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Boston Red Sox: Ranking top 10 players from the 1980s

By Drew Athans

CHICAGO: Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox bats during an MLB game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Boggs played for the Boston Red Sox from 1982-1992. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
CHICAGO: Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox bats during an MLB game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Boggs played for the Boston Red Sox from 1982-1992. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – CIRCA 1990: Dwight Evans #24 of the Boston Reds Sox bats during an Major League Baseball game circa 1990 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Evans played for the Red Sox from 1972-90. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – CIRCA 1990: Dwight Evans #24 of the Boston Reds Sox bats during an Major League Baseball game circa 1990 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Evans played for the Red Sox from 1972-90. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Dwight Evans

Rice’s long time teammate Dwight Evans was more of a late bloomer. Evans played all but the final season of his twenty year career (1972-1991) with the Red Sox, manning right field with an incredible glove and rocket arm before Mookie Betts was even born. That defensive prowess led to Dewey (as he was affectionately called) winning eight Gold Glove awards (including five in a row in the 1980s, from 1981-85).

As for his prowess at the plate, Evans was a solid hitter in the 1970s who never hit more than seventeen home runs in a season until 1978 when he suddenly developed his power stroke. From then to the end of his career, he was one of the best sluggers in the American League while hitting for respectable average.

Taking his 1970s numbers out of the mix and pretending as though his final season of 1991 which was spent in Baltimore didn’t exist, Evans spent the 1980s producing the following numbers for the Red Sox: .276 BA, 269 HR, and 963 RBI. Until the tail end of the 1980s, Evans seemed to get better with age. He’s remained a borderline Hall of Famer who isn’t yet in Cooperstown although I and many others think he deserves the honor.

Had Evans started hitting for power a few seasons earlier than he did, he’d probably be in Cooperstown. His numbers are eerily similar to Rice’s (although it took Dewey four more seasons than Rice to compile them), but combined with his defensive awards, he really should be in already. Either way, he was definitely one of the best Red Sox players of the 1980s.

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