In team history, ten former and current players have hit at least 200 home runs in a Boston Red Sox uniform. The all-time leader is Ted Williams, who hit all 521 of his home runs with Boston and averaged 14.8 at-bats per home run; he is the only player to ever hit at least 500 home runs wearing a Red Sox uniform. Second on this list is Carl Yastrzemski, who stroked 452 long balls over 23 seasons in Boston and averaged a home run every 26.5 at-bats. Neck-and-neck in third and fourth place, respectively, are Jim Rice and Dwight Evans. Rice hit 382 home runs, hitting 351 over his first 12-plus seasons with Boston at an average of one every 20.3 at-bats; Evans, meanwhile, finished three shy of Rice’s total in his years with the Red Sox with over a thousand more plate appearances.

In fifth place going into Wednesday night’s finale with the Mariners in Seattle is Manny Ramirez, who has hit 263 of his first 499 home runs with Boston. He also sits second all-time with an average of 14.4 at-bats per home run amongst former and current Sox players with a minimum of 2000 plate appearances. Rounding out the top ten are Mo Vaughn (230), Bobby Doerr (223), Jimmie Foxx (222), David Ortiz (220), and Rico Petrocelli (210). Ortiz is the present franchise leader in at-bats per home run at 13.3 while Foxx slugged one deep in every 14.8 at-bats; that ties him with Williams in third place.

Tags: Bobby Doerr, Boston Red Sox, Carl Yastrzemski, David Ortiz, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, Jimmie Foxx, Manny Ramirez, Mo Vaughn, Rico Petrocelli, Ted Williams

With a three-run blast in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game against Seattle starting pitcher Miguel Batista, his ninth of the 2008 season, Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez brought his career home run total to 499 at the same park, Safeco Field, where he hit number 400 in May of 2005. It marked his first since 12 May in Minnesota and puts him one shy of becoming the twenty-fourth player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 or more home runs in a career. The Red Sox play five more games on the current road trip before returning to Fenway Park next Tuesday, where Ramirez has failed to launch a long ball since going deep off Joaquin Benoit on 19 April against Texas, one of only two he’s hit at home this season.

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Manny Ramirez

Thanks to his no-hit performance against the Kansas City Royals last Monday, Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester was named co-American League Player of the Week along with Detroit Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez. Lester, who successfully returned from treatment for anaplastic large-cell lymphoma in 2006 to pitch the final game in the 2007 World Series, walked two batters and struck out nine batters in throwing the second no-hitter by a Boston pitcher in eight months. It also marked the eighteenth in franchise history and the first no-no thrown by a Boston southpaw since Mel Parnell tossed one in 1956. Lester finished the week with a 1-1 record and a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings of work and now sports a 3-3 record with a 3.55 ERA in 12 starts this season. The award was Lester’s first and the third such award won by a Boston player this season after left fielder Manny Ramirez and first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Ramirez

Should baseball institute instant replay for disputed calls on the field? The rash of missed or disputed home run calls this week has only intensified the argument for bringing baseball into the twenty-first century and more in-line with its football and hockey brethren. It isn’t a question of the abilities of the crew in blue; it takes unparalleled focus to handle an intense nine-inning contest that may last well over three hours. More so, the sole purpose would be to give umpires a fifth, unbiased view of the play to ensure that there would be little doubt left on the field.

Former Boston outfielder Gabe Kapler may be one major league player in favor of replay, as it may have added another home run to his career total if the technology was in use three years ago. Back on 10 August 2005, in an eventual 16-5 laugher over the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park, Kapler launched a pitch off Kenny Rogers towards the Monster Seats on top of the Green Monster. The ball hit the top of the wall above the home run line, bounced on the small ledge protruding from the wall, and then fell back into play as the crowd went crazy. However, third baseman Derryl Cousins ruled that the ball had not cleared the line and Kapler ended up standing on second. Arguments from the Red Sox bench did nothing except to get Trot Nixon, who was on the disabled list for Boston at the time, ejected from the game.

Baseball would be best served to follow a simple system that limits reviews only to select plays, like home runs and close plays at the plate; replays would not be instituted for balls and strikes. As in football, each team would be given two opportunities to ask for a video replay; for extra inning games, each team would be given an additional chance to call for a review. The purpose for the replay would be announced to the crowd and either the home plate umpire or the crew chief would have the responsibility of making the final call within a given time frame.

Will Bud Selig, the owners, and the players eventually reach an agreement to institute such a system? Most likely, there will be a few more on-field injustices to players and teams and unjust criticism levied on umpires before the obvious conclusion is reached.

Tags: Fenway Park, Gabe Kapler, Trot Nixon

Besides winning the final game of a home series against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park this afternoon, 11-8, to complete a four-game sweep, the game also featured grand slams from Boston Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew and third baseman Mike Lowell in the second and sixth innings, respectively. Drew’s home run came after Manny Ramirez, Lowell, and Kevin Youkilis hit consecutive singles off starter Brian Bannister, his third career grand slam. Lowell’s base-clearing blast came with two outs after the Royals intentionally walked a struggling Ramirez, who remains stuck on 498 career home runs; it was Lowell’s sixth career slam and his third since joining Boston.

It marked the first time since 2003 that the Red Sox hit two grand slams in a single game when Bill Mueller hit grand slams from both sides of the plate on 29 July, the first player in major league history to accomplish the feat. The last time two separate Boston players hit grand slams in the same game was in 1995 when former infielder John Valentin and first baseman Mo Vaughn did it on the road at Yankee Stadium on 02 May, accounting for the only runs in an 8-0 shutout of New York. The last time it happened at Fenway was nearly 24 years ago when Bill Buckner and Tony Armas each hit one off Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Morris in the first and second inning, respectively, of a 12-7 win.

Tags: Bill Buckner, Bill Mueller, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, J.D. Drew, John Valentin, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell, Mo Vaughn, Tony Armas

BOSTON - The Red Sox will be on the road but there will be plenty of baseball action at Fenway Park on June 28 as the Jimmy Fund teams up with the Red Sox Team Store to present the Ultimate Fan Experience at Jimmy Fund Fantasy Day. The Ultimate Fan Experience is a chance for people of all ages to enjoy baseball-related activities and entertainment while supporting the fight against cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund.

On the schedule to take place are photo opportunities, contests, a kid zone, tours, panel discussions and a skill zone for those who want to showcase their baseball talents in the batting cage. The Red Sox Store on Yawkey Way will also have autograph sessions with former players such as Joe Morgan, Frank Malzone, Ted Lepcio, Bill Monbouquette, and Rico Petrocelli along with a special appearance by NESN’s Hazel Mae. Fans can also watch those lucky enough to score a spot in the sold-out Fantasy Day on-field batting and fielding opportunities try to hit the Green Monster or play the ball off the wall. These on-field packages were made possible through the generosity of Ken and Bob Levine and regularly sell out months before the event.

Committed fans taking part in Jimmy Fund Fantasy Day have raised nearly $6 million since it began in 1992. Gate B will open at 9:00 AM, and the Ultimate Fan Experience will run until 5:00 PM. Tickets are $25 per person for those 12 and over, $15 for children ages 3 to 11, and free for children under three. To purchase tickets, go to www.jimmyfund.org/fantasyday/. A $5 ticket discount is available for groups of 15 and more. To receive the group discount, email fantasyday@dfci.harvard.edu or contact Katy Barrett at 617.632.3611.

Tags: Bill Monbouquette, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, Frank Malzone, Hazel Mae, Jimmy Fund, Joe Morgan, Rico Petrocelli, Ted Lepcio

Less than two years after being diagnosed with cancer, Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester threw the 18th no-hitter in Boston history Monday night, blanking the Kansas City Royals 7-0 with just two walks allowed while striking out nine at Fenway Park. Lester’s gem comes over eight months after fellow starter Clay Buchholz threw a no-no against the Baltimore Orioles last fall in the rookie’s second major league start, the first time since the California Angels in 1974 and 1975 that a single team has recorded back-to-back no-hitters - in that instance, both were thrown by Nolan Ryan. Lester, who was the winning pitcher in the final game of the 2007 World Series for the Sox, threw 130 pitches, 86 for strikes, in his first-ever complete game effort and became just the fourth left-handed pitcher to throw a no-no in team history, the first since Red Sox Hall of Fame pitcher Mel Parnell threw one in July of 1956.

After going 36 years between Dave Morehead’s no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park in 1965 and former Japanese sensation Hideo Nomo’s feat in 2001 at Camden Yards against the Orioles, Sox pitchers have thrown four in the past eight seasons. Following Nomo’s performance in his first-ever start for Boston in the second game of the season, Derek Lowe threw Fenway’s first no-no in 37 years; five seasons later, Buchholz tossed the third one of the decade for Boston to begin the month of September 2007, only the third pitcher in major league history to throw in a no-hitter by his second career start.

Veteran backstop Jason Varitek also made history by catching his fourth no-hitter, the most ever in a career by a catcher, and it marked the fourth different pitcher that he has helped accomplish the feat. He even helped Lester’s cause by hitting a two-run home run to the grandstand in right field to plate the final two runs of the night for Boston. Lester’s command was near perfect in his bid, throwing first-pitch strikes to 19 batters, and the only threat by Kansas City came with two outs in the fourth, when Jose Guillen’s sinking line drive was caught by a diving Jacoby Ellsbury in center field to end the inning.

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Clay Buchholz, Derek Lowe, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Varitek, Jon Lester, Mel Parnell

Caught stealing on a pitch-out in the fourth inning of Sunday’s 11-7 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury’s streak of stolen bases to begin his career was stopped at 25, two shy of the major league of 27 set by Tim Raines in 1979. Through Sunday, the rookie flycatcher has 16 steals in 40 games this season; counting the nine he stole in 33 games played last season, his 25 is still the most by a first-year Boston player since “Leaping” Mike Menosky in 1920. Ellsbury still has a ways to go beat the franchise single-season record of 54 stolen bases set by outfielder Tommy Harper in 1973, who was also caught in 14 further attempts; at present, factoring in the number of games played versus the number of games played by the Sox, he is on pace to steal 56, which would be just enough to move him into the number one spot in club history.

If Ellsbury eventually wants to claim the franchise record for career stolen bases, it may take him a few more years. Former outfielder Harry Hooper, the only starter to play on all four World Series championship teams between 1912 and 1918, stole 300 in his 12 seasons in a Red Sox uniform, putting him first place all-time with the club. Hooper’s teammate for two of those championships, Tris Speaker, sits in second place with 267 over nine seasons, and another former Boston outfielder, Carl Yastrzemski, stole 168 over 23 seasons. Only 12 former players have managed 100 or more steals with the traditionally slow-footed club and most of the top base-stealers set their marks prior to World War II; since that time, Boston has relied more on the strength of its bats rather than its speed on the base paths.

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Carl Yastrzemski, Harry Hooper, Jacoby Ellsbury, Tommy Harper, Tris Speaker

15 May 1999 - On this day nine years ago, Red Sox ownership, led by CEO John Harrington, announces plans to replace 87-year-old Fenway Park with a brand-new complex that features near-identical dimensions across Yawkey Way by 2003; however, plans never got off the ground and new ownership announced the abandonment of any such plan in 2005. The design was to have followed in the spirit of retro-style ballparks like Camden Yards in Baltimore and Jacobs Field in Cleveland, while the old ballpark would have seen new development built in place of what is now center field, the bleachers, and first-base side of the ballpark. However, plans also including turning part of the old Fenway Park into a baseball museum and park. The new plan would also have allowed construction of the new park to take place as the Red Sox played their final games in its historic ball yard.

Ownership claimed that with the current structure, the Red Sox would be unable to stay competitive as player salaries increased; the new stadium, which would be financed by the team, would include 10,000 more seats including luxury boxes and premium seats. All the team asked in return from the state was improvement to the local infrastructure, such as the building of parking garages and improved transportation. However, city, county, and state legislators balked at the idea and, after the sale of the team by the JR Yawkey ownership group in 2002, the idea was scraped as the new ownership, led by John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino, instead poured money into renovations, such as expanded concourses, added bathroom facilities and concessions, and innovations such as the Monster Seats and Conigliaro’s corner that have added close to 6,000 seats to bring the park’s present capacity to just under 40,000. In March of 2005, all plans for a new facility in the foreseeable future were abandoned as the club announced their commitment to remain at Fenway.

Image of New Fenway Park courtesy of Ballparks.com

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park

For Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox, this was not the plan going into the 2008 season. Forced to shelve Curt Schilling until at least the All-Star break and start the season with Josh Beckett on the disabled list, Boston had no choice but to thrust rising talent Clay Buchholz back into the limelight as the club’s fifth starter. The hope was that he could fill that role on the roster while the Sox waited for free agent Bartolo Colon, acquired late in spring training, to make two or three extra starts with Pawtucket before joining Boston’s rotation. Unfortunately, after starting the opener for the PawSox, Colon strained his oblique muscle, hindering his immediate path to the big league club and further entrenching Buchholz on the 25-man roster indefinitely.

To this point, Buchholz has had mixed success. At home, he has been exceptional; in three starts, he has allowed just two runs and averaged nearly six innings per start while posting a 1.04 ERA. On the road, he has been shelled in nearly every start except for a tough-luck 2-1 loss in Tampa on 26 April; take that game out of the equation, and the average is just over four innings and nearly six runs allowed with an ERA of 11.65. In total, he is 2-3 with a 5.53 ERA while the Sox have lost six of his eight starts.

Regardless, the Red Sox are looking long-term with Buchholz, who was signed in 2005 and just last season pitched at Double-A Portland before jumping to Triple-A Pawtucket at mid-season and then getting called up twice late in the season. As with other young pitchers in the system, Boston wants to keep pitch counts and innings pitched totals reasonable so as not to burn out those valuable arms while giving them at least a few years to develop in the minors. Ideally, Buchholz would have started the season with the PawSox and continued his development there; to the team’s credit, the Sox have continued to follow this convention, even at the likely cost of a few wins this season for the club.

The good news is that Colon looked strong in his recent start Saturday against Indianapolis, his first for Pawtucket since the opener; limited to just 55 pitches going into the game, the former Cy Young winner threw 49 over three innings of work, giving up one run on four hits while striking out two. The radar guns even recorded his fastball at 94 MPH and his pitches showed excellent movement, according to Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson.

His next start is scheduled for Thursday in Buffalo and he will likely make at least one more start before a move is made to bring him to Boston. At present, the club has a deadline of 01 June to place him on the club roster at a bargain cost of $1.25 million this season. If and when this happens, Buchholz will likely return to Pawtucket to resume his efforts to eventually become a permanent fixture in Boston.

Tags: Bartolo Colon, Boston Red Sox, Clay Buchholz, Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Pawtucket Red Sox, Theo Epstein