Red Sox Top 5 Most Satisfying Moments of 2015

Sep 27, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder

Mookie Betts

(50) and second baseman

Dustin Pedroia

(third from left) celebrate a victory against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Imagine how a “Top 5 most satisfying moments of 2014” article would look. Number 1 writes itself with “It’s over” but after that honestly I’m really struggling here. That such a topic can even be discussed with more than 5 moments to choose from in 2015 is such a vast improvement that you may be surprised to know I haven’t put “It’s not 2014” as my top pick. So great were the waters muddied last year, with little Dirty Water to be found, that even being mediocre comes as something of a breath of fresh air.

For a second year running the Red Sox finished last but something felt different about 2015. It was more than unbridled hope and optimism, it was a feeling that this year was laying the groundwork for a return to contention, not a return to the unnerving feeling that success could only be generated through throwing free agents at the wall to see what sticks. We built, through trial and fire, a framework that could make any general manager salivate. And it worked.

The evidence could be seen at the sell-out Fenway to it’s very last game. Compare and contrast to the Wild Card birthed Yankee fans who opted to catch up on sleep from the comfort of their own homes rather than at Yawnkee Stadium. This is a team that was down and out, yet managed to play some incredible baseball along the way and revived interest even as football season got into it’s swing.

So before we look ahead to 2016, let’s look back at the moments that made 2015 an enjoyable year. No spoiling yourselves on the tags!

Next: Opening Day

Apr 6, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher

Clay Buchholz

(11) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning on opening day at Citizens bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

5) Opening Day

Evidence, as if it was needed, that you should probably wait a few weeks or so before making any rash judgments and/or bragging on the internet about a team’s worth.

The Red Sox won 8-0 with two homers from Dustin Pedroia, a homer and a Grand Slam from Hanley Ramirez and another homer from Mookie Betts. Clay Buchholz threw seven innings of three hit ball and the bullpen came in and finished the job. That’s a pretty good start right there. OK so it was against the Phillies and honestly, Johnny Gomes would fancy his chances pitching a shutout inning or two. On top of that, Cole Hamels was having a shaky, to say the least, start to the season and was going to show the susceptibility to the long ball in more outings thereafter. Even so, at the time we didn’t know this at all.

The Phillies tanking quite so majestically as they did was a surprise to many, their owners included, despite the downward trend they’ve sleepwalked into over recent years. This really did seem like justification for all the moves made by now former Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington and his front office made over the offseason. We had power bats that would make it rain at the drop of a helmet (Hanley ended up doing much of the latter, though not so much the former), a lights out bullpen and a rotation that was at least capable enough behind such enormous offensive potential.

We look back now, chuckle at the naivety and marvel at just how different and indeed older that Opening Day line-up was. But back then, the excitement was all the more so tangible.

Next: Brock Holt hits for the cycle

Jun 16, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder

Brock Holt

(26) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

4) Brock Holt hits for the cycle

Speaking of opening day, here’s someone who didn’t feature in the line-up; Brock Holt.

Originally a throw-in piece with Joel Hanrahan in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Holt didn’t take long in showing that he was the main event. A so called “super utility” player, Holt played in every position but pitcher and catcher in 2014 and did the same again this year, only on a far more prolific level.

Holt can hit and hit consistently well, his defense affords the Red Sox an impressive +2 WAR safety net from anywhere on the park and he has shiny golden locks that mesmerize fans and opponents alike. What’s not to love?

On June 16^th in a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park, Holt went one step further and helped himself to one of everything. Hitting a double, single and home run off Julio Teheran and finishing with a stunning triple off Sugar Ray Marimon in the 8^th to hit for the cycle, the first time a Red Sox has done so in some 19 years. Wow.

For a team (at the time) 10 games under .500, the excitement generated by Holt’s cycle seemed almost to be the catalyst for a reversal of fortunes right up until the All-Star Break. This guy, who was playing for insignificant money in comparison to the already failing offseason free agent signings, had accomplished something far beyond our or even his expectations. This guy would become Boston’s representative at the All-Star Game, coming on, stealing a base and scoring a run while we all cheered and felt proud. This guy would go on to defy talk of post season slumping and finish with some .280 AVG and .727 OPS in 129 games, a career high.

An incredible story, but Brock Holt’s cycle will remain more enduring in memory and in history.

Next: Pedro Martinez inducted into the Baseball HOF

Jul 28, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Hall of Fame player

Pedro Martinez

poses for a selfie with Boston Red Sox designated hitter

David Ortiz

(34) during his number retirement ceremony before the game against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

3) Pedro Martinez inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame

This had to be here, the only question was where.

I hesitate to provide an introduction to Pedro Martinez, perhaps the greatest pitcher in recent memory and certainly the greatest Red Sox pitcher of all time. His record very much speaks for itself. An 8 time All-Star, 3 time Cy Young winner, with the lowest career WHIP and ERA+ in baseball history. That’s only for starters. Statistics fail to tell even a small part of the incredible Pedro Martinez story. It thus came as no surprise that he was elected to join the Baseball Hall of Fame and at the same time, the Red Sox retired his number 45 and all this happened in 2015.

Seeing Martinez walk to the podium at the induction ceremony as the fans chanted “Pedro! Pedro!” was scintillating. He was dressed in a blue suit, ever the dapper gent, with patches for his native Dominican Republic and his home, the United States. His speech was textbook Pedro, with humor and reflection casually mixed but his underlying modesty shining through.

The highlight of the day may well have been the video presentation of Jason Varitek talking about working with Pedro. Showcased throughout was his stunning six innings of no-hit relief provided in 1999 against the Cleveland Indians. Pedro was injured, had no fastball or changeup command or speed, yet still managed to flummox what was then the best hitting team in baseball with his unhittable curveball alone.

Pedro Martinez has been a Boston legend ever since, but now he is finally recognized by MLB as the baseball legend he really is. “Boston, I don’t have enough words to say how much I love you,” Martinez said. We love you too, Pedro.

Next: Rich Hill's complete game shutout

Sep 25, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher

Rich Hill

(62) pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

2) Rich Hill‘s Complete Game Shutout

So if before September 13^th the words “Rich Hill” made you think about a 2014 docu-drama movie about how hard life is in rural Missouri, then I don’t blame you. You may well have vaguely remembered there was such a pitcher who was a bullpen LOOGY with the Red Sox between 2010-2012. Certainly not a starter, let alone a history making starter.

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Rich Hill. After coming from the Long Island Ducks to cover gaping holes in the Pawtucket rotation, he impressed and was brought up to do the same in Boston. For once the clickbait titles were correct, you would never guess what happened next – he dominated.

His debut against Tampa Bay saw him go 7 innings of one hit ball, striking out 10. His second game against Toronto, the best hitting club in baseball, was 7 innings with 3 earned runs on 7 hits and 10 strikeouts. Then number three against Baltimore was a complete game of 2 hits, no runs and 10 k’s. Seeing a pattern here? Yep, Rich Hill became the first American League pitcher in 100 years to fan 10+ batters per game in each of his first three starts for a club. Unbelievable.

Surely the highlight was the Baltimore game, a complete game against a team well able to rake when required, allowing only a mere two hits. He was absolutely dominant. Throwing strike after strike, not a single one of his pitches was lacking. His fastball may not have broken much above 90 MPH, but batters simply couldn’t live with it’s bamboozling movement and placement. His curveball had breath-taking bite and was borderline unhittable by a team more than capable of hitting.

Ah, but with the last pitch of the game the shutout almost went south. Chris Davis, Majors leader in home runs this year, smacked what surely looked like an addition to his tally to the right field wall. Only it didn’t. Making a stunning diving catch into the bullpen Mookie Betts managed to reel in it in and end the game. TV replays showed Rich mouthing what we were all thinking.

An incredible ending to an incredible game, perhaps even Boston’s very best this year, that saw hits from all over the park, including three doubles from David Ortiz. The story though belongs to Rich Hill and who would have guessed the Red Sox would find themselves pondering his inclusion in the 2016 rotation after displaying top of the rotation potential? After his complete game shutout, I’m not surprised at all.

Next: David Ortiz hits his 500th HR

Sep 28, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; The Red Sox celebrate the win after the ninth inning of the game at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Final thoughts

In a year that had many disappointments and the Red Sox ultimately finished in the cellar again, there was much to enjoy and even more to be excited about. The emergence of Boston’s young and devastatingly capable talent  like the “Killer B’s”, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, Jr., and the revelations of Travis Shaw, Eduardo Rodriguez, Blake Swihart, Brock Holt and others has our mouths wet for the years to come.

Perhaps even more satisfying than all the things I have listed is the fact that this team that came around a little too late has the chance to do it all next year, with a little help over the offseason. And could we really think the same this time last year?

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