Boston Sports Extra

This grouping of numbers, 16-20, is the first group of five without a retired number and a hall of famer. However, all five are in the Red Sox Hall of Fame, so it’s not like this group lacks clout.

Number 16 – Jim Lonborg

Lonborg is probably thought of as being better for the Red Sox than he was. However, that’s likely because of his gruesome injury following his incredible 1967 season. Lonborg was the Cy Young Award winner in 1967, winning a league best 22 games for the surprise pennant winners. Lonborg also struck out a league best 246 batters that season. However, he injured his knee in a ski accident that winter and wasn’t the same for the Red Sox afterwards. Over his final four seasons in Boston Lonborg only made 70 starts, going 27-29 with a 4.22 ERA.

Despite being mostly a flash in the pan for the Sox, Lonborg gets the nod at number 16 from me largely on the strength of his helping the Red Sox to the 1967 pennant while winning a Cy Young Award. His competition at the number isn’t too strong, although I anticipate Andrew Benintendi surpassing him in the next season or two.

Honorable Mentions: Andrew Benintendi, Tom Burgmeier, Frank Viola, Rick Miller

Number 17 – Mel Parnell

There is a strong 1-2 for number 17, but one of the best left-handed starters in franchise history to date gets the nod. Parnell pitched for the Red Sox for parts of ten seasons, his career coming to an early close due to injuries. However, for a six year stretch he was one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Parnell broke out with a 15-8 record and 3.14 ERA in 1948. The next season he would have won the Cy Young Award had the award existed at the time. Parnell was 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA over 295.1 innings in 1949. He led the league in innings, wins and ERA that season and finished fourth in the MVP vote. Parnell won 18 games each of the next two seasons. 1953 was his final healthy season, going 21-8 with a 3.06 ERA for a mediocre team.

Over that six year stretch, 1948-53, Parnell was 109-56, an average of 18-9 per season, with a 3.22 ERA. Parnell had some magic left in 1956, throwing a no-hitter against the White Sox. He pitched to a solid 3.77 ERA that season before retiring.

Parnell’s close competition for the number 17 comes from “the Monster”, Dick Radatz. Radatz dominated in relief for the Red Sox for the first three seasons of his career, going 40-21 with a 2.17 ERA and 76 saves. He threw so many innings of relief that he declined quickly though. Parnell, despite a short career, was good for longer than Radatz so he gets the nod in my book.

Honorable Mentions: Dick Radatz, Bret Saberhagen, Nathan Eovaldi, Manny Delcarmen

Number 18 – Frank Sullivan

Sullivan pitched parts of eight seasons with the Red Sox, having a nice six year stretch from 1954-59. During those six peak years, Sullivan was 83-63 with a 3.24 ERA. He posted an ERA below 3.00 in both 1955 and 1957. In 1955, he led the American League with 18 wins and 260 innings pitched. In 1957 he led the league in WHIP.

A mostly forgotten pitcher in team history, Sullivan was a good pitcher on some not so good teams. He made two All-Star Games and deserved to make it in 1957 as well.

Honorable Mentions: Johnny Damon, Reggie Jefferson, Carlos Quintana

Number 19 – Fred Lynn

Despite several postseason heroes wearing the number 19, Fred Lynn is the no-brainer choice. After raking in September of 1974, Fred Lynn became the first player ever to win MVP in his rookie season. That season he made the All-Star Game, won Rookie of the Year, MVP and a Gold Glove Award. Lynn led the league in doubles and OPS while batting .331.

Despite the MVP and leading the league in OPS, Lynn’s best season may have come in 1979. That season, Lynn batted .333/.423/.637/1.039, leading the league in each of those categories. He smashed 39 home runs and 42 doubles while driving in 122 runners. Somehow, Lynn only finished fourth in the MVP vote when he probably should have won it.

During his time in Boston Lynn seemed to be on a Hall of Fame path. He hit .308 with 124 home runs and a .902 OPS over parts of seven seasons. Not only that, Lynn was an excellent center fielder, winning four Gold Gloves while playing for the Red Sox. He also made the All-Star Game in each of his six full seasons in Boston.

Honorable Mentions: Josh Beckett, Koji Uehara, Jackie Bradley Jr, Mickey McDermott

Number 20 – Kevin Youkilis

“Youk” is on the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this season. Although he won’t achieve the five percent of the vote needed to remain on the ballot, it is pretty cool just to be on it. Youkilis came up through the minors with the Red Sox and spent parts of nine seasons in Boston. He set a record for consecutive errorless games at first base and won the Gold Glove Award in 2007.

In 2008, Youkilis was a legitimate MVP candidate along with teammate Dustin Pedroia. Youkilis batted .312/.390/.569/.958 with 29 home runs, 43 doubles and 115 RBI. He finished third in the MVP vote that season. He followed it up with 27 home runs and a .961 OPS in 2009, finishing sixth in the MVP race. From 2007-10 he batted .303/.400/.530/.931 while playing excellent defense. He is a runaway at the number 20.

Honorable Mentions: Tony Armas, Lee Stange

Kevin Youkilis #20 of the Red Sox bats against the Yankees on September 26, 2009 at Yankee Stadium (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Featured picture from the Sporting News

On Friday night, J.D. Martinez singled through the hole between short and third to drive in two runs. In doing so, J.D. Martinez surpassed the 100 RBI mark on the season. With a month and a half still to play, J.D. Martinez already has 37 home runs and 104 runs batted in on the season. In surpassing both the 30 home run plateau and 100 RBI mark in his first season as a Red Sox, Martinez has accomplished what only nine before him had ever done.

Jimmie Foxx

Jimmie Foxx was already the most powerful right-handed bat the baseball world had ever seen by the time he arrived in Boston. Foxx had led the league in home runs in three of his final four seasons in Philadelphia. Sold by the Athletics to the Red Sox during the Great Depression, Foxx was one of several stars brought in my new club owner Tom Yawkey.

1936 was Foxx’ first season in Boston and he clubbed 41 home runs and drove in 143 runners. This was the first time somebody eclipsed 30/100 in his first season with the team. Foxx would accomplish the feat during each of his first five seasons with Boston, averaging 40 home runs and 134 RBI during that stretch. Foxx also won the MVP Award in 1938.

Ted Williams

Williams was a 20-year-old rookie when he joined the Red Sox in 1939 and reached the marks. Told in spring, ”Wait until you see this guy Jimmie Foxx hit,” Williams famously replied “Wait until Foxx sees me hit”. Williams became the first rookie in franchise history to surpass 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in. He hit 31 home runs that year and drove in a league best 145 runners. Williams also hit 44 doubles and 11 triples in that rookie season.

Ted Williams is greeted by Jimmie Foxx as he crosses home plate.

Walt Dropo

Dropo was the third Red Sox to accomplish those numbers in his first season with the team, and second rookie. Dropo wasn’t supposed to be a star, he was already 27 years old when the Sox called him up early in 1950. The 27-year-old rookie went on to hit 34 home runs, drive in a league best 144 runs and lead the league with 326 total bases. Dropo easily won Rookie of the Year and made his one and only All-Star Game.

After a bad season in 1951, Dropo bounced back to hit 29 home runs in 1952. However, after that season he never again reached 20 homers. He spent the second half of his career as a part-time player.

Dick Stuart

Dr. Strangeglove, as he was called, had a big bat and no glove. Another nickname of his was “stonefingers”. His porous defense didn’t help his career, as he played only parts of 10 seasons. Stuart could hit though. He came to the Red Sox in 1963, having made an All-Star Game in Pittsburgh in 1961 after batting .301 with 35 home runs and 117 runs batted in.

In his first season in Boston, Stuart crushed 42 home runs and drove in 118 runs, which led the American League. The 42 home runs were the most hit by any Red Sox player since Ted Williams hit 43 in 1949. Stuart hit 33 home runs and drove in 114 runs the next year before being shipped out of Boston after just two seasons.

Tony Armas

In 1983, Tony Armas became the first Red Sox since Dick Stuart two decades prior to accomplish a 30/100 season in his first year with the team. Armas didn’t actually play well, but still managed to hit 36 home runs and drive in 107 runs. He batted just .218 and posted a .707 OPS despite all the home runs.

Armas was much better in year two for the Sox, batting .268, which was higher than his on-base percentage was the year before. Armas also led the league in home runs and runs batted in with 43 and 123.

Nick Esasky

Just five years after Armas achieved these marks, Nick Esasky did in his lone season with the team. The Red Sox acquired Nick Esasky along with left-handed pitcher Rob Murphy from the Reds in December of 1988. In 1989, Esasky hit 30 home runs and drove in 108 runs for the Red Sox. The Red Sox let Esasky walk in the offseason, leaving him with one (very good) season in a Red Sox uniform. Esasky barely played again, suffering from severe vertigo after signing with the Atlanta Braves.

Nick Esasky of the Red Sox bats during a game against the Rangers on May 1, 1989 at Fenway Park. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Carl Everett

The Red Sox acquired Carl Everett from the Houston Astros for Adam Everett and Greg Miller. Adam Everett was an all glove shortstop and Greg Miller never made the Majors. Meanwhile, Carl Everett beasted in Boston during the 2000 season. He made the all-star team, batted .300 and hit 34 home runs with 108 RBI. He also got a 10 game suspension that year for head butting an umpire and said dinosaurs weren’t real, but his play in 2000 was no joke.

Manny Ramirez

When the Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez, he was handed largest contract in baseball history at the time. He didn’t disappoint either. That first season with the Sox, Manny blasted 41 home runs and drove in 125 runs. Nomar missed most of the season with a wrist injury and Carl Everett slumped badly from the previous season though. Without the lineup protection, Manny’s numbers fell as the year wore on, batting .258 from May 27th on after batting .400 to that point. His first season was still impressive nonetheless.

Manny would make eight All-Star Games, have four top six MVP finishes, win a batting title and a home run crown while in Boston. He also added World Series MVP to his résumé in 2004. In his first six seasons with the club, Manny averaged 39 home runs and 119 RBI per season while posting a .316/.416/.610/1.026 line.

Manny Ramirez follows through during the Red Sox 7-6 victory over the Angels at Fenway Park.

David Ortiz

After being released by the Twins in the offseason despite hitting 20 home runs the previous season, the Red Sox signed David Ortiz for just 1.25 million. It then took Grady Little forever to realize Ortiz was a lot better than Jeremy Giambi. Once finally given a spot in the lineup, David Ortiz raked. From July 1st on, David Ortiz hit 27 home runs and posted a 1.022 OPS. Ortiz homered twice in back-to-back games at Yankee Stadium on July 4th and 5th, games the Red Sox won 10-3 and 10-2.

Everyone knows what happened from there. Ortiz is arguably the most clutch player to ever put on a baseball uniform and arguably the greatest designated hitter. The city of Boston will be descending down upon the small town of Cooperstown, New York in a few years.

J.D. Martinez

These are the names Martinez has joined with his first season performance in Boston. With over 40 games left in the season, Martinez is leading the league with 37 home runs and 104 RBI while batting .332/.400/.666/1.066 as of this writing. He has a legitimate shot at the triple crown.

Honorable Mentions

There are a few guys who came very close to achieving a 30/100 season their first year in Boston. Others accomplished the feat in their first full season in Boston, but had spent a partial season with the team prior.

Vern Stephens hit 29 home runs and drove in 137 runs in 1948, his first year with the Red Sox. He then hit 39 and 30 home runs the next two seasons while leading the league in RBI both years.

Ken “Hawk” Harrelson was acquired in late 1967 to replace the injured Tony Conigliaro. His 80 at-bats that year preclude him from this list. However, 1968 was his only full season with the Red Sox. The year he hit 35 home runs while driving in a league best 109 runs.

Don Baylor was part of the Red Sox team that went to the World Series in 1986. He hit 31 home runs that year but fell six RBI shy of the 100 mark.

Nomar Garciaparra was a September call-up in 1996. In his rookie season of 1997, he fell two RBI shy of becoming the first Red Sox rookie since Walt Dropo in 1950 to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs.

Jason Bay falls in the same boat as Hawk Harrelson. Bay was acquired at the trade deadline in 2008 and posted an .897 OPS over the season’s final two months. 2009 was his only full season with the team, and he hit 36 home runs and drove in 119 runs.

Featured picture from overthemonster.com