Red Sox 1998 Draft
No. 12 – Adam Everett
No. 20 – CC Sabathia (Indians)
Finally, we get back to a player selected by the Red Sox in the first round who didn’t wash out in the minor leagues. Adam Everett had a solid 11-year career in the majors as a defensive-minded shortstop. Unfortunately, none of those seasons were in Boston. He was traded as a prospect to the Houston Astros for Carl Everett, a more productive player whose talent was offset by his bizarre behavior.
Everett was more successful than any other “bust” on this list but he never quite lived up to his lofty draft status.
The same can’t be said for CC Sabathia. The lefty was a six-time All-Star who won the Cy Young award in his final full season with the Indians in 2007.
Cleveland traded Sabathia to Milwaukee mid-way through the 2008 season and he finished the year by going 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA to fuel the Brewers to a surprising playoff appearance.
The Yankees lured Sabathia to the Bronx with a lucrative free-agent deal in 2009. The southpaw helped pitch the Yankees to a World Series title that year with Sabathia earning MVP honors in the ALCS.
His 251 career wins ties Sabathia with Bob Gibson for 47th in MLB history, giving him a decent shot of making the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.
Cleveland wasn’t willing to pay to keep their ace as free agency approached but assuming the Red Sox would have, they might have kept him away from the Yankees and potentially prevented them from winning their last championship.
Even if Boston let him walk after the 2008 season, Sabathia could have put them over the top in 2003 and his presence would have dulled the pain of losing Pedro Martinez after the 2004 season.