Tag Archives: Mo Vaughn

Worst Deadline Deals in Red Sox History

Following up my article covering the best trade deadline deals in franchise history, this article goes over the worst ones the team has ever made. The top worst trade can probably be guessed, as it is an iconic trade, but what comes after that?

1. Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen

With the Red Sox in the playoff hunt, they wanted to shore up their bullpen. So, they acquired Larry Andersen from the Astros in August. Larry Andersen was a good reliever, going 5-2 with a 1.95 ERA for Houston before the trade. Andersen did his job in Boston, pitching to a 1.23 ERA over 22 innings pitched as the Red Sox won the division. In no way does he deserve the bad name recognition that came with this trade, he did his job exceptionally well.

The problem is, Jeff Bagwell became a Hall of Famer. August trades don’t usually yield that much value, yet alone a prospect like Bagwell who was ranked 32nd in baseball at the time. He was walking a bunch and hitting a lot of doubles in the cavernous field at Double-A New Britain. Bagwell had an .880 OPS as a 22 year old at the time of the trade.

Here’s the worst part; the Astros asked for several other players before getting to Bagwell. Pitching prospect Kevin Morton, who had a fantastic Major League debut, was one. He never did much after the debut. Scott Cooper was another third base prospect the Red Sox for some reason preferred to Bagwell; oops. At least Mo Vaughn became a fan favorite and an MVP winner. But Phil Plantier, Daryl rvine and Dave Owen are others the Astros were rumored to maybe have taken in return.

2. Freddy Sanchez for Jeff Suppan

This trade doesn’t get as much publicity as some of the other bad moves, but it’s arguably worse. The deal also had more moving pieces, but it was essentially Freddy Sanchez and cash for Jeff Suppan. A little over a week earlier, the Red Sox had traded Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martinez to the Pirates for Mike Gonzalez and Scott Sauerbeck.

When a problem was found in Brandon Lyon’s physical, the two teams tried to work things out to make it right. Lyon and Martinez were traded back to the Red Sox along with Suppan for Sanchez, Mike Gonzalez and cash. They essentially just swapped everyone back, with cash replacing Scott Sauerbeck. If you included those pieces in with the trade, it would get even worse for the Red Sox, as Mike Gonzalez had a better career than anyone the Sox got.

As for the main pieces, Jeff Suppan was having his best season to date, pitching in the National League Central. However, reacquired by the Red Sox who he had started his career with, Suppan’s pitching reverted back to where it was during his first stint with the team as a youngster. He posted a 5.57 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and only 4.6 strike outs per nine innings over 10 starts and one relief appearance for the Red Sox. He wasn’t even used in the postseason.

Freddy Sanchez, who was the Red Sox top prospect at the time of the trade, went on to become a batting champion. He hit .291 as a rookie in 2005, then led the league in hitting in 2006 with his .344 average. He was an All-Star in 2006, 2007 and 2009. Meanwhile, the Red Sox kept shuffling through shortstops and second basemen for a few seasons after the trade, both positions Sanchez could have played.

Freddy Sanchez won the batting title in 2006 and made three All-Star Games in a four year stretch for the Pirates. Jeff Suppan fared so poorly he didn’t pitch in the postseason.

3. David Murphy, Kason Gabbard & Engel Beltre for Eric Gagne

This is mostly due to how bad Eric Gagne was for the Red Sox, as two of the players traded didn’t do a lot. It is kind of surprising they had to give up this much though, as David Murphy was a former first round draft pick and Kason Gabbard, although he didn’t possess great stuff, was 4-0 with a 3.73 ERA for the Red Sox that season. Including the season before, Gabbard had a 3.65 ERA over 11 starts and three relief appearances for the Red Sox. He didn’t pitch as well in Texas however, going 4-4 with a 5.14 ERA over 20 starts the next two seasons.

David Murphy turned into a solid outfielder in Texas. From 2008-2013, his average season was .283 with 14 home runs and a .795 OPS over 425 at-bats. He often didn’t play against lefties, leading to the average of just 425 at-bats. 2012 was his best season, as he batted .304 with 15 homers and an .859 OPS.

Eric Gagne was coming back from injury that season, having thrown just 15.1 innings over the previous two seasons. He was pitching well in Texas, going 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 16 saves. It all came unraveled in Boston, and it never came back. In 20 games the rest of the way, Gagne pitched to a 6.75 ERA and 1.88 WHIP over 18.2 innings. He gave up three more runs in 4.1 postseason innings. Generally, you could count on him to give up a run or two.

Boston, MA – 08/14/07 – Sox reliever Eric Gagne enjoyed little to no success in Boston. (Barry Chin, Globe Staff) Section: Sports, Reporter: Amalie Benjamin, slug: 15redsox.

4. Ty Buttrey & Williams Jerez for Ian Kinsler

The 2018 Red Sox, historically great as they were, had a need for some relief help. It was odd they had a guy like Buttrey, throwing 100 and dominating in Triple-A, left down in the minors while others got turns to help the bullpen. It was more baffling still when he was traded, along with another minor leaguer, for an over-the-hill second baseman.

Buttrey was called up to the Angels pretty soon after the trade. Since getting the call, he has been used in late innings by the Angels as one of their top setup men, sometimes going more than an inning at a time. His blazing fastball has led to 10.7 strike outs per nine innings pitched. The Red Sox could certainly use a guy like him in their bullpen.

Williams Jerez should have been almost enough for an aging free agent. He had a 3.63 ERA and struck out 69 batters over 52 innings in Triple-A. He’s pitched three innings at the big league level so far this season. Jerez and one other guy of lesser talent should have done the trick for Kinsler, who was an unnecessary add anyways.

Ian Kinsler was 36 years old at the time of the trade. He had batted .236 in 2017, and was hitting .239 for the Angels in 2018. His bat speed was gone, which was painfully noticeable in the playoffs when he swung and missed at fastballs all postseason long. He hit .242 with a home run for Boston in the regular season, then batted .206 with 14 strike outs in 34 at-bats in the playoffs.

Yes, the Red Sox won the World Series, but they would have won it without Kinsler. He didn’t add anything. They would have cruised to victory with the guys they had been going with, or with Brandon Phillips, who they had signed midseason. In fact, they might have swept the World Series with a different second baseman. His error in the 13th inning of game 3 directly led to a blown lead in an eventual loss. This is one of their worst deadline trades.

Ty Buttrey seems to have hit a wall of late, which can happen to rookies often. However, his ERA was well below 3.00 a week ago as he was pitching in dominant fashion.

5. Curt Schilling & Brady Anderson for Mike Boddicker

This trade is much higher on most people’s lists, but I think it is judged unfairly. It is one-hundred percent, long-term hindsight that makes this a bad trade.

The Red Sox traded for Mike Boddicker in 1988 on their way to a playoff appearance. He went 7-3 with a 2.63 ERA for them the rest of the way. Boddicker would spend two more years as the Red Sox number two starter behind Roger Clemens. After winning 15 games in 1989, Boddicker went 17-8 with a 3.36 ERA over 228 innings pitched in 1990 while winning the Gold Glove. He was a good pitcher for Boston. His totals in Boston were a 39-22 record with a 3.49 ERA.

But, they gave up Curt Schilling, who should be in the Hall of Fame and is one of the all-time greatest postseason performers in the history of the sport. They also gave up Brady Anderson, who was a good prospect putting up some high on-base percentages in the minor leagues. Steep price to pay, but for a top starter that’s generally the price.

Here’s the other kicker for me, the part that makes this unfairly judged. This trade took place in 1988, neither Schilling nor Anderson broke out until 1992, four years later. Boddicker was already gone from the Red Sox. At the end of his tenure in Boston, this trade would have been considered a big win.

From 1988-91, Anderson batted .219 with 10 home runs in the big leagues. He broke out with 21 home runs and 53 stolen bases in 1992 and went on to a fine career that saw him hit 209 home runs and steal 307 bases for the Orioles. But by 1992 when he broke out, who’s to say the Sox wouldn’t have traded him in another deal by then?

As for Schilling, he was traded again, twice! After showing nothing for two years, Schilling had some success in 1990 out of the bullpen. He was then traded to the Astros before 1991, where he was mediocre in relief. He was then traded again, straight up for Jason Grimsley of all people. It’s then, with the Phillies, where he broke out in 1992. That season he had a 2.35 ERA and led the National League in WHIP.

At the end of the day, this is on the list, but in the last spot, because of the players Schilling and Anderson eventually became. This trade catches way too much flak though.

Mike Boddicker was 39-22 with a 3.49 ERA over 2.5 seasons for Boston.

Feature image from HouseofHouston.com

Random Red Sox of the Day: Tim Naehring

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“Random Red Sox of the Day” is a new series of articles I will be periodically writing. This one is the first installment in the series. Random doesn’t mean they weren’t good, just that they aren’t names you will hear come up often in this day and age. Tim Naehring, for instance, was a good player for the Red Sox who seemingly adding to his game every season until an elbow injury ended his career prematurely. Read about him more below.

The Early Days

Tim Naehring was drafted by the Red Sox in 1988 out of Miami of Ohio as a shortstop. The Red Sox had also selected a shortstop in the 5th round named John Valentin. Naehring jumped ahead of Valentin in development as Valentin battled an injury shortly after being drafted.

By 1989, Naehring had made the leap to AAA Pawtucket, passing over AA during his midseason callup. Naehring held his own and found himself back in Pawtucket for the 1990 season. After swatting 15 home runs, he got the call to the big leagues in July.

By his third Major League start, Naehring had hit his first career home run. Two weeks later he had his first three-hit game, which he followed up with another three-hit game which included a home run and four runs batted in. He added a four-hit game a few days later before an injury ended his season, something he dealt with often in his early playing days.

Naehring would miss almost the entire 1991 season. He would spend most of the 1992 season on the big league team, serving as a utility player for the Red Sox. Naehring didn’t hit much, but played shortstop, second base and third base. He did win a game with a two-run homer in the top of the 19th in Cleveland in April of that season.

Tim Naehring during his early playing days.

The Beginnings of a Breakout

Tim Naehring was back in AAA for much of 1993, but was showing improvement. He batted .307 with an .873 OPS over 55 games at Pawtucket. After a bit of a sluggish start following his callup, Naehring found regular at-bats in September with the team out of the postseason race and picked up where he left off in Pawtucket. From September 10th through the end of the season, Naehring batted .420 with a 1.047 OPS. He had six hits during a doubleheader on the 10th and wound up with five straight multi-hit games.

Naehring was up for good in 1994 and continued showing the promise from his 1993 season. He played his usual infield positions, but was mostly at second base with Scott Fletcher struggling at the plate. Forming a timeshare with Fletcher while filling in periodically around the infield, Naehring batted .276 with 7 home runs over 297 at-bats. He enjoyed his first multi-homer game on April 19th against Oakland, a game in which he went 4-4 at the dish.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Tim Naehring stands at the plate during game against the Oakland Athletics.

Starting Third Baseman

Before the 1995 season, the Red Sox traded away two-time All-Star Scott Cooper. With the move, Tim Naehring would be taking over as their full-time third baseman. Naehring would not let the opportunity go to waste. Naehring was leading the American League in hitting as late as June of 1995.

He was still batting over .320 into early September of that season before fading a bit down the stretch. Still, Naehring batted .307 with a career high .863 OPS. He got on base at a .415 clip, leading the Red Sox and finishing eighth in the American League MVP race. When the Sox bats went cold in the postseason series with the Indians, Naehring picked up four hits and homered.

Naehring would set career highs in a couple more categories in 1996. He had an 18 game hitting streak early in the season. In June, he hit his first career walk-off home run against the Indians. With the game tied in the 15th inning, Naehring hit a 2-run homer off future Red Sox reliever Alan Embree. He would go on to hit 17 home runs that season, a personal best. His 65 runs batted in and 77 runs scored were also career highs. Those highs may not have held up if it weren’t for injury.

Tim Naehring was always giving it his all out on the field. Here he is colliding with Yankees catcher Mike Stanley on a play at the plate.

The Injury

Tim Naehring may have surpassed some of those career highs in 1997 if not for an elbow injury that ended his season, and ultimately, his career. Injured in late June, Naehring had 9 home runs and 40 RBI, and the team had yet to reach the mid-point of the season. He was batting .286 on 74 base hits with an .843 OPS. He likely would have surpassed his personal bests for both hits and RBI, and might have reached 20 home runs for the first time.

On June 23rd, in a win up in Toronto, Tim Naehring collected three base hits and homered. It would be the final game of his career. Naehring blew out his elbow, and with modern medicine probably would have made it back late the next season. As it was, Naehring held out hopes of making a comeback through 1998, but ultimately had to call it quits. He was 30 years old when he played his final game.

Naehring faced many injuries during his playing days, but some of that likely stemmed from his style of play. He was always diving for ground balls and going all out in the field. He was a good fielder and a good hitter. Naehring had only committed three errors on the 1997 season when he got hurt. At the plate, he seemingly kept improving as well, batting .295/.387/.451/.837 over his final three seasons.

Tim Naehring was always sporting a pair of very stylish shades.

How Red Sox MVP’s Have Fared the Following Season

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Red Sox superstar Mookie Betts is coming off an MVP Award for the 2018 season. There have been 11 seasons before Betts’ MVP season in which a Boston Red Sox won the award. Only one of those seasons saw a guy win his second MVP Award.

1912

Tris Speaker won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1912. The award then was not the modern MVP award. From 1911-1914 it was named the Chalmers Award, for the automobile company. However, just like now, baseball writers were the ones who determined the winner. The modern award was started in 1931.

As for Tris Speaker, he batted .383 and led the league in doubles, home runs and on-base percentage in 1912. It was easily his finest season with the Red Sox. However, he did not suffer that big of a drop-off in 1913. Speaker still batted .363 with a .974 OPS. He stole 46 bases and tripled 22 times.

1938

Jimmie Foxx was the recipient of the Red Sox first “modern” MVP Award. Foxx had won two MVP Awards while playing with the Philadelphia Athletics. 1938 was his third season in Boston after being traded.

In 1938, Foxx led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs batted in and walks. His 175 RBI that season is still a franchise record. His 50 home runs remained a franchise record for nearly seven decades, and his 398 total bases was a franchise record for 40 years.

In 1939 he was almost as good, just in less playing time. He upped his batting average to .360 and still led the league in on-base and slugging percentage. His 35 home runs led the league despite him only garnering 467 at-bats. Foxx finished second in the MVP vote that season.

1946

By the time Ted Williams won his first MVP Award in his first year back from war, he had already been robbed of two MVP’s. His lack of MVP’s, all things considered, has largely been attributed to him not getting along with the media members who voted for the awards.

In 1941, he batted .406, yet finished second to Joe DiMaggio for the award. DiMaggio batted .408 during his famous 56 game hit streak, just .002 better than Williams did for the entire season.

In 1942, Williams won the Triple Crown and led the league in just about every conceivable batting statistic. Somehow, he lost out to another Yankee on the Award. Joe Gordon won the award despite trailing in every statistic. His OPS was 237 points lower and he hit half as many home runs. Hmmm.

Williams finally got his due after returning from war. He led the league in on-base and slugging percentage and batted .342 with 38 home runs. As an encore, he led the league in even more categories, again winning the Triple Crown. Yet again, Williams somehow managed to finish second in the MVP vote while winning the Triple Crown. Joe DiMaggio was handed the award despite only hitting .315 with 20 home runs and 97 RBI.

Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox receives his 1946 American League MVP Award from Joe Cashman of the BBWAA. (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)

1949

After a third-place finish in 1948, Williams won his second MVP Award in 49. He led the league in on-base and slugging percentage, home runs, doubles and runs batted in.

In 1950 he was having another great season before breaking his elbow at the All-Star Game after crashing into the outfield wall. Williams only played 89 games that year yet managed to hit 28 home runs and drive home 97 runs. He would have been his typical MVP deserving self had he not broken his elbow.

1958

A Red Sox not named Ted Williams managed to win the MVP before Williams’ playing days were over. Jackie Jensen won the Award in 1958, his fifth season with the Red Sox. Jensen hit 35 home runs and led the league with 122 RBI.

As a follow-up, Jensen again led the league in RBI in 1959 while hitting 28 home runs. He surpassed 100 runs batted in for the fifth time in six seasons with the team, finishing at 97 in the other season. Jensen also had his second 20-20 season with the Red Sox in 1959, stealing 20 bags while being caught just five times.

1967

We all know of Carl Yastrzemski’s 1967 season. He won the Triple Crown and led the Red Sox to the American League pennant that season. It was a career year for Yaz, but how did he finish the following season?

Well, his statistics dropped off quite a lot, but so did a lot of the league in the offensively-challenged 1968 season. In fact, Yaz won the batting title that season with a .301 average. He also led the league in on-base percentage and OPS. The biggest drop-off was his power, falling from 44 home runs in 1967 to 23 in 1968. With it, his RBI and slugging percentage tumbled.

1975

In 1975, Fred Lynn became the first rookie to win the MVP Award. To this day, he is joined only by Ichiro Suzuki, who at 27 was hardly a real rookie. Lynn led the league in doubles, on-base percentage and OPS that rookie season.

In 1976, although Lynn played well, his offense took a noticeable dip. Lynn batted an excellent .314, but with 10 home runs his total was less than half of his rookie season. Lynn also hit 15 less doubles and walked less. So, it was a solid season, but a far cry from his MVP campaign.

Lynn actually was the best player in the league in 1979, arguably his best season. Don Baylor won MVP after leading the league in RBI and making the playoffs. However, the Red Sox actually won three more games than the Angels, yet missed the playoffs. Lynn led the league in batting, on-base percentage and slugging that season while hitting 39 home runs. Somehow, he finished fourth in the voting.

1978

In the midst of a monster three-year stretch, Jim Rice put up his best season in 1978. He won the MVP Award that season and broke Jimmie Foxx’ 40-year-old franchise record for total bases in a season. Rice led the league in hits, home runs, RBI, triples, total bases, slugging and OPS.

Hi follow-up season wasn’t much worse. Rice hit a career high .325 in 1979 and launched 39 home runs. He again led the league in total bases and eclipsed 200 hits for the third season in a row.

Over the three year stretch he batted .320 with a .972 OPS. His average season had 207 base hits, 41 home runs, 12 triples and 128 RBI.

1986

Roger Clemens won the MVP in addition to the Cy Young Award in 1986. He is still the only pitcher in Red Sox history to do so, thanks to Pedro Martinez being robbed of the MVP in 1999. Clemens had a breakout season, leading the league in wins, ERA and WHIP. He struck out a record 20 batters in April of that season, a feat he would match ten years later.

Clemens did not disappoint in 1987. He again led the league in wins and won the Cy Young Award. He was 20-9 that year with a 2.97 ERA and 256 strike outs. His strike outs placed him second to Mark Langston and he finished third in ERA.

1995

Mo Vaughn wasn’t really the best player in the American League in 1995, but he had an excellent season and it led to the MVP Award. The Red Sox won the division title in large part to Mo’s bat. Mo batted .300 that year with 39 home runs and a league leading 126 runs batted in.

Mo was even better in his quest to win back-to-back MVP’s in 1996. Unfortunately, the team didn’t quite measure up. Vaughn had a career high 207 base hits, 44 home runs and 143 runs batted in that season. His batting line was an exquisite .326/.420/.583/1.003. This led to a fifth-place finish in the MVP voting despite the Red Sox third-place finish in the American League East.

2008

Following up his Rookie of the Year Award in 2007, Dustin Pedroia added every other award to his cabinet in 2008, taking home the MVP, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. He led the league with 213 base hits and 54 doubles while playing great defense. His .326 average was tops on the team and he was a near perfect 20-21 on stolen bases.

In 2009 he fell off some, but he pretty much had to. Pedroia still batted .296 with 48 doubles. He stole 20 bases for the second straight season and played his usual stellar defense. His play led to a second straight all-star berth.

2018

Mookie Betts had a phenomenal 2018 season, leading the league in hitting (.346) and slugging (.640). He had a 30-30 season and bashed 48 doubles to boot. On top of it all, he won a Gold Glove for his continued excellence in right field.

So how will Mookie Betts follow up his MVP season? As you can see, most former Red Sox MVP’s only suffered small drop-offs the following season. All of them were still very good the following year. Betts was so good last year he almost has to drop off a little, but not much of one should be expected, and nothing in this history changes that viewpoint.

Featured picture from Masslive.com

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 41-45

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The uniform numbers 41-45 feature another retired number from the Red Sox. Yes, 42 is retired, but that is for all of baseball, not a Red Sox retired number. The Red Sox’ 42 brought some serious clout to the plate though. The series continues and starts with a current Red Sox.

Number 41 – Chris Sale

Chris Sale has only been with the team for two years, but he has already accomplished so much. Most important, he was on the mound for the final out of the 2018 baseball season, striking out Manny Machado to clinch the World Series victory. Beyond that, Sale has struck out 545 batters over the two seasons, good for a whopping 13.2 batters per nine innings. He is 29-12 with a 2.56 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.

Sale had an excellent chance of taking home the Cy Young Award this season before he was placed on the disabled list and barely pitched over the final two months. He had 13.5 strike outs per nine and a 0.86 WHIP. It’s almost hard to believe he has yet to win a Cy Young and feels like only a matter of time. The Red Sox need to lock him up so he can keep adding to his Red Sox legacy.

Honorable Mentions: Dick Drago, Jeff Reardon, Victor Martinez

Chris Sale makes Manny Machado look foolish as he strikes him out to end the World Series.

Number 42 – Mo Vaughn

Without a doubt, “the Hit Dog” is the all-time best Red Sox player to wear number 42. Big Mo is from Connecticut and came up through the Red Sox farm system. After a couple Major League seasons finding his way, Mo broke out in 1993 and never stopped clubbing the ball. He hit 29 home runs and drove in 101 runs that season. His .297 batting average would be the last time he would hit under .300 as a Red Sox.

Vaughn hit .310 with a .984 OPS in the strike-shortened season of 1994. He then won his MVP Award in 1995, hitting 39 home runs and driving in an American League best 126 runners. His 1996 season was even better, batting .326/.420/.583/1.003 with 44 home runs and 143 runs batted in. Vaughn surpassed 200 hits for the first time that season, picking up 207. After a stellar 1997, Vaughn finished out his Red Sox career with another 200 hit season in 1998 while batting a career high .337. He hit 40 homers for the second time and posted a .993 OPS.

From 1995-98, Vaughn averaged 40 home runs and 120 runs batted in per season. His batting average was .320 during that time with a .986 OPS. Stretching those numbers out to 1994 only lessens them because of the strike, as his OPS would remain .986. Big Mo is a Red Sox legend.

Honorable Mention: Sonny Siebert

Number 43 – Dennis Eckersley

Before he was a lovable commentator for the team with all his funny sayings, Dennis Eckersley was a Hall of Fame pitcher. Eight of those seasons were spent in Boston. Eck was traded to the Red Sox before the 1978 season, when he enjoyed perhaps his finest season as a starting pitcher. Eckersley won 20 games that season, going 20-8 with a 2.99 ERA. He posted a 2.99 ERA again the following season, going 17-10.

The early eighties weren’t as kind to Eckersley, and he developed some bad habits which led to poorer performance on the field. He still had his use though, posting numbers worthy of a rotation spot for most of the time. Eckersley in fact made the All-Star Game in 1982, his first since his time in Cleveland. Over his first five seasons in Boston, he was 71-53 with a 3.56 ERA.

Eckersley returned to Boston for the final season of his career in 1998. He had a 4-1 record for the team in his final hurrah. Although his ERA was a little high, Eckersley pitched well for most of the season. Lit up in April, Eckersley settled down and had things straightened out by the middle of May. From May 11th onward he posted a 2.48 ERA

Honorable Mention: Alan Embree

Number 44 – Jason Bay

There isn’t a lot of competition at the number 44. Gabe Kapler was a likable guy and won a World Series with the team, but he was a reserve outfielder. Orlando Cabrera was a key component to winning the 2004 World Series, but they let him walk at the end of the season. Danny Darwin had a couple nice years with the Red Sox, but also had a couple poor ones. Jason Bay gets my vote for his work over the final two months of the 2008 season and his excellent 2009 campaign.

Bay came to the Red Sox at the trade deadline in 2008 in a deal that swept Manny Ramirez out of town. He scored the winning run in the 12th inning of his first game with the team. The next day he homered and drove in three. Bay would hit nine home runs and post an .897 OPS over the season’s final two months. He then tore the cover off the ball in the postseason, homering three times and driving in nine runs. He batted .341 with an 1.105 OPS that October.

Bay got to play one full season with the Red Sox, and he made it count. Bay made the All-Star Game and won a Silver Slugger for his work as he bashed 36 home runs and drove in 119 runs. His .921 OPS was second on the team to Kevin Youkilis and he led the team in both home runs and RBI. He got a nice contract in the offseason from the Mets and never produced that much again, but that has no effect on his standing here.

Honorable Mentions: Danny Darwin, Gabe Kapler, Orlando Cabrera

Number 45 – Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martinez is the greatest pitcher I have ever watched. Every game he pitched at Fenway was a can’t-miss event. He threw in the upper-nineties, had a wicked curveball and those weren’t even his best pitches. Pedro had a change-up that was described as unhittable even if the batter knew it was coming.

After a 1998 season that saw him win 19 games and place second in the Cy Young vote, Pedro went on perhaps the most dominant two year stretch in baseball history. Pitching in the height of the steroid era, in the American League East, Pedro was 41-10 with a 1.90 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 12.5 strike outs per nine innings and 8.65 strike outs for every one batter walked. He led the league in ERA, WHIP and strike outs in both seasons and won the pitching triple crown in 1999.

His 2.07 ERA that season was even inflated by his post-All-Star break start. After dominating the All-Star Game in front of his home crowd, Pedro wasn’t right and was hit hard by the Marlins. After a disabled list stint, he was back to his dominant ways. His ERA was still almost a run and a half better than the second-place finisher. The next season his 1.74 ERA was almost two full runs better than Roger Clemens’ second place 3.70 ERA! He was unreal.

Pedro missed much of 2001 with injury, but returned to lead the league in ERA, WHIP and K/9 in each of the next two seasons. He was a combined 34-8 with a 2.24 ERA and 0.98 WHIP those years. In 2004, he accomplished his goal of winning the World Series in Boston. Pedro pitched seven shutout innings to win game three of the World Series. His number 45 is forever immortalized at Fenway Park.

On This Day In Red Sox History: A Father’s Day Walk-off

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June 16, 1996 was Father’s Day. The Red Sox and Rangers squared off for the final game of a four game set at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had taken two of the first three, but had gotten spanked 13-3 the day before. The teams took the field that Sunday afternoon for a 1:08 start time.

Taking the Field

The Red Sox sent left-hander Vaughn Eshelman to the mound. Eshelman was coming off his best start of the season but still had an ERA of 7.33. He was opposed by Lynn, Massachusetts native Ken Hill. Hill was coming off his worst start of the season, having been battered by the Brewers for nine runs. However, he was still 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA for the season.

Eshelman took the mound first to begin the afternoon. Rene Gonzales hit a one out double. Rusty Greer then hit a shallow fly to left-center which Lee Tinsley made a nice play on and doubled Gonzalez off second base to end the inning. It was the first of two outfield assists on the day for Tinsley.

In the bottom half of the inning, Ken Hill got two quick outs before walking Mo Vaughn. Jose Canseco always seemed to take a walk in front of him as a personal insult, and he deposited an 0-2 offering over the Monster to give the Red Sox the 2-0 lead.

The Rangers loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the second inning. After a strikeout of Warren Newson, backup catcher Dave Valle singled to left to score two runs. A walk reloaded the bases but Eshelman was able to get out of it without any further damage.

The Red Sox would score a run in the third to take back the lead. After loading the bases, a groundout by Reggie Jefferson brought home Jeff Frye. They threatened again in the fourth. Lee Tinsley got an infield single after the leadoff walk to Troy O’leary. However, O’leary was picked off second. Lee Tinsley stole second to get a man back in scoring position but the Sox were unable to bring him home.

The Rangers Storm Ahead

Eshelman ran into all sorts of trouble in the fifth. The nine hitter, Kevin Elster, singled to left to start the inning. Damon Buford then homered to left, just his second of the season, and Texas had the lead. A single, a hit batter and another single brought home a run and chased Eshelman from the game. He was still responsible for two men on base however, and they didn’t stay there. Mickey Tettleton doubled off Rich Garces to score a run and Dean Palmer brought home the other run with a base hit. Vaughn Eshelman recorded no outs in the fifth and was charged with seven runs for the day.

The score stayed 7-3 until the seventh, when the Rangers widened the gap. Rich Garces pitched a third inning, which didn’t work out so well. Garces struck out two batters that inning, but also gave up a double to Dean Palmer and a two-run homer to Dave Valle. Valle’s home run was his first of the season. The Red Sox trailed 9-3 at the seventh inning stretch and no one in Boston was enjoying Father’s Day very much.

Dave Valle played for the Red Sox briefly in 1994 before being traded for Tom Brunansky.

Red Sox Claw Back

The Red Sox showed some fight in the bottom half of the seventh. Down 9-3, they weren’t ready to concede just yet. Mo Vaughn hit a ground-rule double to put two men in scoring position with two outs. A Jose Canseco double scored Frye and Vaughn to make it a 9-5 ballgame. A single by Reggie Jefferson and a walk to Mike Stanley loaded the bases and ended Ken Hill’s afternoon. He had been left in too long, throwing 124 pitches and allowing four straight baserunners.

The left-handed Ed Vosberg was brought in to face Troy O’leary. O’leary had his struggles against lefties, batting under .200 against them without a homer that season. He won the battle however, singling on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to score Canseco and Jefferson.

Hill, who had only allowed three runs through six innings, wound up allowing seven runs. The Red Sox had cut the lead to 9-7 after seven.

Father’s Day Heroics

Joe Hudson replaced Rich Garces on the mound and tossed two scoreless innings to keep the Sox within striking distance. The Rangers went to their closer Mike Henneman for the ninth. The Sox had come back against Henneman in the first game of the series, scoring two runs in the bottom of the tenth to win the game 8-7. The Red Sox would bookend the series by handing Henneman losses.

Mo Vaughn singled to right to begin the ninth, his fourth hit of the game and fifth time reaching base. Jose Canseco followed Vaughn with a single into left, his fourth hit of the day. The Red Sox 3-4 hitters were a combined 8-9 with a walk, home run, four runs batted in and six runs scored. After a first pitch strike to Reggie Jefferson, Henneman threw a wild pitch to move both runners up and put the tying run on second base. It didn’t matter where they were, as the next pitch to Jefferson he hit a line drive deep to left and up into the screen above the Green Monster. A walk-off home run for Reggie Jefferson on Father’s Day. The Sox had come from 9-3 down to stun the Rangers with a 10-9 victory.

When I interviewed Reggie Jefferson last September, he instantly brought up this game as one that stands out to him from his playing days.

On This Day In Red Sox History: John Valentin’s Cycle

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June 6, 1996, the Boston Red Sox played host to the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had gotten off to a terrible start, starting the season 2-12. At least they had a winning record in May, but they were still just 22-34 on the season. The White Sox, on the other hand, were looking like a playoff team at 36-20. The White Sox had already taken the first two games of the series as Boston tried to avoid the sweep.

Red Sox Squander Opportunities

The two teams took the field for a 7:05 start time that Thursday evening. The Red Sox sent former rule five pick, the left-handed Vaughn Eshelman to the mound. He was opposed by veteran lefty Joe Magrane, who has been seen in recent years on MLB Network. Magrane spent all of 1995 in the minors and had mostly pitched out of the bullpen earlier in the season. This would be his fifth start of the year, and his ERA was nearly 5.00. Eshelman was making his third start of the season and was 0-2 with a 12.71 ERA. A pitcher’s duel was not to be expected.

baseballreference.com

Eshelman walked the leadoff hitter. After a single by Frank Thomas, Lyle Mouton, whose brother James also played in the Major Leagues, singled home Tony Phillips for the game’s first run. In the bottom half of the first, the Red Sox leadoff hitter (Jeff Frye) also walked. John Valentin hit the second pitch he saw just over the monster in left for a two-run homer and the Red Sox had the lead. Magrane then walked each of the next two batters before Tim Naehring hit into an inning ending triple play.

The Red Sox wiped out some more baserunners in the second. After a leadoff single by Mike Stanley, Troy O’leary hit into a double play. This proved to be a killer after Jose Malave singled. Through two innings the Red Sox had three base hits and three walks but had hit into a double play and a triple play. However, they still led 2-1.

Valentin Closes In On Cycle

After the White Sox left two men on base in the top of the third, the Red Sox took the opportunity to enhance their lead. John Valentin batted second in the inning and hit a towering fly to center field. Darren Lewis, an excellent fielder, got back to the wall roughly 400 feet from home plate but couldn’t quite jump high enough to catch the fly ball. Valentin wound up on third base with a triple, giving him the two hardest legs of the cycle to complete. It looked like the Red Sox might strand another runner after Mo Vaughn struck out, but Jose Canseco came through with an RBI double to make it a 3-1 ballgame.

The Red Sox added to the lead again in the fourth. Magrane set down the first two batters in the inning. Dwayne Hosey, a key player for the Sox down the stretch in 1995, hit a two out double to give Boston a man in scoring position. Newcomer Jeff Frye, playing his first game with the Red Sox, then singled home Hosey. John Valentin, already batting for the third time singled to left to leave him just a double shy of the cycle in the fourth inning. It had been only two years since the Red Sox last cycle, when Scott Cooper hit for the cycle in Kansas City. The Red Sox got another run after Mo Vaughn doubled, and the game was 5-1 Red Sox after four.

Darren Lewis just missed John Valentin’s deep fly ball to center in the third.

White Sox Make a Game of It

Vaughn Eshelman put on three of the first four batters in the fifth inning. A single by Danny Tartabull scored a run and put men on the corner with one out. Eshelman was able to induce a double play ball from Chris Snopek though and protected a 5-2 lead after five innings. That would be the day for Eshelman, his best start of the season to that point, as he lowered his ghastly ERA to a still horrifying 9.92.

Jamie Moyer replaced Eshelman for the sixth and promptly gave up a leadoff home run to backup catcher Chad Kreuter. Darren Lewis stole second after getting aboard with a single and was driven home by a Tony Phillips single. Moyer was getting batted around and the lead was down to 5-4. He was replaced after striking out Robin Ventura and the Red Sox escaped the inning with a one run lead.

Red Sox Reaffirm Control

The Red Sox wasted no time in reestablishing their safe lead. Jose Malave led off the bottom half of the sixth inning with his second career home run. After two easy outs, Valentin got another crack at Magrane, having already homered, tripled and singled off the lefty. On the first pitch of the at-bat Valentin rocketed the ball down the left field line where it hit the outcropping of the door. Valentin jogged into second base with the double to complete the cycle. The crowd stood on their feet applauding his accomplishment with a standing ovation. Valentin acted like it was no big deal.

John Valentin after completing the cycle.

A Mo Vaughn single scored Valentin and chased Joe Magrane from the game. Magrane’s ERA was now 5.82, and it would only climb from there. He pitched again five days later against the Red Sox, faring better, but taking the loss. He then would make two more poor starts and never pitch again.

As for the rest of this game, it was rather uneventful. Neither team scored over the final three innings, and with the Red Sox in the lead after the top of the ninth, John Valentin never got another at-bat. He finished the day 4-4, hitting for the cycle and scoring three times. No Red Sox hit for the cycle again for nearly two decades, when Brock Holt finally accomplished the feat on June 16, 2015.

On This Day In Red Sox History: John Valentin Sets Record

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On June 2, 1995, the Seattle Mariners came to Boston for a 7:09 start at Fenway Park. The Red Sox, with their new manager and new team were off to a 20-11 start after three straight disappointing seasons. The Red Sox sent their ace, Roger Clemens to the mound. Clemens was making his first start of the season after spending over a month on the disabled list. He was opposed by Seattle right-hander Chris Bosio, who had thrown a no-hitter against the Red Sox in 1993.

Valentin Starts With a Bang

Clemens looked in fine form to begin his season, striking out the first batter he faced in Joey Cora. After a double he retired dangerous hitters Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner to finish a scoreless inning. John Valentin was the second batter in the Red Sox lineup. On a 1-1 pitch from Bosio, Valentin crushed it to deep left, easily clearing the monster for a home run. The Sox held a 1-0 lead after the first inning thanks to Valentin’s eighth home run of the season.

Clemens retired the first two batters of the second before running into trouble. He hit Darren Bragg with a pitch to put a man on. Bragg, who the Red Sox traded for the following season, then stole second base. Clemens then hit catcher Chad Kreuter as well, giving the Mariners two baserunners on two hit by pitches. Light hitting infielder Felix Fermin made him pay for it with an RBI single to right field and the game was tied.

The Rocket would rebound in the third with a 1-2-3 inning. He struck out both Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner in the inning. In the bottom half of the third, Bosio retired each of the first two batters to bring John Valentin back up to the plate. The count ran full and Valentin fouled off two more pitches. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat Valentin went down to get a low offering and lined it to left, just clearing the monster. The line drive left the yard in a hurry and the Sox had the lead again in the third.

Valentin readies for the 9th pitch of the at-bat just before homering for the 2nd time in the game.

Clemens Runs Into Trouble

There was no scoring in the 4th. Roger Clemens cruised through another 1-2-3 inning and had allowed just the one hit through four innings. The Sox got two men in scoring position in the bottom of the inning but failed to score. However, Clemens seemed to run out of steam in the fifth inning. After hitting Chad Kreuter with a pitch for the second time, Felix Fermin came through with another single. After a bunt moved the runners up Alex Diaz brought home Kreuter with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at two. Edgar Martinez, who would win the batting title that season, singled home Fermin to give the Mariners their first lead of the game. Jay Buhner then hit one of his 40 home runs that season and the inning became a disaster. Two more men reached base before Clemens escaped the inning with a 5-2 deficit.

Roger Clemens’ first start of the season was over. He had pitched well for four innings before running out of steam having not pitched since the previous August. He had hit three batters and allowed five runs over five innings. Derek Lilliquist replaced Clemens on the mound and combined with Mike Maddux for a scoreless sixth inning.

Valentin was due up to lead off the sixth inning to take another crack at Bosio. This time he hit a ground ball into center field for a single to kick-off the inning. Mo Vaughn singled Valentin over to third and Reggie Jefferson followed with another single to give the Sox their first run other than a John Valentin home run.

More Heroics

Mike Maddux, who had recorded the final out of the sixth, stayed on to throw two more scoreless innings for the Red Sox. The older brother of Hall of Famer Greg Maddux allowed just one hit in his 2.1 shutout innings. After a 1-2-3 top half of the eighth, Valentin was again due to leadoff an inning. This time Chris Bosio was out of the game, with left-handed reliever Ron Villone set to face him. With night having fallen, Valentin got a 2-0 pitch out over the middle and annihilated the ball up into the night sky. The home run sailed over the monster, over the screen above the monster and out onto Lansdowne Street. The Red Sox were back within a run.

Valentin hits his third home run of the evening.

Sidearmer Stan Belinda was brought on for the ninth. A new addition to the team, Belinda was already 3-0 on the season. He had an uneventful inning on the mound, allowing just a 2-out single. The Red Sox faced a 1-run deficit with just a half inning to go. The Mariners brought on their closer Bobby Ayala. Ayala had 8 saves and a 1.89 ERA through May as he took the mound. John Valentin wouldn’t be due up unless six men were sent to the plate.

After the lead man was retired, Red Sox catcher Mike Macfarlane came to the plate. Macfarlane had some power for a catcher and showed it first pitch swinging. He homered to left field for his eighth home run of the young season and tied the game at 5-5.

Extra Innings

The Red Sox had to like where they were at entering extra frames. They had come back from down 5-2 to tie the game. A home run had just tied things up and John Valentin was 4-4 with 3 home runs and due up first in the bottom half of the 10th.

Stan Belinda stayed on the mound for a second inning of work. This was nothing new to Belinda, who had worked for more than an inning in five of his twelve appearances so far on the season. He gave up a leadoff single but retired the next three batters to finish off a second scoreless inning.

John Valentin was due at the plate to face Salomon Torres, the third pitcher he would face on the game. They battled a bit, with the count running full. After fouling off three pitches Valentin laced a 3-2 offering down the line and into the left field corner for a double. After Mo Vaughn was intentionally walked Steve Rodriguez was called upon to bunt. He didn’t do his job, falling behind 0-2 while trying to bunt. He then put one in play, but it wasn’t a good one and Valentin was forced out at third base. With two men still on base, Mike Greenwell lined the first pitch he saw from Torres into left field for the game-winning hit as Vaughn lumbered home with the winning run.

John Valentin’s Night

John Valentin had gone 5-5 with three home runs, a single, double, 3 runs batted in and four runs scored. His 15 total bases were one shy of the franchise record, set by Fred Lynn in Detroit back in 1975. They were also a Major League record for a shortstop, as Valentin became the first shortstop in history to accumulate 15 total bases in one game. Here is the video from that night.

On This Day in Red Sox History: Baseball Is Back!

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On April 26, 1995, baseball returned to Boston. The strike was finally over and there was to be baseball again at Fenway Park. The prior season had been cut short due to the strike in August. In addition, the new season was getting a late start, causing a very long winter for baseball fans. On this day however, baseball was back and the Red Sox were playing host to the Twins to begin a new season.

A New Team

The Red Sox brought a new look team with them following the strike. The Butch Hobson era was mercifully over, as the team finished under .500 all three seasons with him at the helm. In came former Rangers manager Kevin Kennedy to take his place. In the starting lineup on Opening Day, the Sox featured four brand new players. Luis Alicea was the leadoff hitter in his first game with the club. Mark Whiten was in the lineup as was new catcher Mike Macfarlane. The most notable addition to the lineup however was the designated hitter, Jose Canseco. Canseco was coming off a 31 home run season despite the shortened year. He had been acquired from Texas for center fielder Otis Nixon and prospect Luis Ortiz and was expected to add some thump to the lineup alongside Mo Vaughn.

The Season Gets Underway

With Roger Clemens beginning the season on the disabled list, the Red Sox sent Aaron Sele to the mound for the opener. Sele was looked to as the de facto ace after having gone 15-9 with a 3.35 ERA over his first two seasons. He was opposed on the mound by Scott Erickson, despite the fact Erickson had lost 30 games over the past two seasons with an ERA above 5.00.

A Jose Canseco single in his first Red Sox at-bat highlighted a scoreless first inning. Sele cruised through the second with three ground ball outs. In the bottom half, another newcomer (Mark Whiten) started the inning with a base hit. A passed ball advanced him to second and Mike Greenwell promptly drove him across the plate with a single to score the Red Sox first run of the new season.

The Red Sox threatened in the third when John Valentin tripled. However, Jose Canseco popped out to end the inning with a chance to give his new fans something to cheer about. The Sox got two more on base in the fourth yet failed to score. Meanwhile, Aaron Sele was dealing, allowing just the walk to the opening batter of the game through four innings.

Aaron Sele autographing baseballs for kids. (Boston.com)

Red Sox Take Charge

Sele allowed his first hit leading off the fifth, but retired the next three batters to conclude his day with two baserunners allowed over five shutout innings. In the bottom half of the inning, Luis Alicea got aboard with his first Red Sox base hit. After a Jose Canseco walk, Mo Vaughn hit a line drive to right-center that got down for a hit and scored Alicea. The Red Sox led 2-0 after five.

After prospect Frankie Rodriguez set the Twins down in order on eight pitches, the Red Sox bats went to work. Carl Willis (the future pitching coach of the Red Sox) replaced Mark Guthrie with one out and walked Mike Macfarlane. Tim Naehring bunted him over to second to get a man in scoring position with two outs; then the rally began. The nine-hole hitter, Lee Tinsley, came through with a run scoring single to center. After he stole second, Willis issued back-to-back walks to Luis Alicea and John Valentin. The bases were loaded with the big bats coming up. Jose Canseco lined one into center field to score two and the Sox were ahead 5-0.

With Mo Vaughn due up the Twins went to the left-handed Vince Horsman. That decision did not fare any better than the one to go to Willis. Big Mo doubled off the lefty to score both Valentin and Canseco. A walk to Mark Whiten was followed by another RBI hit for Mike Greenwell and Horsman’s day was over without recording an out. Mo Sanford hit Mike Macfarlane with a pitch to load the bases back up. Tim Naehring then hit a ball that was stopped by Scott Leius, but he had no play to make. The infield hit scored another run and the Sox had a 7 run sixth inning.

Red Sox Win First Game Big Following Strike

The rest of the game was rather uneventful with the Sox having a big lead. The Twins only got one more hit against three different pitchers. Mike Greenwell ended up collecting his fourth hit of the game, finished Opening Day 4-5 with 2 runs batted in. The pairing of Jose Canseco and Mo Vaughn in the middle of the order got off to a good start, with Mo Vaughn driving in three and Canseco bringing home two. They would end up flip-flopping spots in the lineup after just a few games, with Vaughn batting third and Canseco batting cleanup for most of the next two seasons. Baseball was back, and the Red Sox had a 9-0 win to start the season.

1995 Red Sox team photo (Bostonredsox.com)

Feature picture from WCVB TV

On This Day in Red Sox History: Scott Cooper Goes Cycling

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On April 12, 1994, the Red Sox and Royals played the second game of a three game series at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. The Red Sox had won the previous game 8-5 to improve to 5-2 on the season. This game, they would match up 38 year old Danny Darwin with the Royals ace, Kevin Appier. No one would have expected the onslaught that was about to occur.

Red Sox Jump All Over Appier

Kevin Appier was coming off a season which saw him place third in the American League Cy Young vote. His record had been 18-8 and he posted a league leading 2.56 ERA. In three of his four full seasons to this point he had pitched to a sub-3.00 ERA. He was an ace, no doubt about it. But Appier did not have his stuff on this night.

Speedster Otis Nixon started things off with a bunt single. After a walk to Billy Hatcher, Mike Greenwell doubled to right, scoring Nixon for the game’s first run. Mo Vaughn then crushed a pitch down the right field line that resulted in a triple, scoring two runs. Andre Dawson made it five consecutive baserunners when he singled home Mo. The 39 year old Dawson then stole second base, one of only two steals he would record that season, and the last stolen bases of his Hall of Fame career. A Tim Naehring walk brought Scott Cooper to the plate for the first time. Cooper’s double to right scored both baserunners, extending the lead to 6-0 without even one out being recorded. Appier actually set down the next three guys in order to keep the score at 6-0.

The Red Sox tacked on another run in the second when Billy Hatcher homered to left leading off the inning. This was Hatcher’s only home run for the Red Sox that season before being traded on May 31st for Wes Chamberlain. The Royals scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning and it was a 7-1 ballgame after two.

Cooper Provides the Fireworks

Scott Cooper came to bat again in the third. This time his hit to right cleared the wall for a home run, his first of the young season. Two batters later, catcher Dave Valle hit the only home run of his Red Sox career. Valle would be traded in the middle of June for old friend Tom Brunansky. Appier would finish out the inning and call it a night, surrendering nine runs in just three innings of work.

The Royals showed a little fight in the bottom half of the third, getting two men on base for a Dave Henderson three-run home run. But the Red Sox still held a 9-4 lead.

Scott Cooper batted again in the fifth, with two outs and the bases empty. Cooper lined one the other way down into the left field corner. When Vince Coleman went to play it, the ball squirted past him along the fence. Cooper had slowed down, but sped back up on his way to third. He again slowed going around third, but got waved home with two outs. Cooper was meat at the plate, but it gave him the triple, leaving him just a single shy of the cycle.

Red Sox Offense Explodes

Sidearmer and future Red Sox Stan Belinda took the mound for the Royals in the sixth. For some reason he pitched the whole inning. The Red Sox sent 12 men to the plate, scoring eight runs, although just two were earned. Belinda walked four men in the inning and two errors were committed. John Valentin led off the inning with a walk, then later in the inning hit a three-run homer to left-center.

Up 17-4 entering the seventh, the Red Sox still weren’t finished. Facing the Royals closer, the Red Sox expanded their lead to 21-4. Mo Vaughn hit a two-run homer, giving him a triple and a home run on the night. Then, with two men on and needing a single for the cycle, Cooper ripped one to right, scoring both runners. Not being selfish for the cycle, Cooper continued on to second for his second double of the night. Cooper now had 11 total bases and five runs batted in.

Cooper Caps Off the Cycle

Scott Cooper got one more shot to complete the cycle. With the Red Sox now up 22-8, the Royals sent infielder David Howard to the mound to finish the game. Scott Cooper led off the inning against him and hit a sharp ground ball into center field for his fifth hit of the game and to cap off his cycle. This was the first cycle for a Red Sox player since Mike Greenwell completed the feat in 1988.

The Red Sox loaded the bases in the inning but did no more scoring. The Royals got three meaningless runs before the game finished, giving the Red Sox a 22-11 victory. This was the most runs the Sox had scored in a game since they scored 24 against the Cleveland Indians on August 21, 1986. Cooper would go on to be the Red Sox representative in the All-Star Game for the second straight season in 1994. This was the best game of the two time All-Stars career; 12 total bases, 5 runs batted in and the cycle.

On This Day in Red Sox History: Big Mo’s Grand Slam

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April 10, 1998, arguably the most memorable Red Sox home opener ever. The Mariners came to town, with both teams off to a 3-5 start to the season. The two teams had already played a three game set in Seattle, with the Mariners taking two out of three. The Red Sox looked to get back at them in the friendly confines of Fenway Park.

Pitcher’s Duel Early

The Mariners sent their ace to the mound, The Big Unit, Randy Johnson. Johnson was coming off a 20 win season during which he struck out 291 batters and posted a 2.28 ERA. He had reasserted himself as the most dominant left-hander in the game after an injury plagued 1996 season. For the Red Sox, top prospect Brian Rose would oppose Johnson on the mound. Rose was ranked as the number 22 prospect in all of baseball before the season by Baseball America.

Both pitchers were cruising early. Johnson struck out the side in the first, navigating around a one out double by John Valentin and a Mo Vaughn hit by pitch. Johnson then struck out two more in the second. Rose struck out two of his own in the second and didn’t allow his first hit until the third. In the bottom of the 4th, with a man on and two outs, Damon Buford took a 3-2 Randy Johnson offering up over the Green Monster for the first Fenway home run of the season. The Red Sox had a 2-0 lead after four despite seven strike outs.

Damon Buford gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead with his home run in the 4th.

Red Sox Falter

22 year old Brian Rose pitched admirably for the Sox in their home opener. Rose went five shutout innings, allowing just three hits before running out of steam in the sixth. An RBI double by Edgar Martinez to score two runs with just one out in the sixth knocked Rose from the game. An error led to a third Mariners run of the inning and the Red Sox found themselves trailing with the formidable Randy Johnson on the mound. Johnson cruised, striking out two more in the sixth and two in the eighth.

The Mariners scored twice more in the eighth to extend their lead to 5-2. Closer Tom Gordon came on for the Sox in the 9th despite the three run deficit; it didn’t go well. Gordon allowed two more runs while only retiring one batter before being relieved by Rich Garces. The Sox found themselves trailing 7-2 with just half an inning to go.

Randy Johnson had 15 strike outs over 8 innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton)

Epic Comeback

Randy Johnson was absolutely dealing, striking out 15 Red Sox over his eight innings. However, having thrown 132 pitches, he wasn’t coming back out for the ninth. The Mariners bullpen had been struggling to protect leads in recent seasons, but five runs was a big lead. They started with former Red Sox, the ultimate disaster that was known as Heathcliff Slocumb. If ever the Red Sox were going to make a comeback, facing Slocumb was a great place to start.

Troy O’Leary pinch-hit for Damon Buford with a broken-bat single. O’Leary’s first son had been born the day before and he had not been back with the team for long before the game. Another player just joining the team, Mark Lemke, drew a walk in his first game with the team to put the first two men on base. A run-scoring double by Darren Bragg made Lou Piniella decide he’d had enough of Slocumb. After a bit of gamesmanship, Mike Benjamin drew a walk versus lefty-specialist Tony Fossas and the bases were loaded, still no one out.

Another pitching change brought Mike Timlin into the game. That’s former Red Sox, former Red Sox, future Red Sox for Mariners 9th inning pitchers. Nomar Garciaparra lined a 2-strike pitch into center for another run scored; 7-4. On a 3-2 pitch, Timlin clipped Valentin with a pitch to bring another run home. Another pitcher down, zero outs recorded, and the ever dangerous Mo Vaughn strolling to the plate. Fenway was rocking.

Piniella called upon another lefty-specialist in Paul Spoljaric, hoping to give Mo fits with the lefty look. After all, Mo had struck out three times against Randy Johnson that afternoon. Spoljaric got ahead with a first pitch strike, but he wouldn’t sneak another one past Mo.

Down 7-2 entering the bottom of the 9th, the Sox scored 7 runs without making an out in an incredible comeback capped by perennial MVP candidate Mo Vaughn’s grand slam. Among games from the nineties, this game sticks out as one of the first in my mind. The most memorable home opener I can remember, and possibly in team history.

Featured picture courtesy of Bostonglobe.com

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