Boston Red Sox: Most overrated players in franchise history

There have been plenty of very good Red Sox players who have been overrated by a large number of fans. Here are five of the most overrated in team history.

So many great players have played for the Boston Red Sox that just about every fan has their group of favorites. While there are some who we all agree on, there are many others who may mean more to some people than they do to others for a variety of reasons, all (or at least the majority) of them valid.

However, while some of these players were/are really good, many have been overrated by a significant segment of the Red Sox fanbase, so much so that they’re remembered for being much better than they actually were. Emotion and sentiment may cloud judgments and the mists of time may cause us to look back with rose-colored glasses, but statistics and an objective look never lie. This article is the first in a series looking at overrated Red Sox players.

Finally, a disclaimer. Please don’t mistake my saying these players are overrated to meaning they weren’t good; this isn’t meant in any way, shape, or form to be a hit piece. These players were good and they deserve to be appreciated and remembered by Red Sox fans. Overrated means just that: they tend to be remembered and talked about as being much better than they actually, measurably were. That’s all.

(I’m sure I’ll catch some heat for some of these choices, so just remember that differing opinions are good and we can discuss them in the comments. And if you feel like some deserving players have been left off, don’t worry…there will be a second part of this article in the future!)

In no particular order, let’s begin.