Before last night’s game at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox officially inducted their franchise’s Hall of Fame. The Red Sox Hall of Fame began in 1995, and has more members than any other Baseball team’s Hall of Fame by a wide margin. That said this could be the most exciting group that the Red Sox have ever inducted.
The highest profile name (and most controversial) is “Rocket” Roger Clemens who holds the record for the most Cy Young Awards. Clemens was with the team from 1984 to 1996 and in ’86 he won his first Cy Young going 24 and 4 leading the American League in Wins, WHIP and ERA. He would also win the AL Most Valuable Player Award that season. Clemens would win the Cy Young again the following season and again in 1990.
As a member of the Boston Red Sox, Clemens would statistically post a 192 and 111 record, 2,590 Strikeouts, four ERA titles and a bWAR of 81.3; numbers that would have been enough to get him into Cooperstown had he never played after 1996. As we know, Clemens continued to play Baseball many years after he left Boston.
The Red Sox were not able to resign the flamethrower and the Red Sox General Manager, Dan Duquette infamously stated that he wanted Clemens to finish the “twilight” of his career in Boston, which irked Clemens who felt he still had a lot left in the tank. He signed with Toronto and regained his status as a dominating Pitcher, though that is widely believed to have come with the aid of Performance Enhancing Drugs. He would later anchor a staff of Boston’s hated rival, the New York Yankees and win two World Series rings there.
Pedro Martinez, who did win a World Series in Boston, joins Clemens in the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Pedro joined the Red Sox in 1998, two years removed from winning the National League Cy Young in Montreal. Pedro actually improved in Montreal, winning two more Cy Youngs and recording a spectacular record of 117 and 37 with 1,683 Strikeouts as a member of the Red Sox franchise. Perhaps even more impressive was his five WHIP Titles and three ERA Titles in Boston and looking at his Red Sox tenure he had anemic numbers of a 2.52 Earned Run Average and a WHIP of 0.978. He had a bWAR of 53.8 in Boston and is eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame next year.
The third player entered was the very popular Nomar Garicaparra, who was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1997. The Shortstop would win two Batting Titles, earn five All Star appearances and a Silver Slugger as a Red Sox player and collected a bWAR of 41.1. Garciaparra’s career was derailed by injuries, but for a time he was as good as he was popular.
Joe Castiglione is the fourth and final inductee. He took over the radio broadcasts in 1983, and has been in that role ever since.
As much as the Boston Red Sox can be criticized (justly) for some of their entries to their Hall of fame, but this is a stellar class that can not be questioned by anyone.
As you know, we will soon be unveiling a look at how each major North American sports franchise recognizes their past competitors.
Comments powered by CComment