Tag Archives: Keith Foulke

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 26-30

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The uniform numbers 26-30 bring two more Hall of Famers and retired numbers.  On top of that, we have a hero from the 2004 team that broke the curse.  Who are they and who joins them on this list?

Number 26 – Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs is a Hall of Famer and has his number 26 retired by the Red Sox. He built his Hall of Fame career with the Sox as the best hitter of the 1980’s, and is a top five third baseman of All-Time.  He led the league in batting average in five out of the first six seasons he was eligible, and would have won in 1982 had he accumulated enough at-bats. Boggs also led the league in on-base percentage in six of his first seven eligible seasons.

Boggs joined the Red Sox in 1982 and batted .349 over 104 games.  He then went on to eclipse 200 base hits in seven consecutive seasons, a Major League record.  From 1983-88, Boggs batted .356/.448/.489/.937.  He hit over .360 four times and .357 during his other batting title.  Between 1983 and 1991 he had over 40 doubles in eight of nine seasons, leading the league twice.

Boggs’ .338 average with the team is second best in franchise history to Ted Williams.  His on-base percentage is third and if you are a fan of WAR, he is third in that as well.  He is far and away the greatest number 26, no one else even gets a mention.

Number 27 – Carlton Fisk

Carlton Fisk also has his number retired by the team.  The Hall of Fame catcher hit one of the most memorable home runs in the history of baseball to win game six of the 1975 World Series.  He is the best catcher in team history and a true Red Sox legend.

Fisk joined the Red Sox full-time in 1972.  That season he made the All-Star Game, won Rookie of the Year, the Gold Glove, and placed fourth in the MVP vote.  Surprisingly, he led the American League with nine triples that season.

After hitting 48 home runs over his first two seasons, Fisk missed a lot of time in 1974 and 1975, but when he played, he was great.  Over 131 games and 450 at-bats those two seasons, Fisk hit .318 with 21 home runs and a .928 OPS.  He of course then hit that legendary home run.

Perhaps his best offensive season came in 1977.  That year, Fisk batted .315 with 26 home runs and drove in 102 runners.  His .922 OPS was his best for a full season of work.  One could still argue his rookie season was better.

Fisk was with the Red Sox for roughly a decade before the front office royally screwed up his contract, allowing him to sign elsewhere.  He batted .284 and hit 162 regular season home runs during that time. He was a seven-time All-Star before leaving for the south side of Chicago.

Honorable Mentions: Greg Harris, Bill Monbouquette

Number 28 – Sparky Lyle

This one might not stay Sparky Lyle for long, as J.D. Martinez just had a monster first season with the Red Sox.  In fact, I would suspect I will change this by the end of 2019.  But for now, I have to give the nod to five good seasons over one great one.

Lyle should have been a Red Sox pitcher longer than he was.  Traded for Danny Cater after the 1971 season in an ill-advised move, the trade has gone down in history as one of the franchise’s worst.  Before being dealt, Lyle had put together five good seasons as the Red Sox best relief pitcher.  Lyle was 22-17 with a 2.85 ERA and 69 saves during that time in Boston.  His ERA was only higher than 2.75 once.

After being traded for over-the-hill Danny Cater (and quite frankly the never very good Danny Cater), Lyle unfortunately went on to a stellar career with the Yankees.  He won a Cy Young Award, and placed third in the Cy Young vote his first season in New York.  He saved 141 games and pitched to a 2.41 ERA while with the Yankees.  Meanwhile, Danny Cater had a .685 OPS over three seasons as a part-time player for the Red Sox.

Honorable Mentions: JD Martinez, Doug Mirabelli, Adrian Gonzalez

Sparky Lyle #28 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a picture circa 1967-1971. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Number 29 – Keith Foulke

Keith Foulke is a Red Sox legend; a hero from the 2004 curse breaking team who should never have to pay for another beer in New England.  What Foulke did in 2004 is nothing short of remarkable.  Foulke pitched very well in the regular season, but it was during the ALCS and World Series that his name went down in history.

Signed to a contract in the offseason to become the Red Sox new closer, Foulke had an ERA under 2.00 for most of the season, finishing the year at 2.17 with 32 saves in 83 innings pitched.  Foulke would tack on 14 more innings in the Postseason, with many of them coming in consecutive games.

Foulke pitched three shutout innings against the Angels in the ALDS.  After appearing in Games 1 and 2, Foulke pitched 2.2 shutout innings in the 14-inning Game 4 against the Yankees.  His pitching prolonged the game and allowed the Red Sox the chance to keep their season alive.  Without that effort, his longest outing of the season, the Red Sox couldn’t have done what they did.  After throwing 50 pitches, Foulke came back the next day to get four outs in another extra-innings game.  He came back the very next day to close out the Yankees in game 6, despite having thrown over 70 pitches the previous two days.

After getting Game 7 to rest, Foulke pitched in all four games of the World Series, going more than an inning again in Game 1. In total he allowed one run in 14 innings of work, and the innings could not be higher leverage situations than they were.

Keith Foulke likely gave his career to those pitching performances, as he was never the same after. I’m guessing he would do it all again.

Honorable Mentions: Roger Moret, Adrian Beltre, Daniel Nava

Keith Foulke #29 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 to win game four of the World Series. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Number 30 – Jose Santiago

The number 30 certainly doesn’t offer some of the names these other numbers do.  Santiago had three good seasons with the Red Sox, before battling injuries and being forced out of the league.

Santiago joined the Red Sox in 1966, winning 12 games and posting a solid 3.66 ERA.  The next season, he was a key member of the bullpen while also making 11 starts for the “Impossible Dream” team.  He was 12-4 with a 3.59 ERA over 145.1 innings pitched.  He did not fare so well in the World Series, losing two of the games to the Cardinals.

1968 was his final effective season, and he made the All-Star Game. Over 18 starts before his injury to his elbow, Santiago was 9-4 with a stellar 2.25 ERA.  He threw seven complete games, two of them shutouts. He did battle back the next season and pitched reasonably well over 10 relief appearances, but he could no longer throw his signature pitch.  Santiago did not last long in 1970 and was out of baseball.  He did not wear the number 30 that final season though, going 33-21 with a 3.25 ERA while wearing this number with the Red Sox.

Honorable Mentions: John Tudor, Andrew Miller

Jose Santiago poses for a headshot.
(Photo by Boston Red Sox)

 

 

Featured picture taken from MLB.com

Red Sox Best Free Agent Signings

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Free agency this winter has been colder than the temperatures outside. Those baseball fans among us are starving for action and something to talk about. Hopefully the team is drawing near, as Spring Training is just around the corner. But, with free agency currently lulling us all to sleep, I decided to take a look at some of the best free agent signings the Red Sox have ever made.

David Ortiz

Big Papi is in a class all by himself. The Red Sox picked up Ortiz cheap after the Twins mistakenly dumped him. I remember thinking it was odd the Twins let him go and was happy to see the Sox bring him aboard, but obviously no one knew what would come of it. Ortiz had homered twenty times the year before in a part-time role and eighteen times the year before that. The Red Sox signed Ortiz for just 1.25 million dollars. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ortiz blossomed in Fenway and turned into maybe the most popular and beloved Red Sox of all-time. There are too many instances to cite; all the game-winning hits, the postseason heroics, David Ortiz is a living legend. He hit 483 home runs with the Red Sox. In several decades, people will tell of his heroic feats and some will wonder if half of them really happened. All he did was that unbelievable, that legendary. In several years Cooperstown should be opening its doors to him. When they do, the entire city of Boston and a large portion of the states in New England will try to get tickets and descend upon the tiny town, trying to watch the lovable Papi become enshrined.

In 2013, Ortiz came to the forefront, not for his baseball heroics, but for a motivational speech he gave following the Boston Marathon bombing. This speech can still give chills nearly five years later. David Ortiz was, is, and will forever remain, a Boston hero.

Ortiz rallied the entire city behind him after the tragic marathon bombing in 2013.

The Big Money Signings

Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez could be a headache, and was put on the trade block multiple times, but all in all the signing paid off. He was given an eight year contract worth 160 million dollars by the Red Sox before the 2001 season. Despite the problems he could cause, and “Manny being Manny”, Ramirez helped the Red Sox win two World Series and was the MVP of the curse breaker in 2004. That series he batted .412 to win the award. In four postseasons with the Red Sox he batted .321 with eleven home runs. In regular season play, Manny hit .312 with 274 home runs and a .999 OPS.

Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox celebrates after connecting for a three-run home run to defeat the Angels, 6-3 in Game 2 of the ALDS. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Johnny Damon

The Red Sox signed Johnny Damon to a four year deal worth 31 million dollars before the 2002 season. Damon batted .295 in his four seasons with Boston, making two All-Star Games. He stole 30 bases in each of his first two seasons, then hit 20 homers in his third season. Damon helped the Red Sox break the curse in 2004, helping the band of “idiots” overcome the “evil empire.” Damon hit two huge home runs in game seven of the ALCS that season to defeat the Yankees en route to the World Series. He may have cut off all his hair and gone to the Yankees, transforming from Jesus into the Antichrist, but during his deal he was certainly worth the money.

Keith Foulke

After the bullpen struggled in 2003, the Red Sox went out and signed closer Keith Foulke to a three year deal worth 18.75 million. He earned every penny of the entire deal in 2004 and embedded himself into Red Sox lore. After pitching to a 2.17 ERA and saving 32 games that season, Foulke became a postseason hero. With the team down 0-3 to the Yankees in the ALCS, needing a win to avoid the sweep, Foulke pitched 2.2 shutout innings to keep the game alive. He then pitched each of the next two days to help the Red Sox force a game seven. After winning the series, Foulke pitched in all four World Series games and recorded the unforgettable final out.

Bargain Contracts

Bill Mueller

Bill Mueller was a cheap signing heading into the 2003 season to handle the hot corner. Signed to a three year deal worth only 6.7 million dollars in total, Mueller was worth more than that in just the first season. He led the American League in hitting that year, batting .326 with 19 home runs, 45 doubles and a .938 OPS. That was a career year for Mueller, but he still batted .290 over the next two seasons. Mueller of course also had the base hit to score Dave Roberts, sending game four of the ALCS in 2004 to extra innings. Mueller batted .321 that postseason as the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years.

Adrian Beltre

Beltre was a big name, but came to Boston on a relatively cheap deal. After a down season in 2009, Beltre bet on himself to rebound and cash in with a larger contract the following season. The Red Sox were able to procure his services for 9 million dollars in 2010. Beltre proceeded to have the second best season of his career; he hasn’t stopped hitting since. Beltre to that point had been a decent third baseman, but somewhat disappointing. His season with the Red Sox started him on an epic second half of his career journey which is leading him to the baseball Hall of Fame. In his one season in Boston, Beltre batted .321 with 28 homers and led the league with 49 doubles.

Koji Uehara

Koji had always put up good numbers prior to coming to Boston, but had troubles staying healthy. The Red Sox initially gave him a two year deal worth 9.25 million dollars. Uehara stayed healthy and had an insanely dominant first season in Boston. In 2013, Uehara was 4-1 with a microscopic 1.09 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and saved 21 games. He then allowed one run in 13.2 innings pitched during the postseason as the Red Sox won the World Series. Koji was the MVP of the ALCS that year. Uehara ended up spending four seasons in Boston, posting a 2.19 ERA and 79 saves.

Off the Scrap Heap

Tim Wakefield

Wakefield burst onto the scene in 1992 with the Pirates, going 8-1 with a 2.15 ERA. The fall was quick though and Wakefield was back in the minor leagues for part of the next season and the entire 1994 season. The Pirates released him before the 1995 season started. Just under a week later, the Red Sox decided to nab Wakefield off the scrap heap and give his knuckleball a try. One thing Dan Duquette was good at was picking up players no one else wanted and getting success out of them.

Wakefield stayed in Boston for 17 years, pitching in every role imaginable. He won 186 games, good for third on the franchise’s all-time list. He was a fan favorite and still works with the team today, showing up on NESN often throughout the year to do studio work. Not a bad pickup.

Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox starts against the New York Yankees March 13, 2009 at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Luis Tiant

Tiant had been a successful pitcher in Cleveland in the sixties, even leading the league with a 1.60 ERA while winning 21 games in 1968. His career had fallen on hard times before coming to Boston however. Tiant missed half the season in 1970 and had yet to pitch when the Braves released him in May 1971. With Tiant a free agent, the Red Sox decided to take a chance on him and his injured arm. The move didn’t pay off immediately, as he was 1-7 the rest of that season. However, the dividends down the road were immense.

Tiant went on to have an excellent career with the Red Sox and become a borderline Hall of Fame candidate. I listed Tiant as one of the Red Sox five greatest right-handed pitchers ever a few months ago. By 1972, Tiant led the American League with a 1.91 ERA. He’d win 20 games as a member of the Red Sox three times, winning 122 total in parts of eight seasons. He also went 3-0 in the 1975 postseason with a 2.65 ERA.

Rich Garces

The lovable “El Guapo” is the third “scrap heap” free agent signing. Listed at a generous 250 pounds, (it was probably closer to 300), Garces looked like he belonged anywhere but playing professional sports. Garces pitched seven seasons for the Red Sox and developed into one of their more reliable relief pitchers. Between 1990 and 1995, Garces had only appeared in 26 Major League outings, a number he eclipsed in 1996 alone with the Sox. Garces’ best season came in 1999 when he put up a 1.55 ERA. Starting with that season, Garces won 19 games against just 3 losses over a three year stretch.

Rich Garces of the Red Sox pitches during a Spring Training game against the Rangers in Fort Myers, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport

Best Relief Pitchers in Red Sox History

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To round out the Red Sox all-time pitching staff I will cover their five greatest relief pitchers ever. This is the third installment of my series of articles. Again, this covers how good they were as a Red Sox, and longevity plays into it. Craig Kimbrel was crazy filthy this season, but to be included he needs at least one more great year, probably two.

Jonathan Papelbon

Papelbon is the best reliever in Red Sox history, and would be their closer on an all-time roster. Papelbon is by far the all-time saves leader in franchise history with 219. He accomplished this with a 2.33 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 10.7 strike outs per 9 innings pitched. Pap made 4 All-Star Games with the Red Sox. From 2006-2009 he was nearly unhittable, posting a 1.74 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He had a WHIP under 1.00 in three straight seasons and an ERA under 2.00 in 3 out of 4. Hell, his ERA was under 1.00 in his rookie season of 2006.

Papelbon was also unhittable in the postseason and helped the Red Sox to the 2007 World Series championship. That season he threw 10.2 shutout innings in the playoffs and saved 3 games in the World Series. For his Boston career, Papelbon did not allow a run in his first 25 postseason innings, saving 7 games in that span. Remarkable. He was also a fun pitcher to watch, glaring at the hitter like he’s about to throw the ball through the batter’s head. Then there were also his wild celebrations after a successful save.

 

 

 

 

 

Dick Radatz

“The Monster” got his nickname for a reason: nobody wanted to face him. Standing at 6’6″, Radatz was an imposing figure on the mound. He became burned out quickly, unfortunately, pitching a lot of innings in relief. In his first 4 seasons Radatz averaged 135 innings pitched over 68 appearances. Compare that to your typical relief pitcher nowadays. During his first 3 seasons he made 2 All-Star Games, had a top 5 MVP finish and led the league in saves twice. During that span he had a 40-21 record and saved 98 games. In a time when batters were embarrassed to strike out, Radatz struck out 10.6 batters per 9 innings during those 3 seasons and had a 2.17 ERA.

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Ellis Kinder

Ellis Kinder was a swingman for the Sox in the late 40s and 50s. In his first 3 seasons he made a lot of starts for the Red Sox while also relieving. He won 23 games in 1949, finishing 5th in the MVP vote. Two years later he led the league in appearances. By 1953 Kinder was a full-time reliever. That season Kinder was 10-6 with a 1.85 ERA and led the league in saves with 27. This was the 2nd time in three seasons Kinder had led the league in saves. For his Red Sox career, Kinder finished 86-52 with a 3.28 ERA and 93 games saved.

Bob Stanley

The all-time games pitched leader in franchise history has to make an appearance here. Stanley made starts in some years, but he was almost always a relief pitcher, and better at it then he was starting. Bob Stanley won 115 games and saved 132 during his career, which he spent entirely in Boston. As a relief pitcher his ERA was 3.28, opposed to being north of 4.00 as a starter. Stanley made 2 all-star teams and saved as many as 33 games in 1983.

Koji Uehara

Koji was always good, but often injured before coming to the Red Sox. No one could have predicted the impact he had on the team. In 2013, Koji was 4-1 with a 1.09 ERA and microscopic 0.56 WHIP. Then in the playoffs he allowed 1 run over 13.2 innings while saving 7 games. He was instrumental in their World Series run that season. Koji spent 4 seasons with Boston, saving 79 games. His rate statistics during that time were phenomenal; a 2.19 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 11.6 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Koji Uehara of the Boston Red Sox reacts after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game Six of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park on October 30, 2013. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Special Mention

Keith Foulke needs to get an honorable mention in this article. He cannot make the top five Red Sox relievers ever, only having one good season, but he gave his career for that one season. Without him the Red Sox wouldn’t have broken the curse, beat the Yankees and won the World Series in 2004. Period. After a season in which Foulke had a 2.17 ERA and 0.94 WHIP, he amped up even further when the Sox needed him most. Foulke allowed 1 run over 14 innings in the playoffs, striking out 19 batters.

With their backs against the wall, down 0-3 to the Yankees in the ALCS, Foulke pitched in 7 of the final 8 games. During four of those appearances Foulke pitched more than the typical one inning. In Game 4 against the Yankees, he pitched 2.2 shutout innings, helping prolong the game to give the offense the opportunity to win it. What he did that postseason was nothing short of miraculous, and he was never the same afterwards. I’m sure he would do it all over again.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Keith Foulke, center, and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, left, celebrate after St. Louis Cardinals’ Edgar Renteria (3) grounded out to end the ninth inning and give Boston a 3-0 win and a sweep of the World Series, Wednesday Oct. 27, 2004, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)