Emergence of Young Players
2007 ushered in a new era of players for the Red Sox. The ’04 and ’13 teams showcased a number of veteran players. And while the ’07 team had its share of veterans, it also had a handful of young players. These players would start their great careers during this magical season.
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The one young player who started on Opening Day was Dustin Pedroia, who was seen as the next great player to come out of the farm system. And while he struggled in April, he came into form soon after. Hitting .317/8/50 in his first full year in the majors, he easily won the Rookie of the Year award with 94 percent of the first place votes.
Jacoby Ellsbury was another young player who would start a great career in 2007. While Ellsbury didn’t have the full season impact that Pedroia did, his impact happened when it mattered most. Ellsbury was a key member of the postseason run, hitting .438 in the World Series.
Jon Lester is another player who was a young player who factored heavily to this team’s success. While Lester started his career one year earlier, his season was cut short after he was diagnosed with lymphoma. He did not return to the majors until the end of July in ’07, but was a key part of the rotation during the playoff push. Also, Lester started Game 4 of the World Series, where he became the third player to win the World Series in his first playoff start.