This is a new thread series that I am starting, where we will look at teams and try to pick out their best player ever. Some teams will, more then likely, be easy due to either a) that player being an icon in the sport (i.e. Michael Jordan) or b) the team hasn't had much success (Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals). However, there will be certain teams where there really isn't a wrong answer, just multiple ones that you could make cases for.
And just to note, these players are being nominated based on their time spent with the team. So no Brett Favre is the greatest Jet after only one season, or Ty Cobb is the greatest Athletic after two seasons. No, these players are being voted on based on their tenure WITH the team, not as a summation of their career.
The fourth team we are going to do is the team that has been around for 110 years and has 7 World Series titles of their own - and the longtime rival of the second team we covered - the Boston Red Sox. Like I have with my last two, I will give you my top three candidates, in alphabetical order, and we'll go from there.
Pedro Martinez - I know, I know, he was only on the Sox for 7 seasons, but those seasons were the stuff of legends. 6 of his 7 seasons he had ERA's under 3 (including a 1.74 in 2000) and was arguably the best pitcher during that stretch. His first 3 years he got 2nd, 1st, and 1st in the Cy Young voting and should've had an MVP thrown in there in 99 but was shafted by some shady voting. He was having some of the best seasons ever at the height of the steroid era as well, where it seemed every Tom, Dick, and Harry was hitting at least 30 bombs. And he helped finally bring home a championship to Boston, even if he wasn't at his best in some of his games in the ALCS. Yes, Roger Clemens had more accomplishments as a pitcher and Carlton Fisk was one of the most celebrated players during his time, but for my money he'd be one of about 3 guys I'd choose to have throw if I needed one win (when he was in his prime). He won't be my pick, but I felt his great seasons needed to be recognized.
Ted Williams - Behind Babe Ruth, he's arguably the best hitter ever. He could hit for power (521 HR's and 525 2Bs) and hit for average (.344 average). He walked almost 3 times as often as he struck out (2021 to 709), and got on base at a ridiculous .482 clip. He didn't reach 3000 hits, but that was because, in his prime years, he decided to take time off and serve his country in WW2. He won two triple crowns, and was the last person to ever hit .400 (in 1941, and he took off to the war a year after it). He won 2 MVPs, was a 19 time all-star and won the batting title 6 times. He was named on the All-Century team and it'd be a tough argument to go against him (with the one you could possibly use is that he never brought home a title, although the Yankee teams of the late 40's and early 50's were some of the greatest teams ever). He is my pick here, but let's go to my other nominee.
Carl Yastrzemski - He was the man who replaced Williams in LF when Teddy called it quits, and he did more then enough to ease the pain of Williams retiring. He was a 19 time all-star in 23 seasons (all with the Red Sox), which included an MVP in his historic 1967 season, being the last player to hold the Triple Crown. He, like Williams, hit for power with over 400 HRs and accumulated 3419 hits (6th most all time). While he didn't hit nearly as high of a clip (.285) or get on as much (.379 OBP) as Ted Williams, some of that had to contribute to the era that he played in, where pitching ruled (specifically in the 60s). Yaz was one of the 50 best hitters of all time, clearly, but he just falls a step behind Ted because of the insane numbers Ted put up in his prime. He's #2, but I'd say there's a safe distance between him and Williams.
So Ted is my pick, agree? Disagree? Wanna give someone else a shout out? Go right ahead.
Previous 'Greatest Evers':
Dallas Cowboys
New York Yankees
San Francisco 49ers
And just to note, these players are being nominated based on their time spent with the team. So no Brett Favre is the greatest Jet after only one season, or Ty Cobb is the greatest Athletic after two seasons. No, these players are being voted on based on their tenure WITH the team, not as a summation of their career.
The fourth team we are going to do is the team that has been around for 110 years and has 7 World Series titles of their own - and the longtime rival of the second team we covered - the Boston Red Sox. Like I have with my last two, I will give you my top three candidates, in alphabetical order, and we'll go from there.
Pedro Martinez - I know, I know, he was only on the Sox for 7 seasons, but those seasons were the stuff of legends. 6 of his 7 seasons he had ERA's under 3 (including a 1.74 in 2000) and was arguably the best pitcher during that stretch. His first 3 years he got 2nd, 1st, and 1st in the Cy Young voting and should've had an MVP thrown in there in 99 but was shafted by some shady voting. He was having some of the best seasons ever at the height of the steroid era as well, where it seemed every Tom, Dick, and Harry was hitting at least 30 bombs. And he helped finally bring home a championship to Boston, even if he wasn't at his best in some of his games in the ALCS. Yes, Roger Clemens had more accomplishments as a pitcher and Carlton Fisk was one of the most celebrated players during his time, but for my money he'd be one of about 3 guys I'd choose to have throw if I needed one win (when he was in his prime). He won't be my pick, but I felt his great seasons needed to be recognized.
Ted Williams - Behind Babe Ruth, he's arguably the best hitter ever. He could hit for power (521 HR's and 525 2Bs) and hit for average (.344 average). He walked almost 3 times as often as he struck out (2021 to 709), and got on base at a ridiculous .482 clip. He didn't reach 3000 hits, but that was because, in his prime years, he decided to take time off and serve his country in WW2. He won two triple crowns, and was the last person to ever hit .400 (in 1941, and he took off to the war a year after it). He won 2 MVPs, was a 19 time all-star and won the batting title 6 times. He was named on the All-Century team and it'd be a tough argument to go against him (with the one you could possibly use is that he never brought home a title, although the Yankee teams of the late 40's and early 50's were some of the greatest teams ever). He is my pick here, but let's go to my other nominee.
Carl Yastrzemski - He was the man who replaced Williams in LF when Teddy called it quits, and he did more then enough to ease the pain of Williams retiring. He was a 19 time all-star in 23 seasons (all with the Red Sox), which included an MVP in his historic 1967 season, being the last player to hold the Triple Crown. He, like Williams, hit for power with over 400 HRs and accumulated 3419 hits (6th most all time). While he didn't hit nearly as high of a clip (.285) or get on as much (.379 OBP) as Ted Williams, some of that had to contribute to the era that he played in, where pitching ruled (specifically in the 60s). Yaz was one of the 50 best hitters of all time, clearly, but he just falls a step behind Ted because of the insane numbers Ted put up in his prime. He's #2, but I'd say there's a safe distance between him and Williams.
So Ted is my pick, agree? Disagree? Wanna give someone else a shout out? Go right ahead.
Previous 'Greatest Evers':
Dallas Cowboys
New York Yankees
San Francisco 49ers
