M
MentalDisabldLst
Guest
With the news a few days ago that Clemens, Pedro and Nomar had been selected to the Red Sox HOF, my thoughts turned to the Sox' retired numbers. As everyone knows, the Red Sox have 7 retired numbers:
The question is, who from among the stars of Red Sox' recent decades, will be (or should be) honored by the Sox retiring their number? The criteria are, of course:
- Election to the Baseball HOF
- At least 10 years played with the Red Sox
Leaving aside long-enshrined HOFers who had big chunks of their career with the Sox (Tris Speaker, Lefty Grove, Jimmy Foxx, Babe Ruth...), who among these will eventually have their number retired? Who should? Who will even make the HOF? Something to think about during a cold offseason. Let me know if I should add anyone to the poll.
- #1, Bobby Doerr: 14 seasons at 2B (1937-1951) all with Sox, 51.3 career WAR, led the team in offense in the '46 WS, perennial MVP candidate, HOF via Veterans' Committee in 1986, number retired in 1988.
- #4, Joe Cronin: 20 seasons at SS (1926-1945), 11 with Sox, 66.4 career WAR, led the team to '46 WS as manager, still holds record for most wins as Sox manager, was later League President, established Red Sox link to Jimmy Fund, HOF via BBWAA in 1956, number retired in 1984.
- #6, Johnny Pesky: 10 seasons at SS/2B (1942-1954), 8 with Sox, later a manager, 60+ year association with team. Not in the HOF, but known as "Mr. Red Sox", number retired in 2008.
- #8, Carl Yastrzemski: 23 years at LF (1961-1983), all with Sox, 96 career WAR, league MVP / triple-crown in '67 leading team to pennant, HOF via BBWAA in 1989, number retired in 1989.
- #9, Ted Williams: 19 years at LF (1939-1960), all with Sox, 123.2 career WAR, awards too numerous to list, HOF via BBWAA in 1966, number retired in 1984.
- #14, Jim Rice: 16 years at LF (1974-1989), all with Sox, 47.2 career WAR, 1978 MVP, HOF via BBWAA in 2009, number retired in 2009.
- #27, Carlton Fisk: 24 years at C (1969-1993), 11 with Sox, 68.3 career WAR, 1972 RoY, hit a pretty cool HR in the 1975 WS, widely regarded as among the best 2-3 catchers of all time, HOF via BBWAA in 2000, number retired in 2000.
The question is, who from among the stars of Red Sox' recent decades, will be (or should be) honored by the Sox retiring their number? The criteria are, of course:
- Election to the Baseball HOF
- At least 10 years played with the Red Sox
Leaving aside long-enshrined HOFers who had big chunks of their career with the Sox (Tris Speaker, Lefty Grove, Jimmy Foxx, Babe Ruth...), who among these will eventually have their number retired? Who should? Who will even make the HOF? Something to think about during a cold offseason. Let me know if I should add anyone to the poll.