Battling the Monster: Red Sox LF'ers

[Saints Rest]

I thought of putting this in the Hanley thread but it seemed like a broader topic than that.  But it started with the question, where does/will Hanley slot in among Red Sox LF'ers DEFENSIVELY SPEKAING.  Which made me think who was the best, who was the second best, who was the worst, etc.  So off I went to Baseball-Reference to check it out.
 
Here are the players who led the league in games strated PLAYED in LF for a full year.  I figured those people, at the very least, should be considered in this ranking:
Listed from most recent to longest ago.  I've only gone back as far as Yaz, as it seems like the vast majority on this board won't have much opportunity to comment on players before that without using questionable (due to the era) stats or hearsay:
* = one-year GP leader

• Ramirez, H *
• Gomes
• Nava *
• Crawford *
• Hall * 
• Bay
• Ramirez, M
• O'Leary
• Cordero *
• Greenwell
• Hatcher *
• Rice
• Yaz
• Harper
• Conigliaro, B

That takes us back to the handing of the torch from Ted to Yaz in 1961, so 55 years of baseball.
 
Then there are the other notables who played a lot of games in LF, but didn't lead the team in GP for any given year at that position 

• Ellsbury

 
and this is where my Google-Fu ran out.  So I'd love someone with better Baseball-Ref or other google-y goodness ability to help my find all other players who played at least 81 games in LF (arbitrary minimum of one half of a season).  From that list, hopefully, we coudl come to some sort of consensus ranking of Sox LF'ers.

 

[Al Zarilla]

I thought of putting this in the Hanley thread but it seemed like a broader topic than that.  But it started with the question, where does/will Hanley slot in among Red Sox LF'ers DEFENSIVELY SPEKAING.  Which made me think who was the best, who was the second best, who was the worst, etc.  So off I went to Baseball-Reference to check it out.
 
Here are the players who led the league in games strated in LF for a full year.  I figured those people, at the very least, should be considered in this ranking:
Listed from most recent to longest ago.  I've only gone back as far as Yaz, as it seems like the vast majority on this board won't have much opportunity to comment on players before that without using questionable (due to the era) stats or hearsay:
* = one-year GP leader

• Ramirez, H *
• Gomes
• Nava *
• Crawford *
• Hall * 
• Bay
• Ramirez, M
• O'Leary
• Cordero *
• Greenwell
• Hatcher *
• Rice
• Yaz
• Harper
• Conigliaro, B

That takes us back to the handing of the torch from Ted to Yaz in 1961, so 55 years of baseball.
 
Then there are the other notables who played a lot of games in LF, but didn't lead the team in GP for any given year at that position 

• Ellsbury

 
and this is where my Google-Fu ran out.  So I'd love someone with better Baseball-Ref or other google-y goodness ability to help my find all other players who played at least 81 games in LF (arbitrary minimum of one half of a season).  From that list, hopefully, we coudl come to some sort of consensus ranking of Sox LF'ers.
 

A nit: do you mean led the league in games started in LF, or the team?

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

There should be no question who the best Fenway left fielder is/was/ever will be, and that's Yaz. The guy played it masterfully when it was concrete and tin, and one ball could hit a dead spot and fall directly to the track and the next could hit a rivet and bounce into center field. He'd know from the crack of the bat if it would reach the wall and where and be positioned perfectly for it. The fiberglass version there now is a cakewalk by comparison.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

He meant led the team.
 
And I stared at "Hall" for the longest time, trying to convince myself the Bill Hall did not lead this team in GP in LF just 5 years ago.
 
And Soxjox vindicates me, as Nava started 44 games in 2010 in LF and Hall "only" 42!

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

All right, here's a quick shuffling of those guys into a rough order. Flame away! (Note that my slotting of Billy C. and Harper is based on web commentary--I never saw either of them play LF.)
 
Yaz
Billy C.
Hatcher
Harper
Rice
Crawford*
O'Leary
Cordero
Greenwell
Bay
Nava
Gomes
Hall
Manny
Hanley (so far)
 
*Crawford has obviously been better than this over his career, but I think it's a fair placement based on what he did for us.

 

[SoxJox]

If you want the full list for consideration, here is the leader in games started in left field, by year since 1914 (Baseball Reference did not break out positions other than "OF" for 1912 or 1913, the first 2 years of Fenway).
 
Year / Player  / Games Started
 
2014 Jonny Gomes 45
2013 Jonny Gomes 65
2012 Daniel Nava 66
2011 Carl Crawford 126
2010 Daniel Nava 44
2009 Jason Bay 150
2008 Manny Ramirez 66
2007 Manny Ramirez 120
2006 Manny Ramirez 123
2005 Manny Ramirez 147
2004 Manny Ramirez 132
2003 Manny Ramirez 126
2002 Manny Ramirez 64
2001 Manny Ramirez 55
2000 Troy O'Leary 133
1999 Troy O'Leary 154
1998 Troy O'Leary 154
1997 Wil Cordero 137
1996 Mike Greenwell 74
1995 Mike Greenwell 118
1994 Mike Greenwell 82
1993 Mike Greenwell 130
1992 Billy Hatcher 62
1991 Mike Greenwell 141
1990 Mike Greenwell 157
1989 Mike Greenwell 139
1988 Mike Greenwell 140
1987 Jim Rice 94
1986 Jim Rice 156
1985 Jim Rice 130
1984 Jim Rice 157
1983 Jim Rice 151
1982 Jim Rice 145
1981 Jim Rice 108
1980 Jim Rice 108
1979 Jim Rice 124
1978 Jim Rice 101
1977 Carl Yastrzemski 138
1976 Jim Rice 97
1975 Jim Rice 90
1974 Carl Yastrzemski 63
1973 Tommy Harper 138
1972 Carl Yastrzemski 82
1971 Carl Yastrzemski 146
1970 Billy Conigliaro 74
1969 Carl Yastrzemski 141
1968 Carl Yastrzemski 153
1967 Carl Yastrzemski 157
1966 Carl Yastrzemski 152
1965 Carl Yastrzemski 119
1964 Carl Yastrzemski 147
1963 Carl Yastrzemski 151
1962 Carl Yastrzemski 160
1961 Carl Yastrzemski 145
1960 Ted Williams 86
1959 Ted Williams 76
1958 Ted Williams 114
1957 Ted Williams 125
1956 Ted Williams 109
1955 Ted Williams 93
1954 Ted Williams 113
1953 Hoot Evers and Gene Stephens 56 each
1952 Hoot Evers 70
1951 Ted Williams 147
1950 Ted Williams 86
1949 Ted Williams 155
1948 Ted Williams 134
1947 Ted Williams 156
1946 Ted Williams 150
1945 Bob Johnson 137
1944 Bob Johnson 142
1943 Johnny Lazor 40
1942 Ted Williams 149
1941 Ted Williams 130
1940 Ted Williams 128
1939 Joe Vosmik 144
1938 Joe Vosmik 146
1937 Buster Mills 107
1936 Heinie Manush 72
1935 Roy Johnson 142
1934 Roy Johnson 137
1933 Smead Jolley 82
1932 Smead Jolley 119
1931 Jack Rothrock 75
1930 Russ Scarritt 109
1929 Russ Scarritt 128
1928 Ken Williams 123
1927 Wally Shaner 68
1926 Sy Rosenthal 45
1925 Tex Vache 49
1924 Bobby Veach 130
1923 Joe Harris 128
1922 Mike Menosky 80
1921 Mike Menosky 133
1920 Mike Menosky 141
1919 Duffy Lewis 141
1918 George Whiteman 60
1917 Duffy Lewis 147
1916 Duffy Lewis 135
1915 Duffy Lewis 152
1914 Duffy Lewis 142

 

[Saints Rest]

He meant led the team.
 
And I stared at "Hall" for the longest time, trying to convince myself the Bill Hall did not lead this team in GP in LF just 5 years ago.
 
And Soxjox vindicates me, as Nava started 44 games in 2010 in LF and Hall "only" 42!

I went back to the B-R link in the OP -- it should ahve said "most games played at the position, not started.  What threw me was that the link I clicked to get there was "Starters/Positional."

 

[Saints Rest]

If you want the full list for consideration, here is the leader in games started in left field, by year since 1914 (Baseball Reference did not break out positions other than "OF" for 1912 or 1913, the first 2 years of Fenway).
 
Year / Player  / Games Started
 
2014 Jonny Gomes 45
2013 Jonny Gomes 65
2012 Daniel Nava 66
2011 Carl Crawford 126
2010 Daniel Nava 44
2009 Jason Bay 150
2008 Manny Ramirez 66
2007 Manny Ramirez 120
2006 Manny Ramirez 123
2005 Manny Ramirez 147
2004 Manny Ramirez 132
2003 Manny Ramirez 126
2002 Manny Ramirez 64
2001 Manny Ramirez 55
2000 Troy O'Leary 133
1999 Troy O'Leary 154
1998 Troy O'Leary 154
1997 Wil Cordero 137
1996 Mike Greenwell 74
1995 Mike Greenwell 118
1994 Mike Greenwell 82
1993 Mike Greenwell 130
1992 Billy Hatcher 62
1991 Mike Greenwell 141
1990 Mike Greenwell 157
1989 Mike Greenwell 139
1988 Mike Greenwell 140
1987 Jim Rice 94
1986 Jim Rice 156
1985 Jim Rice 130
1984 Jim Rice 157
1983 Jim Rice 151
1982 Jim Rice 145
1981 Jim Rice 108
1980 Jim Rice 108
1979 Jim Rice 124
1978 Jim Rice 101
1977 Carl Yastrzemski 138
1976 Jim Rice 97
1975 Jim Rice 90
1974 Carl Yastrzemski 63
1973 Tommy Harper 138
1972 Carl Yastrzemski 82
1971 Carl Yastrzemski 146
1970 Billy Conigliaro 74
1969 Carl Yastrzemski 141
1968 Carl Yastrzemski 153
1967 Carl Yastrzemski 157
1966 Carl Yastrzemski 152
1965 Carl Yastrzemski 119
1964 Carl Yastrzemski 147
1963 Carl Yastrzemski 151
1962 Carl Yastrzemski 160
1961 Carl Yastrzemski 145
1960 Ted Williams 86
1959 Ted Williams 76
1958 Ted Williams 114
1957 Ted Williams 125
1956 Ted Williams 109
1955 Ted Williams 93
1954 Ted Williams 113
1953 Hoot Evers and Gene Stephens 56 each
1952 Hoot Evers 70
1951 Ted Williams 147
1950 Ted Williams 86
1949 Ted Williams 155
1948 Ted Williams 134
1947 Ted Williams 156
1946 Ted Williams 150
1945 Bob Johnson 137
1944 Bob Johnson 142
1943 Johnny Lazor 40
1942 Ted Williams 149
1941 Ted Williams 130
1940 Ted Williams 128
1939 Joe Vosmik 144
1938 Joe Vosmik 146
1937 Buster Mills 107
1936 Heinie Manush 72
1935 Roy Johnson 142
1934 Roy Johnson 137
1933 Smead Jolley 82
1932 Smead Jolley 119
1931 Jack Rothrock 75
1930 Russ Scarritt 109
1929 Russ Scarritt 128
1928 Ken Williams 123
1927 Wally Shaner 68
1926 Sy Rosenthal 45
1925 Tex Vache 49
1924 Bobby Veach 130
1923 Joe Harris 128
1922 Mike Menosky 80
1921 Mike Menosky 133
1920 Mike Menosky 141
1919 Duffy Lewis 141
1918 George Whiteman 60
1917 Duffy Lewis 147
1916 Duffy Lewis 135
1915 Duffy Lewis 152
1914 Duffy Lewis 142

But who are the folks, maybe moslty backups, who logged a lot of innings there besides the season leaders.  I'm thinking of Ellsbury in 2007 and 2008, maybe Ben Ogilvie and Bernie Carbo in the 70's,, etc.

 

[SoxJox]

But who are the folks, maybe moslty backups, who logged a lot of innings there besides the season leaders.  I'm thinking of Ellsbury in 2007 and 2008, maybe Ben Ogilvie and Bernie Carbo in the 70's,, etc.

Then you'd be talking about these guys in these years - where the "regular" started less that 100 games (again, Games Started, cause I didn't want to go back and pull the games played), and stopping in the  middle of the Williams era.
 
2014 Jonny Gomes 45 / Yoenis Cespedes 43 / Daniel Nava 31 / Grady Sizemore 22
2013 Jonny Gomes 65 / Daniel Nava 56 / Mike Carp 31
2012 Daniel Nava 66 / Carl Crawford 30 / Scott Podsednik 28 / Cody Ross 19 / Darnell McDonald 16
2010 Daniel Nava 44 / Bill Hall 42 / Jeremy Hermida 41
2008 Manny Ramirez 66 / Jason Bay 48 / Jacoby Ellsbury 36
[2007 Ellsbury started 15 games in LF]
2002 Manny Ramirez 64 / Rickey Henderson (forgot about him, didn’t we?) 42 / Brian Daubach 31 / Cliff Floyd 19
2001 Manny Ramirez 55 / Troy O’Leary 45 / Dante Bichette 37
1996 Mike Greenwell 74 / Reggie Jefferson 37 / Troy O’Leary 27
1994 Mike Greenwell 82 / Lee Tinsley 16 / Tom Brunansky 13
1992 Billy Hatcher 62 / Mike Greenwell 41 / Herm Winningham 25 / Bob Zupcic 23 / Phil Plantier 11
1987 Jim Rice 94 / Mike Greenwell 61
1976 Jim Rice 97 / Carl Yastrzemski 51 / Rick Miller 13
1975 Jim Rice 90 / Bernie Carbo 38 / Juan Beniquez 21
1974 Carl Yastrzemski 63 / Tommy Harper 58 / Bernie Carbo 31
1972 Carl Yastrzemski 82 / Ben Oglivie 28 / Dwight Evans 16 / Phil Gagliaon 11 / Andy Kosco 10
1970 Billy Conigliaro 74 / Carl Yastrzemski 65 / George Thomas 12
1960 Ted Williams 86 / Rip Repulski 22 / Gene Stephens 19 / Carroll Hardy 15 / Bobby Thompson 12
1959 Ted Williams 76 / Gene Stephens 40 / Gary Geiger 18 / Dick Gernet 13
1955 Ted Williams 93 / Faye Throneberry 28 / Gene Stephens 25

 

[SoxJox]

Also, as for the players you mentioned explicitly:
 
Ellsbury 56 total: 15 in 2007 / 36 in 2008 / 5 in 2010
Oglivie 37 total:  6 in 1971 / 28 in 1972 / 3 in 1973
Carbo 76 total: 31 in 1974 / 38 in 1975 / 1 in 1976 / 6 in 1977
 
Bear in mind all the numbers are season totals, and not Fenway only.

 

[Brohamer of the Gods]

Man, if you had asked me to name all of the Red Sox left fielders of the past ten years, I would have never remembered Hermida or Posednik.