Who's your favorite *bad* Red Sox player?

[Dojji]

I'm talking about players who were entertaining, fun, or interesting characters, but never really performed well here, or even did average.

Rules:

 

-He had to play for the Red Sox for at least one full season.

 

-His performance had to grade out below average and never put up a particularly good year for this team (as in, no JD Drew, and no Tim Wakefield, but Julio Lugo might be fair game).

 

-He doesn't have to abjectly suck. If he did something useful but grades out below average as a whole, that's not only fine, it's the guys I'm hoping to hear about.

 

-The reason he was your favorite does not have to be on-field reasons.

 

 

I'll give you an example. My favorite bad player to play for the Red Sox is Julian Tavarez. He wasn't a great pitcher, but was fun to watch, and pitched an entertaining game when he was on.

 

I'll never forget the time he tried to charge down Brian Roberts, or his Bowling for Baserunners on slow rollers to his left. He was insane and very unconventional, but he could pitch a little and most of what he did made a certain bizarre sense when you stop and think about it. He also had a sinker that could make him very dangerous from time to time, such as the where-the-****-did-that-come-from complete game against the Jays in the doldrum days of 2006.

 

He played out after awhile, but he was a fun member of the team and did contribute to the World Series win -- if in no other way than by being a warm body to hold the rotation spot until Jon Lester was ready for it.

[Elktonnick]

I'm talking about players who were entertaining, fun, or interesting characters, but never really performed well here, or even did average.

Rules:

 

-He had to play for the Red Sox for at least one full season.

 

-His performance had to grade out below average and never put up a particularly good year for this team (as in, no JD Drew, and no Tim Wakefield, but Julio Lugo might be fair game).

 

-The reason he was your favorite does not have to be on-field reasons.

 

 

I'll give you an example. My favorite bad player to play for the Red Sox is Julian Tavarez. He wasn't a great pitcher, but was fun to watch, and pitched an entertaining game when he was on.

 

I'll never forget the time he tried to charge down Brian Roberts, or his Bowling for Baserunners on slow rollers to his left. He was insane and very unconventional, but he could pitch a little and most of what he did made a certain bizarre sense when you stop and think about it. He played out after awhile, but he was a fun member of the team and did contribute to the World Series win -- if in no other way than by being a warm body to hold the rotation spot until Jon Lester was ready for it.

 

Simple to anyone of my generation, either Dick (Dr Strangeglove) Stuart or Don Buddin.

 

Both for their level of incompetence with a glove that bordered on the hilarious. They were so bad they were actually fun to watch in that perserve sort of way that marked Red Sox fans of the late fifties and early sixties.

[Spudboy]

Simple to anyone of my generation, either Dick (Dr Strangeglove) Stuart or Don Buddin.

 

Both for their level of incompetence with a glove that bordered on the hilarious. They were so bad they were actually fun to watch in that perserve sort of way that marked Red Sox fans of the late fifties and early sixties.

 

Did you mean to type perverse? f*** spell check!

 

No offense VA.

[mvp 78]

Steve Lyons

[SoxSport]

Jimmy Piersall. Actually a very good player, but a wild and crazy guy who made Kevin Millar look like Lawrence Welk. He did have a nervous breakdown, and they actually made a Hollywood movie out of it, "Fear Strikes Out", where Piersall was played by Tony Perkins. He should have been played by Steve Martin--but it was before his time.

 

Two bad players I can think of were Ted Williams' old caddies in LF. They would replace him in late innings in the 1950s: Gene Stephens and Karl Olsen. Stephens could run, but that's about it. Neither could hit a lick--but they were good caddies.

[Palodios]

I'll give you an example. My favorite bad player to play for the Red Sox is Julian Tavarez. He wasn't a great pitcher, but was fun to watch, and pitched an entertaining game when he was on.

 

Tavarez would have been mine as well. :thumbsup:

[RedSoxNC84]

Currently it's Andrew Miller. I guess it's because I've been a Miller hopeful for awhile. I still think that he could be a good pitcher, but he just hasn't been able to stay consistent.

[Elktonnick]

Did you mean to type perverse? f*** spell check!

 

No offense VA.

 

Did you ever make a typo. Plus I find your use of the f word quite perverse.

[VA Sox Fan]

Edgar Renteria

[YAZMAN]

Jimmy Piersall. Actually a very good player' date=' but a wild and crazy guy who made Kevin Millar look like Lawrence Welk. [/quote']

 

I have his card, I think I paid $1 for it.

[jung]

Renteria is a good choice.

 

Jose Offerman was never one of my favorite Sox. Never thought he produced as much as he could have or should have and then sort of ended up on a sour note here.

[Dojji]

Offerman isn't technically eligible under the rules since he did have one above average season with Boston.

 

For the same reason, another crowd unfavorite, Jurassic Carl Everett, isn't eligible.

[SCM33]

Mark Whiten, Darren Bragg, Mark Portugal, Lou Merloni, Frank Casillo......

 

Do those guys qualify?

[jung]

I guess given the expectations, if we are thinkin' about the same thing I was thinkin' Offerman's one "above average" season was the one season he played to expectations but maybe my expectations for Jose were just to high.

 

I guess we are both likely talking about 1999 and I just did not think that season was above expectation for Jose although it was his best season here.

[Bellhorn04]

This is a really tough one. I can't remember liking too many Sox players who really stunk. About the only thing I can think of is Ricky Gutierrez in 2004. Gutierrez didn't play much, or well, but for some reason he was in the Sox dugout in the ALCS cheerleading up a storm. It was pretty amusing.

[seabeachfred]

He only played for us for less than a half a season but Jay Payton was the biggest ******* in my opinion. A total underachiever, he came to the Red Sox before the 2005 season and thought he should be started in RF over Trot Nixon---and he became a total distraction and pain in the ass in the dugout. Fortunately he was traded away where he kept up with his half-baked play.

[SCM33]

He only played for us for less than a half a season but Jay Payton was the biggest ******* in my opinion. A total underachiever' date=' he came to the Red Sox before the 2005 season and thought he should be started in RF over Trot Nixon---and he became a total distraction and pain in the ass in the dugout. Fortunately he was traded away where he kept up with his half-baked play.[/quote']

 

So he was your favorite?

 

I dont think you read the instructions.

[onlybereaved]

Coco, if he counts or meets the requirements of this thread.

 

if not, meh

[BOSOX11]

Carroll Hardy. Couldn't hit his way out of a wet paper bag, but pinch-hit for two Hall of famers - Ted Williams & Yaz.

[v2freak]

Nick Green count? I always liked him. He had one awesome play that I'll also remember where he fell over and still made the strong throw to first. And of course, he could pitch a little.

[Spudboy]

Did you ever make a typo. Plus I find your use of the f word quite perverse.

 

My post was a joke! Please don't be so sensitive? I make typos ALL THE TIME. My spelling is atrocious and it is a standing joke among veteran members on Talksox.

 

Peace brother.

[Spudboy]

Jose Tartebul (SP!!) or Mark Bellhorn.

 

I'm not sure if either qualify.

[a700hitter]

This is a tough one. There are so many.

 

Jerry Adair- He seemed to be in the right place at the right time at the end of 1967.

 

Rogelio Moret - a supreme Yankee killer. I saw him shut them out twice-- once at Yankees stadium and once at Shea.

 

Bellhorn- He was a big part of 2004. I thought it was disgraceful how the fans booed him in 2005.

 

Nick Green-- He was probably the most clutch suck-ass player in Sox history. He had a lot of big hits, but none bigger than the Father's Day walkoff against the Braves. I was at Fenway for that one. It was a happy Father's Day.

[Laser Show]

Jim Leyritz. He was a blast to watch, although it's unfortunate the direction his personal life took.

[kapsis21]

does Kason Gabbard count.. loved that kid.. but he wasnt the same after he got traded.

[ibot2much]

Loved Nick Green too. When he came out to pitch, I was so impressed.

 

Don't know if there are many other managers who run out of pitchers like Tito. But there aren't too many guys who CAN step it like that when needed.

[Dojji]

I think Pokey Reese is guy who belongs here. Great glove, great name, below average overall.

[Dojji]

Nick Green count? I always liked him. He had one awesome play that I'll also remember where he fell over and still made the strong throw to first. And of course' date=' he could pitch a little.[/quote']

 

Nick Green definitely counts. I liked him too. He came out of nowhere to be an adequate starting shortstop for half the year.

[Dojji]

does Kason Gabbard count.. loved that kid.. but he wasnt the same after he got traded.

 

Mmm. That's a tough one. He had a couple great partial seasons for us. That change was vicious, and when he combined it with a 89-91 MPH sinker and was able to locate, he was pretty deadly. He had the makings of a pretty danged decent success-out-of-nowhere story. Threw 12 consecutive scoreless innings in limited time in 06, and in '07, he came up when Schill got hurt and dominated. I'll never forget his "where the **** did that come from" CGSO against KC . It was rated at the end of the 2007 season as the third best Red Sox starting pitching performance of the year, behind Clay's nono and Schill's one-hitter.

 

He had the stuff. When he was on, he could strike you out and he could keep the ball down. If he hadn't gotten hurt he could have made a career for himself. After he got hurt his command went all to hell though. Just another injury-related baseball tragedy.

[Bellhorn04]

Tavarez had one of the alltime outrageous quotes after the Nationals signed him in 2009. They were apparently the only team interested in him and Julian was not especially thrilled to be joining them, but, as he explained it:

 

"Why did I sign with the Nationals? When you go to a club at 4 in the morning, and you're just waiting, waiting, a 600-pounder looks like J-Lo. And to me this is Jennifer Lopez right here. It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. So, Nationals: Jennifer Lopez to me."