The Boston Red Sox are one of the most tried franchises in the history of Major League Baseball. In the process of gaining such a high stature, you need to have great players; throughout their history, the Sox have had some of the all time greats of the sport of baseball. Here is a line up of what Boston’s all time team would look like if it could ever be constructed:
Catcher – Jason Varitek: Many older Red Sox fans are probably upset that Carlton “Pudge” Fisk isn’t in this spot. However by raw numbers, Tek has him beat in Home Runs and RBI. Varitek also caught a league record four no hitters and won two world series, something Fisk never did.
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Honorable Mention: Carlton Fisk
First Base – Jimmie Foxx: Foxx played for Boston toward the end of his career. During his time in Boston, he hit 222 HRs for the Sox and set the, at the time, Red Sox record for homers in a season with 50.
Second Base – Dustin Pedroia: Pedroia is a two-time World Series Champion with the Red Sox, 2008 American League MVP, and four-time Gold Glove Award winner at his position. Pedroia is still playing with the Sox, giving him even more time to add to his resume.
Third Base – Wade Boggs: As much as it pains Red Sox fans to admit it, the man who left for the Yankees is the greatest third baseman in the team’s history. That’s not really a bad thing, considering he is a member of the 3,000 hit club, 2,098 of which came in a Red Sox uniform. He also owns a .338 average with Boston in his career.
Shortstop – Nomar Garciaparra: As much as Sox fans of all generations love Johnny Pesky, he just didn’t captivate the city in the same way Nomar did. At a time when the Sox needed the next big thing, in comes Nomar with over 30 home run seasons, batting above .350. Nomar’s talent was something to behold, and had he not been riddled by injuries, he may have given Derek Jeter a run for his money for being the best shortstop of the 2000s.
Left Field – Ted Williams: Even though there is a debate here, the conversation of baseball in Boston begins and ends with Ted Williams. Ted Williams dominated Major League Baseball in the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. He is the last player to bat over .400 in a season. He has 521 career home runs and missed time from playing while serving in the military during WW2 and the Korean War. He is arguably the greatest ball player of all time, and the greatest player in Red Sox history.
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Honorable Mention: Carl Yastrzemski
Center Field – Fred Lynn: Not one of the most well known names to Red Sox Nation, but Fred Lynn was a very good player on the Sox for seven seasons throughout the ’70s. He even turned in a 39 home run season, finishing with 124 in his Boston career, and a .308 average.
Right Field – Dwight Evans: Eight-time Gold Glove winner, and two time Silver Slugger. Dwight “Dewey” Evans will always be a fan favorite in Boston. He finished with 379 career home runs and a respectable .272 batting average.
Designated Hitter – David Ortiz: Three-time World Series champion, 483 career homers, 10-time All-Star, and eight-time Silver Slugger. Ortiz simply crushed baseball during his 14 seasons in Boston. He will also go down as the most clutch hitter in team history, and arguably in MLB history.
Starting Pitcher – Pedro Martinez: Pedro Martinez dominated the American League in the midst of the “Steroid Era.” He won three American League Cy Young Awards while with the Sox, and helped end the “Curse of The Bambino” in 04. Pedro only spent seven years with the Red Sox, but you certainly wouldn’t know that with the impact he had. He finished his tenure in Boston with a 2.52 ERA and a record of 117-37.
Closing Pitcher – Jonathan Papelbon: Papelbon helped Boston to its second of three titles in the new millennium. During his seven seasons with the Sox, Papelbon became Boston’s all time leader in saves, with 219.
Manager – Terry Francona: Francona ended the curse. He managed to get the team to another championship in 2007. He understood the finer points of running a baseball club, by handling players personalities and not just the game-to-game preparations. Francona was the new-age manager the team needed at the right time, and it paid off in spades.