Ramirez ranks 15th all time with 555 home runs, more than any other player to ever put on a Red Sox uniform – with the exception of Babe Ruth, who was primarily a pitcher in Boston and did most of his damage at the plate while playing for some other team.
The Great Bambino may be one of the best power hitters ever, but he collected only 49 of his 714 career home runs during his six seasons in Boston. That’s not the case for Manny, who hit 274 home runs with the Red Sox, 6th most in franchise history.
Fans may remember Manny most for his goofy antics on and off the field, but there is no doubting that he was the best right-handed hitter in baseball during the seven and half seasons he spent here.
Ramirez was an All-Star in every season that he spent in Boston, hitting .312/.411/.588 over that span. He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting during his first five seasons in Boston, yet shockingly never finished higher than third. His atrocious defense in left field and unpredictable personality may have had something to do with that, but few could match Manny’s contributions at the plate.
Manny also added 11 postseason home runs during his tenure in Boston and was named MVP of the 2004 World Series.
No wonder Red Sox fans were willing to put up with “Manny being Manny” for so many years.
Next: David Ortiz