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

Many of the all-time greats have played for the Boston Red Sox

ESPN recently unveiled their ranking of the top 100 MLB players of all time, a list that includes several players who wore a Boston Red Sox uniform.

Success is often defined by winning championships. Boston captured five World Series titles within the first two decades of their existence followed by an 86-year draught. The 2004 Red Sox reversed the curse to win the first of four championships in the last two decades, more than any other franchise since the turn of the century.

The top 100 list features players from both eras but it also includes plenty of talent from the decades in between. Some of the best players in franchise history never won a championship but their production was too prolific to leave off this list.

Since our focus is on the storied history of the Red Sox, I intentionally excluded those who spent only a brief time with this franchise. We can overlook that Rickey Henderson, Tom Seaver and John Smoltz spent one season in Boston near the end of their careers. Let’s forget that the Red Sox should have kept Adrian Beltre for more than one year.

We’re sticking with the players who made a significant impact on this franchise to help earn them a spot on this top 100 list.

Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk – No. 87

Carlton Fisk will always be remembered most for ending one of the most thrilling postseason games in history with a 12th-inning home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. Fisk hopping down the line trying to wave the ball fair as it snuck by the left field pole is an imagine ingrained in the history of this franchise.

Fisk was much more than one fleeting moment though. The 11-time All-Star earned three Silver Slugger awards over a 24-year career, hitting .269 with a .797 OPS and 376 home runs.

The Hall of Famer spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Red Sox. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1972 when he won a Gold Glove and finished fourth on the AL MVP ballot.

Fisk hit .284/.356/.481 during his tenure with the Red Sox. His 129 wRC+ and 38.3 WAR are the highest among catchers in franchise history, per FanGraphs.

A controversial contract mishap resulted in Fisk hitting free agency after the 1980 season. He signed with the Chicago White Sox, where he spent the final 13 years of his career.

Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez – No. 68

The phrase “Manny being Manny” could have an entirely different tone depending on the mood of the mercurial outfielder but there’s no doubting that Manny Ramirez was one of the best right-handed hitters of his generation.

The 12-time All-Star earned nine Silver Sluggers and finished inside the top-10 on the MVP ballot nine times, including a pair of third-place finishes.

His questionable defense led to many adventures in the outfield, producing a fair amount of moments that swayed from head-scratching to amusing. Who could forget Manny making a diving effort to cut off a throw from center field that clearly wasn’t meant for him? Or the time he high-fived a fan in the stands after making a running catch at the wall.

Manny probably would have been a DH if that spot wasn’t already occupied during his tenure in Boston but it’s his bat that puts him on this list.

Ramirez hit .312/.411/.585 over 19 seasons. His 555 home runs are the 15th-most in MLB history. He also has the most postseason home runs in history with 29.

The Red Sox signed Ramirez to a massive free-agent contract in 2001 and he was an All-Star in every full season he spent with the club. He played a significant role in leading the Red Sox to two championships, earning World Series MVP honors in 2004.

Ramirez eventually wore out his welcome in Boston and was shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2008 season. His legacy would be further tarnished by a pair of positive PED tests, the second of which led him to retire rather than sever another suspension.

Rooting for Manny could be an emotional rollercoaster but watching him swing the bat at the peak of his career was a privilege that we should cherish.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz – No. 63

The Red Sox scooped up David Ortiz from the scrap heap when the Minnesota Twins couldn’t find room for him on their crowded roster. Two decades later, Big Papi will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Ortiz hit .286/.380/.552 during his 20 seasons in the big leagues. His 541 home runs are the 17th-most in MLB history. 483 of those homers were smashed while he was wearing a Red Sox uniform, giving him the second-most home runs in franchise history.

In 2006, Ortiz set the single-season franchise record with 54 home runs.

As great as he was during the regular season, Ortiz was on another level on the playoff stage. He defined the word clutch in the postseason. His back-to-back walk-off hits in the 2004 ALCS and his game-tying grand in the 2013 ALCS are just the tip of the iceberg. Ortiz led the Red Sox to three World Series titles to cement his legacy was one of the most feared sluggers in postseason history.

The 10-time All-Star and seven-time Silver Slugger finished in the top-five on the MVP ballot in each of his first five seasons with the Red Sox. Bias against the DH was a primary factor holding him back from taking home the hardware.

It presumably is at least part of the reason why he ranks surprisingly low on ESPN’s list. They ranked Derek Jeter No. 28 based on his intangibles and playoff success. How is he so much higher than Ortiz, who had those same factors in his favor? Is it because he provided below-average defense at shortstop while Ortiz rarely fielded a position? Jeter is undoubtedly worthy of this list but he’s also the most overrated defensive player in recent memory and therefore, the gap between he and Ortiz shouldn’t be this wide.

Red Sox outfielder Carl Yastrzemski – No. 61

Carl Yastrzemski spent his entire 23-year career with the Red Sox. He had the unenviable task of filling the shoes of the greatest hitter in franchise history but Yaz didn’t take long to build his own legacy in Boston.

The 18-time All-Star won three batting titles and seven Gold Gloves. Yastrzemski hit .285/.379/.462 for his career. His uncanny longevity with the same organization helped him reach the top in many categories in franchise history, including games played, plate appearances, runs scored and RBI. His 452 home runs are the third-most by a Red Sox player and 39th in MLB history.

Yaz earned an MVP award in 1967 when he captured the Triple Crown by hitting .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBI. It would be 45 years before anyone else repeated the rare Triple Crown accomplishment (Miguel Cabrera – 2012).

His career year led the Red Sox to the World Series where they fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in an epic seven-game battle. Yaz hit .400 with three homers in that series. While Boston ultimately fell short of ending their championship drought, that Impossible Dream season breathed baseball life back into the city of Boston.

His run production might not jump off the page outside of a peak where he hit 40+ homers and drove in 100+ RBI three times in a four year span. What’s impressive about Yaz’s career is that much of it came during an era dominated by pitching. He won a batting title while leading the league in walks and on-base percentage during the infamous Year of the Pitcher in 1968.

Yastrzemski emerged during a period when the Red Sox were an afterthought in Boston. He became a beloved icon and helped save baseball in this city. He might not crack the top half of ESPN’s list but he’s near the top in the hearts of many Red Sox fans.

Red Sox pitcher Lefty Grove – No. 54

Lefty Grove was only the third pitcher to win an MVP when he beat out Lou Gehrig for the award in 1931. Grove had already captured five ERA titles along with that MVP trophy with the Philadelphia A’s before arriving in Boston in 1934.

The lefty wasn’t done dominating on the mound though, leading the league with 24 wins during his first year with the Red Sox and winning four more ERA titles in his final eight seasons.

Grove was a 300-game winner who owned a career 3.06 ERA. The six-time All-Star won the pitching Triple Crown twice and led the league in strikeouts in each of his first seven seasons. He led the league in complete games three times and tossed 20+ complete games nine times.

Grove was the ace of the A’s pitching staff for three pennant winners, two of which went on to win the World Series. He was 4-2 with a 1.75 ERA in eight postseason appearances.

His best years were with the A’s but Grove still won 105 games in Boston. His 34.6 fWAR is fourth among pitchers in Red Sox history and his 88.8 career fWAR is 12th in major league history.

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.

Red Sox first baseman Jimmie Foxx – No. 40

Jimmie Foxx spent his first 11 seasons with the Philadelphia A’s. He won consecutive MVP awards in 1932-33, winning the Triple Crown in the latter season. When the A’s fell into financial peril, the Red Sox took advantage by purchasing his contract.

The Red Sox had been struggling for the better part of two decades but Foxx’s arrival helped bring the club back to respectability. They never won the pennant during his tenure but finished as the runner-up in consecutive seasons from 1938-39.

Foxx set the Red Sox single-season record with 50 home runs in 1938, a record that stood for nearly 70 years until it was broken by David Ortiz. The Beast captured the MVP award that year while leading the league with 175 RBI, which still stands as a single-season franchise record.

Over a 20 year career, Foxx hit .325/.428/.609. His 534 home runs rank 19th in MLB history. He cracks the top-10 in Red Sox history for home runs and RBI despite spending less than half his career in Boston. His .605 SLG in a Red Sox uniform ranks second in franchise history.

Health issues derailed his career when he was only 34 years old, prompting the Red Sox to trade him to the Chicago Cubs in 1942. His production fell off a cliff and he retired a few years later. While it felt that his career was cut short, Foxx enjoyed a lengthy Hall of Fame career considering he broke into the majors as a 17-year-old.

Red Sox pitcher Cy Young – No. 21

The best pitcher in each league is annually recognized with a trophy so naturally, the guy who the award is named after has to appear high on this list. Cy Young began his career in the late 19th century with the Cleveland Spiders. In case that isn’t enough evidence to express how long ago it was, his staggering numbers show how different the game was in his day.

Young is the all-time leader with 511 wins. It feels safe to say nobody will ever approach that mark, especially in today’s generation when bullpens are leaned on heavily to make it harder for a starter to notch a victory. Young rarely needed a reliever to support him, logging a record 749 complete games in 815 starts.

In modern times, we talk about a workhorse as a pitcher who reaches 200 innings in a season. Young topped 400 innings in five of his first six full seasons! He tossed at least 300 innings in 16 seasons. Granted, pitchers didn’t throw as hard in those days and didn’t have the torque put on their arms by breaking balls that are common in today’s game. Pitchers could navigate innings quicker while pitching to contact and strikeouts weren’t nearly as common back then, as evident by Young’s career 3.4 K/9.

Young won a pair of ERA titles, winning the pitching Triple Crown on both occasions. He owned a 2.63 ERA and 1.13 WHIP for his career.

Young came to Boston for the inaugural season of the Red Sox franchise, known then as the Boston Americans. He pitched eight years with the club and his 192 wins are tied for the most in franchise history.

Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens – No. 17

Based on longevity and career accomplishments, a case could be made that Roger Clemens is the best pitcher in baseball history. The 11-time All-Star won a record seven Cy Young awards, seven ERA titles, two pitching Triple Crowns and an MVP. The Rocket racked up 354 wins and 4672 strikeouts over 24 seasons.

Of course, that longevity was aided by the use of performance-enhancing drugs which tarnished his reputation and prevented him from being elected into the Hall of Fame in his final year of eligibility.

Clemens was on a Hall of Fame track during his 13 season with the Red Sox, before any speculation about PEDs clouded his career. His 192 wins tied Cy Young for the most in franchise history and he recorded more strikeouts than any pitcher in Red Sox history.

Boston allowed Clemens to slip away in free agency when they believed he was in the “twilight” of his career. He immediately bounced back with consecutive Cy Young seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, which is when PED alarms should have began ringing.

Our former hero became the enemy when Clemens put on pinstripes. He won two World Series titles and another Cy Young with the Yankees.

The last act of his career included a dominant three-year run with the Houston Astros. He picked up another Cy Young and helped Houston reach the World series. His career ended in 2007 with a brief reunion with the Yankees at the age of 44.

Clemens may always be one of the poster children for the PED era but he should have made the Hall of Fame based on his clean years with the Red Sox.

Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez – No. 11

There hasn’t been a more dominant pitcher in the modern era than Pedro Martinez. The right-hander rose to prominence with the Montreal Expos, winning his first Cy Young award in 1997 when he led the league with a 1.90 ERA, 0.932 WHIP and 11.4 K/9.

The Red Sox traded for Martinez the following year in one of the all-time greatest heists. Pedro was the runner-up for the AL Cy Young during his first season in Boston and followed that by capturing the award in consecutive seasons.

Those two seasons are arguably the best back-to-back years by a pitcher in baseball history. Martinez won 23 games with a 2.07 ERA while setting the single-season franchise record with 313 strikeouts in 1999. For an encore, Martinez posted a 1.74 ERA with a record-setting 0.737 WHIP. His 291 ERA+ in that 2000 season is the best by any pitcher in the modern era.

In addition to his three Cy Young trophies, Pedro was an eight-time All-Star who won five ERA titles and a pitching Triple Crown.

During his final season with the Red Sox, Martinez was a core member of the pitching staff on a team that ended the franchise’s 86-year title drought. He tossed seven shutout innings to earn the win in Game 3 of the World Series, which put Boston one step away from a championship.

Only Walter Johnson, who pitched nearly a century before him, ranks higher on ESPN’s list among pitchers. At least those who spent their entire career as a pitcher… but we’ll get to that soon enough.

Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams – No. 5

There are some who would say that Ted Williams was the greatest hitter who ever lived. There were those who put up better power numbers and others who were better all-around hitters. However, when it came to the pure art of hitting, it’s hard to top what Williams accomplished.

Teddy Ballgame spent his entire 19-year career with the Red Sox, hitting .344 with a 1.116 OPS. His .482 OBP is the best in baseball history.

The 19-time All-Star is the last MLB hitter to hit .400 for a season, producing a .406 average in 1941. Williams won the Triple Crown the following year when he hit .356 with 36 home runs and 137 RBI. Shockingly, he didn’t win the MVP in either season, finishing as the runner-up to a player from the pennant-winning Yankees in both seasons.

Williams spent three years away from the game while serving in the military during World War II. He returned in 1946 to win his first MVP. The Red Sox won the pennant that year, the only season in which he played in the World Series.

Williams won two MVPs and it certainly would have been more if players from pennant-winning teams weren’t heavily favored in those days. He also won the Triple Crown twice along with six batting titles. His 521 home runs are tied for 20th all-time and the most in Red Sox history.

We can only image what his career numbers would have been if he hadn’t missed the better part of five seasons to serve in two different wars. Despite missing so much of his prime, Williams put up incredible numbers.

Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth – No. 1

Babe Ruth earned the top spot on ESPN’s list of the greatest players in baseball history. This ranking is based primarily on what he did with his bat as a member of the Yankees. Ruth changed the game by ushering in a new wave of power hitters.

Ruth’s 714 home runs are the third-most in MLB history. He led the league in homers 12 times and set a single-season record with 60 homers in 1927, a record that would stand for several decades. His .690 SLG and 1.164 OPS are the best in MLB history.

Ruth won four World Series titles with the Yankees and was the centerpiece of a Murderers’ Row that is considered one of the best lineups ever assembled. He hit .326 with 15 home runs and 33 RBI in 41 postseason games.

While the Sultan of Swat is known mainly for his prolific power, he began his career as a pitcher for the Red Sox. Ruth went 89-46 with a 2.19 ERA during his six seasons in Boston. He anchored the Red Sox rotation for three World Series titles, including the one in 1918 that would eventually serve as the starting point of the “Curse of the Bambino” during Boston’s 86-year title drought.

Selling Ruth to the Yankees was a franchise-crippling mistake that fans will never truly forget. However, with four World Series titles to celebrate since 2004, the bitter memory is at least beginning to dim.