Boston Red Sox first-time nominees for Baseball Hall of Fame

Other first-time nominees

There are nine players being added to the ballot this year with ties to the Red Sox. The aforementioned players are the most prominent, but there are several others worth mentioning even if they have little chance of remaining on the ballot beyond this year.

Orlando Cabrera never made an All-Star team or finished in the top 10 in MVP voting, but Red Sox fans will fondly remember him for his contributions to the 2004 curse-breaking World Series team. Boston acquired O-Cab in a franchise altering move that shipped star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra out of town. Cabrera only played 58 regular season games in a Red Sox uniform, but he brought much needed energy to the team to help fuel their championship run.

J.D. Drew was known for his robotic personality and lucrative contract more than his production. He never lived up to the expectations fans had when the Red Sox signed him, but he was an underrated talent for his penchant for getting on base and solid defense. Fans saw the amount of zeros attached to his salary and assumed the Red Sox were getting a 30-homer slugger, but that’s not who Drew was. He did hit what is fondly remembered as the “$70 million grand slam” against Cleveland in the 2007 ALCS, which earned him that contract with one swing in the minds of many.

Mike Cameron had a solid career, but his value was based mostly on his defensive skills in center field. He possessed a rare combination of power and speed, producing four seasons with 25+ home runs and five with 25+ steals. His time in Boston came at the tail end of his career when he was no longer able to provide much in either category.

Edgar Renteria was a multi-time All-Star that once looked to be on a path to at least get the attention of some Hall of Fame voters. Then he came to Boston, couldn’t handle the pressure in this market and his reputation went in the tank. Renteria’s production at the plate dropped off and he led the league with 30 errors in 2005, convincing the Red Sox to give up on him after only one season and agree to pay a significant portion of his remaining contract to play elsewhere.

Freddy Sanchez was part of one of the worst trades in franchise history. In 2003 the Red Sox traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jeff Suppan, who was an immediate disaster in 10 starts to finish the season before bolting back to the National League. Meanwhile, Sanchez would go on to win a batting title and make three All-Star appearances in Pittsburgh.

Next: Red Sox Rumors: Could Arroyo come back to Boston?

Matt Stairs played for 13 different teams in 19 seasons, only one of which was spent in Boston. His bat had some power and he knew how to take a walk, but he was mostly a part-time, one-dimensional player for the bulk of his career.