Red Sox Greatest Second Basemen

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Red Sox Greatest Second Basemen

The keystone position is next on the agenda for my series of Red Sox articles. Unfortunately, the top player has just passed away. At the age of 99, Bobby Doerr passed away on Tuesday. He was the oldest living Hall of Famer. Doerr played against Lou Gehrig, and faced A’s teams managed by Connie Mack, who was born in 1862. RIP to the great Bobby Doerr.

Bobby Doerr

Doerr spent 14 seasons with the Red Sox, which spanned his entire career. He missed the 1945 season, while serving his country in the war. He then was forced into an early retirement at the age of 33, due to a bad back. Even still, Doerr managed to collect over 2000 base hits, and swat 223 home runs. His 1247 runs batted in are far and away the tops at the position. About the only category he doesn’t lead in is stolen bases. He was a career .288 hitter, and posted an .823 OPS.

Doerr was just as good in the field as he was at the plate. In 1948, he set a record for second basemen, by handling 414 consecutive chances without making an error. This record lasted for nearly 60 years, until it was broken in 2007. He also turned more double plays than any second baseman in Major League history, until 1963. His .980 fielding percentage came at a time when gloves were rudimentary. His fielding percentage only dipped below .980 once over the final eight seasons of his career.

Bobby Doerr was also known as a clutch hitter, driving in over 100 runs, in six different seasons. He accomplished this feat in three straight seasons, before his final season. Doerr also batted .409 during the 1946 World Series. It’s unfortunate he had to retire when he did, Doerr was still a very good ballplayer. In fact, he had been improving. Over his final four seasons, Doerr batted .294, while averaging 21 home runs, and 103 RBI per season. Doerr made nine All-Star Games during his career.

Bobby Doerr’s glove, which he managed to post a .980 career fielding % with and set records which stood for decades.

Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia has been aiming for Doerr’s mantle, but isn’t there yet. If he can put together a couple more good seasons, maybe. Pedroia is a career .300 hitter, banging out 1802 base hits at this point in his career. Over a 162 game schedule, Pedroia has averaged 15 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 42 doubles during his career.

Pedroia, of course, is an excellent fielder as well. He is routinely going all out in the field, making diving stops, and throwing out the runner. This has helped him net four Gold Glove Awards thus far. His .991 fielding percentage shows how steady he is in the field, but you’d have to watch him to know how much he flashes his leather around.

Pedroia started off his career by winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2007. He followed that up by leading the league in hits (213), doubles (54) and winning the MVP Award in 2008. He used to be sneaky on the base paths too, stealing 20 bags that year while only being caught once. Pedroia might not steal many bags anymore, but this was the first of four seasons in which he stole 20 bases. Pedroia has made four All-Star Games, in addition to his previously mentioned accolades.

Pete Runnels

Pete Runnels wasn’t with the Red Sox nearly as long as the guys above him on this list, but he sure made an impact while in Boston. Runnels spent five seasons with the team, and batted over .300 in all five. He had a cumulative batting average of .320, and an on-base percentage of .408. He didn’t hit for power, only totaling 29 home runs over those five seasons. But with a .320 average, who cares? Second basemen were rarely power hitters in those days.

Runnels did play primarily first base his final two years with the Red Sox, but he played more games at second during his tenure with the Sox. According to Baseball Reference, Runnels had a 20.3 WAR over his five seasons in Boston. In his first season with the Red Sox, in 1958, he finished runner up for the batting title, losing to teammate Ted Williams. After finishing third in 1959, Runnels won his first batting title in 1960. He would go on to win his second batting title in his final season with the team in 1962. Runnels also made three all-star teams while with the Red Sox.

Billy Goodman

Goodman was a valuable utility man for the Red Sox. He had some years he played exclusively at second, some entirely at first, and others where he played all over the diamond. That versatility made him even more valuable than just his numbers. He played second more than anywhere though, and was usually at the keystone position over the final five seasons he was with the team.

Goodman didn’t have power, topping out with a career high of four home runs, but he was a fine hitter. Goodman batted over .300 five times, and never finished below .293 during a full season (he had a combined 27 at-bats between his first and last seasons). His .354 batting average in 1950 led the Major Leagues, and he finished runner-up for the MVP Award. A player mostly forgotten by time, Goodman deserves to be remembered with all of these accomplishments. He could easily be ahead of Runnels for third on this list. Goodman made two All-Star Games.

September 1950: Boston Red Sox player Billy Goodman watching the action of a game from the dugout. (Photo by Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

Jody Reed

Standing at a listed height of 5’9″, Jody Reed was well liked for his scrappy, all out style of play. Despite his small stature, Jody Reed was a doubles machine in Boston. He was very adept at using the Green Monster to his advantage, and averaged 41 doubles per 162 games played with the Red Sox. His lifetime average of .280 as a Red Sox is good, but is a little misleading since he only batted below that number once. Reed was a career .288 hitter, before falling off at the plate in 1992.

Reed came up with the Red Sox as a shortstop, replacing Spike Owen at the position when Joe Morgan took the helm in 1988. He was one of the new guys inserted into the lineup by Morgan that led to their magical run in the second half of the season. By the next season, Reed was splitting his time between the middle infield positions, and eventually became the starting second baseman. He was a fine defender at the position too, though he did get better at it after leaving Boston. It was a tough call for the fifth place Second Basemen position, between Reed and Marty Barrett, but I gave Reed the nod due to his better ratios.

Hey, I think this guy used to deliver Schwan’s ice cream to my house.

Honorable Mentions:

Marty Barrett, Jerry Remy, Mike Andrews, Jeff Frye

 

Week 10 Winners and Losers

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For a football nerd like me, it is easy to open with a generic statement like “Wow what an eventful week!”. Well, week 10 was truly deserving of the cliche. It featured 13 games (thus far), seven of which resulted in a one-possession game. Road teams experienced mild success this week, going 6-7 collectively. We saw an OT thriller, a game-winning field goal  and a winless team notch its first W. Other headlines include the persistent dominance by the Saints and Rams while the Vikings and Titans keep finding ways to win and the Browns and Giants still suck.

We are a little over half way through the regular season and playoff races are starting to heat up. It feels as though we are beginning to grasp which teams are contenders and which teams are pretenders.  Alright, let’s get to it. Presented below are the week 10 teams that shined bright and the teams feeling up tight.

WEEK 10 WINNERS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, 47-10 WIN AT BUFFALO

The sun keeps on rising and the Saints keep on winning. Their dominant week 10 win against a good Buffalo team further supports the notion that this team is legit. Make it seven straight for Sean Payton and company. There is something different about this team than we have seen in recent years. They actually look like a complete football team. It is no longer Drew Brees miraculously willing his team to victory by throwing for 400 yards and 4 TD’s over and over again. It is a much more balanced attack as the Saints backfield has established itself as one of the league’s best.

Mark Ingram has been phenomenal and rookie Alvin Kamara is playing so well that he should be in the conversation with Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette for offensive rookie of the year. This duo is an absolute two-headed monster.  It reminds me of the 2016 version of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. On Sunday the Saints backs ran all over Buffalo. Ingram logged 21 carries for 131 yards and three TD’s while Kamara added none carries for 106 yards and a TD. Even Trey Edmunds had nne rushes for 48 yards and a score. Who? Exactly.

Also, something has to be said about the defense. The Saints defense has been atrocious recently but they have really turned it around this season. Since starting the season 0-2 and allowing 29 and then 36 points, they have held six of their last seven opponents to 17 points or less. They rank fifth in the league in points allowed per game this year at 18.3. Week 10 in Buffalo was a tough task and they made light work of it. They will face a real tough test in two weeks when they travel to Los Angeles to face the 7-2 Rams.

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ATLANTA FALCONS, 27-7 WIN VS DALLAS

Statement made in week 10 by Atlanta. They proved that they can still play like the team they were last year. Atlanta dominated on both sides of the ball and in the trenches. The offensive line held up nicely as Ryan was only sacked once. The defense looked hungry and angry just like they did last year. Dan Quinn’s defense recorded eight sacks, including six from Adrian Clayborn. Prior to Sunday, only three other players in NFL history had recorded six sacks in a single game.

The only bummer about Sunday’s game was that star running back Devonta Freeman left the game with a concussion and is unlikely to play next week at Seattle. Luckily, they still have Tevin Coleman in the backfield, who has proven in the past he can handle a significant workload. Atlanta looks to build off of their impressive week 10 win when they fly out west to take on the 6-3 Seahawks.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS, 38-30 WIN AT WASHINGTON

Minnesota never really does anything flashy but they just know how to win football games. They are very quietly riding a five-game win streak and stand at 7-2 on the season. I think many worried about Dalvin Cook going down with a torn ACL. However, Minnesota has done just fine without him. The defense has dominated all year as they are fifth in the league in points allowed per game.

It seems as though a different offensive player comes to the rescue each week, whether it be Case Keenum, Jerrick McKinnon or Stefon Diggs. This week it was Adam Thielen who had eight catches for 166 yards and a TD. It sure seems like the Vikings have a stranglehold on the NFC North title this year as they lead both Detroit and Green Bay by two games. Next up a tough match up against another 7-2 division leader: vs the Los Angeles Rams.

 

WEEK 10 LOSERS

BUFFALO BILLS, 47-10 LOSS VS NEW ORLEANS

Buffalo looked great through its first seven games, but they are beginning to fall off. In week eight, the Bills welcomed Oakland to Buffalo in the rudest way possible by embarrassing them 34-14. At that point in the season, Buffalo looked real solid. Some were saying that they would be battling the Patriots for the division title all year long. It felt as though they had finally put it all together and were ready to play like the great team they had shown flashes of in the recent past.

However, back-to-back ugly losses have ensued since they walloped Oakland in week eight. In week nine they lost to the Jets 34-21,  but that game was not as close as the score indicates. Buffalo scored two touchdowns in garbage time after trailing 34-7 with a little over four minutes to play. Then this week they got trounced by the Saints. Sure, the Saints are playing as well as anyone right now, but still. If Buffalo considers themselves a playoff team then they can not lose by 37 points at home. It is not panic time yet, but it certainly seems like they are in a rapid downward spiral. Next up for Buffalo is the one of the best 3-6 teams you will ever see: At Los Angeles Chargers.

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DALLAS COWBOYS, 27-7 LOSS AT ATLANTA

Ugly loss for the Cowboys but I do not want to take anything away from Atlanta.  They played exceptionally welll. Dallas had a few odds stacked against them in this one. They were on the road and without their best offensive weapon in Ezekiel Elliott. However, they simply have to be better than they were on Sunday. The offensive line, which typically dominates, looked awful. Prescott had no time to throw and was sacked eight times. The main reason why Dallas made the losers list this week is the incompetence of the offense without Zeke. Zeke faces a six-game suspension. If the Cowboys can not move the ball without him then they will quickly fall out of the playoff race.

The run game looked awful without Zeke. Alfred Morris had two quality runs on the day, one for 20 yards and another for 14 yards. However, the game was pretty much out of reach at the time of those two carries. Aside from those two plays he had nine carries for 19 yards — not good enough. Up next, Dallas hosts the 8-1 Eagles. They will need more out of Morris, Smith and McFadden against the league’s best rushing defense (66.4 yards allowed per game) if they want a shot to win this one. Good luck.

Image result for ezekiel elliott sideline

*Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

Should The Boston Bruins Trade Zdeno Chara?

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Zdeno Chara had been the heart and soul of the Boston Bruins for the past dozen years and one of the leagues best defenseman since joining the Bruins for the 2006-2007 season. This makes moving on from him all the more difficult. Chara has been a popular trade candidate when talking about who the Bruins could potentially look to deal to accumulate some more assets. While it may be hard to cope with the proposition of moving on from the captain of the Boston Bruins, it may be critical to rebuild the team.

A case for the trade

For starters, the Bruins are not that good.  Granted, injuries have derailed their season. But even with their full lineup, the ceiling for this team may be a wild card spot. The captain has been the Bruins best overall defenseman through the first part of the season. But at the age of forty, he is being wasted on a middle of the pack team. Chara is currently playing out the last year of his contract. While rumors surfaced earlier in the season about a possible extension, no move has been made. Perhaps a sign that Sweeny sees the end of the line for Chara, at least in Boston.

The Bruins can cash in on Chara and his resume, the six-time all star, Norris trophy winner, and Stanley Cup Champion would be the perfect asset for a contending team. Chara could make an immediate impact on any team. Imagine having him in a shut-down role on the second pairing simply to hit the teams top line all night long. This makes him extremely valuable, especially on the upcoming west coast trip.

The kings would be a perfect fit with Doughty leading the team as the clear number one defenseman. Chara would take some of the pressure off of Doughty, and allow the Kings to balance the minutes through the playoffs. It’s not unreasonable for the Bruins to expect at least a first-round pick and a prospect in return, so the Bruins should make the deal sooner then later.  Having Chara for an extra two months could be the difference between a top prospect and a mediocre one.

Just Say No

For starters, if the Bruins view themselves as legit contenders, trading Chara would be foolish. But luckily no one believes that.  But the Bruins do think they can make the postseason, and the Bruins love the revenue from those home playoff games. For those who thinks that’s a non-factor you have not payed attention to the Jacobs history as owners.

On the ice,  Chara provides invaluable experience for the young players, and also the leadership and accountability on and off the ice. McCavoy and Carlo have benefited from Chara’s presence.   He is a pro’s pro. Shows up, grinds it out and keeps his focus on hockey. For a team with so many young players, having a steady leadership core is critical.

Verdict

The Bruins won’t be a good team this year, so keeping a forty year old is a waste. Cash in on the asset and give Chara one last chance at another Cup.

Al Horford

Boston Celtics Ups and Downs – Week 4

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Is anybody getting a bit bored with the Celtics racking up all of these wins? No? Nobody’s over it? Oh, alright cool me either. Another week, another perfect 4-0 record. Boston has now won 12 straight games, a streak twice as long as that of any other team this season. There were many ups this week, but unlike previous weeks, there were some things to be concerned about too. Let’s dive in, and check out all the Ups and Downs of last week’s Celtics action!

Jayson Tatum

The Ups

Jayson Tatum Has the Clutch Gene

Tatum is now an integral part of the Celtics’ offense. Although the volume of shots aren’t there yet, the rookie has forced his way into more opportunities. Brad Stevens, who isn’t necessarily known for putting his faith in younger players, has thrown Tatum into the fire, and he is responding in a big way. With the exception of an injury scare, that limited him to just nine minutes against the Lakers, Tatum averaged 16.6 points last week, with some very timely buckets down the stretch of each game. A couple cold-blooded threes against Atlanta, and tough layups as the clock ticked down against Charlotte and Toronto, have shown that Tatum isn’t afraid of the moment. He is playing like a seasoned vet, and has the moves to prove it.

Terry Rozier Leading the Celtic Bench

Before the season started, I wrote about how Rozier was begging for more minutes, based on his preseason play. After leading the Boston reserves, and becoming a huge energizer off the bench, Rozier is proving me right. Rozier averaged 13.2 points, and 6.5 rebounds in the team’s four wins last week. He was playing big minutes down the stretch. With Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Tatum missing games, the Celtics were looking for people to pick up the scoring. Rozier took that challenge, and continued to crash the glass like almost no other guard can. His efficiency needs work (he’s shooting just 36.4 percent from the field), but given the opportunity, Rozier can make winning plays.

The Grit-and-Grind Celtics?

With Horford sidelined with a concussion, and Kyrie taking an inadvertent elbow from Aron Baynes just five minutes into the game, the Celtics looked dead in the water against the Hornets on Friday night. The team scored just 11 points in the first quarter, and could have easily packed it in. That isn’t the identity of this team. With their three best players out with injuries, the Celtics clawed their way back into the game. Physical defense, timely shot making, and big contributions across the roster, allowed Boston to get back into the game. They came away with one of their more impressive victories of the season.

As of right now, the identity of this team is defense. Players like Kyrie, and Tatum, can make the offense look beautiful, but the Celtics need to play hard, smart basketball in order to win games.

Terry Rozier

The Downs

Enough With The Injuries!

It’s remarkable to see where the Celtics are, given how many injuries they have had to deal with. Gordon Hayward, Marcus Morris, and even Marcus Smart, have all missed games early in the season. This past week Kyrie (broken facial bone), and Horford (concussion), both went down. Horford missed two games and Kyrie is on his way back soon. It’s getting to the point where you hold your breath any time somebody hits the floor. Clearly the injuries haven’t slowed the Celtics down too much, but can we go a week without losing somebody else please?

Too Many Slow Starts

Blame this on the injuries if you so choose, but the Celtics have gotten off to some ugly starts this week. The offense has been slow and stagnant early on, and the team has dug themselves some early holes. Putting themselves down early like that, is eventually going to come back to bite them. Eleven points against the Hornets on Friday, and shooting just 33 percent in the first half against Toronto, are just a few examples. The Celtics play with such energy and passion, but they need to start bringing that at the beginning of games.

The Celtics Need More Offense

This may sound silly to say to a team currently on a 12-game winning streak, but the numbers don’t lie. The Celtics are winning with defense and effort, not with a high powered offense, or lights out shooting. Boston ranks 24th in points per game (102.2), and 28th in shooting percentage (43.1). Imagine if the Celtics can clean up the offensive execution, and match their defensive ranking. They would be a team nobody would want to face.

Boston is on a roll. A win against Brooklyn on Tuesday will send them into a matchup with the Warriors as winners of 13 straight. Stevens and the Celtics aren’t getting caught up in the hype. They just keep playing their game.

Brad Stevens Might Finally Win Coach of the Year

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NEXT MAN UP MENTALITY

Next man up. It’s a phrase we hear all the time in sports. For Coach Stevens and the Celtics, it’s becoming a part of the nightly game plan. First, it was Gordon Hayward going down for the season. Before that, Marcus Morris wasn’t ready at the start of the season, and is still battling some knee soreness. After scrambling to install some new things in the offensive and defensive schemes for the new rotation, plentiful in first year players, the team got off to a scalding hot, completely unforeseen, 9-2 start.

Nov 3, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; The Boston Celtics celebrate after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

“I don’t think anyone expected anything like this,” Al Horford said of the surprising start of the new-look Celtics.

Just when things started to settle down, and the Celtics could just play, Horford himself started showing signs of a concussion, from a blow he took in a previous game vs. the Hawks. He would have to sit out against the Lakers, putting the 9-game win streak in jeopardy. Making matters worse, Jayson Tatum left the game in the first half, with ankle soreness, and didn’t return. Did it matter? Nope, the C’s won comfortably anyway.

“Until we only have four left, I guess we’re just gonna keep playing,” Stevens said after the game.

IS THIS THE MAINE RED CLAWS?

The next game, against the Hornets, provided a bigger test. The Hornets should be a playoff team this year, and Al Horford was still out. Kyrie Irving suffered a blow to the head in the opening minutes of the game, and did not return. Now officially operating without a single member of the big 3 assembled in the offseason, Brad Stevens and the C’s now had a real situation on their hands.

What did they do? Exactly what Stevens said after the previous game against the Lakers– they kept playing.

Down 18 at one point, Stevens told his players at the beginning of the 4th quarter in the Hornets game, according to Terry Rozier, “We are going to win this game, and this place is going to go nuts.” 

The coach proceeded to roll out a lineup littered with players that have legitimately received more playing time in the G-league, and overseas, in their careers than in the NBA.

And they won the game.

CALM AS EVER

Afterwards, the coach could be found sitting at the podium, waiting on the media.

Seemingly always two steps ahead of the competition, the people who spend their lives hustling, to get things out for the public as quickly as possible, can’t even keep up with him. Despite the brilliant comeback, with the ragtag bunch put together, the opening questions remained the same as they have been most of the season.

“Brad, can you tell us what you know about  _______’s injury?”

Injuries have been one of the biggest storylines of the season for the Celtics thus far. Perhaps only second to the fact that this team has now won 12 straight games, the last two without Irving. It’s something I have had to double check every time I hear it. It’s simply surreal that this team, fighting through adversity from every possible angle, seems incapable of losing. What is happening? How are they doing this?

BRAD STEVENS, THE MAGICIAN

Maybe Rachel isn’t that far off. After all, the coach has proven his wizardry, time and time again, in pressure situations. When there is supposedly no way out of a bind, Brad Stevens doesn’t panic. He doesn’t back down. The coach looks further on down the bench, calm as ever, and he finds something that will work. He believes in his guys, all the way down to the last man. The coach fights for his players, and always puts the blame on himself. When asked about a mistake rookie Geurschon Yabusele made, intentionally fouling Dwight Howard under 2 minutes, the coach went to bat for his player.

“He’s new to the NBA…What that really boils down to is horrible coaching. Because he should know what he’s supposed to do when he goes in and he should know when he can’t do it. So that’s not his fault, it’s ours.”

TRUST GOES A LONG WAY

Stevens took the rookie out after the play, and was obviously frustrated with him. Yabusele has come along slowly, not getting much PT yet in his young career. He really shouldn’t be seeing the floor, but Brad Stevens went back to him in the 2nd half, and he played a role in the comeback. Brad’s players know he trusts them, and he is not going to let them fail alone. He is going to have their backs, even when he shouldn’t. Stevens is never going to publicly scold someone. He does it behind the scenes, and in a teaching manner, not a belittling way.

In almost every game, Stevens’ deep trust in his players is put on display in a unique way. In the same game vs. the Hornets, Marcus Morris made a critical mistake, shooting the ball up three, with 30 seconds left in the game. He was wide open, but the C’s had a full shot clock, and needed to hold the ball. Stevens kept Morris in, and he hit a huge shot the next possession to make it a 5 point lead, and all but seal it.

DOMINANCE ON THE HORIZON?

Brad Stevens is a master of X’s and O’s, but more importantly, he is a master of people. He knows exactly what buttons to push, to get the proper reaction he wants out of his players. This goes far beyond basketball, and his players are able to respect him as a man first. They see how he approaches life and basketball, and they admire it. He never gets too high or too low. He just stays the course, and keeps working, no matter how chaotic things get around him.

“The Celtics are going to be like the Patriots and dominate a conference for a decade,” Colin Cowherd said on his talk show recently.

It is becoming apparent, with each passing year, that Brad Stevens is going to be the coach of the Boston Celtics until he gets tired of it. All the way up to that day, they are going to keep playing, until they get down to 4 players. And unless that tragic scenario actually plays out, they are going to keep winning basketball games. It’s time to give this man his due credit, as the best coach in this league.

Will Jeter Send Stanton To Red Sox?

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Red Sox Stanton Talks Heating Up

According to the Miami Herald, the Red Sox Stanton talks are “heating up.” Dombrowski told the Boston Herald he could not comment on any trade talks at this time. Let’s take a look at what the Red Sox may have to give up. They really do need a power hitter, after missing David Ortiz. The question is, who has to go in order to get Stanton? The Red Sox would probably have to send them Jason Groome, Jackie Bradley Jr., and either Devers, or Nunez.

Will Andrew Benintendi Stay Or Will He Go?

Will Andrew Benintendi be in a Red Sox uniform next season? I sure hope so. You really don’t want to give up Benintendi. He is a great asset to the team, and has a future as a player. The Red Sox want to win, they aren’t in a rebuilding stage at this point. The Marlins are rebuilding. Stanton has made it clear he wants to win now, he doesn’t want to be on a rebuilding team. The other three teams interested in Stanton are the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals.

Stanton’s Contract?

The Red Sox have to figure out if Stanton has a no-trade clause. With any trade for the outfielder, they have to deal with the $295 million owed over the next 10 seasons remaining on his contract. He can opt out after the 2020 season. The Red Sox hit the fewest home runs in the American League last season, a power bat would help their lineup greatly. Stanton has a better shot of winning with the Red Sox, with a new manager. They have the pitching, and really have controlled the division the last two seasons.

Red Sox Need The Bat In The Middle Of There Lineup

With Aaron Judge in the middle of the Yankees lineup, it’s clear the Red Sox need a big bat. Otherwise, they could find themselves in the wild card spot come next postseason.

Red Sox Greatest First Basemen Ever

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Continuing on with my series of articles, I make my way to the five greatest first basemen in the history of the franchise. After delving into the statistics, I found that picking the top five was not very difficult. The only arguments to be made, would be the order of the five, and the honorable mentions.

Jimmie Foxx

Foxx was a beast, hence his nickname, “Beast.” One of the most powerful right-handed bats of all-time, Foxx hit his 500th career home run by the age of 32. A decline in eyesight, drinking problems and a broken rib, aided in a quick decline from there. All that matters for this article, however, is his time spent with the Red Sox. Foxx batted .320, with 222 home runs and a 1.034 OPS, during his time with Boston. His 50 home runs in 1938, remained a single-season franchise record, until Big Papi broke it in 2006.

Jimmie Foxx spent six full seasons with the team, making the all-star team all six years. He led the league in batting average, home runs and RBI once each while leading in OPS twice. He won the MVP in 1938, when he hit .349, with 50 homers and 175 RBI. The next season he batted .360, and led the league with 35 home runs, finishing 2nd in the MVP vote.

Year Tm AB H HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ Awards
1936 BOS 585 198 41 143 .338 .440 .631 1.071 155 AS,MVP-11
1937 BOS 569 162 36 127 .285 .392 .538 .929 127 AS
1938 BOS 565 197 50 175 .349 .462 .704 1.166 182 AS,MVP-1
1939 BOS 467 168 35 105 .360 .464 .694 1.158 188 AS,MVP-2
1940 BOS 515 153 36 119 .297 .412 .581 .993 150 AS,MVP-6
1941 BOS 487 146 19 105 .300 .412 .505 .917 139 AS
AB H HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ Awards
BOS BOS 3288 1051 222 788 .320 .429 .605 1.034 156

Mo Vaughn

Big Mo, “The Hit Dog,” isn’t too far behind Foxx when talking about what they did for the Red Sox. Mo was the team leader in the 90’s, both at the plate, and in the clubhouse. A big power prospect, Mo Vaughn struggled for a couple years, before breaking out in 1993. He would go on to win the MVP Award in 1995, and place in the top five in two other MVP votes. His swing and hitting style were tailor-made for Fenway Park and the Green Monster. He never should have left.

Mo batted .304 during his time in Boston, while bashing 230 home runs. He had a stellar slash line of .394/.542/.936. From 1993 to 1998, when he left as a free agent, Mo Vaughn had an average season of .315, with 36 home runs, 110 RBI and a .974 OPS. He batted .300 with 39 home runs during his MVP season of 1995, but was arguably better during each of the next three seasons. 1996 was likely his best, batting .326 with 44 home runs and driving in 143 runners. His impressive hitting, combined with his presence, made Big Mo a fan favorite.

Kevin Youkilis

“The Greek God of Walks” comes in at third for me, in a tight race amongst the next three. Youkilis originally came up as a third baseman, but was shifted to first base by 2006, his first full season. He spent the next five seasons as their primary first baseman, before the team acquired Adrian Gonzalez for 2011. Coincidentally, Youkilis’ move back to third for 2011 coincided with his offensive decline.

From 2006-2010, as the Red Sox first baseman, Kevin Youkilis batted .297, while averaging 21 home runs per season. Youkilis also had a .396 on base percentage, and .507 slugging percentage during this time. Youkilis battled teammate Dustin Pedroia for the 2008 MVP Award, finishing third in the vote. He followed that up with a sixth place finish in 2009.

Youkilis was also a very good fielding first baseman. He set a Major League record for most consecutive errorless games, while manning the position. He didn’t make a single error in 2007, and won the Gold Glove Award. His career fielding percentage at first base was .997.

Kevin Youkilis celebrates as he rounds third base after teammate J.D. Drew hit a grand slam off pitcher Fausto Carmona of the Cleveland Indians in Game Six of the ALCS. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

George Scott

“Boomer” had some power, while flashing some Gold Glove leather at first base. Spending parts of nine seasons with the Red Sox, Scott batted .257, while hitting 154 homers. His offense was a little hit or miss, hitting over .290 twice, but under .250 three times. He even batted .171, with 3 home runs, in 1968. After spending five seasons with Milwaukee, Scott returned to the Red Sox, and hit 33 home runs in 1977. Boomer made two All-Star Games, and won three Gold Gloves with the Red Sox.

George Scott of the Boston Red Sox connects for a two run homer in the bottom of the night inning of All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, July 20, 1977. (AP Photo)

Carl Yastrzemski

Yaz is the little wrinkle thrown in at first base. Better known for his time in left, Yaz would be tops on this list if it were just for what they did in their Red Sox career. However, this is an article just on first base. As a first baseman, Carl Yastrzemski was definitely a top five first baseman in franchise history, but most of his stats came in left field. Yaz could still arguably be up a spot or two higher, but he slots in fifth on my list.

Yastrzemski was the Red Sox main first baseman in 1970, and again from 1973-76. He played 50 or more games at first base in seven different seasons. During his time playing first, Yastrzemski batted .277, and hit 101 of his 452 career home runs. His 752 base hits actually do place fifth all-time at the position, after the players I have above him. He had a nice .373 on base percentage, which helped him to an .813 OPS while playing first base.

Honorable Mentions:

Brian Daubach, Kevin Millar, Mike Stanley, Dick Stuart

Best Right-Handed Pitchers

Best Left-Handed Pitchers

Best Relief Pitchers

Best Catchers

 

The Commish on the Ropes

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Among the most common qualities great leaders share are supreme competence in what they do and the ability to anticipate and deal with change. They are principled, and their values are consistent. Roger Goodell is none of these things.

I’ve spent my whole adult life surrounded by, working with, studying, and developing leaders. From infantry squad leaders to high ranking government officials and CEOs of Fortune 50 companies, I’ve seen some the best and the worst leaders in the country. The current commissioner of the NFL sits alone on the Iron Throne of incompetence.

False Accomplishments

Roger Goodell is a disgrace to the league. He is Portnoy’s clown, a caricature of a chief executive. Goodell’s defenders often cite the league’s financial standing as evidence of the commissioner’s accomplishments. They. Are. Not.

Goodell has received undue credit for the league’s financial strength over the past eleven years. Never mind the fact that the NFL was financially sound before he took over, environmental factors have made the NFL the juggernaut it is today. Goodells tenure (2006-present) coincided with the introduction and explosion of social media, live streaming, and a 300% increase in fantasy sports participation in North America alone.

Roger Goodell isn’t a business genius, he is Chauncey the Gardner, a dullard whose success has been coincidental.

Scandal Ridden Tenure

Rather than heaping unwarranted praise on the Commish for where the league is today, we should lay the blame at his feet as to where the league is heading tomorrow.

Truth in lending, I’ve hated Goodell long before he suspended Tom Brady for possibly being “generally aware” that an equipment manager may have done something that the league can’t prove and that science can disprove. This is a man who fines players for wearing the purple cleats to show support for domestic awareness, but is fine with players assaulting their wives and girlfriends off the field. Unless someone leaks the video to TMZ.

Goodell is a tone deaf, thin-skinned hypocrite. From his disgraceful handling of domestic abuse by players, to his inconsistent metering-out of punishment to players and owners, to his grandstanding about integrity of the game and player safety while stonewalling CTE investigations and settlements, abuse of office has been the defining characteristic of his tenure.

Where does Goodell choose to involve himself? Anthem protests. It’s clear that the NFL wants to appear to be the All-American game. You can’t attend one without some sort of display of fealty to the flag and a service member in uniform. But of course, that’s been largely fake too – after all the Department of Defense and the National Guard paid the NFL and its teams more than $12 million dollars for such patriotic displays between 2011 and 2015.

Face of the NFL

The list of great players who are also great people is nearly endless in the NFL. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson, JJ Watt. These should be the faces of the NFL, but they’re not. Instead it’s Colin Kaepernick, Ndamukong Suh, Vontaze Burfict, and Prescott’s woman abusing teammate Ezekiel Elliott.

A work stoppage in 2011 that was resolved by Bob Kraft. Plummeting ratings. Hundreds of arrested players. Ndamukong Suh choking an opponent on the field – and not getting fined. This is Roger Goodell’s NFL. It’s past time for him to go.

Kingslayer

Jerry Jones is a fraud, but he may also be our only hope. He is not the hero we deserve, but he is the hero we need. Jones has been the commissioner’s greatest champion for years – a lap dog when Goodell was abusing his power to punish Tom Brady without evidence.

But, now that Jones’ newest woman abuser has been suspended for six games, suddenly Jerry is all about reeling in the powers of the commissioner. Suddenly, the arbitrary administration of suspensions is unjust. Suddenly, Jerry thinks we need a change of leadership.

Embed from Getty Images

Jerry cares about women. Just last week he proudly proclaimed that the Cowboys had a zero tolerance policy on domestic abuse. I’m sure Greg Hardy’s victim was glad to hear that.

Jones is, however, the kind of selfish, grudge-holding ass who might be able to mobilize 24 largely apathetic owners to block Goodell’s extension. That is doubtful, however, because this group of owners seem content printing their money and wrongly believe that Goodell is the reason they can.

Jerry’s palace coup probably won’t succeed. But, how it plays out will be telling for New England fans. Nobody has been on the receiving end of more horrible decisions and gross abuses of the powers of the commissioner than Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots.

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Kraft famously dropped his appeal of the Goodell’s over the top and unjustified punishment after deflategate. In doing so, he infuriated most of his fan base. If he sides against Jones, Kraft will send a loud and clear message that he cares more for the community of billionaires that are the NFL owners than he does for his team and his fans.

Is It Panic Time Already for the Hurricanes?

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It has been nine long years since the Hurricanes were last in the playoffs. After a disappointing 4-0 sweep to the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009 Stanley Cup Champions), the team has not been the same. Carolina is off to a slow start and it makes people wonder whether it is time for a major change.

Hurricanes Continue to Lack Competitiveness

In the early going of the season, the Hurricanes are currently 30th in the league in goals. On top of that, they are 6th in the league for goals against. This has a direct impact on Carolina’s record of 6-5-3. The Hurricanes are last place in the Metropolitan Division, and the chances of them improving this year are slim.

It is shocking that Hurricanes’ Coach Bill Peters has not been fired yet. His team is underwhelming and are steadily inconsistent. Until this team finds a strong goaltender and consistent goal scoring, they will remain bottom feeders of the Eastern Conference.

The Carolina Hurricanes Fan Base is Fading

If you want to see this first hand, just take a trip to the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. You might wonder if this game even counts as a home game for the Hurricanes because all you see are away team jerseys. As of lately, there are even talks about a possible relocation of the Canes due to their recent failures as an organization.

Although I do not see a relocation occuring any time soon, Carolina needs to fix this problem. It is hard to have a successful franchise when a team can not get fans to support them. There are those who are still loyal to the team but as the failures continue, the number of loyal fans depletes.

Young Talent is Going to Waste

With players such as Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk, you would think Carolina would be able to build a solid roster. That has not been the case, as both of these players have yet to see playoff action. The Hurricanes have done these players wrong by not properly building around them and giving them a chance to compete.

If the Hurricanes have no plans to start winning within the near future, a rebuild should be in consideration. Skinner, Faulk, and other Canes players hold significant trade value. They could be key to other teams that could give Carolina draft picks in return.

A rebuild is never enjoyable for the fans but it appears necessary for this team. The Hurricanes have not been relevant in a long time. It is time for the ownership to make a change and get this team back on track for legitimate success.

 

BSE Week in Review

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Take a look at all the articles posted by the Boston Sports Extra crew from last week. Enjoy and restart the discussion!

 

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/mchales-musings-vol-4-whirlwind-week

@PatriotsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/bennetts-rotator-cuff-injury

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/bennett-returns-to-new-england

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/breaking-down-wild-card-weekend

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/a-big-impact

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/college-quarterbacks-brady-successor

https://twitter.com/spot_bills/status/927618006527569920

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/belichick-breaks-patriot-way-brady

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/injuries-actions-may-really-hurt-nfl-longterm

 

@BruinsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/bruce-cassidy-keeping-bruins-season-afloat

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/boston-bruins-face-chicago-blackhawks-2019-winter-classic

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/different-feel-2011-stanley-cup-champs

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/grading-boston-bruins-aftter-first-month-nhl-season

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/bruins-inconsistencies-continue

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/time-bruins-move-on-matt-beleskey

@CelticExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/celtics-big-man-problem-best-possible

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/lonzo-wednesday-secondary-storylines-carry-weight

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/nets-lakers-played-mattered

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/celtics-bench-stepping-amid-increased-pressure

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/boston-celtics-ups-downs-week-3

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/celtics-have-signature-win

 

@RedSoxExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/new-red-sox-coaching-staff

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-catchers-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/defense-michael-felger

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/mike-felger-rant

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/remembering-roy-halladay

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-hot-stove-leaving-boston

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/alex-cora-excited-back

https://twitter.com/KathryneGayle/status/928091762677215233

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-relief-pitchers-red-sox-history