Red Sox Retired Numbers

The Boston Red Sox have as many retired numbers--7--as they do championship banners since they were founded as one of the American League's original franchises in 1901.  It's mind boggling that a team with as much history as the Red Sox has just seven numbers bolted to the roof hanging above the right field grandstand beyond Pesky's Pole.  Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin, Johnny Pesky, Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams, Jim Rice and Carlton Fisk (notice that there are no pitchers, and you can begin to see why the club went 86 years between championships) are the only ones alongside Jackie Robinson, whose number 42 was retired by every major league team in 1997 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his historic debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

But seven names in 110+ years of baseball? That figure seems awfully low to me.  How is that possible?  It's important to remember two things.  First, the franchise's golden years/dynasty that produced five World Series titles between 1903 and 1918 came during the Deadball era, when players did not have uniform numbers.  Therefore, greats such as Harry Hooper, Tris Speaker, Cy Young, etc. can't be retired. The second is that team endured a pair of prolonged stretches of remarkable ineptitude, especially from 1919 to 1933 when they failed to produce a winning season, and from 1952 through 1966, when they gradually deteriorated into a cellar dwellar and Tom Yawkey briefly considered relocation.  All teams go through rough patches, but there were many years during those three decades when the Olde Towne Team was historically bad.  It's also worth mentioning that the team's intense fans and media, combined with its stormy racial history, have dissuaded untold numbers of talented players from signing with the club while pushing established stars like Reggie Smith, Ellis Burks, and Mo Vaughn out the door.

It also doesn't help that the Red Sox adhere to a pretty strict policy with the following criteria:
-The player must be enshrined in Cooperstown
-He must have spent at least ten seasons in a Red Sox uniform

These requirements are ridiculous in my opinion, as they make all-time greats and fan favorites such as Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Dick Radatz, Luis Tiant, Fred Lynn, Nomar Garciaparra, Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez ineligible. Pesky is the lone exception to the rule, since he played eight seasons with Boston and does not have a plaque hanging in Cooperstown, but he's dedicated almost his entire adult life to the organization. 

Regarding the first stipulation, I can think of many outstanding players, from Fred McGriff and Dale Murphy to Jeff Bagwell and Mark McGwire, that should be in the Hall of Fame but aren't for various reasons.  You can be a great player for many years and put together a nice career but ultimately fall short of induction.  And thanks to the cronyism of various Veteran's Committees there are just as many underserving players in the Hall.  Thus, the status isn't always an accurate reflection of player's contributions.  Accordingly, I think the team should change this rule from the Hall of Fame to the less exclusive Red Sox Hall of Fame, which recognizes Boston's baseball heroes.  As for the second requirement, free agency has rendered the ten year rule obsolete.  The rule is also unfair to players who were traded away as well as unfortunate players like Tony Conigliaro who had their careers curtailed by injury. 

Needless to say, I would like the see the Sox retire more numbers.  Here are some candidates.

Slam dunks
#26 Wade Boggs (1982-1992)
-Played his first eleven seasons as the Red Sox third baseman before signing as a free agent with the New York Yankees.  From 1983 through 1989 he recorded seven consectuive seasons with at least 200 hits, an American League record later broken by Ichiro Suzuki.  He made eight All-Star teams, earned six Silver Sluggers and won five batting titles (the most ever for a third baseman), making him the team's best pure hitter since Teddy Ballgame.  No left handed hitter use the Green Monster to his advantage more than Boggs, but Adrian Gonzalez has the rest of the decade to mount a challenge.

#21 Roger Clemens (1984-1996)
-Steroids, HGH, and sour personality aside, I find it hard to believe that Cooperstown will keep out a 354 game winner with seven Cy Young awards and nearly 5,000 strikeouts under his belt. Like Barry Bonds he was already well on his way to the Hall of Fame before using steroids during the second half of his career. With Boston the Rocket rose to prominence as one of the best pitchers in baseball; he was named American League MVP in 1986, won three Cy Youngs (and deserved a couple more) and twice struck out 20 batters in a single game. Unfortunately his career in Beantown ended poorly with GM Dan Duquette letting him walk during the "twilight of his career," you know, before he won four more Cy Youngs during another decade of excellence.  You could make a case for him as the best pitcher in team history, but I'll take Pedro Martinez for his sheer dominance during the late 90s and early aughts.

Deserving
#7 Dom DiMaggio (1940-1953)

-The only title character from David Halberstam's "The Teammates" who hasn't had his number retired.  The "Little Professor" batted leadoff for a potent Red Sox lineup and was, along with his older brother Joe DiMaggio, one of the top centerfielders of his era in spite of his diminuitive frame.  Ted Williams always maintained the seven time All-Star, who batted .298 for his career like another centerfielder that wore the number seven (Mickey Mantle), was Cooperstown worthy.  Had he not lost three prime years to World War II, I'd have to believe the Veterans Committee would have inducted him.

# 24 Dwight Evans (1972-1990)
-In 19 seasons with Boston he compiled a career that many, Bill James included, believe is Hall of Fame worthy.  The rightfielder received eight Gold Gloves and made one of the most memorable catches of all time (on par with Willie Mays in the minds of many Red Sox fans) to rob Joe Morgan during Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.  To this day Dewey remains one of the most underrated and underappreciated ballplayers of all time, though the sabermetric revolution could help him get into Cooperstown someday as it did for Bert Blyleven.

#33 Jason Varitek (1997-2011)
-'Tek spent his entire fifteen year career behind the plate for the Sox as their best everyday catcher since Pudge Fisk.  The rugged, hard-nosed captain made three All-Star teams and helped guide Boston to a pair of World Series titles.  His pregame preparation was extraordinary and nobody handled a pitching staff better than he did.  Jorge Posada and Joe Mauer overshadowed him statistically and he didn't do enough to make the Hall.  Nonetheless, the Fenway Faithful will always remember him leaping into the arms of Keith Foulke and Jonathan Papelbon, just as they'll never forget the time he stuffed his mitt into Alex Rodriguez's face after Bronson Arroyo plunked the superstar on a rainy July afternoon.

#49 Tim Wakefield (1995-2011)
-Wake's not going to make the Hall of Fame, not with a career 4.41 ERA and just one All-Star appearance, but that shouldn't matter.  The knuckleballer piled up 186 wins across 17 years for the Red Sox but contributed just as much off the field.  He was truly an outstanding human being and teammate who accepted whatever role the manager asked him to fill, and he always had the team's best interest in mind.  I'm just glad he got his 200th career victory before hanging it up, and that he didn't hang around too long like Jamie Moyer.

Honorable Mention-Mel Parnell, Frank Malzone, Rico Petrocelli, Bob Stanley (all Red Sox lifers) Tony C., and Jerry Remy for his work in the booth as a color commentator.  I'd also like to see Pumpsie Green's number retired to honor his achievement of integrating the team.  It would be a nice gesture from the team that rejected Jackie Robinson, stuffed the front office with racists and has historically been less than friendly to black stars.

Present players who could be retired

#15 Dustin Pedroia (2006-)
-When healthy he's one of the most indispensable players in the game.  In four full seasons he already has made three All-Star teams, won two Gold Gloves, won AL Rookie of the Year, MVP and has a World Series ring.  It remains to be seen if he can sustain this production into his thirties--will he pull a Chase Utley and break down?  I believe he still has four or five good seasons in him, and wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the next Red Sox captain (Kevin Youkilis is another candidate, though the emergence of Will Middlebrooks makes him a possible trade option this summer).

#31 Jon Lester (2006-)
-Coming off four straight seasons with at least 15 wins and a sub 3.50 ERA, impressive figures for a southpaw that makes half his starts at Fenway.  Is off to a rocky start this year, but should finish with his typically strong numbers.  Many think he could win a Cy Young someday, and with that lineup behind him he's always a threat to win 20 games in any given season.

#34 David Ortiz (2002-)
-2004 Postseason.  Need I say more?  He's already put in his ten years with the team, and given his late career resurrection I like his chances of making the Hall of Fame.