R.I.P. Mike Greenwell

This one was pretty sad.  I started watching baseball in 1991.  One of the mainstays of the team at that point was Mike Greenwell.  He instantly became one of my favorite players, behind the big stars like Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens.  He continued with the team for several years and while he was not a big star, his status as the elder statesman of the lineup was a reason that he remained a favorite player.  He was an important player from my early years as a Red Sox fan.

Greenwell was with the team from 1985 through the 1996 season.  He spent his entire Major League career with the Red Sox.  He did attempt to play in Japan in 1997 and tried a comeback in the Majors, but was unsuccessful.  Greenwell was a two-time All Star (1988 and 1989) and won a Silver Slugger (1988).  His best season was in 1988 when he hit .325/.416/.531 with 22 home runs, 119 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.  He finished second in the MVP vote to Jose Canseco.  He was never quite that good again, but he did finish with a line of .303/.368/.463 with 1,400 hits, 130 home runs and 726 RBIs.  After his career, he went into local politics a little bit.  He struggled with cancer recently, ultimately losing that battle last week.   

My condolences go out to his family.  

R.I.P. Dave McCarty

 

McCarty was a member of the 2004 World Champion Red Sox, hitting .258/.327/.404 with four home runs in 89 games as a bench player and even had a 2.45 ERA in 3.2 innings with four strikeouts.  He was a top prospect for the Twins in the early 1990's but just never seemed to find his way into regular playing time.  He also played with the Giants, Mariners, Royals, Devil Rays and A's.  He spent his last three seasons with the Red Sox from 2003 to 2005.  I always liked McCarty and he was a subject of my Unknown Heroes series.  

R.I.P. Jimy Williams

Yesterday it was announced that former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams passed away at the age of 80.  Williams had a short playing career with the Cardinals in the 1960's.  He had his first stint as manager of the Blue Jays in the mid 1980's.  Under him, the Blue Jays had a second place finish in 1987.  After that, he was on Bobby Cox's coaching staff with the Braves before taking over the Red Sox managerial position in 1997, replacing Kevin Kennedy.

The Red Sox finished fourth in 1997, but Williams made one of his more noteworthy moves late in that season.  Steve Avery was signed as a free agent prior to the season, but struggled greatly.  Avery had a clause in his contract that if he made 18 starts, an option would vest for him to continue in Boston for the next season.  Williams started Avery in a meaningless late-season game specifically in order for that option to vest.  Avery won the game, so it worked out.

The next two seasons were much better for the team as the Red Sox won the Wild Card each season.  In 1998, they lost to the Indians in the ALDS, but gained revenge the next season, winning a classic five-game series that culminated in Pedro Martinez's hitless relief stint.  They could not capitalize on that momentum against the Yankees in the ALCS though.  Williams won the A.L. Manager of the Year for his 94-68 season.

Unfortunately, the team declined in 2000 and nosedived in 2001 after injuries to Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek.  Williams was fired after 118 games and replaced by Joe Kerrigan, who had no idea how to manage.  Williams later managed the Astros.  

R.I.P. Tim Wakefield

This one has hit me pretty hard.  Wakefield spent 17 seasons with the Red Sox, from the time I was 14 years old to 30.  That is a significant chunk of my lifetime that I was following and rooting for him.  He was a part of the very first postseason team I watched (I started watching baseball in 1991).  He gave up the home run that ended the 2003 season, which I never blamed him for.  He was so instrumental in the team's run that season and had been critical pushing the team as far as it got.  He was of course a part of the 2004 World Championship team, starting the first game of the World Series.  He was still around for the 2007 season, even though he did not pitch in the Series.  Wakefield always did absolutely everything asked of him.  He was a consummate professional and terrific teammate.  He was primarily a starting pitcher, but spent significant chunks of time as a reliever and was even a closer for a period, notching 15 saves in 1999.  He made just one All Star team, but won 200 career games, 186 with Boston (which is third in team history).  He won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2010.  Wakefield was a great pitcher, and it seems, an even better human being.  My heart goes out to his family and friends.  He will be missed.

R.I.P. Tim McCarver

Today, longtime broadcaster and former catcher Tim McCarver passed away at the age of 81.  McCarver had a surprisingly great career as a player, hitting .271/.337/.388 over a 21-year-career primarily with the Cardinals and Phillies.  He was an All Star twice and finished second in the N.L. MVP vote in 1967 with the Cardinals.  McCarver played in 23 games over parts of two seasons with the Red Sox from 1974 to 1975.  He hit .306/.370/.408 with three doubles, four RBIs and a stolen base with the Red Sox.

I remember McCarver of course from his broadcasting days, and to be honest, I was not really a fan.  I understand he was much better earlier, but the last few years that he was broadcasting games on Fox, he would make some weird, off-the-wall comments, like talking about how Shawn Chacon wears his hat like a left-hander and Derek Jeter is so successful because he has calm eyes.  

Nevertheless, it is a sad day.  McCarver was a widely respected man in baseball.    

R.I.P. Gary Peters

Longtime White Sox and Red Sox southpaw Gary Peters passed away today at the age of 85.  

Peters won the Rookie of the Year in 1963 despite that being the fifth season he appeared in the Majors, though he pitched in just 12 games previously.  That year, he went 19-8 and led the league with a 2.33 ERA.  He was an All Star in 1964 when he won 20 games to lead the league.  He had a league-leading 1.98 ERA in 1966, then was an All Star again in 1967.  With the White Sox, Peters was 91-78 with a 2.92 ERA.

After the 1969 season, Peters was traded to the Red Sox along with Don Pavletich for Syd O'Brien and a couple of minor leaguers.  Peters had a little bit left in the tank, winning 16 and then 14 games the next two seasons.  In three years with Boston, he went 33-25 with a 4.23 ERA, striking out 322 while walking 191 in 521 innings pitched.  

R.I.P. Lee Tinsley

Today, it was announced that former Red Sox outfielder Lee Tinsley passed away.  He was just 53 years old, way too young.  I always liked Tinsley during his career with the Red Sox.

Tinsley came up with the Mariners 1993 and was traded to Boston prior to the 1994 season.  He played in 78 games that season and hit .222/.315/.292.  Speed was always his best tool and he did steal 13 bases, second on the team.  Tinsley was the primary center-fielder in 1995 and had a decent year.  He hit .284/.359/.402 with seven home runs, 41 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.  He lost playing time as the year went on, but it was his best season.  He was traded to the Phillies in the Heathcliff Slocumb deal prior to the 1996 season but struggled with his new team and was traded back to Boston.  He played in 92 games for the Red Sox in his second stint and hit .245/.298/.333 and stole six bases.  The next season he was traded back to the Mariners and struggled again.  His career in Boston included a line of .260/.332/.359 with 12 home runs, 69 RBIs and 37 stolen bases.  Tinsley had been a coach for several years and a few organizations.

R.I.P. Julio Lugo

 

Today, it was learned that Julio Lugo passed away in his native Dominican Republic.  Lugo was just 45 years old.  A shame, he was way too young.

Lugo was a member of the 2007 World Championship team.  He was signed prior to the season to be the team's starting shortstop, replacing Alex Gonzalez.  Lugo was a more offensive-minded player with some impressive speed.  Unfortunately, he did not really play that well throughout his time in Boston.  Over three seasons, Lugo hit .251/.319/.346 with ten home runs, 103 RBIs and 48 stolen bases.

2007 was the only season Lugo was a regular with Boston.  That year, he hit .237/.294/.349 with eight home runs, 71 runs scored, 36 doubles, 73 RBIs and a team-leading 33 stolen bases.  He ended the season on a bright note though, hitting .385 in the World Series.  He was mostly injury-prone the next two seasons, and was ultimately traded to the Cardinals in 2009 for Chris Duncan.

R.I.P. Jerry Remy

 

Sad news today as it was reported early this morning that longtime fan favorite broadcaster and player Jerry Remy has passed away.  He had been battling cancer for several years.  Remy was a Red Sox player from 1978 to 1984, and was an All Star in 1978.  He was the color commentator for Red Sox broadcasts since 2001.  Remy was massively popular with the Red Sox fanbase and was elected honorary President of Red Sox Nation.  Red Sox broadcasts will not be the same without him.

R.I.P. Gene Conley

Link.

Gene Conley died on Tuesday, he was 86 years old.  Conley was a rare two-sport athlete, playing both baseball and basketball.  He won championships in each sport with the Milwaukee Braves and Boston Celtics.  He spent the last three seasons of his baseball career playing with the Boston Red Sox.  For Boston, he was 29-32 with a 4.57 ERA.  Besides being a two-sport star, he is perhaps best known for a very bizarre story in which he left a team bus stuck in traffic in New York and, after drinking, decided to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  He did not make it that far and returned to the team after a couple of days.  

R.I.P. Jim Piersall

Link

Jim Piersall, one of the most interesting players in Red Sox history, has died after battling a months-long illness.  Piersall was a terrific defensive outfielder, who had some pretty good years with the bat.  He was mostly well-known for his often bizarre antics, which eventually led to him being hospitalized with mental illness and undergoing shock therapy.  He has no memory of that time period but wrote a book about it, Fear Strikes Out.  Piersall used his experiences to bring mental illness to a wider audience, engaging in public speaking and charitable events.

R.I.P. Dave "Boo" Ferriss (12/5/1921 - 11/24/2016)

Dave "Boo" Ferriss passed away on Thanksgiving Day.  The former Red Sox pitcher was 94 years old.  Ferriss had a short Major League career, but his first two seasons were incredible.  He made his Major League debut in 1945 and was immediately one of the best pitchers in the league.  Ferriss had a record of 21-10 with a 2.96 ERA in 1945.  As it was a war season, there was some concern about whether Ferriss could repeat his success, but in 1946, Ferriss was 25-6 with a 3.06 ERA and was an All Star for the first time on a terrific Red Sox team that made it to the World Series.  He was 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two games in the World Series that year.  The next year however, Ferriss started his decline.  He was just 12-11 with a 4.04 ERA in 1947, then 7-3 in 1948.  He pitched in just five more games in 1949-1950.  Injuries prematurely ended his career.  Ferriss went on to become a pitching coach for the Red Sox for a few seasons and then coached college baseball at Delta State University.  With Ferriss's death, Bobby Doerr is the last surviving member of the 1946 Boston Red Sox.

R.I.P. Frank Malzone

It has been a rough week.  First Dave Henderson dies, now Frank Malzone.  I did a post some time ago about Malzone being a somewhat forgotten star.  He was one of the better players on the Red Sox teams of the 1950's.  He won three Gold Glove Awards in the first three years the award was given.  He was also a six-time All Star.  He should have won the Rookie of the Year in 1957 as his numbers were significantly better than Tom Tresh's, and he played in more games.  He likely would have had even better career numbers had he started his career at a younger age.  Malzone will be missed.

R.I.P. Hendu

Dave Henderson passed away yesterday just weeks after receiving a kidney transplant.  I remember him mostly for his time with the Oakland Athletics as I was too young to remember his brief time in Boston, but he made a big impact.  He was acquired in a midseason trade with the Mariners in 1986 along with Spike Owen for a collection of players including Rey Quinones, none of whom did much for Seattle.  Henderson hit poorly during the regular season but he came up big in the postseason.  IN Game 5 of the ALCS with the Red Sox down 5-4 in the 9th, he came off the bench to pinch-hit for the aging Tony Armas and delivered a two-run home run.  He eventually drove in the winning run in the 11th inning with a sacrifice fly.  Boston went on to the World Series and Henderson hit two more home runs there.  In 1987 with an emerging Ellis Burks and Mike Greenwell, Henderson was expendable and was traded to the Giants for Randy Kutcher.  He then went on to his greatest career success with the Athletics.

R.I.P. Zim

Don Zimmer was the Red Sox manager from 1976 through 1980.  While he was not the most successful of managers in that time, he was certainly memorable.  He of course had some problems with certain players on the Red Sox team, most notably Bill Lee and Ferguson Jenkins.  Zimmer came back and was a coach for the Red Sox in 1992.  I remember him mostly as a Yankees bench coach, in particular the incident with Pedro Martinez in 2003.  Unfortunately, Zimmer died yesterday.  He was an interesting character and baseball will miss him.

R.I.P. Don Zimmer.

R.I.P. Frank Castillo

I missed this news the other day apparently.  After George Scott died, former Red Sox pitcher Frank Castillo also died.  Castillo was a longtime Cubs pitcher who came to the Red Sox in 2001 and was a decent pitcher in a patchwork rotation.  Castillo won 10 games that season.  I remember him pretty well because he was the starting pitcher against the Royals in the game I went to that season.  He had a good game too.  2002 was a poor season as he lost 15 games, but he pitched well against the Yankees.  R.I.P. Frank.

R.I.P. Boomer

Former Red Sox first-baseman George Scott died on Sunday.  Nicknamed "Boomer", Scott was a beloved teammate.  He was a terrific defensive player who won eight Gold Glove Awards and even moved across the diamond to play third base for a couple of years.  Scott was second in the Rookie of the Year vote in 1966 and was in the top ten for MVP twice.  Scott came up through the Red Sox system and played there from 1966 through 1971 before being traded to the Brewers.  He lead the league in home runs and RBIs in 1975 while with the Brewers and then was traded back to the Red Sox where he played through part of the 1979 season.  He then played with the Royals and Yankees before retiring.

I never saw Scott play, nevertheless I love getting cards of him.  His 2004 Fan Favorites autograph was the first Red Sox autograph I pulled from a pack.

R.I.P. Johnny Pesky

Mr. Red Sox has passed away recently at the age of 92.  He was a great player for the team in the 1940's and 1950's and he kept coming to Spring Training even up to this year.  Pesky will be missed.

R.I.P. Walt Dropo

Walt Dropo died today. Dropo was the first Red Sox player to win the Rookie of the Year Award in 1950 when he batted .322/.378/.583/.961 with 34 home runs and lead the league with 144 RBIs. Dropo never hit quite so well again, but enjoyed a long career.

R.I.P.