Accepting the Challenge: The All-25-Year Boston Red Sox
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by user Davis21wylie
In response to Dan's challenge, I immediately began working on a Red Sox entry that would crush his Mets. And while another user beat me to an All-25-Year Boston squad, I figure I'll post mine anyway, if not simply as a second Sox team to accept the challenge.
By the way, using B-R's 'Neutralized' stats (to a 750 run/team, 4.63 RPG environment) and Baseball Musings' lineup simulator, this lineup scored 7.466 runs per game... so be warned, this is not a group to be trifled with!
Starting Lineup (with Neutralized Stats)
Order Pos Player Year Ag G AB Avg OBP SLG OPS+ 1 3B *Wade Boggs 1988 30 155 596 0.379 0.489 0.505 168 2 LF Manny Ramirez 2002 30 120 441 0.356 0.457 0.660 190 3 1B Dwight Evans 1987 35 154 539 0.302 0.414 0.568 156 4 DH *David Ortiz 2005 29 159 604 0.303 0.401 0.613 161 5 SS N. Garciaparra 1999 25 135 521 0.344 0.404 0.580 152 6 RF *Trot Nixon 2003 29 134 439 0.303 0.393 0.576 149 7 C *Rich Gedman 1985 25 143 500 0.302 0.369 0.492 126 8 2B Jeff Frye 1997 30 127 403 0.310 0.351 0.432 103 9 CF *Johnny Damon 2004 30 150 613 0.295 0.370 0.463 117
Aside from Frye, none of these guys had an OPS+ under 117. Jason Varitek is conspicuously absent, but Gedman's '85 was actually better than any 'Tek season by OPS+, and I needed all of Jason's seasons to fill other slots anyway. Shockingly, I think Manny '02 is the best hitter in this entire lineup. That .489 OBP makes Boggs the ideal leadoff hitter for this group. And speed? Eh, who needs it?
Bench
Role Player Year Ag G AB Avg OBP SLG OPS+ bOF Reid Nichols 1983 24 100 276 0.290 0.358 0.446 111 bIF Tim Naehring 1994 27 113 412 0.265 0.336 0.393 93 PH *R. Jefferson 1996 27 122 377 0.332 0.371 0.570 141 bC *S. Hatteberg 1998 28 112 358 0.274 0.357 0.444 108 dRpl Chris Stynes 2001 28 97 364 0.280 0.322 0.409 91
I kinda skimped on the bench to fill the powerful lineup, but it's a quality group anyway. Middle infielder Tim Naehring is a decent hitter and fielder; pinch hitter Reggie Jefferson had a really good year at the plate in '96; backup OF Reid Nichols fills the 1983 slot admirably; Chris Stynes is a defensive replacement who could field and hit a little; and Scott Hatteberg is good for a solid OBP as Gedman's backup.
Starting Rotation
Role Pos Pitcher Year Ag W L W% IP ERA WHIP ERA+ 1 SP Pedro Martinez 2000 28 21 3 0.875 221.0 1.51 0.674 285 2 SP Roger Clemens 1990 27 20 5 0.800 227.0 2.02 1.106 211 3 SP Tim Wakefield 1995 28 17 7 0.708 224.0 2.61 1.103 163 4 SP *Bruce Hurst 1986 28 13 6 0.684 175.7 2.97 1.252 140 5 SP Aaron Sele 1993 23 9 3 0.750 113.7 2.45 1.249 171
The cornerstones of this rotation? Only two of the greatest pitching seasons of all time! Petey and the Rocket are going to make life hell for Met hitters twice every 5 days, and it's not even "pray for rain" after that: Tim Wakefield '95 munched innings and put up a nice ERA+ in the process; portsider Bruce Hurst had only one or two really good years in his 15-year career, and this is the best of them; Aaron Sele didn't throw all that many innings in 1993, but I needed a non-Clemens pitcher from that year, and his ERA+ was a stellar 171.
Bullpen
Pos Pitcher Year Ag W L W% IP ERA WHIP ERA+ CL Jon Papelbon 2006 25 7 0 1.000 69.3 0.78 0.721 500 RP Dennis Lamp 1989 36 9 3 0.750 112.0 2.41 1.107 178 RP *Tom Burgmeier 1982 38 9 2 0.818 103.0 2.18 1.146 189 RP Steve Crawford 1984 26 4 2 0.667 62.0 3.34 1.452 125 RP Jeff Gray 1991 28 5 1 0.833 61.7 2.34 0.795 184 RP Paul Quantrill 1992 23 4 1 0.800 49.3 2.19 1.419 193
To close things out, I've got maybe the best season by a closer of all time (seriously) in Jonathan Papelbon's 2006 (ERA+: 500!!!). In relief, we've got some obscure guys, a mix of old and young, but they get the job done. Basically, the bullpen was where I turned to fill slots from the mediocre days of the early eighties and nineties. Still, only one pitcher checks in with an ERA+ under 175...
So, in conclusion, beat that, Mr. DNL!
Respectfully yours,
Davis21wylie
