Boston Red Sox MVPs: Listing the top ten
Ranking the top-10 MVP award winners in Boston Red Sox history.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Most Valuable Player Award has a history that dates back to 1911 when it was known as the Chalmers Award after an automobile manufacturer. Thankfully, not the Yugo Award. After 1914, Chalmers discontinued the award and the honors sat vacant until 1922 when League Awards were introduced.
League Awards were a bit more stable than Chalmers and survived until 1929. After a one-year hiatus, the award surfaced again with its current banner – Baseball Writer’s Association of America Most Valuable Player and the format is simple. A ballot is issued and a writer simply selects up to ten players and points are assigned based on where one pops up on the ballot. The current distribution of ballots is two voters from each league city.
The New York Yankees (22) and St. Louis Cardinals (17) have had the most winners, so team success influences the ballot. I still have difficulty comprehending Ernie Banks winning back-to-back awards for teams that finished well under .500.
Willie Stargell and Keith Hernandez once tied for the award and Barry Bonds is the all-time leader with seven awards and, to me, a big asterisk. Several others have won multiple times and 17 have been unanimous.
The Boston Red Sox have had players win the award 11 times among ten players – and just who had the best season? I will take a look and make my own personal picks with a certain amount of emotionalism tossed in. Most of the MVP season’s I have had the pleasure to watch the performers so I do have a personal investment and perspective. I do have a preference for big numbers in the power department and that certainly puts a damper on some. Winning is also important or at least as close to winning as possible. So here is my list top ten list starting with ten.
Next: No. 7 - No. 10
Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Number Ten
Jackie Jensen – Right Field
1958 Stats: 154 G, .286/.396/.535, 157 H, 83 R, 35 HR, 122 RBI
Jensen was one of my favorite players in my youth and his capturing the MVP certainly got the attention of a young fan, but now I am an old fan and reflect back. Boston finished third and the MVP field was very weak. Bob Turley (21-7, 2.97), the fine right-hander for the pennant-winning Yankees, finished second. Rocky Colavito and Bob Cerv had decent years and Mickey Mantle, a Mike Trout type perennial favorite, failed to knock in a 100.
Number Nine
Dustin Pedroia – Second base
2008 Stats: 157 G, .326/.376/.493, 213 H, 118 R, 17 HR, 83 RBI
A special player who did everything possible to get to the World Series, but Tampa finished the Red Sox off in the ALCS. Petey led the league in hits, runs and doubles while getting an All-Star nod, Silver Slugger, and a Gold Glove. Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer split the Twins vote and Kevin Youkilis grabbed third in the voting. Good numbers and possibly great numbers considering his position.
Number Eight
Tris Speaker – Centerfield
1912 Stats: 153 G, .384/.464/.567, 222 H, 136 R, 10 HR, 90 RBI
A classy defensive player and a member of the HOF. Speaker led the American League in doubles (53), OBP and home runs. Yes – this was the Deadball era and ten home runs was enough to lead. Part of the great outfield with Harry Hooper and Duffy Lewis. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series and Speaker thus becomes the only Red Sox MVP on a championship team.
Number Seven
Mo Vaughn – First Base
1995 Stats: 140 G, .300/.388/.575, 165 H, 98 R, 39 HR, 126 RBI
This MVP vote just about came down to a hanging chad as Vaughn beat out Albert Belle or “Joey.” I actually think Mo had a few seasons in Boston that surpassed his MVP year and the next year – 1996 – was one of them, but in 1995 the Red Sox won the division and that gets some extra points. Vaughn did lead the league in RBI (and strikeouts) and that .000 in the three-game loss to Cleveland in the ALDS still pains me.
Next: No. 3 - No. 6
Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Number Six
Roger Clemens – Pitcher
1986 Stats: 24-4 W/L, 33 G, 254 IP, 179 H, 67 BB, 238 K, 2.48 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 2.81 FIP
Clemens also captured the Cy Young Award and although I have a personal aversion to MVP for pitchers, a case can certainly be built around Roger’s work. Leading the league in just about every significant pitching category with one surprising exception – strike outs. Don Mattingly finished second and Rice came in third. The horrors of the World Series will not be detailed here.
Number Five
Jim Rice – Left Field
1978 Stats: 163 G, .315/.370/.600, 213 H, 121 R, 46 HR, 139 RBI
Possibly the most feared right-handed bat in baseball for a decade and 1978 was at the top of his performance chart. Rice led the league in most offensive departments and even bagged a league leading 15 triples. Jim Ed also showed his penchant for mashing in double plays by leading the league with 31. Most were rockets capable of infielder decapitation. Ron Guidry (25-3, 1.74) finished second in the voting. The season can be spelled out with two words: Bucky Dent.
Number Four
Ted Williams – Left field
1946 Stats: 150 G, .342/.497/.667, 176 H, 142 R, 38 HR, 123 RBI
The 1946 Red Sox were a juggernaut and won the American League pennant by 12 games. Williams also was MVP in 1949, but there was no World Series for that team, so I will use 1946. Williams led the league in runs (142), walks (156), total bases (343) and OPS (1.164). So much for rust after three years of military service.
Number Three
Jimmie Foxx – First base
1938 Stats: 149 G, .349/.462/.704, 197 H, 139 R, 50 HR, 175 RBI
Foxx just missed the Triple-Crown since Hank Greenberg polished off 58 home runs for Detroit, but “The Beast” just dominated. A powerful right-handed bat that also led the league in total bases (398) and OPS (1.116). Foxx did everything possible, but the Red Sox finished second – well behind the Yankees.
Next: No. 2
Number Two
Fred Lynn – Centerfield
1975 Stats: 145 G, .331/.401/.566, 175 H, 103 R, 21 HR, 105 RBI
A unanimous choice for MVP so that gives an idea of just what a season Lynn had, but the Rookie of the Year Award? Not unanimous since one writer split the vote between Lynn and his “Gold Dust Twin” partner – Rice.
The entire season was a highlight film of Lynn – a Gold Glove recipient – making a spectacular catch, a perfect throw, a clutch hit or taking an extra base. Lynn led the American League in doubles (47), runs (103) and OPS (.967). In Detroit, Lynn hammered on three home runs and had 10 RBI in dismantling the Tigers in one game. And don’t forget the triple and single in that game for a 5-5 night.
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In the World Series, I especially recall Lynn attempting to flag down a hit that was an eventual triple, by crashing into the wall in left-center. Lynn recovered and the Red Sox had the good sense to pad the walls in the offseason.
Lynn simply did it all for a team that had collapsed in 1974 and that erased some very bitter memories for this Red Sox fan. The 1975 team was similar to the Red Sox team of today with a blend of veteran talent and several young players who contributed, but Lynn was the focal point around which everything coalesced.
In the memorable World Series, Lynn hit .280 with a home run and five RBI in a bitter loss to Cincinnati.
Next: No. 1
Number One
Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Carl Yastrzemski – Left Field
1967 Stats: 161 G, .326/.418/.622, 189 H, 112 R, 44 HR, 121 RBI
The top slot for MVP goes to Yastrzemski and it is based as much on the magnitude of his performance as to the long-term impact that it keyed.
The Red Sox prior to 1967 were a disappointing and dismal team with a too long list of poor performances. In 1966, the Red Sox had finished ninth in a ten team league and that was typical of the Yaz years circa 1961-1966.
Yastrzemski had reasonable success as a player, although he was never into the elevated power class of Williams, who Yastrzemski had replaced in left field. A batting title in 1963, leading the league three times in doubles, three All-Star appearances and a pair of Gold Gloves. Then came 1967.
If there was a big play to be made Yastrzemski did it with the bat, glove, and arm. A Triple Crown tells the story as does the name Cesar Tovar (who?). Tovar got a first place MVP vote since he managed a remarkable .267 average and a dynamic six home runs and 47 RBI for the Twins. Blame that on a Twins “writer.”
Yastrzemski topped off the season with a .400 average in the World Series along with three home runs and five RBI in the Red Sox loss to St. Louis in seven games. That brings us back to the true impact of that team that spurred a revival of baseball in Boston that has never looked back.
The success of the franchise has magnified despite some speed bumps along the way but year after year the crowds have continued to pour into Fenway Park and the Red Sox have become relevant. Without Yastrzemski’s brilliant season and the WS that it brought about that revival may never have taken place.
Next: Red Sox all-time 25-man roster
Sources: Fangraphs/baseball-refrence/SABR