Boston Red Sox Top Ten: Pedro, Papi and Manny
By Tab Bamford
A Dominican trio redefined Red Sox history. Proud, powerful, and full of personality, Pedro Martínez, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramírez transformed Boston into a team that had not just a New England character but also a Latino soul.
The three Dominicans were key to breaking whatever curse had befallen the Red Sox franchise and ushered in a new reality. It had been over a century since Boston fans called their team World Series champions. With the Dominicans providing much of the color of the Red Sox, Boston claimed three titles within a span of 10 seasons.
Even more, Boston became a destination for Latino players and a place Dominicans and other Latinos were even more proud to call home.
Certainly, Boston had experienced something similar in the 1970s with Luis Tiant. The Cuba native became a fan favorite in Boston with his twirling wind-up, unique mustache, and ability to win with guile even when he didn’t have his best stuff. But Tiant was just one Latino who while winning the hearts of Boston faithful did not transform Red Sox nation in the manner the Dominican trio would in the 2000s and 2010s.
So which of these stars were able to claim the a spot on the Red Sox Latino top ten? In order to come up with the franchise Latino Top 10 ranking we kept it simple by using WAR (as calculated by Baseball-Reference.com) as our metric of choice. And while this is one measure of the impact of these players, you might have your own opinion as to who deserves to higher (or lower) on that team’s Top 10.
Let us know of what you think of the rankings. Surprised some are higher or lower than expected? Is there another Latino who made Red Sox nation proud missing from the list?
Boston Red Sox Top Ten
1. Pedro Martínez
Seven years in Boston, 53.9 WAR, four-time All-Star, two-time Cy Young Award winner
Dominican Republic
All it took was Carl Pavano (well, and Tony Armas). On Nov. 18, 1997 the Red Sox traded Pavano to Montreal for a 26-year-old Pedro who had just won his first Cy Young Award for the Expos. The seven years that followed were magic, with Pedro winning a pitchers Triple Crown and two more Cy Young Awards before helping the Red Sox erase the curse. Pedro’s final numbers in Boston: 117-37, 2.52 ERA, 0.978 WHIP and 1,683 strikeouts in 1,383.2 innings pitched. It’s stunning to consider that Pedro played in Boston half as many years as David Ortiz and still produced a higher WAR for the franchise. Pedro also made the Nationals/Expos’ top ten list.
2. David Ortiz
14 years in Boston, 52.7 WAR, 10-time All-Star, 2013 World Series MVP, seven Silver Sluggers
Dominican Republic
In December of 2002, a 26-year-old Ortiz was released by the Minnesota Twins after hitting 36 home runs in 455 games at the Major League level. He signed with Boston the following month and became a generational icon. One of the more revered hitters of the last 20 years, “Big Papi” scored 1,419 times, hit 541 home runs and drove in 1,768 runs in 2,408 games for the Red Sox. He led the league in RBI three times (2005, 06, 16), home runs once (2006), and had an OPS above 1.000 five times, including his final season at ago 40.
3. Nomar Garciaparra
Nine years in Boston, 41.2 WAR, five-time All-Star, two batting titles, 1997 AL Rookie of the Year
Mexico / US
In the late 1990s, the shortstop position was as crowded as it is today. Nomar, A-Rod and Derek Jeter were the headliners, and many felt Nomar might be the best of the three. He won back-to-back batting titles with a .357 average in 1999 and .372 average in 2000. He recorded a league-leading 209 hits and led the league with 11 triples in his Rookie of the Year season as well. In total, Nomar appeared in 966 games for the Red Sox and slashed .323/.370/.553 with 1,281 hits, 709 runs scored, 690 runs batted in and 507 extra-base hits.
4. Luis Tiant
Eight years in Boston, 36.2 WAR, two-time All-Star
Cuba
Tiant’s mechanics were as dizzying as his stuff, setting him up to be perhaps the best starting pitcher in Boston in the 1970s. He led the league with a 1.91 ERA in 1972 when he had a 15-6 record and 123 strikeouts in 179 innings pitched. Tiant would win 20 games in three seasons with the Red Sox (1973, 74, 76). The Cuban with the awe-inspiring mustache finished his Boston career with a 122-81 record, 113 complete games, 26 shutouts and a 3.36 ERA in 1,774.2 innings pitched. Tiant also made our Indians’ top ten.
5. Manny Ramirez
Eight years in Boston, 33.2 WAR, eight-time All-Star, seven Silver Sluggers
Dominican Republic
Ramirez finished in the top ten in MVP voting in his first five seasons in Boston, arriving as a 29-year-old in the middle of one of the more impressive stretches of offensive production from a right-handed hitter in his generation. Ramirez drove in at least 100 runs in each of his first six seasons in Boston and won a batting title in 2002. Manny slashed .312/.411/.588 with 274 home runs, 868 runs driven in and 743 runs scored in 1,083 games with the Red Sox. Manny, like Tiant, also made our Indians’ top ten.
6. John Valentin
10 years in Boston, 32.2 WAR, one Silver Slugger
Puerto Rico / US
Valentin appeared in 991 games for the Red Sox and was a strong offensive threat from 1993-99. He led the league with 47 doubles in 1997, one of three seasons in which he had at least 40 doubles for Boston. He drove in a career-high 102 runs with 27 homers in 1995, winning his only Silver Slugger Award and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting.
7. Xander Bogaerts
Six years in Boston, 13.2 WAR, one All-Star Game, two Silver Slugger Awards
Aruba
Bogaerts, the only active member of the Red Sox to make the list, is already in his sixth season in Boston at age 25. After appearing in only 18 regular season games in 2013, Bogaerts appeared in 12 playoff games with the Red Sox as they went on to win the 2013 World Series. He made his first All-Star Game appearance in 2016 when he established career-highs with 21 home runs and 89 RBI. He
8. Mike Lowell
Five years in Boston, 10.6 WAR, one All-Star Game, 2007 World Series MVP
Puerto Rico
Lowell was acquired with Josh Beckett in arguably the second-most significant trade of the last 30 years in Boston. Over the 612 games that followed while a member of the Red Sox, Lowell would hit 80 regular season home runs and drive in 374 runs. He drove in 120 and slashed .324/.378/.501 in his one All-Star season in Boston (2007), the year he led the Red Sox to a championship and World Series MVP honors. Lowell also made our Marlins’ top ten.
9. Bob Ojeda
Six years in Boston, 10.4 WAR
Mexico / US
Ojeda, who also ranked ninth on our Mets’ top ten list, pitched the first six seasons of his career in Boston. He finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1981 and led the league with five shutouts in 1984. Ojeda appeared in 140 games for the Red Sox between 1980-85, winning 44 times with a 4.21 ERA.
10. Rogelio Moret
Six years in Boston, 7.4 WAR
Puerto Rico
Moret, whose struggles we chronicled earlier this year, had two really good seasons with the Red Sox. He posted a 13-2 record in 1973 and followed that with a 14-3 record in 1975, his final season in Boston. Over his six seasons, Moret won 41 of 59 decisions and posted a 3.43 ERA.
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