43 replies to this topic

[Infield Infidel]

Next up is Second Base. A minimum of 5 living second basemen will be selected, and a maximum of 10.

More info on the methodology here

Baseball Reference positional history here

Nominations:
Nominations must be in bold. Each poster can list up to 5 players for nominations; up to 20 players, those with the most nominations, will be included for voting. (ties going over 20 nominations will not be include because polls can only list 20 answers).

Nominations are accepted after this post until Thursday 9am ET, voting is Thursday 9am ET to Monday 9am ET.

Nomination Criteria:
The mandatory criteria is that the person is alive, and played in 40 games at Second Base for the Red Sox, and hasn't already been selected.

You can use any other criteria you want to define “greatness.”

I'll start us off with Dustin Pedroia, Jody Reed, Marty Barrett

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Bobby Doerr
Mike Andrews

[E5 Yaz]

II, you're going to hate yourself in the morning

Bobby Doerr

[Hendu's Gait]

Jose Offerman
Bobby Doerr
Dustin Pedroia
Jody Reed
Mark Bellhorn

Edited by Hendu's Gait, 28 May 2012 - 08:22 PM.

[Rasputin]

Bobby Doerr
Dustin Pedroia
Jody Reed
Mark Bellhorn
Marty Barrett

Edited by Rasputin, 29 May 2012 - 01:03 AM.

[twothousandone]

Jerry Remy

[BCsMightyJoeYoung]

• Bobby Doerr
• Dustin Pedroia
• Jody Reed
• Marty Barrett
• Doug Griffin

[edit: I wasn't actually going to vote for The Dude .. just think he deserves props for getting beaned by Nolan Ryan and still playing - albeit poorly - everafter]

Edited by BCsMightyJoeYoung, 30 May 2012 - 07:07 AM.

[Rasputin]

bah

Edited by Rasputin, 29 May 2012 - 01:03 AM.

[Plympton91]

I'll add Jeff Frye to the list of voting options. Another player who was useful when on the field but unable to stay healthy.

[Dick Pole Upside]

Popeye Doyle

[fineyoungarm]

Chuck Schilling - obviously.

Did Dalton Jones play enough games at 2nd to qualify - one might ask. After all, Ted Williams said Jones had the best left handed swing he ever saw - although making solid contact with that near perfect swing became an issue after 1967. I've talked myself into it - nominated.

[Al Zarilla]

Billy Goodman, lifetime .300 hitter!

Edit, Billy's not with us anymore.

Edited by Al Zarilla, 29 May 2012 - 09:34 AM.

[mabrowndog]

Hobe Ferris - 5'8" and 162 lbs. Pedey before Pedey -- a second-baseman with pop in his bat and a chip on his shoulder. Starter for the franchise's first 7 seasons including the 1903 WS. After going 2-for-15 in the Series' first 4 games (including 3 Boston losses), he went on a 7-for-16 tear as they won 4 straight. In the 8th and final game, he went 2-for-4 and drove in all three Boston runs.

From his SABR bio:

Of the right-hander's 1,146 career hits, 28 percent of them went for extra bases, a ratio exceeded only by 10 other American Leaguers during the Deadball Era, and higher than such renowned sluggers as Ty Cobb, Frank Baker, Elmer Flick and Jimmy Collins. During his nine-year major league career, Ferris ranked in the league's top five in triples and home runs three times each.

Defensively, Ferris was widely regarded as one of the best fielding second baseman of his time, and led the league in putouts twice, assists twice, and double plays once during his seven years with Boston. "At his best," the Washington Post observed in 1908, "[his defense] made [Napoleon] Lajoie look like a second-rater."

A fierce competitor and notorious umpire baiter, the hot-tempered Ferris was later described by Fred Lieb as a "rough and tumble old time player that could take it and dish it out."

I'm not too keen on defensive metrics, but the available numbers appear to justify the lofty praise. Ferris finished in the AL's top 10 for Defensive bWAR (covering ALL positions) in 5 of his 7 seasons with Boston. In 4 of those seasons, he was in the top 6.

[Hendu's Gait]

Hobe Ferris - 5'8" and 162 lbs. Pedey before Pedey -- a second-baseman with pop in his bat and a chip on his shoulder. Starter for the franchise's first 7 seasons including the 1903 WS. After going 2-for-15 in the Series' first 4 games (including 3 Boston losses), he went on a 7-for-16 tear as they won 4 straight. In the 8th and final game, he went 2-for-4 and drove in all three Boston runs.

From his SABR bio:



I'm not too keen on defensive metrics, but the available numbers appear to justify the lofty praise. Ferris finished in the AL's top 10 for Defensive bWAR (covering ALL positions) in 5 of his 7 seasons with Boston. In 4 of those seasons, he was in the top 6.

Dead

[bankshot1]

For your consideration

Pete Runnels

5 seasons with the Sox 1958-1962, 2-time Al batting champ, a consistent .300 hitter, and 4-time All-star as a Sox

edit: and also DEAD

NM

Edited by bankshot1, 29 May 2012 - 09:10 AM.

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Billy Goodman

Hobe Ferris

One problem...not currently "Living"

[mabrowndog]

Crap. I picked the wrong day to drink decaf tea instead of coffee. Commence the abuse.

By the way, think Ferris would have tolerated Manny's antics?

He also continued to make headlines whenever his nasty temper flared on the ball field, as occurred on September 11, 1906. In that afternoon's game against the New York Highlanders at Hilltop Park, Boston outfielder Jack Hayden took a leisurely route on a fly ball hit to short right field, which Ferris himself failed to go after, resulting in an inside-the-park home run.

Returning to the bench at the end of the inning, Ferris initiated a vile verbal attack on Hayden for what he perceived as lackadaisical play. Hayden, in turn, landed three stingers to Hobe's jaw. After their teammates separated them, Ferris braced himself on a rail and thrust his foot into Hayden's face, knocking out several teeth.

Fuck it. I say we invite his decayed corpse to the Fenway shindig.

Edited by mabrowndog, 29 May 2012 - 09:17 AM.

[brs3]

OFFERMAN?! Why would ANYONE nominate Offerman?! Screw that guy! Next we'll see Mike Lansing being nominated!

Doerr
Barrett
Pedroia
Remy
Bellhorn


edit: limited to 5

Edited by brs3, 29 May 2012 - 11:53 AM.

[Hendu's Gait]

OFFERMAN?! Why would ANYONE nominate Offerman?! Screw that guy! Next we'll see Mike Lansing being nominated!

Doerr
Barrett
Pedroia
Remy
Bellhorn
Todd Walker
Reed
Luis Alicea
Jeff Frye

Well, Offerman WAS an All-Star.

/ducks

But seriously, he gets a bad rap here for some reason. And c'mon, Alicea?

Edited by Hendu's Gait, 29 May 2012 - 09:20 AM.

[mabrowndog]

Dustin Pedroia
Bobby Doerr
Marty Barrett
Jerry Remy
Mark Bellhorn

[Al Zarilla]

One problem...not currently "Living"

Forgot the stipulation of living. RIP Billy Goodman.

[Infield Infidel]

Chuck Schilling - obviously.

Did Dalton Jones play enough games at 2nd to qualify - one might ask. After all, Ted Williams said Jones had the best left handed swing he ever saw - although making solid contact with that near perfect swing became an issue after 1967. I've talked myself into it - nominated.

Nominations must be in bold

OFFERMAN?! Why would ANYONE nominate Offerman?! Screw that guy! Next we'll see Mike Lansing being nominated!

Doerr
Barrett
Pedroia
Remy
Bellhorn
Todd Walker
Reed
Luis Alicea
Jeff Frye

Please narrow that down to five nominations

[Lose Remerswaal]

Please narrow that down to five nominations

It's ok, he's Chris Webber

[fineyoungarm]

Chuck Schilling and (prettiest left handed swing evah) Dalton Jones

[Al Zarilla]

Really two guys here and the rest are 30 lengths behind in horse racing talk.

[ookami7m]

Bobby Doerr
Jody Reed
Dustin Pedroia
Jerry Remy
Mark Bellhorn

[Lose Remerswaal]

Pedroyer
Remy
Doerr
Mike Andrews
Bellhorn

[MalzoneExpress]

Félix Mantilla

[LoweTek]

Elijah Pumpsie Green

Not so much for what he did on the field but for being on the field.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

Doerr
Pedroia
Andrews
Reed
Barrett

(fwiw, the top 5 in WAR among Red Sox living second basemen).

Edited by LahoudOrBillyC, 29 May 2012 - 02:36 PM.

[fineyoungarm]

Really two guys here and the rest are 30 lengths behind in horse racing talk.

I am throwing the full weight of my office behind Dalton Jones. Good enough for Ted, good enough for me. (Campaign buttons being stamped - saying just that)

Having written that, some here might contend - without having lost their minds - that Mike Andrews shows at about 10 lengths back. The 1967 factor is always there for ladies and gentlemen of a certain age.

[mwonow]

My mom would never forgive me if I didn't nominate her all-time fave, Denny Doyle.

er - not that I'm voting for him...

& Hendu, "Double Play Jose" earned every bit of his rap.

[Andrew]

Bobby Doerr
Jody Reed
Dustin Pedroia
Jerry Remy
Mark Bellhorn

[Al Zarilla]

I am throwing the full weight of my office behind Dalton Jones. Good enough for Ted, good enough for me. (Campaign buttons being stamped - saying just that)

Having written that, some here might contend - without having lost their minds - that Mike Andrews shows at about 10 lengths back. The 1967 factor is always there for ladies and gentlemen of a certain age.

Ironically, a guy who comes to mind from 1967 at 2B almost as much as Andrews was Jerry Adair, who came up with some very clutch hits that year. Adair is deceased.

[fineyoungarm]

Ironically, a guy who comes to mind from 1967 at 2B almost as much as Andrews was Jerry Adair, who came up with some very clutch hits that year. Adair is deceased.

A very versatile player, who may have had an ill child as all of '67 played out. A dirt dog before the term was invented. I am positive that he had a game winning home run in a pivotol game (which my July it seemed like every game was), but I cannot remember the exact circumstances or against whom - without going back to my Impossible Dream DVD. (My mother - rest her soull - pitched my scrap book.)

Some of the younger posters have wondered here what teams/games from that era were like. The DVD that comes/came with The Impossible Dream DVD is great on that - the one of the next to the last game of 67 season. Must win, of course. That's the game when Dick Williams got the bull pen up in the first inning to "shock" Jose Santiago's head into the game. Also, an amazing going away catch by Yaz. And "old Fenway" - dust and litter blowing around on the field (water to wet down the infield? - too expensive - and the ground crew expense). Very evocative of an earlier time and the whole game is trimmed down to no much over an hour, I believe.

[Red(s)HawksFan]

A very versatile player, who may have had an ill child as all of '67 played out. A dirt dog before the term was invented. I am positive that he had a game winning home run in a pivotol game (which my July it seemed like every game was), but I cannot remember the exact circumstances or against whom.

August 20 vs Angels, Game 2 of a double header, Adair led off the bottom of the 8th with a solo home run, breaking an 8-8 tie. Jose Santiago got pinch hitter Moose Skowron to ground out with the bases loaded to preserve the lead in the top of the 9th.

[MalzoneExpress]

August 20 vs Angels, Game 2 of a double header, Adair led off the bottom of the 8th with a solo home run, breaking an 8-8 tie. Jose Santiago got pinch hitter Moose Skowron to ground out with the bases loaded to preserve the lead in the top of the 9th.

The detail you left out is that the Sox trailed 8-0 in that game. It was an incredible comeback that Adair capped off.

edit: The detail was in your link. My post was from memory.

Edited by MalzoneExpress, 30 May 2012 - 12:44 PM.

[Andrew]

Nick Punto: I'm reserving this pick for when he gets to 40 games this season.

Edited by Andrew, 30 May 2012 - 02:29 PM.

[Hendu's Gait]

Nick Punto

doesn't qualify

"The mandatory criteria is that the person is alive, and played in 40 games at Second Base for the Red Sox,"

[JMDurron]

Bill Mueller

This post is in honor of Yaz and Ortiz at 1B.

Yes, I know he doesn't qualify, unless mental games played in the minds of morons count.

[fineyoungarm]

The detail you left out is that the Sox trailed 8-0 in that game. It was an incredible comeback that Adair capped off.

edit: The detail was in your link. My post was from memory.

My memory fades - perhaps I should drink more.

That was the back end of the double header? I just checked on the other game - 12 to 2 Red Sox with the incomparable Lee "Stinger" Stange getting the CG win.

What I do recall, was that it was a beautiful, warm Sunday. BBQ'ing at my cousins, uncle cremating the burgers, burning the corn on the cob, radio on - and the shouting you could hear all over the neighborhood (not an A/C in sight) when Adair homered.

RIP Jerry Adair - you made a lot of people very happy.

Others - sorry about going off topic. Back to living 2nd baseman - such as utility infielder Dalton Jones, who in 67 went something like 15 for 20 as a pinch hitter. You can look it up.

Edited by fineyoungarm, 30 May 2012 - 04:39 PM.

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Others - sorry about going off topic. Back to living 2nd baseman - such as utility infielder Dalton Jones, who in 67 went something like 15 for 20 as a pinch hitter. You can look it up.

You're right, you can look it up: 13 for 47, 6 BB, 2 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 7 K.

[fineyoungarm]

You're right, you can look it up: 13 for 47, 6 BB, 2 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 7 K.

Nice memory, fya. (Need to focus more on the ABs.) Maybe it was the Series when he he hit so well - .400 or so. (That can be looked up too.)

[Infield Infidel]

Nominations are closed

Somewhere, Todd Walker is weeping

Edited by Infield Infidel, 31 May 2012 - 06:33 PM.