Charlie Hoke

So on July 22, 2025, Rafael Devers made his first start in the field at 1st base for the Giants and was quoted that he prefers playing in the field to being a full-time DH only. Hopefully this move will enliven his bat for the future. “It keeps me active. It keeps my head out of just thinking about the next at-bat,” Devers said through an interpreter. “I’m the kind of player that likes to be active, likes to be on the field. I’d rather be on the field than be in the cage hitting all the time and just thinking about the next at-bat.” Rafael Devers debuts at first base for Giants after Red Sox trade

I blogged about Roman Anthony's prospects when he was first called up. He's definitely looking more like Brady Anderson, the Orioles years! Also, gave a take on Devers' reluctance to move to 1B and appropriate as a general take on moving players around. Feel free to comment on my take here or there.

Hopefully if there is a trade, they'll get something of use immediately versus the trade for spare parts and prospects that came from giving Devers away.

I don't think Bregman has been here long enough to give us a home town discount, especially with his agent being Scott Boras, who always seems to be looking to maximize his agent fee, which means maximizing a player's contract amount. :( For Chapman, the question is how much will a 38 year old closer have in the tank for the next year or two?

This was not the first time an injured elbow cost Ted Williams. In 1946 because of the tie for the National League pennant between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the St Louis Cardinals, the Red Sox owner, Tom Yawkey, worried about his team staying sharp if they had to wait for the 3 game National League playoff series to be concluded. It was decided to have a 3 game exhibition series between Boston and selected American League players, forming an impromptu All-Star series. Unfortunately, in the first game, Ted Williams was hit in the elbow by a pitch from Mickey Haefner. Although x-rays were negative, Ted had been painfully bruised with the injured elbow possibly accounting for his poor World Series performance against the Cardinals, going 5 for 20 (.200) with only 1 single and 1 RBI.

If your batting average declines each year for 6 years straight, can you stay in the big leagues? Although there are many new and more advanced statistics, batting average is still a useful measure of a player's ability. Is 6 consecutive years of declining batting average irreversible? Red Sox Dave Stapleton, an infielder who played from 1980-1986, is the only MLB player who played at least seven years whose batting average declined each year throughout his career. [1] From a high of .321 in his rookie debut in 1980, Dave's batting average declined every year to a nadir of .128 in 1986. Dave Stapleton, Boston Red Sox (1980-1986) Batting Age Team Lg WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 1980 26 BOS AL 3 106 449 61 144 33 5 7 45 3 2 13 32 .321 .338 .463 .802 113 .357 108 1981 27 BOS AL 1.3 93 355 45 101 17 1 10 42 0 4 21 22 .285 .325 .423 .747 109 .346 111 1982 28 BOS AL 0.6 150 538 66 142 28 1 14 65 2 4 31 40 .264 .305 .398 .703 87 .315 81 1983 29 BOS AL -1.6 151 542 54 134 31 1 10 66 1 1 40 44 .247 .297 .363 .661 76 .299 67 1984 30 BOS AL -0.2 13 39 4 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 3 .231 .286 .282 .568 55 .253 33 1985 31 BOS AL -0.3 30 66 4 15 6 0 0 2 0 0 4 11 .227 .271 .318 .590 59 .279 56 1986 32 BOS AL -0.9 39 39 4 5 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 .128 .171 .154 .325 -10 .154 -32 7 Yrs 2.0 582 2028 238 550 118 8 41 224 6 11 114 162 .271 .310 .398 .707 90 .320 84 162 Game Avg 0.6 162 564 66 153 33 2 11 62 2 3 32 45 .271 .310 .398 .707 90 .320 84 Dave Stapleton, Boston Red Sox (1986 and Career Totals) 1B Fielding Stats Pos G CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% lgFld% Rtot Rtot/yr RF/9 lgRF9 RF/G lgRFG 1986 BOS AL 1B 29 5 85 86 79 7 0 10 1.000 .991 -1 -13 9.11 9.42 2.97 9.33 1B (7 Yrs) 1B 318 270 2547 2815 2593 201 21 266 .993 .992 11 5 9.87 9.87 8.79 9.78 Dave Stapleton is most well-known for what he didn't do than for what he may have done. In Game 6 of the 1986 World Series with the Red Sox leading by 2 in the bottom of the 10th inning, he was not inserted as a defensive substitution at 1st base, something that had been done throughout the regular season and the playoffs, coming in 25 times during the regular season and in all 7 winning playoff games (4 in the ALCS and 3 in the World Series) in 1986. The losing play of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series [2] was on an error by the Red Sox 1st Baseman, which allowed the New York Mets to score the winning run and consequently forced a World Series Game 7, which the Red Sox also lost. Had Dave Stapleton been playing in the field in that 10th inning, would that same result have occurred, and would the Red Sox have won the 1986 World Series subsequently? Would a 1986 World Series win by the Red Sox helped him to continue his career? It's interesting to speculate on how one bouncing ball could have changed the course of history for a team and its players. As it was, 1986 was Dave Stapleton's final season at the age of 32. For him, 6 years of decline was not recoverable. In his 6th down year In 2025, another player has seen his batting average decline year after year for 6 years. Tim Anderson, a former AL batting champion, silver slugger, and 2-time All-star has seen his batting average drop 6 straight years since winning the 2019 AL batting crown. It was not an errant ball, but perhaps an errant brawl that has symbolized Tim Anderson's decline. when he exchanged punches with Jose Ramirez after a dispute on the basepaths on August 5, 2023. In his age 32 season, Tim Anderson was just released by the Los Angeles Angels on May 31, 2025. Is this the end of the line for Tim Anderson? Tim Anderson Chicago White Sox, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels (2016-2025) Batting Age Team Lg WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 2016 23 CHW AL 2.3 99 410 57 116 22 6 9 30 10 2 13 117 .283 .306 .432 .738 100 .326 101 2017 24 CHW AL -0.3 146 587 72 151 26 4 17 56 15 1 13 162 .257 .276 .402 .679 81 .305 82 2018 25 CHW AL 3.9 153 567 77 136 28 3 20 64 26 8 30 149 .240 .281 .406 .687 87 .308 88 2019 26 CHW AL 4.2 123 498 81 167 32 0 18 56 17 5 15 109 .335 .357 .508 .865 128 .369 128 2020 27 CHW AL 2.5 49 208 45 67 11 1 10 21 5 2 10 50 .322 .357 .529 .886 140 .382 140 2021 28 CHW AL 4.5 123 527 94 163 29 2 17 61 18 7 22 119 .309 .338 .469 .806 118 .357 123 2022 29 CHW AL 1.3 79 332 50 100 13 0 6 25 13 0 14 55 .301 .339 .395 .734 109 .332 105 2023 30 CHW AL -1.8 123 493 52 121 18 2 1 25 13 2 26 122 .245 .286 .296 .582 62 .263 56 2024 31 MIA NL -1.5 65 234 16 50 3 0 0 9 4 4 7 68 .214 .237 .226 .463 29 .204 15 2025 32 LAA AL 0 31 83 8 17 3 0 0 3 1 1 3 29 .205 .258 .241 .499 40 .224 31 10 Yrs 15 991 3939 552 1088 185 18 98 350 122 32 153 980 .276 .307 .407 .714 94 .316 93 162 Game Avg 2.5 162 644 90 178 30 3 16 57 20 5 25 160 .276 .307 .407 .714 94 .316 93 Tim Anderson Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels (2024-2025 and Career Totals) Fielding Season Age Team Lg Pos G CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% lgFld% Rtot Rtot/yr Rdrs Rdrs/yr RF/9 lgRF9 RF/G lgRFG 2024 31 MIA NL SS 63 59 537 245 66 170 9 34 .963 .972 -1 -2 0 0 3.95 3.82 3.75 3.77 2025 32 LAA AL 2B 16 12 125 65 23 40 2 14 .969 .982 -1 -10 1 10 4.54 4.03 3.94 3.97 2025 32 LAA AL SS 15 8 101 50 20 28 2 9 .960 .976 1 9 1 12 4.28 3.73 3.2 3.67 10 Yrs 981 913 8443 3822 1294 2384 144 517 .962 .973 -51 -7 -25 -4 3.92 3.9 3.75 3.84 SS (10 Yrs) SS 963 899 8300 3751 1268 2342 141 503 .962 .973 -50 -7 -26 -4 3.91 3.89 3.75 3.84 2B (2 Yrs) 2B 18 14 143 71 26 42 3 14 .958 .982 -1 -11 1 8 4.28 4.03 3.78 3.97 With above league average range factor per 9 innings (RF/9) and averaging 0.4 dWAR over the past two years. Tim Anderson can still be a defensive asset for a team. As an example, struggling Tigers' shortstop Javier Báez in the midst of 4 declining seasons of batting average, among other performance drops, had the opportunity to get a new lease on his career by moving to centerfield to start the season. While also playing 2nd base, shortstop, and 3rd base, Javier upped his batting performance and was selected to the AL all-star team as a starter as an outfielder. Tim Anderson also had some reps in the outfield during Spring training but never started there in the regular season. With his previously shown talent, will Tim Anderson get a chance to reverse this six-year decline? Sources: [1] "Dave Stapleton". Sons of Sam Horn. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2007. [2] 1986 World Series - Wikipedia

When asked to move positions, why is there is a natural reluctance? From a team perspective, it seems like an ego issue, but it may be more complex than that. During Spring Training of 2025, Rafael Devers was moved to Designated Hitter to allow newly signed free agent Gold Glove 3rd baseman Alex Bregman to play the Hot Corner. At the age of 28 and having played regularly at no other position than 3rd base, Rafael Devers balked at becoming a full-time designated hitter. He viewed this as criticism of his defensive ability and initially refused the move to a hitting only role. Some designated hitters claim to lose focus by not playing out in the field and perhaps Devers experienced some of the same initially, but he regained his offensive form with his potent bat and had a solid batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage of .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs through 72 games with the Red Sox. In his own words However, after Red Sox starting 1st baseman, Tristan Casas, went down with a season ending injury in early May, when asked about moving to 1st base, Rafael said, "I know I'm a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can't expect me to play every single position out there. In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove. I wasn't going to play another position other than DH. Right now, I don't think it would be an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position." He further clarified, "Now, they should do their jobs essentially and hit the market and look for another player. I'm not sure why they want me to be an in-between," Devers said. "Next thing you know, someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield. I know the kind of player that I am, and that's where I stand." [1] Devers wants to be respected as a player and not treated as an injury-fill-in whenever the Sox had someone get hurt. Injuries are a fact of any professional sport, and having experienced injuries while playing 3rd base, Devers is possibly worried about getting injured playing an unfamiliar position and not being as capable initially. Protecting himself on Social Media To a degree, Devers wants to protect his reputation and in this age of social media and ubiquitous recording of every action, Devers is perhaps worried about showing up on a highlight or low light clip showing a bad performance. With regards to the mental load on him, Rafael may know himself best and doesn't want to take on learning a new position, while at the same time remaining a topflight hitter. He also wanted the Red Sox to seek a permanent solution versus the uncertainty of moving him around the diamond and field as circumstances demand. Ultimately it is a team that needs to be managed and built into a cohesive whole to win consistently. Rafael Devers in his comments felt that management was treating him like he could be plugged in anywhere without regards to his capabilities or injury risk. Perhaps the issue could have been defused with a longer-term view from both Rafael and the Red Sox management. Players eventually move along the defensive spectrum right to left as they age and lose athleticism in the field. Moving down the Defensive Spectrum The Defensive spectrum idea was introduced by baseball analyst, Bill James in the early 1980s and indicates that defensive skill is more of a premium as you move left to right, and most players move right to left as they age. Designated hitter – First baseman – Left fielder – Right fielder – Third baseman – Center fielder – Second baseman – Shortstop – Catcher [2] For Devers, he was moved immediately from 3rd base to Designated hitter and not offered the chance to try any positions in between during Spring Training. Depth is important for any team and so as the Red Sox planned their depth chart for the season, there should have been anticipation on what to do in the case of injuries and give players reps and opportunities in the Spring to get ready for their roles or potential roles. No Flexibility By locking Devers into a DH role, the Red Sox, were essentially hard coding him into that role with no flexibility until something happened. With the number of moving parts involved in any baseball team from injuries (Alex Bregman went on the IL on May 24), recovery from surgeries (Masataka Yoshida's shoulder is not 100%, thus precluding him from playing in the field and forcing him to DH), slumps, and streaks, a team has to have flexibility to adjust to circumstances. Contract status also plays a role as teams can't not play the star with the large contract. Devers was always going to be playing; the question was where. If the Sox had set him more at ease and perhaps told him that he was so valuable and capable that he would always be in the lineup, rather than saying we're moving you to DH because your bat is so much more valuable than any contribution in the field, perhaps he would still be a Red Sox. What do you think? Sources [1] https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45059014/rafael-devers-tells-red-sox-move-first-base (Originally published May 8, 2025, retrieved July 9, 2025) [2] Defensive spectrum - Wikipedia

Thanks for the comments. Batting ability is much more visible especially as batters often get 4 to 5 chances or more a game to showcase their bat, whereas a great outfielder may only get 2 to 3 chances a game. Throwing ability and accuracy and its prevention of runs scoring on balls hit to the outfield may be less obvious as runners may be reluctant to challenge a strong, accurate arm. Most outfielders end up not being challenged and end up with lower assist totals. Speed works on defense and offense, turning fly balls into outs or when on offense, advancing an extra base or avoiding the double play. It is the rare player that have all five tools Brady Anderson had an interesting career with peaks well on the extreme and none of his most similar players are really truly comparable. With the juiced ball, even Wade Boggs hit 24 home runs in 1987 and never got even half of that total before or after that season,

Who holds the single season record for RBIs for a shortstop? You may think it would be held by a Hall of Famer like Honus Wagner, Ernie Banks or Cal Ripken, or a recent retired star like Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, or Derek Jeter, but no, the record is held by Red Sox Vern Stephens and was set in 1949. That year, batting behind Ted Williams, Vern Stephens had 159 RBIs and it was the first of two consecutive years when Stephens tied for the league lead in RBIs. This RBI total was the highest in the major leagues for 50 years until Manny Ramirez surpassed it with 165 in 1999. From 1948 to 1949, Vern Stephens had three of highest RBI single season MLB totals for a shortstop. Only one other shortstop, Alex Rodriguez, has 3 seasons in the top ten and Alex was aided by the 162-game schedule. Vern Stephens started his MLB career with the St Louis Browns, leading the league in RBIs in 1944 and the Browns to the pennant that year. However, he would add more offensive and defensive accomplishments with the Red Sox. Top Single Season RBI totals by Shortstops A consistent offensive performer Vern played good defense as well, leading the league in assists 1947-1949, double plays in 1949 and fielding percentage in 1945. His advanced metrics also show that he was one of the top players at the time, with 6 seasons in the top 10 for both offensive and defensive WAR. Traded to the Red Sox before the 1948 season, Vern played 5 years for the Red Sox where he was paired with Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr, but the Sox could not do better than 2nd place twice during his time falling short by a single game in 1948 and 1949. Vern's production tailed off after he turned 30, finishing his career with stints with the St Louis Browns, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox. At 35 he was out of major league baseball and at the age of 48 he died of a heart attack. Based on Similarity Scores | Baseball-Reference.com, Vern's top 5 comparable players include 3 Hall of Famers and one not yet eligible to be elected as of 2025. Similar Batters to Vern Stephens Bobby Doerr (890.7) Hall of Fame Tony Lazzeri (888.2) Hall of Fame Bret Boone (887.5) Chase Utley (879.2) Not yet Eligible as of 2025 Joe Gordon (870.1) Hall of Fame Yrs WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ Vern Stephens (1941-1955) 15 Yrs 46.3 1720 6497 1001 1859 307 42 247 1174 25 22 692 685 .286 .355 .460 .815 119 .379 119 Bobby Doerr (1937-1951) (HOF) 14 Yrs 51.3 1865 7093 1094 2042 381 89 223 1247 54 64 809 608 .288 .362 .461 .823 115 .377 116 Tony Lazzeri (1926-1939) (HOF) 14 Yrs 47.6 1740 6297 986 1840 334 115 178 1194 148 82 869 864 .292 .380 .467 .846 121 .383 121 Brett Boone (1992-2005) 14 Yrs 22.8 1780 6683 927 1775 366 28 252 1021 94 53 552 1295 .266 .325 .442 .767 101 .342 101 Chase Utley (2013-2018) (Not yet eligible) 16 Yrs 64.6 1937 6857 1103 1885 411 58 259 1025 154 22 724 1193 .275 .358 .465 .823 117 .368 120 Joe Gordon (1938-1950) (HOF) 11 Yrs 55.6 1566 5707 914 1530 264 52 253 975 89 60 759 702 .268 .357 .466 .822 120 .372 118 Bill James, the famous baseball historian and analyst, had stated in his 1994 book, Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame?, that the Hall of Fame may have erred by inducting only one half of the Yankees double play combination when the voters only elected shortstop Phil Rizzuto, but not second baseman Joe Gordon, and similarly for the Red Sox, when only second baseman Bobby Doerr was elected, but not shortstop Vern Stephens.. Likewise with the 2017 election of Tiger's shortstop Alan Trammell to the Hall of Fame, his infield teammate second baseman Lou Whitaker has also been neglected. Although on the one and only Pre-1943 Veterans Committee Baseball ballot in 2009, Stephens has not been considered since. On that same ballot in 2009, Joe Gordon was elected to the Hall of Fame to join his Yankee teammate Phil Rizzuto. Is it now time to consider Vern Stephens again for election to the Hall of Fame?

Top prospect, Roman Anthony, has been called up by the Red Sox to play in the show. How will he perform? Is he here to stay in the big leagues, or will he need more seasoning again in the minors? Will he stick for the whole season? Roman Anthony: Batting (2022-2025) Year Tm Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB 2022 Salem A 10 43 37 2 7 2 0 0 5 0 0 5 4 .189 .279 .243 .522 9 2022 Red Sox Rk 10 40 35 5 15 2 0 0 7 1 0 4 4 .429 .475 .486 .961 17 2023 Portland AA 10 44 35 10 12 4 0 1 8 3 0 8 6 .343 .477 .543 1.020 19 2023 Greenville A+ 54 245 204 41 60 14 3 12 38 2 1 40 75 .294 .412 .569 .981 116 2023 Salem A 42 202 158 27 36 9 1 1 18 11 6 38 38 .228 .376 .316 .693 50 2024 Worcester AAA 35 164 131 33 45 12 1 3 20 5 2 31 31 .344 .463 .519 .982 68 2024 Portland AA 84 376 323 60 87 20 3 15 45 16 5 48 96 .269 .367 .489 .856 158 2025 Worcester AAA 58 265 212 45 61 9 2 10 29 3 3 51 56 .288 .423 .491 .913 104 Minors (4 seasons) Minors 303 1379 1135 223 323 72 10 42 170 41 17 225 310 .285 .402 .477 .879 541 Just sit right back and hear a tale about two other top outfield prospects, for what might be in store for Roman Anthony. Both of these prospects were highly regarded center fielders with 5 tool ability, but it took 5 seasons for one to reach his potential, while the other is just entering his fifth MLB season. Players with five tool potential are the most complete position players with top tier abilities in these five areas: Hit for Average Hit for Power Speed Fielding Arm Strength and Accuracy The first is former Red Sox Brady Anderson. He was the top AL East Division prospect in 1988 and was the opening day center fielder and Boston lead-off hitter, starting in 41 of Boston’s first 49 games, but only hit .230 before being sent down to the Pawtucket AAA minor league team. In the heat of a pennant race in 1988, Boston traded Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling to the Baltimore Orioles for Mike Boddicker.This was a trade that the Red Sox would regret though not at first. From 1988-1991, Brady Anderson set a record for playing more than 60 games in the field for 4 seasons straight while batting .231 or less, but broke out in 1992 with an All-Star 5.2 WAR season, leading the league in plate appearances as the Baltimore Orioles lead-off hitter, a role he held for the next 9 seasons, while becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs in one season,1996, and stealing 50 bases in another,1992. Anderson averaged 3.3 WAR/year, peaking at 6.9 WAR in 1996 with his 50 home run season, during which he became, at the time, only the second major leaguer after Willie Mays to have a 50 HR/20 SB season. Although Mike Boddicker helped bring two AL East Division titles in 1988 and 1990, and Curt Schilling, of course, returned to bring two World Series titles to the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, the trading away of Brady Anderson lost the Red Sox an all-star center fielder and leadoff hitter. From 1992 to 2001, Brady Anderson was the Orioles lead-off hitter and centerfielder compiling these offensive numbers. We'll never know what he would have brought the Red Sox had he not been traded. Brady Anderson: Batting (1992-2001) Seasons Age Team WAR G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 1992-2001 28-37 BAL 33.2 1410 6363 5338 919 1411 292 56 199 668 258 83 807 957 .264 .372 .452 .824 116 .374 117 Avg per Season 3.3 141 636 534 92 141 29 6 20 67 26 8 81 96 Avg per 162 Games 3.8 162 731 613 106 162 34 6 23 77 30 10 93 110 In 2025, Jarred Kelenic, the other former prospect, is in his fifth year. Originally with the Mets, Kelenic was part of the 2018 trade between the Mets and the Mariners for veterans Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano. In 4 years, Kelenic has shown some major league ability but not enough. He has averaged 95 games/year over the past four seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves. Kelenic almost matched Brady Anderson’s record of 4 years of a .231 or lower average while playing over 60 games in the field. In his 2nd season, he played only 50 games in the field, and in his 3rd season, he hit .253. However, Kelenic was optioned to the minor leagues on April 28, 2025, potentially derailing his major league career. Below are their stats for their first four years. Brady Anderson took 5 years to mature to become a solid offensive threat. Jarred Kelenic may yet still. So do you think Roman Anthony will be more like Jarred Kelenic or Brady Anderson? Brady Anderson: Batting (1988-1991) Seasons Age Team WAR G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 1988-1991 24-27 BAL,BOS 2 390 1273 1081 139 237 42 11 10 88 53 17 135 210 .219 .313 .306 .619 77 .300 76 Avg per Season 0.5 98 318 270 35 59 11 3 3 22 13 4 34 53 Avg per 162 Games 0.8 162 529 449 58 98 17 5 4 37 22 7 56 87 Jarred Kelenic: Batting (2021-2024) Seasons Age Team WAR G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 2021-2024 21-24 ATL,SEA 0.7 383 1423 1284 154 273 61 6 47 154 31 13 125 432 .213 .284 .379 .663 86 .292 85 Avg per Season 0.2 96 356 321 39 68 15 2 12 39 8 3 31 108 Avg per 162 Games 0.3 162 602 543 65 115 26 3 20 65 13 5 53 183

Ted Williams had a great career, but did this 1950 injury hurt him more than the two interruptions for military service during World War 2 and the Korean War? Three full years and close to two more years were cut short from his baseball career, yet a mid-career injury might have affected him more. The missing years often are said to have cost him the chance to have higher career totals and preventing him from getting to 3,000 hits and 600 home runs, In 1950 at the All-Star Break, after 70 games, Ted has 25 home runs and 83 RBIs, well on track for career highs. However, on that summer day, July 11, 1950, in the 1950 All Star Game at Chicago's Comiskey Park, fate intervened. Going after a high drive by Ralph Kiner in the 1st inning, Ted crashed into the wall and scoreboard. Staying in the game, Ted singled in a go-ahead run in the 5th inning, but afterwards, his elbow had swollen up, and it was discovered that it was broken. This sidelined him until mid-September when he was able to return after the Red Sox were well out of contention for the pennant. With the hot summer months still to come, Ted perhaps even had a chance also of challenging for Babe Ruth's then single season home run mark of 60. Also denied was the chance to win back-to-back MVP awards to follow up his 1949 MVP season. This elbow injury lingered on through the next year and had Ted contemplating retirement before the season start. Ted had said that he was never the same hitter after that elbow injury. So if Ted Williams had not gone after that high drive by Ralph Kiner with such alacrity, he may have been even better.

Carlton Fisk's first 11 years of a 24-year Hall of Fame Major League Baseball career was with the Red Sox, where he was the Rookie of the Year in 1972, a 7-time All-star, and in the top 10 of the MVP voting 3 times. Fisk may be the best Red Sox catcher ever, but who else had great careers while catching for the Red Sox? Carlton Fisk (1969-1980) WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 39.5 1078 3860 627 1097 207 33 162 568 61 26 389 588 .284 .356 .481 .837 126 .385 127 Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk hit the iconic 1975 Game 6 World Series 12th inning walk-off (wave-off) homer. With the Red Sox he was Rookie of the Year in 1972 and won the Gold Glove. A Three-time silver slugger and 11-time All-star in total, Carlton Fisk holds the AL record for years playing catcher at 24, and finished with 3 more top 20 MVP voting results, his highest being 3rd in 1983 with his division winning White Sox. Jason Varitek (1997-2011) WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 24.2 1546 5099 664 1307 306 14 193 757 25 18 614 1216 .256 .341 .435 .776 99 .343 96 The first Red Sox catcher to catch 1,000 games and 4th team captain in history since 1923, Jason won two World Series with the Red Sox in 2004, and 2007. and led the Sox to the playoffs in 5 other years (1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2008). Bill Carrigan (1906-1916) WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 13.2 709 1970 194 506 67 14 6 235 37 14 206 187 .257 .334 .314 .648 94 .322 97 Bill played 11 years for the Red Sox and was a player manager for the last 4 seasons and won 3 World Series championships (1912, 1915, 1916), the last two as a player manager. He holds the record for the highest post-season winning percentage (.800) of any manager with multiple postseason appearances and was the first Red Sox manager to win two world championships. Rick Ferrell (1933-1937) WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 11.9 522 1791 221 541 111 17 16 240 7 11 269 75 .302 .394 .410 .804 103 .376 107 Rick was a 4-time All-Star with the Red Sox and 7-time All-Star overall in an 18 year playing career, holding the AL record for games caught at 1,806 for over 40 years and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984. Together with his brother, Wes Ferrell, Rick was one of the top brother catcher/pitcher combinations in MLB history. Rich Gedman (1980-1990) WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 11.7 906 2856 315 741 164 12 83 356 3 3 206 448 .259 .310 .412 .723 95 .327 90 Rich Gedman was the primary backstop for three Red Sox post-season teams, the 1986 AL Pennant winners, and the 1988 and 1990 division champs. A two time All-Star, he was one of only 5 catchers to register 2 All-Star selections in the 1980s. He set the record for put-outs by a catcher when he caught Roger Clemens' 20 strikeout performance on April 29, 1986. Subsequently on the next day, he registered 16 putouts and set the record for catcher putouts in consecutive starts at 36. Sammy White (1951-1959) WAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ rOBA Rbat+ 2.0 981 3342 316 881 162 20 63 404 14 15 214 356 .264 .308 .381 .689 81 .321 73 Sammy was third place for Rookie of the Year in 1952 and, on June 18, 1953, became the only player after the 19th century to score 3 runs in one inning. Between 1953 to 1955, he appeared in over 90% of the Red Sox games, averaging 138.7 games over that three year span, and starting 142 of 154 games in 1955. Known for his excellence at framing pitches and getting strike calls, Sammy caught lefty Mel Parnell's no-hitter on July 14, 1956. Do you agree with this list of top Red Sox catchers? Anyone else who should be considered? Real players only. In this article though, the writer did pick Carlton Fisk as the Red Sox's top catcher, he couldn't find a great catcher for the San Diego Padres and just made up a player's career. The actual Rene Rivera was a journeyman catcher who did play for the Padres in 2013-15 but was in junior high school in 1998 when the Padres made the World Series. No one Padres catcher played from 1992-2009. There should be no way an article like this should have been published with such a glaring error. This story was picked up and copied to several sites without checking. Some of the sites have removed it, but others still have it up. The Greatest Catcher in Each MLB Franchise's History https://living.alot.com/entertainment/the-greatest-catcher-in-each-mlb-franchises-history--22296

How about giving Rob Refsnyder time at 1st base? He played there last in 2020 and his splits this year are more even than in the past. He seems a bit better than Sogard right now.

Thanks Brock! One other question. My first blog entry asked for a category, but didn't have any pre-existing choices so I created Great Sox. Hope that's ok.

Hall of Famer Jim Rice set a record that may never be broken. As a rookie in 1975, Rice, together with Fred Lynn, shared the nickname the "Gold Dust Twins" for their great performance and future potential. Jim Rice fulfilled that promise with consecutive spectacular seasons from 1977 to 1979, achieving a feat that had not been done before or duplicated since. During 3 consecutive years, 1977, 1978, and 1979, Jim Rice is the only player in MLB history to achieve these 5 statistical accomplishments: 39+ home runs ( 39, 46, 39 ) 200+ hits ( 206, 213, 201 ) 100+ Runs scored ( 104, 121, 117 ) 100+ RBIs ( 114, 139, 130 ) .300+ Batting Average ( .320, .315, .325 ) The only players who had the same number or more such seasons, though nonconsecutively were Lou Gehrig with 5 and Rogers Hornsby and Babe Ruth also with 3. Only Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig and Chuck Klein had even two such seasons back to back, with others achieving these totals twice over their career, but never consecutively, Only Jim Rice has done this 3 seasons in a row. Achieving each of these stats is an achievement itself, but hitting all 5 in one season is extraordinary. A player has to be able to hit for average and power while also being part of a strong offense who can get on base in front of him and drive him in afterwards. Will anyone ever tie or break this record? Here's a list of all the players who have hit these numbers in the same season. NAME YEAR LEAGUE TEAM AVG H HR R RBI Babe Ruth 1921 AL NYA .378 204 59 177 171 Rogers Hornsby 1922 NL SLN .401 250 42 141 152 Babe Ruth 1923 AL NYA .393 205 41 151 131 Babe Ruth 1924 AL NYA .378 200 46 143 121 Rogers Hornsby 1925 NL SLN .403 203 39 133 143 Lou Gehrig 1927 AL NYA .373 218 47 149 175 Chuck Klein 1929 NL PHI .356 219 43 126 145 Chuck Klein 1930 NL PHI .386 250 40 158 170 Rogers Hornsby 1929 NL CHN .380 229 39 156 149 Hack Wilson 1930 NL CHN .356 208 56 146 191 Lou Gehrig 1930 AL NYA .379 220 41 143 174 Lou Gehrig 1931 AL NYA .341 211 46 163 184 Jimmie Foxx 1932 AL PHA .364 213 58 151 169 Jimmie Foxx 1933 AL PHA .356 204 48 125 163 Lou Gehrig 1934 AL NYA .363 210 49 128 165 Hal Trosky 1936 AL CLE .343 216 42 124 162 Lou Gehrig 1936 AL NYA .354 205 49 167 152 Hank Greenberg 1937 AL DET .337 200 40 137 183 Joe DiMaggio 1937 AL NYA .346 215 46 151 167 Stan Musial 1948 NL SLN .376 230 39 135 131 Al Rosen 1953 AL CLE .336 201 43 115 145 Hank Aaron 1959 NL MLN .355 223 39 116 123 Frank Robinson 1962 NL CN5 .342 208 39 134 136 Hank Aaron 1963 NL MLN .319 201 44 121 130 Billy Williams 1970 NL CHN .322 205 42 137 129 Jim Rice 1977 AL BOS .320 206 39 104 114 Jim Rice 1978 AL BOS .315 213 46 121 139 Jim Rice 1979 AL BOS .325 201 39 117 130 Ellis Burks 1996 NL COL .344 211 40 142 128 Mo Vaughn 1996 AL BOS .326 207 44 118 143 Larry Walker 1997 NL COL .366 208 49 143 130 Mike Piazza 1997 NL LAN .362 201 40 104 124 Albert Belle 1998 AL CHA .328 200 49 113 152 Alex Rodriguez 1998 AL SEA .310 213 42 123 124 Mo Vaughn 1998 AL BOS .337 205 40 107 115 Vinny Castilla 1998 NL COL .319 206 46 108 144 Todd Helton 2000 NL COL .372 216 42 138 147 Alex Rodriguez 2001 AL TEX .318 201 52 133 135 Alfonso Soriano 2002 AL NYA .300 209 39 128 102 Vladimir Guerrero 2002 NL MON .336 206 39 106 111 Albert Pujols 2003 NL SLN .359 212 43 137 124 Adrián Beltré 2004 NL LAN .334 200 48 104 121 Vladimir Guerrero 2004 AL ANA .337 206 39 124 126 Miguel Cabrera 2012 AL DET .330 205 44 109 139 Ronald Acuña Jr. 2023 NL ATL .337 217 41 149 106 Source: https://BaseballAlmanac.com

HI! I read the article and tried to follow the instructions, but when I click on the Blogs section, I don't see a "Create a Blog" button. I do see a + button that goes to Creating a Topic. Let me know how to create a blog. Thanks! Screenshot below is what I see.