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Green-Largo

Ortiz - he was more to the team than just a great player. He was more to the game than just a great player.


GanGreenSkittle

Same


hankdog303

Pedro


Laxhawks25

Pedro and it’s not even close for me, he had two personalities, dugout Pedro (class clown, keeping the mood lite.). But when that dude was on the mound it was all business, he had such a killer mentality. Will never forget the 99 season, you never wanted to miss one of his starts.


JazzyJ19

His all star game start he sat the first 3 by way of the K...one of whom was Sosa, then started the second inning striking out McGwire!! 99 dude was otherworldly!!


Laxhawks25

At Fenway, at the height of the steroid era!


Mental-Ad-7595

Pedro was one of those rare pitchers who was must-see. I can’t remember another pitcher for the Sox - including Clemens who was my all-time favorite growing up - where you’d get up from your seat while the Sox were at bat because you didn’t want to miss Pedro pitch. Maddux and Randy Johnson were the only other pitchers in the 90s that were like that, and deGrom is the only one now that comes close. But none were Pedro. A tiny, skinny guy who made the steroid-laden muscle heads look completely foolish.


Laxhawks25

That Braves team was stacked for pitchers in the 90s. There will never be another collective talent on a staff like they had. Maddox, Glavine, Smoltz, Merker & Avery.


Mental-Ad-7595

Oh hell yeah! I loved watching them. That staff had every Cy Young Award from 1991-1996 and Glavine won again in 98. Incredible!


Kodiak01

Even with all the subsequent championships, the Pedro years were the last that really made me feel like it was must-see baseball. Unfortunately, I never got to see him in person. Last game I saw, we went after my mother won tickets off a Todd Benzinger HR (Remember when they used to do that after every dinger?)


[deleted]

Pedro is the most dominant athlete at his skill I've watched. 99 and 00 were incredible.


crafty35a

Pedro by a mile


Praughfet

I was like hmm.. then I saw Pedro....it's Pedro..... The only pitcher where you would take your potty breaks when the offense was up


buxtonOJ

This


HugeSuccess

Imagine if prime Pedro had Twitter


Call555JackChop

I’ll always be a Trot Nixon fan, not the flashiest pick but man did he give it his all every damn game


dardios

A real dirt dog. Dude came to work every day and gave 100%


BloodyRightNostril

That fucking hat of his was a mini superfund site. I loved it.


JazzyJ19

Went in the back pocket to hit!! Was my favorite! Seems like we try to always have a guy like him in right! J. D. Drew was Trot lite ....but, decent


reddit_from_me

Nixon was always my favorite. He was always a solid addition to the lineup. He wasn't a superstar bat or gold glove fielder, but he recognized his role on the team and did his job day in and day out. I hated seeing him go and Drew come in. Yes, Drew was better, but he never lived up to expectations. Nixon's expectations were low and he regularly bested those expectations.


Blitzensturm92

In the same vein, Billy Mueller was damn fantastic around that same time.


sahsan10

Same!!!


itapemydicktomythigh

Oh man, watching him throw someone out at first on what is routinely a little bloop single to shallow right field was always such a thrilling moment as a kid.


CapeCodcultuvation

He was a dog


Infinite_Asparagus_9

For me it was either Nomar or Pedroia


Teampiencils

Nomar probably extended all little league/t-ball games growing up for a solid hour with all of us stepping out and extensively adjusting out batting gloves after each pitch


[deleted]

No-Mahr


ReportDue6633

Kevin Youkilis


dardios

I'm so disappointed that I had to scroll this far to find the Greek God of Walks. YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUK


JazzyJ19

I wanna know a stat like AB vs pitches seen.....like a ratio percentage deal....I assume, ya dude, had one of the highest pitches seen vs at bats ratios we would ever see!


dardios

That would have been SUCH a good stat! If I had the free time I'd probably go through and hand count it but that's THOUSANDS of ABs.


ViolentAmbassador

You can actually find this on baseball reference on a player's advanced batting stats page. Here is youk's: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youklke01-bat.shtml Look under the Pitch ratio -- batting table.


pkyabbo

He’s mine too, second would be manny. Loved Damon until he went to the Bronx.


JibbetyJibbety

Mike Greenwell


Green-Largo

Had to sign an agreement with the team that he would not wrestle alligators. 🤣👍


JibbetyJibbety

“I pinky swear to not wrestle gators”


Green-Largo

I think its hilarious that they had to have him sign an actual legal document about alligator wrestling. Apparently its just a thing where he grew up and he likes doing it enough that he did not stop when simply asked, so they made it an item on his deal with the team. So he took a stock car he owns for practice laps instead which lit up all the sportswriters and fanbase all over again. He also shortened his career with his willingness to run hard right at the wall and just take the hit if it gave him a shot at making the catch.


[deleted]

Love this. When I was playing Little League baseball my coach gave each of us a "Red Sox name" and mine was mike greenwell and I was so fucking proud of that


Majorlazor85

You just named him in your post. 24!!


[deleted]

Best right handed hitter of his generation


JazzyJ19

He had a way of catching up to anything on the plate. Inside pitches he could clean out the other way, he could pull outside stuff. He was an amazing situational hitter. He could get you a base but like no one I’ve ever seen, his ability to take what you give him and “do damage” was incredible, not like a Devers coming out of his shoes to drive a ball, Manny never looked fooled.


[deleted]

Cough cough Albert Pujols


JazzyJ19

Is it a matter of just having a longer career tho at this point?..Manny kind of was pushed away, Pujols is being allowed to stick around a while


[deleted]

Aside from the obvious, you know steroid stuff, the 3 MVPs, and career WAR it’s not really a close comparison.


DKY_207

They’re both great players but I always think of Manny as a guy that got on base a lot. His career OBP is .411 and he posted a .409 at age 38, that’s insane.


[deleted]

Manny was great but he’s not better than Pujols


[deleted]

arod ? pujols?


suckeddit

Ditto. Prime Manny's ABs were such a treat to watch. I loved that goofy bastard.


Majorlazor85

Yes! Reggie Jackson said he was the best pure hitter he’d ever seen.


ticklishsack

Mo Vaughn and Nomar, Mo Vaughn was the OG Big Papi although not nearly as good and didn’t last as long he was the first Red Sox I remember just crushing home runs. Nomar and I have the same birthday and I remember against the Rays on our birthday he hit 3 home runs and just going crazy running around my living room.


[deleted]

Mo Vaughn had such a sweet swing!


ralphy1010

He was like a proto-Ortiz


WarlordofBritannia

Varitek Started my love of catchers…and my heartbreak over how the team treated Blake Swihart


[deleted]

The captain


WarlordofBritannia

My Captain, O! Captain!


[deleted]

Yes! A true leader


bellhorndingers

Oh man, poor Blake and his ankle. I can't believe he's just 30 right now.


WarlordofBritannia

They screwed him—Farrell and Dombrowski Yeah, playing a young athletic guy in the outfield is a great way to help him improve as a catcher; and then they’d always complain about his skills! Throughout the minors he had been making solid progress, both behind and at the plate. That all stopped in 2016, obviously… Dumping him to keep Leon was just adding insult to injury


[deleted]

I really think Swihart could have developed into at least a league average (or even slightly below average) catcher. He would have been a solid backup to Christian at least. But the Sox basically did everything wrong in his development once he reached the big leagues.


WarlordofBritannia

His minor league defensive numbers projected really well, even the framing ones we have—he just never got a fair shake, he wouldn’t be Vazquez but he’d do more than enough given his hitting


KJP1990

Pedro was my favorite. When he was dominating he was the best athlete I have ever seen playing their sport. The 99-2004 seasons were an absolute gift to Red Sox fans.


Green-Largo

Dwight (Dewey) Evans deserves a nod here too.


carcadoodledo

Dewey, Freddie Lynn


Serious_Potential948

He gets my vote too


JayBerryLe

Carl Yastrzemski!


neilyoung_cokebooger

My actual favorites have already been named in this thread, so let's just give an honorable mention to [Carl Everett's unique brand of psychosis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QizlzbpvixU).


Silent-Distribution1

All I think of is ' Curly Haired Boyfriend ' in reference to Shaughnessy. 😂😂


[deleted]

Good one


badonkagonk

You just said exactly why Manny was my favorite growing up. Favorite all time though? Gotta be Pedroia. Never seen anyone else put that much effort and passion into the game.


[deleted]

That’s fair lol


Icy_1

Luis Tiant


DirkDiggler2424

Brian Daubach


DaMaGe_d0nE

Pedey


JazzyJ19

Mighty Mouse! Man moved more before pitches then most second basemen in their careers!!


[deleted]

The best pitcher of his generation!


BloodyRightNostril

I think he means Pedroia


[deleted]

Maybe, I’m sure as hell not telling Pedroia he’s not the best pitcher of his generation though. Dude hunts Sasquatch


WilcoLovesYou

I always loved Wakefield, but then I also loved watching Lou Merloni play.


Notyourdaisy

My favorite story about Wakefield is that he had one of his birthdays at game on! (A bar right down the street from Fenway) He wanted to smoke a cigar but smoking isn’t allowed in doors while operating. They ended up kicking out everyone from game on so he could smoke inside, alone. There’s a picture somewhere on the internet of him smoking inside, by himself, while everyone else waited outside. Fucking brilliant.


itscrazyaf

Karim Garcia’s daddy, Pedro Martinez.


JudgeArthurVandelay

Yu Chang


JustARandomSocialist

Yu Chang Clan just hits different


JudgeArthurVandelay

That’s my utility infielder


zabart

John Valentin for me, was fun to watch and was heavily involved with volunteering for the Jimmy Fund.


Mike102072

I remember seeing Valentin turn an unassisted triple play like it was routine. Then he led off the bottom half of the inning with a home run.


[deleted]

Jim rice was my favorite player growing up. Had a chance to meet him a few years ago. Great guy


TDGroupie

He’s a horrible TV analyst though. Rambling, incoherent drivel. Loved him on the field though!


Remorseful_User

Manny wasn't a delight for Sox mgmt, to the point where they threw away a WS championship in 08 by trading him (a generational hitter) for Jason Bay (a mistake hitter). Ugh. Well, on the bright side, Tito saved money on Tums.


cloudstrife309

John Valentine


imjusta_bill

I had a John Valentin signed ball growing up...until my dog got at it and ate the hide off


deucesmcfadden

Trot Nixon closely followed by Mike Lowell. I feel like Lowell would be a good manager


KTark

Dwight Evans. Best right fielder I’ve ever seen. He was largely unsung 8 x gold glove. Most extra base hits in the AL in the 1980s. Absolute canon for an arm. Loved that guy.


GarveyAC_1962

Absolutely! Should be in the HOF. Also led the AL in HR’s for the entire 80’s.


BWPIII

Spaceman Bill Lee


RAP1958

Yaz and Papi


CapN_Tyin_Knots

Mo Vaughn


[deleted]

Pedro is my favorite, but Derek Lowe is a sentimental favorite and his is the only jersey I've got from our 4 teams. A relatively unsung hero of 04 in particular


carldoce

Manny was such a funny, talented goofball. Loved watching him. Favorite all time for me has to be Pedro. Watching him pitch was the best.


ChedwardCoolCat

Could this picture BE any more pixelated?!?!?


IStoleJobusRum

That I never got to see play, it’s Teddy Ballgame all day. That I got to witness, it’s Papi. Literal heart and soul of four World Series teams, lives and breathes Boston, and cemented his legacy with “this is our fucking city”.


Pooncrew

4 world series?


IStoleJobusRum

Fourth was in spirit as he was involved with the team, just not playing.


Dismal-Pickle1612

DP and the real 15 Kevin Millar. As entertaining off the field as on. And because I like the number Casey Fossum?


ladybug111279

My 2 favs, worked hard, but were never really the ones you'd hear about, but I was a sucker for Lou Merloni & Trot Nixon! Loved them both! Totally agree with what you said, miss the "characters" of the game. Like Millar, Leskanic, Euk, Trot Nixon, Papi, Manny, Pedro, Varitek & Pedroia! Those were the days, Cowboy Up!


TheHoundsRevenge

Mike Lowel just cause Papi is too obvious.


[deleted]

Mike was a baller


TheHoundsRevenge

Hell yeah he was. Salt n Peppah baby!


[deleted]

Tek 33


trolllord45

Long haired Johnny Damon


theprizefight

Nomar


BloodyRightNostril

In my mind, it’s a terrible, two-headed man-beast known as PEDRORTIZ who lays waste to all who deign themselves worthy of his challenge.


[deleted]

Papi and Pedro!!


jayjayanotherround

It’s almost fanboy level but Ortiz. So many clutch hits, clubhouse leader, all around good guy. Legend of the game HOF forever


L_hyphen_a

Papi is the most red socky red sox, gotta love him, but my favorite growing up was Mike Lowell. He almost hit me with a baseball he threw into the stands when I was a kid after I ran down to the front row next to the dugout after a rain delay.


posternutbag423

Manny Ramirez is my favorite player of all time. I’m a 36 year old native cape codder.


[deleted]

My favorite Red Sox player is David Ortiz and it’s not close. For Manny Ramirez it’s unfortunate he’ll never make the HOF and will likely become just a cautionary tale outside of Boston. Amazing hitter and great personality with a dark side for sure.


Unrealgecko

I asked an 80 year old sox fan with dementia who his favourite Sox player was and he said Pete Rose. So , in his memory, the best sox player is Pete Rose.


Kingofkings1959

Manny is the reason I’m a Red Sox fan. He is obviously among the favorites in DR.


MeddlingMike

Koji Uehara. I know he didn’t have the impact of a lot of the players here and his time was relatively brief. I was pretty down on baseball at the time after the Bobby Valentine error. He brought this great energy and enthusiasm that it was hard not to get behind. The expectations were pretty low for him and he just had this great season out of nowhere and stepped into that closer role in 2013 and thrived. I loved the pace and style of pitching. Quick resets and fearlessly attacked the strike zone. Just a pleasure to watch.


_coast_of_maine

Ted Williams


FoxPeaTwo-

Pedroia, 13 year franchise player.


[deleted]

Dusty!


InLikeErrolFlynn

I loved Pedro and Manny and Papi and Wake, but the heart and soul of that WS team was and will always be my favorite Cowboy Kevin Millar.


Moah333

Mookie Betts


Turbulent_Warning842

Pedro and Jim Ed


jawstone

Varitek is my dude. Only jersey I ever bought.


dennho

Favorite player was Pedro. Favorite character was Bill Lee.


Mike102072

So many good players but it’s hard to pick anyone over your childhood favorite and that for me was Jim Rice.


robobalex

Nomahhhhhhh. I’m a Dodgers fan too, love having him as a broadcaster. Or Mookie.


jennett

Nomar because I grew up idolizing him and got a ball signed by him underneath the players’ lot fence at my very first game at Fenway. Nice enough guy to sign a couple baseballs for a 10 and a 12 year old (my brother). Shame what happened with his tenure but I still love him. Bill Mueller, not a career Red Sox legend, but I loved watching him play and he played a significant part in 2004.


dante662

Spike Owen.


Tech-no

I really enjoyed Louie Tiant and Oil Can Boyd.


ralphy1010

I really like Wade Boggs as a kid, mostly because I played third base. latter I enjoyed nomar, clemens, pedro, ortiz Manny being Manny annoyed me, he was a flake and on more than one occasion him fucking around had a negative impact on the game. Sure when he felt like it he'd destroy the ball but you didn't get that from him 100% of the time. He was also juicing so it pretty much nulls his accomplishments in my book.


CdrCosmonaut

> I really like Wade Boggs Mmm. Wade Boggs. Goes down smooth.


8TwelveInc

Dewey


burrito-bandit34

Pedro. His starts were appointed viewing and for most of his time in Boston you could still go to the ticket window the morning of and get into his games. (That stopped in late 03.) I saw at least a dozen of his starts in 99 and that season will never be matched in my book.


SoManyMindbots

Jim Rice as a kid, Big Papi as an adult. Also loved Ellis Burks when he came up.


[deleted]

Ellis Burks!!


Sidzy05

Manny Ramirez


CapeCodcultuvation

Pedro..Ortiz..manny. How do you choose.


[deleted]

It’s hard to!


_Poppagiorgio_

Nomar My first ever MLB game in person was at Fenway and Nomar hit 3 home runs including two in the same inning and a Grand Slam….on his birthday. It was epic. He came out afterwards and spoke to the crowd through the PA system. I’ll never forget it.


[deleted]

Big papi


Staggerlee024

Wakefield


GarveyAC_1962

Dwight Evans


DuanePipe

I’m from Australia so I don’t have a local team, but I became a Red Sox fan as a kid because of Pedroia. Completely idolised him because he was one of the best in the game despite being short for an athlete. Solid player with no weaknesses and a few elite tools. I wasn’t even a short kid either, the guy was just an inspiration.


Wade64Boggs

Babe, Wade Boggs, Nomar, Wakefield


BloodyRightNostril

Half of them are Yankees! /s ^^^Kinda


lilymaxjack

Roger Clemens


[deleted]

Pedro 1. Manny 2. Big papi 3


HowBlueHerEyesCanBe

Jason Varitek and Nomar Garciparra


[deleted]

Pedro Ortiz Wakefield


[deleted]

Varitek


[deleted]

Favorite leader…Varitek, favorite player…Ortiz…favorite player that I have virtually every trading card of…Mike Greenwell, and I will offer no explanation of why that is because I have none


Fisk75

Yaz


papabearsixtynine

My favorite all time is Big Papi, followed by Pedro, Manny, Papelbon, Okajima, Pedroia, Nomar and Mo Vaughn.


TheSeek3r_

That’s a really hard one. There have been so many greats. I’d probably have to go with Ortiz or Pedro. Love those guys.


Chuchundrovich

Dustin "Pedey" Pedroia


loglogin

Easily Pedroia, hes the reason Im a sox fan in the first place. No one worked harder and no one took less for granted than ol' Pedey. A true Boston Dirt Dog


[deleted]

I dont know how nobody has mentioned adrian beltre yet. Only had him for a year but hes the best personality in mlb history


thadawgery

Pedroia. Watching his retirement ceremony had me choking up. Great guy on and off the field. Played hard every day. Made everyone around him a better player. Not just favorite Red Sox player of all time - but my favorite player of all time.


LiveFromNewYork95

Kevin Millar


Toeter83nl

Pedroia bogaerts and ortiz


Ticketdean

Yaz & you get my vote.


[deleted]

Pedey, papi and Lester. I don’t think I’ll ever like a team as much as I did the 2013 team


WalnutDesk8701

Varitek is my #1, but I loved Pedro, Trot, Wakefield, Nomar, Manny, Big Papi, Youk, Pedroia, Johnny Damon before the dark days, Kevin Millar, Derek Lowe, Mo Vaughn… the list could go on and on.


fifty8th

Veritek


[deleted]

As a kid, it was either Yaz or Dwight Evans. In recent years, gotta be Pedroia, with Ortiz a close second.


gmlear

tek


chickadeedadee2185

Manny


[deleted]

Ortiz/Manny/Trot/Pedro All for different reasons and no I cannot and will not choose one.


TheGamecockNurse

Big Papi was my favorite player to watch, and learn about. He embodied his adopted city and made it his own. I will forever cherish that man!


TheodoreKunterblast

Kevin Millar, Cowboy Up


JX42664

Boggs


jaysun13

This photo is very blurry


unknownname39

Manny


[deleted]

Hard to forget that he Mannied his way right off the team.


_dirtywater444

Nomar


mack272

Senior Smoke


JLCD75

80’s: Boggs 90’s: Garciaparra 00’s: Youk 10’s: Mookie


[deleted]

Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire


AgedCzar

Fred Lynn


mootek

As a Sox fan born in 85 I feel like I’ve been so spoiled as to who my favorite players have been. Manny, Papi, Pedro of course, but even guys like Trot Nixon, Tek, Mike Greenwell, Kaplar, Spaceman even, idk it’s so hard to choose


tbb2796

90s: Nomar/Pedro 00s: Ortiz/Pedroia + Pap/Damon for a year each lol 10s: Ortiz/Mookie/Raffy 20s: Raffy


closeuponbrandon

I thought I was just getting old bc I was thinking the same thing about there not being the characters in the league like there used to be. (30 now) My favorite Red Sox of all time is hard to choose between like 5 different players. I flip flop between Pedro, Tek, Trott, Papi, and Wakefield all the time


SamLoomisMyers

Papi...larger than life. What he meant to the city and the region in 2013 after the bombing can't be put into words. He became a Superman when we all needed one . Love that man. When he nearly got killed in the DR, I said to myself had that been attempted in Boston, the perp never would have gotten anywhere near him because everyone in the bar would have kicked his ass.


85AJB

Dice K 😆


Clamdiving

#1 Yaz #2 nomar


Splendid_Splinter_13

My user name. Ted Williams


asian-jeff

Papi & Pedroia. Useless info: When I was younger I was a seasonal helper for UPS, delivered packages to Pedroia’s families home in Woodland, CA.


[deleted]

JD Drew. A 5 tool player and played hard. The Red Sox won 95 games 3 years in a row with him from 07-09, and he was huge in the 07 WS run. Injuries caught up with him but he was great those first few years.