Glove story: The best defensive players in Red Sox history
There are plenty of outstanding candidates throughout Red Sox lore at almost — almost — every position.
Spring training is supposed to be for the renewal of hope and fresh beginnings and all of those warm clichés. But so far for the Red Sox, it’s been a drag. Superstar Mookie Betts is a Dodger, fan favorite Brock Holt is a Brewer, the fourth starter had a 5.12 ERA for the Twins last year, and the fifth starter is Who The Heck Knows, Maybe We Should Try An Opener?
Not good times. Bad times. They’ll probably get better. But that doesn’t erase the lousy vibes right now.
So rather than pondering . . . well, whatever it is that the Red Sox are attempting to do, let’s take today to just have a simple baseball conversation. We’re overdue for one of those, that’s for sure.
The topic, which was somewhat spurred by the acquisition of Kevin Pillar — a wonderful defensive outfielder who would be a nice defensive complement to Jackie Bradley Jr. if I didn’t suspect he was actually here to replace him — is this:
Who are the best defensive players by position in Red Sox history?
I’ll admit, this exercise was more subjective than I expected. There are plenty of outstanding candidates throughout Red Sox lore at almost — almost — every position. I also realized I should know enough to admit what I don’t know. Old-timers swear by Jimmy Piersall in center field. His career ended two years before I was born, so I never saw him play, and Tony Perkins didn’t exactly mirror his athletic grace in “Fear Strikes Out.’’ I can’t imagine he was better than Jackie Bradley Jr. But I’m here for your argument.
Also, I mention Gold Gloves a lot. We know they’re not the perfect barometer since Derek Jeter won five of them, but they do help with context, at least when it comes to a player’s defensive reputation in his time.
Got it? Good. Now let’s imagine watching this nine spectacularly save some runs . . .
CATCHER: Carlton Fisk
This is one of the tougher ones to choose, and it probably comes down to personal and generational preference. Fisk (1972), Jason Varitek (2005), and Tony Pena (1991) each won a single Gold Glove with the Red Sox.
Unsentimentally, Pena would be a good choice. He finished 21st in AL MVP balloting in 1990 despite just a .670 OPS because . . . well, because we didn’t know what OPS was then, plus he was a distinctive, superb catcher.
But as a child of the ’70s, I’m going with Fisk, who masterfully guided the pitching staff and controlled the game. Children of the late ’90s and early 2000s probably would say the same about Varitek.
Carlton Fisk applies a sweep tag in a 1975 game.
Also: Don’t give me any of that Christian Vazquez stuff. He has regressed as a catcher as he has improved as a hitter.
FIRST BASE: George Scott
The Red Sox have had some slick ones here: Kevin Youkilis (2007 Gold Glove) and Adrian Gonzalez (2011) as regulars, and the likes of Doug Mientkiewicz, J.T. Snow, and Mitch Moreland in supporting roles.
But I’m going with the inimitable George “Boomer’’ Scott, who was a Gold Glover for the Impossible Dreamers in ’67 and again in ’68, then won six more with the Brewers from 1971-76 before coming back to the Sox in ’77.
SECOND BASE: Dustin Pedroia
Straightforward call, actually. Pedroia won four Gold Gloves, but he’s also won four Fielding Bible awards, a more accurate and analytically driven representation of who truly stands out on defense. Those awards are voted on by a 12-person panel of experts and given to just one player at each position across both leagues, and they’re growing in prestige.
Dustin Pedroia was second to none at second base.
Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr had some fine defensive seasons in his day, including a couple in which he had single-digit errors while playing virtually every day. Rey Sanchez might have been the flashiest second baseman the Sox ever had in 2002.
SHORTSTOP: Pokey Reese
Calvin “Pokey’’ Reese Jr. played just 96 games with the Red Sox, but I’ll say this without a second thought: He is the flashiest, most graceful, and rangiest infielder the Red Sox have had in my lifetime.
The final out of the 2004 ALCS was hit his way, and I can’t think of anyone else in this galaxy that I’d want fielding that history-altering ground ball. (Ozzie Smith? I hear you, but he was 49 years old at the time.) The bumper sticker of the time was right: “Pokey Would Have Had It.’’
Others? Alex Gonzalez was excellent in 2006, and ’70s stalwart Rick Burleson had a better fastball than most members of the pitching staff. Don’t give me Jose Iglesias. I suspect anyone who voted for him also liked him better than Xander Bogaerts at the time.
THIRD BASE: Adrian Beltre
Like Reese, Beltre spent just one season with the Red Sox, 2010. But he’s the best defensive third baseman I’ve ever seen (I started caring about baseball the year after Brooks Robinson retired), and few players performed with his combination of joy, humor, intensity, and excellence. I wish he’d spent his entire career here.
Frank Malzone was a whiz in the ’50s, winning three straight Gold Gloves from 1957-59. Mike Lowell had the most accurate throwing arm from third base I can recall. Personal favorite Butch Hobson was somewhat less accurate (he made 43 errors in ’78, most of them of the throwing variety since Don Zimmer kept running him out there with a damaged elbow), but no one dove headfirst into a dugout quite like ol’ Butch.
LEFT FIELD: Carl Yastrzemski
Probably the easiest call we have, other than perhaps right field. Yaz won seven Gold Gloves, second-most all-time among Red Sox players, seemed to know every dead spot on the wall, and had a knack for making, as they say, a tremendous catch or two.
There’s not really any competition here. Ted Williams spent his time in left field practicing his swing. Manny Ramirez spent his time thinking about his favorite cartoon characters. Mike Greenwell spent his time plotting his next collision with Ellis Burks’s torso.
The great Yaz was in a class by himself in left field.
CENTER FIELD:Jackie Bradley Jr.
Another fairly easy call. Bradley is the most dazzling center fielder the Red Sox have had in my lifetime, and they’ve had some gems, most notably unabashed JBJ fan Fred Lynn. I remember Coco Crisp having a magnificent season, stacking highlight upon highlight, but I can never remember if it was 2006 or ’07. But he had a wet ramen noodle for an arm. Bradley has a howitzer.
RIGHT FIELD: Dwight Evans
Based on both anecdotes and awards, Evans is the greatest defensive player in Red Sox history. He won eight Gold Gloves (his first in ’76, his last in ’85), but remember: from 1961 until 2010, the award went to any three outfielders, rather than one at each position. So there were several years in which multiple center fielders got rewarded. In 1980, for instance, Fred Lynn, Dwayne Murphy, and Willie Wilson — all center fielders — were rewarded.
Had there been specific positional designations, Evans probably would have had a few more Gold Gloves.
The Red Sox have had some other excellent right fielders. Mookie Betts has won four straight Gold Gloves, Shane Victorino claimed one in 2013, and J.D. Drew was methodically excellent. But there’s no one like Evans.
PITCHER: Mike Boddicker
Greg Maddux won 18 Gold Gloves in his career. Jim Kaat won 16. Meanwhile, Red Sox pitchers have collected just one in all the years of the award — by Boddicker, in 1990. So by something close to default, he gets the honor. What, you expected Matt Young?
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