BoSox Injection
Fansided

Former Red Sox listed among ESPN’s top 100 MLB players of all time

By Sean Penney

Boston Red Sox David Ortiz (R) is congratulated his solo homer by teammate Manny Ramirez in the top of the first innings against Japan's Hanshin Tigers in an exhibition game in the Tokyo Dome on March 22, 2008.The Boston Red Sox managed a narrow 6-5 victory against Tigers in an exhibition game here, days ahead of the official season opening games against the Oakland Athletics. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Boston Red Sox David Ortiz (R) is congratulated his solo homer by teammate Manny Ramirez in the top of the first innings against Japan's Hanshin Tigers in an exhibition game in the Tokyo Dome on March 22, 2008.The Boston Red Sox managed a narrow 6-5 victory against Tigers in an exhibition game here, days ahead of the official season opening games against the Oakland Athletics. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 14
Next
Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs
BOSTON, MA – CIRCA 1986: Wade Boggs #26 of the Boston Red Sox bats during an Major League baseball game circa 1986 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Boggs played for the Red Sox from 1982-92. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs – No. 45

Wade Boggs was a different type of hitter than most stars of his generation who were trying to slug their way to victory. While others aimed to swat the ball over the fence, Boggs made a priority of getting on base, which he did better than just about anyone from his era.

Boggs won five batting titles and hit .328 for his career, the third-highest batting average among qualified hitters after 1960. He led the league in on-base percentage six times and owned a career .415 OBP.

Just to prove he was capable of hitting homers, Boggs tallied a career-high 24 home runs in 1987. The extra power didn’t come at the expense of his batting average considering he still won another batting title that year. While his home run total was typically in the single-digits, Boggs racked up plenty of doubles, leading the league in that category twice.

The 12-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Red Sox.

Boggs broke the hearts of Red Sox fans by joining the Yankees in 1993. He spent five seasons in the Bronx, winning a World Series in 1996.

He wasn’t known as a great defensive third baseman for the Red Sox but Boggs improved in the field later in his career, earning a pair of Gold Glove awards with the Yankees.

The Hall of Fame third baseman ranks 30th all-time with 3010 hits. He wasn’t much of a home run hitter but naturally, he became the first player to record his 3,000th hit with a homer.

Home/Red Sox History