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.

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.

Boxscore: May 20, 2001 Red Sox 10 Royals 3

This one ranks as my personal favorite Red Sox game I attended. A couple of friends and I decided after our sophomore years of college were over to do a road trip down to Kansas City to see the Royals take on the Red Sox on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. My friends were huge Royals fan so there was some good-natured banter going on during the drive down there.

Well, the Red Sox absolutely beat the Royals into submission that day. The final score was 10-3, and the Red Sox hit five home runs.

Jason Varitek was the star of the day, hitting three home runs himself and driving in seven of the Red Sox runs. He also had a run-scoring single to go 4-4 with three runs scored. He came into the game with only two home runs on the year. Varitek looked to be a breakout star that year, but he broke his elbow making a sliding catch before the All Star game and was out the rest of the year. This though, was one of his best games.

The game also featured home runs from Carl Everett and Manny Ramirez, in addition to doubles by Ramirez, Dante Bichette, and Brian Daubach. Trot Nixon drove in the other Red Sox run. Shea Hillenbrand also had two hits in the game and scored three times. Jose Offerman also had a hit and Mike Lansing, Darren Lewis, and Scott Hatteberg all appeared in the game. Offerman had a terrible day on defense committing two errors, and Bichette also had one in the outfield.

Frank Castillo started the game and had a great performance, pitching six innings and giving up one unearned run. He struck out three. Rich Garces and former Royal Hipolito Pichardo also appeared in the game, each surrendering a run.