Jimmy’s replacement
When you are brought to town for Jim Piersall you better bring your glove to match. Gary Geiger played left and center for Boston and I remember him best in center. Geiger happened to be one of my favorite players and I am still of the opinion if he was not so injury prone he may have had a more respectable career. Geiger also matched teammate Jensen with a fear of flying.
Geiger actually led the team in home runs in 1961 with 18. Geiger also hit an anemic .232. That was an awful post-Ted Williams Red Sox collection. Even newcomer Carl Yastrzemski was somewhat of a bust. Geiger played seven seasons with Boston hitting .253 and providing limited power.
Examining the dWAR for Geiger’s career it is -1.8, but the true story is what I saw far too often in center field. Geiger was a “hesitant.” – a term I once heard a scout describe as a player who stalls on a ball instead of instinctively getting a jump on it. Geiger’s arm was also one that matches up with Jacoby Ellsbury or Johnny Damon.
Being a favorite of mine I hate to place Geiger on this list, but he was just not that good of an outfielder.