100 Greatest Red Sox >> #32 Dick Radatz

Dick Radatz, RP/CL, #17 (1962-1966)

W-L 49-34, 288 G, 104 SV, 557 IP, 627 K, 2.65 ERA

Imagine a 6'6" tall wide-body throwing a 95-mph fastball at you from a low-sidearm delivery, and you have an idea of why Dick Radatz terrorized American League batters for several years in the 1960s. -Gabriel Schechter

Schechter wrote this in a piece for the Baseball Hall of Fame to honor the passing of Dick "The Monster" Radatz. He was truly an imposing figure on the mound, due both to excellent "stuff" and his physical presence. Radatz was such a bright star in the early 60s for the Red Sox that it seems only fitting that he owes the bookends of his career to two Red Sox legends.

Radatz was born in Detroit, MI, in 1937. He attended Michigan State University, and would begin his track towards Boston as an amateur free agent after graduation. After two seasons as a starting pitcher in the minors, Radatz would be shifted to the bullpen by his manager, Johnny Pesky, in Seattle of the Pacific Coast League. Pesky thought he could be more helpful to the big league club by pitching multiple days, rather than on a set rotation. It didn't hurt that Boston's current "closer", Mike Fornieles, "put up a Pineiro" in 1961 (15 SV, 4.68 ERA). Radatz would become a relief ace for the Red Sox in every sense of the word.

His rookie year, 1962, was by any measure a success. He saved 24 games, with an ERA+ of 184. He also averaged 2 IP per appearance, providing a high number of quality innings. Unfortunately, Radatz would finish in a three-way tie for the RoY (translation: dead last). This didn't stop him from putting together an even better season in 1963. He certainly got plenty of attention. His 1963 line: 191 ERA+, 15-6, 25 SV, 66 G, 132 IP and 162 K. He made such an impact on the upstart and highly-competitive seventh-place Red Sox that he was 5th in MVP balloting that season. Just let that sink in for a minute. An example from today's game would be if Octavio Dotel of the 2007 AL Central 5th place Royals managed to garner enough MVP support to finish 5th. The win total might've had something to do with it, and we certainly know more now about the possibility of RPs "vulturing" wins. Later on I'll discuss why this isn't neccessarily the case with Radatz. Schechter:

In 1963, his best season, he embarrassed the whole league, leading Yankees manager Ralph Houk to declare that "for two seasons, I've never seen a better pitcher."

Houk should've waited to make this declaration, as 1964 was simply another of the greatest seasons ever by a RP (Boston or elsewhere). He set the record for Ks as a RP with 181. If a team wanted to manipulate their pitching staff enough, this could be matched, but I think Radatz's record is safe. He managed this in 157 IP (all in relief, of course). He also made his second All-Star team (1963 as well).

1965 was a let-down for Radatz and Red Sox fans. The team finished 9th, lost 100 games, and Radatz came back to Earth. Some of this could be attributed to Ted Williams. In Spring Training before that season, Ted suggested to Radatz that he develop a sinker in order to better attack LHH. What is one to do when Ted Williams gives you advice? Take it and apply it. Radatz did, and while he felt he developed a pretty good sinker, he never regained his fastball. He had changed his mechanics too much to accomodate the sinker. Without his fastball, Radatz lost the extra in extraordinary. His K/9 dropped below 10 for the first time in his career, and his ability to strikeout hitters would never return to the levels he enjoyed at his peak. His Red Sox career ended when he was traded to the Indians in 1966 for a stamp collection.

While relatively long-lasting compared to others of this phenomenon, Radatz's career could still be described as flash-in-the-pan. He experienced 3 years of greatness, though the teams he toiled for left something to be desired. He was a strong reliever with the ability to throw a lot of innings. Over his 288 G in a Red Sox uniform: 53 G with 3+ IP, and 8 G with 6+ IP. With such lofty innings totals per game, it seems likely that Radatz earned rather than vultured all those relief wins.

"The Monster" would pitch for Cleveland, Chicago (N), his hometown Detroit, and Montreal before his career was finished.

Dick Radatz brings one weapon - a fastball. It's like saying all a country brings to a war is an atom bomb. -Jim Murray

There were many ways to describe the way Radatz simply demolished AL hitting from 1962-1964, and I think Murray captures it best.

Radatz died due to a head injury in a home accident on March 16, 2005.

Allen is a constant source of unoriginal content and excruciatingly lame puns. You can find him at Over The Monster.

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #38 Bob Stanley

Bob Stanley, CL, #46 (1977-1989)

115-97, 637 G, 132 SV, 3.64 ERA

Bob Stanley, nicknamed “Steamer” because like the Stanley Steamer vacuum, he sucks, is perhaps the best Red Sox player to be almost universally disliked in the popular imagination. Roger Clemens may be hated by many, but others still love him. Jose Offerman and Mike Lansing might be derided, but they weren’t terribly good, but ol’ Bob Stanley was both awfully good and awfully disliked by the Red Sox faithful.

Be honest, have you ever met a Bob Stanley fan? (Note: Okay, at his Baseball Reference page his fenwaynation.com sponsors describe him as “Forever beloved for plunking Mike Barnacle at the 1992 Sox Fantasy Camp In Winter Haven.” But they don’t count. And have you noticed Jose is borrowing heavily from Baseball Reference in these? Wikipedia too, but now that he’s mentioned it, it’s not plagiarism.)

But why was Bob Stanley so disliked? Was it his wild pitch that allowed Mookie Wilson to score the tying run in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series? Nope, every one knows that was a passed ball. Beside, Dave Stapleton should have been pitching, or something like that. Was it the relish with which he played his role as the bullpen fun police and heartless killjoy? Possibly, this is the guy who ceremonially popped a beach ball with a rake on his appreciation night at Fenway. Really. Still, probably not.

No the reason, that Bob Stanley is widely unloved despite being the Red Sox All-Time save leader with 132, despite having a career ERA of 3.64, despite being a two time All-Star is that Bob Stanley, for all of his excellence, never, ever allowed fans to feel safe when he entered a game. Even in 1983 when he was second in the A.L. in saves with 33 and plunked down a nifty 2.85 ERA, did you ever relax when he entered a game? No, you didn’t, unless you responded to his entering a game with 50mg of valium.

A while ago, Jose suggested that a new statistic be named after Steamer. He suggested that when a reliever picks up a win after blowing a lead, effectively stealing the win, he should be credited with a “Stanley.” Look at his numbers. In 1983, arguably his best season, Stanley saved 33 games while blowing 14 saves, tying a major league record. At the same time, he had eight wins and 10 losses. Do you ever feel good when your closer has that many decisions? Chances are quite a few of those wins should be scored as Stanleys.

Yes, yes, the single season blown save record is shared with a couple of pretty good pitchers named Fingers and Sutter, but still, 14 in a year? Only in a situation like that, could Calvin Schiraldi swipe the closing job.

Player bio by Jose of Jose's Keys to the Game

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #71 Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, RP, #36 (1996-1999)

25-25, 68 saves, 4.45 ERA, 175 G

As the first capsule profile of a top 100 Red Sox that Jose has dared to write, there was no formula for Jose to draw upon, none of the comforting rituals of banality in which to swaddle himself. So it falls to Jose to dive in forthwith lest he be branded Hamlet on the Charles. So let’s take a look at a moment, a single instant of time, that made Tom “Flash” Gordon the Red Sox legend he is today.

Gordon stands astride the Fenway mound, his wool cap tight and drawn down over his eyes, blinders to his thoroughbred, eliminating all distractions and concentrating all focus on the task at hand. He draws his hands in to his chest purposefully, like a spring compressing. What will it be? The 97 miles per hour of dynamite? Or the curve that shaves six hours off the face of a clock? The switch flipped, the spring that is Tom Gordon expands with violence, sending the a blur of red and white, pinball-like down the alley and towards home plate…

And then…

Tom Gordon’s greatest Red Sox moment arrives.

It arrives not with the slap of a ball in the tired leather of a well-worn catcher’s mitt, but with the thunderclap of ash on horsehide, as David Ortiz swings as smoothly and as surely as a pinball flipper on a spoke, and sends the ball flying, as if rolling up a ramp and into the Boston night.

Yankees 4--Red Sox 3 and six outs to go. TILT.

Yup, Tom Gordon did a lot for the Boston Red Sox, and we should appreciate him. Heck, he did more that night alone, walking Kevin Millar, and panicking with Dave Roberts pinch running for Kentucky Fried Kevin, allowing Mosey Nixon to slap single Roberts to third on a hit and run. He did more for the Red Sox that one night than in his entire stint with the team. And that’s why he is one of the all time greatest Red Sox, even if it was for his work in pinstripes.

But of course this is totally unfair. In his time with the Red Sox, Tom Gordon was, well, flashy. He came aboard as a starter, as he had been in Kansas City before, and put in mediocre inning after mediocre inning before trying his hand in the bullpen. It was then that he discovered that free from the awful burden of pitching more than one or two innings at a time, he could throw quite a bit harder. Indeed, he was almost incapable of blowing a save, at least between April and September. But in October things were different. When the apples got big and ripe, Gordon would wither and fade, such as in 1998, when his blown save against Cleveland in Game 4 of the ALDS, only his second of the season, prevented Jimy Williams from looking like a genius for starting Pete Schourek over Pedro Martinez. At least some good came of it. No, Gordon seemed to be a Vanderjagt or Schiraldi, brilliant in the regular season and soft in the post season, than he did a Mariano Rivera.

It got worse, Sox fan and author Steven King authored a book that off-season entitled The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon with predictable results. King got hit by a truck and Gordon blew out his arm, all but ending his Red Sox tenure. We all know King is comfortable meddling with the forces of the dark, but seriously, he should have known that messing around with the Red Sox would have dire results.

Biography penned by Jose Melendez of Keys to the Game.

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #76 Keith Foulke

Keith Foulke, P, #29 (2004-2006)

159 G, 13-9, 58 Saves, 3.74 ERA


In sporting commentary there is a popular cliche where the commentator says 'Fans of (team X) are very divided on (player X)'. When it comes to Red Sox fans and Keith Charles Foulke, the split isn't as much 50/50 for/against as it is 80/20 against/for.

Keith Foulke was a Boston player between 2004 and 2006, two years of much drama and controversy indeed. If he had left Boston in 2004 he would have left a hero. Instead, after two years battling knee, arm and back injuries along with a problematic personal life, Foulke left town for the Cleveland Indians with the majority of the Boston media and a sadly large proportion of Boston's fans only too happy to show him the way out.

Taking a step back, Foulke's legacy will always be the awesome 2004 campaign he turned in for the Red Sox. When the Sox attempts to run the closer position 'by committee' in 2003 failed miserably they set their minds to bring in a shut-down closer in the offseason. Foulke signed on from Oakland and promptly gave Boston fans exactly what they wanted, a dominant closer.

In 2004, his first year with the Red Sox, Keith saved 32 games in 39
opportunities while racking up 79 strikeouts and a regal 2.17 ERA across 83 innings. His numbers were fantastic but he was only getting started. In the 2004 postseason, Foulke appeared in 11 of 14 games turning his own game up to another level, throwing 257 pitches over 14 innings. He clocked up 19 strikeouts in those 14 innings, and over the entire stretch, allow exactly one earned run on a completely meaningless solo shot long ball. At the time many in the media (who were about to drop verbal napalm all over him for the next two years) believed he should have been named the World Series MVP over Manny Ramirez.

I will never, ever forget the 2004 playoff run Keith Foulke had. From his uplifting strike out of Tony Clark with the Sox in big, big trouble against the Yankees, to his absolute abuse of a totally over matched Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen in the World Series proper, Foulke had an entirely sensational 2004 playoffs.

On October 31, 2004 Jim McBride of the Boston Globe announced:

"It's unlikely Foulke, an avid hockey fan, will have to pick up a check in town for quite a while."

Just recently, Foulke filed for free agency and is no longer a Red Sox player. His manager had this to say as reported by Tony Massaroti of the Boston Herald;

"I don’t want to forget -- or have anybody else forget -- what he accomplished here," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said late yesterday. "It was phenomenal what he did here in 2004. I mean phenomenal. We don’t win anything without him."

Happy ending so, a player who should be forever remembered as a hero to the Red Sox 'nation', heads off into the sunset, his managers accolades ringing in our ears? Apparently not. As Foulke filed for free agency, Tony Massaroti actually said;

"Now Foulke is gone and here is the truly amazing thing: No one is shedding a tear. Not Foulke, not Epstein, not anyone who has watched the Red Sox over the past two seasons."

He followed up that completely, self revealed erroneous statement (he had just reported that Francona was indeed very sad to see him go) with this sanctimonious rubbish:

"That might all be considered sad were it not for the simple fact that Foulke brought so much of this upon himself."

If Massaroti had taken a step back and considered real life for a brief second he would have realised Foulke was hit by knee injuries, arm problems and a debilitating divorce in 2005. There is no doubt his acerbic personality didn't exactly demand that people support him, but there was no reason for the 'Shock and awe' campaign most of the New England media launched on him. He did not 'bring it on himself', if anything all that he proved was his inability to eloquently defend himself in the face of mounting criticism.


If only people would take Foulke's comments in perspective. From 2005 on he was wound up, frustrated and disappointed. He made some poorly thought out, throw away comments and probably instantly regretted them himself. The irony is most of them are actually reasonably amusing if you take a deep breath and avoid the 'cast the first stone' mentality.

Keith Foulke is a baseball player. He is not a journalist, a reporter or a politician. He does not have time to create measured, careful comments. He doesn't get to sit behind a keyboard and pick apart every single word that comes from someones mouth. Further still, he is not paid to be a spokesperson for anyone. Nowhere in his contract does it say that he should be an eloquent speaker on behalf of anyone. He is what he is, he is paid to throw the ball past Major League batters. End of story.

The slating he took, and still takes, for some acerbic, muddled and yes, regrettable comments, is completely out of order and uncalled for. It is shooting ducks in a barrel and the glee which people like Massoroti, Dan 'negativity' Shaughnessy and the unfailingly negative 'Boston Dirt Dogs' site ride the comments to personal gain is absolutely unnecessary. Further more, particularly on the parts of established journalists like Shaugnessy and Massaroti, it is shockingly lazy.

Keith Foulke throws the final pitches on Opening Day, 2005 (4/11/05)
Taken by Scott Norwood

Why didn't those who were so quick to latch onto this totally inane and substance-light story give any air time to Foulke's explanation of the comment?

Given time to respond Keith Foulke said at the time;

"Yeah, I apologize to those people. You know what, the whole, like I said, the whole part. It was part of a joke and once again the media goes out there. They don’t print the first part of the joke where it puts people in the funny mood. It started off with 'I’m not inviting him, I’m not inviting the people that are booing me, I’m not inviting them to my World Series party.'… That’s where the joke starts. And the last line is kind of a follow-up line. If you don’t hear the first part, yeah you may not understand the second part. You gotta take the whole thing and evaluate the whole sentence. Not just part of it."

Clearly the whole story just isn't as dramatic when balanced out with either the entire quote, or Keith's explanation. So instead of actually giving us the whole story we were treated to part of it to validate certain journalists days work, to make them feel better about themselves and what they do.

Sadly I guess that's how it works. Foulke gets absolutely destroyed for a spoken, spur of the moment comment, while journalists can make thought-out comments that are the equal and if not worse of Foulke's and get away with it completely. They actually get paid for this Calvinistic, mid eighties 'woe is me' trash, and no one takes them to task over their often lazy, irresponsible and self serving writing. The amazing propensity for Boston scribes to find ways to attack Foulke is mind boggling. Take Massaroti's feeble summing up of the personality of Keith Foulke;

"Off the field, for whatever reason, Foulke seemed perpetually grumpy and displeased."

Right, so, I guess everybody has to smile for the camera, Tony? Massaroti admits in his column; "Foulke battled injuries to his knees, back and arm" and it is common knowledge that Foulke went through a very bitter divorce proceeding in 2005. However, I guess he should dance around happily like Homer does for Marge, singing;

"Look at me! I'm making people happy! I'm the magical man from Happy Land in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane!"

Maybe if Keith had adopted that false strategy everything would have worked out fine, and the media would have left him alone to deal with his personal issues and injuries and would have dealt with him for what he is, a baseball player.

A pitcher that was one of the main reasons the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.

Sadly, it appears we live in a world where journalists like Massaroti ascribe to another Homer Simpson quote;

"Sometimes the only way you can feel good about yourself is by making someone else look bad."

There is a scene in 'The Departed' where Matt Damon and a few other State Troopers sit in an office with this below exact picture clearly in the background. That's Keith Foulke, celebrating making the last out of the 2004 World Series.

With Foulke, "It is what it is", he is a baseball player and if you are a Red Sox fan he delivered, on a plate, your wildest dreams. Take it all for what it is, let those who need sensationalist, false and doctored stories to further their careers do so on their own.

Always remember this picture and just move on.



This Top 100 Red Sox of all time profile was written by Cormac Eklof @ ''I didn't know there was baseball in Ireland?!''

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #81 Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon, RP, #41 (1990-1992)

150 G, 3.41 ERA, 88 SV

Jeff Reardon spent a few years in the latter part of his career as a closer for the Red Sox. Reardon broke into the big leagues in 1979 with the New York Mets, but became one of baseball's best closers for the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins throughout the 1980's.

The Sox signed Reardon for the 1990 season, and Jeff led the bullpen with 21 saves for the 1990 division winning Red Sox. However Reardon struggled in the ALCS against the Oakland A's., giving up a couple of runs in a Game 2 loss, and losing the confidence of manager Joe Morgan. The Red Sox were swept by the A's 4 games to none. Reardon was named to the 1991 All Star team, pitching 2/3 of a scorless inning in the American League's 4-2 victory. He earned annual save totals of 21, 40 and 27 before he was traded to the Atlanta Braves late in the 1992 season.

While with the Red Sox in June 1992, Reardon temporarily became the all times saves leader when he earned career save number 342. Jeff was the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have 40 saves in a season for 3 different teams. He did it with the 1985 Montreal Expos,1988 Minnesota Twins and 1991 Boston Red Sox. Reardon is 4th among saves leaders for the Red Sox, with 88 career saves. Only Bob Stanley, Dick Radatz and Ellis Kinder saved more games for the Sox.

Player Biography by John from Sox Fan Zone

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #93 Lee Smith

Lee Smith, RP, #48 (1988-1990)

139 G, 12-7, 58 SV, 3.04 ERA

Lee Arthur Smith (born December 4, 1957). An imposing and intimidating figure at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds with a 95-mph fastball, Lee Smith retired as the career leader in saves with 478, a record that stood until last year when it was surpassed by current San Diego Padres relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman. Smith was voted “Fireman of the Year” three times and paced his league in saves four times over his 18 season career with eight teams. The right-hander strung together 12 straight seasons of 25 or more saves, a record that reflected his durability and performance. When he retired, he not only stood alone as the all-time saves leader but also ranked first in games finished (802) and third in appearances (1022). However, some say his team-jumping (he was traded four times and left teams four times as a free agent) and his lack of post-season success have hurt his Hall of Fame chances.

Lee Smith started his career in the days of two-inning closers and later helped usher in the one-batter closer that became en vogue in the 1990s. Smith originally resisted the move to the bullpen. “When [Double-A Manager] Randy Hundley tried to make me a reliever,’’ Smith told the San Jose Mercury-News in 2000, “I took it to mean that I was not good enough to start.’’ For a brief period he quit baseball to play basketball at Northwestern Louisiana State until a visit from Cubs great Billy Williams convinced him to return to the mound. From 1983-1985, when he was with the Cubs, Smith averaged 6.2 batters faced per game pitched. From 1991-1993 he averaged 4.1 per game. By contrast, Dennis Eckersley averaged 4.7 per game in his nine years with Oakland.

Notorious for his slow gait coming in from the bullpen, Smith shared closing duties with future AL MVP Willie Hernandez in 1982 (inheriting the job from Dick Tidrow) and led the NL in saves for the first time for the Cubs in 1983. Smith then strung together four straight seasons with 30 or more saves. At the time, Dan Quisenberry had been the only other pitcher to accomplish that feat.

In 1984 while the Cubs finished with the franchise’s best record since World War II, Smith compiled his worst ERA of the decade — although he saved more than 30 games for the first time in his career. In Game 2 of the 1984 NLCS, Smith recorded two outs for the save to put Chicago up 2-0 in the best-of-5 series against San Diego. The Padres easily won Game 3 but Game 4 was tied when Smith started the 8th inning. After a scoreless 8th and a strikeout to start the bottom of the 9th, Smith allowed a single to Tony Gwynn. Steve Garvey followed with a two-run homer to force Game 5. The Cubs led that game in the 7th inning but Smith watched from the bench as the underdog Padres scored four runs and won a trip to the 1984 World Series. The Cubs have still not been to a World Series since 1945 and have not won one since 1908.

Smith saved more than 30 games while the Cubs had a losing record in 1985, 1986 and 1987. In 1987, Smith was on pace for his first 40-save season. Although finishing short of 40, he was chosen for his second All-Star Game. When the midsummer classic went past the 9th, Smith pitched the 10th, 11th and 12th innings, striking out four and getting credit for the win when the National League scored the only two runs of the game in the 13th. This strong showing in the All-Star game and the high number of saves he recorded that season did not help dispell the rumors that his bulk was beginning to affect his knees. The Cubs’ all-time saves leader was traded to the Red Sox for Calvin Schiraldi and Al Nipper in the off-season.

After losing the 1986 World Series to the Mets in shocking fashion, the Red Sox finished the following season with a team record below .500. One of the main problems was a bullpen full of pitchers with high ERAs. Smith was brought in to help rectify this situation.

Smith did not start his career with the Red Sox in an endearing fashion, giving up a game-winning home run in his 1988 opening day Fenway Park debut. However, he recovered enough to post his best ERA in five years, recording 29 saves and 96 strikeouts for the season. This was enough to help the Red Sox get into post season play.

In Game 2 of the 1988 ALCS against Oakland, Smith came into a crucial tie game but gave up three singles in the 9th inning capped off by Walt Weiss’ game-winner. The loss put Boston in an 0-2 series deficit going to Oakland. After Boston lost Game 3, Smith was put in to prevent Oakland from increasing a 2-1 A’s lead in Game 4. Instead, he gave up two insurance runs and Oakland finished off the four-game sweep.

At the beginning of the 1990 season Boston traded Smith to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Tom Brunansky. He returned to his dominant self with the Cardinals, recording a miniscule ERA of 2.06 in 1990 and then reeling off three straight 40-plus save seasons.

On September 28th of 1991, he picked up save number 45 to tie Bruce Sutter’s National League record from 1984 (coincidentally, when Sutter and Smith reached 45 saves in their respective seasons, both were ex-Cubs pitching for St. Louis against the Cubs). Smith claimed the league record for himself three days later and finished the season with a career-high 47 saves. One difference for him in 1991 was walks as he surrendered only 1.60 walks per nine innings, by far the best in his career to that point. Smith won his first “Rolaids Relief Award”, received the most significant consideration for league MVP in his career, and finished second in Cy Young Award voting behind Tom Glavine who had a breakout season that year.
In 1992, Smith’s former teammate, Jeff Reardon, broke the career saves record held for over a decade by Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers. However, Smith was registering saves at a faster pace than Reardon and by the end of 1992, he was not far behind him. Just two weeks into the 1993 season, Smith passed Reardon with career save number 358. At age 37, Reardon was slowing down and Smith was well in front of him when Reardon retired in 1994. The day after setting the career major league record, he saved his 301st National League game to break that record as well. Smith had 15 saves in June 1993, the most ever in one month for a pitcher, until he was tied by John Wetteland in June 1996 and Chad Cordero in June 2005.
On August 31, 1993, the Cardinals traded Smith to the Yankees for a career minor leaguer. Smith left the team as their all-time save leader until Jason Isringhausen passed him on June 13, 2006.

Towards the end of the 1993 season, Smith was dealt to the Yankees for pitcher Rich Batchelor. Smith made eight appearances with the Yankees and recorded 3 saves. He filed for free agency in October and signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles in January 1994. He continued to master opposing batters, saving 33 games with the Orioles before filing again for free agency at the end of the year. Smith signed with the California Angels for 1995 and nailed down 37 saves in what would be his last productive year.

While Smith had started 1994 in fantastic fashion at age 36, he started 1995 even better at age 37. He registered a save in every appearance from April 28 through all of May and into June. On June 11, he saved his 16th consecutive game to break the major league record set by Doug Jones in 1988. He ran his streak to 19 games before finally blowing a save on June 28 (John Wetteland broke the record the next year by saving 24 straight). After keeping his ERA at 0.00 through the first two months of the season, he was selected to his seventh and last All-Star Game, thereby becoming only the fourth player to be an All-Star for four different teams.

At the opening of the 1996 season Smith was traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he was primarily used as a setup man. Adjusting to this unfamiliar role led to a shaky season. In ’97 he inked a deal with the Expos, but by July it became obvious that age had finally taken its toll. After announcing his retirement on July 15, 1997 at the age of 39, Smith refused to answer questions from the media.

In 1998, Smith was invited to spring training by the Royals as a non-roster player, but was released when he refused to start the season for their Triple-A affiliate. Smith signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros later that year but soon retired again. Within three years he was back in baseball as a coach in the Giants’ organization.
Two years after his retirement in 1998, Smith went to work as a roving minor league pitching instructor for the San Francisco Giants. In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Smith served as the pitching coach of the South Africa national baseball team which was given 20,000 to 1 odds of winning the tournament. That summer Smith also participated as a coach in the second annual European Baseball Academy for Major League Baseball International in Tirrenia, Italy.

There has been much speculation about Lee Smith’s chances of becoming a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as well as the criteria for relief pitchers and closers in general. Baseball’s second all-time saves leader with 478, Lee Smith’s saves total is so impressive that John Franco, who is third all-time, is more than 50 saves behind him.
However, Smith has come up short of receiving the necessary number of votes to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame twice, but many feel it’s only a matter of time.

“I’ve been on the ballot a few years and I think my chances are looking pretty good,” said Smith about getting into Cooperstown. “I think the best thing for all of us relief pitchers was seeing Dennis Eckersley go in as a relief pitcher. Hopefully that will filter down and help out the guys like myself, Goose (Gossage), and Bruce Sutter.”

As of this writing, only Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter have been inducted into the Hall of Fame based primarily on their relief pitching and only Sutter has been inducted with fewer starting appearances than Smith. Let’s hope that Lee Smith makes it number 5 very soon.

Player biography written by Karen

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #97: Tom Burgmeier

Tom Burgmeier, RP, #16 (1978-1981)

213 G, 21-12, 40 Saves, 2.72 ERA

Thomas (Tom) Henry Burgmeier began his baseball career as a Crusader who would one day be an All Star. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota on August 2, 1943, he started pitching with the St. Cloud Cathedral High School in 1957. In 1961 he led the Crusaders to a State Championship.

Originally signed by Houston, he debuted with California then went to the Royals in the 1968 expansion draft when he was 24 years old. In 1971, he was 9-7 with 17 saves and a 1.74 ERA. He joined the Red Sox in 1978. in 1980 as a Red Sox he went 5-4 with a 2.00 ERA and 24 saves. On August 3, 1980 in a 6–4 win over Texas, Burgmeier finished the last inning in RF. He’s the first Red Sox pitcher to play a position since Mike Ryba caught in three games in 1942. That same year he was named to the American League All-Star Team.

During the 1981 off season Burgmeier suffered a stroke. Despite the stroke, he returned to the mound with the Red Sox where he had one of his best seasons ever — 7-0 with a 2.29 ERA in 40 appearances.

During his 17-year career (1968 to 1984) he compiled a career record of 79-55 with a 3.23 ERA and 102 saves. He played for the California Angels, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Oakland A’s. Burgmeier was a consistent and durable reliever until shoulder tendinitis ended his career at age 40.

Burgmeier became a pitching coach in Kansas City’s minor league system from 1992-1996. He then spent the 1997 season as the Royals video scouting coordinator. From 1998-2000 he served as Kansas City’s bullpen coach. He spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons as pitching coach for Baltimore’s Double-A affiliate in Bowie. Burgmeier returned to the Kansas City franchise as a pitching coach for Kansas City’s Single-A club in Burlington, Iowa from 2003-2005. He is currently the pitching coach of the Omaha Royals.

Player Biography written by Karen.

100 Greatest Red Sox >> #98: Sparky Lyle

Sparky Lyle, RP, #28 (1967-1971)

260 G, 22-17, 69 Saves, 2.85 ERA

Albert Walter “Sparky” Lyle was born July 22, 1944 in DuBois, Pennsylvania.

A left-hander with a prominent handlebar mustache, Lyle used the slider to become one of the most dominant relief pitchers of his era during a 16-year career that included tours of duty with the Red Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago White Sox. He pitched 1,390 innings during his career, recording 238 saves, 99 wins, and making 899 consecutive relief appearances. Lyle relied on a crackling slider almost exclusively in his heyday, but also possessed a good fastball and a capable curve. He never started a ML game.

Lyle was first signed as an amateur free agent by the Baltimore Orioles on June 17, 1964; however, he never played a game for the Orioles. On November 30 of the same year, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox from the Orioles.

Hall of Famer Ted Williams, the last major leaguer to hit .400 in a single season, was at the Boston Red Sox Winter Haven, Florida spring training site when Lyle first pitched.
“Ted Williams told me that I’d never make the big leagues unless I came up with a slider,” Lyle recalled. “I had a pretty good curve, but I couldn’t throw a fastball over the plate.
“Ted Williams told me the slider was the one pitch he couldn’t hit,” Lyle said. “Ted Williams knew a lot about baseball, and when you hear something from a guy like that, you’re going to try to do something about it.”

Lyle worked on developing the slider for the next two years, and became proficient enough with the pitch that the Red Sox summoned him to the major leagues in 1967.
“About two months after I perfected the slider in 1967, I was called up to the major leagues,” Lyle said. “I threw the pitch so it would come straight at the batter until it got to within three feet of the plate. Then it would break down. It was an excellent pitch for double plays. I was a ground-ball pitcher, and that’s how I got batters to hit ground balls.”

He first joined the Red Sox as a player on July 4, 1967, during the “Impossible Dream” season. He was at first assigned uniform number 15 by the Red Sox, but during the middle of the 1967 season was given number 28, which he retained through nearly all his major-league career. By the 1969 season he would emerge as the Red Sox’ top reliever.
In 1968 he began to emerge as the Sox bullpen ace, finishing 6-1 with 11 saves and a 2.74 ERA. He saved 17 games in 1969 (third in the AL), 20 in 1970, and 16 in 1971, but before the 1972 season he was traded to the rival Yankees for first baseman Danny Cater, one of the worst trades in Red Sox history.

Lyle became the Yankees’ bullpen ace, and established himself as one of the best relief pitchers of the 1970s, helping the Yankees to three straight pennants from 1976-78 and winning the World Series the last two years. In 1972 he saved 35 games, an American League record at the time, and a major-league record for left-handers. In 1972 Lyle also became the first southpaw to collect 100 saves in the AL. He again led the league in saves in 1976, and in 1977 became the first AL reliever ever to win the Cy Young Award. He was named an AL All-Star in 1973, ’76 and ’77. In 1976 he broke Hoyt Wilhelm’s AL record of 154 career saves, and the following year eclipsed Perranoski’s major-league mark for left-handers of 179 career saves. Through 1977 Lyle had compiled 201 career saves, and was within range of Wilhelm’s career big-league record of 227.

Despite the fact Lyle had won the 1977 Cy Young Award, the Yankees signed Goose Gossage as a free agent during the ’77 off-season. On November 10, 1978, Lyle was part of a major trade that sent him, along with four other players and cash, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Juan Beníquez and four other players, including a young Dave Righetti. During the ’78 season, Yankees teammate Graig Nettles famously quipped that Lyle went “from Cy Young to sayonara.”

Lyle was unable to duplicate the great success he had previously enjoyed (perhaps due to the strain of pitching over 100 innings six times from 1969-78), and saved only 21 games for the Rangers in 1979-80. Rollie Fingers moved ahead of Lyle in career saves in early 1980, breaking Wilhelm’s record just weeks before Lyle reached the mark, and Fingers eventually pushed the record beyond reach.

On September 13, 1980, Lyle was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for a player to be named later (Kevin Saucier). Although the Phillies won their first World Series title in 1980, Lyle did not appear in the postseason. He was first assigned number 39 with the Phillies, but for the 1981 season resumed the uniform number 28 which had been his trademark since 1967.
On August 21, 1982, he was purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the Phillies. His last game was played on September 27 of that season for the White Sox, who released him on October 12. Lyle finished his 16-year career with 238 saves, a 2.88 ERA, and a record of 99-76 in 899 games pitched — all in relief.

In 1998, he became the manager of the Somerset Patriots, a minor league team based in Bridgewater, New Jersey, where he resumed wearing number 28. He managed the team to Atlantic League pennants in 2001, 2003 and 2005. He remains the only manager in club history.

Player Biography written by Karen.

Test Post and Posting Thougths

I'll delete this once we get this up and running, but I needed to test out the posts and lay out a few things for post guidelines.

All posts should have a similar look and feel....I'll work on that and post a sample post with a dummy player, etc.

We'll use the labels as follows: Years played for the Red Sox (1901, 1902, 1903, etc) and positions played (please use 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, C, RF, LF, CF, SP, RP, CL (cl is special for those designated as "closer"), Manager, Owner, Front Office, Team.

I'll be responsible for editing the posts for formatting and labels etc after they go live to ensure consistency.

Digital Derek of SawxBlog is working on a header graphic and I'll be playing aroudn with formating.

Thanks,
Tim