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 saberhagen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saberhagen. 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.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Hall of Fame Worthy? Pt. 10: Bret Saberhagen
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.
BRET SABERHAGEN
If only Bret Saberhagen had stayed healthy. Saberhagen was one of the best pitchers in the game in the mid to late 1980's. He won the Cy Young Award in both 1985 and 1989, winning 20 games each year.
Saberhagen was still a good pitcher in the early 1990's and may have deserved to win the NL Cy Young Award in 1994. But the injuries took their toll and Saberhagen missed large portions of the seasons 1990 through 1993. Even after 1994, Saberhagen still had issues. He only pitched in 25 games in 1995 and was out the entire year in 1996.
The Red Sox signed Bret Saberhagen to a low-cost, high-reward contract prior to the 1997 season. Saberhagen was still suffering through injuries in 1997 and only pitched in six games that year. But in 1998, Saberhagen made a great comeback, winning 15 games with a 3.96 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 175 innings. The next year, his ERA was 2.95, but he won only 10 games, as he again suffered injuries. He missed all of 2000 and then only pitched in three games in 2001.
Saberhagen's career record was 167-117 with a 3.34 ERA and 1,715 strikeouts. His career WAR was 54.4. Certainly, Saberhagen had some great years, and his career WAR was higher than Hall of Famers Dazzy Vance, Stan Coveleski, Rube Waddell, Waite Hoyt, and Dizzy Dean.
THE VERDICT
Saberhagen would be a stronger candidate if he had not missed major parts of the seasons from 1990-1993, 1996-1997, and 2000-2001. Other than those seasons, he would be a good candidate.
BRET SABERHAGEN
If only Bret Saberhagen had stayed healthy. Saberhagen was one of the best pitchers in the game in the mid to late 1980's. He won the Cy Young Award in both 1985 and 1989, winning 20 games each year.
Saberhagen was still a good pitcher in the early 1990's and may have deserved to win the NL Cy Young Award in 1994. But the injuries took their toll and Saberhagen missed large portions of the seasons 1990 through 1993. Even after 1994, Saberhagen still had issues. He only pitched in 25 games in 1995 and was out the entire year in 1996.
The Red Sox signed Bret Saberhagen to a low-cost, high-reward contract prior to the 1997 season. Saberhagen was still suffering through injuries in 1997 and only pitched in six games that year. But in 1998, Saberhagen made a great comeback, winning 15 games with a 3.96 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 175 innings. The next year, his ERA was 2.95, but he won only 10 games, as he again suffered injuries. He missed all of 2000 and then only pitched in three games in 2001.
Saberhagen's career record was 167-117 with a 3.34 ERA and 1,715 strikeouts. His career WAR was 54.4. Certainly, Saberhagen had some great years, and his career WAR was higher than Hall of Famers Dazzy Vance, Stan Coveleski, Rube Waddell, Waite Hoyt, and Dizzy Dean.
THE VERDICT
Saberhagen would be a stronger candidate if he had not missed major parts of the seasons from 1990-1993, 1996-1997, and 2000-2001. Other than those seasons, he would be a good candidate.
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