As trades begin to happen across baseball with the trade deadline in a few days, I decided to look into some of the best trades the Red Sox have ever made at the deadline. I also plan to do one about the worst trade deadline deals they have made in the next couple days. These articles will include August waiver trades as well.
This is a no-brainer at the top spot. This trade was always baffling, but continually got worse with each passing season as Varitek and Lowe paved their way in the big leagues.
The Mariners were desperate for relief help, as this wasn’t the only move they made for a relief pitcher. One is left to wonder why they thought Heathcliff Slocumb would help shore up a struggling bullpen though. Slocumb had a solid season in 1996, posting a 3.02 ERA and 31 saves, but his saves were often nerve-wracking, as he posted a 1.48 WHIP. In 1997 it all came apart. At the time of the trade he had blown five saves, posted a 5.79 ERA with an unsightly 1.97 WHIP. That means he essentially put on two baserunners each inning! Over the next season and a half in Seattle, Slocumb went 2-9 with a 4.97 ERA and 13 saves.
Meanwhile, Jason Varitek became the first catcher ever to catch four no-hitters. He was the eventual captain of the Red Sox, and is the second best catcher in franchise history. He was a three time all-star, a Silver Slugger winner and a Gold Glove winner.
Derek Lowe made two All-Star Games with the Red Sox. He led the American League with 42 saves in 2000, then two years later went 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He also won the clinching game of the ALDS, ALCS and the World Series in 2004. Without this trade, the Red Sox do not win the World Series in 2004, and who knows where the franchise would be.
As most Red Sox fans probably were at the time, I was just happy to be rid of Heathcliff Slocumb. Getting two important pieces back in return? Trade deadline gold.
2. The Nomar Deal
At the trade deadline in 2004 the Red Sox were in the playoff race, but needed to change things up to really make a run. Franchise icon Nomar Garciaparra was unhappy in Boston by this time, missing games with injury and not playing to his usual standards. The infield defense was sloppy and Theo Epstein decided the defense had to get better.
It wasn’t surprising when the Red Sox traded Nomar, a lot of people knew it was time, but it was bittersweet. The Red Sox sent Nomar and Matt Murton to the Cubs in a four team trade. Coming back to Boston were shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. Both were good fielders to help shore up the infield defense.
Although Mientkiewicz couldn’t hit a lick, Orlando Cabrera proved to be a a sparkplug. He batted .294 with six home runs the rest of the season, while playing a steadier shortstop than Nomar . The team went 40-20 over the rest of the regular season. Cabrera then batted .379 in the seven game ALCS with the Yankees. I’ve never understood why the Red Sox let him leave after the season; he seemed to fit right in with the team personality-wise, clearly could handle Boston and the big stage, played a good defense and could hit.
The Red Sox went 40-20 after making the trade for Orlando Cabrera in 2004.
This is one of those August deals I referred to in the beginning. The Red Sox wound up sending three other players to the Mariners later on as players to be named later, but none did a whole lot. Mike Brown and Mike Trujillo at least pitched some for them at the big league level. Quinones, who had been hitting just .237 for the Red Sox in his rookie season, did even worse over the rest of the season. He actually had a solid season in 1987 before his offense tailed off and he was out of baseball following the 1989 season. His batting register on baseball-reference.com is fascinating, popping up in Independent baseball in 1999 after having nothing listed since 1989.
Dave Henderson actually didn’t do much in the regular season for the Red Sox. He hit .196 with 1 home run over 51 at-bats. However, he hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history in the 1986 ALCS to avoid a series defeat to the Angels. In the World Series, he would bat .400 with two more home runs. Imagine his status in Boston had they not choked.
As for Spike Owen, he stayed with the team for each of the next two seasons as well, and was their starting shortstop for 1987 and half of 1988. He also had a big postseason in 1986, batting .429 in the ALCS and .300 in the World Series.
Dave Henderson came up huge for the Red Sox in the 1986 postseason.
I’m going back to just last season for this one. The Red Sox got the eventual World Series MVP for a prospect not on the radar for prospect lists. You never know how someone will develop, but at the moment this one looks like a steal. This trade happened about a month before the deadline, but it counts.
Pearce posted a .901 OPS for the Red Sox following the trade. He went all Jimmie Foxx on the Yankees in early August, hitting three home runs one day and another the next day. In the World Series he batted .333 with three home runs. In game four, he hit a home run off closer Kenley Jansen to tie the game at four in the 8th inning of an eventual 9-6 victory. For the clinching game five, he hit a two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw to open the scoring in the 1st inning, then homered again in the 8th inning, which was the dagger. For his efforts, he won World Series MVP.
Steve Pearce homers in the 8th inning of game 5 of the World Series.
We all know why this one is on the list, and it all comes down to just one play. The Red Sox picked up Dave Roberts on July 31, 2004 for Henri Stanley (who?). The idea with Roberts was to add some speed. He batted .256 with 2 home runs and five stolen bases over the rest of the regular season. In the playoffs, he was on the team to pinch-run. That was it. The rest, as they say, is history.
Mike Stanley gets an honorable mention for two trades. Stanley posted excellent offensive numbers in 1996 and 1997 for the Red Sox, but the team was well out of the race in 1997 so they moved him in August. In sending him to the Yankees, the Red Sox received Tony Armas Jr. in return.
Why is this trade so notable? Well, that offseason, the Red Sox were battling the Indians to trade for Pedro Martinez from the Expos. The Red Sox won out, sending the Expos two pitching prospects in Carl Pavano and, you guessed it, Tony Armas Jr. This Mike Stanley trade is very underrated in history, as it brought the Red Sox an important trade chip back to get possibly the best pitcher of all-time.
The very next season, in 1998, with the Red Sox back in the race again, they brought Stanley back at the deadline, sending Peter Munro and Jay Yennaco to the Blue Jays for him. Munro made the Majors, but didn’t do much to speak of. Yennaco never made to the show. Mike Stanley batted .288 with an .888 OPS the rest of the 1998 season. In 1999, he was their starting first baseman more often than not, posting a .393 on-base percentage while hitting 19 home runs. Stanley was also an excellent guy in the clubhouse, becoming a bench coach quickly after his retirement.
Mike Stanley was a great trade for the Red Sox both in dealing him (1997) and acquiring him again (1998).
Tom Brady theory’s or “myths” claiming he’s not a great QB make me laugh, so I’ve compiled the first edition of Tom vs Truth. I am a fan, yet I am using facts to end these ridiculous claims.
They Love you Until they Don’t
Once upon a time Tom Brady was America’s golden child, beating the greatest show on turf put him on the map. Fast forward to the present day and many things have changed. Six Super Bowl wins, multiple MVPs and a supermodel wife has had the country turned against the GOAT. Let’s start with these theory’s about TB12.
“Tom Is A Product of the Patriots System”
Haters across the country can’t stop calling Brady a system QB. While every team has a system, and 3/4s of the teams using the same style. Why aren’t they playing in February? The answer is Tom Brady. We know his skill, so let’s look deeper. Brady has had numerous Offensive Coordinators. In the beginning it was Charlie Weiss. Charlie’s offenses in NY and NE before Tom Brady were ranked 12th, 5th, 19th and 25th. Compare those numbers with a very green, backup QB in Tom Brady. Charlie’s 4 years with Tom his offenses ranked 6th, 10th, 12th and 4th. This is what I call the Brady difference. Weiss left after 4 years with Brady to coach Notre Dame, ending with a record of 41-49.
McDaniels Makes Brady
Josh McDaniels makes Tom Brady Great. Well no, not at all. He has had success with Tom just like Weiss, but without Brady his numbers declined drastically. Working with Brady, Josh McDaniels offenses have been incredible. The worst those two finished was 10th in points and 11th in yards. Every other season with Brady, New England’s Offense was ranked top 3 in points, with one top 5 finish. McDaniels in St.Louis and Denver running the same system, ranked 20th, 19th and dead last at 32nd. (Brady Difference.)
Bill O’Brien in 2011 must’ve been the reason Brady and the offense was 3rd in points scored right? I don’t think so, since leaving the Pats O’Brien’s offenses in points scored rank 14th, 21st, 28th, 17th and 11th. Quite the drop off without Brady under Center. So if you say “System QB”, I say it’s the Brady difference.
Well What About Bill Belichick? “He makes Tom Brady”
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stands alone as the greatest HC, he must be why Brady’s so great
First let me say that while Bill is the best coach of all time, that didn’t really start until Brady came into the mix. In Cleveland Bill went 35-55, along with 5-11 his first year in NE without Tom. There’s that Tom Brady difference again.
2008 Same Team No Brady
But Matt Cassel went 11-5 when Brady was hurt
This argument often made by haters really grinds my gears: “If Brady is so good then how did Matt Cassel go 11-5?”
Well let’s break it down. The 2007 and 2008 teams had the same roster minus Donte Stallworth on offense. In 2007 Tom Brady and his offense set records for TDs, Rec TDs and points scored. The team went 18-0 only to lose the SB just missing the perfect season. The 2007 offense with Tom had a 315 point differential, compared to Cassel’s team dropping 214 points all the way down to a 101 point differential. So the same team, with different QBs went from the best offense ever, to average and missing the playoffs.
2007 Brady- 4,806 yards, 50 TD/8 INTs with a 117 Passer rating along with MVP honors.
2008 Cassel- 3,693 yards, 21 TD/11 INTs with an 89 passer rating with the same offense. (Brady Difference)
In 2010 Matt Cassel made the playoffs and the Pro Bowl with KC. He was no stiff, throwing 27 TDs to just 7 INTs, which was the second best ratio in the league that year. Who could’ve been number 1 I wonder? Tom Brady of course, as he won the only unanimous MVP in league history. Sorry to say again but the Brady Difference is quite obvious in this popular theory among haters.
“Tom Isn’t Good without a Great Defense”
The Patriots had a very good defense in Tom’s early years, and certainly was a huge factor in the first 3 Super Bowls. People say Brady was carried by his defenses, which is not the case. From 2001-2004, with Brady coming in as a backup, he put together 10 4th quarter comebacks and 15 game winning drives. The numbers seem to show he did his part and then some, but that’s not what the haters want you to think.
Brady led the NFL in TD passes in 2002, so it’s not a reach at all to say the Patriots may have not won those Super Bowls without Tom Brady. For example, in Super Bowl 38 the Pats defense gave up 29 points to the Panthers. A young QB named Tom Brady going up against a fierce defense threw for 354 yards, 3 TDs and his second clutch SB game winning drive. Without Brady things could’ve been a lot different that day.
Jumping ahead to Patriots Defenses that weren’t as talented. The four year stretch from 2010-2013, New England’s defense was never better than 25th in total yards allowed. But again Brady in 2010 won MVP and got the #1 seed. 2011 the Pats were back in the Super Bowl despite being 31st in yards against, and that’s due to Tom Brady. In 2012 and 2013, Brady and the Pats went back to the AFC Championship but lost. Some people think going as far as possible in sports and losing is worse than not making the championship game at all. Ridiculous.
In 2017 the defense was ranked 29th. Brady and the offense once again were back in the Super Bowl. Bill Belichick shocked Pats nation by benching Malcolm Butler. The defense got shredded by a backup QB, giving up 41 points. Even in defeat Brady put up historic numbers, throwing for 505 yards with 3 TDs with no INTs.
My conclusion on this theory about his Defenses is that Brady always has done his part to win games and make it to the AFC Championship or Super Bowl. I don’t see him being carried by anything, like the haters do. Another interesting stat: In 17 seasons the Pats Defense was statistically better than the offense only 3 times. In 9 of those 17 seasons with Brady as the starter, the defense was ranked 20th or worse in yards allowed. Defensive “myth” shut down with facts.
“Joe Montana Never Lost in the Super Bowl”
Key Number here is 4
The debate over Montana and Brady has many factors. Joe Montana was the Greatest ever in my eyes, up until Brady’s comeback in Super Bowl 49 against the Seahawks. Since Brady tied Montana with 4 Super Bowl wins, he has gone to 3 straight Super Bowls and won 2. The real crime here is the loss to the eagles. Brady had the best Super Bowl performance of all time.
Some people say Brady can’t be better than Montana because Joe cool never lost in his 4 chances. The fact of the matter is that every athlete would tell you getting to the Championship and losing is better than not making it there at all. As we all know, Brady’s been to 9 Super Bowls with 6 wins. Let’s not forget the amount of Hall Of Fame players Montana had on both sides of the ball. He also had a coach in Bill Walsh who came up with an offense no one had ever seen before. It took years for teams to adjust to this new style of football, a great coach and system that Montana thrived in.
Brady on the other hand did not, and still doesn’t have anywhere close to the number of Hall Of Fame players Joe had. The comebacks alone in Super Bowls favor Brady, having 6 in 6 wins. And did his part in the losses too, by getting the lead, only for the defense to break at the end.
Montana has been bounced twice in the divisional round, twice in the Wild Card and three times in the NFC Championship. Montana in 11 seasons has gone one and done in the playoffs 4 times.
The GOAT Tom Brady in 16 playoff runs is 13-2 in the divisional round, 2-1 in the WC round and 9-4 in the AFC Championship. Brady in 16 seasons has gone one and done just twice in the playoffs.
Is 4-0 better than 6-3 in the Super Bowl? If you’ve never played sports then maybe you’d say yes. The ultimate goal of any athlete is to go as far as you can. That is something Brady’s done better than Montana. Doing so with less talent, an offense that has been seen before (unlike the 49ers), all while getting better with age. Brady wins this round, the numbers don’t lie.
“Montana Played in a Tougher and Better Era”
Again, not taking anything away from Joe Montana, I’m just telling it how it is. Sure the rules for QBs have changed over the years, but Brady played in a tough era of football himself. Rule changes to help offenses didn’t make an ounce of a difference until 2011. QB numbers didn’t go up or benefit Brady for an entire decade. From 2000-2011 only two players had a season with great numbers, Brady in 2007 and Manning in 2004. Since 2011 pretty much every QBs numbers are inflated like never before.
Defining the toughness of different eras contains a few different things:
Free Agency -Montana played when teams didn’t change and Hall Of Fame players typically stayed together. Brady has had a revolving door of players throughout his entire career, mostly castaways who were turned into Champions.
Defensive players -Tom Brady has played and shredded some of the best defenders and all time defensive units and coaches. The 2000 Steelers and Ravens, 2003 Buccaneers, The LOB Seahawks were no match in the Super Bowl, 2015 Broncos, 2017 Jags, the two Giants Super Bowl teams and the 2018 Rams. Just think of the players on those teams, and how if it weren’t for Brady most of them would have Super Bowl rings.
Geography – Joe Montana Played in a sunny warm climate, while Brady’s been playing in the Northeast. Freezing temperatures, snow and rain in a division where he plays in Boston and New York. No problem for #12.
This is the first of my 3 part Myth Busting Brady Hate. Next up will be topics like “The AFC Least”, “Deflategate, “Brady has no records” and my personal favorite: QBs like Rodgers, Marino, Brees and Manning being on Tom Brady’s level. Starting to feel like I’m writing a book, so these next topics plus more will be coming out soon. Hope you Pats fans can use some of these facts when arguing with Brady hating friends.
With the baseball season arriving, our baseball writers have come together to predict the 2019 award winners. In this article we each choose the winner of the MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year Awards for the coming season. We will follow shortly with a second article predicting the division winners and postseason results for the coming season.
American League Most Valuable Player
Thom Howland: Jose Ramirez hit .270 last year with an unlucky 25% hit rate. With his top tier power, peak age, and a Cleveland team gunning for another AL Central crown, the time is ripe for his MVP closeup. Dark horse candidate – Jose Abreu
Scott Frizzell: It is just so hard to pick against Mike Trout. The new $430 million dollar man has finished in the top two every year of his career except one, when he finished fourth after missing six weeks of action. Dark horse candidate – Andrew Benintendi
John Principe: Coming off a year that didn’t end in him winning the MVP, I fully expect Mike Trout to again put up his insane numbers. He’s the closest thing in sports to a perennial lock, and is my pick to stay healthy and win his third MVP. Dark horse candidate – Matt Chapman
Ben Rolfe: Yes, it is the boring pick, but Mike Trout is so far above anyone else in baseball right now it is incredible. If we ignore his small rookie appearance then Trout’s average WAR is 9.2 per year and his numbers are something out of a video game. Dark horse candidate – Luke Voit
Mike Quilty: Mike Trout may be the favorite, but I think Alex Bregman will have a huge year for Houston.
Mike Trout is always a safe bet to be near the top.
National League Most Valuable Player
Thom Howland: Kris Bryant, the former MVP, is over the injuries that sapped his power last year. The Cubs are being counted out, and he will be at the center of their resurgence. Dark horse candidate – Ronald Acuna
Scott Frizzell: Paul Goldschmidt is leaving the desert for St. Louis this season, and I think he will put up his usual big numbers while helping lead the Cardinals back to the postseason for the first time since 2015. After a dreadful first two months last year, Goldy batted .330 with 26 home runs and a 1.022 OPS from June 1st on. Dark horse candidate – Ronald Acuna
John Principe: Bryce Harper is coming off an okay year, but a great contract, what’s in store for him? The new Philly slugger, to me, is poised to breakout again and have his best season since his MVP year in 2015. Look for Bryce to put up another season with an OPS over 1.000, carry his Phils to an NL East title, and win MVP while he’s at it. Dark horse candidate – Ronald Acuna
Ben Rolfe: Nolan Arenado is one of the best fielders at his position and he hits in Coors Field, which always means his hitting numbers will be right up there. His best chance is if he can lead the Rockies back to the playoffs. Dark horse candidate – Jesus Aguilar
Mike Quilty: Paul Goldschmidt had never won the award before but has been close multiple times as a D-Back. After a trade to St. Louis a change of scenery may be just what he needs.
Paul Goldschmidt joins a new team for the first time in his career.
American League Cy Young
Thom Howland: The all-time MLB leader in K/9 and K/BB will put it all together this year. After 6 straight Top 5 AL Cy Young finishes, Chris Sale will finally gain the top spot in 2019. Dark horse candidate – Eduardo Rodriguez
Scott Frizzell: Coming off a fantastic first season in Houston, I will choose Gerrit Cole to win the Cy Young this year. There is no one candidate this year that stands out to me. Dark horse candidate – Shane Bieber
John Principe: Despite struggling in the second half of 2018, I expect a massive year out of Jose Berrios. The bats are a little better behind him, which should work to his advantage. He’s a nasty pitcher with devastating off-speed stuff and will have a good chance to finish at least top 5 in Cy Young voting. Dark horse candidate – Mike Clevinger
Ben Rolfe: The drop in velocity for Chris Sale has me scared, and Gerrit Cole looked so dominant at times last year. He will be a crucial part of a playoff bound rotation and could win 20 games this season.
Mike Quilty: Chris Sale has come in the top five in each of the last six years. Injury last season ended his first shot at the award as he was pitching well. I think Sale will have an amazing year in 2019 and win his first Cy Young.
Chris Sale always finishes in the top five, but can he finally win the coveted award?
National League Cy Young
Thom Howland: Noah Syndergaard went 4-1 with two shutouts in September of last year. Finally healthy after years of nagging injuries, and with an improved Mets team behind him, the promise of his 97+ MPH fastball and devastating off-speed stuff will bring home the NL Cy Young in 2019. Dark horse candidate – Luis Castillo
Scott Frizzell: I tried Noah Syndergaard last season and instead his teammate won the award. I’m going him again. Syndergaard has the stuff to win it, reaching into the upper-90’s with his fastball with a devastating slider thrown around 92. Dark horse candidate – Walker Buehler
John Principe: Walker Buehler came up and absolutely dominated last year. With Kershaw ready to pass the load (and possibly ace status) on to Buehler, this could be a huge breakout year for him in establishing himself as a premier pitcher in the NL. Dark horse candidate – Kyle Freeland
Ben Rolfe: Patrick Corbin moves to a rotation which is known for pitching success on the back of a great 2018. Pitching alongside Max Scherzer gives a perfect person for him to be compared to all season in order to win this award. Dark horse candidate – Robbie Ray
Mike Quilty: Max Scherzer has won three times already, and had a career high last season with 300 strikeouts. He went 18-7 with a 2.53 era and probably would’ve won his fourth if not for Jacob deGrom and his historic season.
“Thor” has electric stuff, but has had some injury troubles.
American League Rookie of the Year
Thom Howland: As a 19-year-old, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rocketed from Rookie Ball all the way to AAA last year. Along the way he managed a .381 average, 20 Home Runs, and 29 Doubles. He’ll be delayed by a few weeks, but this 20-year-old will rake once he makes the show. Dark horse candidate – Josh James
Scott Frizzell: Eloy Jimenez could have a fantastic rookie season, but it’s hard to go against Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after he hit .402 at AA last season. This could shape up similarly to the Ronald Acuna vs Juan Soto race for Rookie of the Year last season. Dark horse candidate – Josh James
John Principe: Possibly the easiest category of all, Vlad Jr. is poised for greatness regardless of when his call-up comes. He’ll be in the show this season, hopefully by the middle of May at the latest. Even with his competitors getting possibly an extra month to pad their stats, Vlad should easily win this award. Dark horse candidate – Yusei Kikuchi
Ben Rolfe: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not a particularly fun pick, but I cannot see who else it will be. Guerrero is so talented and in a hitter friendly park, he will have every chance to put up huge numbers. Dark horse candidate – Yusei Kikuchi
Mike Quilty: Vladimir Guerrero Jr, 19-year-old son of HOF Vladimir Guerrero has dominated every level he’s played at to this point. He’s a great talent with great lineage and will now showcase his talent in the big leagues.
Vlad Jr. is the only unanimous choice.
National League Rookie of the Year
Thom Howland: Fernando Tatis Jr. is another precocious 20-year-old. He hit .286 with 16 HR and 22 Doubles last year in AA. The Padres are moving the newly minted $300 Million Dollar Manny Machado to third base so Tatis Jr. can play every day. Dark horse candidate – Pete Alonso
Scott Frizzell: Nick Senzel keeps getting moved around the field due to being blocked at the big league level all over the infield. His bat will play anywhere though. It looks like his new home will be center field for the Reds. Although I think Pete Alonso might slug 30 home runs for the Mets, I believe Senzel will have a more rounded game, batting around .300 with 15-20 home runs and stolen bases. Dark horse candidate – Chris Paddack
John Principe: The opposite of the AL, this race seems wide open to me. With no clear favorite, the Mets slugger Pete Alonso is my choice. Alonso has a brilliant eye, and lots of pop in his bat and should have a chance to play first base right away for the Mets. Dark horse candidate – Nick Senzel
Ben Rolfe: Anyone with Nick Senzel’s talent who gets to play in a hitter friendly park is always going to have a great shot of success. Add in the highlight plays he seems to be capable of making in center field and this could be a fun player to watch this season. Dark horse candidate – Chris Paddack
Mike Quilty: If Alex Reyes can finally stay healthy, he has some of the most electric stuff in the entire sport.
Nick Senzel was drafted 2nd overall in 2016.
American League Manager of the Year
Thom Howland: The Angels are an afterthought in the AL playoff picture. The A’s funky stadium and Billy Beane’s witchcraft will run out, and Brad Ausmus will have the Angels in the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Dark horse candidate – Kevin Cash
Scott Frizzell: I like Thom’s pick of Brad Ausmus. Mike Scioscia had gone stale and in need of replacing, the fresh face of Ausmus will give the club an extra jolt this season. Although their pitching staff is questionable, their lineup is looking rock solid. Dark horse candidate – Rocco Baldelli
John Principe: After being named a finalist in 2018 due to his innovation and his ability to do lots with very little, Kevin Cash should take the next step and win this year. There’s always the possibility of a team exceeding expectations (i.e. 2018 Athletics) and that manager taking the award, but for now Cash seems like the safest bet. Dark horse candidate – Rocco Baldelli
Ben Rolfe: Rick Renteria could have a perfect storm of young talented players starting to reach their peak and a weak division. The White Sox could push the Indians deep this season and even not making the playoffs that would be enough to get Renteria in consideration for the award. Dark horse candidate – Rocco Baldelli
Mike Quilty: Call me a homer but I’m going with Alex Cora
Can Brad Ausmus lead the Angels to the playoffs in his first season at the helm?
National League Manager of the Year
Thom Howland: Bud Black has two top-five MVP possibilities in Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon. They have promising starters in Jon Gray, German Marquez, and Kyle Freeland. Black will help their pitching and lead them to the NL Playoffs, despite being given a slim 17.5% chance of doing so. Dark horse candidate – Dave Martinez
Scott Frizzell: Last year I said the Phillies would surprise people and hang in the race before ultimately fading. This year, they will win the NL East, and with it Gabe Kapler will take home the Manager of the Year Award. Dark horse candidate – David Bell
John Principe: David Bell has a great opportunity in front of him in his first year leading the Reds. A young lineup that has already proved itself may now have some pitching behind it to support this team. A lot of people have the Reds as the breakout team of 2019, myself included. If they can push themselves into playoff contention in that division, or even over .500, it’s going to be hard not giving this award to Bell. Dark horse candidate – Dave Martinez
Ben Rolfe: This is another case of a perfect storm. Gabe Kapler took a lot of stick for some of his decisions last season. However, now he has a young rotation and an incredibly talented lineup at his fingertips. This team could be in contention for the most wins in the NL. Dark horse candidate – Bud Black
Mike Quilty: I think Dave Roberts will get the Dodgers back to the World Series and have one of the best records. After losing one of his key players, that could be enough to net him this award.
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.
The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl 53, winning their sixth Championship.
One year ago today, New England lost to Philadelphia in a game that most expected Super Bowl 53 to mirror. A game where the phrase, “Defense wins Championships” is crumpled up and thrown out of a window. A game that has more trick plays than punts, and offensive coaches have a field day. A lot can remembered about Super Bowl 52’s incredible offensive heavyweight bout. However, the one lasting memory for most New England fans is the defense choking when it mattered most.
If there were any predictions for the game last night, they most likely were centered around an offensive outburst. Most people were assuming this would be another bloodbath, similar to the Chiefs-Rams Week 11 matchup that ended 54-51. Maybe not to the extent of 105 combined points, but it is Tom Brady and Sean McVay so it was a possibility. What we got instead was pound for pound football that exemplified this Patriots team resolve in more ways than one.
One could argue Tom Brady would have already had six rings coming into the 2018 season. Brady did after all throw for 505 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl 52. But that still wasn’t enough to overcome Matt Patricia’s sorry excuse for a defense. The Malcolm Butler argument can be made all day long but nothing was slowing down Nick Foles that night. This year however, it was the defense who helped Brady capture his record sixth ‘chip.
From Stephon Gilmore to Dont’a Hightower to Jason McCourty, every defensive player on the field made a play. Whether it was Gilmore’s last minute interception or Jason McCourty’s touchdown saving pass breakup, it was the defense who won the game this time around. There has never been a Super Bowl performance quite like the one we saw last night, and Tom Brady and the offense are beyond grateful. Brian Flores forever left his mark on New England lore, helping architect the best defensive performance in Super Bowl history. He will be sorely missed when he heads south to Miami.
Even though getting yards wasn’t an issue offensively, getting past the Rams 40 yard line was. It seemed like every drive ended with a long field goal attempt or a punt at the L.A. 45. This field position certainly helped the defense, but scoring points would have been far more helpful.
If there was one diamond in the rough for the offense last night, it was Julian Edelman. JE11 turned in perhaps his best game in a Patriot uniform, totaling 141 yards on ten receptions. The Rams Pro Bowl caliber cornerbacks could do nothing to stay in coverage, and no matter what Nickell Robey-Coleman says, they could not stop him. This immaculate performance led the way for the offense, and landed Jules his first Super Bowl MVP.
Julian Edelman shined when it mattered most, taking home the MVP award for Super Bowl 53.
Rob Gronkowski, in what could be his final game, looked like vintage Gronk, going for 87 yards and setting up the game’s only touchdown. Other than those two, the only other Patriot to have a solid offensive night was Sony Michel, who once again scored and had over 90 yards rushing. This was his third straight postseason game with a score and at least 90 yards on the ground, and he could have a monster next year as long as the offensive line stays intact.
Sony Michel scored the only touchdown of the game, capping off his incredible 2018 postseason.
In the end, this game was what no one expected and few wanted. Most people in New England would tell you they wanted a blowout and at least 40 points. Most of America would tell you they wanted the same thing, but in the Rams favor. However, if you look past the boring incomplete passes and negative rushing attempts, you’ll find that this game is what the Patriots are all about. They’re not a one dimensional team like Kansas City, where if the offense doesn’t score then they have no chance of winning.
The New England Patriots always preach that it takes all three phases, offense, defense, special teams, to win football games. That’s what Super Bowl 53 was, an all around effort with each group coming up clutch when they needed to. Without each player doing their job and stepping up to the plate when it mattered most, we would be sitting here thinking about what could have been. Instead? We wake up six time Super Bowl Champions and get ready for our second parade in 100 days.
The echoes of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face race through the memory banks. The Patriots are in the AFC Championship, 55% less likely, according to odds makers, than the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. Almost as bad as the Patriots odds against the Falcons down 28-3. Gaga performed at halftime, and the rest was history. These were a fraction of the long odds the Red Sox were looking at resigning Mookie Betts a month ago. Then he signed with the Red Sox for $20 Million last week. Is this the turning point that Hightower’s sack of Matty Ice was?
Mookie Betts Contentious Arbitration Cases
It is well documented that Mookie has gone to the wall with the Red Sox in arbitration thus far. It has been trumpeted by Tony Massarotti, among many others, that the Sox have risked completely alienating Betts by going to arbitration after 2017.
In that case, Betts asked for $10.5 Million, and the Red Sox countered with $7.5 Million. Up to that point in history, only Kris Bryant and Ryan Howard had gotten more than $10 Million in their first year of eligibility for arbitration. They agreed before an arbitration hearing, and both had Rookie Of The Year and NL MVPs under their belts at the time. The Red Sox were most definitely looking at Mookie and saying to themselves “Hey, he hasn’t won any major awards, why give him $10.5 Million?”
Arbitration hearings can be contentious. The player is promoting themselves, while the team is tearing them down. A funny thing happened in this case. The Arbitrator sided with Betts, noting his Silver Slugger in 2016, his Gold Gloves in 2016 and 2017, and his MVP runner up in 2016. Hey, not everyone has to compete against Mike Trout.
A New Deal
But then the news came across the wire on January 11th of this year: Mookie Betts had agreed to one year contract with the Red Sox for $20 Million. This after an MVP season in 2018, when he put to bed all the worries that 2016 was a one year aberration. After a historic 105 win season and 11-3 postseason on the road to a World Series Championship.
The fact that the Red Sox have approached him with long term offers that he has rejected don’t seem so real now. His deal of $20 Million sets a record for players with only 4 years in the big leagues, but it’s still a bargain.
Mike Trout is simply the sickest player on the planet. He finished 2017 leading the majors in WAR for the 5th time. He’s played 7 years full years. If he retired tomorrow he would arguably sail into the Hall Of Fame on the first ballot. That’s the guy Mookie beat out for the 2018 AL MVP. Guess who beat Trout out for 2018 WAR lead? That’s right. Mookie Betts. In 2018 he lead the league in batting average at .346, hit 32 homers, stole 30 bases, and won another gold glove, among many other things. Yes, $20 million is a bargain.
The Future
The bars of Gaga’s A Million Reasons ring out:
” I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away But baby, I just need one good one to stay “
Sox fans have a reason to feel good. Because the Sox gave Mookie $20 Million reasons to stay, and by agreeing without going to the wall in arbitration they’ve opened the door to perhaps $300 Million more after 2019.
Is it Alex Cora and a culture of togetherness and support? Maybe it’s JD Martinez and his other teammates that he loves. Could be the joy of working in Fenway Park with all of us screaming his name. Whatever the reason, Mookie has opened the door to a long term deal.
The biggest trophy of them all was already captured by the 2018 Red Sox. However, there is still some hardware yet to be determined for members of our World Series team. From the major awards like MVP and Cy Young, to the position based awards like the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger, Boston has candidates. They have guys that should be locks to win awards, and they also have dark horses that could end up taking home some of these awards too. For a team that won 108 games, they were bound to have some of the best players in the league. We take a look at who should win each award that has a Sox player in contention.
Gold Glove Award
The Red Sox have players nominated for Gold Gloves at five different positions. Mitch Moreland was solid at first, but I don’t believe he’s going to beat out either Justin Smoak or Matt Olson, who were both superior. Second base is a close race between all three horses, and I actually believe our guy gets it. Ian Kinsler was tied for the American League lead amongst second baseman for defensive runs saved (DRS). He’s also the only one of himself, Jed Lowrie and Rougned Odor to have won an award, which is most likely going to help swing things in his favour.
I believe Andrew Benintendi has a good shot to win in left field, but knocking off Alex Gordon is no easy task. Gordon again was one of the best defenders in baseball, and should pick up another Gold Glove. As much as it feels like Jackie Bradley Jr. may deserve this, or even Mike Trout, it’s going to Adam Engel. He was so impressive with both the eye test and by the metrics, and should win the award. Finally, is Mookie Betts in right field. Mookie Betts is going to win the Gold Glove in right field, take it to the bank, it’s Mookie Betts.
Silver Slugger Award
Finalists have yet to be named for any of the positions, but the Red Sox have some very strong candidates. Let’s start with those who are mortal locks to take home this trophy. J.D. Martinez was one of the best hitters in the entire sport, and trailed only Khris Davis‘ in home runs. Martinez and Davis will go head to head for this award, but J.D. was the better all around hitter by far. That should be enough to take the award home for him.
Mookie Betts has a pretty good chance at taking home an even bigger prize. The Silver Slugger should join the Gold Glove in comfortably being his. Unfortunately for Xander Bogaerts, Francisco Lindor is alive and well in the American League as a shortstop. If it weren’t for Lindor, Xander would likely be snagging another Silver Slugger. He should finish right behind Lindor, as Bogaerts put out arguably the best season of his career.
Cy Young Award
The Red Sox do have a solid candidate for this award as well, Chris Sale. However, even the most biased Red Sox fan could tell you that Sale isn’t going to win this award. Nor does he probably deserve to. Not to diminish his season, as it was one of the best of his already dominant career. He went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA, but shoulder fatigue caused him to miss time down the strecth. The lack of innings will obviously hurt Sale, who is still in search of his first Cy Young. With the seasons that Blake Snell and Justin Verlander posted, it’s going to be tough for this to be Sale’s year of finally overcoming this specific milestone.
MVP
Last, but certainly not least, is the Most Valuable Player. The Red Sox have both a candidate, and a favorite for this award. J.D. Martinez is absolutely a candidate, and has a good chance to finish in the top five. However, as a designated hitter, he’s highly unlikely to win. His offensive numbers were outstanding, but not enough to put him above the likes of Trout, Jose Ramirez or his own teammate. Mookie Betts was oh so close to capturing this award a couple years ago, when Mike Trout snatched it from his hands. This year however, this year is different. Betts was better than Trout in almost every category. Plus, he propelled his team to the best record in the entire league. This award is Mookie’s to lose, and there is no chance that he loses.
Throughout the history of baseball, only a select handful of men have ever been regarded as a five-tool player. Even fewer were able to provide sustained success. The original example is the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays, and then we go to legends like Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez, along with the new kids on the block like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. So we turn to this year and the culmination of what has been building for a while for Mookie Betts. We take a brief look at each of his five tools, and how they contribute to one of the most electrifying players in the sport and the clear-cut MVP of 2018.
Speed
Let us start with Betts’ most recent accomplishment, becoming a member of the 30/30 club (30 homers and 30 stolen bags), and being only the second Red Sox player to ever do so. Mookie is never afraid to push the envelope and go first to third on a ground ball. Or to steal a base even when the pitcher and catcher know it’s coming. But after three straight years of 20+ stolen bases, he was finally able to reach the elusive mark of swiping 30. There is no reason to think he’ll slow down either. The speed factor will be a huge part of his game, both at the plate and in the field, for many years to come.
Hitting for Power
For a guy that doesn’t even sniff being six feet tall, Betts still packs a big punch. He’s posted his third straight 20 home run season and this year he’s elevated his power to another level. His league-leading .643 slugging percentage is absolutely insane. It’s over a HUNDRED points higher than any of his previous seasons. He also boasts an average exit velocity of 92.2 mph, which also puts him near the top of the league. The difference is he’s doing it all with a five foot nine frame. Yet he’s still amongst the big boys like Manny Machado and Yoenis Cespedes when it comes to the raw power off the bat.
Wikimedia Commons
Hitting for Average
This was never going to be an issue for Betts in the Majors. A brilliant hitter all throughout the minor league system, he adjusted to professional pitching real quick. Only once has he posted an average under .290 in his career, and now he’s primed to win the first batting title of his career, with a .346 average going into Thursday night. He’s going to have roughly 800 hits at the culmination of 2018. Setting himself up very nicely (with good health) to have a realistic shot at reaching 3000 hits.
Defense
Buck Showalter said he was the greatest defensive right fielder he’s ever seen, and he’s been around since the 70s, need I say more? Mookie is a lock to win his third straight gold glove, and he’s only made one error out in right. One, single error… all season… which is crazy considering how often the ball is in his hand.
Arm
Last but certainly not least, is the cannon that is also known as Betts’ right arm. Of the five tools, this is the one that can be least supported by statistics. Lucky for you, all you have to do is a turn the television on when the Red Sox are playing. You’ll quickly be able to see for yourself the incredibly amazing throws that Mookie can make. Whether it’s to second, third or even gunning someone down at home, it genuinely looks too easy for Betts. He picks the ball up and next thing you know, the runner is out by five steps. Mookie did, that’s what just happened.
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I had the great pleasure and privilege of interviewing baseball great Fred Lynn the other day. Fred Lynn is a member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame, the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame and the Ted Williams Hitters’ Hall of Fame. He is one of only two players ever to win the Most Valuable Player Award and the Rookie of the Year Award in the same season, a memorable moment for people that like betting on the MLB. Lynn made nine All-Star Games, won four Gold Glove Awards, a batting title, an ALCS MVP and an All-Star Game MVP. He truly is both a Red Sox great and a baseball great.
BSE: I hear you’ve been busy this year.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, it’s been a busy summer and spring. At the beginning of our season we never exactly know what’s going to happen. We did some things for the Red Sox, they have a Legends sky box and I go back there probably four times a year and in a normal year do maybe 15-16 games. This year there’s been all kinds of different things popping up, like representing the Red Sox at the Major League Baseball draft. Between that and golf tournaments and charity events I’ve been really busy.
BSE: What kinds of charities you been working with?
Fred Lynn: Well we have a charity here called the FACE Foundation in the San Diego area. What this organization does is it allows people that have physically catastrophic needs for their pets, meaning surgeries that could be life-threatening, and they can’t afford it. The FACE Foundation steps in and we have a lot of deals with vets in the area that will take care of it for these people. Most of the people that use the FACE Foundation are military. They save the pets basically on the spot and we’ve saved in the last four or five years like 2200 pets.
BSE: Wow, that is awesome!
Fred Lynn: It’s not like we’re trying to save cancer down the pike, this is immediate gratification. If we save somebody’s pet from being euthanized, then that’s a big deal.
BSE: Absolutely, I have been through that recently and that is a very good cause.
So, I would like to chat some about your playing career as well as the current Sox team. You were originally drafted by the Yankees in the third round out of high school and you decided not to go there, thank you.
Fred Lynn: I was going to go to college and we had told everybody that, that’s why I didn’t go until the third round. All the scouts said “we’re interested”, but I was going to USC.
BSE: And then at USC you actually went on a scholarship for football initially?
Fred Lynn: That’s correct. I was there with Lynn Swann, he and I were teammates. Back then freshmen couldn’t play varsity football; we had our own team, but we used to practice with varsity all the time, so like Sam Cunningham and that group of guys. It was very fulfilling, I love football, it was actually my first love above baseball. When the Trojans asked me to play football there I said “yeah, I’m in.” But, I was only about six feet tall, 170 pounds.
After my freshman baseball season, which we won the College World Series and I was on the All-Tournament team, and then I played for the US in the Pan Am games and I led that tournament in home runs. I hit a home run against Cuba in the gold medal game. I could see that I was one of the better amateur players in the country already as a freshman. With my size, I played corner and flanker in football and I was giving up 50 pounds to tackle these dudes, and that’s when I decided to switch over to baseball.
BSE: You mentioned you won the College World Series your freshman year, but you won all three years at USC, correct?
Fred Lynn: Yeah, that’s correct. We won five in a row and I was on the middle three.
BSE: And the Pan Am games are when you played in Japan?
Fred Lynn: No, we played in Cali, Colombia. If you don’t know, the Pan Am games are the Americas.
BSE: Right, haha.
Fred Lynn: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia and of course Cuba. So, our oldest player was 21 and when we played in the gold medal game against Cuba their youngest player was 22 and their oldest player was 38.
BSE: Oh wow.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, we lost 4-3. That was a great experience. The next year is when I went to Japan and played in the first collegiate All-Stars, USA vs Japanese college All-Stars. I was the MVP of that tournament.
BSE: What was it like playing over there in Japan at such a young age?
Fred Lynn: We all lost. We were all like 19 years old and I’d never had Asian food before. They tried to treat us right and we ate communally for the most part. They were serving us fish eye soup and these types of things, it was like “oh man.” Most guys weren’t willing to try those kinds of things so we were just dying. But it was a great experience, we played in the Japanese Major League stadiums, and it was a great experience because the fan base there. We were drawing 45-50,000 for a college game. It was great fun, I had a great time.
BSE: You were drafted by the Red Sox in the second round out of college and you came up through the minors with Jim Rice. You two were dubbed “The Gold Dust Twins.” How did that come about?
Fred Lynn: Yeah, that’s a good question, when you find out you let me know.
BSE: Haha, okay. Not sure where it originated huh?
Fred Lynn: No, I think one of the papers had some sort of contests. We started out in Double-A together, and I was only in Double-A for about a month and a half. Then we were in Triple-A and then we came up together in the big leagues. Actually, he came up the month before I did. We got off to a really good start; I don’t remember what paper, or who won. I don’t get the genesis of “Gold Dust twins” but all of a sudden, boom, it just popped up.
Jim Rice and Fred lynn, the “Gold Dust Twins”
BSE: In ’74 when you came up in September you batted over .400, and that led into the ’75 season when you won the MVP, Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove. First ever to win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same year, and still I kind of look at you as the only one since Ichiro was 27 and had played many professional seasons over in Japan. Do you kind of feel the same way?
Fred Lynn: A lot of my friends, and certainly my wife does. Can’t hold it against him personally. The rules say “everybody that comes to the United States is a rookie.” Okay, that’s kind of arrogant. But I guarantee you, he didn’t think of himself as a rookie when he came over here. There’s a big difference playing eight years of Major League Baseball over in Japan then entering at 21 or 22.
BSE: So you went on to play in the World Series as a rookie, what was that like?
Fred Lynn: To be honest with you, I had so much success as a collegian and won three national titles there. I actually won the Triple-A World Series between then too, so this is kind of the way things happened for me. I was used to playing on teams that won, I was not used to the other, so it was not unexpected for me. That’s kind of the way things were happening. We had a really good team obviously, and we beat the defending world champs in the Oakland A’s to get to the World Series. I wasn’t really surprised by it, I was just taking it in one day at a time as they say.
BSE: I guess that makes sense after winning three straight championships at USC.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, when you have won like that you expect it. You expect your teams to be good and you expect to play well. It’s unexpected when things don’t go right, so like when we lost game seven, that was unexpected. I had never been in a title game and lost, so that was a first for me. Having always been on the winning side, it was really a strange feeling for me on the other side.
BSE: Do you think the outcome may have been different if Jim Rice hadn’t gotten hurt?
Fred Lynn: Oh there’s no question about it. Losing your number four hitter makes a tremendous difference, and unfortunately the guys that replaced Jimmy didn’t get a hit. I truly believe we would have beaten those guys in six games. We were really good, so I just don’t think they could have handled us.
BSE: In game six you hit a home run and also made a catch at the wall that you got injured on but kept playing. Did that affect you at all?
Fred Lynn: I actually didn’t make that catch, Ken Griffey hit that ball. That was when the Green Monster was a monster, it was concrete. What happened was, I’d lost all feeling from the waist down and I thought I’d broken my back to be honest. So when I started getting the feeling back in my lower extremities I stayed in the game. It definitely shook me up, there’s no question. I was fine mentally, but physically I could feel some things moving around down there. I had no long-lasting effects from that that I’m aware of. I had back issues during my career but I don’t know if it all stemmed from that one play.
BSE: At Tiger Stadium that year, you had a game where you hit three home runs, a triple, 16 total bases and 10 RBI. Do you look back at that as maybe the best game you ever played?
Fred Lynn: Well, it certainly was the most prodigious offensively because I didn’t even do that in Little League. Everything went right that particular night. Hall of Famers play their whole careers and never have a chance to do those things. The first three innings there were guys on base every time I came up and I went homer, homer, triple in three innings and I drove in seven. Those kinds of things, they just don’t happen; especially to rookies. I don’t remember any other rookies doing those types of things. It’s just kind of having a once in a lifetime game in your first season. That’s what kind of made the 1975 season so magical to myself and the team, things were happening that normally don’t happen to rookies.
BSE: Your 1975 season gets a lot of the attention, and rightfully so, but do you consider 1979 as maybe your best season?
Fred Lynn: I was a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger. I had lifted weights some that offseason and gained a little bit of muscle. That was the first time that I hit balls that I didn’t think I’d hit very well and they’d be home runs. I wasn’t a big guy, I used to have to square them up. That year, I turned into a power guy. I hit for average too, so yeah, it was a really good year. Both Jim and I were doing really well that year. We struggled some on the pitching side, but boy, we could definitely hit.
BSE: I look at the MVP voting and wonder how you finished fourth. Maybe it had something to do with the standings?
Fred Lynn: Yeah, a lot of people wonder about that. {Laughter}
BSE: So, after you left Boston, what was playing elsewhere like in comparison?
Fred Lynn: I was traded to California, and I grew up here but had played collegiately, not professionally. The major difference was the fan base. Boston fans in the seventies were very energetic, let’s put it that way. They knew the game, they came early and they stayed late. On the West Coast, they’d cruise on in during the second inning, leave during the seventh or eighth inning. If the teams doing well they come out, if not, well, okay we’ll go to the beach. The weather and the fan base were the two biggest things that were different. The intensity at Fenway Park was, boy you could cut it with a knife sometimes, especially if we were playing the Yankees. Out west, even if we were playing our rivals it didn’t have that same feel to me. I really missed that East Coast fan base.
BSE: You batted .347 with an OPS over 1.000 at Fenway Park, do you ever look back and wonder what would have happened had you not been traded and played longer here in Boston?
Fred Lynn: Well, I guarantee you, they wouldn’t have had to wait until 2004 to have us win. It would have happened. You figure, they got rid of Fisk, Burleson and myself all in the same year. You trade the guts of your defense, and then a lot of your offense too, when you find out a good reason you let me know. If you have those three guys, and then you get the pitching they started to get and nah, there’s no way we don’t win at some point in the eighties.
BSE: You stayed really consistent throughout the eighties. I was looking through your numbers and was kind of taken aback. You had 21 home runs in 1982, 22 in ’83 and then four straight years at 23. Then you hit 25 the following year, so it was a seven year stretch between 21 and 25.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, and I did it unfortunately in a limited number of games. You know, I had a lot of injuries that took me out of a lot of games. If you give me another 20 or 30 games each year than those numbers would be around 30 home runs a year. I just needed to be on the field, that’s all.
BSE: Do you have certain accomplishments your most proud of?
Fred Lynn: The All-Star Game home run ranks up there, not because of a personal thing, but back then the American League and the National League were two entirely separate entities. It was a real grudge match, the All-Star Game, and the National League had been beating us on a regular basis. After ’83, when we won that game, the American League has pretty much dominated the National League since that point. It was a real turning point for the American League and I’m glad I was a big part of that.
BSE: Who is the best player you ever saw?
Fred Lynn: Well, there’s two of them; Mays and Clemente. Those two guys were five-tool players. They did everything and they did it with flair. They had fun, you could see it. As a kid, those were the guys I really liked to watch play. Teams weren’t on the TV much back then but any chance I got to see those two I’d try and watch anything I could about those guys.
BSE: Who was the toughest pitcher you ever faced?
Fred Lynn: That’s a pretty long list. Any particular day you could bring up somebody from Triple-A and they could shut you out, so you just never know. On a consistent basis, Frank Tanana was always tough on me when he was with the California Angels. He and Ryan were number one and two in the league in strike outs and he just had my number. I didn’t pick him up well and if I did hit one on the screws someone would catch it. Some guys you just don’t see, and I didn’t see Frankie so it was a tough day every time I faced him.
BSE: Any pitchers in particular you did see really well?
Fred Lynn: I had a week against Bert Blyleven. He was with the Minnesota Twins and I was with Baltimore. We were playing them at their place in Minnesota and I hit two two-run homers off him. Then we got them at our place in Baltimore and I hit two three-run homers off him. I hit four homers and drove in ten off him in a week.
BSE: Wow, that’s impressive. Hall of Fame pitcher there.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, it works the other way there. I don’t care who he is, if he’s a Hall of Famer or not, sometimes you just see him. Maybe he’s making bad pitches or he catches you on a day your swinging a hot bat, but probably a little combination of both for Bert.
Fred Lynn of the Baltimore Orioles bats during a game in the 1988 season. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
BSE: Moving on to the current Sox team. Have you been following them?
Fred Lynn: Oh yeah, I follow them extensively. I knew they were going to be a pretty good team but nobody knew the impact that JD Martinez was going to have on the club. He solidifies the lineup and he makes it tough to walk guys ahead of him, so they have to pitch to these guys. Now it’s made everybody around him better. Mookie is having a sensational season and you’d be hard-pressed to figure out which one of those two is more valuable. Is it Mookie leading off and setting the table and doing all those things, or is it JD solidifying the lineup in the heart of it? Right now it’s a flip of a coin.
But 50 games over .500? You’re in uncharted waters right there. This is crazy, they just won’t lose. You look at their lineup and say, “there’s a hole here, there’s a hole there,” it doesn’t seem to matter. Or if they have an injury, somebody steps in or they grab a guy like Pearce from Toronto and all of a sudden he’s hitting home runs like crazy. They have tremendous depth.
BSE: Seems that way. During the Yankees series when Steve Pearce hit four home runs I was calling him Jimmie Foxx reincarnated {laugh}.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, he’s got a short swing, and obviously Fenway is good to his type of swing. He pulls the ball, he kind of reminds me, he’s got a swing like Rico {Petrocelli}. A short, compact swing, perfect for Fenway. He hooked everything and that’s what Pearce does. You need some right-handed power at Fenway Park and now they have it. It’s a complete team, they’re leading the Major Leagues in every category. It’s all going to come down to the playoffs, and the front line guys have to perform well in the playoffs, because they’re going to play other teams who won 100 games.
BSE: Yeah, a team like the Astros is struggling right now but they have injuries, those guys are going to come back and they’ll be right back there.
Fred Lynn: Well, they have three front line pitchers. They have three number ones basically. They’re going to be tough in a short series, there’s no question. It’s just going to be, which star pitcher pitches the best. It always comes down to one key at bat; you get a key hit, maybe a two-out hit to drive in some runs. It’s intense. Playoff baseball is intense. Whoever wins the American League pennant is probably going to have to go through two teams that won 100 games. Now Oakland’s charging, and the National League doesn’t have anything like that. It’s going to be fun to watch.
BSE: What do you think of the Andrew Benintendi comparisons to yourself? There have been a lot of them made the last year or two.
Fred Lynn: Obviously he’s left-handed and he’s got a real nice stroke when he hits. He has a different swing; he’s got a short, compact swing. My arms, I got funky arms, they’re really long. My swing was a little longer. Both have a fluid swing, but he lets the ball get in on him more. In my day we’d hit the ball in front of the plate more. So that’s what makes him tough; he’s strong, compact and he can move the ball the other way. If he sees the shift on he’ll hit the ball the other way, which is smart. Those comparisons, I get it, sort of. But to me, in my eye, my swing was longer than his, but it was similar. He’s his own guy, he’s going to make it on his own merit and he’s having a super year too.
BSE: Speaking of shifts; what do you think of all the shifting in baseball nowadays?
Fred Lynn: Well, I can remember shortstops going to play me behind second base, {chuckles} I’d just hit it to short. I mean, there’s ways around it. If you’re not a power hitter…bunt! Get on base, the onus is on you. They’re going to play you this way until you make an adjustment, and if you keep hitting the ball on the screws and making outs then you need to make an adjustment and start going the other way. If you don’t know how to do it, then bunt, but you need to get those guys back where they belong and the only way to do it is to start going the other way.
BSE: Which you knew how to do, I’m surprised they actually shifted.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, I came to Fenway Park and I pulled the ball, I never hit the ball to left field. And I saw that wall and I said, “wait a minute.” So I just changed my swing just to make sure I could do that. Nobody taught me how to do it, I just kind of figured it out. Some guys are pretty stone-headed and they won’t change. Well, if you won’t change you’re going to hit .210.
BSE: Well, that’s all the questions I have for you. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this with me.
As we know, the Inaugural season of the Overwatch League is coming to a close within the next few weeks. Soon the Semifinals and Grand Finals of the playoffs will wrap up within the next two weeks. Unfortunately, our boys in blue were sent home a little earlier than they had hoped. Boston was taken out in the Quarterfinals of the playoffs last week to the Philadelphia Fusion 2-1. Although it seems like yesterday that Boston was “doomed to be one of the bottom feeder teams of the league”. We know our team worked through adversity to gain themselves the number three seed in the playoffs and even garnish the only perfect stage record so far for The Overwatch League! Let’s try to remember how this roller coaster season started and even look towards the future as to where the Uprising will be headed.
Their Humble Beginnings:
Back last Summer/Fall when teams were being revealed many teams were either: A.) Korean Pro Teams B.) The U.S World Cup Team (@Houston Outlaws) or C.) Notable Pro players from other Esports organizations. The Boston Uprising, along with Shanghai and Florida was none of those. This immediately led to many reporters, casters and even OWL front desk to toss Boston to the side, having no expectations of them throughout the season. A group formed from pros on lower tier teams, pro’s from other Esports teams and, an ex-professional tennis player. All the skepticism was validated at first. Although as we all know though they continued to prove everyone wrong.
Standing Their Ground:
Flash forward two stages and the Uprising finished both 6-4 just barely missing the stage playoffs both times. Stage playoffs aside, there was bigger success formed. Star players like main tank Young-jin “Gamsu” Noh, off tank Lucas “NotE” Meissner, and future MVP contender Nam-Joo “Striker” Kwon. The team only seemed to be only going up. This is due in part to their hard New England practice ethic. Hearing about just how many days a week they would be doing scrims, practicing and reviewing VODs. You could tell the dedication and grind they all had to succeed. Not to mention the constant chip on their shoulder.
Bad Luck Turned Into Better Results
After two incredibly strong stage showings, the Uprising was ready to take on Stage 3. They finally felt they could make their push for a spot in the stage playoffs. Starting off 2-0, they were tasked with facing the seemingly “unbeatable” New York Excelsior. Unfortunately, days before their spotlight matchup, one of Boston’s key DPS players was suspended. He was then quickly released with legal charges coming his way. The Uprising had to play the best team in the league, without one of their starters. They had to rely on backup DPS player Stanislav “Mistakes” Danilov. People started to cast doubts again on Boston thinking this loss would plummet them down the ranks. It seemed impossible, but the team, the coaches, and everyone supporting the Uprising believed. Sure enough, newfound starter “Mistakes” and the rest of the Uprising pulled the impossible. Boston gave NYXL their third loss of the season.
Now fueling another fire formed from the doubters, and the adrenaline of taking down the beast of the league Boston went on a tear. They ended up finishing Stage 3 undefeated (and garnishing undefeated records on the stage Control maps) and rode a 14 game win streak to the stage finals. Unfortunately New York got their revenge there beating their division rivals 3-0. Losing in the Stage 3 playoffs may of stung, but once again Boston continued to defy the odds. Boston established themselves as a “top 3” team in the league heading into the final stretch.
A Sour Final Stretch Doesn’t End Their Dreams
Unfortunately as the final stage approached came a new meta: The Brigitte meta. This brought upon a lot of trouble for the Uprising as this new character directly countered their previous compositions. With it taking extended time to figure out new strategies to overcome this they ended up finishing the season 4-6. After slugging out wins against poor preforming teams Shanghai, Florida, Seoul, and a “sandbagging” New York. This unfortunately wasn’t enough and they missed the stage 4 playoffs. Thankfully, due to their stellar performance the other 75% of the season, Boston still landed the number three seed in the playoffs.
We sadly know how the playoffs ended with their 2-1 loss to Philly. Now though there is so much to look forward to with the future and the Uprising. Nobody can call them a bottom tier team anymore, nor doubt their potential to win the league in year two. It’s looking more and more hopeful that Boston will bring back all of their starters when free agency signings start up in the fall. Furthermore, they can only add more talent around them with two more roster spots open to be filled. The Uprising may of exited the race a little earlier than they hoped this year, but one things for sure: they’ll be back stronger and better next year. Thank you Boston for the incredible first season!
