Red Sox players from the past seared in my negative memory

The Boston Red Sox have had an ample share of magnificent players, but then there are the others.  Here are four that I am working on forgetting.

There are players who have passed through Fenway Park that leave a lasting impression. We see their numbers retired hanging from right field. Some Boston Red Sox legends have made it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. A few remain in the community or actively participate in the organization.

Then there are the others. Players who leave an impression for all the wrong reasons. Some may be just observing talent that remained untapped with potential never reached.  For others, it is behaviors that leave one wondering about psychological issues.

I could have an extensive list going back into the early 1950s but will attempt to keep it more recent. Dick Stuart could be the leader of dysfunction and Roger Moret for a certain sadness, so I will place limits.

In some instances, players may have performed surprisingly well, but the inescapable fact was they simply had a questionable presence that somehow made the team collective weaker and not stronger.

Right-handed power bats have always been on the prowl target for Red Sox management and trading righty Bronson Arroyo to Cincinnati for Wily Mo Pena may have brought one of significance in the 6’ 3” and 300 pounder to town – especially after Pena’s first season.

Pena had 304 plate appearances with a slash of 11/42/.301, but hidden within the statistical array is a telling figure – 0.22 BB/K. A free swinger extraordinaire whose entire career could be summarized by prodigious home runs, questionable fielding, and a career 0.20 BB/K. Wily could make Aaron Judge envious with some of his blasts.

By Mid-August of 2007 Boston had seen enough and the 25-year-old Pena was shipped to the Nationals along with his .218 average and 58 strikeouts in 73 games. Pena was always questionable in the field and advanced metrics back that up.

After stints with the Nationals, Mets, Padres, and Seattle Pena took his show on the road and that road was in Japan. Japan showed no change as Pena hit home runs, struck out, hit for a low average and but in time with four teams in five seasons in Japan.

There are games that sit in your mind and forever burned in your memory banks and this is a brief synopsis of one. Israel Alcantara was just hammering International League pitching in 2001 while at Pawtucket (AAA).  Then it happened when “Izzy” took a high hard one designed to get his uniform dirty with an appropriate avoidance sprawl.

Alcantara first kicked the opposing catcher in the mask and then charged the mound – a baseball first with a kick and charge. That was the beginning of the festivities that eventually resulted in Izzy being suspended for six games.

Alcantara could hit and the right-handed power hitter whacked 36 home runs for the PawSox and hit .297. Boston beckoned for a September call-up and Izzy hit .263. The previous season Alcantara had a bit more significant time with Boston appearing in 21 games and hitting four home runs.

Alcantara was less the industrious defensively and would often engage in a half-hearted effort on a fly ball or gap double. I believe in one Boston game he was extracted for his indifference defensively. In 2002 with the Brewers Izzy had a -53.2 UZR/150. I question why it was so generous?

Alcantara lasted only three major league seasons and at 29-years-old was on his way to play in the Caribbean, Taiwan, Korea, and Mexico before becoming a rather interesting baseball historical, or hysterical and not historical, footnote.

Sometimes a player looks excellent until you see them day after day and realize they are more a liability than an asset. That was Jose Offerman. Offerman was coming off a .315 season with the Royals in which he led the American League in triples and the Red Sox pounced on the free agent.

In his first Boston season, Offerman made the All-Star team and eventually led the AL in triples again while hitting .294. What’s not to like? How about defense for starters. The only reason Offerman could be deemed acceptable at second base in Boston years was the Yankees Chuck Knoblauch who brought defensive incompetency to another level.

Offerman could potentially get a shortstop mutilated with a less than advantageous toss. Poor foot movement, inability to go to his right and left with any savoir-faire, and a cultured ability to be a half step behind on every play.

In baseball when you have below average defensive skills you live and die by the bat and Offerman’s MLB career was about to expire. The Red Sox shipped Offerman off to Seattle in his last contract year and took some dead money in the process.

Offerman then hung on a few more season with a variety of teams before closing out his professional career by assaulting a pitcher with a bat in an independent league game. Offerman later followed that ugly incident up in 2010 by assaulting an umpire while managing a winter league team.