Feature: WAR League Leaders

Today's feature, Red Sox players who lead the league in WAR:

POSITION PLAYERS
1995 John Valentin 8.5
1988 Wade Boggs 8.7
1987 Wade Boggs 9.1
1986 Wade Boggs 8.6
1970 Carl Yastrzemski 9.1
1968 Carl Yastrzemski 10.1
1967 Carl Yastrzemski 12.2
1951 Ted Williams 6.5
1947 Ted Williams 10.3
1946 Ted Williams 11.8
1942 Ted Williams 11.0
1941 Ted Williams 11.3
1938 Jimmie Foxx 7.5
1919 Babe Ruth 10.6
1912 Tris Speaker 11.0

What we take away from this is that John Valentin had a hell of a year that went almost completely unnoticed in 1995. Wade Boggs was a lot more valuable than people really realized, and Yaz was amazing in 1967.

PITCHERS
2000 Pedro Martinez 10.1
1999 Pedro Martinez 8.4
1992 Roger Clemens 7.9
1991 Roger Clemens 7.5
1990 Roger Clemens 9.5
1987 Roger Clemens 8.4
1979 Dennis Eckersley 6.8
1966 Earl Wilson 5.3 (pitched with Detroit as well)
1957 Frank Sullivan 6.3
1949 Mel Parnell 8.0
1942 Tex Hughson 5.6
1936 Lefty Grove 8.9
1935 Lefty Grove 7.7
1902 Cy Young 8.9
1901 Cy Young 11.2

Pedro Martinez was as good as we suspected and Roger Clemens was better. I was surprised that Clemens did not lead in 1986, his 24-4 season. The big surprise here is Frank Sullivan, an underrated pitcher in the 1950's. I am also surprised by the absence of Babe Ruth and Smoky Joe Wood.

OVERALL LEAGUE LEADERS
1999 Pedro Martinez (lead Majors)
1995 John Valentin
1992 Roger Clemens
1988 Wade Boggs (lead Majors)
1987 Wade Boggs (lead Majors)
1986 Wade Boggs (lead Majors)
1970 Carl Yastrzemski
1968 Carl Yastrzemski
1967 Carl Yastrzemski (lead Majors)
1951 Ted Williams
1949 Ted Williams
1947 Ted Williams (lead Majors)
1946 Ted Williams (lead Majors)
1942 Ted Williams (lead Majors)
1941 Ted Williams (lead Majors)
1938 Jimmie Foxx
1919 Babe Ruth (lead Majors)
1916 Babe Ruth
1903 Cy Young
1901 Cy Young (lead Majors)

For three years, Wade Boggs was the best player in the Major Leagues, that's kind of surprising.