Red Sox: Home run hitting sluggers Boston should have signed
The Boston Red Sox have had great hitters, but there were a few that simply would have mashed if they played at Fenway Park. Here are a few of my favorites.
The real hunt for the Golden Ticket started when Tom Yawkey purchased the Boston Red Sox. Just what is the Golden Ticket? The ultimate prize for the tender little bandbox known as Fenway Park. That, however, is somewhat of a misnomer as the park is really rather spacious except for the main attraction – The Monster or left field wall. Hence a now worldwide search for a prodigious right-handed power hitter.
The search should have commenced with the demise of the Dead Ball Era, but by then the Red Sox were being dismantled like a structure being condemned. No money and virtually a permanent fixture in last place there was no one to help on the horizon. With Yawkey came Jimmie Foxx, also known as “The Beast.” Foxx still owns the cherished team single season home run mark for a right-handed batter at 50.
The search continued with some, such as Manny Ramirez being incredibly successful and others, such as Ron Jackson (who?) being incredible failures. In between is a litany that runs all over the power hitting map.
Through my baseball years, there have been players that I would have emptied out the coffers – monetarily or with prospects – to take aim at that very inviting left-field barrier. I will offer up a few of my favorites, but, alas, there are many that I have omitted. So here is my personal list of right-handed power hitters who would have cleaned the bases at Fenway.
FRANK ROBINSON
The possible situation. Bases are loaded at Fenway Park with the score tied in a late season game. Both the Red Sox and visiting O’s need the game. You are a bullpen pitcher being called in to face Frank Robinson in his prime. What are your options? Hide in the bullpen porta potty? Start cutting yourself? Drink motor oil? All offer a more promising outcome.
In 62 games at Fenway Park, Robinson hit .350 in 217 at-bats with 22 home runs and 57 RBI. Robinson posted a 1.188 OPS in his Fenway games and had more walks (42) than strikeouts (39). Long ago Stan Musial got the nickname “The Man” when Dodger fans would lament about “Here comes that man again.” That was Robinson.
The “Big Red Machine” was not – to me – the Reds of the 1970s, but the Reds of Robinson’s rookie year of 1956 when the 20-year-old slugged 38 home runs. That year the Reds hit 221 home runs.
Robinson was a noted leader in the clubhouse as a player and openly put his name out to become the first black manager at the major league level. Robinson succeeded. Robinson is an award magnet and that means everything from a Rookie of the Year to Most Valuable Player. This guy just loved Fenway.
HARMON KILLEBREW
If I was ever going to build a player that was simply made for Fenway Park it would be Hall of Fame member Harmon Killebrew. Signed as an 18-year-old “bonus baby” Killer was forced to stay on the Senators MLB roster for two years. Flipping between the minors and majors Killebrew’s first full season was 1959 and he won the first of six home run titles.
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In the 1960s the Twins – formerly the Senators – had a remarkable lineup that also included two great hitters in Tony Oliva and Rod Carew. I remember the joy of watching the Twins batting practice that seemed to continue right into the game. This club could really hit.
Killebrew’s numbers at Fenway Park are exceptional. In 135 games and 488 at-bats “Hammerin’ Harmon” hit .316 with 37 home runs and 107 RBI. Killebrew’s OPS was 1.038. One particular note is in 1963 when Boston’s Dick Stuart or “Stone Fingers” was in a battle for the home run title with Killebrew. In a late season, three game series the Red Sox staff allowed five home runs to Killebrew – supposedly they were fed up with Stuart’s indifferent play and served up some tasty meatballs.
Killebrew would have been deadly at Fenway Park, but what would have immensely helped is his average as Killebrew hit .256 for his career. Half a schedule at Fenway would have given that a jolt. Killebrew hit more road home runs ar Fenway than at any other park.
ROCKY COLAVITO
In 1959 Rocky Colavito won the American League home run title and was promptly traded. In an unusual swap, the Cleveland Indians acquired American League batting champion Harvey Kuenn from Detroit in the exchange.
One item of note with Colavito is his throwing arm. Colavito had an arm that I would certainly rate with that of Roberto Clemente, Carl Furillo, and Dwight Evans. Rocky even won a game late in his career for the Yankees by tossing 2.2 innings of shutout ball. But Colavito was paid to hit home runs and he did – especially at Fenway Park.
Colavito played 111 games at Fenway and had 392 at-bats. That translated to 26 home runs and 68 RBI. Colavito was never a high average hitter with a lifetime .266 average and hitting just .300 once in his career. At Fenway, it was a different story as his lifetimes average was .309 with a .961 OPS.
Colavito was traded after the 1963 season to Kansas City, where he hammered 34 home runs for the A’s. His reward was to be traded after one season back to Cleveland, where in 1965 he led the American League with 108 RBI. Maybe the Red Sox should have stepped in during that period and made an offer? Would have made a nice addition to Tony Conigliaro.
JOE CARTER
Looking at the statistics for Joe Carter I was mildly surprised that he never led the league in home runs. Maybe if Carter played at Fenway he would have? Carter was available in 1991 and signed a then mammoth contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. The seven-year deal produced 203 home runs, six seasons of 100+ RBI and being an integral part of two World Series championships – just think walk-off home run.
Carter loved Fenway Park, where he had 79 career games hitting .312 – a figure well above his career average of .259. Against Boston, he would just rake with 22 home runs, 60 RBI, and a .954 OPS. Another player who you considered successful pitching against at Fenway when the ball stayed in the yard.
The Red Sox of 1990-91 were somewhat of a confused mess – I am being kind – regarding management. Carter would have been an exceptional big-ticket, but his durability, clutch ability, leadership and that beautiful made for Fenway swing would have been worth it.
ROY SIEVERS
As a teenager, Roy Sievers was one of my favorite visiting players. Sievers had the misfortune of spending most of his career with two just awful performing franchises – the St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators. Both teams were generally out of the race by the end of April.
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Sievers was the Rookie of the Year in 1949 as a 22-year-old with the Browns. The next four seasons were punctuated with inconsistent performance and a series of injuries that eventually resulted in a trade to the Senators. The new surroundings proved rather favorable and Sievers led the American League in home runs (42) and RBI (114) in 1957.
Sievers was a dead pull hitter who would hit arcing fly balls or rising line drives. Usually, the wall has a tendency to take from hitters, but Sievers had some nice loft to his Fenway hits. In 110 games encompassing 416 at-bats, Sievers hit 25 home runs, had 87 RBI and hit .327 – a far distance from his career .267. Sievers also went to four digits with a 1.006 OPS. Just a natural Fenway Park swing.
BILL SKOWRON
The Yankees were loaded in the 1950s and right through to1964. Mickey Mantle certainly is a name that surfaces in any Yankee discussion of that era, but the one who I remember is Bill Skowron. Also known affectionately as “Moose.” The name was the result not of size, but a lousy haircut that made him look like Mussolini and that was eventually migrated into Moose.
Skowron was simply not a big home run hitter. In his career, his highest total was 28 and for his career just 211. Skowron never led the league in any notable offensive category – RBI, runs, slugging and with RBI Skowron never came close to having a season with a 100. Skowron was excellent, but not spectacular first baseman, either.
The key is Fenway Park. What would Skowron have accomplished with a park far friendlier to his pull hitting? The numbers give some insight into that and why I considered him the most feared Yankee at Fenway. In 106 games and 378 at-bats, Skowron hit 24 home runs and had 77 RBI. Skowron was a .282 career hitter, but at Fenway that jumped to .333 and a .965 OPS.
In 1889 at-bats at Yankee Stadium Skowron hit just 60 home runs as far too many shots went to the deepest parts of their Death Valley. At Fenway that home run total would have doubled.
OTHER NOTABLES
Bob Allison was an underrated power hitter who slammed 22 home runs at Fenway good for 64 RBI and a .296 average. Allison played 97 games in Boston with 348 at-bats and had a .947 OPS.
Looking for an all or nothing hitter? Go no further than Dave Kingman, but he certainly enjoyed Fenway. Kingman played only 20 games in Boston with 76 at-bats, but hit 13 home runs and had 21 RBI. Kingman had a 1.161 OPS to go with a .276 average.
Bill Melton once capture a home run title and he certainly enjoyed Fenway with a .345 average. Melton played 44 games with 165 at-bats that produced nine home runs and 30 RBI. His .995 OPS say a lot. Hated to see him up. Dead pull hitter.
The statistical mirror of Melton is Troy Glaus. Glaus also won a home run title and played 44 games in Fenway with 156 at-bats. Glaus had nine home runs, 29 RBI, a .308 average and a .987 OPS.
By 31-years-old Juan Gonzalez career was essentially over. A two time home run champion and two time MVP. Gonzalez appeared in 60 games at Fenway with 256 at-bats that generated 20 home runs and 63 RBI. In his healthy prime, he was exceptionally tough.
Gorman Thomas is on my memory list, simply because he was a joy to those of us in center field. “Stormin’ Gorman” only hit .230 at Fenway, but the two time home run (and strikeout) champion hit 16 home runs in 71 games and 235 at-bats. Towering home runs were his trademark.
Before there was Aaron Judge there was Frank Howard for skyscraper players. Howard simply murdered the ball. Howard played in 73 games at Fenway having 268 at-bats. The totals were 18 home runs, 45 RBI a .291 average and .914 OPS.
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If Gus Zernial ever hit a ball to right field, then it must have been an accident. Just a straight pull hitter who was physically built like a steamer trunk. Zernial played 98 games at Fenway accumulating 365 at-bats. What is impressive is his 28 home runs and 73 RBI. Zeke hit.277 in Boston with a .885 OPS. Physically intimidating.