Tim Naehring

From SoSH

Timothy James Naehring was drafted by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 1988 amateur draft out of Miami University. A right-handed infielder (3B, SS, 2B) showing great promise, he quickly played his first game for the big league club July 15, 1990. For the next 7 seasons, Naehring showed flashes of potential, hitting 17 home runs, with 65 RBI, in 1996 and earning himself a decent free agent deal from the Sox, which paid him $6.7 million over the course of three years, including 1998, when he made $2.8 million though he didn't play a game due to elbow injury. His final major league game was June 23, 1997.

In his eight seasons with the Sox, he collected 49 home runs, 250 RBI, and batted .282, with .365 OBP and .420 slugging.

He did, however, sign a minor league deal with Cincinnati, his hometown, which lead to him becoming the head of player development for Reds. He is now Reds minor league coordinator. He also gained some notoriety for building "Li'l Fenway Park," in Miamitown, OH, complete with Green Monster and Pesky's Pole, at his old Little League field.

The Boston Globe ran a reflective pice on Naehring in 2004 where he was made out to be quite the heartthrob, though this writer can't comment. In that same interview, Naehring picked the Cardinals to win the 2004 series.