Your top "forgot he was a Red Sox"

Heating up in the bullpen

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I can't believe Tom Brunansky was actually mentioned in this thread.
View: https://youtu.be/QdZgAcFGzC8
Great catch. I always referred to an unnecessary diving catch, or a diving catch necessitated by lack of speed or taking a bad route, as a "Brunansky catch." My memory of him in RF was a lot of unnecessary diving. But in this case, the dive, and the catch, were legit.
 

Al Zarilla

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Great catch. I always referred to an unnecessary diving catch, or a diving catch necessitated by lack of speed or taking a bad route, as a "Brunansky catch." My memory of him in RF was a lot of unnecessary diving. But in this case, the dive, and the catch, were legit.
Jeff Reardon's windup and delivery from behind the mound looks so much like Bob Stanley in that video that I had to look up if Stanley was still on the team. Nope, 1989 was his last year with the Sox, and in the majors.
 

uk_sox_fan

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Nov 11, 2006
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Kielty hit a HR which proved to be the game winning run of a WS clincher. Not sure how you could forget about him.
Also his last hit in the majors.
Kielty came in as a pinch hitter and hit the first and only pitch he'd ever see in a World Series for a HR that proved to be the deciding run in the final game of the season. Doesn't get cooler than that!
 

TFisNEXT

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Any mention of Frank Viola?

And maybe a different category, but I always seem to forget All-stars Scott Cooper and Tom Gordon had long-ish stints with the Sox before floating on.
Seeing Frank Viola mentioned also reminded me we had Danny Darwin. I think it was the 1993 season?
 

Brohamer of the Gods

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Jul 14, 2005
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I looked the list of Red Sox Hall of Famers, and I forgot that Fergie Jenkins played in Boston for two years. It was before I was really following the team, but I do remember him as a player. The guys that Boston traded for Fergie going in and going out are a lot of head scratchers. Juan Beniquez is the biggest name, joined by Craig Skok, Steve Barr, and John Poloni who never played in Boston. Skok and Barr combined for 44.2 innings for the Red Sox over 15 games.
 

BuellMiller

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Until this thread sent me down a BBref rabbit hole, I never realized that the Sox lost Ernie Whitt in the '77 expansion draft after having him up with the big club the previous year.

Not a star, but definitely a solid starting catcher all through the 80s.
Didn't realize this either. I remembered Whitt for hitting a grand slam off Lee Smith in 1989 to put the Blue Jays up 11-10 over the Red Sox in that awful game where the Red Sox led 10-0 midway through the game.
 

8slim

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Any mention of Frank Viola?

And maybe a different category, but I always seem to forget All-stars Scott Cooper and Tom Gordon had long-ish stints with the Sox before floating on.
It'd be hard to forget Frank Viola if you watched the Sox remotely regularly in the early 90s. Guy started 70 games for us.
 

Zedia

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And Danny Darwin started 74 over 4 seasons. Neither of those guys are exactly obscure. (And feels like there are quite a few Darwin-related SoSH handles).
 

8slim

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And Danny Darwin started 74 over 4 seasons. Neither of those guys are exactly obscure. (And feels like there are quite a few Darwin-related SoSH handles).
Yep. I figuratively fell off my chair when people here mentioned Brett Saberhagen and Ramon Martinez. I don't know how anyone who followed the team could forget either pitched for the Sox -- they were both intimately involved in many key moments over multiple seasons.

Rob Deer I totally get forgetting.
 

Yelling At Clouds

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Jul 19, 2005
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You are so right! Thanks, added.

The Swan Song team (players who ended their careers in a SINGLE year on the Sox, after playing the rest elsewhere) now has a four-man rotation (Seaver, Dempster, Cook, Portugal) and a three-man pen (Mantei, Jenks, Hanrahan). We've got a good starting infield (Olerud, Phillips, Clayton, Gaetti with Javy Lopez behind the dish) and some depth. We could really use some better outfielders though! Here's what I've got, thanks to BornToRun, Rovin Romine, JMOH and simplicio for suggestions:

C: Javy Lopez
1B: John Olerud
2B: Brandon Phillips
SS: Royce Clayton
3B: Gary Gaetti
LF: Benny Agbayani
CF: Herm Winningham
RF: Scott Podsednik
DH: Jeremy Giambi

INF: Mark Lemke, Craig Grebeck, Sean Casey, Ryan Shealy, Sean Berry

SP: Tom Seaver, Ryan Dempster, Aaron Cook, Mark Portugal
RP: Matt Mantei, Bobby Jenks, Joel Hanrahan

MGR: Bobby Valentine
Seeing the Cora thread made me think that a more appropriate manager for this crew might be Ron Roenicke. I know technically the book isn't closed on him yet (and I'm guessing very few people have "forgotten" him at this point), but let's be realistic here.
 

TapeAndPosts

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Seeing the Cora thread made me think that a more appropriate manager for this crew might be Ron Roenicke. I know technically the book isn't closed on him yet (and I'm guessing very few people have "forgotten" him at this point), but let's be realistic here.
Yeah, it's harder with managers because you can't be as certain they are not going to come back later. Ron is working in the Dodgers front office right now so he's still in the game, I have a bit of respect for him for getting through last year with some dignity (he was dignified, right? I mostly had my eyes closed), and I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt and not declare his managerial career dead at this point. (Bobby V's managerial career, meanwhile, hopefully has a stake through its heart and its head cut off. Just nobody mention him to Reinsdorf.) Tell you what: Ron can be the mid-season replacement for this team when Bobby V gets fired.

While I'm here, I'm going to add Bobby Kielty and his WS-winning HR to the Swan Song Squad. This allows me to take Herm Winningham, a man with a lifetime negative WAR (in 868 games over 9 seasons!) out of the starting lineup. The outfield is still terrible; not sure what it means that we've had quite a few infielders with very solid careers take their swan song with us, while the outfield cupboard is much more bare. (Edit; adding Bob Turley to the rotation, and Jim Landis to the OF, on suggestions from runnels3. We now have a five-man rotation and 20 WAR in center field!)

The Swan Song team (players who ended their careers in a SINGLE year on the Sox, after playing the rest elsewhere):

C: Javy Lopez
1B: John Olerud
2B: Brandon Phillips
SS: Royce Clayton
3B: Gary Gaetti
LF: Bobby Kielty
CF: Jim Landis
RF: Scott Podsednik
DH: Jeremy Giambi

INF: Mark Lemke, Craig Grebeck, Sean Casey, Ryan Shealy, Sean Berry
OF: Benny Agbayani, Herm Winningham

SP: Tom Seaver, Ryan Dempster, Aaron Cook, Mark Portugal, Bob Turley
RP: Matt Mantei, Bobby Jenks, Joel Hanrahan

MGR: Bobby Valentine (mid-season replacement: Ron Roenicke)
 
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Captaincoop

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Jul 16, 2005
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Yep. I figuratively fell off my chair when people here mentioned Brett Saberhagen and Ramon Martinez. I don't know how anyone who followed the team could forget either pitched for the Sox -- they were both intimately involved in many key moments over multiple seasons.

Rob Deer I totally get forgetting.
Saberhagen throwing slop with a damaged arm in that '99 ALDS against Cleveland...I almost drank myself to death trying to watch that.
 

ngruz25

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Saberhagen throwing slop with a damaged arm in that '99 ALDS against Cleveland...I almost drank myself to death trying to watch that.
Saberhagen started one of the craziest single games in Red Sox playoff history - Game 5 in Cleveland. The game in which an injured Pedro came in to throw 6 no hit innings. The game in which, following two intentional walks of Nomar Garciaparra, Troy O'Leary hit a three-run homer and a grand slam to propel the underdog Red Sox to a 12-8 victory and series win.

The game saw 5 lead changes and 6 home runs, but somehow Pedro stole the show by changing his arm slot to fight through an oblique injury and slam the door on an Indians lineup that featured Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Roberto Alomar, Harold Baines, Omar Vizquel, and Kenny Lofton (injured diving into first base, replaced by Dave Roberts!).
 

Captaincoop

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Saberhagen started one of the craziest single games in Red Sox playoff history - Game 5 in Cleveland. The game in which an injured Pedro came in to throw 6 no hit innings. The game in which, following two intentional walks of Nomar Garciaparra, Troy O'Leary hit a three-run homer and a grand slam to propel the underdog Red Sox to a 12-8 victory and series win.

The game saw 5 lead changes and 6 home runs, but somehow Pedro stole the show by changing his arm slot to fight through an oblique injury and slam the door on an Indians lineup that featured Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Roberto Alomar, Harold Baines, Omar Vizquel, and Kenny Lofton (injured diving into first base, replaced by Dave Roberts!).
That's one of my 5 favorite Sox games ever.

Saberhagen's start in game 2 of that series...not so much.
 

Hendu for Kutch

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An El Guapo Rich Graces. One of the highlights of that year was being in Fenway, spacing out in between innings , then hearing a random cheer start to fill up Fenway. So you look around trying to figure out what is going on and realize El Guapo is coming out of the bullpen!
The single most thunderous applause I remember hearing in person at a regular season game was when Garces stepped up to the plate in Montreal in a game that was 95% Sox fans.

It only got louder after he bunted into a 1-6-4 double play. Yes, you read that correctly. Both corners charged, the pitcher wheeled and fired to the SS covering 3rd, who then threw over to the 2B covering 1st. The throw beat Garces by somewhere around 30 feet. It was too funny to be upset about.

Also, since he's been mentioned in this thread - Chris Stynes had 2 HR that game. 20 years ago this week.
 

HoyaSoxa

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The outfield is still terrible; not sure what it means that we've had quite a few infielders with very solid careers take their swan song with us, while the outfield cupboard is much more bare.
It's too bad Ivan Calderon played in 9 more games with the White Sox in 1993 after the BoSox released him.
 

TapeAndPosts

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Well then Jim Landis is your man. Played in only 5 games during the pennant stretch of '67, but they were his last.
5 gold gloves, 2 time all star.
Awesome, thanks!! That's 20.9 WAR you just added to the Swan Song outfield. You are putting in work!

It's too bad Ivan Calderon played in 9 more games with the White Sox in 1993 after the BoSox released him.
Right? There are others like that. Rob Deer seemingly ended his MLB career with the Red Sox in 1993 before coming back to play 35 games with the Padres three seasons later. But, I don't make the rules! (Well, okay, I did in fact make the rules. But I'm sticking to them!)
 

Bergs

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Yep. I figuratively fell off my chair when people here mentioned Brett Saberhagen and Ramon Martinez. I don't know how anyone who followed the team could forget either pitched for the Sox -- they were both intimately involved in many key moments over multiple seasons.
I was stuck in Ohio for '98 and '99. No bars in town had Extra Innings, and the internet wasn't exactly killing it yet. If it wasn't a national game, I didn't see it. Obviously got to see more than a few Pedro starts and the playoffs, but yeah, I had forgotten about Sabes until this thread (which obviously refreshed my memory).
 

8slim

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I was stuck in Ohio for '98 and '99. No bars in town had Extra Innings, and the internet wasn't exactly killing it yet. If it wasn't a national game, I didn't see it. Obviously got to see more than a few Pedro starts and the playoffs, but yeah, I had forgotten about Sabes until this thread (which obviously refreshed my memory).
I'm certainly not trying to shame anyone, believe me. Whether I watch a game or not, I've been following the daily results either via the 11pm TV news, morning paper, website or app since the 1980s -- I'm probably an outlier! So it's near impossible for me to mentally whiff on a guy who started 59 games for the Sox across three seasons.

The early 90s were when I was away at college. If someone played in the 92-93-94 seasons, particularly in the spring, or fall, that's where my memory is most likely to fail.
 

AbbyNoho

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Jan 20, 2006
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Jason Bay definitely takes it for me... I had to go look up who we traded for Jason Bay besides Manny, does anyone remember Craig Hansen who was supposed to be the closer of the future according to Theo?

So yea... Craig Hansen.
I remember us frantically looking at his brother's social media account of him sitting at a table about to sign with the Sox.
 

Bergs

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Jul 22, 2005
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I'm certainly not trying to shame anyone, believe me. Whether I watch a game or not, I've been following the daily results either via the 11pm TV news, morning paper, website or app since the 1980s -- I'm probably an outlier! So it's near impossible for me to mentally whiff on a guy who started 59 games for the Sox across three seasons.

The early 90s were when I was away at college. If someone played in the 92-93-94 seasons, particularly in the spring, or fall, that's where my memory is most likely to fail.
Yeah, I was starting grad school in 98/99. Those couple seasons certainly represent the low point of my being up to speed on the Sox (clearly). By 2003, I was plugged right back in.
 

runnels3

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There's gotta be a spot for Dave Philley, pinch hitter extraordinaire in his twilight years. He has the mlb record for 9 straight pinch hits over two seasons,
and went 24 for 72 pinch hitting for Baltimore in 1961, also an mlb record. His lifetime PH avg is .299, 93 for 311.

He went out with a whimper for the 1962 Sox.
DH? Who else we got?
 

beautokyo

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Jun 5, 2008
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Has the "Monster been mentioned? Dick Stuart? I remember watching a game at Yankee stadium on the box and Rizutto saying that one that Stuart hit wen further than he ever saw there to left. I remember seeing the hotdog wrapper too.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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Apr 12, 2001
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Rickey Henderson was one team away (Giants) from being the first person to play for all five California teams.

If he played for the Giants he would also joined a small fraternity of players who played for all four teams that have called New York home.

I think about Rickey in San Francisco a lot more than I should, TBH.
 

LoweTek

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Has the "Monster been mentioned? Dick Stuart? I remember watching a game at Yankee stadium on the box and Rizutto saying that one that Stuart hit wen further than he ever saw there to left. I remember seeing the hotdog wrapper too.
Dick Stuart was known as " Dr. Strangeglove."

Dick Radatz was "The Monster."
 

Al Zarilla

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Dick Stuart was known as " Dr. Strangeglove."

Dick Radatz was "The Monster."
I was at a game at Fenway years ago, Dick Stuart playing first for the Sox. He had the rep as a disinterested, lousy fielder already, so I decided to watch him between pitches. Instead of getting in the ready position, you know, feet apart, bent at the waist, glove down, he'd stand up straight with most of his weight on one foot and his glove tucked under his other arm. Totally unready. Then, he'd switch and put all the weight on the other leg every two or three pitches. I don't remember if a ball was hit to him that night. Too bad. Strange guy overall. Could hit the ball a mile though.
 

Valek123

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JT Snow, never was able to displace the Greek God of walks and requested to be DFA'd. Retired then signed a 1 day contract with the Giants to end his career there. Funny story from Wiki. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._Snow:

"However, rather than immediately retiring after signing the symbolic contract and receiving no actual pay as is usually done, Snow was penciled into the starting lineup and took the field on September 27 against the Dodgers, but was replaced before the first pitch. It was a move that allowed Snow to officially take the field as a Giants player one last time. Eugenio Vélez, Omar Vizquel, and Rich Aurilia threw balls in the dirt to mess with Snow during fielding practice prior to the first pitch, but Snow still made the plays."
 

Archer1979

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One that I had forgotten was Bob Watson. Had high hopes that he would help the Sox rebound from 1978 after getting him from the Astros (he was one of my personal NL favorites). Obviously didn't happen. Then he signed with the Yankees as a FA which was the nudge off that particular pedestal.
 
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Cumberland Blues

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I of course remember Ellis Burks coming up with the Sox and playing here from '87-'92. But until he was in the booth for NESN a few weeks ago I had completely forgotten that he came back and played a few games for the '04 team and has a ring.
 

lexrageorge

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One that I had forgotten was Bob Watson. Had high hopes that he would helped the Sox rebound from 1978 after getting him from the Astros (he was one of my personal NL favorites). Obviously didn't happen. Then he signed with the Yankees as a FA which was the nudge off that particular pedestal.
I remember being really upset when the Yankees signed Watson. They had already plucked El Tiante the prior offseason, and the Sox as a team were clearly going in the wrong direction.

Turns out the Yankees essentially paid Watson during his decline years. He had a decent season in 1980, but so did his replacement with Boston, Tony Perez. Both soon fell off the aging cliff, even though Perez kept putting up thoroughly mediocre seasons up to his 44th birthday.