Pitching
Rotation
The right-handers lead off and that is Smoky Joe Wood who started his full-service Boston career and a 2.18 ERA in 1909. The best was yet to come with Wood’s remarkable 1912 season going 34-5 with ten shutouts.
A real ROY was a tall righty named Don Schwall, a sinkerball specialist who finished 15-7 for the 1961 Red Sox. Schwall certainly kept the ball down with a 0.4 HR/9, but the real issue was with the following pair of stats: A 5.5 BB/9 and 4.6 K/9. In a few seasons, Schwall was gone.
The best start is probably reserved for Dave Ferriss who went 21-10 in 1945 with a 2.96 ERA. Ferriss followed that up with a 25-6 season before arm issues and asthma finished off his career after just six seasons.
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Frank Sullivan may have been the best Red Sox pitcher of the 1950s and it started in 1954 with a 15-12 season. Sullivan went 90-80 in his Boston years with two All-Star selections.
The left-handers start out with possibly the best lefty in the American League for three seasons – Babe Ruth. Ruth joined the Red Sox in 1915 and dished out an 18-8 season with a 2.44 ERA. Ruth later became somewhat notable for his hitting abilities and it showed in 1915 with a .315 average and four home runs. Ruth did that blasting in just 92 PA’s and led the team in dingers.
Mel Parnell started his career and finished it in Boston. The start was 1948 and 15-8 with a 3.14 ERA. The next season Parnell led the AL in wins (25) and ERA (2.77). After that Parnell never matched that season but did finish up his last season with a no-hitter.
Dutch Leonard lost more than he won (14-17) for the 1913 Red Sox but showed what was to come with a 2.39 ERA in 259.1 innings. The following season that ERA dropped to 0.96.
Closer
There is only one real choice and that is the towering righty, Dick Radatz. In 1962, Radatz led the AL in saves (24) and in games (62). This was all in relief that makes the 124.2 innings even more outstanding, but Radatz topped that IP figures the next two seasons before burning out.
Honorable Mention: Statistically you can make a cognizant argument for Jonathan Papelbon over Radatz. Papelbon had a remarkable 0.92 ERA and 35 saves in 2006 with a second-place finish in ROY.