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Red Sox: Top five most underrated players in team history

By Drew Athans

NEW YORK - CIRCA 1989: Marty Barrett #17 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first base against the New York Yankees during a Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Barrett played for the Red Sox from 1982-90. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1989: Marty Barrett #17 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first base against the New York Yankees during a Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Barrett played for the Red Sox from 1982-90. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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TOKYO, JAPAN – CIRCA 1951: Dom DiMaggio, takes batting practice in Giants Stadium in 1951 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN – CIRCA 1951: Dom DiMaggio, takes batting practice in Giants Stadium in 1951 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images) /

Dom DiMaggio

The youngest of the three DiMaggio brothers who all made it to the major leagues, Dom DiMaggio was obviously overshadowed by his older brother Joe who starred for the rival New York Yankees and was one of the greatest players in the history of the game. With that being said, Dom (nicknamed “The Little Professor” due to his eyeglasses and small size) carved out an excellent career in his own right.

Spending his entire career with the Red Sox, Dom was the team’s center fielder from 1940 to 1953 (missing the entire 1943-1945 seasons having been in the military during WWII). Serving as the team’s leadoff hitter, he compiled career numbers of a .298 batting average, 87 home runs, 618 RBI, 1680 hits, 1046 runs scored, 750 walks 308 doubles, and 57 triples (including a league-leading 11 in 1950). His 34-game hitting streak in 1949 is still the franchise record.

DiMaggio was also an excellent fielder, making seven All-Star teams and finishing with a .978 fielding percentage and 89 errors. He racked up 3859 putouts in 4095 chances and recorded 32 double plays over his career.

Long considered one of the most underrated players of his era, DiMaggio was also lifelong friends with Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky and was immortalized in a statue of the four which is outside of Fenway Park.

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