Three Red Sox success stories on patience and perseverance
The Boston Red Sox are not unusual as all teams scour the baseball landscape for talent and exhibit patience with rookies. Here are three reasons why.
The Boston Red Sox have brought in a number of players that may or may not help stabilize a team that is in dire need of some positives. This is not unusual as teams routinely stockpile players on the cusp of MLB scrap heap. Last season, out of nowhere came Marcus Walden and the season before it was Ryan Brasier – players off the baseball graveyard.
The Red Sox also saw the flip side with MLB veterans Chris Owings and Jhoulys Chacin as neither did anything to give ballast for a sinking ship. The Red Sox also had two other reclamation projects in Gorkys Hernandez and Juan Centeno who did little to enhance the Red Sox brand. But that doesn’t stop Boston or any other team. Just a pursuing of the transaction list will show some of the names that may strike pay dirt. Jonathan Lucroy?
The great unknown is rookies and sometimes there is promise such as shown by Darwinzon Hernandez. This season they may get a bit of luck and a pitcher or two will surprise a team in desperate need of positive news. Most, however, get their cup of coffee and move on either back to the minors or sent elsewhere.
Now for a look at why there is always that glimmer of hope with three players that impacted the Red Sox. A veteran who was baseball toast, a rookie who was flaying away, and a player deep in the baseball bushes.
The Veteran
Boston sports have a collection of legends and among them is right-hander Luis Tiant who the Red Sox should have given up on. Tiant was spectacular with Cleveland in 1968 going 21-9 and leading American League hurlers with a 1.60 ERA. The following season, Tiant accomplished a remarkable feat and lost 20 games, but still produced a 3.71 ERA. Then he started the road to Boston.
The first step was a trade to the Twins followed by a release and signing by Atlanta only to be released after one month. The Red Sox took a chance and signed Tiant, who did nothing, going just 1-7 in a dual role of rotation and bullpen for a third-place team. They kept Tiant. An aging pitcher who apparently lost it.
In 1972, the magic was back and El Tiante won 15 games and again led the league with a sparkling 1.91 ERA. The dividends kept coming with three 20 game seasons and a spectacular 173-pitch complete game in the World Series against the Reds. Tiant concluded his eight Boston seasons with a 122-81 record and 3-0 in the 1975 playoffs/World Series.
Tiant is one of many pitchers who returned from the baseball dead to resuscitate a career thought long gone. An example of why a veteran with previously established credentials will continue to get employment opportunities. Exactly why Boston signed Bret Saberhagen. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not such as John Smoltz.
The Rookie
Players often require patience tested by repeated failure and in the case of Boston, a voracious media and fan base tossed in. Dustin Pedroia had a taste of “The Show” in 2006 and the show was rather bitter with Pedroia hitting just .191.
More from Red Sox News
- Red Sox Nation deserves far more from Fenway Sports Group
- Bizarre trade deadline comes back to haunt Red Sox after Nathan Eovaldi departure
- Red Sox’ Moneyball-style offseason continues with Corey Kluber contract
- Rich Hill’s Red Sox departure puts him within striking distance of unique MLB record
- Red Sox offseason takes another nasty hit with Nathan Eovaldi departure
The highly-ranked prospect was a disappointment and appeared to many to be carrying a few too many pounds. Despite that disappointment, the second base job was Pedroi’s to lose and he certainly tried.
The 2007 season started with Pedroia in a funk, but manager Terry Francona was committed to Petey. Already the social media Borg were classifying Pedroia as PedroiAAA. Then it happened. After a dismal .182 April, the dynamo started and finished with a .317 average and a Rookie of the Year honor.
That, quite naturally, is just one success story amid many that could be failures. Sometimes a rookie burned bright and quickly faded such as Red Sox Don Schwall or the Tigers Mark Fidrych. Pedroia could have joined both in the hall of failure. What it does show with Pedroia is sometimes a larger sample is needed. Just this last summer the baying was over Rafael Devers and the kid suddenly pieced it together especially on defense.
The Scrapper
There is an old baseball term and it reverberates around the use of bush as a player is a busher or from the bush leagues. Calling a player a “busher” was the ultimate insult – a baseball “F” bomb. The minors were defined as the bush leagues and that still exists, but the lowest you can go is independent league baseball that is comprised of players who never have a snowball’s chance of making it or in some instances a veteran attempting to show a spark of survival. But baseball scouts look everywhere for talent
The one player that independent league players should look longingly at for hope, inspiration, or to just hang on a little longer is Daniel Nava.
How difficult was it for Nava? He didn’t make his college team (Santa Clara) and became their equipment manager. Eventually, he moved on and then back to Santa Clara on a full scholarship. When the baseball draft came Nava was ignored and that meant Indy ball.
Nava impressed and the Red Sox signed him for the minor league journey that eventually brought him to Boston. The rest is Red Sox history – the dynamic grand slam in his first at-bat, a .242 season, and his reward – back to the minors. But not for long. Nava roared back in 2012 (.243) and in 2013 (.303) and part of a World Series team.
Nava has moved on from Boston and has hung around hitting .301 in limited duty with the 2017 Phillies. In 2019, Nava closed the circle and returned to Indy ball with the Kansas City T-Bones. Nava was released recently but has not retired.
Leon Paulino's journey to his hometown team. dark. Next
Nava had other company in Boston from the Indy during 2015 in lefty Rich Hill, but Hill had a respectable career in the majors before reinventing himself in Indy ball and making it back big time with near $60 million in earnings after returning to Boston in 2015. So, the bottom of the bushes may mostly be weeds but the occasional orchid can be found.