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Red Sox History: Ranking the biggest ‘What Ifs’ in franchise history

By Daniel Fox

BRONX, NY - OCTOBER 16: Pedro Martinez #45 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees in the first inning during game 7 of the American League Championship Series on October 16, 2003 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
BRONX, NY - OCTOBER 16: Pedro Martinez #45 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees in the first inning during game 7 of the American League Championship Series on October 16, 2003 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – CIRCA 1975: Fred Lynn #19 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during batting practice before the start of an Major League Baseball game circa 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Lynn Played for the Red Sox from 1974-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – CIRCA 1975: Fred Lynn #19 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during batting practice before the start of an Major League Baseball game circa 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Lynn Played for the Red Sox from 1974-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

5: What if the Red Sox spent money at the outset of free agency?

In the mid-1970’s the Red Sox were stacked. Their lineup was filled with MVPs and future Hall of Famers Fred Lynn, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, and Carl Yastrzemski, while the rotation was headed by All-Stars Luis Tiant, Bill Lee, Dennis Eckersley, and Fergie Jenkins. There were several reasons why those Red Sox never won a World Series, namely the incompetence of manager Don Zimmer and injuries to Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk, but the main reason may have been their refusal to participate in free agency.

Over the first five years of free agency, their only significant signing was closer Bill Campbell, who had just one good season in Boston before falling off. The Yankees, meanwhile, were the most active team, signing future Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Goose Gossage, and Dave Winfield.

Still, the Red Sox were competitive until the disastrous 1980 offseason, when they traded All-Stars Lynn and Rick Burleson to the Angels after failing to sign them to contract extensions. The final straw was when homegrown star Fisk signed with the White Sox after the Red Sox failed to make him a competitive offer.

The Red Sox window of contention was completely shut after that offseason, as they didn’t finish higher than third place over the next five years. Yet they still had future Hall of Famers in Rice and Yastrzemski and added emerging rookies Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens. However, they always seemed to be a few pieces short, a solution that could have easily been fixed by spending some money on free agency.

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