in catchers to draw a lot of walks. With Boston, his OBP was an impressive .357. Hatteberg's problem though was his inability to throw out baserunners, his caught-stealing percentage was a low 21%.

JASON VARITEK
When it was determined that Hatteberg simply could not throw out runners attempting to steal, Jason Varitek became the starting catcher. Varitek was acquired in a terrific trade with the Seattle Mariners in 1997 and quickly became a rising star. Varitek could draw a walk, hit with power, and was a strong defensive catcher. Injuries curtailed his promising career somewhat in 2001 and it took until 2003 before he started to really impress again. He was a 3-time All Star, Boston's first All Star catcher since Gedman, won a Silver Slugger, and a Gold Glove. He has caught a record four no-hitters, and is considered a great game-caller. He gracefully moved to a backup role in 2009. Varitek will one day be in the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

VICTOR MARTINEZ
Victor Martinez was acquired in a blockbust deadline deal from Cleveland in 2009. Boston wanted a better hitter behind the plate as Varitek's best days were behind him. Martinez certainly qualified. Though he had a little trouble with throwing out runners early in 2010, Martinez's bat carried him. He batted .313/.368/.497/.865 with 28 home runs and 120 RBIs in his short season and a half with Boston. He was not brought back after 2010 due to his expense and the unlikelihood that he would be able to continue at catcher.

JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was long coveted by the Red Sox front office. Theo Epstein saw an opportunity to acquire him at the deadline in 2010 and swooped in, giving up three minor leaguers with little chance of developing into stars to the Texas Rangers in one of the quieter moves of the deadline. Saltalamacchia did not play much in 2010 and started off very slowly in 2011. Since then, he has started to come into his own. He currently has 13 home runs and has become a much better defender as the season has worn on. One of the great questions is whether Saltalamacchia will continue to have a chance in Boston due to the development of Ryan Lavarnway.

THE BACK UPS:
JOHN MARZANO
Hard to imagine but at one point John Marzano was a first round draft pick. I am not sure he really fulfilled the expectations of the front office. Marzano was a serviceable backup for several years with the Red Sox, though it was not until 1990 that he really stuck with the big league club. He did not have a lot of power outside of hitting five home runs in 1987, his first chance with the team. He was an adequate defensive catcher and that is the only thing that kept him with the team. After being released by Boston in 1993, he did not make it back to the Major Leagues until 1995.

BOB MELVIN
Bob Melvin became the backup to Tony Pena in 1993 after Marzano was released. Melvin was a journeyman catcher with the Tigers, Giants, Orioles, and Royals before joining Boston. Melvin really did not provide much more than a warm body behind the plate in his short time with Boston. He was not particularly good at any aspect of the game. He and Pena provided pathetic offense at the position in 1993.

RICH ROWLAND
Rich Rowland was acquired in a challenge trade of young catchers from Detroit. Boston gave up John Flaherty who had some promise but had yet to harness it. Rowland was already 30 and a career minor leaguer to that point, but he had some power. Rowland hit nine home runs as the backup catcher in 1994 with a .483 slugging percentage. His defense was decent as he caught 36% of attempted base stealers. Unfortunately he did not hit at all in 1995 and was quickly forgotten.

BILL HASELMAN
Bill Haselman, the longtime Rangers backup and Nolan Ryan's personal catcher, came to Boston after the 1994 season and cemented the backup catcher position. Haselman was decent with the stick and adequate behind the plate. He hit .252/.313/.409/.722 in parts of four seasons. He once hit a broken-bat home run over the Green Monster in left. He started the 1997 season as the starting catcher before injuries caught up with him. At the time, he was among the league leaders in doubles, but did not play much the rest of the year. After the year he was traded to Texas. He returned briefly in 2003.

DOUG MIRABELLI
Doug Mirabelli is perhaps the most famous backup catcher in Red Sox history. Acquired in 2001 when Jason Varitek went down with an injury and Scott Hatteberg's throwing problems became too glaring, Mirabelli settled into a decent role. He had a good year in 2001, hitting .270/.360/.518/.877 with nine home runs down the stretch. He became Tim Wakefield's personal catcher with his ability to catch the knuckleball and was one of the best-hitting backup catchers for several years. He and Varitek made quite the pair. Mirabelli put up am .893 OPS in 2004. His bat slowed after that, but he was still highly-regarded. He was traded after the 2006 season, but was re-acquired after Josh Bard could not catch a knuckleball and was famously police-escorted to the ballpark to catch Wakefield. He was released for good prior to the 2008 season.

KEVIN CASH
During the 2007 season, Kevin Cash proved he too could catch the knuckleball. Cash was not much of a hitter but became the backup catcher for the 2008 season after Mirabelli was released. Cash was a better defensive catcher than Mirabelli and at the point was a bit more reliable with the bat. He hit a dramatic postseason home run for the Red Sox during the ALCS against Tampa Bay. He moved on to the Yankees after the season but returned briefly during the 2010 season.

GEORGE KOTTARAS
Originally acquired from the Padres in 2006 when the Red Sox traded David Wells, it took Kottaras until 2008 to make his Major League Debut. He became the principal backup in 2009 when he also showed the ability to catch Wakefield's knuckler. Kottaras did not hit much, hitting only .237/.308/.387/.696 with one home run, but he was a decent defensive catcher. He developed a bit more power after being selected off waivers by the Brewers.

Busts Pt. 8: Ramon Martinez

Sometimes, offseason acquisitions work out. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes, they are spectacular failures.

RAMON MARTINEZ
In their ongoing quest to find decent pitching to fill out the back end of the rotation, the Red Sox signed Pedro Martinez's older brother. Ramon Martinez was a great pitcher early in his career with the L.A. Dodgers and even won 20 games in 1990. Of course he pitched a lot of innings early in his career, so he began to pay for that as the decade wore on.

Martinez was signed to an inexpensive deal in 1999 and made four starts for the Red Sox, winning two games with a 3.05 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. He looked like a pretty good bet to pitch well the next year, but he tanked.

Martinez was 32 years old in 2000, but pitched like a 40 year old. He won ten games, but lost eight and pitched to a 6.32 ERA. He struck out 89 in 127.2 innings and walked 67. He also cost the Red Sox over $6 million, big money for the time.

Martinez went to Pittsburgh the next year but he was basically washed up. His brother continued to shine for several more years though.

Goodbye Victor Martinez

Link.

Victor Martinez is off to Detroit. He was a valuable pickup for the Red Sox at the trading deadline in 2009 and gave them a good year last year. Unfortunately, the team seemed to have cooled on him when they realized his defensive abilities were declining rapidly. His bat is fine, but he could not throw out runners. That said, now Boston must find a way to replace his offense.

I never totally warmed up to Victor until just recently either, as he moved my favorite player Jason Varitek into a backup role. I knew it was better for the team, but it still stung a little bit.

Next year's catching situation will be interesting. They have Saltalamacchia still, but he has not yet proven himself to be a starting catcher, though he does have high upside and is still just 25. I suspect he will be the starter and Jason Varitek may be brought back in a backup role to guide Saltalamacchia along. We'll see.

Hey, at least we have some more draft picks. No way does Boston not offer Martinez arbitration.

Feature: Best (And Worst) Red Sox Trades Since 1991

Most of my articles, you will notice, are limited to the time since 1991. That's not to say that I do not know as much about periods before then, I have researched thoroughly. But research only gets you so far. I have seen the players since 1991 and that helps me make more informed decisions.

With that little explanation, I want to look at five trades that I consider to be the best Red Sox trades since 1991. And then I will look at five that I consider to be the worst.

THE BEST

1995
Red Sox get: DH Jose Canseco

In two seasons with Boston, Canseco hit 52 home runs and had a slash line of .298/.389/.571/.960. Sure, he was on steroids, but so were a lot of other players. If it had not been for injuries, his home run total would have looked even better. WAR=5.1

Rangers get: CF Otis Nixon and 3B Luis Ortiz

Nixon played reasonably well for Texas, stealing 50 bases and hitting .295, but his only real weapon was speed. WAR=0.5

Ortiz played part-time for Texas in 1995 but even less in 1996 and was out of baseball after that. WAR=-1.1

TOTAL WAR=-0.6

1996
Red Sox get: RP Heathcliff Slocumb, P Larry Wimberly, OF Rick Holyfield

Slocumb is the only player to be in the Major Leagues out of these three. He put together a very good 1996 season for the Red Sox, going 5-5 with a 3.02 ERA, 88 strikeouts in 83.2 innings, and saved 31 games. He was pretty disastrous in 1997 but still managed 17 saves before he was traded, but that is part of why this trade was so great too. See below. WAR=3.2

Winberly and Holyfield never made it to the Majors.

TOTAL WAR=3.2

Phillies get: RP Ken Ryan, OF Lee Tinsley, OF Glenn Murray

Ken Ryan was supposed to be a closer-in-waiting. He did have a pretty good 1996 for the Phillies, going 3-5, 2.43 ERA and struck out 70 in 89 innings. But he never came close to those numbers again. WAR=0.8

Lee Tinsley played 31 ugly games for the Phillies and returned to Boston. WAR=-1.1

Glenn Murray played 38 ugly games for the Phillies and never returned to the Majors. WAR=-0.6

TOTAL WAR=-1.3

1997
Red Sox get: P Derek Lowe and C Jason Varitek

In eight seasons with Boston, Derek Lowe went 70-55, 3.72 ERA with 673 strikeouts. He once saved 40 games (2000) and won 20 games (2002). He was a two-time All Star (2000, 2002) and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting in 2002. He won the clinching games for all three postseason series in 2004. He also pitched a no-hitter against the Devil Rays in 2002. WAR=18.4

Jason Varitek has played in 14 seasons for the Red Sox with a slash line of .258/.343/.436/.778. He has hit 182 home runs and played the most games as a Red Sox catcher ever. He is the captain of the team. He is a three-time All Star (2003, 2005, 2008) and won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in 2005. He has caught four no-hitters (Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester). WAR=23.1

TOTAL WAR=41.5

Mariners get: RP Heathcliff Slocumb

See. Slocumb in two years with Seattle was awful. He went 2-9, 4.97 ERA and 13 saves. WAR=0.4

1998
Red Sox get: P Pedro Martinez

Do I really have to talk about what Pedro did? Okay, 117-37, 2.52 ERA, 1,683 strikeouts in 1,383.2 innings. Two-time Cy Young winner (1999, 2000), four-time All Star. Looks to be headed to the Hall of Fame, with a Red Sox cap on his plaque. WAR=47.6

Expos get: P Carl Pavano and P Tony Armas Jr.

Pavano went 24-35 in five seasons for the Expos. He had a 4.83 ERA and 304 strikeouts in 452.2 innings. WAR=2.0

Armas Jr. pitched for eight seasons with the Expos and Nationals, as he was with the team when they relocated. He went 48-60, 4.45 ERA, and 680 strikeouts in 925.2 innings. WAR=7.7

TOTAL WAR=9.7

2004
Red Sox get: P Curt Schilling

Curt Schilling went 53-29, with a 3.95 ERA and 574 strikeouts in 675 innings. He won 21 games in 2004 and lead the league in wins and winning percentage. He was an All Star that year and finished second in the Cy Young race. He basically ruined his career with his heroics in the 2004 postseason, but had a couple of solid seasons afterwards. WAR=14.5

Diamondbacks get: P Casey Fossum, P Jorge De La Rosa, P Brandon Lyon, and OF Michael Goss

Casey Fossum spent one year in Arizona going 4-15 with a 6.65 ERA. WAR=-1.3

Jorge De La Rosa was traded a few days later as part of a large package to Milwaukee for Richie Sexson. WAR=0.0

Brandon Lyon spent four years in Arizona and went 11-15, 4.03 ERA and 42 saves. WAR=1.7

Michael Goss never made the Major Leagues. WAR=0.0

TOTAL WAR=0.4


THE WORST

1996
Red Sox get: OF Darren Bragg

Bragg spent three years in Boston with a slash line of .264/.346/.395/.741 with 20 home runs and 21 stolen bases. WAR=5.4

Mariners get: P Jamie Moyer

Moyer spent 11 years with Seattle and went 145-87 with a 3.97 ERA. He won 20 games twice for the Mariners. WAR=32.4

1998
Red Sox get: C/DH Jim Leyritz and OF Damon Buford

Leyritz was a very good player for Boston but did not like being a part-timer and forced a trade to San Diego where Boston got three spare parts (Mandy Romero, Dario Veras, Carlos Reyes). Leyritz went .287/.385/.519/.904 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs. WAR=0.7

Buford spent two years as a backup outfielder going .259/.317/.453/.770 with 16 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases and played great outfield defense. WAR=1.8

TOTAL WAR=2.5

Rangers get: P Aaron Sele, C Bill Haselman, RP Mark Brandenburg

Sele spent two years in Texas going 37-20. WAR=5.7

Haselman was a backup catcher with power. WAR=0.6

Brandenburg did not make the Major Leagues with Texas. WAR=0.0

TOTAL WAR=6.3

2000
Red Sox get: RP Hector Carrasco

Carrasco was terrible with Boston. He went 1-1 with a 9.45 ERA with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings and was a free agent after the season when he returned to Minnesota. WAR=-0.4

Twins get: OF Lew Ford

Ford played five seasons for the Twins with a slash line of .272/.349/.402/.751 with 32 home runs and 47 stolen bases. WAR=3.2

2003
Red Sox get: P Jeff Suppan, RP Brandon Lyon, RP Anastacio Martinez

Suppan was supposed to help stabilize the rotation for the stretch run. He went 3-4 with a 5.57 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 63 innings. WAR=0.2

I will not consider the WAR values of Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martinez as they were reacquired from Pittsburgh due to some complaints about Lyon's shoulder. Both were with the Red Sox earlier in the season.

Pirates get: 2B Freddy Sanchez, RP Mike Gonzalez

Sanchez spent six years in Pittsburgh with a slash line of .301/.338/.424/.761. He won the batting title in 2006 and lead the NL in doubles. He was a three time All Star. WAR=11.6

Gonzalez was reacquired by Pittsburgh for the same reason as Lyon and Martinez above. This trade was just a mess.

2007
Red Sox get: RP Eric Gagne

Gagne was 2-2 with a 6.75 ERA but had 22 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. WAR=-0.4

Rangers get: OF David Murphy, P Kason Gabbard, OF Engel Beltre

Murphy has been with the Rangers for four seasons so far and put up a slash line of .283/.342/.459/.802 with 46 home runs, 210 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. WAR=5.3

Gabbard was 4-4 with a 5.14 ERA. WAR=0.0

Beltre is a top prospect in the Rangers system. WAR=0.0 (so far)

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.

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.

Red Sox Avoid Arbitration with Saltalamacchia

Red Sox Avoid Arbitration with Saltalamacchia

Well the first transaction of the Red Sox offseason is complete. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, owner of the longest name in Red Sox history (beating Fritz Ostermueller) has avoided arbitration by signing a split deal with $750,000 for major league and $250,000 for minor league service. This goes a short distance towards clearing up the catching situation. We know Salty will be in the mix, but will he be the starter, backup, or in the minors? We still don't know what will become of Jason Varitek and Victor Martinez.

I am a huge fan of Jason Varitek and have been since he was acquired. He is quite simply my all-time favorite player. Seeing him play with another team would be heart-breaking. That being said, I recognize that he is not the player he once was. Victor Martinez was a good offensive catcher, but not a good defensive one. I could live with him signing elsewhere, but I would prefer the team re-sign him and rotate him between first base, designated hitter, and catcher, and also re-sign Varitek to be the backup catcher for one more year and bring Saltalamacchia along slowly. Salty has not proven he is ready for a full-time position yet. Let's wait and see.