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Boston Red Sox: Ranking the top 10 players from the 1990s

By Drew Athans

16 Oct 1999: Boston Red Sox celebrate during the ALCS game three against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 13-1. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
16 Oct 1999: Boston Red Sox celebrate during the ALCS game three against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 13-1. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport /
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Don Slaught, Catcher for the California Angels sits behind the plate as Mo Vaughn, First Baseman for the Boston Red Sox swings at the ball during the Major League Baseball American League West game against the California Angels on 26 May 1996 at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels won the game 12 – 2. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Allsport/Getty Images)
Don Slaught, Catcher for the California Angels sits behind the plate as Mo Vaughn, First Baseman for the Boston Red Sox swings at the ball during the Major League Baseball American League West game against the California Angels on 26 May 1996 at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels won the game 12 – 2. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Allsport/Getty Images) /

Mo Vaughn

One of the Red Sox’s most productive sluggers of the 1990s is now one of their most overlooked stars from that or any decade. Mo Vaughn was a homegrown player who called Boston home for the first eight seasons (1991-1998) of his twelve years in the majors and anchored first base for most of the decade.

“The Hit Dog,” as he was known, put up respectable numbers in 1991 and 1992, but it wasn’t until his third season in 1993 that he made his presence known when he clubbed 29 home runs and drove in 101. From there, he never hit fewer than 25 home runs in a Boston uniform. His stats from 1991 to 1998 look like this:

.297 BA, 230 HR, 752 RBI, 519 BB, 628 R, .387 OBP, .909 OPS

Vaughn was an All-Star in 1995,1996, and 1998 and won the 1995 American League MVP award with a .300 average, 39 home runs, and 126 RBI. While he was very popular with fans, he clashed with Red Sox ownership and the front office and after the 1998 season, he left in free agency for the Anaheim Angels (as they were called at that time).

Vaughn had some success in Anaheim and later New York (Mets) before his career ended, but his ballooning weight and injuries slowed him down. The Red Sox definitely got the best out of Vaughn and he remains one of the best sluggers they’ve ever had over their long history.

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