Years in Boston: 1982-1992 (.338/.428/.462, 85 home runs, 687 RBIs, 2,098 hits)
Best Year in Boston: 1987 (.363/.461/.588, 24 home runs, 89 RBIs, 200 hits)
Showing posts with label boggs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boggs. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Red Sox in Cooperstown Pt. 30: Wade Boggs
WADE BOGGS
Years in Boston: 1982-1992 (.338/.428/.462, 85 home runs, 687 RBIs, 2,098 hits)
Best Year in Boston: 1987 (.363/.461/.588, 24 home runs, 89 RBIs, 200 hits)
And now we come to one of my all-time favorite players. Boggs was my first favorite player when I started watching baseball in the early 1990's. It helped that he was born in Omaha, Nebraska, though he actually grew up in Florida. Boggs had a rough path to the Majors. He was drafted in the seventh round and was never considered a top prospect, despite hitting at every stop in the minors. It took several years before he made it to the big leagues because he was not a power hitter and he struggled defensively at third base. Boston also had Carney Lansford at third basem, who won a batting title in 1981.
But Boggs made the Majors in 1982. He rarely played early in the year, but when Lansford went down with an injury, Boggs took over at third and never looked back. He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year vote with a very impressive .349/.406/.441 line. His batting average and on-base percentage were both tops among AL rookies. He would have won the batting title had he played in more games. Willie Wilson won it with a .332 mark.
Boggs followed up his impressive rookie season with his first of five batting titles, his first of seven consecutive 200 hit seasons, and his first of six Silver Slugger Awards. He also led the league in OBP for the first of six times. He was not an All Star though oddly. 1984 saw him take a back seat to Don Mattingly, but he still had a terrific season. 1985 was the first of 12 consecutive All Star seasons and was one of the best seasons of his career. He led the Majors in hits with 240, which was the 13th highest single-season hit total in history. He finished fourth in the MVP vote, which was the highest finish of his career. He won the batting title for the second time and the first of four consecutive times.
He appeared in the postseason for the first time in 1986 after helping to lead the team to the World Series against the Mets. Boggs had a great season yet again, winning the batting title once more, and also led the league in OBP and walks. He struggled in the ALCS, but hit .290 in the World Series. 1987 was the best season of his career. He was often criticized for not hitting for enough power, but he hit 24 home runs, more than twice as many as his next highest number. He led the league in average, OBP, OPS, and OPS+. 1988 was the last time that he won the batting title, but he had a career high 125 walks and 128 runs. He hit a career high 51 doubles in 1989, but missed out on the batting title.
1990 was a tough season as he barely finished over .300 with a .302/.386/.418 line and also failed to get to 200 hits for the first time since his rookie season. 1991 was his last great season with the Red Sox as he hit .332/.421/.460 with eight home runs and 44 doubles. He struggled greatly in 1992, hitting just .259/.353/.358.
For some reason the organization was never truly enamored of Boggs. He was always quirky (he ate chicken before every meal), but some of his quirks were a little too strange. He was viewed as a selfish player who was more concerned with his own stats than the team's. He also had a number of off-field issues that were distracting to the team and was considered a below-average fielder, which was not true. So when Boggs struggled in 1992, the team made no effort to bring him back and he went to the Yankees. He had a few more decent seasons, won a World Series, and eventually got his 3,000th hit with the Devil Rays.
Boggs was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, his first year on the ballot and wears a Red Sox cap on his plaque. He had all of his best seasons with the Red Sox. Looking back at his career from a sabermetric stance reveals that Boggs was likely the best player in the league in the mid 1980's. His number 26 was retired by the Red Sox in 2016.
Years in Boston: 1982-1992 (.338/.428/.462, 85 home runs, 687 RBIs, 2,098 hits)
Best Year in Boston: 1987 (.363/.461/.588, 24 home runs, 89 RBIs, 200 hits)
Saturday, August 24, 2013
1991 Topps #450 Wade Boggs
In this series, I look at my first team set: 1991 Topps. This was the set I started my baseball card collection with.
This was the card that was staring at me on the front of the team set package when I picked it up. The Boggs card is one of the greatest cards from this team set. The background with the cloudy sky makes this card one of the more interesting cards in the entire set. This was not my first Wade Boggs card, in fact it was my third, I had the Donruss and Score cards from 1991 first, but it was definitely one of my early favorites and possibly had a large part to do in making Boggs my first favorite player.
Boggs of course was an outstanding hitter, but he was coming off his worst season to date in 1990. Boggs hit just .302/.386/.418 with six home runs and 63 RBIs. A good season by most players' standards, but not by Boggs. He was still an All Star though and had a decent season.
Boggs would come back to have his last great season with the Red Sox in 1991 before having his worst season in 1992. After the season he signed with the Yankees as a free agent. It took a long time before I forgave him for that. This card though represents a better time.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Showing Off Again
After he retired, I started getting a lot of cards of him again. I added this one after he was elected to the Hall of Fame. I figured at that point I needed an autograph of him. The patch was just gravy. It is from a Red Sox road uniform in the 1980's when they went with a pretty boring uniform.
I always wanted to go to Cooperstown when a big Red Sox player was elected. Boggs was one of the options I considered. Unfortunately, I was still in law school at the time, so I could not make it to Cooperstown to watch this one. Maybe when Pedro gets elected...
Monday, March 18, 2013
My Top 15 Red Sox Starting Lineup Figures
I was pretty late to the Starting Lineup craze. I think the first time I picked one up was in 1997, just a few short years before they were discontinued. And of course by that time they were releasing fewer and fewer figures. When I discovered Ebay though I was able to go back and get a bunch of figures that I never was able to get before.
I liked the figures themselves, but it's the fact that they included cards that really sold them for me. I could add a card to my collection and display a figure.
So without further ado, these are my Top 15 Red Sox Starting Lineup figures.
15. PEDRO MARTINEZ (1999)
This was one of my most anticipated pieces. It was the first one of Pedro with the Red Sox. There is not much to the pose, but it was Pedro. And he was quickly becoming the greatest pitcher in the game. I have three pieces of Pedro. Always on the lookout for more.
14. MO VAUGHN (1998)
It is kind of a neat pose and it was a nice piece of one of my favorite players. But that is about all I really have to say about it.
13. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (2000)
It is really the pose that makes this one interesting. I am pretty sure there are others out there like it, but this is the only Red Sox one like it. It definitely stands out in my collection.
12. CARL YASTRZEMSKI (1998 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
This one made it this high because it was my first special edition SLU. The pose is kind of boring unfortunately but it is the only Yaz I have. He does have some other pieces in other special edition sets, but I have not gotten around to getting any of those.
11. JOHN VALENTIN (1996)
This one has a couple of things going for it, helping it to place so high. For one, this is the only John Valentin figure released by Kenner. Secondly, and most importantly, this was my very first SLU. The pose is not anything to write home about, but it was my first. I remember seeing it on the wall of a local card shop with a low price tag, and I decided to take the plunge.
10. SCOTT COOPER (1995)
Again, the pose is not all that interesting, but this was the only Scott Cooper figure issued. I remember hearing about its existence from a Beckett magazine, but I never actually saw it until I got on Ebay. What makes this one particularly interesting is that Cooper is not actually pictured on the card, instead it is Damon Berryhill.
9. MIKE GREENWELL (1989)
Much of the reason for this placement is the pose. I prefer the fielding poses personally over the hitting poses. There just is not all that much you can really do with the hitting poses. This is the only Greenwell figure I have, but I am aware of a few other figures in existence.
8. NICK ESASKY (1990)
Again, I love the pose on this one. Esasky stretching to make the catch from another infielder. This is the only Esasky SLU showing him in a Red Sox uniform, obviously since he only spent one year with the team. The only downside to this one is that one of the cards shows Esasky with the Reds. I would almost consider picking up the Todd Benzinger SLU just to switch the rookie year cards. Benzinger has the same pose.
7. WADE BOGGS (1990)
I have a couple of Boggs SLUs, he was my first favorite player after all. But this one is my favorite because of the fielding pose. The others all show him hitting. I also love the two cards along with it. This is one that I searched for for a long time. I almost bought it at the store when I bought the Valentin, but someone else grabbed it when I set it down for a moment. It was years before I saw it again.
6. CY YOUNG (2000 ALL CENTURY TEAM)
I do not have a lot of the special edition figures, but this Cy Young was one I had to add. I love the vintage uniform and the old-style glove and pitching pose. Plus, it's Cy Freaking Young. There actually are a couple of other Cy Young figures out there, but this is the only one I have managed to get.
5. TED WILLIAMS (1999 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
One of the other few special editions I have. I had to add one of the best hitter in Red Sox history. I do like this hitting pose and the uniform and card both look great here. Williams has another piece and one day I might pick it up. It has been awhile since I bought one.
4. ELLIS BURKS (1990)
Ellis Burks has some nice SLUs, but none of them come close to matching the awesomeness of this one. This is the only Red Sox SLU I have seen where the player is on the basepaths. That added to the fact that there are two cards included and you have a great piece.
3. BABE RUTH (1994 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
How could I possibly pass up The Babe in a Red Sox uniform? There just is no possible way to do it. Plus the great pose that I have never seen on another piece and of course the card. It's Babe Ruth, come on.
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998)
It is a great pose and also Nomar's very first SLU piece. This was a little expensive when it first came out, but my grandparents bought it for me for my birthday when I turned 17. It was a great gift.
1. LEE SMITH (1989)
I really do not know what it is about this one. The pose is not terribly exciting. Maybe it's the fact that it's Lee Smith, and maybe it's because there are no other Red Sox closers who had SLUs. I am a big fan of Smith's even though I never actually got to see him pitch for the Red Sox since I started watching the team the year after he was gone. He is one of those players I just try to pick up as much Red Sox stuff as possible. And this was definitely a goal.
I have just a couple of disappointments from these. One, they stopped making them. Two, Boston never got a catcher. There was a large team piece that had Rick Cerone, but no individual pieces. And I don't think the team piece had any cards. If it had gone longer, we might have gotten a Carlton Fisk Cooperstown collection or a Jason Varitek. It would have been nice if Tony Pena had gotten a piece, but no. So no catchers, and that is a shame. It also would have been nice if the Bruce Hurst figure had been released. Prototypes exist but are hard to find. That was the only southpaw SLU made for the Red Sox.
I liked the figures themselves, but it's the fact that they included cards that really sold them for me. I could add a card to my collection and display a figure.
So without further ado, these are my Top 15 Red Sox Starting Lineup figures.
15. PEDRO MARTINEZ (1999)
14. MO VAUGHN (1998)
13. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (2000)
12. CARL YASTRZEMSKI (1998 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
11. JOHN VALENTIN (1996)
10. SCOTT COOPER (1995)
9. MIKE GREENWELL (1989)
8. NICK ESASKY (1990)
7. WADE BOGGS (1990)
6. CY YOUNG (2000 ALL CENTURY TEAM)
5. TED WILLIAMS (1999 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
4. ELLIS BURKS (1990)
3. BABE RUTH (1994 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION)
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998)
1. LEE SMITH (1989)
I have just a couple of disappointments from these. One, they stopped making them. Two, Boston never got a catcher. There was a large team piece that had Rick Cerone, but no individual pieces. And I don't think the team piece had any cards. If it had gone longer, we might have gotten a Carlton Fisk Cooperstown collection or a Jason Varitek. It would have been nice if Tony Pena had gotten a piece, but no. So no catchers, and that is a shame. It also would have been nice if the Bruce Hurst figure had been released. Prototypes exist but are hard to find. That was the only southpaw SLU made for the Red Sox.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Season in Review: 1992
I have no idea what happened between 1991 and 1992. The offense struggled quite a bit, and that was probably most of it. Maybe it was the new manager as Butch Hobson took over for the popular Joe Morgan. Boston finished in last place in 1992.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS:
Wade Boggs:
Boggs had the worst season of his career in 1992, finishing with a career low .259/.353/.358 slash line. He was still voted onto the All Star team, but his numbers across the board were down. It may have been the stress of having his contract up after the season. He left Boston after the season to join the hated Yankees.
Tom Brunansky:
Brunansky had his best season as a member of the Red Sox in 1992, even though it was still a far cry from his earlier work with the Twins and Cardinals. He did have the only above-average season by a starting Red Sox position player as he hit .266/.354/.445 and lead the Red Sox in home runs (15), doubles (31), and RBIs (74).
Ellis Burks:
Burks was plagued by injuries in 1992, but generally played well when he was in the lineup. Burks hit .255/.327/.417 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs and five stolen bases in just 66 games. When he was out of the lineup, Boston had to scramble to find a replacement.
Roger Clemens:
Clemens is one of the few players that really had a good year in 1992. Clemens finished third in the Cy Young race that year and 14th in the MVP race. He also was named an All Star. He finished the season at 18-11 with a league-leading 2.41 ERA and 208 strikeouts. He also lead the league in shutouts and WHIP.
Mo Vaughn:
Vaughn started to reach his potential in 1992 after a difficult rookie season in 1991. He was not quite the hitter he was expected to be yet, but he did finish second on the team in home runs (13) and RBIs (57). He put together a slash line of .234/.326/.400, not great numbers, but he was starting to show some improvement.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Billy Hatcher:
Hatcher was acquired by the Red Sox from the Reds in July for Tom Bolton. He immediately brought an infusion of speed to the Red Sox and even pulled off a steal of home in 1992. He hit .238/.282/.311 in 75 games for the Red Sox.
Jeff Reardon:
Reardon broke the career saves record in 1992, one of the first big individual accomplishments I remember as a fan of the Red Sox. Reardon did not have a great season in 1992, but he did save 27 games. He was traded to the Braves at the August trading deadline.
Jody Reed:
Reed was another hitter who declined in 1992, but he still lead the team in a number of categories, such as hits (136), runs (64), and stolen bases (7), while continuing to play steady defense. Reed hit .247/.321/.316 in 1992, with only 27 doubles after three straight seasons of more than 40.
FAVORITE ACQUISITION:
Frank Viola:
Viola came to the Red Sox as a free agent in 1992 from the Mets. He was a 20 game winner in 1990 but his numbers dipped a bit in 1991. Left-handers have not historically done well in Fenway, but Viola managed to go 13-12 with a 3.44 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 238 innings to make an effective number two starter to Roger Clemens.
FAVORITE ROOKIE:
Scott Cooper:
Cooper had been a highly-touted infielder for awhile and he made it to the big leagues full-time in 1993. He split his time between first base and third base and hit .276/.346/.383 with five home runs and 33 RBIs. He also showed a very strong throwing arm. He would make a lot of errors but that had more to do with Vaughn's erratic defense than Cooper's.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS:
Wade Boggs:
Boggs had the worst season of his career in 1992, finishing with a career low .259/.353/.358 slash line. He was still voted onto the All Star team, but his numbers across the board were down. It may have been the stress of having his contract up after the season. He left Boston after the season to join the hated Yankees.
Tom Brunansky:
Brunansky had his best season as a member of the Red Sox in 1992, even though it was still a far cry from his earlier work with the Twins and Cardinals. He did have the only above-average season by a starting Red Sox position player as he hit .266/.354/.445 and lead the Red Sox in home runs (15), doubles (31), and RBIs (74).
Ellis Burks:
Burks was plagued by injuries in 1992, but generally played well when he was in the lineup. Burks hit .255/.327/.417 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs and five stolen bases in just 66 games. When he was out of the lineup, Boston had to scramble to find a replacement.
Roger Clemens:
Clemens is one of the few players that really had a good year in 1992. Clemens finished third in the Cy Young race that year and 14th in the MVP race. He also was named an All Star. He finished the season at 18-11 with a league-leading 2.41 ERA and 208 strikeouts. He also lead the league in shutouts and WHIP.
Mo Vaughn:
Vaughn started to reach his potential in 1992 after a difficult rookie season in 1991. He was not quite the hitter he was expected to be yet, but he did finish second on the team in home runs (13) and RBIs (57). He put together a slash line of .234/.326/.400, not great numbers, but he was starting to show some improvement.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Billy Hatcher:
Hatcher was acquired by the Red Sox from the Reds in July for Tom Bolton. He immediately brought an infusion of speed to the Red Sox and even pulled off a steal of home in 1992. He hit .238/.282/.311 in 75 games for the Red Sox.
Jeff Reardon:
Reardon broke the career saves record in 1992, one of the first big individual accomplishments I remember as a fan of the Red Sox. Reardon did not have a great season in 1992, but he did save 27 games. He was traded to the Braves at the August trading deadline.
Jody Reed:
Reed was another hitter who declined in 1992, but he still lead the team in a number of categories, such as hits (136), runs (64), and stolen bases (7), while continuing to play steady defense. Reed hit .247/.321/.316 in 1992, with only 27 doubles after three straight seasons of more than 40.
FAVORITE ACQUISITION:
Frank Viola:
Viola came to the Red Sox as a free agent in 1992 from the Mets. He was a 20 game winner in 1990 but his numbers dipped a bit in 1991. Left-handers have not historically done well in Fenway, but Viola managed to go 13-12 with a 3.44 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 238 innings to make an effective number two starter to Roger Clemens.
FAVORITE ROOKIE:
Scott Cooper:
Cooper had been a highly-touted infielder for awhile and he made it to the big leagues full-time in 1993. He split his time between first base and third base and hit .276/.346/.383 with five home runs and 33 RBIs. He also showed a very strong throwing arm. He would make a lot of errors but that had more to do with Vaughn's erratic defense than Cooper's.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Season in Review: 1991
1991 was the first season I watched baseball. I was 10. I do not remember watching too many games that season. More than anything, I just collected cards. The Red Sox finished in second place in the A.L. East that season. Joe Morgan managed the team in his final season as the team's manager.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS:
Wade Boggs:
Boggs was my first favorite player. He was far and away the team's best hitter, even though he did not have a lot of power. In 1991, he hit .332/..421/.460 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs and 42 doubles. Boggs finished second in the batting race that year and made the All Star team.
Ellis Burks:
Burks was the best pure athlete on the team in 1991. Coming off a season in which he won the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger, Burks slumped quite a bit in 1991. He hit only .251/.314/.422 with 14 home runs, 56 RBIs, and six stolen bases. Far cries from his previous seasons. The talent was still there, he just did not play well.
Roger Clemens:
Clemens was without a doubt the best and most popular player on the team by this point in his career. Clemens won his third Cy Young award in 1991 by going 18-10 with a 2.62 ERA and 241 strikeouts. He lead the league in ERA, strikeouts, games started, shutouts, and innings pitched. He also made the All Star team in 1991.
Mike Greenwell:
Greenwell was no longer the great hitter he was in 1988 and 1989, but he was still pretty decent. Greenwell hit .300/.350/.419 with nine home runs and 83 RBIs. He lead the team with 15 stolen bases. He finished second on the team in most offensive categories.
Carlos Quintana:
Quintana was playing in just his second full season with the Red Sox in 1991 and had already shown himself to be a decent contact hitter and a surprisingly good defensive first baseman. He hit .295/.375/.412 with 11 home runs and 71 RBIs.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Tony Pena:
Pena was fascinating to watch behind the plate. He had one of the most bizarre crouches of any catcher I have seen. Pena was not much of a hitter, but he was a good defensive catcher and won the Gold Glove in 1991. Pena lead the league in a number of defensive categories in 1991.
Jeff Reardon:
I have long been a fan of closers and that the case from the start as Reardon was the closer for the Red Sox in 1991. He had his tenth season in a row of 20+ saves and saved 40+ games for his third team. Reardon saved 40 games, setting a team record that would last several seasons. He also made the All Star team.
Jody Reed:
Reed was a scrappy second baseman with doubles power and a good eye at the plate. He was a pesky contact hitter who hit .283/.349/.382. He was a reliable defender at second base and also had his third straight season of more than 40 doubles.
FAVORITE ACQUISITION:
Jack Clark:
Clark was acquired as a free agent from the Padres prior to the year. He was the Red Sox's best power hitter, leading the team with 28 home runs and 87 RBIs from the designated hitter position. He hit .249/.374/.466 in 1991 and lead the team with 96 walks.
FAVORITE ROOKIE:
Phil Plantier:
Plantier only made it into 53 games for the Red Sox down the stretch but he played so well that his cards were on fire. He hit .331/.420/.615/1.034 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. Unfortunately he really did not have a position as the Red Sox had reliable starters at all three outfield positions and designated hitter.
FIVE FAVORITE PLAYERS:
Wade Boggs:
Boggs was my first favorite player. He was far and away the team's best hitter, even though he did not have a lot of power. In 1991, he hit .332/..421/.460 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs and 42 doubles. Boggs finished second in the batting race that year and made the All Star team.
Ellis Burks:
Burks was the best pure athlete on the team in 1991. Coming off a season in which he won the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger, Burks slumped quite a bit in 1991. He hit only .251/.314/.422 with 14 home runs, 56 RBIs, and six stolen bases. Far cries from his previous seasons. The talent was still there, he just did not play well.
Roger Clemens:
Clemens was without a doubt the best and most popular player on the team by this point in his career. Clemens won his third Cy Young award in 1991 by going 18-10 with a 2.62 ERA and 241 strikeouts. He lead the league in ERA, strikeouts, games started, shutouts, and innings pitched. He also made the All Star team in 1991.
Mike Greenwell:
Greenwell was no longer the great hitter he was in 1988 and 1989, but he was still pretty decent. Greenwell hit .300/.350/.419 with nine home runs and 83 RBIs. He lead the team with 15 stolen bases. He finished second on the team in most offensive categories.
Carlos Quintana:
Quintana was playing in just his second full season with the Red Sox in 1991 and had already shown himself to be a decent contact hitter and a surprisingly good defensive first baseman. He hit .295/.375/.412 with 11 home runs and 71 RBIs.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Tony Pena:
Pena was fascinating to watch behind the plate. He had one of the most bizarre crouches of any catcher I have seen. Pena was not much of a hitter, but he was a good defensive catcher and won the Gold Glove in 1991. Pena lead the league in a number of defensive categories in 1991.
Jeff Reardon:
I have long been a fan of closers and that the case from the start as Reardon was the closer for the Red Sox in 1991. He had his tenth season in a row of 20+ saves and saved 40+ games for his third team. Reardon saved 40 games, setting a team record that would last several seasons. He also made the All Star team.
Jody Reed:
Reed was a scrappy second baseman with doubles power and a good eye at the plate. He was a pesky contact hitter who hit .283/.349/.382. He was a reliable defender at second base and also had his third straight season of more than 40 doubles.
FAVORITE ACQUISITION:
Jack Clark:
Clark was acquired as a free agent from the Padres prior to the year. He was the Red Sox's best power hitter, leading the team with 28 home runs and 87 RBIs from the designated hitter position. He hit .249/.374/.466 in 1991 and lead the team with 96 walks.
FAVORITE ROOKIE:
Phil Plantier:
Plantier only made it into 53 games for the Red Sox down the stretch but he played so well that his cards were on fire. He hit .331/.420/.615/1.034 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. Unfortunately he really did not have a position as the Red Sox had reliable starters at all three outfield positions and designated hitter.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Favorite Pack Pulls: Non Game-Used/Autograph Edition
I wanted to start with this one. There is nothing quite like the feeling of finding an elusive Red Sox card in a pack, well at least when it comes to this hobby anyway. There are definitely better feelings out there in the world, but not within this hobby. Anyway, I'm rambling and hopefully my fiancee is not fuming mad right now.The feeling is even better when the card is an insert or a parallel. Those are often my favorite pulls. I have pulled a handful of game-used or autograph cards of the Red Sox, but not nearly as many as inserts and parallels. The game-used and autograph cards will get their own post at a later date. We are here today to talk about the inserts and parallels. Here, in chronological order, are my ten favorite inserts and parallels I have gotten in packs:
1. WADE BOGGS: 1992 DONRUSS DIAMOND KINGS
I have previously mentioned my affinity for Diamond Kings. This was the first year the Diamond Kings were an insert set, and not a part of the base set. This was the very first insert card I ever pulled. It was also in my first pack of 1992 Donruss. I also got the base card of Boggs in the same pack. THAT is a good pack.
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 1999 HOLOGRFX STARVIEW
This is just a cool looking card. It was also one of the first decently valuable Red Sox cards I had pulled from a pack. The pack only had three cards in it.
3. SANG-HOON LEE/TOMO OHKA: 2000 ULTRA GOLD MEDALLION
I remember being initially disappointed with this. I saw the back first after buying this pack at the same time that I bought a bunch of Red Sox singles, including the Lee/Ohka base card. I thought I was going to pull a double. It turns out this was the parallel version of the card I previously bought. Sigh of relief. The Red Sox efforts at scouting in Asian countries will be a topic soon, I promise.
4. PEDRO MARTINEZ/NOMAR GARCIAPARRA/TROY O'LEARY: 2000 PACIFIC DIAMOND LEADERS
Do I really need to discuss why this card was so cool to pull from a pack?
5. RICH GARCES: 1998 INVINCIBLE GEMS OF THE DIAMOND
I bought packs and packs and one box of this stuff looking for this card in particular. I was a big fan of Rich Garces during his time with the Sox. Look for a post on that too. Anyway, I finally pulled it in the retail box. Oddly, the Gems of the Diamond came four to a pack while the base cards only fell one to a pack.
6. ANASTACIO MARTINEZ: 2002 TOPPS CHROME TRADED REFRACTOR
To date, this is the only Red Sox refractor I have ever pulled from a pack.
7. JOHNNY DAMON: 2003 TOPPS 205 SOVEREIGN GREEN
I really like the Topp 205 sets, particularly the minis. I have pulled several decent minis. This is my favorite because it is a parallel to a parallel.
8. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2004 LEAF SECOND EDITION EXHIBITS 1939-1946 BEST WISHES RIGHT
These were odd cards. There were about 60 variations on this. Still, this is a pretty cool card, and it came from a retail blaster.
9. JAMIE BROWN: 2004 UPPER DECK ETCHINGS FUTURE ETCHINGS
Not really an insert or a parallel. This one gets mentioned because it is the only rookie serial-numbered short print I have pulled in a pack. It was also from an expensive pack that I only bought one of. Getting a good Red Sox pull usually means I do not continue to try my luck.
10. CARL YASTRZEMSKI: 2005 STUDIO THROWBACK THREADS SEPIA
Similar to #8 above. There were lots of variations in this. I pulled it from a hobby box. It is also the lowest serial-numbered Red Sox card I have ever pulled from a pack.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
CARLOS QUINTANA: 1993 PACIFIC JUGADORES CALIENTES
Only an honorable mention because I got it in a blister pack and it was showing on the front of the packaging, so I knew I would be getting it. That takes out a little bit of the surprise.
PEDRO MARTINEZ: 2000 INVINCIBLE ACES OF THE DIAMOND
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2000 INVINCIBLE KINGS OF THE DIAMOND
Two cards from the same pack. There was only one other card in the pack. THAT is a great pack.
I have previously mentioned my affinity for Diamond Kings. This was the first year the Diamond Kings were an insert set, and not a part of the base set. This was the very first insert card I ever pulled. It was also in my first pack of 1992 Donruss. I also got the base card of Boggs in the same pack. THAT is a good pack.
2. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 1999 HOLOGRFX STARVIEW
This is just a cool looking card. It was also one of the first decently valuable Red Sox cards I had pulled from a pack. The pack only had three cards in it.
3. SANG-HOON LEE/TOMO OHKA: 2000 ULTRA GOLD MEDALLION
I remember being initially disappointed with this. I saw the back first after buying this pack at the same time that I bought a bunch of Red Sox singles, including the Lee/Ohka base card. I thought I was going to pull a double. It turns out this was the parallel version of the card I previously bought. Sigh of relief. The Red Sox efforts at scouting in Asian countries will be a topic soon, I promise.
4. PEDRO MARTINEZ/NOMAR GARCIAPARRA/TROY O'LEARY: 2000 PACIFIC DIAMOND LEADERS
Do I really need to discuss why this card was so cool to pull from a pack?
5. RICH GARCES: 1998 INVINCIBLE GEMS OF THE DIAMOND
I bought packs and packs and one box of this stuff looking for this card in particular. I was a big fan of Rich Garces during his time with the Sox. Look for a post on that too. Anyway, I finally pulled it in the retail box. Oddly, the Gems of the Diamond came four to a pack while the base cards only fell one to a pack.
6. ANASTACIO MARTINEZ: 2002 TOPPS CHROME TRADED REFRACTOR
To date, this is the only Red Sox refractor I have ever pulled from a pack.
7. JOHNNY DAMON: 2003 TOPPS 205 SOVEREIGN GREEN
I really like the Topp 205 sets, particularly the minis. I have pulled several decent minis. This is my favorite because it is a parallel to a parallel.
8. NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2004 LEAF SECOND EDITION EXHIBITS 1939-1946 BEST WISHES RIGHT
These were odd cards. There were about 60 variations on this. Still, this is a pretty cool card, and it came from a retail blaster.
9. JAMIE BROWN: 2004 UPPER DECK ETCHINGS FUTURE ETCHINGS
Not really an insert or a parallel. This one gets mentioned because it is the only rookie serial-numbered short print I have pulled in a pack. It was also from an expensive pack that I only bought one of. Getting a good Red Sox pull usually means I do not continue to try my luck.
10. CARL YASTRZEMSKI: 2005 STUDIO THROWBACK THREADS SEPIA
Similar to #8 above. There were lots of variations in this. I pulled it from a hobby box. It is also the lowest serial-numbered Red Sox card I have ever pulled from a pack.
CARLOS QUINTANA: 1993 PACIFIC JUGADORES CALIENTES
Only an honorable mention because I got it in a blister pack and it was showing on the front of the packaging, so I knew I would be getting it. That takes out a little bit of the surprise.
PEDRO MARTINEZ: 2000 INVINCIBLE ACES OF THE DIAMOND
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: 2000 INVINCIBLE KINGS OF THE DIAMOND
Two cards from the same pack. There was only one other card in the pack. THAT is a great pack.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Baseball Card Spotlight: Donruss Diamond Kings
One of my favorite subsets as a kid just getting into baseball cards was the Donruss Diamond Kings. I started collecting in 1991 which was the last year that the cards were a part of the main set. In 1992 they became inserts. The way the Diamond Kings worked was this: each team would have one player who had a good year the year before. Donruss apparently had some rule though that individual players should not be Diamond Kings too often or consecutively, which lead to some really bizarre picks sometimes. Boston was relatively lucky with this though and only had a couple of headscratchers.
Here's the complete list and brief analysis of Donruss Diamond Kings for the Red Sox, through 1996, when they became significantly more complicated.
1982 Dwight Evans. Evans had basically become the best player on the team by this point and lead the league in walks and total bases and tied for the league lead in home runs the year before. He was also an All Star, Silver Slugger, and won the Gold Glove.
1983 Carl Yastrzemski. This was more of a tribute to an aging superstar. Yaz was still pretty decent in 1982, even appearing in the All Star Game, but I believe this was more meant to pay tribute to the player. Not really a headscratcher when you consider that reason.
1984 Wade Boggs. In 1983, Boggs won the first of five batting titles and had the first of seven straight 200 hit seasons. He was certainly worthy.
1985 Jim Rice. Rice did not have a great season in 1984, but the star slugger still hit 28 home runs, drove in 122, and had a .280 batting average. Tony Armas probably should have gotten this one.
1986 Tony Armas. The first headscratcher. Yes, Armas should have been the 1985 Diamond King when he lead the league in home runs and runs batted in in 1984. But in 1985, Armas only played in 103 games with 23 home runs. I remember not knowing for a long time who was the 1986 Diamond King and trying to guess. My guesses were Rich Gedman, who had a great 1985 and Oil Can Boyd who won 15 games the year before. Either one would have been a better choice than Armas.
1987 Roger Clemens. Clearly deserving. Won the Cy Young Award and MVP the previous year.
1988 Dwight Evans. Apparently Donruss ran out of ideas, so they decided to repeat a player. Still, Evans was fantastic in 1987, one of his best seasons ever, as he hit .305 with 34 home runs, and 123 runs batted in, and lead the league in walks.
1989 Mike Greenwell. Seems odd now, but Greenwell was the runner-up in the AL MVP vote in 1988. He hit .325 with 22 home runs, and drove in 119. He also stole 16 bases and looked like a young superstar. Greenwell turned out to be a good, but seldom great player over the rest of his career.
1990 Ellis Burks. This is an odd one. Not that Burks never deserved to be a Diamond King, but he did not deserve it in 1990 for his 1989 season. He only played in 97 games with 12 home runs. But he did steal 21 bases and possibly could have had another 20/20 season if he stayed healthy. He also had a .303 batting average. He was good for the time that he played, but he did not play often enough. By Donruss's parameters of hardly repeating players, I would have picked Nick Esasky, who hit 30 home runs and drove in 108.
1991 Roger Clemens. Again, clearly deserving. He won 21 games, struck out 209 and lead the league in ERA with 1.93. He should have won the Cy Young, but voters were blinded by Bob Welch's 27 wins, even though his other stats were not nearly as impressive as Clemens's.
1992 Wade Boggs. The first year the Diamond Kings were an insert. Boggs had a very good season in 1991, right in line with his previous years. He was starting to look like a lock for the Hall of Fame. He did not do anything extraordinary, but it was not a great year for Red Sox players.
1993 Roger Clemens. Since the cards were inserts now, Donruss abandoned its preference for not repeating winners, although they still preferred not to make them consecutive. Clemens was basically the only player to have a good enough year for the Red Sox, leading the league in ERA and shutouts, while winning 18 games for a terrible Boston team. This is the first Diamond King card I do not own.
1994 Mo Vaughn. The young slugger had a breakout year in 1993, leading the team in home runs and RBI while posting a good batting average and ability to take a walk. He was clearly the best player on the team.
1995 Scott Cooper. Headscratcher #3. Cooper had mostly pedestrian numbers, .282 batting average, 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and only 30 walks. Sure it was a strike-shortened season, and Cooper had been an All Star each of the previous two years, but he was hardly a good player. He was an All Star by default and not really deserving of the honor. It should have gone to John Valentin, Mo Vaughn, or Roger Clemens.
1996 Mo Vaughn. Won the AL MVP in 1995 while leading the league in home runs. Justified.
So there you have it. Three headscratchers, three borderline calls, and the rest are fine. Even among the headscratchers, Armas and Burks deserved the honor in other years, just not the year chosen. Cooper is the only outright surprise. If I was making the decisions, here is what my list would have looked like, following Donruss's perceived parameters:
1982 Dwight Evans
1983 Dennis Eckersley
1984 Wade Boggs
1985 Tony Armas
1986 Rich Gedman
1987 Roger Clemens
1988 Dwight Evans
1989 Mike Greenwell
1990 Nick Esasky
1991 Ellis Burks
1992 Jack Clark
1993 Roger Clemens
1994 Mo Vaughn
1995 John Valentin
1996 Mo Vaughn
Still, the Red Sox have had better luck than other teams. The following is a list of players who were Diamond Kings for inexplicable reasons:
Len Barker
Mike Norris
Roy Smalley
Richie Zisk
Floyd Bannister
Britt Burns
John Castino
Jim Clancy
Matt Young
Charlie Lea
Rich Dotson
Rick Mahler
Chris Brown
Greg Walker
Keith Moreland
Rick Rhoden
Glenn Hubbard
Scott Fletcher
Shane Rawley
Dave Schmidt
Gerald Perry
Jeff Robinson
Bryn Smith
Chris Bosio
Dan Gladden
Ed Whitson
Jim DeShaies
Mike Bielecki
Pete O'Brien
Kurt Stillwell
Scott Sanderson
Greg Swindell
Here's the complete list and brief analysis of Donruss Diamond Kings for the Red Sox, through 1996, when they became significantly more complicated.
1982 Dwight Evans. Evans had basically become the best player on the team by this point and lead the league in walks and total bases and tied for the league lead in home runs the year before. He was also an All Star, Silver Slugger, and won the Gold Glove.
1983 Carl Yastrzemski. This was more of a tribute to an aging superstar. Yaz was still pretty decent in 1982, even appearing in the All Star Game, but I believe this was more meant to pay tribute to the player. Not really a headscratcher when you consider that reason.
1984 Wade Boggs. In 1983, Boggs won the first of five batting titles and had the first of seven straight 200 hit seasons. He was certainly worthy.
1985 Jim Rice. Rice did not have a great season in 1984, but the star slugger still hit 28 home runs, drove in 122, and had a .280 batting average. Tony Armas probably should have gotten this one.
1987 Roger Clemens. Clearly deserving. Won the Cy Young Award and MVP the previous year.
1988 Dwight Evans. Apparently Donruss ran out of ideas, so they decided to repeat a player. Still, Evans was fantastic in 1987, one of his best seasons ever, as he hit .305 with 34 home runs, and 123 runs batted in, and lead the league in walks.
1989 Mike Greenwell. Seems odd now, but Greenwell was the runner-up in the AL MVP vote in 1988. He hit .325 with 22 home runs, and drove in 119. He also stole 16 bases and looked like a young superstar. Greenwell turned out to be a good, but seldom great player over the rest of his career.
1991 Roger Clemens. Again, clearly deserving. He won 21 games, struck out 209 and lead the league in ERA with 1.93. He should have won the Cy Young, but voters were blinded by Bob Welch's 27 wins, even though his other stats were not nearly as impressive as Clemens's.
1992 Wade Boggs. The first year the Diamond Kings were an insert. Boggs had a very good season in 1991, right in line with his previous years. He was starting to look like a lock for the Hall of Fame. He did not do anything extraordinary, but it was not a great year for Red Sox players.
1993 Roger Clemens. Since the cards were inserts now, Donruss abandoned its preference for not repeating winners, although they still preferred not to make them consecutive. Clemens was basically the only player to have a good enough year for the Red Sox, leading the league in ERA and shutouts, while winning 18 games for a terrible Boston team. This is the first Diamond King card I do not own.
1994 Mo Vaughn. The young slugger had a breakout year in 1993, leading the team in home runs and RBI while posting a good batting average and ability to take a walk. He was clearly the best player on the team.
1996 Mo Vaughn. Won the AL MVP in 1995 while leading the league in home runs. Justified.
So there you have it. Three headscratchers, three borderline calls, and the rest are fine. Even among the headscratchers, Armas and Burks deserved the honor in other years, just not the year chosen. Cooper is the only outright surprise. If I was making the decisions, here is what my list would have looked like, following Donruss's perceived parameters:
1982 Dwight Evans
1983 Dennis Eckersley
1984 Wade Boggs
1985 Tony Armas
1986 Rich Gedman
1987 Roger Clemens
1988 Dwight Evans
1989 Mike Greenwell
1990 Nick Esasky
1991 Ellis Burks
1992 Jack Clark
1993 Roger Clemens
1994 Mo Vaughn
1995 John Valentin
1996 Mo Vaughn
Still, the Red Sox have had better luck than other teams. The following is a list of players who were Diamond Kings for inexplicable reasons:
Len Barker
Mike Norris
Roy Smalley
Richie Zisk
Floyd Bannister
Britt Burns
John Castino
Jim Clancy
Matt Young
Charlie Lea
Rich Dotson
Rick Mahler
Chris Brown
Greg Walker
Keith Moreland
Rick Rhoden
Glenn Hubbard
Scott Fletcher
Shane Rawley
Dave Schmidt
Gerald Perry
Jeff Robinson
Bryn Smith
Chris Bosio
Dan Gladden
Ed Whitson
Jim DeShaies
Mike Bielecki
Pete O'Brien
Kurt Stillwell
Scott Sanderson
Greg Swindell
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Evolution of My Favorite Players
I became a fan of the Red Sox when I was about ten years old. Since that time, I have had five favorite players. My favorite player changes when the player leaves the team. Unfortunately, in baseball today there is not a lot of loyalty. That does not mean that it was always the player's fault in leaving, sour relationships with management have often lead to them leaving. That's one of the frustrating things about baseball sometimes. It is a business, and the Red Sox are run like a business.
WADE BOGGS (1991-1992)
My first favorite player was the Red Sox third-baseman. I am not exactly sure what made me decide Boggs was mu favorite player. He was a phenomenal hitter, but he was mostly a singles hitter. Boggs was often criticized for caring too much about his own statistics and not enough about the team. I am not sure that is true, I recall vividly seeing video of him crying in the dugout after the Red Sox lost the 1986 World Series. Nevertheless, Boggs did not have much power, but was one of the best contact hitters in the game and was extremely adept at taking a walk, leading to astronomical on-base percentages. He did not have much power, but was decent in the field after some conditioning. Boggs suffered through a miserable 1992 and was stolen away from the Red Sox by the Yankees (one of my early memories of despising the Yankees). It did not seem Red Sox management was terribly interested in bringing him back though, he was never very popular in Boston, and they handed the job off to Scott Cooper, who was an All Star the next two years, albeit undeservedly.
ROGER CLEMENS (1992-1996)
Roger Clemens inherited the favorite player position after Boggs left for pretty obvious reasons. He was the longest tenured player and biggest name on the team. Even before Boggs left, Clemens was the star of the team. One of the best pitchers in the game, not only in his generation, but all-time. Clemens was a three-time Cy Young Award winner and could have won a couple more by that point. He already looked well on his way to Cooperstown. Of course, Clemens had a couple of subpar years, suffering through injuries and ineffectiveness. By the end of 1996, he looked to be back to his old self and even capped the season off with a 20 strikeout game, tying his own record set ten years earlier. Of course, Boston's GM refused to meet Clemens on his contract demands and stated that he was in the twilight of his career. Clemens signed with Toronto as a free agent for the 1997 and promptly won the Cy Young Award each of the next two years.
MO VAUGHN (1996-1998)
Mo Vaughn became the big name player on the team after Clemens left. A larger-than-life figure, Vaughn was a beast of a player with tremendous power, great contact hitting ability, and the ability to take a walk. Vaughn had lead the team in home runs and runs batted in each of the seasons since 1992. He won the American League MVP in 1995, although he did not really deserve it. As big as his bat was, Vaughn's heart was even bigger. He was the emotional core of the team and he engaged in a lot of charity work in the offseasons. The big burly first baseman himself looked to be headed to Cooperstown, but he did not age well after leaving Boston. He left after then GM Dan Duquette insulted him with a low offer. Vaughn went off to play for the Angels.
NOMAR GARCIAPARRA (1998-2004)
Vaughn's replacement was also already on the roster. Garciaparra came on strong with a magnificent rookie season and then followed that up with an even better year in 1998. Garciaparra had good power, better ability to hit for contact and was one of the better all-around players the Red Sox had ever produced. The shortstop was not great defensively, but had a knack for making spectacular plays on occasion. His throwing arm was one of the best at the position. Garciaparra also had decent speed. He would go on to win the batting title in 1999 and 2000, even flirting with the magic .400 number late into summer in 2000. However, in 2001, injuries started taking their toll. He never again hit for the ridiculously high batting averages of 1999 and 2000, but his power did come back. Garciaparra also began sulking in 2004 after he was part of a rumored trade to Chicago for Magglio Ordonez, if the Red Sox managed to trade Manny Ramirez to Texas for Alex Rodriguez. He did not play much in 2004, citing ankle injuries and was traded to the Cubs at midseason in a four-team deal that brought Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins and Orlando Cabrera from the Expos to the Red Sox.
JASON VARITEK (2004-present)
Jason Varitek quickly became my new favorite player. Although not the dynamic offensive player that some of his peers were, Varitek still had very good power and was a fine defensive catcher. I always liked catchers and it was good to see the Red Sox finally had a good one long-term. Varitek had already been an All Star in 2003 and finally looked to be living up to his expectations after having some injury problems early on. 2003-2005 were great years for the catcher, as he was named the starter on the 2005 All Star team, and won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. He was brought back to Boston as a free agent after the 2004 season and was named the team captain, wearing a "C" on his jersey from that point on. Varitek's leadership skills and work with the pitching staff remains top-notch even as his offensive abilities have diminished. Varitek even took to being relegated to backup duty this past year graciously, continuing to show the characteristics of strong leadership and a team-first attitude that he has become synonymous with. Varitek is a free agent this year. I am worried that he may not be back next year, if that does occur, I am not sure who will take his place as my favorite player.
My first favorite player was the Red Sox third-baseman. I am not exactly sure what made me decide Boggs was mu favorite player. He was a phenomenal hitter, but he was mostly a singles hitter. Boggs was often criticized for caring too much about his own statistics and not enough about the team. I am not sure that is true, I recall vividly seeing video of him crying in the dugout after the Red Sox lost the 1986 World Series. Nevertheless, Boggs did not have much power, but was one of the best contact hitters in the game and was extremely adept at taking a walk, leading to astronomical on-base percentages. He did not have much power, but was decent in the field after some conditioning. Boggs suffered through a miserable 1992 and was stolen away from the Red Sox by the Yankees (one of my early memories of despising the Yankees). It did not seem Red Sox management was terribly interested in bringing him back though, he was never very popular in Boston, and they handed the job off to Scott Cooper, who was an All Star the next two years, albeit undeservedly.
Roger Clemens inherited the favorite player position after Boggs left for pretty obvious reasons. He was the longest tenured player and biggest name on the team. Even before Boggs left, Clemens was the star of the team. One of the best pitchers in the game, not only in his generation, but all-time. Clemens was a three-time Cy Young Award winner and could have won a couple more by that point. He already looked well on his way to Cooperstown. Of course, Clemens had a couple of subpar years, suffering through injuries and ineffectiveness. By the end of 1996, he looked to be back to his old self and even capped the season off with a 20 strikeout game, tying his own record set ten years earlier. Of course, Boston's GM refused to meet Clemens on his contract demands and stated that he was in the twilight of his career. Clemens signed with Toronto as a free agent for the 1997 and promptly won the Cy Young Award each of the next two years.
Mo Vaughn became the big name player on the team after Clemens left. A larger-than-life figure, Vaughn was a beast of a player with tremendous power, great contact hitting ability, and the ability to take a walk. Vaughn had lead the team in home runs and runs batted in each of the seasons since 1992. He won the American League MVP in 1995, although he did not really deserve it. As big as his bat was, Vaughn's heart was even bigger. He was the emotional core of the team and he engaged in a lot of charity work in the offseasons. The big burly first baseman himself looked to be headed to Cooperstown, but he did not age well after leaving Boston. He left after then GM Dan Duquette insulted him with a low offer. Vaughn went off to play for the Angels.
Vaughn's replacement was also already on the roster. Garciaparra came on strong with a magnificent rookie season and then followed that up with an even better year in 1998. Garciaparra had good power, better ability to hit for contact and was one of the better all-around players the Red Sox had ever produced. The shortstop was not great defensively, but had a knack for making spectacular plays on occasion. His throwing arm was one of the best at the position. Garciaparra also had decent speed. He would go on to win the batting title in 1999 and 2000, even flirting with the magic .400 number late into summer in 2000. However, in 2001, injuries started taking their toll. He never again hit for the ridiculously high batting averages of 1999 and 2000, but his power did come back. Garciaparra also began sulking in 2004 after he was part of a rumored trade to Chicago for Magglio Ordonez, if the Red Sox managed to trade Manny Ramirez to Texas for Alex Rodriguez. He did not play much in 2004, citing ankle injuries and was traded to the Cubs at midseason in a four-team deal that brought Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins and Orlando Cabrera from the Expos to the Red Sox.
Jason Varitek quickly became my new favorite player. Although not the dynamic offensive player that some of his peers were, Varitek still had very good power and was a fine defensive catcher. I always liked catchers and it was good to see the Red Sox finally had a good one long-term. Varitek had already been an All Star in 2003 and finally looked to be living up to his expectations after having some injury problems early on. 2003-2005 were great years for the catcher, as he was named the starter on the 2005 All Star team, and won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. He was brought back to Boston as a free agent after the 2004 season and was named the team captain, wearing a "C" on his jersey from that point on. Varitek's leadership skills and work with the pitching staff remains top-notch even as his offensive abilities have diminished. Varitek even took to being relegated to backup duty this past year graciously, continuing to show the characteristics of strong leadership and a team-first attitude that he has become synonymous with. Varitek is a free agent this year. I am worried that he may not be back next year, if that does occur, I am not sure who will take his place as my favorite player.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Unknown Heroes
I have a feeling there may not be a ton of posts on here until next season starts. This post is just a preview. When I became a fan of the Red Sox, I tended to root for the lesser-known players. Don't get me wrong, my favorite players were usually superstars. Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Mo Vaughn, and Nomar Garciaparra have all been favorite players, but after Nomar was traded, my favorite player became Jason Varitek and he remains my favorite today. Mixed with the stars though, I have been big fans of less well-known players, not players in the second tier like Mike Greenwell, Ellis Burks, John Valentin, and others, but players even below that. I will have a series that I will start which will introduce some of these players that I came to really enjoy watching, for sometimes inexplicable reasons.
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