All-Time One-Year Wonder: Right Field

I'm going to do something a little different with the One-Year Wonder posts. I have decided to go position-by-position and see if I can determine who the best player at each position would be who only spent one year with the Red Sox. This requires a lot of time and research. I am not naming every single player who spent just one season with the Red Sox at each position, but just the better-known players. At the end of the post, I will pick the single best player for each position.

RIGHT FIELD

CHARLIE HEMPHILL - 1901

In the first season of the Boston American League franchise's history, a number of players arrived with very little experience.  Hemphill was one of these players.  He played with St. Louis and Cleveland in 1899 and did not appear in the majors in 1900.  He was the primary right-fielder in the inaugural season and he was known as a very poor fielder.  He made 17 errors and had a .925 fielding percentage in his sole season with the Red Sox.  He was not really a terribly good hitter in his only season with Boston either as he hit .261/.312/.332 with ten doubles, ten triples, three home runs, and 62 RBIs.  He did go on to some much better hitting seasons with the Browns and Highlanders (later to be called the Yankees).  Hemphill was never really a star, but he was often a solid hitter, though he never did improve his fielding much.

GAVVY CRAVATH - 1908

Cravath was a 27-year-old rookie when he appeared in 94 games for Boston in 1908.  He did not hit a lot, finishing the year up with just a .256/.354/.383 line with one home run, ten doubles, eleven triples and 34 RBIs.  He also stole six bases.  He bounced around for a few more seasons before landing with the Phillies to stay in 1912.  Cravath developed into one of the better power hitters in the game from that point on.  He led the league in home runs three times in a row, twice, including hitting 24 home runs in 1915, an amazing total for the Deadball Era.  Cravath was one of the biggest stars in the game during the Deadball Era.

DAVE PHILLEY - 1962

Though he was never really a star, Dave Philley had a very long career, and yes, he did play briefly with the Philadelphia Phillies.  He made his Major League debut in 1941, then missed a few seasons due to military service, and finally played his last game in 1962.  He was never named to any All Star games, but he did have some very minor MVP consideration in three seasons.  Philley played for eight teams during his career, with his most significant time being with the White Sox.  Philley was at the end of his career when traded by Houston to the Red Sox for Tom Borland.  He played in just 38 games with the Red Sox and hit .143/.250/.190 with two doubles and four RBIs.  He spent the vast majority of his time in Boston as a pinch hitter and only played four games in the field, all in right.  He was released after the season and retired.

JIM LANDIS - 1967

Another former White Sox star who closed out his career with the Red Sox was Jim Landis.  Landis was a five time Gold Glove winner, finished seventh in the MVP race in 1959, and was an All Star in 1962, all with the White Sox.  He was primarily a center fielder with the White Sox, but appeared in right field in all of his games with the Red Sox.  Landis started the 1967 season with the Tigers, but was released in August, which allowed him to catch on with the Impossible Dream Red Sox on their way to the pennant.  Boston had need of a right fielder after losing Tony Conigliaro to a horrific beaning, but Landis was not the answer.  They eventually picked up Ken Harrelson and Landis appeared in just five games.  He hit the final home run of his career, but that was his only hit with Boston as he hit .143/.250/.571.  He was released by Boston less than a week after he was signed and that was it for his career.

BRADY ANDERSON - 1988

Though he was much better known as a center fielder with the Baltimore Orioles, Brady Anderson started his career with the Boston Red Sox.  He played in 41 games with the Red Sox in his debut 1988 season, appearing in 25 games in right and 17 in center, so he barely qualifies more as a right fielder in his time with Boston.  Anderson started in center on Opening Day, but as Ellis Burks was emerging as a star, it was his position to lose.  Anderson did not hit much with Boston, with a line of .230/.315/.304 with no home runs, but at the time he was known much more for his speed and defense.  It was much later that he managed to hit 50 home runs in a season.  Anderson did contribute three triples and four stolen bases.  Anderson was traded to the Orioles near the trading deadline along with future star Curt Schilling for Mike Boddicker.  The deal worked out well for both teams as Boddicker helped solidify the rotation for the next couple of seasons and Anderson eventually became a big star with a rejuvenated Orioles team, appearing in three All Star games.  Schilling also became a great player but not before switching teams a couple more times.

IVAN CALDERON - 1993

Though he was coming off of an injury-plagued season with Montreal in 1992, Calderon was acquired in a trade by Boston for Mike Gardiner as part of a massive lineup overhaul.  His last full season in 1991 saw him named to the All Star team while hitting 19 home runs and stealing 31 bases, so there was hope that he could still be a productive player.  And he was just 31 years old, so he should have had something left in the tank.  Unfortunately, it did not work out that way.  Calderon played in just 73 games with the Red Sox and was mostly brutal at the plate.  He hit just .221/.291/.291 with eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 19 RBIs, and four stolen bases.  His offensive struggles led him to being benched and Carlos Quintana and Bob Zupcic spent quite a bit of time in right field.  Calderon returned to the White Sox later in the month and finished the season up with them.  It was his last Major League appearance.  Calderon was murdered in Puerto Rico in 2003.

ROB DEER - 1993

After Calderon's struggles and relief, Boston acquired power hitter Rob Deer from the Tigers.  Deer was known for having big-time power, but also striking out a ton while with the Brewers and Tigers.  He had hit 25 or more home runs six times, but also led the Majors in strikeouts four times, including a mind-boggling 186 in 1987.  Deer was as-advertised in his very brief time with the Red Sox in 1993.  He played in just 38 games and hit .196/.303/.399 while striking out 49 times in 165 plate appearances en route to leading the league with 169 strikeouts.  He did hit seven home runs though, including one in his first at-bat with the Red Sox.  Deer was not brought back after the season and spent the 1994 and 1995 seasons in Japan before returning with the Padres in 1996 for a brief, ugly stint. 

MARK WHITEN - 1995

The Red Sox were again overhauling their roster prior to the 1995 season and acquired a couple of power hitters to bolster the heart of their order.  Jose Canseco worked out when he was healthy.  Mark Whiten did not.  He had a strong season in 1994 with the Cardinals and hit 25 home runs in 1993.  Boston sent Scott Cooper and Cory Bailey for Whiten and Rheal Cormier.  Only Cormier had a decent season of any of the four players.  Whiten played in just 32 games for the Red Sox in 1995, hitting .185/.239/.241 with just one home run and ten RBIs.  Luckily, Boston benefited from the emergence of Troy O'Leary in right field, which made it easier to dump Whiten in a trade with the Phillies for Dave Hollins.  Whiten went on to have some success in the next few seasons while playing mostly in platoons from that point on.  

WILLIE MCGEE - 1995

Coming off of a serious ankle injury that limited him to just 45 games with the Giants in 1994, Willie McGee signed a free agent contract with the Red Sox in June to attempt a comeback.  McGee had been a standout player with the Cardinals for many years in the 1980's, winning the 1985 NL MVP, and even managed to win the 1990 NL batting title, his second, despite playing the last 29 games in the American League.  His acquisition gave the Red Sox three former MVPs, and the eventual MVP winner that season.  McGee was acquired by the Red Sox when Whiten was struggling and the team needed some more consistency.  McGee played in 67 games with the Red Sox in 1995, appearing in 47 games in right field, 27 in center, and three in left.  He was not bad, hitting .285/.311/.400 with two home runs, 15 RBIs, and five stolen bases.  McGee appeared in two games in the ALDS against the Indians, picking up two hits and an RBI.  After the season, he returned to St. Louis for a few more years to close out his career.

KEVIN MITCHELL - 1996

Another former MVP that signed on with the Red Sox as part of a comeback attempt, Kevin Mitchell, who won the 1989 NL MVP with the Giants, was coming off of a season spent in Japan.  Despite the fact that he hit 30 home runs with a .326/.429/1.110 line in 1994 with the Reds, he chose to avoid the strike and play in Japan.  He came back to the U.S. with the Red Sox and significant weight problems.  Despite this, he actually hit reasonably well with Boston, hitting .304/.385/.413, but with just two home runs and 13 RBIs in 27 games.  Mitchell was traded back to the Reds at the July trading deadline for two minor leaguers that never appeared in the Majors with Boston.  He played quite well for the Reds to close out the year and played a couple more seasons, but never to the same success as he had prior to heading to Japan.

BERNARD GILKEY - 2000

Gilkey was yet another longtime National Leaguer that arrived in Boston briefly as part of a comeback attempt.  Gilkey had risen to stardom with the Cardinals and Mets, with a particularly impressive 1996 season with New York, but he had a couple of down seasons and injury problems leading up to his June 2000 release by the Diamondbacks.  Boston picked him up as a depth option a few days later and he finished up the season with the Red Sox, appearing in 36 games and hitting .231/.327/.341 with one home run and nine RBIs.  After the season, Gilkey signed on with the Braves for his final Major League season.

JAY PAYTON - 2005

There had been rumors for several years that Boston was trying to acquire Jay Payton.  The Georgia Tech alum attended college with Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek.  Finally, prior to the 2005 season, they got their man.  And then they traded him away by mid July.  Payton was part of the return Boston received when Dave Roberts was sent to the Padres and he was expected to be the right-handed part of a right field platoon.  He started on Opening Day, but only ended up playing in 55 games with Boston with a line of .263/.313/.429 and hit five home runs, driving in 21.  Trot Nixon ended up making a comeback and Payton, not happy with his lack of playing time, asked for a trade.  Boston consented and sent him to Oakland for reliever Chad Bradford.  Payton played a few more years, but never played quite as well as his early years with the Mets and Rockies.

JOSE CRUZ JR. - 2005

In the late 1990's Cruz was one of the brightest young stars in the American League.  He finished second to Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra in the AL Rookie of the Year race in 1997 after being the subject of a foolish trade by Seattle to Toronto.  He then had a couple of down seasons before emerging as a true power/speed threat.  In 2001 he joined the 30/30 club with the Blue Jays.  He then started to bounce around a little bit, but remained a power threat.  In 2005, Cruz's career was started to head down the tubes.  He started the season with Arizona, hitting 12 home runs, but with a .215 average.  He was traded to the Red Sox for a couple of minor leaguers in July, but played in just four games with Boston.  He had three hits, including a double in 13 plate appearances before being placed on waivers and being claimed by the Dodgers.  He played well for the Dodgers the rest of the way and returned to them in 2006.  He then bounced around a little before retiring.

ROCCO BALDELLI - 2009

Baldelli's career was unfortunately cut short by a rare mitochondrial disease, which is a shame as he was a very talented player.  He was one of the first very good players the Tampa Bay Devil Rays developed and he finished third in the Rookie of the Year race in 2003.  He had another very good season in 2004, hitting .280/.326/.436 with 16 home runs.  It was 2005 that the condition struck and he was out the entire season.  When he returned in 2006, he was no longer able to play full time.  He stuck around for a few more seasons in Tampa Bay, then signed a free agent contract to provide right field depth and platoon with J.D. Drew for the Red Sox.  He played in 62 games for Boston, hitting .253/.311/.433 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.  But his condition continued to limit his ability to stay on the field.  He returned to Tampa Bay for one more season in 2010.

CODY ROSS - 2012

Originally signed as right-handed depth in the outfield for the Red Sox in 2012 (Ellsbury, Crawford, and Sweeney were all left-handed hitters), Ross was thrust into regular duty partially as a result of injuries to a number of other players, and partially as a result of his very impressive hitting.  Ross had been a decent hitter previously with the Marlins, but he ended up having quite possibly the best season of his career with Boston in 2012.  Ross showed a propensity for clutch hits and ended up the season with a slash line of .267/.326/.481 with 22 home runs, 34 doubles, and 81 RBIs.  He was one of the most consistent hitters on the team all season long, due to a ton of injuries and struggles.  Unfortunately Boston showed no interest in bringing him back after the season.  He left for Arizona and played a couple of seasons there before ending his career with the Oakland Athletics.  

RYAN SWEENEY - 2012

Sweeney was acquired in a trade with the Athletics along with All Star closer Andrew Bailey for a package headlined by young outfielder Josh Reddick.  He was considered a decent contact hitter and a very good defensive outfielder.  Power was never a big part of his game as evidenced by the fact that his career high for home runs was six.  Unfortunately, due to injuries, Sweeney was only able to play in 63 games with the Red Sox.  He did not hit a home run, though he did pick up 19 doubles, and he hit just .260/.303/.373.  He came back to Boston for Spring Training in 2013, but was squeezed out by a number of new acquisitions and was released just prior to the season.  He played two seasons with the Cubs before his career ended.

THE BEST ONE-YEAR RIGHT FIELDER

And it is not even close.  First of all, Cody Ross is one of only two players from this post to be a full-time regular for an entire season.  Second of all, Ross had a very good, underrated season.  He was a lot better than Charlie Hemphill, and he played a lot more than Kevin Mitchell or Willie McGee.  Still to this day I do not understand why Boston did not bring Ross back.  It worked out just fine as he was basically replaced by Shane Victorino, who had a terrific 2013 season.  So, Ross will have to settle for being the best one-year right fielder in Red Sox history. 

The Red Sox Team of the Decade: 1970-1979

The Red Sox were a very good team throughout most of the 1970's and were in contention several years.  They appeared in the World Series in 1975 against the Cincinnati Reds, though they lost in a thrilling seven game series.  They famously lost a one-game playoff to the Yankees in 1978 after looking like a championship team for most of the season.  The Red Sox of the 1970's did have one of their most iconic looks in their history with the red caps in the late 1970's.  And they of course had a number of terrific players.

CATCHER - CARLTON FISK

It is very likely that Fisk is not just the best Red Sox catcher of the decade, he is the best Red Sox catcher of all time.  Fisk exploded onto the scene, winning the Rookie of the Year unanimously in 1972 and also picking up his only career Gold Glove.  He was an All Star six times in the 1970's and had one of the most iconic World Series moments of all time in Game 6 of the 1975 Series.  Fisk had some terrific seasons during the 1970's, including hitting .315/.402/.521 with 26 home runs and 102 RBIs in 1977.  Fisk is a Hall of Famer and wears a Red Sox cap on his plaque, due mostly to his work during the 1970's.  There really is no other choice at catcher than Fisk.

FIRST BASE - GEORGE SCOTT

We go from one of the easiest selections to one of the hardest.  I had a lot of difficulty deciding between George Scott and Cecil Cooper at first base.  Cooper had the better individual season in 1975, but it was in just 106 games, but Scott had significantly more power and played in more games at first than Cooper.  Scott had been with the Red Sox since 1966 and was traded after the 1971 season.  He won a Gold Glove in 1971 and hit .263/.317/.441 with 24 home runs.  He was traded back to the Red Sox after the 1976 season, oddly for Cecil Cooper.  He had his final great season in 1977, hitting .269/.337/.500 with 33 home runs and 95 RBIs in his return, but age slowed him down afterwards.  Cooper went on to have a terrific career with the Brewers.

SECOND BASE - DOUG GRIFFIN

Second base was rough for the Red Sox in the 1970's.  Only one player turned in an All Star season, and that was Jerry Remy who played just one full season with the Red Sox in the 1970's.  Denny Doyle had the best offensive season in 1975, but it was in just 89 games, as he was an in-season acquisition.  So we end up with Doug Griffin, who played the most games at second for the Red Sox during the decade and who was mostly valuable due to his impressive defense.  Griffin won a Gold Glove in 1972 and was fourth in the Rookie of the Year vote in 1971.  He was not much of a hitter, hitting .245/.299/.299 with just seven home runs during his career.  Remy and Doyle had better individual seasons as hitters, but Griffin was terrific with the glove.

SHORTSTOP - RICK BURLESON

One of the more underrated players of the 1970's was Rick Burleson.  The Rooster was a terrific defensive shortstop, who unfortunately was overshadowed by Mark Belanger.  He did manage to win his only Gold Glove in 1979.  He was also a decent contact hitter who did the little things to help win ball games.  Burleson was an All Star in three consecutive seasons from 1977 through 1979.  He finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year vote in 1974.  He had his best season for the Red Sox in 1976 when he hit .291/.365/.383 with seven home runs, 42 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.  He also played his fairly typical great defense.  Burleson was named the Red Sox Team MVP in consecutive years in 1979 and 1980.  Burleson's career was unfortunately shortened by significant injuries after being traded to the Angels prior to 1981.    

THIRD BASE - RICO PETROCELLI

After several seasons as the Red Sox starting shortstop, Petrocelli was moved to third base for the 1971 season to accommodate the acquisition of future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio.  He had his last great season in 1971 when he hit .251/.354/.461 with 28 home runs and 89 RBIs as the Red Sox third-baseman.  He had a few more decent seasons with the Red Sox from 1973 through 1975, hitting around 15 home runs and generally being a league-average hitter.  Petrocelli did have an impressive performance in the 1975 World Series, hitting .308.  He played great defense at third base, with a .970 career fielding percentage at third.  Butch Hobson comes in as the runner-up, mostly due to the strength of his 1977 season when he hit 30 home runs and drove in 112.  

RIGHT FIELD - DWIGHT EVANS

One of the many young stars during the 1975 season for the Red Sox, Evans actually went on to have one of the best careers among Fisk, Lynn, Rice, and Burleson.  That he is not a Hall of Famer yet is a mistake.  Evans did not fully develop into a star right away, though he was named an All Star in 1978.  He showed off some power, hitting more than 20 home runs in 1978 and 1979, but he was mostly just a good hitter during the 1970's.  He was a great defensive player though, winning three Gold Gloves and showing off a rocket for an arm.  He made a terrific catch during the 1975 World Series.  Evans spent the vast majority of the decade as the Red Sox right-fielder, but the best was yet to come from him. 

CENTER FIELD - FRED LYNN

The first player to win the MVP and the Rookie of the Year Awards in the same season, Lynn had one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time.  He was a terrific five-tool player.  He led the league in doubles (47), runs (103), slugging (.566), and OPS (.967).  He hit .331/.401/.566 with 21 home runs, 105 RBIs, and ten stolen bases and also won the Gold Glove.  Lynn was an All Star every season he played for the Red Sox and actually had his best season in 1979 when he won the batting title by hitting .333/.423/.637 with 39 home runs and 122 RBIs.  He led the league in average, OBP, and slugging, yet finished just fourth in the MVP vote.  Lynn also won four Gold Gloves with the Red Sox.  Unfortunately, he was traded to the Angels after the 1980 season and was just very good for several seasons, instead of great.  Lynn was one of the most dynamic players on the team in the 1970's.  Reggie Smith had a few good seasons in the early part of the decade too.

LEFT FIELD - CARL YASTRZEMSKI

I could have complicated the first base position even more than it already was.  Yaz played a lot of first base during the 1970's and was actually the primary first-baseman from 1973 to 1976.  But he also still played a lot of left field, winning Gold Gloves in 1971 and 1977.  He had his last terrific power season in 1970 when he hit .329/.452/.592 with 40 home runs and 102 RBIs and led the league in runs, OBP, and slugging.  He was still a very good hitter after 1970, though age started to take its toll on the legendary player.  He was still an All Star every season in the 1970's, but he was not the Yaz of 1967.  He was still a very good, even great player.

DESIGNATED HITTER - JIM RICE

The designated hitter position was created in 1973 and Boston had the first winner of the Designated Hitter of the Year Award.  But Jim Rice was the first huge Red Sox star that spent a significant amount of time at DH.  He played a lot at the position in the early years as Yaz was still a better defensive player than Rice for a few years.  But Rice's bat was far more powerful, so he needed to be in the lineup somehow.  Rice was the runner-up to Lynn for the Rookie of the Year in 1975 when he hit .309/.350/.491 with 22 home runs and 102 RBIs.  He was an offensive force from 1977 through 1979 and won the MVP with a terrific 1978 season when he hit .315/.370/.600 and led the league in most offensive categories.  While Rice played a lot of left field, he played the most games at DH of any Red Sox player in the 1970's.

STARTING PITCHER - LUIS TIANT

Another of the big stars of the team during the 1975 season, Luis Tiant was captivating to watch as he had a truly unique windup and threw a number of different pitches from a number of different arm angles.  Formerly a power pitcher for the Indians, Tiant was forced to reinvent himself as a crafty, finesse pitcher after suffering a serious arm injury.  Boston picked him up off the scrap heap, and after a rough 1971 season, he led the league in ERA in 1972 with a 1.91 mark.  He won 20 games three out of four seasons from 1973 through 1976 and was the big pitching star for Boston in 1975.  Tiant is another member of this team that should be re-examined for the Hall of Fame.

STARTING PITCHER - DENNIS ECKERSLEY

Although Eckersley only spent two seasons with the Red Sox in the 1970's, they were quite possibly his best seasons as a starting pitcher.  He was acquired from the Indians in a lopsided deal prior to the 1978 season and he was the big winner for Boston that season.  He had his only 20 win season that year, going 20-8 with a 2.99 ERA and struck out 162 batters.  He had another great season in 1979, going 17-10 with an identical 2.99 ERA and struck out 150 batters.  Somehow he did not make the All Star team in either season, though he did receive some Cy Young votes both years.  Eckersley is in the Hall of Fame, though this is mostly due to his exceptional work as a closer.  He was just not good enough for long enough as a starting pitcher.

STARTING PITCHER - RICK WISE

Wise led the Red Sox in wins in the 1975 season.  Not Tiant.  Not Lee.  Rick Wise.  He was originally acquired in a somewhat regrettable trade with the Cardinals in which Boston sent athletic outfielder Reggie Smith to St. Louis, but that is largely made up for when Wise was later traded for Eckersley.  Wise was known for being involved in poor deals as he was also once traded for Steve Carlton.  He was not great in his time with the Red Sox, but he did have a very good 1975 season when he was 19-12 with a 3.95 ERA and struck out 141 batters.  He never won as many games with the Red Sox again, but he was at least a decent starting pitcher for two more seasons.  He is mainly here for his 1975 season.

STARTING PITCHER - SONNY SIEBERT

Siebert was the Red Sox ace during the early years in the 1970's, though he was not really among the elite pitchers in the league.  He was acquired in the trade that sent popular outfielder Ken Harrelson to the Indians.  That trade did work out well for Boston over time as Siebert had some nice seasons.  In 1970, he was 15-8 with a 3.44 ERA and 142 strikeouts.  He was an All Star in 1971 when he went 16-10 with a 2.91 ERA and 131 strikeouts.  He had a surprisingly good season with the bat that year as he hit a shocking six home runs and batted .266.  He had never hit more than two before.  The next year though he was just 12-12 with a 3.80 ERA and was traded early in the 1973 season.

PITCHER - BILL LEE

After a few years in the bullpen, Bill "Spaceman" Lee was moved to the rotation in 1973.  He was decent out of the bullpen, including a very good 1971 season in which he was 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA.  But the outspoken southpaw really came into his own when he was given a chance to be a regular starting pitcher.  He won 17 games three seasons in a row from 1973 through 1975.  He had his lone All Star season in 1973 when he was 17-11 with a 2.75 ERA and struck out 120.  Lee was famous for being a great quote and having some wild ideas.  He was unconventional to say the least, but he was also a fiery competitor and a talented pitcher.  He had some injury problems in the late 1970's and did not get along with Boston manager Don Zimmer, which led to his eventual trade to the Expos.  Gary Peters and Mike Torrez were considered for the team as starting pitchers.

PITCHER - ROGELIO MORET

Moret spent just over half of his 116 games pitched for the Red Sox as a starter.  He had a couple of exceptional seasons which he split as a starter and reliever.  After a few seasons of appearing in just a handful of games, Moret made it to the big leagues to stay in 1973.  That season, he was 13-2 with a 3.17 ERA and struck out 90 in 156.1 innings.  After a decent season in 1974, Moret put together a 14-3 record in 1975.  He had an ERA of 3.60 and struck out 80 that season, but off-the-field problems led Boston to trade him to the Braves.  Unfortunately, Moret was never again the pitcher that he was in Boston.

PITCHER - BOB STANLEY

"The Steamer" emerged as a great relief pitcher in 1978, his second season in the Majors.  He was decent in 1977, while pitching primarily out of the bullpen.  In 1978 though, he was a workhorse, appearing in 52 games, all but three of which were out of the bullpen, and throwing 141.2 innings.  He was 15-2 with a 2.60 ERA and picked up ten saves.  In 1979, Stanley started 30 out of 40 games and was 16-12 with 3.99 ERA and appeared in his first All Star game.  Stanley would pitch several more seasons with the Red Sox, with varying degrees of success.

RELIEF PITCHER - BILL CAMPBELL

The first major free agent that the Red Sox signed was Bill Campbell.  He was coming off of a season in which he was 17-5 with a 3.01 ERA and 20 saves, all as a relief pitcher, and teams were beginning to gravitate toward having a designated relief ace, which would eventually move toward the one-inning closer.  Campbell was great in his first season with the Red Sox in 1977, putting up similar numbers to Cy Young Award winning reliever Sparky Lyle.  He was 13-9 with a 2.96 ERA, a league-leading 31 saves, and 114 strikeouts versus 60 walks in 140 innings.  Unfortunately, the huge workload took its toll on Campbell and he was never quite as good.  But his 1977 season was the best season of the decade by any Red Sox relief pitcher by a wide margin.  Bobby Bolin and Dick Drago were also considered for the team.   

A Trade for a Hall of Fame Autograph

No, it's not Ted Williams, though I wish it were.  It's not Carl Yastrzemski, though that would be nice too.  But it is a Hall of Famer and it is an autograph, so I am certainly not complaining.  It is not often I get one of these in a trade, so I am perfectly happy with that.  

1.  2017 Topps Heritage Chrome Purple David Price.  I got this card in the same trade.  Price is starting the season on the disabled list, but if he comes back strong, he gives Boston three aces at the top of their rotation.

2.  2016 Topps Tribute Autographs Green Jim Rice.  This is my second autograph of Rice.  I feel like I have been writing about Rice a lot lately.  He will likely appear in a post I am working on for this weekend too.  He is a Red Sox legend, so there is a good reason for his frequent appearance on this blog.

Ebay Bucks Purchase

I love Ebay Bucks.  It is nice to know that spending money on Ebay will get me some money back.  As I said previously, I have not been buying much lately, and that showed with the rather paltry amount I had to spend from my Ebay Bucks.  So I decided to make them count by picking up something unusual.  These two cards are from the new game card set Honus Bonus Fantasy.  Both of these players are pretty small in my collection so they were the two that most appealed to me so far.

1.  Robbie Ross Jr.  Previously, I only had one card of Ross.  He was such a big part of the last two years' bullpen, but he has yet to really appear on many cards.  Both of my cards are from game card sets like this.  Hopefully Topps will find a way to add him to more sets this year, particularly if he keeps pitching the way he has.

2.  Sandy Leon.  Leon has been pretty good this year so far.  He hit a walkoff three-run home run in the second game of the season.  Maybe he won't be a fluke.  But, it is still pretty early.  Nevertheless, he is quickly becoming one of my favorite under-the-radar players.

A Package from Dan

I received a surprise package from Dan, a fellow Red Sox fan Monday.  Included in the package were a number of cards from my wantlist, always something exciting.  Here are the spoils:

1.  2016 Bowman Platinum David Ortiz.  We are now underway on the post-David Ortiz era.  Now we wait for his Hall of Fame candidacy.

2.  2016 Bowman Platinum Top Prospects Anderson Espinoza.  Espinoza was Boston's top pitching prospect, but for some reason he was sent to San Diego for Drew Pomeranz, a trade that continues to look worse as Pomeranz is starting the season on the DL.

3.  2016 Bowman Platinum Top Prospects Rafael Devers.  Devers will take over as Boston's top prospect in a couple of weeks when Andrew Benintendi graduates from prospect status.

4.   2016 Topps Archives Snapshots David Ortiz.  This is my first card from this set.  There are a few random Red Sox in it that I am interested in, including a rare Jose Canseco in a Red Sox uniform card.

5.  2016 Topps Spring Fever David Ortiz.  Ortiz is once again leading Pedro Martinez for the third-largest player in my Red Sox collection with these three cards.

6.  2016 Topps Chrome Brian Johnson.  Johnson will try to make it back to the Majors after pitching just one game in the Majors to date, back in 2015.

7-8.  Craig Kimbrel.  Unfortunately both of these are duplicates.

Thanks for the cards Dan!  I will work on getting something together for you.

Your 2017 Boston Red Sox on Opening Day

Here we are on Opening Day.  It has been a long winter, but I am excited for the season.  I thought I would do something a tad different and introduce the 25 man roster going into the first game.  So without further ado, here are the 2017 Boston Red Sox:

FERNANDO ABAD

One of a small handful of players that have yet to appear in my Red Sox collection, Abad is one of three lefties out of the bullpen.  He was acquired in a trade deadline move last year, which did not work out real well.

MATT BARNES

Barnes emerged as a major contributor in the Red Sox bullpen last season and showed an aptitude for striking batters out.  He will play a similar role with Boston this season and could be one of the main setup men.

ANDREW BENINTENDI

Largely considered the #1 prospect in all of baseball, Benintendi is coming into the season as one of the favorites for the AL Rookie of the Year.  He had a nice stint in Boston at the end of the season and only a minor injury prevented him from losing his rookie eligibility.

MOOKIE BETTS

The runner-up for the 2016 AL MVP enters this season as one of the brightest young stars in the game.  He does everything well.  Here's hoping for more of the same and a contract extension.

XANDER BOGAERTS

Coming off of his second straight Silver Slugger Award, Bogaerts struggled greatly in the second half but could put everything together this season.  Even after a disappointing half, he was still one of the best shortstops in the league.

JACKIE BRADLEY, JR.

JBJ emerged as a top player for the Red Sox in 2016.  He had the longest hitting streak in the game, but also faded badly down the stretch.  His defense still makes him a terrific player.

HEATH HEMBREE

Like Barnes, Hembree emerged as a major piece of the Red Sox bullpen and was even better at piling up the strikeouts.  Still, he bounced between the Majors and Minors frequently.  He should be up for the entire season this year and should get some new cards.

BROCK HOLT

The utility-man extraordinaire is coming off of a rough season.  Not playing him as a regular should help him out somewhat.  Holt's versatility is his greatest asset.

JOE KELLY

Finally, Boston appears set to leave Kelly in the bullpen.  His stuff keeps making the team think that he could be a decent starter, but the results have been ugly.  He should be effective in relief.

CRAIG KIMBREL

He had a rough first season in Boston, but Kimbrel still racked up saves and strikeouts.  Hopefully he will be back to his old ways in 2017.

SANDY LEON

Leon had a terrific start to his 2016 season, but cooled off significantly.  He still had the best season of his career, but it seems unlikely he will have that good of a season again.  If he struggles, Blake Swihart will be there to take over.

MITCH MORELAND

I have not been able to add Moreland to my collection yet, but it is just a matter of time.  He won the Gold Glove Award and will be the primary first-baseman this season.

DUSTIN PEDROIA

Now the longest tenured Red Sox player, Pedroia has been with the team since late 2006.  He is building up his Hall of Fame resume at this point.

RICK PORCELLO

The 2016 AL Cy Young Award Winner will be the Opening Day starter.  He struggled a bit in the Spring, but he did last season too.

HANLEY RAMIREZ

Ramirez will take over at DH for the now-retired David Ortiz.  His power stroke came through in a big way in 2016 and he will be looked to for more power in 2017.

EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ

Boston received Rodriguez as return when Andrew Miller was traded to the Orioles.  He looks poised to take a step forward in 2017 and could be a major part of the Red Sox rotation for years to come.

ROBBIE ROSS, JR.

Another emerging member of the Red Sox bullpen, Ross is the major lefty for Boston.  Hopefully he will get some more cards this year.  He has proven to be a decent pickup.

CHRIS SALE

He cost Boston a lot of young talent, but Sale is one of the best pitchers in the league.  Along with David Price and Rick Porcello, Sale gives the Red Sox three top-flight starting pitchers to head their rotation.

PABLO SANDOVAL

He's back.  Sandoval looks ready for a new start.  He had an impressive Spring Training after losing a bunch of weight.  Hopefully he proves to be worth the big contract.

ROBBY SCOTT

I do not have this card either.  Scott is the last of the three lefties in the Red Sox bullpen and had an impressive Spring after making his Major League debut in 2016.

STEVE SELSKY

Selsky was a surprise addition to the Red Sox roster, likely making it in order to play first base against lefties in order to give Moreland a rest.  Hanley Ramirez is unable to play in the field.

BEN TAYLOR

Another surprise addition to the Red Sox roster, Taylor will be making his Major League debut in 2017.  He was a 7th round pick in 2015 by the Red Sox.

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ

An incredibly talented defensive catcher, Vazquez's offense has left a lot to be desired.  If he could be even a slightly below-average hitter, his defense would make him a good player.  He is not even at that point yet.

STEVEN WRIGHT

Hopefully Wright will prove that last season was not a fluke.  He had always shown flashes of being a good pitcher, but no one expected an All Star appearance.    

CHRIS YOUNG

Young mashes lefties.  That is his primary skill.  And it makes him a terrific bench bat.  He will do more of the same in 2017.

And there you have the 2017 Red Sox.

2017 Donruss Blaster Break

I am not buying cards much these days.  I have mentioned that before.  What would make that more bearable would be actually doing reasonably well pulling Red Sox when I do buy blasters.  That has not really happened much yet.  Take my haul from my recent Donruss blaster:

Yep.  One card.  Now granted, it is reigning Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, who will be starting on Opening Day.  But I still would have preferred a few more cards.  I do like the homage to the 1990 Donruss design here.  Donruss was always one of my favorite brands and I still like picking it up even without the MLB license.  Still, it would have been nice to have a little more luck.