The Greatest Game is Richard Bradley’s exploration of the 1978 one-game playoff between the Red Sox and Yankees for a spot in the AL Championship. The game is best remembered for Bucky “F—ing” Dent’s three-run home run in the seventh inning that turned the momentum in New York’s favor. The Yankees won 5-4, beat the Royals to win the pennant and the Dodgers to win the World Series. Bradley’s account is a pitch-by-pitch look at the game, with brief biographies of the players and managers sandwiched in between. Bradley also takes the reader through the Yankees’ and Red Sox’s regular seasons.

Not a Book for Red Sox Fans

I had planned to write how, were this book published in 2003 instead of 2008, it would have capitalized on the masochistic side of being a Red Sox fan and sold millions. However, two-thirds of the way in I realized that this isn’t a book for Red Sox fans at all; it’s for Yankees fans to learn more about one of their team’s crowning moments.

There’s very little about any member of the Red Sox that most older fans wouldn’t already know. There are brief bios of Carlton Fisk, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice, but all of this could be learned for free elsewhere. Red Sox historians already know about Don Zimmer’s managerial failings that cost the Red Sox their 14-game lead. Only Red Sox starter Mike Torrez’s deep resentment towards the Yankees a year after helping them win the World Series felt like a unique insight. The rest is just enough background to give off the appearance of objectivity.

Don’t be fooled: Bradley is a tried-and-true Yankees fan pretending to be a sports journalist, and he’s only really a fan of certain Yankees. Bradley calls Reggie Jackson’s eighth-inning home run during the “greatest game” attention-seeking, showboating and arrogant, despite it ultimately winning the game. He thinks catcher Thurman Munson’s arguing balls and strikes and framing pitches makes him the greatest catcher of all time. And in a season characterized by the ongoing power struggle between owner George Steinbrenner and manager Billy Martin, Bradley comes down squarely on Martin’s side.

Perhaps Bradley had a family member or friend who suffered from alcoholism, because Bradley is incredibly apologetic for Martin’s attitude and behavior. He has no problems criticizing Steinbrenner’s micro-managing, but he can’t come down on Martin for anything, including ordering reliever Rich Gossage to throw at a black player’s head during a spring training game and calling the player a racial slur (it was really hard to like Martin after reading that).

All of this would be fine, except for one teeny, tiny issue that barely deserves mention: Billy Martin did not manage the 1978 playoff game. Bob Lemon did. Furthermore, multiple Yankees said that had Martin not resigned from the team in late July, the team never would have caught the Red Sox in the first place. So why does Martin get so much ink? Why does Lemon only get a page when Martin gets chapters? Why do I have to learn the entire life story of Martin when I barely learn anything about Bob Stanley, who gave up Jackson’s home run? Jerry Remy went 2-for-4 with a run, why don’t I get a deep psychological treatise on him?

Too many words are devoted to a person who had nothing to do with the Yankees’ playoff win, and their presence in this book kills its credibility as a work of impartial journalism.

An Exciting Game Made Interminably Boring

Bradley takes readers through every pitch of every at-bat of the game. A review on the back calls The Greatest Game “page-turning.” That is literally true: you do indeed have to turn the pages to continue reading. Most books (except those read on e-readers) work that way. There’s no figurative truth to this term, however: I crawled through this book, plodding through endless diversions, both good (player bios) and bad (extended descriptions of the movement of shadows across Fenway Park).

One third of the way into this book, you’re only through the first inning. The book quickens slightly as it gets through the final few innings, but this book should have been so much shorter.

Take a look at the actual box score from that game. There are maybe 10 players about whom you’d really need anything more than the season stats. For the Yankees, Graig Nettles could be skipped, as could Lou Piniella, Chris Chambliss and everyone who hit in the eight-hole. For the Red Sox, everyone who batted seventh, eighth or ninth could be skipped. Journalism is about discretion, and Bradley lacks it. By flooding us with information, he turns what was objectively a very exciting game (three home runs, two by franchise players, a dramatic late-game lead-change, a near-comeback in the bottom of the ninth) into a boring slog.

Is This Truly the “Greatest Game?”

That question is never answered by Bradley. He takes it as self-evident that this is, as the cover says, “the most memorable game in baseball’s most intense rivalry.” But without explanation of why this is the greatest game – without any real insight into the impact of this game – the justification for how he writes this book disappears.

Perhaps this was the greatest game to that point. Perhaps. 1978 marked the end of dominant eras for both the Red Sox and Yankees. Both teams only returned once to the World Series through the entire 1980s, and both lost. The Yankees rebounded in the late 90s, and the Red Sox followed suit in the mid-2000s.

I would argue the greatest game in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry was Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, in which Dave Roberts gave us the greatest steal in postseason history, Bill Mueller beat the greatest closer ever, and the Red Sox pulled off the biggest postseason comeback in baseball history. The game helped forever put the Red Sox on even-footing with the Yankees and wiped out the fatalism that had plagued Red Sox Nation for so long.

Game 4 was, by far, the “greatest game.”

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Now!, Opinion, Red Sox.

Also Read: SoB’s Mike Carlucci thinks Buck Showalter brought up some good points about Theo Epstein and the Red Sox fat wallet.

Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter is no fan of Theo Epstein. In the April edition of Men’s Journal, Showalter said that overpaying for players because you have the highest payroll in Major League Baseball does not make you a smart manager.

“That’s why I like whipping their asses: It’s great, knowing those guys with the $205 million payroll are saying, ‘How the hell are they beating us?’ ” Showalter said in the article. He also said that Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter frequently jumps back from down-the-middle pitches during his at-bats, but the refs call balls anyway because of his reputation.

Terry Francona responded with his usual self-effacing sense of humor, citing Epstein’s choice for manager as a sure sign of his intelligence.

Since that time Showalter has backed off the intensity of those comments, praising both Jeter and the Red Sox. Given that Showalter manages one of the worst franchises in recent memory (.437 winning percentage since winning the AL East in 1997, only once finishing better than fourth place), this is probably a smart move. No need to give the Red Sox more reasons to beat you (Epstein’s Red Sox are 24-18 against Showalter’s Rangers and Orioles).

Money Isn’t Everything

Showalter was right about one thing: to get Carl Crawford, the Red Sox paid too much. Crawford was the highest profile free-agent available and the Red Sox wanted to improve their outfield. They wanted him, they threw a bunch of money at him, they got him.

Having a $163 million payroll certainly gives you advantages over teams with low payrolls. Managers for such teams, as chronicled in Michael Lewis’s Moneyball, have to find more creative ways to win games. Some do, some don’t. But having a lot of money and using it properly are two entirely different things. For example (stats taken from USAToday):

• The Chicago Cubs have had an average payroll of $106.4 million every year since 2003 (Epstein’s first year), placing them in the top-10 all but once. They’ve gone to the playoffs three times via NL Central titles, but have only won one postseason series.
• The New York Mets payroll averages $119.1 million since 2003. They’ve been in the top-5 every year, but have only one NL East title and postseason series victory to show for it.
• The New York Yankees have had the highest payroll in baseball every year since 2003, averaging $193.3 million. They’ve been to the playoffs seven times – on five AL East titles and two wild card births – but have only one World Series title.

All three of these teams (even the Yankees, to a far lesser extent than the Cubs or Mets) show that payroll isn’t everything. And Epstein’s record – six postseason births on one AL East title and five wild card births, two World Series titles – is the best of the bunch. Clearly, Epstein must be doing something other than just throwing money around. Some degree of intelligence and ability is evidenced by his success.

Free Agents, Trades, and the Farm System

Do the Red Sox overpay for players? Absolutely (although “overpay” is a relative term when the average player makes over $3 million playing a kid’s game). And because they overpay, if a player under-performs, the general manager comes under fire. Bad players become spectacular busts. J.D. Drew and Daisuke Matsuzaka are examples of this.

Such busts can come to define a general manager, but let’s not forget that a number of Epstein’s high-impact free-agents actually came pretty cheap:

• Bill Mueller never cost the team more than $2.5 million a year, and he won a batting title in 2003.
• Keith Foulke fixed Boston’s bullpen issues in 2004, and he only cost the team $6.75 million a year.
• Mark Bellhorn hit key home runs during three-straight 2004 postseason games, then led the Red Sox during the World Series in on-base percentage and slugging. Epstein spent $500,000 on him.
• David Ortiz earned $1.25 million in 2003 and has since reached the pinnacle of Boston sports superstardom.

No general manager’s record of free-agent signings is pristine. But Epstein’s shows that he is just as capable of careful scouting and bargain hunting as he is of overpaying.

Epstein has also acquired some pretty important Red Sox players via trades. Curt Schilling came via trade. Victor Martinez came via trade. 2007 ALCS and World Series MVPs Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell came together in a trade.

Given Epstein’s solid trade record (ignoring Eric Gagne, of course), you’d think the Red Sox would be giving away all their homegrown talent. Not so. How many major contributors to the Red Sox in the last few years were once minor leaguers? Kevin Youkilis. Jonathan Papelbon. Jon Lester. Dustin Pedroia. Jacoby Ellsbury. Clay Buchholz. Daniel Bard. Those seven are probably the core of the team, and they’re all homemade.

Epstein continues to balance the acquisition of veteran major-league talent with the maintenance of the Boston farm system. Even this year, as he traded for Adrian Gonzalez, he held onto Jose Iglesias.

Buck’s Bravado

Showalter probably said what he said to continue demystifying the Red Sox and Yankees in the eyes of his players. He pretty much admits as such in the Men’s Journal article. He has a pension for bluster, and this was just another case of it. It’s unlikely Showalter regards Epstein with anything other than professional respect. And that’s a respect born of action, not speech.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Red Sox.

This past decade has been good to us Red Sox fans, as weird as that is to say. Up until Game 4 of the ALCS, it looked like it was going to be another 10 years of let downs. It turns out, we were wrong. With two World Championships, the Red Sox have truly been one of the best franchises in all of sports this past decade, and the only way to honor those players is to name the 2000-2009 Boston Red Sox All-Decade Team.

Catcher – Jason Varitek

There is little competition for Jason Varitek in this category. Varitek has been the starting catcher for the Red Sox for almost the entire decade. Varitek put up strong numbers for the Red Sox over the last ten seasons, especially for a catcher, hitting .257, belting 148 home runs, and driving in 596 runs. His best seasons were 2003 through 2005, where he hit a total of 65 home runs and had 228 RBI with a .283 batting average.

Varitek’s greatest strength, however, came from behind the plate. He is well known for his ability to control the game from the catcher’s position. Vartiek has caught four no-hitters in his career, all coming this decade. The first was Hideo Nomo in 2001, then Derek Lowe in 2002, followed by Clay Buchholz in 2007, and finally Jon Lester in 2008. Even with his career coming to an end, and his numbers dropping off, Jason Varitek has been an outstanding player for this organization this past decade.

Honorable Mention: Doug Mirabelli

First Base – Kevin Youkilis

This spot on the All-Decade team was a two horse race between Youkilis and Kevin Millar. Youkilis burst on the scene as a third baseman for the Red Sox in 2004, but switched positions after the Red Sox acquired Mike Lowell in the Josh Beckett deal. Since being called up, Youkilis has hit .292 with 93 home runs and 408 RBI.  He is a two time All-Star, the 2008 AL Hank Aaron Award winner, a Gold Glove winner in 2007, and has finished in the top 6 for MVP voting twice.  He has solidified himself as one of the faces of the franchise, and should be in a Red Sox uniform for a long time.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Millar

Second Base – Dustin Pedroia

Aside from Mark Bellhorn and Jose Offerman, Pedroia is the only player to play more than a season’s worth of games at second base for the Red Sox. Pedroia started his career playing only 31 games with the big club in 2006. The following season, his official rookie season, Pedroia became an instant star. After struggling early, Pedroia stormed back from criticism and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2007. Pedroia followed his rookie season with an incredible second season. In 2008, Pedroia hit .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBI on his way to becoming an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner. Oh, he also took home the 2008 MVP award. In his short career, Pedroia has hit .307 with 42 home runs and 212 RBI, making him an easy choice for the All-Decade team.

Honorable Mention: Todd Walker

Shortstop – Nomar Garciaparra

It has been a while since the Red Sox had a good shortstop. Since the departure of Nomar, we have seen the likes of Pokey Reese, Nick Green, Edgar Renteria, and Julio Lugo come in to be the next starting shortstop of the Red Sox. To put it simply: we have yet to find the next Nomar for this organization. Garciaparra was the face of the franchise for many years. He was a star the instant he was called up, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1997.

In his three-and-a-half years as a Red Sox player this decade, Nomar hit .323 with 82 home runs and 350 RBI, while being plagued by injuries. In 2001, Nomar only played 21 games, and then only played 81 total in 2004 (38 with Boston, 43 with Chicago). This decade, Nomar made three All-Star teams with the Sox and led the league in batting in 2000, while playing exciting, but not great defense.

Honorable Mention: Alex Cora

Third Base – TIE: Bill Mueller/Mike Lowell

This position was the toughest one for me to pick, so I decided to choose both top contenders. Bill Mueller was the starting third baseman for the Sox from 2003-2005. Mueller had a fantastic season in 2003, starting 146 games, hitting .326 with 19 home runs and 85 RBI. That year he won the batting title, the Silver Slugger award, and finished 12^th in MVP voting. He never matched those numbers again, but his numbers in three seasons on the team were impressive: .303 AVG, 41 home runs, and 204 RBI. The one thing keeping Mueller from being an honorable mention were two events. The first was July 29, 2003 when Mueller became the only player ever to hit a grand slam from both sides of the plate. The second was in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, when Mueller hit a single off Mariano Rivera to score Dave Roberts and keep the Red Sox’ season alive.

Mike Lowell was quite the nice surprise for the Red Sox organization. In order to land Josh Beckett from the Marlins, the Red Sox had to take on Mike Lowell as well. Since joining the team in 2006, Lowell has hit .295 with 75 home runs and 348 RBI. In 2007, Lowell was an All-Star and finished 5^th in the MVP voting after hitting .324 with 21 home runs and 120 RBIs, numbers which he has not come close to since. Lowell was also an important part in the Red Sox 2007 World Series Championship Team, and received the 2007 World Series MVP Award. Lowell has been plagued by injuries as of late, which kept him from being the lone Third Baseman of the All-Decade team.

Honorable Mention: Shea Hillenbrand

Left Field – Manny Ramirez

This was also a no-brainer. Despite his trade requests, “Manny Being Manny” moments, and spells where he does not try, Manny Ramirez is one of the best hitters of all-time. After signing with the Red Sox following the 2000 season, Ramirez made an instant splash with the organization. In his first season in Boston, Ramirez hit .306 with 41 home runs and 125 RBI. The numbers continued to rise after that season. In eight years in Boston, Ramirez hit .312 with 274 home runs and 868 RBI, helping Boston win two World Series titles.

As a Red Sox, Manny was an All-Star eight times, won the 2004 AL Hank Aaron Award, the 2004 World Series MVP award, six Silver Slugger awards, and one batting title. If you looked at the league leaders, you would almost always find Manny’s name somewhere atop the RBI or home run lists.

Honorable Mention: Jason Bay

Center Field – Johnny Damon

The Red Sox signed Johnny Damon following the 2001 season and they had finally found their new starting center fielder. In four years with the Red Sox, Damon hit .295 with 56 home runs, 299 RBI, and 98 stolen bases. He was well-known for his long hair, beard, and “idiots” faze with Kevin Millar during the 2004 playoffs. He was a two-time All-Star in Boston, and led the AL in triples in 2002. Damon was typically mocked for having a weak arm, but his hitting more than made up for that shortcoming. After his four-year deal with Boston ended, Damon signed with the New York Yankees and forever became known as a traitor to Red Sox fans. However, as much as it hurt to see a Red Sox sign with the Yankees, Damon played outstanding baseball in Boston for four seasons and deserves a spot on the All-Decade team.

Honorable Mentions: Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp

Right Field – Trot Nixon

Right Field was patrolled by Trot Nixon for many, many years. During this decade, the Trot hit .278 with 118 home runs and 471 RBI. Many Red Sox fans have the same image of Trot coming to the plate with a filthy helmet a wad of dip in his mouth. He was the true definition of a Boston Dirt Dog. Trot never won any awards, never was an All-Star, and will not make it to the Hall of Fame. The one thing that Trot did best, however, was play his heart out each and every game.

Honorable Mention: J.D. Drew

Designated Hitter – David Ortiz

Like Varitek, there is no debate on who this spot would go to. Ortiz has been one of the most dominant designated hitters of all time as a member of the Red Sox. Ortiz joined the team as a free agent in 2003. In seven seasons with the Sox, he has hit .288 with 259 home runs and 830 RBI. When paired with Manny Ramirez, the two made one of the most feared 3-4 duos in baseball history.

This decade, Ortiz has made 5 All-Star teams, won the 2004 ALCS MVP, the 2005 Hank Aaron Award, and won 4 Silver Sluggers. He finished in the top 5 voting for MVP each year from 2003-2007, led the league in RBI in 2005 and 2006, walks in 2006 and 2007, home runs in 2006, and the list could go on and on. Despite steroid allegations, Ortiz remains one of the best players this decade, and in franchise history.

Honorable Mention: Manny Ramirez

Starting Pitchers: Pedro Martinez, Tim Wakefield

Pedro Martinez was simply the most dominant pitcher to play for the Red Sox in this decade. While he is no longer the pitcher he was at the start of the decade, and really has not been since the Red Sox let him walk, Martinez was one of the most important parts of the 2004 World Series Champions. During his tenure with the Red Sox this decade (2000-2004), Pedro was 75-26 with a 2.53 ERA. In 2000, he was an All-Star and won the AL Cy Young Award. He led the AL in ERA in 2000, 2002, and 2003, and led the league in strikeouts in 2000 and 2002.

As for Tim Wakefield, it’s hard not to put him on the All-Decade team. Wakefield’s numbers are not that impressive, as he was 110-95 with a 4.33 ERA, but that is not where his importance lies. Wakefield has been a consistent performer in the Red Sox starting rotation for many years. He eats innings when the bullpen is tired, and can even pitch the occasional gem. His two biggest individual accomplishments were when he finished 4th in the AL in ERA in 2002 with a 2.81 ERA and made the 2009 All-Star team. While those numbers would normally keep him off many All-Decade teams, his unselfishness and incredible work ethic over the last 10 years made him a lock to make my team.

Honorable Mentions: Derek Lowe, Curt Schilling, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett

Relief Pitchers: Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Timlin, Hideki Okajima

Papelbon was an obvious choice here. Since being called up in 2005, Papelbon has been one of the top closers in the league. He was originally brought up as a starting pitcher, but was moved to the bullpen due to the team’s severe need for help. Papelbon did not start closing until the 2006 season, and since then he has recorded 151 games with an ERA of 1.84, and has played in four All-Star games.

Mike Timlin was a solid, effective pitcher in Red Sox bullpen. In six seasons with the Red Sox, he had an ERA of 3.76 with 27 saves and a record of 30-22. His best year was in 2005, when he had a 2.24 ERA while appearing in 81 games, leading the league in appearances. He was also a member of both of Boston’s World Series teams. In 2007, Timlin was awarded the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for his work toward finding a cure for ALS.

Hideki Okajima was a surprise star when he came to over to Boston from Japan in 2007. Okajima had a fantastic first season in the bullpen, finishing with a 2.22 ERA in 69.0 innings, making the All-Star team, and finishing sixth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. His numbers have dropped since his successful first season, but he is still a formidable member in the back of the bullpen. In his three seasons with the Red Sox, Okajima has a 2.72 ERA, six saves, and a record of 12-4 in 192.0 innings.

Honorable Mentions: Derek Lowe, Manny Delcarmen

Manager of the Decade: Terry Francona

As if this any shock. Francona took over the team in 2004 after Grady Little kept Pedro in a little too long in the 2003 ALCS. In his first season as manager, Francona led the Red Sox to a World Series title, and later won another in 2007. Francona has yet to lose a World Series game after sweeping both St. Louis and Colorado. As the Red Sox manager, Francona has a record of 565-407 with one division title and five playoff appearances in six seasons.

Shotgun over at the Blue Workhorse put together his own version of the Red Sox All-Decade team. Disagree with either of us? Let us know by commenting below.

© A.J. Szczerbinski for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Red Sox, Top Story.